The Prophet Isaiah

Peace Like a River

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Peace Like a River

Book of Isaiah Chapter 66

It has been a great trip through the Book of Isaiah and we only just touched on parts this great book of the Bible.

The greatest understanding, we can have is that our world of today is moving quickly toward the great climax of all the “ages” that God has so methodically laid out.

Anyone who cannot understand that God has systematically laid our creation and the creation of this cosmos and His plan to find a people who choose to spend eternity in the presence of their Creator do not understand our God!

The next thing on God’s clock is the calling out of the Church, then the 7-years Tribulation Period, followed by the 1000 years of the Millennial Reign of King Jesus. Only after these things will there be a New Heaven, a New Earth, and a New Jerusalem!

Just knowing the truth of our existence is the first step to bring to us that true peace to the soul!

We know as Christians that there is an awful lot of talk about the Temple Mount and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. It is a fact that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt possibly even 2 more times.

It is a fact that the Lord Jesus will sit on the throne of David and rule this world for 1000 years. Would that throne be inside the rebuilt Temple?
The throne of the Jewish kings has never been inside the Temple!

In fact, what did God say?

Isa_16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

When would this take place?

Amo_9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

That day will be the day the Lord returns!

Act_15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

The pure truth of God is that He will never dwell in a Temple made by the hands of man!

A tabernacle is a tent that is not a permanent structure. The tabernacle of David was put up to house the Ark of the Covenant to the Jews and the Mercy Seat to all who will call upon His name.

Understanding the truth of God will certainly bring to us that peace that those who cling to this world simply cannot understand!

Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Peace like a river!

God may visit this man-made Temple but He will never dwell there permanently!

Act 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Act 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

What is the truth of our God?

Psa 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Why will the Lord build a New Heaven? Because sin began in Heaven with Lucifer and it is no longer a decent place for the Lord to present His Church to His Father! Any place that has seen sin would not be a proper place for the Lord to live with His Bride!

Today our Holy God will only dwell in the heart of the believer because each believer is the handiwork of our Savior!

We must remember Isaiah was a prophet of God to give us the truth of our God, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

God lives and dwells in the heart of the “believer” so Heaven is then the place where God shows His “Majesty’!

Psa 145:12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

Jesus said we would all live in the Father’s house in the glorious “majesty” of His Kingdom and Jesus “do not be troubled” about what is happening in this world where we are only pilgrims passing through!

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

None of these things can be built by man!

God has been very patient during the “Church Age” (which the length of time only the Father knows), to see that all these things come about and when the Church is “jerked out” of this evil world, this will set things in motion that are timed until they reach a point of no time or eternity!

We do not know the length of the Church Age but it is obvious that it is coming to an end.
We know there will be 7 years of Tribulation.
We know there will be 1000 years of King Jesus on this earth.
Then eternity will be a place of no time (time as we know it will end)!

Where is the place that God can rest? (but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word)

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isa 57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Jesus said: (blessed are the poor in Spirit, “for theirs” is the Kingdom of Heaven)

A “contrite” spirit is in all those who have been beaten and battered by the works of Satan!

The evidences of a contrite spirit are:

1) Deep conviction of the evil of sin.
2) Humiliation for partaking in sin.
3) Sorrow for having sinned.
4) True confession of our sin.
5) Prayer for the deliverance of sin.
6) Being Born Again.

The answer is the Lord Jesus Christ

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

To tremble at the Word of God is to accept it as the truth even every point of punctuation!

Mat_5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

It seems the modern-day Christian has forgotten many of these things!

Those that go their own way will never get to see the “majesty” of the New Heaven!

*****Isa 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

God says those that go their own way not having a “contrite spirit” and then try to offer sacrifices to Him are no more than murderers!

We cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the Church and think we are saved, God says this is an abomination to Him.

Think about all the abominations to the Lord and then include this one to know those whose company you keep!

A dog was considered an unclean animal to eat, though this is done in many places in this world but God will not accept those who are unclean and they will remain unclean until they have a “contrite spirit”, no matter what the false doctrines that are taught today say!

Those who do not have a “contrite spirit’ and make any sort of sacrifice to the Lord are no better than those who worship idols!

God says they have chosen their own way and their own way is the way of delusions!

Have you seen a child pitch a fit because they did not get their way?

This is the world we live in today just check the evening news!

They just getting warmed up for the arrival of the Lord for this will be the way of the lost on the “Day of the Lord”.

They will be delusional, pitching a fit that turns to anger, just because they realize that they have been wrong all this time in defying the Living God!

The truth is everyone will get an opportunity to either choose or to reject the Word of God and His salvation plan.

God says when He called they acted like they did not hear and instead they intentionally did evil before His eyes.

This to, is the way of our world today!

They that deliberately rebel against the Word of God will certainly answer for this terrible mistake in judgment!

*****Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Isa 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

We must know that any person that goes through the motions of worship but is not submissive to the Lord, will be rejected by the Lord!

God is also making us very aware that the Words spoken by all the Prophets of God are to be considered His Own Words!

God has said this repeatedly!

It is obvious that God is aware that once we accept the Word of God as the complete, inerrant truth and we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the world will hate us.

Many Christians were cast out of the Temple and the Synagogues.
Many Christians were cast out of their nation.
Many Christians were cast out of Rome.

Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Today, we know that even in America, the Christian is being asked to leave.

Even this month (08/03/2017) I read where the liberals of the Vatican are condemning the conservatives for not accepting their beliefs.

And this same month (08/16/2017) Putin of Russia declared that the Pope did not follow the Words of the God of the Bible, which in fact is true!

This is the world we live in today.

It is a reality, that if we accept the Word of God as the absolute truth and tremble at His Words, our brethren will hate us and try to cast us out and away from trying to make a difference in this world.

What does God say?

Rom_16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Why?

All we need do is look around and see the things that are done in the midst of us as a people!

All we need do is see what evil teaching is doing to our children and our societies!

1) God says to listen to the state of our society and hear the noise that is coming from our cities and our governments.(In other words just look at the news every day and see the bad news)

2) God says to listen to the twisted words that tickle the ears coming from the pulpits.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

3) God say to take notice of the voice of the Lord, who will bring “judgment” upon these who do such things!

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

What else does God say?

God says the He will appear to our joy and it is they who will be ashamed! (This is Spiritual)

God also is referring to the fact that all prophecy will be fulfilled and Israel will be restored! (This is physical)

We must notice how far God allows His prophet to see into the future!

*****Isa 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
Isa 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Isa 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

Facts:

1) The day King Cyrus decided to allow the Temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt, the Nation of Israel was born in one day.

Ezr 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

2) The day that the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, the Church was born in one day and the church can never be destroyed!

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

3) Even with the devastation of Rome that continued throughout history until May 14, 1948, again the nation of Israel was reborn in one day!

4) Even further down the road in prophecy, in just one day that only the Lord knows, there will be a new birth as the Nation of Israel will once again be revealed as the people of God.

King Jesus will sit upon the throne of King David!

Luk_1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

We are foolish not to believe the prophecies of the Word of God and see that God has allowed these men to see farther into the History of this world that we can ever realize!

God simply says that we are foolish if we cannot believe He can cause these things to happen!

God loves the tiny nation of Israel and God loves Jerusalem and God loves the Church!

*****Isa 66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
Isa 66:11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

God shows us Jerusalem (Zion) as a mother mourning for her children to come home.

In fact, we as Christians should all mourn until the joy of Jerusalem takes place.

If we love the Lord, we must also love Jerusalem and all the nation of Israel and rejoice, not only with her today, but rejoice in what lies in her future.

We also know that Zion also refers to the Church and we need to mourn for the Church, as many who say they are of the church move away from the Lord Jesus Christ and travel the road to destruction but we must also rejoice with the knowledge that we know the end of things and we that trust in the Lord Jesus Christ are on the winning side!

The Church will return with Christ Jesus when He comes to sit on His throne in Jerusalem, so we will also be a part of Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem.

All that love Jerusalem will rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her now and forever!

This also is a command of God that can help us today!

Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

How can we sing the song of the Lord and ignore His love for Jerusalem?

Psa 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?
Psa 137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
Psa 137:6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Consolations mean, it is in Jerusalem where God’s people will find comfort along with a refreshment of their minds and their spirits, together with hope, joy and courage!

There is coming the day when Jerusalem will again grow from the Word of God!

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Then in the entire world there will be “peace like a river”!

There is no reason for the Church of Jesus Christ not to have that “peace like a river” today!

*****Isa 66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Most everyone finds rivers to be peaceful, I know I do. God created the means for rivers to be that peace for us because again God will always give us example after example in His created world to remind us of the beauty of the spiritual world!

Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

Even all these things are to remind us of our Savior!

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

This river also represents prosperity and without teaching a prosperity “Gospel”, salvation is a very prosperous event for every life, some here on earth but especially in Heaven.

It is the peace of God that is a well of water springing up in the depths of the Holy Spirit and everlasting life!

