The oracle concerning Damascus. Isa.17 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.17:1] The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Damascus is the capital of Assyria, so when they refer to Damascus think of the king of Assyria, which is Satan in the end times. Let’s go to Zec.9 and verse 11 reads.
Zec.9:11] As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
Sets forth those who come out of the pit, wherein there is no Living Water. They worship the antichrist, instead of Christ, that is Satan.
Zec.9:12] Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
In Isa.16:8 we learned that Heshbon means; Strong hold. Notice that they receive double. Double what? Let’s go to Rev.17 and verse 5 reads.
Rev.17:5] And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
This written on her forehead is the mark of the beast, this is written on all who worship the antichrist in the end times. Now let’s see what’s being doubled. We continue in Rev.18 and verse 3 reads.
Rev.18:3] For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
For worshipping the antichrist and being deceived.
Rev.18:4] And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
When the elect are delivered up, and the Holy Spirit speaks through them, many will come out of deception and repent and be forgiven.
Rev.18:5] For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
[6] Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
She is doubled the cup of wrath. Those who hear the truth and refuse to repent will receive double the cup of wrath. Back to Isa.17 and verse 2 reads.
Isa.17:2] The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Aroer means; Ruin. The cities are brought to ruin because of the deception. Let’s go to Jeremiah 7 and verse 32 reads.
Jer.7:32] Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
The days shall come, meaning the end times.
Jer.7:33] And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
When we are changed into our spiritual bodies at the seventh trump, our flesh bodies will lie in the streets for the fowls of heaven to feast on.
Jer.7:34] Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
We wait for the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Back to Isa.17 and verse 3 reads.
Isa.17:3] The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, 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.
The house of Israel shall lose their protection, because they have worshipped the antichrist. Notice there is a remnant (elect) of the gentiles. This is said for the elect of Israel. Let’s go to Hos.9 and verse 11 reads.
Hos.9:11] As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
Here is how the house of Israel falls away from God. Look at our churches today teaching the rapture theory as if it were God’s word. This is why I say the rapture is evil, it leads them right into Satan’s lap. They worship the first Jesus which is the antichrist, and teach their children to do so also.
Hos.9:12] Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
Do you think the LORD is with them? I think not, we are speaking of the churches that teach the rapture doctrine, the LORD will depart from them it said. Back to Isa.17 and verse 4 reads.
Isa.17:4] 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.
At the day of the LORD and just before, the famine shall be in the land. Amos 8:11 reads.
Amos 8:11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
Back to Isa.17 and verse 5 reads.
Isa.17:5] 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.
Rephaim means Giants. This verse is very important to understand. What was said? The harvest shall be plenty as when they (Israel) went over the river Jordan into the promised land. Our like for these end times, the harvest will be plenty. So then, who is gathering this great harvest if the famine of the end times is for hearing the word of the Lord? Verse 6 continues.
Isa.17:6] 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.
God’s elect shall have plenty of harvest to share with the children of God. Meaning, we will have what little is left purposefully for us to give to others when we are delivered up to Satan and the Holy Spirit speaks through us.
Isa.17:7] At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
God will open the eyes of his elect to his word. We studied this back in Ch.10 and verse 20 reads.
Isa.10:20] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
In truth is His Word. We come out of confusion (Zerubbabel) and come back to the LORD. Back to Isa.17 and verse 8 reads.
Isa.17:8] 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.
False teachers and idols made, are the abomination of the Lord, that Mystery Babylon. Look carefully at this “Groves”, this is easter of today, another false idol that God hates with those graven images. Keep in mind Rev.18 which we read of earlier, they receive double the cup of wrath. All this is speaking of what destroys the churches of today.
Isa.17:9] 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.
Desolation because the antichrist is here and the churches led their congregation right into his lap with the flyaway doctrine.
Isa.17:10] Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:
Because you forgot Jesus, the Lamb that was slain for our sins. And our Rock for their rock, lower case. Check out this word slips, it is H2156 and means; branch. Christ is our BRANCH and this branch like rock is lower case, not our BRANCH. But let’s back up to salvation, seeing how we are talking about how the churches bring the house of Jacob to destruction. Eze.13 and verse 18 reads.
Eze.13:18] And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
These women are Mystery Babylon. She sews the pillows to cover God’s outstretched saving arms and promises salvation by her own saving hands.
Eze.13:19] And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
Teaching lies for money in the churches. Saving those that should not live? Who does the saving, God alone is Savior.
Eze.13:20] Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
Written right here in God’s Word that he is against the rapture doctrine, it is evil.
Eze.13:21] Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
God will expose your lies for all to see.
Eze.13:22] Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
[23] Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Mystery Babylon will receive double her rewards for this reason, deceiving God’s children to fly away and worship the antichrist. It is wicked, it is evil. Back to Isa.17 and verse 11 reads.
Isa.17:11] In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
The crops are a failure, no harvest when the antichrist is here. Let’s go to Psalms 90 and pick it up with verse 5 and it reads.
Psa.90:5] Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
Carried away with a flood of lies that come from the mouth of the dragon. Rev.9.17-19.
Psa.90:6] In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
[7] For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
So much written in God’s word for us in these end times, there won’t be any excuses for anyone. Back to Isa.17 and verse 12 reads.
Isa.17:12] Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
The whole world is deceived, and we will hear the gnashing of teeth. Let’s go to Jer.6 and verse 23 reads.
Jer.6:23] They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
And in Rev.17 we find out that the waters are the people. Verse 15 reads.
Rev.17:15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
The waters are the peoples of the world, deceived and worshipping the antichrist. Back to Isa.17 and verse 13 reads.
Isa.17:13] The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Like a rolling thing is a tumbleweed. What happens to the chaff and tumble weed, they are consumed by fire. Poof up in smoke for ever and ever.
Isa.17:14] And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.
This is their reward for worshipping the antichrist, and teaching others to do so also. As the branch that gives no fruit. As the vine that produces no grapes, they both are cut off and thrown into the fire. Hebrews 12 and verse 29 reads.
Heb.12:29] For our God is a consuming fire.
Great study, let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible