The Day of Salvation
Book of Isaiah
Chapter 49
Salvation in the
Scriptures is the "Gracious" deliverance from sin by our
Holy God. Salvation in truth is the release from all that is evil and
an introduction into all that is good and an introduction into the
knowledge of true life that is also eternal!
Those who are
"lost", are all those who have lost their way and are not
seeking the Lord. By Salvation that lost soul is brought out of a
bondage to sin, out of the shadow of death that haunts everyone, and
brought into a true life of eternal liberty of the sons of God, truly
free from the evil of this world!
The truth is, how
could we know salvation, if we neglect the salvation plan of God?
Heb 2:3 How shall
we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began
to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that
heard him;
Heb 2:4 God also
bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Salvation shows the
love that God has for His creation, we who had no means to save
themselves!
Rom 5:6 For when we
were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a
good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more
then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him.
Rom 5:10 For if,
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not
only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom we have now received the atonement.
Here we see the love
of God and the prophecy of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who
first came to provide the only means of salvation for this lost
world!
*****Isa 49:1
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD
hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he
made mention of my name.
Isaiah has spent a
lot of time addressing the Jews and many times those same words can
be applied to all people but here we see that Jehovah is addressing
everyone in this world in every age.
All the nations of
the world are addressed because this announcement the Jehovah should
concern all nations and all people. It will also be obvious that this
Servant who is doing the speaking, is too great to be any private
individual on this earth, whether prophet, teacher, or anyone else!
We should also
notice that the Lord is speaking to all nations because He knows
these Jews will continue to reject His doctrines and His salvation
plan and they have, even to the day we live in now. This does not
mean that there are no saved Jews for there are many but in the Old
Testament God deals with nations and in the New Testament God deals
with individuals because it is individuals who can change nations.
The Lord says to
"hearken" which means just to listen as He presents the
truth. The trouble with our world today is they have been taught to
reject the message of Jehovah without taking the time to listen to
what God has to say. Sad very sad!
Heb 12:25 See that
ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused
him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn
away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26 Whose
voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet
once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
The truth is, it is
the Lord Jesus Christ who is referred to in this Scripture and
fulfilling the prophecy of the Virgin birth, and His name was to be
Jesus:
Luk 1:30 And the
angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with
God.
Luk 1:31 And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32 He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end.
Luk 1:34 Then said
Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
God also told Joseph
the truth of Mary who had not yet become his wife:
Mat 1:21 And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins.
Mat 1:22 Now all
this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying,
Mat 1:23 Behold, a
virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with
us.
No one can fulfill
the prophesies, the Scriptures and the Old Mosaic laws, as did the
Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.
*****Isa 49:2 And
he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand
hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he
hid me;
Isa 49:3 And said
unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
It is a fact if the
Lord had come in this time of today, He would not be allowed into the
Church that He had started because He spoke like a sharp sword and in
most places today they only want someone to tickle their ears and the
young generation of today cannot stand someone who speaks with
authority!
Heb 4:12 For the
word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
Heb 4:13 Neither is
there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things
are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
We know that Jesus
was prophesied but not revealed in the Old Testament.
God had set aside a
time to reveal His Son and His plan of salvation!
Gal_4:4 But when
the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of
sons.
Gal 4:6 And because
ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore
thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ.
The Lord Jesus
Christ was God's weapon, smoothed and polished, perfect so He could
pierce deeper but He was kept in God's quiver until the time would
come that God would reveal Him!
In verse three we
should understand that Israel as a nation is not intended.
Israel in fact was
the chosen nation of God to bring to the world the truth of the Word
of God and the message of salvation and they had failed in this task.
This servant, the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ would replace Israel and bring that
message Himself and is addressed here as Israel. We can also be
assured that this Servant would Himself be a Jew.
The Messiah was a
Jew and when the Messiah returns He will still be a Jew!
Our Savior would be
glorified in this work that He came to do. He came to do the work
that that we could not possibly do! Again, prophecy fulfilled.
Joh 13:31
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man
glorified, and God is glorified in him.
Joh 13:32 If God be
glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall
straightway glorify him.
It is only the Lord
Jesus Christ who could be the "Brightness of His Father's Glory"
Then the Lord admits
that all the work that had been done in Israel, had been in vain.
