Endtime Ministries...
Australian Bible College CourseThe Calvary Bible Fellowship of N.Z. has given permission for an Australian Diploma Course to be constructed along the needs of our Despatch subscribers.
CHART ONE. p. 441. Scroggie.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The chart shows you the various Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament. The greatest prophecies are the ones which foretell the First and Second Coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In the New Testament overwhelming confirmation is giving that these prophecies, found in many books of the OT, are indeed referring to Christ Jesus of Nazareth. It would be a good study to compare just a few here, just from the Psalms:
Luke 24:44; Matt21:42 comp. Psalm 118:22; Matt.21:16 comp. Psalm
8:2; Matt.21:9 comp. Psalm 118:26; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet.11:7 comp. Psalm 118:22;
Matt.13:35 comp. Psalm 78:2.
THE PSALMS FORETELL THE MESSIAH.
There are at least 36 Psalms which tell of the coming of the Messiah,
and of His life,
namely:2, 8, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 31, 35, 40, 41, 42, ,44, 50, 55,
61, 68,71, 72, 78, 89,
91, 96, 999, 102, 109, 110, 118, 132, 142, 146.
CHART TWO. p.503. Scroggie.
That Christ Himself is predicted throughout the Old Testament
cannot, surely,
be seriously questioned.
These predictions relate to
UP AHEAD - JACOB'S TROUBLE,
THEN ISRAEL'S GLORY.
At this point of history, in the 1990s, the time of Jacob's Trouble,
or the Tribulation, is seemingly very close. No one can be 100% sure of
this, but all the signs of the Trib. being close are happening at break-neck
speed - NOW. The Jewish Scriptures have so much that enlightens the reader,
who really attends to God's Word, about the coming periods on the earth,
in prophecy. Although Israel will be invaded, will suffer terribly in the
Tribulation under God's wrath, will be stubborn until the virtual end of
the Tribulation (the majority that is) - the glory that is ahead of Israel
will be breathe-taking in the Millennial Reign. It will be by far the greatest
period in all history for the chosen nation, begun in embryo with the remnant
who turn to God in the Tribulation. Let us start then, in our prophetic
overview, on the joyous reflection of what happiness and blessing God has
in the future for Israel.
NOT THE CHURCH.
Notice that the blessings for Israel are ahead in time, in the following prophecies. Haven't happened yet! Now if the Church had taken Israel's place, as many contend, then how could there be blessing for Israel in the FUTURE, after the Christian Church has been formed? No, God will take up Israel and "graff" (graft) them in again, to Christ (Romans 11:23). Read how Israel is yet to be saved, nationally, in Romans 11:26-36.
Isaiah 60:1-4, tells of the glory that will come to Israel in the Millennial Reign. In Isaiah 60:5, it says: "The wealth of the nations shall come unto thee." Then it mentions six literal nations bringing their gifts to Israel. Isaiah 60:9, shows that "ships of Tarshish" will bring the people of Israel from afar, they will come back to the homeland. Isaiah 60:12, describes the place that Israel will have in world politics, in the Millennial Reign, "The nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish, yea those nations shall be utterly wasted."
Look at the restoration of Israel, AFTER the Tribulation wrath of
God upon them. See Isaiah 61:3-62:12. What a glory passage for the Jewish
remnant! But what judgement woes they must endure before their conversion
and restoration! (Isaiah 2:6-22; Isaiah 63:1-6; vv.9-10). Now for the bad
news, we have looked ahead to the Millennium, but the Tribulation comes
first.
THE TRIBULATION IS PRIMARILY
THE ALMIGHTY'S JUDGEMENT ON ISRAEL!
That the Jews are in for awesome times ahead is clear from Scripture. No one can just dispense with Israel, removing her from God's programme, as the Latter Rain Revivalists and Faith Movement prophets try to do. Nor can we say that Israel in her present condition is pleasing to God, or even walking with God at all. If Israel was in harmony with God at this present time, then why would God bring such fearful wrath (orge) upon those people? If Israel as a nation was of God, at this present time, then they would accept Jesus Christ as Messiah, and Saviour. They do not, however. Some Christian missionaries report that many religious Jews in Israel shudder at the name of Jesus Christ!
