THE END DAYS! - FOOTSTEPS OF THE MESSIAH!

[nChrist]

A New Slant On Daniel 7
Commentary by Jack Kelley

Q. Our family continues to enjoy the resources you provide on your website. Your Mark MP3’s have become one of the mainstays for our family Bible studies. I do have one question regarding prophecy that you may be able to answer (provided you have some free time).

I’ve carried a strong interest in Bible Prophecy for a number of years now. I’ve noticed of late some slight diversion as to the identity of the fourth beast of Dan 7. The traditional view has been that it is the Roman Empire and that we will soon see an end time revival of that empire. Another more recent view has been that the fourth beast is the Islamic Empire that began with the Ottoman Empire and has continued to this day. I believe that those holding this view reconcile the Roman Empire as an extension of the Grecian empire (through the 4 divisions that came out of this empire). I believe that those holding this view also acknowledge the Roman Empire as being one of the 7 heads of the beast identified in Rev 13. This more recent view has also led several to strongly suggest that both the beast and Antichrist must come from the East and that the Antichrist will be an Assyrian.

Unfortunately, my understanding of world history is not very strong. Was wondering if you could offer any thoughts on this.

A. In my opinion, changing the identity of the 4th beast of Daniel 7 would contradict the symbolism of the statue in Daniel 2. And there is neither Biblical nor historical justification for making Rome an extension of Greece.  It doesn’t fit.   It’s good that people are beginning to understand that the anti-Christ could  just as easily come from the eastern leg of the Roman Empire as the Western one, but trying to force fit the Ottoman Empire into the mix is unnecessary for that.

I’m also not impressed with the idea that since someone has claimed that the Roman 10th legion consisted of mercenaries of Assyrian origin that the anti-Christ has to be an Assyrian.  The simple facts are that the Assyrian Empire had been assimilated into Rome through territorial conquest, and the 10th Legion was under the command of Titus Vespasian, son of the Roman Emperor, who was acting on Rome’s authority when he had the Temple destroyed in 68 or 69 AD, and it was Hadrian, another Roman Emperor who had the city destroyed nearly 70 years later.  These two separate events serve as 2 witnesses that Daniel 9:26 was speaking of Rome concerning the the destruction of the city and the sanctuary.

Seven kings (kingdoms) are mentioned in Rev. 17: At the time of John’s writing 5 had fallen, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece.  One was then in power, Rome, and one was yet to come. While a claim that the Ottoman Empire could be considered a partial revival of Rome’s eastern leg, the timing was wrong to fulfill John’s view of the 7th kingdom at the end of the age.  Also the statue in Daniel 2 shows the end times revival of Rome to include both legs of the ancient kingdom.

Many new thoughts are coming into the open as the time grows short.  This is the fulfillment of a prophecy in Daniel 12:4.  But like all other opinions, these new ones have to be consistent with the whole counsel of God and cannot require a re-interpretation of either history or the Bible.

[nChrist]

Connecting Daniel 2 And Revelation 17
Commentary by Jack Kelley

Q. In my Sunday School class we are studying the Book of Revelation, using (a well known author’s book). There is a question in the book that asks us to read Daniel 2: 37-45 and to tell how that passage sheds light on the beast seen by John in Revelation 17. What is your response to that question? Can you please help me connect the dots?

In my Sunday School class we are studying the Book of Revelation, using (a well known author’s book). Your studies have been especially helpful because of all the details you go into, and your wonderful insight.

There is a question in the book that asks us to read Daniel 2: 37-45 and to tell how that passage sheds light on the beast seen by John in Revelation 17.

I have read your study on Daniel entitled “The End Times According To Daniel … Part One, Chapters 2 and 7?, and your study on Revelation 17. Again, your studies are especially helpful because of all the details and your wonderful insight. However, that question has me somewhat stumped, and am having trouble connecting the dots.

What is your response to that question? Can you please help me connect the dots?

A. Daniel 2:37-45 is a vision of a statue that represents Gentile Dominion, the time when Gentile powers would rule the world. By most accounts, the four kingdoms represented there are Babylon (gold), Media-Persia (silver), Greece (bronze) and Rome (iron), which is represented twice, first as the legs of iron and then as the feet of iron mixed with clay.

