God Will Judge His People

God Judges His People

Book of Isaiah 2

The world does not know what lies in the future but we can be sure if someone knew what the future held for them, they would change things before that time arrived.

The truth is, all people can know what lies in the future but the greatest future for any human being is rejected by most of the world.

The Lord gave Isaiah a glimpse of what lies in not only the future, "near and far" for Israel, but also a glimpse of the future of all human beings.

What is the truth?

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.

Most of this world rejects this truth but the truth is always the truth and cannot be changed!

Why is Israel hated so much?

Because the Bible states emphatically that all nations and all people shall yet acknowledge the God of Israel!

We can also be sure that God will always preserve Jerusalem. Why do the Moslem have such a great desire to keep Jerusalem because they believe part of the Word of God and the Word of God says that Jerusalem will be the capitol city of this world one day in our future. They just think they can hold onto Jerusalem by force or deceit which will certainly fail and it will be they who will rule the world. They simply think it is man-made power that controls this world which is simply nor true. There is a supernatural force in control of His own creation!

There is only one way to be a citizen of the true Jerusalem and the Word of God explains it very well and without confusion.

Let's Begin:

*****Isa 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

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.

In chapter 1 we saw a vision given to Isaiah by the Lord and now in chapter 2 we see another vision, and though it may overlap with the first one it is still a new vision.

We have a tendency to use the phrase "the word of prophecy says" but we need to understand these are actually decrees that come from the mouth of God! A decree is God's unchangeable Words that are always true!

Psa 33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

When the Word of God says "it shall come to pass" when we can depend on that thing being the truth and one day will certainly come to pass!

The Temple existed in the time of Isaiah so he was not talking about that Temple. Isaiah is looking far beyond what will happen to the Jews in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, far beyond the rebuilt Temple, and far beyond the first coming of the Messiah.

The nations that are set in place after the 7 year tribulation period are already in place at the time of this vision!

All those nations of this day are calling on the Lord and what do the people say? "Come ye, let's go to the mountain of the Lord". They still have that freedom to choose and they will encourage one another and they know that King Jesus is already there.

By this time, Israel again is the lead nation of this world.

What are three events we know of, according to the Word of God that lie in the future?

1) There will be 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.

2) There will be the future Kingdom of God on this earth and a new Temple.

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

3) There will be the restoration of Israel as the dominant nation of this world.

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:

God says it and that settles it!

There will be only one rule of government and the world will finally know peace but after every war there are people that need to be fed and their fears removed.

*****Isa 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

That word "judge" in verse 4 means the government of God will be in place.

A "Theocracy" is when this entire world will be under the direct government of God Himself!

There will be no councilor, there will be no three branches of government, there will be no Constitution and there will be no Bill of Rights, there will only be the Word of God, which by the way, we have a complete copy of already!

God will order "all" the affairs of this world and He will do so "judicially". God has never judged for destruction because He will only judge for correction! He will rebuke many people!

The world will have already witnessed the wrath of God!

The world will melt down all the weapons of war to be used to prepare the soil for food and much food will be needed.

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.

Eze 36:35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

Isaiah was so excited about this vision, he not only said this to Judah but he spoke to all the tribes of Jacob.

*****Isa 2:5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Isaiah said to his people, since we can know all these things, then why not repent and return to the Lord "now".

The worldly ways of Israel would bring only destruction. As Judah followed in those same tracts of Israel, they would see that the ways of the world would only lead to destruction. It is only those that walk in the light of the Lord, who would see the things that God has reserved for His people!

This invitation to come to the Lord is still in place, at this time but there will be a time when God will say no to those that already been offered that chance to come.

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Those that have rejected the Word of God will certainly see the "Day of the Lord"!

*****Isa 2:6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

The most terrible statement in the Word of God is those words "thou hast forsaken thy people"!

The truth is, God will never forsake those that love Him, but in truth God will forsake all those that reject Him and God gives all of us His reasoning. "God forsakes all those that forsake Him"!

That word "therefore" means to look and understand the previous Scriptures.

God not only has total control of the life we have now, God has total control of life after the death of this life.

There will be a day that God will "judge" this world, "the day of the Lord" and in fact this is not even a time period but just as the Scripture says "a day". God does not need a great deal of time to defeat His enemies, it will only take a small part of "one day"!

God does not ever do these things for a lack of love!

The lost world and many false Christians keep saying that a Loving God would never do such a thing. God will simply remove all those who have rejected Him and His Words. It's just a matter of doing what He says He will do! God does not ever threaten but God will certainly "Warn"!

When this world becomes your god then you have rejected the truth of God!

Exo_20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Jer_25:6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

The Jews of this day of Isaiah had turned to the East for the things they needed. They had turned to the land of Mesopotamia, the land of Nebuchadnezzar. They had turned to the world and walked away from their Redeemer!

