Bringing Tongues Of Fire From The Sparks Of Faith…
LESSON 7
MAJOR PROPHETS I
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations
By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer
INTRODUCTION TO LESSON 7
The mainstay of the Jewish religion is the Torah, coupled with their knowledge of being God’s chosen people on the earth; the mainstay of the Church is the Water, Blood and Spirit, with the knowledge of our Kingdom not being of this earth. The act of Prophecy, or the office of Prophet are found in the offices, manifestation, operations and in the gifts of Grace, but it’s not the case with the Jews. Certain of the Jews were selected by God to be prophets, but Paul said he wished all of us would prophesy. Of course Paul wasn’t referring to the Office of Prophet, since he also said not all were prophets (I Cor 14:5 & 12:29). Paul divided the Office of Prophet from the act of personal prophecy by the Spirit, then coupled personal prophecy with speaking in unknown tongues, then coupled it with “praying and prophecy” in First Corinthians 11:3. In the New Testament the saint has the advantage of the Spirit within, these prophets had the Spirit of God fall on them for the specific task of bringing forth a Word in their time, for their time, and times future.
Prophecy is in part (I Cor 13:9), usually full of metaphors; church history tells us Jude was a prophet, thus he used many metaphors to make a division between the good and bad fish. The metaphor “cloud” points to a Witness (Heb 12:1), Jude says the Wicked are clouds (witnesses) without Water (Mercy). We found mercy is the will of the Father, we also found Scots Law, Brown, as well as the Latin language define Iniquity as unequal, or doing one thing, yet failing to do another which has equal merit and weight. When one engages in iniquity as a way of life, they must work at it. Being respectful to members of the Body of Christ is just as important as hours of study to make ones self approved. These prophets of old, just as many today had some hard sayings to deliver, yet they knew it was vital to not only deliver the Word, but deliver it in the manner God desired. Iniquity would be delivering the Word, but failing to deliver it in the proper manner. A Word centered on repentance can be delivered with anger and vengeance, causing it to miss the point by miles. The position of the Prophet was very serious to these people, the role hasn’t changed much. The prophets of old spoke of God’s direction for the people, the prophets in the Body do the same. The prophets in the Body have one added element, they deliver Doctrine, they don’t make it, or teach it, but they do deliver it (Acts 15:32 & I Cor 12:28).
The prophets we are about to study spoke for their time, a time to come, yet they spoke as they were led by the Holy Ghost, thus we need to find the mysteries the Holy Ghost planted for us in the words of these prophets. They were a selected people; therefore, their Prophecy becomes important to us. The title “Holy Ghost” is a New Testament title, it’s not found in the Old Testament, yet Peter tells us these holy men of old were moved by the Holy Ghost. They knew “the Spirit of the Lord”, but really they didn’t know the “why”. Isaiah for one who said “a virgin” would give birth, we know it happened, but it’s also past tense for us. For Isaiah and those in his company it was a hard saying, one seemingly impossible, but he did say it, and it did come to pass.
The Jew still looks at the words of the Prophets as Agenda, an Agenda is a “whatever” attitude. On the other hand they look at the Law of Moses as “a must”; therefore, the Law of Moses is more important to the Jew, than the Prophets. The reason the prophetic word is considered Agenda is the “in part” area, since the Prophets are not always precise in language, the Jew thinks what they said is left open to “interpretation”. Peter said we are granted the ability to have the Holy Ghost interpret the Scriptures for us, thus there is no “private” interpretation (II Pet 2:20-21). It doesn’t mean some will attempt to interpret through natural intellectualism, it means they will not interpret the Scriptures unless the Holy Ghost does it for them. The word Private in II Peter 2:20 is the Greek Idios meaning Ones own, thus showing if one lacks the Spirit, they lack the connection to the Holy Ghost, leaving them with natural conclusions regarding spiritual matters. Paul talked about the “mysteries” in Scripture, he also said there are many things God has for us, but the only way we can know them is by the Spirit (I Cor 2:9-10). However, he also said the Corinthians had the Spirit, but they were carnal (I Cor 3:3 & 3:16), thus having the Spirit and being Spiritual are connected, but different. These prophets of Old were not Born Again, they didn’t have Grace, yet they were obedient, holding themselves accountable to their position. Were there prophets who used their position for their own agenda? Yes, some of them were termed “prophets of God”, but they allowed their own fears, pride and self-importance to interfere with their calling. These four books of the “Major Prophets” hold much for us.
Natural man tends to accomplish tasks based on his personal likes, thus he seeks to please himself, rather than the one he is doing the task for. The prophets put aside their self-desires in order to please the Lord. The Law, Prophets and Psalms are all the basis for the Testimony of Jesus; however, the testimony without the Witness often becomes an intellectual endeavor to please our own mental concepts of what we assume God should do, or what we assume God should say. The Prophets were asked to do many things, some on the verge of lunacy, some near the border of shear fear, yet they did as God told them. Some of the prophets were frustrated, some placed in prison, some mocked, nonetheless they completed their course.
A Testimony is what is said about a person, a Witness is first hand knowledge. These Prophets knew about the coming Messiah from their own words, but they didn’t know Him. The disciples walked with Jesus, were ordained by Him, sat at His table, but they were not Witnesses until they received Power from on High to be Born Again (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4 & 2:14-34); let us begin.
LESSON 7
MAJOR PROPHETS I
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations
PROLOGUE
We will divide the study of the four Major Prophets into two lessons; the first lesson will consist of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations, the second will consist of Ezekiel and Daniel. Two of these prophets were in the captivity, two were not, one of the two who were not in the captivity had their ministry well before the captivity, one of the two remained in the land through the captivity; therefore, out of the four major prophets one (Isaiah) was the warning prophet speaking of events to come, another (Jeremiah) was the prophet in the land who was not taken into the captivity, Ezekiel was a priest who began his prophetic ministry after being taken captive, then Daniel, a youth taken captive who also began his prophetic ministry in captivity. All four of these prophets speak of their time, as well as a time to come, yet all have to do with the word “captivity”.
There are three future time periods regarding the words of these prophets, the first was from their time to the Cross, then from the Cross to the Rapture, then a time from the Rapture to the Judgment. Most of these prophets faced their own people, at a time when their own people were facing certain punishment from God for their various evils. We will see many references to the End Times, using them as check and balance to determine if our End Time thinking is in line with the Scriptures, or needs to be adjusted.
These Prophets were sent to warn, exhort and rebuke the people, in order to restore them back to the purposed Covenant of God. These prophets had visions, dreams and words, but it doesn’t mean they understood them all, it means they had them. For some reason we think we must understand each point of the Word the Lord gives us, or understand each aspect of the vision, dream or prophesy in order for it be from God, not so, belief in God doesn’t have to know the details, it knows God has given us something for our belief, so our faith can have a foundation. We get into trouble when we think we have to come up with the answer, or the interpretation.
Each of the four names of the major prophets has a meaning connecting to their purpose; Isaiah means The Lord saves, he was sent to give a word purposed to save the people from their own folly. We can’t forget the people in the time of these prophets, like us had the events and experiences of the children in the Wilderness as an example. Jeremiah means Whom Jehovah (JAH) has appointed, explaining how Jeremiah’s calling connected to, “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you” (Jere 1:5). The saying isn’t limited to Jeremiah, it includes all of us, thus it was God who knew Jeremiah, not the other way around. God’s omnipresence demands for Him to know all things, before they are things. The phrase establishes our belief in God, giving us the knowledge of God knowing all things before they are things. It may be a big surprise to us, but not to God.
Ezekiel means Whom God will strengthen, the name Ezekiel only appears twice in the Book of Ezekiel, thus giving us two areas of God’s strength for two Seasons. In our Season of the Day we have the greater strength coupled with the greater light, during the night they will have a “little strength” coupled with the lesser light, yet in either case the strength for the season is sufficient.
Lastly, Daniel means God’s judge, since he was the victim of the rebellion, his name shows when God’s people rebel they often cause the captivity of the innocent. In Daniel’s case, God was dealing with the nation as a whole, thus he as a prince was taken, but the man himself did nothing to cause his captivity. Daniel is a very important figure in the Prophetic picture, yet his ministry didn’t begin until he was taken into captivity.
The time line of all the prophets who gave us books show when each began their ministry, as each had a time and timing in the overall plan of God. These are not all the prophets, but those who had books named after them.
CHRONOLOGY LISTING OF PROPHETS WHO HAVE BOOKS NAMED:
Prophet + Approximate Date + King:
OBADIAH + 852 TO 841 BC + JEHORAM
JOEL + 835 T0 796 BC + JOASH
JONAH + 793 TO 752 BC + JEROBOAM
AMOS + 765 TO 755 BC + JEROBOAM II
ISAIAH + 740 TO 697 BC + UZZIAH, JOTHAM, AHAZ & HEZEKIAH
MICAH + 50 TO 690 BC + JOTHAM, AHAZ & HEZEKIAH
HOSEA + 770 TO 725 BC + UZZIAH, JOTHAM, AHAZ & HEZEKIAH
NAHUM + 650 BC + MANASSEH
ZEPHANIAH + 640 BC + JOSIAH
JEREMIAH + 627 TO 580 BC + JOSIAH, JEHOAHAZ, JEHOIAKIM JEHOIACHIN & ZEDEKIAH
HABAKKUK + 609 BC + JEHOIAKIM
DANIEL + 605 TO 530 BC + JEHOIAKIM, JEHOIACHIN & ZEDEKIAH
EZEKIEL + 593 TO 570 BC + ZEDEKIAH
HAGGAI + 520 BC + *ZERUBBABEL
ZECHARIAH + 520 TO 485 BC + *ZERUBBABEL
MALACHI + 433 BC + *NEHEMIAH
* Refers to Governor, rather than king.
Isaiah is the first Major Prophet, he provides an Outline regarding the End Times, but Isaiah was not the first prophet in the Bible, nor the second, third or fourth. God picked Elijah to represent the prophets on the Mount of Transfiguration, but why? He isn’t the first prophet either, but he did carry a message so important John the Baptist brought it to Prepare the way of the Lord. Jesus said out of all the people born naturally (which excluded Jesus) John was the greatest (Matt 11:11), which would include Moses, David, Daniel and Elijah. So why Moses and Elijah on the Mount? Moses of course represented the Law, but Elijah represented the Prophets, giving us Two Witnesses, not the men, rather it’s what they represented becoming the Witnesses.
John the Baptist was a place between places, he was not of the Old, he was not in the New, his ministry was short, yet vital. John was also a witness, he was filled with the Holy Ghost, so why didn’t he raise the dead, or heal the sick? It wasn’t his ministry, the Holy Ghost will not fill us to go beyond the calling. The “spirit of Elijah” was complete in John, yet Elijah was not Born Again, he was not as great as John, but the least of us in the Kingdom is greater than John. John didn’t even use the “Name Of Jesus”, since he was not of the ministry of Jesus. It doesn’t belittle him, but we are told to be “Like Christ” by having the “Spirit of Christ”; we are not told be like Elijah, or John. These Prophets are important, but the Father looked on Jesus then told us, “hear ye Him” (Matt 17:5). The prophets are part of the Testimony of Jesus, thus they speak of the “Spirit of Christ”. The first time we see Elijah is in First Kings 17:1, the first time we see Isaiah is in II Kings 19:2, the first time we see a reference to Jeremiah is in II Kings 23:31. Ezekiel is first noted in his prophecy (Ezek 1:3), as Daniel in his. Both Ezekiel and Daniel were taken captive, Daniel was taken around 605 BC, Ezekiel around 597 BC.
The first person called a prophet by God was Abraham (Gen 20:7), then Aaron was called a priest and prophet (Ex 7:1). We also know Moses was called a prophet (Deut 18:18), but all this was before the children entered the Promised Land. Who do you think was the first prophet in the Promised Land after the children were settled? Deborah (Judges 4:4), then Gideon (Judges 6:8), both Deborah and Gideon were also judges. Samuel was a priest and a prophet, as was Aaron, but Aaron was in the wilderness, whereas Samuel was in the Land (I Sam 3:20). Elijah was a prophet who had a message none of the other prophets had, but it was nonetheless a message not limited to the children of Israel, rather it spoke to all nations, “How long halt you between two opinions (thoughts)? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him” (I Kings 18:21). It became the importance of John, the message was to turn the people in a Direction, thus John pointed to a New Direction for the people of God. John also produced a Doctrine, “I indeed have baptized you water: but He (Jesus) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8). However, it doesn’t mean Elijah knew his message would be the “spirit” (call or purpose), thus it took another prophet to make the identification (Malachi). Paul said the “others” judge prophecy, the other what? Other prophets, we will find it’s the case here. God desires for us to have Confirmation, allowing us to draw a related inference supported by evidence, thus giving us supported belief.
These people kept falling between opinions, the spirit lusting to envy seeks to entrap people into idol worship of some kind. At the Fall the devil’s chore was to get Adam female to enter idol worship of herself (you shall be as gods), he still produces the same enticing. Whether it’s money, stone, or a person, lost man’s natural propensity is to enter idol worship. Whether we call it “stardom”, “hero worship”, “mentor worship”, or simply “my hero”, it’s still the words of one who has made a creation their idol. Not wise. For these people the clues were easy to spot, idols made of stone and metal, especially the idols of the Baal category. The name Baal goes back to the Canaanites, it means “lord” or “owner”, but denotes control by manipulation. Baal is representative of all man made gods, anything formed by the hand of man, ending as an “idol” is classed among the Baal idols. No idol ever made a man, but men make idols.
Knowledge of Baal’s personality and functions became clearer to us from the discovery of a number of ancient tablets found in 1929. To the Canaanites this god was the “rider of the clouds” as the deity of rain, often associated with the goddesses Little Lighting (the daughter of light), or Little Dew (the daughter of distillation), with the goddess of the earth, known to them as “mother earth”. Other Ugartic myths show this god was known as “the god of the sea”, or a “hero of the little children”. We can see how the nature of fallen man seeks idol worship in some form.
How did these prophets know God was speaking to them? Think about the time and events, there were other prophets of God in the land who were accepted by the people and religious rulers, yet they were saying things completely opposite of these prophets. History proved these prophets correct, but it’s always easier afterward, the test is when the Prophet speaks. It was the point Jesus made to the Pharisees, as the religious leaders converted the tombs of the prophets into shrines, yet rejected Jesus and John as prophets sent by God. It does little good to honor the past people of God, while rejecting the people God is sending today.
Isaiah had signs, Daniel was given the gift of interpreting dreams, but Ezekiel and Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord only. True, when Jeremiah said something it would happen, yet we will find the people still ran to the false prophets even with the evidence in hand. When Jeremiah received the “word of the Lord” it went against the supposed hope of the people, yet he knew it was from God. There is a vast difference between “the hope of the Lord”, and “false hope”. Everyone is drawn away by their own lust, in this case the people didn’t want to change, but either did they want to go into captivity. Paul faced a like problem with the Corinthians, the Corinthians were so impressed with their carnal state, they didn’t want to enter the spiritual. At times people want to hear what they want to hear, rather than what God has to say. Just because God is speaking, doesn’t mean man is listening.
The message of the Prophets called for a change in the people, but the people didn’t want to change, they wanted to play with devils, yet have God protect them. The term “under a green tree” defines this concept. The green tree is God’s mercy, the people would worship idols, yet seek God’s mercy for protection. The message of the false prophets was based in a false trust, “the temple, the temple; God will always protect the temple”. There are nations who claim God when it’s convenient, but reject the call and purpose of God. Many nations claim God, but even the devils believe in one God, so what, it doesn’t mean they follow Him (James 2:19). God still desires obedience, yet man can obey all sorts of people and things, but never obey God. Even the Law of Moses was not based on sacrifices or food, it was based on giving the people something to obey. God tells Jeremiah He didn’t speak to the father’s about burnt offerings. Did Jeremiah say, “Wait, God did, this is the a false voice”? No, because God then said, the purpose was for the people to Obey His voice (Jere 7:21-23). They made their efforts a point of holiness, rather than seeing their holiness was based in God dealing with them as children. Of course, we tend to make more out of the Traditions of men, then we should.
Isaiah will give us the prophet’s view of deliberate ignorance; the people had the information before them, but they made the choice to ignore the obvious. The call was still obedience, but deliberate ignorance caused them to reject the call. Jeremiah will give us the prophet’s view of religious conceit, the call was still obedience, but religious conceit is the enemy of humbleness, yet humbleness is the Power of obedience. Lamentations gives us God’s view regarding deliberate ignorance. God is motivated by faith, love and hope, yet He doesn’t ignore the reality, He deals with it. Faith must be coupled with love to be effective, yet faith without hope is directed in all sorts of directions, usually not in God.
Although we will find times when these people appeared to be anything but the “called of God”, God still called them His children. Why? God still viewed them through His love, as the Father views us through the Faith of Jesus, but He doesn’t ignore reality. A mind game would be to ignore the reality, presuming “it’s okay”, when it isn’t. God sees our mind games, or religious foolishness, but He deals with us through Grace, which is manifested through the Faith of Jesus.
These Prophets speak more of God’s Justice yet to come, than they do Mercy. However, God has separated salvation and judgment, judgment will have its day, but this is the day of salvation, let us rejoice and be glad in it. It doesn’t mean we can get away with murder, as some might think, it means while it is yet today there is time to repent and get right with God.
There are four Major Prophets; however, the title Major doesn’t refer to their rank, as in Captain, Sergeant, or Major, rather it points to their length of service. The Minor Prophets came out of the cave, gave their prophecy, returned to appear another day, or never again. Some of the minor prophets appeared once, some twice, some for a few years, some for less than a year. The Major Prophets were on the scene day by day, although they didn’t prophesy everyday.
God does nothing until He first tells His prophets (Amos 3:7); however, the context shows He doesn’t bring His heavy hand until He warns us by His prophets, but it still takes ears to hear. Many of the things yet to come are recorded for us in the words of these prophets, thus God has spoken, the Night work is done.
These prophets of Old brought the Word of Warning, but it was rejected for the most part, thus God warned, the people refused to listen. Jeremiah was told the people had ears, but refused to hear, they had eyes, but refused to see. Therefore, it’s not merely having ears, but having an ear willing to hear. A willing ear is centered on faith, life and a mind seeking to please God. If we are using our faith to please ourselves, we are misusing it. Some of us think, “well I’m happy, and God is happy when I’m happy, so this was faith”, the same error these people were making, yet God was not happy with them, just as He was not pleased with many of the children in the wilderness (I Cor 10:5). However, God never brings correction to His people without providing a method and means of escape, or a method to correct the problem. When we hear a doom prophecy without a means for escape, it’s not from God.
Isaiah ministered from 740 to 697 BC, before the children were taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar. The Book of Isaiah holds more prophecies regarding the Messiah than any other Old Testament book, so much so, the church father Augustine called it the Fifth Gospel. Think about the adage regarding a false prophet being based on words coming to pass, coupled with the contemporaries of Isaiah, one could have claimed he was a false prophet since a number of his prophecies didn’t come to pass in his time. After all who was heard of virgin conceiving? Surely the man has gone mad. Not so, now we know the reason the birth of Jesus had to be by a virgin, thus Isaiah spoke of something seemingly impossible, but it was still the “word of the Lord”. Prophecy is the test of prophecy, there are timed prophecies granted for a particular time or date, but there are others which speak of a time yet to come. One prophecy all Christians hold to is the return of Jesus for His Bride, yet where is it? Time has passed and nothing, is it a fable? No, God spoke to Peter and Paul, they told us the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, but neither is He willing for any to perish, regardless the time will come in a twinkling of an eye: in the mouth of two or more witnesses a fact is affirmed (II Pet 3:9 & I Thess 4:16-17). Then the all important Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit confirming there is a Record in heaven (I Jn 5:7-8); anyone who is Born Again knows of the hope within.
During Isaiah’s time king Berodachbaladan was the king of Babylon, thus Isaiah is the warning prophet, the one who will tell the people what will be if they don’t hold to the Lord. Isaiah was the one who told king Hezekiah how Babylon would come to take all the possessions of the house of Israel (II Kings 20:12-17). At the time it seemed like a stupid thing to say, but later it came to pass, among those “possessions” was Daniel.
Any nation claiming God, yet plays in the devil’s sandbox will be visited by the warning prophet, whether they listen or not is up to them. Preaching tells us what may happen if conditions don’t change, prophecy tells us what will happen if they don’t make a change in conditions, thus Jonah the prophet, preached to the people, he didn’t prophesy; however, the experience of the man in the belly of the fish became a prophecy. Jesus tells us Jonah preached, showing what he said regarding destruction was predicated on the conditions, the conditions changed when the people repented. It was not a change in positions, but conditions. According to some of our standards Jonah was a false prophet, he did say, “yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). Nineveh would be overthrown many years later, but not in forty days, yet the number forty does point to the wilderness. God told Jonah to “cry” against the city (Jonah 1:2), the word Cry is the Hebrew Qara meaning To preach. Discernment is vital, we may think someone is giving a prophecy, when they are giving us a “preaching”.
Jeremiah prophesied around 620 BC, he saw the captivity take place, although he was not taken captive. Jeremiah’s prophecy regarding the 70 years of captivity was hope for Daniel. When Daniel saw it as prophecy, rather than preaching; when the 70 years was coming to an end he was making himself ready by prayer in order to change his position (Dan 9:2).
Jeremiah also wrote Lamentations around 580 BC, thus Lamentations is included in this study. Lamentations is not the lamenting of the people, rather it’s God’s lamenting over doing what He must do, because of what the people did. God’s goal is always to save, but it’s man who makes the decision to be saved.
Both Daniel and Ezekiel began their ministries after being taken captive; Daniel in the house of king Nebuchadnezzar, Ezekiel in the captive camp near the river. Daniel was a student in Israel, a prince being trained when he was taken, Ezekiel was a priest in Israel. Ezekiel prophesied around 597 BC until some time around 575 BC. Ezekiel was taken in 597 BC, Daniel was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and served in the palace. Daniel also remained captive under the Medes who overcame Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel becomes a type and shadow of those who did nothing wrong, yet find themselves under ungodly authority, for a Godly purpose. Daniel had first hand knowledge of being among the “royal” order, yet being “captive”; experience is often the best teacher. We can read something in the Bible, or live it, living it seems to make an impression. There are those who study the Bible, there are those who study what someone said the Bible said. Revelation comes when the Holy Ghost connects the life in us to the words written, or connects us personally to the words of the teacher.
Revelation is never the use of unconnected inferences lacking evidence, it’s how the Whacko operates. Rather the Holy Ghost begins to link concepts, precepts to bring forth mysteries from the words as practical living matters. The Bible is the Rule Book, yet we know anyone can make up their own translation, so we must know the intent of the translators, their sources, above all Listen to the Holy Ghost since He is the Guide and Teacher (Jn 14:26 & 16:13).
Psalm 91 is the only Psalm wherein we are not sure who wrote it, some think Moses may have, but none are sure. The Psalm for a lack of a better term could be called “The Because Psalm”. The wording “Just because” is familiar to most of us, someone we care for gives us a hug, or a good word. We ask them “Why?”, they say “Because”. We give our children a good word, or a hug, they ask “why”, we say, “Just because”. We know it’s not based on “nothing”, rather it’s based on love. We bless our children because we love them, not because they have impressed us. Psalm 91 shows us God will do many things because He loves us, not because we have impressed Him. Faith pleases God, it doesn’t impress Him.
Not only is Psalm 91 the “just because” Psalm, but we find it contains one of the Scripture areas used by the devil in his temptation of Jesus. When the devil used Psalm 91:11 it wasn’t to tell Jesus how the Father’s Love covered Jesus, it was to get Jesus to tempt the Father’s love. Testing the love of God is error, accepting it is not.
Psalm 91:11 says God has given the angels Charge over us, but does it mean they are in charge over us? First it was God who commanded the angels, not man. Next is the word “charge” is the Hebrew Tsawah meaning To establish, or To ordain, or To set over someone, or something. This doesn’t say we are over the angels, or the angels are over us in rank, rather it says the angels are charged by God to “Protect” us; they are not employed to fetch, like some dog. The entire Psalm talks about God’s protection and deliverance, beginning with, “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”. The “he” can’t be God, since God is the Almighty, thus it points to the one who humbles their self (secret place). God will not humble us, He will give us cause, but it’s still up to us. Humbleness is being void, or being voided of pride, thus God gives Grace to the humble, but resists the Proud. Why? Humbleness makes us teachable (easily entreated), pride makes us unteachable. The mother of pride is unbelief, the father of pride is an unteachable stubborn attitude. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, then we can resist the devil; pride will exalt itself, humbleness waits on the Lord (James 4:10 & I Pet 5:6).
In Psalm 91 we find, “I will say” (v. 2), thus the humble scribe can say with a confidence of belief, the Lord is his refuge and fortress, in God will he trust. Then it changes from “I will say” to “surely He will deliver you” (v. 3). There is a change taking place; it went from the scribe making a declaration, to the scribe giving encouragement to another. Verses 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are all speaking to a third person, each verse has either “thou”, “thy” or “thine”, all showing the scribe is talking to someone else. The prophet has to trust in God, not only for the Word given, but how God will protect them from their own souls counterfeiting God. Paul said “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (I Cor 14:32), a quote from Ezekiel 13:2-3 & 14:9. The premise will become evident in this lesson, as well as the one to come.
Then in Psalm 91:9 we see our first, “Because”, yes there it is, “Just Because”. There was a thousand falling on one side, ten thousand on the other, yet you stand, no pestilence shall come near you. If you do fall in the hands of the fowler, the Lord will deliver you, but why? Because you have made the Lord your refuge. Faith in God to protect us, is a great faith, some of us seek God’s protection when there is nothing left for us to do but trust in God, but that’s desperation, not faith. Here it’s trusting in God at all times, even when there appears no need for deliverance. When we make God our Habitation, then we can count on the angels having Charge over us. People facing danger often get real religious, but it doesn’t mean they have faith. Faith is not something we grab in the midst of adversity, it’s something we have before the adversity.
Psalm 91:13 ties all this together by showing the Psalm is not directed to David, or Moses, or any other Old Testament saint, it pertains to us. We know the angels watched over the saints of Old, they watch over and protect us, but we have many things the saints of Old didn’t have. How do we know? Luke’s account in the Gospel explains how the 70 found the devils were subject to the Name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). That’s great, it not only showed them they were of the Rock (Body) by the Name of Jesus), but they had Power. However, Jesus told them, “Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your name is written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Jesus gave them Power over “serpents” (malicious, or slanderous people), and “scorpions” (deceptive people), then He says don’t rejoice in it? Don’t rejoice in the Name of Jesus? In the Power of God? This connects back to Psalm 91:13; the last “Just because” of all, verse 14 says, “Because He had set His Love upon me”. God so loved the world, God is Love, when we received the Spirit we received God’s Love in us, over us is the Unction of the Anointing on the Body, but in us is the Anointing unto Salvation. Giving us incentive to have faith working by love, as we fulfill the Royal Law. Because God so loves us, we love those of God. These prophets were speaking to their own people, but they were also being rejected. At times they were about ready to give up, but God loves His own, thus He sent prophet after prophet, after prophet before doing what He had to do in order to save the nation. We may find ourselves under ungodly authority, not because God is mad at us, but because He is trying to save us.
Discernment is such a blessing, we see the Psalm went from the scribe speaking of himself, to the scribe speaking to you and I, then in verse 15 it all changes. It began with a knowledge of being humble, speaking and supporting others so they can be strong in the Lord, to knowing the Authority (Name) of the Lord. When we “call on the Lord”, no wait, is there another change? Correct, this now changes from the scribe speaking to us, to God speaking through the prophet directly to us. When we stand in the Name of Jesus and Call on God, then God says, “I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor (Hebrew Kavad, meaning To make heavy with goods) him. With Long life will I satisfy him, and show him My Salvation”. There did you see it? This is the Gospel plan, Call upon the Lord and He Will save you. All these are Will’s, not Maybe, nor are they dependent on being a good boy or girl. This Psalm is one promise after another, the Lord isn’t obligated to anything outside of His Promise, it doesn’t mean He won’t do it, it means He is not obligated. The things within the Promise are “sure things”, He will do as He says He will do.
The confidence of these prophets will get rocked from time to time, but they know to be humble before the Lord gains them protection. Will they speak some “tough” words? Yes, the anointing can be austere, the Lord will make us austere at times to break down someone’s stronghold. The purpose is still to save them, not destroy them. It doesn’t take long in the kingdom to find out the old man is bent on one thing, to destroy us.
ISAIAH
The Outlines
The Holy Ghost had the prophet Isaiah give us two outlines to divide our course in prophecy. Chapters one through five of Isaiah are not the actions of the prophet, but outlines regarding the visions and words of the prophets of Old pertaining to the land, and people of their time, as well as a people yet to come. Neither can we assume Isaiah was running around giving these prophecies before he was called. The assumption makes the man a prophet, before God called him to be a prophet, which means he was not anointed or ordained. Hardly the case, these first five chapters are divided into two outlines, chapter one is the “Vision” Isaiah received for his time, chapters two through five pertain to the Word concerning Judah and Jerusalem regarding the End Times.
The Holy Ghost didn’t guess at the insertion of the books, nor did He find one here or there and decide, “this looks like it might fit”. The Holy Ghost had a precise plan in mind for each book, even the order regarding the four scribes of the Gospel has a purpose. Isaiah also has a purpose, as he begins with, “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isa 1:1). This vision is specific to the time of these kings alone, but in Isaiah 2:1 we read, “The word Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning the time of Judah and Jerusalem”, thus this Word goes further than the kings of the day, giving us a division between the Vision and the Word (Isa 2:2).
Jerusalem was the city, Judah a land, but we also know Jesus is the Lion from the Tribe of Judah, He is not the Lion from the land of Judah. Generally we find the tents of Judah as a reference to the Day, Jerusalem of the earth as a reference to the Night. Today the city of Jerusalem of the earth is still being trampled by the Gentiles, the Dome of the Rock Mosque is one example. The first five chapters of Isaiah give us an outline from which the man will prophesy, it also gives us an outline regarding the end times. This supports Peter’s teaching on the interpretation of Prophecy; although Isaiah had the word regarding the end times, it doesn’t mean he understood what he prophesied. Even Daniel would have a vision, yet wonder about its interpretation. When we enter the study on Jeremiah we will see how the prophet questioned God, because he couldn’t understand why God spoke of peace and safety on one hand, yet speak of captivity on the other. The same is true here, if the entire nation was corrupt, then Isaiah was also corrupt, how then could God use him?
Isaiah 1:1 and 2:2 also contain the ground work for the coming of the Messiah, but it doesn’t mean the Messiah came in the time of Isaiah (Isa 1:16). The prophecy for the time of Isaiah had to contain references to Jesus, or it wasn’t prophetic at all. Whether it’s prophecy regarding the captivity of the Jew, or prophecy regarding the kings of the world, it all points to Jesus in some regard. We don’t want to get redundant in End Time prophetic messages, but we will look for the confirming Word. Although the first outline points to the kings of the time of the prophet, we do find previews of the End Times.
When our Door closes, the time for Jesus to apply the Key of David begins. Then comes the Season for the Two Witnesses appointed to the last two churches of the Night. God begins with “Hear, O heavens, give ear, O earth” (Isa 1:2). A division of locales, a connection to those appointed to the heavens (Kingdom of God), then those of the kingdom of heaven (earth). Why would the heavens have to hear? And why not say “nation”. It seems the prophet would say, “hear oh nation, give ear ye people”, but he spoke as he was moved. The metaphor Heavens relates to those who are Born Again, they are seen as the heavenlies, the Earth is not the planet, it’s a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven, yet it has both Wheat and Tares, this message has prophetic information of interest to us. Next we see the concern is the rebellion of God’s children; some of us are under heavy bondage concerning our own children, here we find God raised these kids in the way they must go, yet they didn’t. He gave them what was required to finish the course, but they rebelled against Him (Isa 1:2). However, the event doesn’t tell us a thing, in the end after the Judgment we find a multitude of people who can’t be numbered. God hasn’t given up: He still has a Remnant who will make the enemies of Jesus His footstool.
God shows how the ox knows his owner, the donkey his master, but Israel doesn’t know its Owner or Master. Wait, Israel, I thought this was toward Jerusalem and Judah? Ahh, Jerusalem and Judah are in the Word, this is still the Vision. Israel is the called nation of God, the only nation on earth called of God, yet it’s also the “sinful nation”. Many nations say they have connection to God, some have made covenant with God, but Israel was the only one God made covenant with (Amos 3:2). No matter who claims the land, it’s still by Covenant to one nation.
Rebellion refers to some form of resistance, the noun relates to violence of some type. Usually rebellion is the use of authority to overthrow a higher authority. We found in the days of Noah the people held a violence toward God, which related to unrighteousness toward God, which is still a form of rebellion. We can be in rebellion by resisting what we should do, which leads to Iniquity. I Samuel 15:32 tell us Rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, but rebellion is not the same as “usurping authority”, to usurp authority means to use the authority of another unlawfully. The people were not doing what they should do, but they were also doing what they should not do.
The children have gone backward, or regressed back to Egypt thinking. Their rebellion caused them to backslide, but how can it be? Pushing something down, and being free of it are far different. The children had the Law of Moses as their guide, they didn’t have the Spirit, nor the Blood of Jesus. We have the Gift to be free indeed, yet to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).
If God doesn’t correct them, they will revolt more and more, then we read, “the whole head is sick”, which points to Authority (metaphor head), thus rebellion is an attack against Authority, it is not against Power. Authority is the granted permission to do something, Power is the ability to carry out the Authority. However, Power used without authority is witchcraft, authority is so important it must come before the Power. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus granted Authority to the Body, but the disciples were told to wait for Power from on high to carry out the authority. We can hear “go” then run off rejecting the words, “but wait for Power from on high”. We have authority, but we are under authority as well. Knowledge of the premise was equated by Jesus as great faith, but what has knowledge of authority have to do with great faith? It keeps us from rebellion. Rebellion makes us think we are doing what is “right”, while we are really doing what is very wrong, as we pervert the authority to what we want to do, rather than what the authority is granted for. Discernment by the Word in us keeps us from rebelling against the Name of Jesus.
The Vision shows the cities burned with fire, the land desolate, and the “daughter of Zion” is left as a cottage in a vineyard (Isa 1:8). The word Cottage is the Hebrew Sukkah meaning A booth, pointing to the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Wilderness. Then God says, the daughter of Zion is like a “besieged city”, the “daughter”, a “city”? Things are beginning to come together. This is not Zion, but the daughter which is termed the “city”, thus we find Jesus will mark the 144,000 on Zion, but they are weep over the abomination done in Jerusalem. Zion is the foundation of the city, the Daughter is the offspring, in Isaiah 1:9 the little flock, or the Remnant is mentioned, thus if it wasn’t for the Remnant they would be as Sodom and Gomorrah. The purpose of the nation is to reach the Night, so the Remnant can make the enemies of Jesus His footstool. Who then are the enemies? The Wicked, those who entered the Earth (kingdom of heaven), yet retained the spirit of the world, making them the he of the world; they lie in wait to deceive, they are the drunken who go into the Night, also known as the sons of perdition.
After saying if it were not for the Remnant they would be as Sodom and Gomorrah, the prophet addresses the “rulers of Sodom”, and “the people of Gomorrah” (Isa 1:10). Rulers? People? what gives? This is a direct reference to the people of Israel, but it’s also a warning to us. John said the city is spiritually known as Sodom (Rev 11:8), the same city is seen here. This is still directed to the nation Israel, but God equates the leaders as Sodom minded, the people as Gomorrah minded, reminding them how God sent angels to those cities. The end of their folly was fire and brimstone, thus if it were not for the course of the Night they would be a people who were. Then God tells them their sacrifices have not pleased Him, not because of the sacrifices, since they were in line with the Law, but because of the people who gave them (Isa 1:11-12). Correction without a means to recover is not from God, God will give them the means to recover (Isa 1:16-17).
Since many things in the Shadow are opposites, or mirror images, we find “though your sins be as scarlet” (Isa 1:18). Isn’t Scarlet a metaphor for the Blood of Jesus? Yes, if we don’t see the mystery here, we will assume the Blood of Jesus is sin. Not so, the Blood of Jesus washes us from all unrighteousness, yet all unrighteousness is sin. The reference shows the sins of all people are open and obvious to God, just as the Blood of Jesus is open and obvious to all mankind. God then tells the children, “come let us reason together” (Isa 1:18). Does it mean God is willing to compromise with them, perhaps the people can serve Him three days a week, idols three, and whatever on the seventh? The people are told to join with God in His reasoning of the situation, it doesn’t mean He is willing to compromise with their evil. The phrase “let us reason together” is the Hebrew word Yakach meaning among other things to Reprove, Correct, Judge, or make Right, God is laying out what they must do, if they do it, they will be spared, if not, God will do what God must do.
The conditions began with them Turning from the evil, then be Willing and Obedient (Isa 1:19). Three things connecting to the word Repentance, the turning from sin toward God, the willingness to be cleaned to serve God, then obedience unto God, which always destroys rebellion. Repentance without a willing heart toward obedience is merely a another mind game. The love of God is reaching out past the reality, but the willingness and obedience of the people must take effect to touch His love.
There is a promise for us in this, although the Scarlet here means something obvious, we can see how the Blood of Jesus as Scarlet washes away our sins and makes us white (or clear) as snow. The mystery of the Blood of Jesus tells us His Blood is not like the blood of animals, or man. Most of us know if you take the blood of an animal and attempt to wash a clothe in it, it will stain the clothe, yet the Blood of Jesus has the ability to Wash even the interior of the product, making it clean through and through.
However, we also find, “if you refuse and rebel”, it will bring God’s reality. God is still providing Choice, clearly there are two things to choose from (Isa 1:19-20). What will be the result? Will they turn? Will they become obedient? Only after the punishment of captivity. However, it shows they had the ability to escape before the captivity, but rejected their incentive. Unbelief has the same characteristics, it has the ability to believe, but refuses to. Unbelief demands more evidence than is necessary, it still won’t yield to the Truth. It’s always a choice, we see the truth we believe, we hear the Word, we obey.
Then see the Vision reaching to a the Night, “How is the faithful city become a harlot!” (Isa 1:21). This is a rhetorical question, or a question wherein the one asking knows the answer, but asked the question in order for the hearer to consider the matter. This begins as a question (How), but it doesn’t end with a question mark (?), thus God is not seeking the answer. One might think if God is asking a question, then God doesn’t know all things. Not so, a rhetorical question is bringing awareness, it is not seeking information. The same is true when God asked Adam, “Where are you?”. The question was for Adam to become aware of what he had done, and where he had fallen to, in essence God was asking a question Adam should have asked.
With that, God says “the faithful city”, but is this city “faithful” or a “harlot”? Wait, how come the city, isn’t the entire nation in trouble? Man oh man, but wait, it’s not the city but what the city represents. It sits on Zion, it’s the place where the “head” of the religious order God established is located the earth. In our case, Jesus is the Head of the Body, God’s Salvation order is established in the Body to become the Church, so the Church can become the Bride in heaven. The religious order for the “city” pertains to Judgment, in the Book of Revelation this “city” is seen with the sun as her covering, the twelve stars as her crown, representing the twelve tribes, she is supported by the moon (Zion – Rev 12:1). The “woman” in Revelation is this city talked about here, yet in the Night she has a holy beginning, but a corrupt end, thus she begins in Mercy as faithful, but ends thinking she is rich in need of nothing as she entertains the false prophet. She is seen in various stages of performance, she was faithful, then during the Day she is trodden under foot of the Gentile, then she is seen as faithful again, finally she is seen riding the Beast, thus it depends on which stage God is speaking to, she is faithful to bring forth the man child, but she will be a harlot when she makes the Beast her lover (Rev 12:5-6, 17:1-7 & 18:4-20). Adding to this, we know Jesus never wept over the nation, but He did weep over the city (Luke 23:28).
This prophecy will hold two directional premises, we find “your silver is become dross”, with “your wine mixed with water” (Isa 1:22). If we look at the Laodiceans we find they are rich and think they are in need of nothing, but how did they get rich? Where did all their wealth come from? They are the second generation after the Windows of heaven opened (Rev 3:14-17). Later we find the “city” was clothed in fine linen, many were made rich by her, but she also held the cup of abomination, yet in the end she is called “Babylon”, the “Mother of Harlots” (Rev 18:4-21 & 17:3-5).
The reference to “wine mixed with water” points to the Body of Christ, not Israel. Paul told Timothy, “drink no longer water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your often infirmities” (I Tim 5:23). Oh, it’s good advice, you know I have a little stomach trouble from time to time, but wait, why put it between two areas talking about the laying on of hands and men’s sins (I Tim 5:22 & 5:24)? In Timothy the word Stomach doesn’t mean the belly, it means the Gullet or Throat, or the route to the stomach, First Timothy 5:23 is the only place the Greek word is used. The Greek word for Wine means, a mixture of Wine and Water, it was a symbol in the Early church for the Water and Blood. The Witness is the Water, Blood and Spirit (I Jn 5:7-8), this is more than a medical solution, it was a solution to stop laying hands suddenly on people to place them in positions they were not ready for. The result is untrained people, who fall into rebellion because they can’t handle the position. Here in Isaiah the reference is connected to a prophetic message, pointing to the people of the time, and a time to come, thus Paul used it.
Then we read about the “rebellious princes” and “companions of thieves” (Isa 1:23). It does connect, showing us how the Broken Body will take the Faithful who are the Just home to be with the Lord forever more, but the Broken pieces will remain as the “rocks” becoming the Beast of the Earth (Rev 6:15 & 13:11-16). The rebellious princes with the companions of thieves sought the goodies, yet God gave them much, but they presumed it was by their hand and good works. They also assumed, “Who needs God?”, but God says, “ease Me of My adversaries, and avenge Me of My enemies” (Isa 1:24). This gives us the two horns of the goat who is the Beast of the Earth, one horn is Opposed or an Adversary, which defines the title “spirit of antichrist” (I Jn 4:1-4). After the Rapture the other horn of this goat appears as the false prophet (Rev 13:11).
God promises something yet to come, the Judges and Counselors will return to Zion, it shall be Redeemed with Judgment (not salvation), the purpose will be the “destruction of the transgressors” (Isa 1:26-28). The Sixth church will be faithful as the 144,000, but they will also be a minority. The majority will listen to the false prophet causing it all to end in the lake of fire. This goes back to “I will ease Me of My adversaries” (rebellious princes, and transgressors), and “avenge Me of My enemies” (the Wicked ending as the footstool). This refers to the Night, the Season Jesus said was in the power of the Father (Acts 1:6-8). We don’t make the enemies of Jesus His footstool, they make themselves the footstool by holding to the spirit of the world.
Then come the metaphors Oak, and a Garden without Water (Isa 1:29). The Oak is something they desired, but they shall be ashamed of it, they shall be confounded for the gardens they have chosen. Oak is a hard wood, it was used to make idols, as well as furniture, thus a man would cut down an Oak, make a chair to sit in, then idol to watch while sitting in the chair. An idol is the rebellious pride of man desiring to control their god, but they fall prey to their own folly.
The metaphor Water points to Mercy, they will be Oaks (trees) whose Leaf has faded (no life), as a Garden without water (void of Mercy). Then we read, “they shall burn together, and none shall quench them” (Isa 1:31). Clearly, if none shall quench them, the burning must be forever and ever. This connects to the Lake of Fire, thus we find the devil, beast of the earth (false prophet) in the Lake of Fire before the Judgment (Rev 20:10). It’s still appointed to all men once to die, then comes the Judgment (Heb 9:27). When the Judgment does come there won’t be one person physically alive on the earth, thus the excuses will cease, no one will say, “God, if You would only have waited until tomorrow, I would have repented, and obeyed You”.
We find Isaiah had a vision and word for Jerusalem and Judah, yet God speaks to Israel, thus it’s also clear this is projected to a time yet to come. Not only is this evident in Isaiah 2:1, but we find the Woman in Revelation is the city of Jerusalem on the earth, but Judah is representative of the Body of Christ (tents of Judah). True the physical land was divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, but it is also a metaphoric and prophetic sign.
We find these people felt being in the temple was more important than keeping God in their heart. So much so, we find in the days of Jeremiah they were convinced God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, thus they thought they could worship idols under the protection of the Temple. God never side their Temple would not be destroyed, thus they made up their own tradition, by the tradition they rejected the Word of God; truly their traditions made the Word to none effect. They went to Temple, but then they ran to the hills to worship idols, thinking nothing was wrong. The children in the wilderness made the same error, they made the golden calf to replace Moses, then woke up early to celebrate the Lord’s feast.
The daughter of Zion is the Remnant, or little flock, they have a purpose and means granted in a little strength, yet they will be overcome, it must be so. On the other hand, we have the Greater Strength to be Overcomers. We can’t mix the two together, then expect to win this race. Out of Zion of the earth comes the Remnant, but we leave the earth to reach New Jerusalem. Two groups, one defined in the Book of Revelation as “thousands of thousands” (Remnant), the other as “ten thousand times ten thousand” (Church – Rev 5:11). The latter grows, the former is a group taken from a group. Two different peoples, the Flock of growth in our Season, then the “Little Flock” taken from the tribes in the next Season.
The Church also has a remnant, but The Remnant referred to in the Book of Revelation are still the Remnant of the seed of the Woman, which explains Genesis 3:14-15. The great importance of knowing the “serpent” is not some snake, as the “heel” of Jesus becomes bruised defining the footstool causing the bruise. The heel of Jesus is nonetheless part of His Body, but it’s His heel, not His Head, making the footstool not part of His Body, but something His foot will stomp on, thus causing the bruise. The beasts of the field were seen in the beginning, joined to the Serpent, thus establishing how the beginning was as prophetic as it was real.
Simply because Zion is the Mountain of God, it doesn’t mean it’s so holy and righteous to the point of never failing; Isaiah was sent to Zion, but he was told to call it Sodom (Isa 1:10). There is a Zion of the earth, but the Book of Hebrews tells us there is one of heaven as well (Heb 12:22). The Zion of the earth is earthly, it belongs to the Remnant. The Zion of heaven is the Body of Christ, it belongs to us. Each Zion contains all the products needed to accomplish the task for its Season, what is done with the products determines which side of the Sword one faces.
Isaiah tells Israel, she is no longer called “Rule as God” (the metaphoric meaning of the word Israel), but “Scorched with the Flesh” and “Ruined”, the meaning of Sodom (Isa 1:10). In all this God never left them, nor did He forsake them, His love was still there, they simply refused to accept it. Their own rebellion caused the rebuke, captivity and events thereafter. God’s love was extended, they rejected it, now He will deal with the reality. God’s desire was for them to repent, His reality sees they didn’t.
Isaiah didn’t face demon possessed people; he faced self-centered, self-serving, rebellious people. This is the Land well after the Wilderness, yet the people in the land had minds like the children in the Wilderness, but they still had the evidence of what God did to the rebellious people (Jude 5). Isaiah was called to expose the deliberate ignorance of the people; the prophet’s ministry of exposure leaves the prophet with few, if any friends.
God asked these people to be obedient and willing (Isa 1:19), thus a faith to please God must contain the elements of obedience with a willing soul. The Just live by faith, but believe unto the saving of the soul (Heb 10:38-39 & I Pet 1:9). This is also a clue to the workings of God, He allowed these people to reach a point, but still sent them word after word. Jesus warns the majority of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, but in neither case we don’t find God forcing correction. Jesus gave us the Body, thus we baptize in water as fishers of men, but He builds the Church, thus He baptizes with the Holy Ghost and Fire. The same premise is found here, the Woman nor the Nation were intended to be rebellious, yet the people who make up the entities made choices opposed to God’s will.
If the people of God turn and reason with God, instead of demanding for God reason with them, He will forgive them, allowing them to change their path to avoid the danger coming down the road (Isa 1:18-19). The “keys” were in their hands, they had the power to repent, or rebel. The same is true with us, Jesus gave us the Keys, we can hold the keys forever yet never use them. Isaiah brought choice, not demands, or manipulation, nor did he force a change on the people. God doesn’t force Himself on us, He provides the obvious evidence allowing us to make the choice.
Isaiah looks at the present tense, seeing a hint of the future, as God points out the faithful city has become a harlot; there was a time when the city was full of judgment and righteousness, but now it’s full of murderers. Who are the people in the city? God’s people, and who did they murder? The Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets, with all those who stood with them, allowing them to lay in the streets of the city to be trampled by the heathen (Isa 1:21-22 & Rev 11:3). In our Season we can be responsible for killing the just by using envy and strife, or by withholding Truth and Mercy.
The rebellion gave birth to the thieves, who loved the benefit, but failed to use it for its intended purpose (Isa 1:22-23 & James 5:1-6). Their actions were the jokes of the heathen, their representation was defiling the Name of God. They brought laughter from hell against God, they used God’s name, but bowed to idols. They said they were doing the work of Jehovah, but they were using the works of the devil. They did go to Temple on the Sabbath, but they ran to the mountain tops to sacrifice to idols; however, God wasn’t giving up on them, He sent His prophets to bring them back.
Zion shall be restored, Jesus will mark the Remnant of 144,000 on Zion to bring the knowledge of God through the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets (Isa 1:25-27). Those who worshipped the works of their hands will be ashamed when they face Him whom they have pierced (Isa 1:28-31). Isaiah’s prophecy to the people in his time will follow the outline of the vision noted in Chapter One. All his prophecies for his time will in some way connect back to this outline; however, the prophecies for the future will be outlined in detail in Chapters two through five, thus the greater amount of prophecy reaches beyond his time, through our Season to a Season yet to open.
The Outline for Judah (Church), and Jerusalem (Remnant) in the latter days is based on the Word, not the Vision (Isa 2:1). This shows a Vision is for our time, but a Word may extend past our time. The latter end doesn’t mention Israel as such, but points to Jerusalem (city of God’s peace), Jesus referred to it as the church of Philadelphia (city of brotherly love). Our prior studies gave us the division between Jacob the man and Israel the nation, Isaiah will expand on the division. Judah relates to Jesus the lion from the Tribe of Judah, denoting the Body; Jerusalem is a location, pertaining to the physical land, pointing to the Remnant.
Those who follow Jesus entered the House of Judah to gain New Jerusalem, but Jesus told the church of Philadelphia “He who overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God and I will write upon him a new name” (Rev 3:12). Wait, hold it, “My God”, isn’t He their God? This disassociation indicates they will operate in Mercy, but will not know Jesus until all eyes see Him. It’s after the Judgment New Jerusalem descends, meaning it had to first ascend. New Jerusalem won’t touch the earth, but it will receive those who past the Judgment; however, first it has to be Raised in a twinkling of an eye. This promise here in Isaiah is set for the Judgment, not the Rapture, but it does point to the Rapture when we find New Jerusalem as the Bride (Rev 21:2).
Once they enter the Time of Comfort, they will not leave the land again until the end of time. The Remnant are promised a position in New Jerusalem, but their position comes as the Gates not the Wall (Rev 21:21). The Wall around New Jerusalem measures 144 cubits, the city is within, yet the foundation of the wall is the Apostles and Prophets, the foundation for the Body (Rev 21:17 & 21:14). The completed Wall cannot come until the Night is finished, thus the Gates to the Wall are seen as the tribes, but the City in heaven as New Jerusalem.
Isaiah’s vision for his people shows two conditions but without a position, giving us the condition they were in, with the condition they could have, but neither condition could grant them a position above the Law of Moses. His latter day Word shows two like conditions with a promise for a higher position. We have the unique opportunity to obtain a condition and position not afforded to these people; however, to whom much is given, much is required.
Isaiah points to the one world government, by saying the mountain of the Lord’s house will sit on the mountains of the world; however, this is also a two edged sword. They will begin with the windows of heaven pouring out a blessing they won’t be able to hold, but the Door to heaven will be closed, as the Door to David opens (Rev 4:1-3). Then the Seventh church will think it’s rich and in need of nothing, causing the second edge of the Sword to drop. John sees the Woman covered with the riches of the world, yet still in the wilderness as the Whore and Babylon, but she didn’t enter the wilderness that way (Rev 12:1, 12:6, 17:1-5 & Isa 1:21). Looking at the world today we have to wonder how could a one world government be? However, the Night is not like the world today, there will be massive changes in the physical land, the weather, and many other things. In our season it’s wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine, but it’s the world during the Day, in the Night there will be Peace and Safety, then comes sudden destruction.
The Song of Solomon gave us the Bride coming out of the wilderness with her Beloved, here it’s not the Bride but Jerusalem of the earth. The correlation is interesting, New Jerusalem is still the Bride of the Lord, thus in the Book of Revelation John sees New Jerusalem as a “Bride”. However, Jerusalem of the earth is not a bride in any sense of the word, but she thinks she is, thus she says she is no widow, but a queen. However, saying it and being it are different. The Woman takes on the role she was not entitled to, in so doing she becomes Babylon, the city of idols and bondage.
The same John who wrote I John wrote the Book of Revelation, yet we never find the term “antichrist” in the Book of Revelation. It would seem since it was the same person, he would use the same term, but we find the “spirit of antichrist” was in the days of John and today, but will not be after the Rapture. The position will become the “Beast of the earth”, or the “Eighth”. This Eighth will invade the Seventh, but the Eighth had a mother by the name of the spirit of antichrist in our Season, as one of the two horns found on this Beast, with the second horn being the false prophet. (Rev 17:10-11 & Isa 1:9).
Prophecy is confirmed by prophecy, looking for it to come to pass, and knowing it will come to pass are different. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures better than most of us, yet they missed the prophetic word by a mile. They were looking for one prophecy (Time of Comfort), yet missed the coming of the Messiah. Is there a “time of comfort”? Yes, these prophets will speak of it often; however, the error of the Pharisees was seeking one Season when it was time for another. We are of the Day, the Time of Salvation, looking for judgment in this Season is still error. Simply because the prophecy is there, doesn’t mean it’s for our Season. Jesus broke the times and seasons up into the Day and Night, then told us to stay out of the Restoration of Israel, rather as children of the Day we are to seek Power from on high to be Witnesses (Acts 1:6-8). Don’t forget those of the Day work while it is yet Day, for the Night comes when on man can work (Jn 9:4).
We will see words like “Comfort thee, Comfort thee”; which the Jew knows as a Time of Peace and Safety, or the Time of Comfort, yet Paul said, they will say Peace and Safety, then comes sudden destruction (I Thess 5:3). In the latter days the “God of Jacob” will be established in the House of God, this begins the Time of Comfort, but it also sets the stage for the enemies of Jesus to be made into His footstool. However, when the City makes Zion her footstool, the end is near, thus not all who call themselves Israel are of Israel (Rom 9:6).
David said, “come let us worship at His footstool”, it’s the point, the Wicked move into the footstool to corrupt it, killing the just by murdering the Remnant, then casting the Law and Prophets in the “street” as “useless”; causing the end to come.
