Warning #4: The Assyrian Horsemen are coming with war and famine
When a country sins by being unfaithful to God, God says that he will bring four terrible punishments (wars, famines, beasts, and plagues) against them (Eze 14:12-23). The first punishment listed is "wars" and wars are fought by armies. In Bible times, the strength and greatness of a King's army was measured by how many horses, chariots, and horsemen a King had. King Soloman had many horses, chariots. and horsemen.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. (1Ki 4:26 MKJV)
And King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And all the earth sought Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. And every man brought his presents, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and clothing and armor, and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. And he had fourteen hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver like stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars like the sycamore trees in the valley for abundance. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and out of Kue. The king's merchants received them from Kue at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means. (1Ki 10:23-29 MKJV)
Mighty horsemen have already risen in this world to conquer, to take peace from the world, and to weigh our harvests, but a few more horsemen are to come.
So says Jehovah, Behold, a people comes from the north country, and a great nation shall be stirred from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea; and they ride on horses, set in order like a man for war against you, O daughter of Zion. We have heard the rumor of it; our hands become feeble; anguish has taken hold of us, and pain, like a woman in labor. Do not go out into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear are on every side. O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and wallow in ashes; make mourning for yourself, as for an only son, most bitter weeping; for the ravager shall suddenly come on us. (Jer 6:22-26 MKJV)
Look, your enemies are in an uproar. Those who hate you hold their heads high. They make plans in secret against your people and plot together against those you treasure. They say, "Let's wipe out their nation so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered." They agree completely on their plan. They form an alliance against you: the tents from Edom and Ishmael, Moab and Hagar, Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia, along with those who live in Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them. They helped the descendants of Lot. Selah (Psa 83:2-8 GW)
In Warning #1: Captivity by the King of Assyria, I warned about the captivity that the King of Assyria would bring, but the warning in this Isaiah's End Times Timeline is of war and famine that are coming. The spirit of ancient Assyria (modern day Syria, Iraq, and Iran) is the great sword that is coming upon our land today and I believe that many people will die from their horsemen.
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (Isa 10:5-6 KJV)
They shall put you out of the synagogue. But an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think that he bears God service. And they will do these things to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. (Joh 16:2-3 MKJV)
Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors. They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword." "But even in those days, declares the LORD, I will not make a full end of you. And when your people say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' you shall say to them, 'As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.'" Declare this in the house of Jacob; proclaim it in Judah: "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. (Jer 5:15-21 ESV)
Violent horsemen who live in the desert (ancient Chaldea) will be a part of the Assyrian army that will bring war and famine against us.
"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!" Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.” (Hab 1:5-12 ESV)
God warned us about them from the beginning.
Jehovah shall bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue you shall not understand, a nation fierce of face who shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young. And he shall eat the fruit of your cattle and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed. He shall not leave you grain, wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or flocks of your sheep, until he has destroyed you. And he shall besiege you in all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down, throughout all the land. And he shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land which Jehovah your God has given you. (Deu 28:49-52 MKJV)
Behold the land of the Chaldeans! This people did not exist. Assyria founded it for those who live in the desert. They set up their siege-towers; they stripped its palaces. They made it a ruin. (Isa 23:13 MKJV)
The horsemen from Elam (ancient Persia) and Kir (ancient Media), who are also all a part of the Assyrian Kingdom, are also waiting at the gate.