In Rev. 17 we see a woman riding a beast. In verse 9 it says that the seven heads of the beast are seven hills (implying Rome) and that they are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and one is yet to come. Like many, I believe that John wrote the Revelation in 95AD. At the time of his writing there had been five world kingdoms, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece. The then current kingdom was Rome, and the one to come is the revived Roman Empire.

When you delete Egypt and Assyria which Nebuchadnezzar had recently defeated when Daniel interpreted his dream, the two lists are identical.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 1
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 scapegoat. As the High Priest symbolically transferred the sins of the people to the scapegoat, 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 scapegoat 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
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 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 2.1
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.

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.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 2.2
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

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 3.1
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 Revelation 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.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 3.2
by Jack Kelley

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. (Isaiah 11:3-5)

The striking contrast between the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah is evident. Psalms 2:8-9 confirms that He will rule the nations with an iron scepter. Revelation 19:15 agrees and adds that He'll strike down the nations with the word of His mouth.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

Once the Messianic era begins, peace will be it's most distinguishing characteristic. In part 1 we saw that in the Messianic Kingdom nation would no longer take up arms against nation. Now we see that the Millennial peace will extend to the animal kingdom as well. In a later installment we'll see that the creation itself will burst forth in joyful song.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.

He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's enemies will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim. (Isaiah 11:10-13)

The first re-gathering of the nation took place after the Babylonian captivity. The second one officially began in 1948, continues to this day, and will be complete after the Battle of Ezekiel 38. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. (Ezekiel 39:28 ) After 2000 years, God's people will have come home from the Diaspora and will be a single Kingdom again for the first time since 900 BC.

They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will lay hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them. The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that men can cross over in sandals. There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt. (Isaiah 11:14-16)

Chapter 11 closes with yet another promise that as the end of the age draws near the people we erroneously call Palestinians today will cease to be a problem for God's people by reason of conquest. Israel will take hold of them and place them under subjugation. These verses likely refer to the battle of Psalms 83, which is very possibly the next event on the prophetic calendar.

The Egyptian Sea is the Red Sea and it's gulf could be either the gulf of Acaba or the Gulf of Eilat, the two "rabbit ears" at its northern end. The mighty Euphrates, traditional boundary between East and West will become seven streams. The highway for the remnant from Assyria completes the idea that no longer will any natural boundary prevent God's people from coming to His Holy City.

Isaiah 12, Songs of Praise

In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." (Isaiah 12:1-6)

In the past, when Israel was in the land and at peace with God, the whole world stood in awe of the incredible blessing that accompanies a covenant relationship with our Creator. It's been a very long time since that has happened, but at long last God's people will be one with Him again, and again the whole world will be blessed. More next time. 01-17-09

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 4.1
by Jack Kelley

This installment of the End Times According To Isaiah is all about Babylon. The fact that I've included Isaiah 13-14:23 in this series demonstrates my belief that Babylon has never been destroyed in the manner Isaiah will describe for us here, and that there is a major role in the end times for this ancient city. In all the Bible, the only city mentioned more often is Jerusalem. In fact some have gone so far as to characterize the Bible as "A Tale Of Two Cities," Babylon, the city of Satan, versus Jerusalem, the city of God. Not surprisingly the two are always in contention.

Babylon is the origin of every counterfeit religion and mythology, every attempt to deny and defeat the truth of God's word. It's the place where man rebelled against God at the beginning of the Age. Why then is it so difficult for people to believe that Babylon will rise to prominence again for man's rebellion at the end of the Age? Is not Satan the motivating force behind man's rebellion? Those who want to allegorize the End Times references to Babylon simply don't understand the spiritual significance of this great city. Just like the one whose city it is, Babylon was, now is not, but will come again and go to its destruction. (Revelation 17:8 )

Isaiah 13 … A Prophecy Against Babylon

An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:

Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath - those who rejoice in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war.

They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens - the LORD and the weapons of his wrath -  to destroy the whole country.

Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.

See, the day of the LORD is coming  - a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger - to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. (Isaiah 13:1-12)

Isaiah begins with a general statement identifying when Babylon's ultimate destruction will come. It will be during the time when the Lord judges the world for its evil, a time often called The Day Of The Lord, or the Great Tribulation. To make sure we understand this, we see the same reference to the sun, moon, and stars in Matthew 24:29 where they signal the end of the Great Tribulation.

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.

Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land. Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives ravished. See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants nor will they look with compassion on children. (Isaiah 13:13-18 )

The Medes were partners with the Persians who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. But nothing like what's described here happened at that time. As foretold in Isaiah 45, the Medes and Persians took Babylon with out a battle. In fact it was several days before all the residents discovered they had become a Persian City. The Medes, called Kurds today, are a fiercely independent people whose homeland straddles the borders of Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Having been persecuted by all three countries, and particularly by Iraq, it won't take any special incentive for them to settle their score with Babylon when the time comes.

Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there.

But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her strongholds, jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged. (Isaiah 13:19-22)

The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah weren't discovered until centuries after they disappeared in a fiery blaze that turned everything to ash. Evidence shows that balls of sulfur up to 9000 degrees F (5000 C.) rained down from heaven burning everything in sight and melting the sand into glass. The entire ecosystem perished and the land became a barren wasteland, never again inhabited.

In contrast Babylon was continuously inhabited after its capture, first by the Persians, who made it a provincial capitol, and then by the Greeks when they conquered the Persians. Alexander the Great died there after conquering the known world. Babylon remained a province of the various iterations of the Persian Empire until 650AD, almost 1200 years after it was first conquered. Today a small town called Al-Hillah stands among the ancient ruins.

In the mid 1980's Saddam Hussein spent millions in a restoration project, turning Babylon into a ceremonial city for weddings and other special events. Today's Iraqi leaders have plans for completing Babylon's restoration, making it into a cultural center complete with shopping malls, hotels, and perhaps a theme park. The US government recently donated $700K to fund studies on the renovation. The plan is that one day soon millions of people will visit Babylon again.

The original language of this passage contained words that are believed to be the names of demons. The animal names are said to have been substituted to make the passage understandable to western minds.

Isaiah 14 … The King Of Babylon

The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.

Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. (Isaiah 14:1-2)

In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. (Jeremiah 50:20)

Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon." The LORD dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:20-21)

Isaiah 14 opens with a reminder that at the End of the Age God would remember His people and bring them back to the Land He promised would be theirs forever. Many settlers would be converts to Judaism from among the Gentiles of Europe, working alongside descendants of the 12 tribes to build their country anew. We've already seen how Gentile nations like England and the US have helped make this happen. Soon, the enemies who oppress them today will be their subjects, even their servants.

Other prophecies yet to be fulfilled tell of a day when the Lord will so completely forgive Israel that even those who search for an accusation to hurl will find nothing. It's hard to imagine how such a change could come about. Zechariah explains what will make it possible.

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10)

Once the nation's eyes are opened to the Messiah, It's like a new day dawning. They'll find that His blood has covered even the sin of shedding it, and He'll once again be pleased to dwell among them, and this time it'll be forever. (Ezekiel 43:7). And now, back to Babylon.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 4.2
by Jack Kelley

On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.

All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, "Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down." (Isaiah 14:3-8 )

In chapter 13 we saw the destruction of the city. Now the Lord has Isaiah turn to the one who has caused all the world's problems. As we'll see, He isn't talking about Nebuchadnezzar, or even the anti-Christ.

The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you -  all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones - all those who were kings over the nations.

They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us."

All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. (Isaiah 14:9-11)

The King of Babylon will join those who have foolishly chosen to follow him down through the ages. All the world's mighty men will finally see that he was no better then they. Though he promised them great things, even "all the Kingdoms of the World", in the end he can't even save himself from the wrath of God, and will share their miserable fate.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Isaiah 14:12-14

The King James reads "Lucifer, son of the morning" in verse 12 rather than "morning star, son of the dawn." Lucifer is a word that means "light bearer" and comes from the Latin translation of verse 12. The Hebrew phrase is "Heylel ben Shakar" and is possibly the devil's real name. Heylel is from a root word that means "to shine" in the sense of foolish boasting or making a show of oneself. It's the source of the title "the shining one". Ben means "son" and shakar means "dawn." So Heylel ben Shakar means "shining one, son of the dawn".

When he translated the Bible into Latin in 382-384AD, Jerome used the word Lucifer for heylel in Isaiah 14:12, giving the devil a new name. Some later translations incorrectly use morning star instead, perhaps to avoid personifying him. But the real Morning Star is Jesus, as Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:19 and as Jesus Himself said in Revelation 22:16. (Being a Latin word, Lucifer is not found in the Hebrew Scripture. The name Satan comes straight from the Hebrew haSatan which means "the adversary", so it's not really his name either, but is part of his job description.)

