Psalm 119:30 KJV
The Destruction of Damascus Draws Nigh !!!
US General,
We Are Preparing for Military Action in Syria !!!
The Destruction of Damascus Draws Nigh: US General, 'We Are Preparing for Military Action in Syria'
WEB Notes: The destruction most definitely draws nigh
( Isaiah 17:1 - http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Isa&c=17&v=1&t=KJV#top )
We have documented all of the preparations being taken by world powers. The war games in Jordan, Israel's testing of a nuclear missile, while Russia conducts the biggest war games in post Soviet times. Historically, there is a financial collapse before war, we witnessed that in WWI and WWII. Before anything major breaks out I would expect that. It is very possible the Syrian invasion starts pre-collapse and that collapse is imminent as well.
(Video, RT) - President Barack Obama is considering using military force in Syria, and the Pentagon has prepared various scenarios for possible United States intervention.
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Obama administration is deliberating whether or not it should use the brute of the US military in Syria during a Thursday morning Senate hearing.
Gen. Dempsey said the administration was considering using “kinetic strikes” in Syria and said "issue is under deliberation inside of our agencies of government,” the Associated Press reported from Washington.
Dempsey, 61, is the highest ranking officer in the US military and has been nominated by Pres. Obama to serve a second term in that role. The Senate Armed Services Committee questioned him Thursday morning as part of the nominating process when Dempsey briefly discussed the situation in Syria.
Last month, the Obama administration concluded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons during the ongoing battles. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes said, “The intelligence community estimates that 100 to 150 people have died from detected chemical weapons attacks in Syria to date; however, casualty data is likely incomplete.”
Pres. Obama said previously that the use of chemical weapons would cross a “red line” and likely trigger American intervention. When the White House concluded Assad had relied on chemical warfare, Rhodes said, “both the political and the military opposition . . . is and will be receiving US assistance."
That claim was met with skepticism, though. The Syrian Foreign Ministry called Obama’s claims a “caravan of lies.” Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, later presented to the UN evidence supplied to his government that suggested the Syrian opposition fighters used chemical weapons.
With regards to foreign intervention, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said, “Providing arms to either side would not address this current situation.” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and his father, former congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) have also cautioned the White House against aiding Syrian rebels.
“You will be funding today the allies of al Qaeda” by aiding Syrian rebels, Sen. Paul said in May.
On his part, the retired lawmaker from Texas insisted that the administration’s lead up to possible intervention is “identical to the massive deception campaign that led us into the Iraq War.”
That isn’t to say the GOP is entirely opposed to taking any action. Although directly using the American military — either through boots-on-the-ground or unmanned aircraft — has been rarely discussed in public, Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), two long-time leaders within the Republican party, have been relentless with efforts to equip opposition fighters.
"I don't care what it takes," Graham told Foreign Policy’s The Cable earlier this year. "If the choice is to send in troops to secure the weapons sites versus allowing chemical weapons to get in the hands of some of the most violent people in the world, I vote to cut this off before it becomes a problem."
Other US officials have previously said Washington is considering implementing a no-fly zone above Syria, and last month the Pentagon left a fleet of F-16 fighter planes and its Patriot anti-missile system on the border of neighboring Jordan following a routine military drill.
w vid - http://rt.com/usa/dempsey-syria-us-assad-268/
http://brandontward.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-destruction-of-damascus-draws-nigh.html
http://brandontward.blogspot.com/
US preparing for military action in Syria, top US general says (3:15)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYiNiTrWWzc
Eye On Damascus Syria & Bible Prophecy (7:03)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJjdbFn5Tgk
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Damascus Annihilated
by Bob Westbrook - April 9, 2005
http://brandontward.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-destruction-of-damascus-draws-nigh.html
http://brandontward.blogspot.com/
US preparing for military action in Syria, top US general says (3:15)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYiNiTrWWzc
Eye On Damascus Syria & Bible Prophecy (7:03)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJjdbFn5Tgk
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Damascus Annihilated
by Bob Westbrook - April 9, 2005
As we consider what God is doing to accomplish His pronouncements for the nation of Israel, we realize the process is far from complete. Through His compassion, the Lord has once again "chosen" Israel and begun to settle them in their own land. (Isaiah 14:1) Though many of the Jewish people are now back in that promised land, most do not acknowledge the One who performed it. There is little regard for the God of Israel, little acknowledgment of Him by most of the Israeli population. Israel is as godless and unholy a nation as any other in the world. And even those who do make an appearance of worshiping that God are operating in the framework of a man-made religious system which is not the gateway to an animate relationship with Him.
