THE END DAYS! - FOOTSTEPS OF THE MESSIAH!

[nChrist]

Ruth's Story
An Adaptation of Ruth
by Jack Kelley
5-23-2009

But there was another even stranger law involving the kinsman redeemer that would benefit us, and when Naomi told me about that one I nearly passed out. Also designed to help preserve the chain of inheritance, it's called the Leverite Marriage Law and goes like this. If a married man dies without bearing children, his brother is supposed to marry the widow and make her pregnant, in effect giving the dead brother an heir (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). If there isn't a brother then the responsibility falls to the deceased's father or HIS brother. It wasn't mandatory to do this but it was a family disgrace to refuse. In both cases then, the kinsman redeemer had to be qualified, (only a next of kin was acceptable) capable (he had to have the means), and willing (it was his choice) to perform his obligation.

Since my husband, his brother and his father had all died leaving no children behind to inherit the family land, it appeared that Boaz, as my husband's close relative, also had responsibilities to me under the Leverite Marriage law. Even though I'm not Jewish, their laws also applied to gentiles living among them, especially those who had married Jewish men. The idea of marrying a prominent man like Boaz appealed to me, and he had obviously found me attractive as well.

Wow! One day I'm a destitute widow in mourning, a stranger in a strange country. The next I'm considering the possibilities of becoming the wife of a wealthy landowner. Things were definitely getting interesting.

Chapter 3

Since my time of mourning for my dead husband was at an end, Naomi helped me get bathed, perfumed and dressed in my best clothing. She convinced me to visit Boaz at the threshing floor where he was staying during the harvest to help guard his grain against theft, but cautioned me to stay hidden until he had finished eating and drinking and had fallen asleep. Then I was to uncover his feet and lie down near him. In the middle of the night when his uncovered feet got cold he would wake up and see me. Naomi told me what to ask of him then, and said I should do whatever he said. This way no one else would see me there.

It happened just as she had planned, and when Boaz woke up he was startled to find a woman there watching him. "Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant, Ruth," I replied, "And since you are a kinsman redeemer, spread the corner of your garment over me." I meant nothing improper by this. Spreading his garment over me was to symbolize that he was taking me under his protection according to the provisions of the Leverite Marriage law. .

By now he was shocked and not a little flattered. He said that my kindness was overwhelming, implying that someone of my young age and beauty could have my pick of suitors, and that in choosing him I had paid him great honor. But there was a slight problem. The law required the closest relative to act as kinsman redeemer. Another brother was actually a closed kinsman and therefore responsible to redeem us. This brother had to refuse and thereby disgrace himself before Boaz could become our kinsman redeemer.

Early in the morning, after assuring me that he would do all he could, Boaz sent me home with more grain. When Naomi saw the grain, she knew that Boaz was still looking out for us and would not rest until he had settled the matter once and for all.

Chapter 4

Meanwhile Boaz went to the center of town and waited until the closer kinsman passed by. Gathering 10 of the elders together in an impromptu court, Boaz explained to his brother the nature of the problem and asked him to redeem Naomi's land by paying her debts. When the brother agreed, Boaz informed him that in doing so, he also had to marry me to maintain my dead husband's estate. (Women normally couldn't inherit land in Israel so my husband was Elimelech's legal heir, not Naomi. Since he died childless, there was no heir for the family land even after it was redeemed. The Leverite Marriage provisions were also required, and that's why the kinsman redeemer had to marry me.) When Boaz told him that, the brother declined, saying it would endanger his own estate.

Immediately Boaz informed the elders that he himself would redeem Naomi's land and marry me. And so it was. That very day I became his wife and not long afterward I conceived and bore him a son, who would become my dead husband's heir and preserve the property of Elimelech and Naomi according to the law. We named our son Obed, and when he grew up he became the father of Jesse who became the father of King David. When King David's son Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, he named one of the two bronze pillars at its entrance after his great-great grandfather Boaz.

[nChrist]

Ruth's Story
An Adaptation of Ruth
by Jack Kelley
5-23-2009

28 generations later because Joshua had saved Rahab and her son Boaz had married me making Bethlehem the birth place of King David and requiring Joseph and Mary to journey there to be counted in a Roman census, our fields were visited by a host of heavenly angels announcing the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds gathered there. And now when you review the Messiah's genealogy, you'll find my name there along with four other women, Rahab, my husband's mother, Tamar mother of Perez, Bathsheba mother of King Solomon, and Mary mother of our Lord (Matthew 1:1-16), the only women so honored.

Explain The Allegory, Please

First let's summarize the story. As a consequence of national disobedience, Naomi was driven from her home to dwell among the Moabites. Because of that disobedience, I eventually came to know the God of Israel. Though Naomi had left her home full, she later returned empty alone and impoverished, her only companion me, a gentile who had been grafted into her family through marriage. After I was introduced to him by an unnamed servant, Boaz gave me gifts, blessed me, relieved my thirst and fed me, though I had done nothing to prosper him. Naomi also benefited from the blessings I received from Boaz, her kinsman redeemer. And in the process of paying Naomi's debts and redeeming her land, Boaz took me, a gentile, as his bride and our descendants became kings.

