Sheep Looking for the Good Shepherd

God's Sheep Find Their Shepherd

Ezekiel Chapter 34

Today we will begin this quarter in the Old Testament, and we will see that God was the same in all His "judgments" as He is today and the answer to every question is still our "Perfect Shepherd" the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must remember, all the Old Testament teaches us about the character of our Heavenly Father.

How He expects us to live a holy life.

How He will chastise us when we go against His Word.

How He will judge those who reject Him.

How He will be a Shepherd to those who love Him.

In the world of animals, sheep may be the dumbest of all animals.

This is evident as a trait of our own human character! I realize main will object to this statement, but the truth is never well accepted by all!

What is the truth? If you have a flock of sheep, then there is a great need of a shepherd!

In our lesson today we will meet a nameless shepherd who would eat from his flock. He would kill them for meat and clothing. He would take from them their milk for nourishment and the products that come from the milk, and he felt that this was the only reason for having this flock.

What do we find? We find that this shepherd would not feed his flock. He would not lead his flock to drinkable water. He would not fight off the predators. He saw his sheep only as merchandise.

What would these sheep do? They would go in search for food and drink, they would be scattered. Their strength would soon fade. The stronger sheep would push away the weaker sheep until those weaker sheep would become weaker and diseased and become easy prey for their enemies and worthless or be of very little value.

This shepherd did not care for his sheep. He would just continue to take from this flock for his own personal needs, regardless of the needs of his flock.

Obviously, this flock of sheep would one day perish if no one would help them and so would this shepherd for he would run out of sheep to slaughter to meet his own needs.

We must learn from this lesson and carry our learning into the Church of today, and not forget we now serve the True Shepherd, the Good Shepherd.

Joh_10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

The Holy Spirit is using this word "shepherd" to represent not only "shepherds" but also "the religious leaders of Israel" and "the government of Israel" who knew they had been told by the Word of God to take care of God's people, but they had become so greedy they could only think of themselves and had forsaken the people of Judah and the nation of Judah would go into captivity and their lands destroyed. Even the Temple the House of God was destroyed.

This is a picture of things going on today as most governments are forsaking the people of God, in fact all people, while doing their very best to destroy the Church.

This makes no sense because Christians are normally the most productive and law abiding, people you will ever meet. They just will not go against the Word of God.

Today we see many false shepherds of the Church are doing their best to destroy the Church of the Living God from inside the Church.

*****Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Who is the Shepherd of these sheep? The Lord God says, "my sheep". All those who belong to the Lord are "His sheep" and He is their Shepherd!

Bad shepherds are selfish and do their best to exploit the sheep.

Our Good Shepherd loves His sheep and diligently cares for His sheep!

The nation of Israel had been destroyed. The House of God had been destroyed. Yet the True Shepherd keeps up with each of His sheep.

The True Shepherd of Israel knows exactly where every true Jew is today and there are no lost tribes and there are no lost sheep of Israel.

It is the same for each Christian, God knows exactly where all His children are and what is going on in their lives!

Notice Jehovah says "I will" search for and seek out my sheep.

Jehovah likes to get up close and personal with all His children!

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Isa 40:11 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.

Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Isa 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

Isa 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

You know when the Lord says, "I will" then you had better believe "He will"!

He will deliver His people!

*****Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

What does the "Good Shepherd" do? He will seek out and find all His flock!

Again this Good Shepherd is Jehovah, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

He will return His people to the promised land!

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

He will feed His flock!

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He will lead His flock to good pastures!

We should understand that if we "rightly divide" the Scriptures, we will see that God wrote somethings to the Nation of Israel that will not involve the Church, and all these things will occur according to God's timeline.

After the Church is removed and the Lord focuses on fulfilling His promises to Israel, we will be with Him wherever He goes, and He will rule Israel from the city of Jerusalem, and we will be with Him.

Also "rightly dividing" the Bible there are some things that will happen to non-believers and these things will be fulfilled also!

Remember all those who reject the Word of God are already "judged"!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death"; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This death being eternally separated from our loving God, in a place of eternal torment!

The Lord knows His sheep and His sheep know Him!

