Behind | Assyrian Invasion

Two major historical movements consumed Syria-Palestine during the Iron Age: 

1) The rise and fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire 

2) The rise and fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire 

Assyrian’s goal was Egypt, the breadbasket of the ancient Near East. To conquer Egypt, however, was not easy. It took waves of military action across the northern portions of the Fertile Crescent, then through Syria and further south through Israel and Judah. 

The interactive map in the next exercise focuses on three key locations for Assyria’s quest to control the region: Samaria, Lachish and Jerusalem. As we’ll see, each location represented important choke points in Assyria’s invasion of Egypt. 

Assyria is prominent in a number of prophetic books. Many of the biblical prophets ministered with invasion imminent. But through their visionary lens, Assyrian invasion was the instrument of God’s judgment on His unfaithful people.