*****Isa 49:4 Then
I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought,
and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work
with my God.
We should remember
the Messiah was 100% human and 100% God at the same time.
Php 2:5 Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross.
So how did the human
side of the Lord feel, when Israel rejected Him. "Then I said, I
have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in
vain:"
But notice the Lord
did not linger in sadness very long, because He knew where His
strength came from And God's Plans Never Fail!
What is the truth of
the human side of the Messiah?
Mat 23:37 O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest
them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not!
Mat 23:38 Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39 For I say
unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
How humble was the
Messiah?
Joh 11:35 Jesus
wept.
How did Jesus feel
when He had taken the all the of the world upon Himself? All the sin
from the past, from the time of Adam and all the future to a time
that only He knows which is what he came to do.
Mat 27:46 And about
the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me?
The truth is, the
Lord gives us the greatest example of what we should do when we are
overcome by the things of this world.
We must realize that
we must lean more heavily upon God the Father!
*****Isa 49:5 And
now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall
I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my
strength.
Despite this failure
of Israel, God still loved this world enough to send His Son the
Messiah.
Joh 3:16 For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
So, we know that the
Messiah was called to do God's will. Israel had failed to proclaim
the salvation of the Lord, so the Lord Himself came to this earth and
proclaimed the "Gospel" the "Good News" of
salvation and the future of this world we live in now.
The Messiah will
fulfill every purpose that He has had, since the beginning of
Creation!
Heb 1:10 And, Thou,
Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the
heavens are the works of thine hands:
Mat 1:21 And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins.
The Messiah, the
Lord Jesus Christ, came to be His Father's Servant and He has been
faithful to His calling.
Each Christian is
now called to be like Christ and be a Servant to our Heavenly Father!
Where Israel failed,
the Messiah succeeded.
We must also realize
the even though the Messiah first gave His time to Israel, who
rejected Him, God had greater plans than this and the Messiah was
sent to take the salvation message throughout this world.
The salvation plan
of God cannot be stopped!
Christ established
the Church and it is now the job of the Church to carry the message
of God to this lost and dying world.
Upon salvation, we
are to be witnesses to the goodness of God.
We must follow the
example the Christ Jesus has put in place to have the greatest
success and we will realize that most of this world will reject this
message of God but we are never to allow this to hinder us in our
mission even if it leads to our death as it did Christ.
Luk_9:23 And he
said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Our Savior, the
Messiah was called to live a life of total trust in God.
Joh 6:38 For I came
down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me.
Joh 6:39 And this
is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath
given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day.
God rewards all His
servants according to the work they do after salvation and we should
be able to see that there is no certain group that should be included
in the Church. The Church is sent to the world because that was the
real mission of the Messiah.
Rom_10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
*****Isa 49:6 And
he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to
raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel:
I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest
be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
One of the greatest
things we should see in these Scriptures is that the work of
salvation is the work of the Messiah, Christ Jesus!
Jehovah said it was
His work but Salvation can only come by the Lord Jesus Christ!
Psa 98:2 The LORD
hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly
shewed in the sight of the heathen.
Psa 98:3 He hath
remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all
the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
The salvation of
this world and everyone else, can only come by the Lord's plan!
This is His plan and
He just wants us all to be a part of His plan!
We also know that
the Lord Jesus Christ is the arm of God and salvation can only come
by Jesus Christ.
Isa 52:10 The LORD
hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all
the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Jesus put it this
way in plain words easy to understand.
Joh 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
No matter how much
the world hates this truth and no matter who penalizes the Christian
for clinging to this truth, this truth cannot be changed.
The truth is the
truth even if the whole world denies it!
The world also
denies that this person sent by God, is Himself the Savior but this
is still the truth!
If people wish to be
saved to a life eternal, they must approach God through the person of
Jesus Christ, this is the complete truth!
This Person sent by
God, ("God Himself") was given the awesome task of
providing a means of salvation for all those who live upon this
earth, this is also the truth!
Because this message
is so important and requires "faith" and "repentance",
this message must be taken to every human being so they will get an
opportunity to make a choice to believe the truth or to accept the
world's false message.
So, it is the
proclaiming of this message of God that cannot fail.
Act 2:21 And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved.
This is the truth of
God and the only truth this world needs to understand!
