What we see from scripture starting in Genesis is a focus on the Middle East in the beginning and in Revelation the focus is brought right back to that region of the earth. These settlements, including Sumero-Akkadian sites like Sippar, Uruk, Adab and Kish, were organized in competing city-states. [9][15], The Euphrates receives most of its water in the form of rainfall and melting snow, resulting in peak volumes during the months April through May. [63] Parts of the flooded area have recently become accessible again due to the drying up of the lake, resulting not only in new possibilities for archaeologists to do more research, but also providing opportunities for looting, which has been rampant elsewhere in Iraq in the wake of the 2003 invasion. The pre-1990 peak volume recorded at Ht was 7,510 cubic metres (265,000cuft) per second, while after 1990 it is only 2,514 cubic metres (88,800cuft) per second. Annual evaporation from reservoirs has been estimated at 2 cubic kilometres (0.48cumi) in Turkey, 1 cubic kilometre (0.24cumi) in Syria and 5 cubic kilometres (1.2cumi) in Iraq. The Euphrates River begins in Turkey, but flows through Syria and Iraq. And the tribulation period is all the wrath of God. Toby Dillon Lifelong follower of Christ Author has 24.4K answers and 14.6M answer views 6 y Related The Euphrates River, long part of the area known as the Fertile Crescent, is a significant landmark in Scripture and a valuable resource in the Middle East as it runs through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. If you can trust that He died for your sins, then you can trust that His atoning work is enough for you. The minimum volume at Ht remained relatively unchanged, rising from 55 cubic metres (1,900cuft) per second before 1990 to 58 cubic metres (2,000cuft) per second afterward. I believe youre making the case then that the prophecy concerning the Euphrates river in Revelation 16 is being fulfilled (let me know if I misunderstood what you were saying)? Here are some passages I encourage you to read that speaks to assurance of salvation: John 5:24; 6:35-40; 10:7-10; 27-30; 1 John 5:12-13. Iraq's largest dam on the Euphrates is the Haditha Dam; a 9-kilometre-long (5.6mi) earth-fill dam creating Lake Qadisiyah. (We can also calculate this as 490 x 7 years.) Revelation 16:12 says: "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. The Balikh receives most of its water from a karstic spring near 'Ayn al-'Arus and flows due south until it reaches the Euphrates at the city of Raqqa. This road leads to my village west of #kobani, which was flooded in year 99 as a result of establishment of a lake on Euphrates river . [9] Estimates of the area of the Euphrates drainage basin vary widely; from a low 233,000 square kilometres (90,000sqmi) to a high 766,000 square kilometres (296,000sqmi). Discharge in these two months accounts for 36 percent of the total annual discharge of the Euphrates, or even 6070 percent according to one source, while low runoff occurs in summer and autumn. The 1,700-mile-long Euphrates is the main source of drinking water as well as powering three hydroelectric plants that produce electricity for about three million people in Syria. The Elamite, Akkadian, and possibly Sumerian forms are suggested to be from an unrecorded substrate language. Is the Euphrates River drying up a sign of the end times? According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Cyrus diverted the water of the Euphrates enough to allow his army to enter through the channels under the city walls (, 1) The sixth bowl judgment comes near the end of the tribulation. (NA) or dKIB.NUN, with the prefix "d" indicating that the river was a divinity. Whenever you may find yourself in a place of doubt, remind yourself to take your eyes off of you and put them onto Christ who we can trust completely. Between Raqqa and the SyroIraqi border the Euphrates flows through a steppe landscape. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Its likely the city and the river were connected in importance and divinity. Archaeologists from numerous countries excavated sites ranging in date from the Natufian to the Abbasid period, and two minarets were dismantled and rebuilt outside the flood zone. But what is surprising is who built all of this? Basic Bible Prophecy: Essential Facts Every Christian Should Know by Ron Rhodes. In Akkadian the river was called Purattu,[3] which has been perpetuated in Semitic languages (cf. Although God offers humanity the gift of eternal life through the shed blood of His son, its our choice to either reject this gift and pay for the penalty of our sin ourselves or accept it by placing our trust in the one whos already paid it all in full (Acts 16:30-31,Romans 6:23,Ephesians 2:8-9). Some of the many reasons why is the multiple dams, droughts, water policies and misuse. The Sajur is the smallest of these tributaries; emerging from two streams near Gaziantep and draining the plain around Manbij before emptying into the reservoir of the Tishrin Dam. The reduction in water