When the Lord sits on His throne in Jerusalem and the Jews have returned to Him after so many years of rejection, then it will be the Gentile nations that have made it through the 7-year Tribulation Period that will dandled on the knees of Jerusalem!

We know that the Church is made up of all nations during the Church Age and return with Christ but these are the tribulation Saints!

The world that remains will know the comfort of a loving Savior in the city that He loves so much!

*****Isa 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Isa 66:14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

The one person almost everyone who lives today respects is, their mother.

The Holy Spirit was the cause of the birth of Christ but the virgin Mary was His mother! Jesus had a mother. Even our God has felt the love of a mother!

God clearly understands how a mother can comfort her children and God says He will be that comfort to those who love Him!

The exiles of the Jews will all one day find the comfort of God and they will find that comfort in Jerusalem, the Church will already be there as the Church had returned with the Lord.

We will all find true comfort in the New Jerusalem!

Gal_4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

God is our Creator, our Father, our Savior, our Messiah, and God has more love than we can ever know and much of that love can be described as the love that a mother has for her child.

God describes His love in the most tender and compassionate way that He can!

1Jn_4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn_4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

During the worship service of these Jews, they sang many Psalms and one the favorites in times of sorrow was Psalms 31, a Psalm of David.

Psa 31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

God says these things will change for those who love the Lord and those dry bones would flourish like an herb.

In the hand of the Lord is all power! The power of the Father, the power of the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Just as the Church and those who repent and return to the Lord will flourish in Jerusalem, those that hated God would see that same hand of power used in indignation toward His enemies!

*****Isa 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Isa 66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Obviously, we now see what is the “Day of the Lord”!

The phrase the “Day of the Lord” is found 31 times in the Scriptures.

What will happen in that period known as the “Day of the Lord”?

Isa_13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Many times, the Lord has said that “vengeance was His and the “Day of the Lord” is the period in which the Lord will take His vengeance out on all those that reject the Word of God!

Isa_34:8 For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

2Pe_3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The Lord is very serious about ridding this world of sin!

In the day of Noah, God used the flood waters.

At the end of the Church Age God will use the flaming fire!

The truth of fire is that fire will consume until it runs out of fuel or oxygen is depleted. This fire will consume all the things that are under the power of God’s enemies!

Like a terrible sweeping tornado made of fire rather than wind, this describes the sweeping judgment of God.

Those that rebuke the Word of God now, God will rebuke with fire and His Sword.

We know that from the time of Noah until the day we live now, God has pleaded with sinners using His Words but when the Word of God is unconvincing to some, God will plead with them with “fire”, with pestilence, with blood, things they certainly understand, for they have been the cause of so much of their own misery.

Sadly, the slain of the Lord will be many!

All those who worship in places other than the true Church, will be slain!

*****Isa 66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
Isa 66:18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

What is an apostate? In simple terms, they are those who have rejected the Church. The Church is not a building but Christians who profess Jesus Christ to be the Savior to the world and of all mankind.

Or we could use God’s definition in verse 17!

To be sanctified is to be set apart for God’ use. An apostate sanctifies themselves for their own desires regardless of others!

To purify, is to be free from the penalty of sin and can only be done by the Lord Jesus Christ!

An apostate will use their own methods with things that are idols. Idols are anything that come between us and Jehovah God!

These animals mentioned were an abomination for the Jews to consume. An apostate is then anyone who goes against the Word of God!

Note: These are some of the same animals that have been made gods by apostate peoples.
Note: The Philistine, which are called Palestinian today, worshiped rodents.

God says all apostates will be consumed when He gathers them all together.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Remember not one apostate can stand before the glory of God and live!

Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Only the “Redeemed” of the Lord can come “Face to Face” with the Lord and live!

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

God will send them one more sign before all these things happen.

There will be some who repent and return to the Lord.

Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

*****Isa 66:19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

There will always be some who have never heard the Word of God, who will then escape the pollutions of this world and give glory to the Lord in “every age”!

For “whosoever” will call upon the name of the Lord “shall” be saved! (These words will never change but it will always take a pure heart of faith)

It is probable that these are part of the 144,000 Jews set aside for the work of the Lord but they could also be Gentiles converted and become missionaries.

Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

All these nations mentioned are the descendants of Japheth and now another prophecy will have been fulfilled.

Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

The task of these missionaries is to return all the Jews to their homeland.

*****Isa 66:20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
Isa 66:21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

God has made this great promise to the Jews and He will fulfill this promise!

Neh_1:9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

Eze_20:41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

Eze_36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

It is these Jews who will be servants to the new Rebuilt Temple.

Then the Lord assures all His “redeemed”, Jew and Gentile of our wonderful future.

*****Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

The truth:

The New Heaven and the New Earth will be for eternity before the Lord!

The name of Israel could be said to be “the people who wrestled with God and won” instead of principalities and powers, and rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness!

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Here again we see that even when the Lord makes this earth to like the Garden of Eden for 1000 years it will still not be our eternal home!

The Lord will never live where there was once sin. Therefore, a New Heaven and a New Earth will be made by the hands of God!

How can we best describe eternity?

There will not be a moment that we will not worship the Lord?

*****Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

How can we put the meaning of eternity in words so others can understand? Eternity is a never-ending day!

When get to Heave and meet our loved ones they will say it has only been a moment since they arrived they we arrive.

Isaiah says every day in the month will be the same.
Isaiah says every day in the week will be the same.
Eternity is then a never-ending day, a day that has no end!

To the Jew life will become a perpetual Sabbath!
To the Church life will become a perpetual “Lord’s Day”!

It would be unreal to believe that all flesh could gather in one place on this earth to worship the Lord but we can all gather in Heaven where there is plenty of room to worship our Savior and our God!

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Jesus Christ did not condemn worship on the mountains if it was directed at Jehovah.
Jesus Christ did not condemn worship in Jerusalem if it was directed at Jehovah.
Jesus Christ said that all who worship the true God of this cosmos must rise above these limitations.

In Heaven, all limitations of worship will disappear!

If you do not like worship then you will not enjoy Heaven at all!

The last days of the Millennial Kingdom will usher in the wonderful gift of eternal life!

At the end of this 1000 years God’s people will be the only members of humanity that is left on this earth except for all those who will spend eternity in the “Burning Lake of Fire”.

*****Isa 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

This will be the place of all those who are apostates!
This will be the place of all those who have rejected the truth of God!

To the Jews, this place was called Gehenna. This was the place where all the filth was cast and consumed by fire that was always burning.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Notice that their worm would never die and they would suffer through their own eternity.

This is the place of that we as Christians known as the “Burning Lake of Fire”!

Those who are “Born Again” will die once but there will be no “second death” for them!

Those who reject the truth of God will “die twice”!

As we see these things, in fact as we are a part of this “White Throne Judgment” will be the greatest reason God will wipe away all the tears we will shed for those who have missed out on Heaven!

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This is when we will truly know the peace of God, (peace like a river)

The peace we can have now, knowing we will be a part of this glorious non-ending day!

We now know why Isaiah did not write even more for us.

1) God had given us all we needed for this great prophet of God.
2) Isaiah was murdered for preaching all these words and especially these in the end!

The world hates us for repeating the Words of Isaiah and all the Words of the Scriptures but God says repeat them and repeat them because there are still some who will hear and believe!

Mat_28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

It is a sad fact the when the Scriptures of Isaiah are read in the Jewish synagogues, his prophecies are never read by the Rabbis.

Let’s Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and that “peace like a river”!

Amen

God And The Nations Of This World

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God and the Gentile Nations

Isaiah 37

In our last lesson we saw that King Hezekiah of Judah’s greatest threat was the destruction of Jerusalem.

We saw a general over view of these things. In this lesson we will see that everything that happened to evil King Sennacherib were executed and planned buy the Lord.

We may not always understand God’s plan but we can be sure it is only God’s plan that will win the most souls.

It should be clear to us that God’s hand has been in the history of this earth since creation!

God’s eyes are upon all men, those that love Him and those that do not!
God’s ears are open to their counsel and anything they say!
God is well aware of every thought that goes through the mind of every human being on this earth!

At the proper time and at the proper place, God will frustrate all the combinations of evil and bring to pass His purpose in righteousness!

We must clearly understand as Christians, we can never triumph over our spiritual enemies or have victories, without the almighty arm of God.

We already know that Jerusalem and King Hezekiah were under the threat of a ruthless king of Assyria.
Hezekiah has tried everything in his own power to buy peace, which never works!
Nothing can stop a foolish man seeking world domination except the Lord!

All of us should also understand that the children of God are never powerless to resist the evil in this world, as long as they have “faith” in the One True God, Jehovah!

And a special note: Isaiah was God’s scribe for the Book of Isaiah buy he also was God’s scribe for the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings and some of the same information appears in all these books.

When God says things once that should be enough but when God repeats what He says then we certainly need to pay attention!