Yet we know from the Scriptures a dramatic change will occur in Israel, a spiritual revitalization unparalleled in world history. "I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel", declared the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel. What will be the impetus for this dramatic transformation?
It will be a process similar to what many of us have experienced individually as the Lord brought us to Himself. We endured devastating circumstances that cast us into a desperate state, until all we could do was cry out to God for mercy and help. But it was His kindness that took us to that state, so He could restore us to Himself. In the Bible, we see this repeatedly in the ancient history of Israel.
Prophetically, we see it as well, in Isaiah chapter 17, which describes that future "day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel." (v 7 NIV). This "looking" will be with new spiritual eyesight, imploring God for succor, in sincere repentance. The next verse indicates that Israel will no longer look to their man-made religion, "the works of their hands." But first, let us take a verse-by-verse examination of this chapter, which begins with a foretelling of doom for the city of Damascus, Syria.
The demise of Damascus is prophesied in three different places in the Bible. Isaiah 17 is one of them. If this prophecy is yet future, awaiting fulfillment, it could happen soon. Damascus is a central hub of terrorism today. Several of the most prominent terrorist organizations have their headquarters there, and coordinate their operations from there. With the United States and Israel aligning against Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah, it is not hard to see today how circumstances could quickly fall into place.
When examining Bible prophecy, the question is not "if" what God said will happen, but "when". So our initial question for this chapter is this: has the destruction of Damascus, described here, occurred in history?
(Isaiah 17:1 ESV) An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.
(Isaiah 17:1 JPS) The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
(Isaiah 17:1 NIV) An oracle concerning Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
Looking at these three different translations, we see the prophecy is not only about the destruction of Damascus, but the thorough dissolution of its status as a city. Its "cityhood" will be taken away. After this oracle is fulfilled, there will never be a city called Damascus again. If Isaiah had only said "Damascus will be destroyed", then presumably, it could be rebuilt. But the impact is stronger than that. "Damascus will be negated from being a city." (Stone Edition Tanach)
A phrase in verse three also confirms this. The sovereignty, the royal power, the kingdom "will disappear from Damascus." Though it is the seat of government, capital of Syria, that status will be removed, and it will no longer function as such.
So we see that this prophecy could not have taken place, or else Damascus would not now exist as a city. Yet some commentators claim this was historically fulfilled in 732 BC by the Assyrians under Tiglath-Pileser III. However, neither the Bible (which records the incident in 2 Kings 16:9) nor the ancient Assyrian inscriptions found at Ninevah say the city was destroyed, just captured. It certainly did not cease to exist.
Also, it is important to note that the three Biblical prophecies about the doom of Damascus (Isaiah 17, Jeremiah 49, Zechariah 9) were written over a span of 200 years. Therefore, even a fulfillment in Isaiah's day would not satisfy the requirements of the other prophecies, written later. Regarding Jeremiah's prophecy about Damascus, the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar did conquer the city in 605 BC, but there is no record of it being destroyed then. Neither did Zechariah's prophecy receive a fulfillment. Alexander the Great did also subsequently take Damascus in 332 BC, but without bloodshed or destruction.
Therefore, we can conclude that all three of these prophecies about Damascus are referring to a tragic event yet future. God does not tell us directly in this chapter His reasons for the severe pronouncement of doom against Damascus. But God is a just God, and does not take such drastic actions arbitrarily. Therefore, Damascus apparently does something to deserve this fate. Though the reasons are not directly stated, we might be able to infer them from dire circumstances that Israel suffers in the context. So our supposition is Damascus is responsible for those circumstances, as we shall see later.
(Isaiah 17:2 ESV) The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid.
As we continue in our verse by verse examination, this reference to "Aroer" is a bit puzzling. It is a region on the northern bank of the Arnon River in what is today Jordan. At the time of Moses, it marked the southern boundary of the territory given to the two and a half tribes who received their land inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River. That Aroer was in the territory of Reuben. There was another Aroer in the territory of Gad as well, very near Rabbah. Rabbah is today called Amman, the modern capital of Jordan. So Isaiah may be indicating that the Jordanians will be involved as well.