In this Scripture a "soothsayer" is one who practices magic, a diviner, a sorcerer. These Jews had turned to the occult to get the answers of the future, ignoring the Word of Truth, the Word of God and His prophets of the truth of God.

We can see that the Philistines, the Palestinians of today, also practiced these same practices of the occult and still do today!

We also see that they had allowed the children of immigrants from other countries to bring in their false worship to influence the people of God and we see this happening today in our own nation.

When God forsakes as a Father and a Friend, He then becomes the "Judge"! God will always "Judge" by His written Word!

Lev 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

Lev 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Lev 20:8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

We are fools to think that the Lord will ever change His ways!

*****Isa 2:7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:

Isa 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

Isa 2:9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

What is the sequence of idolatry?

1) Money in abundance, the love of money is the root of all evil.

2) Money buys horses, the horse stands for power, and the lust for power is truly an evil thing.

3) Horses require chariots. Power requires violence, ambition, more money and authority.

4) Then those under that authority need something to occupy their minds "spiritual adultery". Places of worship where there are religious rites and ceremonies. Nothing suits the world better than an idol that can be placed on a shelf and called upon only when needed and not expecting an answer and that requires no obligations. They worship the work of their own hands as this world does today!

An idol requires a degrading of human dignity!

When we can bow down to our own creations we have made our own life meaningless!

We have also made God's creation an accident!

At this point, God simply cannot forgive them and they will drink the wine of "Divine Wrath"!

What is the truth?

Psa 10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

We sometimes forget that we live in God's Creation and we are to abide by God's rules!

God will certainly "Judge" this bad behavior!

*****Isa 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

Isa 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isa 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

To be honest, when the Lord returns, what else will those that have rejected Him be able to do but try to escape or hide.

All those who have been so arrogant to defy the Lord, will not want to face the truth of the Lord.

All those who have been so full of self-pride in their own accomplishments, will see that they have accomplished nothing.

All those who have denied and rebelled against the Lord all their days, will finally see that Jesus Christ is truly the Lord of all His creation.

It is the Lord alone who will be exalted in the "Day of the Lord"!

When the Lord returns, He will settle up with all those who have rejected Him in a small part of one day, thus the "Day of the Lord".

To the Jew any part of a day was considered a full day.

It can also be said that from the time period extending from the "Rapture" of the church, through the 7 year Tribulation period, the return of Christ and on through the Millennial reign of Christ Jesus, can be considered the "Day of the Lord" to Israel, and then on through the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth when all God's people will become One "Bride of Christ".

Book of Joel 2:18-3:21.

Zechariah 1:7-3:10.

During the Millennial reign of Christ, Israel will be the light to all nations which was God's original intent, when He called Abraham out of Ur.

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.

Then the Lord Jesus Christ will be the Divine Ruler of this world.

Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Zec 9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

In that day, Holiness will be the rule on this earth!

Zec 14:20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

Zec 14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

We must always remember, those that reject the Lord cannot pray, if they do that pray will be rejected.

Thoe truth is those the reject the Lord, do not have the strength to overcome sin so they relish in it!

The truth of the "Gospel" will always seem weak to those that deny the "Gospel"!

To these people, the "Day of the Lord" will be like a world-wide crisis and all they can see is the end of mankind, when in truth it will be the beginning of what God has promised to those who love Him.

Then Isaiah, by the Holy Spirit describes some of these things.

*****Isa 2:13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,

Isa 2:14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,

Isa 2:15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,

Isa 2:16 And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

Isa 2:17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

The truth is, when mankind will not repent then mankind must suffer!

The truth is, all those who do not come to Christ in the time before the "Day of the Lord" will certainly flee from the doom of their own destruction on this day!

In truth, all God's created universe all mankind, all of nature, and everything in the heavens will be humbled at the site of the Lord!

Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Isa 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

Act 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

Those on the earth on this day will realize the end of their beliefs has come!

Those on the earth will cast away all their false gods who can do them no good!

*****Isa 2:18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

According to, the Hebrew word "Elyil" which is translated "idol", this means "nothingness".

"Nothingness" means things that do not exist!

All those people who worship anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ will see that God will abolish those things! To abolish means to destroy!

A special feature of God's "judgment" will be the eradication of idolatry everywhere! Amen

This will also include the images of saints worshipped by certain groups.

1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, "we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one".

The truth is, there is nothing of this world that can represent the invisible God of Almighty Power!

Once this is realized by those who have rejected the true God, they will have nothing but fear to turn too!

*****Isa 2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

Isa 2:20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

Isa 2:21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

Untold monies have been spent to protect the leaders of many nations from catastrophes but none can be protected from the wrath of God!

We must realize there is simply no means of escape from the "judgment" of God!

All those who have refused to repent will certainly suffer at the hand of God!

Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

There are simply no way for mankind to prepare for things that have not ever been seen!

*****Isa 2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

As Christians, we must not participate in the wicked behavior of this world!

Who are the truly insane in this world? It is not those whose minds that have never developed!

