Isaiah The Prophet
Isaiah, son of Amoz, prophesied forty-four years under Judean kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ancient written traditions say that Isaiah died as a martyr under the evil king Manasseh by being sawn in two, and is probably who Paul had in mind when listing heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:37, "...they were sawn asunder." And no wonder. Isaiah was fearless to preach before kings and princes, including stinging rebukes to kings of Judah.
Isaiah 1:10 - "Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah."
The Book Of The Prophet Isaiah
All but seven New Testament books quote or allude to the prophecies of Isaiah. He pronounced judgments and captivity on Israel for her sins, plus judgments on many heathen (Gentile) nations, for their mistreatment of Israel and God. Isaiah prophesied the restoration of Israel under the coming Messiah.
Isaiah 1:24,28 - "Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: ...And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed."
When You Make Many Prayers, I Will Not Hear
This is a terrifying prospect - that God would utterly refuse to hear my prayers. God was so angry about Israel's sins, he called them Sodom and Gomorrah. "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? ...I am full of the burnt offerings, ...when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." Repentance was the only prayer God wanted to hear.
Isaiah 1:16 - "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil."
Come Now, And Let Us Reason Together
God invites His backsliders to a hearing. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." God is not willing for you to perish, if you will but open up and talk to Him on His terms.
Isaiah 1:20 - "But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."
Jerusalem - Capital Of The World
Messiah, Jesus Christ, will rule the world from Jerusalem. "The mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."
Isaiah 2:3 - "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. "
Neither Shall They Learn War Anymore
The United Nations claims to be the "world's last hope for peace." A huge statue at the UN depicts a man beating a sword into a plowshare. Nearby, Isaiah 2:4 is inscribed WITHOUT the phrase, "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people." Only Jesus Christ WILL bring peace on earth. The UN is assuming an Antichrist position to claim that Messianic role.
Isaiah 2:4 - "...and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
The Day Of The LORD
Isaiah was the first to use the phrase, "the day of the LORD," but many more references followed. The simplest way to define the Day of the Lord is one word: Armageddon. Everyone who exalts himself against God will be dealt with that day. God will come down in the man Jesus Christ, and judge His enemies, including every soothsayer, the haughty, and all idolaters.
Isaiah 2:12 - "For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low."
God Will Have His Day
For ages, men have exalted themselves and ignored God. But God will have His day. "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty."
Isaiah 2:19 - "They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth."
God Will Dishonor Backsliders
One of God's tactics in judging backsliders is to take away their power and give it to someone who will dishonor them. He said He would take away "The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them."
Isaiah 3:5 - "And the people shall be oppressed, ...the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient."
Woe Unto The Wicked!
This is a most fundamental truth, but somehow, this generation no longer believes it. So many people no longer believe in sin, much less that there will be any punishment for sin. But be warned. Almighty God is still taking notes, and sooner or later, He will call every one of us to judgment.
Isaiah 3:10-11 - "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."
Judgment Of The Daughters Of Zion
One of the most difficult tasks on earth is to convince a haughty woman of her vanity. "Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, ...the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, ...the chains, ...bracelets, ...ornaments, ...headbands, ...earrings, ...rings, ...nose jewels, ...changeable suits of apparel, ...fine linen..."
Isaiah 3:24 - "Instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty."
Only Godliest Men In Israel Survive Armageddon
God judges the daughters of Zion in the "Day of the Lord." "In that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." Armageddon devastates Israel's male population. "He that is left in Zion, and ...in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living."
Isaiah 4:2 - "In that day shall the branch of the LORD [Christ] be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel."
Mount Zion After Armageddon
Following Armageddon, Mount Zion will have a vast covered pavilion to protect visitors from the sun and weather. Over every building will be a glory cloud by day and flaming fire by night (similar to the Tabernacle in the wilderness).
Isaiah 4:5-6 "The LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, ...a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: ...And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."
Israel - God's Vineyard
God made a vineyard - Israel. He put it on a very fruitful hill, fenced it, cleared away the stones, and planted the choicest vine. He built a tower in it and made a winepress, anticipating luscious grapes. Instead, it brought forth wild grapes. He said, "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" Shortly after this prophecy, the Assyrians took the northern ten tribes of Israel into captivity.
Isaiah 5:6 - "I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns."
Hell Hath Enlarged Herself
A reprobate is a depraved, unprincipled or wicked person. In a scriptural context, it is someone who believes that right is wrong and wrong is right. People who abandon godly morals and virtues and give themselves to riotous living are a stench in the nostrils of God. "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it."
Isaiah 5:20 - "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness."
God's Throne Was In Jerusalem
In a vision, Isaiah saw it. So did Ezekiel (10:9). God's throne sat inside the Temple in Jerusalem. Apparently, it came from heaven the day Solomon dedicated the Temple, and remained until God wearied of Israel's backsliding, and drove them out of Jerusalem. God will again have His throne in Jerusalem when Jesus reconquers the city, the nation and the world (Zechariah 6:13) at Armageddon.
Isaiah 6:1 - "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
Here Am I; Send Me
When Isaiah saw the LORD in the Temple, he cried out, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." A seraphim came with a live coal from the altar and touched his lips, and purged his sin." Isaiah heard a voice saying, "Whom shall I send?" Even without knowing where God will send us, we should instantly respond.
Isaiah 6:8 - "Then said I, Here am I; send me."
Ask A Sign Of The LORD Thy God
The ten northern tribes, referred to as "Ephraim," allied with Syria against the kingdom of Judah. Ahaz was king of Judah. God instructed him to "Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God," but Ahaz indignantly refused. He was embroiled in idolatry himself (2 Kings 16:4), and did not want to talk to God. Isaiah slammed him with an epic prophecy. Messiah would come, but not before both Israel and Judah had fallen.
Isaiah 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."
Should Not A People Seek Unto Their God?
Isaiah pronounced a scathing rebuke upon Judah for associating with and expecting help from Rezin, king of Syria at Damascus. God dislikes men trusting the arm of flesh instead of Him. Remember David's punishment for numbering Israel. Isaiah prophesied Rezin's demise, which soon followed.
Isaiah 8:12-13, 19 - "Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ...should not a people seek unto their God?"
Messiah - A Great Light
The prophet said that when Messiah came, Israel would not be in as much darkness as it had been in former days, when they were much deeper in rebellion and sin. He used the word "dimness." Into this dimness, Messiah would be a light to Israel. He would bring joy, as in harvest time, and rejoicing, as when soldiers divide the spoil. Jesus is the Light of the World.
Isaiah 9:2 - "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Jesus - Everlasting Father
The prophets ascribed seemingly contradictory titles to Messiah - King and Prince, Father and Son, God and man. That is because Jesus has a dual nature. He is both God and man. The Spirit is the Father. The human is the Son. Same person. The divine nature is King. The human nature is Prince. The throne of God in heaven seats only one. God and the Lamb - the invisible Spirit and His incarnation, Jesus.
Isaiah 9:6 - "...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
The Government Of Christ
Lucifer wanted it, and tempted Christ to surrender it, but it can't be taken. The Kingdom is Christ's forever. No other power will ever prevail. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. He shall reign forever.
Isaiah 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."
Prayerlessness, Even In The Face Of Judgment
God afflicted Israel in Isaiah's day for countless years of backsliding. God reminded them repeatedly that his arm was outstretched to them, to show them mercy. But nobody sought the LORD. It is tragic when God has to send calamity to wake people up to righteousness, yet they fail to move! Don't wait until God sends dreadful woes. Seek Him now!
Isaiah 9:12-13 - "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts."
God Will Finally Destroy Hypocrites With Great Anger
So much of modern Christianity depicts a milquetoast God - soft, timid, unassertive and spineless. But God, the Righteous Judge, will not tolerate flagrant sin and hypocrisy indefinitely. "The Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly."
Isaiah 9:14-15 - "Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail."
The Assyrian - Rod Of Mine Anger
After centuries in the Promised Land, God had enough of Israel's idolatries, hypocrisies, and countless other sins. He ordained Assyria to be "the rod of mine anger." "The staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, ...to tread them down." God sent the Assyrians to punish Israel, taking the northern ten tribes into captivity. Even today, God uses His enemies to punish backsliders. Then, they too will be judged.
Isaiah 10:15 - "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it?"
The Last Consumption
In Moses' day, God warned Israel that if they "despise my statutes, ...abhor my judgments, ...not do all my commandments, ...break my covenant," He would put terror and consumption upon Israel (Leviticus 26:15). Again, in Deuteronomy 28, He threatened to "consume" them from off the land. The battle of Armageddon will be the last cleansing, performed by Jesus Christ, prior to the restoration of all things.
Isaiah 10:17 - "And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day."
The Remnant
A remnant is a part left over after a greater part has been removed. A residue is the remains at the end of a process. God will always have a remnant of His people. When God cursed Satan in the Garden of Eden, He promised that a seed of the woman would bruise Satan's head. A remnant of that holy seed must perpetuate until Satan is defeated. Not to worry. That day is not far away.
Isaiah 10:22 - "For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return."
The Yoke Shall Be Destroyed Because Of The Anointing
Assyrians were first to conquer Israel (northern kingdom). Assyrians will also be their LAST enemy, too. Jesus Christ will destroy the Assyrians at Armageddon. "Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, ...be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, ...For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction."
Isaiah 10:27 - "It shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."
Roadmap The Antichrist Will Follow
Isaiah actually plotted the path the Assyrian Antichrist will travel from the North on his way to the battle of Armageddon at Jerusalem. "He is come to Aiath (Khirbet el-Maqatir, just east of Ramallah), he is passed to Migron, (evacuated by Israel in 2008), ...Michmash, ...Geba, ...Ramah, ...Gibeah, ..Anathoth, ...Madmenah, ...Gebim, ... Nob, ...he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem."
Isaiah 10:33 - "The LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled."
Messiah Will Have A Seven-fold Anointing
In Revelation 5:6, the Lamb of God had "seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God." Isaiah prophesied Messiah's seven-fold anointing: Spirit of the LORD; Spirit of wisdom; understanding; Spirit of counsel; might; Spirit of knowledge; and of the fear of the LORD.
Isaiah 11:1-2 - "...a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 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."
Jesus Will Rule The Earth
When Jesus returns to rule the earth for 1000 years, He will righteously judge the poor and the meek. Isaiah depicts a period when Jesus will
firmly bring all the people of the world to order. He will bring justice to those who love righteousness and destroy those who are wicked.
Isaiah 11:4-5 "...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."
To It Shall The Gentiles Seek
Among all the great Messianic prophecies of the Bible are many announcements concerning His coming kingdom on earth. Isaiah called Messiah both the Root and Branch of Jesse. He is the hope of all Israel. But Isaiah made an even greater pronouncement. The Gentiles (non-Jews) would also turn to and seek after Messiah. Jesus is the answer to the whole world's problems.
Isaiah 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."
The Ensign
Six times, Isaiah called Messiah an ensign (banner, flag). God "will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and ...they shall come with speed swiftly," (5:26). The "diaspora" (dispersed Jews) began immigrating to Israel around 1948. Jesus' return will signal worldwide "aliyah," the second and final immigration!
Isaiah 11:11-12 - "The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, ...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."
Call Upon His Name
Today, Christianity is being marginalized in every nation. In America, church attendance has dropped substantially, and new laws forbid praying in Jesus' name in public places. An entire generation of young people know nothing about Jesus Christ. But He will come, and all the world will praise Him, and call upon His name.
Isaiah 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. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth."
Draw Water Out Of The Wells Of Salvation
If you are saved, you will certainly praise God when Jesus comes. His saints will say, "O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; ...the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." With joy they will draw water out of the wells of salvation. Draw that salvation water now. Rejoice!
Isaiah 12:6 - "Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."
God Will Destroy The Sinners Out Of The Land
Armageddon will occur when Jesus brings His saints to Jerusalem to execute the Antichrist, False Prophet, and every army coming to destroy Israel.
Isaiah 13:2-5, 9 - "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, ...I have commanded my sanctified ones, ...The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; ...the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. ...and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it."
Signs In The Heavens Will Announce Armageddon
When the LORD returns to reclaim the earth, the sun and moon and stars will bear witness. God will choreograph the most extreme drama in the heavens to announce His day of triumph.
Isaiah 13:10, 13 - "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. ...I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger."
I Will Punish The World For Their Evil
You can view this as a prophecy, but it is also a divine principle. Sin cannot abide in God's presence. We must put away sin, via the plan of salvation. He must either cleanse us, or destroy us.
Isaiah 13:11-12 - "I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir."
The Burden Of Babylon
In "the burden of Babylon" articulated by Isaiah in chapter 13, God says that Babylon will finally be destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah, and it will NEVER be inhabited again. This prophecy is yet to be fulfilled, when Jesus returns for the battle of Armageddon. The place in context is southern Iraq.
Isaiah 13:19-21 - "Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. ...but wild beasts of the desert shall lie there;..."
The LORD Will Yet Choose Israel
Some people think that God permanently rejected Israel when they rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ. But God is NOT through with Israel. In the millennium, Christ's thousand-year reign, Israelites will rule with Him in the Promised Land, while Gentiles rule as kings and priests around the world.
Isaiah 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 take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors."
Lucifer And Babylon Will Become A Proverb
After Armageddon, both Lucifer and historical Babylon will fit this proverb: "How hath the oppressor ceased! ...The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. ...The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet."
Isaiah 14:9 - "Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: ...it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave."
Lucifer
Isaiah revealed that Lucifer (Satan) was fallen from heaven, cut down to the ground, and was a weakener of nations. His foolish claims: "I will ...ascend into heaven, ...exalt my throne above the stars of God, ...sit upon the mount of the congregation, ...ascend above the clouds, ...be like the most High."
Isaiah 14:15-17 - "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 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; ...and destroyed the cities thereof?"
I Will Break The Assyrian In My Land
God says, "This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth." We should pay attention to this divinely-identified purpose. "The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, ...I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders." This is an Armageddon prophecy. The Antichrist will come from the region of Assyria, and Jesus will destroy him in the mountains of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 14:27 - "For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?"
Palestine Will Be Dissolved
The entire world is presently awaiting the official declaration of a Palestinian State. Israel is being stripped and deprived of its recent and ancient holdings, like Nazareth, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jericho and many Biblically significant cities. But God will not tolerate it. When Jesus comes, the Bible says that Palestine will be dissolved.
Isaiah 14:29,31 - "Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: ...Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. ...The LORD hath founded Zion."
The Burden Of Moab
The land of Moab contained the descendants of Lot's children by incest. They became enemies of Israel in Moses' day. God sent judgment upon them. Two principal cities of Moab were destroyed during the night, and great mourning and howling overcame the people. Sackcloth and weeping marked the occasion. Even Isaiah's heart cried out for sorrow. The people fled, for the crops failed, and their water supplies were spent.
Isaiah 15:3 - "In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly."
Antichrist: Spoiler And Extortioner
Isaiah called the Assyrian Antichrist "the spoiler," (one who robs, ravages, plunders) and "the extortioner," (who who takes by violence, force or abuse). The Antichrist will seize Jewish properties in the West Bank (Judea), precipitating "Jacob's trouble," the great tribulation. Jesus warned them that dwell in Judea to flee at that time (Matthew 24:15-16). Some believe they will flee to Petra; however no specific prophecy proves that.
Isaiah 16:4-5 - "Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoil, for the extortioner is at an end."
A Man Shall Look To His Maker
In "the burden of Damascus," Isaiah prophesied a day when Syria and Damascus will be destroyed (Armageddon) - only a remnant will survive. They will be ready to abandon their false gods and call on the Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 17:7 - "At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images."
Forgetting God Brings A Curse
It is great folly to forget God. God will answer your negligence by making your efforts unfruitful. You can plant your crop, but your harvest will fail. Join a multitude and make a noise of success, but God will rebuke you and blow you away.
Isaiah 17:10 - "Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, ...and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow."
A Present To The LORD In Mount Zion
God says (in paraphrase), "Woe to those who have taken advantage of my people in their dispersion. I will lift up my ensign/banner (Messiah) on Jerusalem's mountains, at the last trumpet. I will take my rest in the earth (1,000 years of peace under Messiah). I have often pruned my people, and they suffered many reversals, but they will finally dwell gloriously in my holy place, Mount Zion."
Isaiah 18:7 - "In that time shall the present be brought ...of a people scattered and peeled, ...to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion."
Egypt Will Cry Unto The LORD
The LORD will come to Egypt upon a swift cloud at Armageddon. Civil war will start. A fierce king will rule. Egyptians will seek idols, wizards, and familiar spirits. The Nile will dry up. Agriculture, fishing, and industry will fail. In fear and terror, they will turn to God.
Isaiah 19:19-22 - "There shall be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, ...they shall cry unto the LORD, ...he shall send them a saviour, ...the Egyptians shall know the LORD, ...and shall do sacrifice and oblation, ...he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them."
God Speaks By Pantomime
In ancient times, without radio, television, or even the printed page, God spoke to people using various methods. Sometimes, a pantomime could get people's attention when nothing else could. A pantomime is a form of communication without words - using bodily movement, gestures or facial expression. God told Isaiah to strip down to his basics to warn Israel's enemies that the Assyrians would lead them captive, naked and barefoot.
Isaiah 20:3 - "The LORD said, ...my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia."
Enquire Of The Watchman
A grievous vision caused Isaiah to panic. "My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me." He saw a treacherous one, and a spoiler; Elam and Media. The LORD said, "Set a watchmen, and see what he says." The watchman said, "Babylon is falling! And her idols have fallen to the ground!" Isaiah was frightened by the magnitude of this revelation. He was seeing, years in advance, the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. God planned to "thresh" Babylon.
Isaiah 21:10 - "That which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you."
God Will Judge You For Being Flippant
Isaiah was probably in the valley below the Temple Mount when his "burden of the valley of vision" came. Many of Jerusalem's men and rulers had been killed or captured, but the inhabitants were careless, tumultuous, even joyous. Isaiah mourned. "Ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it." God called them to mourning and sackcloth, but they flippantly said, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die."
Isaiah 22:14 - "It was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die."
The Port City Of Tyre
Isaiah prophesied the fall of the ancient merchant port city of Tyre. "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste. ...The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth." When Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captured Jerusalem, he destroyed Tyre. "Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years." Then it would revive. Following Armageddon, Messiah will rule over Tyre.
Isaiah 23:18 - "And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: ...for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD."
Judgment By Fire
God will judge the inhabitants of the earth by fire. "As with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower." This dreadful purge will occur near the end of the great tribulation. Messiah will restore the earth immediately following Armageddon.
Isaiah 24:6 - "Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left."
A Curse Will Devour The Earth
A curse will devour the earth (24:6) just before Armageddon. Jeremiah called it "Jacob's trouble." Daniel called it "a time of trouble, such as never was..." "The LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof," Isaiah 24:1. It ends with the shaking of the olive tree (rapture and resurrection of saints from all ages) and gleaning the vintage grapes (God's wrath on the wicked at Armageddon).
Isaiah 24:13 - "...there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done."
The Righteous Will Rejoice At Armageddon
Isaiah never used the word 'Armageddon,' but volumes of his prophecies pertain to Armageddon. John the Baptist said that Messiah "will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire," Matthew 3:12. Isaiah said, "Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof." As the wicked perish, the righteous will rejoice.
Isaiah 24:14 - "They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea."
Christ Will Cast Satan And World Rulers Into The Pit
Principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (demon princes) heavily influence kings on earth. At Armageddon, Christ will imprison those demons and their earthly agents.
Isaiah 24:21-23 - "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, ...when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion."
Messiah Will Reign Gloriously In Zion
Expect one thousand years of bliss on earth under Jesus Christ. The glory of the LORD in Zion will put to shame the light of the sun and moon. Saints from all ages will serve Jesus in His glorious Temple and have "run-of-the-earth" during that entire time. No war or terrorism. No sickness, disease, sin or Satan. No famine, pestilence, pain or death. Just a perfect world - utopia - under the perfect rule of the God who created it.
Isaiah 24:23 - "...the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously."
Messiah's Victory Banquet
Isaiah exalted and praised God for making defensed cities into ruins and making terrible nations fear Him. He prophesied the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. "In this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. ...He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces."
Isaiah 25:9 - "It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him."
Perfect Peace
The word of God holds the universe together, and it will hold you together if you will focus on it. People's lies, doubts, fears, unbelief and all
their other godless sayings corrupt our minds and sabotage our peace. Toss out everything that does not agree 100% with God's word, even if
it means sitting down and shutting up. Better to be alone in peace, than perplexed by a so-called friend's deleterious words or ways.
Isaiah 26:3 - "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee."
I Have Desired Thee In The Night
Look forward to the day when Jerusalem will be restored under Messiah. Offer a praise and a prayer with Isaiah: "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. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in."
Isaiah 26:9 - "With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."
Pain Will Make You Pray
The prophet remembered other lords who had oppressed Israel, but they died, and God was erasing their memory. "Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, ...thou art glorified." He admitted that Israel's oppressors had driven them to prayer. "LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them." Nothing makes you pray more than hardship and pain.
Isaiah 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."
Dead Men Shall Live, Dead Bodies Shall Arise
Isaiah condemned the wicked. "They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them," (26:14). After Christ rules for 1000 years on earth, the wicked dead will be summoned to the white throne judgment where they will be sentenced to hell (Revelation 20). But Christ will raise the righteous dead before the millennium to rule with Him.
Isaiah 26:19 - "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: ...the earth shall cast out the dead."
A Hiding Place For Jews During The Tribulation
Three-and-a-half years before the Battle of Armageddon, God warns the Jews to hide from the persecution of the Antichrist. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, ...let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains," Matthew 24:16. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God," Revelation 12:6.
Isaiah 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."
Leviathan
John, in Revelation 13:1, saw a beast rising out of the sea - the end-time Antichrist government. "The waters which thou sawest, ...are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," Revelation 17:15. Behind this despotic Antichrist government, rising in the midst of humanity, is of course, Satan himself. And God has, all along, planned Satan's demise at Armageddon.
Isaiah 27:1 - "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea."
A Vineyard Of Red Wine
Israel, Abraham's natural descendants, have been in exile since shortly after the Church Age began. But they are still God's original vineyard, and "I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." He promises to burn any briers or thorns (enemies) that spoil his vineyard, and to smite all those who smote Israel.
Isaiah 27:6 - "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit."
He Stayeth His Rough Wind In The Day Of The East Wind
Throughout the scriptures, an east wind was a bad omen. In the Middle East, an east wind was dry and often stormy. It parched and withered crops, brought drought and pestilence, and sometimes broke up ships at sea. Isaiah observed that when evil winds are blowing upon the wicked, God often spares His chosen people from the worst winds. "Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?
