My question is regarding the timing for the fulfillment of the prophecy contained in Isaiah 17. While I agree with the position that the prophecy awaits a future fulfillment, I often wonder about a possible fulfillment during battle of Armageddon or at the end of the millennium. Although quite possible, conventional weaponry would probably not cause the city to become a heap of ruins in the manner Isaiah 17:1 describes whereas a nuclear explosion would. That being the case and given the current situation in Syria, do you foresee a nuclear exchange between middle eastern nations prior to the rapture of the church and the 70th week of Daniel?
The Bible does not state this specifically, but I believe Isaiah 17, the destruction of Damascus, will be fulfilled before Daniel’s 70th Week begins. I say this because I believe the battle of Ezekiel 38 ushers in Daniel’s 70th Week and there’s no mention of Syria participating in that battle. Since Syria has been such a prominent adversary of Israel I’ve concluded the reason for the omission is that Damascus will have already been destroyed.
There is currently a fear among nations that Syria may launch a chemical weapons attack against Israel. For years, Israel’s leaders have hinted that such an attack would bring a nuclear retaliation.