Rom 10:9 That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.
Rom 10:10 For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the
scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there
is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord
over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This is the truth!
Those that despise
the truth of God will see the shame of that decision in the not too
distant future!
*****Isa 49:7 Thus
saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom
man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of
rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship,
because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and
he shall choose thee.
At the Second Coming
of the Messiah this world will see the truth of the Lord again!
The nation of Israel
will be raised from degradation to the highest honor. The world
absolutely rejects this truth also but it is still the truth!
We can see that the
Lord, the Messiah, was despised when He preached His message of
salvation on this earth and He is despised today because that message
has not changed and all those that trust in the Lord and are called
by His name, ("Christian") are despised today.
Jehovah God gave
these words to Isaiah so we would all know this truth and we are not
to yield to this world but continue with the message of God being
even more determined!
We are to be
"faithful" in the work the Lord has given us to do because
the Lord will be faithful in the things He has promised to those that
trust Him!
Psa 2:11 Serve the
LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is
kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in
him.
When our Lord was on
this earth He allowed Himself to be ridiculed, beaten, and even death
but to the surprise of this world, He raised up out of that tomb and
allowed the world to see His resurrected body near 50 days and He was
exalted by Jehovah and called home for a time that only God knows.
What else is the
truth? There is coming a day when those kings and rulers who are left
will lay down before the Lord and who will then be convinced that He
is truly Jehovah God, who has held true to the all the promises He
has made by His prophets!
Php 2:9 Wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above
every name:
Php 2:10 That at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.
This day has not
come yet but it is still the truth whether this world believes it or
not!
When the Lord, the
Messiah returns, He will fulfill the promised covenant He made to
Israel!
*****Isa 49:8 Thus
saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day
of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give
thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause
to inherit the desolate heritages;
Isa 49:9 That thou
mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness,
Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures
shall be in all high places.
Even though we know
that Cyrus was a tool in the hand of God and was used to bring
freedom to the Jews who were captivity because of King
Nebuchadnezzar, we should understand this Scripture applies to God's
servant as the Lord Jesus Christ.
It was Jesus Christ
who was called to be God's covenant for all people!
The Lord Jesus did
not make a New Covenant because the Lord Jesus Christ was in His
person that New Covenant!
The life of Jesus
Christ is still the Christians greatest asset!
Joh_14:19 Yet a
little while, and the world seeth me no more; "but ye see me:
because I live, ye shall live also".
It is through the
Lord Jesus Christ that God pledges to fulfill all His promises being
first the God of comfort!
2Co_1:3 Blessed be
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies,
and the God of all comfort;
Some of these
promises to the Jews were, raising up their land that had been
destroyed, the liberation of the captives, and to supply the food and
drink and the other needs that were required. This included the
protection from the elements, "the Sun", and to provide a
smooth highway for their journey!
These are "in
type" like the spiritual blessings the Lord provides to all the
people of Jehovah!
It is through the
Lord Jesus Christ, "Our Savior", that God promises to set
His people free from captivity!
The deliverance of
Israel from Babylon is a clear picture "in type" of our
Savior delivering God's people from the bondage of sin!
The only time the
Lord will not redeem and set free all those who place their trust in
Him, is after their death!
Not only will the
Lord set free all those bound and in captivity to Satan, He promises
to guide these redeemed to a safe place and provide for them and
protect them from all evil "forever", which means in His
own time and not time as we know it!
No matter where God
sends His children, they are never out of reach of His long arm of
provision and protection!
We also know that
before any of these things take place, Christ had to suffer and die.
It is through the suffering of Christ and that false trial and on
that cross where He learned deliverance.
Heb 2:9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering
of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God
should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10 For it
became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings.
Rom 8:32 He that
spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he
not with him also freely give us all things?
Joh 6:35 And Jesus
said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall
never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
So, to give freely
is then act of God's "Grace"!
*****Isa 49:10 They
shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite
them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the
springs of water shall he guide them.
Isa 49:11 And I
will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
We all face many
obstacles in our Christian life and have many mountains to climb,
with most all of them seeming to be impossible!
There are always
those people and things that threaten our progress in our Christian
life!
Notice, that the
Lord does not say He will remove the mountains that we face daily.
God says that He will make us a way.
