Verse 1

The Coming of the True King This is an oracle, the LORD’s message concerning the land of Hadrach, with its focus on Damascus: The eyes of all humanity, especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD,

Referenced Verses

  • Jer 49:23-27 : 23 Judgment Against Damascus The LORD spoke about Damascus.“The people of Hamath and Arpad will be dismayed because they have heard bad news. Their courage will melt away because of worry. Their hearts will not be able to rest. 24 The people of Damascus will lose heart and turn to flee. Panic will grip them. Pain and anguish will seize them like a woman in labor. 25 How deserted will that once-famous city be, that city that was once filled with joy! 26 For her young men will fall in her city squares. All her soldiers will be destroyed at that time,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 27 “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will burn up the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
  • Amos 1:3-5 : 3 This is what the LORD says:“Because Damascus has committed three crimes– make that four!– I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth. 4 So I will set Hazael’s house on fire; fire will consume Ben Hadad’s fortresses. 5 I will break the bar on the gate of Damascus. I will remove the ruler from Wicked Valley, the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” The LORD has spoken!
  • Amos 3:12 : 12 This is what the LORD says:“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged. They will be left with just a corner of a bed, and a part of a couch.”
  • Zech 5:4 : 4 “I will send it out,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,“and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones.”
  • Zech 8:21-23 : 21 The inhabitants of one will go to another and say,“Let’s go up at once to ask the favor of the LORD, to seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Indeed, I’ll go with you.”’ 22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies and to ask his favor. 23 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of– indeed, grab– the robe of one Jew and say,“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”
  • Mal 1:1 : 1 ¶ Introduction and God’s Election of Israel This is an oracle, the LORD’s message to Israel through Malachi:
  • Gen 14:15 : 15 Then, during the night, Abram divided his forces against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
  • 2 Chr 20:12 : 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”
  • Ps 25:15 : 15 I continually look to the LORD for help, for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net.
  • Ps 145:15 : 15 Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you provide them with food on a regular basis.
  • Isa 9:8-9 : 8 God’s Judgment Intensifies The Lord decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel. 9 All the people were aware of it, the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria. Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said, 10 “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” 11 Then the LORD provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies– 12 Syria from the east, and the Philistines from the west, they gobbled up Israelite territory. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. 13 The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 14 So the LORD cut off Israel’s head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day. 15 The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. 16 The leaders of this nation were misleading people, and the people being led were destroyed. 17 So the Lord was not pleased with their young men, he took no pity on their orphans and widows; for the whole nation was godless and did wicked things, every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. 18 For evil burned like a fire, it consumed thorns and briers; it burned up the thickets of the forest, and they went up in smoke. 19 Because of the anger of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the land was scorched, and the people became fuel for the fire. People had no compassion on one another. 20 They devoured on the right, but were still hungry, they ate on the left, but were not satisfied. People even ate the flesh of their own arm! 21 Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh; together they fought against Judah. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
  • Isa 13:1 : 1 The Lord Will Judge Babylon This is an oracle about Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
  • Isa 17:1-3 : 1 The Lord Will Judge Damascus This is an oracle about Damascus:“Look, Damascus is no longer a city, it is a heap of ruins! 2 The cities of Aroer are abandoned. They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace. 3 Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and Damascus will lose its kingdom. The survivors in Syria will end up like the splendor of the Israelites,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
  • Isa 17:7-8 : 7 At that time men will trust in their Creator; they will depend on the Holy One of Israel. 8 They will no longer trust in the altars their hands made, or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made.
  • Isa 45:20-22 : 20 Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver. 21 Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the LORD? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me. 22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, all you who live in the earth’s remote regions! For I am God, and I have no peer.
  • Isa 52:10 : 10 The LORD reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.
  • Jer 16:19 : 19 Then I said,“LORD, you give me strength and protect me. You are the one I can run to for safety when I am in trouble. Nations from all over the earth will come to you and say,‘Our ancestors had nothing but false gods– worthless idols that could not help them at all.
  • Jer 23:33-38 : 33 The LORD said to me,“Jeremiah, when one of these people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you,‘What burdensome message do you have from the LORD?’Tell them,‘You are the burden, and I will cast you away. I, the LORD, affirm it! 34 I will punish any prophet, priest, or other person who says“The LORD’s message is burdensome.” I will punish both that person and his whole family.’” 35 So I, Jeremiah, tell you,“Each of you people should say to his friend or his relative,‘How did the LORD answer? Or what did the LORD say?’ 36 You must no longer say that the LORD’s message is burdensome. For what is‘burdensome’ really pertains to what a person himself says. You are misrepresenting the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 37 Each of you should merely ask the prophet,‘What answer did the LORD give you? Or what did the LORD say?’ 38 But just suppose you continue to say,‘The message of the LORD is burdensome.’ Here is what the LORD says will happen:‘I sent word to you that you must not say,“The LORD’s message is burdensome.” But you used the words“The LORD’s message is burdensome” anyway.