8.5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,
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Isaiah received instructins from God to issue a warning to his people. The waters of Siloah are believed to a clear brook which issues from the ravine between the south-western slope of Moriah and the south eastern slope of Mount Zion. It appears to be symbolic of Israel's power which came from God, and is in contrast with the imperial world kingdom which is compared to the overflowing waters of the Euphrates. Rezin, king of Syria and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, attacked Judah. Thus Israel is rejoicing in misplaced confidence in Rezin, and allied herself with a heathen nation against her "sister" Judah? Ahaz, king of Judah, though warned by the prophet to trust in God, went and called to Assyria for help, stripping the temple of gold for payment. With Assyria’s help they conquer Damascus and kill Rezin. But then Ahaz copies the heathen alter in Damascus and sets it up in the temple in Jerusalem, moving God’s furniture out of the way and performing the sacrifices on this heathen altar. [2Kings 16] Assyria only helped Judah because it advanced their plan to conquer all the nations. As the years went by Assyria totally destroyed Israel and then conquered all of Judah except Jerusalem.
Assyria did overrun Judah "to the neck", but didn't take the "head" or the city of Jerusalem, because a God fearing king was now on the throne of Judah. Through King Hezekiah’s faith and earnest prayers, Jerusalem was miraculously spared (2Kings 19) The message is strongly advocating that God's people not confederate with the heathen for protection, but to look to God. All the plans and counsels with the heathen will only turn against them. Their hope and trust is to be in God, Who will save them if only they trust in Him. The chapter continues with prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.
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The prophetic implications:
Revelation 14:8,17:2, 18:3 Shows that in the endtimes people are drinking the wine of fornication (false doctrines) and rejecting the
waters of pure doctrine. Thus, like Israel of old, they “rejoice” in the “teachings” and authority of their enemies, rather than in the pure truths of scripture.
Like the ancient nation of God, modern, end-time Christianity substitute the things of God with heathen
substitutes and look to human power to enforce their peace, even confederating with governments against other Christians to enforce "worship" but this is not true worship.
Therefore a great deceptive power will arise that will sweep over the whole land.
People will be making a choice between drinking from the quiet waters of Shiloah or drinking from the
waters of a counterfeit religion that has united itself with powers of kings. The powerful delusion will overflow and flood all "Israel" but it will only reach the “neck”. (vs.8) Those whose minds are
stayed on Christ and committed themselves to serving Him, will not be swept away. They have God’s name in their foreheads—sealed— and nothing can separate them from God's love.
O Immanuel — (vs 8)(God calls upon men and women to take their stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel for
many are in danger of being swept away by deceptions of false worship)
Those who associate themselves(vs.9) and go along with this deceptive power, who walk in the way of this
people, will perish.
The Lord says — do not join! Do not fear them. Do not fear their fear.
Every professed believer in Christ will be tempted by Satan. "And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared [mark that word], and be taken." Notwithstanding all their knowledge of the Word of God, all their light, and their position as expositors of Bible truth, many shall "stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken." The ruin of this class is certain. Then the charge is given, "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples."
Obedience to God’s word and law are so important.
Revelation tells us that those who have the testimony of Jesus and keep the law of God are Satan’s chief
targets. They are His chief targets because they are God’s faithful saints.
Rev. 7:3 tells us that God’s angels are holding back the winds of strife till all God’s true children are
sealed in their foreheads This seal will be their protection.
God’s true people will continue to trust in the Lord even though He “hides His face” from the professing
the rest of the world.
Our children (promise that they too will be with us)
Spiritualism will be wide spread in the churches in the last days. People will be getting guidance,etc.
from spirits, rather than from God and His Word.
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Rev.18.1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory.
It’s a call to throw off the burdens of sin and the oppressions of man made laws. But instead of a latter
day Gideon, bringing righteousness through war and law enforcement, the earth’s inhabitants are
pointed to a great light (a cleansing fire) Christ. He will bring just judgment. He will either burn sin out of our lives
and deliver us from it’s tyranny or, if we refuse to surrender our sin, destroy all sinners with burning.
He will establish judgment and justice.
Yes, a light is shining in the world. From Galilee by the Jordan, by the sea. Jesus earthly ministry centered there.
He will be called Counselor. People need to receive true counsel, not deceptive, bewildering earthly philosophy and spiritist counterfeit religion that leads only to darkness and distress.
The situation today is much like it was in Isaiah's day. The supposed people of God are looking to earthly wisdom for guidance, instead of looking to God's holy Word. The written code, they say, is only a lesser light, they want a greater light so they discard the guidance of the Bible. Yet Christ is the WORD! The Great Light reveals Himself through the Word. Oh, if people would only look to the true source of wisdom instead of the imaginings of vain philosophies which claim to be built upon Christ yet deny the call to holiness. They deny the call to seal the law among Christ's disciples. They deny that this seal must be upon the people of God. As a result, darkness covers the land.
But Christ will come, not to Galilee this time, but as king of Kings to deliver His saints and execute judgment upon the wicked. At the second coming the righteous will be raised up into the air to be with Him, (1 Thess. 4:16,17) and the wicked will live not until the thousand years are finished. (Rev. 19:21; 20:5)
There will be no earthly millinnial rule over the present nations, Christ will not reign as an earthly king over sinful nations. Any kingdom set up claiming to be "Christ's" kingdom on earth over sinful nations, is not Christ's kingdom at all -- it will be the confederacy we are warned against. It will be Babylon which will deceive the whole world with her sorcery's. The righteous are raised up together with Christ in the air and go to live in "His Father's House" (John 14:3) , while the wicked dead live not for 1000 years.
The wicked are not necessarily the ones we deem as being wicked. They are the ones who fought against the Holy Spirit, they are the ones who refused to be cleansed by the great burning fire, the light of Christ. At that time Christ will reveal to everyone who has ever lived the justice of his dealings with sin. And fire comes down from heaven and devours the rebels-- those who fought against God's righteous government and refused to allow the fire of His Spirit to cleanse them of sin. Christ will establish His kingdom and there will be no more gloom or distress, war or death ever after. Justice and righteousness will reign forever.(See Rev. 20)
The 3 angels' message (which is earth's last warning message) is the call to the world to worship our
Creator God and give Him our full allegiance for His judgment is come. (See Rev 14:6-12)
Don't join the confederacy which may seem right and good and the answer to the world's problems-
"Fear God, and give glory to Him, Worship Him Who made the heaven's and the earth."
This light, this message will lightened the earth and all the people shall know, in the end, the difference between the earthly confederacy, and the true kingdom of Christ.
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Isaiah 5--The Wild Grapes
Isaiah 56 & 9 The Sabbath and the Covenant