Isaiah 65 - 66

So greetings again and welcome to the Bible study this evening. We're in Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65.

The large degree is paralleled by 11. Some in Isaiah 66 and the Revelation 21 and 22. As Isaiah 65 and verse 1 will begin reading, I've sought of them that have not for me. Now commentators try to present this as totally to the Gentiles' organizations, but I believe based on context that is talking about everyone who's going to have this opportunity. But the focus is especially on Israel and God is going to bring the judgment because, ladies and gentlemen, I am found that them is not remarked. Of course, we are a holy nation that's accessible to the birth of God. I said, behold me unto a nation that was not called by my name. So eventually, as we have said many times for the two Galatians, verse 16, God's ultimate focus is to bring all nations into a relationship with God as Christ and the Israel. Someone needs to mute their sound because the sound of the Spirit is a squeaking noise. In verse 2, I've spread out my hands all the day and to the glorious people, which wakes in a way that was not good after their own thought. Of course, remember Isaiah's written play in parallelism.

This too large is very parallels what goes for all the world. The God is primarily kind of the force. We are in the Church of God.

On the other hand, and Lengadera was talking to those who have rebelled, of course, Israel was all mighty against him. We'll still hear that squeaking noise. I don't know if you can detect it where you are. Do any of you hear the noise? Yes, I'm hearing it and it's making it really hard to understand.

It looks like it's Mr. Neff. Okay, we can mute. Perhaps it will do.

Okay, I think it stopped. Well, a little bit still goes. Now we're in verse 3.

The people that provoked me to anger continue to my face.

Still there, this noise is still there. It makes it difficult to understand what's going on.

But incense upon altar to brick, they blown the rock, and it's upon altar to brick, which are made among the graves and logs in the monuments, which each swine shall. It's amazing how God does not take time into those who break the law of clean and unclean needs, especially because he has something against the swine. The name of the broth of abominable things is in their vessels. It's like that.

The noise is making it very difficult. They're becoming from me. I don't know.

Everybody check to see if they're muted.

It seems like it stopped. Yeah, he got it.

A people that provoked me to anger continually to my face, that sacrifices in gardens and burns incense upon altars to brick. And of course, these pagan altars were throughout all of Israel. And as we have noted, even in Jeremiah, I have special Jeremiah and also in Isaiah, that they even caused their children to pass through the fire as they sacrificed mainly to Moloch. Now verse 4, which remain among the graves and lodge in the monuments, which each swine's flesh and broth of abominable things in their vessels, and as we noted, we've already read this verse, that God has nothing good to say about swine's flesh, which say by yourself, come not near to me, for I am holier than you. So we have those people who give a pretense of righteousness and say that they are holier than everybody else. And I see this so much in the streets where I go, that people who think they're better than other people, because perhaps they live in a better home, they wear better clothes and make a higher salary, all that kind of thing, God is not interested so much in all of that. He's interested in what we are becoming. Are we becoming like He is? Are we becoming that holy nation? Are we a light on the hill?

Now verse 5, which says, stand by yourself, come not near to me, for I am holier than you. We're repeating this. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day. So God looks to a person, as we'll see in the first verse of chapter 66, and humbles himself, and trembles at the word of God. Behold, it is written before me, I will not keep silence, but recompense, even recompense, under their bosom. Your iniquities, your lawlessness, and the iniquities of your fathers together, says the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, blasphemed me upon the hills. Therefore will I measure their former work unto their bosom. So they sought out the higher places, the places, the view, the groves, the trees, built monuments, statues, altars, unto the pagan gods, and sacrifice unto them. And Israel went into debauchery even more than the nations that surrounded them.

Thus says the Lord, as the new wine is found in the cluster, and says to destroy it not, for a blessing is in it. So will I do for my servants' sake, that I may not destroy them all. So God is not going to destroy all of Israel, not going to allow anyone to destroy all of Israel. God is not going to allow anyone to destroy the church. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob and out of Judah. And an inheritor of my mountains and mine elect shall inherit, shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. That is very parallel to Isaiah 11.

Let's go there and read them, because it is very parallel to what we have just read here. In Isaiah 65. In Isaiah 11, verse 1, There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, Jesse was the father of David, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Of course, Jesus Christ set an example in his loyalty and his devotion to the Father, and to each one of us, that he is called out of this world, his loyalty to his Father and the plan that they have developed even before time, as we know time, as it did begin.