Does this mean that the nation of Jordan will be party to whatever conflict causes the destruction of Damascus? The textual proximity of prophecies against Moab and Ammon (who resided in today's Jordan) in Isaiah 15-16 and Jeremiah 48-49 to the prophecies against Damascus provide circumstantial evidence for this. In fact, Jeremiah 49:1-2 uses similar terminology when describing the fate of Rabbah (Amman) as Israel regains possession of its land on the east bank of the Jordan. So it is possible that both Amman and Damascus will be destroyed in the same actions, and the "flocks that will lie down" there in safety are the Jews who will repossess that land.
(Isaiah 17:3 ESV) The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the LORD of hosts.
Just as in the previous verse we saw a possible hidden reference to Amman, Jordan, here we see a possible hidden reference to the Palestinian Authority. The territory allocated to the tribe of Ephraim sits at the very heart of the so-called "West Bank". So the "fortifications" described in verse 3 are probably a symbolic reference to the terrorist strongholds that will be eliminated. If Isaiah were writing it today, he might say, "The PLO forces will vanish from the West Bank."
This seems to hint that the Palestinians as well will be involved in whatever events lead to the destruction of Damascus. At the same time the governing authority disappears from Damascus, the military units of the Palestinians disappear from the West Bank. "Not a sign of a fort is left in Ephraim, not a trace of government left in Damascus." (v. 3, The Message Bible)
The final phrase in verse 3, "the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the sons of Israel," is another emphatic statement about the scope of the judgment against Syria. Isaiah was writing in the days when the Assyrians had devastated the northern kingdom (ten tribes) of Israel. So Isaiah is saying that Syria's ultimate fate would be similar.
(Isaiah 17:4-6 NIV) "In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away. It will be as when a reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the grain with his arm-- as when a man gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim. Yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs," declares the LORD, the God of Israel.
In the next section, the focus changes from Damascus to Israel. In fact, Damascus is not even directly mentioned in the rest of the chapter. However, because of the structure of this oracle, we surmise that the effects on Israel described in the remaining verses are in conjunction with the conflict with Damascus.
Isaiah uses several metaphors to describe the consequences on Israel. Some of those consequences are very negative, but they lead to a positive spiritual revolution described in verses 7-8.
But first, the negatives. Verse 4 describes a process of enfeeblement and emaciation for Israel. Then verses 5-6 depict visuals of privation and desolation. This desolation seems to effect Israel's "strong cities", according to verse 9. This would be a reference to Israel's population center on the Mediterranean coast, where the major cities are. Later on in the chapter, Isaiah calls it "a day of grief and incurable pain."
How might we interpret these scenes, given the context? It seems plausible that the destruction leveled against Damascus is God's response to devastation it has wreaked upon Israel's population center, the "strong cities". Those cities will be like "deserted places", according to verse 9 -- "all will be desolation".
If this is the correct interpretation of these verses, it means a great deal of sorrow and suffering for many people. But out of this suffering comes a remarkable spiritual transformation in Israel.
(Isaiah 17:7 -8 ESV) In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.
God will apparently use the desperate circumstances to turn the gaze of Israel to Himself. This seems to be the answer to the question "what will it take for the nation of Israel to come back to their God?" It is confirmed in Zechariah 9 as well, one of the other places where doom is declared upon Damascus.
"The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD)," (Zechariah 9:1 NASB) What happens to Damascus, and the accompanying misery for Israel, will be a very effective attention-getting exercise.
The Message Bible puts it this way: "Yes, the Day is coming when people will notice The One Who Made Them, take a long hard look at The Holy of Israel. They'll lose interest in all the stuff they've made - altars and monuments and rituals, their homemade, handmade religion - however impressive it is." (v 7-8)
Homemade, handmade religion is an impediment to knowing God. But when the extreme circumstances compel Israel to seek their God, it will not be on the basis of their religious traditions. "At that time the people will turn and trust their Creator, the holy God of Israel." (v 7 CEV) Those who worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and this is how Israel will take a fresh approach to him.
(Isaiah 17:9 ESV) In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.
"That day" presumably corresponds to the time when Damascus is destroyed.. But the "strong cities" mentioned are Israeli cities, not Syrian. We know this from the next verse, where God gives His reason for the action described: "You have forgotten God your Savior".
