The lesson is that the power comes from God; the person is only a vessel. Before his conversion, He traveled to the city to haul off to jail all those in the synagogues who believed in Jesus (Acts 9:2). I And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And Solomon sent word to Hiram, You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. (2020, August 28). And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the capital, which is in the province of Elam. In May of 2019, it was reported that Syrias state news agency says a visiting North Korea delegation, has expressed interest in helping Damascus with reconstruction efforts. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. I will break the gate-bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden; and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir, says the Lord. Well, Syria and North Korea have been longtime allies, and the war in Syria has devastated the country and billions of dollars are believed needed, to rebuild. And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. Saul of Tarsus possessed perfect qualifications to be an evangelist: He was versed in Jewish culture and language, his upbringing in Tarsus made him familiar with the Greek language and culture, his training in Jewish theology helped him connect the Old Testament with the gospel, and as a skilled tentmaker he could support himself. But Abram said, O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord. . Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me. Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king's house and sent a present to the king of Assyria. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! An oracle concerning Damascus. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. Put on sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! The Lord, after Saul had fasted for three days, contacts a disciple named Ananias in the city. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will cause the battle cry to be heard against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall become a desolate mound, and its villages shall be burned with fire; then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him, says the Lord. When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low, and the fat of his flesh will grow lean. For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?. He arose and was baptized into the Christian faith. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. Z. The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the Lord of hosts. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. R And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. And said to him, Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. But his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Thus says the Lord: As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
Concerning Damascus: Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard bad news; they melt in fear, they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet. So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. The king of Assyria marched up against Damascus and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir, and he killed Rezin. By submitting himself completely to Jesus, Paul was able to spread the gospel throughout the known world. And laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.. An oracle concerning Damascus. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he (Saul) found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem . When the house of David was told, Syria is in league with Ephraim, the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. T Publication date: Jul 18, 2022. Zavada, Jack. Before the decree takes effect before the day passes away like chaff before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
He did as he pleased and became great. In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Ananias laid his hands on Saul, telling him Jesus had sent him to restore his sight and that Saul might be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.. TopicalBible For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. Zavada, Jack. Now King David was old and advanced in years. And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low, and the fat of his flesh will grow lean. . And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. All this to say, things are really getting explosive in Damascus, and we as Christians know all the signs, but it really helps to take a closer look at whats really happening. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus. . Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. He was empowered by God. 
And the Lord said to him, Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying. And the Lord said to Isaiah, Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. Jesus told Saul he had been persecuting him. The men with Saul did not see the risen Jesus, but Saul did. What? The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. God's forgiveness is full and final. For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his officials. But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ . But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. C So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 1Kings 15:18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying. . There is neither adversary nor misfortune. So, keep your eye on Damascus. Before continuing, it should be noted that some believe the events of Isaiah 17 occurred in the 8th century B.C. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.. Damascusis widely believed to be theoldestcontinuously inhabitedcity in the world, with evidence of habitation dating back at least 11,000 years, (according to the internet). Learn Religions. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord., And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. Labs Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. Despite his previous beliefs as a Pharisee, he now knew the truth about God and was obligated to obey him. Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020, learnreligions.com/conversion-of-paul-700197. He revealed his secret of enduring a lifetime of hardship for the gospel: In one moment of fear, enlightenment, and regret, Saul understood that Jesus was the true Messiah and that he (Saul) had helped murder and imprison innocent people. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares, and all her soldiers shall be destroyed in that day, declares the Lord of hosts. Concerning Damascus: Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard bad news; they melt in fear, they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim. He is more interested in a person's future. How is the famous city not forsaken, the city of my joy? North Korea is seeking to expand its commercial ties to reduce its reliance on China. Publisher: OpenBible.info. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ .
This level of desolation has not occurred yet. Isaiah 17 opens with the words the burden of Damascus, which indicates that Damascus is the subject of a troublesome prophecy. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. His companions led him into Damascus to a man named Judas, on Straight Street. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. G As of 2018, Damascus has witnessed repeated conflicts and has been considered by Merceras one of the most unfavorable places to live. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul's reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The appearance of this phrase suggests the destruction of Damascus will likely occur around the time of the Day of the Lord. Paul received the Holy Spirit, along with the truth of the gospel so he could share it with others. Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. Damascus, the capital of modern Syria that is located roughly 130 miles (209 kilometers) from Jerusalem, is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth. . Is not Samaria like Damascus? Meanwhile, Jesus appeared in a vision to a disciple in Damascus named Ananias and told him to go to Saul. Paul's conversion proves that God can call and transform anyone he chooses, even the most hard-hearted. Maybe God will call you to work quietly behind the scenes like the little known Ananias, or perhaps you'll reach multitudes like the great Apostle Paul. Few Bible stories are as thrilling as Paul's road to Damascus conversion. There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. So he turned and went away in a rage. He returns to the city after leaving Arabia. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. How is the famous city not forsaken, the city of my joy? Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Blog, A Galatians 1:11 - 12, 17But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. Thus says the Lord: Has Israel no sons? The same Jesus who rose from the dead and transformed Paul wants to work in your life too. His teachings and the ability to prove that Jesus is the Messiah are so effective that Jews quickly seek to murder him (Acts 9:20 - 25)! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. Even though Saul had been one of Jesus' cruelest enemies, he became one of his closest friends. Syrias conflict, which began in 2011, has killed more than 400,000 people. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? W His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Saul obtained letters from the high priest, authorizing him to arrest any followers of Jesus in the city of Damascus. And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. And Ben-hadad said to him, The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. And Ahab said, I will let you go on these terms. So he made a covenant with him and let him go. And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. The king of Assyria marched up against Damascus and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir, and he killed Rezin. The burden of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and Damascus is its resting place. . And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. The city was both a strategic and commercial hub as it was the starting point for the major north-south route, east of the Jordan River, called the King's Highway. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. Acts 9:1 says that Paul was "breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples." I will break the gate-bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden; and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir, says the Lord. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. U
Geocoding The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the Lord of hosts. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. On July 22, 2019, Pope Francis has hand-delivered Syrian President Bashar Assad a letter expressing his profound concern for the humanitarian situation in Syria, and in particular the plight of civilians in Idlib province. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. E Paul could not have achieved this remarkable accomplishment in his own strength. Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.. Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. The scales falling from Paul's eyes symbolized a spiritual transformation that allowed him to see the truth. B J Evidence of a significant population living in the area dates to at least the second millennium B.C. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator., Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. So Ananias departed and entered the house. As the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm. So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners' palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. Saul ate, regained his strength, and stayed with the Damascus disciples three days.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the Lord of hosts. A Psalm of Asaph. S V Paul's life-changing experience on the Damascus Road led to his baptism and instruction in the Christian faith. Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee, and panic seized her; anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in labor. But Naaman was wroth . It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. (Acts 9:5-6, NIV). And asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Paul's conversion showed that Jesus himself wanted the gospel message to go to the Gentiles, quashing any argument from the early Jewish Christians that the gospel was only for the Jews. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. North Korea? M And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Saul witnessed the risen Christ, which fulfilled the. But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. . But declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. Published 12:13 am Saturday, August 3, 2019. P Saul was blinded. Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad, and his people settled in its cities? https://www.learnreligions.com/conversion-of-paul-700197 (accessed July 22, 2022). Karen Y. Stevens is founder of Orange County Christian Writers Guild, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). God often chooses the most unlikely people to accomplish his will. He became the most determined of the apostles, suffering brutal physical pain, persecution, and finally, martyrdom. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. O Isaiah 17:1-3 does not specifically tell us the cause(s) of Damascuss demise, however, Jeremiah 49:23-27, a passage that may have end-time implications, suggests that the city may be target of an attack: (26) Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. Saul heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim. On the Road to Damascus, Saul and his companions were struck down by a blinding light. Has he no heir? Something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. Meet the Apostle Paul: Christian Missionary Giant, Who Is the Suffering Servant? My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. An oracle concerning Damascus. Q
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee, and panic seized her; anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in labor. "Paul's Road to Damascus Conversion." Then the Lord said to me, Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz. And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Through the power of Christ, a man who had been a hate-filled villain became a love-filled hero. For three days Saul was blind and didn't eat or drink. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/conversion-of-paul-700197. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest. . Concerning Damascus: Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard bad news; they melt in fear, they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet.
What could Jesus do through you if you surrendered as Paul did and gave him complete control of your life? And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. H Damascus is facing European and U.S. sanctions because of the war, so no help there. Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute.