Supposed failed prohpecies

[Swimmy]

"1. Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."


I see this one brought up a lot. Obviously a future prophecy. Damascus has not been destroyed yet. Well?



2." Isaiah 19:18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction".


Confused by this on,. The Canaan language is dead. So not a future prophecy But I don't see where this one was fulfilled


3. Ezekiel 29:10-11 Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.



A future prophecy. If you read up on the news lately Some of their water is drying up and and one of its neighbors have started to build hydro damns on the Nile.

[cslewislover]

For a while I wasn't on the board too much, and missed this. I'm a bit surprised no one answered you. I'll try and look these up tomorrow . . .

[jlay]

In addition to many fulfilled prophecies, the Bible is also eschatological.

There are many cities that are no more, yet Damascus still stands. Based on v7, I would take this to be a Kingdom prophecy. Meaning when the Messiah will restore the Kingdom of Israel. So, this would possibly be during, or leading up to the millennial reign.

Regarding the 'Canaan' language.
http://www.christiananswers.net/diction ... ageof.html

[cslewislover]

"1. Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."

I see this one brought up a lot. Obviously a future prophecy. Damascus has not been destroyed yet. Well?

According to W. MacDonald (Believer's Bible Commentary, p 952): "The third oracle foretells the leveling of Damascus, the chief city-state of Syria, and of its satellite cities. Because of its alliance with Syria, Ephraim (Israel) will share a similar downfall. Ephraim will be stripped of its defenses, Damascus of its kingdom, and the surviving Syrians of their glory. Damascus was destroyed by the Assyrian armies in 732 B.C., and Samaria fell ten years later."

J.F. Walvoord in Every Prophecy of the Bible says the same thing. My Hard Sayings of the Bible doesn't have an entry for this. It's pretty straightforward, it seems! Damascus was destroyed long ago.

2." Isaiah 19:18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction".

Confused by this on,. The Canaan language is dead. So not a future prophecy But I don't see where this one was fulfilled

Again, from MacDonald (p 953, on verses 18-20): "But the land of Egypt is promised restoration also. Five cities will become centers for the worship of Jehovah, including Heliopolis (city of the Sun), also called the City of Destruction. There will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land, and a pillar to the Lord at its border, both of which will be witnesses to the Lord. Josephus tells us that the prophecy of verse 19 was fulfilled in 1 B.C. when Onias, the high priest, fleeing from Jerusalem, obtained permission to build an altar in Egypt. But the full meaning of the prophecy is undoubtedly millennial."

Again, Walvoord (p 102) pretty much says the same thing, that the prophecies in Isaiah 19:1-25 are both fulfilled and future. And again, Hard Sayings of the Bible doesn't even bother writing about it.

3. Ezekiel 29:10-11 Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

A future prophecy. If you read up on the news lately Some of their water is drying up and and one of its neighbors have started to build hydro damns on the Nile.

Walvoord writes (p 177): "God predicted forty years of desolation for Egypt (vv. 10-12). Some interpret the forty years as a symbolic picture of trial. Though history does not record a deportation of Egypt to Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt (cf. Jer. 43:8-13; 46:1-25; Ezek. 29:17-21), and it would be natural for him to take the Egyptian captives. When the Persians defeated Babylon, however, Egyptian captives were allowed to return to their land just as Israel was allowed to return to Jerusalem. Forty-three years elapsed between Nebuchadnezzar's conquering Egypt and Babylon falling to the Persians, the period could easily be referred to as approximately forty years. In this passage there is no need to expect a future fulfillment."