Notice also that
this passage is in the future tense.
No obstacles are too
great for God's people because no obstacle is too great for our Lord!
There would be no
obstacle great enough to keep these Jews, who would be freed from
Babylon, from getting back to Jerusalem.
There will be no
obstacles that can keep all the Jews from going home today and
certainly not at the return of Christ!
*****Isa 49:12
Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and
from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
No doubt Isaiah
completely understood this message he was trying to convey to these
Jews caught up in Babylon but we can see how this passage has a more
important bearing on the return of the Messiah!
The truth is when
the Messiah returns the Second Time, the remnant of Israel will be
saved but it is obvious that there will be many Gentiles also that
will be saved!
Psa 22:27 All the
ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the
kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Psa 22:28 For the
kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
What had God told
Jacob?
Gen 28:14 And thy
seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad
to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and
in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed.
Gen 28:15 And,
behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou
goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave
thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
What message had God
given to Isaiah?
Isa 2:2 And it
shall come to pass in the last days, that 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.
Isa 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.
We must realize that
we are in these last days and we need to get busy serving the Lord
while we still have an opportunity and more than the opportunity, a
privilege!
God says people will
come from far! God will remove every obstacle in the path of anyone,
no matter where they are, if they decide to give their life to Him
through the Lord Jesus Christ!
Rom_10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It is then a time to
rejoice when your name is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life!
There is no other
way to enter in to God's New Heaven!
Rev_21:27 And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in the Lamb's book of life.
*****Isa 49:13
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into
singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and
will have mercy upon his afflicted.
We will sing because
of the eternal blessings that come with salvation!
We will sing because
of the promises fulfilled in respect to Israel!
Even all the Heavens
will sing.
Luk 15:10 Likewise,
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth.
In fact, the entire
earth will have reason to break forth in song!
Isa 14:7 The whole
earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
And the reason for
all this rejoicing is simple, "for God has comforted His
people"!
This earth will then
be pure enough for the Lord to reign as King!
Rev 22:3 And there
shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall
be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
For the Jewish
captives in Babylon, freedom still meant going home to Jerusalem
which had been destroyed and it was not yet possible for them to
worship in the Temple.
*****Isa 49:14 But
Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Many of God's people
feel the same today because politics are keeping the Jewish Temple
from being rebuilt again.
Also, today, these
things could be said about the Church, the condition of God's church
is desperate now but we seem to forget the truth of the Scriptures.
2Th_2:3 Let no man
deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son
of perdition;
We should remember
that when the nation of Israel went into captivity it was because of
idol worship but we also know that there were still many of these
Jews who had remained solid with the Lord and had not submitted to
false worship.
Many of these then
felt abandoned and felt that the Lord had abandoned them.
It could be said
that this same thing happens to the Church in places where wars and
terrorist cause God's people so much pain and suffering.
It is hard to sit
here in America where these things do not go on and understand the
misery of the persecuted Christian but this thing increases every
day!
The persecution of
the Church and the Jews is increasing worldwide and even many
so-called Jews and so-called Christians have become our greatest
enemies!
For these Jews, God
had made plans for Cyrus to provide the finances to rebuild Jerusalem
and the Temple.
Jeremiah had said
that this captivity would only last 70 years.
We must always
realize that the plan of God requires patience, because He is waiting
until that last soul will be saved and He will then quickly come with
His vengeance.
It is easy to blame
the Lord when we are suffering but we always seem to forget the many
times we have forsaken the Lord.
We seem to forget
that we do not know what tomorrow will bring but the Lord does and He
has said we are on the winning side.
We seem to forget
that even in our peril we are still in the hands of a loving God and
cannot be removed from His hands!
We should realize
that sometimes we cling too much to this world we live in and it is
not even our home!
How does God answer
these accusations?
*****Isa 49:15 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.
Isa 49:16 Behold, I
have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are
continually before me.
It could be said
that no one loves a child more than that mother who gave birth to
that child but there is One who does and it is the Lord!
It would be contrary
to the nature of God to ever abandon His children but to become a
child of God we must be born into the family of God!
Joh 3:3 Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus
saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter
the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which
is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not
that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.
God has a love that
will never let His children go at any time!
Psa 27:10 When my
father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Why are these things
so true? It is because God is the true meaning of love!