In Isaiah 10 we see a striking example of how God has used the Gentile nations to chastise His earthly people, the Israelites. Although the prophecy found in this chapter deals with the immediate future, it also has application to the distant future of the Time of Jacob's Trouble, as we see from verses 22, 23. The Apostle Paul actually applies these verses to the future time when Israel will pass through the Great Tribulation, and then will be reduced in number to a scant remnant, see Romans 9:27.
Isaiah 10:12. When God had accomplished "His work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem," destroying the abominations of Israel, He then punished "the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks." See also Hab.1:5-11. This is exactly what will happen in the Tribulation, the nation of Israel first judged, then the Gentile nations, with the Antichrist and all his hordes.
Pollock tells us that verse 16 in Isaiah 10 is significant. "The Lord" (Ha-Adon) is used by Isaiah always in connection with God's power exerted "judicially and penally". Adonai Sabaoth, "the Lord of hosts", is used in v.16 only, and this indicates His Absolute Sovereignty. In other words, God is in control of ALL the events on earth, His Will comes to pass through ALL the strivings and conquests of nations on earth. How can it be? We shall never know the wonder of this fully, until eternity. I like the illustration of an archer, who aims his bow, and when the arrow reaches its mark it is GOD'S mark, God's bull's eye. Satan aimed his bow when he had Christ slain on the Cross, but when the mark was struck -it was GOD'S bull's eye! Christ Jesus' death was God's mark not Satan's, he died for the sin of the whole fallen world - from Satan's own arrow.
CHART THREE. p.5. Larkin.(samle only send for chart)
Prophecy, as the chart shows, is not often fully fathomed by the prophets themselves, they may see the immediate meaning and fulfilment, but not the long-range meaning. This is what we see in Isaiah 10. The passage is speaking of the Assyrian, who was indeed Assyria in OT days, But the Assyrian has a final antitype, who is the Antichrist Himself. The whole scene foreshadows in prophecy and type the doom of the Antichrist.
Verse 17 shows the fat men of Assyria would be made lean. Under its arrogant claims of glory, God as "the light of Israel" and "His Holy One" are a consuming fire, and a bonfire of the mighty armies and boasting men will be made, just like briars and thorns (comp.Israel 9:18). The proud Forces, "the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field", would be consumed "from the soul even to the flesh", everything of the army demolished entirely. And what about Israel? The remnant of Israel (Shear-jashub, 7:3) would no more depend and lean on Gentile power barons, the "Assyrian", because they had smote them, but would turn in despair to God (vv.20,21); also 11 Chron.30:6. This passage then has become a fore-seeing of the remnant of the Jewish people in the Great Tribulation.
The passage Isaiah 10 ends from vv.28-34 with the approach of the Gentile hosts to the battle of Armageddon, comp.Rev.16:14; 19:11.
LARKIN tells us, that in a general sense, although there are exceptions to the pattern: 1. Isaiah's prophecies have Imagesly to do with the Messiah and Israel; 2. Jeremiah is the prophet of Israel's return to their own land; 3. Ezekiel has to do with the Restoration of Israel to their own land; and with the Millennial Land, Restored Temple, and the form of worship; 4. Daniel is the Prophet of the Gentiles and their final great Leader - Antichrist; 5. Zechariah is most concerned about the events that shall happen at the Second Coming of Christ.
ALL the Major Jewish Prophets emphasise the Kingship of the Messiah, and so do 9 of the Minor Prophets, this would have perhaps confused the Jewish religious leaders when Jesus Christ came to earth. They were expecting a political/religious conqueror, who would set up an earthly kingdom.
Just looking at Zechariah:
ANOTHER EXCITING PROPHECY,
THIS TIME FROM ZECHARIAH.
For those who insist that Israel had been overthrown by the Church in this Age, and try to spiritualise her away, the remarkable passages in Zechariah appear as a mystery! They do not either understand them, or maybe have never read them. Said Adolph Saphir: "Pharoah tried to drown the Israelites, and they would not drown. Nebuchadnezzar tried to burn them, by they would not burn. Haaman tried to hang them, but they would not hang," - and neither can the modern day church apostates spiritualise them away, they will not be put out of existence, they are a nation which has confounded their enemies. They are a spiritual phenomenon which is miraculous! Someone once said, when asked how they could prove the Bible was a revelation from God, "I can prove the Bible in two words, 'The Jews'."