Having established that the Lord really had Satan in view, not the earthly king of Babylon, Isaiah then disclosed the basis for his rebellion. Satan set out to ascend to heaven and raise his throne (seat of power) above all other angels, to sit there on the mount of assembly, on its utmost heights. That means he wanted to be officially recognized as superior to all the angelic host and be the object of their worship and praise, and even beyond that to make himself equal to God, at least in one respect.

Like The Most High

I believe Isaiah's use of the title Most High in referring to God was intended to show that Satan didn't delude himself into thinking he could ever be recognized as the Creator. The first use of the phrase Most High in connection with God appears in Genesis 14:18. Then, in verse 19 Melchizedek blessed Abraham in the name of the Most High God, calling Him the possessor of Heaven and Earth. Satan wasn't trying to replace God as Earth's Creator. He wanted to possess it, and everyone in it.

When he couldn't get it legitimately, he stole it by getting Adam and Eve to disobey God. We know this because in the wilderness temptation he offered all the kingdoms of the world to the Lord, saying they had all been given to Him. Luke 4:6 While the Lord rejected his offer, He did not dispute his claim. This is why Jesus called Satan " the prince of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30,16:11), why Paul said he is "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4) and why John wrote, "the whole world is under the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19) It's also why Paul wrote about the Lord redeeming the creation, not just you and me. (Romans 8:19-21) With His blood He redeemed everything Adam had lost.

But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?"

All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit.

Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again. Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities. (Isaiah 14:15-21)

In middle Eastern thinking, killing a man is not the worst you can do to him. The worst thing is to deny him a decent burial afterward. Satan will spend the 1000 years of the Kingdom Age amid the rotting corpses of his followers, denied the courtesy of his own tomb. In contrast to the Righteous Branch, he has become the rejected branch. By deceit he gained the Earth and its inhabitants, but he destroyed one and killed the other. At the end of the 1000 years, he and his followers will be raised, but to slaughter not inheritance. (Revelation 20:7-15)

"I will rise up against them," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants," declares the LORD.

"I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD Almighty. (Isaiah14:22-23)

The passage comes to a close with a repeat of its initial message. Babylon will be destroyed, but after seeing the extent of it's destruction, we know it hasn't happened yet. Jeremiah 50-51 tell the same story in even greater detail, confirming Isaiah's account. And for his version of Babylon's destruction (Revelation 18 ) John borrowed language from both these prophets. It's clear they were all talking about the same event. By the testimony of two or three witnesses a thing will be established. (Deuteronomy 19:15) More next time. 01-31-09

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 5.1
by Jack Kelley

This installment of the End Times According to Isaiah takes us to Isaiah 17 and the never fulfilled prophecy of the destruction of Damascus.

What's New?

In the past couple of years it has become even clearer that Isaiah's prophecy of the destruction of Damascus may soon come to fulfillment.  If so, it would explain why Syria is not included among the coalition of Moslem nations who will gather against Israel in the Battle of Ezekiel 38.

Emboldened by the outcome of the 2006 Hezbollah Israel war, Syria has become ever more bellicose in it's behavior toward Israel. Aggressive acts have included moving large military forces onto the Golan, opening the crossing that gives Syrians access to Israel for the first time since 1973, forming and training a Syrian terrorist force to infiltrate Northern Israel, and demanding that the Golan be returned at once or else this force would begin committing terrorist acts inside Israel.

It's been known for some time that Syria has one of the world's most advanced chemical weapons programs, even though such things are illegal, and probably inherited the bulk of Saddam Hussein's WMDs that the MSM (main stream media) delights in telling you never existed.  They've mobilized reserves, set up alternate communication centers, and moved all official historical and legal documents out of Damascus. They did this because they believe that Israel will respond to a chemical attack by destroying Damascus with nuclear weaponry. They've recalled all their citizens living in Lebanon. They've purchased Russian arms and defensive systems costing hundreds of millions of dollars in an effort to protect Damascus.