Now we enter the second outline of Isaiah to show why we find “Peace”, yet it will not be “True Peace”. For this reason we are given a Peace, not as the world gives. There are two types of Peace, one is found in Grace, the other is yet to come in the term “Peace and Safety”, the latter being Peace in the world order.
Isaiah still points to “Judah and Jerusalem”, but this time we find “it shall come to pass in the last days”, changing the position (Isa 2:2). Then the “mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains” (Isa 2:2). Does it mean it will be “surrounded” by mountains? Does it mean God will move the house? The metaphor Mountain points to a nation, not the city, certainly this is not the Body of Christ. Prior it was the city, now we see how the Night will begin. The nation (mountain) of the Lord will be established on top, or over the head of all the other nations in the world, as a one world government. Not one to be feared by us, since the time is set for the Night, yet since it’s prophecy, no one is going to change it, it will surely be. Later we will see as the king is, so is the city, as the city is, so is the nation.
The rest of Isaiah 2:2 shows the Mountain of the Lord’s House, this is the not the Lord, or the House, but the Mountain which will be exalted. If this said, “the Mount” of the Lord’s house it would point to Zion, but it also points to Mountain, or Nation. Then we see this Mountain will be exalted above “the hills” (sub-nations), as “all nations shall flow unto it” (Isa 2:2). Clearly this is one nation above all the nations and sub-nations of the world, the ten toes of the Gentile nations shall flow to the nation to hear of the knowledge of the Lord. Several things are prevalent, the nation will survive, something they are aware of today. They will be the only place on earth at the time where anyone will learn the knowledge of the Lord, which shows we’re out of here, but it also shows there will be no other religious orders, the great earthquake will change many things. There is a connection to show this, Isaiah 2:3 shows the people will say let us go to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion (the 144,000) shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. It really narrows it all down; the People which is the Hebrew Am, referring to compatriots, separating it from the prior verse. This is how it will begin, the statement is “the God of Jacob”, if these were Jews, it would be “our God”, thus the division shows the people of the world will come to the city to learn of God, as the knowledge of God is delivered by the Remnant by using the Law and Prophets. God will spare the nation in the great earthquake, as the land masses join together again. The people will be taught indicated by the wording, “will teach”, which is the Hebrew Yarah meaning the projection of knowledge, not necessarily the acceptance of knowledge.
We also see the Law and the “word”, we know about the Law, but what about this “word”? The Hebrew word used here is Davar meaning Word or Matter, it appears some 1,400 times in the Old Testament it’s translated in no less than 85 different English words, it’s not to be confused with “The Word” as the Greek Logos, rather Davar points to A saying, A cause, or A lawsuit, the Ten Commandments are called Davar. This shows us the Remnant Keep the Commandments of God, as they teach them to the world. In this case we find the people going to the House of the Lord to be taught, it will be the case as at the opening of the Time of Comfort. The people will beat their swords into plowshares, the concepts of War as we know them will be forgotten. However, we then find the Beast of the Earth moves into the City, causing the people to worship idols again, the world then takes the same plowshares forming them into crude weapons (Micah 4:3 & Joel 3:10).
If the Book of Revelation proves nothing else, it proves the words of these Prophets will come to pass. The purpose for the Book of Revelation is the same we find in many of the letters to the Body of Christ. The warnings tell us not to fall into the hands of the Wicked, or find ourselves among the drunken who go into the Night.
Salvation will be stayed during the Night, thus there will be silence in heaven during the last half of the hour (Rev 8:1). The Hour is divided into two halves, one for the Day, one for the Night, it’s still the Hour of Tribulation consisting of the Day and Night. Jacob’s Trouble is the Great Tribulation, wherein the Wrath of God will be poured out, but we are promised something far greater. We are not appointed to the wrath of God (I Thess 5:9), we are appointed to God’s Grace and Salvation. This is the Day the Lord has made, let us Rejoice and be glad in it. The phrase “wrath of God” is used some 34 times in the Bible, 16 of those in the New Testament, with 7 of those 16 in the Book of Revelation.
Clearly we find when peace and safety comes the nations will beat their swords into plowshares, they will not know the ways of war, which Paul called Peace and Safety (Isa 2:4 & I Thess 5:3). It will take the three frogs of evil remembrance to bring the hate, strife and bitterness to the people, which produces methods of war, but the people won’t have tanks or missiles. They will take the same plowshares, then beat them back into swords (Joel 3:10). During the Night they will not only believe a lie, but the devils will be released from the pit, masses of people will be demon possessed. The treat of nuclear war will be a thing of the past, they will have crude weapons, thus people will kill people with a brutal force based on the people being possessed seven times worse than at any other time in history. Clearly an incentive to make the Rapture, Amen?
The ten toes seen in Daniel’s vision are the ten horns of the Beast of the Sea, yet the Beast of the Earth uses the authority of the Beast of the Sea. Since the First Beast is found in the Gentile world (Sea), but the False Prophet as the Second Beast is of he Earth, we find the Sea, the Earth and the Sand of the Sea in the latter days. Yet, what about these Ten Horns, don’t we have many nations on the earth today? Yes, Noah had three sons, from two came the ten horns, but from the ten horns came all the sub-nations or “hills” of the world, regardless of how many nations they still came from the Two Feet (sons). Yet, from Noah’s third son came the Jews; therefore, God only sees three types of people, the Jew, the Gentile and those of the Body who are neither Jew or Gentile. John says the groups of people on the earth when Jesus returns are those who pierced Him (Jews), and those who wail because of Him (Gentile), we don’t fit either group (Rev 1:7). John also says, Every eye will see Jesus, thus every soul bound to the earth from Adam to the end will look upon Jesus (Rev 1:7).
If we have the power to cast out devils, why would the devil have to be bound if we’re still here? If those who have the authority are taken, yet only those with a little strength left, then it makes sense to bind the devil in the pit. Malachi shows a time when the Jew will use the Tithe under the Law of Moses to open the windows of heaven, but one makes entry through the Door; only a thief comes another way (Mal 3:9-12). Malachi, like many of these prophets points to both Seasons, thus Malachi also shows the iniquity in the Body is found when they pollute the ”table”, rather than honor it (Mal 3:13-14 & 1:12).
Paul said the son of perdition places “himself” in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God, which is a self act, yet Paul also says this “himself” is also a “them” (II Thess 2:4). Isaiah calls Lucifer “a man” (Isa 14:16), this man has a beginning in the “morning”. Isaiah and the other prophets will give us a detailed description of the son of perdition. Lucifer is a name contracted from other cultures, but by the Holy Ghost using it only one time in all Scripture lets us know this element is not Jewish in nature, thus placing this “man” as a Gentile. The Eighth comes from the seven churches, as well as the seven Gentile mountains, although beginning of the son of perdition started with Judas, those who follow are still morning related (Rev 17:11). Therefore, we find the name Lucifer metaphorically meaning “son of the morning”, thus Jesus pointed to Judas as the first son of perdition, but Paul said the manifested position was yet to come (II Thess 2:3). We will find Lucifer had an honorable position, one revered by men today, but he fell from his position beginning another position called the “son of perdition. Hebrews 10:38-39 divide the Just from the Unjust, showing the Just believe unto the saving of the soul, the Unjust draw back to perdition, becoming sons of perdition. The title “son of perdition” is a position, but the prince of the position is Judas, the traitor.
When God formed Adam, He told him to replenish the earth, but God sees the House of Jacob being replenished by sin, they have become soothsayers, like unto the Philistines (Isa 2:6). Wow, God said they became as their enemy the Philistines by doing the same acts as the Philistines, yet they are called of “Jacob”. Perhaps it’s why the end of the Tribulation is called “Jacob’s trouble” (Jere 30:7).
Toward the end of 1,000 years they will worship idols on the roof tops, yet praise the Lord in the Temple, thereby becoming lukewarm, or unequal. When this lukewarm condition enters the Seventh church the way is open for the Eighth to move the idols from the roof tops into the Temple (Rev 17:10-11). The Seventh church will think its rich and in need of nothing, Isaiah shows they will have a land full of silver with no apparent end to their treasures, but their land will also be full of idols (Isa 2:6-7). Isaiah will cover the end times from the perspective of man looking at the purpose of God with the reality of God looking at man.
This second outline of the end times is the Holy Ghost’s outline regarding any prophecy of the end times, whether from a Major Prophet, or a Minor Prophet, or a New Testament Prophet, or one who Teaches on the End Times. Prophesy doesn’t change, it becomes fulfilled. To assume God gave one of His prophets a Prophecy, then changed His mind is error; to presume God gave all these prophets the same information, and then said, “You know what, I was wrong, sorry about that”, is a bigger error. God is the Alpha and Omega, He had the end in hand, before the beginning, the works of the Night are complete. God gave His prophets visions and words of things He has seen done, before they became events to man. To assume God changed any of these prophecies makes God a man, rather than God, a stronghold not accepted by sound Bible teaching. God changes not, His moves are progressive to the result, even the Rapture is a point in the progressive plan, not the finish of the plan.
The Mean Man bows to idols, but the Great Man humbles himself (Isa 2:9). The wording Mean Man is the Hebrew Adam, the wording Great Man is the Hebrew Ish; today we hear much about “being like Adam”, but the Adam nature is not our goal. Adam was served of God, Jesus served the Father. The Adam nature is living soul, but the Hebrew Adam is also used by the prophets to point to the Wicked One, but we find Adam was unequal, he had authority, but failed to protect Bone of my bone, then entered the fall by eating the wrong fruit. What did Judas do? He was among the ministry, his sins were forgiven, he was told to freely give what he received, yet he attempted to use Jesus to gain for himself, he sold “bone of my bone” to those who would do the lust of their father the devil. Judas then became “Adam like”, yet we desire to be “Christ Like”.
The Great man or Ish is a citizen, yet neither Adam or Ish are humbling themselves under God’s hand, but they do humble themselves under idols. Then Isaiah 2:10-12 tells us how they hide, yet the lofty looks of Adam (man) shall be humbled, the haughtiness of Ish (men) shall be bowed down, explaining how every knee will bow. Today some say, “I won’t bow to Jesus no matter what”, well the What will come, and they will bow, but only to escape the pending event. At the Judgment they will not be judged for what they are doing (bowing), but for what they did (refused to bow). Isaiah 2:9 points to the future, the phrase “forgive them not”, means they can’t be forgiven, thus showing how one can’t Crucify the Son of God in the Night, or at the Judgment, the Son of man was crucified once.
Jesus asked Peter, “what could you not watch and pray with Me one Hour?” (Matt 26:40). It wasn’t simply praying about anything, but praying we don’t enter the Hour. We can pray for six hours, yet never pray regarding the Hour. Jesus told the disciples three times to Watch, He told the Fifth church to be Watchful (Mark 13:33-37 & Rev 3:2). From our prior studies we know the difference between the Last Trump and the Great Trump, when the Great Trump sounds on Zion the terrible day of the wrath of God will be upon mankind (Joel 2:1 & 2:11). Then the Lord alone shall be exalted, then every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord (Ph’l 2:11 & Isa 2:17).
During the Day of the Lord (not the Day of Salvation, the Day of the Lord, which is different), man will not look at the pleasant pictures of idols and icons on the walls of the house of God, but they will run and hide when the Glory of the Lord shakes the earth in a terrible manner (Isa 2:17-19). Peter says, this last earthquake will cause the elements to melt with fervent heat, which is the description of the earth turning inside out to become the burning lake of fire, as it becomes New (not like before – II Pet 3:10). Then the figure of speech will be an exactness of darkness (devil released), and blood (judgment). Isaiah will describe it as the world becoming like Sodom, thus the New Earth at the Time of Comfort, and the New Earth at the Judgment are two different things. The New Earth during the Time of Comfort will be new to the people, but it will be as the Days of Noah, one land mass, the four winds will be stopped, no bad weather, no wars, famine, pestilence, or bad water, or anything foul, but the New Earth at the Judgment is much different. The Earth will last forever, but in a different state, the last state is the lake of fire, as the earth turns inside out when hell widens her borders (Isa 5:14 & 14:9), thus the final New Earth will be like Sodom, full of fire and brimstone. The word New is relative, it means not like before; yet we still have a promise, a promise of New Jerusalem in heaven, where we will be with the Lord forever. What about all those lost people? The cries of sorrow, those continual cries; how will we be able to take it? God has solved the problem, there will be no memory of the dead, the lake of fire will be out of our view, if someone didn’t make it to heaven, they will not be in our memory.
Isaiah sees the plagues in the latter days, he also notes there will be plagues on the unfaithful, the term unfaithful points to an iniquity to be faithful. In our Season they caused the Falling away from The Faith, yet assumed they are exalted above the clouds (Isa 3:1-12). When one falls from The Faith, they draw back into perdition. The Lord will return with ten thousands of His saints, including the “ancients of His people”, and the princes; comprising the saints of the Church returning as New Jerusalem ( Clouds pl.) to receive the Remnant, or anyone who finds their name in the Book of Life. When Jesus took captivity captive, they were the ancients of His people who became the first Cloud of witnesses under the altar of God, thus Jesus was received by A Cloud, but He returns with Clouds. This is not to be confused with “the Ancient of Days”, in reference to the Ancient of Days John simply said, “in the beginning was the Word” (Jn 1:1 & Dan 7:9). However, in our case we will meet Jesus in the Air, as He takes us Home until the 1,000 years are over, then we return to complete the City and Wall of the New heaven (Rev 6:9-11, 7:9 & I Thess 4:15-18).
The daughters of Zion were haughty, they paraded their gold and silver, thus they assume they are rich and in need of nothing (Isa 3:16-23 & Rev 3:17). The seventh church is still under the Authority of Jesus as it relates to Mercy, thus Jesus as the Son of man is still the judge. The Seventh church is not a spin-off of the Sixth, it’s next in succession. Some will reject the pomp as they stand with the Two Witnesses, yet they will be overcome as the Wicked kill the righteous, then comes the end. It’s still a true saying, God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked, but when the wicked destroy the righteous, the time for it’s appointed to all men once to die then comes the judgment will happen.
Before the end comes, the plagues come, then the great war and many men will die, which produces a shortage of men, this produces the concept of many women for one man, or causing the women to forbid to marry, thus seven women will live with one man (Isa 4:1-2). Those who are left in Zion who stand with the Two Witnesses will be written among the living (Isa 4:3 & Rev 20:12).
Isaiah goes back to the Song of Solomon showing the Beloved touching the vineyard (Isa 5:1). God has done His work, the vineyard was prepared, sowed with good seed and opened, all it took was a desire to love the Husbandman and appreciate the work put into the vineyard (Isa 5:1-3).
Jesus is the Root of David, as the Son of man He took the Fourth Cup of God’s wrath in the Garden, but only after He gave us the Cup holding His Blood of the New Testament. Again showing the Day must come before the Night, they each have a Cup, but only the Cup with the Blood of Jesus grants us Life so we can have it More Abudantly.
The final warnings relate to iniquity (v. 5:18), to those who call good evil, or evil good (v. 5:20). It is interesting how some today call the spiritual manifestations evil, as they call natural intellect good. The wicked will be judged, the roar of the Sea (Gentiles) shall come, the trump will be sounded in Jerusalem as the time of darkness and sorrow, when the heavens are darkened at the beginning of the Judgment (Isa 5:18-30).
Isaiah had the Word for the latter days, John had the Vision, the two show the completed work; therefore, John tells us not to add to or take away from the prophecy. Neither does the Book of Revelation stand on its own, it takes all the prophecies to give us the clarity needed as the Holy Ghost leads us through the Book of Revelation adding the prophecies of the prophets to the vision of John. There is a great hope in the Cross of Jesus, a Plan of assurance regarding the Night: we are not the children of wrath, nor the children of the Night, nor the children of darkness, we are the Children of the Day.
ISAIAH
The Ministry
After Isaiah has his vision and word, then he could prophesy, except for one thing left to be done. The two outlines are not Isaiah going about prophesying before the Lord cleaned his lips or removed his iniquity, but they give us the purpose of his ministry. If we mix these outlines of the Vision and the Word into some act of giving prophecy before the time, we will only form strongholds, we may run around acting the prophet without being called or anointed. Isaiah chapter one is the vision, chapters two through five the word, chapter six and following his ministry, nothing more, nothing less. The clue is found in 6:1 and 1:1; here in 6:1 we read, “in the year king Uzziah died”, which gives us a time, back in 1:1 the vision began with days of Uzziah, thus we find when Uzziah died the ministry of Isaiah began. Now we have to determine when Uzziah died. This reference gives us a clue, it doesn’t mean the physical death of Uzziah, rather this Uzziah was the one who gave strange incense in the House of the Lord, the day he presented the incense he also took his anger out on the priests, at the time he was as good as dead as God placed leprosy on him to prove it (II Chron 26:20).
Uzziah is a type of the false prophet, in the latter days the false prophet will cause, or place the abomination to be found in the place it should not be, the death of the world as we know it will be as good as done. Whether Uzziah walked, talked or breathed the air after the time didn’t matter, the moment he produced the strange incense, he was written among the dead (Isa 6:1 & II Chron 26:16-23).
The allegory is uncanny, Uzziah began by doing right in the sight of the Lord until his pride overcame him, then he became impressed with himself. Then he wanted to be priest and king, which brought the leprosy. Uzziah is a prime example of how being king and priest was illegal, yet we are made kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:5). The Cross of Jesus brought many changes and advancements, including a change in priesthood with a Law to accompany the change (Heb 7:12). The king position did not necessitate a change in the Law, our priestly function did (Heb 7:11-12). Uzziah wanted something not only beyond the calling of God, but something reserved for those who follow Jesus.
If we in the kingdom are all kings, who then are our subjects? You’re not mine, I’m not yours. Who then is? Who ever heard of a king without subjects? The concept is like being a priest without a Order. We as kings hold the keys, we can either accept the rules of the King of kings or we can make up own. Of course in the end we have to face the king of Kings. However, who then are our subjects? Things, we can allow Mercy a position, or reject it. Therein lays the iniquity of the sons of perdition, they reject giving Mercy, yet demand it from others. We as kings can allow uncontrolled anger, or carnal thinking positions in our kingdom as some of the Corinthians did, even to the point where we are comfortable, but our kingdom is out of order. As kings we set policies, but our policies better match the kingdom order Jesus established.
Isaiah needs something in order for the word he received to have effective. Isaiah tells us he “saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” (Isa 6:1). Isaiah didn’t see the Lord on earth, rather the Throne is in heaven, the earth His footstool. If Isaiah saw the Lord Sitting we would have a division in Seasons. During the Day Jesus is sitting on the right hand side of Majesty on High; therefore, Isaiah sees Jesus as Jehovah the Lord at the gate of Intercession as the Mediator, but the Street was not yet open between man and the Father. Isaiah couldn’t go to the Altar to gain the coal, neither could the Lord bring the coal to Isaiah, rather it would take an angel to come to the man.
Isaiah looked above the temple and saw seraphims, each had six wings pointing to the Time of Comfort and the Sixth church. Two of the wings covered the face, showing how God’s knowledge will be upon the earth, not God’s Wisdom or Spirit, thus the eyes being covered shows a type of blindness, or silence in heaven for last half of the hour. Two other wings covered the feet, showing how man will not be able to walk the path to heaven during the Time of Comfort. Two wings were used for flying, showing how the angels will bring the judgment to earth the last days. Isaiah also saw a door, with the posts moving at the voice of one of the seraphims, but the door couldn’t open on the voice alone (Isa 6:9-11), thus he saw the Door, but only the Spirit of Truth can open it (Rev 45:1-2).
Before the Lord made His request of Isaiah, there was yet some work to be done. A coal from the altar of God was placed on Isaiah’s mouth, not his heart or soul. In our Season we gain much more than a coal from the altar; Isaiah’s ministry was words, his mouth had to be clean, but there was no way to clean his heart without the circumcision not made with hands. Isaiah had his iniquity taken away, which removed him from the iniquity of the nation, allowing him to speak as an oracle of God. Next Isaiah had his sins purged, not remitted; therefore, Isaiah stood greater than common man, but not near as high as those who have their sins forgiven by the Cross of Jesus or remitted by the Blood of Jesus (Isa 6:7 & I Jn 4:1-5). We could say, “Oh my, what a lucky man, look what one little piece of coal from God’s altar did”, but we know Luck has nothing to do with it. If this piece of coal could forgive the man, what will the Blood of Jesus do for us? What was the coal for? For what reason were the sins of the man purged, and what sins were they? Ahh, a mystery, the coal came from the altar, the altar retains the prayers of the saints. In the latter days the angels take the coals from the altar and pour them on the earth to bring the plagues. So, are our prayers plagues? No, it’s the point, the prayers are holy, but when they come in contact with complete un-holiness the resulting effect would be plagues. The prayers of the saints assisted Isaiah in his ministry, yet he was not Born Again. He had to be removed from all involvement in the wickedness of the nation in order to present the words, but it doesn’t mean he was free of the sin nature.
Isaiah knew his purpose, and why his sins were purged, he responded with, “I, here am I; send me” (Isa 6:8). Isaiah used the personal expression three times, “I”, “I” and “me”, showing he understood what the coal did and why. If we presume the coal is sufficient, then why even have the Blood of Jesus?
Isaiah made his decision, by speaking his vow to become a prophet, then the Lord said, “Go”, but is something missing (Isa 6:9)? Where is the Power? The Authority was granted, but where is the Power? Not needed, all the man needed was the authority to speak on behalf of God. The coal provided it, coupled with the word “Go”. However, it’s not the case with us, we must have Authority and Power.
Isaiah may have felt the people would fall on their face and report God among them of a truth, but the Lord warned Isaiah they would hear indeed, but not understand, they will see, but not perceive (Isa 6:9). They would see? They would hear? Yes, they had eyes and ears, but they refused to apply them to the words spoken. Some ministry; however, God knew before hand they would reject the prophet, so why even send him? God warns before He acts, although He knows the prophets will be rejected, it doesn’t stop Him from sending the warnings. These people had the ability to repent, but they also had to make the choice to repent. Isaiah is told they will hear his words but they won’t believe, change, or repent, but he is to go anyway.
With the ministry of Isaiah looking him right in the face, some of us might say, “what’s the use, they won’t believe”, but whether they believe or not isn’t the question, whether we go or not is. Our job is never to force someone to believe, our job is to present the information for them to make a decision. With this we find, Isaiah had a vision and a word, then received the purging of his sins, the removal of his iniquity, the call, the decision with the vow of his calling, then he could go. Isaiah could have seen the vision and said, “Bless God, I’m a prophet, now I can tell these jerks what I think of them”, adding iniquity to iniquity, or sin to sin. Some of us give a word then think we’re a prophet, or have a manifestation of the Spirit thinking we’re a prophet, there is much more to the Office of Prophet than giving a word. Isaiah took each step as it came, adding precept to precept, lesson to lesson. The calling was based in the Word and Vision, he knew his calling, but then came the acceptance and authority. Without the authority the man knew he could say nothing, have a vision yes, have the word yes, say it, no.
Isaiah will begin his ministry at this point, but it won’t be manifested until he looks at Ahaz the grand son of Uzziah (Isa 7:1). While Pekah was the king over Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah became the king over Judah (II Kings 15:32). Jotham did right in the sight of the Lord, except he entered not into the temple based on his fear of becoming what his father was, but this also caused the people to stray from the temple, the result is they entered corruptness (II Chron 27:1-2). Ahaz began to reign after Jotham, but he failed to do right in the sight of the Lord. He burnt incense in the valley of the son of Himmon, as he did the abominations of the heathen (II Chron 28:3). All this time Isaiah had his sins purged, so why didn’t he rebuke the king? Time and timing, with the added concept of training, the prophet waited until God said “Go to the man”; he knew the authority to the position, but authority under authority listens for the command, it doesn’t make its own.
This sets the stage for the test of Isaiah to determine whether or not his confession of “I, Here am I, send me Lord” will sincere. The Lord tells Isaiah, “go to meet Ahaz” (Isa 7:3), huh, oh great, now God is taking the vow serious. Go and prophesy to the king, the biggest idol worshiper in the country? Some of us were real quick to say, “Here am I Lord, send me”, but when we find ourselves in “carnal junction” we say, “what am I doing here? Surely the devil has a hand in this”. We then added sin to our lack of understanding by coming against the devil when it was God who sent us. We panic attempting to use manipulation to gain control over the event, finding ourselves in the Wilderness. Did God know it? Yes, the wilderness was the result of the plan so we could gain the training.
As evil as Ahaz was, God still wanted to show His longsuffering. God was still willing to receive repentance, but would it come forth (Isa 7:3-8)? Although God knows they will fail to repent, ending in captivity, He nonetheless sends a prophet with the word of the Lord. Isaiah goes to king Ahaz, giving him all the Lord had to say, thus Isaiah faced his Isaac sacrifice and passed. He laid his calling on the altar by doing as the Lord told him without regard for himself. Isaiah gained the confidence he needed to survive the ministry. We will all face a like event after our calling and training, a time to speak exactly as the Lord desires. It could be as simple as submit and learn under what we think is ungodly authority, Or speak the truth in love; nonetheless it will always be at the command of the Lord, not at the call of presumption.
We then discover the meaning of the metaphor “Head”, God shows the nation Syria is the Head of the city Damascus. Damascus was the capitol of Syria, but then Rezin is seen as the Head of Damascus, Rezin was the king in Damascus (Isa 7:8). The metaphor Head shows Authority, here the king had authority over the city, the city over the nation. The same is true in the Book of Revelation, the Beast of the Earth usurps the authority of the Woman, thus becoming the head over the Woman. We also find the Beast of the Sea has seven Heads (authorities), and ten Horns (powers); therefore, we find all these various authorities working against one another in the world, but the One Authority (Name) of Jesus is above all authorities (names) regardless (Eph 1:21 & Ph’l 2:9).
Wait didn’t we see the word “head” back in Isaiah 3:17, as it related to the “haughty daughters of Zion” Yes, but wouldn’t you know it, it’s a different Hebrew word. Here in Isaiah 7:8 it’s the Hebrew word Rosh meaning Leader or Authority, but back in Isaiah 3:17 it’s the Hebrew Qodqod meaning Crown of the head, such as Hair; Qodqod comes from the Hebrew Qadad meaning Neck. So what? The two terms for Head used in Isaiah 7:8 and 3:17 define two different areas for us in the New Testament. The Crown of the daughters of Zion is the same Crown we find on the Woman, it refers to the tribes, or the people, thus the people were haughty and prideful. Here we find the Shadow has an answer to the New, they start out fine, authority in the right place, but then pride starts to enforce the iniquity. The iniquity forms it’s illusions, then comes the transgression. Our goal is specific, the saving of our souls, (I Pet 1:9), the Word in us is dividing and separating, the Word (New Man) is still able to save our souls (James 1:21 & Heb 4:12).
When the prophet told Ahaz, “ask a sign of the Lord your God”, it was a call for the man to see a Sign and repent (Isa 7:11). However, Ahaz’s answer shows he still has many gods, his answer will be factual, but rebellious. Ahaz answered, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord” (Isa 7:12). It sounds good, but the Lord said, “ask”; refusal is still rebellion no matter how humble it may sound. The Lord Himself shall give a sign, Behold a virgin shall conceive a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (Isa 7:14). Why would the Lord tell Ahaz he would see this sign when the Lord knows it’s several hundred years away? Ahaz was the head of the realm, a symbol of the people yet to come. The Pharisees worked in the temple, gave their tithe, prayed several times a day, yet some of them were like Ahaz. This is one of those areas where discernment keeps us from killing a prophet of God, thinking we’ve killed a false prophet. The prophet told Ahaz “the Lord Himself shall give a sign”, it wasn’t the “Lord shall give you this sign”, rather it was in response to Ahaz refusing to ask for a sign, so did a virgin conceive a Son by the name of Immanuel when Ahaz was still around? No, it did not come to pass in the life time of Ahaz or Isaiah, so should we kill Isaiah? No? We know the word did come to pass, thus there are other criteria to determining a false prophet, the main one is direction. Do they lead us to the idols of man (self)? If so, they are false, whether a prophet or teacher the determining factor is who do they give the glory to? Man or God?
Isaiah also tells Ahaz, before the Child comes, the land shall be desolate (Isa 7:16). Isaiah prophesies of the captivity as the children will face the “bee” (Baalzebub) with the sting of idol worship (Isa 7:17-18). Baalzebub or Beelzebub (the Greek rendering) means “lord” or “owner”, but it also entails the Greek rendering of “lord of the flies”, it not only pertains to death, but shows how Baalzebub is “the lord of death”, yet we know Jesus has destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb 2:14).
Flies have a habit of crawling on our skin or getting in our face, thus death will face us, but like a fly, it means nothing. Isaiah prophesies concerning the Time of Comfort, as well as the attitude of the Pharisees during the earthly ministry of Jesus. The Pharisees refused to make the separation between the Suffering Immanuel and Jehovah the Avenger (Isa 7:19-25). The Pharisees demanded “a sign from heaven” while looking at the Greatest sign of all time. They were no different than Ahaz, they refused a sign, but demanded one, yet the sign God told Ahaz was standing before the Pharisees.
The Pharisees knew Isaiah began the end time prophecy with “the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains” (Isa 2:2). The Pharisees saw healings, devils cast out, yet demanded the one sign of being established on the world before they would receive Jesus. They wanted Rome to serve them, yet they used Rome to bring the Cross. They assumed the prophecy was chronological in all its respects, they saw the Judgment before the Mercy, rather than the Mercy before Grace, then Grace before the Judgment. The Pharisees failed to rightly divide the Word, they lost what little they thought they had.
The Lord tells the prophet Isaiah to take a great roll, then write upon it concerning the prophet’s son Mahershalalhashbaz (Isa 8:1). The name Mahershalalhashbaz is a compound Hebrew word containing four Hebrew words, meaning Hurrying To Utterly Take Away The Prey Of The Enemy With Enjoyment. Isaiah went into the prophetess, when she conceived, the child came forth as a sign of the captivity of Israel. The child didn’t give a prophecy, he was a sign of the prophecy standing for “My father and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria” (Isa 8:4). The purpose was to wake up the people before God was forced to send a flood from Assyria to overtake the people (Isa 8:5-7). Satan, the adversary of man is granted permission in some cases to bring about the will of God, as we saw in Job; however, Satan always attempts to reach beyond his limit; thus he takes it upon himself to introduce a flood after this incident (Rev 12:15). The metaphor Flood means a mass of people from the Sea moving into a place they should not be, much like the Gentile trampling the city under foot. The Book of Revelation shows a flood coming from the mouth of the devil to destroy the Woman (City of Jerusalem – Rev 12:15). However, the earth helped the Woman by opening up to swallow the flood (Rev 12:16). Those who come against the Woman in this Season or the Next to destroy it shall be swallowed in the earth.
God speaks to those of the far country, then to His own saying, there will be no confederacy, rather their only hope is to turn to the Lord to avoid the king of Assyria, thus there are incidents where God has a purpose going beyond our understanding (Isa 8:9-13). Here we find the terms Assyria and Babylon are prophetically interchangeable, Assyria is a nation, Babylon a city. Babylon was more associated with the Mesopotamia area in the Euphrates river valley, which is today is known as Iraq. The Woman in Revelation 17 is known as “the city” and “Babylon”, yet she isn’t located in Assyria or along the River Euphrates. The metaphoric term Babylon is associated with luxury, as in “rich and in need of nothing”, but coupled with the rebellious self-pleasure in an immoral life style, therein lays the mystery to the Woman in the Book of Revelation. Often in the prophetic message we find Babylon is a representative of the nation as well, so goes it’s capital, so goes the nation (Babylonia). God will wound the head of the rebellious nation; however, the false prophet will bring back the ways of the nation by healing the head wound of idol worship.
The outlines of Isaiah are joined in some places, as we find him speaking to the people of his time, then within the same prophecy he begins speaking to a time to come; therefore, we have two outlines to divide and separate the prophecy. This keeps us from mixing apples and oranges. An example is seeing how he reaches forward to talk about the Block of Stumbling as the Offense, which is future tense (Isa 8:14). Jesus said, if we fall on the Rock we will be broken, but if the Rock falls on us, we will be crushed. To stumble is one thing, to be broken into pieces another.
The process begins with the disciples, thus Jesus used simple men as a stumbling block to the Pharisees (Isa 8:16). Surely the “testimony” wasn’t bound with Isaiah, rather it would go on until Malachi, where we find “seal the law among My disciples”, the word Seal is the Hebrew Chatham meaning A mark, or Make an end to, this relates to Paul telling us how we are Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, ending the Law of Moses for us (Isa 8:16 & Eph 1:13). The “seal” is a mark of ownership, relating to who has purchased us, or to whom we give ourselves; therefore, we can also grieve the Holy Spirit after we are Sealed (Eph 4:30), something Isaiah will talk about later.
The people given to Jesus are for signs and wonders, like the stars in the sky; therefore, looking to the stars in the sky for man’s guidance is always a sin (Isa 8:17-20). The stars testify of God, the stars never testify of man’s future. The Magi used the stars to find Jesus, they didn’t use the stars to tell Herod’s future (Matt 2:7).
How can one see when there is no Light? God will cause a dimness to fall on Israel for our sake (Isa 9:1). Some of Israel are blinded to the Gospel, Israel has not obtained what it sought but the elect have (Rom 11:7). God has given them a spirit of slumber to bring about the Time of Comfort. The Remnant must enter in the same manner as any Jew before the Cross (Rom 11:8, II Cor 4:3-4, 3:11-18 & 3:2-4), yet there are various forms of blindness regarding the Gospel. The Remnant are blinded by God, yet there are others who engage in self-blindness, then some who run around attempting to blind others.
Isaiah tells us it wasn’t by the might or the power of man, rather all men walk in the valley of the shadow of death but the day will come when the Great Light of the World, the Man Child, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty (Almighty) God (Jehovah), The Everlasting Father represented by the Son, the Prince of Peace will come to set man free (Isa 9:3-6). Jesus said time and again, He came as the Son of man to represent the Mercy of the Father, to show mankind a Good God who cared. However, the Government will not be on His head, it will not be His crown, but it will be on His “shoulder” (Isa 9:6). The government is not on His Shoulders, as plural, but Shoulder as one.
The Kingdom will be increased to include the Gentile, yet the Lord will join His enemies together, then the true division for separation will take place (Isa 9:8-12). God doesn’t want to cast off Israel, but the people turned not unto Him. The ancients teach lies, for wickedness burning as a fire from within (Isa 9:13-18). The fire of hell is not fueled by rock or wood, but by people who allow Satan to run their minds (Isa 9:18-21).
This entire matter shows how God will use the kings of the world to bring about His purpose. Assyria was not Jewish, it didn’t worship God, but God allowed them to take His people captive. In the very latter days God will allow the kings of the earth to invade Jerusalem, but these things happen because the people of God turn a deaf ear to the Lord. God asks when the day of visitation comes, to whom will they run for help? Assyria will become the Rod of God’s correction, because His people rejected His Staff of guidance (Isa 10:3-5). In the latter days the False Prophet will use the means of the “house of the wicked” who suffered the head wound (Heb 3:13). The False Prophet causes the people to worship idols, as the wicked nation’s ”head” is healed, all pointing to idol worship as the authority of the wicked nation.
When the Woman receives the Image, she becomes Babylon, the wicked city. This is the reason the hypocritical nation called by the name of God, refuses to answer God (Isa 10:6). This work will not finish all the work, the Lord will finish His work by using Assyria (the nation who suffered the head [authority] wound by God) again, to punish the stout heart (Isa 10:12, Deut 31:29 & Dan 7:20).
Prior verse 2 tells us the “fruit”, or the product of the stout heart will be punished. The “he” who is the subject of the “number of a man” will say in his heart, “By the strength of my hand I have done it” (Isa 10:13). We don’t fear him who can only take our physical life, we fear Him who can put our body in the ground and our soul in hell (Isa 10:16-18 & Matt 10:28). When the work is finished in Zion, the Lord will redeem the Remnant who have escaped out of Jacob (Isa 10:20-21). The work won’t be done until the enemies of Jesus have become His footstool.
Although God is sending Assyria, He tells them not to be afraid of the Assyrian, for the day will come when the burden will be taken off when the yoke is destroyed (Isa 10:24-27). Jesus told us to take His yoke to find rest (sabbath) for our souls. If we carry our own yoke, we produce our own bondage.
Next Isaiah speaks of the Root and Branch of David (Isa 11:1). Jesus said, we are the branches, but He is the Vine (Jn 15:1-5). In the Book of Revelation Jesus is seen as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Salvation), and the Root of David (Judgment). Here we find Root and the Branch, but the first shall be last and the last first. Out of the promise of one king, chosen and anointed of God, shall come the Vine, then the Vine will bring forth branches. The purpose of the branches is to have fruit of the Spirit, including Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge and Fear of the Lord (Isa 11:2). Here we given Six items, the last is the Fear of the Lord giving us another clue to the Rapture. The first five churches have the Spirit, but when He who now lets takes us, then the Fear of the Lord will be the basis of the knowledge of God coming from Jerusalem through the Sixth church. What was Noah’s faith based on? Fear (Heb 11:7). As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the very latter days.
With Wisdom comes the awesome respect for the position of God; instead of judging from our soulish position we will judge from the eyes of the Lord (Isa 11:3). Righteousness and Truth shall be our girdle by the Armor of God (Isa 11:5 & Eph 6:14). Eyes are a strange element, we will not see unless we look through the eyes of the Lord, but how? The mind of Christ? Partly, but more so by the Wisdom of God. A man sees one thing, another man sees something else, but God sees all.
Isaiah then changes to the next Season showing the time of Peace and Safety, when the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, but the Spirit of Wisdom will be gone (Isa 11:6-9). Then there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign (sign) for all people, thus this root is hidden today, but will come when Jesus uses the Key of David to open the Time of Comfort. This sign was the one the Pharisees demanded, thus they had their facts right, but their timing was wrong.
In that day the Lord shall set His hand a second time to recover the Remnant (Isa 11:11). Isaiah then lists the ten horns, from which three will be removed leaving seven. Isaiah lists the seven mountains upon which the Woman sits as, Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar and Hamath, they will be from all four corners of the earth, not just Europe (Isa 11:11). Wait, doesn’t he also show the “islands of the Sea” (Isa 11:11)? Yes, but Islands are not Mountains, this addition would almost seem confusing in a metaphoric sense, if it weren’t for our knowledge of the Rapture. The metaphor Island during our Season means something Raised out of the Sea, yet it’s not the Sand of the Sea, thus it refers to the Gentile who has been raised above the Sea, pointing to those who have entered the kingdom of heaven. However, when He who now let’s takes us out of here, those Islands become the “Beast of the Islands” soon to be the “Beast of the Earth”, thus they are not listed as “mountains” since they are separate, noted by Jesus as the Synagogue (gathering) of Satan. They are raised, since John sees them “come up”, thus in the very end they are still connected to the Beat of the Sea by using the same authority (Rev 13:12). Therefore, we can see the Two Beasts here in Isaiah 11, the Seven heads of the First Beast, then the Second Beast of the Earth as the “islands of the Sea”.
The Woman will fly on the shoulders of the Philistines with the soothsayers taking Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon to gain all her land, yet this won’t be by war, but by compromise (Isa 11:14). After these three are removed, the Woman will have her land, she will sit upon the remaining seven mountains (nations or heads) of the world. Isaiah views these nations as they were before the flood in Noah’s time, Ezekiel sees them as they were after, thus we have the “days of Noah” in prophecy (Ezek 38).
There will be seven streams (seven heads, or nations) bringing a flood (people) to bring all time as man knows it to an end (Isa 11:15). It will be the Night, or the latter part of the Hour, then the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets will be the Witness for the last two candlesticks, meaning the last two candlesticks are Jewish, as the 144,000 (Rev 11:1-3 & Isa 11:16). The Phrase That Day doesn’t mean it will be Day, since God has given us the sign showing the Day is a term meaning of the Moon, thus we are in The Day, yet when the Night comes it will be the “day of the Lord”. The Day of the Lord has two points, the end of Salvation, the beginning of Judgment.
Isaiah 12:1-6 speaks of the Day, but Isaiah 13:1 begins the Night. Isaiah 12:1-6 begins by speaking of Salvation, but 13:1 speaks of the “burden of Babylon”. The division is important, as Isaiah 12 points to “in that day”, we know we are the ones who shall praise the Lord because His anger has turned away, He is our Salvation. Then comes the shout out of Zion, but we have to notice how the Holy One is in the “midst of thee”, this is another reference found in the Old Testament referring to New Birth. No wonder Jesus told Nicodemus, “Are you a master (teacher) of Israel, and know not these things?” (Jn 3:10). Jesus expected Nicodemus to know about the New Birth, really without the New Birth one is not joined in the New Testament.
Chapter 13 tells the Remnant to lift the Banner upon the high mountain, which is Zion upon which the City being the head of the nation Israel sits on the mountains, then comes the references to God’s anger, but in Chapter 12 God’s anger was turned away. Isaiah’s prophecy is moving through the outlines, thus without the two outlines all these prophecies would become a mass of confusion; therefore, the Holy Ghost is guiding us into Truth showing us the Dividing of Seasons. Chapter 12 points to the Day, then changes to the Time of Comfort, but Chapter 13 shows the Woman has become Babylon, as God’s anger is displayed by the many plagues.
Isaiah speaks to the burden of Babylon; but the Woman in the Book of Revelation is not the physical land of Babylon of old, rather she becomes the Whore and Babylon. Babylon is a metaphor of idol worship, when the abomination is set up it becomes the “last straw”. The Woman attempts to marry the Beast of the Sea by confederacy through compromise with the help of the Second Beast. The Second Beast is of the Earth, but uses the Authority of the Beast of the Sea. The Beast of the Sea obtained its authority, power and seat from the devil, before the devil was bound. God separated the nation from the world, but the false prophet brings the Woman and the world back together again.
The marriage token between the Woman and the Beast of the Sea will be the Image of Jealousy. When the Woman receives the gift, she loses her light. When her light is gone, the mountains she sat on will come against her, as she is seen riding the Beast, the Beast will turn on her, then the pit will be opened, the people will take their plowshares and make swords. The people will look like people, but they will be run by demons. God sees the multitude of mountains coming against His Mountain, as Isaiah again looks to the end of time. They will come from all four corners of the earth, but the Lord will allow it to bring His sanctified ones into the Kingdom (Isa 13:1-5 & Rev 20:8). The Day of the Lord will be at hand, the destruction will come from the Almighty (Isa 13:6).
When the end comes all men on the earth shall be as flames, just as Sodom (Isa 13:8). When Jesus returns the Second Time it will not be a day of joy, but a day of wrath, fierce anger, the purpose will be to lay the land desolate, to destroy all sinners (Isa 13:9). Now, wait, we’re suppose to look for the Day of the Lord. Right, but the Day of the Lord begins the 1,000 years, thus the beginning of the Day of the Lord is when we’re taken in the twinkling of an eye; then comes the time to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool. The Day of the Lord is one of darkness not light (Amos 5:18). The clue to the prophecy is found in the saying, “it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment” (Heb 9:27). When Jesus returns His feet will be like unto Brass (Judgment) as if they were Burned in a Furnace (Rev 1:15). The earth will be turned inside out when Jesus returns for the Judgment, thus Revelation 20:11-15 shows how there will be no one physically alive at time. The dead are judged, not the Living, the flesh will not be judged, the soul will. The last resurrection is unto Life or Damnation; eternity has no time, thus God is Alpha and Omega; eternity is always now, something the flesh of man cannot conceive of. There is no yesterday, no tomorrow, only now. For those with Life it’s always joy, always now, never a time, but it will be the same with the damned as well. They will have a body which cannot cease to exist, it will feel pain as it melts, then comes back over and over, and over without end (II Pet 3:12). Incentive to be among the partakers of the First Resurrection?
The stars (tribes of Israel) will have no light, the Woman will lose her light. God will punish the world for their evil, the wicked for their iniquities. God made man more precious than any treasure, what man did with the creation will be the basis for the judgment (Isa 13:11-16). God will not destroy the righteous with the Wicked, rather those who have His Righteousness are removed in the Rapture, then the Wicked destroy the faithful Remnant, leaving the Wicked to face the judgment.
This prophecy goes to the product of Babylon, the entire world at the end of time as man knows it, but then Isaiah jumps back to the time when Babylon proper will be taken by the Medes, then he jumps forward again to show Babylon (the Woman) will be overthrown as Sodom (Isa 13:17-19). After the Day of the Lord, Babylon will not be inhabited again by man as we know it, rather demons, devils and the souls of the lost will cry out forever (Isa 13:20-22). God has a plan and a method for anyone to avoid this end, the warning tells Jew and Gentile what will be, the escape is Mercy, the difference between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor. We work out our salvation by fear and trembling (Ph’l 2:12). It’s harder to avoid the call, then enter it, the only “trouble” is the old nature, yet by the Cross the old nature is made ineffective. The salvation of our soul rids us of the old nature, bringing our souls into their rightful spiritual place in Christ. As strange as it seems to the carnal minded, the one position where the soul is at its happiest, most pleasant is when it is being saved by the Spirit.
God promises He will recover the Remnant, the method begins when He Opens the Door to the House of David by the Key of David. Then the tithe under the Law will “prove” God, but their ability to maintain will be based on holding to the Commandments of God. Our method begins with Mercy, our ability to maintain in Grace is by the Spirit. God will have (or give) mercy to Jacob, but the purpose is to choose and save Israel (Isa 14:1). Paul said, all Israel will be saved, but not all who call themselves Israel are Israel, some are Jacob. However, not all who call themselves Christian, are Christian.
When Israel has all her land in the latter days, the people of the world will become servants and handmaidens, but begrudgingly. During the Night the world will seem like the Garden, there will be rest, Israel will not be under siege, but will sit as the Mountain of the Lord on all the Mountains of the world (Isa 14:1-3). It will be the one world government and religious order, but the earth will be much different then.
Isaiah takes up the proverb against Babylon saying, “How has the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!” (Isa 14:4). This is one of those two fold prophetic messages, Zephaniah talks about the oppressing city (Zeph 3:1); the Book of Revelation shows the Woman is rich and thinks she needs nothing, yet she is drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus (Rev 17:6 & 18:16). The term “golden city” was used to define “Babylon”, the same title for the city in the Book of Revelation.
Recalling how the king was the head of the capitol as the capitol the head of the nation, we find the same here. The prophet takes up a proverb against the “king of Babylon”, yet we find the “the golden city has ceased” (Isa 14:4). This is still a projection forward to a time yet to come, yet the proverb points to the nation Babylonia in the time of Isaiah as well. The nation will be used by God to punish His people, but in the latter days the Woman will take it upon Herself to be the Oppressor, God will then use the world to punish Her (Rev 17:17).
After the Rapture the whole earth will run to their mountains (nations) for protection because of the great earthquake, but only Israel will be able to help. The earth will change positions becoming as it was in the days of Noah, as the whole earth will be at rest (Isa 14:7). If the earth changes pole positions the electricity as we know it will cease, the four trade winds (jet currents) will cease, there will be no winters, or summers, just spring like temperatures year round. The Seventh church surfaces for a short time, thinking it’s rich and in need of nothing, opening the door for the Eighth (son of perdition), who in turn causes the fifth angel to open the gates of hell from beneath (Isa 14:9-10 & Rev 17:10-11). However, during the Night we are either with the Dead in Christ in heaven, or Sleep in Jesus waiting the last day (I Thess 4:14 – 5:-7).
The prophets give us a clue, Israel will be the only place on earth not effected by the first earthquake. God has appointed Jerusalem as the center of the planet, thus when Jesus opens the Door to the House of David, the Holy Ghost closes the Door to heaven changing the Season from Day to Night. The Time of Comfort will be upon the earth, but He who now lets will no longer be here, neither will those who have Christ. In our day it’s not only permissible, but mandatory for us to confess Christ in us of a Truth (I Jn 4:1-4), but when the opportunity to be Christ Like is gone, the same confession would be a lie, thus in our time we say “Christ is here”, but in the Night if they say “Christ is here” believe them not, that is, if you are caught in the Night.
Then we find Lucifer, wondering “who is he”? Could it be the devil? If so who is Satan? Are there three devils? Or is there one devil with three characteristics to counterfeit the Trinity? The only place we find the name or title Lucifer is here in Isaiah 14:12; therefore, we must define it to understand it. The Hebrew word Lucifer means light-bearer, which seems extremely confusing. The title is defined more so by showing us how it connects to the words Morning and Star, thus this element was assigned a star, had the ability to have light as he was associated with the Morning. When Jesus came the Day opened, thus it was Morning, one of the first disciples to join Him was Judas, the traitor. Lucifer is more a position of “man”, than one person. At the Rapture there will be stars falling to the earth, as the drunken who go into the Night (Rev 6:13). From what culture the name came form does matter, we find the source is really Gentile in nature then picked up the Jews. It’s the key isn’t it? Since this element begins in the Morning it connects to Judas, the son of perdition, but the position drifted into the Gentile dispensation as others joined. Jesus called it the Synagogue of Satan, which is seen in the Day and Night (Rev 2:9 & 3:9). The two horns of the goat appears like a lamb making the completed connection showing Lucifer began in the Morning as the son of perdition, a position with more than one member (Micah 7:2 & Eph 4:14).
In our Season they are run by the spirit of antichrist, in the next they are the false prophet. When God speaks of Lucifer He goes to the source by asking, “how are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!” (Isa 14:12). The question is not “why?”, but “how?”, which refers to Ways, not Acts. The use of “nations” connects the position to the Gentiles. Lucifer is self-willed, attacks those in the Body sets himself up in his own mind as the savior of mankind, but wants all mankind to be subject to his will. This element will invade the Woman, instead of her saying, “Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb” (Rev 7:10), she says, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow”, it sounds like faith, but it’s presumption (Rev 18:7). She becomes deceived, yet her deceiver is Lucifer. The Woman becomes so much like Lucifer, one can’t tell one from the other in the bed of adultery.
Lucifer has five evil self-based thoughts, one is “I will ascend into heaven”, then “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God”; the metaphor “stars of God” points to the members of the Christ Body, this is a clue showing us the sons of perdition assume they are the Head of the Body, it’s obvious their thinking is all “self”. Lucifer isn’t concerned about the Rapture, nor the Resurrection, nor working out his salvation by fear and trembling, he will say ”Lord, Lord didn’t I”. Lucifer assumes his own power is more than enough to get him into heaven. The Wicked love the Body of Christ, but not for Christ’s sake, rather it’s for the self-benefit of feeling superior over the Body.
In order to get some view of this element we go back to the “head”, recalling the head of the nation was the city, just prior to looking at Lucifer we saw “the golden city ceased”, as the pomp of the city is brought down. Now God looks at Lucifer, are they one in the same? Hardly, the five “I wills” separate this element from the city (woman). In Ezekiel we will find the “prince of Tyrus” as one who says in his heart “I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the Seas”, yet God says, “you are a man (Adam)” (Ezek 28:2). This prince is also seen in II Thessalonians as the one who opposes (is anti) God, who exalts himself, showing himself as if he is God (II Thess 2:4). Paul defines this one as the Wicked (Lawless one, connecting it to the Iniquity – II Thess 2:8). Lucifer is also noted here in Isaiah as “a man” (Isa 14:16). They all relate, the five “I wills” will define Lucifer as the self-based Wicked. The word “man” in Isaiah is the Hebrew Iysh meaning man, men or mankind, or natural man, a clue to this entity. This position has the opportunity to be a “light-bearer”, but retains the old nature, thus remaining natural in thinking and effort, making it the personification of the self nature.
Lucifer also says in his heart, “I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north”, this shows his attitude of being over the Jews and Zion, pointing to the Season yet to come. Lucifer continues his sayings in his heart with, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”; the clouds are Witnesses, yet here we find this element not only says he is greater than all the witnesses of God, but is greater than the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets. Then he says in his heart “I will be like the most High”; a direct reference to being God Like without having God (Isa 14:12-14). This is what the devil promised Adam, only he promises the city to be as God, without having to have God.
This is a progression of natural mental intents and thoughts; first it’s ascending into heaven based on personal self-imposed self-righteousness. They base the illusion on their false concept if being the special of the special, the cream of the crop, better than the entire Body of Christ, better than Israel, better than the Covenants of God; their deception has deceived them. Next Lucifer thinks he is the Head of the Body, yet Paul told us to grow up into the Head. Ahh, Lucifer thinks he is the authority, rather than having it, but we find the authority he uses is from the Beast of the Sea. The authority of the Beast of Sea is from the dragon, making it demonic (Rev 13:1-12). Lucifer holds the illusion of being superior based on his self-imposed holiness, to the point where he thinks Jesus owes him. This illusion causes him to miss the Rapture as the drunken who go into the Night, yet he was part of the Body (I Jn 2:19). After the Rapture the Wicked move to worship at Jerusalem, but why? Since the Spirit is gone the religious power will be with the Sixth church. Lucifer’s desire is to control the people of God by a false religion, thus he sits in the temple of God thinking he is God, but how does he sit? By placing the abomination in the place it should not be. This is far different from an appointed leader, rather this is the famed “Jezebel spirit”, the self-appointed, thus Jesus refers to them as the “synagogue of Satan”, it doesn’t mean they are Jewish, rather they gather together against the called out ones. They would be the opposite of “assembling” to edify one another, rather they gather to exalt themselves, by lying in wait to deceive.
We find some clues in Isaiah 14:12. The word “weaken” in the phrase “weaken the nations” means To vanquish, or To put under a part of another, it also uses the “mouth” to do so. This word also points to something “springing from the ground”, pointing to the Beast of the Earth. The word Fallen also means To cause to fall, it connects to Hebrews 10:38-39, thus they have the opportunity to be Just, but they make it Unjust causing them to draw back to Perdition, in turn they cause others to fall into Perdition.
God shows this “man” made the Earth to tremble, did shake kingdoms, made the world a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof (Isa 14:16-17). This is a progression of unjust activity showing why Lucifer becomes the enemy of Jesus. A man’s enemies are of his own house, Lucifer is the “son of perdition” who will cause all to take the Mark in order to do business with the Woman, the center of wealth. Therefore, this “man” brings the number of “a man” by placing himself in the Temple using the Image as some reproduction of a man, just as Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did with the “image of gold” he made of himself, which image measured “threescore and six” (66 – Dan 3:1).
