An Oracle Concerning Damascus

An Oracle Concerning Damascus

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. Isa. 17:1

the burden of... The 19th prophecy in Isaiah (Isa. 17:1-14; Isa. 17:1-11 fulfilled by Assyria, 2Ki. 16:9-18; Isa. 17:12-14 unfulfilled). Next, Isa. 18:1.

The 19th Prophecy in Isaiah

Fifteen Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. Damascus will be destroyed (Isa. 17:1).

2. It shall be a ruinous heap.

3. The cities of Aroer will be forsaken (Isa. 17:2).

4. They shall be shelters for flocks.

5. There will not be enough men left to drive them away.

6. The fortress of Ephraim shall cease (Isa. 17:3).

7. The kingdom of Syria shall cease from Damascus.

8. The remnant of Syria shall cease.

9. They shall depart as the glory did from Israel.

10. The glory of Jacob shall be made thin—diminished (Isa. 17:4).

11. Jacob shall wax lean in body.

12. The riches of Damascus will be taken away by the invaders like the harvesters gather the wheat, grapes, olives, and other crops (Isa. 17:5).

13. Not much will be left—it will be like a few olives left on branches hard to reach (Isa. 17:6).

14. The few people who are left will recognize that the judgment is from God, and they will look to Him instead of idols (Isa. 17:7-8).

15. Strong cities shall become desolate because of their alliance with Israel who is the object of God’s wrath because of sin (Isa. 17:9-10).

Six Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. Many nations shall be mobilized against Israel (Isa. 17:12-13).

2. God shall rebuke them (Isa. 17:13).

3. They shall flee afar off.

4. They shall be chased as chaff that flies before the wind, and like a rolling thing carried about in a wind.

5. They shall not flee and escape in the darkness of the night, for at evening time there shall be light as in the day, so that their destroyers will see to slay them (Isa. 17:14; Zec. 14:5-7).

6. The night shall be as light as day and they will be destroyed by the time morning breaks (Isa. 17:14; Zec. 14:1-7).

Defeat of Syria

is taken away... The defeat of Rezin and the destruction of Damascus were fulfilled by the Assyrians (Isa. 17:1; 7:1-25; 8:3-4; 2Ki. 16:5-18).

Seven Great Judgments by Assyria:

1. Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed (Isa. 17:1).

2. The cities of Aroer shall be forsaken (Isa. 17:2). There were three cities named Aroer. It could be that all are involved in this reference; or, it could mean cities around Aroer, in which case the reference would be to the one on the river Arnon which was within ancient Moab and later in Reuben, for the Assyrians did defeat this part of Israel when Moab was destroyed (2 Kings 15:29-17:41).

3. The fortress of Ephraim shall cease (Isa. 17:3). This means that the ten-tribe kingdom and Samaria would be destroyed also by Assyria, which was fulfilled 721 B.C. (2Ki. 17:1-41). Ephraim was the usual name used by Isaiah in referring to the northern kingdom of Israel (Isa. 17:3; 7:2-9; 9:9; 11:13; 28:1-3).

4. Syria as a kingdom shall fall (Isa. 17:3).

5. The glory of Jacob and Israel shall depart and there will be few in number left (Isa. 17:3-11). The word "glory "here denotes dignity and power on which they relied and of which they boasted.

6. The remnant of Syria will also be removed (Isa17:3).

7. The glory of Jacob shall be made thin; that is, the power of Israel was to be diminished by the destruction of the northern kingdom, called Ephraim here (Isa. 17:4).

The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Isa. 17:2

The cities of... Since Aroer was a city in Moab, the words the cities of Aroer are difficult to understand. Some Septuagint (Greek) manuscripts read that Damascus and her cities will be “abandoned forever.” With the cities around Damascus deserted, animals will make the ruins their home (Isa. 17:2).

The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. Isa. 17:3

also shall cease... Both Ephraim, representing Israel, and Damascus, representing Aram (cf. Isa. 7:8), would be defeated (Isa. 17:3). Assyria defeated Aram in 732 and Israel in 722.

And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Isa. 17:4

in that day... This is the first of three sections beginning with the phrase in that day. The others are Isa. 17:7-8 and Isa. 17:9-11. This refers to the time of God’s wrath on His enemies followed by His blessings showered on His people. In some passages, it has eschatological implications (referring to the Tribulation and the Millennium), but in others it refers only to the current situation. In Isa. 17:4, 17:7, 17:9 the phrase “in that day” refers to the situation mentioned repeatedly throughout the first portion of Isaiah — the invasion of Aram and Israel by the Assyrian army.

shall be made... Twofold calamity of Ephraim (or Jacob):

1. Jacob was to be made thin and feeble like a human body wasted away by disease.

2. Like that of a harvest when all the fruits are gathered except a few in the upper branches, or like a few stalks of wheat left standing after the harvest (Isa. 17:5-6).

and the... Because of that invasion Israel would face difficulties, compared to the fat of one’s body wasting away (Isa. 17:4)

And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. Isa. 17:5

it shall be... Because of that invasion Israel would face difficulties, compared to the barren appearance of a field (Isa. 17:5)

with his arm... This refers to the custom of gathering a handful of wheat stalks in one hand and cutting them with a sickle in the other.

in the valley... The valley of giants southwest of Jerusalem. The Valley of Rephaim (cf. Jos. 15:8; 18:16) was a fertile area west of Jerusalem where David had twice defeated the Philistines (2Sa. 5:18-20, 5:22-25).

Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. Isa. 17:6

shall be left in... The remnant of Syria and Ephraim was to be small after their destruction by the Assyrians. This is pictured by only a few grapes left, and a few olives in the uppermost branches after the harvest.

therof,... again because of that invasion Israel would face difficulties, compared to the shaking of an olive tree (Isa. 17:6) at harvest.

At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. Isa. 17:7

At that day... This shows the desired effect on the remnant of men left after the Assyrian destruction of Syria and Ephraim. It would cause them to recognize that the judgment was just and sent by God. They would look to Him as their source of help instead of idol gods and superstitions (Isa. 17:7-8).

and his eyes... When faced with the terror and distress of warfare they would realize the inadequacy of worshiping idols.

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. 17:8

Four things men will not look to:

he shall not look...

1. Their many altars to idols

2. Any man-made deity or shrine

3. either the Groves

4. Images (Hebrew: chamman, sun-pillar, an image by which the sun was worshiped, Isa. 17:8; 21:9; 30:22; 41:29; 42:8, 42:17)

In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. Isa. 17:9

In that day... This is one of the few places where "in that day" does not apply to the Millennium. It refers to the day in which the Assyrians were to fulfill this prophecy by destroying Syria and Ephraim.

his strong cities... The strong cities of both Syria and Ephraim were destroyed by the Assyrians, mainly because of the sins of Israel. As a result of the judgment in that day (see Isa. 17:4) Damascus and her strong cities would be abandoned and thickets and underbrush would grow.

Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: Isa. 17:10

Three general sins causing judgment:

Because thou hast...

1. You have forgotten God.

2. Neglected salvation.

3. Not been mindful that true help and protection come from God.

rock of thy strength... God and Christ were the great Rocks of Israel.

shalt thou plant... You will set out plants and hope for a good crop, but you will be disappointed because of the invader taking it; you will have grief and sorrow (Isa. 17:10-11).

strange slips... That is, choice plants from afar.

In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. Isa. 17:11

shalt thou make... Because of her unfaithfulness to the true God and her having forgotten Him, her efforts at planting vines and getting a harvest (as if she were secure, in a time of peace) would be fruitless. The plants would be diseased and the people would be in pain.

Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! Isa. 17:12

The Land of Whirring Wings (17:12-18:7)

The fact that Oh (hôy; see Isa. 3:9) is the same Hebrew word translated “woe” in Isa. 18:1 may indicate that Isa. 17:12-14 goes with Isa. 18:1-7.

Woe to the... Have a latter-day fulfillment because:

1. The picture is of the gathering of many nations against Israel (Isa. 17:12-13).

2. It will be when God will rebuke them and fight for Israel (Isa. 17:13). This couldn’t be the time of judgment on Israel, spoken of in previous verses, for this is God’s judgment on the nations gathered against Israel (Ezekiel 38-39; Joe. 3:1-21; Zec. 14:1-21; Rev. 19:1-21).

3. The mighty armies of the nations will flee like chaff before a whirlwind, as also predicted in Isa. 13:14.

4. The day Christ comes to earth during Armageddon is the only time in the future when the night will be as bright as day to give enough time to destroy the great armies gathered against Jerusalem and the Jews. The whole night will be like it was in Joshua’s long day (Jos. 10:13-14). Zechariah plainly predicts that it will become light at evening (Zec. 14:1-8). Here it reveals how long this light will last—a full night, for by morning the fleeing armies will be destroyed. Such will be the judgment or "portion of them that spoil us (Israel)" (Isa. 17:14).

The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Isa. 17:13

like the rushing... The raging… nations (Isa. 17:12; cf. Psm. 2:1) are said to be like the roar of surging waters.

but shall rebuke... These peoples were the Assyrians, whom God was using to judge His people. Apparently the “nations” (pl.) means the particular nation which was the dominant power in its day, namely, Assyria.

and shall be... When God would punish (rebuke) them (the Assyrians), they would become like chaff (cf. Isa. 29:5), the light and useless part of grain which, when winnowed, blows away.

rolling thing... Hebrew: galgal, a wheel; a whirlwind; a rolling thing.

And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. Isa. 17:14

And behold at... How appropriate that though Assyria brought terror in the evening, the enemy would be gone before morning, for such was the case with the Assyrian army (Isa. 37:36-37). Though the Assyrian soldiers had plundered many cities of Judah, 185,000 soldiers were slaughtered overnight.