flow began on January 27 and began with the end of winter and the minimization of rain and water inflow affecting the areas of Raqqa, Tabqa, Deir Ezzor and other areas of northeastern Syria. In Sumerian, the name of the city of Sippar in modern-day Iraq was also written UD.KIB.NUN, indicating a historically strong relationship between the city and the river. This has been caused by a combination of factors, including changes in precipitation patterns, deforestation, and the overuse of water resources. In fact, parts of it are completely dry. Does this mean that the drying up of the Euphrates river as were currently witnessing it has no significance? [80] Many of these cities were located along canals of the Euphrates and the Tigris that have since dried up, but that can still be identified from remote sensing imagery. In the video below, a local resident stands at the bottom of a lake that communicates with the Euphrates. The River Po cuts right across the top of Italy and flows out east into the Adriatic Sea. With the construction of large hydropower stations, irrigation schemes, and pipelines capable of transporting water over large distances, many more people now depend on the river for basic amenities such as electricity and drinking water than in the past. So I still wouldnt say whats occurring now is a fulfillment of Isaiah 11:15 (or Revelation 16). 24: 7). This is sooo significant to say the least. [85] Following the end of the Middle Assyrian Empire in the late 11th century BCE, struggles broke out between Babylonia and Assyria over the control of the Iraqi Euphrates basin. It concerns the drying up of the Euphrates River. [14] At the location of the Keban Dam, the two rivers, now combined into the Euphrates, have dropped to an elevation of 693 metres (2,274ft) amsl. [6] In Mandaean scriptures, the Euphrates is considered to be the earthly manifestation of the heavenly yardna or flowing river (similar to the Yazidi concept of Lalish being the earthly manifestation of its heavenly counterpart).[7]. The Neo-Assyrian Empire (935605 BC) eventually emerged victorious out of this conflict and also succeeded in gaining control of the northern Euphrates basin in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. Drying up the Euphrates River. At the same time, the area was hit by severe drought and river flow toward Iraq was reduced from 15.3 cubic kilometres (3.7cumi) in 1973 to 9.4 cubic kilometres (2.3cumi) in 1975. How many times has the euphrates river dried up. Let's find out in this video below, Unbelievable! Behold, I am coming as a thief. Thank you so much for this informative massage that gives me clear insight on whats happening in those prophetic sites and relate to Bible prophesies and interpretation to make us get prepared to face these imminent dangerous situation as lead up events to the second coming of the Kind, almighty God. Its been the main source of water for the region, and with it, growth and fertility are unlike anything theyd ever seen before. Now, The drying up of the Euphrates River is not just a prophecy, but it is actually happening today. In any event, it just goes to show the LORD does things His own way, and its perfect. Over the past ten days, Turkey reduced the water flow to Syria from 500 to 200 cubic meters per second, suspending electricity production at the Euphrates Dam and led to a decrease in the irrigation ad drinking water, besides a remarkable depletion of Lake Assad, SANA said. [18], The discharge regime of the Euphrates has changed dramatically since the construction of the first dams in the 1970s. Over 7 million people are affected by the river drying up. Many families in Iraq that rely on the river are desperate for water. It is reported that the level of the river dropped by 5 meters, but in fact everything is much worse there and is measured, most likely, from the level of last spring, which was already anomalous back then. Weve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Psalm 51:5,Romans 3:23) and due to this theres nothing we can do to save ourselves or somehow work our way to heaven (Isaiah 64:6). Evidence for irrigation has been found at several sites dating to this period, including Tell es-Sawwan. The Elamite name is ultimately derived from a name spelt in cuneiform as , which read as Sumerian is "Buranuna" and read as Akkadian is "Purattu"; many cuneiform signs have a Sumerian pronunciation and an Akkadian pronunciation, taken from a Sumerian word and an Akkadian word that mean the same. Throughout history, this zone has been heavily overgrazed due to the practicing of sheep and goat pastoralism by its inhabitants. There are no fast solutions to fill up the Euphrates River, especially with record low yearly rainfall. "It's as if we were in the desert," said the 50-year-old farmer, standing on what last year was the Euphrates riverbed. The river is spelled similarly to Sippar, an ancient city located in modern-day Iraq. These rivers rise in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains along the SyroTurkish border and add comparatively little water to the Euphrates. [101] Through a newly restored power line, the Haditha Dam in Iraq provides electricity to Baghdad. The Battle of Karbala took place near the banks of this river in 680 AD. This led to an international crisis during which Iraq threatened to bomb the Tabqa Dam. The bible makes it clear that our life is like a vapor so tomorrow isnt guaranteed for anyone (James 4:13-14). Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! These power stations provide energy to the homes of somethree millioncitizens. The Euphrates (/ ju f r e t i z / ()) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. It would seem I was one of those misunderstanding, which is ironic, because Ive been compelled to inform people by the Helper, myself, about prophetic misinterpretations; namely, this crazed idea that the COVID-19 vaccine is the beasts mark. From Keban to the SyrianTurkish border, the river drops another 368 metres (1,207ft) over a distance of less than 600 kilometres (370mi). [39], With the implementation of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (Turkish: Gneydou Anadolu Projesi, or GAP) in the 1970s, Turkey launched an ambitious plan to harness the waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates for irrigation and hydroelectricity production and provide an economic stimulus to its southeastern provinces. [37][38] Syria also built three smaller dams on the Khabur and its tributaries. [35] Syria and Turkey built their first dams in the Euphrates in the 1970s. The Euphrates, which is 2,800 kilometres long, flows from Turkey into Syria and Iraq. Thank you for your question. [86], In the centuries to come, control of the wider Euphrates basin shifted from the Neo-Assyrian Empire (which collapsed between 612 and 599 BC) to the short lived Median Empire (612546 BC) and equally brief Neo-Babylonian Empire (612539 BC) in the last years of the 7th century BC, and eventually to the Achaemenid Empire (539333 BC). The flow was cut off completely on 16 May 2014 resulting in the Euphrates terminating at the TurkishSyrian border. The 7 seal, 7 trumpet, and 7 bowl judgments all occur within the confines of the tribulation. The Euphrates river is drying up, so much so that at its current pace, it will be a humanitarian crisis for those who rely on it as a water source in Syria. Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and get useful resources such as recommended videos, free online courses, and podcasts. The most notable occurred in the 16th century when the river dried up completely for several years. From there, it flows southeast through Syria and Iraq, eventually emptying into the Persian Gulf. This zone supports either no vegetation at all or small pockets of Chenopodiaceae or Poa sinaica. A lot of history was made at this river. Aside from Revelation 16, we also see the significance of the Euphrates river during the tribulation in Revelation 9 with the sixth trumpet judgment which I elaborate on in this article. [87] The Achaemenid Empire was in turn overrun by Alexander the Great, who defeated the last king Darius III and died in Babylon in 323 BCE.[88]. On which the various lives of the ancients depended heavily on this river. What is the significance of the Euphrates River? The village was flooded about 5 meters, that meaning were about five meters underwater, but now as you see it like a desert. [89] An agreement between Turkey and Iraq signed in 1946 required Turkey to report to Iraq on any hydraulic changes it made on the TigrisEuphrates river system, and allowed Iraq to construct dams on Turkish territory to manage the flow of the Euphrates.[90]. [62] An archaeological survey and rescue excavations were also carried out in the area flooded by Lake Qadisiya in Iraq. [10][11] The same figures are given by Isaev and Mikhailova. Have some feedback for us? Arabic: al-Furt; Syriac: Prt, Hebrew: Prat) and in other nearby languages of the time (cf. Sites like Ebla, Mari and Tell Leilan grew to prominence for the first time during this period. Along its way, it irrigates swaths of land in Syria's. [84], In the second half of the 2nd millennium BCE, the Euphrates basin was divided between Kassite Babylon in the south and Mitanni, Assyria and the Hittite Empire in the north, with the Middle Assyrian Empire (13651020 BC) eventually eclipsing the Hittites, Mitanni and Kassite Babylonians. Its as if we were in the desert, said the 50-year-old farmer, standing on what last year was theEuphratesriverbed. [24] The greater part of the Euphrates basin is located in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Its about 1,700 miles long and the basin's average size is 190,000 square miles. The 1,700-mile-long Euphrates is the main source of drinking water as well as powering three hydroelectric plants that produce electricity for about three million people in Syria. The river has had problems in the past with lowering water levels, but why? Im just doing my best to stay faithful to what the text says. The largest canal in this network is the