Now put Israel in the place of Naomi, the Church in place of me, and our Messiah in place of Boaz and read the summary again. As a consequence of national disobedience, Israel was driven from her land to dwell among the Gentiles. Because of that disobedience, the gentiles came to know the God of Israel. Though Israel had left the land full, she later returned empty, alone and impoverished, her only spiritual companion the gentile church who had been grafted into her family through marriage. After the Church is introduced to the Messiah by the Holy Spirit Who remains unnamed, He gives her gifts, blesses her, relieves her thirst and feeds her, though she has done nothing to prosper Him. Israel also benefits from the blessings the Church receives from the Messiah, her kinsman redeemer. And in the process of paying Israel's debts and redeeming her land, the Messiah takes the Church, a gentile, as His bride and their descendants become kings.

What About The Closer Kinsman?

Some say he represents Adam, unable to redeem the land he lost to Satan (Planet Earth) and restore the inheritance of his progeny. Adam was created in God's image but after the fall all his descendants were made in Adam's image, inheriting his sin nature, making Adam our closer kinsman. Others say he represents organized religion, similarly impotent. In either case you can see the problem. Adam would probably be willing to save us, but infected with sin himself, he can't meet the standard. After all God's law requires the shedding of innocent blood to redeem what sinful man has lost and restore our inheritance. And organized religion even with all its systems of "righteous" works simply cannot redeem anyone, being neither kinsman nor innocent. And therein lies the dilemma. There just wasn't an innocent man to be found, for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. To resolve this dilemma without breaking His own laws, God Himself had to become man, born of a woman and therefore kin to mankind. Then He had to offer His own blood, since only He is sinless.

But there's something here that should cause you to really stop and think. You can see God having the capability of becoming man to redeem mankind and of course being God, He's sinless and has the means to redeem us. But remember, it was the kinsman redeemer's choice. He could refuse. Our God had the DESIRE to save us. He was WILLING to exchange His life for ours. For God so LOVED us that He gave His only Son, that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Through faith in the Son, we become children of the Father and inherit eternal life.

No wonder my story has been called The Romance of Redemption.

[nChrist]

Anti-Christ's Origin?
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley
5-27-2009

Question:  Revelation 2:13 says

I know where you live - where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.

Could this verse possibly give us a clue as to where the anti-christ comes from, "where satan's throne is" and "where satan lives" ?

Answer:  Revelation 2:13 is from the letter to Pergamus.  It was a location in modern day Turkey where the Babylonian pagan religion was headquartered after it moved from Babylon and before it was finally taken to Rome and merged with Christianity.  The Lord's reference to Satan's throne identified the real power behind this pagan religion and is not meant to reveal the location of the anti-Christ.

[nChrist]

Damascus' Date With Destruction
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley
5-28-2009

Question:  Is there a specific Agricultural season mentioned as to the timing of the Destruction of Damascus? "It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain." Is that the Bible's way of making a General statement about Harvesting or can we take that as Literally WHEN the wheat is actually harvested in Israel?

By the way, the insight this website has been given is a gift from God. You are definitely Watching as the Lord Commanded. Thanks.

Answer:  You're referring to Isaiah 17:4-5 "In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away. It will be as when a reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the grain with his arm - as when a man gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim."

The object of the passage is Jacob, the name God called Israel when they were out of fellowship. Isaiah's explaining that in the days when Damascus is destroyed, Israel will sustain serious damage as well. So serious that it will look like a wheat field after the reapers have gone through, only a few stalks of grain left standing here and there. This doesn't mean that the destruction will take place at harvest time, he's only using a familiar analogy to help them picture the extent of Israel's damage.

This passage was partially fulfilled in 732 BC when the Assyrians swept through the Aramean capital of Damascus before going on to conquer the Northern Kingdom in 721. Most of the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom (Jacob in the reference above) were resettled to the North and East of Israel leaving behind only those Jews who the Assyrians believed posed no threat to their rule. People from other regions conquered by Assyria were resettled in Israel, and the resulting inter-marriage produced the Samaritans, a people hated by the Jews.

I say partially fulfilled because Damascus didn't cease to exist as a city and the Assyrians didn't turn to God or abandon their cities because of the Israelites as verses 7-9 indicate. This is one reason that scholars look to a future fulfillment of Isaiah 17.

[nChrist]

Conviction Or Guilt?
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley
5-28-2009

Question:  I was having a conversation with a friend of mine the other night and she asked me what you have to do and what does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  I tried explaining to her that you repent of your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness, and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I also said that once you are (filled with the Holy Spirit) you will feel conviction when you have done something wrong because the Holy spirit within you will grieve.  Then she asked how do you know conviction from guilt?  Can you please explain these things to me in a way that I can explain to her without confusing her more?  Thank you so much.

