Isaiah Apocalypse – Session 7 Notes

ISAIAH APOCALYPSE – Week 07

We are in our NEXT TO LAST week for this class. I hope it has blessed you. It has blessed me – and I am pretty familiar w these chapters.

ISA 32 – Isaiah – as an encouragement to the saints of HIS time, but also as a prophetic encouragement to ALL SAINTS in ALL TIMES – particularly TRYING TIMES – now sees WAY FORWARD to the reign of Messiah. I also believe that some of the life-math of these verses offer us glimpses into man’s ongoing free will in the next age, the millennial kingdom age.
1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.

RIGHTEOUS MEN WILL FLOURISH, AND WILL BE HONORED AND WILL PROVIDE SHELTER FROM LIFE – if you think about – it declares the BLESSING OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY (even a Ps 133 kind of anointed fellowship blessing) and also, if you look forward into the next age, a place for others out of fellowship to run into – towards the light of God. Bickle: “Resistors” theory – people not destroyed upon the return of the Lord and yet not converted. Theory….

2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

SPEAKS OF BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL AWAKENING
3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

ONES WHO WERE RASH (or perhaps even continue to be rash) WILL OBTAIN WISDOM, because the environment will be full of the fear of the Lord
4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.

THERE MAY STILL BE FOLKS ACTING GOOFY AND EVEN UNGODLY – but they will not be lifted up as wise. And unlike days like our days – where we right called wrong and wrong called right, the phony-generous will not be esteemed as truly generous. TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.
5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous, nor the miser said to be bountiful;

6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness, and his heart will work iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the LORD, to keep the hungry unsatisfied, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

BUNNY TRAIL – re the “RESISTERS theory” – those who might still be adverse to compliance to the ordinances of God, AFTER MESSIAH’S appearances:

Zechariah 14:16-19
16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

BACK TO Isaiah 32
ISAIAH appears to not only be foreseeing HOW IT WILL BE in the MILLENNIAL AGE, but also is putting forth a prescription off successful living PRIOR TO THE MILLENNIAL AGE – including in tough times – as there’s a promise of success.

7 Also the schemes of the schemer are (current tense) evil; he devises wicked plans to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice.

I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE A SALVATION-POSITION FOR SAINTS DURING HARD TIMES – when our fleshly intellect would have us hoarding, while our spirit-man would have us giving…
8 But a generous man devises generous things, and by generosity he shall stand. (this verse, in every translation I checked, is ongoing, present tense. It is a Kingdom key)

NOTABLE HERE IS THE FACT THAT GOD, in His goodness, is all about teaching us Kingdom Principles NOW, so that when tougher, trying times are upon us, we will have learned the ways of God, and have already begun to understand both what He is doing, and how to live successfully.

God – goading Jeremiah w a question about not complaining during the less-trying situations, because the tougher times will be tougher. Well, duh:
Jeremiah 12:5
5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, AT ALL TIMES, IS THE ASSURANCE THAT THERE IS GRACE SO THAT WE CAN STAND.
Huge topic.
1. This STANDING is not a contradiction to “every knee shall bow”. This standing speaks of survival, and righteous, successful and honorable living, in the sight and presence of God.

STANDING IS A BIG DEAL TO GOD. God made man upright.
Ecclesiastes 7:29
Truly, this only I have found:
That God made man upright,
But they have sought out many schemes.”

GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE SUCCESFUL – and we can do that, as we stand IN HIM.
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and

.

Back to Isaiah again – the important Verse 8:
8 But a generous man devises generous things, and by generosity he shall stand. (this verse, in every translation I checked, is ongoing, present tense. It is a Kingdom key)

RE: GENEROSITY, AND GIVING – W ONE BY-PRODUCT BEING YOUR OWN SUCCESS AND BLESSING – JESUS TELLS US:
Luke 6:38
38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

There’s a whole message here on giving and hoarding, and lying/cheating/stealing – both in the place of business but also expanding to all of one’s life. I’ve spoken before of the SCROLL in Zechariah – the LYIN’/CHEATIN’ scroll that slow-orbits in the heavenly realms. I believe it is an eye-in-the-sky to observe how each person conducts himself in matters of money, and fairness, and generosity.