Going Nuclear

In July 2007, a chemical warhead exploded at a Syrian missile facility while being fitted to a Scud missile, killing dozens of Iranian and Syrian technicians. The only likely target within range of the missile is Tel Aviv.  Then, just 2 months later, the Israeli bombing of a secret Syrian facility deep inside the country made headlines and demonstrated Israel's ability to render the Russian state-of-the-art anti-air defenses ineffective. These systems were sold to both Syria and Iran to protect against US or Israeli attacks by air.  The presence of nuclear materials at the Syrian base has been confirmed, so it might have been the location of at least a dirty bomb assembly plant and perhaps even a clandestine nuclear weapons facility.  The North Koreans were heavily involved in this, and are suspected of still helping Syria to develop some kind of nuclear weapons capability.

Most recently, Israel's Gaza incursion has opened a rift between Israel and Turkey, causing Turkey to suspend its role as the mediator in Syria-Israel peace talks, breaking one of the few lines of communication between the two countries.

While some of this is more than the MSM has been willing to share with you, it is a matter of public record.  My guess is that there's a lot more going on that we don't know about, making matters even more urgent.  So let's take another look at Isaiah 17, An Oracle Against Damascus, while it's still prophecy.

An Oracle Concerning Damascus:

"See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. (Isaiah 17:1-2)

Because of the language of these verses, many scholars believe that this prophecy was only partially fulfilled when the Assyrians defeated the Arameans and overran their capital, Damascus, in 732 BC. To this day Damascus is thought to be the world's oldest continuously inhabited city with a 5000-year history and a population close to 2 million, yet Isaiah 17:1 indicates that it will one day cease to exist.

Some believe the phrase "cities of Aroer" refers to Aramean territory east of the Jordan River around the Arnon River, which flows into the Dead Sea in southern Jordan.  However, the Jewish Encyclopedia claims that this phrase in Isaiah 17:2 is probably translated incorrectly  because the geographical distance from Damascus is too great.  While they say it's possible that there may have been another Aroer near Damascus, it is more likely that the passage should be rendered "the cities thereof shall be forsaken." If that's the correct translation, it would include the Hezbollah stronghold in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, which was part of Aramean territory in Isaiah's time, and is in a direct line between Beirut and Damascus.

The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites," declares the LORD Almighty. "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. (Isaiah 17:3-5)

This segment speaks of the defeat of Damascus in 732BC and the destruction of Samaria 10 years later (722 BC).  Damascus continued to exist as part of the Assyrian Empire and is still here today, but the ruins of Samaria are just now being excavated out of the sandy soil of Israel.  The systematic relocation of the ruling classes to the far reaches of the Assyrian Empire is also in view. This was standard Assyrian policy to reduce the likelihood of subsequent rebellion among their conquered peoples.   Jacob and Ephraim are alternate names for the Northern Kingdom, and Samaria was its capital.

Yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs," declares the LORD, the God of Israel. (Isaiah 17:6)

Not all the people were dispersed.  Farmers were left behind to tend the crops and protect the harvest for their new rulers. They were joined by refugees from other parts of Assyria and their combined descendants were known as the Samaritans in the time of Jesus.  (A quick reading of 2 Chronicles 11:16 shows that all the faithful from the 10 northern tribes moved south at the time of the civil war that divided the nation after King Solomon's death 150 years earlier.  From then on, all 12 tribes were represented in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, so the 10 tribes from the North weren't totally lost.  The Lord has always preserved a believing remnant from all the Tribes of Israel.)

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 5.2
by Jack Kelley

In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made. In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation. (Isaiah 17:7-9)

This is another passage that's problematic for those who try to consign the whole prophecy to history. There is simply no reason to believe that the Assyrians turned to God following their conquest of Aram and Israel. And far from abandoning their cities because of the Israelites, it was the Israelites who were defeated and dispersed. The yet future Jewish attack on Damascus causing the destruction and abandonment of Syrian cities, and the eventual return of the survivors to their God is a much more likely fulfillment. And it could happen soon.

You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain. (Isaiah 17:10-11)

Asshur, father of the Assyrians, and Aram, father of the Arameans were both sons of Shem. Aram's son Uz is the traditional founder of Damascus. (The setting for Job, the Bible's oldest book, is the Land of Uz.) The knowledge of God in the memories of these patriarchs cannot be questioned. It wasn't that they never knew Him, but that they had forgotten Him, abandoned Him in favor of the Canaanite gods of the region, Baal and his consort Ashtoreth (aka Asherah, Astarte, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus.) Currently Syria is almost totally Moslem.   Until they return to their Maker and Savior none of their plans and schemes will prosper in the long run, no matter how promising they seem at the beginning.