Answer:  Once we're saved, the question is not how much of the Spirit is in us, but rather how much of us is in the Spirit.  Paul said that the Holy Spirit is sealed within us at the moment of belief (Ephesians 1:13-14), but in Ephesians 4:23 he said we're to put off our old selves and be made new in the attitude of our minds. That means we no longer run our life by ourselves  but let the Holy Spirit guide us to act in ways that are pleasing to God.  We do this by learning to listen for His voice and accepting His guidance.  Galatians 5:22-23 lists some of the behavior the Spirit will guide us toward. As we learn to follow His advice, the Holy Spirit will empower us to use the special gifts He's given us.

Sometimes we'll be tempted to ignore the Holy Spirit's advice and when we do it grieves Him because ignoring the Holy Spirit means following Satan. Those are the only alternatives we have.  Afterward we'll either feel conviction or guilt.  Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, who wants us to be reconciled with God.  Guilt comes from Satan who wants us to be estranged from Him. Normally a person experiencing conviction will be drawn toward the Lord to receive His forgiveness, like Peter did after denying Him.  A person feeling guilt will hide from Him in shame, like Adam did in the Garden.  So the difference between conviction and guilt can be seen in the direction we're facing.  If we're looking toward the cross, it's conviction.  If we're running away and hiding, it's guilt.

Peter confessed and was restored.  Adam blamed God and bore the earthly consequences of his sin.  As born again believers we have the authority to reject Satan's attempts to make us feel guilty and confess our sin to the Lord.  When we do He will take away our guilt and restore us.

[nChrist]

Is It Really Forever?
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley
5-29-2009

Question:  Thank you so very much for all of your hard work.  I cannot even say how much I have grown in the Lord through your efforts.

My question concerns your "End Times According to Ezekiel Part 2?:

" 'My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.' " (Ezekiel 37:24-28 )

You clearly state in the study that these verses describe the circumstances that will exist during the Millennium.  Would you please clarify the last sentence a bit more.  The use of the word "forever" at least implies that the described circumstance might extend past the end of the Millennium into eternity.  I don't believe that is the case and that "forever" in this case may have some limitation.

Answer:  The Hebrew word translated forever in Ezekiel 37:24-28 is owlam.  It appears 5 times in the passage and four of those mean eternity, forever, evermore.  The fifth time is in verse 26 in the phrase "everlasting covenant".  One of God's Hebrew titles is Melech ha Owlam, literally King of Eternity.  While the Bible doesn't have much to say about things after the Millennium, it's pretty clear that God's relationship with His people and His land extends well beyond its end.

[nChrist]

Longing For The Rapture
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley
5-28-2009

Question:  Do you receive many questions or comments of people (1) dreaming of the rapture and what it will be like; (2) longing for the rapture; (3) sensing the soon event of the rapture?

If yes, do you think this is a new 'phenomenon' i.e. the Lord preparing His church for departure; or 'par for the course' of people who study end times prophecy?

Answer:  In the last couple of years I have noticed a significant increase in the number of people longing for the Rapture.  I think this is due partly to our deteriorating quality of life and partly to a stirring in our spirit as the time for our departure draws close.  Even though the exact timing of the Rapture is a mystery to us, Paul said that as sons of the light, it should not take us by surprise. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5)

[nChrist]

Life On Earth In The Millennium
by Jack Kelley
5-30-2009

Hal Lindsey once speculated that at his judgment Satan hurled two accusations at God. "You're not just and You have no love." In our last study we saw how God demonstrated His perfect justice with Israel and His perfect love with the Church. Israel lived under an absolutely just system of law. It was clear and concise, made no exceptions, and showed no favoritism. There was blessing for obedience and punishment for disobedience in an obvious cause and effect relationship. What they did determined what they got. God said to them, "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:5-6)

The Church was shown the incomparable riches of God's grace. We're the most blessed of any group of humanity and the only thing asked of us is that we accept by faith the free gift of salvation, purchased in advance for us with God's own life. Yes, God is pleased if we live our lives in a manner that expresses our gratitude to Him, but the only thing He requires is that we believe in the one He has sent. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

In the Kingdom Age believers will be saved by faith, like the Church, but will be required to keep the Law as evidence of their belief, like Israel. Perfect justice, perfect love. This will be God's final answer to Satan and His final attempt to dwell among His people in peace. Will it work, or like Israel and the Church before it, will the Kingdom Age end in failure?

We've only talked about Law and Grace but there were actually four other attempts at peaceful coexistence between God and man leading up to them. For a complete understanding of man's history with his Creator, we'll need to review these others as well. They're called dispensations, or administrations, and all together there are seven of them.