Isaiah 27:8 - "...he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind."
Overdue Worship
From the beginning, God planned to settle His score with Lucifer over the souls of men at Armageddon. At the last trump, Jesus will defeat every opposing man and angel, and save every righteous soul from all of time. They will worship the LORD in His new Capital, Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:13 - "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem."
Woe To Drunkards
The prophet denounced Ephraim (Northern Kingdom of Israel) for their drunkenness. Drunkenness spoiled the priests and prophets, causing their vision to err and impairing their judgment. Ephraim's glory faded like a flower. God sent a mighty, strong one (Assyrian) like a tempest and storm to tread down Ephraim. Only Messiah can and will restore the beauty of Ephraim.
Isaiah 28:5 - "In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment."
Stammering Lips And Another Tongue
Paul referred to Isaiah's prophecy when he taught the Corinthians, "With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord." Since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in unknown tongues, fulfills Isaiah's prophecy.
Isaiah 28:11 - "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear."
Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept
God sent His word to Israel for centuries, but they were obstinate to hear or obey. "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts." Those who hear and obey it will live. Those who reject it will die.
Isaiah 28:13 - "But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."
He Will Not Always Be Threshing You
Numerous spiritual lessons can be learned in the field. A plowmen does not plow merely to sow. All his labours are ultimately for a good harvest. God teaches men to be fruitful. Every kind of grain has to be harvested differently. Some grains must be beaten hard, others lightly. By that same reasoning, God never puts us through more of a trial than He knows we can endure. He is not trying to destroy you. He will not always be threshing you. His purpose is your fruitfulness.
Isaiah 28:28 - "Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it."
Neither Israel Nor Her Enemies Will Understand Armageddon
Israel will not understand the events against them, leading to Armageddon. God will blind and deafen them. They will be like a man who has a book that is sealed, or that he cannot read. Likewise, Israel's enemies, as they come to destroy Israel at Armageddon, will be like a man who dreams he is eating, but wakes up hungry; or dreams he is drinking, and wakes up famished.
Isaiah 29:10 - "The LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered."
Beware Of Giving Lip Service To God
God said, "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people." If you pretend to serve God; if you serve God with your lips but your heart is far from Him, be warned. God says that He will empty your phony heart of its wisdom and understanding. That's scary.
Isaiah 29:14 - "...for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."
Ariel (Jerusalem)
Isaiah is the only Bible writer to call Jerusalem "Ariel," meaning "Lion of God." He prophesied woes on Jerusalem to cure their pernicious hypocrisy. "There shall be heaviness and sorrow, ...thou shalt be brought down, ...it shall be at an instant suddenly, ...thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire." This will be the fire of God's "indignation" during the tribulation.
Isaiah 29:24 - "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine."
Woe, For Seeking Counsel Without God
In all your inquiry, God must be your first and last source of counsel. "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, ...That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth. ...this is a rebellious people, ...children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits." The jealous God wants His voice to rule all.
Isaiah 30:12,14 - "Because ye despise this word, ...he shall not spare."
He Will Be Very Gracious At The Voice Of Thy Cry
The book of Isaiah is weighted with rebukes for Israel, and prophetic warnings of impending judgment if they refused to reform. But with the rebukes came a generous offer of mercy if they would only turn their hearts back to God and seek Him. Fortunately for all of us, God's wrath is tempered with mercy. He WILL answer your cry!
Isaiah 30:19 - "For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee."
Ye Shall Have A Song
Sometimes, we grow silent as we wait for a much-desired victory. Like the saints in Babylon, who hung their harps on willow trees, our songs are sometimes silenced because of our hard trials. But when Jesus comes, we will suffer no more defeats. We will have victory forever. Instantly, our songs will return - to stay!
Isaiah 30:29 - "Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel."
The Voice Of The LORD Will Lead You
God told Israel, "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not." He wanted them to be quiet, and hear HIS voice. "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." The voice of the LORD will lead you right.
Isaiah 30:30-31 - "The LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, ...For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down."
Egypt
During a famine, Abraham took his family to Egypt for supplies, but following a convoluted ordeal concerning Sarah, Pharaoh asked him to leave. God sent Abraham's descendants to Egypt for two centuries, and they became slaves crying for deliverance. God was turning their hearts against any dependence on Egypt. God wants His people to put all their trust in Him.
Isaiah 31:1 "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; ...and trust in chariots, ...and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!"
As Birds Flying, The LORD Will Defend Jerusalem
Israel was exiled from Jerusalem from 70AD until 1917. In WW1, the British set out to capture Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks, and establish a homeland for the Jews. The night before the invasion, British General Edmund Allenby prayed for God's guidance. He commandeered every available aircraft for a fly-over on December 10. One pilot dropped a note demanding surrender. The Turks surrendered the city without a single shot being fired.
Isaiah 31:5 - "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it."
A King Shall Reign In Righteousness
This wonderful prophecy depicts Jesus Christ ruling the world. "A king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. ...a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."
Isaiah 32:3 - "The eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly."
"Liberal" Is A Misnomer For Evil Men
In these modern times, our entire global society is afflicted with a great scourge of so-called "left-wing liberalism." This most popular political ideology of our day fights against religion and free speech, and promotes atheism, abortion, euthanasia, population control, despotism and countless evil agendas. But God has never seen "liberalism" for anything but what it really is. "The vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD."
Isaiah 32:5 - "The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful."
The Ambassadors Of Peace Will Weep Bitterly
The international community invests its most talented and powerful diplomats from many nations, striving in vain to find peace on earth without God's help. But the spoilers will only be spoiled, and the treacherous will only be dealt with treacherously when men pray to God for His intervention. "O LORD, be gracious unto us; ...be thou ...our salvation also in the time of trouble. ...Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly."
Isaiah 33:10 - "Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself."
The Devouring Fire
You may have heard the saying, "It won't be water, but fire next time." There will not be another flood like Noah's. But dozens of prophecies warn that God will send fire upon backslidden Israel and many of their enemies. "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8. "As thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire."
Isaiah 33:14 - "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?"
The Righteous Person
The righteous person "...walketh righteously, ...speaketh uprightly; ...despiseth the gain of oppressions, ...shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, ...stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, ...shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; ...shall dwell on high: ...bread shall be given him; ...his waters shall be sure, ...shall see the king in his beauty: ...behold the land that is very far off, ...shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation." God gives us more than enough reasons to live right.
Isaiah 33:22-23 - "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us."
The Indignation
"The indignation of the LORD is upon all nations." Before setting up His earthly kingdom, Jesus will "utterly destroy" evil nations and peoples at Armageddon. Not only will the Beast, the False Prophet, and Lucifer be cast into the pit (Revelation 19:20; 20:10), but "all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, ...shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine." There will be no adversaries - men or spirits - anywhere in that millennium.
Isaiah 34:8 - "For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion."
Seek Ye Out Of The Book Of The LORD, And Read
It takes a lot of courage for a man to prophesy the bold things that Isaiah prophesied. He subjected himself to scorn, cynicism and opposition from every kind of person. But his most potent defense was (paraphrased), "If you don't believe me, ask God!" As I have mined the scriptures daily for many years, I am increasingly persuaded that men must not ignore or betray what God reveals to them by His word.
Isaiah 34:16 - "Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, ...for my mouth it hath commanded."
Armageddon Begins In Heaven, Then In Jordan
"My sword shall be bathed in heaven." Apparently, Messiah launches Armageddon in heaven, overthrowing demon princes [stars falling]. Next, Messiah will slaughter "Idumea [Edom]" - southern Jordan! The King of Jordan now leads the plunder of Israel for a Palestinian State via "Roadmap for Peace." Southern Jordan will turn into brimstone and burning pitch. "It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste;" a worthless place of thorns, nettles, brambles, cormorants, bitterns, owls, ravens, vultures, and wild beasts.