Oh, the raging of many nations- they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples- they roar like the roaring of great waters! Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale. In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us. (Isaiah 17:12-14)

Having conquered most of the Middle East including the Arameans and the Northern Kingdom,  the Assyrians set their sights on the Southern Kingdom, Judah. Assyria's King Sennacherib brought his armies almost literally to the gates of Jerusalem, so close his commanders were within speaking distance of the Jewish defenders. On the night before they were to attack, the Lord sent His angel into the Assyrian camp on Mt. Scopus to slaughter 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Before dawn they had packed up and fled, ending 44 years of conquest. (Isaiah 37:36-38 ) This time in Israel's history so parallels the Jewish view of the End Times that Sennacherib is seen by them as a type of the anti-christ, while Judah's King Hezekiah models the Messiah.

But notice that Isaiah speaks of many nations raging against God's people, not just Assyria, leading us once again to consider Sennacherib's defeat as a partial fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

Today many nations are stirred up against Israel. The various Mid-East "peace" conferences have left Israel standing alone against all but irresistible pressure to negotiate away its very existence. Syria and Iran are dead certain that Israel will attack soon, and are preparing accordingly.  Israel's other next-door neighbors are also preparing for war, and indeed many nations are taking sides.

Israel is not blind to these mounting threats, but until lately the current government seems to have been ignoring them.  That's about to stop.  Israeli Prime Minister candidate Benyamin Netanyahu, who's almost certain to be elected, has warned Hamas that if the rocket attacks continue after he takes office he will wipe out their leadership in both Gaza and Syria, even if it results in a confrontation with the Syrians.   We can easily envision a scenario that includes the final fulfillment of Isaiah 17, the destruction of Damascus.  Sudden terror in the evening, and before morning they and the surrounding cities are gone.

The phrase "rushing of many waters" is often used to describe a loud voice. Such a thing would certainly cause an incredible uproar among the nations, and many loud voices.  If you listen carefully, you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. Updated 02-07-09.

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 6.1
by Jack Kelley

This time we begin a very descriptive four chapter passage devoted to the destruction coming upon the Earth at the End of The Age. Before we're finished we'll see the Earth judged, Babylon destroyed, the Messiah revealed, the Church Raptured, Satan judged, Israel restored, and we'll even get a glimpse of Eternity.

Isaiah 24, The Lord's Devastation Of The Earth

LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants-it will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. (Isaiah 24:1-2)

No one will escape this coming judgment. It will be world wide and will impact everyone. In Jeremiah 30:11 we learn that one of the Lord's objectives in the Great Tribulation will be to completely destroy all the nations among which His people have been scattered.

The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The LORD has spoken this word. The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. (Isaiah 24:3-5)

The cause of this judgment is the disobedience of the people of Earth. The everlasting covenant is the agreement whereby the Son (Jesus) agreed to die for our sins and in exchange the Father (God) agreed to forgive us. Mankind is not party to this agreement, we are only its beneficiaries. The Hebrew word translated broken here means to frustrate the intent of the agreement. The Father and the Son have done their part and kept their word, but the people of Earth refused to accept its provisions and be saved. It's this disobedience that will ultimately bring God's judgment, because He offers no other provision for their escape.

Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan. The gaiety of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent. No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.

The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred. In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all gaiety is banished from the earth. The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces. So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest. (Isaiah 24:6-13)

We'll see a reference to Babylon in a few verses. I think these verses speak of a typical city on Earth. Throughout the age of man, cities have always been more corrupt than the small towns of the country side. It makes sense that they would all be totally destroyed.

They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD's majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: "Glory to the Righteous One." (Isaiah 24:14-16a)

Tribulation believers will be the only ones on Earth who understand what's going on. They will see God's righteousness in these judgments and will praise Him for them.

But I said, "I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!"

Terror and pit and snare await you, O people of the earth. Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls-never to rise again. (Isaiah 24:16b- 20)

Jesus said that the judgments of the Great Tribulation will exceed anything the world has ever seen or will see again.(Matthew 24:21) That means Isaiah's use of language reminiscent of the Great Flood is actually an understatement. When it's over, no building will be left standing, every mountain will have fallen. Earthquakes will open up huge gaps in the surface of the Earth.