The 7 Dispensations

Throughout history God has dealt with His people in different ways as part of the process of revealing His character. Each of these dispensations has has begun with an agreement between God and man that man subsequently violated, ending the relationship in failure and requiring a judgment from God.

1) Innocence … Between the Creation and the Fall of Man God interacted freely and personally with man. Man was created immortal and while he had agency (the power of choice) he didn't have a sin nature. God placed Adam and Eve in His garden and gave them only one restriction. But they violated this restriction and were expelled from the Garden. Adam, Eve, and the Serpent were all judged, the Creation was cursed, and sin entered the world.

2) Conscience … Between the Fall of Man and the Great Flood God allowed man's conscience to rule without Divine interference. Because of man's newly acquired sin nature, the result of this was "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5) After repeated warnings, God destroyed all but 8 members of the Human race in the Great Flood.

3) Human Government … from Noah to the Tower of Babel. After the Flood, God allowed man to establish his first system of government. But the people disobeyed God's commandment to go forth and replenish the Earth, setting about instead to build a great city and a tower to protect themselves from another flood. They also used the tower to study astrology, a corruption of the Gospel that God had written in the stars using the names of 12 constellations. So God gave each of the 70 families of man a unique language that other families weren't able to understand. This caused confusion and distrust among the people and they drifted apart to be scattered through out the world, and God destroyed the tower.

4) Promise … God set Abraham's descendants apart as His Chosen People and promised Abraham and Sarah a son through whom He said He would bless the world. But they grew tired of waiting for Him, and they produced a son on their own, calling him Ishmael. Later, when God gave them Isaac, the son He had promised, Ishmael was sent away causing bad blood between Ishmael (Arabs) and Isaac (Jews) that continues to this day.

5) Law … from Mt. Sinai to Pentecost. After God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He gave Moses the 10 Commandments and offered the Jews the land He had promised to Abraham along with a life of peace and plenty if they obeyed His Law. After 2000 years of vacillating between obedience and rebellion that resulted in them rejecting the Messiah, God finally had enough, expelled them from their land, and dispersed them throughout the world.

6) Grace … The Church Age. No longer requiring that righteousness be earned through obedience to the Law, God imputed His own righteousness to man by grace through faith in the completed work of the Lord Jesus, promising eternal blessing and a place in His own house to all who accept. It was the most outrageously lavish gift ever bestowed, free for the asking. But by the end of the Age of Grace most of humanity will have rejected His gift, choosing instead to live on their own terms, betting that either God doesn't exist, or if He does He'll allow them into His kingdom anyway. After removing the relative few who have accepted His gift so they'll be safe with Him, He'll punish the rest through the most severe time of judgment ever visited on Earth.

7) Kingdom … the 1000 Year Reign of the Lord, also known as the Millennium. At its outset Satan will be bound, all unbelievers will be expelled from the planet, the curse will be removed, and God will once again dwell in the midst of His people. You'd think that finally man could live in a manner pleasing to Him. Whether he will or not is the subject of our study.

[nChrist]

Life On Earth In The Millennium
by Jack Kelley
5-30-2009

Who Are You Calling A Failure?

Some in the Church might question the view that the Age of Grace has been a failure, but that's because we're among the few who have accepted the Lord's free gift of pardon and will therefore enjoy its benefits. Remember, God's desire is to reconcile us to Himself (Colossians 1:19-20). He doesn't want for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). And yet over the last 2,000 years most people have turned down His gift and gone their own way. After doing everything He could, short of violating man's free will and forcing him to accept the pardon He offered, most of mankind will have rejected Him. Can you blame Him for being so angry as to unleash the full fury of His wrath against them?

A principle of motivational compensation holds that when you give people something they haven't earned and don't deserve, you don't gain their respect, you gain their resentment. Never before has God given the world so much more than we deserve, and never before has the world resented His presence more than today.

Even in the Church the response to God's gift of eternal Life has been more apathy than adoration. When less than 10% of people who claim to be born again have adopted a Christian world view, it's clear that there's been a serious disconnect between His gift and our gratitude. When compared to the desired goal the Age of Grace has been a failure.

None of this is any more of a surprise to God than the outcome of His previous attempts. He doesn't do things so He can see how we'll respond. He already knows that. He does things so we can see how we'll respond. Paul said every thing that was written in the past was written to teach us. (Romans 15:4)  So far the lesson has been that no matter what God has done to draw us near, man is untrustworthy and rebellious, pushing God away and bringing judgment upon himself.

Now For The Kingdom

OK, so what about the Kingdom Age, will it be a failure too? A study of the Kingdom Age shows that at the beginning life will be as close to heaven on earth as one could imagine. There will be peace on Earth and goodwill toward man, just like the angel promised to the shepherds on the night of the Lord's birth. (Luke 2:14) The newly freed creation will respond eagerly to man's husbandry. Perfect weather and overflowing bounty will make his work a joy instead of a burdensome toil. Long life spans will return as sickness and disease become a thing of the past. "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." (Zechariah 8:4-5). This will be true through out the world because the Lord will settle disputes between the nations and peace will flow like a river.