It is those who trust in the humanistic, materialistic philosophies of this world and reject the truth of God!

Man, is not the supreme being in this universe and there are no such things as aliens from foreign planets!

As humans, we only possess the breath of life that God has given us and He can take that away at any moment!

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

This truth still remains, the only sin that can never be forgiven is the sin of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ.

The truth of mankind is, that we are sinful, ignorant, lack the strength to do good, independent, rebellious and inclined to do evil, and this is just our nature!

God has provided the only means of escape from this life or what we call life, when most people still live in the misery of the unknown.

There is nothing in this world that is everlasting and worthy of our trust beyond the Word of God which gives us the truth of life!

1) As humans, we must cease from expecting perfection to come from this world.

2) As Christians, we must cease from expecting great things in this world.

3) As Christians, we must cease from expecting too much from fellow Christians, they to will sometimes fail us.

4) Therefore, we must not make fellow Christians our model or measuring faith by their faithfulness.

5) In reality, we must cease in expecting too much from Christian friendship, even Christ was forsaken by His own disciples.

6) Therefore, the only One to whom we can totally depend on is our Savior, our Redeemer, who knows us better than we know ourselves!

I have recovered from cancer, by the hand of God, so only in that sense am I better than those "who have not yet" recovered from cancer.

It is the same for the Christian! As Christians, we have recovered from our sinful lives by the Lord Jesus Christ and only in that sense "are we any better than those that remain", who refuse to repent of their evil ways and call on the Lord for salvation.

Charles Spurgeon wrote "Man is made up of soul and soil, and the soil terribly soils the soul".

Our flesh is simply so weak that if you cut off our air supply we will be dead in just a few moments no matter how strong we are physically!

We are simply fools to trust in what man can accomplish and ignore our Creator!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

God Gave Isaiah A Vision

The Vision God Gave to Isaiah

Book of Isaiah Chapter 1

Everything we know about Isaiah, we will find in this book of prophecy that he says he wrote and of course under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2Ti 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God", and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Book of Isaiah is just as important as any book of the New Testament. Other than the Book of Psalms, the Book of Isaiah is the most quoted book in the New Testament.

Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God in the year that Uzziah died. This would have been about 754 BC. We may call it a coincidence but this would also have been the time that Rome was founded.

It seems that it was in "visions and dreams" that were greatest methods God used to make revelations to His Prophets.

Job 4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

Job 4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

In the days of the Bible, a person’s name had a real meaning and with a name like "Isaiah", which means, (salvation is from the Lord) how could this man not be a Prophet, even his name was prophecy.

Isaiah's prophecies and sermons centered on the holiness of God and God's desire to save all mankind!

Like every other Prophet, Isaiah warned us all, of the coming wrath of God but Isaiah teaches us more about the comfort of God than the wrath of God.

God is certainly a loving God or none of us would exist today but God would not be God if He allowed non-believers to go unpunished! God must do just as He says or we could not believe any part of the Scriptures. God says He will punish all those who reject Him, in fact God says He will destroy them!

All in all, the message of Isaiah is "salvation can only come by the Lord". Isaiah wrote:

Isa 35:8 "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness"; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; "but the redeemed shall walk there":
Isa 35:10 "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return", and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

And in Matthew:

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life "a ransom" for many.

And in John:

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.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of Man, can rescue any of us from our eternal deadly situation!

And Isaiah again:

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; "he also is become my salvation".

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
**Isa 12:4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Let's Begin:

*****Isa 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah was a great prophet of God but we already know that every prophet of God had the same importance in their message.

That word "vision" means that, Isaiah saw something that he understood as the truth and the truth of some future event. Isaiah had no doubt that his prophecies would come to be true, each and every one of them because he knew they came from God!

We should understand that this "vision" was a sign of God revealing Himself to all mankind.

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost".

Isaiah could clearly see the future!

Isaiah had a father named Amoz but this was not the prophet Amos or anyone else named Amos.

In many cases these "prophets" of God were also called "seers" because they would predict the future.

SO, What did Isaiah see?

*****Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

The truth is, it seems that the only part of God's creation that refuses to hear when God speaks "are the humans"!

Our man-made privileges nor our man-made blessings can save us from being eternally separated from God, all man-made things will soon become a curse.

"God cannot give us what we refuse to receive"! A gift must be received to be of any value!

The Nation of Israel had been rebellous from the time of Moses.

Deu_9:24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.

In the days of Isaiah, these Jews worshipped the Sun and the Moon. They worshipped Baal upon the high places and the "groves". Some had cast their children into the arms of Moloch and then after these things, they would still turn to worship God in the Temple making untold burnt offerings and animal sacrifices.

When God should have rejected them, God still loved them and sent His Word by His prophets, to warn them and then to guide them into reality.

We could say that what the Book of Romans is to the Christian, what the Book of Isaiah is to the Jews.

God will always extend a Father to son or a Father to daughter relationship to mankind and there will never be any grandchildren in the family of God, they are all God's children!