Zechariah 5:1-4 (yet again – as I believe this is a priority in the plans of God, that we understand the accountability of honesty and generosity).
1 Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll.
2 And he said to me, “ What do you see?”
So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.”
3 Then he said to me, “ This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled, ’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled, ’ according to that side of it.”
4 “I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts;
“It shall enter the house of the thief
And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name.
It shall remain in the midst of his house
And consume it, with its timber and stones.

ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER – the warrior God and His outrage at financial injustice:
ADONAI T’SVA-OAT – God-on-the-warpath – only presented twice in the NT – once in Romans reciting an OT verse, and the ONLY NEW TIME in James – speaking of the cries of the workers whose money has been withheld….
Isa 32:8, I believe, is something we need to learn NOW, so that when things get tougher, we are familiar to living with open hands, so we don’t fall into the trap of miserly living, incurring judgment:

James 5:1-4
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

TO THE CONTRARY – Paul tells us in Corinthians that God loves the person who “GETS GIVING” – the HILARIOUS GIVER – the one who has had the revelation that it is absolutely impossible to out-give the Supreme Giver.

The Cheerful Giver
2 Corinthians 9:6-9
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful (Greek: HILAROS) giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

This OF COURSE applies to the financial realm, but I also believe it applies to all aspects of life.
We can hoard our time, our thought processes, everything.
EVERY THOUGHT TAKEN CAPTIVE surrenders our minds to the Lord.
SERVICE WORKS, WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE BODY AND OTHERS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF – are all exemplary of the HILARIOUS GIVER – the one whose life is owned by God, the one who trusts that FATHER KNOWS BEST, and that our time schedules and our plans and purposes are best orchestrated by Him.

ISA 32
ISAIAH now clearly directs his words to the people of his time by even putting a DATE STAMP on this word (but of course declaring eternal Kingdom truth):
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days you will be troubled, you complacent women; for the vintage will fail, the gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you complacent ones; strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth on your waists.
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city;
14 Because the palaces will be forsaken, the bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks–

TO ME, 9-14 appear to be in place, to some degree, until verse 15 – which once again seems to point to the culmination of this age, when the Spirit is poured out in great measure, and righteousness prevails – because verse 16 cannot be historically knitted into the historical fabric of life in captivity, subsequent to the humiliating cattle-drive deportation of the captivity – which we looked at in week one.

Verse 14 again, for continuity:
14 Because the palaces will be forsaken, the bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks–

AND NOW apparently pointing to the great outpouring at the end of the age and beyond:
15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. (HHY)
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
19 Though hail comes down on the forest, and the city is brought low in humiliation.
HERE ARE THE HOLY ONES, THE INDUSTRIOUS ONES, AND THE GENEROUS ONES – blessed, always.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters (the scriptures speak of peaceful waters, and also troubled waters, and dried up waters), who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.

Verse 20, give its POSITION in scripture – speaks to me on many levels.
A. Blessed are those who are around to sow into the next age (THE REMNANT)
B. Blessed are those who, understanding God’s sovereignty over all conditions and situations at all times, CONTINUE TO SOW – busy about the Master’s business. This speaks to me about never embracing a “hunker down and do nothing” mentality.

INSTEAD – the ones who understand their God understand that it is God Himself who changes the course of waters – sending forth waters, drying up waters, sending the waves, etc.

Psalm 107:33-36
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,

Psalm 29
1 Give (ASCRIBE) unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
(ONCE AGAIN – LORD OF ALL THE WATERS)
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

It is that kind of understanding that will keep us close to God, and keep us praising Him in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, and not freaking out or hunkering down, or hoarding, or compromising, or stealing from one another, etc. etc.

And also in that place of understanding of His plans (remember Jer 9 – rejoice that you KNOW and UNDERSTAND ME…) will be our praise, as we saw in Isa 30 – bringing about the collapse of Assyria – representing the confluence of all-things-evil.

