Judgement occurs on Damascus and Ethiopia/Cush/Egypt. But also judgement on Judah and Ephraim (Israel). Then they will look to Jesus.
Isaiah 17: An Oracle Concerning Damascus
1 An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.
2 The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid.
3 The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the LORD of hosts.
4 And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low, and the fat of his flesh will grow lean.
5 And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
6 Gleanings will be left in it, as when an olive tree is beaten--- two or three berries in the top of the highest bough, four or five on the branches of a fruit tree, declares the LORD God of Israel.
7 In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel.
8 He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.
9 In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.
10 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger,
11 though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain.
12 Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!
13 The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.
14 At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us.
Isaiah 18: An Oracle Concerning Cush
1 Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush,
2 which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation, tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.
3 All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, hear!
4 For thus the LORD said to me: "I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
5 For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.
6 They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.
7 At that time tribute will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts.
Things to think about…
Isaiah 17 refers to the destruction of Damascus. The Assyrians came and overtook Damascus in 732BC and then ten years later took them captive in 722BC. They did not completely destroy the city. Remember by the time Paul was preaching against Christians on the road to Damascus. Damascus was a thriving city and it still is today – though parts are war torn. Yet this prophesy says it will become a heap of ruins and its kingdom disappear, vs 3. It says ‘in that day man will look to his Maker’,vs 7.That is happening now. The nations are turning to Christ – this is the gospel age. It says referring to this time of judgement that “their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation”, Isa 17:9. I believe this is a yet future attack on Damascus by Israel. This prophecy has not been fulfilled as yet and certainly wasn’t fulfilled in the time of Isaiah or leading into the New Testament and beyond.
Destruction of Damascus in Isaiah 17 also refers to Israel and Judah being judged, Isa 17:3, 4. While Hezekiah did seek after the Lord and saw a mighty deliverance from the Assyrians, I believe this is future, during the 7 year tribulation period. Israel as a nation will be brought low and Isaiah says in that time “In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel”. There will be a turning towards Yeshua their Messiah at the end of days.
The land of Cush refers to Egypt, but more specifically to Ethiopia and the Ethiopian kings that were reigning in Egypt at the time, a “tall and smooth skinned people”. The Assyrians would come to this land of ‘whirring wings’ – insects in 671BC. These were people who were ‘tall and smooth whose nation was divided by the rivers – the white and blue Nile, Isa 18:2.
Tribute will be brought from the Ethiopians to Mt Zion, Isa 18:7. After the destruction of Sennacharib’s army by Hezekiah no doubt this occurred. But more than this, in Messiah’s kingdom on Earth tribute will be brought from all nations to Jerusalem.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups on break.
Prayer Points
1. Combined church prayer meeting this Sunday night at Beacon Baptist Church.
2. Victorian parliament discussing gay conversion therapy, antichristian bill next month.
3. Ministries as they begin back this week – Youth and Kids at Church.
4. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
5. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times.
6. The 2 positions:- Youth and Young Adults Coordinator and Children’s Coordinator we are recruiting for in 2021.
Praise Points.
1. New folk joining CBC.
2. First Café roof drawings have been completed.
3. Ministries begin this week.
4. Unity, peace and grace at CBC.
5. Visitors over the holiday period.
Announcements
1. Combined church prayer meeting. Beacon Baptist Sun 31st Jan 5pm Beacon Baptist Church, Brassall.
2. Seeking Youth and Young Adults Coordinator – 2 days per week as well as a Children’s ministry Coordinator – 1 day per week.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
