Would the Priests in Jerusalem have the authority to arrest people in this other jurisdiction? ( is 150 miles from Jerusalem, and in the Roman Empire, came under another proconsul.)

I Maccabees 15:21: “If any pestilent men have fled to you from their country (Judea), hand them over to Simon, the high priest that he may punish them according to their law.” Julies Caesar confirmed anew this privilege to the Jewish priests. (Antiquities XIV) • Writer and historian Nicholas of Damascus was known to be a close friend of Herod the Great, and became the primary advisor to Herod’s son & successor Archelaus. • Herod Antipas (Tetrarch of Galilee married the daughter of Aretas IV ethnarch of (See 2 Cor 11)

What was going on in Damascus?

Were there not enough Christians left in Jerusalem, or even in Judea and Samaria that Saul could persecute? • F.F. BRUCE suggests Saul was chasing refugees only.

• It has been estimated that over 10,000 lived there during the Roman period. Josephus claims over 10,000 killed on the eve of the Roman war

DAMASCUS IN THE CHURCH AGE

• Damascus was a major center for the early Church. • Ananias reportedly became the first bishop of the Church at Damascus. • Ananias is listed by Hippolytus of Rome and others as one of the Seventy Disciples whose mission is recorded in Luke 10:1-20. DAMASCUS IN THE CHURCH AGE DAMASCUS IN THE CHURCH AGE DAMASCUS IN THE CHURCH AGE

The Church at Damascus remained one of the more important throughout the first 2 centuries – listed by Eusebius as second only to Antioch. (Where Peter is reported to have been Bishop.) DAMASCUS IN THE CHURCH AGE EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS

• GENESIS 14:15: After Abraham rescued Lot, he pursued the captors to Hobah, north of Damascus • GENESIS 15: Without a son, Abraham’s heir would have been Eliezer of Damascus EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS

According to Josephus Damascus was founded by Uz, the son of Aram. Josephus also cites Nicolaus of Damascus as saying: "Abraham reigned at Damascus, being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans…. Now the name of Abraham is even still famous in the country of Damascus; and there is shown a village named from him, The Habitation of Abraham."

EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS EBLA TABLETS

• 1975: 15,000 tablets, dated @2300 B.C. • Written in Sumerian and Eblaite (Semitic) • Say Damascus had 260,000 residents • Lists Damascus just before the 5 cities of the plains: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar. (See Genesis 14:8)

EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS AMARNA LETTERS

• Correspondence between Akhenaten and Kings of Levant 14th century B.C. (Time of the Judges) • Biryawaza, ruler of Damascus is ordered to take armed action against the sons of Labaya for collaborating with the Habiru EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS AMARNA LETTERS

• Correspondence between Akhenaten and Kings of Levant c. 1400 EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS COVENANT OF DAMASCUS EARLY HISTORY OF DAMASCUS COVENANT OF DAMASCUS

• Part of the Cairo Geniza find in 1897 • Refer to “those who enter the new covenant in the land of Damascus • Refers to another “expositor of the law” in company with the Davidic Messiah. • May have reference to Amos 5:26 • Matches the writings found at Qumran ISRAEL/JUDAH/SYRIA

• Numerous interactions throughout the O.T. - Syria mentioned 67 times - Damascus mentioned 61 times • David subjugated Syria/Aram (1 Chron 18) - Put garrisons in Damascus - Took much bronze (used in the temple) ISRAEL/JUDAH/SYRIA

• God rose up three adversaries to Solomon • Rezon, son of Eliader 1 Kings 11 - “ And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.” ISRAEL/JUDAH/SYRIA

Naaman was from Damascus and praised its 2 rivers – Abana and Pharpar (2 Kings 5) Naaman refers to the “house of Rimmon”, a temple in Damascus “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.” Luke 4:27 ISRAEL/JUDAH/SYRIA

• came to Damascus and prophesied that Hazael would become king (2 Kings 8) • The was claimed to have been either built by Elisha, or on the place he anointed Hazael JOBAR SYNAGOGUE ISRAEL/JUDAH/SYRIA

• Pekah of Israel & Rezin of Syria waged war against Ahaz of Judah (2 Kings 16/2 Chron 28) • Ahaz paid Tiglath-pileser of Assyria to aid him • Ahaz met Tiglath-pileser in Damascus, where he saw their altar, which he duplicated and desecrated the temple in Jerusalem • Ahaz was NOT buried in the tombs of the kings. ISAIAH 17 PROPHECY

Isaiah 11 thru 24 are eschatological • Isaiah 13 – “The Day of the Lord” • Isaiah 14 – The oracle came the year that King Ahaz died (715 B.C.) • Isaiah 19 – a highway between Egypt, Assyria and Israel to worship God in Jerusalem • Isaiah 24 - describes the second coming ISAIAH 17 PROPHECY

• VS 1: Damascus will cease to be a city - While defeated by Assyria, Damascus never ceased to be a city. • VS 2: Aroer means “ruins”, thus may not refer a specific city • VS 3-4: Link the divine judgment on Damascus with divine judgment on Israel JEREMIAH 49 PROPHECY

• Chapters 48-51 are eschatological • Jeremiah prophesied before the 732 B.C. fall of Damascus (626-586B.C.) JEREMIAH 49 PROPHECY

• Vs 23: Even the surrounding area is shocked • Vs 24: Panic strikes helpless Damascus and the residents attempt to flee • Vs. 25: Describes the former glory of the city • Vs 26: Suggests the catastrophe is from war • Vs 27: It will be destroyed by fire. ISLAMIC PROPHECY

• Jesus will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus () • He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizya. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. ISLAMIC PROPHECY

• Jesus will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus • He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizya. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. ISLAMIC PROPHECY ISLAMIC PROPHECY

• A man will emerge from the depths of Damascus. He will be called Sufyani…. He will kill by ripping the stomachs of women and even kill the children….He (referring to the Mahdi) will defeat them. They will then travel with whoever remains until they come to a desert and they will be swallowed. DAMASCUS TODAY DAMASCUS TODAY DAMASCUS TODAY RABBI GAMALIEL SCHOOL OF HILLEL: “What is hateful to yourself, do not to another; that is the whole law, all the rest is commentary.” Upon Gamaliel’s death: “the glory of the Torah ceased, and purity and separateness died.”