So whatever is happening to these "strong cities" is the Lord's corrective action. When Isaiah says they will be "like the deserted places", he is comparing it to the initial conquest of the land by Israel under Joshua. The original Canaanite inhabitants deserted their cult places of shrine worship "because of the children of Israel". An alternate translation of this verse makes it clearer: "In that day your towns will be like the waste places of the Hivites and the Amorites which the children of Israel took for a heritage, and they will come to destruction." (Isaiah 17:9 BBE)
It is possible, however, that portions of this prophecy were already fulfilled when Sennacherib the Assyrian swept through Israel in Isaiah's day. He conquered much of the territory, taking the ten northern tribes (Israel) into captivity. But he was not able to subdue Jerusalem, for God responded to King Hezekiah's plea in dramatic fashion.
But Sennacherib was successful in wreaking devastation on the "strong cities" of Israel. So in the interest of correct interpretation of Scripture, we must acknowledge that this portion may have already been fulfilled. However, since it is given in the context of Damascus' destruction, which did not occur then, it may still have a future application.
One of the challenges in understanding Bible prophecy is often there is a mixture of short-term and long-term prophecies in the same scene. In this case, we are sure that certain portions have not yet been fulfilled. The prophet's objective was to give us a long view of God's remedial measures for Israel. Those measures were active in Isaiah's day, and continue through today.
Regardless of how we interpret the phrases about Israel's "strong cities", we can see that difficult circumstances are ahead for Israel. But Jerusalem will not be affected by the clash with Damascus. Jeremiah provides more details:: 'Concerning Damascus: "Hamath and Arpad are dismayed, for they have heard bad news. They are disheartened, troubled like the restless sea. Damascus has become feeble, she has turned to flee and panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her, pain like that of a woman in labor. Why has the city of renown not been abandoned, the town in which I delight?'" (Jeremiah 49:23-25 NIV)
This seems to coincide with Isaiah's and Zechariah's prophecy regarding Damascus. Hamath and Arpad are other cities in Syria - could it be the "bad news" they are hearing is the obliteration of Damascus? The degree of their distress at hearing the news is powerfully portrayed by Jeremiah. They "are convulsed with anxiety" (NJB) and Damascus herself is "aghast" and gripped with panic.
Regarding the last sentence - "the town in which I delight" is obviously Jerusalem. According to Jeremiah, it "had not been abandoned" - implying that given the events he saw prophetically might have expected people to flee, but they did not. The Amplified Bible puts it this way: "How [remarkable that] the renowned city is not deserted, the city of my joy!" This is all conjecture, but consider this: one thing that would prompt Israel to use weapons of mass destruction (nuclear) against Damascus would be if they were responding in kind to the use of weapons of mass destruction (biological and/or chemical) by the Syrians. Perhaps that is what Jeremiah saw, and thus would have expected to see people abandoning Jerusalem, except for the fact that Israel put a stop to it by bombing Damascus?
(Isaiah 17:10-11 ESV) For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain.
This is the reason for God's corrective actions. Though Israel was founded by Him in an act of divine love, though Israel has been regathered by Him in these last days as a continuation of that love, still they do not acknowledge Him. This is the essence of the problem. It has been a long-standing issue, still not resolved, according to the Bible.
The "planting" analogy in verse 11 may be pointing out that all of their own efforts in planting the nation are useless until they come back to their God who made it possible. They may carefully tend and cultivate the plants, but God will not bring the blessing of harvest until they look to Him in repentance. All of their political efforts to establish themselves as a respected nation in the international community will be for naught, because they have disregarded their Maker. They have refused to trust Him and have relied on their own contrivances instead.
Despite that, His compassion for Israel continues. One of the most frequent themes of the prophetic Scriptures is God's change of disposition towards Israel. He will draw them to Himself in lovingkindness, finally coming forcefully to their aid when they call to Him in sincerity. That is what the final verses of the chapter are about, how God defends Israel against worldwide animosity.
(Isaiah 17:12-14 NIV) Oh, the raging of many nations-- they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples-- they roar like the roaring of great waters! Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale. In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.
These verses, which complete the Damascus oracle, convey a distinctive change in tone and perspective. They describe the international reaction to the events prophesied above. Extreme, off-the-scale outrage will be the world's reaction to Israel's destruction of Damascus. The world already hates the nation of Israel. Can you imagine the level of loathing that will be unleashed if Israel is forced to use nuclear weapons against Damascus? No matter how justified is Israel's case, no matter how imperative their need to go nuclear, the world will go berserk.