Eph_4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

God had chosen the Israelites to be His special witnesses of the Word of God upon this earth, to proclaim the coming of the Lord and to make application of the Word of God to their lives. To be an example to the world.

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

What is open rebellion? Rebellion is the open resistance to the Authority and the Government of God! We owe our allegiance to our Creator.

This is the very reason that the creation truth in the Book of Genesis remains under attack!

If we reject a Creator, then we are not rebelling against His truths.

The truth is, even an ox or a donkey realize they have a master and God says these Jews showed that they were not as wise as some dumb animals. We can still say this today about those of our own nation.

They had not only corrupted themselves but they had set out to corrupt their whole nation.

We can see that some things will never change! The wicked are never satisfied until they have caused everyone else to be as wicked as they are!

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

In truth, these people had forsaken the Almighty God, the Holy One of Israel!

Our God is "holy" and He expects us all to be holy! This is not some suggestion but a command!

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And God asks how can we walk together unless we think the same way?

Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

We cannot walk with God and be walking in the ways of the world!

And God simply ask, "are you not tired of chastisement"? It seems some people just love misery to much to give it up!

*****Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

The truth is, many had been chastised so much that there was not a place on their flesh for any new marks.

Psa 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones "because of my sin".

We may sometimes ask ourselves, why Lord, when we already know the answer!

Not everything that happens to us comes from our sin but we can be sure that un-repented sin will bring the chastisement of God. Until we realize these things, even chastisement will become a great burden to carry.

Psa 38:4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psa 38:5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

The whole head will be sick and the whole heart will faint!

Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Remember God is dealing with a nation and not the individual when He says from the soul of your feet to the head.

Sin will destroy any people and any nation!

To treat a wound in the day of Isaiah, the wound was first pressed to remove any foreign obstacles, then bandaged and softened with oil. Our example comes from the "good Samaritan".

Luk 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

The wounds of Israel had not been pressed or closed, had not been bound, and had not been mollified with ointment.

Israel was as an open sore to the world, because they were so foolish. Israel had begun to rot as an untreated sore and began to canker and whole limbs needed to be removed!

Sin is as the worst form of any Cancer!

Sin is noticeable in every nation. Let's just look at America, as Isaiah describes the Israel of his day.

*****Isa 1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

All we have to do is watch the news to see these same things occurring in our own nation today!

It is hard to imagine that these things are even promoted by certain ones in our own government.

Sin will ruin any nation!

We should understand Israel will always be very important to the Lord.

Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, "Israel is my son, even my firstborn":

All those in Israel that cling to Judaism are still God's children, only children who lack "Faith".

Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, "children in whom is no faith".

God still looks over Israel as a Father over His children.

Deu 32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? "is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee"?

So, what does God tell the rest of the world?

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We could say that this blessing took place the day Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

The fact remains that God hates sin!

It is true that God will judge sin but God still looks upon the sinner as one who can be saved from His judgment!

God hates the fact that Satan has caused such faults in His children, that requires His condemnation!

We should clearly understand when a nation starts falling apart because of sin, "and it is not in the power of that nation to stop what is happening". The only thing that can stop such destruction is to return to the Lord!

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God will eventually pull His hand of protection away from His rebellious children!

*****Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

In the New Testament "Zion" can refer to the Church. "Zion" can also refer the Holy City in the Book of the Revelation.

In this day of Isaiah, "Zion" referred to the capitol city of Israel, which was Jerusalem and will always be Jerusalem!

A cottage in a vineyard was no more than a temporary shed where the keeper or the watcher of the vineyard stayed day and night to protect the fruit until it was gathered.

At the end of the season the watcher would leave and this cottage and it would be taken down or the winter weather would cause it to fall.

God is saying that He would abandon Jerusalem and Jerusalem would become a very lonely place and subject to fall.

Similar, to this cottage, a lodge was a small temporary housing for the gardener and once the cucumbers were gathered the gardener would leave this lodge completely and this lodge would soon fall.

Again, God said He would abandon Jerusalem and Jerusalem would fall.

We know that God is "our Watcher" and God is "our Gardener" and when He abandons us because of sin, we will certainly fall!

And Isaiah said the truth is, if it were not for the few that remained faithful, Jerusalem would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.

What do we know about Sodom and Gomorrah?

Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Had there been at least 10 righteous people in Sodom, that city would still be standing today, unless God had removed them!

We can be sure that there was a small remnant in Jerusalem, at least 10 or more, who still remained faithful to the Lord and because of this Jerusalem was not destroyed.

All these things should remind is of the "Rapture of the Church" when all those "faithful" to the Lord will be physically removed from this Earth and there will not be even one righteous person left and it is then that this world will be like Sodom and Gomorrah and God will treat this world the same as He had those cities that no longer exist! In it will even worse for the world in that day.

Then Isaiah says to the rulers of Israel, who ruled like the King of Sodom and to the people of Israel, who lived like the people of Gomorrah, listen to what the Lord is saying to all those who live this way and still seek God's favor.