I believe that one purpose of the Great Tribulation will be to prepare Earth to be made new, to be put back into the condition it was in when Adam arrived. That means everything that man has done to defile and pollute the planet will have to be reversed. I believe it will also have to be straightened on its axis, brought back onto a 360 day rotation around the Sun and have its world wide sub-tropical climate restored as well.

In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below. They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days. The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously. (Isaiah 24:21-23)

This summary statement of the End Times judgments says it all. The powers in the Heavens refers to Satan and his horde. The Kings on the Earth below are those leaders who lined up with Satan against God. (Can you name one who hasn't?) As we saw in Isaiah 14 they'll all wind up in hell together, while the Almighty God will finally take possession of that which is His, and will rule in glory among the elders of Israel.

The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. He said: "Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. (Ezekiel 43:4-5,7)

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 6.2
by Jack Kelley

Isaiah 25, Praise To The LORD

O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago. You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners' stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere you. (Isaiah 25:1-3)

By his description we can tell that the city Isaiah is referring to here is Babylon. Tribulation survivors who enter the Millennium will remember what a powerful city it was and how totally it was destroyed. They and their children will honor the Lord if for no other reason than knowing he could easily do the same to them.

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall and like the heat of the desert. You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled. (Isaiah 25:4-5)

The Psalmist said that the Lord is a shield for us, (Psalms 3:3) our refuge and our fortress. (Psalms 91:2) The Lord's protective power will keep the ruthless at bay during His 1000 year reign, and at the end of it He will destroy them like He destroyed Babylon.

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine-the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."(Isaiah 25:6-9)

In Isaiah 65:17-25 the prophet made it clear that the people of Earth will not be immortal during the Millennium, although average lifespans will increase dramatically. Here Isaiah is pointing to the end of the Millennium when God will grant all His people the same blessing of immortality that He will have granted the Church at the Rapture. And the first order of business to celebrate this blessing will be a great feast of rich foods, choice meats, and fine wines.

This may be the only real glimpse into eternity in the Bible. How fitting that it should involve gourmet food and drink. It shows that we'll be physical beings enjoying some of the same interests and desires that we have here, but without the negative after effects. Imagine sitting down to a huge feast with the entire family of man, prepared and hosted by the Creator Himself. We'll intuitively know each other, with everyone expressing the perfect love that the closest brothers and sisters have for one another. As the Church we'll have experienced this sort of thing before, and we'll take special delight in knowing that now the entire human race will finally be of one accord forever. Watching the amazement of our newly perfected brothers and sisters from the Millennium will remind us of the days just after the Rapture, now over 1000 years in the past, when we first felt that way.

In verse 9 the Hebrew word for God is Elohim, His creator name, by which our earliest ancestors knew Him. The word for LORD is the tetragrammaton, JHWH. These are the four initials that stand for God's Old Covenant name, spoken reverently and fearfully by Israel. And the word for His salvation is Yeshua, the name of Jesus, mediator of the New Covenant, the name above all names. From the first man to the last, We'll shout the names of God in praise and thanksgiving.

The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;but Moab will be trampled under him as straw is trampled down in the manure. They will spread out their hands in it, as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim. God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands. He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust. (Isaiah 25:10-12)

Since the nation called Moab disappeared from Earth when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it in the 6th Century BC, commentators view this reference to Moab as being symbolic of the Lord's enemies at the end of the Millennium. Before He can lead mankind into his eternal destiny, the Lord has to destroy all of His enemies. Speaking of the Lord's responsibilities at the End of Time, Paul wrote, For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:25-26)

Once He has put down the final rebellion at the end of the Millennium, death will be the only enemy left. Revelation 20:14 says that death and Hades will be thrown into the Lake of Fire after the Great White Throne judgment. When that happens mankind can be made immortal, and eternity can begin. This tells us that Millennium believers will receive perfected bodies at that time, because no one possessing a sin nature can be made immortal.

Next week we'll take chapters 26 and 27 and see the Rapture of the Church, Satan's defeat, and Israels' deliverance. Stay tuned. 02-14-09

[nChrist]

The End Times According To Isaiah, Part 7.1
by Jack Kelley

In this installment of The End Times According To Isaiah, we'll look at chapters 26-27 which will complete the four chapter prophecy we began last time.