Let’s begin:

*****Isa 37:14  And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 
Isa 37:15  And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, 

The truth is, God knows our needs before we even ask but He will certainly delights when we get specific an unfold them with the confidence that He can solve any problem!

Nothing is to hard for God!

Jer 32:17  Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: 

If God can but just speak things into existence, how can anything be to hard for Him to accomplish.

BUT, Prayers require our “Faith” to be answered!

We should understand the thoughts of King Sennacherib. He was seeking to dominate Egypt and the only obstacle left in his path was Jerusalem. If Jerusalem withstood him it would show his weakness and it would also leave an enemy to his rear as he attacked Egypt.

Military commanders do not like such things as this.

It seems the world we live in today still thinks that the way to control the Jews is to deny them the city Jerusalem. We still live in a foolish world that is determined to go against the Word of God and will certainly fail!

Sennacherib’s ambition not only threatened the Jews but also threatened the whole world.

We see this in Iran who desire to dominate all Muslim countries and then the world.
We see this in North Korea.
I believe this is Russia’s goal and also China’s but I also believe they respect equal or greater power, unlike Iran and certainly unlike North Korea, who has lived in denial so long that that really have no knowledge of this world.

We should clearly understand as Christians, that if we have something that is bothering us and constantly on our mind, then it is important enough to take to the Lord!

We will see the Hezekiah knew that God cared for him as an individual.
We will see that Hezekiah knew that God was his only help.
We will see that if we are identified with God then God will identify with us!

God’s treatment of His children will tell the world that the Lord is faithful, the Lord is loving, and our Lord is very strong!

We should see how one single prayer from one individual can affect the lives of so many people and also the things of this world that go against the will of God!

Jas_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”.

One man’s prayer of “faith” can set a lot of things in motion that are in the will of God! Of course that includes the faithful prayers of dear ladies also. The keys being that prayer must be a prayer of “faith” and that prayer must be in the will of God!

So Hezekiah prayed.

*****Isa 37:16  O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

**We first see that Hezekiah declared God’s greatness. Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah God, the Holy God of Israel, the God who was enthroned between the Cherubim on the Ark of the Testimony in His Shekinah Glory. He alone is the Supreme Creator of this world!

Jesus Christ teaches us all how to pray!

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 
Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 
Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 
Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 
Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

**Hezekiah had also gone to the house of the Lord to make this supplication to the Lord.

We can pray anywhere and at any time when we know the Lord but there is simply something special about praying in the House of God, the place where we also worship Him and Him alone!

**Hezekiah also took the confidence he had in the power of God with him.

If we do not believe the Lord is the answer to our problems and that nothing is out of reach of His right arm, then no prayer will be answered!

In most cases we make our own plan and then ask God to approve our plan and it simply does not work that way. We must pray for God’s plan and then abide by God’s plan! God gives us the knowledge and the examples of what He has already done in His Word and God does not ever change. We should be able to plan our prayers around these things!

**We next see Hezekiah explained in detail the problems he faced and his nation faced.

God does not want some wishy washy prayer at any time but when we have a sincere need, we need to to do our best to explain that need. God already knows, so He wants to see if we really understand what we are asking Him to do.

*****Isa 37:17  Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. 
Isa 37:18  Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, 
Isa 37:19  And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 

Notice Hezekiah first praises Jehovah, the great “I Am” of the Scriptures, the self-existing God!

Jesus teaches:

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread. 
Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

Note: Hezekiah next ask to Lord to take into consideration the insults of Sennacherib had said against Him.

We are wrong when we are in a group setting with saved and lost people and someone insults our Lord and we do nothing!

Certainly we should not attack them with our fists but we should inform them that we serve a Holy God who will not stand for such things before we walk away from such things. If we are Christian then we must not be ashamed to be a Christian!

Rom_10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

I also know that there are circumstances in some foreign lands where this could result in death and the death of the family.

We must use all our means to protect our family and if that means quietly walking away, then God will understand if we are walking away tall and not hanging our heads in submission!

**True prayer must always make reference to the “Glory of our God” and requires all our “Faith”!

It was certainly true that the armies of Sennacherib had laid waste to many nations and had cast their false gods into the fire.

Aren’t you glad we do not worship some idol that we can sit upon a shelf, that needs dusting and someone can take away from you and destroy!

**Even Hezekiah had realized that idols are only the work of men’s own hands!

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 
Psa 115:4  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 
Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 
Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 
Psa 115:7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 
Psa 115:8  They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 

It was also true that many of those nations were much stronger than Judah and they had not been able to stand up to this ruthless king but they also did not know Jehovah God.

We immediately see that our “Faith” does not have to ignore our difficulties!
Our “Faith” must include the fact that nothing is to hard for the Lord to accomplish!

God is able to overcome any and every obstacle in our path if He so chooses!

We must also realize that when our prayer seems to go unanswered in such situations, it is not a lack of God’s power but that problem may fulfill some purpose that the Lord has and we will still remain safe in the arms of God no matter the situation!

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 
1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 

**Before Isaiah closes his prayer he gets down to his greatest request.

*****Isa 37:20  Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.

Hezekiah had already admitted that his enemy was very powerful but then he adds that the power Sennacherib had over other nations was great and their gods had proved to be nothing but false gods. Sennacherib’s power over their gods proved nothing because they were not gods at all but only idols made of wood and stone and metal.

Hezekiah was calling on the Lord to make this truth apparent to these Assyrians, that they also worshipped false gods and only Judah worshipped the only true God.

**He then prayed “save us from his hand”.

Notice that King Hezekiah did not dictate how and he did not dictate the nature of this salvation!

We must never ask God to submit to our plan!

**AND, What we see is sometimes the most effective prayers are the shortest such as this example of the sinners prayer:

Luk_18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner”.

It can be as simple as “Lord save me”!

Mat_14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me”.

**Hezekiah ends his prayer glorifying God: he said “that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only”.

If we are Christians as we say we are, then we must also long for all others to know our God, even our enemies!

We need to long for all this earth to come to know the saving knowledge of the truth!

Luk_11:2  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

So how did God answer this prayer? And notice how quickly God answered.

*****Isa 37:21  Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

As most all of Judah had denied God’s prophets, God again sent His answer by the Prophet Isaiah.

Note: Isaiah could not have known these things of Hezekiah’s closet prayer if the Lord had not told him!

**Hezekiah had woke up to the fact that he could not save himself, nor could he save Judah by his own strength, it would take the strength of God!

What did God say?

*****Isa 37:22  This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 
Isa 37:23  Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 
Isa 37:24  By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.

Jerusalem, the daughter of Zion, like a virgin maiden, who herself was weak and helpless would stand in defiance of these Assyrians.
Sennacherib would not violate the city of Jerusalem in any way!
The people of Jerusalem would laugh at the feeble attempt of this enemy as they fled from the long arm of God!

It is a fact that no enemy had defiled the city of Jerusalem from the time of King David and God was not going to allow it at this time.
The the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, it would be rebuilt with the money of King Cyrus and it would remain the capitol city of Israel until the Messiah’s First Coming and this could not be changed by some arrogant ruler in a foreign land!

AND, King Sennacherib would be severely punished for lifting up his voice against the Holy One of Israel, Jehovah!

We should know that the Lord will not tolerate insults and rejection for any length of time.

Psa 74:18  Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. 

This should remind us of that day during the Great Tribulation when the antichrist claims that he is the Most High God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

We see that King Sennacherib was in fact a “type” of the antichrist and will also suffer the humiliation of defeat.

What had Sennacherib desired in his heart?

1) That his overwhelming forces would cause Jerusalem to just surrender.
2) He would show that the land of Palestine, with it’s mountainous terrain deserts, was no great obstacle to overcome.
3) He had visioned of stripping the land of Palestine of all it’s resources.
4) He had envisioned a complete domination of the land of Israel.

His desires were that of a monarch but he would see a complete defeat of his mighty army in a way that could only be understood as by the “hand of God”.

And the Lord continues:

*****Isa 37:25  I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. 
Isa 37:26  Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps. 
Isa 37:27  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.

Sennacherib had bragged about all the things that he had done and would do.

He said he could dig wells and drink the water of Palestine because no one could stop him.
He had said he had the power to dry up any river in any besieged place, (which means he would destroy all their defenses).

He was saying, no one and nothing on this earth and certainly not some invisible God, had the power to stop him and his mighty army and his false gods.

And now the Lord speaks of his demise.

God then said, you Sennacherib are a fool!

The Lord says:

1) Have you not looked back on history of the Jews from the ancient times and seen what the Lord has already done?

In other words God said do you not know the truth of recorded history, and the truth of creation and the history of Israel?

The leaders of today, refuse to look back on the history of our world, and the same mistakes are made over and over again and it is the people who suffer the most and not those leaders.

And today the world refuses to look back on the history of the Jews and see the mistakes that foreign powers have already made against these Jews.

