Did you know Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world? For at least 5,000 years, someone has called Damascus home, and some historians believe the city dates back as far as the seventh millennium BC.
Yet, despite its long history, the Bible says Damascus will come to a sudden end. It won't slowly fade away, but will disappear in an instant. Damascus will be utterly destroyed - never to be inhabited again. Don't believe me? Then open your Bible.
The prophet Isaiah says Damascus will disappear, become a heap of ruins, and see its power and influence end forever (Isaiah 17:1-3). Now, some scholars claim the Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser, fulfilled this prophecy in 732 B.C. when he conquered Damascus and killed its king (2 Kings 16:9). However, Tiglath-pileser did not make the city "a ruinous heap," and he certainly didn't erase it from history. He simply attacked the city and enslaved its people.
Furthermore, nearly two million people currently live in Damascus. That alone testifies to a future fulfillment of this prophecy. After all, if the city of Damascus has already "disappeared," how come so many people still live there? Obviously, the city hasn't disappeared. And that means the destruction of Damascus is still a future event.
If you're still not convinced, read Isaiah 17. It paints a bleak picture. Damascus will be a heap of ruins. Few, if any, buildings will remain. The once great city will be devoid of all human life and will become home to all manner of wildlife in the absence of humans to chase them away. Worst of all, Isaiah describes a greater regional conflict and a coalition of nations aligned against Israel...