Let's examine how this might come about. For the first time in history, we are on the brink of a setting where this prophecy could be fulfilled. What is now being called the Tehran-Damascus-Hezbollah axis is a grave threat to Israel. Iran's persistent campaign to acquire nuclear weapons continues unabated, weapons it has vowed to use for the destruction of Israel. Of course, Israel cannot allow that to happen, and has indicated it will take preemptive action against Iran.
This course seems a certainty. Iran will not sit back passively if Israel strikes, it will use all its means to attack Israel, including its allies in Syria and Lebanon. Hezbollah, based in southern Lebanon, has a formidable arsenal of 13,000 missiles to use against Israel, some reportedly with chemical or biological capabilities. They are poised to strike the population centers along Israel's Mediterranean coast, where the majority of Israel's citizens live.
Hezbollah cannot act without the permission and coordination of Syria, who is the occupying power in Lebanon. Therefore, Israel holds Syria also responsible for Hezbollah's actions. Syria itself also has a substantial missile arsenal ready to use against Israel, also with WMD (weapons of mass destruction) capabilities.
You can probably see how this current situation fits precisely into the scenario of Isaiah's prophecy. If Israel is struck by chemical or biological WMD from Syria and/or Hezbollah, they will have no choice but to utilize nuclear weapons against Damascus. Why? Because the time needed to mount a conventional military attack against Damascus would be measured in days. And each of those days would leave Israel vulnerable to tens of thousands of civilian casualties from more WMD missile attacks.
Once any of the hostile parties to Israel has opened the bottle of non-conventional weaponry, it gives Israel the justification, and indeed the compulsion, to respond in a non-conventional (nuclear) manner.
It does not take very much imagination to foresee what world reaction to such a scenario would be. That reaction would be the foaming uproar described by Isaiah in verses 12-13. Anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism will explode around the world to a degree never before seen. But notice that God Himself will deliver an overwhelming rebuke to the nations. Once Israel turns to Him in true contrition and trust, He will respond to their plea.
Interpretative summary: Because Israel has ignored their God, who chose them as a nation and planted them in the land, He takes decisive action to direct their attention to Himself. A war with Syria is the means He chooses. In that war Damascus inflicts grievous injury on Israel's cities, but Jerusalem is spared. In response, Damascus is completely and irreversibly annihilated. In addition, the Palestinian terrorist forces are eliminated from the West Bank.
Israel suffers greatly in the war. The aftermath is awful devastation in Israel's population centers, as well as the emaciation of Israel's national status. Because of Israel's role in the destruction of Damascus, the international community expresses unprecedented, extreme rage against Israel. But God comes vehemently to Israel's defense, and through the whole process, a remarkable spiritual transformation takes place in the nation. They turn their eyes to their Maker, abandoning all man-made religion.
http://www.trumpetsounds.com/isaiah17.html
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Isaiah 17: When Will Israel Nuke Damascus?: The Clue in Psalm 83
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Isaiah 17: When Will Israel Nuke Damascus?: The Clue in Psalm 83
Isaiah prophesied the destruction and abandonment of Damascus, Syria over 2700 years ago. Yet the city continues today, despite so many Middle East wars and predictions that "this year" it will finally come to pass. So what is missing that is holding this prophecy back? Israel’s stike on Iran? Or perhaps the overlooked prophecy in the Psalms about a future Arab war alliance targeted at wiping out Israel. Find out why the Arabs are sure to one day acquire weapons of mass destruction that leads them to finally attack Israel...and how their defeat opens up for the "beginning of sorrows" and Great Tribulation to finally happen.
If you are into Bible prophecy, you have probably heard about the controversial nuclear program of Iran—and Israel's plan to attack Iran over it. In 2002, it was revealed that Iran had secretly been enriching uranium. This is troubling because enriching uranium is one of the steps towards creating nuclear weapons, something nobody wants apocalyptic religious state like Iran to have. Even worse, Iran resumed enrichment once President Ahmadinejad took office in 2005 and he has refused to stop it ever since, despite severe sanctions against Iran.
