Let's Talk About Zionism...

What does the Bible actually say about Zionism? How can we as Christians stand by and watch inhumane treatment of other humans and not be bothered? That is NOT what God called us to do.

A few years ago, I was visiting one of my aunts, and something must have recently made the news about the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflict because somehow we ended up talking about Zionism. This particular aunt is a devout member of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) church and like most women in my family, she's not afraid to voice her opinion. At one point in the in the conversation, she made an assertion that many Christians make—an assertion that despite claims of separation of church and state, is at the heart of why the United States often sides with Israel. An assertion that is wrong.

"But it's [Israel's] land. God gave them that land."

The belief in and support of a Jewish nation is often referred to Zionism[1] and it runs deep in the Christian church. It's the only conclusion you'd make if your Christian experience is limited to the sermons you get from the pastor, and it's the easiest conclusion to make with a shallow dive into the Bible itself. I see exactly why people are led to that conclusion: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and while they were in the wilderness, God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. God promised to make Israel a great nation, and a great nation has land, right?

The above train of thought leaves out crucial parts of the narrative and with the recent attacks on Palestine by Israel, it's time we straighten this story out.

Disclaimer

Please understand that this post is discussing the actions of the Israeli government. When speaking about curses I am referencing the nation as a government entity and in a broad sense. While this post is criticizing Zionism it is not a statement against Jewish independence—it is a statement against using Zionism to justify the mistreatment of Palestinans. Also, I have tried to differentiate when I'm talking about Israel of the past verus present by refering to Israelites (past) and Israelis (present).

Is Israel *Still* the Promised Land?

During Israel's time in the wilderness, God promises Israel a lot of things but these promises are not absolute. While there are a few instances that repeat this concept, we're going to focus on Deuteronomy 27-28. In this passage, Moses lays out not one, but two paths for Israel. The first leads to blessings from God (Deuteronomy 28:1-14); if they chose that path they would be prosperous, healthy, and at peace. The second path, however, leads to curses (Deuteronomy 28:15-26). When choosing this path, the Israelites would reap hardship, illnesses, and defeat.

¹“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations of the earth. ²And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the Lord your God: Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NASB

In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, we see plainly what the path to the blessings is: obedience. Notice that the blessings come to Isreal IF they obey the Lord. So, did Israel obey God and follow the path to the blessings? No! From before Moses could even return from the mountain, the Israelites struggled with obedience. It is due to Israel serving other gods that they go into captivity... The Northern Kingdom (Israel) went through a line of rulers who led the people astray from God, which ends with them being taken away by the Assyrians. In the Southern Kingdom (Judea), they ping pong between righteous and corrupt kings, but ultimately they, too, drift away from God. The prophet Jeremiah tells us this is why they were subjected to the Babylonian captivity.

And I will pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have abandoned Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. Jeremiah 1:16 NASB

The Israelites in Babylon were eventually returned to the land, but continued to wax and wane in their relationship with God. There would be a Greek captivity followed by the Roman occupation of Israel. It is during the Roman occupation of Israel that we see the birth of the Messiah. The birth of the Messiah occurs during the 70 weeks prophecy given by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). It is during this time that the Israelites are supposed to be turning back to God. This is their final chance as a nation to turn back to their King.

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.Daniel 9:24 NASB

Did the Israelites bring about everlasting righteousness and anoint the Most Holy Place? No, they rejected the Messiah and had Him executed despite His innocence. The Israelites chose a known criminal over an innocent man. Roughly a generation later, Jerusalem was seiged by the Roman empire, the Temple was destoryed and Israel lost their Promised Land. God does not promise to restore the nation of Israel (as a bloodline) after the 70 weeks.

Pastor Ivor Myers has a wonderful sermon series that explains this exact issue.[2] In the series, he discusses the prophets of the Old Testament and teaches us how to put each prophet in context. The essence of the series discusses "the day of Lord" which is not actually one day (often refered to as the end of the world) but a series of judgments by God with the final day of the Lord being the one to bring about eternal peace. He clearly shows how the prophecies to restore Israel end with the rejection of Christ. When Christ rose from the dead, He built the final Temple (often mistaken as a third physical temple) made without hands. This Temple is talked about extensively in the New Testament and it is us. Just as God's Spirit dwelled in the Most Holy place of the Temple in Jerusalem, His Spirit now dwells in us. We—those who have chosen Him—are the new heirs to the throne and the new promised children. Our promised land is not Israel, though, it is the Kingdom of God. We receive this land when the final day of the Lord happens. Unforuntately the sermons are no longer free (I hate when people charge for teachings on the word of God), I'm uploading my notes to Google Drive for those curious about the Bible verses and how these conclusions were drawn.[3]

What If I'm Wrong?

Let's pretend for a second that God had promised to restore Israel after they rejected the Messiah. Deuteronomy 27:19 says "Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an orphan, or a widow." Modern Israel has been distorting the justice due the Palestinians for years. Under the assumption the land belongs to Israel, the Palestinians would be strangers in the land, and the fact that Israel behaves unjustly toward them would trigger the curses outlined in Deuteronomy.

Another issue with the U.S. supporting Israel is that when God gives, it's obvious. An army did not free the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. The Israelites did not receive external support when they took the land after leaving Egypt. Although the Persian army conquered Babylon and subsequently allowed Jerusalem to be restored (drawing parallels to the defeat of Germany and allowance of the establishment of modern Israel by the west), the Persian army did not fight battles for Israel. If God was restoring Israel, His people would be able to take the land without the assistance of foreign troops and it would look like the land of the blessings in the beginning of Deuteronomy 28. The most obvious sign God is not giving them the land is that this isn't the case. The first thing the Israelites did when Cyrus allowed them back in the Promised Land was to restore Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Modern Israel was established in the 1960s—is there a third Temple? No, because there's a mosque there. There's a mosque there because the Israeli government did not capture Jerusalem in the Six Days War. It's there because God did NOT give them the city of Jerusalem. Trust me, if God wants someone to have something, they'll have it without the U.S. funding it...

The Importance of All This

I do not speak as much about issues that affect ofther minorities on this blog mainly because I'm not always sure of the details and it's better to amplify than to steal the spotlight. However, I had to write something on this issue because as I type, Israel is committing countless atrocities against the people of Palestine[5] and "Christians" are turning a blind eye because they don't understand their own Bible. You cannot support Zionism at the expense of Palestinians and adhere to the tenants God set for us at the same time. The same passion and zeal evangelical Christians put into being pro-life needs to be manifested into being pro-Palestinian-life. From here is where I point you to Palestinian voices. Go read their stories. Go feel their hurt. A friend of mine, who brought the recent atrocities to my attention, has created a letter in support of HR 2590, a bill that would promote and protect the rights of Palestinians. Please research what the Bible actually says, what is happening in Palestine, and what this bill could accomplish, then sign her letter to show your sentators and representatives that you support justice.[4]

References

1. "Zionism". Merriam-Webster; visited May 2021
2. Ivor Myers. "The 3 Heavens Principle". Power of the Lamb Ministries. February 1, 2021
3. My notes on The 3 Heavens Principle
4. Sign the Letter
5. Bill Chappell. "Israel In Turmoil: Violence Spreads To Streets And Occupied West Bank". NPR. May 13, 2021

Obadiah

Introduction

The book of Obadiah only has one chapter! It's one of the shortest books in the Bible. With such a succint book, you can expect that not much is known about it's author, the prophet Obadiah—he keeps it straight to the point and doesn't spend much time on himself. Some scholars believe he was a contemporary of Jeremiah, while others believe he operated around the reign of Jehoram, and yet others place him as a contemporary of Elisha. The latter camps argue that because Obadiah doesn't mention the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, it was probably written before that destruction took place. The earliest date (Obadiah as a contemporary of Elisha) was proposed because Obadiah seems to reference the act that occurs in 2 Chronicles 28:17. No matter which of these dates is the true period in which Obadiah wrote, we can see that his prophecies were written before they were fulfilled.

