The Fall of the Syrian Regime

Dear COAH,

The fall of the Syrian regime

On December 8, Syrian rebels captured the capital, Damascus, bringing down the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad. He and his father ruled the Syrian people for over half a century. Their downfall was a remarkable turn of events. As we recall, during the "Arab Spring" of 2011, angry demonstrators toppled their dictators in many countries. But Syria was an exception. The brutal dictator cracked down on his people, crushing and killing his opposition. From the cruel use of chemical weapons to the infamous prison system and the underground facilities dug for the president's security, people were horrified by what they saw. Now, the tyrant Bashar al-Assad has fled to Russia in disgrace, and people have trampled any statue or photo of him and his father underfoot.

Syria's closest allies are Russia and North Korea. It is more than a coincidence that Russia and North Korea also have brutal dictators. Their misjudgments and abuse have led to the misery of countless people. The Syrian regime was in the middle of the evil company.  Syria reportedly sent 40,000 troops to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine, only to be attacked by the rebels and toppled. It is a chilling fact that North Korea and Syria are best friend nations in the world of tyranny (BBC News Korea, December 13, 2024, "Syrian dictatorship toppled... What does it mean for North Korea?"). Most people live their ordinary lives, while some live to contribute to humanity significantly. As far as the al-Assad family is concerned, they lived to become the public enemy #1. They wielded unlimited power and led countless people down the path of misery and tragedy, for which only God's judgment awaited them.

As we watch the fall of the Syrian regime, we must remember to pray for North Korea, its closest ally. May the North Korean dictatorship fall as swiftly as Syria. We should pray for the nation where 25 million innocent lives breathe and seek freedom. Most of all, we should pray that a new spiritual harvest season will return to Pyongyang, once called the Jerusalem of the East. I pray that believers will proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the same city where Missionary Samuel Moffatt preached, where Elder Gil Sun-ju led the Pyongyang Great Revival, and where Pyongyang Theological Seminary and Sungsil University produced future leaders of Korea.


Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song