All this gives us Two Seasons for Lucifer, he begins in the “morning”, yet ends in the “Night”, but he never grew out of the “beginning” (morning). He is also noted as the abominable branch, the cut off one, the one who rejected the call of God’s Love, the one who slanders the brethren, the one who is still in darkness, who uses the spirit lusting to envy, thus the authority of the world is based in envy, strife, division, while using carnal means to define spiritual matters. The “man of sin” is the result of the iniquity, but the iniquity is at work now, the sin will be in the Night, making the sin unforgiven. Since Lucifer never considered his evil ways “sin”, he never asked God for forgiveness, rather Lucifer used the “working of Satan”, but called them “of God”, thus he assumes he has no sin. Even if he asks with the blanket, “Lord forgive all my sins”, he still uses the same old nature, still thinking his ways are not sin. Lucifer is not the same as someone who slips, or backslides, this is someone who retained the nature of the world, but called it “Christian”.
This description is to similar to Paul’s description of the son of perdition not to be one and the same. It’s also the same description Ezekiel uses for the prince of Tyrus making the connection again (Ezek 28:2). Bits of this description will be seen over and over again in the words of the Prophets, as well as by the New Testament scribes.
The iniquity was at work in Paul’s day, but the sin comes in the Night as the Eight emerges from the earth as a Beast. The “Eighth” is also known as the Wicked (Law Less One – II Thess 2:4-8 & Rev 17:11), defined as Korah, Cain, and Balaam (Jude 11 and II Pet 2:15). This son of perdition is a he, but a them as well (II Thess 2:8-11). John said the “he in the world” has many members (I Jn 4:1-4 & 2:18-19). Isaiah says this Lucifer is “a man”, the number of a man is the mark of the Beast (Isa 14:16 & Rev 13:17-18). Leaving it there, may produce fear, but John also told us, “greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world”; he also said the Youngmen have overcome the Wicked, there is hope coupled with our victory (I Jn 2:13 & I Jn 4:1-5). We work to walk in the Spirit of Truth, the sons of perdition are afraid of the Spirit of Truth, they don’t want change, they desire to remain with the spirit of man, which changes to the spirit of the world, making them the “he of the world”.
There was no reason for Judas to do what he did, other than the nature of Judas. Since only one of the disciples fell to perdition, we know it was not some overpowering evil with the ability to overtake us, rather it was one man who refused to face his own evil nature. Judas wanted what he wanted and was willing to “use” Jesus to get it. Being a servant, and using the Master to get what we want are two different things. Judas cast out devils, but devils were not his problem, Judas was the problem of Judas. He rejected all the teachings of Jesus regarding this very issue, he felt his agenda was more important than God’s. He exalted his plan over God’s, then attempted to make his plan superior. What was the difference between Peter and Judas? Peter was attempting to do something for Jesus, Judas was attempting to do something to Jesus.
The mark of the Beast is the number of a man, not men, thus the mark associates with a Beast, but which one? John shows two, one from the Sea then the Wicked from the earth. It’s the False One (Wicked) who makes an image according to First Beast whose deadly wound was healed. The head wound is one of “authority” showing idol worship is a matter of authority, evil authority, but still authority (Hab 3:13).
There are three basic descriptive forms relating to the fall nature, the spirit of man knows all about mankind, it uses the knowledge against man, just as the devil used his information against Adam (I Cor 2:11). The spirit of man is opposed to the Spirit of God, the spirit of the world is centered on the things of the world, it’s opposed to the “Spirit which is of God” (New Man – I Cor 2:12). Then James tells us about the spirit lusting to envy, we know the word envy means incapable of doing any good whatsoever, thus all of these give us a picture of the demonic realm. The devil is the prince of his realm, the same prince who is associated with the realm of disobedience, Satan is the nature of the devil opposed to mankind, yet Lucifer is the son of perdition. The sons of perdition were saved from the world, yet allowed Satan to rule their soul. Paul said the false apostles have an outward appearance of righteousness, but inside Satan rules (II Cor 11:13-14). It’s not being captive by the fallen nature, it’s being free of it, yet desiring to use it for ones personal benefit; it’s a love of the self over anything else. They are so impressed with their power to deceive they consider it an attribute of being a Christian. It’s so clear when we put it together, Lucifer exalts himself above all of God’s people, becoming the abominable branch, as the cut off branch, the tare, the bird, the wild sour vine. He failed to open the door to the prisoners, rather he made prisoners who were not prisoners (Isa 14:16-17). He turned the greatness of the Time of Comfort into a wilderness of sin, he destroyed his own land (kingdom), then joined with Babylon (Isa 14:14-20). Lucifer had it in hand, yet caused his own downfall, God wants to know “How?”, not “Why?”. The How points to the Ways of Lucifer, thus we judge the Fruit, or Ways of a person. They will go into the Night as the drunken, becoming the beast of the earth, or the Eighth in the last days, their evil ways cause the Star of the Woman to fall in the end.
In all this we still find the Lord has a very good purpose for those who love Him, for those called according to His purpose. He will cut the Remnant from the son and nephew (Sixth) and from Babylon (the Woman, or city – Isa 14:22). The end times are not some guess by God, they were seen before the foundation of the world. The entire creation in Genesis centered around this issue, God separated the Day from the Night; thus Jesus warned us about mixing the Day into the Night (Acts 1:6-8). The Wicked think they can change what God has ordained, but it cannot be changed, God has purposed it, God has proclaimed it, it shall come to pass (Isa 14:24-27). The Body may appear to be falling apart in some areas, but it’s purposed; the Body will be broken, but fear not, for the Church is not hurt, not wounded, neither will the gates of hell prevail against it.
God has many purposes, thus we don’t change His mind, we change paths to find the perfect purpose of peace. Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us to a place where God desires us. Within the Body there are elements, there are those who are Fetus’, Babes, Little Children, Children, Youngmen and Fathers. There are also those moving from the flesh (self-righteousness) to the Spirit, subject to various stages of growth, they are not to be confused with the Wicked. The Wicked are different, they want the religious feeling, but desire to use the authority of the world. They are in this to appear morally correct, to impress mankind with a religious appearance, to appear holy before men, to have power and position associated with God in some manner, they want the world to condone to their religious thinking, but they refuse to submit to God. They are using the Body, not edifying it. The division between the Wicked and the Just is found in “intent”, thus the Word in us divides the intent from the thought (Heb 4:12).
Isaiah tells us Moab went to the high places, this is a symbol of the Seventh church becoming lukewarm (Isa 15:1-9). The wording “High Places” is a metaphor for mental idol worship, the mental idols use pride as a foundation. The “pride of life” (self-confidence) is the one element the Wicked refuse to face, rather they use it as their “weapon”, usually claiming everyone else is prideful. We war against High Things which come against the knowledge of God, these High Things don’t come against God, they come against the Knowledge of God. Strongholds are products of natural thinking, there are strongholds of theology, some of traditions of men allowed to become Doctrine, there are strongholds based on not understanding events. Since God knows all things, it stands we can take some information, then form our own conclusions establishing a stronghold. We may be firm in one area, yet hold strongholds in another; any information on the subject must then come through the stronghold; just as any information we project must go out through the stronghold.
In reference to the “144,000”; they are obviously an elite group, thus some want to “work” their way into the group, but the Lamb will mark the 144,000 on Mount Zion. They are taken from the thousands, they didn’t work their way up the ladder of holiness, they also have a little strength, yet we have the Strength of Christ (Isa 16:1, Rev 7:4 & 14:1). As “elite” as they are, they are not Born Again, not appointed unto Salvation, they will not have the Spirit, but they will have brotherly love and a little strength, thus if someone has the driven desire to one of them, they must not have the Spirit.
The wilderness experience of the children explains how the devil can be separated from the children, yet still hold to the thoughts of Egypt. When the Seventh takes Moab, Moab will howl for Moab, but refuses to put away her pride (Isa 16:6-7). When the Seventh becomes lukewarm by praising the Lord in the house of the Lord, yet worshipping idols on the house tops, the gladness will be taken away. Ezekiel will show us how the images and idols will work their way into the temple; the Remnant will see these abominations take place, ending weeping over the abominations done in the city.
Toward the end of the last three and one half will see the glory of Moab cut off, the Remnant will be very small and feeble (Isa 16:14). John says, the Remnant will have a little strength (Rev 3:8); however, we are given the Strength of Christ (Rev 12:10). John also shows the Remnant are overcome, yet we are called Overcomers. The Remnant will be killed toward the end removing all mercy from the earth, but we are told those of us who are alive and remain will be caught up before the 1,000 years. Two different premises for two different groups (Rev 5:11 & 20:5-6).
The Remnant will return, the Remnant of Jacob from the House of David (Isa 10:20-21). Though the people of Israel will be as the Sand of the Sea, the remnant shall be saved (Isa 10:22). Oh, this must be talking about the time after the captivity in Babylon, so it’s complete, right? Yes and no, the preview was seen in history, but Paul also quoted this by saying, “Isaiah also cried concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a Remnant shall be saved” (Rom 9:27); by using the wording “shall” it points to a future promise. Then he said, “For He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom 9:28). Clearly it’s a work yet to happen, thus Paul by the Holy Ghost saw the preview was complete, but the work was yet future. The Remnant will be Jewish, or those Paul calls Israel. They will finish the Remaining work, it’s all purposed by God, it’s in the plan. However, just as sure is the Rapture finishing the work of the Day. How can the Night come, if the Day is still here? It can’t, but we will see Eclipses from time to time.
Damascus is the home of the children of Ammon, the children of Ammon are also one of the three to be taken by the Woman, leaving Seven. In that day the glory of Jacob will wax thin, as Jacob overtakes Damascus. It will come by the power of compromise, not war. However, the last war does causes the Great Trump to be sounded, then every eye shall look upon their Maker, then they shall have respect for the Holy One of Israel (Isa 17:7).
Here in the preview of the latter days we find their captivity comes because they forgot God, not because God wanted to bring judgment, the same is true in the latter days (Isa 17:10). Could God stop all this by forcing man to believe? It would be possible, but not profitable. The Father could have taken the cup of God’s wrath from Jesus, but it was not profitable to God, or for those who endure by Faith. God has given us free moral choice, not as the world gives, but as God gives.
Isaiah 18:1 tells us, “woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia”, one can assume this speaks of Ethiopia, but it’s Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. The land referred to has “shadowing with wings”, thus it has a metaphoric content pointing to one place only, Israel. In Revelation 12:14 just after the Woman brings forth the Man Child, then is seen with “two wings of an eagle” so she might fly into the wilderness (a place of waiting). Accordingly the Woman in the latter days is still in the wilderness, yet in Isaiah 18:6 we read, “they shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth”. The fowls shall Summer upon them, all the beasts of the earth shall Winter upon them (Isa 18:6). Summer? Winter? Seasons? Yes, the fowls are there now, the Beast of the Earth shall Winter on them in the Night, thus the fowls of the air are trampling the city under foot during the Day.
After the Time of Comfort the Woes will come on the inhabitants of the “earth and sea”, but Rejoice you of the heavens, the Woes are not appointed unto you (Rev 12:12). The last Woe will come when the Great Trump is blown (Isa 18:1-3); the warning will go out from Mount Zion in the form of the Two Witnesses, who are assigned to the last two candlesticks (Rev 11:3-4). However, the people will love the pleasure of Peace, Safety and the riches more than God; the love of money is still the root of all evil. The people will look at the Two Witnesses as hindrances, since the Two Witnesses are dressed in sackclothe calling for repentance, they also hold the prophetic words concerning the dangers of idol worship (Rev 11:3). They will have Peace, Safety and Money, they make the decision to kill the prophets, tossing the Law and Prophets into the street (a place between places), which removes any and all mercy from the earth (Rev 11:1-10 & Isa 18:1-7).
The Lord will “ride upon a swift cloud” (Cloud is a Witness), the word Swift is the Hebrew Qal meaning Light, or Rapid, or Swiftly. Egyptians shall be against Egyptians, they shall fight one against his brother, thus John said the city was spiritually known as Sodom and Egypt (Rev 11:8), yet Egypt is a metaphor pointing to the World. This defines the “he in the world” as worldly in nature.
We also find it’s a Cloud not Clouds, thus Jesus ascended with a Cloud, but returns with Clouds. This points to Pentecost and the four horsemen, the first is different from the other three. The first has a Bow, a word study shows the Bow is used to plant seed, yet the other three bring wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine. This prophetic message has other clues, “the Lord said unto me, I will take My rest” (vs. 4), showing the Lord sitting down, yet giving us Rest; when we have the Rest of God we cease from our own works (Heb 4:10). In verse 5 there is a vast change, the harvest is completed, the cutting away complete. The wording “cut off” is the Hebrew Karath meaning to cut down or destroy, showing the end of the harvest. Then in verse 6 we find the beasts of the earth, and the fowls of the mountains (nations), then the “present (cloud of witnesses) being brought to the Lord”, then regressing we find the city was trodden under foot (vs. 7).
The land has “spoiled rivers”, was “trodden under foot” (Isa 18:7). This is not Egypt, but connected to it. Ethiopia is a metaphoric type of the Wicked, Egypt a type of the world. We can metaphorically see Ethiopia as a type of the Beast of the Earth who is connected to the Beast of the Sea (Egypt) by the same authority (Rev 13:1-11). The spoiled rivers show life is cut off, the city is trodden under foot in this Season, even now. There are two people of the earth, and one on the earth, but not of the world. The Jew and Gentile are of the earth, the Christian on the earth, but not of the world. There are many religions in the world, as there are many nations, but God doesn’t see it that way. As long as the Gentile is telling Israel how to run the land, as long as the Dome of the Rock Mosque remains in Jerusalem the city is trodden under foot by the Gentile. It appears as if the Dome will never be removed, but we find God has said the Temple will be established in the last days; therefore, it will.
Isaiah 19:1 doesn’t say the idols will be done away with, rather they will be “moved”, the word Moved is the Hebrew Nuwa which has several applications, including To shake, To go away, To go up and down, To real, To be promoted, To wag, or To wander. If the idols are done away with, why would they fight among themselves? God also shows they will seek the idols, or charmers with familiar spirits. In the end Egypt will fail, but we find wars and rumors of wars running wild during the Day, thus this refers to the world as we know it today. Carnal Christians attempt to change the world, since they came from the world, rather than call the called from the world. The carnal mind still looks back at what was, but the Spiritually minded call the called from the world while allowing the world to run its course. The Lord has a purposed plan for the world (Egypt), no one can change it (Isa 19:12).
Then we see “the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt” (Isa 19:17). What Terror? What Judah? Could this be a metaphor to the Body? Yes, the Body is a terror to Egypt (world), so much so the world seeks for the Body to compromise. Since Egypt is run by the power and authority of the dragon, we also know Egypt mocks what it’s afraid of. Expect it, but don’t join it; know about the serpent, but remain as a Dove.
The biggest mistake we make, is placing ourselves under the authority of Egypt, assuming we can speak of the Lord, yet change the world. The world is under the prince of the power of the air, how then can they act Christian? They can’t, we couldn’t until we came to the Cross to receive the Spirit. We are not under Egypt, we are kings from a Kingdom far greater than Egypt. The Lord will smite Egypt, then heal it (Isa 19:22), what? The healing is the Time of Comfort, but there will also be a Highway out of Egypt to Assyria. The Egyptians will serve “with” the Assyrians, they won’t serve the Assyrians. Therefore, the Beast of the Sea (Egypt), will join to the Beast of the Earth (Assyrians), then cause the Woman to become Babylon, the great city will fall (Isa 19:23). In that day Israel, Egypt and Assyria will be the three elements on the earth, thus the Church will be gone (Isa 19:24). We see these elements as the Woman, the Beast of the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth. John is seen standing on the Sand of the Sea when he sees the Beast of the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth (Rev 13:1-13). John doesn’t see the Church at all, yet he is above the Sand of the Sea, not below it, or equal to it (Rev 13:1). Where are the Remnant? How come we don’t see them? They are there, they are seen as “the blessing in the midst of the land” (Isa 19:24). The time of Peace and Safety will be a Blessing on the earth, but it’s purposed to test the people of the earth (Rev 3:10). The children were taken into the wilderness to test their love, the Time of Comfort sees Peace and Safety as a test.
Isaiah is then given some requests from the Lord based in obedience without question. Isaiah is told to walk naked and barefoot for three years, as a sign of the nakedness of the people (Isa 20:1-3). This is an area where one better be hearing from God, rather than the lust of the flesh, or forming an excuse to walk around naked. Jesus tells the Seventh church, “Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing; and know not you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, so you may be rich; and white raiment so you may be clothed so the shame of your nakedness does not appear” (Rev 3:17-18).
God used the Egyptians as a sign to His people, showing how He allowed the king of Assyria to overcome them in order to complete the will and purpose of the Lord (Isa 20:4-5). Not all who are put in power by God are what we term Good, in fact Pharaoh was raised by God for the very purpose of teaching God’s people about bondage (Rom 9:17). In the latter days, God will allow the Assyrian to invade the Seventh to bring about the call for repentance. it’s still based on the condition of the Seventh church; the purpose of the plagues is not to punish the world, but to call them to repentance, whether they repent or not is still their choice.
Isaiah is told to put his sackclothe away; sackclothe is a metaphor for repentance (Job 16:15), thus the time of repentance has passed, it was time to expose the folly of God’s people. Isaiah walked naked for three years as a “sign and wonder” (Isa 20:3). We allow the Word to clean us so we can stand naked and open before God (Heb 4:12-13), but here the purpose was to show the people had lost their protective covering, the green tree was becoming a dry tree.
The children looked to Egypt and Ethiopia as “great powers”, they felt Egypt and Ethiopia would destroy Assyria, thus they wouldn’t have to face the battle, but it turned, as Assyria took both Ethiopia and Egypt (Isa 20:5). Then we read, “the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day”, what Isle? What inhabitant? (Isa 20:6). This is not Islands, as many, but Isle as one, referring to Israel, who was separated from the Gentile. However, the children looked at Egypt and Ethiopia as powers greater than they, the same error can happen to us, we can view the ways of the world assuming the devil has more power than we. The world’s power is obvious, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have power. When we presume our power is to overcome the world order we error, rather our Power puts us above the world order. The “cares of this world” refers to anything the world cares about, it has nothing to do with having a job, or making a living, it has to do with the fears and worries of the world. When the fears and worries of the world overcome us, we have taken the cares of this world as part of our nature.
The burdens of man, are the yokes of iron man places on himself; in Jeremiah some of the false prophets will call out “the burden of the Lord”, but their assumption of what the burden entails is wrong. They assume the Lord produced the burden, rather than the Lord reacting to the burden man attempted to place on God. Isaiah 21 has to be metaphoric in nature, after all, how many “deserts of the sea” do you find? If it’s a desert, it’s a desert, if it’s a sea, it’s a sea (Isa 21:1). We know the metaphors Sea and Egypt point to the world, now we have the word “desert”, which is the Hebrew Midbar, it’s the same word used for the word Wilderness, thus the “desert of the Sea” is the wilderness in which we find the Woman in Revelation 17. The connection is found in Isaiah 21:9 where we read, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of Her gods He has broken to the ground”. This not only goes with Revelation 18:1-2, but shows the “burden” is the idol worship conducted by God’s people. We also read in the Book of Revelation, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen”, then we read how the kings of the earth see her torment and say, “Alas, alas the great city Babylon, the mighty city! for in one hour is your judgment come” (Rev 18:10). Isaiah said Babylon was a “her”, John sees it as the Woman. Again this has nothing to do with gender, but with position. The Woman was suppose to be subject to Zion, as Zion was suppose to be the head of the Woman, but she made Zion her footstool. Assyria was a nation, Babylon a city, the Woman is seen as the City, but she becomes the head of the nation. The false prophet is seen bringing back the ways of Assyria to the Woman, by placing the abomination in the temple.
Is the pain seen here in Isaiah one of the Day? Or Night? It’s of the Night, as we read, “the Night of my pleasure has He turned into fear unto me” (Isa 21:4). Then the duty of the Watchman is defined, as one who watches for the Night (Isa 21:11-12). We Watch and pray, but Watch what? We pray we don’t enter the Night, nor the Hour assigned to the great tribulation. Then we read how the “morning comes”, yet it also seems to be in the Night; then we read “inquire, inquire you: return, come” (Isa 21:12). They are to inquire of the Lord, not inquire of their idols, the Morning refers to Jesus as the Son of man coming to finish the course of the Cross at the Judgment. The method God gave them was the Law (inquire) and Prophets (inquire), allowing them to repent unto the Lord.
God’s anger is kindled against the Wicked, they rejected the means, after they were in a position to hold it. They cause others to be taken captive, they are the reason Smyrna suffers (Rev 3:8-9 & Isa 48:12-13). God hates punishment so much, it angers Him to bring it, but God will do what He must do. God will wound the head (authority) of the house of the wicked, yet the false prophet will bring back idol worship to a place it should not be (Hab 3:13). The “house of the wicked” was seen in Proverbs, “the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked” (Prov 3:33): “the house of the wicked shall be overthrown” (Prov 14:11): “The righteous man considers the house of the wicked, but God will overthrow it with their wickedness” (Prov 21:12). The authority of the house of the wicked is wounded in our season, but in the Night the same authority will be found as the connection between the false prophet and the beast of the sea.
The Bride’s Supper is not some prime rib dinner or a fellowship meeting in heaven, it’s the table of the Lord’s wrath (Isa 21:5). We tend to confuse God’s anger toward the Wicked, with His compassion toward the sinner. The sinner in the world is a victim, under the shadow of the prince of the power of the air, but the Wicked are those who escaped the pollutions of the world, yet hold to the defiled garment, thus God’s anger is against the Wicked, not the sinner (II Pet 2:19-22, Jude 17-19 & Eph 4:14).
The Watchman sees “a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels”, but then he says, “A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights” (Isa 21:7-8). When we have done all to Stand, we Stand, here the Watchman Stood in the Daytime, but was in his Ward during the Night; the word Ward is the Hebrew Mismereth meaning Safeguard. We Watch during the Day, but we will be in Safeguard during the Night. It’s well after the Watchman’s time when he see Babylon has fallen (Isa 21:9). We Watch and Pray so we don’t enter the Hour of Temptation, this is a far cry from praying for the duration of an hour. We can pray for thirty seconds every morning to be spared the Hour of Temptation, or we can pray for an hour a day, yet never seek the face of God.
The horsemen from all four corners of the world will come against Jerusalem of the earth: the Trumpet will sound, yet we find the “army of the Lord” will be those coming against Jerusalem. These are not four horsemen, but horsemen from the north, south, east and west. It pains God greatly, but in the process we find, “Babylon has fallen”, the point (Isa 21:6-9). When they wonder why all this has come upon them, the Lord says, “Have I declared unto you?” which means, Isn’t the Word plain? (Isa 21:10). Not knowing our responsibility, and ignoring it are different.
There are watchmen, and there are watchmen; some see what is put before them, others see what they want to see. Here we find the definition of a watchman, a true watchman sees what is in front of them, a false watchman calls danger when there is none, or peace when there is none. The burden of the valley of the vision sees the people run to the housetops where idol worship was conducted (Isa 22:1-2). They see, but they do not observe, rather they see what they want to, but they refuse to see what God observes. This is the “valley of the vision” a low spot in the vision Isaiah had, the metaphor “housetop” or “roof” refer to the places where the people conducted idol worship, thus Jeremiah shows they worship Baal on the rooftops (Jere 32:29).
There is no comfort for the prophet who sees the child of God involved in idol worship (Isa 22:4): idols open the door to the Wicked bringing in destruction (Isa 22:5). There are idols of stone and idols of the mind, but an idol is an idol, is an idol. Looking unto the nation to save us, social change to protect us, or fearing the food we eat are all idols of the mind; they turn our heads from God as they demand our respect and fear, yet the idol is nothing, what one makes of it is the point (Isa 22:11).
Isaiah 22:12 calls for “sackclothe”, a sign of repentance. The metaphor “baldness” doesn’t mean hair loss, it refers to authority (I Cor 11:6), if the leadership has separated itself from the Authority of Christ, let the Congregation be as shaven. However, what causes this concern? They have rejected the judgment of God, rather than take joy in doing of the Law, they find pleasure in not doing the Law (Isa 22:13). Here in Isaiah we find the famed, “let us eat and drink for tomorrow we may die”, which is a reference to the thought of no judgment after death. Jesus made reference to this Scripture in the Parable of the rich man who retained his goods, but lost his soul in the process (Luke 12:16-21). This was termed “iniquity” or being unequal, they claimed “the Lord is our God”, but they also bowed to idols (Isa 22:14). The prophet is sent to Shebna the “treasurer” giving us the connection to the parable of Jesus in Luke (Isa 22:15-21). Then in verse 22 we find the phrase “key of the house of David”, yet in the Book of Revelation Jesus said He had the Key of David, is it the same Key (Rev 3:7)? Has to be there are only two references, this key is related to the “shoulder” pointing to government, the Sixth church will be the government of the Night. Then the proof, only the Lord can open or shut this door to the house of David (Isa 22:22 & Rev 3:7).
Some run into a snag here, II Kings has a different completion date than Isaiah, some think one was written after the other, the truth is one was finished after the other, but they are both correct. There was a scribe writing Kings, and one writing for Isaiah. Two legers, but it doesn’t mean they both had to finish writing at the same time.
Ahh, a mystery, the wording “Eliakim the son of Hilkiah” would be the Hebrew Eliakim Ben–Hilkiah, Eliakim means Whom God has sent, Hilkiah means Portion given to Jehovah, thus this isn’t speaking of Eliakim or Rab-shakeh, but The Son of God, Whom the Father Sent to gain Jehovah’s Portion. The word Portion means a Part of the total, thus it refers to the Remnant. This also explains the third person comments Jesus makes to the Sixth and Seventh churches, it appears as if He is speaking to them in a manner of introduction, but to the first Five churches He is speaking to them as their Lord. Strange? Not so, it’s seen here, if the Remnant are in the Night, then Jesus is obscure, hidden in the Volume of the Book, yet not Revealed until the Last Day when they look on Him they have pierced. This is seen in the phrase “He shall be for a glorious throne to His father’s house” (Isa 22:23). His “father’s house” is the House of David, the Remnant will have the “glory” of the former, thus there is the glory of the moon, the glory of the sun, the Glory of the Stars, all different (I Cor 15:41). The “restoration of Israel” is in the Father’s power, it’s the time to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool (Acts 1:6-8).
We also find the “vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons” (Isa 22:24). Say what? Clearly they are Vessels, but it’s the type draws our attention. The wording “small quantity” is the Hebrew Qaton meaning Least, Small in number, connecting to “a little strength” (Rev 3:8). All this has to relate to the time of the Night centered on Judgment, then we come across the “Sure Nail”. The Sure Nail, not nails, is the one for the feet of Jesus, the place of His footstool (Isa 22:25).
Another mystery opened with the wording “cut down” not the wording “cut off”, they are different. The wording “cut down” is the Hebrew Gada meaning To fall a tree, or To cut down a Tree. The wording “cut off” is the Hebrew Karath, which we know now means To cut off a body part. The word Removed is also important, it’s the Hebrew Muwah meaning Withdraw, or Take away. This passage gives us a progression of events, the Sure Place will be Taken, the Tree will be Cut Down, the Burden of the Tree will be Cut Off as one Cuts off a Body Part, thus showing before the House of David is opened, the Tree will be Cut, the Good taken Away, the Wicked (Burden to the Body) cut-off giving us the Broken Body of Jesus at the Rapture. The Sure Nail belongs to one group, the Wicked, they are the footstool of Jesus. Even Thomas in his “doubting” stage knew better than to mention the nail in the feet of Jesus (Jn 20:24-25).
Then comes the burden of Tyre, yet Tyre is not the United States, rather it’s a symbol pointing to the House of Jacob (Isa 23:1 & 23:15). The merchants become the crown to Jacob who caused the changing of crowns from the promised crown of life, to the wicked crown of the Whore (Isa 22:4-10). The Lord has given a commandment against the merchant, thus the merchant isn’t a child of God who does business in the world, rather the merchant is one who thinks like the world (Ezek 28:13-16).
The concept behind the word “merchant” or “merchandise” shows us the person or subject is consumed with the love of money and possessions, they will use whatever they can, even the windows of heaven. The devil is the merchant of people, but the lust is the same root to all evil. In the Book of Revelation it’s the Seventh church who thinks it’s rich and in need of nothing, showing being rich is all they think about. Does it mean God won’t open the windows of heaven? No, God will open the windows of heaven after the earthquake producing the Rapture, which brings the earth back to its position as it was in the time of Noah. Being rich isn’t the issue, the mind behind getting there is. If the only reason we follow God, or go to meetings, or follow preachers is to get money, we’re in trouble. If the only reason we preach is to get money, we are like Balaam.
The earthquake Isaiah refers to is the last one turning the earth inside out (Isa 24:18), this would be after the Jacob’s Trouble, when the House of David becomes the House of Jacob. The earth will reel to and fro then fall, never to rise again (Isa 24:19-20). The inhabitants of the earth are “burned” and “few men left”; the “few” are those who see their names in the Book of Life on the last day (Isa 24:6 & Rev 20:15). The earth will be New in purpose and condition, instead of being the testing ground, it becomes the burning lake of fire. We think the word “New” means “new and better”, but there are different Greek words for the English word “new”. In reference to the New Birth it does mean New and Better, but in reference to the “new earth” it means “new in purpose”. The old purpose for the earth will be complete at the Judgment, then the new purpose begins, as hell widens her borders to become the lake of fire (Isa 5:14).
Isaiah 24:22-23 talks about the Judgment, prior God said the inhabitants will be scattered (Isa 24:1), here God shows them gathered in the pit. We see the Lord “reigns” in Zion and in Jerusalem, but we have to determine if it’s Zion of the earth, or Zion of heaven, or if this is Jerusalem of the earth, or New Jerusalem. The key is the phrase “before His ancients”, this shows the concept points to New Jerusalem, connecting to Revelation 20:4. Those who were partakers of the First Resurrection are taken before the 1,000 years of Peace and Safety, thus they reign with Christ in heaven. They are the ones who were beheaded for Jesus, yet being “beheaded for the witness of Jesus” doesn’t mean one had their physical head cut off. If it did, what about John, who died a natural death? Or the many others, like Thomas, Peter and many, many more who died in ways other than being beheaded? The word used in Revelation 20:4 is different from the one used in reference to John the Baptist being beheaded. The metaphor “head” means Authority, thus the mark of the beast on ones Head refers to them accepting and using the authority of the beast. Therefore we find the word used for beheading in reference to being beheaded for Jesus means one gave up the old authority for the authority of Jesus, behold all things are New.
This vision causes Isaiah to praise the Lord, as Isaiah sees the past is merely a preview of what is to come (Isa 25:1-12). God will make the city a heap, then the strong people will glorify the Lord. The terrible nations shall fear Him, showing every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord; however, for many it will be too late.
When the Sixth church is operating during the Time of Comfort, Judah will be singing the song of Salvation in heaven, the Wall will be complete (Isa 26:1). The Gates will be open by the Sixth church, they will be in perfect peace (Isa 26:2). The 144,000 are the gate builders, but the gates can’t be built until the wall is complete. The 144,000 will wait upon the Lord, trusting in Jehovah the everlasting Strength of Israel (Isa 26:4 & 25:9). The Lord will ordain the peace, the soul of man ordains the destruction (Isa 26:12 & 26:17-21). Once we understand the Restoration of Israel, we will also be able to witness to the Jew, as well as talk to cults without entering debates. All cult systems have three pillars, self-righteousness, corrupt end time teachings, and some book or person whom they think elevates them above the rest of the Body of Christ. They want to be the special of the special, the 144,000, the “only true Church”, or some other prideful element, but in truth without the Spirit they lack the ability to obtain any of their goals.
Isaiah then tells us about Leviathan: the Psalms tell us how God gave Leviathan to the children in the wilderness as food, or better He gave them power to overcome, but they held to their Egypt thinking (Ps 74:14 & 104:26). Leviathan is from an unknown origin, in Job it appears as if it’s a fire breathing dragon, the word points to a “sea monster”, thus it all makes sense when we read Revelation 12:7 where there was a fight between Michael and “the dragon”, then in Revelation 13:2 where the “beast of the sea” received power, authority and seat of Satan from the dragon, making Leviathan a metaphoric fire breather.
The children in the wilderness were free of Pharaoh, the children in the kingdom of heaven are free of the devil. Through death, Jesus destroyed (made ineffective) him who had the power of death, who is the devil (Heb 2:14). The children in the wilderness where their own enemy, the flesh is ours. However, in “that day” (day of the Lord) the Lord will bring His great Sword and punish Leviathan, He will punish the dragon in the sea (Isa 27:1. John says, “and he (the fifth angel) laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years”. One element, but with three characteristics, the dragon, the serpent, and Satan, all the same devil. After the 1,000 years we find the devil, the beast of the sea and the false prophet (Wicked) in the lake of fire at the judgment (Rev 20:10). Psalm 9:17 says the Wicked shall be turned into hell, yet we find hell is tossed into the lake of fire (Rev 21:14). The hope is finding our names in the Book of Life, in our case the signature is the New Man in us.
The Remnant have a different path than the Wicked, they will sing “unto her” in the “vineyard of red wine” (Isa 27:2). The her is the Bride, the “vineyard of Red Wine” is New Jerusalem covered with the Blood of Jesus, thus the Remnant sing Unto her, rather than sing As her. New Jerusalem will be watered every moment by living waters (Isa 27:3 & Rev 22:2).
The “Great Trumpet” shall be blown, they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, the outcasts in the land of Egypt shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem (Isa 27:13). What? This shows the judgment with the Great Trump, not to be confused with the Last Trump. How can this be? Those who find their names in the Book of Life are received by New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-7). The Outcasts of Egypt, are those whom Egypt has rejected.
Instead of using a crown of self-righteousness, we find our Crown of Life is in the Lord (Isa 28:5). When the Spirit takes us to meet Jesus in the Air, the Crown will change hands and purpose. We are given the Crown of Life, but when Jesus returns it will be the Crown of the Spirit of Judgment (Isa 28:6). There are two different Greek words used in the Book of Revelation for the word Crown, in reference to the saints it means a Crown of Victory, but in reference to the Beast it means one of authority regardless of the source; therefore, only the saints with the Spirit have the Crown of victory (life).
The priests will follow the False Prophet, as they error in their “false wine” (Isa 28:7). Jesus said, He would spew (spue KJV; rid oneself of mucus) the lukewarm Laodiceans out of His mouth (Rev 3:16); Isaiah simply calls it, “the tables of vomit” (Isa 28:8). The understanding of these matters will be given to us, for eye has not seen, nor ear heard the things God has prepared for those who love Him but He has given us His Spirit to search out the deep things of God (I Cor 2:9-11). We are instructed by the Mind of the Lord, through the Mind of Christ (I Cor 2:16). Who can teach the understanding of the deep things of God? Those who have the Seed of God, they are those who are able to discern matters (Isa 28:11).
The “he in the world” also has a covenant, but it’s a covenant of death (Isa 28:15). To free us from the covenant of death, God gave us Jesus, the Great and Precious Corner Stone of Life (Isa 28:16). Before Jesus gave us the Cross and Resurrection it was impossible for anyone to begin the foundation, much less finish the work. Without a Corner Stone the wall can’t be built, without a Wall the city is lost; the Great Corner Stone is only for those who believe (Isa 28:16); however, the same Corner Stone will place a “line in the sand”. On one side of the Line is the Righteousness of Jesus, on the other the Judgment of Jesus (Isa 28:17). There is a consumption determined on the whole earth, no one can stop it, but one can avoid it; however, it is nonetheless assigned to the Night, not the Day (Isa 28:22).
Using the wrong means to accomplish the result doesn’t change our position (Isa 28:24-28). If we saw a farmer plowing up his freshly planted seed, we would think he was crazy. If we saw birds working in the threshing room to get their food, we would think they were crazy. Why then do we attempt to reach Christ by any other means than the Spirit?
The word Ariel means Lion Of God, helping us define why John sees Jesus as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah”. A Lamb isn’t a Sacrifice, a Lion is different; when the time comes, the Lion and Lamb will lay together as one, but during the Day we see the “Lamb Slain”, during the Night it will be “the Lion”. The only other place we find the word Ariel is in Ezra 8:16, there it’s a person’s name, giving us a clue, here it indicates Ariel is the Lion of God as Jesus. The use of Lion Of God with the reference to David draws this prophecy to the end times, a Lion is one who judges, thus the devil goes about As a roaring lion. We have the Lamb of God, the Lion is for Judgment, thus the Lion points to a Woe, showing Jesus as the Son of man has two positions, one as the Lamb, the other as the Lion (Isa 29:1).
In the end the voices will speak from the ground, as Isaiah 29:4-8 points to the Judgment where we find Thunder, the last Earthquake, a Great Noise, ahh a Great Noise, a clue, and Peter said, “the Day of the Lord will come as thief in the Night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a Great Noise, and the elements shall Melt with Fervent Heat, and the earth also and the works therein shall be Burned up” (II Pet 3:10). We see the same here in Isaiah, but Thank God for the Day of Salvation, Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Why are the voices speaking from the ground? There is no physical life, it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27).
The book is given to the learned, but they can’t open it; then it’s given to the unlearned, but they can’t understand it (Isa 29:11-12). Natural intellect isn’t going to understand Scripture, the languages yes, what other natural people say, but it still takes the Holy Ghost to interpret the Book. It’s to God’s Glory to conceal the matter, but the honor of the king to search it out (Prov 25:2).
We must be open to the Spirit’s correction, for we may find ourselves drawing close with our mouths, but our souls are far removed (Isa 29:13). The meek are those with patience, as the sister of faith; the meek shall increase with joy in the Lord, the poor in Spirit will rejoice in the Holy One (Isa 29:19 & Matt 5:3-14).
The Remnant will inherit the earth when the Mountain of the Lord sits on the Mountains of the world, then the devil (terrible one) will be bound (brought to naught – Isa 29:20). Although the devil will be bound, the offender in word will not; therefore, the House of Jacob will be ashamed, but the House of David will be saved (Isa 29:22). We assume if the devil is bound all evil must also be bound, we are mistaken, as the heart of man is evil with or without the devil. The false prophet begins with the working of Satan before the devil is released, it’s the work of the false prophet causing the release of the devil by the fifth angel. Paul says the son of perdition will come after the working (or with the workings) of Satan (II Thess 2:9). The title or word Wicked appears about 325 times in the Bible, nearly 300 of them in the Old Testament, Judas had plenty of warning.
Isaiah gives a dual prophecy to both those who use the spirit of antichrist, then those who join the false prophet. When we run around seeking counsel from man or use formulas to gain, we add sin to sin (Isa 30:1). We must go to the Spirit to Hear our course, method, or receive the exposure; faith still comes by hearing. When the words expose the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life, the unsaved soul uses anger or manipulation as a shield, but the spiritually minded receive the exposure unto salvation (Isa 30:1). As Babylon was taking the land, some of the people ran to Egypt for protection, adding sin to their sin. When we see Egypt coming against the Body we can either run to the Spirit to discern, or run to the Beast; the choice is ours, the result is already written (Isa 30:2-3). All this may seem negative to a degree, but to the child of God it’s positive adding to positive. How can we defeat the works of the devil, if we continue to use them? How can we defeat the works of the devil, if we don’t know what they are? How can we break the sword of the enemy, if we treasure it? All these lessons show us self-deception is a brick in the wall of pride, yet humbleness is the weapon of our warfare to destroy pride.
John listed the things of the world in an order holding a mystery; he told us the “he in the world” is driven by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (I Jn 2:16). We can’t use the pride of life to destroy the pride of life, but one may be able to use the pride of life to close the eye gate, but we would still be using a worldly method, making pride the result. Isaiah gives us all the negative surfacing elements when man uses the pride of life to portray a religious stature which is neither Godly or Holy. The rebellious use the pride of life behind a religious mask (Isa 30:2); the rebellious trust in the shadow of the world, the shadow of intellectualism, the shadow of church dogma, the shadow of the self, but reject the Strength of His Christ (Isa 30:2 & Rev 12:10-11). The false strengths shall be to their shame and confusion (Isa 30:3).
There are the governments of the world, but there is also the government (Offices) of the Lord; Isaiah tells us the government rests on the shoulder of Jesus, not shoulders (Isa 9:6). The Neck is the place where the Head is connected to the Body, put a yoke on the Neck, one prevents the Head from connecting to the Body. The Yoke was destroyed because of the anointing, the anointing flows because of the Authority. When we become a “shame” it’s based on the lack of authority, not a lack of power (I Cor 11:1-7). Without the Authority, any use of power ends in rebellion; Jesus said Great Faith was based in the proper understanding of authority (Matt 8:9-10). Shame leaves us in a place where the people know there is no “profit” or Godly gain (Isa 30:5).
The lay out of physical land of Egypt in the time of Isaiah gives us the premise of Egypt in the natural realm. Upper Egypt was south, middle Egypt was in the middle, and Lower Egypt was north, thus when we enter Egypt we’re upside down and confused, if we sit in middle Egypt, we’re lukewarm. If we think we are at the top of Egypt, we’re still under it. The people felt if they ran to Egypt, they would be above the danger, but found they placed themselves in the lower position of destruction (Isa 30:6). Isaiah is told to write this down for a time to come, a time after the time to come forever (Isa 30:8). The “time to come” is our Season, the “time after the time” is the Time of Comfort yet to come. It becomes clear, a majority of the Old Testament talks of God’s judgment, thus the Good News is really Good. It gives us the opportunity to be separated from the Judgment of God through God’s Grace unto Salvation.
We will find a group coming to Jeremiah asking direction, the prophet will tell them the Lord wants them to go into Egypt, yet they will call Jeremiah a false prophet. There is no mention of them using this area of Isaiah as their basis, but it does give us the Proceeding word, here in Isaiah it’s the people running to Egypt on their own, in Jeremiah it’s the word of the Lord, two completely different premises (Jere 42:19-43:2).
God points to the rebellious children, as lying children, they refused to hear the Law of the Lord, making them liars (Isa 30:9). For us the Law of the Lord isn’t the Law of Moses: even the most misinformed Jew knows God gave the Law to Moses, then Moses gave the Law to the people, thus it’s called “the Law of Moses”. The Law of Jehovah is still the Law of the Spirit, since God is Spirit. The rebellious refuse to hear the Law of the Lord, they make themselves Law Less (Isa 30:9). The nature of the rebellious is found in Isaiah 30:10, they tell the Seers, “See not”, and the Prophets “prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits” (Isa 30:10). Do they really say this? Or is it the intent of their hearts? The intent, but some do say it, they want the prophets to speak one thing, making God force it come to pass. Prophets hear from God, they don’t tell God what to do. Today there are false prophets who speak from a lust to lust; Paul called it “itching ears” (II Tim 4:3). There are those who speak attempting to make God bring it to pass, they are false prophets, using the premise in reverse. They seek only the “pleasant things” attempting to please the flesh, rather than save their soul. Some sayings are hard, some offend, but the Word of the Lord is still sent to Heal us, not destroy us (Isa 30:12).
When we ignore the Word, or trust in oppression (fraud) or perverseness (to turn aside) we build a wall of pride separating us from God (Isa 30:12-13). The wall of pride causes iniquity, as they fail to turn toward the Lord. Our iniquity forces the Lord to use unpleasant means, at times breaking the vessel into pieces (Isa 30:14). In our case, if we return and allow the Potter to repair the breach, we shall find rest for our souls, but in the case of the Remnant we find the word Rest is the Hebrew Nachath meaning A descent, or Quietness, connecting to Comfort (Isa 30:15).
In all this, the Lord will wait to provide His Gracious Nature (Isa 30:18). For us exposure by the Spirit is a blessing, giving us the opportunity to say, “Get thee hence” just as Jesus told Satan to get behind Him (Isa 30:22 & Matt 16:23). This is far cry from running from the danger, as these people did. The saving of the soul brings the growth to the Seed of God as the increase for the Bread of Life (Isa 30:23).
Isaiah moves to the Time of Comfort again, during the Time of Comfort the animals will eat clean provender, yet it all leads to the great slaughter (Isa 30:24-25). The term “seven days” points to a Short Time until the Completeness; Isaiah 30:29 shows us this is “the Night”, but we also see “a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest and hailstones”, all pointing to the plagues in the very latter days (Isa 30:30). Verses 32 and 33 of Isaiah 30 sound like “music in the war”, in part it’s correct, there will be music in heaven, but hell on earth.
Isaiah again talks about the error of running to Egypt for help, it may seem God is redundant, but man’s hard heart calls for redundancy in many areas to break the wall of pride (Isa 31:1-9). Metaphorically we can see how running to the world for help, protection, security, need or salvation is error. If they are patient and hold to the Lord, He will come and fight for Zion (vs. 4). The wounded head is seen in verses 7-8, they will cast away their idols, then shall the Assyrian fall to the sword, those who live by the sword, shall die by the sword (vs. 7-9).
Now the prophet jumps ahead again, a King shall reign in Righteousness (Day), and rule in Judgment (Night – Isa 32:1). For those of the Day, a man shall be a hiding place, or able to Stand, even the Convert will have strength, and Rivers of Water shall come from what was a dry place, there shall be a Shadow of a “great Rock” in a weary land, eyes who could not see will see, and the ears who could not hear will hear (Isa 32:2-3). Paul said eye has not seen, nor ear heard, but we do now by the Spirit (I Cor 2:9-10). This then relates to the opening of the Day, evidenced by the Rock, Eyes seeing, Rivers of Water, ears opening. Even the heart of the Rash shall understand knowledge, there shall be changes in the natures of people, they shall not be what they were, there shall be a newness (Isa 32:4-5). However, there will be those who reject the Change. They are the Wicked, defined here as the “vile person” who will speak “villainy”, the word Villainy means as a Villain; it’s the Hebrew Nebalah meaning Wickedness, it comes from the Hebrew Nabal meaning Foolish connecting to the Fool talked about in Proverbs. The “vile person” will “work iniquity”, “practice hypocrisy”, devise wicked devises, destroy with lying words. This is the nature we are saved from as the Word in us divides brings clarify, discerns thought and intent to keep us from the ways of the Wicked (Heb 4:12 & Isa 32:6-8).
We then find a metaphor helping to explain why it seems Paul in the eyes of the unlearned is a chauvinist. The prophet says, “you women who are at ease”, but is he talking about Gender or something else? To the Jew this is clear, it refers to an “Eve attitude”, it has nothing to do with gender, thus Paul being a Jew uses the metaphor in reference to Jewish teachers of the Law, or those who connect themselves to the ways of the Foolish Woman in Proverbs, but he in no way is being a chauvinist. He also uses marriage as an allegory to the leadership and congregation, but he didn’t intend for the wife to hack off her husband’s head and wear it around like a hat. Metaphors draw a picture, but the legalist sees no picture, they devise bondage when the context is freedom.
Isaiah gives us a chain of events, the Spirit will be Poured out from on High, then the Wilderness will be a fruitful place, then comes the Judgment (Isa 32:15-16). We then find “the work of righteousness shall be peace”, this points to the Day. James said, “the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them who make peace” (James 3:18). The Effect of Righteousness is “quietness and assurance forever” (Isa 32:17). The word Quietness is the Hebrew Shaqat meaning To be unmolested, or To give rest, connecting to “rest for our souls” after we receive the yoke of Jesus. The word Assurance is the Hebrew Betach meaning A place of refuge, it’s after this “work of righteousness” we find the people will dwell in a “peaceable habitation” and “quite resting places” which is a reference to the Time of Comfort. Then the Hail and the city will be made low, which points to the Plagues and Judgment. However, Blessed are those who Sow beside Waters, we must sow Mercy whenever, and wherever we can.
The Longsuffering of God in the Season of the Day is seen in Isaiah 33, the Wicked spoiled during the Day. It seemed as if they got away with it, but Woe unto them, they shall be spoiled and feel the ways of their treachery in the end. However, the saints who waited on the Lord will see their Salvation in the “time of trouble”, this is a reference to the last resurrection, and those find their names in the Book of Life (Isa 33:1-2). Isaiah 33:5 shows us the Righteousness comes after the Judgment, but the New Man is created after God’s True Holiness and Righteousness to avoid the Judgment, huh? For those who Sleep in Jesus or those in the last resurrection it will be Judgment before the Righteousness (Life). It’s not the case with those who are Partakers in the First Resurrection, they have Life and God’s Righteousness before the fact. There is a vast difference between resurrected unto Life, and being raised by the same Spirit who raised Jesus.
During the Time of Comfort the Remnant, or the Firstfruits unto God, will have the judgment of the earth (providing for mankind), but the Firstfruits of the Spirit will have their Righteousness in heaven (white robes – Isa 33:5). Wisdom and knowledge divide the Seasons and times; we have the Wisdom of God by the Spirit, the Remnant will have the Knowledge of God found in the Two Witnesses (Law and Prophets – Isa 33:6). Zion will have bad fish (sinners), they have no Fear of God. It would almost seem as if they have “super faith”, but they fail the test of Giving God the glory for all things. Closing our eyes to the world, isn’t victory, putting them on Jesus is (Isa 33:15-21).
Isaiah travels to the last day, the Great Day of the Lord, the Day of Judgment. The Lord is our Judge, Lawgiver, King, He shall save us (Isa 33:21-23). We tend to look at the Time of Comfort as some heaven on earth; however, it will be as it was in the days of Noah. Although they will not have sickness or disease they will not have the Spirit either; although the devil will be bound, it will still be the Season of Night. We work while it is yet Day, for the Night comes when no man can work (Jn 9:4). We have a better promise, this is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice, for the Night cometh with the Judgment (Isa 33:24). During the Season of the Night the Workers of the Day will be with their Lord; Zion of the earth will have Remnant (Isa 33:20). The Remnant will see the abomination set up, but they will hold to “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us” (Isa 33:22). Jesus returns as “King of kings, and Lord of lords”, but why not “Son of God for the sons of God”? Why not? The sons of God will be with Him, returning as New Jerusalem. Jesus will not judge as the Son of God, rather He judges as the Son of man, making the Judgment based on Mercy, not Grace.
When we reach heaven there will be no sickness, war, or evil, we will never say again “I am sick”. We are those who are forgiven for our sins and iniquity by the will of the Father, but the workers of Iniquity used Iniquity as a tool, they are the drunken in the Night (Isa 33:24 & I Thess 5:7). The “he in the world”, or son of perdition is a product of the spirit of the world, the one opposed to the Spirit which is of God. The Wicked will break the Covenant, they regard no man, to them the ends justifies the means. He who walks upright, he who speaks Truth, who refuses gain from the oppressors, stops his ears from hearing of blood, his eyes from seeing evil, he shall dwell on high (Isa 33:15-16). Sounds like an eye gate thing, it is, but it’s directed at those who keep the Commandments of God in the Night. We have the unique opportunity to have a change in nature, where our ears seek the Rhema sounds as our eyes seek the Lord.
Isaiah 33:17-24 speaks of the promise to pass the books as they find their name in the Book of Life, when they look upon Zion of the earth, yet their hope will be New Jerusalem descending for them (vs. 20). The context here is not the Lord has saved them, rather it’s future tense, He will save. They are the ones who will be overcome, but nonetheless win in the end. This all connects as we see the prophet speaking of the Judgment in 34:1, as taking place on the earth. This is clearly the Judgment, we find “the mountains shall be melted with their blood” (Septuagint reads, “be made wet with their blood), what? How can blood melt a mountain? Go figure? The metaphor Mountain refers to a Nation, it’s the blood causing the mountains to turn into the lake of fire, as hell widens her borders. When we read how their “slain shall be cast out”, it doesn’t seem fair, but the wording “cast out” is the Hebrew Shalakh meaning To throw out, or To throw away, in this case it’s good news. Those they have Slain will be cast away from the torment, giving us an extra incentive when faced with a nasty son of perdition who is mocking or slandering. We on the other hand give Mercy, Bless and curse not, never render evil for evil. Why use the same weapons the Wicked do? That’s foolishness, yet when we apply Mercy, they see it as a weakness, assuming they won the battle, but they are self-deceived (Isa 33:4).
When the world claims all its good works, the Lord will say, “Seek you the Book and read” (Isa 34:16). The Bible is a Holy Book given by God explaining many things, one of those things tells there is none good but God. Someone may be nice, but it doesn’t mean they are good. A person may be smart, funny or likeable, but it doesn’t mean they are good. Even if someone does something good, the idea, motive and ability came from God; give God the glory, not man (James 1:17).
On the last day the books will be open for the Jew, as the rest will be judged according to their works of mercy, then they will look upon the Book of Life to find their name. Anyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life will not be able to leave this earth. Even if the Jew passes the books (Law), they still must find their name in the Book of Life, thus the Law of Moses cannot grant one heaven, it was not intended to (Isa 34:16-17 & Rev 20:12-15).
The Book of the Lord also contains the truth of the end times, the responsibilities for the Body and the Remnant. The Book will give us the dividing line, showing us where we Rightly Divide the Word. We don’t Divide the Word in the midst of the 1,000 years, we don’t Divide the Word at Noon, it’s already written; the Division is between Day and Night (Gen 1:4 & 1:18). Once we understand the Woman in Revelation 17 is the city, her mate is the Beast of the Sea, her counselor is the Beast of the Earth, we will stop seeking the “glory of the moon”, as we begin to seek the Glory within (Isa 34:16 & Rom 8:18). The phrase “no one of these shall fail” doesn’t mean the people, it points to the prophecies. In the end the City will be filled with the demons of hell, the people left behind after the Judgment will dwell therein forever and ever (Isa 34:14-17).
We also see how the “wild beasts of the desert” shall meet with the “wild beasts of the island”, then with the “satyr”, of course these are of course metaphors. Not only are these Beasts, but they are Wild Beasts. The word Satyr is the Hebrew Sair, we saw this in prior lessons, but for review it means a Shaggy, Hairy, Rough goat, it was used to refer to a “hairy demon”, a “goat demon”, or a “a goat idol”, the Satyr is seen in many idols of the past. However, in a prophetic sense we find the mystery in Revelation 13:11; the False Prophet comes as a Lamb, but has Two Horns, since when does a lamb have horns? This use of the word “lamb” indicates a religion connected to the Lamb of God, but the horns show the goat inside, or as Paul said they have a mask of righteousness, but inside Satan rules. The two horns indicate two elements of power, one is taller than the other, thus they have more power in one season than the do the other. In our Season one horn points to the spirit of antichrist, the other is for the Night as the false prophet.
The “wild beasts of the desert” connect to Psalm 72:9, where they are known as “they who dwell in the wilderness”, they are the “enemies” who lick the dust. God said the devil would eat the dust (flesh), thus the Wicked are flesh minded. In Psalm 74:14 the same Hebrew word was used, defined as the unbelieving children in the wilderness, but the wilderness was also a place where the priestly order came into being. In Isaiah 23:13 it’s defined as “them who dwell in the wilderness”, there we find it’s connected to the Chaldeans and “the Assyrian”. From this we find these “wild beasts of the desert” are those who enter but refuse to Believe, they are the doubters and pouters, the murmurers and complainers (Jude 16). These are not islands, these are the wild beasts of the island, showing they were lifted above the sea, but remained as wild beasts, like a shark out of water who can breath the air, it’s still very nasty indeed (Isa 13:22).
