Can any Christian explain why it is still around?
“An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.” – Isaiah 17.1
This prophecy was made about 27 centuries ago, yet Damascus still stands. It is the world’s oldest city with a continuous history. So why does it still stand? If the Bible contains no error, how is it that this city is still in existence?
2007-03-27 03:12:36 · 9 answers · asked by Weird Darryl 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Several of you have said that this scripture applies to the so-called "end times". I can't find this term in my Bible, but I can find the term "last days". It is in Acts 2.16-17
"But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 'And in the LAST DAYS it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams' ".
The problem is that Peter was talking about something that was happening THEN, not centuries later. So if Isaiah's prophecy was referring to the "last days", it seems that he should have been talking about something that happened about 2000 years ago.
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2007-03-27 13:46:00 · update #1
They probably renamed the city that was right beside it. The old Damascus is gone. It just has to be....
2007-03-27 03:19:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This was fulfilled by the Assyrians. Already, Tiglath-pileser had carried away the people of Damascus to Kir, in the fourth year of Ahaz (2Ki 16:9); but now in Hezekiah's reign a further overthrow is foretold (Jer 49:23; Zec 9:1). Also, Shalmaneser carried away Israel from Samaria to Assyria (2Ki 17:6; 18:10, 11) in the sixth year of Hezekiah of Judah (the ninth year of Hoshea of Israel). This prophecy was, doubtless, given previously in the first years of Hezekiah when the foreign nations came into nearer collision with Judah, owing to the threatening aspect of Assyria.
The text does not say it will never be a city again. The fact remains that the people were led off into captivity by the Assyrians. It was later destroyed by the Babylonians. Both times it was rebuilt.
The prophecy is in conjunction with the coming judgement on Israel (northern tribes) by the Assyrians. Both the "nations" would never have the glory it once had.
Both prophecies were fullfilled, the city would no longer be a city (empty) and the city was left in ruins.
There is not a failed prophecy here. Only reading into the text something it does not predict.
2007-03-27 11:37:49 · answer #2 · answered by Jeff T 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bible is never wrong. If I lived in Damascus, I would move. Does not Syria let Hezbollah come right through it? Be patient and keep your eyes on Damascus because God will not be mocked and this prophesy may shortly be fulfilled. Israel is still the apple of God's eye and all that come against Israel will answer to Almighty God. God still claims Jerusalem as His own. Israel gave up Gaza for peace and it only caused more war. Israel should not give another inch of land for peace, because there is no peace for Jerusalem until Christ comes. All the nations around Israel have at some time came against them. The Bible says they will be a cup of trembling and with enemies on every side it would be hard not to be a cup of trembling.
2007-03-27 10:26:21 · answer #3 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Watch and wait. The trouble in the Middle East is there for a reason. Remember during the Lebanon/ Israeli War that Iran was traffiking supplies to Hezbollah? Well, Damascus was brought up many times. It is not the only prophecy that wasn't fulfilled yet, nor is it the only prophecy that took a long time to be fulfilled.
2007-03-27 10:22:23 · answer #4 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The reference was to events that would happen in the End Times when Israel was gathered as a nation again (1948) and the Messiah was about to return to establish His kingdom on earth. The clock is about to run out on Damascus. I'd recommend you study Hal Lindsey for an in depth interpretation of Damascus' coming fate.
2007-03-27 10:19:59 · answer #5 · answered by Crusader1189 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Although I would not advocate reading up on Hal Lindsey (he's considered a crackpot by too many people) I would tell you that many places in the book of Isaiah the prophet is speaking of end times, not necessarily things to come at the time of the Messiah's first coming. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and even Ezekiel are OT books with prophecies which are yet to be fulfilled, as is the book of Revelation. (Note, no S on the end of Revelation)
Anywho, the Bible is full of end time prophecies, of which you happened to point one out.
2007-03-27 10:24:14 · answer #6 · answered by J.R. 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Just sent you an e-mail on this question.
If you continue and read Isaiah 17:12-14 it sounds like a prophesy that is yet to come:
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
2007-03-27 10:25:56 · answer #7 · answered by super Bobo 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Tyre was also supposed to be destroyed.
All of Israels enemies were.
But Israel was destroyed in 722 BC and Judea in 70 AD.
So who cares what those blow hards predicted.
2007-03-27 10:18:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a lovely city. Lots of history! I'm glad it was spared.
Live well~
2007-03-27 10:18:39 · answer #9 · answered by Jenny 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