The truth is:

Gen_12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This is the promise that God made to Abraham and we know that this promise would continue to through the family of Isaac and not through Ishmael.

Gen 17:19  And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 

God says that there is no excuse for anyone not to realize who is in control of our world!

Rom_1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

**Sennacherib should have realized that all conquerors are just instruments in God’s hands!

**All that Sennacherib had done he had done as God’s instrument and by God’s permission.

And God will one day use these same Jews for such a purpose in this world:

Jer 51:20  Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; 
Jer 51:21  And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; 
Jer 51:22  With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; 
Jer 51:23  I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. 
Jer 51:24  And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

We are just as foolish as Sennacherib if we do not believe these things!

The world is much more foolish because they missed the great light that shined when the Messiah came the first time!

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 
Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 
Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 
Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 
Joh 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 
Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 
Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

God had given the Assyrians power but only by making making the other nations weak, they were as the grass of the field.

In this area of Judah the delicate grass of the spring will whither within a few weeks and becomes yellow and parched and this would be the same for these Assyrians.

We should all realize that there is nothing that the Lord does not know know about us, the saved and the lost!

*****Isa 37:28  But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 
Isa 37:29  Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. 

God knows where we all live and He placed us in that place for a purpose and in actuality, we should stay there unless God calls us to do something else.

God knows our coming out and our going in, which means God knows what we are doing at all times, the saved and the lost.

God knows those who love Him and those who hate Him as Sennacherib did. Sennacherib had a rage against God that he refused to quench.

These are things brought his downfall!

The Assyrians were in the habit of passing hooks or rings through the noses or even the lips of certain prisoners to lead them into the presence of the Assyrian king.

God promised Sennacherib that He would use His own methods to turn him back to the direction from which he had come, much like the bridle is used on a horse.

And again Isaiah turns to Hezekiah.

*****Isa 37:30  And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. 
Isa 37:31  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 
Isa 37:32  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. 
Isa 37:33  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. 
Isa 37:34  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 
Isa 37:35  For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

This sign would be a series of events that come together in a period of 2 years.

To me, the Lord has given us a similar sign. The complete Word of God is a sign of a series of events over 7000 years that will end with God’s people in the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem and everything will be new.

Rev_21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

We see that the regular operations of agriculture would be suspended for this period of 2 years, which means God would provide while the land of Israel recovered from the destruction caused by the invasion of Assyria.

This would give the people of Judah time to repair or rebuild their homes and repair their wells!

The remnant of Israel, which was those left of Judah would take root and blossom and again there would be a growth in population.

Israel has always grown in population through adversity!

Again Judah would be given the opportunity to return to the Lord and they would for a short period of time but they would rebel again as we all know.

But one day in the future all these things would change at the return of the Messiah, when again another remnant would return to the Lord and remain with Him forever!

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

As for the armies of Assyria they would never enter the city of Jerusalem. In fact this army would never get close enough to shoot an arrow into the city, nor lay siege to Jerusalem.

Those that plan all these things now should take note, by the way this army came they would return to their homeland, at least those that remained because this to would only be a small remnant, because God wanted these people to explain what happened, which was the God of Israel is just to strong to fight against! They could not explain the unexplainable!

What had the Lord said: For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

God will defend His name when he desires but God will fulfill the promises He made to David, at the proper time.

In most cases God would use some human or a group of humans to do the task He has assigned but this would not be the case on this day, God sent an angel and He even had a purpose for sending this angel.

King Sennacherib needed to know who he was dealing with and so must this world we live in!

*****Isa 37:36  Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 

In perfect silence and at night time while this army slept and even with guards posted, 185,000 soldiers met their death at the hand of the Lord.

We see that the “judgment of God” is harsh and without pity! This is an example of Armageddon.

Those that remained were in total shock as they awoke that next morning!

They then broke camp and returned to Assyria and they did this in a hurry leaving behind all the things they had stolen from the people of Judah.

Who is strong enough to to fight against the Lord when one angel can do such a thing, the Lord has an innumerable number of angels but also remember that when the Lord speaks things just happen, without the need of angels.

*****Isa 37:37  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 
Isa 37:38  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead. 

This army remained in Nineveh and they were never a threat to Judah again!

Even King Sennacherib was later assassinated by two of his own sons and was succeeded by a third son Esarhaddon.

The truth is deliverance from sin is the greatest promise of God, if we just acknowledge the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The deliverance from the obstacles that we face on this earth can take place after a fervent prayer of faith!

In fact without a prayer of faith we can have no contact with God.

Heb_11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

With faith, our prayers are the most powerful tool we have in this world!

Jas_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

When we call on the Lord for deliverance, God will just deliver us in what may even seem as a miracle or He will give us the power to overcome that obstacle!

King Hezekiah had faith but not always. Like ourselves, his faith centered on if he could see a way to over come obstacles himself.

True faith means that when we can see no way out of our problems but God always knows a way and we can depend on Him!

No matter what confronts us, God promises to deliver those who love Him!

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord “shall” deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord will never forsake His people!

When the Apostle Paul wrote this wonderful Scripture, he was looking at his death from prison but he knew he could be delivered and he was. Because the Lord will preserve all His children forever in His Heavenly Kingdom.

So give the glory to God!

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Peace and Strength Come By Trusting the Messiah

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Peace and Strength of Trusting the Messiah

Book of Isaiah 26

We, by now, should have noticed the two main concepts of all the prophets of God.

1) The Lord, the Messiah, will return for a Second Time and His glorious reign on this earth!

2) The repentance and the return of Israel to the Lord with His forgiveness and His restoration.

We can be certain that this final focus does not rest on Israel, this final focus will be on the absolute “Glory of God”!

Eze 43:1  Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: 
Eze 43:2  And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. 
Eze 43:3  And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. 
Eze 43:4  And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. 
Eze 43:5  So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. 

When the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, walks through that Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, and into that rebuilt Temple, the entire world will see the “Glory of God”.

My pastor has preached many times that when the Antichrist tries to sit on the throne of David in the rebuilt Temple, that the Jews may not know who the Messiah is, but they certainly know who he is not, and he is not the Antichrist and the Jews will then rebel against him.

The Jews will see the truth and it is the truth that makes them to be free! That’s what truth does!

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

When we know the truth it will put a song in our heart!

*****Isa 26:1  In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 
Isa 26:2  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 

“The Song of the Redeemed”

And what day?

2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 
2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 

And what is the purpose of the Messiah?

The Messiah will certainly fulfill the promises He made to Israel but His true purpose is to restore all things to the time of Adam before Adam’s sin!

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 
Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 
Act 3:21  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 

And what does God say? Open the gates to the nation that has now become righteous, God’s people Israel and as always, there will be some strangers that have chosen to abide with Israel.

The Jews will join the Church:

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

And like the Church, these people of God can then have the peace of God:

*****Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

Perfect peace is when we come to know the Messiah as our Savior, we will then have peace with God in all ages.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

Once we have peace with God, we can then have the peace of God in all ages.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This is the peace that the world has no understanding of because it is perfect peace! 

The only minds that can be at peace are those that remain on the Lord. A mind that trust in it’s own methods, it’s own works, in it’s own righteousness, or it’s own riches, will never find perfect peace! There can be no peace to those who have rejected the Lord!

Isa 48:22  There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. 

Our faith cannot be a one time thing, we must trust in the Lord forever!

*****Isa 26:4  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: 
Isa 26:5  For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 

We must trust in the Lord at all times.
We must trust in the Lord in every condition.
We must trust in the Lord even in our times of affliction, in times of temptation, and in periods of darkness.

To be in harmony with God, is to trust Him in good times and in bad times.

We can be at peace in every situation that we face, when we trust in the Lord.

“Trust” in the Old Testament is the same as “Faith” in the New Testament!

That trust must be in the Lord! The Lord Jehovah!

For those who are still confused, God put it like this to Moses:

Exo 3:14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 
Exo 3:15  And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 

There is only one “I Am” and He is also the Messiah who will return.

The LORD is the “Rock of all the Ages”!

Psa 18:1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 
Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 
Psa 18:3  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

The truth is, in His own good time, on a day that only He knows, the LORD will bring down all those who have exalted themselves against Him!

God will humble the proud and bring down all the arrogant cites of this world.

For those who remember the sad days of the twin towers of New York City, these will be but an example of how the mighty cities of this world will crumble an fall.

Now I am not saying Jehovah brought down those two buildings. We know who caused these things to happen. I am only making a comparison.

God will bring every high and lofty city down in dust!

The proud will be destroyed and the poor and needy will be exalted.

Remember the Church will already be in Heaven, so this is referring to to those who come to trust the Lord during the Tribulation Period of seven years which is mainly the Jews, God’s chosen people.

*****Isa 26:6  The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. 
Isa 26:7  The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. 
Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

In other words, God levels the path. We all stand on level ground at the cross!

Christians since the beginning of the Church have faced criticisms and obstacles that many have never had to face.