This is a message about the Valley of Vision. What is happening? Why are all the people of the city celebrating on the roofs of the houses? The whole city is in an uproar, filled with noise and excitement. Your people who died in this war did not die fighting. All your leaders ran away and were captured before they shot a single arrow. Now leave me alone to weep bitterly over all those of my people who have died. Don't try to comfort me. This is a time of panic, defeat, and confusion in the Valley of Vision, and the Sovereign LORD Almighty has sent it on us. The walls of our city have been battered down, and cries for help have echoed among the hills. The soldiers from the land of Elam came riding on horseback, armed with bows and arrows. Soldiers from the land of Kir had their shields ready. The fertile valleys of Judah were filled with chariots; soldiers on horseback stood in front of Jerusalem's gates. All of Judah's defenses crumbled. When that happened, you brought weapons out of the arsenal. You found the places where the walls of Jerusalem needed repair. You inspected all the houses in Jerusalem and tore some of them down to get stones to repair the city walls. In order to store water, (SEE 22:9) you built a reservoir inside the city to hold the water flowing down from the old pool. But you paid no attention to God, who planned all this long ago and who caused it to happen. The Sovereign LORD Almighty was calling you then to weep and mourn, to shave your heads and wear sackcloth. Instead, you laughed and celebrated. You killed sheep and cattle to eat, and you drank wine. You said, "We might as well eat and drink! Tomorrow we'll be dead." The Sovereign LORD Almighty himself spoke to me and said, "This evil will never be forgiven them as long as they live. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken." (Isa 22:1-14 GNB)
I looked, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down before the face of Jehovah, before His fierce anger. For so Jehovah has said, The whole land shall be desolate, yet I will not make a full end. The earth shall mourn for this, and the heavens above shall be black, because I have spoken, I have purposed, and will not repent, nor will I turn back from it. Every city shall flee from the sound of the horsemen and bowmen. They shall go into thickets and climb up among the rocks. All the city is abandoned, and not a man shall live in them. And you, O desolate one, what will you do? Though you dress with crimson, though you put on ornaments of gold, though you make your eyes large with paint, you shall make yourself beautiful in vain; your lovers will despise you; they will seek your life. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, the anguish as one bearing her first child, the voice of Zion's daughter, gasping and spreading her hands, saying, Woe to me now! For my soul faints because of murderers. (Jer 4:26-31 MKJV)
Those who leave spiritual Jerusalem at this time and return to spiritual Egypt will look to Egyptian horsemen to help them flee and to protect them instead of King Jesus.
For so says the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you shall be saved; and in quietness and hope shall be your strength. And you were not willing. But you said, No; for we will flee on a horse. Therefore you shall flee. And you said, We will ride on the swift; therefore those who pursue you shall be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five you shall flee, until you are left as a pole on the top of a mountain, and as a sign on a hill. And so Jehovah waits to be gracious to you. And therefore He is exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For Jehovah is a God of judgment; blessed are all those who wait for Him. (Isa 30:15-18 MKJV)
We should not put our trust in Egypt's horsemen, for they are only men, not gods.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and lean on horses and trust in chariots, because it is great; and in horsemen, because they are so very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Jehovah! Yet He also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back His Words, but will arise against the house of evil-doers and against the help of those who work iniquity. And Egypt is a man, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not Spirit. When Jehovah shall stretch out His hand, both he who helps shall fall, and he who is helped shall fall down, and they shall all cease together. (Isa 31:1-3 MKJV)
God is using ancient Assyrian horsemen to get our attention and to turn us (the sisters, or Seven Churches) back to him so that He can heal us, bring us back together again, and to protect us because the King of Babylon is rising in power.
The King of Babylon will come and conquer spiritual Egypt and he and his horsemen will have the power to “kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.” (Fourth seal – pale horse, horseman’s name is death)
For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the plague, So that none of the remnant of Judah who has gone into the land of Egypt to live there shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah to which they have a desire to return to live there. For none shall return except those who escape. (Jer 44:13-14 MKJV)
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!" When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Rev 6:1-17 ESV)
And I turned and lifted up my eyes and looked. And behold! Four chariots were coming from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. Red horses were in the first chariot; and in the second chariot black horses; and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot horses with dappled, strong colors. And I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, What are these, my lord? And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four spirits of the heavens who go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. The black horses in it go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the dappled go forth to a south country. And the strong colored ones went forth and sought to go, so to walk to and fro through the earth. And he said, Go! Walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. And he cried to me and spoke to me, saying, Behold, these who go toward the north country have caused My Spirit to rest in the north country. And the Word of Jehovah came to me saying, Take from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, from the exiles who have come from Babylon; and in that day you go and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. And take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And speak to him, saying, So speaks Jehovah of Hosts, saying, Behold the Man whose name is The BRANCH! And He shall spring up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of Jehovah. Even He shall build the temple of Jehovah; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And He shall be a priest on His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And the crowns shall be for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah to Helem and to Tobijah and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah. And the distant ones shall come and build in the temple of Jehovah, and you shall know that Jehovah of Hosts has sent me to you. And this shall be, if you will carefully obey the voice of Jehovah your God. (Zec 6:1-15 MKJV)
The horse is prepared against the day of battle; but victory is of the LORD.