The Bible only describes the beginning and end of the Kingdom Age, but because of the shocking difference in the two, we can surmise that after a period of time things start going downhill fast. The Lord's administration will be just but inflexible. He'll rule them with a rod of iron and His punishment for disobedience will be harsh and swift. (Remember, the Age of Grace will end at the Rapture.) At some point the people of Earth will rebel. Psalms 2 tells the story.

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.

[nChrist]

Life On Earth In The Millennium
by Jack Kelley
5-30-2009

"Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." (Psalm 2:1-6)

Once again created beings will presume to free themselves from the rule of their Creator. But the King ruling the Earth was put there by God Himself, and that makes Him the the King of their kings. Then He'll remind them of their position in the hierarchy.

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD : He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:7-12)

In an event that was later modeled in the Biblical adoption ceremony (Galatians 4:4-7), the Father formally named His Son heir of His estate and bequeathed His inheritance to Him. All the nations are His, and He has the authority to rule them as He pleases. Man's choice will be to obey or suffer the consequences. Obedience will be rewarded with blessing, but rebellion will bring swift destruction.

We're neither told how many will be saved during the Millennium, nor what their destiny will be. What we are told is at the end of the 1000 year Kingdom Age Satan will be freed and will have no trouble recruiting a large army for one last attempt to regain his lost empire. He'll find a ready audience for his deception and his army will soon be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.  From all over the world they'll come to surround God's people and His Holy City. But in one sudden burst of flame from Heaven they'll be devoured and Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. (Revelation 20:7-10) Once again, man rebels, God judges and another Age ends in failure.

Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet." [Psalms 8:6]  Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28 )

God's response to Satan's accusations will be complete. Satan's judgment will be final. Heaven and Earth will be purified. Eternity will begin. And God will reign supreme. Hallelujah! 05-30-09

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 1 of 13
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Although he wrote during the period of 740 to 700 BC, Isaiah is the prophet most often quoted in the New Testament. He was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom at the same time as Hosea, Amos and Micah. Isaiah was of the tribe of Judah, and according to Rabbinic tradition was closely related to several Kings. He was part of the aristocratic class and may have been raised in the King's palace in Jerusalem. Often called the greatest of Israel's writing prophets, Isaiah's book is exceeded in length only by the Psalms and (just barely) Jeremiah. As the Bible has 66 books Isaiah has 66 chapters, The first 39 of them, equal to the books of the Old Testament, speak of judgment. The last 27, the number of New Testament books, focus on reconciliation and redemption. It's true that chapter breaks didn't come along until much later but it's interesting that even in its form, the Book of Isaiah is a model of God's word in total.

The sudden change in theme has caused some liberal theologians to ascribe the last 27 chapters, sometimes called the Book of Comfort, to an unknown author they call Deutero-Isaiah. The fact that the last part of the book contains much more in the way of specific prophecy helps them justify this dual authorship, at least to themselves. This is because liberal theology pre-supposes the impossibility of predictive prophecy, and therefore Isaiah couldn't have known the future. But the Lord Jesus was under the impression that Isaiah wrote the entire book. In John 12:38-41 he quoted from both parts of Isaiah ( 53:1 first and then 6:10) attributing them to the same author. If you need confirming opinions, the Jewish historian Josephus thought so too, and evangelical Christianity overwhelmingly supports the book's single authorship.

The funny thing is, not only did Isaiah write the whole book, but many scholars believe that a number of his prophetic passages had a dual fulfillment in mind. The first would culminate in the Babylonian captivity, which came 100 years later, while the second was for the end of the age.

Tradition has it that after a long career as one of Israel's prophets, Isaiah so upset King Manasseh, to whom he was related, that the wicked king had him sawed in half. This is hinted at in Hebrews 11:36-38, part of a passage that speaks of the danger one faced in being a man of God. It reads:

Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them.

The last time I did a Bible study on Isaiah we met once a week for 2 hours and it took a year to complete it. In this study we're only going to look at those parts of the Book of Isaiah that clearly relate to the End Times, which will include the most descriptive passages of Israel's Kingdom Age to be found anywhere in Scripture. Perhaps this way it will require less time. Let's get started.

After beginning with a 17 verse litany of Israel's sins, the Lord had Isaiah plead with the people for a rational discussion of their alternatives.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

The choice is clear. Willingly obey and be blessed, or resist and rebel and be devoured. This choice was offered them in advance of the Babylonian conquest and it is being offered now.