Woe to Edom

Unlike most prophetic books of the Old Testament, Obadiah only talks about judgment on one nation: Edom. Edom was the bitter enemy of Israel, dating back to the rivalry between Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel). Despite the two brothers seeming to come to an agreement and make peace with each other, these two nations never got along. Edom joined Israel's ememies in attacking the city (2 Chronicles 28:17) and was not helpful when they were fleeing Egypt during the Exodus (Numbers 20:18). For this reason, God issued a judgment on Israel. Obadiah also lists the fact that Edom gloated over the failures of Israel as part of the judgment.

The judgment was that Edom would cease to exist. Obadiah describes the extent of dismantling Edom by contrasting it to robbery by thieves and plunders behave, noting that even they would leave something behind. Edom would become completely desolate and they would be betrayed by their so called allies. Today, there is no nation claiming to be descended from Edom. The last archelogical record explicitly referencing Edom as a kingdom/nation dates to 667bc.[2]

For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. Obadiah 1:15 KJV

Characteristics of Edom

I thought it was interesting that there are a few descriptions of the Edomites that give us a glimpse of their culture. They were said to live in the clefts of the rocks, meaning they lived in the caves. I find this interesting because the other mention of caves in the Bible that come to mind are also negative. It is in a cave that Lot's daughter rape him to produce sons (Genesis 19:30-38) and in Revelation, it is there that the lost go to hide from God's wrath (Revelation 6:15). To this day there is still negativity associated with living in caves via the term "caveman."

Another thing I found interesting was that the Edomites were compared to an eagle. Countries have always had mascots, likely why in visions God uses beasts to represent countries (see Daniel 7, Acts 10, and Revelation 13). The eagle was also associated with the Roman empire. Today, the eagle is associated with many countries accross the globe, including the United Staes.[3]

What Can We Learn From This

For passages like this, I often ask myself what it is saying about my world today. Yes, the primary purpose was to give hope to the Israelites that the Edomites would pay for their behavior, and one could argue that a secondary purpose was for God to prove His ability to reveal the future to His servants. However, there's a reason God preserved this text for us today, long after the name Edom has become a thing of the past.

One of the main condemnations of Edom is that they relished in their brother's pain. We should not mock anyone else's suffering! We should also be willing to help our brothers and sisters when they are in need. We can learn from Edom's mistakes to ensure that we don't behave the same way.

References

1. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 1121. 1995
2. "Edom". Wikipedia; visited January 2021
3. "Eagle (heraldry)". Wikipedia; visited January 2021

How Will It End?

In this episode, we’re going to explore different viewpoints on the end of the world—otherwise known as the apocalypse.

¹But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB

A few Bible verses about the end times:

• The Book of Revelation
• Daniel 7
• Daniel 9
• Daniel 12
• Matthew 24

Abrahamic Beliefs

• Christianity
  • There are various interpretations of end time events within the Christian community
  • Commonly agreed upon events are the moral decay of mankind, calamity from war, famine, and pestilence in the land, the return of Christ, and the ushering in of God's Kindgom
  • Most Christians associate fire with the end of the world
• Judaism[4]
  • Judaism is still awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, which is involved in the apocalypse
  • This event will bring about the restoration of Israel and the resurrection of the dead
• Islam[5]
  • Although Islam sees Jesus/Yeshua as a prophet instead of the Son of God, Islamic prophecy expects the return of Jesus during end time events
  • Good will triumph over evil

Science

• The sun will eventually die (probably by supernova[1]). At some point the sun will expand as a red giant,[2] and during this process the earth will be ingulfed by the sun—put plainly, the earth will burn up.
• The earth could also be annhilated by a stray asteroid (or other space debris) colliding into us.[3]
• Climate change also poses a threat
• Nuclear war could also wipe us off the face of the earth

Hinduism[6]

• There is a cyclical view of time which is divided into four Yuga cycles
• The Yuga cycles "descend" from purity to chaos
• We are said to be in the fourth Yuga cycle: Kali Yuga
• This cycle is marked by war and strife
• It ends in a cataclysm event that respawns the first Yuga cycle and takes people back to a state of purity

Jainism[7]

• Also has a cyclical view of time
• Avasarpiṇī and utsarpiṇī make up the two periods of time
• Utsarpiṇī is ascending time (a time of goodness and religion)
• Avasarpiṇī is descending time (a time of decaying goodness and religion)
• According to Jains we are in avasarpiṇī
• At the end of avasarpiṇī, we will return to utsarpiṇī

Norse Mythology[8]

• Ragnarök - "fate of the gods" or "doom of the gods"
• This time period is marked by natural disasters
• "The sun will be darkened, the stars will vanish, and the earth will sink into the sea"[8] (see Matthew 24:29)
• 2 human survivors will repopulate the earth when it reemerges from the sea

Zorostrianism[9]

• A battle of good and evil
• Resurrection of the dead
• Punishment of the wicked

You can see this article for even more beliefs on the end times.

Patterns

While we do not agree on the details, the common thread is that most religions acknowledge we are currently in a state of moral decay and trying to get back to an Eden-like state.

Disclaimer

I believe that all religions and cultures trace their origin back to Adam and Eve. While I believe the Bible to be the true and preserved Word of God, I believe that we can find bits of truth in other religions and cultures. The purpose of this series is to examine the themes that remained universal to highlight universal knowledge--in this case, the pattern of moving from a time of morality and spiritual goodness into sin and immorality, then back to morality.

References

1. Ethan Siegel. "This Is How We'd All Die Instantly If The Sun Suddenly Went Supernova". Forbes. December 27, 2019
2. Matt Williams. "Will Earth survive when the sun becomes a red giant?". Phys.org. May 10, 2016
3. Ryan Whitwam. "NASA: Asteroid Could Still Hit Earth in 2068". Extreme Tech. October 28, 2020
4. Yehuda Shurpin. "Does Judaism Believe in the Apocalypse?". Chabad.org; visited January 2021
5. "Religions on the End of the World". History.com. November 6, 2009
6. "The Yuga Cycles & Yogic Astronomy. What are the Four Yugas?". The Human Origin Project; visited January 2021
7. "Avasarpiṇī". Wikipedia; visited January 2021
8. "Ragnarök". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited January 2021
9. "Zoroastrian Apocalypse". Oxford Reference; visited January 2021

Satan's Defeat | Dealing With the Devil (Part 6)

Introduction

This is the final peice in a series on a study I did, entitled "Dealing with the Devil," and based on a 30 day scripture plan I found by The Ruffled Mango.[1] In this post, I'm covering the last 4 days—we're going to look at:

• Revelation 12:7-10
• Revelation 20:7-15

Revelation 12:7-17: The Battle in Heaven

Satan and his angels go to battle against Michael and his angels. Michael and his angels represent the kingdom of God and are victorious in battle. Upon defeat, Satan is cast down to earth—not hell. This moment in Revelation is thought to be the moment when Jesus/Yeshua ascends to heaven after the resurrection. This is when He truly took the throne. That put us in a "transitional" state, much like that of the U.S. at the moment. Satan refuses to acknowledge God's victory, but the fact is, the day is coming when Christ will come to collect His kingdom.

Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out John 12:31 NASB

⁸And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: ⁹regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; ¹¹and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. John 16:8-11 NASB

Revelation 20:7-15: Satan Defeated For Good

Ultimately only those who submit to Christ are spared from the second death. When Satan is defeated, all those who sided with him, are also defeated. This passage is heavy, but only for those who are not written in the book of life. Those in the book of life are the ones who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Christ. We can be thankful knowing that eventually, the devil's reign of terror will end and no one will have to deal with him ever again!

References

1. "June Scripture Writing Plan". The Ruffled Mango; visited October 4, 2020

The Reformation & Prophecy

Did you know that the Reformation is quietly mentioned in prophecy? This episode is diving in to the history and formation of the Catholic and Protestant Churches.

PSALMS to God · The Reformation and Prophecy

⁷ Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come. ⁹This calls for a mind that has wisdom.

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: ¹⁰Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹²The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:7-14 CSB

Disclaimer: This episode is not an attack on individuals. All statements made are about the organization and beliefs of the Catholic and Protestant Churches. There are people who mean well and are unaware of the errors of their church in many lost/deceived/apostate churches (not limited to the Catholic Church). In the end, God will judge them by their relationship with Him and according to what they knew.

The official start of The Reformation is generally attributed to October 31, 1517, when Luther nailed his 95 Theses.
There were attempts at reformation before Luther, as well.

The invention of the printing press and translating the Bible into the common tongue gave ordinary people access to the Word. The Gutenberg Bible (one of the first books ever printed) was still printed in Latin, but over time the availability of the Bible in the common tongue (e.g., English, German, etc.) became the norm

King Henry splitting from the Catholic church over his desire tho divorce his wife is both an example of the power the papacy had over European kings as well as part of the success of the reformation.[1]
The Vatican has a ton of money.[2]
"The Pope is the ruler of both Vatican City State and the Holy See. The Holy See, as the supreme body of government of the Catholic Church, is a sovereign juridical entity under international law."[5]
The relationship change between the US and Catholicism

• Many protestants fled persecution from the Catholic church during The Reformation and ended up in the US. (There were also a few Catholics who fled persecution from protestants that ended up in the US, as well)
• The Supreme Court shifted drastically to now being ~62% (75% if Trump's nominee is confirmed) Catholic.[7]
• JFK is the only professed Catholic president the US has had.

Revelation 17:9 says the woman (or church[10]) is on 7 mountains(hills); The city of Rome, where the Vatican is located is also known as the 7 Hills or the 7 Hills of Rome.[9]

Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many Mark 13:6 CSB

The picture usually attributed to Jesus was painted approximately in the 1500s—it is not the Messiah.
Many suspect the picture is based on Cesare Borgia.[8]
Whoever it is a picture of, it does not match descriptions of the Biblical Christ; Christ was not European.[8]

For an in-depth study, check out this reference: Who Is the Antichrist?

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ ²³Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’Matthew 7:21-23 CSB

Bible verses mentioned in the episode:

• People claim they know Christ but He denies knowing them — Matthew 7:21-23
• A beast is a nation — Daniel, Acts 10-11, Revelation
• Do not make a graven image — Exodus 20:4
• Descriptions of people "turning white" — Exodus 4:6-7; 2 Kings 5:27
• The woman (Church) hiding in the wilderness — Revelation 12
• Matthew 24:5; Luke 21:8; Mark 13:6

Leaders of Reformation Identify Papacy as Antichrist

I have looked up the individual references, but for ease, I'm linking to a reference of references 😊. [11] There are many more, but I only listed the most well known (other names are included and cited in the reference).

1. John Wycliffe — Bible Translator
2. William Tyndale — Bible Translator
3. Martin Luther — founder of the Lutheran Church
4. John Knox — founder of the Presbyterian Church
5. John Calvin — founder of Calvinism
6. John Wesley — founder of the Methodist Church
7. Charles Spurgeon — leader in the early Reformed Baptist Church

References & Footnotes

1. Sarah Pruitt. "How Henry VIII’s Divorce Led to Reformation". History. October 22, 2018
2. Ahiza Garcia. "Vatican Inc.: 5 facts about the business of the Catholic Church". CNN. September 24, 2015
3. Kristopher Morrison. Wealth of Roman Catholic Church impossible to calculate". National Post. March 9, 2013
4. "The Inquisition: A Model For Modern Interrogators". NPR. January 23, 2012
5. "U.S. Relations With the Holy See". US Department of State. August 27, 2020
6. Steven R. Weisman. "U.S. and Vatican Restore Full Ties After 117 Years". New York Times. January 11, 1984
7. "Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States". Wikipedia; visited October 13, 2020
8. Kim Lacapria. "Is the Modern Face of Jesus Modeled on a ‘Gangster’s Son’?". Snopes. January 3, 2017
9. "Seven Hills of Rome". Encyclopædia Britannica. July 20, 1998
10. "Bible Verses about Woman as Symbol of Church". Church of the Great God; visited October 13, 2020
11. "Historic Quotes on the Papacy being the Antichrist". Reformed Books Online; visited October 13, 2020

This Year 2020

PSALMS to God · This Year 2020

¹⁹For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. ²⁰And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. ²¹“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. ²²For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. Mark 13:19-23 NKJV

What has been happening this year?

• The US almost ended up in a war with Iran over the death of General Qasem Soleimani[1]
• The entire world shut down over COVID-19
• Murder Hornets[2]
• Earthquakes[3]
• Fire Tornadoes[4]
• Hurricanes Galore[5]
• Stock Market Crash[6]
• It is election season in multiple countries (U.S., Venezula, and New Zeland)

That's only a partial list, and it's overwhelming!

We live in a time where we could actually implement a "mark" that controls buying and selling (previous generations did not have world wide access and cooperation).

It is important that we don't let fear make decisions for us! When people are afraid, we make decisions we ordinarily wouldn't. Our decisions should come from a rational (and Spiritual) place, even in times of uncertainty.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 NASB

There are lots of things that we could be worried about right now, and with good reason. However, now is the time to focus on the good, focus on our relationship with God, and not cling to the world.

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.Matthew 10:28 NASB

Bible Verses to Combat Fear

• Luke 14:27
• Psalm 115:11
• Isaiah 35:4
• Jeremiah 42:11

References & Footnotes

1. Natasha Turak. "‘The puppet master is dead’: Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani’s power, and why his death is such a big deal". CNBC News. January 3, 2020
2. Mike Baker. "‘Murder Hornets’ in the U.S.: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant Hornet". NY Times. May 2, 2020
3. "Significant Earthquakes - 2020". U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program; visited August 25, 2020
4. Matthew Cappucci. "A freak fire tornado warning was issued in California Saturday amid swarm of spinning blazes". The Washington Post. August 16, 2020
5. Jonathan Erdman. "Laura and Marco Likely to Deliver Back-to-Back Landfalls on U.S. Gulf Coast; Here's How Rare That Is". The Weather Channel. August 20, 2020
6. "2020 Stock Market Crash". Wikipedia; visited August 25, 2020

Why Do I Keep the Sabbath?