Now many people struggle in life and there are many who struggle to meet their own needs but many Christians struggle and die just because they have chosen to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ and for no other reason other than that daily battle with their own sin.

God will level that path and clear those obstacles out of the way of the righteous, those who just want to do things right. Things that are done right are all those things that are done according to the Word of God. After all to be a Christian is to be like Christ!

When the Lord builds that new highway to His New City, we can be sure that the Messiah will also remove anything that could hinder the travel of His people!

Who are those who are righteous?

1) Those who obey the laws of God.
2) Those who wait patiently on the Lord.
3) Those who have diligently sought to glorify the Lord
4) Those who are yearning to be with the Lord.

Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 

When God has provided for safe passage of those who are now seeking Him, His judgments will fall on those who continue to reject Him!

The inhabitants of this world will begin to see what righteousness really looks like!

*****Isa 26:10  Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. 
Isa 26:11  LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. 

1) God has provided the majesty of His creation to show that our world had a Creator.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

2) God has provided the truth of the Word of God.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

3) God has provided His Words of Providence.

Isa 40:22  It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 
Isa 40:23  That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. 
Isa 40:24  Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 
Isa 40:25  To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. 
Isa 40:26  Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

The Lord has a specific purpose for all these things. It is so this ungodly world will understand righteousness!

Disaster, has a way of opening the eyes of people who are high and mighty and it is then that many will turn to the Lord.

The Lord hears the wicked when they cry for help but He will not answer their prayers until they repent!

We must remember the Lord already provides for the ungodly but they ignore God’s kindness and give credit to themselves or to some false idol or some other human.

For those who finally realize that things do not happen by accident but still continue to live as they have in sin, God says that more “Judgment” is required!

God first warns of this and then God then follows through with that “Judgment” after His warning.

People may not realize that God knows those who will never accept Him, just as He did the Canaanites that dwelled in the Promised Land.

Notice that word fire.

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 
Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

The ungodly have no spiritual understanding of the Word of God.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 
1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 
1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

In fact they have become dull of hearing what God has to say. This is surely true in America and even becoming that way in the Bible Belt of America.

But in these end days it is that same Word of God that offers strength and peace to the Christian!

*****Isa 26:12  LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 
Isa 26:13  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 

The first thing that comes with peace, is that human lives are not required, as in war. War is unfriendly to humanity.

In fact as we see in Syria, human lives seem to have no value to anyone, as atrocities have continued year after year and politicians just talk with very little action.

This is war at it’s nastiest!

We must understand that peace in our world today is not always a blessing. The cause of the righteous does not always prevail!

When the Lord brings peace to this world, the cause of right will have prevailed to a lasting peace!

God will cause peace to happen because God has ordained peace for all His people!

The Messiah will return and cause these things to happen!

Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. 

The truth is when we do not accept the Lord as our Lord, then we will always have others who will rule over us!

The greatest truth is, if the Lord is not your Master, then you belong to Satan!

*****Isa 26:13  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 
Isa 26:14  They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. 

As Isaiah glances back over the history of Israel, many other nations had dominated them and that held true until May 14, 1948.

Only in the early days before we fought for freedom from England, was America ruled by some foreign power and if we would return to the Lord, that may hold true until the return of Christ. America is so high and mighty now that the Lord could knock the wind out of her sails at anytime.

Because of the sins of Israel, the Lord had to deliver them over and over again.

Those that cling to Judaism still make mention of the Lords name but they do still have a lack of “Faith”.

Just as Isaiah has said, all those old rulers and many of those old nations that had invaded and conquered Israel, no longer even exist.

During their time of captivity, Israel had bowed the knee to many false deities and it taken many years for idolatry to cease out of that land.

It is a fact that what ever people love the most will eventually be their lord and god.

There is the god of their belly.
There is the a god of power.
There is the god of ambition.
There is the god of riches.
There is the god of pleasure.
These are all the god of sin (covetousness) ruling in their hearts!

All sin boils down to wanting something other than the truth of God!

There is coming the day, when all people who are left on this earth will simply want a personal relationship with the Lord above all other things!

There is coming a day, when the works of Satan will no longer exist and those that die that day will never live again in this world.

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Only those who know the Lord will awake to everlasting life!

When God wipes away all our tears, all memories we have of those we knew who had rejected the Lord will perish!

Israel will ne exalted above all other nations!

*****Isa 26:15  Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

The world seems to forget that when Jacob took his 72 member family into Egypt, during that time, there were good times and then the bad times but when they left, there were over 600,000 men not counting women and children. They went in Jacob and came out Israel.

In the 40 years they traveled in the wilderness all those that were over the age of 20 died and were replaced and Joshua had the same size force to take into the Promised Land.

So we see that during the times of trouble, Israel as a nation always seems to grow larger in population.

Isaiah is saying the same thing that Jeremiah is saying about these people.

Jer 30:18  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. 
Jer 30:19  And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: “and I will multiply them”, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 

These things will certainly hold true in the time of the Millennial Kingdom. There will be a population explosion!

The Church has continued to grow from the days of Abraham and God has not lost a single one!

So these things also relate to the Church that God has built upon during the time of the tribulation!

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 
Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Knowing these things we can better relate to the following Scriptures:

*****Isa 26:16  LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 
Isa 26:17  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 
Isa 26:18  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 
Isa 26:19  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 

It is a fact that in times of adversity the Church grows! The Church never grows smaller!

Certainly the amount of Christians can decrease on the face of this earth at any time but they just go home to an ever increasing number in Heaven. This is God’s plan!

During the 7 years of Tribulation those that then turn to God will have suffered greater than at any other time in history.

It is a fact that God has been chastening His people, Israel.
No doubt they have suffered more that any other people for more than 2000 years.
It could be said, that the agony of Israel can be compared to a mother in labor, with great pain and anxiety for that young life within her.

Knowing all these things these people could not grasp the deliverance that God had promised to them.

But they had forgotten what else God had promised them.

Hos 13:13  The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 

Many will say that God has been to harsh on this people but it is the ways of God that will lead to such a great salvation!

What is the truth of salvation? Dead men shall live!

The wages of sin are still death even in the Tribulation Period.

Not all murders become martyrs but is a fact that all martyrs have been murdered and murdered for only one reason, they have given themselves to the Lord and to teach His message.

The “dew” in this passage is the work of the Holy Spirit!

Again I must mention the fact the “Rapture of the Church” has already taken place and the Church has been with the Lord all this time.

These Scriptures refer to those saved during the Tribulation Period, the time of Jacob’s Trouble, and most of these people are Jews but also many from other nations.

The same truth holds true for both the Church and these:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

Isaiah speaks of those during the time of Jacob’s Trouble.

The Lord Jesus speaks of those of the Church:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 

The Church is called out at the end of the Church Age!

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 
Rev 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

It is also true that the earth will cast out all the dead.

Daniel said:

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 
Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 
Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

Even Jesus said this was true:

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

This time is still in our future, for we are still in that time of mankind running to and fro and knowledge is increasing but this knowledge is not the knowledge of God!

Notice even Isaiah knows these thing will not happen in his lifetime, He speaks of the future!

But it is always time to get closer to the Lord!

As we have witnessed recently in the storms that passed through our area the smart thing to do is to find the safest place we can find in our homes or elsewhere until the storm passes by.

*****Isa 26:20  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 
Isa 26:21  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. 

We should clearly understand that in the greatest of all storms, the Lord is still the Master of the storm.

Nah 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 

It is only those that know the Lord who can hear His voice when He says come!

It is only the Master of the storm who holds the power to all life!

God is like a tender Father, who sees the storm coming upon His children takes them by the hand and leads them into the closest shelter!

As Isaiah warned these Jews and also the Church, we also need to warn as many as we can that God’s patience is wearing thin with the people of His creation.

We “all” always need to be prepared for these days that could happen at any time!

1) God has pointed out all the dangers of rejecting the truth of the Gospel! There will be a time of “Judgment”!

The Lord will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of earth because of our iniquity(sin)!

In other words God’s people must not be participating in the wicked behavior of unbelievers at any time!

But for the “Grace” of God we would all perish!

2) God has provided His counsel.
We must be prepared because, no thing and no one will be able to hide the unbelievers from God! There will be no sin that can be concealed from the Lord! There are no secret sins that God will not know of! All sin will be exposed.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

God says “Come”.

3) God assures us His promises will be fulfilled.
God assures us that all those who have rejected the Lord and persecuted God’s people will be punished!

Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 
Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

It is the right thing for God to do, no matter what the liberals say!

Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 
Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 

This does not mean we are all to hide physically because we can hide openly if we belong to the Lord.

It means we need to continue to warn as many as we can of this coming “judgment”.

It is not our job to tell them they are lost, they already know how to be lost.

