The Oracle Against Damascus

Isaiah 17 and 18

Someone has said, “you can learn a lot from history, because history often repeats itself”. What we see in our text this evening is just that, a warning against unbiblical alliances.

We are in the section of Isaiah where he gives us the oracles against the Nations around Israel that turned against Israel. To reject Israel is to reject God. We must keep this in mind as we go through this text.

Aram which is Syria, and Damascus its capital is linked with Ephraim which is Israel (The Northern Kingdom) here. Why? Because they too (Israel) were not immune for the demands, pressures, questions and temptations of life. They too felt the problems of security and safety. At the time the Northern Kingdom was a small kingdom. How could they protect themselves from the Assyrian Empire that was pressing in on them?

They turned the Aram, when faced with the threat from Assyria. Ephraim (The Northern Kingdom) turned to a pagan nation for their salvation rather than turning to God. They sought refuge and help from the World than from God. In turning to the World they were turning from God.

It is foolish and unwise to think that any country can forsake God and be safe. To seek from man what only God can give is an insult to the living God.

If America turns to the United Nations for security and safety at the expense of turning from God, she will be like all the other nations throughout history who are no more.