Main Outfall Drain or so-called "Third River;" constructed between 1953 and 1992. Pride goes before the fall and you seem very full of it. Its a humanitarian catastrophe, he said. Its clear to us that the Euphrates river is significant due to the yet to be fulfilled prophecies concerning it so its not necessary to force a fulfillment upon it. Or battles will be for water, which will soon be at the price of precious metals. For example, the Euphrates River flows through a xeric woodland in the mountains of Southeast Turkey. What Happens to Those who have Never Heard About Jesus? Is the Drying Up of the Euphrates River a Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy? Often times people lump the the 6th trumpet judgment in Revelation 9:13-21 with the 6th bowl judgment in Revelation 16:12-16 and I just dont see the relation or the interpretational justification to do so. On the subject of the golden mountain,theologians are still debating. Carnivorous species include the wolf, the golden jackal, the red fox, the leopard and the lion. The Seventh Seal is the DAY OF THE LORD and the judgements against the world. The great river Euphrates will dry up because, as some say, the Antichrist will come from the east through the Euphrates, and from the tribe of Ian, one of the sons of the patriarch Jacob. Although millennia-long human occupation in most parts of the Euphrates basin has significantly degraded the landscape, patches of original vegetation remain. As per 1987 Protocol on Economic Cooperation between Syrian and Turkey, the annual 16 billion cubic meters of Euphrates River (500 m3/s) should to be released at the Syrian-Turkish border for five years. For the Northern Hemisphere, spring has just begun and everything will dry up in June-July, but in the Middle East a drought has already begun and, as it turned out, the Euphrates River has dramatically shallowed. In that day is often a reference to either the tribulation period or the second coming of Christ and not the last days in general. Scroll to continue reading. Join us as we dig deeper into the terrifying details scientists have revealed about the changes in the Euphrates river, and what it could mean for the future of mankind. Yet he veers off the truth when he says that the Sixth Bowl Judgment is during the tribulation. It is NOT! The village was flooded about 5 meters, that meaning were about five meters underwater, but now as you see it like a desert. The Tabqa Dam in Syria was completed in 1973 while Turkey finished the Keban Dam, a prelude to the immense Southeastern Anatolia Project, in 1974. This 184-metre-high (604ft) and 1,820-metre-long (5,970ft) dam was completed in 1992; thereby creating a reservoir that is the third-largest lake in Turkey. So first, we actually see mention of this army in Revelation 9 not 19. The first time the Euphrates River was mentioned was cuneiform texts found in Shuruppak and pre-Sargonic Nippur. [4] Tamaz V. Gamkrelidze and Vyacheslav Ivanov suggest the Proto-Sumerian *burudu "copper" (Sumerian urudu) as an origin, with an explanation that Euphrates was the river by which copper ore was transported in rafts, since Mesopotamia was the center of copper metallurgy during the period. Thank you for your comment and I appreciate you reading through the article. What is the Prophetic Significance of the Third Temple? If you have truly placed your faith in Christs redemptive work on the cross as you said Trent, then look to Christ for your assurance. Biblically speaking, when the Euphrates River dries up, essentially the line between "righteous" and "unrighteous" becomes blurred, and/or is no longer present. (Revelation 9:13-19). The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. What leads you to believe that the 6th bowl judgment occurs after the tribulation? Some officials worry that it could soon be half of what it is now. On 15 April 2014, Turkey began to reduce the flow of the Euphrates into Syria and Iraq. There was a time when the strip of land between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, in theMiddle East, was so lush as to earn itself the nickname of fertile crescent. Once the Euphrates enters Iraq, there are no more natural tributaries to the Euphrates, although canals connecting the Euphrates basin with the Tigris basin exist. The Euphrates (/jufretiz/ (listen)) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. In Iraq, they are battling the worst drought theyve ever seen. The Euphrates River has played a crucial role in the development and growth of several ancient civilizations. Theres a specific context in which it will eventually take place, but its not now. The steady drop in annual rainfall from the sources of the Euphrates toward the Persian Gulf is a strong determinant for the vegetation that can be supported. The Syrian regime accused Turkey of depriving Syrians of their water share of the Euphrates river, saying electricity production at the Euphrates Dam stopped and water level in Lake Al-Assad, the Syrian state-owned news agency SANA reported on Wednesday.