I believe, to some degree, YET ANOTHER REASON why our Adversary likes to feed us bad doctrine is so that when things happen on earth that biblically HAVE TO HAPPEN as part of God’s end-of-age plan, the disjointed and confused saints will be in a funk, nearly unable to worship, because THE PLAN that God will be activating, in complete concert w the fullness of scripture, will not be in conjunction w what they believe, and saints will be offended by God.

MEANWHILIE, IN OUR GOD, the Kingdom components we have been studying will be in place to assure our success. That is why He is leading us to practice these Kingdom components, at all times.

Isaiah 33

God’s judgment on the non-repentant, and the hypocrite – and also a confirmation that simply “STOPPING SINNING” is insufficient to deflect judgment or “neutralize judgment”.

Repentance and forgiveness is what is required. JUST STOPPING SINNING still keeps a guilty person guilty, and in jeopardy.

1 Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered;
And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you!
When you cease plundering,
You will be plundered;
When you make an end of dealing treacherously,
They will deal treacherously with you.

Isaiah gets personal:
2 O Lord, be gracious to us;
We have waited for You.
Be their arm every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

3 At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee;
When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered;

REMEMBER ISA 26 – let grace be shown to the wicked, they will not learn righteousness….”

THE VICTORY WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED
4 And Your plunder shall be gathered
Like the gathering of the caterpillar;
As the running to and fro of locusts,
He shall run upon them.

GOD WILL BE EXALTED IN THE JUDGMENT HE INITIATES
5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. (HHY. STAY TUNED)

EVERLASTING TRUTH
6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times,
And the strength of salvation;

HUGE TRUTH: The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

THE EFFORTS OF MAN WILL BE INSUFFICIENT
7 Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside,
The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

THE PLACE IS A MESS, AND WHY
8 The highways lie waste,
The traveling man ceases.
He has broken the covenant,
He has despised the cities,
He regards no man.

THE GROANING CREATION
9 The earth mourns and languishes,
Lebanon is shamed and shriveled;
Sharon is like a wilderness,
And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

GOD, IN THIS PORTION OF SCRIPTURE, HAS SEEN ENOUGH AND IT IS TIME TO RISE UP
10 “ Now I will rise,” says the Lord;
“Now I will be exalted,
Now I will lift Myself up.

11 You shall conceive chaff,
You shall bring forth stubble;
Your breath, as fire, shall devour you.

12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime;
Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.

GOD’S JDUGMENT ON ALL, WILL BE KNOWN BY ALL
13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done;
And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

BACK TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD – a terrible fear will come upon those who have been acting out their religious life w God
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid;
Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:

THE BIG QUESTION: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

THE ETERNAL ANSWER:
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
He who despises the gain of oppressions,
Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes,
Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed,
And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:

THE PROMISE – and pointing to the saints being in this troubled situation, requiring this assurance and deliverance – and not out of here before it hits the fan:
16 He will dwell on high;
His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks;
Bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.

17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off.

18 Your heart will meditate on terror:
“ Where is the scribe?
Where is he who weighs?
Where is he who counts the towers?”

THIS IS CERTAINLY HHY, BUT WE CAN BANK ON IT AS UPCOMING
19 You will not see a fierce people,
A people of obscure speech, beyond perception,
Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand.

20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home,
A tabernacle that will not be taken down;
Not one of its stakes will ever be removed,
Nor will any of its cords be broken.

RULE AND REIGN OF MESSIAH, AFTER HIS RETURN
21 But there the majestic Lord will be for us
A place of broad rivers and streams,
In which no galley with oars will sail,
Nor majestic ships pass by

22 (For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us);

THE WARRING NATIONS WILL BE DISARMED
23 Your tackle is loosed,
They could not strengthen their mast,
They could not spread the sail.
Then the prey of great plunder is divided;
The lame take the prey.

THE REDEMPTION AND HEALING OF ISRAEL – NOT YET, BUT SOMEDAY. THAT IS WHY WE PRAY FOR ITS PEACE, AND FOR THE RETURN OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE
24 And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”;
The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.

(all scripture NKJV)

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