It's no mystery who is most threatened by the prospect of Iran possessing nuclear weapons. Israel has threatened to make a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear sites if sanctions continue to fail. This is no empty threat as Israel has bombed the nuclear sites of hostile nations twice in the past. Back in 1981, Israel bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor, receiving worldwide condemnation for it at the time. Then in 2007, Israel sent planes to bomb an alleged North Korean made nuclear reactor in Syria.
Unfulfilled Destruction For Damascus
Given these precedents, prophecy students wonder if an Israeli strike on Iran is not next and will not inevitably lead to a wider Middle East war. Especially in light of a very familiar unfulfilled prophecy concerning Iran's close ally, Syria, who is also a known sponsor of terror against Israel. The prophecy in question is the burden of Damascus in Isaiah 17:
Isaiah 17:1 (ESV) — An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.
Of course, the Damascus of the Bible is still recognizable today as the well-known capital city of Syria. Appropriately enough, it even has the famous distinction of being considered the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, inhabited from prehistoric times.
Given that, you would think there is little debate that this prophecy is plainly unfulfilled. Yet, you will find Bible commentaries that mention how Isaiah 17 was fulfilled in other events of the Bible, such as in 732 BC when Assyria defeated the Arameans and their capital Damascus (2 Kings 16:9). The problem is that while although the prophecy has been partially fulfilled in the past, this does not mean it does not have dual fulfillments, as is often the case with Bible prophecies. Usually parts of the prophecy are not fulfilled until a later, final fulfillment. In this case, the part about Damascus ceasing to be a city and become a heap of ruins is plainly yet future. This is very strong language that stands in contrast to Damascus' status as the oldest city. In fact, Bible skeptics list Isaiah 17 as proof that the Bible is not true.
If this is correct, then the bleak message of Isaiah 17 is that this capital city of 2.5 million people is one day going to end and a heap of ruins will be left in its place.
How Does a City Become A Ruinous Heap?
If you think about it, this prediction is perhaps without precedent in modern times. To be sure, there have been several modern cities that have been merely abandoned. A famous example of this is Pripyat, Ukraine. Probably that name does not ring a bell, but this is the city where the famous Chernobyl nuclear reactor leak happened. Due to the radioactive fallout, it was deserted as a ghost town. Decades later it is safe to visit for short periods—as witnessed by the visitor's pictures you can find posted on the Internet, including such sites as the city amusement park.
However, for a modern city to end its run and become an uninhabited pile of ruins is something unprecedented. For example, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the targets of the first atomic bombs, continue as cities to this day, despite having been partially leveled from the atomic blast. The reasons for this are twofold. The first two atomic bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy) used on Japan were on the small side by today's standards. Secondly, the bombs were detonated high above the cities, in what is called an “air burst.” Air bursts produce greatly reduced fallout levels compared to ground strikes. This makes it feasible to rebuild and reinhabit the area, just as Japan did.
Damascus' fate is different than either of these cities or perhaps any other. Its buildings and streets will not just be deserted, but they will be left as a “heap of ruins.” I am not aware of a case in modern times of that happening to a city. There are cities that have been wiped out by tsunamis or even volcanic explosions, but they have been rebuilt and not left as heaps of ruins.
Perhaps Hiroshima and Nagasaki provide the cloest concept for how Damascus' complete destruction and abandonment is likely to happen. A nuclear bomb with a larger yield or a series of bombs with smaller yields could turn an entire city to a heap of ruins. This is quite feasible in Damascus' case since it is small, only approximately 40 square miles in area. If a ground burst attack is used instead of air bursts, the strong fallout would keep people from coming back to rebuild and reinhabit it.
Why Israel Would Nuke Damascus
Israel has long had an arsenal of nuclear bombs and is also a frequent target of attacks from Syria (and the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Lebanon). In fact, Israel has already been in several major wars with Syria between 1948 to 1973.
Importantly, Israel also has the will to use these weapons. Because Israel's enemies are so numerous and able to overrun the tiny nation so easily, Israel has adopted a nuclear policy called “The Samson Option.” The name comes from the famously strong judge of Israel who took his own life by knocking out the support pillars of the temple he was in to avenge himself on his enemies around him. According to this policy, Israel would nuke the cities of her enemies if she was overrun or about to be defeated. Hitting the leadership of Syria at Damascus would be part of this retaliatory attack.