Most of our world
today has true love mixed up with carnal lust!
1Jn 4:8 He that
loveth not knoweth not God; "for God is love".
1Jn 4:10 Herein is
love, not that we loved God, "but that he loved us", and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God is love in His
essence. His love is deeper, tenderer, truer, than any human love can
be!
Here again we see
that every believer is a work of the hands of God. Hands that never
forgotten each and every vessel that He has ever created!
Even a vessel as
stubborn as I am, God has chiseled into the palms of His hands!
These Jews knew that
they would have no protection in Jerusalem because even the walls had
been destroyed. Not many of them realized that God was already taking
care of that problem.
God had sent
Nehemiah to solve this issue.
God had sent
Zerubbabel to build a new Temple.
Isa 26:1 In that
day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong
city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
Isa 26:2 Open ye
the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may
enter in.
To the believer we
must always remember, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is our wall of
protection.
God promises our
safety!
*****Isa 49:17 Thy
children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee
waste shall go forth of thee.
Isa 49:18 Lift up
thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves
together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt
surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them
on thee, as a bride doeth.
God made a guarantee
to these exiles. The descendants, still in captivity would return to
Jerusalem and their return would be spectacular! Their destroyers and
those who would stop the rebuilding process would leave them alone.
It is because those
who have faith in the promises of God, are the jewels in God's
coffers.
Mal_3:17 And they
shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my
jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that
serveth him.
But what about the
Church the bride of Christ?
Isa_61:10 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.
2Co 11:2 For I am
jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
God looks at the
true Jew and the true Christian to be as one!
And now Isaiah
returns to the things of the future Millennial Kingdom.
*****Isa 49:19 For
thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction,
shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they
that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
The truth is, after
Jerusalem was rebuilt it was never at any time over populated. When
Gentiles were converted to Christianity, they did not seek to make
Jerusalem their home.
After Christ Jesus
ascended into Heaven there was a vast growth of the Church that would
spread far beyond the limits of Palestine and during the Millennial
Kingdom, God's people will habitat the entire earth with an explosion
of the population.
At this time, the
sinners will have perished!
Psa 10:16 The LORD
is King for ever and ever: "the heathen are perished out of his
land".
Then God teaches of
children.
*****Isa 49:20 The
children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall
say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place
to me that I may dwell.
We know the Church
was called out before the Tribulation period but once the Jews have
returned to Mount Zion after the Tribulation period they will see
other Gentiles who have made it through the Tribulation period by
converting to Christianity.
It was the "Rapture"
of the Church that had caused these Jews to become jealous of Jehovah
God.
Rom_11:11 I say
then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but
rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to
provoke them to jealousy.
These Jews had
realized that the promises made to David were being fulfilled but
they had not realized that the Gentiles would be a part of that also.
Joe_2:32 And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD
shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be
deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD
shall call.
God has always been
a "whosoever" God and that will not change, even when God
is fulfilling His promises to the Jews.
At that time, it is
a fact that Jerusalem will not be able to hold all the people seeking
residence in that place.
Then these Jews will
say, "Who hath begotten me these".
*****Isa 49:21 Then
shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I
have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to
and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone;
these, where had they been?
Isa 49:22 Thus
saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles,
and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons
in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their
shoulders.
And Zion speaks
again:
If we understand the
Church as the "Mother", The Bride of Christ, it is her
privilege to bring forth the children of the Lord Jesus Christ, "Her
Husband".
It is the Church who
carried the message of the Lord after the failure of Israel.
Joh 1:11 He came
unto his own, and his own received him not.
Joh 1:12 But as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.
The Lord will
fulfill the promises made to the Jews but in the end this remnant of
the Jew will be joined by those Gentiles saved during that same
period.
There will be great
increase to the Church and Zion will be bewildered at finding herself
once more filled with children. We should remember Zion was left
desolate by the destruction in 70 A D by Titus of Rome.
Lam_1:4 The ways of
Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates
are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is
in bitterness.
The Jewish exile was
the time of Zion's barreness!
Even the children of
Israelites that had grown up in foreign lands were not even
considered her children!
It remains a fact
that many Jews will not be able to return to Zion without the help of
some Gentile Christians!
