[Brother V]

Isaiah 64-66

Isaiah 64

1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,


This chapter is considered to the the Prayer of the Remnant. Remember the remnant are the remaining few that will be going back to Jerusalem.

2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Remember also, that this was probably written at the end of the Babylonian Captivity. At this point the people were sitting around talking about how great God was for sending Cyrus to kill the Babylonians.

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

This is rather odd, you don't normally EVER see a jew who is taking responsibility for their actions. They claim their iniquities have taken them away. I honestly can't think of a time so far where one of the main characters has actually taken responsibility.

7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Well, I guess it's not too tough to actually claim that it's your fault for something when you've already been forgiven for it.

9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

They could see that Cyrus was coming; they are hoping that he isn't worse than the previous captors, although, that'd be tough to top.

11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Remember, in 586, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed.

12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

Here we see that the people are asking God to help them, because they are God's chosen. If God doesn't make his chosen people great, then how great can God be? In order for everyone else in the world to know how great God is, he has to have his temple built, and his favorite city has to be awesome. Otherwise, he's just another God of a dunghill, and that's a really crappy god.

Isaiah 65

1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

The prayer of the remnant continues. The is God talking though, kind of responding to the prayer from chapter 64. God says he didn't want to reject his people, they rejected him, so he found some other people to hang out with for a while.

7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

Because remember, God doesn't punish the children for the sins of the fathers (Deuteronomy 24:16). Even though here he says he does. Well, kinda, the kids also had their own iniquities.

12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

God says he has to kill off some people, because they didn't listen to him.

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Praise Jesus, the promise of a new heaven and earth, this one where nothing could ever go wrong, because God finally wants to make a place where everything goes right, because he's had so much success at doing that up until now (not now, in reference to day 222, now as in Nov. 3, 2009).

21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

It's going to be awesome.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

So, God will create a new perfect place and lions will be vegetarians, even though all cats are carnivores, and snakes will eat dust and not bite at people. So even though it's a new heaven and earth, the serpent is still going to be punished for the thing that satan did, while acting like a serpent.

Isaiah 66

1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

God wants his temple rebuilt.

3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

It's not that he wants it rebuilt, he wants it built happily. He doesn't want people to sacrifice to him because they have to, he wants them to do it because they want to.

14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

Will there still be enemies in New Heaven and earth?

15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

No, God will kill them all before then.

16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Exactly why he just doesn't blink his enemies out of existence is beyond me. He must really like to go about killing.

18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

God will judge people, the righteous won't die, they can stay in new earth.

19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

Tarshish, no one knows where Tarshish is, it was the place that had ivory, apes and peacocks. It might be Tarsus in Asia Minor. Tarshish was a son of Javan, a son of Japheth.

Pul, was one of the names for Tiglath-Pileser III, so this may refer to somewhere in Assyria.

Lud, Lud was a son of Shem. Lud may refer to the Lydians Eastern Anatolia (assyrian).

Tubal, A son of Japheth, this may refer to Spain and Portugal.

Javan, a son of Japheth, some people claim that this became the Ionians (greeks) but, I believe it to be Japan.

20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

God will accept the offereings from all those nations.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.


That's nice of God, to make the new places and allow the hebrews to survive to populate it.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

And when new heaven and earth are made, everyone will worship the LORD all month, and all day, and it'll be everyone still alive doing it.

24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

And, just like Lazarus in Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:23) we'll be able to look out on the dead and tormented, and not feel any guilt about it. We'll not feel guilt, we'll look at them and be disgusted.

PRAISE JESUS!!!

So what have we learned today?

1. There will be no "free will" in new heaven and earth.

2. We won't feel guilty looking at the damned.

3. God's going to kill a lot of people.

YIC
V

[Marti Dom]

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

So, God will create a new perfect place and lions will be vegetarians, even though all cats are carnivores, and snakes will eat dust and not bite at people. So even though it's a new heaven and earth, the serpent is still going to be punished for the thing that satan did, while acting like a serpent.
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No.. this actually translates to "The wolf shall eat the lamb and the lion will eat the cow right down to the straw."