Isaiah 26. A Song of Praise

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down- the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor. The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth.

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:1-9)

Those speaking are Jewish Tribulation believers, obedient to the Old Covenant. They place in contrast two symbolic cities. The strong city symbolizes Jerusalem and houses the righteous nation, the believing remnant that trusts the Lord and receives perfect peace in the midst of chaos. But the lofty city, symbolizing Babylon, is full of unbelievers, and is brought low. The oppressed and poor within it rebel against their unjust leaders and help to trample it down, into the dust.

The believing remnant longs for the LORD's return, knowing that His judgments are bringing righteousness back to Earth. It's important to remember that in the last days, Israel will once again be an Old Covenant nation, under the Law. Otherwise they would neither need nor want a Temple, and admonitions like "Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on a Sabbath" (Matthew 24:20) would be unnecessary. Only Old Covenant Jews are forbidden to travel on the Sabbath.

Notice the word LORD is all in capital letters. That means in Hebrew it's JHVH, the tetragrammaton, the 4 initials of God's Old Covenant name. They don't yet know their Messiah's name, even though the Hebrew word for the salvation that makes up the strong city's walls and ramparts is Yeshua, the name of Jesus. Not until the Great Tribulation is almost over will they look upon the One they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10) and recognize Him, even though He's been protecting them all along.

Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD. O LORD, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them. (Isaiah 26:10-11)

Even in wrath, God remembers mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2) In the midst of totally destroying the nations among which they had been scattered, the Lord extends grace to His people giving them one last chance. But the wicked refuse to see it and will suffer the consequences. The Great Tribulation has been called the refiner's fire. In it all of Israel's impurities will be brought to the top and skimmed off to suffer the fate of God's enemies.

LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us. O LORD, our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor. They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them. You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; you have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land. (Isaiah 26:12-15)

Admitting their previous idolatry, the remnant once again swears fidelity to God alone, now and forever. Their other gods are dead and gone, never to rise again. They finally confess that it was He who enlarged their nation and extended their borders. This likely refers to a battle still in our future, foretold in Psalms 83, where the Lord will give the Jews victory over their next door neighbors, resulting in an expansion of their territory to an area more consistent with the original borders of the Promised Land.

LORD, they came to you in their distress; when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer. As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, O LORD. We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth; we have not given birth to people of the world. (Isaiah 26:16-18 )

One of the things God chose Israel to do was to bring His salvation to the Gentiles, and here they admit their failure. God, who doesn't miss opportunities even then we fail in our calling, had Isaiah prophesy that He would accomplish this for them in the person of the Messiah. (Isaiah 49:1-6)

But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer. (Isaiah 26:19-21)

While the believing dead of the Old Testament will be resurrected, it won't happen until the end of the Great Tribulation (Daniel 12:2). And while the living remnant will flee into the mountains of Judea at it's beginning (Matthew 24:15), the actual order of these events will be the opposite of their mention here. And besides, Revelation 6:17 shows that God's wrath begins several years before the appearance of the Abomination of Desolation, the sign Jesus gave the Jews as a signal to flee.   Not by any stretch of the imagination has this passage been literally fulfilled in the past, nor will it be by the Jewish remnant.

This is an End Times prophecy that first promises a resurrection of the dead, followed by the hiding of God's people while His Wrath is unleashed on the people of Earth for their sins. It's so startlingly similar to Paul's message to the Church In 1 Thessalonians  4-5 that I'm convinced it's "the Lord's own word" that Paul referred to as his authority in writing it. Let's read it.

According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians  4:15-17)

While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

Of course, no one knows for sure that this is the passage Paul was referring to, but scholars have searched the New Testament in vain for any teaching by Jesus to justify Paul's claim. There is none. Let's compare the two passages.

Isaiah: But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.

Paul: The dead in Christ will rise first .

Isaiah: Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.

Paul: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Isaiah: See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins.

Paul: While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The wording is a little different, but it sure looks to me like they're describing the same event. In further support of this, the Hebrew word translated "go" in the phrase "Go, my people" is translated "come" in the KJV, recalling the command to John in Revelation 4, "Come up here!" It also means depart, and vanish. Interesting.