It is our job to tell them how to be saved!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

God’s Mercy Toward Israel

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God’s Mercy Toward Israel

Book of Isaiah 14

If we study the Book of Isaiah chapters 13-19 we would see beyond any reasonable doubt that Jehovah God is in charge of all the nations of this world. This does not mean that God causes evil governments, it is the people themselves that cause these things to happen.
In the prophecies of Isaiah we see one nation after another receive the rebuke of the Lord for their rebellion against Jehovah God and for their sinful lifestyles.

We see nations that trust in their riches and reject God.

We see nations that trust in their military might and reject God.

The truth is, in the day of God’s “Judgment” none of these things can save them, all these things will be useless! In fact God will “Judge” individuals just as harsh as He will “Judge” these nations!

Remember nations do not end up in Hell, people do!

God is seeking a close personal relationship with each and every individual and then for those individuals to gather together to change this world according to the Word of God.

The hope for salvation lies in “repentance”!

When the Lord returns for the Second Time to set up His Kingdom up upon this Earth, only those who are willing to turn to Him to worship Him alone will escape His final wrath.

The Church will already be in Heaven at this time!

These prophecies of Isaiah were not just for those nations of that day, but are for all people in every age!

Throughout these prophecies God offers the opportunity for salvation but only according to His Word of truth. No one can enter the Kingdom of God by their own personal rules!

The truth is, the Word of God is never bound by time!

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
 
So let’s begin:

*****Isa 14:1  For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 

There is nothing confusing about this Scripture! So why is it so rejected by this world we live in?

When the Lord returns to end the “7 years of Tribulation” and the “time of Jacob’s trouble”, He will then have mercy on Jacob.
The name Jacob refers to Jacob “the supplanter” but who would at that time make supplication to the Lord.

Hos 12:2  The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 
Hos 12:3  He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: 
Hos 12:4  Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; 
Hos 12:5  Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.

This will take place immediately and during the time, after God has put down the false religion and the false economies of this world:

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

Isa 21:9  And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. 

The false religions inspired by Satan have fallen. (Every religion that has rejected Christ and the Word of God)(is fallen)
The false economies and governments inspired by Satan have fallen. (the world Satan used to tempt the Lord Jesus)(is fallen)

Those that choose the Beast and his unholy trinity will be destroyed but those that refuse the Beast and repent will be accepted by the Lord and dwell in the Kingdom of the Lord!

The Jews will return to the Lord:

Zec 2:12  And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. 
Zec 2:13  Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. 

Many Gentile nations will repent and join these Jews:

Zec 2:11  And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. 

The Church will return from Heaven with the Lord, as He causes these things to happen:

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

And we should notice it is not Israel that will just take over as the head nation of this world, “it is those remaining nations of this world that will put Israel in that place as lead nation of the world!

*****Isa 14:2  And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

Over and over again God has delivered His people from captivity and when the Lord returns they can never be placed in captivity again!

The world that has kept them in captivity will see that they get back home, as did King Cyrus, and Israel will rule over it’s own oppressors, the Gentile world! It’s called “Mercy”!

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 
Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 
Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 
Deu 7:9  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 
Deu 7:10  And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. 

The Lord will always do what He says He will do!

Isa 49:22  Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 
Isa 49:23  And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Isa 60:14  The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 

And who is behind this complete change of the Gentile nations? It is the LORD! the unchanging “I AM” of the Bible.

*****Isa 14:3  And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, 
Isa 14:4  That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! 
Isa 14:5  The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. 

I do not believe there is anyone who can say that they have had no sorrow in their lives.
To the Christian when we know we have unrepented sin in our lives we will always become sorrowful.

The truth is where sin abounds, “grace” much more abounds but is this a license to sin? No, God forbids this!

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 
Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 
Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
 
**Even knowing these things, when we feel that sorrow for our sin, we can still feel gratitude knowing that God can and God will and God does forgive our sin!

Many people have sorrow because of physical ailments that seem to interfere with their daily life, myself included.
But as the Lord told the Apostle Paul, “My Grace is sufficient” for all your pain and suffering.

So what is the answer for sorrow? Trust in the Lord!

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 
Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 
Pro 3:8  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 

As we go through these Scriptures we will notice that it seems that this King of Babylon seems to be separated from the rest of mankind!
We will see that he is someone destined for a very distinct “judgment”.

In reality we can understand this person as our oppressor! It can be anyone who has oppressed us in our service to the Lord, but it can also mean that one who has oppressed all God’s people, Satan, the Devil.

The truth of God is this:

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 

There are no enemies of God that are ever superior to God’s children!

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

What does God teach the children of Israel? Their masters will one day become their slaves! Those that oppress them shall be made to help them!

How can these things take place? Because God will one day break the staff of the wicked and there will be no more evil rulers in fact there will only be the government of God, who will rule in “righteousness”.

In the time of Babylon, God used Cyrus to break the backs of Babylon.

In the near future God will use His own “Ensign”, the Messiah, who will settle all these things.

Psa 125:3  For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. 

We know that Satan is that great oppressor but we do not ever have to fear what he may do to us.

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
 
As we will see, this oppressor is filled with pride and arrogance against the Lord and His people.

We also see that this oppressor thrived on riches in his golden city!

*****Isa 14:6  He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. 

This evil person would strike out at people in anger, with a continual stroke.
This evil person would trod down nations in his wrath and his unrelenting evil.

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 

What does God say? This evil person would be persecuted himself and no one can stop this from happening!

Rev_20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Rev_20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

It is obvious that this King of Babylon and his golden city is in fact a clear type of Satan and his influence upon this world!

It is also a fact that this passage will apply to anyone who does such things and lives such a wicked and cruel life. In fact all such things will come to an end at the return of the Messiah!

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 

This is the only time when the whole world will be at rest!

*****Isa 14:7  The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. 
Isa 14:8  Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. 

There are many singers in our world today singing their own songs and the songs of others but when old Satan is cast into the “Burning Lake of Fire” the world that remains will break forth into singing in joy.

In fact, Isaiah loves this idea so much, that he includes it many more times.

Isa 44:23  Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 

Isa 49:13  Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 

Isa 54:1  Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 

Isa 55:12  For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

This world we live in now will go through a complete change!

All the foreign invaders and oppressors who entered Palestine desired to have the trees of Lebanon, until they are practically destroyed but even these trees will rejoice because there will never be another taken down when the Messiah set’s up His kingdom on this earth!

There will also be no nations anywhere that will ever have to succumb to foreign invasion.

*****Isa 14:9  Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 
Isa 14:10  All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 

It is impossible that there can be any happiness in Hell, but when old Satan is cast into Hell there will be many already there that will be stirred to know that he also did not escape the wrath of God.

It is a fact that those in Hell already are all believers but there is no escape from that turmoil! They cannot be prayed out of Hell nor can they be bought out of Hell!

They will still get the opportunity at the White Throne Judgment to defend themselves but the Lord will not find their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life and they will suffer their eternal fate knowing that even Lucifer was not able to escape.

Rev_19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Rev_20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Rev_20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev_20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

We must keep in mind Satan is just a creation of God, who has fallen from God’s “Grace”. He holds no power over God!

God has just allowed or it should be said, God has used Satan to prove to all what is good and what is evil and what He expects from His creations.

It was pride that brought the downfall of this created creature of God!

*****Isa 14:11  Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 
Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 

We can see that in fact, King Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon was in fact a type of Satan but these Scriptures refer to Satan, the Beast of the Book of Revelation and not Belshazzar.

“In his own”, mind Satan is the most wonderful and most beautiful of all God’s creations. God did create Satan in perfect but he also had the freedom of choice. Adam was also created in perfection with the freedom of choice.

The truth is, each and everyone of God’s creations were made with a specific purpose in mind and Satan was just a failure and God tossed him out of Heaven to make use of him on earth.

Only those who remain perfect can abide in Heaven! Thank God for His “Grace”!

The Lord Jesus was also a witness to this event:

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 

In the end, Satan will be cast out of this world also and into the Burning Lake of Fire:

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 

Satan will also face God at the “Judgment”:

Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 

Why did God really pour Himself into the flesh of Jesus Christ?

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

Pride was Satan’s downfall!

The noise of his viols is what Satan uses to entice our children. This is a reference to music. Secular music and music of praise to the Lord are two entirely different things!

Satan can only bring death, those worms are reference to the “maggot”.
No doubt the thought of the grave brings the thought of corruption and Satan is the most corrupt of all God’s creation. Those maggots will not only be spread under Satan but they will cover him. He who walked upon the luxuries of this earth will then be the uttermost of filth.

All Satan has accomplished is to bring weakness to the nations in sin and filth!

Why will these things happen? Because Satan feels in his heart that he should be more exalted than the Lord God!

It is a fact that the angels are aware that God will exalt the humans above the angels in the near future and this does not sit well with Lucifer who exalts his own self above our Holy Father.

What does God say to us?

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

How has this affected the world of the rich and powerful?

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 

What is the truth of Satan and his works?

Satan will go to Hell. He will humbled to a miserable life for eternity!

The sides of the pit of Hell are the most dismal part of the darkness of Hell!

