The plan won endorsement of the U.N. Security Council, including Russia and China, who had blocked tough resolutions in the past. But Assad held firm, shelling suburbs of the capital, Damascus" ("An End to Violence?" Time, April 2, 2012). Things may not stay this way, though.

The ultimate reformation or fall of Syria's dictator and government is part of a greater geopolitical rearrangement. Who could have fathomed the fall of major players across the Middle East? First Iraq, then Egypt, followed by Libya, and now Syria's Assad teeters on the cusp.

Certainly there could be operatives from different nations helping to depose longstanding governments. But secret ops can only do so much. Beyond this, random and extreme forces can change a planned strategy, negating the most brilliantly laid-out plans.

But there's more. This world is presently ruled by great unseen forces under one referred to in the Bible as "the ruler of this world" and "the god of this age" (John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4). This being, Satan the devil, who "deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9), currently holds sway over the earth's kingdoms (Matthew 4:8-9). Yet even he can't do anything without God allowing him to for the time being. God is the one who ultimately determines who rules: "He removes kings and raises up kings" (Daniel 2:21). The ancient Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar learned that God can bring down a ruler filled with pride (Daniel 4:32).

As mentioned elsewhere in this issue of The Good News, Scripture shows that a great Muslim confederation will come to dominate the Middle East, its ruler identified in prophecy as "the king of the South" (see Daniel 11:40). The successive toppling of Mideast dictators, of which Syria's leader may well end up a casualty, could be part of a domino effect precipitating the rise of the final king of the South.