A notable prophecy about the future of Israel appears in Zechariah 10:6-10. Zechariah was a POST-EXILE Prophet, that means that his prophecy was uttered AFTER the Jews' captivity in Babylon, AFTER they had been restored from that captivity. Therefore it is impossible to contend that this prophecy refers to the restoration of the Jews from Babylon. No, it refers to the Endtimes. The prophecy lines up with Ezekiel 36:1-8. God gives 9 "I wills" in this prophecy. The source material for this is the excellent work of the late Pastor Wallace E. Jackel, who wrote from Victoria, Australia. I was a friend of the family in my earlier days as a Christian. From "Vistas of Coming Glory", p.111:
"God expresses His intention in these Scriptures in the form of nine 'I wills,' the final verse being:- "I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, and place shall not be found for them."
Pursuing the matter further to Ezekiel 36 in verses 1-8, the mountains of Israel are addressed and their fruitfulness predicted. What could mountains answer to in the life of the Church?
Verse 11. The prophecy here declares "I will settle you after your old estates and will do better unto you than at your beginning." Verse 24. "I will...bring you unto your own land." Verse 28. "And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers." Verse 33. "And I will also cause you to dwell in the cities and the waste places shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by, And they say, this land which was desolate is become like the garden of Eden." And what shall we do with such plain literality? Fly in the face of truth and declare as does Mr. Salmon (an early expander of the doctrine that the Church had replaced Israel) that "there is no Jewish nation and that 'the futurist system holds out a false hope to the Jewish people' by placing a literal interpretation on the OT prophecies." (End of Jackel quote).
What have we discovered in this combined prophecy of Zechariah 10:6-10 and Ezekiel 36:1-8? That God has not done away with Israel, and He will restore them in a miraculous way to be a Theocratic nation, blessed beyond any time in previous history.
Take a look at the "I wills" of Zechariah 10:6-10 and find these unbreakable declarations of the All-powerful, the Omnipotent God:
The book of Isaiah has a well-known and loved prophecy which often is used at the Christmas season, Isaiah 9:6. We will now examine the lead-up to that prophecy, and the outcome of it in the Biblical context - a thrilling study. Many of the prophetic words are sung at Handel's Messiah, yet how many understand their meaning?
In Isaiah chapter 8 the prophecy has to do with the immediate calamities
of invasion, then in chapter nine the prophecy passes into the shining
light of the glorious INCARNATE Christ, dwelling amongst the people, especially
in Galilee.
We will pick up the narration from the pen of W.E Vine here:
The fulfilment of Isaiah 9:2 is found in John 2:1-11, this is how the Light shined in Cana of Galilee, see also Matt. 4:12-25 where the evangelist writer quotes the Isaiah passage. From this point onwards to verse 7, the prophecy in Isaiah takes a great leap and shows us the overthrow of the Antichrist, and the actual establishment of the Messiah's Kingdom of peace and justice, the REAL New World Order. Read it and rest in certainty that this will come to pass - praise the Lord! Note the word "oppressor" this is the Antichrist, the hidden leader of our present day NWO?
At the close of the terrible coming Tribulation, there will be the
Coming of the Lord in Person, He will deliver the repentant remnant people
of Israel, they will then rejoice over His blessings granted to them and
the awesome destruction of the Antichrist system deflected. The Millennium
will witness a vast increase in the population of the chosen nation, Verse
3. The translation expert, W.E. Vine, tells us that the word "not" should
be deleted here, which certainly makes sense in the context.
So it would read: "Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased
the joy..."
THE ROD OF HIS OPPRESSOR.
In verse 4 the lesson we should all learn is brought home to the
Israelites. What we try to do in our own strength only plays right into
the hands of the enemy. Only when we are weak are we strong, in God
(11 Cor. 12:10). The pronoun "his" appears three times in verse
4, this is Israel. The Almighty God will break "the yoke of his burden"
- so obviously the Antichrist, the "oppressor" will inflict a burden; "the
staff of his shoulder", a stout stick of this yoke will chaff the shoulders
of Israel; and then there is "the rod of his oppressor". This is an imperial
sceptre, the emblem of rule and of tyranny. Israel will have an imperial
tyrant ruling them, for a season in the Tribulation.
Then the prophecy uses "as in the day of Midian" as an example. This
was in the time of Gideon's victory (Judges 6&7). How was the victory
won? Not by the power of a mighty military force, but by God's own choice
of a small company which had no natural strength, so that God could show
it was Himself that gave victory, not a victory to their pride which they
could boast about (Judges 7:2). This is what the Bible tells us about the
future of Israel under the tyranny of Antichrist in the Tribulation - GOD
will be powerful, the chosen nation will be exceedingly weak - a small
company, a remnant.
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
In verse 5 we see a prophecy about the Battle of Armageddon (Har-magedon)
Rev.16:14. It is a climax battle, which will see "all the armour of the
armed man in the tumult" (see also Joel 3:9-14; Zech.14:13); "the garments
rolled in blood" (Isaiah 63:3; Rev.14:20) "burning", and "fuel of fire"
(Isaiah 66:15,16; Joel 2:30).
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
Isaiah 9:6, our key verse, shows much more than a babe born that first "Christmas" day. It shows that all the victory, deliverance, joy and defeat of the evil on this earth, victory over all death and suffering and misery, is due directly to, and based upon, the simple birth of the Christ Child, the Divine Child, the Messiah. In verse 6 we see the meaning of the word "Emmanuel", see also 7:14. There He was a "sign", the Sign of the Church Age (II Samuel 7:4-17); in Isaiah 9:6 He is a "gift."
"For unto US a child is born"; the Divine Child will be of flesh
and blood with "the children" of earth (Heb.2:14); "unto us a son is given"
He grows into the mature heir, who is qualified to reveal the power and
nature and Divine character, which is now shown in the verse; "and the
government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called (see
7:14) Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace."
WHAT ARE THESE TITLES?
The prophecy builds upon other Scriptures, which reveal the meaning of these stupendous titles: See Judges 13:18&19 for the secret name of "Wonderful"; See Isaiah 11;2 for the word "Counsellor"; See Isaiah 25:1 for the two together.
The "Mighty God" has "El" for "God" in Hebrew, the last syllable
of Immanuel.
Here the Deity of Christ is declared. EL is shown in contrast with
mere man in 31:3 and Hosea 11:9.
"Mighty" is used about God in Deut.10:17, and in other places. What
is this "Everlasting Father?" It is literally "the Father of Eternity"
as Vine shows us. What it really means is that the Divine Child who will
be the answer for Israel and the world, will be the One who inhabits Eternity,
and He who has possession of Eternity (57:15). And "Father" shows the Divine
Child is One and the same as the Almighty, who has a Father's heart of
tender, loving, compassionate care, and who is the All Wise One, the Provider,
the Instructor in righteousness.
THE GLORY OF THE REVELATION TO ISRAEL -
THE PRINCE OF PEACE.
Israel truly has no excuse for rejecting their Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Divine Child! Verse 7 of Isaiah 9 leads us into how this One will act in regard to His four preceding titles. He is "The Prince of Peace", as is shown in Isaiah 57:15-19. This Peace will completely overthrow forever every disturbing, disrupting influence on earth, and it will be peace indeed for Israel and the other nations. See how the angels proclaimed the Divine Child's birth in Luke 2:14.
His government will not be one which starts in peace and ends in war - there will be no end or limit to His rule (verse 7). He will establish the throne of David, as per the Davidic Covenant, see 22 Samuel 7:16. "THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL PERFORM THIS." Vine tells us that the "zeal" has the meaning of "jealousy." Righteous, Divine jealousy over the people of Israel's departure from Him, a fire of indignation over His chosen earthly nation. God has such a love for them, and a concern for their welfare, that He cannot do anything else but CONSUME all unfaithfulness from their midst. See the Song of Solomon 8:6,7 and Deut.4:24; 5:9; 6:15.
THE GENTILE NATIONS AND ISRAEL,
JUDGED THEN BLESSED.
There are so many prophecies we could deal with from the OT, space
and time permits only a few. I hope this study will encourage us all, yourself
and myself, to delve deeper into this thrilling study, applying through
the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, these prophecies to the present day
astonishing world events. We are seeing the Gentile powers rising up to
prominence in an amazing
way as we approach the end of this Millennium, this is Babylon revived!
