What's the refering time in Sura Al-Isra 7?

Question

This is the text of Sura Al-Isra [7]:

إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا

This is about second promise of God to Bani-Israa'eel because of their second massive corruption.

Can anybody help me (specially who knows Arabic well), this text is talking about PAST or FUTURE?
I want to know the used verbs are about past event or they belong to future? This promise done before or it will be done later?
Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Considering the whole Surah, Allah is relating the blessing of guidance upon humanity, from Noah, to Moses to Muhammad (S), and then refers to those who have turned their backs.

17:4 is future tense, as it quotes the torah (or prev scrip to bani israeel). Allah reminds them of how they had done so before too in this verse, but also how the same will happen again with their continuing mischief.

From the Tafsir I have been reading on this, both events have happened and refer to historical accounts of invasions of Jerusalem (there are many).

Yad-Kha-Loo - is a present tense verb meaning to enter, and is a plural word. Dh-Kha-Loo - is a past tense verb meaning entered, and also a plural word.

This indicates that the event has happened however this does not go to say, Allah is limiting this sort of punishment to two, Allah is reminding us of those before us, in order that we seek guidance.