In Isaiah 13:21 we find the wild beasts of the desert, as the mystery begins to open. The wild beasts of the desert have “houses”, yet God wounded the head of the house of the wicked (Hab 3:13). These beasts are in the wilderness, they are the Tares, although they have houses, they are “desolate”. So what? The word “house” is the Hebrew Bayith meaning Tent, or Palace, it points to the Things found in the interior. The “desolate houses” is the Hebrew Almanah meaning Widow, in Revelation 18:7 the Woman says in Her heart, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow”. This shows how the Woman thinks she is rich and in need of nothing, assuming she is a Queen, because she sits on a throne, but the throne is Zion, yet later she is seen riding the Beast, thinking she is a Queen, indicating the Beast as her king. The wild beasts of the islands moved to the wilderness (earth), to become the wild beasts known as the false prophet.
We enter the wilderness of God to put our eyes on Jesus, and open our ears to the Spirit. The wilderness is the solitary place, but it’s where we find gladness of heart (Isa 35:1). When God brings the exposure of the soul, we can either walk around in self-pity, or pick up our hands praise ye the Lord to confirm our walk (Isa 35:3 & Heb 12:12). When we are faced with fear, we seek the courage of God in the covering of the Anointing. Surely God is with us, He will take care of vengeance and recompense (Isa 35:4). Is this bad? Not at all, it keeps us on the path of Mercy, we don’t concern ourselves with God’s side of the Covenant, He is faithful and just, knowing when vengeance should be applied.
How can blind eyes be opened, if we refuse to open ours? How can ears be opened, if we refuse to open ours? (Isa 35:5-6). We have a promise, the blind eyes we held in the world will See, ears which were deaf to the Ways of God will hear (Isa 35:5 & I Cor 2:9-10). The Cross of Jesus has two sides, Salvation first, Judgment second. We can understand why Jesus said, “For Judgment I am come into this world, they which see not might see; and they which see might be made blind” (Jn 9:39). God’s Judgment is a matter of separation, sheep form the goats, wheat from the tares, good fish from the bad. When we are separated into the Light then we can See and Hear the things God has for us.
The Book of Acts shows the disciples didn’t have to call themselves Christian, rather they were called Christian (Acts 26:28). Today the title means all sorts of things, if someone isn’t a Jew, they think they are Christian, but the title only appears twice in the Bible, making it very special (Acts 26:28 & I Pet 4:16). The disciples did call themselves The Way, showing Progression; God says, there will be a highway opened through the wilderness, it shall be called, The Way Of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it, it shall be for those who have the Waters (Mercy of God) breaking forth in abundance (Isa 35:8, 35:6 & Jn 7:37-39).
A highway or street takes a person from one location to another, the Wilderness is not Egypt, but neither is it the Promised Land. It’s the place between, the place of exposure and testing, yet the “wild beasts” assume the wilderness is the Promised Land, their need is taken care of, they have the covering (Unction) over the group (Body), they presume they are the “holy ones”. Unless they submit to the Spirit of the Lord, and move from their unequal ways, they will find they are the “rocks”, not the Rock.
Jesus repaired the Street, the Way is open for anyone who will Believe in Jesus to leave the confines of the earth and enter the Glory of heaven. They shall be the Ransomed of the Lord, they are heavenly Zion with singing on their lips and everlasting joy in their hearts (Isa 35:9-10). Heaven is so holy no “ravenous beast” shall go there, but the Redeemed shall walk there (Heb 12:18). The Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion; the word Ransomed is the Hebrew Padah meaning To rescue or Deliver. The rest of verse 10 defines heaven, no more tears, sorrow, or death, as a promise to us.
In the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib the king of Assyria came against Judah (Isa 36:1). Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz, it was Ahaz who sent word to Tiglathpileser the prior king of Assyria saying, “I am your servant and your son” (II Kings 16:7). Hezekiah means Strengthened by JAH, the messengers of Sennacherib challenged Hezekiah’s camp. When Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, then covered himself with sackcloth (Isa 37:1). Sackcloth is always a sign of repentance, thus the Two Witnesses point to repentance in the latter days, not Salvation (Rev 11:3).
Hezekiah will do something the house of Jacob will fail to do in the latter days; Hezekiah will send for the prophet Isaiah. The Word from Isaiah for the messengers of Hezekiah was, “Thus says the Lord, Be not afraid of the words you have heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me” (Isa 37:6). We could say, This is fine for those people but what has it to do with the end times? The prayer request generated the statement pointing to the “Remnant” (Isa 37:4). God was true to His Word, Assyria turned from Hezekiah then did war with Libnah (Isa 37:8). The Remnant will appear to be overcome when they are killed, the Law and Prophets become ineffective as they are found in the Street. The people will sing and send presents to one another, but then comes sudden destruction. God never takes the killing of His own lightly.
Sennacherib didn’t give up, he sent a letter to Hezekiah challenging the God of Israel (Isa 37:10-14). Hezekiah again intercedes for the Remnant by praying for God to save them from the hands of the “kingdoms of the earth” (Isa 37:20). Some of us think our prayers are limited to space and time, but here Hezekiah is interceding for the Remnant when all Seven Mountains of the world gather together against Jerusalem. God reminds us how He changes not, the past events are only previews of events yet to come, the Lord is always able to deliver the righteous. God defended the city again, then Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, then worshipped in the house of his god. While there, his own sons came in and killed him (Isa 37:25-38). In the latter days it will be the sons of Jacob who kill the Remnant removing Mercy from the earth.
Hezekiah then fell sick unto death, Isaiah prophesied Hezekiah would surely die (Isa 38:1-2). Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, asking the Lord to remember him, then the Lord granted Hezekiah fifteen more years (Isa 38:1-5). It would seem as if the Lord changed His mind, or perhaps Isaiah gave a false prophecy; after all the prophet did say the man would die, then he didn’t. Ahh, write a book, expose this man, No, the man did die, but his life was extended based on his repentance, the prophet was right, thus he didn’t say, “you’re going to die now”, rather he said, “thus says the Lord, Set your house in order: for you shall die, and not live” (Isa 38:1). Did the man set his house in order? The best way a man can, by repentance. Did the man finally die? Yes, look around, he isn’t here. The Lord wasn’t going to kill Hezekiah, rather the prophet merely said the Lord knows Hezekiah would die. Hezekiah didn’t inquire of some idol, rather he sought the face of God, thus God protected him another fifteen years, yet the man surely died in the end. Repentance changed the position of the man, if there was no repentance the man would have died then, but repentance moved him to a different position. We saw this with Moses, the people changed positions from destruction to the shadow of Moses sparing them.
The children in the wilderness made the request for someone to stand between them and God; thus it was more important for the religious leaders to receive Jesus, than it was for the common person. The Comfort for the people was on the way, God provided a messenger to point out the path with the only requirement God desired. This messenger called out, “Prepare you the Way of the Lord” (Isa 40:1-3). Notice it’s the Way of the Lord, not ways. This Way was the Highway, although narrow, it was nonetheless the way to be free of darkness. Preparation is the means setting us in a ready position to receive.
Repentance is based on admitting our condition and position is a failure based on our sins. We blame no one else, other than ourselves, we must admit we have sinned. To sit around saying, “well I would have been holy if it wasn’t for the world You gave me”, never produces the fruit of repentance. Repentance always entails taking the blame on ourselves, rather than placing it others (Isa 40:6-8). In our case repentance without the added aspect of Belief in Jesus is still self-repentance.
When Jesus came, the Arm of the Lord was presented, Jesus shall feed His flock, and gather the lambs “with His Arm” (Isa 40:11). As Eve came from the bosom of Adam, so did Jesus come from the Bosom of the Father, but Jesus takes us into His Bosom (Isa 40:11).
Who has instructed the Lord? Who can tell God what to do? Yet, we are instructed by the Mind of the Lord through the Mind of Christ to know all the things God has for us (I Cor 2:9-10, 2:16 & Isa 40:12-14). The joined nations of the world are nothing in God’s eyes, it’s the individual God is looking for (Isa 40:15-17). The early Jews considered it a sin to make a likeness of any man; the tradition came from the idea of how man making a likeness of man would soon end in man making a likeness of God. What can man make with his hands to depict God? (Isa 40:18-26). Those who worship pictures must see something, all the carnal minded must see if the likeness meets their approval; however, those with faith need not see to love and obey; “blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have (past tense) believed” (Jn 20:29).
The meek in our Season wait on the Lord, they shall have their Strength renewed by the Spirit (Isa 40:31). In our case this is day by day, for the Remnant it refers to the last day. In Psalms we found two areas regarding the Meek, those of the Day inherit the Spirit, those of the Night the earth.
To whom will man liken God, or what shall be Equal to God? (Isa 40:25). This one verse opens the concept of Jesus being “God the Son”,. When Jesus said “I and [My] Father are one”, the Pharisees had a theological fit. They understood what Jesus was saying, so much so they picked up stones to kill Him, yet they were under Roman law, and no Jew was allowed to take a life without the expressed permission of the Romans. What could bring the anger of the Jews to the point of taking a chance of violating the Roman law? Jesus asked them, “Many good works have I showed you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me?” (Jn 10:32). Jesus was asking which One of the works, yet it wasn’t the works, but His words. The Jews answered, “For a good work we stone You not; but for blasphemy; and because You being a man, make Yourself God” (Jn 10:33). They knew exactly what Jesus said, yet they had the facts reversed, Jesus wasn’t a “man making Himself God”, He as the Word in the bosom of God who was made (not created) a man. The Jews were holding to this verse in Isaiah, but failed to see to Whom they were talking.
The Lord is the “First and Last” not the “first or last” (Isa 41:4). Man has a first and a last, with a time between, but man cannot be last while being first, or first while being last. Saved man has a beginning by the Newness of Jesus with no end, but nonetheless man cannot be first while being last. This ability of God is called “omnipresence”, or being able to be in all times, at the same time. The concept is hard for the natural mind of man to conceive, but it explains the difference between the prophet of God, and one who foretells. A prophet of God is not guessing at the future, or seeing what the future might hold, rather the prophet is only speaking into the natural what God has seen from His omnipresence. Knowing this we can see there is a difference between “first and last”, and “the first shall be last”; although Isaiah opens the phrase, “the first shall be last, the last shall be first”. The Remnant were the first promised, but they are last to receive; whereas we were the last promised, but the first to receive. To the Jew the sunset begins the day, but for us it’s the morning, thus the Day to the Jew is last, but the Cross made us first.
God tells the Remnant to be patient, fear not and stand, for He is with them (Isa 41:10). There are times when we simply don’t understand, but we must believe, “God is”, before faith has a chance. Before we run off out questioning God, we must ask ourselves, “Where were we when He created all things?” (Isa 41:22). God knows, we don’t. The Remnant are known as the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman, they are not the Seed, but a Remnant of it. The word Remnant means to finish, or the remaining part. It will be the Remnant who will make the enemies of Jesus His footstool by giving their lives as they stand in Mercy in the Commandments of God. As it began with God judging, it will end with God judging. However, before the time, God will open the Day by sending Himself as the Word in the image of man to save man. His glory He will not give to another; therefore, in order to have the Glory of God, one must have the Seed of God (Spirit of Truth) in us (Isa 42:1, 42:7-8 & I Jn 4:1-4).
Jesus brought His Law of the Spirit for those of faith (Isa 42:4). Isaiah again goes to the end times joining the First coming of Jesus for Salvation to the Second Coming for Judgment (Isa 42:10-25). God created Jacob, but formed Israel (Isa 43:1). What? Wait, hold on, Jacob the man was a reproduction, Israel came from the man, did God make a mistake, or maybe the prophet is in error? Not at all, the soul of man is a creation, thus our souls are being formed by the New Man, they are not being created by the New Man. The flesh is a reproduction, but it nonetheless came about when God formed the flesh of Adam, yet the soul is the prize in this. The soul of Jacob was created, yet God formed the nation through God’s intervention in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by Covenant.
God then says, “I have called you by name; you are Mine” (Isa 43:1). Does it mean God calls out our name? No, it means God has called us by His Authority. Once we accept the call we are bought with a price. Redeemed means to obtain a possession already paid for, it’s the concept in Hebrews 10:38-39; the Just know Jesus paid the price. The Cross opened the Door to Salvation, when we accept the terms of the Covenant, we are a purchased prize. How important is it? God cares for us not only because He loves us, but because He has a vested interest in us, the Blood of Jesus. As a token of the purchase we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which came as a result of being baptized with the Holy Ghost and Fire. There will be times when the fire takes us into events which don’t seem good, nonetheless, God has a purpose and a goal, He is with us (Isa 43:2-5). We are created for the Glory, not because of it (Isa 45:7). We cannot be a Witness without the presence of God’s Servant (Jesus) in us by the Spirit (Isa 43:9-10). The only Savior for man is Jehovah, thus Jehovah came in the form of a man to save man; therefore, some want to be Witnesses for Jehovah, yet deny having the Spirit, but the Spirit is the very element bringing Jehovah to their heart (Isa 43:11-13).
God places us in various events for our own good, often the exposure brings to the surface elements we are attempting to hide or suppress. In order to redeem us, the Lord places us in conditions to expose the old man, so He can heal our souls (Isa 43:14). Once we leave the Sea, we cross the Water, then enter the wilderness where all things are New (Isa 43:18-19). Old things have passed away, or are in the process thereof. If we impute the flesh dead, it has lost its effectiveness, yet the old nature gains it power through the flesh. The Cross is the place where natural elements cease for us, the old nature, even the Law of Moses is nailed to the Cross. God formed us for Himself, those who appreciate Salvation give praise without fear or hindrance (Isa 43:21-28). Praise is our offer of thanksgiving, it becomes a mainstay in our overcoming ability. Our praises break down the walls of pride, overcome the gulf of ego, and knock down the stronghold of self.
Some shall say, “I am the Lord’s”, yet one can only confess this, if in fact they are a servant with Jesus is their Lord; no one can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (Isa 44:5 & I Cor 12:3). Others will say they are of the house of Jacob, but some will associate to Israel (Isa 44:5). The Two Seasons are seen in Isaiah 44:3, first is the Church as God has poured out His Spirit, then comes the Remnant who will see the windows of heaven open. This also opens the concept of “first and last”, we know God says He is also the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End, but why “first and last”? If the last shall be first, and the first last, does it mean God is the Last First? Both Seasons belong to the Lord, both have a purpose. The title Alpha and Omega, or First and Last show God is not bound by time, the End was in hand before the Beginning began.
There is no other God, yet there are various paths with various gods (Isa 44:8). There is the path of Lucifer, the path of self, yet there is the true path of the Lord; all of them are presented for us to make a choice; choice without choice, is no choice at all. Man’s soul wants to control all things based on man’s fear of the future (Isa 44:12-20). God tells Jacob to remember the foolishness of idols and images, for the time will come when one will come with an image of a man (Isa 44:20-21). Now wait, didn’t God just say to forget the former? Yes, but now He says to remember? What gives? We remember the effects, not the pain or anger. This also gives us a clue to the end times, God said “Let us make man in our image”, in the latter days the false prophet says, “let us make an image of man”.
The Time of Comfort is a time when the devil is bound, the transgressions of the people will be blotted out, thus they will worship images, forgetting the Lord their God (Isa 44:22-28). The Remnant will be in a position akin to the position of the Jew prior to the Cross, thus Jesus spoke many things to the disciples who represented the Jews regarding the things in the Night, yet He also knew they would not experience them, thus before Pentecost they were not Born Again, they stood as representatives of the Jews, as Jesus prophesied to the house of Jacob. “Pray it not fall on the sabbath day” is real to someone under the Law of Moses, but not to someone who seeks to be a Partaker in the First Resurrection.
Jesus told us to Follow Him, but in order to Follow Him we must deny the self and pick up our cross. Jesus went before us to make the crooked places straight, His faith has endured, thus Jesus gives us the treasures of darkness, not silver and gold, they are people held in bondage to the world (Isa 45:1-3). The “Dispensation” of the Day is the time of the Spirit; Paul found the anointing isn’t something we take with us to the places we desire, rather the anointing goes before us preparing a place for us.
Choice in the world’s eyes is not choice, but a means to insert self-wants and self-desires; however, God gives us perfect moral choice. He created both good and evil, both light and darkness (Isa 45:7); therefore, all things are under His dominion, the result determines the means, the means never determines the result (Isa 45:9-10). If God is Light, how can He create darkness? By removing Light. How can God create evil, if there is no evil in Him? By removing good. Creation is making something from nothing, absence of Light produces darkness, absence of Good leaves evil. It stands when God created the angel He knew the result, thus even the angels have choice, if not the one-third would not have been able to join to the devil. Therefore, we will find God has created the Waster to destroy, showing all the Waster knows to do is destroy; the Waster cannot do good, much like the word “envy” in the phrase, “spirit lusting to envy”. The Waster is a prime example of good being removed to leave nothing but evil unto waste. The devil caused all heavenly attributes to be removed when he sinned on earth against God’s creation; the result was twofold, the devil is limited to the natural, he is complete evil, nothing in him could be used to bring restoration, thus he cannot be restored, yet he is created, thus God knowing all things knows the Waster can do nothing but destroy.
The makers of idols, whether idols of stone or in the mind will end in confusion, yet Israel shall be saved (Isa 45:15-17). The means brings a world without end, but the earth without end is in conjunction with everlasting lake of fire. Since hell is cast into the lake of fire, we find hell is without end, just as the lake of fire is without end. If there is “Eternal” Salvation, then there must be “Eternal” Judgment, thus an element within the Doctrine of Christ is having the knowledge of Eternal Judgment (Heb 6:1-2).
The Lord seeks Righteousness, but in order to gain His Righteousness we must have the Kingdom of God by the New Man. The Lord has declared all events before they were events, nothing surprises Him (Isa 45:21-22). This also shows how silly it is to make some attempt to impress God. Our self-righteousness isn’t going to impress God one little bit, our faith will please Him, but even faith doesn’t impress God.
The Declaring of the Lord is confusing to the carnal mind, some assume because God spoke way back then, it’s past for man, but it’s not the case. God will declare us “out of the wilderness” before we enter. God will speak to us in faith, when we approach Him in faith, thus more often than not, God is speaking things as a not to us, but a were to Him. However, if don’t understand the concept we might assume we’ve been there and done that, when in truth we haven’t been anywhere, or done a thing. Before the battle begins, God declares our victory, it’s a matter of the witness bringing it to pass in our lives.
The Prophets speak many things relating to the End Times and Judgment as if they are past tense, yet we know the Judgment is yet future. Why? God rested, there are things alluded to in the Old Testament pointing directly to the New, yet they appear as past tense or present tense. God is still Alpha and Omega, often He is telling us what He sees yet to come by declaring it to us in the present tense, since it is present tense to Him. There are times when God is in our time frame telling us of things yet to come, but it doesn’t change His Alpha and Omega position, we must learn to discern by the Spirit.
Jesus as the Logos, took on flesh, He spoke the Rhema pertaining to the Spirit and life regarding the Day (Jn 1:11-8 & 6:63). Rhema ears seek the spiritual things of the Life in Christ in order to obtain faith. Jesus is Righteousness, Grace, Truth and Glory, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess He is Lord (Isa 45:22-23). Some think those in hell will be giving the devil the glory, not so, these Scriptures show us how they will beg, knowing Jesus is Lord, but it will be too late for some of them to escape the terror of hell. The Psalms told us there is no remembrance of the dead, but the dead will remember.
In the Lord the “seed of Israel” (not Israel) shall be Justified. This is not the Remnant, since they are of the Seed of the Woman, rather this points to Jesus as the Seed, but it also includes us as those who have the Inheritance by the Seed. This is still prophetic, the Seed took on flesh as the “seed of David”, but was declared the Son of God by the Spirit of Holiness through the Resurrection (Isa 45:24 & Rom 1:3-4). Therefore, it doesn’t say “true Israel”, but “the Seed of Israel”, not seeds as many.
When we see the word “Servant” mentioned prophetically it generally speaks of Jesus, but there is also the Servant known as the Body of Christ, thus we find areas pointing to Jesus in us. We are raised In the Righteousness of Jesus, the Spirit directs our Ways as the Bride makes Herself ready. We don’t Worship the Lord for “price or reward”, rather it’s based on Appreciation (Isa 45:13).
Those who are justified will be glorified (Rom 8:30 & Isa 45:25). It could cause concern, or make one think God has picked some from an A list, yet doomed all others no mater if they seek Jesus or not. Not so, God desires all to be saved, yet we know few are chosen. God doesn’t make the decision, man does. God provides, man decides; man has the keys. No one in hell can blame God for being there, rather God gave man the means and opportunity to be free, thus if anyone ends in hell, it was their decision to do so. Isaiah is providing choice, the people can receive it, or reject it. If they receive, they change courses and escape the punishment to come, if not, they end in the punishment, but they still have the choice.
Some follow idols, some make them, man can make idols of the mind, ending in his own confusion (Isa 45:16). When we follow idols we are considered the same as the idol (Isa 46:1). Following the spirit of disobedience after entry into the Body is what causes the Wicked to return to perdition. We are told “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him, but we are not of them who draw back to perdition; but of them who believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb 10:38-39).
When we stand in faith, we stand face to face with Jesus, rather than hide behind Him; therefore, we come boldly to the throne of Grace. The idols go into captivity, those who stand behind them, fall with them. Whether it’s an idol of flesh, stone, mind, following the Beast, trusting in one of the horns of the Beast, using the Name of the Beast for self gain as a nature; makes no difference, the Beast falls and those with the Beast fall as well. When we separate ourselves from the Beast, then we can have confidence in God’s deliverance (Isa 46:4).
Isaiah reaches to the end times, seeing the “he” who makes the bed of adultery for the Woman. The image in the last days will be the image of a man, the people will place the image of the man in the place it should not be. They will claim the image is Christ, as they say “here is Christ”, the voice behind the image will be the false prophet, as he becomes the “life” of the Image of the Beast. As Nebuchadnezzar was the voice behind his image, but Nebuchadnezzar was not Adam Like, the false prophet will be, adding the third Six to the “threescore and six” (Dan 3:1).
For the 1,000 years the Sixth church will care for the world, as they spread the knowledge of the Lord; they will know their wealth is a product of the windows of heaven being opened. We look for the Door, they will look for the windows, but the windows won’t open until the Door is closed. Their blessing will be based on filling the Storehouse in Jerusalem, but the Seventh thinks it’s rich and need of nothing, next the Woman becomes so self-deceived, she thinks she is the Savior of the World. It was God alone who brought Israel from Jacob, it wasn’t Jacob who made Israel. They will take “him” and set “him” in “his” place, and “he” will stand in “his” place, as they refuse to remove the “he”. One shall cry unto “him”, but “he” cannot answer nor save them out of their trouble. In reference to the image being set up we find the use of “he” (or him) used six times, in reference to giving praise to the image we find the use of “he” (or him) used three times giving us three six’s, the image will be of a “him”. (Isa 46:6-7).
Our examples are these former things of old, great intellect doesn’t impress God, nor does it save our souls (Isa 46:8-13). The devil plants his nature in the minds of men who refuse to face their own pride, some use their pride to come against the devil, yet the devil could care less, as long as they use he ways.
In Isaiah 47:1 we find two metaphors, “O virgin daughter of Babylon”, and “O daughter of the Chaldeans”, we notice the Daughter of the Chaldeans isn’t a virgin, but the Daughter of Babylon is. The Woman is known as Babylon, not here it’s the Daughter of Babylon, thus this refers to those found in the Woman when she turns to become Babylon the idol worshiper. This is not the “Seed of the Woman”, the Remnant are not the Seed of the Woman, they are Remnant of the Seed of the Woman. In Isaiah 47:3 we find this Daughter is naked and a shame, in the Book of Revelation we find the Laodiceans are naked (Rev 3:17). The Laodiceans are found in a place they should not be, yet they are also warned to “come out of Her” (Rev 18:4). Isaiah 47:10 shows how the Woman thinks she is God, as she says in Her heart, “I am, and none else beside me”. When we determine our position has moved into a position where we appear as Babylon, we are dust (flesh), yet in our Season repentance is the first step to restoration (Isa 47:1).
The Laodiceans are naked, although they have all the financial wealth of the world in their hands. Their nakedness is a shame, a condition brought about by the fall, pointing to the fallen Adam nature (Isa 47:3). The daughter of Babylon will no longer be called the “The Lady Of Kingdoms”; therefore, we find this “daughter” was a virgin, yet she is not the Woman, since the Woman is Babylon, who could she be? The Strange Woman, the False Prophet, the change in gender is not a mistake, it shows how the adultery of the Wicked makes them both a he and she. The Daughter of the Chaldeans is the Woman, this is found in the use of the word “Chaldeans”, thus showing she ends as Babylon, the offshoot of Chaldeans. The division between these two “daughters” is found in the use of Babylon for one, and Chaldeans for the other. The Daughter of the Chaldeans says in her heart, “I will be a Lady forever”; thus religious conceit rules her (Isa 47:7). Paul said “for even the women did change the natural use into what is against nature” (Rom 1:26). John reports how she says, “I sit a Queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow” (Rev 18:7). She ignored the obvious by believing riches are a measure of holiness.
God will pollute His own inheritance by bringing a burdensome yoke (Isa 47:6). The Woman thinks social change will bring her peace, but her actions produce more bondage and defeat. She sought the pleasures of God, but didn’t seek God, rather she said in her heart, “I Am and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children” (Isa 47:8 & Zeph 2:15). The ignorance leads to religious conceit as a veil so thick it blinds the very soul of the person. God says, two things will come in a moment, she will lose her children, and she will enter widowhood. She makes a declaration, then God makes a declaration, but God’s is the one coming to pass.
She will trust in the wickedness of the False Prophet, who has the natural ability to control, as she becomes the Oppressing City. She has natural wisdom and knowledge but not of God (Isa 47:10 & James 3:15-16). God tells the Woman, and all who trust in religious conceit, to stand with their foolish intellect, idols, astrologers, stargazers and monthly prognosticators, see if they can save them (Isa 47:10-13). Behold, the fire shall burn them all, the Power of the flame shall consume them in a moment (Isa 47:14-15). Not a pretty picture, but one determined from the foundation of the world.
Looking at Isaiah 46:13 one would think Salvation will come from the Remnant, but if we look at the verse we will find this is prophecy regarding Jesus. The word Salvation used in this verse is the Hebrew Teshuah in the Greek we know it as Soteria meaning Salvation. This verse doesn’t say Zion will bring Salvation, rather it says Salvation will be Placed in Zion, and in Israel, it came to pass during the earthly ministry of Jesus. From Zion to the Israel, to all points of the earth Salvation is preached.
The House of David is the Sixth church, the House of Jacob the Seventh, yet both are called by the Name of Israel (Isa 48:1). The metaphor “waters of Judah” doesn’t refer to the Church, the Mercy of God will be the method of operation for the Sixth church, but the Seventh church will mention the “God of Israel”, but not in Truth or Righteousness (Isa 48:1). This is found in Isaiah 48:2 in the phrase, “they call themselves of the holy city”, thus we find it’s not calling themselves The Holy City, but of it, connecting to the Laodiceans.
Itching ears seek to be more special than the special, their ears are not open to the Lord, but they are open to winds of doctrine, their eyes are not looking to the Lord, they are seeking self-glory (Isa 48:8). God put us in the fire of affliction (Baptism of fire) to purify us for His Name’s sake, but He will also pollute the kingdom of heaven by allowing the tares to enter, yet the wheat will be saved in the Kingdom of God (Isa 48:9-11).
Isaiah again looks at the house of Jacob, showing the First and Last (Isa 48:12). God purposed the Time of Comfort, it will come, what the House of Jacob does with it determines the result (Isa 48:12-14). The Lord teaches us to profit, He will teach the House of David to profit, but when the House of Jacob turns the teaching to the self, negating the purpose of the teaching the end will be near (Isa 48:17-22). God speaks about the called purpose of Israel, Paul used some of this text to rebuke the Jews; however, if we don’t understand this as the called purpose we will confuse Paul’s wording in his quote (Isa 49:1, 49:6 & Acts 13:47). Paul had the ability to rebuke to the bone, yet do it in love. The context in Isaiah points to Israel as we read, “and said unto me, You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isa 49:3). Here the Servant is defined as Israel, there are two ways God is glorified, first is by the purposed intent, wherein we represent Him as intended, next is when God is forced to bring judgment on us to prove He is just. They shall know it’s God, one way or the other.
Paul indicates the Servant as the Body of Christ, as he says, “For so has the Lord commanded Us, saying, I have set You to be a light” (Acts 13:47). Paul also defined the metaphor “isles” when he quoted Isaiah pointing to the Gentiles who are called of God (Acts 13:48). The Servant is clearly noted as “Israel” in Isaiah 49:3, but as a nation by Paul, as the Holy Ghost saw us as nations within the kingdom as well. God shows how the Servant will have a Sharp Sword from the Servant’s Mouth (Isa 49:2), here the Servant is Jesus at the Judgment (Rev 1:16). However, the Word of God is Sharper than any Two-edged Sword, meaning the Word is not a two-edged sword. None of this says Jesus is Israel, rather we see the purposed Servant as the Nation, yet we see the true Servant as Jesus.
We see this Servant rules as God, placing it in the Garden when Jesus takes the fourth cup. It would appear the labor is in vain, but then the Servant knows He was “formed” in the womb (not created) to bring back the captives (Isa 49:5). Then comes the Body of Christ and Paul’s quote, therein we find the “Light to the Gentiles” is the Way of Salvation established by Jesus (Isa 49:6). Isaiah looks forward to Jesus showing the “day of salvation” not the “day of judgment” (Isa 49:8). Paul sees this as the Salvation of the Lord being extended through the Born Again Servant to all nations.
After the “day of salvation” comes the Restoration of the House of David, then the Lord will have Mercy (waters of Judah) on them who shall lead (Isa 49:9-10). Those who lead are defined for us in the Book of Revelation as the “144,000” Jews picked from the twelve tribes. When the earthquake comes to remove the Church, the Islands will be removed. The earthquake bringing the Rapture will also shake the earth, bringing the land masses back to one. The metaphor “island” refers to those who are raised above the Sea, thus they shall be removed as well. John sees three elements in the last days, he was standing above the Sand of the Sea, as he saw the Beast of the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth, but no Rock, or Church, they cease on earth when the Time of Comfort opens.
Jesus brought us the New Covenant, disassociating us from the Old, but the Remnant are still subject to the Old; therefore, not one word or jot shall fail from the Law of Moses until All is fulfilled (Isa 49:8). The Cross established a people full of the heavenly Glory of God to provoke the Jew to jealousy, but the reality of God saw us provoking the Jew to laughter. The reality of God also saw the falling away from the faith; therefore, God saw the opportunity to complete the Time of Comfort by removing the Faithful Christ Church, yet all things are good to those who love the Lord, and are called according to His purpose (Isa 49:9-17 & Rom 11:11).
There will be a falling away from the Faith, including those who no longer believe in the virgin birth, the miracles, prayer, the Bible, or the Faith of Jesus. The falling away will be caused by natural minded religious leaders who hinder us from the Marriage of the Lamb, they do so by speaking lies in hypocrisy (I Tim 4:1-3). When the Day of Salvation ends, the Night of Judgment begins, thus the Falling Away has a purpose as well, it divides those of the Heavens from those of the earth.
The Heavens will be Joyful, the Earth will break forth into singing, then the time when the Lord will “comfort His people” begins (Isa 49:13). Wait, if the Night is Judgment, why do they break forth in singing? Oh wait, I got it, the Time of Comfort begins with Peace and Safety, then ends with sudden destruction. Correct, during our Season we find wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine, yet there are the excuses, “if it were not for the wars I would serve God with all my heart”, thus God removes the excuses by bringing the Night, but it will also prove they lie, for they will set up the abomination in the place it should not be. In God’s Wisdom we find God will remove any and all excuses, whether peace and safety, or war they still blaspheme God when events don’t please their flesh.
As God looks toward the end times, He sees our time and says, “I will lift up My hand to the Gentiles and set up My standard (Cross) to the people and they shall bring your sons in their arms and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders” (Isa 49:22). The daughter of Zion refers to the Remnant, Jesus said the sons would cast out devils and testify against the Pharisees, but the Remnant won’t cast out devils. Why would they, the devil is bound during the 1,000 years showing they have a “little strength”. If the Remnant have “more power” than we, why not bind the devil now? The Day of Salvation is for the Greater Light, not the Lesser Light, we have Power over the devil.
Prior Isaiah told us how Jacob will ride on the shoulders of the Philistines to take Moab, Edom and the children of Ammon, but here God sees the Christ Church bringing in the Remnant by our departure; God gave His glory to us, we as the Bride shall come to the Lord (Isa 11:11-14, 49:18 & 49:22-23). When we are gone the only thing left to be accomplished will be making the enemies of Jesus His footstool, which is the Judgment, thus the Time of Comfort may look good on earth, but it leads straight to the Judgment. However, the Lord will most assuredly bring the Remnant into the Kingdom at the end; the Lord is still the Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob (Isa 49:25-26).
God asks for the evidence regarding the Bill of Divorcement, but it doesn’t mean God sold the children in the divorce, nor does it mean the City was divorced. The City is the daughter of the nation, thus God retained custody of the City, or the Woman could never bring forth the man child (Isa 50:1). When Jesus returns, there will be no physical life, all the earth will be filled with death (Isa 50:2); thereby bringing to pass, “it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then the judgment” (Heb 9:27). This is clear when we see the Beast and False Prophet already in the Lake of Fire at the Judgment, no wonder every knee will bow, they come out of the Lake of Fire to face Jesus, assuming by bowing and confessing Jesus they will be pardoned; however, there is the resurrection of the damned, the warnings are clear. The Time of Comfort will be the time of darkness compared to the Day, but it doesn’t mean the earth will be full of demons, rather it means it will be the Night, Salvation will be stayed during the last half of the hour (Isa 50:3).
At God’s Rebuke the Sea (world) is made dry, the rivers a wilderness, and the Fish stink. This is not referring to the Good Fish, rather the Good fish were taken in the Rapture, this refers to the Bad Fish. How do we know these Fish are the Bad? There is “no water”, a metaphor for Mercy. This connects to Paul’s sayings in Romans regarding the vessels of honor and dishonor, the difference between the two is “mercy”. Regardless of the Acts done, mercy must be our motivation (Isa 50:2).
Isaiah’s prophecies do tend to jump around, he moves from the king in his day to the very end, back to the time of Salvation, into the Night, then back again to his time. Without the Holy Ghost it would be confusing to anyone, much less this prophet, yet he remained faithful to his office. Not much of an excuse for us, amen?
Another reference to the Time of Comfort is found in Isaiah 50:3, not only will the “heavens” be clothed with Darkness, but the Sackclothe will be their covering, thus the Darkness in this case isn’t a sign of repentance, but the sackclothe is, the word Darkness refers to the Night. This connects to Revelation 6:12 at the breaking of the Sixth Seal as a sign of the changing Seasons. The earthquake marking the Rapture sees the Sun as “black as sackclothe”, but the Moon became as blood as the “stars of heaven fell unto the earth”; thereby showing when the Night opens there will be repentance (sackclothe), but at the end there will be darkness as the Woman and False Prophet join to destroy the Law and Prophets, by destroying the Remnant who are of Zion (moon). Three types or groups are seen, the Sun refers to the nation Israel, but we find Israel begins the Time of Comfort as the House of David. The Moon is Zion, not the city, but the foundation of the city. The stars falling are the Wicked, they enter the Earth to become the Beast of the Earth. The “heaven departed as a scroll as it is rolled together” (Rev 6:14). Departed as something rolled together? The Gospel of Peace is for our Season, this added concept points to the Rapture, showing heaven will be closed during the Time of Comfort. The “Gospel” for the Night is the Everlasting Gospel, pointing to Judgment (Rev 14:6).
Jesus submitted to the punishment, not for self-abuse, but to remove us from abuse (Isa 50:5-6). Each time someone struck Him, it was for us, the shame He bore was our shame, not His (Isa 50:7). Jesus looked through out all time and asked, “who is it among you who fears the Lord?” (Isa 50:10). Each time one of us answered, “Here am I Lord, send me”, it encouraged Jesus to continue. Jesus saw the result and suffered the Cross for a joy.
Isaiah 50:10 speaks of the call to all of us who were in darkness, Jesus as the Servant called us into His glorious Light. We entered then Trusted in the Name of the Lord, as we Stay upon our God (Isa 50:10). The word Stay is the Hebrew Shaan meaning To lean on, as one would seek a support.
Isaiah 50:11 speaks of the Bad Fish, showing they are opposed to the Faith of Jesus. Although faith and belief are different they do connect in the Now, but the Wicked assume their faith is as good, or better than the Faith of Jesus. Here we find different sparks leading to “strange fire”, the word Sparks here means Burning darts, pointing to the fiery darts of the Wicked (Eph 6:16). They walk in the light of their own fire, they shall lie down in sorrow (Isa 50:11).
Isaiah tells us to Follow after Righteousness, the New Man is created (formed same meaning in the Greek) with the Righteousness we seek. We look to the Rock, but we also consider the pit we are saved from. This gives us the junction, we know the Rock is the Body, but we seem to forget the Body is the Body of Christ; the same Body seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, thus the Body has an Anointing, when we refer to the Rock as the Anointing, or Christ, yet it’s still the Body of Christ (Anointed).
Two points of Incentive, seeking the hope, and fighting the voice calling us back to the world. Paul used Abraham as our example, but Abraham didn’t have a tape library, a series of meetings he could go to, or a gathering of the brethren. Abraham heard God and believed, then Abraham was presented the Covenant so it could be by faith. Sarah obeyed her husband, even in the face of astonishment; God tells us to look at Abraham and Sarah (Isa 51:2). God calls us “alone” not by denomination, group, or theological gatherings (Isa 51:2).
After these verses pointing to Faith in our Season, God then promises the Time of Comfort (Isa 51:3). This is another clue showing the Day coming before the Night. God will Comfort Zion, the word Comfort is the Hebrew Nacham meaning To take revenge, or To be comforted in death. What? The Time of Comfort is Peace on earth, what gives? Ahh, purpose, it will be a time of testing for those of the earth, a time for them to consider their ways. The Remnant will be comforted in death, but the Wicked will not.
God shows Zion as a “she”, her wilderness will be like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord, and Joy and Gladness shall be found therein with thanksgiving and the voice of Melody (Psalm). All this sounds like “heaven on earth”, but it’s still the Night. The reference to Eden, with the Garden seems strange, since they are one and the same, or are they? Eden is the purpose for the Night, the Remnant will finish the prophecy from Genesis 3:15. The “Garden of the Lord” points to Gethsemane, the time when the Cup of the wrath of God will be poured out.
Isaiah 51:4 talks about the Light, this is neither the Greater Light or the Lesser Light, but the Light spoken of in Genesis 1:3, as the Self-producing Light, which we know is Jesus (Jn 1:8-9). Here we find the Light will “Rest”, the word Rest is the Hebrew Raga meaning A short space of time, or a point to a time after the Rapture until the Time of Comfort is over. For the Remnant the Righteousness will be near, but the Salvation will have already gone forth, then the Arms of God are seen as the Law and Prophets judging the people (Isa 51:5). Then we gain more understanding on the metaphors Island and Isles. An Island is the larger aspect, the Isles are much smaller, here in Isaiah 51:5 we have a reference to those who Sleep in Jesus as isles, yet the Islands will be taken in the Rapture.
Again we are told how the New Earth will be New in design, yet all those who dwell therein will die, but the Salvation of the Lord remains in heaven forever. Therefore, we are assured the Dead in Christ must be raised First then those of us who remain will be caught up with them. The Remnant are called as a group, not as individuals. The Time of Comfort can’t take place as long as one Christ Like person is walking on this earth. This doesn’t mean anyone who says they are Christian, rather it means those who hold the Seed of God. The Rapture must take place in order for He who now Lets, to Let the Time of Comfort take place.
John says the devil will be bound during the Night, Paul says, the devil will be taken out of the way (Rev 20:7 & II Thess 2:7). Toward the end of time when the Fifth Angel opens the pit, the devils are turned loose possessing many, with a few passing the fire on the Last Day. We have a much better promise, one assuring us the self-nature can be denied, the spirit of man defeated, we can be free indeed by the Spirit of Truth. At times we may question the premise, but the New Man is always working to save us.
In the latter days it will be the bitterness, hate and greed drawing the devil and his demons out of the pit. The Fifth Angel is only giving to man, what man desired. Then the demons will cause the Seven Mountains (Beast) to come against the City in the great war. They will attack the City, but only after the Abomination is set up, and only after the City has cast away the Law and Prophets. When the four quarters of the earth run to the wall, then the Great Trump will sound.
However, prior, the Sixth Seal will open the Time of Comfort as the Sixth church (Remnant) will be the Redeemed (Garden like state). They will return to Zion, obtaining Gladness and Joy, the two signs of the Blessing being poured out. Then we find the Mark of God on the Remnant as their Joy, thus they maintain their little strength through Joy (Isa 51:11-12 & Rev 7:1-8).
The Time of Comfort is seen again as God tells the Remnant how man shall die, and the “son of man” shall be as grass (Isa 51:12). Wait, isn’t Jesus the Son of man? Yes, but the term refers to anyone walking in Mercy, the 144,000 will not speak prophetically, but they will walk in Mercy, making them sons of men. Jesus as the Son of man brought the Father’s Mercy, the Resurrection declared Him to be the Son of God, we are sons of God by having the same Spirit in us.
The “sons of men” shall be as grass, the word Grass is the Hebrew Chatsiyr meaning Green grass seen in a Garden, thus the Remnant will operate in Mercy, not Grace. It’s the Seventh church who forgets it was God who gave them the power to gain wealth.
Faith counters fear, when fear enters, we forget the Lord, or all He has done, then God asks those who “fear the oppressor”, Where is the fury of the oppressor? In the end the Oppressor is in the lake of fire, we are in heaven, Fear not child of God, our Lord reigns (Isa 51:13).
Isaiah takes us to the last resurrection where the Lord tells Jerusalem to stand up, this is after the cup of the Lord’s fury has been poured out (Isa 51:17-23). The wording “stand up” in Isaiah 51:17 is the Hebrew Qum meaning To wake from sleep, this has to refer to the Last Resurrection, not the First. Clearly it’s after the Cup of Fury has been poured out, not before, those who are Partakers in the First Resurrection go before the 1,000 years not after (Rev 20:6).
God gives the Remnant a means to avoid hell, as He pleads with Zion to submit and allow the change of garment from corrupt to mercy in order for Jerusalem to depart from the unclean (Isa 52:1). John shows this as God saying, Come out of Her My children, be not a partaker of Her sins (Rev 18:4). Assyria oppressed the children of God, Assyria is the metaphoric term pointing to idol worship, at the hands of the false prophet.
For the Woman two things will come Quickly, desolation and destruction. With the desolation will be famine, with the destruction will be the Sword. Why? She forgets Who comforted her, as she kills the 144,000, the very product who brought the Comfort. The ability to remain in the Time of Comfort is Mercy, the very heart of the Commandments of God. When they destroy those of Mercy, then reject the Law and Prophets, then the Woman will join with the Beast of the Sea by following the Beast of the Earth. It’s the Beast of the Earth who brings it all to nothing; no wonder God calls the sons of perdition His enemies, yet they are around today, they are being formed into the vessels of dishonor fitted for destruction (perdition – Rom 9:22-23).
The term “Awake, Awake” is not the same as “stand up”, the word Awake in Isaiah 52:1 is the Hebrew Tuwr meaning To open ones eyes as it relates to clarity. Although Zion will have “little strength” it’s still a Strength, but the Seventh church is told to apply eye slave, to Wake Up to who they really are, and what they are doing.
Zion is told to put on Strength, Jerusalem is told to put on the Beautiful Garments, but are these Garments the same as our White Garment? No, this is the Glory of the Sun, pointing to the Woman in Revelation 12:1, but the Garment is missing in Revelation 17:1-5. They have sold themselves for naught, they shall be redeemed without money, yet they are rich and think they are in need of nothing. Their redemption is near, even at hand, whether they take it, or not, is still a matter of choice.
On the other hand, Beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him who brings Good Tidings (Isa 52:4-7). We are the redeemed, the Remnant shall be redeemed, but not with money or man’s efforts. The “watchmen” are us, when the Night comes we will see Jesus face to face in heaven (Isa 52:8). It’s after this face to face encounter where we find the waste places of Jerusalem have Comfort (Isa 52:9). On the day of judgment when they look upon Him they have pierced, they will know His name, then they will receive the Name (authority) as their New Name (Isa 52:6). The metaphor Mountains points to nations, as does the metaphor ten toes, thus he who brings the Good Tidings walks over the mountains, rather than being under them. The mountains are Gentile in nature, thus separating the Body of Christ from the Remnant, since the Remnant remain in Jerusalem with the nations coming to them (Isa 52:7-8). Again, when our Season ends, the Lord will comfort Jerusalem (Isa 52:9-12). The Comfort for Israel was paid for by Jesus, just as our redemption was paid for.
Isaiah now tells us what our salvation entails, as well as what we are expected to receive to complete the process. This area is not a list of pick and choose, rather it contains the suffering Jesus did for us to set us free. It doesn’t matter if we ever raise the dead, what matters is our belief in the ability of God to manifest through us to accomplish the task. Our first call is “come out of her”; for us this not only refers to coming out of the world, but separating ourselves from systems holding unbelief. To the Remnant it means to depart from the Woman and Her abominations (Isa 52:11-13, II Cor 6:17, I Cor 11:1-7 & Rev 18:4). Jesus didn’t come as a high priest or some obvious rich man, He came in the form of a man, He stood as the Son of man in God’s Mercy, but His outside appearance was not striking, His inner presence was the Image. His visage (outward appearance) was so marred at the Cross, it was not like any man, His form more than the “sons of men” (Isa 52:14). The purpose was to Sprinkle many nations, and kings shall shut their mouths at Him, there is no retort to Truth (Isa 52:15). There are kings and there are kings, the bad fish are kings nonetheless, just as the good fish are kings, it’s the type of king making the difference. This promise doesn’t mean there won’t be those who speak against us, just as it doesn’t mean there aren’t those who speak against Jesus, it means their words have no effect, their mouths of slander are darts, but we have the Armor of God.
Isaiah begins with man’s view of the Cross, Jesus did grow as a Tender Plant, one of Mercy, Kindness and Truth, yet He had no form or comeliness. His outward appearance was not of Beauty, wherein one should desire Him (Isa 53:2). Jesus didn’t come to win us over by His physical beauty, rather it was a Beauty from within. He was despised and rejected of men, a Man of sorrows, acquainted with Grief, and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, we did not esteem Him. However, this is man’s view at the Cross, not God’s view. He borne our grieves, carried our sorrows, thus the Cross is an action of God, but based on our sins. The religious leaders assumed Jesus was guilty, after all God didn’t stop the Cross, if this Man was innocent, surely God would not allow Him to die. They missed it, since they are looking for an outward appearance, a man of pomp, a man of wealth, a man who would welcome their self-righteousness with open arms. Jesus was not responsible for the Cross, we are, each of us must receive the Cross in order to receive the understanding regarding the sufferings of Jesus. The suffering we go through is also based on the flesh, the flesh of Jesus suffered for us, we suffer the pangs of the flesh for Him. Neither does it mean our holy suffering is based on projecting faulty theology, or for the sake of our sect, nor for the sake of something we did. We violate man’s law, then claim we are suffering for Christ, wrong, we suffered for our wrong. “For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but, if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (I Pet 2:20). Peter breaks the Suffering into two groupings, then adds the word “patiently”, thus it’s not only the suffering, but taking it patiently. It becomes clear, to the religious leaders it did appear as if God was causing the Cross as a form of punishment on Jesus, but they failed to see their sins caused the Cross (Isa 53:3-5).
Prior God asked, “Who will go for us?”, now the prophet asks, “Who will believe our Report?” (Isa 53:1). How can they truly believe if we’re not sent by the Holy Ghost with signs and wonders following? (Rom 10:14-15). Jesus did grow as a Tender Plant from the Root of David, Paul tells us Jesus was made (formed, not created) as the seed of David, but declared the Son of God through the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4). Therefore, these events leading to the Resurrection are acts by the Son of man, as Jesus stood for us by giving Himself so we might live (Isa 53:2). The Cross is an act of Mercy, the Resurrection one of Grace, we must have both in order to make it.
Jesus came to establish faith, thus faith must have a desire to please God, yet we can’t neglect our Belief; we must Believe the Report in order to gain the Witness (Isa 53:2 & I Jn 5:7-8). Jesus looked beyond the Cross to the result, knowing it was worth it. We look beyond the saving of the soul knowing it’s well worth it.
When Jesus was on the Cross the weight of every transgression and iniquity was placed on Him, the very sky turned black from the sins of times past, times present and times future. The Hebrew has many descriptive words in these next few verses, all of which give us Wisdom regarding the Cross. He is despised (to think on as scorn or to consider as contemptible), He was rejected (to vacate or depart from) of men, yet He is a Man of sorrows (anguish or affliction – Isa 53:3). So many ask “why the Cross?” or “why didn’t God figure some simple way?”. The purpose of God was to redeem us from what we caused, and we caused more unrighteousness than many of us realize. We ignored the Cross, or at least many of the elements of the Cross, until the day when the Holy Ghost drew us to the Light, then we saw the purpose of the Cross. From the Cross we found we all begin in the same position, it doesn’t matter what our IQ was, or what our social position was, we all begin at the same position. To assume since someone has a high IQ they are more the Christian than someone else is error, or to presume social status gives one more favor is not in line with God’s character. We all begin with the same potential in order to grow in the same manner to reach the result.
Excuses to avoid the obvious is not repentance, nor do our excuses produce the fruit of repentance. Knowing we are incapable of gaining God’s Salvation on our own is a beginning, it becomes a place to keep us humble. With man it’s always impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. Even to the point of bringing us into the Image of His Son (Isa 53:3). Surely Jesus has borne our grieves (diseases), and carried our sorrows (anguish or mental diseases): yet we did esteem Him merely stricken (lay hands on to be beaten), but He was smitten (beaten), it was allowed by God for our sakes (Isa 53:4). The Jews and Romans may have done the acts, but the Father, Son and Holy Ghost ordained them for us. The suffering of Jesus was a matter of His choice, but it was not self-inflicted, nor was it some form of suicide. Suicide is an act to avoid some pain, or danger; Jesus faced the danger and pain, overcoming them all for our sakes. Jesus took the suffering in His Body, then He said, “this is My Body, take eat”; thus He gave His Body to us, we in turn impute our old nature with the flesh dead on His Cross.
Some of us think the Cross was the point where the religious leaders caused Israel to be cut off; however, Jesus told the Pharisees, the Cross was “marvelous in our eyes” (Mark 12:11). The stoning of Stephen broke the branches, yet it also opened the door for the Gentiles (Acts 7:60, 8:1, 9:1 & 10:1-45). Jesus said the sign to the Pharisees would be the Resurrection, thus their sign came after the Cross and Resurrection, yet they rejected it. The religious leaders had three opportunities after the Day of Pentecost to repent and believe; however, they mocked Peter and John, tossed Peter in jail, then killed Stephen.
Jesus was wounded (made an opening wedge) for our transgressions, He was bruised (beat to pieces) for our iniquities. It’s the transgressions and iniquities bringing the curse, for the curse never comes without cause. The curse is designed to make our minds and bodies ill at ease, yet Jesus took all curses and nailed them to the Cross (Isa 53:5). The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, yet peace is removed through iniquity (Isa 53:5). By His stripes we are healed (present tense), the word for healed is the root word used for Physician (Isa 53:5). Peter took it one step further by saying, By His stripes we were (past tense) healed (I Pet 2:24). The word Peter used for healed is also a root word for Physician also. James used the same word when he wrote, “confess your faults (transgressions) one to another that you may be healed” (James 5:16). One major cause of sickness is holding faults one against the other, or speaking evil of one another, yet we find there are times when sickness just happens, better to discern.
The same word we find for Healed in James is also found in reference to Paul, when he laid hands on the father of Publius who was sick with a fever, and healed him (Acts 28:8). This alone could expose strongholds and faults, since many contend no one has the power to heal; however, we are given the power in the Name of Jesus, thus Jesus never said, “go and make them sick”. However, if we are given the Power, but refuse to use it, we are in rebellion. Even before the Power from on high was granted the disciples, they were told to go out and heal the sick (Matt 10:8); therefore the Cross opened the Door to Grace, thus it was based in Mercy, thus God’s Mercy heals us.
We were as dumb sheep, all going our own way (soulish), but Jesus took our iniquity, asked the Father to forgive us, by His Blood we are gain remission (Isa 53:6). Jesus gave a good confession before Pilate by never opening His mouth to justify Himself. Jesus told Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me, except it were given you from above”, with “My Kingdom is not of this world: if My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered, but now is My Kingdom not from here” (Jn 18:36 & 19:11). Interesting? If His Kingdom were of this world they would fight to save Him. Although the disciples were afraid and ran, we find they were suppose to, they were yet to be endued with Power from on High, yet they still could not take Jesus down from the Cross, our Kingdom is not of this world.
Who then can declare this to His generation? Jesus was cut off from the land of the living, none of us saw Him destroy (make ineffective) the devil, none of us saw Him take captivity captive, none of us saw the Sacrifice in heaven. We can read about it, or form opinions regarding it, but we didn’t Witness it. Jesus made His grave with the wicked to save us from becoming the wicked (Isa 53:8-9). Who can give us first hand knowledge of all this? The New Man, meaning the Spirit is our sign of the Resurrection of Jesus.
It pleased the Lord to receive the pain for our sakes, He thought not on His own things, but on the things of others (Isa 53:10 & Ph’l 2:4-5). The greatest Sacrifice of all time was given when Jesus went to the Father during those seven days between the time He told Mary “Touch Me not”, until the time He told Thomas, “Touch Me and see”. The Father then said, “Your throne O God is forever and ever”; yet none of us saw it, but we have the Witness in granted from on High, the Greater He who has first hand knowledge, the same Spirit who raised Jesus is in the process of raising us daily.
Isaiah speaks to the Gentiles after the Cross, from whom most of us came (Isa 54:1). We were from a barren woman, but God provided the adoption process, where we can account our old existence dead, in order to join a New Family as New Creations in a New existence (Isa 54:1-4). The very Maker of all things has asked us to be His Bride (Isa 54:5). The only requirement was to receive All Jesus did, not just the bits and pieces of the Cross, grave, Resurrection or Sacrifice fitting our theology or condoning to our intellect, rather we believe it all as we continue to study to understand it all.