In Old Covenant times, two goats were brought before the High Priest on Yom Kippur. One was a peace offering and the other was the scape goat. As the High Priest symbolically transferred the sins of the people to the scape goat, a scarlet ribbon was tied from the goat's horn to a door of the Temple. When the High Priest was finished the ribbon was snipped and the scape goat was led outside the city into the wilderness where it was pushed off a cliff. At the moment of the goat's death the portion of the ribbon that remained tied to the Temple door turned from scarlet to white in fulfillment of Isaiah 1:18 "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." This was the sign that the Lord had accepted the sin offering and the peace offering could be made. The nation would be at peace with God for another year.

After the crucifixion, the Yom Kippur ceremony was repeated every year until the Temple was destroyed, but the ribbon never changed color again. The Lord was both our scape goat and our peace offering and had fulfilled the Yom Kippur prophecy in His death. He has taken away our sins (John 1:29) and He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). The shadow had given way to the reality (Hebrews 10:1) and was no longer effective.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 1 of 13
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her- but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them. (Isaiah 1:21-23)

These verses could have been ripped from current headlines, since Israel's Prime minister is being forced from office due to his corruption. He's accused of stealing money, accepting bribes, and improperly receiving gifts.

Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: "Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City." Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness. (Isaiah 1:24-27)

The Great Tribulation is compared to a refiner's fire in Zechariah 13:9 where all Israel's impurities will be removed and the remnant made pure. In a refinery, silver and gold are heated by fire to their melting point. The impurities, called dross, float to the top and are skimmed off leaving only the purest form of the precious metal.

"But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the LORD will perish. "You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water. The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire." (Isaiah 1:28-31)

Here's one of the many places where the Lord makes clear that it's not our works that will save us, no matter how mighty. Works not done in the strength of the Lord, are like the dross that floats to the top, revealed by the fire. Paul described our works burning in the fire in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, but because of the cross our salvation will not be in danger, as it was in the Old Testament. So while our works may burn, we ourselves will escape. In Isaiah's day the pagan religions were practiced in groves and gardens. One difference today is that there's often a beautiful building in the setting.

As is often the case in Isaiah the prophecies of judgment contain a glimpse of restoration. And so chapter 2 begins with the following:

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isaiah 2:1-5)

The word mountain is used symbolically here referring to governments, as in Daniel 2:35. As the Kingdom Age begins, Israel will be the single super power on Earth. All other national governments will be subordinate, creating a one world government, headquartered in Israel, with King Jesus at its head. All the world will be subject to God's laws and the Messiah King will be the final authority on their administration. Psalms 2:9 says that He'll rule with an iron scepter, and will tolerate no dissent.

In a reversal of Joel's call to war (Joel 3:9-11) in his prophecy of the Great Tribulation, Isaiah issued a call to peace during the Millennium, saying the Messiah will settle disputes between nations making war unnecessary. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. This verse is carved over the entrance to the UN building in New York. When the Messiah comes the UN will disappear, but God's promise will remain and will finally come true.

The temple Isaiah mentioned here is the one so carefully described in Ezekiel 40-46. From Ezekiel we learn that the Temple itself will be situated a few miles north of Jerusalem, and from Zechariah 14:4 we see that the current Temple Mount will disappear in an Earthquake that divides the Mt. Of Olives in half. The gorge created by the earthquake will extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. Fresh water will emerge from under the Temple to fill the gorge, bringing life to a region that's been an arid wasteland since the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Ezekiel 47)

But before those days can come, the world must first endure the worst time of tribulation ever witnessed on Earth. (Matthew 24:21) Isaiah's first description begins in chapter 2 verse 6 and extends through the end of chapter 3. We'll begin there next time and before we're through, you'll agree that we can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah 01-03-09.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 2 of 13
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

We're beginning this installment in Isaiah 2:6 and will continue through chapter 4. Having given us a brief overview of Israel's Kingdom Age, Isaiah will now back up to provide more detail concerning the time just preceding the 2nd Coming.

The Day of the Lord

You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. (Isaiah 2:6-8 )

Here's another hint that in the End Times Israel will accumulate great wealth. Ezekiel also made reference to Israel's wealth in the time leading up to the battle of Ezekiel 38-39. To explain Gog's motive in forming a coalition to attack Israel, God had Ezekiel reveal his thoughts. "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people - all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." (Ezekiel 38:11-12)

A group of nations standing on the sidelines will confirm this, asking, "Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?" (Ezekiel 38:13)

Today no such plunder exists. Therefore there's no motive for Russia (Magog) to lead the attack. All the talk about destroying Israel is based on religious issues, something that doesn't interest Russia. So there really isn't any incentive of the kind Ezekiel mentioned to goad Russia into action. However, if Israel was to discover massive oil reserves, as some believe will happen soon, that would be a different story. Russia has a strategic interest in the world's oil. A large discovery in Israel could serve as a tempting pay-off for Russia, sufficient to justify leading the Moslem coalition in its religious quest to destroy the Jewish nation.