(Pro 21:31 JPS)
Before God punishes the King of Assyria, he will be allowed to strike Jerusalem (spiritual and natural). That means he will attack the Christians and their land, and the Jews and their land with sword and famine.
Therefore so says the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, O my people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria. He shall strike you with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against you, in the way of Egypt. But yet a little while, and the fury shall cease, and My anger shall be in their ruin. And Jehovah of Hosts shall stir up a whip on him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as His rod was on the sea, so shall He lift it up in the way of Egypt. And it shall be, in that day his burden shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. (Isa 10:24-27 MKJV)
And it will be, when the Lord has broken off all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks. For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am wise. And I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the people like a strong man. And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; and there was none who moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who moves it? As if the rod could wave those who lift itself up! As if a staff could raise what is not wood! Therefore the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, shall send leanness among his fat ones; and under his glory He shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. And the light of Israel shall be as a fire, and His Holy One as a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. And it shall burn up the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a sick one faints. And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a boy might write them. And it shall be in that day, the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob, shall never again lean on him who struck them; but truly lean on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel. The remnant shall return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. (Isa 10:12-21 MKJV)
When the King of Assyria has been punished, then the King of Babylon will take his place. The King of Babylon is the Antichrist. The books of the Prophets make this clear. Then the Beast of Revelation will arise and the Harlot (Babylon) will be riding upon him. But God has promised from the beginning that He would lead His redeemed people back to His city on His highway in the midst of great judgments - just like the plagues that came upon Egypt by the hand of Moses. King Jesus has been given authority by God to do just that and He gave us details of these judgments in the book of Revelation so that we would know what to expect.
And Jehovah shall strike Egypt; He shall strike and heal; and they shall return to Jehovah, and He shall hear them and shall heal them. In that day there shall be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt shall serve with Assyria. In that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance. (Isa 19:22-25 MKJV)
And it shall be in that day, the Lord shall again set His hand, the second time, to recover the remnant of His people that remains, from Assyria and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Ethiopia, and from Persia, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the coasts of the sea. And He shall lift up a banner for the nations, and shall gather the outcasts of Israel and gather together the scattered ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. And the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the foes of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not trouble Ephraim. But they shall fly on the shoulders of the Philistines to the west; they shall spoil the sons of the east together; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the sons of Ammon shall obey them. And Jehovah shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with His scorching wind He shall shake His hand over the River, and shall strike it into seven streams, and make one tread it with shoes. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, those left from Assyria; as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. (Isa 11:11-16 MKJV)
"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. "And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.' (Hos 2:14-16 ESV)
Who is like You, O Jehovah, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them. You in Your mercy have led forth the people which You have redeemed. You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation. The people shall hear, being afraid. Sorrow shall take hold on the people of Philistia. Then the princes of Edom were terrified. Trembling seized upon the mighty men of Moab. All the people of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them. By the greatness of Your arm they shall be still as a stone, until Your people pass over, O Jehovah; until the people whom You have purchased pass over. You shall bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, O Jehovah, You have made for You to dwell in; the Sanctuary, O Jehovah, which Your hands have established. Jehovah shall reign forever and ever. (Exo 15:11-18 MKJV)
People of Jerusalem, open your gates! Repair the road to the city and clear it of stones; raise a banner to help the nations find their way. Here is what the LORD has said for all the earth to hear: "Soon I will come to save the city of Zion, and to reward you. Then you will be called, 'The LORD's Own People, The Ones He Rescued!' Your city will be known as a good place to live and a city full of people." (Isa 62:10-12 CEV)
Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Isa 51:11 KJV)
It is time for us to consecrate a fast from doing things our way and get back to the ancient highway that will lead us to New Jerusalem. That is where King Jesus has provisions for us and will protect us and give us rest. We have a part in helping lead others back to the safety of God’s city on His highway. We do this by walking in His love. (Read “Love Your Neighbor#6 Pledge” in my Bible Study - www.basiclovetraining.org.)
People from all nations and religions will look to King Jesus and will follow Him. They will start listening to His teachers and will be trained in His love. It is time to repair the breach in the Kingdom of God.
