Isaiah 17 - Introduction

Chapter 17 The Judgment on Damascus.

In this chapter we see how Isaiah's burdens concerning the nations have very much in mind His actions concerning His people, for most of this burden is taken up with the impact of the behaviour and powerlessness of Damascus on His people. The indictment on Israel is devastating. Because they have allied themselves with Damascus, and have trusted in them, they will share the fate of Damascus, and are included in the oracle against them. Because they have trusted in Damascus they no longer count sufficiently to have their own oracle. It is Isaiah's way of demonstrating how far they have fallen.

He then goes on to illustrate this faithlessness in comparison with their similar faithlessness with regard to Canaanite gods and probably also with regard to ‘foreign' Syrian gods. And yet as he regularly does, Isaiah also includes within his denunciation a message of hope for the remnant (Isaiah 17:7; Isaiah 17:13).