To the Remnant Jesus says, He hid His face for a small moment, but He will gather them in Great mercies, not Grace (Isa 54:7). The waters of Noah were in the days of Noah, our baptism with the Holy Ghost raises us above destruction as well, but the end times are as they were in the Days of Noah. In our case, we are lifted above the Time of Comfort, God has not appointed us to His wrath, thus we will be removed before it begins (Isa 54:8-9 & I Thess 5:9).
When the first great earthquake comes, the mountains (nations) shall depart, the hills (sub-nations) will also depart, as the earth becomes one land mass again. There will be no need for world governments to provide protection, only one world government will exist, it will be based in Jerusalem. There will be only one world religion providing the people with the knowledge of God, it too will be based in Jerusalem, at the same time others will worship idols on the roof tops. God brings it to pass to finish the prophecy, the enemies of Jesus will become His Footstool. The Lord tells us Heaven is His Throne, and “the earth” His footstool (Isa 66:1). We don’t want to be on the Earth when the Judgment comes, we want to be the “great Sea of Glass” before the Throne.
The prophet jumps to New Jerusalem, we know this is New Jerusalem since it speaks of stones and a foundation (Isa 54:11). The Foundations of New Jerusalem were established by the Apostles (Rev 21:14), the positional aspects of the Apostles are noted as various stones (Rev 21:19-20), but the Bride as Clear Glass (Crystal), yet the Remnant are Pearls, becoming the Gates of the City (Rev 21:21). The Scepter of the Kingdom of God is the Righteousness of Jesus, the New Man is Established in His Righteousness (Eph 4:24, Heb 1:8 & Isa 54:14). God forms (creates in KJV) the vessels of dishonor, they will be the ones in the next Season who form the Image of Jealousy (Isa 54:16). The division point is found in Isaiah 54:17, the “smith” made the weapon (idol), but it can’t prosper against us. Who made the Smith? God, but the Smith made the idol. The Waster is also created, thus even he has no power against the Creator. He who is slothful in his work, is brother to the Waster (Prov 18:9). What work? The Work of Mercy, thus the Waster knows nothing but to destroy, he can’t do anything else, he refuses to walk in Mercy, becoming the very iniquity identifying the workers of iniquity. However, it only shows the New Man will save our souls, he knows nothing else but Salvation, thus the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord is found in the New Birth.
No man can begin the Night, yet no man can stop it, the time is ordained of God, He has the key to the House of David, we don’t (Rev 3:7). Whether we beat the bushes for the famed Antichrist, or destroy the machines making some computer chip, isn’t going to stop it, the mark of the Beast is ordained by God for those who love the world. The Wicked are ordained of God to hone the vessels of honor in this Season, then test the world in the next. All the events yet to come are nonetheless history in God’s eyes. Our course is not the restoration of Israel, our course is to receive the Living Waters without measure (Acts 1:6-8 & Isa 55:1-2). Our call is to open our ears to the Lord, as we seek the salvation of our souls, so we may live (Isa 55:3). The Testimony (Old Testament Scriptures) of Jesus will go on, the Witness of Jesus belongs to the Body of Christ. There is a time for the Door to close, yet a lamp isn’t enough, one needs both the lamp and Oil to enter the Door. Those who Sleep in Jesus, will sleep through the Night, but our goal is to be a partaker in the First Resurrection. Seek the Lord while He may be found for the day comes when He who now lets us, will close the Door and the Day will cease (Isa 55:6-8).
God will not change His thoughts or ways to match ours, we must put away our wicked ways and our unrighteous thoughts in order to agree with Him (Isa 55:7-13). Some of us tend to say, “well you know God’s ways are not our ways, and God’s thoughts are not our thoughts”, it’s only true if our thoughts are unrighteous, or our ways are wicked (Isa 55:7). If we have the Mind of Christ, then our thoughts and ways are Godly.
The phrase “Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the eater” points to our Season. The Seed is the Word sown by the Holy Ghost, we are the Bread. The primary context here is the Seed of God, although the Remnant will be overcome, we find we shall go out with Joy and Peace, thus the Gospel is the Gospel of Peace (Isa 55:12). The metaphor Trees is also seen here, the Trees in the Field shall clap their hands (Isa 55:12). We can sit around all day long and watch a pine tree yet it won’t “clap” its hands, simply because it doesn’t have any; therefore, this is a metaphor showing us as the “Trees of the Field”, or the Good Fish, thus they are Good Trees. The Bad Trees are seen burning in the end, the Good with their Lord in heaven.
God’s justice is not the same as the judgment, or His wrath, rather His justice is mercy based. We give mercy to receive mercy, thus His justice removes the Remnant from the pains of His judgment (Luke 6:36-38 & Isa 56:1-2). We keep the Sabbath holy, this has nothing to do with keeping a day, rather we keep the True Sabbath Holy; meaning Jesus is our Rest and Sabbath, we keep Him holy by our continual belief in all He did, coupled with our faith in all He promised as we finish the course by Grace (Isa 56:3-12).
Since we have all it takes, it makes little sense to use the ways of the world, yet we know the danger is at the door. God calls to the “beasts of the field” telling them to devour; What? God tells them to devour? Yes, the “beasts of the forest” shows us the Bad Trees, thus the “beasts of the field” and the “beasts of the forest” are one in the same, depending on the Season. The reason? The watchman are blind, they are all ignorant, the word Ignorant here is akin to the Corinthian mind, it’s deliberate ignorance. The Watchman were told to “watch and pray”, but they became “greedy dogs which can never have enough”, they are “shepherds who cannot understand” (Isa 56:9-11). This is the “falling away” from the Faith, the time when manipulation and theology based in unbelief is more prominent than Belief, Faith, Love and Hope. The shepherds are no longer looking to God, but are filling themselves with “strong drink”, yet they have things (Isa 56:12). They have started looking to the increase of wealth, forgetting it was God who cares for our need. They have confused greed for need, they use manipulation and tricks to get people to give. They considered the ministry more important than the Ways of the Lord, their status more important than the Law of the Spirit, they use the Law of Moses or the world to their advantage; they are in danger of falling from Grace (Gal 3:21, 5:3 & 5:9).
Next Isaiah explains why the “good die young”; the righteous perish, the merciful are taken away, but it’s for their good. God sees some evil ahead, it’s far better to be with the Lord at an early age, than suffer forever (Isa 57:1-2). This is also another verse pointing to the Rapture, we shall enter the goal of Peace, yet the Wicked will say we were taken because we were the evil ones. Then we read about the “sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore” (Isa 57:3). The seed of the adulterer and whore point to the end times, the Adulterer is the False Prophet, the Whore is the Woman, but in this Season the Wicked are the “sons of the sorceress”, as Strangers from the Strange Woman. If they change not in this Season, they will face the fire of hell. They shall inherit the flames, rather than find their inheritance on the Holy Mount (Isa 57:3-14).
Isaiah 57:5 shows the “Green Trees”, but don’t get confused and think the Green Tree is an idol, it’s not. They worshiped idols under the Green Tree, just as Jesus said the fowls would take the fruit of the tree. The metaphor Green shows life based on the Mercy of God, it doesn’t mean Spirit filled or Grace. In Luke 23:30-31 Jesus remarked “if they do this in a Green Tree, what would they do in a dry”, at the time He was operating in the Father’s Mercy. It has to be metaphoric, since they weren’t “in” a real tree. This is one of those areas where the metaphor is defined after we find it. Green Trees have a firmer standing than the green grass, but nonetheless both are Green. However, in the Book of Revelation we find various greens, there is fading green becoming pale, a green losing its water, becoming yellowish. We also find God takes the Green Tree then makes it Dry, but He also takes the Dry Tree and makes it Green. How? Or better why? The Green Trees in the Night show us they operate by Mercy, but if they the spirit of the world they will become Dry, in danger of being spued out of the mouth of Jesus. Here we find they are using the Green Tree as protection, as they worship their idols.
In order for the Green Tree to become a Just Fir tree it must remain humble with a contrite heart (Isa 57:15 & Hosea 14:8-9). God dwells in the “high and holy place”; this is another promise of the Rapture. How? We find “with Him also”, showing a promise to be in the High and Holy Place (Isa 57:15). This one verse is a separation point, Isaiah 57:17 talks about the House of Jacob as it begins as the House of David. The division between the two shows the Time of Comfort begins with the Sixth church, who are attached to the House of David, but then comes Jacob’s Trouble with the number of a “man”
The phrase “the spirit shall fail before Me” would almost seem as if the Spirit loses, not so, the word Fail is the Hebrew Etaph meaning To hide, or Cover, it has the idea of darkness, but how can it be? This doesn’t mean the Spirit will be in darkness, rather it shows the Spirit will not be on the earth during the Night when the Night opens. This explains why Paul said, He Who now lets, will let, and during the letting time the Holy Ghost is planting the Seed, but the time will come when the Spirit will leave this earth, and we with Him. Where the Holy Ghost goes, so does the New Man, if our souls are attached to the New Man we go as well.
Although the House of Jacob is going about ignoring Jesus, it’s ordained of God, thus the Time of Comfort will heal the House of Jacob during the time of Comfort (Isa 57:16-19). Then we see “Peace, peace to him who is far off”, wait, isn’t Peace for the Day, and not the Night? There are three types of Peace, we have a Peace, not as the world gives, but as Jesus gave us. There is Peace wherein man doesn’t fight with man as Peace in the world, as it will be during the beginning of the Night. There is also a Peace as the world gives, a type of security based on who has the biggest gun. The Peace we have now, will not be on the earth during the Night. The mystery is found in the phrase “to him who is far off, and to him who is near”, showing two types of Peace, one type to those who are far off in heaven, another for those who are on the earth operating in Mercy. The promise for the Night is found in the phrase, “Restore Comforts”, nearly every Jew understands the phrase; this is why they desire to posses the entire city of Jerusalem. They will give land, but not the City, since they know from the City will come the blessing, but they don’t see the City becoming the Woman in the latter days. We do, because we know how it will end, yet the one Wicked element to bring it all down, begins in our Season, it came from us, but was not of us.
The Wicked will begin disturbing the troubled Sea (world), there is no Peace for the wicked (Isa 57:19-21). The Wicked set themselves against things, they are against most anything, they are only interested in their own self-goals. Jude says they are Raging waves of the sea, plus many other metaphors. Jude speaks in metaphors, but if we know the metaphors, we can see how God says the Wicked are like the Troubled Sea, as they bring Strife. They murmur in their tents, hold secret plans of destruction. The Wicked who are joined to their father the devil will use lies, false accusations, tricks, twisted facts, and most anything to attack, they will even use the pulpit; they have no fear of God.
The call of the prophet comes as the Lord says, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show My people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isa 58:1). A Trumpet is a warning, the First Trump has sounded, the Last is yet to be heard, then comes the Great Trump at the very end. This is also the call of the Two Witnesses who call for repentance, thus when the Night begins Israel as the metaphor Sun is seen as sackcloth (Rev 11:1-3 & 6:12).
The people will fast for protection, but fail to afflict their soul for the transgression (Isa 58:2-4). In our Season the purpose for our fast is not to make self-gain, rather we seek the Power of His Christ to deal the Living Bread to the spiritually hungry; to bring the Truth of the Spirit to those who are poor in Spirit (humble in heart), to cover the naked with the garment of Righteousness, yet hide not our own nakedness from God (Isa 58:6-7). The “fasting of the soul” is much different from the “fasting of the flesh”, we don’t want to “afflict our souls”, we want our souls to find their rightful place in the Peace of the Lord.
Our type of fast is found in Isaiah 58:6, “Loose” the bands of Wickedness, we do so by binding the Strongman. We “undo the heavy burdens” by taking the Yoke of Jesus. We let the Oppressed go free by entering the perfect Law of Liberty as we see our own souls free of the works of the devil. The anointing comes because the Yoke is broken, the Fast we enter is to obtain the fullness of the Anointing, to enter the place in the New Man making our souls joyful spiritual laborers for Jesus.
Jesus taught on those who will be blessed by the Father, calling them brethren because they gave water, food, and the such (Matt 25:34-45). This teaching of Jesus is directed to those who do the Law, without knowing the Law of Faith. These are those who Sleep in Jesus, they are like the Remnant who operate in Mercy, yet for one reason or another, not their fault they didn’t become spiritual in nature. The Name of Jesus as the Son of man is centered in Mercy, the Name of Jesus as the Son of God is centered in Grace. As Jesus points out the group are “blessed of the Father”; therefore, they were doing the commandments of God as acts of Mercy (Matt 25:34). The Judgment finds four groups of people, the Jew who is judged to the five books of the Law, the Sea (those who sleep in Jesus), Death and Hell with their dead, these latter three are then judged according to their works of Mercy, yet we can’t find a place for the Living to be judged (Rev 20:12-13). We all face the Judgment Seat of God, but for us the Judgment Seat is found at the Table of the Lord, thus we judge ourselves, lest we be condemned with the world (I Cor 11:31).
Isaiah then talks about the Sabbath, where we find Jesus is our Sabbath. One can keep the day, yet never have Peace or Rest, but Jesus gave us a Peace and Rest for our souls, thus our Sabbath is a Who, not a What. When we deny the self, we die to the desires to do our carnal agendas (Isa 58:13).
One clue to the entering of the Saving of the soul is when the old man is exposed; if all we were is the old nature, why expose it? Or better who would expose it? The evidence of the New Man doing a work in us is proved in the exposure. Of course when exposed it will retaliate to show its supposed power, but in the process it finds it has no power. Our delight in the Lord is found in the Rest of the Lord (Heb 4:9, 4:12 & Isa 58:14). Regardless of the thickness of the veil, the Lord’s Hand can rip it from top to bottom (Isa 59:1-2).
In the latter days the Laodiceans are found in the wrong place with the wrong desires. The Woman holds a cup full of the blood of the prophets and saints, yet she gives it more honor than she does God (Rev 17:1-3). Even at that, God says, “Come out of her”, if they do, He will forgive and save them at the Judgment (Isa 59:3-8).
False teachings cause the backslider to grope for the Wall like a blind man, fables produce strongholds in the mind. The roar of the she bears against the mockers is close behind, those who said they were Christian, but lied are departing further and further from the Lord, the Truth has fallen in the Street, the Lord has seen it, and it displeases Him (Isa 59:9-15). The Lord looked about for an Intercessor and found none; therefore, He provided the Armor of God with His Righteousness, as an Arm reaching out for the lost (Isa 59:16-21). Notice the “garments of vengeance for clothing”? Why doesn’t Paul speak of this in the teaching on the Armor of God? This is the covering for the Night, not the Day. God will repay with the payment of Fury to His adversaries, thus the “garment of vengeance” is not assigned to us, it’s for those who make the enemies of Jesus His footstool.
Isaiah 59:19 is a verse quoted often, but we want to keep it in context, if someone moves the “comma” in this verse it would make it appear as if the Spirit is the flood, not so, the enemy is the flood. The flood is moving but the Spirit Stands, then the Spirit places the Standard up, causing the flood to run away. The flood is identified as people moving into a place they should not, as they are motivated by the devil (Rev 12:15 & 17:1-3).
The Lord hasn’t forgotten us; He tells us to rise and shine for the Glory of the Lord is still available for the one who seeks, asks and knocks (Isa 60:1). Darkness will cover the earth, the darkness here is the Night, thus we Arise as the Sun for the Day, the Night comes when no man can work (Isa 60:2). There is the Lesser Light of the Night, the light seen in Isaiah 60:3 as the Lesser Light. The Gentiles after the Rapture will come to the Lesser Light, whereas, the Greater Light goes with us in our Season. The Remnant remain in Jerusalem, we go ye into all the world, two different premises for two groups, yet both groups belong to Jesus. Paul noted this by saying, “But every man in his own order; Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they who are Christ’s at His coming” (I Cor 15:23). Two groups, the Firstfruits at the Rapture, then those who Belong to Jesus at His coming. However, the Rapture is still future tense, this is still the Day. God is still building the Wall, and looking for those to fill the City of the Lord. The Remnant are assigned the gates, they will enter when New Jerusalem (the Bride) descends, then Zion will be joined with New Jerusalem (Isa 60:14). Those who Sleep In Jesus will come with Him when He returns to heaven after the Judgment, it’s still true, no man comes to the Father except through Jesus, thus Jesus is the Judge, we’re not.
Our wilderness has a purpose, the wilderness of Jesus had a purpose, both bring us to the position to proclaim with confidence, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me” (Isa 61:1). The rest of this prophecy is for the Remnant as we read, “to appoint unto them who mourn in Zion” (Isa 61:3). We know from Luke 4:18-19 Jesus stopped short in quoting this verse, leaving off “and the day of vengeance of Our God, to comfort all who mourn” (Isa 61:2 & Luke 4:18-19). Why? The separation between Day and Night, this connects to the Intercessor with the “garment of vengeance”, thus from Isaiah 59:17, 61:3 and Luke 4:18-19 we find there is a division between Day and Night, we are not those of Vengeance, but those of Mercy and Grace, don’t mix them up.
Ezekiel will show us the 144,000 mourn in Jerusalem because of the abomination; John shows the 144,000 (Remnant) are marked on Zion after the Rapture (Ezek 9:4 Rev 6:12 & 7:1-9). We are called the priests of the Lord’s, the Remnant are called the ministers of God (Isa 61:6). If we allow the veil of unbelief to remain or ignore it, we are a shame, yet our shame will be doubled as our confusion multiplies (Isa 61:7-11).
Isaiah again goes to the Time of Comfort, showing how it will come to pass; the Remnant will receive a New Name with a crown of Life at the end (Isa 62:1-3). The gates are prepared for the Remnant, the Wall for the Church, Isaiah points to the gates for the Remnant (Isa 62:10-12). The other side of the coin is the judgment of God, the time when the Winepress will be trodden (Isa 63:3). The Great Gethsemane of God must be, the blood of the saints will be sprinkled on the robe of Jesus to proclaim the judgment (Isa 63:5). We either receive the Blood of Jesus sprinkled on us, or face the blood sprinkled on Him.
Isaiah speaks of the iniquity of the children in the wilderness, when they rebelled against the Lord. Paul used this area to show we can be sealed by the Holy Spirit, yet we can also grieve the Holy Spirit after we are sealed (Eph 4:30). Isaiah says, “but they rebelled and vexed (grieved) His Holy Spirit; therefore, He was turned to be their enemy” (Isa 63:10). How can this be? The Holy Spirit wasn’t given until Jesus was glorified? Prophetic, the kingdom of heaven is our wilderness, thus the prophet compares the children in the wilderness to those who grieve the Holy Spirit in our Season; the same thing Paul did with the Corinthians (I Cor 10:1-11). The word Turned shows the Holy Spirit was for them, but their corrupt communication caused the Spirit of God to become their enemy. This is the same context Paul uses in Romans when he says the Spirit “helps” us, the word help means the Holy Spirit is so bent on saving us, anything opposed to the premise is His enemy, even if we happen to be the ones opposed (Rom 8:26).
We are to remember the days of old, not only does this refer to the days of the Early church, but to the these days as well. Here is the clue to what this prophet is giving us, the children in the wilderness are a warning to us, they were free of Pharaoh and Egypt, but they vexed God by tempting Him. What was the purpose of the wilderness? To be trained in order to rule the Promised Land in a Godly manner, thus the reference. By prophecy God projected the attitude to the future, we enter the kingdom of heaven, but it ‘s not the end, we must continue to believe (Isa 63:9-15 & Mark 16:16). Here are the other two places where we find the title “Holy Spirit” in the Old Testament, showing all three references point to the New Testament. The Holy Ghost operated over the holy men inspiring them to write about the Spirit of Christ yet to come, but the Holy Spirit is strictly a New Testament concept as the Spirit of Holiness (Rom 1:3-4, Jn 7:39 & Eph 4:24). This is a vital area, since the children in the Wilderness didn’t have the Holy Spirit. There are seven references to the Holy Spirit in the Bible, three in the Old, four in the New. By Paul using these verses to show we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, yet we can grieve the Holy Spirit we find God speaking through the prophet using the children in the wilderness as a lesson to those who would be sealed with the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Holy Spirit of Promise isn’t the end of the race, only the beginning.
It was once said, “we must know how God speaks to us today”, it’s true, but if God spoke through these prophets who were not Born Again, how much more will He speak through us? God isn’t going to run off in the corners of heaven, and say, “You have My Son, that’s it, forget it, no I won’t listen”, rather we have the New Man, Another Comforter who still bears Witness, as he speaks on behalf of Jesus. God is a good preacher, He will speak to anyone who will listen. Perhaps it’s not a matter of knowing how God speaks, but simply having ears to hear Him speak. Just because God is talking, doesn’t mean we are listening.
Isaiah goes again to the end of all time saying the earth will be forever, only the forever is a ball of fire (Isa 64:2). Daniel saw the Beast with ten toes as mixed clay and iron; clay represents the flesh, iron bondage. Here in Isaiah we find the clay is the flesh of man, the iron connects to the bondage of idol worship, rebellion produces iniquity (Isa 64:8). The Rod Jesus uses to correct us is not idol worship, rather it’s more like the shepherd’s staff.
The Remnant won’t know Jesus as Jesus, thus He uses the term, “My God” in addressing them (Rev 3:12). They are a people not called by His Name (Jesus), but there are also those of the Seventh church who are walking in a place they should not be; Jesus calls out for them as well (Isa 65:1-4). They will not Deny His Name, we found His Name is defined and Proclaimed in Exodus 34:6-7. We have one aspect of His Name, they will finish the last aspect.
Some will refuse the call, rather they will continue to walk around thinking they are saved. They are abominable vessels unto the Lord, the warning of the Seventh church shows the result of self-deception, they think one thing, but God sees another (Isa 65:4-6). God will bring the Time of Comfort, the Sixth church will inherit the Mountains (Isa 2:1 & 65:9). God created New heavens for a people who were never promised heaven, those in the Rapture will be the first to dwell therein as ten thousand times ten thousand, yet the Remnant will be the Thousands from Thousands (Isa 65:17 & Rev 5:11).
The Time of Comfort will be like the time of Noah, during Noah’s time the child lived to be a hundred, during the Time of Comfort the curse will be lifted, peace on the land will be real (Isa 65:18-25). Wait, isn’t this heaven? No, the child lives to be a hundred then dies, yet the sinner is also seen. We know in heaven there is no death or sin, thus this is on the earth during the Time of Comfort. Again Isaiah shows the result as the people begin to worship a small idol here, a larger one there, then the abomination is found where it should not be (Isa 66:1-6). Does this sound like, “if they say Christ is here, or Christ is there” don’t believe them? Yes, the division of Seasons shows some during the Day say Jesus is the Christ, they will even say they are “Christ Like”, but their ways show they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. In the next Season they will run around pointing to idols saying, “there is your Christ”.
Before Jerusalem travailed, she brought forth the Man Child (Isa 66:7), we know this is the city from verse 6. John also shows the Woman gave birth to the Man Child, then the Woman entered the wilderness during our Season (Rev 12:2 & 12:6). The Church didn’t bring the Man Child, the Man Child brought the Church, it was Jerusalem who brought the Man Child, yet she abused her own Child. The Church was established on the Rock, not the Woman.
God has another child in the womb, the Remnant, they will have their time (Isa 66:9-13). How do we know? Isaiah 66:7 says “Man Child”, but 66:8 shows Zion will also travail and bring forth “children”, two different things. The Man Child is Jesus, recalling Jesus wept over Jerusalem, not the nation. The First Coming of the Man Child brought Salvation, the Second Coming brings Judgment. When Jesus comes again to the earth, it will be a dark day, not a day of joy, but a day of fire and judgment (Isa 66:15-21). God promises the Remnant will be saved, as long as heaven and earth remain, so does the promise to us, as well as the Remnant (Isa 66:22). In heaven all things are New, day to day. Nothing is old, thus there is no yesterday or tomorrow, only now (Isa 66:23). Hell will be now forever as well, but forever in torment in the lake of fire (Isa 66:24).
From Isaiah we gain some information on the difference between a Word and a Vision. A Word from the Lord is timeless, it can be given in a time for the time, or a time future, a Vision is always future, thus Isaiah had a Word for those in his time and for those in times to come, but his Vision was clearly for a time to come. However, a warning is a warning; everything Isaiah gives us is purposed to warn us not to cease in our belief and faith, the reward is well worth it. The prophet doesn’t paint a gloom and doom picture, there was hope and deliverance presented, if they receive it. Free moral choice was in their hands, just as it‘s in ours. There are times when it does look bad, but if we just look about we will find the Precious, knowing God is among us of a truth. God will send the Word of correction to us, just as He did to the Corinthians and the Galatians, but He will not force us to receive it. Learn to discern, don’t burn.
Next is Jeremiah, who was sent to address another group, yet his Word will nonetheless warn us of the dangers of religious conceit.
JEREMIAH
Jeremiah is going to open up some interesting areas, one will define whether God was seeking sacrifices, or obedience from the children; another is a division between the Precious and Vile. Jeremiah is also an example of how God plants the ministry into the person, it begins to grow in the person matching their desire. Jeremiah will also show just because God is talking, it doesn’t mean the people are listening. Communication is a two way street, we can’t expect God to answer our prayers, if we refuse to hear Him.
Jeremiah’s calling is much like Moses, Isaiah, you, or I. God tells Jeremiah, “before I formed you in the belly I knew you and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations” (Jere 1:5). This doesn’t say Jeremiah knew God on some distant planet before the physical birth of Jeremiah, in fact it doesn’t say Jeremiah knew God at all. It shows how God saw the end of Jeremiah’s ministry, before Jeremiah was born. This is termed “predestination”, or the ability of God to know what we will do before we knew God. God is still the Alpha and Omega, while Jeremiah was answering the call, God saw it complete as a matter of history.
Both Isaiah and Jeremiah looked at their present state when they heard the call, both assumed it had to involve their might and power; however, God provides the power, we provide the feet and mouth. Jeremiah says, “I, Ah, Lord God!” or “Who me?”; then he adds his excuse by saying, “behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child” (Jere 1:6). Jeremiah heard God’s statement, but retorted with a fact, yet God wasn’t looking for facts, He was looking for a prophet. God wasn’t looking at Jeremiah in the womb or as a child, rather God said before Jeremiah was formed, God knew him. God was looking at Jeremiah the prophet, by saying, “Say not, I am a child” (Jere 1:7). God didn’t tell Jeremiah to go about saying, “I’m a prophet, I’m a prophet” nor does it mean Jeremiah is to say, “I’m not a child”, rather God is telling Jeremiah to stop saying he is but a child, thus Jeremiah was to stop confessing the factual evidence, so he could believe in God’s vision. Was Jeremiah a child? Yes, but if he kept confessing the fact, he would never enter the Vision. Wait, if the factual evidence showed Jeremiah was a child, doesn’t it mean God is telling Jeremiah to lie? Not at all, God asked Jeremiah to agree with the calling and vision of God. Simp0ly, God saw the ministry, He is asking Jeremiah to join with His vision. Jeremiah was Jeremiah, the anointing would make him a prophet. Of course the wrong answer would been, “Yes, Thee are correct oh Lord, I are a prophet indeed”. Two sides, God was looking for the Equal part, know you are incapable by knowing God is capable.
There is a difference between not saying something, and saying something not in line with God’s vision. God asks us to agree with His vision for us, thus He is looking at the Report in heaven, as for us we must have the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit. In the case of Jeremiah he must receive the calling, then comes the anointing for the calling. In either case we have to accept the call before we can be trained into it. When we refuse to enter God’s vision, we end calling God a liar. Painting oranges red doesn’t make them apples, Jeremiah didn’t go about saying, “I’m not a child”, rather he stopped saying he was a child, then moved his thoughts to agreed with the vision of God.
The courage had to grow in Jeremiah, but the seeds started with, “you shall go to all that I shall send you” (Jere 1:7). This wasn’t “do you think you can find time to prophesy a little today?”, or “if things go okay in the next couple of years, will you accept the call?”; rather, it was You Shall, if the Shall is there, it’s also coupled with “Be not afraid” (Jere 1:8). Today we think the prophet’s position is all glory and fame, but a true prophet comes with direction and doctrine, usually with a rebuke, or a warning to keep us on the right path.
Later Jeremiah will speak words not comfortable, even to him, but God had a good result in mind. Jeremiah will begin to see many things gone wrong, but they will begin to occupy his mind until all he sees is the vile, God will rebuke him (Jere 15:1-21). Every event will have blessing and cursing, the precious or the vile, whichever we place our minds on becomes what we find. The Precious may be hard to find, but if we’re there, it’s there.
Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, who was of the priests (II Kings 22:4 & 22:8), he was in the city of Anathoth when the Word of the Lord came to him. Anathoth was the same city Abiathar the priest, a close associate of king David was banished to by Solomon, because Abiathar backed the unsuccessful attempt by Adonijah to succeed David (I Kings 2:26). Since Jeremiah’s father was a priest, it stands he was more privy to the education system. It might sound strange in one respect, but right in line with God in another. Jeremiah will speak to princes, priests and the people, thus God picked one of their own to speak to them (Jere 1:1).
The Word came in the 13th year of the reign of Josiah the king of Judah, the number 13 has three metaphoric positions. It can mean one is in rebellion, or one is near rebellion, or rebellion is being broken, in this case, the nation was in rebellion, thus Jeremiah was sent to expose (Gen 14:4, Esther 3:12-13 & Gen 17:25). Jeremiah begins during the reign of Josiah, continuing through the reign of Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim, into the eleventh year of Zedekiah another son of Josiah. One phrase will stand out with Jeremiah; “The Word of the Lord came unto me, saying” (Jere 1:4). Some of us wait and wait for the “the Word of the Lord to come unto us, saying”. Others will tell us, “what are you doing here?”, we respond with, “waiting for the Word of the Lord to come unto me, saying”. “Well don’t you think you should be doing something”, “I am, I’m waiting for the Word of the Lord to come unto me, saying”. Wait on the Word to come, before you move.
Paul told the Corinthians, “lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power the Lord has given me to edification”, with “be of good comfort, be of one mind”, which came after, “examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves” (II Cor 13:10-11 & 13:5). Paul’s first letter was a mild rebuke, his second a sound rebuke, yet both were directional and doctrinal in content. Jeremiah will bring direction, but he will be mocked; he will bring doctrine, yet be imprisoned, he will bring the Word of the Lord unto exhortation, yet be attacked; therefore, God said, “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you” (Jere 1:8). In the end Jeremiah will be the only Jew told by the oppressors, “go where you want, do what you want”, but in the interim he faced many stones of theological abuse, rocks of religious conceit, with the pits of despair, thus the result tells the tale, not the event.
Recalling how Isaiah had a coal from the altar touch his lips, we now see how the Lord put His hand on the mouth of Jeremiah (Jere 1:9). Does it mean Isaiah was more sinful than Jeremiah? Hardly, it shows God has many ways, He uses the way which best brings the intended result. In both cases we find it was their mouth, not their hearts, the sin nature wasn’t forgiven, their iniquity regarding speaking was. Jeremiah’s ministry was to Root out, Pull down, Destroy, To throw down, To build and To plant, giving us six points (Jere 1:9). Before the Building or Planting could begin, there had to be a (1) Rooting out, (2) a Pulling down the strongholds, then (3) Destroy the rebellion and religious conceit, then (4) Throw down pride, then would come (5) the Building, and (6) Planting. How does this relate to us? Foundation, with the New Man in residence we have a great deal of renovation taking place. The New Man renews the house, without destroying the house, rather the idea is to save the house (soul). In our case we find periods of uprooting, at first the real hindrances go, but there are other hidden roots, they must go as well. It is a Process, or did we say that?
The idols of man are many, not all are seen with the naked eye, pride is an idol, ego and religious conceit are idols as well, legalism is a massive idol. God views the worship of any idol as an act of adultery against Him, thus one can appear morally clean, yet still have an adulterous affair with legalism, pride, or religious conceit.
The sign of Jeremiah’s ministry was the “rod of an almond tree”, the rod is used for correction, but Almonds refer to Life, thus God’s purpose was to spare the children from death (Jere 1:11). Archaeological evidence found in what is known as the “Lachish Letters”, or pieces of pottery written on by the defenders of Lachish against the Babylonian invasion making reference to, “the prophet” in Jerusalem (Jeremiah), yet they termed him a Defeatist. His message was one of encouragement, but ears who refuse to hear will turn the message into defeat. Jeremiah was telling the people Babylon was coming, the false prophets were saying, God will spare us. The so-called “positive” statement was really the negative, but the assumed negative was the positive.
The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, saying “What do you see?” (Jere 1:13). Jeremiah saw the seething pot of turmoil coming from the north upon the inhabitants of the land. The pot was facing south, but the trouble was coming from the north, thus the children were not facing the trouble, they were looking to Egypt. An element during Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry was the constant false thinking of the people how the Temple would never be destroyed. Would a Good God allow the Temple to be taken by the heathen? Never, it will stand, as we stand with it, regardless of how evil we are. Sound foolish? It was, and still is. Jeremiah is told the enemy will enter the gates of Jerusalem thereby taking the city. The children were burning incense to other gods, while worshipping the works of their hands (Jere 1:16). Jeremiah needed to move in courage in order to gain it, thus God tells him, “gird up your loins”, to us this would be akin to “Put on the whole armor of God” (Jere 1:17 & Eph 6:13). Jeremiah was going to see “faces” of hate, thus God told him twice, not to be dismayed at their faces (Jere 1:8 & 1:17). Faces can change our mode of preaching in a second, “they’re not liking this”, “they are looking for things to throw at me”, “they are really offended, better back off”; the faces can cause us to leave the anointing as we run to the smooth sayings of compromise. Faces of praise can also be a hindrance, “man they are liking this, better add some more”, we then move from the anointing to the flesh. Don’t allow faces to change our path, we waited for the “Word of the Lord to come unto us, saying”, now deliver it as God desires. If we allow faces to change our path, we will be confounded (Jere 1:17).
Jeremiah’s ministry was one of offense to bring correction, he was told how he would be Against the whole land, Against the kings of Judah, Against the princes thereof, Against the priests thereof, and Against the people of the land (Jere 1:18). Wow, doesn’t sound right. Perhaps it’s our view of the word “against”, or how we tend to use it. Jeremiah was against the evil path the people were taking, not to belittle them, but to bring correction in order to save them. Again this is a nation called of God, being “against” in this case, shows the prophet was against the things against God, thus the man was For God. Even if it meant he wouldn’t have friends, or companions in the battle, he nonetheless would speak for God, it was more important to Jeremiah than the entire nation being his friend.
There are times when we won’t move unless we get a “strong encouraging word” from God, yet this prophet heard, “they shall fight against you”, but he also heard, “they shall not prevail against you” (Jere 1:19). Some of us hear the first part, and we’re gone like the wind, “nope, I’m not going for this, it wasn’t God”, but we forgot the latter part. We at times forget we don’t serve a multiple God, but we do serve a God with multiple methods to accomplish the goal. Regardless of the Fire, He is still able to Deliver us (Jere 1:19).
The people will also have encouragement, but they are told to Remember, whereas Jeremiah is told not to be afraid of what was to come. This division gives us a difference between God telling us to Remember, which is a call to belief, and God telling us what lays ahead as our call for faith. Our faith is seen, but it’s the substance or confidence of things hoped for, but the foundation of faith is not seen, until the faith is applied. Once a person applies their faith we will know the source, if self, their faith will be self-based, if God centered, it will be Spirit based.
We know Jesus was Resurrected, for us it’s past tense as a point of belief, but we also desire to be partakers of His Resurrection, a point of faith. We didn’t see Peter’s shadow heal, or hear Paul preach, but we read about them and believed. Belief is the springboard for faith, but don’t confuse belief as the unseen evidence of Faith. Belief is a matter of knowledge, faith without knowledge doesn’t know what the Hope is. Belief and Faith are connected in the Now, but they are different. When anyone brings unbelief, or doubt to the Bible they are attempting to erode our belief, which in turn will weaken our faith position. Doubters and pouters have a place, they encourage us to believe the more, but they are nonetheless natural, they also tend to listen to the spirit lusting to envy.
Experiences are important, they are belief builders, but if we forget the victories of the past, we will end counting the stripes, weakening our foundation. Belief in the historical records is fine for the worldly, we have to believe in the unbelievable attributes of Christ which are found in the Bible. The requirement to fit “shall be saved” is continual belief (Mark 16:16 & Rom 10:9).
Even God remembers the city’s youth, the kindness and love which it used to possess, if it was then; where is it now? (Jere 2:2). Like the children, if they had faith to cross the sea to enter the wilderness, where was their faith in the wilderness? If we believed to enter, where is our belief now? The nation was the holiness unto the Lord, the firstfruits of His increase, although He will allow the heathen to take the city, woe unto them who do (Jere 2:3). This shows us how God will allow the attacks of the Wicked, but woe unto them, and woe unto us if we don’t receive the correction, or remember the lesson.
Although the inhabitants would have many chances to repent and change paths their religious conceit, and self-deceived ideas of “the temple, the temple”, caused them to remain on the same path of destruction (Jere 1:11-14). Trusting in something of God, is much different than trusting in God. The priests are not asking the people to seek the Lord (Jere 2:8), the pastors have transgressed against the Lord (Jere 2:8). Wait, pastors? Did they have Pastors? The word Pastor is the Hebrew Raah meaning To tend the flock, or To rule, as in a “ruler of Israel”. The Pastor in the New Testament is the person who makes sure the people have all the spiritual material they need (I Pet 5:2-3).
Not only were the priests and pastors going astray, but the prophets were now “prophets of Baal”. The same Jezebel nature was seen in the days of Elijah, is also seen here (Rev 2:20-23). God tells His people to look at the heathen, does the heathen change their gods? Why then would the children of God change theirs? (Jere 2:11). What evil did God do? Perhaps the land wasn’t as nice as they expected, perhaps they are not as happy as they wanted, perhaps they think “those things have passed away”, or perhaps God has changed, or now is speaking to them through idols. God changes not, if He spoke to Abraham, then He speaks to us.
Jeremiah will also see a preview of the end times, as Magog will come from the north comprised of all the families of the earth (Jere 1:15). God will first utter His judgments, not because God desires it, rather it comes because “all their wickedness, who have forsaken Me” (Jere 1:16). God never left them, they left God, thus God is true to His promise, He will remain with them, but as their enemy, because they have made Him their enemy. To the Jew an idol is a devil, doctrines of devils are not what devils teach, it’s teaching unbelief, the biggest unbelief of all is teaching others to engage in idol worship. It’s we who need to examine ourselves to ascertain if we are walking in the promise, or if we have vexed the Holy Spirit with corrupt communication.
Jeremiah is assured of one thing, the people will reject his word, but it doesn’t stop God or Jeremiah from presenting the warning. It’s not our job to believe for others, but is our job to tell them the truth. Jesus knew the Cross was ahead, He knew the religious leaders would reject Him, but it didn’t stop Him from teaching in the temple, or presenting the promise. Simply because God presents the vision, calling, or promise doesn’t mean the people will believe it, we must enter by faith to bring it to pass in our lives. Many events will come to pass, which side of the event we end on, depends on our faith in God to deliver us from evil, as He will from the Hour of Temptation.
Jeremiah would “cry in the ears of Jerusalem”, pointing to the leaders of God’s House who are suppose to have ears to hear (Jere 2:1). However, God refers to Jerusalem as being in the wilderness, how can it be? Jerusalem metaphorically is the place of the Temple, the home for the leaders. Although the children who entered the wilderness followed Moses, they failed to follow God (Jere 2:2). Jerusalem means Teaching of Peace, but it’s known as the City of Peace (Gen 14:18 & Ps 76:2). Historically Jerusalem was in existence well before the Israelites, or David took it from Jebusites, it’s mentioned first in Joshua 10:1, we will also find God saw the city and said, “As is the mother, so is the daughter” (Ezek 16:44). Then God tells us He found the city, at the time the city’s mother was a Hittie, it’s father was an Amorite, yet God adopted it (Ezek 16:45). However, it refers to the city, not the people of God. Israel is the Firstfruits unto God; whereas we are the Firstfruits of the Spirit (Jere 2:3 & Rom 8:23). Here God simply wants to know what wrong He did, or what fault did the fathers find in Him to cause the children to rebel, and seek after other gods (Jere 2:5).
The religious leaders were looking at the wilderness, as well as the Red Sea experience as a “was” or had passed away, they presumed the temple made them more holier than the children in the wilderness (Jere 2:6). They forgot God wanted the Tabernacle, David wanted the Temple; Moses did as God desired, yet God honored David’s request. They also forgot how the children had the Tabernacle, but God destroyed those who believed not (Jude 5). They were about as secure as a twig in a hurricane, yet they didn’t know it.
The nations were gathering all around the city, the people of the city looked to the past victories, but ignored the sins of the present. The priests were not seeking the Lord, they were seeking intellectualism, the pastors were in sin (unbelief), their iniquity was failing to guide the people in truth, the prophets prophesied by Baal, these three pillars stopped the glory of the Lord from operating (Jere 2:8).
These people are being warned, they had been warned for many years, the nation of God was in danger, they were changing from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the god of religion and intellect. God continues to ask, What idol worshipping nation has changed their god? Why then do the people of God change theirs? (Jere 2:11). God’s people have committed two errors, they have forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters, and made their own cisterns (self) which can’t hold water (mercy – Jere 2:13). Living Waters? The Bible tells us man could not have the Living Water until Jesus was glorified (Jn 7:38-39), what gives? Ahh, they had forsaken the Fountain of Living Water, defining God as the Fountain, the Living Waters as words based in Mercy and Life, thus when we have the Spirit which is of God in us we become a Well, the New Man the producer of Mercy with Life (vs. 2 & I Cor 14:21-22).
Jesus preached, “if any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water” , this Jesus spoke of them who would receive the Spirit (Jn 7:37-38). Living Water is Mercy coupled with the Life by the Spirit. The very next morning after Jesus taught on the Living Water, the religious leaders found a woman whom they knew committed adultery and brought her to Jesus. They knew the Law, they knew both the man and woman must be punished or there is no violation, but they wanted to tempt the Lord, not seek justice (Jn 8:2-6). The night prior they held their John 7 meeting, they voted to trap Jesus, but they were about to find no one traps the Lord. Jeremiah says, “they who depart…shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord, the Fountain of Living Waters” (Jere 17:13), but he also adds, “Heal me, O Lord and I shall be healed; save me and I shall saved: for You are my praise” (Jere 17:14). Whether Jesus wrote their names, or the verse from Jeremiah, the religious leaders knew what He was doing. After Jesus writes in the ground, He says, “I Am the Light of the world: he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life” (Jn 8:12). This is the same as “heal me, Oh Lord and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved”. The Pharisees had the opportunity to speak repentance, but their ego and religious pride caused them to turn and walk away.
These people are told their own wickedness will correct them, their backsliding will reprove them (Jere 2:19). How can it be? They removed themselves from the protection, leaving the door open for the invaders. God reminds these people and us, how giving opportunity to the devil begins when we ignore God, or venture into idol worship. The people said, “we will not transgress”, or we said, “Yes, Lord I will follow You”, a vow is a vow (Jere 2:20). Each time God delivered us, each time we said we will obey and believe; yet our failure to keep our vows caused our own correction and reproof. At times we blame the devil, but the devil can’t do a thing to us, unless we give him place (opportunity – Eph 4:27).
God gave us the Vine of Life, the Wine of the Spirit, yet we have the ability to turn the Vine into strange wine (the cup of devils – Jere 2:21); strange wine comes from the Strange Woman in high places. God didn’t change the Vine, rather the people took the Vine and twisted the product into evil (Jude 4). God asks them, “How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim?” (Jere 2:23). The word Polluted is a different Hebrew word than the one used in Isaiah in the phrase, “keep the sabbath from polluting it” (Isa 56:2). In Isaiah the word Polluting is the Hebrew Chalal meaning To Defile, here in Jeremiah the word Polluted is the Hebrew Tame meaning To be unclean in a moral or ritual sense. The people mixing with idols was an act of adultery in God’s eye, although they spent time in the Temple, they also spent time with their idols: a little leaven still leavens the whole. They “played the harlot”, from this we see how the Woman in the Book of Revelation changed from the One who brought the Man Child to the Whore based on her idol worship (Jere 3:6, Rev 12:5 & 17:5).
In Jeremiah 3:1 God says, “They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again?”. They say? It was in the Law of Moses. Didn’t God say this? Was Moses a whacko making up his own law? What gives? The Law of Moses was given to Moses by God, but it wasn’t God’s Law. God is Spirit, His Law is Spirit, the Law of Moses was not Spirit, or spiritual, it contains carnal ordinances for carnal people. Therefore, in Matthew Jesus says, “It was said of them of old time”, rather than “God said in the Law”. God saw the Law of Moses as a great separation between God and the people, the Law of the Spirit Unites God to His people. The Law of Moses was given to Moses, who gave it to the people, thus the, “of them” would be correct. The Law of Moses has power and authority, it’s also a principality, thus it can bless or curse, as it was designed. It rewards the doer when the doer does any aspect called for, but it also finds the same doer guilty of sin. The Law of the Spirit is designed to remove the person from sin, not condemn them for it.
In this case the real pollution is what the people did to the land, metaphorically we can see this is akin to polluting the kingdom of heaven (Body). Blessed are those in the Body who seek to walk in the Spirit, but Woe to those who pollute the Body with unbelief, doubt, or the spirit of man. God tells these people how they polluted the land, how they did whoredoms, how they caused a divorce, yet He will take them back if they repent. This pertains to the Day as well, as long as it’s Day the wicked can repent; however, Paul tells us the Spirit speaks of a departing from the faith (I Tim 4:1-4). The wording “Shall Depart” in First Timothy is the Greek Aphistemi meaning to depart, but it was also used to define an action of divorce (if one departs), thus Christ doesn’t divorce the Wicked, they divorce Christ by departing from the Faith.
If a wife was put away, if she remarries, the first husband can’t take her back, but if she didn’t remarry, he could, it’s the point. If they claim a marriage to idols, God wants to see where they divorced Him. If they claim idols, then God will demand a divorce to keep Him from being married to an adulteress.
In Jeremiah 3:3 we find the phrase “whore’s forehead”, this defines the “mark of the Beast” on the forehead, or the manner in which one thinks. They had Thoughts joining them to idols, thus the mark of the Beast on the forehead is a thinking of idols to the point one serves them. The mark of the Beast in the hand is using the ways of the world or the ways of the Wicked as our means of security, associating to “worshipped the works of their own hands” (Jere 1:16). A “whore’s forehead” also entails one being so proud, they refuse to be ashamed for their wicked deeds; rather than repent for their unbelief, they promote it, thus idol worship in any form is considered unbelief by God.
All the prophets will explain the “mark, name and number of the Beast”, it’s not a computer chip, but an attitude conducive to the thinking of the devil. We will find God telling the “children of Judah” how they set their abominations in the house which is called by His name. It would seem as if they placed an abomination in the Temple (Jere 7:30); however, as we will see they didn’t place the actual abominations in the temple, rather they entered the Temple with the thoughts of idols on their minds. These people trusted in how they kept the Temple free of idols, which would appear as if God was mistaken, but God is pointing to the “forehead” or what is in the mind. Gentile rulers have polluted the temple in times past, the destruction in 70 AD was by the hand of a drunken solider of Titus who tossed a torch into the temple causing all the gold to melt between the massive stones. The people torn the stones apart to get the gold, thus the gold meant more to them than the Temple. Although Gentiles have polluted the Temple, the Jews have not thus far, yet in the very end the Woman will not only allow it, she will encourage it.
In order to gain from some of this, let’s back up one chapter where the Strangers are seen. We recall how the Strangers were connected to the Strange Woman, now God says His people loved the Strangers and followed them, rather than follow Him (Jere 2:25). These Strangers are idols, to a Jew an idol is a devil.
When the children would find themselves in trouble, they would call out, “Arise Oh Lord, save us”, but prior they were calling the idols their father (Jere 2:27). This is a type of false repentance, they seek help from God in the face of danger, but they are quick to forget. Judas repented himself, or entered self-repentance; he was remorseful, but only because the plan didn’t turn out the way he wanted. Judas felt by giving back the money he would gain absolution for his sin, showing his concern was based in the love of money. When the religious rulers rejected the money, he hung himself, but he never wept bitterly as did Peter, he never looked on the face of the Lord, as did Peter. Peter wanted to do something for the Lord and failed because he was weak, but didn’t know it; Judas wanted to do something to the Lord, much different. Peter lacked the wherewithal, based on his misconception of who he felt he was. After Pentecost Peter was in the hands of Another Comforter who gave him strength to do all what the Lord desired of him.
The Armor of God has a Sword, Jesus has the Two-edged Sword, but the wicked have a false sword of corruption. The wicked sword of the mouth can destroy the prophets of God, just as easy as the Sword of the Spirit (Rhema) can speak as a prophet (Jere 2:30 & Eph 6:17). When we discourage a prophet with the wicked sword, we will turn the Sword of God against us.
These people were sacrificing their children to Baal, surely the Lord’s anger is turned against them (Jere 2:34). Abortion in the world is bad enough, but the abortion of the Babes in Christ on the altar of natural reasoning is worse.
They were going about saying, “I have not sinned, I have not sinned” yet their Testimony and Witness were much different (Jere 2:35). Jeremiah gives us the classic between what one says, and what their Witness says, as well as explaining why Jesus doesn’t receive the Testimony of men. The Testimony of these people was “the Temple”, and “God will save us”, but their Witness showed they were idol worshipers. It would seem they were “speaking in faith”, but they were speaking from presumption. God said one thing, they said another wanting God to perform to their words.
Babes in Christ move through the pasture gaining, but all of us can pick up “strange wine” along the path. The Word in us is fully able to discern, giving us a lesson in the process. However, our own soulish reactions can discourage the Babe in Christ, causing the abortion of the seed, or death of the innocent (Jere 2:34-35). Encouragement moves the Babe to the Wine of the Spirit, discouragement causes them to reject all wine, strange or good. The people were coming with “new ways” to worship, or “new ways” to find the Lord, yet their ways were an abomination (Jere 2:36-37). Not all “new ways” are Godly ways, thus the false prophets were speaking words not from the Lord, yet the people had the ability to look at their condition to determine the truthfulness of the words spoken.
As we saw, the Law allowed for God to put away His wife; however, the Father didn’t marry another, neither did His wife, rather she was found with Strange lovers. If she would have married, then God could never taken her back, but since she didn’t remarry, thus He says, “Return unto Me” (Jere 3:1). The showers were withheld, the blessing remained in heaven because they refused to be ashamed (Jere 3:3). It didn’t pass away, rather they rejected it by covering themselves in religious conceit. However, these things are written for our admonishment, we can’t view them as “history”. We learn so we can discern, so we won’t burn.
Jeremiah begins to involve the Body; however, this is not the Body in general, rather it’s akin to those who fall away from the faith. Jeremiah identifies this element as “Judah the sister”. The Woman in the Book of Revelation is not Judah, but the City. Judah is a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven; Judah has “good sisters” (Wheat) and treacherous sisters (Tares). Then we find the phrase, “and her treacherous sister Judah saw it”, the word Saw is the Hebrew Raah meaning To view, Inspect, or To learn from. This shows us how Judas was given all the information he needed through the history of these people, there was no reason for him to follow his lust to envy.
The Old Testament teaches us how the folly of natural man leads to destruction, for us to remain with natural reasoning when Jesus has made it possible for us to be Born Again is not only stupid, it’s dangerous. Natural reasoning laced with natural knowledge leads one to religious conceit and pride (Jere 3:7 & James 3:14-16).
The Holy Ghost used the Old Testament to reveal the mysteries to Paul, thus Paul knew there would be a falling away from the faith. God still calls out, “Return unto Me”, it’s only too late after the Rapture, not before (Jere 3:7). God’s wrath is stayed, His concern is for all come to the saving knowledge of the Gospel so none will be lost, but the day will come when it changes from “saved” to “judgment”. Although God would not leave them or forsake them, it also includes God bringing the punishment and Justice (Jere 3:8).
The metaphoric content extends here, as we discover how idol worship joins one to the house of the wicked, placing them among devils. Judah feared not and went her way with idols as she played the harlot (Jere 3:8). The Wicked have no fear of God, the reference here is to the Wicked who play with mental idols, yet claim the Lord. Judah did turn to the Lord, but not with her whole heart, rather it was “feignedly”, the word Feignedly is the Hebrew Sheqer meaning A falsehood, it was used to show a False prophecy, not a false prophet. It’s akin to false repentance, or having a Name saying we have life, yet we are dead (Jere 3:10, I Cor 11:1-7, Rev 3:1 & 3:16). They proclaimed God as their Maker, but not their Lord. They held the temple as Holy, but ignored their unholy condition. Many people speak of natural man as “created in God’s image”, but natural man is under the hand of the spirit of disobedience, run by the spirit lusting to envy. The Image of God is found in the New Man, not the natural state of man. Although these people could not be Born Again, they could obey God by rejecting idols.
Backsliding Israel justified herself, as she looked at her “good works” as her sign of holiness, but she played the harlot nonetheless (Jere 3:11-12). They were told to prepare their hearts, yet Preparation begins with repentance, coupled with their acknowledgment of their transgressions (Jere 3:13). God tells them, “you have not obeyed My voice”; Jesus told us to become Witnesses by having the Witness of the Spirit (Acts 1:6-8). God has given us Pastors with knowledge and understanding, yet we find there are false ones as well, the Unction over the Body is fully able to detect the false if we hold to the Truth (Jere 3:15).
Jeremiah then gives us a dual prophecy; when Israel is gathered in her land in Peace, then the Door to the House of David will be open, but prior to the time the increase of people into the Kingdom of heaven will take place, thus showing the Division between Salvation and Judgment. Israel has part of her land now, but she is hardly at peace. Instead of saying, “The Ark Of The Covenant”, we seek the Spirit of Christ (Jere 3:16). The Time of Comfort will again bringing the center of the Lord’s knowledge from Jerusalem, then all nations will gather to Jerusalem, but Jerusalem is the Lord’s footstool (Jere 3:17). It’s important to see how God called Israel His wife, not Jerusalem, or Judah. Jesus is the Lion from the Tribe of Judah, He is not the Lion from Israel. Jerusalem is not noted as either Israel or Judah, thus we have several women; Israel, Judah, Jerusalem of the earth as the adopted daughter, then the Church as New Jerusalem as the Bride of Christ.