PSALMS to God · Why I Keep The Sabbath

⁸“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
¹⁰but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
¹¹For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11 NKJV

Unlike the other 10 commandments, the Sabbath was instituted at creation (Genesis 2:2-3).

When God commands the Israelites to keep the Sabbath, He says "remember"—it is the only commandment that He prefaces this way.

Many assert that the commandments are done away with, but there are several places in the New Testatment where Christ says "if you love Me, keep My commandments" and even in Revelation, it talks about the people of God keeping the commandments. What commandments do you think they keeping? (Note: when Christ said love God and love your neighbor, the first 4 commandments concern our love for God and the last 6 commandments concern our love for our neighbor; He simply summarized the whole of the law.)
Christ and the Sabbath
Speaking of Christ and the Sabbath, let's look at what Christ actually said about the Sabbath.

• Perhaps the most quoted example is that from Matthew 12, in which Jesus and the disciples are picking grain to eat on the Sabbath
• In Matthew 24:20, Christ tells the people to pray that the hour of destruction does not come upon them on the Sabbath
• Christ stays in the grave during the Sabbath; it is only after Sabbath that He is risen. (Matthew 28:1-7)
• Jesus heals on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:1-4)
• His custom was to teach the word in the synaguoge on Sabbath. (Luke 4:16)
• Jesus speaks of freeing people on the Sabbath. (Luke 13)

Context is important when looking at these verses. The Pharisees were legalistic; they believed they could be saved by keeping the law and had created laws on top of the laws to keep from breaking the original law. In Romans 7:6, Paul talks about the letter of the law verses the spirit of the law and in other places he talks about us being in the Spirit, not under the law. Remember the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, part of the Godhead that wrote the law. Christ Himself said that He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:18; 24:34). Paul is not saying "do what thou wilt" (that is a satanist motto), Paul is saying the Spirit will guide you. The Jews had laws about how far one could walk on the Sabbath and wether you could pick something up or not. It had become a burden of "don't"s. When you follow the Jesus in the gospels, you will see that He had a custom of keeping the Sabbath, it just didn't look like what the Pharisees defined. What did Christ do on the Sabbath that the Jews objected to? He healed (did good), He freed (loosed from the bonds of sin), He ate straight from God's creation. Christ was reminding them not to get so caught up in the letter of the law that they miss the whole point.

Daniel 7:25 speaks of an antichrist who thinks to change times and law. The Sabbath is the only commandment given that is both a time (Sabbath) and a law (keep it holy). Ironically 1 Timothy 4:1-3 talks about "doctrines of devils" that include forbidding to marry and abstaining from meats. Keeping the Sabbath was abolished and replaced with Sunday worship by the Catholic church.[1] The Catholic church also forbids their preists to marry[2] (despite the fact that the Bible says in 1 Timothy 3:2 that a bishop/pastor is a man with one wife), and during lent (which is not observed in the Bible), they forbid their members to eat meat on Friday.[3]

⁶Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth— to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” ⁸And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” ⁹Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” ¹²Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. ¹³Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:6-13

The first angel in Revelation 14:6-7 proclaims a message about giving glory and worshiping God, "who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." Notice the following:

• In Exodus 20:8-11 where the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy is given, God gives us a reason to keep the Sabbath: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." This language is almost identical to what the angel says in Revelation.
• Those who do not receive the Mark of the Beast—"the patience of the saints"—are keeping the commandments of God
• Those who die in the Lord are given rest (which is the literal translation of the word Sabbath). Christ desires to give His people rest in Matthew 11:28-29 as well. Paul outlines more on rest in Hebrews 4.

The Bible talks about signs, seals, and marks. Two are of particular interest to us: the Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast. First let's define a seal. A seal signifies authority, acts as a signature, and is a mark of an office.[4] If you think about a formal signature or seal, it usually has three parts: a name, title, and territory. For instance, if I were to sign a formal letter or email in my career, I would sign: "Shiree Hughes, Ph.D., Embedded Systems Engineer, <Company I Work For>" Leaders do the same thing today: Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America. The 4th commmandment is the law that contains this information about the Lord: the Lord, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Now, with that information, compare the following passages:

• Exodus 13:9
• Exodus 31:12-18
• Deuteronomy 6:1-8
• Deuteronomy 11:13-18
• Revelation 7:3
• Revelation 9:4
• Revelation 13:16-18
• Revelation 14:1;9
• Revelation 17:5
• Revelation 20:4

The seal of God is following Him and His commandments; the mark of the Beast is following man and the laws man comes up with (this goes well beyond the Sabbath, but the Sabbath is a start).

In Exodus, the reason given for keeping the Sabbath is that God is the creator. In Deuteronomy, the reason given is that He brought the Israelites out of bondage. Both of these reasons show us a full picture of who God is: He is the Creator and He is the Redeemer. The Sabbath is a reminder that He both created us and saved us from bondage. It also points forward (and backward) to God's perfect creation where there exists rest and freedom from bondage.

Why are people against keeping the Sabbath?
God said "I'm going to give you a day where you don't have to do anything. You can take a break, relax, enjoy the planet I gave you, fellowship with your friends, etc." and people are saying "No, I don't have to do that." We'll pick up with this thought in next week's episode on how I keep the Sabbath.

The blue thread I mentioned that symbolizes the law: Numbers 15:37-41

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 NKJV

References & Footnotes

1. Rev. Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R. The Convert's Catcheism of Catholic Doctrine, pg 50. 1910
2. Clerical Celibacy in the Catholic Church". Wikipedia; visited August 10, 2020
3. Marisa Iati. "Can Catholics eat the Impossible Burger during Lent? Sure — but it’s kind of missing the point, experts say.". The Washington Post. February 28, 2020
4. "Seal". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited August 10, 2020
5. Ree Hughes. "Keep the Sabbath Holy". PSALMS to God. June 2015
6. Ree Hughes. "Keeping the Sabbath: Was it Abolished?". PSALMS to God. July 2016
7. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 1: The War in Heaven". YouTube. May 1, 2020
8. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 2: The War on Earth". YouTube. May 2, 2020
9. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 3: The Final Conflict". YouTube. May 3, 2020

Revelation 1: John Receives a Vision

Many attribute the book of Revelation to John, son of Zebedee and brother of James; the text merely refers to John with no other indentifying factors. His contemporaries would have known exactly which John was exiled to Patmos, and thus it would be unnecessary to provide additional information. The fact that the early church kept his letter and took it seriously proves that whichever John wrote the message, he was respected among believers.

Patmos

The isle of Patmos is famous becasue of John—I don't think I've ever heard it referenced for any other reason. The isle is located on the Aegean Sea, near Greece. Romans exiled people to the isle because it is barren, with rocky terrain[4]—the opposite of the island get away you think of for vacation. It is here that John receives profound, and often confusing, vision of the end.