We should also understand that when the prophet is speaking, then there is still time to repent!

When God speaks Himself, it will be His last warning and there will be no time to repent!

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

It will just be too late to make meaningless sacrifices to God!

*****Isa 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Isa 1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Isa 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Isa 1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

God will only allow the rebellion of this world for so long! Those who call on the Lord and at the same time reject His Word, are in for a terrible surprise!

People who refuse to obey the Word of God, then live as they please and do their own thing, will be in for a shock when the Lord returns in the clouds and the church is removed and only they remain.

It was not matter what we think, it only matters what God says!!!!!

When we rebel against the Lord, we are contributing to the immorality, the lawlessness, and the violence in our societies and this is a fact!

These Israelites began to believe that their bond with Jehovah God was maintained by sacrifice and rituals and they could not have been more wrong.

We know that with the sacrifice of animals in that day, could stay the hand of God until the next year. In fact, the idea of sacrifice as a food source to the gods comes from pagan worship and these people had already rejected the truths of God.

So, what did God say? God said, all these things are beginning to make me sick.

This should remind us of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Laodicean Church Age.

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Jesus said this kind of worship made Him sick to His stomach!

We should understand that there is only one way to worship the Lord!

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, "when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth": for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him "must" worship him in spirit and in truth.

Some people have truth and no Spirit.

Some people have spirit but no truth.

God says we must have both!

God does not let us get by with a "maybe we will" type of worship!
God does not accept the rituals of man as even being worship!
God will only accept worship that is sincere!

We sometimes forget that when we go to worship the Lord, we are going before our Creator who is our God.

These people had combined immoral conduct with ritual worship, in their own man-made effort to please God and this will never work.

This is the way of the church today!

God will not accept the hypocrite!

How did God describe this worship?

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".

We cannot choose our own way to worship the Lord!

These people actually showed great zeal in doing these things, rather than zeal to obey God.

The sin of unbelief is the greatest sin of all and cannot be forgiven, but in reality the next greatest sin is when those who call on the Lord in ritualistic worship and then live immoral lives and think that this is pleasing to the Lord. This is worship that makes God sick!

If these things did not please God in the day of Isaiah, why would we think God is pleased with these things today?

God does not ever change His ways, His thoughts, His salvation plan, nor His judgment!

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

The world had made God powerless but God's patience is one thing that has a point of ending!

Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

When we worship, God says to raise "holy hands" but the hands that continue in sin can never be holy!

When we have unrepented sin in our hearts God will not hear our prayers!

When we make vain repetitions in our prayers, we are acting like heathen in the sight of God!

Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

We cannot just attend church regular.

We cannot just repeat some ritualistic prayer.
We cannot just offer up our personal sacrifices.
We must also worship in Spirit and in Truth!
We must repent of our evil and sinful life and to repent means "to turn away from such things and think in the ways of the Lord".

*****Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

There is only one way to wash, in order to please God!

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

No more blood needs to be shed, the Lord Jesus shed His own blood and there is plenty to go around.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

There is a price that had to be paid for our redemption. All those animal sacrifices and all other sacrifices could only prove that we cannot wash and clean ourselves.

Once cleansed, then we mus cease to do evil or that cleansing was meaningless.

What is it to repent?

1) There must be a true sense of guilt and sinfulness.

2) There must be a realization of God's "mercy".
3) There must be a hatred of sin.
4) There must be a complete change in direction, we must then walk in the ways of the Lord!

Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

God says let's talk about this, so we can be sure that God is willing to discuss salvation with anyone during this time of "Grace".

*****Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Isa 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

God simply says, "let's bring this dispute to an end". Your way simply will not work!

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

It is only by washing in the blood of Jesus that we can be washed as white as snow!

***We must first be willing! We must desire to be cleansed of our sin and this can take place only after we realize the truth of our sin!

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

***We must then be obedient to the Word of God! We must submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!

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.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

***If we are not willing and we refuse and rebel against the Lord, then we will certainly be rejected by the Lord!

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Where do we find all the things the Lord has said to us? Today we call this the Bible and in my case the KJV Bible is the truth I need.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

When we rebel against the Lord, we will find that life is really not that pleasant without being under the protecting hands of God!

*****Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Isa 1:22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
Isa 1:23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

When 10 of tribes of Israel had revolted to form the Northern Kingdom, Judah whose capitol was Jerusalem had remained "faithful". God had referred to Himself as the husband to this nation of Israel so in fact, even Jerusalem had become as a harlot who sold herself to many men and had become a treacherous wife.

Judah was no more righteous but was now unfaithful, becoming a place of murderers.

Dross is the scum, the impurities thrown out in the purification of precious metals and worthless. Judah had become the scum of the earth in the eyes of God.

Unrepentant sinners who claim to know God, are the scum of the earth!