Isaiah 34:17 - "They shall possess it for ever."
He Will Come And Save You
The return of Jesus Christ to earth will literally save the world from total destruction. Every condition will be worse than has ever been known to man. Jesus' return will precipitate the restitution of all things (Acts 3:21). The wilderness and desert will blossom like a rose. Weak hands and feeble knees will become strong. Blind eyes will see. Deaf ears will hear. The dumb will speak. Streams will break out in the desert.
Isaiah 35:4 - "Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. "
The Highway Of Holiness
At least six times, Isaiah prophesied a highway in Israel, from Egypt to Assyria through Jerusalem, when Jesus reigns. "A highway for our God," (40:3). "...prepare ye the way of the people; ...gather out the stones," (62:10). No more checkpoints, barrier walls or roadside bombs. Only the righteous will travel on it.
Isaiah 35:8-10 - "An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; ...No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, ...but the redeemed shall walk there."
Sennacherib
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, captured several cities of Judah. Then he sent a great army under Rabshakeh to capture Jerusalem. Rabshakeh met Eliakim, Shebna and Joah, and mocked King Hezekiah's trust in God. He tried to terrorize them with threats, then offered 2000 horses for Jerusalem's surrender. But Hezekiah had instructed them not to respond. There is a "Rabshakeh" in every believer's life. You do not have to answer to the devil.
Isaiah 36:21 - "But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not."
Lift Up Thy Prayer For The Remnant
Hezekiah was sorely distressed by threats from Sennacherib and Rabshakeh to take Jerusalem. He rent his clothes and went to prayer. He sent Eliakim and Shebna to Isaiah, asking for prayer. "It may be the LORD ...will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left." God heard, and promised to destroy Sennacherib. When enemies overwhelm you, call on God. He is more powerful than your enemies.
Isaiah 37:6-7 - "Isaiah said unto them, ...I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."
Prayer Saved Hezekiah From The Assyrians
King Hezekiah of Judah faced deadly hostility from Rabshakeh, warrior for Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Rabshakeh brazenly mocked Israel for believing that the LORD would deliver them from the Assyrians. Hezekiah donned sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. Prayer saved Hezekiah and Judah that day. Prayer will save you, too.
Isaiah 37:15 - "And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, ...hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. ...save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only."
Fighting God's People Is Fighting God
Rabshakeh send a nasty letter to Hezekiah, blaspheming God and threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah went into the temple and laid the letter before the LORD. "God, save us from his hand." Isaiah sent Hezekiah a prophetic word. God was incensed. "Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? ...even against the Holy One of Israel." God sent an angel that night and smote 185,000 Assyrians. Anybody who fights against God's people is fighting against God.
Isaiah 37:33,35 - "He shall not come into this city, ...For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake."
Terminal Illness Can Be Cured Through Prayer
King Hezekiah was sick and dying, and Isaiah warned him to set his house in order. But Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed, weeping sorely. Mercifully, God sent word again by Isaiah that He would add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. God gave him a sign to confirm His promise. The shadow on the sundial went backwards. You never know how God may answer your prayers. Just PRAY, expecting a miracle!
Isaiah 38:8 - "I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward."
Death
His terminal illness moved Hezekiah to pen some provocative and sobering thoughts about death. "I am deprived of the residue of my years. ...I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. ...the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth." Life is unspeakably precious. We should cherish the moments we have while we live, and spend them as best we can to the glory of God.
Isaiah 38:19 - "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day."
Your Descendants Deserve Your Intercession
Hezekiah entertained visitors from Babylon and showed them all the royal treasures; gold, silver, spices, ointments, armor and precious treasures. Isaiah immediately prophesied that the Babylonians would return and take it all - even his sons, making them eunuchs in the king's palace. Hezekiah's response was shocking. He showed no concern for the future generation, as long as he had peace in his day. Do you care enough about your children to prevent their destruction?
Isaiah 39:8 - "Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. ...For there shall be peace and truth in my days."
Israel Will Be Comforted When Jesus Comes
The nation of Israel has rarely enjoyed any semblance of real peace on earth. The few decades of David and Solomon's reigns comprise the bulk of Israel's short-lived "golden age." But centuries of trials and tribulations at the hands of countless oppressors will suddenly end when Jesus comes.
Isaiah 40:1-2 - "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins."
Make His Path Straight
All four gospels record John the Baptist's quote from Isaiah 40. Every believer must make a straight path for the Savior. Come out of depression (your valleys). Tear down your pride (your hills). Put away your crookedness. Give Jesus a clear path in your life.
Isaiah 40:3-5 - "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain."
The Voice Said, "Cry."
God often speaks to us, but we rarely hear. Next time you are at a loss for words to pray, make this declaration. It is a divine reminder of our frailty and His strength.
Isaiah 40:6-8 - "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
The Arm Of The LORD
Moses often referred to the outstretched arm of the LORD which helped Israel. Isaiah cried out to Zion, to Jerusalem, to Judah; "Behold, your God!" He declared, prophetically, the coming of Christ - the arm of the LORD revealed.
Isaiah 40:10-11 - "The Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
They That Wait Upon The LORD Renew Their Strength
Our God holds the worlds in His hands. He has no counselors. Nations and idols are nothing before Him. He has no equal. He names the stars. There is no searching His understanding.
Isaiah 40:29-31 - "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Israel - A New Sharp Threshing Instrument
When Christ comes, He will empower Israel to its long-prophesied glory. "I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, ...and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, ...thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel."
Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
Israel Will Pray For Water
Israel will almost be annihilated before Armageddon. The surviving remnant will cry for water. Jesus will answer. "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, ...That they may see, and know, ...that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it."
Isaiah 41:17 - "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them."
Shew Us What Will Happen
The prophetic word of the LORD cannot be faked. The LORD says to false prophets, "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. ...behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: and abomination is he that chooseth you. ...Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? ...there is none that sheweth." Unclean familiar spirits sometimes make short-term predictions accurately, but are deceptive, misleading and evil in the long-term.
Isaiah 41:29 - "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion."
My Servant, Mine Elect
Nobody will ever accomplish the task that belongs to Messiah (Anointed One) alone. God calls Him, "my servant, ...mine elect, ...I have put my spirit upon him." He will open the eyes of the blind; set prisoners free; bring judgment and truth to earth; not fail or be discouraged; not break a bruised reed (but heal it), nor quench a smoking flax (but renew the flame).
Isaiah 42:6 - "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles."
Sing Unto The LORD A New Song
What is wrong with an old song? Nothing, particularly. If it was a good song then, it is probably a good song now. But a new song reflects a fresh relationship, a living connection with the LORD. Experiencing His presence inspires spontaneous singing. The absence of a new song is a bad sign.
Isaiah 42:10 - "Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ...Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, ...let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD."
Man Of War
God hated what the serpent did to Adam and Eve in the garden, so He swore to send a man born of woman to deal with him. What other God among the
world's religions said, "I will come down from heaven as a man, and go to war!" Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, to destroy him
that had the power of death.
Isaiah 42:13 - "The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, ...like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
Messiah Will Cry Like A Woman In Travail
The coming of the LORD will be like a woman coming to childbirth after waiting nine months to be delivered. The LORD says, "I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman." After waiting thousands of years to bring forth His kingdom, He will destroy EVERYTHING that has opposed it.
Isaiah 42:14,21 - "I will destroy and devour at once. I will make waste mountains and hills, ...The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable."