And it shall make him a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. Well, if you don't do that, of course, you have to use your ears and your eyes, and you have to reason from the Word of God. So much of the false knowledge and even things that are set in church that needs to be examined through the Scriptures. By church, I'm not necessarily talking about sermons of sermon that's occasionally there's something there, but the conversation that we have with one another, we have to all reason with them out of the Word of God. There are four great enemies of faith. Those enemies are anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning. I would say human reasoning is the greatest enemy of faith, because we have to reason from the Word of God. We cannot make God over in our image. And once again, I note more and more that this generation, even those who claim to believe in God, make God over in their own image. They do lip service to believing in God. But as Christ says, why call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things that I say? So we continue here in verse four, but with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth, and he shall smite the earth with the rot of his mouth, and with his breath of his lips, and shall slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the guide of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his arrains. Now notice this verse six, the very emblem that we put on, we used to put on lecterns, or still do in some cases of the church, the seal of the church being the child of the lion. But the Scripture says it's a wolf. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

It goes on to talk about what's going to happen with the nations, similar to what we just read in Isaiah 65 verse 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an ensign the people to the Gentiles and seek and they will seek his rest and shall be glorious.

Where he shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcast of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. And he shall cut off Ephraim, Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. So there's going to be peace within the tribes of Israel, and for that matter there's going to be peace for the whole world.

Though there will be rebels, of course, even at that time, even during the millennium. So we continue here. Verse 16, the last verse, there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria, like it was to Israel in the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt. Now the last couple verses in Isaiah 27, I'm not going to turn there, we've read it a couple of times already, that a highway is made for those that want to come to Jerusalem, to join in the worship of God at Jerusalem, for Assyria, for Egypt, and for the nations.

Now we go to verse 10. So once again, we look at verse 9 just briefly, bring forth a seed out of Jacob. Of course, that seed is Christ, and we read about that more completely out of Isaiah 11. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks. Perhaps you've heard of the rose of Sharon. Sharon was known for its great beauty. It was on the seacoast between Caesarea and Jaffa, and the valley of Acore.

Acore was a very fertile area, and it became to a large degree a wilderness because of sin and other things, but it's going to be restored in the millennium. And the valley of Acore, a place for the herds to lie down, for my people that have sought me. Seek the Lord while he may be found. That admonition is also in the book of Isaiah. And this part about Acore becoming a place desired by the people of Israel is also in Hosea chapter 2. But you are they that forsake the Lord that forget my holy mountain.

Now back to what they did in the past, that prepare a table for that truth. Now that word truth doesn't mean truth like a serval people. It means a table for that distribution. That distribution. That prepare a table for that distribution, and the next clause shows that it's a distribution, and the furnished the drink offering unto that number. So it's the distribution of that. But you are they that forsake the Lord that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that distribution, that furnished the drink offering, under that number.

That number being those that worship false gods and serve the pagan gods. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not hear. But did evil before mine eyes, and did cheers wherein I delighted not. You know, the time is coming.

The trumpet plagues are going to be poured out at a particular time. And it's amazing how that God has repaired those trumpet plagues. Look at Revelation chapter nine. And we see once again, how sure God is and how faithful he is to his promises. In Revelation, chapter nine, we're going to read about the fifth of the six trumpet plague, the second wove, verse 15. The four angels were loosed, was prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year for the slave, the third part of man.

Can you imagine if that would have happened to the eight billion people, you'd take a third of eight. What are you going to get? 2.7, 2.8, something like that. 2.7, 2.8 billion people. And the number of the army of the horsemen were 200,000 thousand, and I heard a number of them, and I saw the horses in the vision. And then the set-up on them had brush plates of fire, and of jaces, and brimstone, and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

So a third of the people are killed, as you see in verse 18, and we've already read. And notice verses 20 and 21.

And the rest of the men, which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of their works to their hands, that they should not worship devils and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone, and of wood, and neither can see and hear nor walk. None of these have life. They're dead. They are stone-cold dead. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, farmachia, nor of their fornications, nor of their thefts.