Even Judah had become useless to God. We must remember it was the job of Israel to tell the world about Jehovah God and His plan of salvation.

They had taken the fresh new wine of the Word of God and blended it with the inventions of men and had lost the Spirit in which God had given it to them. Remember the Lord Jesus said this new wine, "this fresh squeezed grape juice", was in type His blood of the New Testament. Not some rotten or fermented juice

We cannot water down the Word of God and still call it the truth of God!

The government had rebelled and had even welcomed and encouraged false worship.

Anyone of with power to judge, could be bought with gifts.

They both sought rewards for the power they thought they had.

They were full of corruption at all levels!
They did not care for the orphans of society!
They did not care much for aged of society!
They did not care much for the truth of God at all!

All the causes of God had been rejected!

So, we do not have to imagine what God would do, He had already shown many times how He would react to rebellion!

That word "Therefore", means for these reasons.

*****Isa 1:24 "Therefore" saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:

Isa 1:25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
Isa 1:26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

When we see the word "therefore" we need to look back at the previous Scripture.

Those that rebel against the Word of God then become the enemies of God.

Those that rebel against the truth of God then become the adversaries of God.

It is foolish to believe that God has changed His ways today! Those that reject the Word of God then become the enemies of God and this will never change!

That word "ease" in this Scripture means to "avenge"! Today we might say "appease", which means to reduce to a state of peace.

Deu 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and "ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it".

Deu 28:64 And the LORD "shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other"; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

This is a Scripture that no one in this world can deny! Many of Israel are still scattered all around this world even though many of them are hearing that call to go home since May 14, 1948.

Verse 24 has taken place but the remaining Scriptures in this chapter are still in our future and still in the future of Israel.

This vision given to Isaiah that happened at least 700 years before the first coming of Christ, and is still in effect!

God will certainly punish sin!

Jerusalem will indeed be restored and one day this city of Jerusalem will be the capitol city of this entire world!

We should be certain that when God punishes sin, God's aim is to restore that individual but there will still come a time when it is too late to repent and God also says He will not "clear the guilty". (Verse 28) The guilty will never get a free ride!

God is never vindictive in His purpose!

God's purpose here is to restore Jerusalem much like it was in the days of Solomon.

*****Isa 1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Isa 1:28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

Just as God says here, Jerusalem will not be redeemed until the Second Coming of Christ to bring "judgment" on all those who are left after the "Rapture" of the Church.

And dont be fooled by those that say the the word "Rapture" is not in the Word of God. That particular word may not be there but the action of the "Rapture" appears more than once.

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.

That phrase "caught up" is the Greek word "harpazo" which means "to take by force", to pluck, to seize. In Latin the word "rapture" describes this action that God will take to remove His people.

In verse 28 that word "consumed" means that the sinners and the transgressors and the destruction they have caused will cease to exist!

What will happen after the "Rapture" of the Church to those that are left behind who have rejected God's offer of salvation?

*****Isa 1:29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

Isa 1:30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
Isa 1:31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

God gave these "visions" to His prophets to make a last appeal, a warning of the coming "Judgment" of God!

At this time, Israel had disowned their Father in Heaven.

They had refused to be the "Bride" to the righteous "Groom".

They had failed to fulfill the purpose that God had assigned to them.

God had given them exceptional privileges but they had chosen sin over those privileges and benefits.

Gardens that were once chosen for their beauty became an emblem of "nature worship". They had become a hedonistic society!

They worship sacred trees but those who remained close to the Lord were only seen as leaves that had fallen and faded in their eyes.

They had sacred wells but those that trusted in the Lord were seen only as dry wells.

After the Church is in Heaven they will fill ashamed of all these things but it will be to late!

Jer 8:3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

None of the gods that they have worshipped will be able to save them!

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

And they will be consumed!

We can see that when Isaiah had this vision, he spent the rest of his days trying to convince Israel to return to the Lord.

This is now our job, to try to convince this lost and evil world, to return to the ways of the Lord, who is so full of "Grace" at this time but He will show His wrath one day not in the too distant future.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

We All Have Doubts

Dealing with Our Doubts

Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 13

What is doubt? Doubt is that state of mind in which we hesitate to choose between two opposite conclusions. To doubt is to be "uncertain" of the truth.

There is only one truth, when it comes to eternal heavenly life!

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. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

When we ask "show me the way", Christ is the way!

When we ask "what is the truth", Christ is the truth!

When we ask "how can we know true life" Christ is that answer!

Men reveal God by their words, Jesus Christ revealed God by the things that He accomplished and by the facts of His life!

Jesus Christ is the truth, that in His life, we can find the foundations of all truth, morally and spiritually!

Jesus is the only way because He is life. Dead men cannot walk that rode to life. The tomb of the Lord is still empty!

Another truth is, death is "certain".

And still another truth is there will be "Judgment".

In this lesson we will see the Apostle Paul warn this church at Corinth of the chastisement which he is determined to inflict on all offenders of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ", who have not repented of those things.