God Paid A Ransom For Israel
God paid a ransom for Israel to redeem them from slavery. "I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee." He said He "created," "formed," "redeemed" them, and "called" them by their name. "Thou art mine." "I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." Ransom is the price paid to deliver someone who has been captured or imprisoned. God slaughtered a generation of Egypt's firstborn to persuade Pharaoh to "let my people go."
Isaiah 43:4 - "I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life."
Israel - God's Witnesses
Of all nations, God chose to reveal Himself to the world through Israel. "Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory."
Isaiah 43:10 - "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour."
We Have A Savior
We scarcely know the word savior outside the Biblical context of Jesus Christ. Following ancient typology, our heavenly Joshua will take us across the Jordan into the blessed Promised Land. He will deliver us once and for all from this dreadful wilderness. Now, as then, the people do not, cannot appreciate that their savior has come. Many would pathetically go back to Egypt. Others prefer to settle their camps this side of the river. Holy Child, Jesus, save Your people from their sins!
Isaiah 43:11 - "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour."
Prayers To Idols Are Abominations
Vain workmen who make graven and molten images - smiths and carpenters - will be ashamed. They hew cedars, cypress, oak and ash; some even salvaged from the fire - and fashion images. People fall down and worship and pray to them! "Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?" Idolatry is an abomination against God (verse 19). God is incensed! Destroy such images before idolatry destroys you.
Isaiah 44:20 - "He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
I Am The First And The Last
It is not necessary for men to define God. He often defines Himself in the scriptures. "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." This single, solitary Deity has no companions, no associates. He is a single divine person.
Isaiah 44:24 - "Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself."
Isaiah Prophesies To Cyrus 200 Years In Advance
Cyrus the Great received a divine mandate to send the Jews in Babylon back to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple. The great historian, Josephus, wrote that Cyrus discovered it when he read his name in a prophecy in the Book of Isaiah - written 200 years earlier!
Isaiah 45:1-4 - "Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, ...I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me."
I Will Give Thee The Treasures Of Darkness
God chose a pagan king, Cyrus of Persia, to pay for Israel's return to Jerusalem from captivity. "I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." God will reveal treasures of darkness - mysteries concerning His plan - to persuade you to obey His divine will.
Isaiah 45:21 - "Who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me."
All Their Host Have I Commanded
The entire universe is under God's command. "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. ...I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward." Ultimately, every person will bow before His throne and worship.
Isaiah 45:23 - "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
Ask Of Me Things To Come
God takes pleasure in men who enquire of Him. "Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." I can think of no more rewarding endeavor than to seek a word from the LORD.
Isaiah 45:24 - "Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come."
The Idols Of Bel And Nebo
Israel fell into gross apostasy with their foolish idols, Bel and Nebo. God mocked them because their beasts, cattle and carriages were laden down with carrying their idols. God boasted that Israel never had to carry HIM, but rather, HE had carried Israel from their first days in the womb unto their old age. He ridiculed them for their gods of gold and silver who could not possibly answer their cries. He charged them to be real men and acknowledge His divine sovereignty.
Isaiah 46:8-9 - "Shew yourselves men: ...O ye transgressors. ...for I am God, and there is none else."
God Declares The End From The Beginning
God boasted that He was "calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country." Nebuchadnezzar would come from Babylon to execute God's punishment on Israel. Afterward, God would "bring near my righteousness, ...and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory." Sovereign God choreographs every phase of human history.
Isaiah 46:10 - "I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
God Exploits His Enemies, Then Judges Them
God exploited His enemy, Babylon, saying, "I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand." Babylon "very heavily laid" a yoke on Israel, showing no mercy. Haughty Babylon boasted, "I shall be a lady forever, ...I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children." But God promised both widowhood and loss of children because of their sorceries and enchantments.
Isaiah 47:5 - "Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms."
God Foils Your False Sayings And False Accusations
God knows that apostate people say lies against Him to strengthen their evil positions, so He gives Himself the advantage by prophesying things before they happen.
Isaiah 48:5 - "Because I knew that thou art obstinate, ...I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. ...For mine own sake, ...will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another."
The Furnace Of Affliction
Three times, scriptures say that Israel came out of "the iron furnace," referring to Egypt. Seven times, the Bible speaks of Israel's "affliction" in Egypt. The word of the LORD by Isaiah said, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." God uses afflictions to refine us so we will have greater value to Him. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," 2 Corinthians 4:17.
Isaiah 48:10 - "I have refined thee, ...I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."
My Servant Israel
"The LORD hath called Israel from the womb." Here is prophetic double entendre. These verses apply to both the nation of Israel, and their offspring, Messiah. "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; ...and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." Try as they may, the world cannot destroy either one.
Isaiah 49:6 - "I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
God Loves Israel As Much As A Mother With Child
Zion said, "The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." But God insisted, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."
Isaiah 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."
The Divorce Between God And Israel
Moses taught that a man who put away his wife should give her a bill of divorcement to set her free. God insisted that Israel show Him "the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away." He wanted them to understand that "for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce," Jeremiah 3:8. Nevertheless, God plans to reconcile with Israel as soon as they will. He considers Himself still married to the backslider.
Isaiah 50:1 - "For your transgressions is your mother put away."
I Gave My Back To The Smiters
Israel sold themselves to iniquity. God put them away for their transgressions, but reminded them that He can dry up the sea, or blacken the heavens, and can still redeem and deliver Israel from sin. God gave Isaiah "the tongue of the learned," to speak to them. "Who is among you that feareth the LORD, ...trust in the name of the LORD." Isaiah's suffering as an intercessor prophetically typified Christ.
Isaiah 50:6 - "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."
A Reminder For Seekers
The Bishop of Lincoln in Canterbury, Robert Sanderson (1621) said, "Am not I a child of the same Adam ... a chip of the same block, with him?" Israel was a chip off the block of Abraham. "Ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." God's people descend from great seekers of God.
Isaiah 51:1-2 - "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him."
Sorrow And Mourning Shall Flee Away
Despite all the trials and tribulations Israel ever suffered pertaining to Jerusalem and Zion, God promised to comfort and restore them. The wilderness will become like Eden, the desert like a garden. Law and judgment will proceed from there. Heaven and earth will fade, but His righteousness will endure through every generation. Everyone who faithfully follows His word has that same hope.
Isaiah 51:11 - "Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."
God Will Turn His Fury From Israel To Their Enemies
So often in scriptures we find God speaking comforting words to His people. He pleaded with them as "my people," and "my nation," and reminded them that heaven and earth, and all things evil, will pass away. He promised to afflict their enemies as harshly as their enemies afflicted them. Only He would be their everlasting salvation.
Isaiah 51:22-23 - "I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee."
They That Publish Good Tidings Of Peace And Salvation
It is easy to become obsessed with life's oppressions and oppressors. The Bible writers certainly documented Israel's many hardships at the hands of their enemies. But God requires us to consider the day when all oppressors will cease, and His name is no longer blasphemed. He commends anyone who will publish the good news of His coming kingdom. I volunteer for that task.
Isaiah 52:7 - "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"
The Rereward - God's "Rear Guard"
Isaiah 58 decrees blessings upon those who do the will of God. "Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. " The archaic word "rereward" simply means "rear guard." So the prophecy says that when you are led by righteousness, God will both go ahead of you, and follow behind you. He will protecting you from the front and from behind. You might also interpret that as meaning that God will protect you from your past.
Isaiah 52:12 - "The LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward."
The Marvel Of Messianic Prophecies
In one chapter, Isaiah declared over forty-five explicit prophecies about Messiah. What are the chances that anyone can accurately prophesy forty-five unique details about a world-changing citizen who will be born 700 years from now, AND that those prophecies will be known by billions around the world? Such is the marvel of Isaiah's prophecies concerning Christ.
