Isaiah 17
As we continue our study into the Oracles Against the Nations, it is my prayer that, as we head into Easter, this passage can be part of our continual growth in the history of the story of Christ. I pray that as we learn of the time of judgement and brokenness that is occurring in Isaiah, we can look forward to the entrance of Christ. Jesus, the Savior, the one who will free all those who believe in him from their own bondage to the world of sin they were born into. May we praise God for his grace and the powerful story of Scripture.
Let us start, once again, by looking into the city to whom this oracle pertains to. We have discussed oracles against Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, and Moab. This week we are looking into Damascus. For those both familiar and unfamiliar with the Bible, the name of this city is probably familiar. This city is one of the oldest in the world and remains a city to this day as the capital of Syria. The earliest reference to the city of Damascus is in Genesis 14:15. It is recorded in Jewish history to be founded by Uz, son of Aram, son of Noah. That is an old city! It also is a city that is not viewed kindly by the Israelites, as the close proximity of Damascus to Israel allowed them to invade Israel many times as seen recorded in the book of Kings. The neighbors were bitter enemies and can be seen recorded on the wrong side of a bottle against David in 2 Samuel 8. We see that David wiped out 22,000 men from Damascus! Damascus continued to be a city and can be seen playing a role in Acts, as this is the city in which Paul will be converted and begin his ministry in sharing the Gospel (Acts 9). It is only mentioned concerning the life and movement of Paul in the New Testament.
This specific oracle combines both an oracle against Damascus and the Northern Kingdom that is Israel. Original Israel at this time has been split into two kingdoms; the Northern called Israel and Southern called Judah. The Northern kingdom contains this Ephraim which was a stronghold for Israel. By reading 2 Kings 16, the story of why this oracle contains both Jew and Gentile nation can be explained. Damascus was looking to come and plunder Judah, which had remained more faithful to God’s Law than Israel had. Israel’s king Pekah made an alliance with Damascus agreeing to attack Judah. Because they were joined together, both will be accused.
With that context, let us look verse-by-verse through Isaiah 17 and conclude with some highlights that will make this chapter connect more deeply with us today:
V.1 This should remind you that Isaiah has already spoke concerning Damascus in chapters 7-8 and is worth rereading. It is told in narrative form in 2 Kings 16.
V.1-3 The amount of destruction that has to occur for a city to be no more is tremendous. This is a long-standing city. This oracle declares that it will be ruins and that the fortress there in Ephraim will be no longer. Powerful imagery presented by Isaiah.
V.4-6 You see that Israel will be judged just as the long-time enemy of that nation and of God will be judged. This shows that God certainly has no partiality to his judgements. Just because Israel was his chosen people does not mean that he shows favoritism. All those in sin will be judged, whether you call yourself a believer or not.
V.7-9 The condemned cast their eyes on the only True God, their Creator. Reminds us of the final judgement when it will be just us and the Lord.
V.10-11 Though they are part of the covenant, they have forgotten their God and therefore will be judged the same as those who never knew him.
V.12-14 The nations appear powerful and overwhelming, but Judah ought not be overwhelmed by them because the lot for those opposed to God’s people is ultimate destruction.
Concluding thoughts:
Is the Damascus Oracle Unfulfilled?- Many people today read this passage and notice that, because Damascus is still in fact a city, that this oracle must not have been completed. They conclude by arguing that this is instead a prophecy for the last days. This simply is not the case. We see that this actually is fulfilled in Scripture itself in the context of 2 Kings 16. Assyria is the nation we see come to the defense of Judah on account of Ahaz pleading for help. Assyria then wipes out Damascus and beats up Israel. Damascus is still a city, but it was after a rebuild.
God’s Judgement- This is a topic that many today do not like to speak about. God, seen through Jesus, is seen as a God of love. And love, according to many people today, cannot include the God of judgement in the Old Testament. But surely Righteousness carries with it Condemnation; and with Condemnation requires Judgement. This passage reveals not just a story on judgement, but also a picture into the unbiased nature of it. God is looking at a nation, Damascus, and can see that they are the antithesis of God-fearing people. Judgement surely will come to those opposed to him. People who are not his own. However, his Holy Judgement extends to those who are his own, the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. God is saying that though you are my chosen people, ungodliness from any is death. It is a stark reality for those who claim to be believers today. Just because you call yourself a Christian, the chosen people of God, it does not mean that if you are ungodly you will not be cut off.
“In that day man will look to his Maker”- “Man” in this verse is actually the Hebrew adam, meaning all men/mankind. So not only is this oracle meant for two kingdoms coming under the judgement of God; but all men are able to read this and connect it to their own coming judgement. Judgement is not some impersonal aspect of the character of God, or an action he commits on a whim. This is something that connects to the deepest spiritual realities of every human being. We are living lives covered in grace. We have the privileged opportunity to have a Creator who has so much love for his creation that he would stop at nothing to have them come from brokenness and into a relationship with him. We severed the relationship to God with our own sin, so God made a way to reconcile our lives back to him. But it comes down to an individual choice by all who hear the Good News of the cross, of the empty tomb: will you accept the call to come from darkness and into the light. If not now, then when judgement comes, and you are stuck face-to-face with your Maker, he will not spare you from the grief you have desired for yourself. Judgement seems difficult for us today. But all of adam, all mankind, has been given the opportunity to be freed of condemnation brought on by the first Adam by the second, who is Jesus Christ. If only you believe in him.