So even with the trumpet plagues pleading, and a third of the people killed, they will not repent. That's how evil and how far gone a lot of people are. It looks like we are on that way right now. It is absolutely amazing. Every day you hear one more thing that you thought, I thought I would never hear that. And it's almost like every day you hear one more thing. And now we have the riots going on against Israel. And these riots are really taking a toll on many people and many things. And one of the things that we see with this, that even the nations that God has the most against, in one sense, especially Edom, that they are going to escape initially the onslaught that is going to come upon them from the wars that are being waged in the Middle East, and with the Willful King a little later on. I'll go to Daniel 11 and Daniel 11, and we'll see there in Daniel 11 and we'll look at verse 41.

Daniel 11 and verse 41. And he shall enter into the glorious land, the Willful King, and many countries shall be overthrown, but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and that is Esau and Moab. And when Christ comes again, first of all, he punishes Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Haman. When Iran launched the attack against Israel on Saturday evening, Saturday night, the Jordanians, and I have been to Jordan and spent some time there, and we hobnobbed at that time with the royal family. Of course, things have changed, but not so much. Amazingly, the current king, the son of King Hussein, that Mr. Armstrong was able to have a relationship with, he's a son of Hussein. He is of the 41st generation from Mohammed. The Great Split and Islam came when Mohammed died, and they tried to determine how are they going to choose the next caliph, the next ruler. Some said it has to be the most qualified person, the most talented person who's able to handle the job, and some says it has to be a direct descendant of Mohammed. Now, the king of Jordan, Abdullah, claims to be a direct descendant of Mohammed, and apparently he is, but he is of the Sunni persuasion. When the division and death came of Mohammed, and some wanted to choose the, have the community as they called it, choose the successor, they became known as the Sunnis, and about 80 to 90 percent of Muslims are Sunnis or some sect of the Sunnis, and the others are a sect of the Shiites or the Shiites, the Shia.

And so, even though King Hussein claims to be and is a direct descendant of Mohammed, apparently, he is a Sunni Muslim, and the Jordanian Air Force was part and parcel of helping the U.S. and Britain, along with Israel, shoot down the 300 missiles and drones that were aimed at Israel on Saturday night, Sunday morning, as we know, Sunday morning. So, it's interesting here that in these nations, Eden, Moab, and Ammon, because Ammon is north of Petra, and its capital is Ammon, but that area of what we formerly knew as Petra, Basra, and Moab, and all of that, is under the control, the authority, of the government of Jordan. And we visited the feature while we were there under the auspices of the government of Jordan. So, it's very interesting to see that, that even though at present time, these escape or eventually escape, they, when God brings judgment upon the nations, as he's talking about in Isaiah, they are among the first to be dealt with.

Now, let's go back to Isaiah, and let's read 15 again. And you shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, for the Lord God shall slay you and call his servants by another name. We're going to have a new name as it says in Revelation chapter 3. We have read that in verse 12, Revelation 3, 12, that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth, and he that swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth, because in former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. And then, the new heavens and the new earth. Now, the new heavens and the new earth, we look at Isaiah as 66, the last three verses of Isaiah 66, and we see that the setting there for Isaiah 66, the last three or four verses taking place in the millennium. God says he's going to take, that he's going to create, and that word create also has, it doesn't necessarily mean, as you know from Hebrews chapter 11, it says that the things are seen are made from things we're not seeing. That God spoke and it came into being. That is the universe, the earth, and all therein. And we, of course, in Genesis chapter 1, understand the gap business, called the gap theory between the rebellion of Satan and the recreation of the earth for the habitation of man, because God did not create the earth initially for to be uninhabited. He created it to be inhabited, and he is going to make a new heaven and a new earth. Now, one of the things that Bible students, and this is true in the Church of God as well, we have to understand, and I pointed this out, if you're at Isaiah 66, I want to read briefly Revelation 6.12, and maybe a few succeeding verses, because the Bible not only is written in much of it in poetic form and parallelism, it's also written metaphorically, to the large degree, and figures of speech. In Revelation chapter 6, we see the opening of the sixth seal, 6-12, and I beheld, and when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the moon became as blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth. I turn there to show you that the metaphor, the figurative speech, and the symbolism, the stars of heaven, to a large degree, symbolize angels, and there are two categories of angels, of course, there are the good and faithful angels, and there are the fallen angels, the demons. So the heavens are going to be departed as a scroll, and the host of heaven is going to fall and be cast down, and they will be under the auspices of God, fulfilling his great plan. Now, we go back to Isaiah 60, not Isaiah 60, but Isaiah 34. We see more of what I'm talking about. I hope you understand what I'm talking about, that much of the Bible is written in metaphoric and symbolic language. In Isaiah 60, no, I'm sorry, Isaiah 34, Isaiah 34, and verse 4, and all of the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved. Well, that doesn't mean the stars of the moon and the sun are going to be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all their hosts shall fall down. As we read from Psalm 6, 12, the stars fell to the earth as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as the following was picked from the fig tree.