God divides the Remnant from the city by marking them on Zion, thus we have those who are truly Israel as the Remnant, the Woman as the City, Judah metaphorically as the Body, the tents of Judah as those who walk in the Spirit. We can view Judah as the kingdom of heaven, the “tents of Judah” as the Kingdom of God. Since Judah is a metaphor for the Body, we find the purpose for God’s correction is for us to put away imaginations, as we set our focus on becoming New Jerusalem, in order to ascend as the Bride to receive the Remnant on the last day, with all those who pass the Book of Life, thus Judah will walk with Israel (Jere 3:18). However, God says, “How shall I put you among the children and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations?” (Jere 3:19). The Temple to these people was their protection, they held what we could term a “once templed, always templed” thinking. God was Bound, His will for these people was Bound in heaven. It wasn’t because God didn’t want to bless them, rather Choice was in their hands, thus God was bound by their actions, not by His power (Jere 3:19). The Blessing would still go on its intended path, but the people walked on their own self-based path which ended in captivity.
Jeremiah then shows God will not leave us nor forsake us, it’s we can leave Him (Jere 3:20-21). These people turned their backs on God, yet God didn’t leave them, He sent prophet after prophet. In truth, it will be God who allows them to be placed in bondage, but He still didn’t leave them. The devil didn’t punish them, the world didn’t punish them, God did, but He did it based on their iniquities and rebellious behavior.
The Testimony should be, “The Lord He is God”, but without the Witness those words make us a shame. Shame devoured these people, they sinned against their Lord, not because they refused to do the Law, but because they refused to bow and submit to the Lord (Jere 3:21-25). What God purposed for them, will pass them by: what God desires not to do, must be done. Did God know all this would happen? Yes, from the foundation of the world. So why even begin if it was going to end like this? Opportunity, God presents us opportunity in order to make a choice. These events happened, yet God used them as warnings for us so we can make a choice as well, thus we can see the trap of religious conceit, it can destroy our walk.
Instead of yelling, “The temple”, or “once protected always protected”, God tells them to say the “Lord lives”, then prove it with their Witness of Truth, Judgment and Righteousness (Jere 4:2). Saying something and doing it are different, God looks for those who say and do. In our case we must seek the Father by the Spirit and Truth; we will find Judgment is Mercy; Righteousness is Grace; Peace is Holiness and Joy unspeakable is the Lord’s Correction unto Perfection.
There are steps to produce the fruit of repentance; the Pharisees were not willing to repent, they assumed they had nothing to repent for (Luke 3:8). Two areas of religious conceit, one is thinking there is no way they can sin, the other is thinking they sin all the time. True repentance is the acknowledgment of the error, with the added desire to be improved by coming to God, then trusting in God to repair the damage caused by the error. Repenting to avoid the danger for the moment is not True Repentance. Repenting because things are not going the way we want is not True Repentance. When the danger passes, or things are going our way again, the repentance is soon forgotten. These people were trusting in the Temple, some today trust in fables. Jesus said, the Sower sows the Word, He didn’t say the Sower will till the ground (Mark 4:14). The Ground is our responsibility, it’s up to us to “break up fallow (vacant) ground” (Jere 4:3). The Seed will be Sown, regardless of the Ground condition, thus it’s better to have Soft Teachable Ground, watered with Mercy fit for the Growth of the Seed.
We make many choices, the only decision we had in the world was to either come to the Lord, or reject Him. Things happen, although we were victims of circumstances in the world, those circumstances nonetheless pointed us to God. God has a purpose in all things, as all things have a purpose. The rain falls on the just and unjust, but only the just know why. The call in Jeremiah 4:4 is prophetic in nature, it calls for the “men of Judah” and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem”, but the context points only to those of the Day, thus we find the “men of Judah” pointing to the kingdom of heaven, the “inhabitants of Jerusalem” to those in the Kingdom of God (New Jerusalem). The phrase “circumcise your heart” was defined for us by Paul as a circumcision not made with hands (Rom 2:29 & Col 2:11), it’s a sign by God regarding the New Covenant. Here we find it means to cut away the fleshly heart which holds us bound to the spirit of man and his religious conceit (Jere 4:4). Abraham was known as the father of the circumcision, meaning the only one whom God granted the right as a sign to enter a Covenant made between God and Abraham. In our case it’s an act by the Holy Ghost giving us right to enter a Covenant made between the Father and Son, evidenced by the Seal of the Holy Spirit (Rom 4:9-25).
Jeremiah 4:4 also shows the division between the Day and Night, in the Day we find the circumcision not made with hands, but in the Night we find the fury of God coming as a fire which no one can quench. Then God tells them to go ahead and attempt to find safety, blow the trumpet, run to the cities of defense, it will do no good, for God will bring an “evil” (Gentile nations) from the north for a great “destruction” (Jere 4:4-5). The word Destruction is the Hebrew Sheber meaning destruction, or breach, as in breach of contract. The context pointing to the North is correct regarding location, but the term also means an element over something. Today the Jew goes “up to Jerusalem” regardless of where they are, thus showing them there is no city higher than Jerusalem. When God sends a people “from the North” it means He has granted them power to overcome those He has sent them to.
Verses 23 through 29 are used by some to support the Gap Theory, but they really point to the end not the beginning. It all has to be connected back to the fire and fury of the Lord coming because of the iniquity and the leaders deceiving the people (vs. 10). Back in Genesis 1:1 God saw the world as void and in darkness, no cities, no man, here we find He beheld the mountains (nations) trembling, then He saw the “fruitful place” was a wilderness (vs. 26). If it was void and in darkness, how then could there be a fruitful place? God said the Night will be as the Garden, sin will be defined yet forgiven as the Night begins based on the repentance (sackclothe). The devil will be bound, yet the Beast of the Earth comes with the working of Satan. In the end the cities will be destroyed in the lake o fire.
In verse 27 God reminds the people they owned the land sabbath time, based on the seven year land sabbath (Lev 25:4). They owed the land 70 years of sabbaths, or 7 times 70, for a total of 490 years, thus God forgave them 70 times 7, allowing them 490 years to repent, but even 70 times 7 reached an end, it was time to pay the 70 years back to the land. God will see the land desolate, but it will not be the end. Verse 28 shows God will not turn back, it is spoken, God is not a man that He should lie. The avoidance of the wrath is to repent and get right with God, but will they?
Jeremiah 4:30-31 goes to the end times again, the “woman in travail” is Jerusalem the city (Rev 12:1-2). The woman brought forth a Man Child, the Man Child was “caught up” (same Greek word Paul used for the catching away – Rev 12:5).
Jeremiah was often termed the Weeping Prophet, but it wasn’t for his condition or position, rather his tears came from the pain the people were causing God. Jeremiah had clarity, he saw the religious conceit, he knew what was going on. The prophet with clarity is often a sad person when religious conceit is ruling the masses. The anguish of God was being felt by the prophet, he was the tool God was using to reach out time and again to a people who were standing in religious conceit (Jere 4:19-21). Jeremiah knows the truth of statement, “the Lord has spoken, what can I do but prophesy”.
Will God destroy the Righteous with the Wicked? No, so He tells the prophet to go into Jerusalem search it out, is there one who executes true judgment, or is seeking Truth? (Jere 5:1). They say the “Lord lives” but then we read “surely they swear falsely” (Jere 5:2). What? The Lord doesn’t live? Wait, they say, but they don’t live up to the words. It’s easy to say, “I am a Christian”, but it takes the Spirit in us to live up to the title. It’s easy to say, “Jesus is Lord”, but no one calls Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost (I Cor 12:3).
The Longsuffering of God is seen in these verses, He sent prophet after prophet, He chastened them, He stricken them, but they have not grieved. The past evidence shows He destroyed those who believed not in the wilderness (Jude 5), but these people reject the warning, as they refuse to receive correction (Jere 5:3).
Jeremiah then goes to the “great men” or the elders, surely they know the way of the Lord (Jere 5:5). However, they have altogether broken the yoke as well. This is not the yoke of bondage, but the yoke of the Covenant. This explains why Jesus tells us to take of His yoke in order to find rest for our souls, His yoke is the New Covenant. God then asks how can He pardon them? They have turned to idols (are no gods), they have done all the things God asked them not to do, yet they have not done what God asked them to do. Their iniquity took them to sin, it always does. When we are unequal, we will attempt to fill the void with some carnal, or natural element. Being Equal means we do the Acts, but we also have the Ways, thus we can do the Acts, but hold the Ways of the old man making us unequal (Matt 7:21-23).
God again says He will not make a full end (Jere 5:10), but the land will be desolate. The people will be in captivity until the land is paid what they owe it, 70 years of sabbaths. This becomes the main issue, their idol worship was bad enough, violating the sabbath for the land, worse.
Jeremiah 5:14 is a preview of the Judgment, defining the double-edged Sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus. The Word in us is sharper than any sword, thus it’s not a sword, but it will produce the Sword of the Spirit (James 1:21 & Eph 6:17). The Sword of the Spirit is the Rhema, the word Sword means a small knife used to bring a sacrifice. The double-edged Sword is much different, it will cut both ways, it judges the Acts and Ways of a person.
The people were enjoying the blessing, but rejected the One who blessed them. They were rich, feeling they were in need of nothing, they trusted in the Temple, a building made of hands. God calls them Foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, but refuse to see, who have ears, but refuse to hear (Jere 5:21). Faith comes by hearing, but the hearing by the Rhema, the Rhema is defined is seeking Life and Spirit (Jn 6:63). Faith can come and go, but without ears to hear, we will not receive.
Wait, I thought we were never to call anyone a fool. True, but Paul called the Galatians foolish for seeking the Abrahamic Covenant (Gal 3:1). Jesus used a word meaning “void of God”, no one is void of God until they enter the “resurrection of damnation”, here it means they are doing foolish things, making them a foolish people, but they are not void of God, they are ignoring Him.
God’s purpose is to present us with the “appointed weeks of the harvest”, but our iniquities have withheld the good things (Jere 5:25). How can this be? We go to church every Sunday, we pray, we fast, we work to get our hands on as much money as we can, how can this be? Oops. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. Some read it as, “I am the Kingdom of God based on my self-righteousness, and I will get all the things I can”. Not real wise.
Paul faced Religious conceit in the Romans, thus it was not something just for these “primitive people”, it’s a product of the fallen nature of man. We have the advantage in Grace, we can change natures. Our souls are being changed by the Spirit, thus we are changed from flesh centered carnal thinking people to those who are Spiritual in nature. Paul also warned the Ephesians not to engage in the wiles of the devil. One of the wiles was “spiritual wickedness”, meaning the Iniquity to become spiritual. Religious conceit wants the Spirit, but wants the Spirit to serve the person. Rather than give God the glory, the old man desires the glory, even if he has to us God to get it. There is a vast difference between saying “I’m a child of God” with a humble heart, and saying it from a heart based in pride. In Romans, Paul told us how religious conceit and unbelief are sisters (Rom 11:21-24); the Weapon of “continuing in Goodness” based in Mercy will destroy religious conceit (Rom 11:22 & 9:23). Paul also says nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, then he lists several things, yet the one thing not listed is us (Rom 8:35-39). These people were going into captivity, but they were not separated from the Love of God. Unbelief uses excuses, these people held a statement seemingly based in belief, but it was presumption, making it unbelief. They said, “We believe we will not will be destroyed”, thus they believed God was going to spare them, yet the Word of the Lord told them they were in danger. They failed to seek God diligently, they even said it wasn’t God who was bringing the enemy, yet God said it was (Jere 5:12).
It’s not the sins of the people, but the Iniquities, they failed at hearing, failed at giving the land it’s sabbath, yet they went to temple, but unequal in their ways (Jere 5:25). Iniquity makes one Wicked, as a cage is full of birds, their houses (souls) were full of deceit; they had many things, but lacked many more (Jere 5:27-29). The prophets were once prophets of God, but they turned to pleasing words to appease the people, becoming false prophets (Jere 5:30-31). However, God tells us to flee and come out of her, be not a partaker of the iniquities, in this case the her would be the strange woman (Jere 6:1).
The “daughter of Zion” not the Woman is still considered a delicate woman dwelling at home with her husband, pointing to the 144,000 on Zion of the earth. However, we can also see heavenly Zion with the Church (Jere 6:2). We must meet the potential through faith by the Spirit while it is yet Day, for the Night comes when the destroyer will come out of the woods as Wicked trees causing the temple, city, with the world to burn with fire, a fire which cannot be quenched (Jere 6:3-8).
God is looking for a people who will take the warning, and the “gleaning of the vine” so they can bring forth fruit (Jere 6:9-10 & Jn 15:1-5). God looks at the teachers, those who gave false interpretation of His prophecies, He wants to know why they didn’t repent when the error was found in their words (Jere 6:13-15). Seeing error is one thing, refusing to repent because of it, or change, adds error to error.
God tells us to open our ears, for the sound of the Last Trump is close, but there are some who refuse to listen, or refuse to put Oil in their lamps (Jere 6:17). God tells the earth, He alone will bring the evil on the rebellious people who use the name of the Lord (Jere 6:18-19). This is important, showing the world doesn’t punish us, and the only way the devil can touch us is when we give him place. Most of the time we are being chastened so we won’t be condemned with the world, but we don’t like the method, the exposure, or the feeling. We then attack God by saying, “get you behind me Satan”; we better be one hundred percent sure it’s Satan before we end calling God “Satan”.
God gives us two groups subject to the punishment, for there are some who hearkened not to the Word, yet faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. There are some who reject the Law of the Spirit for the self-run life of man (Jere 6:19). To what purpose was social change without Godly change? (Jere 6:20). These people were into witchcraft, but so was Babylon, yet Babylon had been doing it longer, but expected of them. Witchcraft works, that’s why witches us it, but it doesn’t mean we can us it, then claim to be “Godly”. God knows those under the prince of the power of the air are run by the spirit of disobedience, thus they use the ways and wiles of the devil, but we are saved from the old realm, we are not expected to use or enjoy the ways of the old man.
The Lord will lay the stumbling blocks before us as warnings to our unbelief, when we “stumble at the stumblingstone” we have failed to mix the Word with Faith (Rom 9:32-33). If we discern we can see all things are under the feet of Jesus, we are His Body, thus we first determine if God is sending us a warning (Jere 6:19-21). God isn’t calling us to battle, until our repentance is in order (Jere 6:26). Pride says, “I have nothing to repent for”, but those words are from a heart full of religious conceit. We will do something everyday to repent for, we are in the flesh, but we need not walk by it. Repentance before the act is important, repentance during the act is important, repentance after the act is just as important, discernment before the act is far better.
Warnings in the Words of the Prophets tell us God has Suddenlies, not all things are, but there are various Suddenlies, one is when God sends the destroyer suddenly upon us (Jere 6:26). They were warned for years, but when it happened it appeared to them to be a Suddenly, in truth it was. They were waiting until the “last second” to repent, some in the world say, “when I see Jesus coming down, I will get right with God”. Jesus is not coming down in slow motion, we are not leaving in slow motion, the time will come in the twinkling (not the winking) of eye, then the Seasons will change Suddenly.
The rebelliously conceited walk in their own slanders, holding to the corruptness of the flesh (Jere 6:27-29). God will give them their hearts desire, they will have reprobate minds to match their rebellion (Jere 6:30). The enemy will come without Mercy, as the “voice that roars like the Sea” (Jere 6:23). The metaphors show the enemy will be the Gentile World, it has a Voice, in fact, it’s Mouth is the weapon of its warfare. The devil goes about as a roaring lion, thus all he has is a roar. We on the other hand have the Power of Christ, the ability to cast out devils, to speak words of Grace to the hearer. However, these people were told not to walk in the field, or in the way (Jere 6:25). Why? They first had to put on “sackclothe” as a sign of repentance, attempting to walk in the Way without our feet being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace will get our toes stepped on. This defines the metaphor sackclothe as a sign of true repentance; which is not always being sorry for what we have done, but a sadness regarding to whom we have done the wrong.
The metaphor Brass means Judgment, but in this case it was causing the Judgment; the Iron of bondage was coupled with the Judgment (Jere 6:28). They were “slanderers”, thus slander is a weapon of warfare used by the Wicked: we also see how the “wicked are not plucked away” (Jere 6:28-29). The wording “plucked away” is the Hebrew Nathaq meaning To tear off, or To overthrow, thus they were within the nation, the same is true with those run by the spirit of error, they are in the Body, their time to be plucked away will not be until the division of Seasons (Jude 12).
Libel at times is defined as something in print; Slander something said, but Libel is an outright lie, not based on any fact whatsoever, Slander can be based on a fact, but the intent in using the information to cause harm to someone, or their reputation. We can be saying something factual, yet saying it to harm someone, then turn around and say, “well it’s the truth”, thinking we’re fine, we’re not. If we said it to harm them, we have slandered them, walking in the footsteps of the Wicked is not a wise venture.
Judgment begins in the House of the Lord, Jeremiah is told to stand at the gate of the Lord’s House, rather than enter their congregation (Jere 7:2). There are times when the Lord says, “come out”, rather than “go in”. God is longsuffering, our hope is found in the words of the prophet: these people caused the division, as they produced the rebellion. Although they were the children of whoredoms, they weren’t helping with their continued rebellion. Our freedom is so close we can almost hear it, Faith still comes by hearing, but it must be Received to be effective. God tells the children, “Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place” (Jere 7:3). Although they owed the land 70 years, although they were engaged in idol worship, it they truly repented by amending their ways, God would forgive them; how much more security do we have in the Blood of Jesus?
The people are told not to trust in the lying words, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord” (Jere 7:3-5). Their false concept of “once protected, always protected” was about to fall around their ears. The Bible says we can fall from Grace, yet we tend to come up with little sayings about being Saved not based on clear Scripture. Here their assumption of the protection of the temple had some truth in it; God will protect His temple from unjust attacks, but He will also protect it from the rebellious, religiously conceited children of God. Here the Temple was being defiled from within, it would be destroyed, only because the children caused it. The children held the false concept of the Temple being God’s House, rather than a house for them to worship God. In our case, the one who defiles the temple of God, will be destroyed with their temple; however, we have the added concept of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was not Destroyed, rather it was, then was not, a point made by Jeremiah (Jere 7:14). The Tabernacle was taken away, the Temple will be destroyed.
James tells us the undefiled religion is honored before the Father, it’s a good thing to be honored before the Father, but a better thing to be honored before the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (James 1:27 & Jere 7:6). Being honored before the Father is a reference to Mercy, it still means one has to face the Judgment, but if one is a partaker of the First Resurrection they avoid the Judgment. James defines religion as a matter of love thy neighbor, yet he adds the proviso of being unspotted from the world, how can we do that? By being Born Again (James 1:27 & Jere 7:6).
There are false prophets today speaking to lusts, or entice through the wantonness of the soul, but everyone is enticed by their own lust (Jere 7:8). God lists six items of sin; first is stealing, in our case it’s stealing the faith of Abraham by standing behind a deed of the Law; next is murder, in our case it’s the murder of the Law of the Spirit through acts of self-righteousness: for the Night it will be the murder of the Two Witnesses; next is adultery which is the act of idolatry; next is swearing falsely which is saying we are Christian without being Christ Like; next is burning incense to Baal while claiming to be a child of God; lastly is walking after other gods, for us it’s desiring the things of darkness (Jere 7:9). These were all products of the iniquity, they failed to hear, failed to respect God, which moved them from iniquity to sin (Jere 7:10).
The Temple of God begins the work unto the Tabernacle in our hearts, we can trust in the Temple or trust in Him who will make us the Tabernacle. If we trust in the Temple we may find ourselves wanton (Jere 7:11). Even after all this, the Lord hasn’t ceased from speaking to His people, it hasn’t passed away, but we must have ears to hear (Jere 7:12-14). God shows Shiloh was destroyed, yet the Tabernacle was not. Since the Tabernacle couldn’t be found, it’s a sign to these people how their Temple won’t be found either, but more important, neither will their city in which the Temple is located be felt standing (Jere 7:12). The reason? The wickedness of the people, not the desire of God. God’s desire is to see them repent, God’s reality sees them in bondage.
God cast out Ephraim as an abominable branch, they are not found among the New Testament list of the Remnant tribes (Jere 7:15 & Rev 7:4-8). God will compare Jacob (His firstborn) to Ephraim, since Ephraim walked into idol worship with open eyes. Offense hits its peak when God compares us to the world. The frustration of Jeremiah is felt by nearly every New Testament prophet; the Truth is there, the freedom is there, the Armor is there, the ability to overcome is there, but the people say, “I’m saved, let’s eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow Jesus will come”. Woe to you who desire the Day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the Day of the Lord is darkness, and not Light (Amos 5:18). Wait aren’t we suppose to be looking for the Lord? Yes, we’re suppose to look for Him in the Air, not on the earth as Judgment. Part of our Fear of the Lord knows the Judgment will come as a “Thief in the Night” (I Thess 5:2 & II Pet 3:10), but it’s still the Night, not the Day. Some don’t take salvation with a serious note until they are up to their eye balls in the alligators of the self, but if they would simply take their Salvation seriously, God wouldn’t have to send them among the alligators. Even if they wake up in the midst of the alligators, God is able to turn it around for Good.
Jeremiah is told to stop his intercession, yet we will find the man interceding, what gives? He can’t help it, he is moved by compassion, yet before he intercedes he must see what the people are doing. In our Season we intercede for those seeking the Lord, or fighting for their place in salvation, but we must know what they are doing in order to intercede correctly. Perhaps they need clarity, or they need the right person to bring a Word, or something else, of course if we know not what to pray, we pray in the Spirit. On the same note intercession is not witchcraft, we can’t force change on a person, nor can we force our will on them. Other than interceding we can also find evidence presented to our condition, if they see and hear, yet refuse the counsel, ignore, rebel and cast off the Lord, they at least make a decision based on presented evidence, which is what Jeremiah is doing, presenting the evidence. The people had a history, they knew who God was, saw His wonders, yet rejected God for idol worship (Jere 7:16-23 & I Jn 5:16). God moves forward not backward, thus backsliding is moving backward (Jere 7:24).
A very interesting verse is found here in Jeremiah 7:21-22, where the Lord said, “For I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices”. Wow, better check the voice, since they did sacrifice. On the surface it would seen as if Jeremiah was hearing the wrong voice, or Moses did. Something has gone amiss here. Oh wait, Jeremiah 7:23 brings the clarity, “But this thing commanded I them, saying OBEY”. Ahh, the request for Obedience came before the call to sacrifice, thus the sacrifices and dietary laws were to gain obedience from the people. The only way to get them to obey was give them something they could deliver with their own hands, with the added incentive of personal gain. Self-based is still self-based, yet God’s Love is so vast it allowed the self-based acts of these people in order to bless them. Something to think about, since the Blessing would have been much greater if their efforts were Love based.
God seeks Obedience, later Jesus will make it a homework assignment for the Pharisees. The Pharisees worked harder at their religion then most of us, of course they also worked hard at putting Jesus on the Cross. The greatest faith exercise one can offer is obedience unto the Lord. These people were trusting in the temple, but God wanted them to Obey, by putting their trust in Him. If they would only Obey, then the captivity would not happen. Back in Jeremiah 5:1-2 God tells the prophet to search out, if there is One person in the city who seeks truth, one who will execute righteous judgment, then the captivity would be spared. For Sodom it was “ten”, here it’s “one”, but the prophet searched and found none. Could it be discouraging? Yes, but the prophet spoke because God told him to, whether anyone accepted the Word or not. The evidence? Jeremiah speaks, but the people will not hearken or bend their ears to the Lord (Jere 7:25-27). This is another key issue, at times we presume people are rejecting us, not so, if we spoke as an oracle of God the evidence here shows the people rejected the Lord, not the man.
The ministry of the Prophet in a time of rebellion in the Body, or in a time when religious conceit is running wild, or in a time when the people of God are ignoring the call, is humbling for the prophet, it can be frustrating as well (Jere 7:28). Paul tells us a shaven head is a symbol of being void of the Anointing, these people were shaven skin deep, they were void of the protective “green tree” (Jere 7:29-31 & I Cor 11:1-6). Paul shows it’s not God who removes the Anointing, it wasn’t God who removed the protection, rather in both cases it’s the people of God who move from the area of protection into an area of darkness.
It would appear from Jeremiah 7:30 the people placed their abominations in the temple; however, Jewish history, and the evidence of the people claiming the temple could cause this one verse to be a very confusing issue, unless of course we know the prophet is speaking of a time not within the realm of his time. This verse gives us two elements, the people in the time of the prophet were bringing their idols in their minds into the Temple, in the very latter days the false prophet will cause the abomination to be set up in place it should not be. God points to Jerusalem by saying, “the house which is called by My name”, but why not simply say “the temple”, or “My house”. Wait, they people called it God’s house, an interesting element of God taking the people at their word. Jesus will see the religious rulers fleecing the sheep, then call the temple a den of thieves. How can we keep our personal temple clean? The New Man making us into a tabernacle.
Jeremiah 7:31 explains the idols were not in the temple during this time, rather they “built the high places of Tophet”, in the “valley of the son of Hinnom”, what gives? The people held those idols in their minds, then they came into the Temple as if nothing was wrong. They presumed since they didn’t pollute the temple with the actual idol they were going to be protected by God. They had all the “positive faith sayings”, but lacked the confession and witness to back them up. Simply saying something doesn’t make it a Confession, a Confession is the combination of the words and actions. We speak as we believe, we don’t speak to believe. As First John points out, one can Say they are in the Light, but if they hate (slander, or attack) their brother or sister in the Lord, they are in darkness (I Jn 2:10-11). If simply saying something could bring it to pass, surely these people would have Peace; they said it enough. Their Saying was not in line with the Word from the Lord, thus it was not a confession, rather it became a fable. One might think they were making faith confessions, but there was no faith, it was presumptuous. They were attempting to make God obey their words, while they were disobeying God’s words.
This prophecy also shows why the other prophets kept rejecting Jeremiah, they were speaking attempting to make God confirm their words, while Jeremiah was speaking on behalf of the Lord. There are some prophets who give solid words, then one day they think because they said it, it came to pass, then they start saying all sorts of things, presuming God will bring them to pass. A prophet speaks as they hear, they do not speak attempting to make God perform.
God still looks to the end times, seeing how the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride will no longer be in the land (Rev 18:23 & Jere 7:32-34). Clearly this is future, since the Bridegroom didn’t come until Jesus as the Word took on flesh, as John the Baptist points out (Jn 3:29). All these things are not God’s desire (all to be saved, none to be lost), rather this is God’s Reality, yet He is motivated by His desire (Thank God). The Reality is based on man’s sin and iniquity, thereby showing the free choice of man can override the desire of God. It was once asked, “don’t you think God is greater than your unbelief?”. If so, why do we find Jesus could no mighty works because of the unbelief of the people (Matt 13:58)? Unbelief and doubt are two elements keeping us from seeing “mighty works”. Pride and the old man keep us form being partakers in those mighty works. Man’s choice will never override the Will of God, but it can override God’s desire for the person.
God provided the means, motive and opportunity for these people to turn it around to avoid the danger, yet they remained in their self-based ways ending in captivity. God pointed out many paths, but only provided one for their deliverance. They assumed God would honor them, but they forgot they must honor God.
Chapter eight begins with God saying He will bring the bones of many of His people out of their graves; one could assume these are “spirits”, but in reference to the resurrected body Jesus said, “handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see Me have” (Luke 24:39). This is not the First Resurrection, nor is it the last resurrection unto life, rather God shows the resurrection unto damnation, since they worshipped the moon (Zion), sun (the nation), host of heaven (idols), and they made the decision to chose death, rather than life (Jere 8:2-3). This connects to those in the very last days who worship the abomination, thus God points out idol worship will place you into captivity, but in the very end idol worship in the Temple will bring swift destruction.
God shows the people failed to repent of their Wickedness, then He shows how the birds know their appointed times, but the people of God failed to know the time of Judgment (Jere 8:6-7). The Wicked have no fear of God, yet they have many “sayings”, but lack a Confession. Those who choose death, rather than Life will have resurrected bodies, but they won’t be able to leave the earth, thus their flesh will melt and come back time and again forever as a reminder of what could have been (Jere 8:3-7).
These people labored, even the prophets and priests labored, but their labor was based in dealing falsely (Jere 8:10). They kept saying, “Peace, Peace”, when there was no Peace, thus they were attempting to call it so, but lacked the foundation for it to come to pass. We are told to Agree with God by confessing many things, but in all cases the premise is we believe what God said, thereby we speak, it’s not the other way around.
We are in a Season of Peace, thus Peace would be the proper confession for us, but what about “Judgment”. No, it would not be improper confession since Judgment is set for the Night, we are not children of the Night (I Thess 5:5). These people were so conceited they assumed the Law was with them, but they rejected the purpose of the Law (Jere 8:8-10). They also presumed if they said something, God had to do it, making them the god over God, not real smart.
There own wickedness will cause the Grape to cease on the Vine, the metaphor usage points to the Body: Jesus said He was the Vine, we are the Branches, thus the Grape is the Fruit of the Vine. Wickedness causes the Fruit on the Vine to cease, it hasn’t “passed away”, rather we have failed to Water the Vine to bring forth the Fruit. For these people it was physical, they failed to give the land its sabbath, thus the land would turn against them; however, metaphorically we can see how the Root is holy, the Trunk is holy, but without the application of Water (mercy), we will fail to produce fruit.
The last area in Jeremiah 8:13 is the Leaf fading, the metaphor Leaf means a Covering. Adam attempted to cover himself with the fig leaf; the Tree of Life has healing in it’s leaves. The fig tree has been the symbol of the religious order of Israel, the Tree of Life is on either end of the River of Life, we’re at one end, the Lord at the other. God took away the Grape, the Figs and the Leaves, then gave them “water of gall to drink” (Jere 8:14). Their saying of “peace, peace” turned on them, becoming “trouble and sickness” (Jere 8:15). We confess the Word in us, we have faith in God, but we don’t confess things assuming God must honor our words, it’s we who honor the Word of God.
The phrase, “snorting of horses heard from Dan” is another projection to the end times. Dan is one of the two tribes left out of the New Testament Remnant order. The tribe of Dan was divided in the land, thus showing two phases of the serpent who will bite at the heels of the Rider. Dan will cause the rider to fall backward, he is akin to the serpent in the way, thus Dan becomes a metaphor for the Wicked. He was suppose to be a part of the family, but made the choice to hold to his self-will, as he used the wiles of the devil, rather than defeat them. God will send the Serpents and Cockatrices among the people, again we find it’s not the devil doing the sending, it’s God. Therefore, it’s far better to find out why we are among the snakes, rather than be one.
Jesus said we can drink any deadly thing and it will not hurt us, but this has nothing to do with poison, rather it refers to the words of poison coming from the mouths of the deceitful. For us it also entails eating those things considered deadly under the Law of Moses (Jere 8:14, Mark 16:18 & I Jn 2:1). Here in Jeremiah 8:17 we find God sends the Serpents, yet we have power over Serpents, as well as the works of the enemy (Luke 10:19-20). Could it be, just perhaps, there are times when we are faced with Serpents because God allowed it? Yes, not only does it show the Power of God in our lives, it shows how much God does care as He delivers us again. If God didn’t care He would let us run the wide road of religious conceit right into hell, but He does care, proving it by His correction.
After reading Isaiah and Jeremiah to this point, one has to wonder, How can anyone read this and not see the warning? On the other hand, How can we read about Judas and not see the warning? These things are written for our sakes, they show the danger of self-deception, an element the Wicked refuse to face. These people were convinced their error was truth, yet the Word of the Lord came unto them saying they were in error. A point of our prayer life must include the desire for God to give us clarity, to remove any form of self-deception we may have, any hindering element we may have picked up, as we give Him absolute permission to destroy the idols in our minds.
The people were looking for health, but it didn’t come. They looked for peace, yet there was none. They failed to discern the cause of their problem was based in their own sins and iniquities (Jere 8:15-19). Jeremiah 8:18 and following shows why he was termed the “weeping prophet”; however as we will see, it was not the weeping of the prophet, but the weeping of God through the prophet. The “voice of the cry of the daughter of Zion”, “is not the Lord in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they provoked God to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?” (Jere 8:18-19). Zion itself wonders about these people, this Zion is the foundation of the city. The Zion we belong to is the Body, yet the Body will be broken, thus we weep and mourn for the Wicked, for their future is not what they think it is.
However, we are of the Rock, when we do the will of the Lord the Rock produces the Balm in Gilead, when we don’t, the Rock weeps for us. The phrase “balm in Gilead” refers to a prophet in the land, coupled with the people receiving the prophet. When they receive the prophet, they gain the prophet’s reward. Of course we know these people didn’t receive the prophet, their land was not healed (Jere 8:22).
In Jeremiah 9:1-3 we find the Weeping is the Lord’s Weeping, as He sees how their tongues lie, they proceed from evil to evil (Jere 9:3). God will tell us not to Trust in our brother, what? Don’t trust in our brothers in the Lord? That’s right, don’t confuse Trust with Love, if we put our trust in a human, yet they fail, we fall twice as hard, we trust them to do as they should, we love them, even if they fail, we are there to restore them. The concept here is trusting in someone for deliverance, which these people were doing. We Trust in God, we love our brothers and sisters in the Lord, much healthier.
Is all this prophecy negative? Not at all, it’s positive, for the time to repent is still at hand, therein lays the Truth. The people didn’t want to turn from idols, yet they wanted God to deliver them. Had He in the past? Yes, will He now? We’ll have to see. God is Spirit, His Word took on flesh, He has a soul, here we find God has a Soul (Jere 9:9).
When we find the cross reference to Jerusalem and Judah it gives us a clue to the end times. We are the Tents of Judah, but when we are caught away, the broken off part of Judah remains, don’t confuse the bad fish into the good or we will get confused. In the end Jerusalem will be a “den of dragons”, the metaphor “dragon” points to a devil, or someone who acts like a devil, to the Jew an idol worshiper is a devil, so is the idol. Jesus called Judas a devil, so devils are not always limited to fallen angles (Jn 6:70).
All this points to the end times, we recall how the voice of bride and bridegroom shall no more be heard in the Woman, but we also find she will become a “habitation of devils” (Rev 18:23 & 18:2). We also see how this fits the outline Isaiah gave us, giving us a roadmap of failure when we worship idols.
Then we find another end time reference, as the prophet asks “Who is the wise man, who understand this?” (Jere 9:12). How does this point to the end times? John tells us “here is wisdom. Let him who has Understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev 13:18). The word Count is the Greek Psephizo meaning A small stone or pebble used in calculations, A method to compute or figure out a vote, thus this has nothing to do with taking the number and running around looking for a name, rather it tells us to count the six’s, add them up, this is a number of “a man”, not “men” or “devils”. There are some who use the Greek numbering system to ascertain the exact name of this Wicked one, but it’s not the call, rather the call is to determine the Number, not the Name. The word Number is the Greek Arithmeo from which we get the English word Arithmetic, it simply means A number, or the grouping which one associates to. It becomes a matter of adding one six to the other, which shows the power, seat and authority of the dragon all added together, but it also gives us one Six for the Beast of the Sea, one for the Beast of the Earth, and one for the Woman (city), or the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.
These people are also our example of being lukewarm, they had victory in hand, they gathered together at the temple, they even talked about God, saying God was their God, yet they also bowed to idols. God called them the assembly of adulterers and treacherous men; James calls those who use the spirit lusting to envy, “adulterers and adulteresses” (Jere 9:1 & James 4:4). James shows how a double-mind will bless God, yet curse man with the same mouth. These people kept saying, “the temple, the temple”, but refused to change to walk with God. The Wicked say they are of the Body, and they are, but they use the wrong spirit as their guide, thus they are headed to become the Broken Abominable Branch who will be left behind. Our goal is to become a Partaker in the First Resurrection, not a busted off piece of the rock “accounted” among the Wicked.
These people were so full of religious conceit they refused to look at their own words. They slandered the man of God, refused to hear Truth, wanted the Pleasantness of God, wanted God to serve and protect them, yet they wanted their idols as well (Jere 9:3). They were trusting in the flesh of man, rather than God (Jere 9:4). The world being the world is expected to act like the world, the world is Natural, they do what comes Naturally. The Natural mind seeks pleasure, thus sin has a pleasure for the flesh, if it didn’t no one would sin. The flesh is the real problem it was never created, it was formed from the darkness and void. When we impute the flesh dead, it loses it’s effectiveness in our lives.
We never elevate the things of God higher than God has, which means we keep them in order. These people made the House of God their god, demanding for God to honor the House above God’s own integrity, while the people remained corrupt. They were attempting to control God through the Temple, they produced other strongholds as well as faulty traditions (Jere 9:14). The anointing is required, but we don’t worship it. All things are under the feet of Jesus, when we keep Jesus in our sight, we will do just fine.
These people in the time of Jeremiah were not involved in mentor worship, but they were involved in religious conceit, which is based in a false thinking of one’s adequacy. When we reach the Truth of how we are inadequate, then we allow the Spirit of Christ to complete the work in us. As long as we assume we can do the work of faith, we will hinder the Spirit of Truth, producing our own problems. The soul of man was never designed to Govern, it was designed as Helps for the Spirit, thus when we were Born Again a Greater He gave us the ability to bind the strongman, so we could honestly be in subjection to the Spirit. Wherein we could finally walk in the Spirit, by walking by the Spirit (Jere 9:13).
The fruit of the prophet is still truth, the fruit of the exposed heart is still envy and strife. However, if the person is a true prophet, they will not only point out our iniquities, but they will point out the path to God as our means of escape. Pointing out the condition and position, while failing to point to the path of God is the sign of a false prophet, pointing to the lacking condition, then pointing to some way of the world as a means of victory is a sign of the Wicked. Jeremiah was pointing out the iniquities and sins of these people, but he presented the path of God’s escape as well. The false prophets were saying there was no problem, yet God said there was. Being positive is seeing the problem, then following the commands of God to correct it.
There are times when the prophet of God speaks to the world, but since the world is under the curse we find the words relate to the Curse; however, when the prophet speaks to the people of God it’s in the form of Correction. We tend to take the prophecies of today pointed at us, yet not turn them against the world, the world is the world, it’s the Body being corrected. God told His own people to repent and turn toward Him, He didn’t expect the world to. One must be unspotted by the world in order to gain a grasp on any of this, the world looks at this as God bringing destruction on His own. We see it as God saving His own from their own iniquity and sin.
The prophet makes it clear, when God gave them the Promised Land it was with certain conditions, one of which was to give the land its rest every seven years, a condition they rejected for 490 years, thus they owned the land 70 years of rest. The 490 years happens to be 7 times 70, giving us the 70 years in captivity (Jere 9:19). Jesus would use this lesson in His teaching on Forgiveness, when asked how many times should we forgive, Jesus responded with “Until seventy times seven” or 490, which is the same length of time God forgave these people for violating the sabbath of the land (Matt 18:22). Jesus wasn’t asking Peter or any of us not to do something God hasn’t done, but how can we? By the same Mercy we received at the Cross when God forgave our sins. Of course we are expected to grant the same mercy on others, after all the difference between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor is mercy (Rom 9:21-23).
These people rejected the verbal correction, thus they would face the physical correction of Captivity. They were not going back to the wilderness, they were going under the hand of the ungodly, because they acted ungodly. Although they are going into captivity, the Lord warns them to refrain from learning the ways of the heathen (world – Jere 10:1-2). The world’s idols, can do no evil or good, it’s the people who use the idols who do the evil (Jere 10:5). The idol, regardless of the idol is nothing, it’s the honor man gives it making it something in the person’s life. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil didn’t do evil or good, the misuse of the fruit of the tree caused the evil. Things are things, they have no breath, nor do they have a lust, the misuse of them becomes the problem, not the thing.
Jeremiah begins to praise the Lord as he looks at the people of God on one hand, and the longsuffering of God on the other, the longsuffering is far better (Jere 10:6-16). The physical land for these people is akin to the kingdom of heaven, the Lord says He will sling them out: the pastors have become brutish (stupid), as they seek gain without considering the flock (Jere 10:18-22). Jeremiah sees how close any of us can come to falling into religious conceit, he seeks the correction of the Lord, by seeking the exposure of his own heart; we can do no less (Jere 10:23-25).
The Lord proclaims the Covenant hasn’t changed, but once one enters the Covenant they are expected to remain there, thus God shows He didn’t break the Covenant, the people did (Jere 11:1-7). God presented the Covenant, the people agreed to it, just as God presented us the road to Salvation, then we agreed to do it His way. Of course, when we found His way was one of exposure unto healing, we went into panic, but thank God, the Spirit of Lord gives us Light in the darkness, courage in the face of fear, ability when we lack ability. Our Covenant was cut nearly two thousand years ago, it hasn’t changed either, the Power of His Christ is still found in the New Man, just as the New Man is still able today, as He was on the Day of Pentecost.
The old man is a tricky rascal, he will use all sorts of things to point the finger of correction in another direction. These people did the same, they sought support for their corrupt condition, thereby becoming self-deceived into saying, “we’re holy”, when in fact they were wicked. If they fail to keep the Covenant, the Lord will bring the evil upon them (Jere 11:9-11). In one sense they were right, God was dealing with them, thus they had a type of holiness, but they themselves twisted the holiness into wickedness by their idol worship. In order for them to be holy they had to submit, and allow God to deal with them as children.
The Lord called them a “green olive tree”, wait, these people were the Fig Tree, not the Olive Tree, what gives? We have to back up to verse 8, where we read, “Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but they did them not”. As bad as it seems, it was still God’s Mercy reaching out to them as the Olive Tree: the fig tree wouldn’t help them, but God was still showing them how much He cares, thus as a people they are still around. Therefore, we find the Olive Tree refers to the anointing of Mercy. This helps us see how Jesus referred to the “least commandments” of Mercy, as the least we can do. Here we find God is calling them a Green Olive Tree (anointing of mercy), but He didn’t call them the branches. Paul will equate the Olive Tree with branches to the Gospel, as he shows there were some unbelieving Jews who were broke from the Olive Tree, making room for the Gentile (Rom 11:19-20, Jere 11:19 & Mark 11:22).
Success has many different definitions, some think money is success, others think possessions are, but Jeremiah saw the wicked prosper, while the righteous suffered (Jere 12:1-3). The old saying, “God loves the sinner” is true to a degree, God does love the repentant sinner, but He hates the ways of the wicked (Jere 12:5-8). Then the context changes, we find one can plant “Wheat” in the field, yet they shall reap thorns, they are the spoilers, for every bit of Wheat they bring in, they trample seven more (Jere 12:12-13). Even with that, the Lord will return and have compassion on the repentant (Jere 12:16). God loved us long before we found Him, the conclusion of God loving us is never the issue, it’s whether or not our love for God is able to stand the test. All this shows Iniquity will be around until the end of time, thus Jesus judges the “workers of iniquity”. However, the escape is presented, those of the Day have victory in hand.
Jeremiah is then told to take a garment then defile it to show the people they are walking in their own imagination, their garments have become defiled and worthless (Jere 13:1-10). The metaphor Garment refers to a covering, although these people assumed they were covered by the Green Tree, they were not. The defiled garment not only shames us, it shames the Lord, defiling the Lord brings the anger of God quickly (Jere 13:11-15 & I Cor 11:1-15). Religious conceit is the fruit, pride the tree, we destroy those evils by being humble under the Hand of God (Jere 13:15-17).
God sent a drought in the land giving the people a sign they could feel (Jere 14:1-4). The plagues in the latter days are not to punish the people, but to cause them to repent. Carnal minds equate the event to the event, spiritually minded people discern the event. Jeremiah saw the drought as an act of God, but he also knew it came based on the iniquities of the people (Jere 14:7-11). The devil wasn’t attacking them, they caused God to turn against them. God then tells Jeremiah to stop praying for the good of the people (Jere 14:11). Stop praying? Could this really be God? Yes, Paul termed this as turning them over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh (I Cor 5:5). It had reached the point where God had purposed evil to come upon the people, if Jeremiah prayed for good, he would be opposing the purpose of God. In this case, God told the prophet “No”, thus there will be times when God will tell us not to do something. Someone once said God never told them No, but God telling them No, and them hearing it are different. In reference to turning someone over to Satan, it wasn’t a matter of telling the devil to take them, it was a matter of taking the person off the throne of God, or removing the leadership covering from the person for their own good.
Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us God did speak through these prophets, but now speaks through the Son. Does it mean God is not speaking now? No, it can’t be right, since the Spirit teaches and guides, so does the Holy Ghost. It means God now speaks through the Seed of God, there is no other way to hear God in this Season. If one is not in the Body, the voice they hear is not God, since God only speaks through His Son (Heb 1:2). Why do you think in the last 2,000 years Israel hasn’t had a prophet? Many religions speak of God, but only the Body hears from God, a precious people indeed (I Pet 1:18-25).
However, in the days of Jeremiah we find an interesting situation, many of the false prophets who faced Jeremiah used to be confirmed prophets. God called them “My prophets” (Jere 7:25 et al), but they changed positions, rather than speak for God, they were speaking attempting to make God conform to their words. Once they reversed roles they no longer heard from God, but from their own fearful hearts. Yet they were convinced the “voice” they heard was the Lord’s, based on their own self-deception. They said, “Peace, Peace”, yet the time and Season of Peace was not upon them; however, when Jesus said “Peace, Peace”, the Gospel of Peace was presented. It then stands a false prophet today would say “judgment, judgment”, when it’s not the Season of Judgment. The Everlasting Gospel is for the Night as it reads, “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His Judgment is come; and worship Him who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Rev 14:6-7). If it’s the Gospel where is Salvation? Where is the Cross? Where is the Name of Jesus? Ahh, we have the Gospel of Peace, the Everlasting Gospel points to Judgment. Why then is it called Everlasting? Because one of the tenets of the Doctrine of Christ is our knowledge of Eternal (Everlasting) Judgment (Heb 6:1-2). The Seasons are divided, we are children of the day, not children of the night, we are assigned Salvation, not Judgment.
Fasting is a sign of the afflicted soul; however, there comes a time when fasting alone isn’t enough (Jere 14:12). We can fast and still prophesy lies, thus causing our wickedness to be poured back on us (Jere 14:13-16). Jeremiah intercedes for the people in the same manner as we will find Daniel interceding, thus by the use of “us” and “we”, the prophet is standing for the people. God told Jeremiah not to pray for the people, but Jeremiah’s heart was still reaching out on behalf of his nation, thus he prayed as if he was the people.
With all this we wonder if we have to be perfect in order to serve the Lord. Absolutely not, if we think we’re perfect, we’re of no use to the Lord. The entire premise of all this is to show us we’re not perfect, yet we must understand the perfection in the New Man, bringing us into perfection (Spirit).
God takes, breaks, blesses, then puts into service. The Wicked presume they are perfect, they think they are so perfect they never have to ask forgiveness. There is a vast difference between one who knows the perfection of God is in them, and someone who thinks they are the perfection of God.
God would send three things on these people, the Sword (war and rumors of war), Famine, and Pestilence (Jere 14:12). Doesn’t this sound familiar? Ahh, the last three of the four horsemen in the Book of Revelation (Rev 6:4-8). Here God sends these three elements on His own people, but in the Book of Revelation they are sent into the world. Jesus said we would have tribulation in the world, but He has overcome the world. We are Sanctified, the word Sanctified means Set Apart, or Separated, thus we are Separated from the world by being in His Body, then placed in a position where we can remain in the “Oil and Wine” (Mercy and Blood of Jesus – Rev 6:6).
The land suffered the drought, but the eyes of God were heavy with many tears (Jere 14:14-17). The drought was a physical sign showing the people how they rejected the Water (Mercy) of God. God finds no pleasure in bringing hard correction, although the result of the correction is for our own good. The chastening of God is produced by our actions bringing us to a place to produce the fruit of righteousness. Standing about cursing the darkness for some event God is using to expose us, is hardly Faith. A wise man receives correction and responds, a fool gets mad, or attempts to have the last word. If we assume the devil is hitting us with two by fours, we’re to close to Egypt. The devil uses Darts, they must travel a distance, thus the darts are words from the natural. Our face to face combat is with the wiles of the devil, not the devil (Eph 6:11). The first element to sound faith is the Belief of God Is, if we venture off into the devil is, our faith will not have a Godly foundation (Heb 11:6).
God tells Jeremiah, “Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword and such as are for the famine, to the famine and such as are for captivity, to the captivity” (Jere 15:2). It would appear there wasn’t one person to escape all this, but God already said if they submit to the king of Babylon, God would bring them back. Therefore, Captivity was the escape from the Sword, Famine and Pestilence. This was based on “My mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of My sight and let them go forth” (Jere 15:1). God didn’t say, “those to salvation as to salvation”, nor did the prophet hear, “as for you, I will save you”, making it appear as if Jeremiah was among the people being spoken of. There are those among the people today who don’t know their end, yet God does, some are taken early because God knows what lays ahead. God already promised to spare Jeremiah, but here it appears as if none will be spared. When God told Jeremiah, You Shall, God knew Jeremiah’s choice before Jeremiah made the choice. Although Jeremiah was promised to be spared, it now appears as if the entire nation will suffer, did God change? No, the escape was still repentance, something Jeremiah just did. The day we recognize the correction is exposure of our condition, the day we toss away the idols of the self and false theology, is the day we seek the Lord with a repentant heart. God moves forward, adding line to line, not removing line from line, whereas backsliding is taking line from line, precept away from precept, rebellion adds lines of self, or precepts of conceit, thus adding to or taking away from the Word still leaves us in a wanton condition (Jere 15:6-7).
Jeremiah hears how the Woman will bring Seven, but she will also give up the Ghost (Jere 15:9). From the Woman came Jesus, yet we see Jesus standing in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks, but the Woman is as good as dead. God created many stars, the moon and the sun, defined for us in the dreams of Joseph. The prophecy tells us the city will remain through the Day, regardless, for she will see the Sun go down while it is yet Day, but then she is seen in the Wilderness, but how can this be? The City isn’t in the wilderness, it’s in the Promised Land: ahh, the people cause the city to be in a state as if they were in the wilderness, with all the attitude of the wilderness people. Therefore, the Woman has a purpose, but she is as good as dead (Jere 15:9). The Woman is clearly defined as a City, her coverings all point to Joseph’s dream defining her location. Some of us confuse the Church with the Body, there is no “broken Church”, but the Body will be broken. We understand there are Wicked Tares within the field, but they were suppose to be there (Rom 9:21-23). Don’t dismay, the Church is intact, Spiritual, and ready to go when He who not lets, lets.
Jeremiah hears this prophecy then equates it to his time causing him to enter serious intercession for himself and Jacob. Jeremiah is part of the people who are going to be subject to the great woes, why would he not feel the woe? He begins with “woe is me”, then “my mother who have born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth” (Jere 15:10). Jeremiah isn’t a man sent to the whole earth, nor did he bring strife to the whole earth. This anguish is the “man” from whom the Woman came, but this is not the Man Child (Jesus), rather this is Jacob. There is a difference and discernible, the Woman came from the man Jacob, but the Woman produced the Man Child, the Man Child gave us the Church. This division shows why Jesus wept over Jerusalem, rather than the nation. This is not to say Jesus was Created, rather it shows a type and shadow of natural Jerusalem rejecting her Son, which gave place to the spiritual city of New Jerusalem of which we are. Paul tells us Jerusalem of the earth is in bondage, but Jerusalem of heaven is free (Gal 4:25-26).
The “man” indicated here is defined as the House of Jacob, who brought strife and contention. James says, for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16). The woman from whom the man came was Rebekah, yet the man (Jacob) would bring another Woman, known as Israel, whose center is the adopted daughter known as the City, thus it’s the City clothed with the Sun, having the crown of 12 stars, with Zion as her foundation (metaphor Moon – Gen 25:21-26:1 & Rev 12:1). Although the city is built on the Moon (Zion), in the very latter days she will twist her foundation as she is seen riding the Beast, making Zion her footstool, causing her downfall. The same error the Wicked make, making them the footstool of Jesus. Jude says they twist the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness (Jude 4), thus they came to the Rock, but twisted the position to fit their self-desire, as they used their position for self-importance, ending as broken pieces of the Rock left behind.
Instead of holding the faith until the Man Child (Jesus) came, the mother borne a son of manipulation, the nation of strife and contention, a shame to the whole earth. Paul equates this to Hagar, showing Hagar and Ishmael must be cast out, before we can walk with Jesus (Gal 4:24-25). This also makes the division between the House of David and the House of Jacob. The very last days are known as “Jacob’s Trouble”, not “David’s Trouble”. In the latter days the City forgets her Maker, assuming she is the maker. She allows the Wicked to convince her, she is “I AM”, and there is none like her. The Wicked convince her, she is God, the nation is her Christ, then comes the Image of a Man. Here is the preview of the future, these people are making a mockery of the purpose of the Woman and her Maker. Jeremiah is a victim of their religious conceit, just as many of us are victims of religious conceit. Frustration is the result of assuming we must make people believe, especially those who have become the personification of religious conceit. We present the Truth in Love, but the choice to believe is still in the hands of the person hearing, not the person speaking.
Jeremiah is not only speaking for himself, this is another area where he intercedes for Jacob (the nation), of which he is a part. His intercession comes after God told him not to pray for the good of the people, but as noted, Jeremiah’s love for his people, plus his own concerns motivated him. Let’s face it we can pray in earnest for a brother or sister going through it, but when we’re going through it, the motivation becomes much greater. As a basis of the intercession the Lord said, “If you return, then will I bring you again”, and “I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked” (Jere 15:11-21). This is conditional based on “if you return”; surely Jeremiah doesn’t have to return, thus this is given to the people based on Jeremiah’s intercession.
God is equal, He tells the people to listen to the prophet, thus He also listens, even if the people don’t. God didn’t change His mind, as history shows, rather He heard the prophet and provided another “If” in the contract. However, He also knew the people would reject the “If”, as they did the many others. God was giving the prophet the evidence of the Reality of God, yet showing the prophet the Faith and Love of God at the same time.
As it was with Moses, there will be those from within who stand with the Korahs, or stand in the middle refusing to stand with either side. Later during the end of the captivity it would be the prophets in captivity who hear the desire of the Lord, then bring the people into the land again. However, during this time there were also false prophets in captivity as well: they dreamed their own dreams, as they kept saying God would bring them out, God would deliver them soon, yet the prophecy was for them to remain the full 70 years. Jeremiah knew his God, but all of us know the mind can be split between two opinions, “is this God, or what?”. Some were saying the captivity wouldn’t come at all, they were proven false when the king of Babylon took the first group into captivity. There were others saying the captivity would be short, God would again restore His people shortly. They would be proven wrong in the long run; however, as we find here, even false prophecy can “heal slightly”, yet produce a false sense of peace and security. The false prophet speaks smooth words, yet by the time we get to the parking lot, it’s all falling apart. This is not to be confused with exposure, rather it points to the smooth sayings sounding good at first, but produce very little or nothing in the end. The dilemma is how false prophecy can heal slightly by bringing a false hope, but false hope is destructive in nature.
