#1 [url]

Aug 6 08 2:12 PM

Hi SetApart,

Isa 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Isa 17:2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Isa 17:3 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 17:4 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 17:5 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 17:6 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 17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.


I tend to think this event happens very near the wrath of God or end of the last 7 years. Isa 17:7 seems to imply Israel turns back to the Lord at the time of the Damascus event. That seems to be backed up by Isaiah 10.

Isa 10:9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?

I believe Isaiah 10 speaks of the antichrist and his war against Israel in the last 7 years. Here sometime near the end of the last 7 years the AC mentions he has conquered Damascus. That would seem to preclude its destruction before the AC has a chance to overthrow it. If Isaiah 17 were to happen prior to Israel being attacked then there would be no Damascus for the AC to speak of.

Amo 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Amo 1:2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Amo 1:3 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:


Amos 1 begins a series of nations and their punishments near the time of God's wrath. The whole middle-east is punished at the same time. This is common theme among the prophets of the OT. Notice here again Damascus is referenced with God's punishment. God will utter his voice from Jerusalem. This is after God defeats the enemies of Israel when He returns (or during His defeat of them). So personally I believe we won't see the destruction of Damascus until near the end of the last 7 years. The peace we will see with Syria is most likely going to be a false peace that sets up the conditions for the Gog attack of Eze 38-39.

Eze 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
Eze 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
Eze 38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
Eze 38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,


This implies a period of peace just prior to the Gog invasion. It seems to be part of the reason Gog invades...easy target no walls, bars, or gates. Turkey is mediating the peace talks between Israel and Syria. The AC also sets up a covenant with many. I believe the covenant with many will be a peace treaty with many of Israel's enemies. Turkey has been referring to a "comprehensive peace" for a long time. They feel the only solution is to solve the problem with all of Israel's enemies at once. You can't really settle the issue until all the enemies of Israel quit attacking her.

Meshech and Tubal can be shown to have been in the Turkey region as we know it. Gog is chief prince of Turkey basically. The headlines about Turkey mediating peace deals with Israel literally sends shivers down my spine. This may not lead to the covenant with many but anytime we see Israel engaging in peace with their muslim enemies we should take note. It is these very neighbors that the bible talks about being destroyed for their treatment of Israel.

Peace,
Seeker