God will deliver His people.

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

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

There are no lost tribes of Israel in fact God knows each of the Israelites and where they are located today!

*****Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

Lost sheep that are scattered, will feed off whatever they can find, and it is not always good for them.

They haven’t been cared for and they become ragged.

They end up around other people who do not care for them and certainly do not love them.

They become lost sheep in a lost world!

Listen to the promises of Jehovah God.

God will gather them away from those lost people of the world who only care for themselves in most case by robbing the poor.

God will gather them away from those people who live by false hopes in countries where there is no hope of the truth.

God will gather them into their own land and feed them in a land of pleasant pastures.

God will gather them into a land where they can be loved and cared for.

Over and over again we see that God will get up close and personal with these lost sheep. Why?

Because Jehovah is the true Shepherd of Israel. He is also the true Shepherd of all those who are lost!

Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

We cannot read this passage of Scripture without seeing the love, the passion, the pity, the caring, of Jehovah God, Yahweh, for His people.

We cannot read this passage without thinking about what God has said about His people.

Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Deu 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Deu 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

God said I will take you home!

*****Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Eze 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

If we count, we will see God use the "I" 15 times in this passage. He uses the word "my and myself" 3 times.

There is nothing on this earth God will not do for those people who obey His commandments!

We know that God never changes because these things are the basis of the love our Savior has for the Church.

Joh_10:30 I and my Father are one.

Joh_14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Our God does not have two messages but only one!

We will be fed in a good pasture.

That good pasture is upon the high mountains of the promised land.

This is where the fold of God will be and there is no mountain higher than Heaven.

This is the place of "rest" is only for the believer!

Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

There cannot be many shepherds, there can only be One Shepherd!

*****Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

Eze 34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

King David had been dead 400 years when Ezekiel penned these words by the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel is a prophet of God and in this Scripture, he prophesies of the Messiah.

This Shepherd/King who will feed them and be the true Shepherd that will come from the line of King David!

David was a shepherd who minded the sheep of his father Jesse.

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

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 55:3 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.

Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Jer 30:9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

Hos 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

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

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Again we see the object of Jehovah, is to get up close and personal with His sheep and be the Good Shepherd and even more than this, a Righteous King.

We know that this has not taken place yet, so this prophesy will come together after the Church has been called to be with the Lord.

God's promises will be fulfilled one by one, but we can see that God's timing will come quickly once the Church has been taken out of this world.

What will King Jesus do?

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

Eze 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

When King Jesus sits on the throne from the city of Jerusalem, He will rule this world! The Scriptures say for 1000 years. This promise He made to the people of Israel.

There will be peace:

1) The animal world will finally be at peace as in the first days of Adam and Eve.

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

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

2) The human world will finally see peace when King Jesus sits on His throne.

Col_2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

3) The lands of all the world will finally be at peace.

*****Eze 34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

Eze 34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

This will be a time when all foods will be grown without fertilizers and poisons, without even organic fertilizers and pest controls!

Farmers will not have to go to Monsanto to buy seed. The plants will produce their own perfect seed.

What precious promises the Lord makes and rest assured, our Lord never breaks a promise!

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

Amo 9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

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

In America, I can remember when we did not have to lock our doors and most of the population still feel that we are safe in our homes.

In reality we are just not as safe as we use to be!

Weapons are in the minds of most all Americans. Some in a good way and some in a bad way. You want to stop the rise of gun purchases, make us feel safe in our homes again? Quit providing for the needs of the crooks, robbers, and murderers and provide for the victims!

Today the people of Israel never know when the sirens will blare telling them that a rocket is headed their way.

Where that greatest part of their national budget must be spent on the defense of their nation.

Where everyone born must spend some time in the military, so a defense force is always ready.

These people simply do not know what peace is all about, but one day in the future, the City of Jerusalem will become the City of Peace and the enemies of Israel will all be destroyed!

They will dwell safely in that land, because they will have chosen to serve the Lord.

Luk 1:73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

Luk 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

Luk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

God will remember His promise!

Luk 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

Luk 1:70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

Luk 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

Isa 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;

Isa 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Isa 44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

There is coming a day when the children of Israel will have no fear of any nation!