Ezekiel wrote:

Eze 28:8  They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. 
Eze 28:9  Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. 

The only thing Satan has had going for himself these thousands of years since his creation is, the fact of his denial. Even today the existence of Satan is denied.

Satan will not show himself until he appears as the Antichrist during the seven years of Tribulation when he will have a taste of victory that is short lived!

The truth is he will be exposed for what he is, “nothing but trouble”!

*****Isa 14:16  They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, “Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms”; 
Isa 14:17  That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 

Satan will be observed as being dead and many will look upon him. Some will look to make sure he is dead and others will look upon him in unbelief that he did not have the power he so boasted of, but all will fear the Lord who has done this thing!

Psa 64:9  And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. 
Psa 64:10  The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

The truth will be out, the thing that Satan has tried to accomplish is to destroy God’s creation! The world is just too blind to see the truth!

Satan has blinded mankind with power and riches knowing these things only lead to destruction!
Satan has hindered the work of the Lord.
Satan has made many Christians useless in the work of the Lord.
Satan has caused his evil to reach into all the high places of governments and commercialism.

We need to remember our battle is not with each other or with any human, our battle has always been against the work of Satan!

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Satan is none other than a liar and a deceiver and those that worship him are just as bad!

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

Even most evil people are buried today but Satan will not be honored in any such manner.

*****Isa 14:18  All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 
Isa 14:19  But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. 
Isa 14:20  Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. 

No doubt King Belshazzar was denied an honorable burial!
A mausoleum may have been prepared but it was not used, in fact his dead body just lay unburied.

In fact he was treated somewhat like Queen Jezebel when she was trodden down by the chariot of Jehu!

As we study the 7 years of Tribulation, we know of 3 and one half years when the Anti-Christ will be exalted and then the last 3 and one half years, (The Great Tribulation), when he will bring ruin to this world.

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 

All of King Belshazzar descendants were destroyed so it is very unlikely that there have ever been any descendants of Nebuchadnezzar as some have claimed.

In truth all those who have worshipped Satan, the Beast, will be slaughtered!

*****Isa 14:21  Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. 
Isa 14:22  For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. 
Isa 14:23  I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. 

The offspring of Satan will never be mentioned again after this time.
The world that Satan has inspired will be totally destroyed.
The false religions that come about because of Satan’s influence will also be destroyed.

The truth is, the old city of Babylon did indeed become a desolate place.
The city of Babylon that exist now is in a different location and has never reached the fame of the old city and it never will.
The old city of Babylon is now a marsh with the remnants of some old buildings.

The truth is, the Lord Jesus Christ has already destroyed the power of Satan, the Devil.

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

The Lord did this at the Cross on Golgotha’s hill!

What does Satan use to bring people into bondage?

Greed, Pride, Smoking, Drinking, abusing Drugs, Profanity, Illicit sex of all kinds, Sensual pleasures, Fleshy Passions, Shoplifting, and Theft, Laziness, Indifference, and Overindulgence, just to mention a few.

Because the Lord Jesus came the First Time to die for our sins, “all” these things can be forgiven!

The one thing that cannot be forgiven, is to not believe on the work that Jesus Christ has already done to release us from Satan’s bondage!

Those that believe that the Lord Jesus can be a Savior but not be a Destroyer do not read the Scriptures!

If the works of Satan are not destroyed then “God’s Mercy” cannot be accomplished!
This is why we live in God’s time of “Grace” today to allow time for us all to decide.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

Those that refuse to “come to repentance” will suffer the fate of Satan!

When the Lord returns the Second Time He will destroy the works of the Satan, the Devil.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

*****Isa 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? 

There is not one who can turn back the hand of God!

We can choose to believe God or to believe Satan.

It’s called making a choice, I have made my choice already.

I choose Christ!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

The Kingdom of the Messiah

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Kingdom of the Coming Messiah

Book of Isaiah Chapter 11

We have seen Isaiah prophesy of the sign of the Messiah, the Virgin Birth of our Savior.

We next have seen Isaiah prophesy of the Deliverance brought forth by the Messiah.

We next see Isaiah prophesy of the Kingdom of the Messiah.

Notice it is easy to forget about the First Coming of the Messiah and go straight to the Second Coming of the Messiah and this was a great problem for the Jews after the birth of Jesus Christ. They were looking forward to the Kingdom and could not see the Savior who stood before them.

Moses had written of the First Coming of the Messiah:

Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 

The Jews had rejected the Messiah and His message, because they demanded the work first, of what Isaiah had written in these Scriptures.

Isaiah not only dealt with the “reigning” Messiah but he also dealt with the “suffering” Messiah but it was the “suffering” Messiah who was rejected by the Jews but accepted by the Church!

There was only one way for the Jews to enjoy the kingdom blessings:

Jer 30:3  For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 
Jer 30:4  And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 
Jer 30:5  For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 
Jer 30:6  Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 
Jer 30:7  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

The Jews had missed the prophecy of the “time of Jacob’s Trouble”! Still in the future.

They had also missed the prophecy of the New Covenant of the Lord. Which is also still in their future.

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

They had certainly missed the truth of the Messiah’s First Coming.

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, “which is shed for many for the remission of sins”. 
Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. 

What did Isaiah prophesy?

*****Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Who was Jesse?

Rth 4:18  Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 
Rth 4:19  And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 
Rth 4:20  And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 
Rth 4:21  And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 
Rth 4:22  And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Jesse was the grandson of Ruth the “Gentile Bride” of Boaz and the father of David the second King of Israel!

1Sa 17:12  Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 

All of these were already dead and buried at the time of Isaiah and at this time Hezekiah had already been born(about ten years old) and Hezekiah would rule after his father, evil King Ahaz.

The term “Branch” is a symbol for a king descended from royal ancestors but here it is also written of the Messiah.

Jeremiah says he would be a righteous “Branch”:

Jer 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 
Jer 23:6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Zechariah says this righteous branch would build a Temple:

Zec 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 
Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 

We know the Lord has yet to build a physical Temple on this earth but every believer becomes a spiritual “living temple” of the Lord upon accepting the Lord Jesus as our Savior.

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

Notice the Messiah would come from the roots of Jesse, because even the stump of David and all the kings of this line would be cut off by foreign powers as the legitimate rulers of Israel.

The Lord Jesus was adopted by Joseph, of the line of David but it was Rome who ruled the world at the first coming of the Messiah because the Messiah first came as the Redeemer!

Here again we see the Holy Trinity involved in the coming of the Messiah.

Notice also that the word translated “Branch” is in Hebrew “nester” or “netzer” or we would say (Natsoreth=Nazareth). This Messiah would be a Nazarene!

Mat 2:23  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

The Jews also missed this important point!

Joh 7:52  They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 

The scholars of that time should have known all these things!

No one can get all the Scriptures right all the time but God does say for us all to search the Scriptures.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 
Joh 5:40  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

The Word of God must be important enough to us, to spend some time in it!

*****Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 
Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 

How could Israel know the Messiah?

1) The Messiah would be filled with fullness of God’s Holy Spirit!

Remember the Messiah first came to destroy the power of Satan, and He began His ministry repeating this Scripture from the Prophet Isaiah.

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 
Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 

How could the Messiah do all these things?

2) The Holy Spirit would supply “God’s wisdom” to God’s Messiah, God’s Son. The Holy Trinity would be involved in everything that the Messiah was sent to accomplish.

The Messiah would need the complete understanding of God’s salvation plan and who better than God Himself?
The Messiah would need the complete understanding of the mind of mankind and who better than the Creator?

The Messiah had the answers to false religion because He is the answer!
The Messiah had the answers for difficulties and doubts in His disciples.
The Messiah had the answers for the Church of the New Covenant.
The Messiah knew the value of the soul to God and how to win those souls to the Lord!

When we have a question we can be sure that the Messiah has the answer and that answer is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah!

3) The Holy Spirit would supply “God’s understanding” to God’s Messiah!

The Messiah would be quick to understand the fear of the Lord!

The Messiah could discern between “glory” and “dishonor”.
The Messiah could discern between “truth” and “disobedience”.
The Messiah was well aware of “sin” and what pleased His Father.
The Messiah was well advised on pride and corruption and hypocrisy.
The Messiah understood all the work of Satan and his lies and his deceit and his twisting of the Scriptures.

AND, Satan knew that he had met his Master! ”

Luk 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

3) The Holy Spirit would supply all the counsel that was needed by the Messiah.

Isaiah said He would be the “Wonderful Counsellor”.

The Messiah would give the wisest counsel in the kindest manner and His advice would suit every case.
The Messiah would counsel the sinner.
The Messiah would counsel the Church.
The Messiah would counsel the Christian warrior on how to preserve the “faith”.

4) Though a “Lamb” in meekness, the Messiah is still the “Lion” of the tribe of Judah.
The Messiah would never tremble or fear at the task that He had.
The Messiah had all the Spirit of the Almighty God and all the understanding of God’s might!