What God has to say WILL happen? (Background study W.E.Vine, "Isaiah" pub.
Oliphants).
1. The self-will and rebellion of the chosen nation, Israel, cause Jehovah God to use Gentile powers to chastise them;
2. The arrogance, brutality and paganism of these Gentile nations
in GOD'S PERMITTED EXERCISE
of their power, brings the Lord's judgement upon them, only after
the chastisement of Israel has had its purpose accomplished;
3. God's Covenant mercy and grace toward the chosen nation, because of the Patriarchal Fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, also David etc), means that Israel is always restored by the Almighty;
4. This in its time makes them instruments in the Hand of God to
be a blessing to the Gentile nations.
This is precisely what will occur in the Tribulation and on to the
Millennial Reign of Christ.
Let us now look at the Gentile nations in prophecy, keeping these
principles in mind.
Chapter 14 of Isaiah contains prophecies against the Gentile nations.
It also has prophecy of the final overthrow of Babylon, which we know now
is the Mystery Babylon of Revelation 17.
Without a shadow of a doubt we are looking here at the doom of the
New World Order,
Babylon revived in our day. These living prophecies are exciting
indeed in the 1990s!
JEHOVAH'S PURPOSES FOR ISRAEL -
FOURFOLD.
"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."(Isaiah 14:1).
Here we see mercy, choice, establishment and influence. Then we see in verse 2 that their former oppressors will actually become servants and handmaids to Israel! This is the Kingdom set up, and Israel restored and glorified as God's nation of choice.
They will be rejoicing over the destruction of revived Babylon and
its fearful king.
See the joy of that Kingdom in verses 7-8.
Then we see in verses 9-11 the "Beast" of Daniel 7:8 and Revelation
19:20, in hell. The picture of the "oppressor" being used of Satan, who
is the real prince of this evil world, and the organiser of the New World
Order,
Babylon revived, is shown in Isaiah 14:12-17.
The Bible, as Scofield points out, addresses Satan (Lucifer) through
his tool, the "Beast".
BABYLON JUDGED.
The judgement of "Babylon" is shown in Isaiah 14:18-27. (See Revelation
18:1-24; 18:2)
This is the final rebellion and uprising of the Gentile nations,
world-wide unity, under the control of the prince of this evil world system,
Satan. A tremendous scope of prophecy indeed, which we will approach with
awe and anticipation of great enlightenment by the Lord. This is what prophecy
is all about, understanding the purposes and Plan of the Almighty, graciously
revealed by our Heavenly Father. How foolish to ignore these mighty revelations,
as some do today.
FINAL OVERTHROW OF BABYLON.
In verse 9 we see the Beast, the slain potentates of his kingdom, and the people of the city of Babylon entering "the grave' or Sheol. Vine tells us that this is not "the grave" in the soil of the earth, but Hades. (Scofield concurs). His explanation of the passage is well worth our consideration: " 'Sheol from beneath is moved (or violently disquieted) for (i.e. on account of) thee: it stirreth up the dead (the rephaim, the spirits of those who had been mighty among men, the giants) for thee, even all the chief ones (the leaders, Lit., he-goats, i.e., leading goats among the herds) of the earth; it hath raised up (raiseth up) from their thrones (a word which retrospectively contemplates their position when on earth) all the kings of the nations.'
This passage demonstrates the fact of the conscious state of the souls of the dead in Hades, their power to exchange thoughts, and their vivid recollection of their past circumstances on earth. There is no Scripture to support the supposition of the unconsciousness of the soul.
.....
NEW WORLD ORDER LEADERS?
The Isaiah 14:9-11 passage shows the futility of rebellion against the Lord of hosts. We may well have here a picture of leaders we know today who have kissed the jack-boots of the NWO, and who will follow the Antichrist. Weak at last, poor at last, no longer multi-billionaires, no longer allowed to plot the deaths of millions on the earth, no longer worshipping the Beast - they have nothing to say to him but "Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" They had thought the Antichrist was GOD, mightier than Jehovah, able to leap tall buildings at a single bound! Now he is in Sheol.