Isa 60:3 And the
Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising.
Isa 60:4 Lift up
thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together,
they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters
shall be nursed at thy side.
Isa 60:5 Then thou
shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be
enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto
thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Isa 60:6 The
multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and
Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and
incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
Isa 60:7 All the
flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of
Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance
on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Isa 60:8 Who are
these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Isa 60:9 Surely the
isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring
thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the
name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he
hath glorified thee.
Isa 60:10 And the
sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall
minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour
have I had mercy on thee.
Isa 60:11 Therefore
thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor
night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and
that their kings may be brought.
So, it is the
Gentiles who will have been the guardians of the children of Israel
but only because Jehovah God has caused this to happen!
It is then, that
these same Gentiles will kiss the ground where the Lord abides as
King of Kings, and Lord of Lord.
This shows their
willingness to serve the Lord and the Kingdom of the Lord, in
whatever task He will have for them.
Rom_10:11 For the
scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
There is no shame in
serving the Lord in whatever task He has for us and it should be that
way in the Church of today!
We must remain
patient and wait on the Lord.
Psa_37:34 Wait on
the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the
land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Psa_27:14 Wait on
the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.
*****Isa 49:24
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive
delivered?
In this time of
Isaiah, Babylon was so powerful that the Jews could not believe the
prophecy of Jeremiah and this was a great burden upon them!
The truth is, we
must always find comfort in the Word of God! That can only happen
when we accept every Word to be the truth when we rightly divide the
Word of God.
Today the Jews have
wondered for many years if they would ever be released from this
world who tries its best to keep them in bondage.
The truth is, if
they would accept the Word of God as the complete truth, they could
take comfort knowing that the Lord will fulfill every promise He has
ever made to them!
Even today the
Church does not wonder so much about being released from bondage, the
Lord Jesus has already taken care of this but the Church still
wonders when the Lord will return and take us out of this evil world.
The truth is, if the
Church would accept the complete Word of God as the truth, the Church
also could find comfort in the Word of God.
1Th_1:10 And to
wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even
Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Notice this
Scripture does not say will deliver it says, "has delivered".
In the mind of God, this is something that He will not forget, the
Church will not see the "wrath of God".
The one thing we do
not know is, the exact time when these things will take place but we
should understand the "Rapture" could take place at any
time.
1Th 4:17 Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore
comfort one another with these words.
When we find comfort
in the Word of God, then we can be patient and the Lord says while we
are being patient, then it is best to be busy and go about the "Work"
that the Lord has placed in our hands to do.
If the Jews would
find comfort in the entire Word of God and quit listening to Rabbis
who search for every excuse to ignore the truth of the Gospel, they
also could find comfort.
They would not have
to worry about those who are mighty today, trying to cause them harm!
What does the Lord
say?
*****Isa 49:25 But
thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken
away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will
contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy
children.
Isa 49:26 And I
will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall
be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh
shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the
mighty One of Jacob.
What does God say?
God says no one is mightier than He is!
If any man on this
earth, including Satan refuses to turn God's people loose, then God
will simply take them away and leave behind heavy damage or complete
destruction!
Isa 54:17 No weapon
that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that
shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the
heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of
me, saith the LORD.
It would be easy to
say, that Isaiah could not know of the weapons in existence today and
that is true but the One who gave him these words for us, knows about
all the weapons of mankind and also the feeble weapons of Satan.
No weapon can
overcome the love of God!
Our God has a love
that simply will not let us go!
God simply says, "I
Will Save My Children"
Is He talking about
the Jews, yes, He is talking about the converted Jews, then and now.
But that is not all!
Gal_3:26 For ye are
all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
At no time is God
talking about any other children beyond those of "faith"
and that "Faith" in the Living God!
Heb_12:22 But ye
are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
How terrible will it
be when the Lord returns to set His people free.
The Lord says He
will feed them with their own flesh.
They will be drunken
with their own blood.
Every human being of
that day will come to know the Lord, some in a good way but many in a
bad way. All the world will be believers!
There will be no one
who is not a believer but it will be too late for those who have
rejected Him at that time!
What do we know as
the children of the Living God?
He is our Lord.
He is our Savior.
He is our Redeemer.
He is the Mighty One
of Jacob.
That kinda says it
all!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