And then for my sword shall be bathed in heaven, behold, it shall come down upon it a mea that is Eden. It a mea was the country, Boschia was a principal city, upon a people of my curse to judgment. Verse 8, for it is the day of the Lord's patience, and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion. See, there's a great new great controversy for Jerusalem, Zion at the present time. And who knows, is this rebellion, these demonstrations are going to continue throughout the nation and the world and come to the point, this war results or some kind of grand peace treaty comes about through diplomacy. We know for sure from Revelation, chapter 11, that Jerusalem is going to be trodden down by the Gentiles for three and a half years for 360 prophetic days. That's very clear in Revelation, chapter 11. And so, on the streams thereof, this is 34.9, and the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall burn in pit, and it shall not be quenched night nor day. The smoke thereof shall go up forever, from generation to generation, and it shall lie waste, and none shall pass through it forever and ever. So, you're going to have the hint of fire burning forever and ever. When we go back to Isaiah 16, we'll see that. And this area here that he's talking about, this area of what a lot of people said, well, maybe the place of safety is Petra. Well, it's the area that God begins to judge, first of all. It's the area that he destroys, first of all, when he returns to the earth. But paradoxically and ironically, it is right now, Jordan, it says that Edom, Beleb, and the chief of the children of Ammon shall escape. That is the beast power taking over the Middle East. Okay, now we go to, I hope you're able to put that together and understand what is being told us in the Bible here. It is very critical to understanding. Of course, you can, it's not a, I don't think it is South Asian matter per se, but it would sure help. Now, you look at Isaiah 66, we'll start in 21.

And I also will take of them for priests and for Levites, says the Lord, for as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain, notice that, shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain, and it shall come to pass from one new moon to another.

So the observance of the new moon will be enforced. Of course, we know from the last few verses of Zechariah 14 that the beasts of Tamaracos will be observed. They shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me, for their worms shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

This smoke of the torment of this piano fire burns continually. And we read from Isaiah 34 that that area of what we now call Peche, anciently, or is still called Peche today, that that also becomes an uninhabitable place when the smoke goes up. That's what the scriptures say. That's not what I'm saying. Don't go saying that the Lord says or anything like that. Read the Bible. Quote the Bible. People are tend to say, well, so-and-so said, no.

You might say the elder said, the minister said, he read so-and-so from the Bible.

Now we continue back in Isaiah 65. For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind.

But be you glad and rejoiced forever in that which I create. For behold, I create in Jerusalem a rejoicing in her people a joy. So is Jerusalem going to be destroyed? No, Jerusalem's not going to be destroyed, not according to the Bible. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem with all of my people, and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her than the voice of crying. Now these first three verses here, 17, 18, 19, are very reminiscent of the verses in Revelation chapter 21. So we go to Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21, there's no telling how many funerals I've given, and I used to close with these verses, but now I close with Revelation 22, and we shall look upon his face.

And are we ready to look upon the face of God?

In Revelation 21, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. Now some commentators take that literally. Sea represents the masses of humanity in their chaos and confusion. Now whether this is symbolic or literal, I do not know for sure. Some of the commentators take it literal that there's no more sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of God, from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now heard a great boy said of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them. They shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Now notice verse 4 is very similar to verse 19 in Isaiah 65, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, or the former things shall pass away.

So I read, and we go back now to Isaiah 65.19. I'll read it again and continue. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, the joy in my people, and the voice of which will be heard of her, nor the voice of Christ. There shall be no more, there shall no more be thence an impen of days, nor an old man, that has not filled his days, for the child shall die a hundred years old, but the center shall, being a hundred years old, shall be a curse. This is a verse from which some have said, well, after the white throne judgment, people be given a hundred years to live. We discussed this at length back a few years ago in the Council of Elders, and United does not have an official teaching that this represents a hundred years after the millennium for people. Notice what it says, that the center being a hundred years old shall die a curse.

And notice this, they shall build houses, inhabit them, they shall plant vineyards, eat the fruit of them, they shall not build, and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat. For as the days of a tree are the days of my people, the days of the tree are put there symbolically for the people go on and on and on, and the increase of his government there shall be no end. And mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands, and they shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble, for they the seed of the blessed of the Lord. They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring, their children, is with them. And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer. It's like I've read your mind, I know what you need, I'm going to answer you. They are yet and speaking, while they're still speaking, I will hear.

Now notice this, very similar to what we read from Isaiah 11 and verse, I think it's five or six, well, I know it is either five or six. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, yes, be the serpent's meat, they shall not hurt nor destroy, in all my holy mountain, says the Lord. Now we go to Isaiah 66, which we read those last reverses, but let's start from the beginning. Maybe we read four or five verses, but here's Isaiah 66.1, which we mentioned already, thus says the Lord, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? Well, you know, it says in the New Testament, God does not dwell in buildings made by hands today.

It says in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 16 that you are the temple of the living God. It says in Hebrews 8, I believe it's verse 4, that you are the tabernacle that God pitched and not man. So the church today is the temple of God. Why is it the temple of God? Why is the church the body of Christ? Because Christ lives in us. Because Christ lives in the church. For all those things have been, says the Lord, but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word. And we can all ask ourselves, do we tremble at the word of God? People today give lip service to the word of God. They don't tremble at the word of God. You must tremble at the word of God. You have to believe the word of God. You have to obey the word of God. He that kills an ox is as he that be a man. He that sacrifices a lamb as if he cut off a dog's neck. So none of these sacrifices that you once did is going to be any good. And he that offers an oblation as he offered swine's blood.

And he that burns incense as if he blessed an item. God is not going to put up with any kind of foolishness that has to do with worshiping pagan idols or pagan gods. Yes, they have chosen their own ways and their soul delights in their abominations. Their soul delights in their abominations.

And someone some commentator said the people in Iran are not talking not thinking about a two-state solution. They're not thinking about that. Most people are not thinking about a two-state solution. They are they're thinking about the destruction of Israel. I said most people, I don't know if it's most people or not, but a lot of people are talking about the destruction of Israel. I read from Revelation chapter 9 that even though after a third of the people are killed by the six trumpet plague at first woe, that they still continue to rejoice and do their murders and their thieving and all the evil things that they're doing. They do not repent. So as it says here, they delight in their abominations. And I can't help but recall back when it was said when things began to fall apart in the worldwide church of God, as soon as they heard, oh, you don't have to eat leavened bread during unleavened bread. You can eat leavened bread. And some people said, oh, give me a big roll. And they laughed and rejoiced at eating a roll and throwing the words of God into his face. Brethren, we are in a time in which we cannot afford to throw the words of God into his face. These are serious times, although we live in a wonderful little cocoon, and we are basically protected at this present time. But that is not going to always be the case. I also will choose their delusions and will bring their fears upon them, because when I called, none of them did answer. When I spoke, they did not hear, but they did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delight not. Hear the word of the Lord, you that tremble at his word. So to this man will it look.

He that is a humble and contrite heart trembles at my word. So listen up, those that tremble at his word. Your brethren that hated you, they cast you out for my name's sake, said, let the Lord be glorified, but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. So we read last time, I think it was, from Revelation chapter 2, where those who say they are Jews and are not are forced to come and worship at your feet. And more and more, those who embrace Christianity and the way of life that is described in the Bible, they are under attack, and they are going to become more and more under attack. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that renders recompense to his enemies. Before she travail. Now these are wonderful verses here, and I have covered these verses two or three times in the past. I shall briefly rehearse them without turning to every scripture. We'll turn, first of all, to one, we'll turn to two scriptures in conjunction with Psalm 2 and verse 7. That even in the psalmist's new resurrection of Jesus Christ, Psalm 16, David says clearly, you will not leave his soul, speaking of Jesus Christ on the grave, and his soul will not see corruption. And Peter quoted David on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2.