The idea of Damascus' doom coming from a war with Israel is confirmed by several verses. Isaiah 17 continues by describing what happens along with Damascus' destruction:
Isaiah 17:3 (HCSB) The fortress disappears from Ephraim, and a kingdom from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the splendor of the Israelites... 4 On that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and his healthy body will become emaciated.... 6 Only gleanings will be left in Israel, as if an olive tree had been beaten—two or three berries at the very top of the tree, four or five on its fruitful branches.
In this prophesied event, northern and central Israel are named as taking damage and casualties, although comparatively less than Damascus (Damascus loses the kingdom, but Israel only the fortress). War is never completely one-sided. If Israel is prompted to attack Damascus, they will certainly suffer casualties in the process. Going further in the prophecy we can see that, as has usually been the case, Syria will not be acting alone against Israel:
Isaiah 17:12-14 (HCSB) 12 Ah! The roar of many peoples—they roar like the roaring of the seas. The raging of the nations—they rage like the raging of mighty waters. 14 In the evening—sudden terror! Before morning—it is gone! This is the fate of those who plunder us [Judah] and the lot of those who ravage us.
A multitude of nations attack “us” or the nation that Isaiah addressed in his prophecies: the southern kingdom of Judah (as opposed to the northern nation of Israel). The Jewish people make up the modern State of Israel (which is why they almost called it the State of Judah). Therefore the description fits yet another Middle East war where Israel is attacked by her mainly Arab and Islamic neighbors such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and probably also Iran (who is not Arab). Yet, like before, Israel will be victorious—and quickly. Notice in verse 14 that it takes only from one evening until the next morning to achieve decisive victory.
It sounds just like the Samson Option after Israel is left with no choice but to use her nuclear weapons against multiple enemy nations and cities. Their armies will literally be gone, not to mention a large segment of their civilian populations. The nuclear war casualties could easily surpass ten's of million people. No wonder Isaiah says that the situation shifts overnight from terror for Israel to tragedy for her enemies.
Why the Arabs Have Not Tried to Destroy Israel Since 1973
Aware of the above, prophecy teachers have naturally been expecting and predicting Isaiah 17's fulfillment practically every year. Even after all the wars and the constant tensions, the war that seals Damascus's fate has still not come. What are we missing?
Some think that Iran's nuclear enrichment program is the missing key because of Israel's threat to strike Iran over it and Iran's promises to retaliate strongly in response. It is possible that a wider Middle East war including Syria could be triggered by this conflict. Yet, as covered earlier, preemptive strikes by Israel are nothing new. They have yet to lead to wider war, let alone a military response.
Between 1948 and 1973, Israel fought four wars with her allied Arab neighbors. That's an average of one war every eight years. However, it has now been four decades since that last major war, the Yom Kippur War in 1973. There must be a reason for this record span of time without more major conflicts. It is obvious from the news that the Arabs did not change; they are still hostile and object to the existence of Israel in their midst. Yet they have stopped trying to wipe Israel out as before. Why?
It is reported that in that last war (The Yom Kippur War), Israel had nuclear weapons loaded on the fighters planes ready to go if things continued to worsen for her. True or not, the Arabs know Israel has these weapons and is willing to use them if necessary just as they are willing to do unpopular preemptive strikes when necessary. This nuclear deterrent would explain the relative quiet since 1973. It changed the balance of power. Israel's enemies risk inviting asymmetrical force if they try to defeat and take over Israel as they did when the State of Israel formed in 1948. For this reason, I believe the Arabs have not joined in war against Israel again.
The Missing War Alliance/Confederacy of Psalm 83
Of course, the more radical states, like Iran and Syria still talk and act belligerently. However, most of the Arab states are moderate and have had peace treaties with Israel for years now. Although they may not like Israel, they must realize that they have too much to lose and too little to gain by trying to destroy Israel now. The prophesied war of Isaiah 17 will simply not happen under these conditions no matter how much tension with Iran or Syria we see or how many times prophecy teachers predict it.