The truth is everyone on the face of this earth can be prepared for "judgment" because "we can" be saved, "we can know" that we are saved, and "we can judge ourselves" to see if we are living proof of that salvation!

Watch as Paul first gives a minister's warning, then a minister's prayer, then a minister's challenge, and last a minister's blessing. All these by the authority given to him by Jesus Christ.

As every good missionary does, Paul would one day have to make a report of all that he had done on the mission field and especially in such instances as what occurred at this church in Corinth, it would be best to have witnesses.

What did Jesus say?

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 

Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 

Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 

So let's learn from these Holy Ghost inspired words of the Apostle Paul.

*****2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

The truth is, Paul had received letters, Paul had heard rumors, Paul had sent his own witnesses and now Paul intended to complete a full investigation of the condition of this Corinthian Church, himself.

Paul would assume nothing. Paul would take nothing for granted, but Paul would follow the principles of the Word of God, which at that time was the Old Testament.

Deu 19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. 

We may wonder sometimes how God can judge us righteously and be just one person but we forget that we have One God but He is in three persons. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit therefore God can surely judge us righteously.

1Jn 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 

We should be clear, three times during the life of Jesus was His Father's voice heard from Heaven confirming the ministry of His dear Son!

Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 17:5; John 12: 28-30

In fact, we will find that those who reject the Word of God in this time of God's "Grace" will be judged more harshly than at any other time in our history.

Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

The truth is, God will accept no man's judgment of His children so God keeps His own books on each of us, so He can see for Himself but thank goodness He does allow for a "Mediator". As the song says "A Young Jewish Lawyer"

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

Paul explains that his discipline would go far beyond normal church discipline but those who had been true to the Lord had no need to fear, just those who were false Christians.

*****2Co 13:2  I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 

Paul has warned these false Christians before in this epistle and he warns them again now, because Paul is certain that they remained in this church causing problems.

There are some of Satan's people in every church!

God warns and warns, but God also says when He comes He will come as a thief and a thief does not warn you of the day he is coming!

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 

And to those that insisted that Paul was too loving to act in firmness (all the rest) Paul says he would not spare.

This is also the message of the Lord. Those that repent will not see the wrath of God but those that do not accept that a loving God can also show His wrath, will be fooled!

Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 

Eph 5:7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 

We can see that there is nothing confusing in the Word of God!

Paul insisted that he would exercise his spiritual authority and that he would certainly discipline "all" offenders!

The sins of Corinth must not be allowed to continue in any church!

The church cannot live in sin because the church can only survive if it lives by the power of God!

It is also obvious that God expects His church to take a stand on the Word of God because we do not stand alone, the Lord always stands with us!

These at Corinth would certainly see that there was nothing confusing about what Paul was saying!

*****2Co 13:3  Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 

2Co 13:4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

We should understand, the day after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, there were still some who demanded that Jesus show them proof of His power over life and death.

You cannot show a non-believer enough proof to change their rejection of the truth of Christ and those that reject the Lord will reject all truth!

These born again Christians in Corinth were Paul's proof and that could not be denied except by those false Christians!

The preaching of the "Gospel" is the power of God unto salvation!

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

Christ may have appeared weak when He was crucified but that was certainly not weakness that raised Him from the dead!

As Christians we may appear weak in this world but on the day of the "Rapture of the Church" that will all change and the day that the Lord returns to this world, we will then see who is weak.

Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 

Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? 

As Christians we need only to examine ourselves to know if we are indeed in Christ and Christ within us!

If we are still living in sin then we need to question our "faith"!

If we cannot feel the Holy Spirit when we think to do things against the Word of God, we need to question our "faith"!

If we do not feel the need to gather with the "body of Christ", we need to question our "faith"!

God says:

1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 

1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; "that ye may know" that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 

It's not important how we look.

It's not important if we are not eloquent speakers.

It's not important if we have faults, "we all still do".

It is important that we have "faith" in the power of God that lives within us!

We may question our ministry for the Lord but our "salvation" should never be questioned!

We should examine our doctrine to see if it matches the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

More important, we should examine ourselves and realize that errors of the heart are more dangerous than the errors of the mind and we must realize we can never be too sure of our salvation, we certainly do not need to make a mistake here, it is just too important!

What is a reprobate?

A reprobate is someone who may confess that they know God but their actions and their works tell a different story.

A reprobate is someone who has rejected the "grace" of God and is lost to sin!

A reprobate is someone who has been rejected by the Lord!

And sadly a reprobate is someone God has given up on converting!

Rom 1:24  Wherefore "God also gave them up" to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Rom 1:26  For this cause "God gave them up" unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, "God gave them over to a reprobate mind", to do those things which are not convenient; 

We must know that we are not reprobates!

*****2Co 13:6  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 

2Co 13:7  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. 

2Co 13:8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 

What is the truth of salvation? The very moment we place our "faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ and in God's promises, the Holy Spirit moves into us and He will never leave us nor forsake us!

