>>How do you see the events of Isaiah 17 fitting with Ezekiel 38-39?<<
There is no Biblical indication of the time of the destruction of Damascus but it must happen in the future because Damascus is the longest continuously inhabited city in the world to date. It has never in recorded history been destroyed.
That being said, I don’t think the Destruction of Damascus is during the battle of Armageddon because there will still be flocks that inhabit the cities around it and indications are that life goes on in the region.
That leaves the battle of Ezek 38-39 which will be devastating to those that come against Israel. One can easily envision Damascus being destroyed during that battle as well as the Dome Mosque. The Mosque during the initial attack on Israel and Damascus during the counter defense which the Bible indicates will be more by God’s hand then by Israel itself.
I clearly confess that both the timing of the destruction of Damascus and the Mosque is purely conjecture on my part but both must be destroyed for prophecy to be true. Damascus because it is clearly prophesied in Isaiah and the Mosque because the third Temple must be build in Jerusalem and I would say that no one can believe that God would allow the Mosque and the Temple to both exist in Jerusalem.
What do these verses from Isaiah 17 mean:
"The fortress also will cease from Ephraim,"
"In that day it shall come to pass That the glory of Jacob will wane, And the fatness of his flesh grow lean."
What is the “fortress of Ephraim” in modern terms? What is the “glory of Jacob”, and how will it's waning be manifest?
"I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords." (Eze. 38)
Who are the armies of Gog, and how do you see this being played out? Do you expect to see armies on horseback with swords and spears riding against modern Israel in the near future?
I would say that no one can believe that God would allow the Mosque and the Temple to both exist in Jerusalem.
Why can no on believe this? If you're speculating on the rest of this stuff, why must anyone believe this part?
And all this is supposed to happen in the next 7-8 years?
Just for clarification, why do you believe the Hebrew phrase in Isaiah 17:1 is properly interpreted the way you require?
The burden of Damascus, &c.] A heavy and grievous prophecy, concerning the destruction of it; the Arabic version is,
``the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Damascus;''
and the Targum is,
``the burden of the cup of cursing to give Damascus to drink.''
Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city; a kingdom, as the Targum; it was the head of one, but now its walls were demolished, its houses pulled down, and its inhabitants carried captive; this was done by Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, ( 2 Kings 16:9 ) it had been a very ancient city, see ( Genesis 15:2 ) and the head of the kingdom of Syria, ( Isaiah 7:8 ) , and though it underwent this calamity, it was rebuilt again, and was a city of great fame, when destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, ( Jeremiah 49:24 Jeremiah 49:25 ) after which it was raised up again, and was in being in the apostle's time, and still is, ( Acts 9:22 ) ( 2 Corinthians 11:32 )
and it shall be a ruinous heap; or a heap of stones, as the Targum and Kimchi interpret it. A "behold" is prefixed to the whole, as being very wonderful and remarkable, unthought of, and unexpected.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken The inhabitants of them being slain, or carried captive, or obliged to flee. Aroer was a city by the river Arnon, on the borders of Moab and Ammon, ( Deuteronomy 2:36 ) ( Deuteronomy 3:12 ) , it was originally in the hands of the Amorites, and sometimes in the hands of the Moabites and Ammonites: it was given by Moses to the Reubenites and, Gadites, from whom it was taken by the Syrians, and in whose possession it seems to have been at this time; see ( 2 Kings 10:33 ) though Jarchi thinks it was now in the hands of Pekah king of Israel, and said to be forsaken, because the Reubenites and Gadites were now carried captive. Jerom F13 says it was seen in his time, upon the top of the mountain. Here it seems to designs a country of this name, in which were many cities. Grotius thinks it was a tract of land in Syria, the same with the Aveira of Ptolemy F14. Vitringa is of opinion that Damascus itself is meant, which was a double city, like that divided by the river Chrysorrhoas, as this was by Arnon.
They shall be for flocks which shall lie down; instead of houses, there should be sheepcotes and shepherds' tents, and instead of men, sheep; and where streets were, grass would grow, and flocks feed and lie down; which is expressive of the utter desolation of these cities, or this tract of ground:
and none shall make [them] afraid; the flocks of sheep, timorous creatures, easily frightened; but so great should be the depopulation now, there would be no man upon the spot, or any pass by, to give them any disturbance.
The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim The ten tribes, now in confederacy with the Syrians, whose metropolis or fortress was Samaria, which seems to be intended here; and should be destroyed, at least taken out of the hands of the Israelites, and they be carried captive by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, ( 2 Kings 17:6 ) and this may be understood, not of that particular city and fortress only, but of all their strongholds, the singular being, put for the plural. The Targum is, "the government shall cease from Ephraim"; they shall have no more a king over them, nor have they to this day:
and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; Damascus was the head city of Syria, where the kings of Syria had their palace; but now that and the rest of Syria should no more be a kingdom of itself, but should be subject unto others, as it has been ever since:
they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts; that is, the Syrians, who were in alliance with Israel, should share the same fate; should be carried captive as they were; should have their metropolis and other cities, and their whole kingdom, taken from them, and be stripped of their grandeur and wealth, and have no more glory than they had; which was none at all; or at least very small, as the next verse shows ( Isaiah 17:4 ) .
And in that day it shall come to pass It being much about the same time that both kingdoms were destroyed by the Assyrians:
[that] the glory of Jacob shall be made thin; the same with Ephraim and Israel, the ten tribes, whose glory lay in the superior number of their tribes to Judah; in the multitude of their cities, and the inhabitants of them; but now would be thinned, by the vast numbers that should be carried captive:
and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean:
like a man in a consumption, that is become a mere skeleton, and reduced to skin and bones: the meaning is, that all their wealth and riches should be taken away; so the Targum,