Jeremiah and the other Godly prophets spoke many things, some they knew, some they didn’t, but they spoke them anyway. A true prophet need not know all the details before speaking, they simply speak, letting the other prophets judge. Here is an example of a holy man of Old moved by the Holy Ghost to speak, but it doesn’t mean the holy man understood all he spoke in the Name of the Lord. The Holy Ghost is mainly a New Testament revelation, thus these men of Old didn’t understand they were speaking by the Teacher, thus the same Teacher teaches us the Interpretation of these words.
God tells Jeremiah, “it shall be well with your Remnant”; for us we know this is the Remnant yet to come, but to Jeremiah it pointed to his family (Jere 15:11). Then God says, “your substance and your treasures will I give to the spoil without price” (Jere 15:13). We see this as the nation losing her treasures to Babylon, not only receiving captivity in return, but to Jeremiah’s mind it means he was going into captivity, yet he also had a promise to be spared, what gives? Did the prophet miss it? Jeremiah then intercedes for himself and reminds the Lord how he spoke only what he was given, how he didn’t mingle with the evil doers, now why is it this wound and perpetual pain is being put on him? (Jere 15:18). God gives Jeremiah a choice, thus “to return” in this case has nothing to do with the captivity, but has to do with Jeremiah returning to his position with the Lord. Jeremiah faced the religious conceit of these people day in and day out, he forgot the Precious, thus he had to separate the Precious from the Vile (Jere 15:19). We can get caught up in looking at the Vile, forgetting the Precious. Many things happen in the world, some in the Body which appear evil in nature, but many more things are happening which are Good in nature, thus we seek the Precious by separating it from the Vile.
This one verse shows how any of us can interpret events as completely evil, then end tending the vile, yet we find God says if we’re in it, there is a Precious, thus we must tend the Precious to find God. God affirms His promise by telling Jeremiah “I am with you to save you and deliver you” (Jere 15:20). God will also redeem the Remnant out of the hand of the wicked, or out of the hand of the terrible (Jere 15:21). The prophet was standing for the nation, thus God spoke to him as if he was the nation. The prophet simply confused positions, thinking God was speaking about him personally.
God also told Jeremiah, “shall the iron break the northern iron and the steel?” (Jere 15:12). The First Beast is iron, the Second clay (Adam like), they shouldn’t mix, but do. Therefore, can the clay of the Beast overcome the correction Rod of God? Never, if we follow the Lord we will receive His correction unto perfection. The Beast has horns, a false covering, yet it has no power over the Born Again child of God.
Discerning the darts keeps us from using them as carnal weapons of our warfare; the false prophets were tossing darts left and right, a few of them hit Jeremiah right between the eyes, the Vile became more evident than the Precious. Some of us have fifty darts sticking out of our minds, we end tending the Vile, rather than tending the Precious. Every event we face will have some Lesson or Good in it, it will contain some Precious, whether it’s obvious or not, but if we seek the Precious, we shall find it. The event doesn’t tell us a thing, it may seem terrible, horrid, upside down, inside out, but if we’re in it, there is a Precious to be found.
In reference to the Remnant, God tells Jeremiah, “don’t take a wife in this place”; therefore, God knows Jeremiah didn’t understand the phrase “thy Remnant” (Jere 16:1-4). God also knows mass destruction will fall on the people; yet would a Good God kill all these people? God didn’t do it, the people brought it on their own heads, they had the choice to hear and obey the prophet to be spared, or reject the words and face the result of their folly. God’s Judgment is always a matter of division, the wheat separated from the tares, the good fish from the bad, the vessels of honor from the dishonor, the righteous from the wicked, in each case there is a result, heaven, or the “furnace”. Those who use natural reasoning blame God for destruction, but fail to blame themselves for causing it.
These people were ready to fight Babylon, ready to protect the land, but failed to stand with God. This doesn’t say fighting to protect God’s property is wrong, it says fighting without God on your side is failure. Either they fought with God, or fought against Him with their idol worship. They had the saying”, they had their Temple, it would appear they were Positive, yet Jeremiah the Negative, but their false thinking was really the Negative, God’s warnings the Positive, they failed to seek the Precious. Discernment and humbleness will detect if we are fighting the good fight of Faith, or fighting God. These people were still in the hand of God, but they were being corrected for their iniquity and religious conceit. They assumed God would never take away a gift, they assumed the Temple was so holy, God would never allow it to be in the hands of the heathen. Some of us use the same religious conceit in the area of Grace, presuming, “once I have Grace, I can never lose it”, yet the Scriptures warn us how we can fall from Grace (Gal 5:4 & Heb 12:15). God won’t take it from us, but we can toss it away (Jude 4). The Latin meaning of the word Perdition means “To toss away”, thus Jude shows how some, few as they be, separate themselves from God, ending incapable of holding to the Spirit when the catching away happens (Jude 5 & 17-19).
The world isn’t our problem, our soulish reaction to the event produces the problem. Instead of fighting flesh and blood, the government, the secular press or some other element, we seek the Spirit to discern our position and condition. Whether we use “once protected, always protected”, or “God will never take away the gift”, the soulish intent is always religious conceit, building a false confidence. It sounds so positive, yet it’s over confidence in the Gift, while lacking spiritual reasoning for why we have the Gift. Over confidence is based in pride, it produces fable thinking as a High Thing, assuming the Gift is Salvation, rather than Grace to reach salvation. Why? There is no verse saying you can Lose your Salvation, of course there is no verse saying Salvation is the Gift either. Before one can determine if they can “lose their salvation”, they must determine if Salvation is the Gift, or if Salvation actually belongs to them. When we find out Salvation belongs to the Lord, it removes the first false leg to the fable (Ex 15:2, I Sam 2:1 & Psalm 3:8 et al). Then we have to determine if Salvation is a Gift in any sense, we have determined there is no verse determining Salvation is the Gift, rather we find Grace is the Gift, Salvation the goal. These people made the same mistake, what support did they have wherein they could consider God would never allow the Temple or the grounds upon which the Temple sits to fall into the hands of the heathen? If there was support, then God would not have allowed it, thus we find they may have had a Positive saying, but they lacked Scripture to back it up, making it a Negative fable. Jeremiah was saying what God wanted said, the false prophets and people were saying things attempting to get God to confirm their word. Therefore in view of the events it would appear as if Jeremiah was Negative, but in truth he was very Positive.
Jeremiah 16:9 gives us the division between the Woman Jeremiah is speaking to, and the Woman in the Book of Revelation. The first obvious premise is “in your days”, God will remove the voice of mirth, gladness, the bridegroom, and the bride, meaning the people will be removed. However, in the Book of Revelation we find the lesser light of the candle (Remnant as the lesser light) shall no more shine in the Woman, as well as her losing the voice of the bridegroom and the bride (Rev 18:23). Then we find “in her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints” (Rev 18:24), going back to Revelation 17:6 we find the Woman was drunken with the blood of the saints and martyrs, thus this Woman begins many years prior to Jacob’s Trouble. The prophetic message is directed to the time of Jeremiah, but we find it’s also projected into the future. The connection is the idol worship, in the time of Jeremiah it was under the “green trees”, but in the latter days it will be in the Temple proper.
Religious conceit is a self-blinding element, holding iniquity, but asking, “why has God done this?” (Jere 16:10). The heart is deceitful above “all things”, it is desperately wicked, it doesn’t need to be demon possessed (Jere 17:9). Even the slightest element of deception is dangerous, Peter felt the protection of Jesus was paramount, but when Jesus talked about the Cross and Resurrection, Peter rebuked the Lord by saying, “Be it far from You, Lord, this shall not be unto You” (Matt 16:22). Peter used a Jewish idiom, meaning “have pity on Yourself, make God stop it”. At the time Peter felt the Cross was a senseless act, but it was the very purpose for the Word becoming flesh. Peter wanted to change what God had ordained, yet Jesus responded by saying, “Get you behind Me Satan, you are an offense unto Me: for you savor not the things of God, but those of man” (Matt 16:23). In the saying we see the nature of man never understands spiritual matters, rather the natural mind views them as foolishness (I Cor 2:14). This shows the heart of man forms the intent, the mind of man speaks the intent without knowing it, to Peter it seemed like the right thing to say at the time. We must have a New Heart, the circumcision not made with hands, the induction of the Holy Spirit in our lives not only to know spiritual matters, but discern events as well.
The hearts of the people were so hard, God writes their sins with a diamond cutting tool (Jere 17:1). In our case we have a New Heart, one wherein all the Commandments of Mercy and Grace are retained. However, we can allow our souls to become hard, or unteachable. The Ground upon which the Seed is sown is us, we can make the Ground soft, or hard, it’s a matter of choice, Unbelief, doubt, unforgiveness are all stones in the Ground hindering the growth of the Seed. Here we find the Mountain of the Lord was given many blessings, now the same Mountain will lose what little it had (Jere 17:3). Jeremiah speaks to the people in the city, yet in speaking to the city, he is also speaking to the head (authority, or capitol) of the nation.
The curse never comes without cause, it falls on anyone who trusts in man, or those who make the flesh their power and might. Without exception, cursed is anyone who departs from the Lord (Prov 26:2 & Jere 17:5). God identifies the three elements of natural man, John referred to them as, the lust of the eye (envy desiring what the eye sees), the lust of the flesh (trusting in the flesh of man), and the pride of life (self-confidence). These are the motivations of the world, the incentives of darkness, the basis of all deception.
However, blessed is the man who trusts in God, while putting his hope in the Lord (Jere 17:7). The Lord knows the hearts and minds of all men, thus for us He began by giving us a New Heart, one circumcised without hands, one fully able to Believe Jesus is raised from the dead, one based on a Precious Nature. God searches the hearts, giving to every one according to their ways; therefore, the New Birth produces the New Heart, giving us the Ways of God within, our reward is being partakers in the First Resurrection (Jere 17:10 & Rev 20:6).
The prophet then speaks of something not in his earthly realm, yet a place as “our sanctuary” in heaven, the Glorious High Throne above all thrones. The Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world, the Word was with God, the Word was God, and His throne was from before the beginning in the place of our purposed Sanctuary (Jere 17:12, Rev 13:8 & Jn 1:1). All those who forsake the Lord (Jehovah), Who is the Hope of Israel shall be ashamed, they shall be written in the earth, rather than written in the Book of Life (Jere 17:13). The Pharisees faced Jehovah the Hope of Israel, they tempted Him with a question of the Law in reference to a woman caught in the very act of adultery, yet the Pharisees were from the Woman (City) who was caught in the very act of adultery: they were continuing the same evil acts of religious conceit. They rejected the Living Water the night before, tempted Him with the Law, but Jesus answered them with the words of the prophet (Jn 7:38-8:9). The Pharisees had the same opportunity to say, “Heal me, O Lord and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for You are my praise”, as they did to tempt the Lord (Jere 17:14). However the Pharisees turned and walked away; they lost the reward of the prophet, yet the woman who was accused of the Pharisees found the Mercy of the Lord as she sought the Lord for her protection. In the time of Jeremiah they were using the Temple, something of God, rather than God to find their protection. They were rejecting the Fountain of Living Water, for the fables of the false prophets. They didn’t have the Living Water, rather they rejected the Fountain (Jehovah).
The people challenged Jeremiah, demanding a sign. It’s the same temptation of “show me”. When the prophecy comes, or some other manifestation of the Spirit the Wicked will challenge it, the unlearned will use natural means to discredit it, but the child of God accepts it. These people ran to the prophet’s meetings, but rejected the Word. They also ran to the false prophets, accepting their smooth sayings. Rather than deal with the event before them, they were attempting to avoid it. The evidence in hand proved the words of the false were indeed false. As for Jeremiah, he didn’t fail at being a pastor to Israel (Jere 17:15-16). Jeremiah was an example of one who hears and follows. Like any Godly prophet, he received the words he spoke as an example of his confidence in the Lord. We can give all sorts of prophecy, yet fail to receive our own words. Does it mean God won’t use us anymore? Not at all, God used Balaam after the fact, thus we find being used of God, and being a servant unto God are different. It’s far better to be a faithful servant, rather than among the group of the “Lord, Lord haven’t we” people (Matt 7:21-23).
God reminded these people of the sabbath, as the token to the Covenant they were now claiming protected them. They kept the day, but they failed to keep the seven year sabbath for the land, thus they were unequal. Their iniquity, or failure to keep the seven year sabbath is really a warning to us, they kept part, not all of the Token. We can have many acts taking place, but fail to walk in mercy, thus we can’t claim the Covenant as our protection based on Acts alone, we must be Equal, by having the Ways join the Acts. How? By the Spirit, the New Man, learning the truth of “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit”, our souls were natural, the New Man is Spirit, He will not become Spirit, thus He is bringing our souls into a spiritual realm, making us heavenly citizens by our souls becoming Spirit.
The sabbath came just before the Law of Moses, but it was also became the token regarding the Law, it was required if one was to claim the Law of Moses (Jere 17:21). They were limiting the sabbath to the day only, but they failed at the entire sabbath law. Although they failed at the sabbath for the land, God was still doing all He could to save them, thus if they kept the sabbath holy, it would have been enough to stop the pending doom (Jere 17:23-27). He wasn’t asking for them to give the land 70 years, just start by now giving the land it’s sabbath, it would save them.
Keeping the sabbath didn’t make them holy, they were to keep the sabbath holy, by separating it unto the Lord. The other six days they could do as they pleased, which shows they had to be told to keep a day, whereas we keep the Lord in our heart; we are renewed daily in the Lord (II Cor 4:16).
If they would just keep the Sabbath holy and separated, then God would spare them, this type and shadow is a hope for us. Although the years of failure had passed, God was still looking for something they could do within the confines of the Covenant so He could spare them. How much more will the Blood of Jesus accomplish for us? Yes we miss it from time to time, but the Blood of Jesus is our New Covenant, the Lord is faithful to forgive us the second we ask Him. If the heart of the ministry is Reconciliation, then the Holy Ghost is centered on reconciliation, thus He is more than willing to Reconcile us unto the Lord (II Cor 5:17-21). Simply, if we keep our Sabbath (Jesus) in the face of adversity, we will be spared.
God was reaching out, He was willing to bend much further than these people. Which is often the case, if we just think about it we would see how many times God bent further in order to keep us in the Covenant, than we do to remain in the Covenant. However, all God was doing still didn’t penetrate their hard hearts, they kept demanding for God to save them according to their agendas. They wanted God to hear them, but they refused to hear or obey God’s voice. God was willing to bend within the confines of the Covenant, but He wasn’t going to bow to their carnal demands by allowing them to still engage in idol worship. What kind of a Witness would it be for God? “Oh their God allows them to worship idols, so we can as well”, “Oh their God knew they worshipped idols, and saved them anyway”. They were giving God a terrible reputation, yet they couldn’t see it. They were engaged in what pleased them, yet some of us confuse the purpose of faith in the same manner. Rather than see faith is to please God, we presume faith is to please us, we figure if we’re pleased then God must be. Faith doesn’t mean we will be miserable, but it does mean our concern is diligently seeking God in order to please Him. Why do we think we must ask for God’s Wisdom by faith? Wisdom misused is dangerous, thus we ask with the motivation of using the Gift in the manner God desires, thus it’s by faith. These people had their gift in hand, yet failed to see God was not pleased with many of them.
The Lord sends Jeremiah to the “potter’s house” where Jeremiah watches how the potter makes a vessel. The potter began with one lump of clay, in the process he found the Vessel was unworthy, but he didn’t cast away the clay, rather he took the same lump and made another product (Jere 18:1-10). Paul used this allegory in the opposite mode, displaying how God forms the vessel, but the forming is dependent on the Mercy (water) generated by the vessel. If there is Mercy, it’s a vessel unto Mercy, if not, it’s a vessel of dishonor fit for destruction (perdition – Rom 9:20-23). God isn’t asking for “clean fish”, just willing fish, He will do the forming.
There came a point during Jeremiah’s time when the people assumed there was no hope, but God continued to reach out to them. The vision of their hope could only be found in their repentance, but rebellion and pride refuse to bend. The Ten Commandments were a written conscience, we have the inner Word as ours. Listen, know when the warning comes, then obey the voice of the Lord. However, the nature of man seeks excuses as a means to avoid the call. Using the excuse “it has passed away” is a statement of no hope, yet without Hope we have nothing in which to put our faith (Jere 18:12). Whether it’s passed away or not isn’t the question; whether we are seeking it or not is. Rebellion produces vanity of heart, and vanity of heart produces its own idols (Jere 18:13-16).
Jeremiah faced his “John 7 meeting” as well, the one sign we don’t want, yet it’s a sign we are standing in Truth. When we find ourselves victim to the Wicked minds in some John 7 meeting, we can be assured we’re spoke as an oracle of God; the final test is to remain speaking the Truth in Love during the meeting. When the false accusations, the slanders, the use of unrelated documents, or words we spoke taken out of context, lies, or attacks for the Word’s sake come, Rejoice, be exceedingly glad, for you spoke the Truth, you did your job, the Wicked are exposed and offended (Jere 18:18). They will devise their devises to stop the Truth, they don’t want exposure, they don’t want clarity, they want smooth words, or to be healed slightly. What to do? Go to the Lord, Grace is sufficient, it always is. Therefore, we find the prayer of Jeremiah would appear to be one of hate, vengeance and judgment, but the man is only repeating what God told him (Jere 18:21-23). We also find he is placing it in the hand of God, rather than entering self-justification (Jere 18:23). When we attempt to justify ourselves, we fall into the hands of the Wicked, ending as bait for their mind games.
Jeremiah takes a vessel to the valley of Hinnom, the very location where the people sacrificed their children. God speaks to the end times showing the valley will be one flowing with blood (Jere 19:1-6). God knew the end before there was a beginning, He knows who will reject Him, or who won’t, but it doesn’t stop Him from reaching out (Jere 19:7-15). It’s clear from the words of the prophets and history, these people went into captivity, many of them died, yet we find God raising men like Daniel and others in the captivity, thus God had the Precious in sight, although the event looked evil in nature.
Even a man like Pashur who was a wicked son of a priest had the opportunity to repent, but he smote Jeremiah, thus he also struck a fatal blow against himself (Jere 20:1-2). The name Pashur means Tare in pieces, or Broken in pieces. The name Immer means Talkative, relating to words of rambling without a Godly intent, thus putting the two together we find how the Body will be Broken, the Wicked come with words lacking Godly intent, they are still self-based, run by the spirit of the world, they have agendas, but all them are motivated by darkness, they are the bad fish, tares, spotted garments, yet they feast with us. The type and shadow is given us as Jeremiah the man of God as the good fish, who will survive in the end, but Pashur as the bad fish, although it appears as if the bad fish won this battle, the war is far from over (Jere 20:1-2). This Pashur is not to be confused with Pashur the son of Malchijah (Chron 9:12), Ezra speaks of the sons or children of Pashur (Ezra 2:38 & 10:32). Nonetheless this Pashur was a prophet of God at one time, now he has allowed the position to go to his head, thinking if he says something God has to bring it to pass, a very bad mistake. God sends the prophets to warn, give us direction, or bring doctrine; therefore, to strike, mock to reject the warning of God, is the same as striking, mocking, or rejecting God (Jere 20:3-6). Pashur had the power to strike and imprison Jeremiah, yet God told Jeremiah, “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you” (Jere 1:8). When Jeremiah looked at the event, he assumed God had deceived him, he is faced with mocking and accusations (Jere 20:7-8, 1:8 & 1:19). The Wicked were in warfare, but it was against the man of God, their prayers were envy based (Jere 20:10 & James 4:1-4). When Jeremiah looked beyond the event, he saw the Mighty Lord on his side (Jere 20:11). The event, sickness or predicament isn’t our problem, it’s our soulish reaction to the event, with our failure to discern it becoming the problem.
Jeremiah begins to pray and intercede, at first glance it would appear he was sorry God called him, but if we look at the wording we find he is giving a prophecy and speaking on behalf of the land (Jere 20:14 & Gen 25:20-23). Instead of producing this rebellious nation, it would have been better if Rebekah died giving birth, and both Jacob and Esau would have died as well (Jere 20:14-18). If we assume this is Jeremiah talking about himself alone, it simply wouldn’t fit with, “sing unto the Lord, praise you the Lord; for He has delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers” (Jere 20:13). This Weeping was the voice of Rachel, as the sorrow of the land for the ways of the people (Jere 20:15-18). The Weeping of the prophet is still the Weeping of God.
Pashur the “son of Immer” smote Jeremiah, now we find Pashur the “son of Melchian” coming to Jeremiah (Jere 21:1-2). We find two different men by the name of Pashur, recalling how the name means To tear or break, we also find the allegory of the two actions to the Broken Body of Jesus. On one hand the Bad Fish (Pashur the son of Immer) smites the prophets, on the other the Good Fish (Pashur the son of Melchian) who desires to know the Mind of the Lord. Two men of the same name, but with different intents and purposes.
From here until Jeremiah 25:38 we have one prophetic message concerning the activities of Babylon and the people of God. God speaks through Jeremiah to Pashur and Maaseiah: God will turn the weapons of king Zedekiah to nothing, then God will fight on the side of Nebuchadnezzar (Jere 21:4-5). In the latter days “God’s army” is seen as the world as they come against the city (Woman), thus God will turn on His own, when His own turn on Him. Many years prior God set before the people Death and Life, here He it’s the “way of life”, and the “way of death” (Jere 21:8). The only hope these people have is to submit to the king of Babylon by allowing the captivity to run its intended course (70 years – Jere 21:9-10).
Then we read “and touching the house of the king of Judah”, but then it’s “O house of David” (Jere 21:11-12). Which is it? House of the king of Judah? Or House of David? Or both? Or neither? Or what? This gives us a clue to the “church of Philadelphia”, who have a “little strength” (Rev 3:7-12). The “house of David” has a key, the key is in the hand of Jesus, not man (Rev 3:7). No man can open or close the Time of Comfort, but we have the “keys to the kingdom”. Jesus also has the “keys of hell and of death”, thus there are “keys” many, but each fits a precise lock, or door. We can’t mix keys and assume we have the key to David, or presume we can open the Time of Comfort. Our concern is loosing heaven within us so we can find the truth of being Born Again.
The next warning is dual in purpose, we find this in the phrase “king of Judah, who sits upon the throne of David” (Jere 22:2). The king of Judah is being told to judge righteously and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, but didn’t God just say He was going to fight against them? Telling someone to do something, and having them to do it are different. This is another request from God with the full knowledge of it being rejected. This is clear in Jeremiah 22:5 where we find, “but if you will not hear these words”, which is what happened. Then one of the more interesting statements by God, as He says “I will prepare destroyers against you” (Jere 22:7). What? God did create the waster to destroy, here we find out why. Not because God desires it, but because the people of God caused it. The word Destroyers is the Hebrew Shachath meaning To decay, To destroy, or To ruin, it’s the same word seen in Jeremiah 2:30; showing how the people rejected the correction, their sword devoured the prophets, like a “destroying” lion, thus the destroyers coming against them are merely the result of their destroying acts against the prophets of God. This is the same context as God raising Pharaoh, thus God allowed for a purpose based on His knowledge. Pharaoh was allowed to live and reign in Egypt, so God could show His delivering power to the children.
Jeremiah speaks of the undefiled religion showing how it protects our house, yet the children won’t do it; the destroyers invade our house when we neglect the undefiled religion (Jere 22:7-19). The prophecy continues, the son of Josiah who was named Shallum was taken captive, he will not return. His brother, Jehoiakim was sitting in the stead of Shallum will also fall (Jere 22:11-18). Then we see the “weeping” of the prophet is the Weeping of the Lord (Jere 23:9). God then tells all He has seen, they are naked and opened, exposed, and known, their folly of wickedness (Jere 23:11-14). This helps us define the position of Wickedness as one based in iniquity, we were sinners, we moved to the kingdom, but those who work iniquity are unequal, thus they may not “sin”, but they do work at iniquity, which will lead to sin in the Night. Therefore, Paul says the iniquity is at work now, but in the Night we find the “man of sin” (II Thess 2:3-7).
The prophet moves to the latter days showing how God will give the Wicked “wormwood” and “the water of gall” (Jere 23:15). False prophets speak from a vision of their own hearts (spirits), they walk in the imagination of their minds, saying smooth sayings, but not from God. They hold strongholds, refusing to cast down evil imaginations (Jere 23:16-17). We know this is moving to the latter days when we read, “it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked”, and “in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly” (Jere 23:19-20). What is the “head of the wicked”? The false prophet in the latter days uses the Power (Authority, or Head) of the Beast of the Sea (Rev 13:14). The Beast is not some guy, but defined as “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues”; however, not all people in the world are associated with the Beast (Rev 17:15, 17:1-2 & 13:1). God wounded the head of the house of the wicked (Hab 3:13). Psalm 94:23 reads, “And He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord God shall cut them off”. In the Textus Receptus, and in J.P. Green’s Interlinear we find two different Hebrew words for the phase “cut them off”. In the first usage in the phrase “shall cut them off in their own wickedness” it’s the Hebrew Karath, which we saw prior, meaning To cut away a part of the Body, but in the phrase “the Lord God shall cut them off” we find the Hebrew Tsamath meaning To consume, or To make to vanish. The difference shows us the Rapture taught in the Old Testament; the first usage shows the Broken Body of Jesus, the second points to the last resurrection, thus at the Rapture the Wicked will be left behind. At the very end they will enter the resurrection of damnation then they will be completely cut off from any attribute of God. Man being a creation always has some attribute of God, whether it be Agapao, or the measure of faith, or being around the people of God, or around the beauty of creation, but remove all the attributes of God, add the lake of fire, we would then define the term Eternal Judgment.
The prophesy lies in the Name of the Lord, yet in the latter days they will believe a lie (Jere 23:25). If the prophet has a dream, let them say it’s a dream, if they have a Word, let them speak it faithfully, but the false dream their own dreams, then turn around saying it’s a Word from the Lord, when the Lord has “saith” nothing to them. They prophesy from their self-desires, not by the mouth of God. How do we fight this battle? The Truth is a hammer breaking the false rocks of the strongholds (Jere 23:29). When the Wicked dream their dreams, or come up with their fables, the Truth preached in Love is the weapon of our warfare. The sadness is how they think the words they are saying are from the Lord, yet they fail the test. God is against the prophets who have false dreams, He will repay. Jesus is able to protect His own, thus we speak as the oracles of God, speaking the Truth in Love, something the Wicked lack the ability to do (Jere 23:29-32).
Did you ever have someone come up to you and say, “what’s your burden brother?”, yet we really didn’t know what to say? A Burden is something laid on us, there are some with a drive to save the lost, but is it a “burden”? Or a desire? A burden is often considered a weight, or hardship, not merely a desire. If our call has become a burden, we better get face to face with the Lord to find the Precious. In Jeremiah’s time the people considered the Law a “Burden”, a chore, an obligation they had to do, they went around saying, “the burden of the Lord, the burden of the Lord” (Jere 23:33). God, the God of all the universe picked these people, yet they said it was a Burden. The Wicked presume they did Jesus a big favor by receiving Him, they think Jesus owes them.
Going back a few verses, we find Jeremiah speaking to the lovers of Israel as he prophesies against them (Jere 22:20-30). Then to the pastors, the guides and leaders of the sheep, with Woe to the pastor who causes the sheep to wander out of the pasture (Word – Jere 23:1-2). God will set shepherds who will feed the flock (Jere 23:4). Although he doesn’t know it, Jeremiah still shows the Godly Shepherds will be appointed by Jesus (Jere 23:5). The metaphor Judah often refers to the Field, later we will see the Tents of Judah will be saved, yet the Wicked from Judah who will go into the Night as the drunken. This is evidenced when we read, in “His days” Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell safely, thus giving us Two Seasons divided by the Rapture (Jere 23:6). Although the Remnant don’t know it, Jesus is Jehovah, but to them it’s still Jehovah, but it doesn’t mean He doesn’t know them. The times and seasons for the Remnant are in the Father’s power, since the making of the enemies of Jesus into the footstool was promised by the Father. Therefore, the Night pertains to Mercy, not Grace. It would be a sin for the Remnant to know Jesus, yet hold to the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets, thus God has blinded them (Rev 3:7-22 & Acts 1:6-8). However, there are various types of blindness, one is seen with these people, they entered self-blindness, but there are times when God blinds for a purpose. The Law of Moses itself blinds some, although it was not the purpose of the Law (II Cor 3:14).
The Mount of Transfiguration held the Two Seasons, Jesus as the Head and Body of Christ, then Moses representing the Law, with Elijah representing the Prophets, as the two Witnesses for the last two churches. For us we are told specially, “hear ye Him”, not “them”; however, for the Remnant they will hear “them”, not Him. Therefore, the undefiled religion is honored before the Father, Grace is honored before the Father, Word and Holy Ghost. When we reach the end of our salvation, we will be standing with Jesus as the “great Sea of Glass” before the Throne, yet when that happens we find the Remnant as the Little Flock, or the 144,000, whichever, on the earth. This is made clear in the Book of Revelation where we find the 144,000 marked on the earth, but at the same time we see a “great multitude” before the Throne (Rev 7:1-9). Later after the judgment we find another Great Multitude, but wouldn’t you know it, two different Greek words. The first usage in Revelation 7:9 means a number not able to be counted, but one can see the end thereof. The second usage in Revelation 19:6 means it’s not able to be counted, with the added element of the end not being seen.
Our faith and hope are future tense, yet we must believe in our heart Jesus is raised from the dead. Why raised from the dead? Why not the Cross? Why not as the Son of man? The Resurrection of Jesus is the First Resurrection, one taking something in the person before the fact, the last resurrection is much different. At the last resurrection it’s “unto life”, or “unto damnation”, but in the First is for those who have Life in them by the Spirit before the fact, thus we associate to the Resurrection of Jesus. The same Spirit who raised Jesus, will raise us, the Rapture is the finish of the First Resurrection. Paul doesn’t equate the “catching away” to a separate resurrection, but as the conclusion to the First Resurrection, as does John. If we truly believe Jesus is raised from the dead, then our desire is be partakers of His Resurrection before the 1,000 years (Rev 20:5-6).
We know Jesus personally, but the Remnant will know Jesus as THE LORD (JEHOVAH) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, not as Jesus our Lord and Savior, but as Jehovah (Jere 23:6). The time will come when they will say, “The LORD (Jehovah) lives who brought Israel out of the north country” (Babylonia – Jere 23:8). John says, the Woman went into the wilderness at the time of the Cross, then she is seen in the wilderness at the Time of Comfort (Jere 23:7-8, Rev 12:6 & 17:1). At the end of those days the Eighth, who made the decision to remain with the he in the world will invade the Woman with idol worship (Jere 23:8-15).
God compares the evil prophets of Jeremiah’s time to the evil prophets of our time, and the time yet to come (Jere 23:9-24). The false prophets dream their own dreams, hold their own prophecy, speaking vanity and boasting vain words (Jere 23:25-32). God is also against those who take the words of another, claiming they are their own (Jere 23:30). Whoa, wait a minute, does it mean we can’t teach anything unless we get it directly from the Holy Ghost? Not at all, it means we don’t regurgitate a teaching, or revelation, then claim it as our own “private revelation”. The knowledge always comes from God, thus the revelation may be new to us, or we may have heard it from another, but we never claim it as a work of our own intellect.
Jeremiah 24:1 relates to the time when Daniel was taken captive around 605 BC, Daniel is a type and shadow of a “good fig”, not a “good fish”. The Fish come from the Sea, the Wheat from the Field, the Figs from the Fig Tree, the Anointing of Mercy from the Olive Tree. The Lord showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs, one held good figs, the other naughty figs, yet they came from a Fig Tree, thereby showing not all in the land were bad figs (Jere 24:1-3). The two baskets represent the Jewish religious order, we are Olives, not Figs. Later in Jeremiah 29:17 the bad figs are defined as those who rejected the words of the prophet, thus God looks at them as vile figs, helping us understand why God told Jeremiah to seek the Precious, not the Vile. At times it may appear as if more are rejecting than receiving, but if we put our eyes on the Precious, rather than the Vile, the Vile won’t overcome us. Jeremiah now sees there are Good Figs, his work is not in vain, some will hear, they may not speak out, but they heard and obeyed.
Jeremiah began with the premise of “See, I have this day set you over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (Jere 1:10). Up to this point in his ministry he heard and saw the uprooting, the destruction, the throwing down, but there was no building or planting. Ahh, God gave him hope, displaying the Good Figs as a sign. When the Good Figs return they will do the Building and Planting (Jere 24:6). It seems like God would plant then build, rather than build than plant. However, this refers to the building of the Temple, then planting the land. In our case we find the Holy Ghost plants the Seed of God (Word), the Word begins to grow in us until we are Born Again then the building begins to form us into the Image of God’s Son
The other side seems strange, those who surrender to Babylon will be considered the good figs (Jere 24:4-7). It would seem strange for the Lord to tell any of us, “submit to Babylon”; however, a weapon of our warfare is Submission. Submission has a power, when applied in Love it will overcome the attacks of the Wicked. At times God will have us submit to Babylon, but in so doing we will see the Power of God’s deliverance.
The Temple will be rebuilt as God said, but keeping it the Temple will remain in the hands of the religious order. Jesus cleaned out the Temple, some of us assume we can do the same; however, the disciples never cleaned out the temple, they submitted to the religious rulers, thus overcoming the attacks. Assuming we can go about and clean out churches by using the Principle and Example of Jesus, is error. We could say, “Jesus did it, and the servant is not above the Master”, but we must find the example in the lives of the disciples, or we have become the Master. There is none, they submitted, and by their submission they overcame. “Oh yea, Stephen submitted, and was killed, James submitted and was killed, some overcoming”. Both Stephen and James, as well as the others all knew their Lord and Savior, they knew they were in the hand of Jesus. Some of us would use every trick in the book of man to avoid submitting, others know the power of submission. Of course one has to know the principle of submission is not the same as being a slave, rather it entails the avoidance of debate, strife and conflict.
By this time the people had rebelled to the point where repentance was out of the question, they had to enter captivity, thus their survival was in submitting to the king of Babylon. The heathen king was placed in authority over the people of God, by God, thus fighting against the king, was the same as fighting against God. God will even call this heathen, idol worshipping king His servant, what gives? A heathen as a servant of God? Oh my, what has it come to? The king of Babylon was raised for a purpose, just as Pharaoh was raised for a purpose. Both were evil, both outside the promise, yet both used by God to be over God’s people. However, there is something else to consider, when these heathen kings did take the people of God, they were nonetheless responsible. If they failed to care for the people of God, then God would come against them.
On the same note, we don’t run around looking for some heathen to submit to, rather it’s dependent on hearing from God. The children who entered the wilderness failed to learn the lesson; ending dead in the wilderness. When we do learn the lesson, the old man dies in the wilderness, the New Man forms the Kingdom. We learn of oppression by being oppressed, but we also learn not to become the oppressor when we are no longer oppressed. The natural mind of man turns from being oppressed to being the oppressor when freedom is in hand. The Holy Ghost teaches us by experience, one with an experience far out weighs one with an opinion. The wilderness experience may put us in some hard places, but the purpose brings our trust in the Lord to the surface.
The evil figs are subject to the sword, pestilence and famine (Jere 24:8-10). The figs are the representations of vessels, the good figs hear and obey, whether they understand or not. The evil figs seek the self-pleasure by using the principles of God in reverse to promote their self-interests.
God didn’t waste time, the Quickly was upon them in the first year of king Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (Jere 25:1-2). God will send His prophets to warn us of the Quickly, but not all the Quicklies contain the path of peace. The false seem to get things backward, they call Peace when God is telling us we’re in Danger, or they call Danger when God tells us it’s a time of Rest. We discern by the Spirit, yet if we remain carnal we are not the Elect or Very Elect, thus the carnal are fooled by the false (Jere 25:3).
The call to repentance is never wrong, neither is asking God to keep us from being deceived, even if we think we’re not. We still prepare by repentance, as we affirm our position by the Spirit (Jere 25:5). The “fear of God” is never a bad way to go, as long as we know the Fear of God is the Fear of missing God.
Rebellion worships idols, whether those idols are the idols of pride in the heart or an idol made of stone. Pride refuses to bow in the presence of God, there are some who humble themselves in the presence of others to exalt themselves by using false humility as a tool to exalt themselves. They will confess sins to gain the advantage over the people, not to repent before God (Jere 25:6-7). False humility is the byproduct of pride, the sister of self-exaltation. The people owed the land seventy years of rest, their time in captivity was based on the failure to give the land its sabbath, but an extended stay in the wilderness is based on idol worship (Jere 25:12-14).
Daniel will have a copy of Jeremiah’s writings, he will see how Jeremiah says it will be “seventy years”; however, the place where Daniel sees the wording is not here in Jeremiah 25:11, rather it will be later in Jeremiah 29:10. Of course we know, before the King James Version there were no verse numbers or chapter numbers, thus Daniel didn’t look up “Jeremiah 29:10”, but searched the writing until he saw the revelation. He then knew God had placed a set time on the captivity, thus showing Daniel knew Jeremiah was a prophet of God by believing the words of the prophet. This area does show the length of time as seventy years, but in Jeremiah 29:10-12 we have the addition of a prayer by the captives, explaining what Daniel read, causing him to immediately began to pray. Daniel knew there was a requirement for the people of God, thus he stood as the intercessor. We also find Babylon will have a finish at the end of the seventy years, God will wound the head of the house of the Wicked. In the latter days the Wicked will again use the methods of the Wicked idol worshipping house to take the Woman captive. Nonetheless, Jeremiah now sees the building and planting will be after the seventy years, all is not lost, or in vain, God has a plan and purpose.
Jeremiah then travels by prophecy to the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where one finds Jesus taking the fourth cup of the Passover. The Father took the first cup of the Passover when He desired to be among His people, Jesus gave us the second cup of separation, which we know as our water baptism, then we all take the third cup of remission, as the cup of Communion representing the Blood of Jesus (Luke 22:17-20). Luke is the only account showing the “cup of separation”, it came before the Bread, the Bread before the Cup of Remission. Also, we know the Last Supper came first, then the Garden. Judas was at the table, but he didn’t partake of the Bread or the Third Cup. When Jesus was in the Garden, Judas was in the temple making his plans with the religious leaders. The word Gethsemane tells us more about the condition, than the location, the word means “Wine Press”, or “A place of pressure”. Jesus was offered the Fourth Cup, but He also prayed for all those who would be subject to it before He took it. The fourth cup of the Passover is the cup of the wrath of God; Jesus was sorrowful unto the death of all those who will become subject to the fourth cup; however, we also find in the taking of the cup the enemies of Jesus would be made His footstool (Jere 25:15-17). When Jesus said, “let it pass” it was not in rebellion to the Will of the Father, rather the Mercy, Love and Longsuffering of Jesus was displayed. The Wicked are the enemies of Jesus, they will cause many to fall, they will be the cause to make it all end in the lake of fire; yet Jesus was praying for them, as He prayed for those who would persecute Him; still willing for all be saved and none lost. Not only did Jesus take the cup, but we find the “cup of Babylon” is also in the Lord’s hand. Jeremiah is told the cup will be unto “all the kingdoms of the world”, yet we know Jeremiah didn’t go to all the kingdoms of the world, thus this is prophetic in nature pointing to very last days (Jere 25:15 & 25:26). This gives us two cups, both are seen in the Book of Revelation. The “cup of Babylon” is seen in the hand of the Woman, it’s filled with the abominations and filthiness of her fornication (Rev 17:4 & 18:3). The Cup of God’s wrath is poured out by an angel (Rev 16:19). However, we are not appointed to God’s Wrath.
We all have to know the truth, everyone of us who were under the spirit of disobedience had the potential to become among the Wicked, but God’s Mercy coupled with being Born Again removed us from the evil potential. Therefore, the difference between a Saint in the Kingdom, and the Wicked in the Body is the Spirit of Truth in residence. God’s Mercy divides the vessels of honor from dishonor, but we also find Living Waters from the Spirit within adds life to the Mercy (Jn 7:38-39). Mercy and Grace are joined in the Born Again Believer, allowing us to come boldly to the throne of Grace to obtain Mercy and find Grace (Heb 4:16). The more we learn about being Born Again, the more we appreciate Jesus who made it all possible. We take the Third Cup to avoid the Fourth, Jesus gave us the Third, but He took the Fourth.
The first great earthquake was at the Resurrection of Jesus, the next will be when the Fifth and Sixth Seals are broken at the Rapture, but the Angels don’t go forth until after the Seventh Seal is broken, thus it’s stupid to fear the last earthquake while there remains the Fifth and Sixth Seals yet to be opened. Part of the Doctrine of Christ is understanding eternal judgment, but in order to understand eternal judgment one has to also know when the Judgment takes place. The only ones subject to the Fourth Cup are those who fail to appreciate the Third Cup. This is the Day the Lord has made, let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
Jesus is seen in the very end Treading the Winepress (Rev 19:15), the sixth angel calls to the fifth, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe” (Rev 14:17-18). This is the gathering, which is akin to the gathering of the tares: then comes the “Winepress of the wrath of God” (Rev 14:19). The Book of Revelation is combination of the sayings of the prophets, with the vision of John, it’s not something which may happen, it will happen, but we are not assigned to those times. Whether we like what the world is doing or not, doesn’t change the purpose of the event; whether the events going on in the world look evil, destructive, wicked, out of control, or moot, they still have a purpose in God’s plan (Jere 25:18-33). The world is still under the prince of the power of the air, so how do we think they will react? Godly? Hardly, they are still using the power, seat and authority of the dragon. However, God is God, all things are subject to Him, He still has the Plan in hand.
Religious conceit is the “holier than thou” thought process, yet faith says we are holy, go figure? Faith is not pride based, religious conceit is, thus we can have two people saying the same thing, yet with two different intents. One can say, “I’m a child of God” from a position of faith, or from a position of pride, discernment of their fruit tells us the difference. We can learn of these events, or chalk them up to history and go about thinking we are something we’re not (Jere 25:34-37).
These people could have recalled the “battle of Jericho”, some of us need to recall the Weapon of the battle. “Oh yes, amen, it was the shout”, wrong, it was a battle of silence, for six days they marched around the city on the seventh day they remained silent, until the seventh trip, then they only shouted once, thus one Weapon of our warfare at times is silence. There are times to speak, times to listen, and times to remain silent. It would have been better for these people to remain silent and hear, rather than speak while refusing to hear.
These people are looking at Babylon as the great evil, but only God can place His people in captivity. The devil can never defeat God’s people, unless God’s people give the devil place (opportunity), yet God still has to allow it. God is still in control, thus even a short time in captivity helps us appreciate our Freedom the more. Job had a “hole in the hedge”, thus Job is a perfect type and shadow of the Christian Experience. We face events, but God is still able to deliver us. In the end He delivered Job, thus Job went from “God will take it all”, to “God is God of all”. Adverse circumstances are merely another opportunity to build our belief and faith. If faith pleases God, then strong faith must please Him the more.
When these people are taken captive, they finally admit it Was God, not the devil, nor the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon couldn’t take a tare out of the kingdom, unless it was granted from on high, much less take the wheat . When its all said and done, they will know God placed a prophet among them, but their religious conceit and rebellion blinded them to the Truth. It would have been much better if they would have received the prophet before the captivity, rather than admit the man was a prophet after the fact. This same failure is seen in the opposite as well, it’s far better to discern the false before the fact, than after.
The Truth will set us free if we continue in it, but it will place us in bondage if we reject it (Jere 25:35). They failed to believe God, finding God was against them, it’s better to believe in God Is, then think the devil is. They took the side of the enemy by using the ways of the enemy, thereby becoming God’s enemy.
The “peaceable habitations are cut down”, but wait, are not we the ones with the Gospel of Peace? This shows the Habitations, not the peaceable ones are “cut down”. The wording “cut down” is the Hebrew Damam meaning To be astonished, To stop, or To be silent. What were those “habitations” of peace? Were they peace? Or did they go about saying “peace, peace”? Ahh, the truth was known, the false were “cut down”, astonished, God didn’t honor their words of Peace, Peace when there was no Peace. These prophets made the mistake of assuming if they spoke words based on their position God would honor them. Some of us make the same mistake, we assume if we “speak in faith” God will honor our words. However, in order to be faith we must first Hear, if we haven’t heard it’s not faith, but presumption.
Jeremiah was sent to the House of the Lord, to those who worship therein, but the purpose was to rebuke them, since they would worship God in the temple, but idols outside of the temple (Jere 26:1-2). This connects to the prior verses showing the false were cut down, Jeremiah was not to hold back one word, nor was he to add his emotions to make the word more than it was, rather he was to deliver the word as intended (Jere 26:2). A prophet can use their emotions to make a warning seem like a blessing, or a blessing seem like a rebuke, or a warning sound like destruction. Here it was clearly a rebuke, but we also find God didn’t send just Jeremiah alone, rather there were “prophets”, thus it wasn’t one prophecy, or one chance, rather it was over a long period of time (Jere 26:5).
God continued to reach to His own, telling them to repent (Jere 26:3). Some of us think repentance is turning and walking in a different direction, but we can repent, turn and walk in a different direction, yet fail to walk toward the Lord. Repenting to avoid the danger lacks genuine sincerity, yet these people failed to repent in the face of danger. They ignored the exposure, if we ignore the exposure, we force God to bring the evil from the world to place us in captivity until we gain our senses (Jere 26:3-7).
After Jeremiah made an end to the prophecy, the priests, false prophets, and the people took him, saying, “You shall surely die” (Jere 26:8). Needless to say, they rejected the prophet’s reward, it appears as if they were highly angered (Jere 26:5). The people held the Temple above God, there are times when we hold the things of God above Jesus. Jesus is the Head of the Body, not the tail, all things are subject to Him, not the other way around. The things God has given us are important, but we don’t worship the anointing, we don’t worship the power, they are Godly, but it doesn’t make them God (Jere 26:9).
The people said Jeremiah was worthy unto death for prophesying against the city and temple, but it was God not Jeremiah who purposed the evil against the city (Jere 26:10-12). When we get mad because a prophet testifies against us or our local body, it’s a sign they are right, we just don’t like it. If he spoke falsely, it would be joke, hardly making us mad. Uncontrolled anger is a defensive weapon of the old man to cover the exposure. Jeremiah continues with the message, telling the people to repent (Jere 26:13). The deliverance was at hand, but the failure to truly repent closed the gate of deliverance, but opened the gates of hell.
Jeremiah reminds them how he spoke only what God gave him, if they put him to death, surely they would bring innocent blood on themselves (Jere 26:15). Then said the “princes” to the priests and people, “This man is not worthy to die: for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God” (Jere 26:16). However, then rose up certain elders, telling the people about Micah the Morasthite who prophesied in the days of Hezekiah, who said Zion would be plowed, and Jerusalem would be a heap, yet Hezekiah didn’t kill the prophet, he repented. Then there was Urijah the son of Shemiaiah, who prophesied against Jerusalem in the same manner as Jeremiah, yet Jehoiakim sought to kill Urijah, but when Urijah heard it, he fled and went into Egypt. However, Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt, and brought Urijah back and killed him (Jere 26:18-23). Two examples, one prophet lived, the other died, so why not kill Jeremiah? After all he and Micah were saying about the same things, yet Micah was killed! Reasoning of fools, leads to destruction. However, Jeremiah did have a friend, Ahikam the son of Shaphan who stood for Jeremiah (Jere 26:24). Now comes the command to serve Nebuchadnezzar, it was bad enough to be told about the captivity, now the prophet is saying to “serve” the heathen king. Jeremiah made yokes, putting some on his neck first, then sent some to various kings. God reminds these kings how He made man, whether king or not, they are nonetheless the products of God’s hand (Jere 27:1-6). Three kings from Babylon will reign over the people, until a few years ago the “error seekers” assumed the use of the “three kings” was error. Nebuchadnezzar was the one who would take the people captive, then in Daniel we read of Belshazzar, which would make it appear as if there were only two kings; however, history shows Nebuchadnezzar I had a son by the name of Nebuchadnezzar II, then Nebuchadnezzar II went off to war, leaving his son Belshazzar in charge of the land, thus the prophecy in Jeremiah 27:7 is proven true. It also stands Daniel read and believed the words of this prophet, if there was no third generation king, surely Daniel would have seen the error and told us, but there is no error.
The false prophets told the kings and people, “you won’t serve”, yet the prophets of God were saying, “you will serve”. Again to natural reasoning it would appear the false prophets were more positive, than the true prophets (Jere 27:9). It’s clear on both sides the issue was Direction, one of the prophet’s duties. Direction in and of itself really doesn’t say a thing, there is a direction unto the Lord, and one to hell. The evidence had to show these people something, Jeremiah’s words were being proven by the moment, the false were being exposed by the moment; however, when the people are so set on hearing words fitting their wanton desires and lusts they will seek the smooth sayings, false or not, proven false or not; discernment is vital, following it more so.
Those who refused to serve would die, the proof of the pudding, the false prophets spoke words seemingly to be positive at the moment, but the result of the words would be very negative (death). On the other hand, Jeremiah spoke words seemingly negative at the moment, but if followed they would have a very positive result. Among other things the word Negative means Denial, Refusal, Less than zero, or Proven to be false, thus the words of the false prophets were Negative, regardless of how positive they may have sounded at the moment. Among other things the word Positive means Expressing an attitude of joy regardless of the event, Not engaging in doubt; however, in both cases it’s not the words, but the result determining the difference.
The people had itching ears, they sought prophets with good tidings, rather than prophets with the Truth (Jere 27:9-10 & II Tim 4:3). God tells the false prophets to go ahead and prophesy Peace, when the yoke of Babylon is on their neck, see if their lies ring true or false (Jere 27:12-18).
Jeremiah then gives a prophecy by telling the people how they will be carried to Babylon, if his words are from God, wait and see, but waiting to see if Jeremiah was speaking the truth, also means the people will be in bondage by the time they know “It Was God” (Jere 27:22). We seek Truth, it may or may not be pleasant to the ear, but it will still set us free. The fruit of the people should have told them which was right, they had idols in their minds when they went to temple. Their testimony and their Witness didn’t match, repentance was the call, it’s always a good thing to repent. The fear of God isn’t a bad way to go when we’re not sure.
Of course, God will give other signs, if we are willing to receive them. Hananiah was a “son of a prophet”, assuming he had right standing based on his father’s position (Jere 28:1-2). Hananiah used the “name of the Lord”, saying the yoke of the king of Babylon had been broken, the captives would return (Jere 28:2-4). Jeremiah didn’t shout “false prophet”, rather he said, “Amen: the Lord do so” (Jere 28:6). Shouldn’t Jeremiah defend the faith? Shouldn’t he say something about this false prophet? Jeremiah did say things about other false prophets, is this different? To a degree, we know after seventy years of captivity the Lord would break the yoke of Babylon, many of the captives would return, thus it was close, but not close enough. Jeremiah could have said, “it’s false”, then heard, “Oh God isn’t going to break the yoke of Babylon like you said?”. It was a trap, but the words of Jeremiah defused the trap, yet they didn’t sit well with Hananiah (Jere 28:7-8). Hananiah took the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck and broke it, then said in the Name of the Lord, “Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years” (Jere 28:11). This changed things by putting a specific time element on the prophecy, yet history shows Nebuchadnezzar didn’t live to see the captives go free. Nonetheless it was bait for debate, Jeremiah simply left. There are times to say, times to stay, times to remain silent, and times to leave, this was one of those times to leave.
After Jeremiah left the scene the Word of the Lord came unto him saying, “Go and tell Hananiah” (Jere 28:13). The message from the Lord was to bring upon Hananiah his own false prophecy, although Hananiah broke the yoke in his hands, his own words would place a yoke of iron on him (Jere 28:13). False prophecy causes the victims to trust in a lie, Hananiah said in the space of two full years the yoke of Babylon would be broken, but God said within the same year Hananiah would die. Hananiah spoke in fifth month of the fourth hear, then died in the same year in the seventh month, some two months later (Jere 28:1 & 28:17).
The clues to Hananiah’s false prophecy are found in his words; prior he prophesied Peace, then it changed to a little bondage. Jeremiah exposed Hananiah by taking him back to the original prophecy, then showing there was no Peace, why then should anyone believe him now? (Jere 28:9). Hananiah is also a type of those who change the prophecy, or becomes a re-thinker of the end time events, yet the evidence shows he was a false prophet. Mixing seasons and events leads to false thinking, it’s true the four quarters of the world will come against the City. It’s true there will be the Judgment, it’s just as true Jesus as the Son of man will judge, but this is still the Day, many events must take place before the End of the Night comes. It’s for this reason we are Commanded by Jesus not to mix the Night into the Day, the Night is in the power of the Father, the Day in the hands of the Son, thus we of the Day are to Receive Power from on high to become Witnesses for Jesus, rather than make His enemies His footstool (Acts 1:7-8).
Jeremiah then put his words in pen and ink, then sent them throughout the land of captivity (Jere 29:1). The key to the captives remaining in Peace, was to pray for the Peace of the land they were in (Jere 29:7). This is a type of “give and it shall be given unto you”, connecting to what we pray for others, will come back to us, thus pray for Peace on our enemies, and Peace will come to us, but pray for destruction, and destruction will come.
The captives had false prophets among them, but they also had God’s prophets as well. Ezekiel was a prophet in the captivity, we know he was God’s man in the midst of captivity; therefore, even in captivity God made sure Truth was at hand. The false prophets prophesy from their own dreams and fables (Jere 29:8). God does give dreams, but so does a bad dinner, as does a wanton soul, thus it’s not the Dream, but the source. Instead of two years as Hananiah said, the Lord tells them to build houses, their stay in captivity will be much longer than the false prophesied (Jere 29:2-9). The Lord then gives the time as seventy years; although it’s captivity, it’s still a good work (Jere 29:10). Here we find the motivation Daniel will use, however, adding to the Seventy Years is the condition of “then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me” (Jere 29:12); Daniel saw this then entered intercession for the people before he packed his bags.
Captivity shows us our condition and position, allowing us the time to repent to prepare for the Kingdom to be established in our souls (Jere 29:12-13). God will use the cup of separation to separate us from evil figs, then He will graft us onto the Olive Tree of Mercy so it can be by Grace through faith. He will also Engraft the Word in us, but it still takes our cooperation, belief and faith to partake of the Cup of the New Testament (Luke 22:15-20 & Jere 29:14-23).
Jeremiah 29:15 shows there were prophets of God even in Babylon, the people in captivity heard the false prophets say “no captivity”, then “oh well, maybe a little”, it should have been enough to cast away the false sayings (Jere 29:25-32). God had Jeremiah name the names of the false prophets, if God says Name them, do so, but don’t make a self-determination. Shemaiah the Nehelamite was one of those named, his prophecy would go against him and his seed, since he “taught rebellion” against the Lord (Jere 29:32). Shemaiah wrote letters (Jere 29:25), in the letters he was saying how the Lord had made him priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest. Then Shemaiah accuses Jeremiah of being self-appointed, then says the words of Jeremiah were the cause of the captivity, which is saying Jeremiah is a witch (Jere 29:26-28). The letter of Shemaiah caused God to speak through Jeremiah to show Shemaiah was the self-appointed one, this act of Shemaiah is still the method of the false (Jere 29:31-32). It can get confusing, the false say the true are false, yet as the self-appointed, they say they are appointed by God, what to do? What to do? Judge the fruit, listen for the Anointing, don’t be moved by Acts, seek the Ways.
