Did Damascus fall to Assyria at the same time as the northern tribes of Israel? Will the world experience God’s anger for its hard hearted refusal to repent at Christ’s return? Let’s look at Isaiah 17.
Was Damascus, the capital of Aram, modern Syria, predicted to fall at the same time as Ephraim’s fortress?
An oracle against Damascus: Look, Damascus is no longer a city. It has become a ruined heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be places for flocks. They will lie down without fear. The fortress disappears from Ephraim, and a kingdom from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the splendor of the Israelites. This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. (Isa 17:1-3 HCSB)
Did Isaiah prophesy simultaneous destruction for most of Israel with very little remaining?
“At that time, Jacob’s glory will have become weakened, and his strong flesh will turn gaunt; it will be as if harvesters gather standing grain, reaping the ears by hand, or it will be as if grain is harvested in the valley of Rephaim. Nevertheless, gleanings will remain in Israel, as when an olive tree is beaten—two or three ripe olives left in the topmost branches, four or five left among the branches of a fruit-filled tree,” declares the Lord God of Israel. (Isa 17:4-6 ISV)
Will men abandon their worthless idols and return to their Maker?
At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. (Isa 17:7-8 KJV)
Does a fruitful land become unproductive because a people have forgotten the God of their salvation?
In that day their strong cities will be like forsaken places in the forest, Or like branches which they forsook before the sons of Israel; And the land will be a desolation. For you have forgotten the God of your salvation And have not remembered the rock of your strong defense. Therefore you plant delightful plants And set them with vine branches of a strange god. In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in, And in the morning you cause your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap In a day of sickliness and incurable pain. (Isa 17:9-11 LSB)
Will God suddenly rebuke bully nations that roar and plunder Israel?
Oh, the uproar of many peoples Who roar like the roaring of the seas, And the rumbling of nations Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters! The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, But He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, And be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, Or like whirling dust before a gale. At evening time, behold, there is terror! Before morning they are gone. This will be the fate of those who plunder us And the lot of those who pillage us. (Isa 17:12-14 NASB)
Will God rebuke the nations again at the Second Coming of our Lord?
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” (Rev 16:1 NIV)
Did Damascus fall to Assyria at the same time as the northern tribes of Israel? Will the world experience God’s anger for its hard hearted refusal to repent at Christ’s return? You decide!