Those false teachers may or may not be reprobates but with the Holy Spirit living within us, then as Christians, "can never be reprobates"!

If those of the Church of Corinth were truly Christians and had self examined themselves Paul was sure that they would come to the right conclusion and we know that they did.

All those who do right in the sight of God will reject all those things that are unrighteous!

And then Paul began to pray for this church. Paul prayed that they would do no evil and repent in order for him to bring a blessing rather than his discipline.

No one has the authority to discipline a Church that follows the truth of the "Gospel"! Not Paul, not these false teachers, not the government and not any other house of God! God would not approve any such thing!

No one can destroy the laws of God! The kingdom of Jesus Christ cannot be shaken because it stands on a solid foundation!

The truth of God is to be lived and boldly proclaimed under any and all circumstances!

The early Church overcame many obstacles and has survived, we should not ever think it will fail in our day or any other day!

One of the greatest rewards to the true Pastor is when he believes he preached his message in weakness yet the believers were still strengthened by it.

When a Pastor has complete freedom to preach the truth of God and not spend his time trying to correct a bad message from the world, the "body of Christ" gets all the benefits!

The church that can withstand the attacks of Satan, and their own corruption to still perform the work of the Lord, shows the strength of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

It is then that a Pastor can concentrate on the "edification" and "sanctification" of his body of believers.

After all the Pastor's job is to make "disciples" of Jesus Christ!

*****2Co 13:9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. 

2Co 13:10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. 

So why had Paul been so bold in these epistles?

So he would not have to use that same boldness and sharpness according to the power that the Lord had given to him!

Paul did not want to have to confront those who had caused such problems. "As we have said it is the Church's responsibility to put a stop to all such things".

Paul would rather spend his time and his opportunities to build onto the church and not destroy any part of it or any member.

Paul did not want to tear down lives in order to save this church but he would if it was necessary!

Paul was actually content if he was seen as weak as long as it was understood that he ministered with the full power of God. This was the greatest attribute of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It was not the power of the miracles that made Christ our Savior.

It was not the power of God that made Christ our Savior.

It was the "meekness" of an all powerful God that loved us enough to die in payment of our sin!

It is only those who reject the Lord that will get to see the immense power of God, when they have refused His "Grace"!

What were some of the powers we have already seen?

We saw Ananias and Sapphira both lose their lives for lying to God.

Act 5:5  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 

And

Act 5:10  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 

We have seen Hymenaeus and Alexander and the incestuous person at Corinth, delivered to Satan for destruction of their souls, if they would not repent.

1Ti 1:20  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 

And

1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

Did Paul have this kind of authority, we can be certain that he did, because his authority was that of Jesus Christ but church edification was Paul's main goal!

This last thought, "this warning", was intended to remain in their conscience because right after this statement Paul closes out this epistle.

*****2Co 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 

2Co 13:12  Greet one another with an holy kiss. 

Notice again Paul was writing to the Christians and not to any false christian.

To say "farewell" is a wish of happiness but here it can also mean rejoice in the knowledge that we are Christians who are favored by God through His Son Christ Jesus.

As Peter so wonderfully put it:

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 

Paul says knowing this then "be perfect". There has never been but one who was perfect and that was Jesus Christ so Paul is saying be more like Jesus than the world.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 

Then be of good comfort.

2Th 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 

2Th 2:17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. 

Then be of one mind.

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 

Php 1:28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 

Then live in peace.

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 

The God of love and peace will be with you.

Rom 16:20  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 

The word holy is added to the word kiss so that this kiss is to not be considered anything but as a salute to each other.

1Co 16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 

1Co 16:20  All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. 

To salute is to honor one another!

Rom 16:16  Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. 

Christians honoring Christians. In America we use the hand shake but a hand shake in some places is repulsive and considered unsanitary.

But all Christians are to honor one another because we are all the "saints" of God and we do not need some man or some church councel or some Pope to declare our sainthood!

*****2Co 13:13  All the saints salute you. 

2Co 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

This epistle to the Corinthians was a very harsh letter and we as Christians need to be made aware of our faults and Paul has been as loving as he could and still make us aware of the truth of the Word of God.

Grace is still the unmerited favor of God and the "Grace of God" can only come by Jesus Christ.

Grace is the absolute love of God shown to sinners who deserve Hell but through our Savour, the Lord Jesus Christ will become a apart of Heaven's glory!

How much does God love His creation?

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. 

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

We must never ignore the truth of God's "love" but we must still realize that God had a purpose for His love and that was to join us with the Holy Spirit who is the seal of God ownership!

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

We are all subject to having doubts in our relationship with God but we must remain solid in our "faith".

Faith is the only answer to doubt!

We must also deal with our own spiritual shortcomings before we ever question another brother or sister in Christ.

If there were anyone who had more love for the Church than the Apostle Paul then it could only be the Lord Jesus Christ!

Questions?

Let's Pray!