5) In the Messiah dwells “all” knowledge!
The knowledge of Jehovah, the knowledge of His heavenly Father.
The knowledge of the complete “Will of God”.
The knowledge of righteousness.
The knowledge of blessedness.
The knowledge “Mercy and Grace”!

6) In the Messiah was the “fear of the Lord” which is the beginning of all “wisdom”!

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 
Pro 9:11  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 

Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Some say these are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and they are certainly great gifts but the Holy Spirit is also much more than these things in the truth the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ was indwelled by all the Godhead, the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit!

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

The Lord will never “Judge” after the sight of His eyes because He can only “Judge” with all the knowledge of God!
The Lord will never “reprove”(blame) us of our sin by what someone else says about us, “but only by His own righteousness”!

*****Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 
Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

What will it be like to live under the government of the Lord Jesus Christ?

1) The Kingdom of Christ will be a righteous kingdom!

All things will be done right.
All things will be done morally.
All things will be done legally and according to the Word of God we already have in our possession!

Jesus is perfect, so there will be perfect justice and a perfect government!

To the Jews, a king provided leadership in war and the administration of justice in times of peace.
We already know that in Christ’s Kingdom there will be no more war so His leadership will be at the forefront!

2) We should notice that there will be no more abuse of the meek and the poor of this world.

3) We see that any and all transgression will be met with a rod of iron and any who do wickedness will be destroyed.

“Righteousness” and “faithfulness” will be the strength of the Messiah’s government!

Isa 59:17  For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. 

Isa 25:1  O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. 

How is the Messiah’s Kingdom described? Like the reign of a small child in the midst of animals, who would rather devour one another than be at peace with one another, but a child who has the power of God combined with the innocence of a small child.

What does a personal relationship with the Lord accomplish, it causes us to change!

*****Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 
Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.

Not only will the wild creatures become tame but all animals will agree with each other and will agree with all living things including humans.

And all living creatures will become vegetarian as at the beginning!

Isa 65:25  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. 

Eze 34:25  And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 

Hos 2:18  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. 

It should be clear that the human race is much like the wild animals but by God’s “Grace” all humans will also become tame, mild, meek, and humble just as the animals will become!

The ravenous wolves will have worried God’s sheep for the last time!

Jesus had said:

Luk 10:3  Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 

This will all be over! Why?

*****Isa 11:9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. 

It is amazing that when God changes the way we think, it also changes our entire outlook on life!

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

You see all God’s creation is yearning for all the humans to return to God in a close personal relationship as it was in the days before the sin of Adam where they would walk together in the cool of the day!

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 

In the time of Noah, this entire earth was covered with water and it was a time of great death and life remained only in 8 humans and most sea creatures.

2Pe 2:5  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 

This time, after the destruction by fire, then will this earth be covered by the knowledge of the Lord and life will replace death!

First the Lord will return a Second Time!

Second the government of the Lord will be put in place again!

Third the entire planet will become God’s garden again!

Fourth the hostility of the animal kingdom and mankind will be replaced with peace!

Job 5:22  At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 
Job 5:23  For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 
Job 5:24  And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. 

After the “rapture” of the church, which will return with the Lord, After the 7 year Tribulation period, There will be those who are alive and can reproduce and much will required.

Psa 22:27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 
Psa 22:28  For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. 
Psa 22:29  All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 
Psa 22:30  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 
Psa 22:31  They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. 

Now it is impossible for me to have all these things right but we should know that when the ungodly world can only see the devastation of our world, God has much bigger plans!

And for those who reject a First Coming and then a Second Coming of the Lord, then they need to read the Book of Isaiah along with all the Scriptures and just believe!

*****Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 
Isa 11:11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Notice we have seen the Messiah as the “Rod” that will come forth out of the stem of Jesse.
We have seen the Messiah as the “Branch” that will grow from the roots of Jesse.
Here in this Scripture we see that the Messiah is the “Root” of Jesse.

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 

It is in this office that the Messiah “Shall Stand For An Ensign Of The People”

All people that remain on this earth, will see the Messiah for who He truly is.

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 

This time there will be no cross! There will be the “Majesty of God”!

All those who can even say the word “Religion” will see that “Christianity” being “Christ-Like”, has always been the only truth and the Messiah will be chosen even over all the governments of this world!

Psa 22:27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 
Psa 22:28  For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. 

Mal 3:12  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. 

The Messiah will be the only “Authority” in this world! His resting place will be in His Glory!

Psa 132:13  For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 
Psa 132:14  This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 

The Lord had rescued the Jews from the hand of Pharaoh to form the nation of Israel but it took “faith”.

The Lord had rescued us all from the hands of Satan, the “First Time” He came as a babe born in Bethlehem, but it took “faith” and He was rejected by Israel.

The Lord, the Messiah, has set His hand this “Second Time” to recover the “Remnant” that remain of the Jews and this time they have “faith” in the truth of Jehovah!

No nation upon this earth has had a history as the history of Israel and one more time, still in our future, they will be restored to serve the Lord as promised to Abraham, and as promised to David!

*****Isa 11:12  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. 

It is a fool, who cannot see that the Jews are visibly separated from all other nations! This is prophecy that is being fulfilled.
It is also the fool, who cannot see that God’s wrath is becoming less and less severe on this people who God has always loved, the nation He formed with His own hands when He pulled Abraham out of Ur and chose Jacob over Esau.

Since they were scattered all over this world they have never claimed any one place to be their home! They have always remained a working people and when in 1948 they were again given back their homeland, “they have been able to purchase again the land that was taken from them”.

It is the nations of this world that try their best to hinder the re-establishment of the Jews in Palestine, when it is really in their best interest to promote the home going of the Jew!

We live in a foolish world!

God has always fought for these people and when you choose to fight against them, you have chosen to lose, because God cannot be defeated by any people, any government nor any military!

God will assemble the outcast of His people, He has already started, it is evident!
God is beginning to gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of this earth, and it is obvious!

Psa 147:2  The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 
Psa 147:3  He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 

God is going to do exactly what He said He would do!

We must be more like James and less like the world.

Jas 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, “greeting”. 

We need to welcome the progress of the true Jew and help them in any way we can!

When the Jews recognize the true Messiah, they will all want to go home!

As the Church, as we see these things develop, we should realize it will not be long before we too will be going home, it’s called having the faith of Abraham.

Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 
Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

God will then remove all obstacles that caused the divided kingdom!

*****Isa 11:13  The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. 

It is obvious that it was “envy” and “vexation” that had separated these people. (vex)

The truth of envy is that it will most always lead to strife, division, hatred, and even murder!

Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

To “vex” someone is to cause them to be angry, to provoke, to torment, and to afflict.

It is obvious that two such people, no matter who they are, would never be able to get along.

It is the Messiah who will cause these things to change:

Hos 1:11  Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

The day of Jezreel is the day that God gathered the children of Israel again into one people.

Jer 32:41  Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 
Jer 32:42  For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 

Amo 9:15  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. 

God will keep every promise He has ever made.
Sadly He will keep the promises He has made to unbelievers.
God will keep every promise He has made to the Church.
God will keep every promise He has ever made to Israel and the Jew!

*****Isa 11:14  But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. 
Isa 11:15  And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 
Isa 11:16  And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

It should be clear that a united Israel with all the power of God will defeat all her enemies!

The Philistines were and still are the perpetual enemies of the Jews.
We know them now as the Palestinians. The Philistines are called Pulsata or Pulista on the old Egyptian monuments, or Palestinians.

Israel will swoop down like a mighty bird of prey and expel these trouble making foreigners from Israel. This is what the Bible says.
Israel will spoil the efforts of the east altogether. These are all the Arab countries in the eastern desert.
Israel will take control of all that is called the West Bank today and Jordan (Ammon=Jordan) shall obey them.

The world may hate these things now, but that does not mean the world can stop these things from happening and the world does not have to agree for these things to be the truth!

In fact the world needs to stay out of this conflict!

As we have already said, God will remove every obstacle that hinders the return of His people.

The tongue of the Egyptian Sea (The Red Sea) is the Gulf of Suez.

Psa 136:13  To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:14  And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 

God will make a highway for His people to return to the Promised Land!

AND, This highway will have a name:

Isa 35:8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called “The way of holiness”; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 
Isa 35:9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 
Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

The bottom line is no fools will be allowed to walk on God’s highway, the unclean shall not pass over it!

It is a foolish world that ignores the Word of God!

We should notice that nothing mentioned in this entire chapter occurred at First Coming of Christ!

Israel was dispersed after Christ died on Calvary’s cross!

Jesus Christ the Messiah was rejected by His people!

This new earthly kingdom will be set up when Christ Jesus returns for the Second time in all His glory!

This will be a great day for all those who believe the Word of God!

Isa 12:1  And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 
Isa 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 
Isa 12:3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 
Isa 12:4  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 
Isa 12:5  Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. 
Isa 12:6  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. 

Amen!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!