John Receives a Vision

Revelation is a vision. When God gives visions (or dreams) to people He speaks to them in symbolic language. Seeing cow in the vision doesn't mean a literal cow will appear. Examples of this can be seen with Joseph (Genesis 41), Daniel (Daniel 7), and Peter (Acts 10-11). As such, many of the images given to John are symbolic. To understand these symbols, we must look for references within the Word that define the symbols for us. The majority of Revelation's symbols are defined in the book of Daniel or as they're given, but occasionally we must look in other books of the Bible as well.

Image of the Messiah

The following description is given of the Messiah:

¹³and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; ¹⁵His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; ¹⁶He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.Revelation 1:13-16 NKJV

Clothing

The first thing John takes note of is the Messiah's attire: a garment to the feet that is girded at the chest. Usually, garments are held up (or girded) at the waist. Another time we see someone wearing a breastplate to gird their garments is in Exodus 28:15-29. The breastplate described was worn by the High Priest of Israel and contained the names of each tribe engraved in the stones that decorated the garment. Since Christ is the new High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), it makes sense that He would appear to John, who was very familiar with the garments of the High Priest, wearing such an attire. For the Israelites, the reference of this attire would have been obvious. Elsewhere in Revelation, we will see references to white garments, but John doesn't give any more detail about Christ's garments here. Since He is dressed as the High Priest, it is possible that His clothes were blue and appeared as described in Exodus 28:31-36.

Head and Hair

Many of us have taken the comparison of Christ's hair to wool to be literal, asserting that Christ had curly hair (I have made this statement myself). However, it appears that the reference being made is actually to the color of his hair. Of course in Daniel 7:9, we see the same reference and in the original language (Aramaic) the verse reads closer to "hair like pure wool."[1] As outlined in the 2nd commandment, we aren't supposed to get caught up on what God or Christ look like, which is probably why He made it hard to draw any hard-line conclusions about his appearance from the text. In this particular verse, the point being made is about attributes, not His physical appearance. The significance of white hair is the inference of wisdom (Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 16:31).

When I was a child, I defined "old" as anyone with gray hair. If I had seen a 40 year old with all gray hair, that was the same to me as a 70 year old with gray hair. Without having ever read the Biblical passages given above, I associated gray (or white) hair with the maturity and wisdom that comes with age. The Messiah presented Himself this way to John as a reminder that He is eternal and has eternal wisdom.

Eyes

What does it mean for Christ's eyes to be like fire? When I hear about fire, especially in the context of Revelation, I automatically think of judgement, but fire is significant for many reasons. The Bible associates fire with God's judgement (e.g., Genesis 19:24) and God's presence (e.g., Exodus 3:2). There are also many verses that speak of God seeing or searching the "inward" parts of man,[3] which is a form of judgment as He is only concern with our character. This fire represents the all seeing, all knowing presence of God—the only One Who has authority to judge the world.

³³No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. ³⁴The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.Luke 11:33-36 KJV

Feet

To this day, Middle Eastern culture regards the foot as unclean or undesirable. This is why it was so shocking that Christ would wash the disciples feet and why it was considered an act of humility. In more recent times, you may remember when past president, George W. Bush visited Iraq and a journalist threw shoes at him. Culturally, this was a profound statement of disrespect from the Iraqi journalist responsible for the act.[2] Psalms 108:9 also references "casting a shoe" in a manner that tells us it is not good.

The feet however, are the foundation of your body—anatomically speaking. If it weren't for you feet your could not stand up, jump, run, walk, or even dance. The feet could be seen as your root.

The fact that Christ's feet are described as brass or bronze lends to both of these points. John explicitly says it was as though these feet had been in a furnace. Daniel 3 gives us a basis for why Christ's feet might look as though they'd been in a furnace. Just as He walked with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) in the fiery furnace, He came to earth as a man and experienced all the trials and tribulations of man. Christ experienced shame, just as we have, and it is through this shared experience that He is able to build a relationship with us. This relationship is our foundation in His Kingdom.

Voice

When I think of the voice of God, I think of thunder. If you give me time, I might get to the still small voice that Elijah heard (1 Kings 19:12). The description of His voices as many waters is something I had to think about and research. It is a reference to Ezekiel 43:2, where God's voice is also described as the sound of many waters. Interestingly, there are many places in the Bible in which "waters" is associated with a nation or army. In fact, this correlation is explicitly stated in Revelation 17:15. I wonder if the fact that the Messiah's voice sounds as many waters, symbolizes His ability to unify people from all over the world into His Kingdom?

Right Hand

In His right hand (the hand of favor) are 7 stars. These stars are defined later in the chapter as being the angels of the seven churches (which come up in Revelation 2-3). These could be guardian angels, or simply human messengers. We have to remember that the term angel simply means messenger. Thus, it is hard to identify these particular angels as being heavenly or earthly. Either way, they are connected to the message John is about to receive for each each church.

Out of His Mouth

A double-edged sword coming out of one's mouth sounds both terrifying and painful. The sword is defined in Hebrews 4:12 as the Word of God. The Messiah speaks truth, and only truth. We all know the phrase "the truth hurts," and in God's case, the truth can hurt both the judge and the judged. God does not want us to choose death and it pains Him to have to execute that judgement. Obviously for those who have chosen death, the judgement will hurt them. However, for those who stand on the truth of God's Word, there needn't be any fear of this sword.

Countenance

Countenance usually references your face or expression. So to have a face or expression like the sun implies brightness to me. We know that God is light, and we also know that after Moses "saw" God, he glowed (Exodus 34:29-35). Many beleive that before the fall, mankind had a similar glow about them.

Lampstands

Christ identifies the 7 lampstands as the 7 churches. The 7 churches of Asia minor (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardia, Philidelphia, and Laodicea) are identified in Revelation 2-3. Each of these churhces existed in real life, but the struggles each church faced can be more broadly applied in a Spiritual sense. It is unclear whether the reference in Revelation 1 refers to the literal 7 churches of Asia minor, or if it references the spiritual 7 churches.

Alpha and Omega

Most of us know Alpha and Omega mean beginning and end. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet (the original language of the book of Revelation) and Omega is the last letter. An Amazing Facts sermon on this chapter actually gave me a whole new meaning to Alpha and Omega.[5] Alpha and Omega represent letters, just like A and Z. These letters and all the letters in between are used to create words which express and represent our thoughts. Christ is the Word of God (John 1:14), the thoughts of God revealed.

