Matthew 25 Rapture Blog

Shalom ><> (Important note about Isaiah 17 — This Chapter is also tied to destruction in Israel, so Isaiah 17 – if future, happening before the 7 Year End or maybe even near the Beginning, may not make a lot of sense — being Israel will need to be pretty intact I would think for a Temple to be built, and for Israel to start to come around to choose Jesus as the Messiah — The Two Witnesses) ><>

(It is possible this Prophecy could be dual in Nature and may happen again). {see below, John MacArthur says Damascus was already destroyed in the past}      

Isaiah 17:1 Damascus

Damascus — World’s Biggest Chemical Weapons Arsenal 

Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. 

Burden = Ominous Message of Doom 

It could be That Damascus, Syria is the oldest continually inhabited City in The World that has never been destroyed.

However John MacArthur in his Study Bible says that this Prophecy was already ful-filled with its destruction by the Assyrians in 732 B.C. 
‘ MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. La Habra, CA: Nelson, 2006. (p. 961)

Isaiah 17 could be a dual in nature Prophecy.

Isaiah 17 — Bad News For Damascus and Bad News For Israel — If This Prophecy is Future, This is Bad News For Both Damascus And Israel.

Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. 

Isaiah 17:2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. (Aroer/Syria) 

Isaiah The Prophet

3 The fortress (‘dominion’ maybe/fortified city(s)) also shall cease from Ephraim, (Northern 10Tribes also known as Israel [722 B.C.]) 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. (Israel and Damascus were confederated together so they fared alike [glory diminished] when God used Assyria to Judge them) ‘ MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. La Habra, CA: Nelson, 2006.

The Prophecy may be dual in nature with the kingdom ceasing from Damascus in the future and in the past when Assyria destroyed Damascus in 732 B.C. — You would also have to pass pretty serious judgment upon Israel too in the future (v.9 Desolation). There could be desolation in Israel in the future though :: Luke 21:24 Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet,…. 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

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.

This could be when Israel fell under judgment from Assyria in 722 B.C. and/or it could be future during Jacob’s Trouble.   Zechariah 14:2 

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.

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. (Israel majorly compromised as a Nation) [Israel/Northern Kingdom was deported by the Assyrians for 20 years, then finally destroyed in 722 B.C.] ‘ MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. La Habra, CA: Nelson, 2006. — read verse 9 — there will be desolation. 

If This is Future, There could be a Nuclear and Chemical Weapon Exchange with Israel/Damascus. 

This Chapter may make the most sense read in connection with Zechariah 12 to 14. (End Time)

Zechariah 13 says 2/3 will be cut off from the Land of Israel and only 1/3 Left. 

Zechariah 14 says God will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to Battle (Armageddon) — the cities will be captured/the houses plundered/the women ravished/half the city will be exiled.

7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. 

(Could be past and future :: 1/3 of Israel chooses Jesus at The End) [Israel/Northern Kingdom was deported by the Assyrians for 20 years, then finally destroyed in 722 B.C. — ‘ MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. La Habra, CA: Nelson, 2006.]

8 And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

9 In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. (Jacob’s Trouble — Mid-Point of Trib & onward it may be — 2/3 of Israel cut off — or past Ful-filled Prophecy? — but may/could be dual in nature) (continue reading…)