Verse 11 is a fitting end to the Beast:
The sarcasm of verse 11 with the reference to "the worm is spread
under thee, and the worms cover thee," is seen by scholars to be figurative
allusions to the former luxurious cushions, bolsters and rugs on which
the citizens of the city of Babylon lounged, and to the glamorous, costly,
gorgeous rugs and eiderdowns which covered them when they rested. Now,
all these are crawling with the maggots which have devoured them! Horrid
end.
VERSE SIXTEEN -
THE PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE ASTONISHED.
Those left on earth will be astonished at the down-fall of the Beastly tyrant. No one ever thought they would ever be rid of the Antichrist. From the verse 12 down to verse 27 we see some of the most informative prophecies in the Bible to do with the Antichrist and his world system, and how this affects Israel in the Latter Days.
12-17 shows an interesting double prophecy. The real prince of this
world's political/religious system, Satan, is addressed by the Lord Almighty,
who sees through the incarnated persona, Antichrist, the Beast.
Also it has a context of all successful leaders of world-powers,
Tyre, babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome etc.
"Lucifer" the "day-star" is none other than Satan.
The true ruler of revived Babylon. Isaiah 13:1 contains the words,
"The burden of Babylon," the prophet Isaiah finds this coming prophecy
a "burden" or Hebrew "massa", a heavy, weighty burdening thing. Why?
Because it tells of the terrible Wrath of God, it is a deep grief
for Isaiah to give this oracle. Right through chapters 13-14, also 2:10-23,
the Day of the Lord is in view. The Tribulation is included in this Day
of the Lord.
The language which describes Lucifer in the passage is used of Satan in Luke 10:18; Rev.12:8,9. He energises the founder of Babylon, Satan's mightiest seat of power. He has used Mystery Babylon to spiritually pervert the whole earth. (Luke 10:18; Rev.12:8-9). PRIDE is always the motivating power of this world's system, and her leaders. Just as it is Satan's, who wanted to be GOD. Today, Mystery Babylon is the same old pride of Lucifer, humans want to be GOD, and believe they are. The utmost limits of the earth ("the north" v.13) are lusted after, to rule the world is always the aim. Sheol, or hell, is the only place these rebels will get, as we see in verse 15-16 of Isaiah 14. The "sides of the pit" is "the corner", to contrast with the "sides of the north", the authority and rule of Almighty on earth.
THE BEGINNING OF SIN:
Isaiah 14:12-17 contains the beginning of universal sin.
When Satan said, "I will", sin began.
Lucifer, said five "I wills".
We can see other instances of Satan being addressed through another
in Gen.3:15
and Matt.16:22-23.
WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE PEOPLE OF EARTH ARE ASTONISHED?
The people of earth will be amazed that the Beast is over thrown, and that he is mortal like everyone else. In verse 16 of Isaiah 14 the people are not the spirits of Sheol, but the people on earth. There is a prediction here of what the retribution of the Almighty God will be, which is foretold by Jehovah Himself. (Isaiah 14:22-25). Note that "Babylon" is the Antichrist system, and "the Assyrian" is the Beast or Antichrist. The judgement of "Babylon" should be compared with Rev.18:1-24; 18:2. Note verse 26 with the reference to "the whole earth." This marks out the prophecy as referring to the final horrendous climax of the present world-system, although it has in a narrower sense a near judgement of Assyria in mind.
The leader of the final world system will be the Beast, and Jehovah
deals with him as well. Verse 18 says that other kings "lie in glory" that
is they have an honourable funeral, with all the embellishments. Babylon's
monarch, a type of the Antichrist, lies "out of" his own sepulchre, cast
out. If a soldier dies in battle he is gathered with others in a heap,
and thrown into holes with stones and rocks keeping animals away. But,
Belshazzar was trodden under foot, his great regime perishes without any
glory. An example of the end of all evil-doers, and of the Beast.
WHAT ABOUT ISRAEL?
In verse 29 of Isaiah 14 we see a wonderful prophecy! Why are the Christians trying to get "hidden messages" from the unbelievers in such ways as the "Torah Code", when the surface hasn't even been scratched by the majority as to the glorious prophecies of the REVEALED Word of God? Sitting right in front of our own noses.
The "rod" is, according to Vines, the sceptre of David, the authority under God of the Chosen Nation, the Theocracy. That sceptre had been broken by all that had taken place against Israel, and has been down through the ages. That was what the Philistines gloated about.