What has to happen first is revealed in another prophecy. In Psalm 83 by Asaph the prophet (2Ch 29:30) we are given another view of this same war that brings Damascus down:
Psalm 83:1-5, 12 (HCSB) — 1 God, do not keep silent. Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle. 2 See how Your enemies make an uproar; those who hate You have acted arrogantly. 3 They devise clever schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your treasured ones. 4 They say, “COME, let us wipe them out as a nation so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.” 5 For they have conspired with one mind; they form an alliance against You 6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre. 8 Even Assyria has joined them; they lend support to the sons of Lot. Selah ...12 who said, “Let us seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”
This describes a massive Arab attack on Israel by a confederacy of nations that has never happened in history (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and probably Syria). Like Isaiah 17 it predicts a devastating defeat for Israel's attackers:
Psalm 83:13-17 (HCSB) 13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like straw before the wind. 14 As fire burns a forest, as a flame blazes through mountains, 15 so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm. ...17 Let them be put to shame and terrified forever; let them perish in disgrace.
The analogies used by Asaph bring to mind the fiery, storm-like blast of a nuclear bomb, just as Isaiah 17 seems to demand for Damascus. Like Isaiah 17, Psalm 83 also points to multiple nations' being involved and being obliterated in response.
Most interestingly, it mentions a war covenant, alliance or confederacy among these nations with the “one consent” purpose of wiping out the nation of Israel, even erasing her name from history and taking the land for themselves. With the peace treaties and moderate states among the Arabs, this pact obviously does not exist today. There is no way to win against vastly superior weaponry; such a pact would amount to a suicide pact today. In other words, what is holding back this confederacy from forming is the Arabs having an answer to Israel's nuclear weapons.
Therefore, if Israel's enemies develop nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD), this confederacy would finally make sense. This could still take several years especially if Israel goes ahead and strikes Iran. In fact, rather than expecting the wider war to happen from a strike, we should look for the lack of a strike that keeps the inevitable acquisition of WMDs by the Arabs on schedule, rather than delay it.
After Arab's Defeated, Next In Prophecy...
Many prophecy pundits who expect this prophesied Middle East war often think that it will lead next to the Ezekiel 38-39 Gog Magog war. The reason for this is Ezekiel 38-39 also talk about an attack on Israel. The attacker named as Gog of Magog is popularly thought of to be Russia, or lately, even Arab or Islamic hoards. But if you put the Magog identity question aside and focus on the timing of this war through linking it up with two parallel prophecies, you'll see that it has nothing to do with any pretrib war. I've written another article explaining this called: The Two Gog Magog Wars.
Instead of the Gog Magog war, the effects of this war sets up for something much worse. The Great Tribulation cannot commence until the Arabs are taken out of the picture. This is because right before the Great Tribulation, the144,000 Israelites must assemble on the Temple Mount so they can be sealed by angels that appear then (Rev 14) before going out to preach their witness to the world during the Great Tribulation. Also, several passages talk about Israel rebuilding the Third Temple (Mt 24:15; Mk 13:14; Rev 11:1-4; Dan 11:45; 2Th 2:4). Neither of these events are going to happen as long as the Arabs have political control over the site. But once their power is diminished from Israel's devastating Samson Option, it is easy to imagine the Temple Mount will at that time go back to Israeli control.
The other reason this war must come next is that this Middle War prophecy spoken of in so many OT passages cannot fit any other time. In the Millennium and post-mil periods, there will be no wars at all due to God's Kingdom. During the Great Tribulation, the Beast will have power over all nations and bring his own form of peace through dominion—once he defeats Israel himself at the start (Lk 21:20). The only place to fit a war between Israel and the Arabs is in our current pretrib period.
To be sure, Isaiah 17 is a frightening prophecy since it means we will witness the shocking end of a famous capital city along with the millions of people living there (and in other targeted cities). But after full consideration, perhaps the scariest part about it is what it means for the rest of the world. When it's over one of the last major prerequisites in Bible prophecy for the start of the Great Tribulation will be met and the “beginning of sorrows” Jesus spoke of can commence next.
http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/damascus-israel-isaiah-nuke.htm
Isaiah 17 & Psalms 83 Countdown (55:22)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCvFosM640Y
Jesus Christ (Yeshua) is the Son of God - PROOF (21:55)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD-IHrJWuhc
MUST SEE and UNDERSTAND
Gog-Magog and the Invasion of Israel (3:48:08)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgZ37Ot8J2A
Isaiah - Baptism of fire (1:26:30)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8zTHEFE-P0
There are 60 links in this vid description with 7 days of research
Zephaniah -- Last call to repent and be hidden before the Day of the Lord (1:07:00)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMfYOxMOCdY
6/28 Perry Stone Defends The Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Zechariah 9:14 (1:13:24)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ef1Q_sO_d0
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