Other Relevant Posts

Word Study: Apocalypse

References

1. Daniel 7:9 Interlinear Bible". Blue Letter Bible; visited July 5, 2020
2. Antonia Noori Farzan. "10 years ago, an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at George W. Bush and instantly became a cult figure". The Washington Post. December 14, 2018
3. "The Inward Being". Knowing Jesus; visited May 16, 2020
4. "Patmos". Encyclopædia Britannica. August 9, 2018
5. Ree Hughes. "Word Study: Apocalypse". PSALMS to God. May 2, 2020

Church is Cancelled

²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV

We are meant to fellowship with each other

• Hebrews 10:23-25
• Matthew 18:20
• Acts 2:42-47

We are not to be conformed to this world

• Romans 12:2
• Deuteronomy 14:2
• 2 Corinthians 6:17
• 1 John 4:4-5
• 1 Peter 2:9

We are protected

• Revelation 9:4
• Daniel 3
• Exodus 7-11
• Revelation 18:4

God did not give us the spirit of fear

• Matthew 16:25-26
• Matthew 10:39
• Romans 8:15
• 2 Timothy 1:7

definition

pandemic[1]

noun

1. : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease

definition

epidemic[2]

noun

1. : an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time : an outbreak of epidemic disease
2. : an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development

References

1. "Pandemic". Merriam-Webster; March 11, 2020
2. "Epidemic". Merriam-Webster; March 11, 2020
3. Tessa Wong. "Shincheonji and coronavirus: The mysterious 'cult' church blamed for S Korea's outbreak". BBC. March 14, 2020
4. Choe Sang-Hun. He Blames ‘Evil’ for South Korea’s Coronavirus Surge. Officials Blame Him.". NY Times. March 2, 2020
5. "N.B.A. Suspends Season After Player Tests Positive for Coronavirus". NY Times. March 11, 2020
6. Steve Almasay. "The NCAA is canceling March Madness". CNN. March 12, 2020
7. Grace Hauck and Doug Stanglin. "Coronavirus updates: Trump declares national emergency; schools in 12 states shut down; cruise lines halted". USA Today. March 13, 2020

Jeremiah 1: Jeremiah's Call

Introduction

The first chapter of Jeremiah introduces us to both the prophet and the plight of the Israelites living in Judah. It sets the tone for the chapter as a whole. Within the first couple verses we get a detailed timeline of when Jeremiah's ministry begins (13th year of King Josiah's reign) and the state of Judah at the time.

Who Is Jeremiah?

Jeremiah is identified as the son of Hilkiah. Hilkah was a priest, which means that he, as well as Jeremiah, is from the Tribe of Levi. The Levites, having no inheritance in the land, lived in various cities throughout the other tribes' territories. Jeremiah and his father were from the city of Anaoth, in Benjamin, which was located in Southern Israel (usually referred to as Judah).

The Message

God gives Jeremiah a message to deliver during the 13th year of the reign of King Josiah. Josiah was one of Judah's better kings. Despite taking the throne at only 8 years old and being the son of Judah's worst king, Josiah finds his was to God after 8 years of reigning (5 years before Jeremiah's message). This is important because it sums up and embodies the whole of the message (see 2 Chronicles 34-35). Josiah was the son of Manasseh, one of Israel's worst kings. This is probably why he spends the first few years of his reign not in accordance to God. But when Josiah discovers God, he quickly repents and begins making changes in the city. He removes the idols, tears down the pagan temples, and has the Word of God read to the people. Because of Josiah's actions, he (along with the city) are spared from harm.

The whole of Jeremiah's message is a call to repentance, just as Josiah had demonstrated. God was promising that if the Israelites did as Josiah had done, they would remain in His good graces. However, God already knew they would not heed His call. The juxtaposition of the final fate of Israel, who did not repent, and Josiah, who did, is something we should remember throughout the book.

Jeremiah's Time

Jeremiah's call for Israel's repentance doesn't end with Josiah; he prophesies during the reign of Josiah's son Jehoiakim all the way through the time of Zedekiah. Jeremiah remains steadfast in preaching God's Word through the destruction of Jerusalem and the final deportation of the Jews to Babylon.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.Jeremiah 1:5 KJV

Jeremiah was called to this mission before he was even conceived in the womb. Can you imagine being called to a purpose before your parents even came together to create you? It seems impossible, but when I think back on my own life, there are things I've been drawn to without explanation. Some ideas, hobbies, occupations, etc. just feel right. I imagine it's because each of us have been ordained with a specific purpose. It may not be as grand as Jeremiah's or it may be just as grand, but it's our purpose nonetheless.

Age

Jeremiah didn't think he was the man for the job because he was "too young." What is too young? When I was in my teens, Bible teachers used to use these verses to encourage us that even as kids we may be used by God. It's probably the verse people used to justify the 12 year old who became a pastor back home. While it may apply to kids, the older I become and the more I study the word (and live), I've realized that Jeremiah could have been 30 years old and referred to as a youth.[2] Now that I'm 30 myself, I understand how what we as teens considered an adult could be viewed by more seasoned adults as a youth, and how they could be doubtful of their abilities. In your teens you feel like you know everything, but some time in your mid to late 20s, you start realizing you don't know anything! The Bible doesn't specify how old Jeremiah actually was, so all we know is, he wasn't an elder.[2]

The important point made was that it wasn't Jeremiah who would be speaking; God is always the star of the show. We are merely vessels He uses to get His point across. It doesn't matter if we're 10 or 100, as long as we say exactly what He tells us, the message is the same. The power comes from Him, so in the end our age doesn't really matter.

Interesting Fact

When God tells Jeremiah that He will give him the words, the Hebrew word used is dabar (דָּבָר). Dabar actually meads "word, event, or thing." In Hebrew, words and actions are essentially the same thing. God is not just promising Jeremiah a transcript of a speech, He's promising the action of delivering the speech. This includes stage presence, authority, confidence, an audience, etc. God doesn't half step; when He calls us for something, He has everything we need already in place.

Prophecy

The first vision given to Jeremiah consists of an almond tree, followed by a boiling pot that faces away from the north. God explains that nations from the north will encircle Judah and bring calamity. The reason God will allow this is because Judah has turned away from God and is worshipping idols. The kingdom in the north is Babylon, who invades and conquers Judah in Jeremiah's lifetime, just as God said.

Ears to Hear

God warns Jeremiah that people won't listen to him and encourages him not to be discouraged. This message resounds with me because it is something we can really relate to today. Jeremiah was speaking words given to him directly by God—truth, given to him by God—but the people didn't want to hear it. In today's society, the same can happen to us. We get fired up because God has revealed Himself to us, but when we go to share our experience with others, we are met with deaf ears. This can be discouraging and heartbreaking. For some it can cause them to question what they've experienced. However, God is telling us in advance that only certain people will receive His message. Our job isn't to worry about the reactions, just to deliver the message so that those who might hear, can do so.

Protection

Not wanting to hear the truth can lead people to violence. People become enraged with those who don't just go with the flow and who stand up for God. A common theme throughout all of history is the persecution of God's people. We see this right from the beginning, with Cain killing Abel. When we stand for God and share His message, we essentially put a target on our back. That prompts fear in a lot of us, which is exactly what Satan wants—us to be too afraid to do the work God has called us to do. Knowing this dilemma, God makes Jeremiah (and us) a promise that He will walk with us through these trials. He promises to build Jeremiah up so that he can withstand any adversity that comes his way. Just as God does this for Jeremiah, He does so for us.

References

1. Ree Hughes. "2 Chronicles 34&35: Josiah". PSALMS to God. March 2017
2. "Q&A on Youth". La Vista Church of Christ. 2016

Isaiah 59-66: The Program of Peace

After judgment day, peace will reign supreme in our world. That will be a glorious time indeed. Isaiah spends the last chapters of his book describing this peace and what we will have to go through to achieve it.

Introduction

Isaiah 59-66 is full of prophecy that describes how the world will be once peace is restored. There are other little tidbits, like the new name of Israel, God's ability to forgive, and the armor of God, but most of the narrative centers around God's coming Kingdom. I'll highlight some of the interesting points below.