This day has not come yet, but is still in the future and I would hope that all of that nation feel security in the Word of God.

*****Eze 34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.

Eze 34:30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.

Eze 34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

That plant of renown is none other than, the "stem of Jesse", the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Messiah.

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

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

All these prophesies meant much in the past of Israel, but their true fulfillment is still in the future at the return of Christ Jesus.

And the Lord picks up where He began, because we are all still sheep in need of a Shepherd!

Our Divine Shepherd is Adonai, His name is Jehovah the one true God!

Today if you want to be in the flock of the true God you must realize that you are a sheep in need of the true Shepherd!

If you have not found your Shepherd, I will tell you that He is seeking for you today.

Call out for Him and He will find you!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Peace Like a River

Peace Like a River

Book of Isaiah Chapter 66

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is a fact that the Lord Jesus will sit on the throne of David and rule this world for 1000 years. Would that throne be inside the rebuilt Temple?

The throne of the Jewish kings has never been inside the Temple!

In fact, what did God say?

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

When would this take place?

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

That day will be the day the Lord returns!

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

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

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

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

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

Peace like a river!

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

Act 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Act 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

What is the truth of our God?

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

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

God lives and dwells in the heart of the "believer" so Heaven is then the place where God shows His "Majesty'!

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

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

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

None of these things can be built by man!

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

We do not know the length of the Church Age but it is obvious that it is coming to an end.

We know there will be 7 years of Tribulation.

We know there will be 1000 years of King Jesus on this earth.

Then eternity will be a place of no time (time as we know it will end)!

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

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isa 57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

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

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

The evidences of a contrite spirit are:

1) Deep conviction of the evil of sin.

2) Humiliation for partaking in sin.

3) Sorrow for having sinned.

4) True confession of our sin.

5) Prayer for the deliverance of sin.

6) Being Born Again.

The answer is the Lord Jesus Christ

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

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

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This to, is the way of our world today!

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

*****Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Isa 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

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

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

God has said this repeatedly!

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

Many Christians were cast out of the Temple and the Synagogues.

Many Christians were cast out of their nation.

Many Christians were cast out of Rome.

Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

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

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

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

This is the world we live in today.

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

What does God say?

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

Why?

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

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

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

2) God says to listen to the twisted words that tickle the ears coming from the pulpits.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

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

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

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

What else does God say?

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Isa 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Isa 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

Facts:

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

Ezr 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

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

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

Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

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

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

King Jesus will sit upon the throne of King David!

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

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

Isa 66:11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Psa 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

Psa 137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

Psa 137:6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

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

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

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

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

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

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

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

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

Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

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

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

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

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

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Isa 66:14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

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

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

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

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

We will all find true comfort in the New Jerusalem!

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

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

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

1Jn_4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jn_4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

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

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

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

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

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

*****Isa 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Isa 66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sadly, the slain of the Lord will be many!

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

*****Isa 66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.

Isa 66:18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note: These are some of the same animals that have been made gods by apostate peoples.

Note: The Philistine, which are called Palestinian today, worshiped rodents.

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

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

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

Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

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

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

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

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

Isa 66:21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The truth:

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

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

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

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

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

How can we best describe eternity?

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

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

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

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

Isaiah says every day in the month will be the same.

Isaiah says every day in the week will be the same.

Eternity is then a never-ending day, a day that has no end!

To the Jew life will become a perpetual Sabbath!

To the Church life will become a perpetual "Lord's Day"!

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

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

Jesus Christ did not condemn worship on the mountains if it was directed at Jehovah.

Jesus Christ did not condemn worship in Jerusalem if it was directed at Jehovah.

Jesus Christ said that all who worship the true God of this cosmos must rise above these limitations.

In Heaven, all limitations of worship will disappear!

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

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

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

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

This will be the place of all those who are apostates!

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

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

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

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

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

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

Those who reject the truth of God will "die twice"!

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

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

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

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

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

1) God had given us all we needed for this great prophet of God.

2) Isaiah was murdered for preaching all these words and especially these in the end!

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

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

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

Let's Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and that "peace like a river"!

Amen