Year 9, Day 2: Isaiah 17

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Isaiah 17 continues the journey against the nations.  Today we hear Isaiah delivering a message against Damascus, which is the capital of Syria.  They, too, will fall to Assyria.  The wave of Assyrian destruction will wash through them, unable to be stopped.

Remember, though, that the Syrians are not a part of the Abrahamic lineage.  They are descendants from a Mesopotamian people, but not of the lineage of Abraham.  This is an important point to consider for one simple reason.  In this passage, God really demonstrates that He cares about them.  The God we so often see in the Old Testament is often painted as the God of the Hebrew people, which He is, of course.  Yet, it is easy to overlook the fact that God is more than just the God of the Hebrew people.  God is the God of all people, the Old Testament simply focuses so intently upon His relationship with the Hebrew people.

It starts in verse 3.  “The remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel.”  Hear the common tones of remnant that we so often associate with God’s perspective on the Hebrew people.  Hear the comparison to God’s chosen people.  God wants relationship with the people of Syria in a similar manner that we hear of with the descendants of Abraham.

In verse 7 Isaiah tells us that after the oppression of Assyria people will look for a God and they will find the God of Israel.  This further shows that God desires relationship.  He desires that they find Him.  Even though the judgment is coming and unfortunate, the consequence of the judgment is that people will find Him when they otherwise wouldn’t have looked.

Verse 10 reveals more about God’s relationship with Syria.  God tells them that they have forgotten the God of their salvation.  God calls Himself the God of their salvation.  This clearly places the Syrians within God’s desired sphere of influence.  He knows He is their salvation, He longs for that relationship.

Why is this important to know as we study God’s Word?  God sees Himself as the God of all people.  He wants relationship not just with the descendants of Abraham but with the descendants of Adam!  This sets up the coming of God’s Messiah who would die for the sake of all people, not merely concern Himself with the glory of the Hebrew people.  In this chapter, we find God’s heart towards the Gentiles coming through loud and strong.

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