God Can Always Forgive

Sometimes we feel like we've done things that are absolutely unforgivable—and sometimes we think other people are unforgivable. However, God can always save and forgive; there is no limit to His power. The problem is that when we walk away from God, we cause separation. Think about the Adam and Eve in that garden of Eden. After they sinned, it was not God who hid from them but them who hid from God. Before we can return to God and resume conversation, repentance is necessary.

Pushing God Away

God describes the type of people who are separated from Him; these people are the unrighteous. Included in this group are murderers, those who revel in sin, liars, and those who speak perverse things. What's beautiful about Isaiah's description of the unrighteous is that it does not stop with those who commit injustice or who lie, but includes those who sit by idly without intervening. When we know lies are being taught; when we know injustice is being done, if we sit by and allow it to happen, we might as well be the liar or the inflict-er of injustice ourselves.

No Peace for the Wicked

Throughout Isaiah, we are reminded that peace is only for those who surrender to God. Remember, peace is actually a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So the more you turn away from God, the more you turn away from peace. The people who refuse God will be troubled. Guilt from their actions, as well as, the punishments they receive, will keep them from experiencing true and lasting peace. Isaiah describes this as stumbling in dark.

Finding the Light

Speaking of darkness, God is light. The Messiah is the Light of the world. When we find God, we find light to get out of the darkness. Have you been in a dark room fumbling for a light switch before? It's hard to find the light when you can't see where you're going. God recognizes this, and that is why He sent His son as an intercessor. Without His mercy going off like a flare, we would never be able to find the light in our darkness; we would simply wander about hopelessly.

Group Think

Isaiah tells us that people trying to do right in the world will be mocked and persecuted. Any time you go against the grain, we we see this. In college I took a class called "Science and Technology in Society," one of the questions posed was that of giving up weapons or giving up the internet.

Countries that are told to disarm are always reluctant or downright defiant, because why should they be defenseless when everyone else has weapons of mass destruction? We could all agree that weapons are evil in nature, but as long as everyone else has weapons, we feel the need to not only keep ours but to have better weapons.

The same dilemma plays out with the internet. When I started college, I didn't have a Facebook account and I never knew what was going on. That's generally the case today if you aren't on the "hippest" social media platform. I can live with being out of touch socially, but if I gave up the use of technology all together I wouldn't be able to function in society at all! First, as a computer scientist I spend 90% of my day on a computer, probably 75% of what I do requires access to the internet. So, I wouldn't be able to do my job. Almost every job uses email. In school, I had to submit assignments through portals on line. We live in a society where it would be almost impossible to not use the internet at all; despite the fact that people lived without it for thousands of years.

This is how society works. We are bound to certain structures to fit it. As we get closer and closer to judgment day, they things that bind us to society get further and further from God. Eventually the things we need to survive in the world will be downright blasphemous. Being about to participate in society will require taking the Mark of the Beast and we will have to make the choice to stand out. While Isaiah could be talking about any time in history, because the pressure to conform has always been and will always be in society, I think this is also a prophecy of what is to come.

Armor of God

Garment	Isaiah 59	Ephesians 6
Breastplate	Righteousness	Righteousness
Helmet	Salvation	Salvation
Clothing	Vengeance	—
Cloak/Coat	Zeal	—
Sword	—	The Word of God
Shoes	—	Gospel of Peace
Shield	—	Faith

You're probably familiar with the armor of God. Most people site Ephesians 6:10-17 as their reference for this, but Isaiah talks about the armor of God in Isaiah 59:17 as well. To the right is a comparison. In the future I'd like to do a whole post dedicated to the armor of God. For now I think it's enough to say that because we live in a fallen world, reclaiming peace is a battle and maintaining peace requires the ability to defend your ground (sanity). As such you must prepare with the proper armor. Isaiah calls out the breastplate, helmet, attire, and coat you wear specifically.

The breastplate is important because it protects your vital organs (i.e., heart, lungs, etc.), whereas the helmet protects your brain (i.e., mind and thoughts). Clothing is was your outward apparel; it serves multiple functions. It keeps you from being naked, but it also says something about you. It's what other people see first, and while it may be wrong, it usually sparks assumptions about your character to those who view you. The additional layer of a cloak or coat is to protect you from the elements. This garment provides warmth in the cold as well as protection from wind and/or rain.

From a spiritual perspective it is easy to see how righteousness can protect your heart and salvation can protect your mind. What you fight for, or rather what you take vengeance for, says a lot about who you are as a person, and you need zeal to protect you when the world is against you. Need to really study the description that follows, sounds like the armor of God

As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord;
My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth,
shall not depart out of thy mouth,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord,
from henceforth and for ever.Isaiah 59:21 KJV

The Coming Light

The more sin takes over our world, the more it is enveloped with darkness. The only way out of the darkness is with the Light, which is promised to Israel. Indeed the Messiah is the Light of the World (John 8:12). Isaiah tells us that even though this Light will be given to Israel, the Gentiles will benefit from the Light as well. The Gentiles seek out the Light and flock to Israel.

The Black Israelite Theory in Isaiah

If you've read my post on Deuteronomy 28 and/or The Black Israelite Theory, some of the verses might mean something different to you.[1][2]

Flocking to a People

In Isaiah 60:2-3, what stood out to me is not just that the Gentiles are drawn to the Messiah (the Light), but that they are drawn to Israel. Throughout the book of Isaiah, we see that Israel is a standard for other nations. If you look at pop culture, not just in the US but around the world, much of it is actually heavily influenced by Black people. When I heard rap loudly blasting from the speakers of a car, 99% of the time the driver is not Black. I just left Spokane where I saw the same 3 Black people for a whole week, and yet the style of many of the people I saw pass by was that which is associated with Black culture. Even my coworker, who is Indian, wore a different pair of Jordans to work each day. Whether it's good or bad, whether they like Black people or not, society seems to flock toward Black culture.

Flying as a People

In Isaiah 60:8, Isaiah asks about people flying like doves. It's obviously a metaphor, but the first thing that popped into my head after reading this was a book I loved as a child: The People Could Fly. It's a collection of short stories, myths, and sayings from Black culture. Black culture is (or at least used to be) rooted in storytelling (remember God told the Israelites to pass everything down to their children verbally!). One of the stories in this book is the titular "The People Could Fly," and it's about a group of slaves who simply flew to freedom. Flight has always been a representation of freedom, but it struck me as odd that Isaiah is talking about the Israelites who are "flying" like doves, and Black folklore includes stories about people who can fly!

Beulah & Hephzibah

Isaiah 62:8, God says He will give His people a new name. The name "Israel" was given to God's people by God Himself, and if you follow the Black Israelite Theory, His people have been called by the names men have given them for centuries. They have been disassociated with their original name. (Even if you don't believe the Black Israelite Theory, this would still be true for the lost tribes of Israel). God is promising to reunite His people and in doing so, He gives them a new name. One of the names applies to the people themselves, but the other refers to their land. The two names are Hephzibah and Beulah.

Hephzibah

Hephzibah means "My Delight Is In Her."[6] God delights in His people.

Beulah

Beulah means married;[7] we are married to Christ, so this name makes sense after some thought. What's interesting about this particular name is that at the end of American slavery, many Black women were named Beulah. It was a popular name. These people would not have been permitted to read a Bible—to learn how to read at all. They were being taught that all the people in the Bible were White, like their masters. How did this become a popular name in our community without divine intervention?