A number of insiders say it's only a matter of time before this happens, putting Israel awash in petro-dollars with the promise of billions more to come. They say Moses prophesied this in Deuteronomy 33:19 & 24. Knowledgeable men are drilling in Israel today on the strength of these prophecies and early results are promising.

So man will be brought low and mankind humbled - do not forgive them. Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty! The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:7-11)

Notice that the Lord isn't just talking about Israel here, but all of mankind. By the time He's finished there will be no doubt as to Who is exalted and who is not. Zechariah spoke of the day of the Lord's return this way. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. (Zechariah 14:9)

Later Paul would write: Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) By the way, acknowledging Him as Lord is a good thing to do, but it won't solve the unbelieving world's problem. After He comes back it'll be too late for them to accept Him as their Savior and escape the judgment. They'll be led off agreeing that He really is Lord and admitting that they refused His offer of pardon.

The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled), for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and all the oaks of Bashan, for all the towering mountains and all the high hills, for every lofty tower and every fortified wall, for every trading ship and every stately vessel.

The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.

In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? (Isaiah 2:12-22)

Three things mentioned repeatedly here give us a vivid scene of the End Times. Arrogant men, having engaged in idolatry in defiance of the Lord, hiding in rocks from the wrath of the Almighty. Please remember, idols aren't necessarily little statues. Idols are anything that man holds to be of greater importance in his life than the Lord. Zechariah 13:2 says, "On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more," declares the LORD Almighty.

And in Revelation 6:15-17 John wrote: Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

With the opening of the seven seals, the Wrath of God will have come and mankind will begin experiencing the consequences of their disobedience. Like their first father Adam, they were only given one rule, to believe in the one He has sent (John 6:29), but they refused.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 2 of 13
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Isaiah 3 … Judgment On Jerusalem And Judah

Now Isaiah's focus will narrow to deal specifically with the Jewish people

See now, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder, the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.

I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other -  man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the base against the honorable. A man will seize one of his brothers at his father's home, and say, "You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!"

But in that day he will cry out, "I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people."

Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. (Isaiah 3:1-10)

Israel will experience a vacuum of leadership. There will be no common purpose among the people. Their only thought will be for survival. They will search in vain for someone to help them solve their problems, but no one will be found. Having enjoyed great wealth, they will now have so little that a man with a coat will be thought to have leadership potential.

Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.

The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. (Isaiah 3:10-15)

As Peter wrote, The Lord knows how to rescue Godly men from trials, while holding the unrighteous for judgment. (2 Peter 2:9) One way the Lord judges rebellious people is to give them unworthy leaders who take them farther from God's truth into the deception of mankind.

If you're reading this carefully, you can see the parallels to our current situation in the US. We've enjoyed such wealth, and now that it's being taken away, we don't know what to do. We look around for someone, anyone, who says he can fix the problem regardless of his experience, or lack thereof. We have an irrational hope that all our problems will be solved within the next several months and when it doesn't happen we'll all be upset. We don't realize that as rebellious people we have no right to expect that God will give us leaders who can solve our problems. More likely we'll be taken further off the path.

The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.

Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the LORD will make their scalps bald." In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, the earrings and bracelets and veils, the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, the signet rings and nose rings, the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.

Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding. Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle. The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground. (Isaiah 3:16-26)

In ancient times captured women were branded, their heads were shaved and rings were put through their noses, by which they were led off in rags to servitude. Pictures from the holocaust reflect a more modern adaptation. In the End times the people of Earth will see this yet again.

Isaiah 4 … The Branch Of The Lord

In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, "We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!" (Isaiah 4:1)

Beginning in Isaiah 3:16 the Lord had Isaiah speak against the vanity of Israel's women. Their wealth and their pride will be taken away to the point where multiple women will be willing to join together and agree to pay their own expenses to come under the legal protection of one man through marriage.

In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:2-6)

When the Messiah comes He'll bring a Spirit of judgment and a Spirit of fire to cleanse the world. Living believers will be welcomed into the Kingdom (Matthew 25:34) while unbelievers will be taken away to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46).

Concerning the women of Zion, there's a beautiful picture here of the Messiah washing away all their impurities. In verse 5 the word translated defense (KJV) or canopy (NIV) is chuppah, the Jewish wedding canopy, symbolizing that the Messiah will fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 4:1 and "marry" all of them by bringing them under His protection, to be called by His name. And in verse 6 the word translated tabernacle (KJV) or shelter (NIV) is sukkah. It's the name of the shelter that Jews build on the Feast of Tabernacles, to symbolize the Lord dwelling with them. The pillar of fire by night and cloud by day complete the memorial of His time with them in the wilderness, (Exodus 13:21) and announce that once again God will dwell with His people in a time of complete protection and provision. Get ready, Planet Earth, you can almost hear the Footsteps of the Messiah. 01-10-09

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 3 of 13
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

The next view Isaiah gave us of the End times is found in chapters 11-12 and concerns the Messiah.