Jeremiah was told to write down all the words in a book as a reminder to those in captivity (Jere 30:1-3). Jeremiah was not written for Jeremiah’s sake but for our sake, and for the Remnant. The words are set for Israel and Judah, a word of trembling and of fear, thus we work out our salvation by fear and trembling (Jere 30:5 & Ph’l 2:12). The thin line between faith in Jesus, and religious conceit stands before us all. We are a special people, but not because of our specialness, rather it’s because of Jesus. The day when we think it’s based on our goodness, we have entered religious conceit. The pride of religious conceit sits at the temple door waiting for the moment it can run in and proclaim itself. The Faith of Jesus has already accomplished the task, it’s not something we can claim by our efforts, but it’s the proof of Jesus destroying the devil then providing us the means to obtain the New Birth. Our faith in Jesus, and His Faith joined to make this a win, win event.
God then talks to the Woman asking if the “man” (Jacob) gave birth to the nation? (Jere 30:6). God brought Israel out of Jacob, although Jacob had the human sons from which the nation came, the existence of the nation was nonetheless in the hand of God. We know this goes to the End Times since the phrase “Jacob’s Trouble” is seen, but don’t confuse Jacob’s Trouble with the entire Tribulation period (Jere 30:7). Jacob’s Trouble is at the very end of the Night, the time when Peace and Safety turn into Trouble, as it becomes Sudden Destruction.
When we go through the Door to heaven at the catching away, then Jesus will open the Door to the House of David to begin the Time of Comfort. The people will serve the Lord for the 1,000 years; they shall be at rest in the land, as the devil will be bound to bring quietness to the land (Jere 30:9-10). Then comes the Seventh church, joining to false prophet who has the house which suffered the head wound causing a wound in Jacob which can’t be healed (Jere 30:12-14). God will heal the old wound of Israel, she won’t seek idols, but the Eighth (False Prophet) will come with the idol worshipping practices of the horn (power of Assyria). The false prophet is the house of the wicked, the house will again bring forth idol worship capturing the Woman. She will become Babylon, capturing her own children, she will be found holding the cup full of the blood of the saints and prophets (Jere 30:7 & Hab 3:13).
The promise for the Time of Comfort is firm, God will bring peace to Jacob. The mountain of the Lord will sit on the mountains of the world, but the purpose is to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool, while saving the Remnant (Jere 30:15-24). The clue to the Time of Comfort is found in verse 10, Jacob will return, and shall be “in rest, and be quiet” (Jere 30:10). This has not yet to happen, the word Rest is the Hebrew Shaqat meaning Unmolested, referring to a position wherein no one causes war, or as Paul put it “Peace”. The word Quiet is the Hebrew Shaan meaning To be tranquil, it refers to Comfort, or as Paul put it “Safety”. Verse 16 shows those who Devour shall be devoured, this connects to the “patience of the saints”. Those who lead into captivity, shall go into captivity, and those who kill with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Our faith must couple with Patience, as we resist the temptation to get even (Rev 13:10). Those who fail at Patience and Faith enter the position of seeking vengeance, or validation (Rev 13:11 & 17:11).
In the latter days they shall consider it, at the same time all the families of Israel will recognize God is the God of all. The knowledge of God will flow into all the earth and the Remnant will be the gladness of Jacob, or cause Jacob to be glad (Jere 31:1-7). A key to these verses is found in verse 7 in the phrase “remnant of Israel”, which connects to Isaiah 10:21 and 11:11. Isaiah also shows “the remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob”, then he shows how the Lord will set His hand a Second Time to recover the Remnant. At the time there will be Seven listed nations, with Three nations falling at the hand of the Woman (Rev 11:11-14). The people in this captivity did return, but there are some important aspects missing, thus the return of these people is merely a preview, not the event. When they return they won’t take Edom, Moab or the children of Ammon, nor did God deliver them as He did the children from Egypt (Isa 11:16), thus we find the some of words of the prophets projected to the future, giving us a view of the End Times.
The Lord will redeem Jacob, then Comfort will be in the midst of Jacob (Jere 31:8-14). When does it come? When there is “weeping with supplications”, which is repentance. We know the Jewish idiom for this is “sackclothe”, when the Sixth Seal is opened we find the Sun (Jacob) clothed in sackcloth (Rev 6:12). The House of David refers to the Temple, the House of Jacob the nation, Jesus will open the House of David at the Sixth Seal, as the House of David will be known for it’s brotherly love (Philadelphia).
The first coming of Jesus presented Peace and Comfort in the Kingdom, but it was separated from the world unto Salvation, thus Jesus told us “Peace unto you”. If we are Born Again our Time of Comfort is found within. It’s really a matter of receiving it, like God’s love we don’t earn it, we receive it. There is a vast difference between Peace within, and Peace without. In our Season we have the Spirit of Truth, yet there are wars and rumors of wars in the world; in the Time of Comfort the devil will be bound, there will Peace on the earth, but the Spirit which is of God will be gone from the earth as well. Our Season is much better, we are born in a time when one can be Born Again.
God again uses the word “Comfort” in verse 13, then talks about the “weeping of Rachel” (Jere 31:13 & 31:15). The two don’t seem to fit here, yet they do. How many children did Rachel have? Joseph and Benjamin, Joseph means Adding and Benjamin means Son of the right hand; therefore, the “slaughter of the innocents” was an attempt to remove the Son of the Right Hand, a type and shadow of the world’s envy, yet it failed, and continues to fail. God heard the innocents through the crying of Rachel weeping for her children in Bethlehem when Herod, who was a Jew, attempted to stop the prophecy, by killing all the children under two years of old in Bethlehem, yet Jesus was not harmed. Why didn’t God stop this mass murder, why didn’t He intervene? God saw this massacre from the foundation of the world, the innocents always have a place with God (Isa 57:1).
The Net is then seen in Verse 27, with the “house of Judah” coupled with the “seed of man”, then we see the “seed of the beast”. The metaphor “seed of man” points to the Remnant, the seed of the beast to the Wicked. The house of Judah is not the “tents of Judah”, rather this is the house. The house of Israel as the nation, with the phrase, “it shall come to pass” making it all prophetic to the end times (Jere 31:27).
Verse 28 goes back to the call of Jeremiah as it relates to the breaking down, the throwing down, the destroying, with the affliction all had to come before the building and planting (Jere 31:28). This was hope for Jeremiah, he now knows the building will not come until the captivity is ended, but it also projects much further to the Time of Comfort showing God will build and plant when the Sixth church brings the knowledge of God.
God looks to our time and sees the Day of Salvation, as He forgives Iniquity and remembers our sin no more (Jere 31:34). However, we also find if they keep not the “ordinances” they will cease to be a nation, which makes it appear as if God did remember their iniquities (Jere 31:36). What gives? Won’t remember, will remember? This is another example of God speaking from His love and faith, while not ignoring the Reality. For some reason we think Faith must ignore the reality, not so. Faith doesn’t ignore the reality, it’s simply not motivated by it, rather it deals with it in a Godly manner. This speaks of two Seasons, one is our day, then the Night.
This division also opens the metaphor Sun to us, we know the Sun connected to the Moon refers to Israel and Zion, but there we find the metaphor Sun as it relates to the Day, thus we find Jesus referred to as a “bright Sun” (Matt 17:2). Ahh, a mystery, since the metaphor Sun refers to the nation, Jesus as the Bright Sun must refer to a another nation (Kingdom) not of this world. Remission of sin is a position where sin cannot be defined, a promise for the Greater Light of the Day, thus the Lord as the Bright Sun gave us the Greater Light of Day (Jere 31:35), but here we find Ordinances for the Moon as well (Jere 31:35). The word Ordinances is the Hebrew Choq it is not the same as the Hebrew Mitsvah which is commonly used for the word Commandments. Ordinances can be termed commandments, but they also have the element of desire, or better something one should do, or something one should desire to do. We are not required to take Communion everyday, but Jesus did say, “Take” which would be a command. The division is found in the phrase “moon and the stars for the light at Night” referring to the Lesser Light (vs. 35). The Remnant will keep the Commandments of God, but they will also keep the Choq of God, not the Mitsvah, meaning they walk in mercy. Which also means they keep the “Name” (Authority of the Son of man) of Jesus, until the Seventh church takes over. The 144,000 are marked on the Moon (Zion), not in the city. Zion of heaven also has Ordinances of Mercy as the Least Commandments we should keep, if we want to be a vessel of honor.
Jeremiah moved from the first year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (Jere 25:1) to the eighteenth year (Jere 32:1). At this time Jeremiah was shut up in prison; Zedekiah the king of Judah put Jeremiah in prison for prophesying about the city being taken by the king of Babylon (Jere 32:1-4). Jeremiah will spend several chapters leading up to this point. While Jeremiah was still in prison he purchased some land under the redemption policy (Jere 32:6-14). The purchase was the hope of the people, showing the prophet knew there would be an end to the captivity (Jere 32:15). However, Jeremiah purchased the land at the command of God, not out of his own desire (Jere 32:6). This sign of the Building and Planting should have been a hope to the people, but they wanted to remain with their idols, yet have God deliver them.
The Lord again points to the Time of Comfort as the hope of the Remnant, it is our hope as well, we will not face the wrath of God (Jere 32:36-37). The Time of Comfort will not begin until the Sixth Seal is broken, the Fifth Seal marks the Rapture, thus both Seals are opened at the same time. Strange? No, the first four are opened at the same time as well. The progression of the seal openings shows the first four opened at the same time, then the fifth and sixth at the same time, then comes the seventh seal, after all the seals are opened, then the seven angels are released.
The Lord shows two steps in the restoration of Israel, the first step will be to bring them into the land, but the Time of Comfort will not begin until they dwell safely (Jere 32:37). Simply because Israel has her land, doesn’t mean she is in the Time of Comfort, nor does it mean she is Restored. She must dwell safely in the land, it doesn’t take a genius to see it’s hardly the case today. There is another aspect bringing the Night, a great and powerful earthquake yet to happen. It will bring the land masses back in a like position as they were in the Days of Noah. One land mass, as it was in the days of Peleg, but the earthquake will kill millions. They will bury bodies for seven years, yet Jerusalem will be the center of the earth. The only place where the knowledge of God will be found, yet the Night still relates to Judgment, not Salvation. Thank God, this is still the Day, let us rejoice and be glad in it, for the Night comes when no man can work.
Jeremiah 33:1 begins with the Word of the Lord coming a Second Time, what? The prior was one time? Nay, this is prophetic to the future, the Lord is the Maker, the Lord has formed “it”, to establish “it”, the Lord is His Name (vs. 1): Call on the Lord and He will answer, He will Show great and mighty things, which we know not (vs. 2). Jesus said, “when He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, shall He speak, and He will show you things to come” (Jn 16:13). First John 4:1-4 says the Spirit of Truth is the Greater He in us, thus the Second time refers to the Kingdom of God.
Jeremiah 33:4 then changes back to “this city”, which will be thrown down, pointing to the “the houses of the kings of Judah”. Jeremiah may be in prison, but the king who put him there will be thrown down. Jeremiah 33:5 makes it appear as if God murdered many, but we find He hid His face from the City, thus removing the protection, opening the city for the armies of Babylon to enter, yet it was still the acts of the people causing it.
Then the prophecy again moves forward to the earthly ministry, the time when Jesus will present “peace and truth”. Verse 8 points to a cleaning from iniquity, which was accomplished by the Cross, Resurrection and Sacrifice of Jesus. Then God speaks of the “it” again, the It will be a Name of Joy and Praise. The Praise question was answered by Jesus, “The Father seeks those who can worship Him in Spirit and Truth” (Jn 4:23), we know the Spirit of Truth is the answer to being able to worship God. We were born of the flesh to be flesh, but now we have the Spirit, thus we are Born of the Spirit to be Spirit.
Jeremiah 33:10-13 points to a time when the voice of the bridegroom shall be heard in the city, referring to Jesus (Jn 3:29). The Shepherd will come, the flocks will lay down in green pastures (Jere 33:12). The flocks will hear Him who tells them “Saith the Lord” as the Lord Himself will say, “you have heard it said of old time”. Jeremiah 33:14 then tells us “Behold, the days come” when the Lord will perform a “Good Thing” unto the house of Israel and unto the house of Judah, in those days God will cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow (Jesus of the Day), He shall execute Judgment (Jesus of the Night). Jesus said the Father has committed Judgment unto the Son (Jn 5:22 & 5:27).
Things then change, we find Judah is “saved”, but Jerusalem shall dwell safely (Jere 33:16). The word Saved is the Hebrew Yasha meaning delivered, or saved, thus this points to the Rapture when the reality of Salvation will be evidenced by our white robes, yet the Remnant will be marked on Zion of the earth. This can’t be the entire nation, since God divided the city from Judah. The wording Shall Dwell is the Hebrew Shakan meaning to remain, or continue, or dwell. The word Safely is the Hebrew Betach meaning secure, but then we find this is the name which she shall be called, wait she? Didn’t we read where Jesus would be called “The Lord Our Righteousness” or Jehovah-Tsidkenu, (Jere 23:6). Yet, it says here this is the name “she shall be called”, is it a clue? The wording “shall be called” is the Hebrew Qara meaning to cry, or call, it usually refers to someone making the statement, thus this doesn’t say she is, it says this is what they call her.
The confusion is lifted in Jeremiah 33:20 as God points to breaking Covenant, but not Covenant as one, but two, one for the Day and one for the Night. Then the violation of making the Day the Night, or the Night the Day, for they each had their Season. In our Season Jesus is the Lord our Righteousness, the basis for the truth of the statement is found in the New Man; however, when Jacob’s Trouble begins we find the Wicked twisting the phrase by calling the Woman (City) the Lord their Righteousness. Then the Covenant with David will be broken as the Woman says she is a Queen, she then attempts to sit on the throne causing the Law and Prophets to be cast down. God then shows as long as the Covenant remains, then the people are protected. He shows the captivity is a product of His hand, yet it’s a from of Mercy, thus correction is a form of Mercy, but cruelty is not.
Jeremiah then has a message for king Zedekiah (Jere 34:1), on one hand the message is the same, the city will fall into the hands of Babylon, but on the other, it said Zedekiah would not die by the sword (Jere 34:4-5). Zedekiah then attempted to secure his position by proclaiming Liberty in the land, this holds two lessons. First the king attempted to secure his position by speaking, but in order for God to forgive it would have to include the people obeying (Jere 34:8-14). We can make all the rules and regulations we want, we can even change the laws of the land to conform to Christian thinking, but if the people do not have a heart to obey, they will rebel. The people in this case obeyed the proclamation for a time, but then recaptured their servants, rejecting the Liberty. Self-repentance is quick to avoid the danger, but as soon as the danger passes, so does the repentance. This was truly give and it shall given, release your captives, so you can be released. This goes directly to “forgive, so your Father in heaven can forgive you”, we forgive as God for Christ’s sake has forgive us, give and it shall be given.
There were the Rechabites, a sect of people from Jonadab the son of Rechab, who were taught from their youth not to drink strong wine. Jeremiah is told to take the Rechabites then bring them to the chamber of the princes, there he told them to drink strong wine in the presence of the princes. Although this was a command from the prophet, the Rechabites refused, stating how they were raised not to drink strong wine. God uses this to show how the Rechabites who were taught of their fathers kept their instructions, but the people in Jerusalem refused to (Jere 35:1-13). This is another example of a people willing to obey, as opposed to those who refuse to obey. God looks for a soul willing to serve based on Love. These people voiced their alliance to God, but refused to serve Him. This is an example of how some jump for joy when God does something they enjoy, then when God asks us to do something they don’t want to, they rebel. Faith obeys, whether it understands, likes or agrees with the command. There is a reward in obedience, in the case of the Rechabites, it was being spared (Jere 35:18-19).
Jeremiah then writes all the words the Lord gave him in a book, his scribe was a man by the name of Baruch. This would be approximately twenty years from the time Jeremiah began to prophesy, thus we find the man’s life is written for us. There are four Major Prophets, their entire lives were spent in the service of the office. Daniel didn’t begin until he was taken captive, but he was taken captive at a very young age, spending his life in the role of a prophet. We can read the Book of Jeremiah in a few days, yet it contains the man’s entire life. Our time on this earth is but a breath of smoke, a dot in the process of time, but it’s still the training ground for eternity.
Baruch took the book to Gemariah the son of Shaphan another scribe (Jere 36:10), where Baruch read the book (roll) in the ears of the princes (Jere 36:14). In the Book of Revelation John is given a “little book”, one short in nature, but holds the truth of the End Times (Rev 10:10). The book of prophecy was sealed in the Old, but opened in the New. The people in the Old didn’t have the Holy Ghost or Spirit to explain the things to come, but they nonetheless wrote them for us. They may not have understood them, but they were obedient in writing them.
After the princes heard the words, they told Baruch to take Jeremiah and hide (Jere 36:19). The Word of Truth will offend some, the princes knew the words of this prophet were words of offense. When king Jehoiakim heard the words, he took the roll and tossed it into the fire (Jere 36:23). Self-repentance is one thing, here there was no repentance whatsoever. Jehoiakim rejected the word of the prophet, then gave orders for Jerahmeel, Seraiah and Shelemiah to capture (take) both Jeremiah and Baruch, but the Lord moved in, hiding the prophet and his scribe (Jere 36:26).
Jeremiah writes a second scroll, only this time the Lord has him add some words. What add to the Word? Heaven forbid, but wait, God is making the command, the addition is not after the event, but during it. This wasn’t a change in intent, only additional words along the same lines. This time the Lord makes it very clear, He will do “all the evil” He has pronounced against the city (Jere 36:31). Clearly God is against His own people, is He against them, or against the state they were in? Okay, if there is no evil in God, how then can He bring evil? By lifting His hand, the evil is really the evil of the people coming upon them. All God did was turn them over to Babylon to bring about a clarity regarding what His people were doing. If God wanted to destroy them, He would have used fire, like Sodom, but He is pointing to correction to save them. By lifting His hand the protection is also lifted, allowing Babylon to invade. The purpose is Good, not Evil, yet the event will seem evil. Therefore, we find God is Good, our interpretation of Good seems to miss the point from time to time. Here God is against their condition, only because it was destroying the people, yet He is also for them, by sending them into captivity to save them. However, Babylon is still an evil nation, thus the evil did invade.
Then king Zedekiah the other son of Josiah was reigning in the stead of Coniah. Wait, what happened here, we went from Jehoiakim to his brother Zedekiah. The evidence to these people is fact, Jehoiakim was now gone, his son Coniah was gone, now Zedekiah the brother of Jehoiakim is king. He should have known Babylon was coming. In the Book of Revelation it’s “Babylon has fallen”, but here it’s “Babylon is coming”. Nonetheless Zedekiah puts Jeremiah in prison, but it didn’t stop the prophet from giving the Word of the Lord (Jere 37:15-38:2). Zedekiah was a man of pride, yet he had a fear of being mocked, but he allowed the prophet to be mocked time and again (Jere 38:14-28). Zedekiah had three years to watch and see the Truth, in order to repent, but he refused to see the Truth, he lost his eyes making him a shame (Jere 39:3-9).
After Jeremiah had been in prison many days, the king sent for him, asking him secretly “Is there any word from the Lord?” (Jere 37:17). There has been a “word from the Lord” for nearly twenty years, they didn’t listen then, now the king wants a Word? Jeremiah was in prison, but the false prophets who said, “Babylon shall not come” are gone, some dead, some in captivity. Jeremiah wants to know, If truth was spoken and confirmed, why did the king put him in prison (Jere 37:18)? Jeremiah made a deal with the king, he was promised to have bread as long as it lasted (Jere 37:21). This type and shadow goes to the Body, as long as He who now lets remains, it will not Pass away, the Bread is still the Body of Christ. Fighting the words of a prophet causes failures in many ways, the princes assumed the people were failing because of the words of Jeremiah, but the words of Jeremiah weren’t causing the failure, they exposed it (Jere 38:1-4). Killing the prophet, isn’t going to kill the prophecy, even casting the prophet in the dungeon isn’t going to stop the prophecy (Jere 38:4-6).
There was an Ethiopian by the name of Ebedmelech who went to the king, saying how evil it was to put Jeremiah in the dungeon. The king agreed, and Ebedmelech saved Jeremiah from the mire of the pit. The king presumed he did Jeremiah a favor, now he seeks the prophet’s counsel (Jere 38:14). If the king really wanted to do Jeremiah a favor, he should have heard and obeyed the words of the prophet.
Jeremiah was becoming a little paranoid by this time, after all he did tell the Word of the Lord, and landed in the dungeon (Jere 38:15). Then king Zedekiah assures him, he will not be put to death, nor given to into the hands of his foes (Jere 38:16). The Word came, if Zedekiah submits by going willingly with the king of Babylon he will live, and the city will not be burned (Jere 38:17). Zedekiah was not afraid of the king of Babylon, but was afraid of the Jews who were taken captive (Jere 38:19). Interesting, the king allowed the false prophets to “heal slightly”, now he is concerned those who found the false to be false will retaliate against him. However, Jeremiah tells him, the Jews will not hurt the king, simply Obey and be protected, even in captivity. A lesson we all need, Hear and Obey, God will protect us, even if we’re in captivity (Jere 38:20). Now the king puts his “if” on the contract, if Jeremiah keeps the conversation secret, he will live, but if the princes find out, he will die (Jere 38:24-25). Then the test, the princes come to Jeremiah asking him what was said. However, God confounded the words, assuring the princes didn’t perceive the matter, leaving Jeremiah alone. Jeremiah didn’t lie, rather God moved so they didn’t understand a thing Jeremiah was saying (Jere 38:27-28).
Jerusalem falls in the ninth year of the reign of king Zedekiah, going back to Jeremiah 37:1 we find a period of nine years have passed since Jeremiah 37:1 to this point in time, yet it’s all contained in a few verses (Jere 37:1 & 39:1-2). This battle to take the city took more than one day, it began in the ninth year, then in the eleventh year in the fourth month, on the ninth day the city was broken up. These times give us a hint, it would take nearly three and one half years, thus pointing to the three and one-half of the last seven, showing the City is the Woman in the Book of Revelation.
Zedekiah had the Word of the Lord to submit, but he ran, causing his sons to die in Riblah (Jere 38:20 & 39:6). Zedekiah had his eyes taken out, then he was carried in chains to Babylon (Jere 39:7). If only the man would have obeyed, but God knew he would reject the Word, but God gave it anyway. God did nothing but give the man a route of escape, the man took his own route causing his own failure.
This entire siege was also prophesied by Ezekiel before it happened (Ezek 12:8-16). Jeremiah wasn’t the only prophet God had during this time, there were others to confirm the word.
Nebuzaradan was a captain in the army of Babylon, he saw the Poor in the land, and left them the vineyards and fields, thus this man of Babylon had more mercy, than the kings of Judah (Jere 39:10-11). Concerning Jeremiah, Nebuzaradan had more respect for the prophet, than the people did, he allowed Jeremiah to remain in the land. Remember Ebedmelech? The man who interceded for Jeremiah (Jere 38:9), well he was also spared, receiving the “prophet’s reward” (Jere 39:7-8). Not only did Nebuzaradan have respect for the prophet, but this heathen knew the evil upon the city was at the hand of God, not at the hand of man (Jere 40:1-2). Nebuzaradan gave Jeremiah freedom, telling Jeremiah, he could go wherever he wanted, or stay with whomever he wanted (Jere 40:3-6). The oppressor was kinder to the prophet, than the prophet’s own people.
Then comes the death of Gedaliah, a prince appointed by Babylon. Then the power struggles ensued, thus some of the Remnant in the land came to Jeremiah for direction (Jere 41:1-42:1). The people again fall to fear, wanting to run to Egypt for protection. However, they also wanted God to confirm their desires, their confession of “whatever the Lord says, we will do” was merely a mask. Their Witness and their Testimony didn’t match, they wanted the prophet to speak, but only to confirm their desires. Jeremiah remained with the Lord for ten days, then came with the choice of direction (Jere 42:2-7). The choice was simple, stay and submit to the oppressor and live, or run to Egypt (the world) and die; however, the people already made up their minds to flee to Egypt, all they wanted was the Lord’s blessing, not the Lord’s direction. As soon as they heard the Lord’s direction was against their desires, they rebelled and told Jeremiah, “you speak falsely” (Jere 43:1-2). The people refused to obey the voice of the Lord, rather they ran to temporary safety, but died at the hands of the oppressor (Jere 43:3-13). The same desire to hear those smooth words in order to confirm a lust was still there, but Jeremiah didn’t prophesy to please man, he gave the Word of the Lord, yet they called him a false prophet.
The people even made up their excuse by saying, “Baruch the son of Neriah set you against us” (Jere 43:3). The people failed to obey the word of the Lord, thus they went to Egypt. In all this Jeremiah went with them, then they came to Tahpanhes where the Word of the Lord came again to Jeremiah (Jere 43:7). Pharaoh’s house was located in Tahpanhes, Jeremiah took stones then hid them in the clay at the entrance to the house of Pharaoh, as a sign of the king of Babylon setting his throne on those stones (Jere 43:8-10). At the time Babylon avoided Egypt, it would appear Jeremiah was just an old pessimist, but the people kept failing to obey, claiming the Pessimist Prophet was against them, but it was the Loyal Prophet speaking to a rebellious people.
The Lord had a Word for the Jews who ran to Egypt, when they were living at Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Noph in the area of Pathros, which was located in upper Egypt (Jere 44:1). They assumed the Lord was against the land, and not the people, now they find the Lord was against the ways of the people because of the way they treated the land (Jere 44:2-3). God explains why He is angry with them, it was their evil against their own souls, plus their abominations forcing the result (Jere 44:7). They allowed the lure of idol worship to overtake them, yet they knew how God felt about it, thus they rebelled against the Lord (Jere 44:8). They ran to Egypt for their protection, seeking the hand of the heathen kings and governments for security, rather than being humble before the Lord, thus He will set His face against them in Egypt as well (Jere 44:11). These people were told to surrender to Babylon, we are told to stand, the Remnant are told to run to the mountains when they see the abomination in the place it should not be; three different commands regarding three different groups. Mixing one with the other always produces a false sense of security, which leads to rebellion.
The Lord is longsuffering, but without repentance His memory is greater than the oldest elephant (Jere 44:21). From their mouths came the abundance of their hearts, by their words they were condemned (Jere 44:29). Their testimony was “the Lord is great, He will save”, but their Witness was, “what’s the big deal, a little idol worship isn’t all bad”. They ran to Egypt, but they were still playing with idols, since Egypt had many idols, they felt comfortable (Jere 44:8). Instead of getting rid of the idols in the land God gave them, they ran to another land where there were more idols.
The people hear Jeremiah, then they said, “we will certainly do whatsoever thing coming forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven” (Jere 44:17). The “queen of heaven” was a prominent goddess in Egypt, the people were now playing “the Egyptian” to their presumed protector Egypt (Jere 44:17). They failed to see how their own land became desolate because of their iniquities (Jere 44:22). “Well, it looks like we just didn’t have it right, look around Egypt isn’t invaded by Babylon, they know how to worship idols”. Reasonings of a fool, produce destruction.
If we made a vow, God expects us to do as we say, if we accepted the Cross of Jesus we are expected to follow the conditions attached thereto (Jere 44:25); however, vows unto devils are not honored before God (Jere 44:29).
Chapter 45 is only 5 verses long, it’s not a message to Baruch the scribe, but a message for Baruch to write down (Jere 45:1). the key to these verses is found in verse 4 where we read “what I have built will I break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land”. This is opposite from the call of Jeremiah, which ended in building and planting, thus we find this is projected to the very end times, the time after the building and planting.
The prophet then speaks against the “Gentiles”, which is defined as “against Egypt” (Jere 46:1-2). Could all these prophecies from this point on relate to the end times? A good portion do, as we will see. The “army of Pharaoh” is by the “river Euphrates” in Carhemish, located on the border between Assyria and Babylon right on the upper part of the Euphrates. The Euphrates is important since it was one of the borders to the Promised Land, until all the land is in the hand of Israel, the Night is not on us.
The “battle of Carchemish” is merely a preview of the Great Battle yet to come, the one wherein the aftermath will end in forgetting the ways of war. However, toward the end they will make weapons of a crude nature, then formulate their own ways of war. At the Rapture they will beat their weapons into plows, forgetting the ways of war as we know them, thus in the end when they beat those plows into weapons, they will be crude at best, but brutal, so vicious in nature it will cause hell to be opened making their end seven times worse (Jere 46:3-6).
God sees “the flood”, John defined the Flood as people (Jere 46:7, Rev 12:15 & 17:15). Egypt being a metaphor for the world is seen here as the flood in prophecy, defined as “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues” defined in the Book of Revelation (Jere 46:8 & Rev 17:15). The “day of vengeance” for the Lord is the Last Day, the end of the time of the Night, the time when Jesus returns to judge mankind (Jere 46:10). It will be the time when the “adversaries” of Jesus are made His Footstool.
The phrase “O virgin, the daughter of Egypt” points to the people of God who ran to Egypt for protection, but the metaphor points to any of the called of God who run to the world for protection (Jere 46:11 & 46:19). Jeremiah 46:20 says, “Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction comes”. Doesn’t it sound like “Peace and safety, then comes sudden destruction”? Yes, it’s the point, the “hired man” is a metaphor for the Wicked, their “calamity” will come on them in the “time of their visitation” (Jere 46:21). Some of us have said, “You know, I would like the Lord to come and visit me”, no you don’t, we want the Lord to sup with us. We want to Meet Jesus in the Air, we don’t what Him to come here to Visit us, since the metaphor means He will Visit us with our Iniquities.
The “daughter of Egypt” will be confounded, then delivered into the hands of the “people of the north”. In the latter days we know an army from the North will come, but does it mean North as in direction? Or North as a force greater than Israel? When one travels to Jerusalem, they always travel “up to” Jerusalem regardless of where they are at, thus the phrase “up to” to the Jew means Jerusalem is the highest point of authority on the earth. When another nation is noted as North of Jerusalem it points to a nation given more authority by God, in order to invade, thus the kings are nonetheless carrying out the will of God (Rev 17:17). The preview is seen here, the king of Babylon is doing what God knew he would, thus God lifted His hand allowing it. Next the children run to Egypt, then God will allow the king of Babylon to chase after them.
Pharaoh as a leader is seen in 46:25, this verse has a prophetic meaning relating to Gog and Magog. Those who Trust in Gog will be destroyed with him, this is seen in the Book of Revelation as well. Before the Judgment takes place, we find the beast, false prophet and the devil in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10). Jeremiah 46:27 is another prophecy to the Time of Comfort, the time of “Peace” in the land has not come to pass yet, but it will.
Jeremiah 46:28 shows God will deliver the nation, but the correction is only in Measure. God will not leave them until they are “wholly unpunished”, the Hebrew word for Unpunished is Naqah, meaning Innocent, it points to those who find their names in the Book of Life at the Judgment. This refers to Jacob, not Judah, thus not all those who are called Israel are of Israel.
The prophet begins to speak against certain nations, each of these gives us clues to the end times. He begins with the Philistines as the “overflowing flood”, which we already defined, but this goes further than the Philistines alone (47:1). In Isaiah we found the City (Woman) will fly on the shoulders (government) of the Philistines and spoil Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon (Isa 11:14). All these nations will be seen in the prophecies of Jeremiah. The metaphor “shoulder” points to government, thus the method will not be “war” as we know it, rather it will come to pass by using “soothsayers” (Isa 2:6). Daniel will call it the “table” of counsel, but nonetheless it shows the false prophet will use deceptive words. The Woman will join with the false prophet to take the three nations standing between the Woman and the river Euphrates, then she will have all the land.
When Peter decided he could save the Lord, he pulled his sword from it’s scabbard, but Jesus said, “Put up again your sword into his place” (Matt 26:52). Jesus didn’t say, “into its place”; rather the sword was a “he”, the Sword from the mouth of Jesus relates to Judgment, the Sword of the Spirit to Salvation. The Word (Logos) of God in us, sharper than any Two Edged Sword, even the one coming from the mouth of Jesus, yet the Sword of the Spirit is the Word (Rhema) speaking Grace unto the hearer, not Judgment. The Sword of the Spirit comes from us, not to us.
Here we find when the Sword comes from the mouth of Jesus as a He in the scabbard then it’s the time of Judgment. Far better to speak by the Sword of the Spirit, than face the Sword from the mouth of Jesus. However, the Sword cannot remain quiet, it has been ordained to be against Ashkelon (thoroughly weighed), and against the “sea shore”. The Sea Shore is a metaphor pointing to both the Sea, and the Sand of the Sea, or the place where the two meet. The Woman is seen riding the Beast of the Sea, as we see here.
Jeremiah then prophesies against Moab for devising evil against the land (Jere 48:1-2). However, we find Moab is seen as a “daughter” and a “he” (Jere 48:18 & 48:26). This Moab has five elements against it, Exceeding proudness, loftiness, arrogance, pride and haughtiness of heart, all of which point to the “five I wills” of Lucifer. This is a type and shadow of the Wicked, God will cause “joy and gladness” to be taken from the “field”, the metaphor Field points to the kingdom of heaven (Jere 48:33). What? This will come when the Rapture takes place, the Wicked misused the covering on the Body, forcing it to work to their advantage, they will be left behind (Jude 4). God will cause the “wine to fail from the winepress”, this relates to the Judgment, thus first the Rapture, then the Time of Comfort, then the Judgment, not the other way around. The phrase “bald head” doesn’t mean the men of Moab won’t have hair, rather it shows no covering, which will be the case for the Wicked after the Rapture.
Then the prophet speaks of the time when the Woman will take Moab (Jere 48:4), but it’s because this “he” has magnified himself against the Lord, indicating the “he” is the false prophet. In the latter days Moab will be taken captive by the Woman, but the suggested prophetic message also shows us the Wicked standing behind her as the voice of the nation.
Next comes the Ammonites, they stood by idle when Israel was taken captive, thus they are just as responsible for the captivity. They are a type and shadow of those who stand by watching the people fall into the pit, as did Adam male at the tree. Then the metaphor “daughter” is used again, relating to the Woman in the Book of Revelation who is seen riding the Beast (Jere 49:4 & Rev 17:1-2). Moab is typed to pride, the Ammonites to being sluggards, then comes Edom who is typed to greed. Edom has some areas showing us the prophetic message points to the Seventh church: Edom is rich, thinking its in need of nothing (Jere 49:4). The Woman has to remove the Remnant in order to remove the conviction of the Law and Prophets, thus the removal of the three nations also points to the beginning of the false prophet presenting the mark, name and number of the beast to open idol worship ending with the abomination making desolate.
Damascus is also seen as a “Her”, as a city in “travail” as a woman, this prophetic message points to the Woman in the Book of Revelation. Then we find “the palaces of Ben-hadad” (Jere 49:27). The Hebrew Ben means Son of someone, the word Hadad is a title of an idol, thus this refers to the “sons of idols”. Hazor is next, it will become a “dwelling for dragons, and a desolation forever”, it also becomes a type of the Woman in the Book of Revelation when she is overrun by demons (Jere 49:33 & Rev 18:2).
The use of the title “Bar” will be important when we find Jesus calling Peter, “Simon Bar-Jona”, especially when Peter’s natural father wasn’t named Jona. What could Jesus be referring to? How about, “thinking you are a son of a prophet”? Or, a son of a prophet, who thinks he is a prophet? Yes, Peter missed it and knew it, but he was also allowing the failure to hold him back. Jesus talked about the Restoration of Israel, yet if He will Restore Israel, surely He can restore us when we miss it (Jn 21:7-22).
Then comes Elam connected to the phrase “four winds”, in the Book of Revelation we find “the four angels” holding back the wind, The metaphor “four winds” will also be seen in Ezekiel, the meaning of the metaphor shows the earth as it was in the Days of Noah. We know these four winds as the jet streams, thus the weather in the Night will not be as we know it. The metaphor also points to the last resurrection and judgment combined; the four winds from heaven refer to a resurrection, the four winds of earth to weather patterns. Here God will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven (not the earth – Jere 49:36). This is interesting since in the latter days the “army of the Lord” will be the heathen from the four quarters of the earth coming against the City (Woman – Rev 20:8). In the latter days the Woman will be called Babylon, thus in Jeremiah 50 we find the prophetic message pointing to her (Jere 50:1). This reference is found in many of the “Her” pronouns used (Jere 50:2). Babylon in Jeremiah’s day was not a “her”, but in the latter days it will be the Woman who is known as Babylon. In the days of Jeremiah Babylon was a city, not a country, yet in the latter days the city of this county will be known as Babylon. The Woman is not known as “the whore of Babylon”, rather she is a Whore and Babylon (Rev 17:5). The title “whore of Babylon” is not found in the Bible showing it’s a misnomer, presuming the Woman is of Babylon, rather than being Babylon. Babylon’s end shall be a day and time yet to come, after the Rapture (Jere 50:4). Part of the House of Judah shall “go” to meet their God, which we term the Rapture, the other part left behind will meet their God at the Judgment (Jere 50:4). Then comes the Time of Comfort when the Woman will send forth the Word and Knowledge of the Lord, but then she changes, thinking she is rich and in need of nothing, then she calls the false prophet to her Bed Chamber, making the false prophet the prophet in the land. When it’s all done the children of Judah and the children of Israel (not House) will appoint themselves One Head in heaven, but until then there are many events to take place (Hosea 1:11).
The Remnant will meet their God on earth, we Go to meet our God in the air. When New Jerusalem descends we will hear and see the lost for the last time, but then we will know what the Lord felt like in the Garden, who can help but weep when they see the lost reach their end. However, there is no remembrance of the dead in heaven, when we again Ascend for the last time we will have no memory of the dead.
Out of the North comes a nation against “her”, they shall remove and depart, both “man” (Adam) and “beast” (Jere 50:3). The desire to be “Adam Like” leaves one in a very dangerous place in the end. Prior they will ask the way to Zion as they have Comfort and Peace; however, it ends when the Woman turns away to join to the mountains, as she joins to the Beast, forgetting her “resting place” (Jere 50:6). The call will come, “Come out of Her My children, be not partakers of Her sins” (Jere 50:8 & Rev 18:4). The nations shall be against her, they shall take her, then there will be another earthquake, one so great it will turn the earth inside out, as it becomes as Sodom (Jere 50:12-15). It will be the time of the Sickle, the Great Winepress, the Great Trump, the Day of the Vengeance of the Lord (Jere 50:15). The world is judged in one manner, the Wicked in another, the Woman in another, thus the seven churches are warned of the various judgments.
From the her as Babylon to Israel, who will Again reach his habitation. In those days the iniquity of Israel will be sought, but not found (Jere 50:20). The sins of Judah will be not be found either, God will “pardon” them whom He has reserved as the Time of Comfort opens, explaining the sackcloth on Jacob (sun) in Revelation 5:12 (Jere 50:20). The word Reserve is the Hebrew Shaar meaning To be redundant, or To survive, it was used by Ezekiel in reference to the Remnant (Ezek 6:12). It refers to a portion left, or a part taken, in this case we find both uses fit. The iniquity of Israel will be forgiven causing the devil to be bound, but first we as the tents of Judah enter the Remission of sin during the Day (Jere 50:20).
God will wound the head of the wicked house, metaphorically we find it points to the authority of idol worshipping, thus making connection to why the Woman is called Babylon (Jere 50:18 & Hab 3:13). In the latter days the house who suffered the head wound will surface again as Assyria, with the ways of idol worship being introduced by the Wicked (Isa 11:11-14, Jere 50:18, Rev 13:11-18 & Hab 3:13). God will overthrow Babylon as He did Sodom and Gomorrah, we know this as the earth melting and becoming the lake of fire (Jere 50:40). The Abomination and Babylon will bring the last great earthquake making a New earth, one with a New purpose, the lake of fire (Jere 50:46).
The Lord will raise up against Babylon, as well as any who dwell therein, with a destroying wind. Our hope is again found in the words of the prophet, as we are told Judah is not forsaken, nor forgotten, rather God is still reaching out to those who reach toward Him (Jere 51:5). Suddenly the day will come when Babylon will fall, the people will howl over her, but these same people didn’t have time for God (Jere 51:8). John shows they mourn over the “great city”, but they still didn’t repent when the plagues came (Rev 18:16). God will continue to Reach to the Woman in the latter days, but in a different method than He uses during the Day. During the Day the goal is Salvation, in the Night it’s Judgment, thus we find different methods used by God, yet it’s still One God all in all. Although the plagues come to bring repentance, the people will blaspheme God, as Babylon (the Woman) refuses to be healed (Jere 51:9). Again we find the call, “Come out of Her” (Jere 51:6), for the Time of the Lord’s vengeance will come as a thief in the Night.
In Jeremiah 51:25 God says He will destroy the “destroying mountain”, but isn’t the context Babylon of the future? Yes, Lucifer is the “abominable branch” who was cut off, but the Destroying Mountain refers to a nation, thus the Woman as the City is the head of the nation. When the Woman joins to the Abominable Branch, she becomes the Destroying Mountain.
What has this to do with us? Didn’t we tell the Mountain, “Go back to the Sea”? If so, what were we doing? Going about talking to mountains? Not hardly, a Mountain of the Sea is something of the world, yet we didn’t say, “I destroy you mountain”, rather we cast it off by sending it back to the world where it belongs. The Woman in Revelation chapter 17 joins to Lucifer, allowing the mountains of the world to join her in the bed of adultery. God never left her, the plagues in the end come from heaven in an effort to gain restoration, thus the Woman left God by chasing her lovers. The Destroying Mountain is one of oppression, one of control, or thinking, “I Am, and there is none like me”.
The clue to this being the Woman is found in many places, in Jeremiah 51:13 we find Babylon dwelling on “many waters”, which is a direct reference to the Woman in Revelation 17 riding the Beast (Rev 17:3-5 & 17:15). The purpose of Israel in the latter days is to bring the Judgment, the purpose of the Remnant is to divide those who truly love the Lord from those who play mind games with religion (Jere 51:15-19). Israel will be God’s tool of judgment, as strange as it seems, the Woman who is the City, the Sun who is the nation, and the people of the world will all cause the judgment by their own actions (Jere 51:20-35).
The Woman doesn’t begin as Babylon, she ends that way. She moved herself from the blessed daughter of God to the adulteress, to the Whore, to the Great City Babylon, yet the Remnant will be saved. We speak to the mountain, so did God (Jere 51:25). The mountain has a fleshly pleasure, it holds many idols, it’s the fall nature, the old man, the spirit of man waiting to be the spirit of the world opposed to the Spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:11-12).
The Sea is come up upon Babylon, she is Covered with a multitude of Waves (Jere 51:42). There are more metaphors than we can “shake a stick at”, but we see the Woman as Babylon, the Sea as the Beast of the Sea, the Waves as the Wicked. The Woman is overcome by the Wicked, yet it was she who was prepared herself to receive the false prophet. Once she allows the Waves to enter, they become her Waves (Jere 51:55). She will sink and shall not rise from the evil which God will bring upon her (Jere 51:64). This has to point to the End Times, since the land will be rebuilt after the captivity.
Jeremiah then talks about the captivity, giving us the accounting. We also find Nebuzaradan who gave land to the poor, but he also took some of the poor away captive. Why? Who knows, it doesn’t say.
There were three sieges by Babylon, the first was in the 7th year, the second in 8th year, then the third in 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar. The total taken captive comes to 4,600, with 3,023 in the first taking, 832 in the second, and 745 in the third, thus there were few taken captive, the majority were killed in the land. This shows a “few” who obey the Lord were saved, but few is only relative to the number from which it’s taken. All of them could have been spared, if they would have obeyed.
LAMENTATIONS
(Written around 580 BC)
Lamentations tells us God takes no joy in the death of the wicked, regardless of how wicked they are. God repents, not because of sin, but because of what He must do, He must do. In the end it’s the Wicked who cause the destruction of the world, causing hell to widen her boarders to include the entire world; therefore, we find God has absolutely no joy in the death of a sinner. “Oh yeah, why then doesn’t He stop it?”. God has given us free moral choice, He will honor our choice regardless of how stupid, or deadly the choice becomes. Some things didn’t change with the fall of Adam, we still name the animals, showing we still have choice.
God is a good God to those who love Him and to those called according to His purpose. He is a merciful God to any who seek Him, but He is also a God of justice and righteousness to those who love evil. Lamentations corresponds to Jeremiah 9:10, telling us not to be alarmed at the condition of the land (Body), rather mourn for it. Lamentations begins with Jerusalem mourning for herself, at one time she had people, joy, peace, and blessing, now she is solitary, desolate and naked (Lam 1:1). This would be God viewing the land after the sieges, but it also points to the Seventh church who thinks its rich and in need of nothing, yet it’s naked and a shame.
The city weeps in the Night wondering where her children are, yet all her so-called friends dealt treacherously with her (Lam 1:2). Her enemies prospered because of her treasure, yet she found it was the only reason they courted her. The wealth of the righteous turned to the wealth of the wicked, she lost her treasure and her kingdom (Lam 1:4-7). She looked, yet found the Time of Comfort was gone, she had no Comforter, her Comforter turned to be her enemy and came against her. The Spirit is our Comforter, yet if we rebel, or grieve Him, He will turn and become our enemy. Israel will have her Time of Comfort, we have the Comforter, the Comforter is better (Jn 14:26).
Jerusalem allowed the heathen (Wicked) to enter and run her sanctuary, they became her congregation (Lam 1:10). Instead of changing and allowing their minds to be conformed by God, they kept their minds conformed to the world; the heathen remained a heathen, ending polluting the sanctuary.
The Body of Christ takes in all outcasts, whether they are murderers, thieves, rapists, or whatever, they’re still sinners; however, we don’t leave them in the same condition. The purpose of the Body is to produce a change in natures, not to enhance the old nature. Using the “ways of the world” to make change, never produces change, it merely conforms us to the world.
We can enter the fire of affliction to burn away the old man, or live a lie holding to the spirit of man, yet demanding for everyone to accept us as we are (Lam 1:12). The fire of God is when we fall on the rock, the wrath of God is when the Rock falls on us (Lam 1:13-14). Judah has a daughter, but her daughter is found among the sons of perdition, those who blasphemed the ways of the Holy Ghost (Comforter) in this world, who can’t find repentance in the Time of Comfort; therefore, the daughter of Judah will end in the great Winepress (Gethsemane – Lam 1:15-16). The Woman finds none to comfort her, none to help her in her rebellion (Lam 1:18-22). If she can’t find the Comforter, then the Holy Ghost isn’t around, thus showing the Holy Ghost, the Spirit with Salvation go in the Rapture.
The Lord’s enemies are His footstool, here we find His footstool are all those called by His name, but remained in rebellion (Lam 2:1-2). Jacob will be burned with fire, showing the earth turning into something “New”, not New and Good, simply New as it becomes the Lake of Fire, thus it will no longer be the testing place, but hell with her borders widened (Lam 2:5-6). The time of Joy will be gone from Zion, they will mourn and weep for the abominations done in the City.
The Lord will destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion, this is not Zion, but the wall of the daughter, or the Stronghold built around Zion, which Stronghold is the Woman. Zion is the mount upon which the city is built, thus this isn’t the Wall of Jerusalem, but a Barrier dividing Zion from Jerusalem. The Wall around earthly Jerusalem is not the same wall around New Jerusalem. There are two walls, one built with unsound mortar holding the bricks of pride and religious conceit. The other wall is around New Jerusalem established in faith, hope and love.
God looks at the city of the earth wondering how she can be healed, again showing this is the city, not the nation (Lam 2:13). She loved the false prophets, but killed the prophets of God. The day of the Lord’s anger will come, and none shall escape (Lam 2:22).
Lamentations now moves to the mourning of Jacob as the “man” who has seen the affliction of God’s anger (Lam 3:1). God leads us by the Staff of Guidance, and His Rod of Correction; it’s only when we reject the Rod of Correction we force Him to use the Rod of Affliction. We pray, “Lord lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil”, these people rejected the attempt for God to lead them, thus we find we must have a willing heart desiring to be led of God (Lam 3:2). Instead of straight paths, God made Jacob’s paths crooked, but only because the House of Jacob rejected God’s path (Lam 3:9). The word Wormwood means Bitterness, instead of the “joy of the Lord” Jacob was given bitter water (Lam 3:15). Instead of peace and prosperity, Jacob faced desolation, yet the Time of Comfort begins as Peace, Safety and Prosperity (Lam 3:11 & 3:17). The purpose was to remember, here the Lord placed Jacob in a place to be humbled, but the Lord didn’t humble him (Lam 3:20). What? The Lord won’t humble us, but He will put us in places to bring us to a point of being humble before the Lord, usually called a Wilderness.
When we are chastised by the Lord, we are not consumed, rather we are brought to a place to know our own souls. The Lord’s mercies are great, renewed every morning, the true Morning began with Jesus (Lam 3:22). When the wall of pride is exposed our souls seek out the Lord, desiring for Him to restore us (Lam 3:22-24). The “battle of Jericho” was one of silence, there is a time to bind the strongman, a time to remain silent before the Lord.
There are family curses which seem to go from generation to generation, they are tares, or natures picked up by association. There is also the fallen nature, then there is the wickedness of man, all of which can be removed, as we are healed, saved and brought into newness of life by the Spirit in us. First comes the Truth of exposure, often bringing things to the surface where we can say unto the destroying mountain “Be gone back to the sea (world)”. There are times when faith speaks, times when faith is silent, but there are times when faith speaks, then remains silent while the Lord removes the mountain (Lam 3:25).
Turning the other cheek is our act of refusing to retaliate in the face of adversity, but it doesn’t mean to be the punching bag of the world. Mercy is a weapon of our warfare, when we give Mercy, we receive mercy, shaken down, pressed together and running over (Lam 3:30).
Lamentations gives us the truth of the Lord working with His people; like Job it’s a manual to the Christian walk. If we are in the hand of the Lord, then all events have a Precious for us. Getting mad at God, or blaming the devil for events isn’t an act of Faith. Going about saying the devil is beating our brains out is hardly “God Is” thinking. Faith recognizes correction is for our own good, bringing us into a place of clarity. Our anger, self-pity, self-justification, religious conceit are all mind games and foolishness in the face of God. Self-justification seeks excuses for our own failures, religious conceit exalts the self, assuming it’s the glory. Self-pity is a natural act to get someone, anyone to condone our condition, while we refuse to change. Whether it’s self-pity or self-justification, or simply refusing to receive correction, it’s still the foundation of pride producing our problem.
Humbleness is a weapon of our warfare to defeat pride. Who is he who said, it has come to pass, and the Lord commanded it not? (Lam 3:37). Who is it who blames the devil for the affliction on God’s children? Out of the mouth of the Most High proceeds all good, even though it may seem evil to us at the time. The Lord searches our hearts to remove the potential for failure, sin, iniquity or the seed of rebellion based in pride (Lam 3:40-41). The yoke of the flesh has hindered us, the veil of pride has separated us, thus our prayers cannot pass through (Lam 3:44): therefore, God exposes the elements of the yoke and veil, which includes pride, religious conceit, rebellion and the other elements of the self hindering us. The purpose is not to shame us, the self already did that, the purpose is to save our souls. Unless we see and admit our souls need saving, we will never enter the saving of the soul.
Lamentations looks at Jeremiah’s time in the dungeon, but metaphorically it also points to the times we are placed in the dungeon. Jeremiah did nothing wrong, nor was he being punished by God when he was in the dungeon, rather God allowed it as a testimony against the people. Turning the other cheek in the face of debate is a testimony against the other person, but it also produces a Witness for us (Lam 3:55-66).
Lamentations then gives us a preview of the Woman, the Seventh church who was rich and thought it was in need of nothing. The gold of the world wasn’t the same as the gold of God, the riches of the world mean nothing without the power of Zion (Lam 4:1-2). What good does it do a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul? The riches caused the Woman to be cruel, she turned into the oppressor (Lam 4:3). The punishment of the Woman is greater than the punishment of Sodom, both taste of the brimstone (Lam 4:6).
The Early church was known as The Way, the disciples were known as Nazarites, not because they kept the order of the Nazarites, but because they displayed the Witness of the Grace of God, obviously they were Consecrated by the Spirit, thus they fit the meaning of the word Nazarite, which is the Consecrated One (Lam 4:7).
In the latter days they will want to die, but can’t, God won’t allow it, they will face their iniquities and transgressions (Lam 4:9-12). When we follow the false prophets and false teachers to preach in our place we will suffer the guilt of the blood of the just who were slain by the false (Lam 4:13-14). The anger of the Lord produced a separation between the daughter and mother, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. We are separated from the old mother known as the world, as sons we turned from idol worship to a one on one relationship with Jesus. At times the event may seem evil, but the event doesn’t tell us a thing, the result does. Therefore, what may appear to be an apparent evil, may not be, God has a good result for us (Lam 4:16).
There cups many, there is the cup of the Lord, the cup of devils, and the cup full of the blood of the saints in the Whore’s hand; it’s not the cup in and of itself, but what’s in the cup making the difference. The cup of the Lord has the Blood of Jesus, the cup of devils has the wiles of the devil, the cup in the hand of the Whore has the blood of the saints and prophets. When the Women comes out of the wilderness she is seen with the wrong cup in her hand (Rev 17:1).
Lamentations than shows how the people rejected the undefiled religion, finding themselves as orphans, or fatherless, or widows (Lam 5:1-3). They had the inheritance in hand, but allowed religious conceit to rule their minds; what little they did have was taken from them, then given to strangers (Lam 5:2). Instead of the “bread of life” they will eat the bread of affliction; instead of the “water of mercy” then will drink the water of bitterness (Lam 5:4-5). This warning is toward those who exist in religious conceit, assuming their self-based thinking is honored before God, yet their ways show they use manipulation to control people and events, they honor man over God, trust in fables, rather than seek God’s Wisdom. They will either join to the Mountains of Egypt, or come as the Beast of the Earth after the Rapture. Our goal is to be among the few, the Remnant of Christ who walk with Jesus in white. Our preparation to the Kingdom is repentance, coupled with the constant awareness of God’s exposure. We pray for the Lord to expose any religious conceit, pride, ego centered theology; we seek to maintain our Crown of Life, not lose it (Lam 5:16).
This ends this lesson, now we move on to Ezekiel and Daniel, two men taken in the captivity.
By Rev. G. E. Newyer, s.b.i. les7 Rev 10/©2003
