I believe Assyria in the Old Testament prophetically speaks of Satan’s end-time government, his mountain. In this end time his government finds expression in the modern day group of mercenary murderers known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), among other groups. Interestingly, the book of Micah speaks specifically to this Assyrian monstrosity. First recall that it is both Micah and Isaiah who prophesy that the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established as the highest mountain in the latter days. See Isaiah 2:1-5 and Micah 4:1-5. Following this great prophecy Micah begins to describe the type of people who will be chosen to become part of this mountain. They are the lame, the outcast, and the afflicted. They are the ones God chastised all their lives and who he drove into the wilderness to be taught alone and become separated from the rest of mankind. Micah says,

Yes, it is these sojourners, these afflicted by God (just as Jesus was afflicted), who become the “tower of the flock,” the mountains of Israel. They become the kings, the princes, within the mountain of the Lord’s house, the government of God. But life is and was never easy for them. Their life is always one of mourning. Micah says next,

Now why do you cry aloud?
    Is there no king in you?
Has your counselor perished,
    that pain seized you like a woman in labor?
¹⁰ Writhe and groan,^[b] O daughter of Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you shall go out from the city
    and dwell in the open country;
    you shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued;
    there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hand of your enemies. (Micah 4:9-10)

The sons of God, the overcomers, keenly recognize that all their spiritual works have only given birth to wind and that so far they have brought no deliverance to earth. They cry aloud for the coming of Christ’s kingdom. They know they now dwell in the earth in powerlessness, poverty, and impotence. They long for Immanuel, for God to be with them in true power and anointing. (See my previous study on the real meaning of Immanuel)  God’s adversaries also see the powerlessness of God’s people. Therefore Satan now stands poised to attack them. ISIS and the very leaders of the once great Christian nations whet their swords against Christians everywhere.

Now many nations
    are assembled against you,
saying, “Let her be defiled,
    and let our eyes gaze upon Zion. (Micah 4:11)

God’s true Zion consists of his overcomers, his sons, and the world now stands poised to defile and destroy her. Just as Satan intended to kill Jesus just after his birth, so he now plans to attack and kill Jesus’ brothers before their birth, before their glorification. Most governments of the world now serve Satan and most stand complicit in his plan to destroy God’s people. They plan to kill all who have not taken the mark of the beast, the mark of Satan’s rule over their lives. These instead have placed the mark of God, the blood of Jesus, upon their doorposts and lintels (their mind, heart, and actions). They trust God, not Satan. They take refuge in their Creator, not in the mountain of satanic government and not in their own mountain of carnal weapons of war (as do so many Christians in this hour who would teach us to prepare for what is coming with massive stores of guns and food). This explains why we see blatant legal atrocities committed against Christians in western nations (like being forced to bake wedding cakes for homosexuals and forbidding Christians to speak against Islam) and why we now witness mass murdering of Christians by ISIS and other terrorists while the western nations just sit back and watch or actively fund, arm, and feed them. All this is about to end, however, for

they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
    that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. (Micah 4:12)

Even most Christians do not know God’s plan.  Most think they will be whisked away in one grand rapture when things really get bad. Only a few at this time stand ready for their profound transfiguration, only the overcomers. These are the firstfruits of God, the first made ready for eternal, immortal life. Recently Prophet Kenneth Visscher said that these overcomers comprised the great angel who will take hold of Satan, bind him, and cast him into the bottomless pit. I believe this is true. They are also the ones Micah speaks of next.

Arise and thresh,
    O daughter of Zion,
for I will make your horn iron,
    and I will make your hoofs bronze;
you shall beat in pieces many peoples;
    and shall devote^[c] their gain to the Lord,
    their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. (Micah 4:13)

When God reveals his sons to the world they will take full control of it. No weapon formed against them will prosper. They will be immortal, invincible, just like their Father, and they will put down all rule and authority that raises its head against God’s authority. “I will make your horn iron,” says the Lord.  “The one who overcomes and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, ²⁷ and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.” (Revelation 2:26-27)