Isaiah 11, The Branch From Jesse

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2)

We wouldn't know this except by looking back, but Isaiah was foretelling that the royal line of David, from whom all of Israel's Kings came, would be cut down like a tree, lie dormant, and then be restored. The process would begin about 150 years after Isaiah wrote this when the Lord pronounced a blood curse on the Davidic line, saying no more would these sons of David ever rule over Israel. (Jeremiah 22:28-30). The line would languish, like the stump of a chopped down tree. All during the Babylonian captivity and for 500 years afterward, there was no King over Israel. And then one day a shoot would spring forth, a Branch that would bear fruit. Since Jesse was David's father and David was not the Branch, this is a reference to the Messiah, the ultimate Son of David.

There is so much here, and we have to take the time to apprehend it. First is the use of the word Branch. Notice that it's capitalized, signifying that it refers to a person. There are four references to the Messiah as the Branch, and each of them carries a special modifier. Jeremiah 23:5 tells of a Righteous Branch, a King. Zechariah mentions "my servant, the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8 ) and "the man whose name is the Branch" (Zechariah 6:12). Finally, in a previous installment, we saw the Branch of the Lord in Isaiah 4:2.

I believe it was Clarence Larkin who first discovered that these modifiers were depicted on the four ensigns that identified the camps of Israel, four groups of three tribes each. They were located around the tabernacle in the wilderness on the four points of the compass. In those ensigns the figure of a lion represented the Righteous King, an ox represented the servant, the ox being a beast of servitude, the face of a man is self explanatory, and the eagle represented God.

But there's more. The representations of these four modifiers are also revealed as the four faces of the Cherubim in Rev. 4. And they represent the dominant themes in the four gospels as well. Matthew wrote to the Jews proclaiming Jesus as Israel's Messiah, the Lion of Judah. Mark showed Him to be the obedient servant of God, Luke portrayed Him as the Son of Man, and in John He's the Son of God.

It's pretty clear that the Branch is a Messianic title. The branch from the stump of Jesse is the Messiah, born of the Tribe of Judah into the Davidic line.

I Promise

But there's something even more amazing going on here. Remember, God promised David that someone from His family would reign in Israel forever. David wanted to build God's house, but God declined, saying He needed a man of peace and David was a man of war. So God chose David's son Solomon to build the Temple and during Solomon's reign Israel experienced peace as never before (or since). As for David, God promised to build him a "house", making his dynasty everlasting (1 Chronicles 17:1-14). From that time forward a descendant of David's through Solomon's branch of the family tree would sit on the throne in Jerusalem as King of Israel.

But by the time of the Babylonian captivity, these kings had become so evil and rebellious toward God that He finally said, "Enough", and cursed the royal line, saying no son of theirs would ever reign over Israel again (Jeremiah 22:28-30). The last legitimate King of Israel was Jehoiachin, also called Jeconiah, who reigned for only 3 months in 598 BC. Was God breaking His promise to David?

In announcing the coming Messiah, the angel Gabriel promised Mary that her son would sit on David's throne , the first one to do so since the curse had been pronounced, and when He did it would be forever. (Luke 1:32-33) But what about the cursed line of David? How could God promise such a thing to Mary?

Here's How

If you compare the 2 genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38, and you'll discover that Mary and Joseph were both of the tribe of Judah and descendants of David. Joseph descended through Solomon, the royal but cursed line, while Mary's genealogy goes through Solomon's brother Nathan. In actuality Joseph and Mary were cousins, though many times removed.

Mary had no brothers, and so in order to keep her family's land in the tribal inheritance according to the Law, she had to marry someone also descended from David. (Numbers 36:1-13) Joseph fit the bill and being in the royal line had a claim to the throne, but carried the blood curse. No biological son of his could ever legally qualify as Israel's king, but Joseph could secure Mary's right to inherit her father's land.

When Mary accepted Joseph's offer of marriage she also made good her unborn son's claim to the throne of Israel. Their marriage put Jesus in the royal succession as the legal son of Joseph, as Luke showed in his genealogy (Luke 3:23), but allowed Him to escape the curse since He wasn't Joseph's biological son. But remember, He was a biological descendant of David's through his mother and therefore of the "house and lineage of David." This made Him the only man on Earth since 600BC with a legal right to the throne of David. It took a virgin birth to do it, but God kept His promise to both David and Mary. David's throne will be occupied forever, by Mary's son.

And finally, in verse 2 we see the seven fold Spirit of God, an Old Testament construction of the Holy Spirit, who came to dwell in Jesus at the time of His baptism (Matthew 3:16) and empowered all of His miracles. This was necessary because the Lord's mission required Him to live His life only in the strength of a man. In order to redeem Adam's lost progeny, He had to be Adam's kinsman. This is why Luke, who portrayed Jesus as the son of man, traced His genealogy all the way back to Adam.