Atheist's Attacks

Answering Humanist's Accusations Against the Bible

Christian Resources

The Bible and Supposed False Prophecy

Was Damascus destroyed?

THE HUMANIST'S CLAIMS: Isaiah 17:1-2 prophesies that Damascus would cease to be a city, become a heap of ruins, and remain forever desolate. Yet some 27 centuries after the prediction was made, Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world and is still going strong.

Damascus still stands. Does that mean Isaiah 17 is a false prophecy? Here is what Isaiah wrote:

1 - The oracle concerning Damascus.
“Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city
And will become a fallen ruin.
2 - “The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
They will be for flocks to lie down in,
And there will be no one to frighten them.

But wait, does this prophecy say that Damascus will remain a ruin forever? No, it does not. It just says it will be completely destroyed

Damascus was destroyed by the Assyrians in 732 B.C. It was made into a heap of ruins. It ceased to be a city... for a while. That is what the prophecy said would happen. This prophecy does not say Damascus will be a ruin forever.

Conclusion

We need to be careful not to read more into scripture than what is there. This prophecy was perfectly and completely fulfilled. Then Damascus was rebuilt and continues to exist today.

Next Prophecy:

Jeremiah 25:11 predicts the Jews would be captives in Babylon for 70 years, and II Chronicles 36:20-21 views the prophecy as fulfilled. But the Jews were taken into captivity by the Chaldeans when Jerusalem fell in 586 B.C.E. And Cyrus of Persia issued an order in 538 B.C.E. allowing them to return from Babylon to Judah. Thus, the Babylonian captivity lasted about 48 years.

How long was the Babylonia captivity... was it really 70 years? Click here for the answer.

THE GOOD NEWS

The Good News


Before you get the good news, you need to know the bad news. It's about you. God says:

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23

Sin means disobeying God, aka breaking God's law. God is perfect and perfection is required to enter heaven. It's a standard none of us can achieve. We all fall short. For example, compare yourself with just one of the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie?

All liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. - Revelation 21:8. Or what about:

Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you, no matter how small? Have you ever looked at another person with lust? In Matthew 5 Jesus said:

Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.' Have you done that?

You have broken God's laws. You have sinned. There must be justice, and that means eternity in hell, the lake of fire, the second death. Unless...

Unless there was someone willing to pay that penalty on your behalf. Someone who will take on themselves the consequences you deserve. And there is. There is one person who can and will do that. That person is Jesus Christ. If you trust this is true (believe), and repent (turn away from disobeying God), Jesus' death is applied to your account and you are freed from the penalty of sin to be with God forever.