Isaiah 53:5,7,9 - "...wounded for our transgressions, ...bruised for our iniquities: ...with his stripes we are healed....brought as a lamb to the slaughter, ...he openeth not his mouth. ...he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death."
Prophecies Nobody Else Could Fulfill
Who is this? Tender plant. Root out of dry ground. No form, comeliness, or desirable beauty. Despised. Rejected. Man of sorrows. Acquainted with grief. Wounded for our transgressions. Bruised for our iniquities. Chastised for our peace. Bore stripes for our healing. Bore our iniquities. Taken from prison. Taken from judgment. Cut off from the living. Stricken. Did no violence. Had no deceit in His mouth. Bruised to please the LORD. An offering for sin. Poured out His soul unto death. Numbered with transgressors. NOBODY but Jesus!
Isaiah 53:11 - "My righteous servant [shall] justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."
The Glory Of Barrenness
Believe it or not, there is glory in barrenness. Barrenness exemplifies the limitations of the flesh, but God's power overrides it. Barren Sarah bore Isaac. Rebekah bore twins. Rachel bore Joseph. Hannah bore Samuel. Elizabeth bore John. God favors the barren. He who sent Manna from the
sky sends fruitfulness to the faithful.
Isaiah 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."
Israel Will NEVER Be Troubled Again
When Messiah comes to save Israel, every curse will be forever lifted. As God promised Noah there would never be another great flood, God promised to permanently establish His people. No earthquake, tempest or weapon will ever prosper against them again. God will build them up gloriously and never rebuke them again.
Isaiah 54:11-12 - "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones."
Great Shall Be The Peace Of Thy Children
You who are barren and destitute, sing and rejoice! Your Creator will not leave you empty. Expand your living quarters, because He is going to bless and multiply your family. You felt shamed under His punishments, but they were necessary. Soon you will forget them, when He pours out great mercies on you.
Isaiah 54:13 - "All thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee."
The Sure Mercies Of David
Any Bible-reader will soon discover that David was one of God's most favored men. God promised to establish his kingdom and throne forever, including setting Messiah on that throne. So if God promises you "the sure mercies of David," you should esteem that as one of His best blessings.
Isaiah 55:3-4 - "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people."
Seek Ye The LORD While He May Be Found
God invites the thirsty to come drink, and those with no money to buy and eat without money or price. "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Today, you have a glorious opportunity to find favor and blessings from God. Tomorrow may be too late. No one is guaranteed another heartbeat.
Isaiah 55:7 - "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Why You Should Seek The LORD
Men pay outrageous fees to consult with lawyers, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or a host of other counselors. In the end, their counsel may prove to be flawed or harmful. But God has wisdom and council that far exceeds anything any man on earth can furnish. Why not seek the LORD? He has the wisdom of eternity.
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
God's Word - "It Shall Not Return Unto Me Void"
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?" Buy God's word.
Isaiah 55:10-11 - "As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
I Will Give Them An Everlasting Name [Yad Vashem]
At the foot of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem is Yad [memorial] Vashem [name] - the Holocaust Museum. The names of known Jewish victims of the Holocaust are permanently displayed there. The name Yad Vashem is derived from Isaiah 56:5. But no honor or memorial will compare to the everlasting recognition that Jesus Christ will give when He rules in Jerusalem, to those in Israel whom He has redeemed for all the ages.
Isaiah 56:5 - "And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (Yad Vashem) that shall not be cut off."
I Will Make Them Joyful In My House Of Prayer
God is always mindful of those who are righteous unto Him, regardless of their significance in the eyes of others. He remembers those who keep His judgments and do justice. He tells even the eunuchs and the strangers who are faithful not to say that they are cut off from the congregation. God promises joy to His people who come into His house to pray.
Isaiah 56:7 - "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: ...for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."
Cursed Watchmen
Watchmen must be sober and diligent. Isaiah harshly denounced them. "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." God called beasts of the field to devour His watchmen.
Isaiah 56:12 - "They are greedy dogs which can never have enough, ...shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant."
The Righteous Perisheth, And No Man Layeth It To Heart
The death of a saint is a bittersweet occasion. We will miss our loved one's godly influence on our lives, but it is impossible to appreciate what a glorious deliverance he or she has just experienced. We must continue to fight the good fight, but their battle is won.
Isaiah 57:1-2 - "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness."
A Broken And A Contrite Spirit
In the heart of a bombastic denouncement against Israel for their flood of sorceries and adulteries, God stopped momentarily to say that He is still merciful. Notwithstanding, "The wicked are like the troubled sea. ...there is no peace, sayeth God, to the wicked." Humble yourself while you can!
Isaiah 57:15 - "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."
Fasting Versus Asceticism
Fasting is prescribed in the Old and New Testaments. Saints in all ages practiced fasting and prayer. Nevertheless, fasting does not buy
blessings. God hates heartless rituals. Fasting crucifies the flesh. Without prayer, fasting will only make you miserable and mean. Asceticism [self-denial] alone does not move God. Fasting needs to be accompanied by the prayer of faith.
Isaiah 58:3 - "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours."
What A Godly Fast Is NOT Supposed To Be
Here is a worthless fast: claiming to afflict your soul while you find pleasure and continue all your regular routines; fasting to justify your side of an argument, or to deal a self-righteous blow to someone, or to justify raising your voice above others; fasting to make false humility appear legitimate (head bowed, dressed in sackcloth, etc.). Godly fasting produces godly results.
Isaiah 58:6 - "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?"
Presumption Sabotages Prayer
The LORD rebuked His people for presumptuous praying. "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, ...Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, ...they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God." Sin and hypocrisy sabotages prayer. Repent first!
Isaiah 58:9 - "Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity."
Fasting Invokes Promised Blessings
Fasting crucifies your flesh. Prayer strengthens your spirit. You become less carnal, more spiritual. Godly works follow; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, etc. God rewards your discipline.
Isaiah 58:12 - "The LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: ...and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."
An Evil Generation, Separated From God
Isaiah painted a very dark, tragic picture of his generation. Hands defiled with blood. Lips speaking lies. Tongues uttering perverseness. No justice or truth. Conceiving mischief. Hatching viper eggs (poisonous imaginations). Running to do evil. Crooked paths. No peace. Obscurity. Darkness. Stumbling like blind men. Desolate like dead men. Sounds like our times.
Isaiah 59:1-2 - "The LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,
and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
Jesus: The Intercessor
The sins of mankind have wreaked havoc on every generation. From the beginning, God looked for someone to turn humanity back to Him. "It displeased him that there was no judgment. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor." Then Jesus came.
Isaiah 59:16-17 - "Therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 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."
God's People Shine When The World Is In Darkness
It is both a divine principle and prophetic destiny that God's chosen people will ultimately prevail over all the world. Whether it is national Israel or the Church of Jesus Christ, God's chosen must eventually rise above all men to rule and reign with their LORD throughout the ages.
Isaiah 60:1-2 - "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."
Jesus: King Of ALL Kingdoms
God sets up kingdoms and takes them down. He sets kings on thrones and removes them. "He is the governor among the nations," (Psalm 22:18).
"His kingdom ruleth over all," (Psalm 103:19). "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all
things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire." (Matthew 13:42).
Isaiah 60:12 - "...the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."
Thou Shalt Call Thy Gates "Praise"
God knows what He wants and what He does not want. He does not want to hear the sounds of violence, wasting and destruction. He DOES want to hear the sounds of His people praising Him. Today, the world is filled with a cacophony of voices that offend and infuriate God. But in that day, everyone who enters into His gates will be praising Him. Get wise. Join the praisers now.
Isaiah 60:18 - "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise."
The Spirit Of The Lord GOD Is Upon Me
Would Israel have become an obscure people if Messiah had not come? Did He save the nation from eventual extinction? Jesus is the hope and salvation of His people, but in their unbelief, they have not yet comprehended that reality.