(Interesting aside. That the word "Philistine" has come to mean, "uneducated" "common" "uncivilised" "unrefined" and "lowbrow").
The "cockatrice" is Hezekiah, or the descendants of Ahaz. Ahaz, the
father of Hezekiah, was wicked and idolatrous, the grandson of Jonathan.
(II Chron.8:35; 9:42; Isaiah 7-9; IIChron.28).
The closing phrase of
verse 29 "his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent" points on to
the time of the end, as does
verse 31 (see Daniel 11:40-42). The "glorious land" in Daniel is
the Holy Land.
Verse 32 has the word "nation" Vine tells us it is a plural word,
therefore "nations".
I will quote Vine on this:
ISLAM AND THE JEWS.
Islam is one of the enemies of Israel which has made big inroads into world affairs, in connection with the land of Palestine, in our day. Do the Scriptures predict anything about Islam? Here I will quote from Vine, as the passage is rather obscure, and I do not want the reader to have to rest on my authority. We will jump to Isaiah 19, from verse 16:
"The rest of the 19th chapter points, as in other prophecies, first to a more immediate fulfilment and then to the yet future time of the Millennial Kingdom. There are five paragraphs each beginning with "In that day". The day consists of a period extending from the impending judgement upon Egypt to the end of the present age and the Second Advent of Christ.
.....Firstly,
Judah was about to be the Divine instrument of judgement (vv.16,17).
.....Secondly,
the attitude of Egypt towards Israel would be changed. There would come
a time when the language spoken in Canaan would be the language spoken
in Egypt, to a limited extent ('five cities').
This was fulfilled when in the empire founded by Alexander the
Great the Hellenistic Greek language became the common tongue in Canaan
and elsewhere and was adopted in Egypt
(where the Septuagint Version was produced). "The city of destruction"
(lit., the city Ir-ha-heres) probably indicates the destruction
of idolatry (verse 18).
That took place, after the successive invasions of the Assyrians,
Chaldeans, Persians and Greeks.
.....Thirdly,
there would come a time when an altar would be erected to the Lord in the
midst of the land, and "a pillar" at the border. The Jewish religion actually
spread in Egypt (verse 21). Synagogues were built, and one especially at
Heliopolis, and later on a church was erected at Alexandria. Subsequently
Egypt was smitten (verse 22) by the power of ISLAM. ISLAM will not prevail
permanently. There will be healing (spiritual healing)." (End of quote).
In this passage, verse 23-25, we see wonderful prophecies about the changes which will take place in the Middle East, think of the hatred and Godlessness there is there today. This will take place at the beginning of the Millennial Reign of Christ. A road will run from Egypt to Assyria (Iraq, Iran?). Both these Middle East Moslem countries, who have had separate aspirations to conquer the whole globe, will actually form a union to serve the Almighty God, the real God, not the fake Allah.
Israel will be the go-between in this Assyrian-Egyptian alliance.
Israel will no longer be afraid of her neighbours, the Chosen Nation will
reach an eminence of honour which has been Sovereignly decreed by the Lord.
And God's Chosen Nation will be "a blessing in the midst of the earth",
just as God has always planned. (Acts 2:39; 3:25,26).
AN ELECTION OUT OF THE TRIBULATION.
An election of Jews will experience great salvation in the Tribulation,
who will help form the remnant of Israel in the Millennium Reign. That
election will be sealed by the Almighty (Rev.7:4-8), for His purposes of
evangelisation. And Israel will be saved nationally.(Romans 11:26-29).
A summary of God's overall purposes and plan for Israel would be
a fitting close to our study.
WHAT ARE GOD'S PURPOSES IN CHOOSING ISRAEL?
(a) Named after the grandson of Abraham, Jacob who became Israel.
(b) Called to a four-fold mission: 1.To witness to the true God in
the midst of universal idolatry and wickedness (Deut.6:4 with Isaiah 43:10,12).
2. To cause the nations round about to long for the true God because of
the Jews' blessing in His service (Deut.33:26-29; 1 Chron.17:20,21; Psalm
144:15). 3. To be the custodians of the Holy Scriptures, to preserve and
transmit them (Deut.4:5-8; Romans 3:1,2). 4. To be the race through which
the Christ would be born, the Messiah (Gen.3:15; 12:3; 22:18; 28:10-14;
49:10; IISam.7:12-16; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Matt.1;1;
Romans 1:3)
(c) To be yet regathered from all nations and restored to the Promised
land, as according to the Abrahamic Covenant. And to form under the Kingship
of Christ a rule, a leading nation, from the Throne of David. (Davidic
Covenant, IISam.7:8-17).