I wanted the exact stats of the name Beulah, and found so much more than I was looking for:

• Beulah is the name of a city in Mississippi. The population is 97% Black; only .6% of the population is White.[8]
• It was definitely more popular during my grandmother's era (among both Whites and Blacks).[9]

The Future

Isaiah prophesies about a wonderful future. In this future there is no need for the Sun or the moon because God will provide the Light. There is no darkness, no mourning, no violence. Only peace and righteousness prevail in this world. The kingdom is built not by the strong, however, but by the small. I dug into the words originally used in Isaiah 60:22, that give us the English "little one" and "small one." These words are from the root words קָטָן (qatan) and צָעִיר (tsair), respectively.[3] Both mean young, unimportant, and insignificant. So it will be the young and insignificant that bring about this new kingdom for God.

Spirit of the Lord

Isaiah mentions the Spirit of the Lord, or the Holy Spirit, quite frequently. When we are touched by the Holy Spirit, we should exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), but Isaiah gives us more tangible descriptions of what we should look like. He says we should:

• Preach good tidings to the poor
• Heal the broken hearted
• Proclaim liberty to the captives
• Open prisons
• Prophesy
• Comfort those who mourn

For I the Lord love judgment,
I hate robbery for burnt offering;
and I will direct their work in truth,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.Isaiah 61:8 KJV

Ask for Justice

God is ready to fight on behalf of Israel. We are told that we should never stop asking for His justice. In short, we should be praying for the day of judgment when evil is done away with and only peace and righteousness remain. Most Christians are not praying for this because we have not fully surrendered and aren't sure we will be part of His new kingdom.

A Person from Edom

After reading Isaiah 63, I was a bit confused. A person comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Borzah. Edom was the worn enemy of Israel; nothing good ever came to Israel from Edom. This person coming from Edom, sounds like a warrior. The description of this warrior is interesting because he wears red garments. First, the fact that his garments are dyed means they are not pure. Red dye harkens back to blood, sacrifices, and violence. Even more, red is heavily tied to Edom because Edom is the nation descended from Esau, which means red. Borzah is a place in modern day Jordan. Many believe this is where the remnant will be hiding during the last days.[10][11] Thus, this is a vision of the Second Coming, when the Messiah comes to save those in hiding.

A Plea for God's Presence

Isaiah pleas for the return of God's favor and for Him to make His presence known in Isaiah 64. Remember, in making His presence known, justice must be carried out so this is really a plea for justice. When we call upon God, we aren't calling upon a genie and asking for a new car or a good job, we are calling upon the Most High God and asking for deliverance from sin and the end of all evil!

What is interesting about Isaiah's plea is that it includes an admission of guilt. In order to obtain forgiveness from God, we have to repent which includes the admission of or guilt. We must be aware that we have strayed and be truly ready to return to His flock. Isaiah demonstrates this beautifully in his plea to God.

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.Isaiah 64:8 KJV

Lost and Found

God's people are lost, and in many cases not even aware they are lost. Even when we aren't seeking Him, He will find His people! We always have the choice to answer His call or ignore it, but the call will be there.

Sins of the Hypocrites

In Jesus' day, there were people who proclaimed themselves holy but were doing their own thing and not following God. Isaiah describes the same problem for the end times. The specific sins he calls out are the following:

• fellowshipping with the dead
• idolatry
• eating pork
• consuming the broth of abominable things

These sins have both spiritual and literal fulfillments.

Communing with the Dead

In Deuteronomy 18:11 we are told not to try to communicate with the dead. So why are these people sitting among the graves? The literal statement here is that these people will spend their time trying to communicate with the dead, through mediums or just sitting at the grave talking to the dead person. Many people today do this. However, the spiritual implication could be that this person surrounds themself with people who are spiritually dead. Instead of fellowshipping with believers, they remain stagnant with those who are lost.

Idolatry

Once again, the literal meaning is that they are worshipping someone or something other than God. They have actively and knowingly placed an idol above the Most High God. However, many people try to avoid this behavior, so it's more likely that this is a subconscious thing. We idolize people and objects without even knowing. So too, these people have let money, career/success, fame, etc. cloud their thinking and push them away from God.

Unclean Food

The final sin is the consumption of unclean foods. This is repeated in Isaiah 66. I have many posts on the blog about how God never gave us permission to eat unclean animals, and both Isaiah 65 and Isaiah 66 reiterate the fact that unclean food is unclean, even in the end. Isaiah is speaking of people literally consuming animals in which they are not to eat (pork is one of the most popular meats in the U.S.). However, he may also be speaking spiritually. We don't just consume food, we consume media. We allow ourselves to be defiled by unholy TV shows, movies, songs, etc. This is just as dangerous as defiling our body by eating unclean meats.

New Heaven, New Earth

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Saffu

Most people think that in the end we're going to Heaven. We forget that what actually happens at the end is the creation of a new Heaven and a new Earth. God is restoring His original design with man ruling over a wonderfully created Earth, where everything is good. There are several passages that speak of this new Heaven and new Earth (e.g., 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1) Isaiah 65:17 is one of them. This is the passage that talks about carnivores and herbivores living in peace because the carnivores have become herbivores. This is also a return to God's original design. If you reread Genesis 1:29-30, you will see that in the beginning, God created us to be vegetarian.

Zion Brings Forth a Child

Isaiah 66:7-9 parallels Revelation 12. Here, Zion (a.k.a. Jerusalem) gives birth to a son (the Messiah). This process wasn't exactly overnight; Mary had to carry the baby to term (9 months) before He was born, and it took 30 years for Him to start His ministry. However, in the grand scheme of things, He built a kingdom based on salvation overnight.

Fire and Chariots

The description of God's return in Isaiah 66 is what the people expected at the coming of the Messiah. They didn't understand that Isaiah spoke of 2 comings. What's interesting is that now that the Messiah has come as the Lamb and is set to return with fire, many people expect a peaceful return. It seems as though we're always looking for the wrong thing.

Worship

Isaiah ends his prophecy/appeal with a declaration about worship. Isaiah tells us that we will come to worship God from Sabbath to Sabbath and from new moon to new moon. This could be translated as week to week and month to month. At the end of all things, all people will come to bow before the King of Kings and worship.

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Deuteronomy 27-30: The Third Address". PSALMS to God. June 18, 2016
2. Ree Hughes. "Deuteronomy 28: The Curse of Israel & The Black Israelite Theory". PSALMS to God. June 19, 2016
3. "Isaiah 60:22". Bible Hub; visited June 2019
4. "6996. qatan". Bible Hub; visited June 2019
5. "6810. tsair". Bible Hub; visited June 2019
6. "Hephzibah meaning". Abarim Publications. May 31, 2011
7. "Beulah meaning". Abarim Publications. May 31, 2011
8. "Beulah Demographics Summary". Mississippi Demographics; visited June 2019
9. Mike Campbell. "Beulah". Behind the Name; visited June 2019
10. Jay Mack. "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah 63: 1-6". The Teaching Ministry of Jay Mack; visited June 2019
11. "12.6.1. Sheep in Bozrah". Bible Study Tools; visited June 2019