March 15 - Damascus

March 15 - Damascus - Isaiah 17:1-14

I've been going back and forth this month between really loving that I'm learning more about the northern and southern kingdoms during Isaiah's life and being really worn out by the prophecies of destruction! I'm so thankful that God has more patience that I can imagine. Because if I were in charge? These rotten humans would not have had all of the chances at redemption that God continually offers us.

Consider, as a parent, the sorrow that God faced each day as He watched His chosen people turn away from Him and choose to worship other Gods. Know that we continue to break His heart.

In Isaiah 17, we find the prophecy against Damascus. Back in Isaiah 7, we found that the northern kingdom of Israel had joined forces with Aram to hold off the Assyrians, rather than trusting that God would protect them. Isaiah's prophecy that Aram (capital: Damascus) would perish. Aram fell to the Assyrians in 732 bc. This warning was meant for Israel as well.

In Isaiah 17:7, he says that men will return to God and will ignore the Asherah poles (wooden pillars representing Canaanite fertility goddess). The Israelites became so sinful that there was nothing tying them to their Lord. They planted seed, but the harvest was nothing (Isaiah 17:10-11), the nations raged and brought floods to them (Isaiah 17:12), they were nothing more than chaff or a tumbleweed in a strong wind (Isaiah 17:13).

Israel (the northern Kingdom) fell to Assyria in 722 bc. But, there was always a reminder - especially to the people of Judah. Even though the Assyrians brought terror, before morning they would be gone. His words served as a warning that went unheeded by the northern kingdom. Would Judah listen?