(Gen.1:26; Zech.12:8; Luke 1:31-33; ICor.15:24).
(d) But they must be disciplined by God BEFORE their exultation and glory arrives! Many skip this "melting pot" judicial dealing by Jehovah God, and put the plan for Israel into disarray. It cannot be done, for Israel is now cast aside, until the Church Age ends (At the Rapture).
THE REMNANT:
There is actually a "remnant" of the Jews in the Church Age. John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna and "them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38), these were the remnant of the Jews, who truly saw that their Messiah had come! These were believers at Christ's First Advent. In the years that have followed this Advent, the remnant of the Jews is composed of believers who have joined the Body of Christ (Ephesians 2:14-18), we are all ONE in Christ Jesus.
Prophetically, the Jewish remnant will be Christ's witnesses in the
Tribulation, but their time will not come NOW, as some imagine. If a Jew
receives Christ as Saviour now, he/she will go in the Rapture (1 Cor.15:51.
Note the word "ALL"). Those who are called and saved in the Tribulation,
do not believe Christ is the Saviour NOW, otherwise they would not be on
earth in the Trib. They will be saved in the Trib., after the removal of
the Church. Some will die a martyrs' death, and will go straight to the
Lord Jesus Christ, to join the saints in glory. Others will survive the
Antichrist's purge, and will enter the Millennial Kingdom as a part of
the Chosen Nation (Zechariah 12:6-13). Scofield informs us that many of
the Psalms are prophetic, actually looking ahead to express the terrors,
the sorrows, and the victories of the remnant Jews in their Tribulation
trials.
WHY HAS GOD PUT ASIDE ISRAEL IN THIS AGE?
The Kingdom and the Messiah were not received by the Jews at Christ's
first Advent.
First the rejection was moral (Matt.11:20);
and then the rejection was official (Matt.21:42,43).
The King was crucified, at the insistence of the Jewish Rabbis.
In anticipation of this rejection, and of His crucifixion, the Messiah
King revealed that there
were "mysteries" of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt.13:11). This "mystery"
of the Kingdom would be fulfilled in the period between His rejection and
His Return in Glory, when He would set up the postponed earthly Kingdom,
with the Chosen nation at centre stage (Matt.13:1-50).
Christ revealed His purpose of building His Church AFTER the rejection
of His Messiahship and Kingdom (Matt.16:18). The Church is also a "mystery"
in Scripture, which is being fulfilled along side the "mystery" of the
Kingdom in this Church Age (Ephesians 3:9-11). Only upon His Return will
the King Messiah give back the glory to Israel, she will be dealt with
severely in the Tribulation (see previous notes). The Davidic monarchy
and re-gathered Israel will be on earth for a thousand years, the Kingdom
of Heaven (Matt.24:27-30; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 15:14-17; Rev.20:1-10). This
Kingdom come will establish the rule of the Great Kingdom of God on our
planet (Matt.6:33). And Israel has a huge part to play in this mightiest
of scenarios.
ISRAEL IS YET TO BE "GRAFFED" IN.
This is the time of the "fullness of the Gentiles" coming to fruition.
when the final soul, ordained by God to be saved in the Church age, is
added to be the Body of Christ, then the "fullness of the Gentiles" would
be complete. That is, God's calling of the Gentiles out as a people for
Christ's name. "The church which is His body" (Ephesians 1:22,23). Then
Israel as a nation will be dealt with again by God (Romans 11). (Not to
be confused with the "times of the Gentiles", which is the rule of the
Gentile nations over the earth, instead of disobedient Israel (Luke 21:24).
THE WORSHIP AND TESTIMONY
OF RESTORED AND CONVERTED ISRAEL:
Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth shall enter in.
Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.
In the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down
them that dwell on high;
the lofty city, he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth
it even to the dust....
Like 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.
...Thy dead men (the resurrection of Israel) 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." (See Isaiah 26:1-21).
despatch@mail.cth.com.au
