Isaiah 17 vs 1-14

Isaiah Chapter 17 Verse 1 

Damascus is quite the interesting city. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, dating all the way back to its first mention in Genesis 14 and the days of Abram. Many Bible scholars connect Isaiah 17 to an eschatological sign of the end of the current age for several reasons but one is simply that this prophecy in their perspective has not yet come to pass. And so, they connect this and say that before the coming of the Day of the Lord, Damascus will be destroyed. And I can get with that.

There are others that take the perspective that although Damascus never lost its nominal place in the world, (it never lost its name), that it was indeed decimated already, and Isaiah 17 has already come to pass, in accordance with 2 Kings 16:5-9, which is perhaps importantly right after the time of Isaiah writing this. In that passage, we read the following: 

“Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram by driving out the people of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day. Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, “I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.”

So, did it already happen or is it yet ahead? Perhaps the answer can be yes (all inclusive) as many prophecies given in the Bible have both a near and a far fulfillment. At any rate, this city Damascus carries a burden according to Isaiah and we’ll see later specifically why.

Tell you what, lets look now. Skip ahead to verse 10. “Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold.” What is your mind full of!? Makes a difference. A huge difference. What you fill your mind with, you remember. It guides (or at least informs) your decisions, actions, attitudes, perspectives…and we are about to read of all kinds of problems that come along with the “burden” against or of Damascus all because of this issue…

Isaiah Chapter 17 Verses 2 – 6

These verses speak heavily of the alliance between the norther tribes at the time of Isaiah and the forces of Syria which is why many link Isaiah 17 with 2 Kings 16, and that makes sense to me.

Isaiah Chapter 17 Verses 7 – 9

This is the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s a good thing that we read that because of the issues and the problems and the burden, men will look to God and forsake their idols, but the badness of it all is that it’s too late. The ugliness, the consequence is already upon them. This is where we need to learn not so much by experience but by faith, or perhaps better said, by wisdom.

I can learn all types of things by living through them and truly some things are better or most well learned that way, but calamity, desolation, loss… I truly truly truly would rather not learn that by so much experience. And I have the privilege and the advantage to not have to but it takes faith…

To hear what God has to say on the matter, which truly all matters ARE covered in the Word of God, and then to choose (sometimes at my own peril or even hurt in the moment) to believe God! God has promised that if I trust Him with all my heart and not turn to my own understanding…rather acknowledge Him in all that I do, that He will make my path straight. He will see me through it… And so, I (desire to) choose to be mindful of God’s goodness, faithfulness and honestly His track record of never losing.

I’m certainly not perfect in it but I know there’s a better way to learn something important than by doing it wrong and suffering consequence. And here’s the thing. Just a little warning I give you that I have learned. God’s grace covers every mistake I ever make. Every lesson that I have had to learn because of choosing to not be mindful of God… But some things that I have done, some consequences/results, they’re for life no matter what…and there’s nothing that can be done about that on this earth. So be aware. Learn as much as you can by wisdom!

Isaiah Chapter 17 Verses 10 – 11

The idea here is that what you think you’re planting, what actually comes up will be a shock to you, in a most disappointing (and even frustrating) way. You think you’re planting pleasant plants but then what grows, you’re like, “what is this?” 

Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” And then we read in Psalm 1:4, “Not so for the ungodly…”

So, what can I expect when my heart is turned from the Lord, when I have forgotten Him and mind-filled with whatever is not of Him? Well, reverse Psalm 1…, “Disappointed, frustrated and defeated is the man who walks in the counsel of the ungodly, stands in the path of sin, sits in the seat of the scornful. Who is not delighting in the law of the Lord and is not mindful of God. He shall be like a tree planted in the dust of the desert, no fruit, leaves withered; and whatever I do will not prosper.”

God never says to me, “I told you so,” but He told me so…whenever I find myself in that place…

Isaiah Chapter 17 Verses 12 – 14

The prophecy given by Isaiah is that those that come against the people of God will be challenged and destroyed perhaps not directly by Israel but by other nations. The thing is though that Isaiah slips in here at the end of this chapter that the rebuke from God against the enemies of Judah will come after they are plundered and robbed…

I sense the crowd reading this cheering in victory and hope and then maybe saying, “wait…what!?” The victory will come, the triumph will be there and there is hope, but it will come at a significant price of the consequence upon Judah of yet forfeiting what God had in mind for them in favor of their own ways. 

God is faithful. No weapon formed against you shall prosper but it will surely form, and it will surely come against you… So, there is great hope there but there is also great warning and great cause for pause….

Judah will suffer although God has already guaranteed it’s deliverance. The junk of it all is that they didn’t have to suffer. Ahaz could have sought the Lord. The nation could have Psalm 1’d it… But just like so many Christians today, the priority is not seeking the Lord, pleasing the Lord; the desire is not to be corrected, rebuked, taught, exhorted, or maybe even the worst for American…, made the fool.

So hard work, man. Planting and harvesting and some just flourishing…and yet some day after day, week after week, year after year… struggling and restarting over and over again… Make God your priority. Seek the Lord. Let it cost you. Put Him first. Choose to fill your mind with that which is of the Lord… And maybe the Ahaz in me…in you…., will have a different story.