Read Isaiah 17-19 at Bible Gateway.
In the past few days, Isaiah has not only prophesied the mercy and restoration for Israel (Isa 14:1-2), but the destruction of Babylon, who at the time was not even a power, but we saw was the metaphor for the kingdoms of this world (Isa 14:3-23), thus it was appropriate that the prophecy against Babylon should be first, as Babylon has always been the head of gold of the rest of the nations (Dan 2:38).
Following Babylon were specific prophecies against specific nations. Assyria will be destroyed (Isa 14:24-27) , and ancient Assyria was destroyed by Babylon. Philistia will be destroyed (Isa 14:28-32). Moab will be destroyed (Isa 15:1-16:14). Those who have not been a blessing to Israel, but a curse to her instead, will not prosper.
Damascus and Syria will be destroyed. In fact, Damascus will cease to be a city, but will become a heap of ruins (Isa 17:1). When did this happen? In fact, Damascus was founded by Uz, the firstborn son of Aram, the son of Shem, the son of Noah. Since the day Uz founded it, it has not ceased to be a city. This prophecy is still waiting for its fulfillment. And we can speculate, since the present regime and people of Syria have made themselves enemies of Israel, if they continue to act aggressively against her or in any way try to harm her, Damascus will suffer destruction because of it. We will most likely see the fulfillment of this prophecy in our lifetimes.
Isa 18 is interesting. It is the burden against Cush, which is Eithiopia. Eithiopia will be pruned, but their remnant will see when He lifts up His banner on the mountains — a reference to Messiah, who is the Banner of the LORD? — and will hear when He blows His trumpet. After this they will bring a present to the LORD of hosts.
The Eithiopian ruling family has long claimed descent from a union between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Its population is predominately Christian. The next largest religion is Islam, and the third was Judaism until the 1980s, when most Eithiopian Jews migrated to Israel and became full Israelis under the Law of Return. Today there are 120,000 Eithiopian Jews living in Israel.
Isa 19 is the burden against Egypt. Egypt will be in dread because of the LORD of hosts and because of Judah (Isa 19:16-17). Present day Israel is composed primarily of Judah (the Jews). Egypt will suffer oppression, and they will cry out to the LORD because of their oppression, and He will send them a Savior and a Deliverer, who will cause Egypt to know the LORD (Isa 19:19-22). There will be a great revival which will sweep Egypt, and I believe will deliver Egypt from the oppression of Islam and Islamic rule.
Egypt will join with Israel, along with Assyria, as a three- nation axis of peace and blessing in the Middle East (Isa 19:23-24). Ancient Assyria is today located mostly in the present day Kurdish homeland, in northern Iraq, southern Turkey, and eastern Syria. In fact, the Kurds are ethnically separate from Iraqis, Turks, and Syrians, being of Assyrian descent. The modern states of Iraq, Turkey, and Syria were created at the end of World War I, and there was a proposal to create a modern Assyrian state also, which was scrapped. But as the Kurds are currently striving for independence from these three states, I believe because of Isaiah’s prophecy that they will succeed. There will be a separate nation of Assyria and in this nation there will be a great revival as in Egypt. They will ally themselves with Egypt and Israel, and the Israel-Egypt-Assyria triangle will be a blessing to the Middle East.
These events have not happened yet but are poised to happen. When you see them unfold in the headlines, know that it is the LORD God who has told the end from the beginning, through His servant the prophet Isaiah, for His word will surely come to pass.
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