Isaiah 61:1-2 - "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
Priests Of The Lord; Ministers Of Our God
A priest is an intercessor between God and men. A minister is one who serves the Lord while serving the people. The overall weight of these prophecies in Isaiah 61 show that Messiah will raise up Israel as priests and ministers unto the Lord. The great King must have a great people to serve Him.
Isaiah 61:6,8 - "But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ...For I the LORD love judgment, ...and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them."
Beauty For Ashes
Jesus salvaged a discouraged nation. He came to "preach good tidings unto the meek; ...bind up the brokenhearted, ...proclaim liberty to the captives, ...open prisons, ...proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, ...comfort all that mourn; ...give unto them beauty for ashes, ...oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." His beautiful Church came from the ashes of a fallen nation.
Isaiah 61:9 - "Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed."
My Soul Shall Be Joyful In My God
During Jesus' thousand-years reign on earth, joy will be indescribable. Reborn Israel will be glorious, and the Church, ruling the nations as kings and priests, will be more exciting than tongue or pen can tell. I crave to see that day. What joy! What happiness!
Isaiah 61:10-11 - "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
Jerusalem Will Be Beulah - Married; Bride Of God
God declared that He will not rest or be silent until righteousness and salvation shine brightly in Zion and Jerusalem, and all people, even all kings, see it. Jerusalem will be a royal diadem and crown of glory unto the LORD. Israel will no longer be called "forsaken and desolate, but will be called "delight (Hephzibah) and married" (Beulah). "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."
Isaiah 62:12 - "And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."
Messiah's Fury And The Day Of Vengeance
The seer, Isaiah, envisioned Armageddon - Messiah coming from Bozrah, Edom (southern Jordan) with His garments bloodied by war. "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: ...and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, ...For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." After every "peace process" on earth has failed, Jesus will single-handedly destroy Israel's enemies.
Isaiah 63:5 - "I looked, and there was none to help; ...therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me."
In All Their Affliction, He Was Afflicted
Whatever God might have done with the human race (if only Adam and Eve had not sinned) may never be known. But one thing is certain. When we fail, it impacts God. We focus on our own suffering, forgetting that we also caused injury to God's kingdom. In restoring us, He restores glory to His own purposes.
Isaiah 63:9 - "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old."
Look Down From Heaven, And Behold...
Despite God's miraculous works for Israel in Moses' day, "they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them." Over time, Israel alternately repented, then backslid again. Isaiah instinctively went into prayer. A real intercessor cannot ignore such a need.
Isaiah 63:15-17 - "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory, ...O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance."
Oh, That Thou Would Rend The Heavens!
Isaiah 64 is a desperate prayer for the LORD to come. "...rend the heavens, ...come down, ...make thy name known to thine adversaries." Stir up volcanoes to erupt! Make the nations tremble at Your Presence! "Thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence." I pray, "Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered!" The world needs a divine wake-up call!
Isaiah 64:4 - "Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."
Our Righteousness Is As Filthy Rags
You can lie to yourself until you actually believe you are a good person. But God sees all, hears all and knows all. Sooner or later, you will have to acknowledge that you are a trespasser, and confess it to God, and repent.
Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. ...But now, O LORD, thou art our father; ...Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever."
The Vineyard That Could Not Die
God remarked about the irony. "I am sought of them that asked not for me," speaking of the Gentiles. But His beloved Israel rejected Him. "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people." God was provoked to destroy Israel, but He only punished them, because His ancient covenant still promised them a glorious kingdom under Christ.
Isaiah 65:8 - "As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all."
The New Millennial Earth
This is a delicate subject. Watch carefully. God will cleanse the heavens and earth at the beginning of the 1000-year reign of Christ. Isaiah 65
reveals much of the millennial plan. At the END of the millennium, however, God DISSOLVES all the heavens and earth, and makes all things
new. On BOTH of these two separate occasions, God says He will make a new heaven and a new earth.
Isaiah 65:17 - "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
Jerusalem Rejoicing
John saw the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. It turned out to be the saints from all ages. All the saints will come from heaven
with Jesus to Armageddon. From that day, Jerusalem will be restored, renewed, and revitalized. Great rejoicing will fill the air for 1000 years.
Isaiah 65:18-19 - "...behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the
voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying."
Babies And Dying In The Millennium
Millions of humans who survive the battle of Armageddon will live into the millennium. God promises to cleanse the earth and make it new at that
time. Life expectancies will multiply. Anyone dying at 100 will be considered a child. Resurrected saints from past ages will be immortal,
but survivors of Armageddon will be mortal, although amazingly long-lived.
Isaiah 65:20 - "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred
years old."
Sinners In The Millennium
Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem for 1000 years with His resurrected saints from all ages. They will have immortal, sinless bodies. Still, the earth will still be inhabited by mortals - sinners. Ancient prophecies foresee Messiah sitting on His throne in Jerusalem, ruling the world from Israel. Not everyone will be saints. Jesus will show millions, perhaps billions of people His righteousness in those days. The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.
Isaiah 65:20 - "...but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed."
Building Homes In The Millennium
The Promised Land will be completely possessed, finally fulfilling God's ancient covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob during the millennium.
Isaiah 65:21-23 - "...they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build,
and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long
enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble."
Communications In The Millennium
If I am reading this even half-way correctly, then cell phones will be quite unimpressive in the Millennium. God says that before you call Him
He will answer, and while you are speaking He will hear. If I say that we will communicate with Jesus during that time via mental telepathy, I
might be correct. We will just have to wait and see. Get ready to be impressed!
Isaiah 65:24 - "...it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
Before You Call
Did you ever receive a gift you had been wishing for, but had told no one? What a pleasant surprise to know that someone knew you well enough to know intuitively what you would like to have. God is infinitely more in touch with our needs. He knows what we have need of before we ask or think. More importantly, He begins to work in our behalf before we expect.
Isaiah 65:24 - "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
Animals In The Millennium
All God's creatures will be peaceful and harmless during the Millennium; no more predators or pain. The prophets said that wolves will live with lambs. Leopards will lie down with kid goats. Calves and young lions and fatlings will be together. Cows and bears and their young will feed and lie down together. Lions will eat straw like oxen. Babies not yet weaned will play safely around asps and scorpions. Little children will lead great beasts around.
Isaiah 65:25 - "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock."
God Will Choose Your Delusions
God listed several complaints against Israel; for sacrifices they made to idols, for burning incense and making oblations (prayers) to them, and for delighting in all their abominations. They presumed to do as they pleased, forgetting that God always has the last word. Sin all you want, but you cannot control the outcome. God does.
Isaiah 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 Will Not Shut Israel's Womb
What can any man do for a God whose throne is the heavens, and the earth is His footstool? What kind of house can you build Him? What can you do to give Him rest? God will take care of Himself. He will establish Israel in Jerusalem, and nobody will stop Him. Israel has already begun bringing forth children, and you can believe that God will not shut her womb now.
Isaiah 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?"
Rejoice With Jerusalem
I have never seen such dire circumstances as now bear down on that tiny city of Jerusalem. The entire world is hell-bent on destroying Israel and removing her from Jerusalem. But God says to rejoice, because He has a plan.
Isaiah 66:10,15 - "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: ...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."
After Armageddon, Carcases Of Sinners Abhorred
The Battle of Armageddon is the event that precipitates one thousand years of peace on earth. Jesus will rule a glorious earthly kingdom from Jerusalem. Saints from all ages will be kings and priests during that age. Isaiah says that the carcases of sinners who die during that time will be left to "be an abhorring to all flesh."
Isaiah 66:24 - "...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."
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Ken Raggio
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