In Psalm 2 and verse 7, I will declare this decree.

The Yahweh said unto me, You art my son. This day have I Yalod. Yalod corresponds to Gennao in the New Testament. When spoken up by the Father, in the physical sense, it means to bring forth, I mean to beget. When it's spoken up by the Mother, in the physical sense, it means to bring forth, to get of birth. So in the physical sense, the Father begets, the Mother brings forth. In the spiritual sense, God the Father, he begets us, Jesus Christ flows the role, but he begets us and he brings us to birth. Romans 8 and 11 says, By the same spirit that erases Jesus from the dead, by the spirit that dwells in us, he will raise our bodies. He will quicken our bodies to immortality.

Now we go to Acts chapter 13, where Paul gives his inspired sermon in the book of Acts. There are three inspired sermons in the book of Acts, Peter on the day of Pentecost and Stephen, when he was about to be stoned, and then Paul in Acts 13, when he was defending himself and speaking to a group of Jews. And in this he quotes Psalm 27, which we just read, speaking of the resurrection of Christ. And that's what Isaiah is speaking of, in which we'll read in just a moment, of bringing to birth in Isaiah 66 and 7. Now we're in Acts 13, and we'll begin verse 28.

We've seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are witnesses unto the people. And we declare you under, and we declare glad tidings, how the promise which was made unto the fathers has fulfilled. That same promise has been made to son in the son Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, you are my son, this day have I begotten you. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he said, I'm this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. And we know from Revelation chapter 1 and verse 5 that Jesus Christ is the first born, first from the dead. And we know from Psalm 87 that we are born in Zion. Zion symbolizes the church. So let's go back to Isaiah 66 and verse 7.

Before she prevailed, she brought forth. Before her pain came, she was the livery of a man-child.

Of course, this is similar to the language in Revelation 12.1, where Israel brings forth a man-child. But out of Jesse, God brought forth Jesus Christ. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such a thing? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion surveilled, she brought forth her children. So the church is going to be in mourning. And when Zion begins to mourn, to surveil with a birth range, shall I bring to the birth, almost having them born, and not cause to bring forth, says the Lord. No, he's not going to do this. Shall I cause them to bring forth and shut the womb, says, your God? No way! He is going to bring us to birth at the resurrection of the just.

Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her all you that love her. Rejoice with joy with her, you that mourn for her, that you may suck and be satisfied with the rest and the consolations, that you may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of their glory. For thus, says the Lord, behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then shall you suck, you shall be born upon the knees, and be dandled upon her knees, whose knees upon Jerusalem's knees. And thus says the Lord, behold, I will extend peace to her, who is her Jerusalem, Jerusalem and Zion. As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comfort where? In Jerusalem. And you shall see this, and you shall 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.

Now we come to the final judgment. For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with chariots, like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire.

There are three kinds of baptism. Water baptism, Spirit baptism, and baptism of fire. You sure don't want the baptism of fire. For by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh. And the slain of the Lord shall be many. Well, we know in this second row, in the sixth trumpet play, the third of mankind is going to be killed. They did sanctify themselves and purified themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst eating swine's flesh. Once again, back to the pig and the abomination and the mouse. Some countries' rats are considered a delicy and sore dogs. And shall be consumed together, says the Lord. All of those nations that practice that.

For I know that their works and their thoughts. It shall come that I will gather all nations and tongues and they shall come and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them and I will send them that escape them unto the nations, to Tarshish, to Paul, to Lud, to Drog the Bode, to Tubal, to Jabin. The isles afar off that have not heard of my fame, neither have seen my glory, and they shall declare my glory among the nations. So missionaries and emissaries are going to be sent out all over the earth to declare God's glory and to give them, hopefully they'll will have the opportunity to visit Jerusalem. Of course, you as a spirit being, you would be able to visit and live there in the New Jerusalem. And they shall bring all your brethren and offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses and in chariots and in litters and upon mules upon swift beasts to my holy mountain. Jerusalem says the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of God. And clean offerings and sacrifices are going to be restored as you read about in Isaiah, not Isaiah, but Ezekiel 40 to the end of the book. People ask why? Well, I don't know why for sure. It seems that it is to keep us in remembrance of what is necessary for sin to be forgiven. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

And it shall come to pass that from one moon, one new moon to another, from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says the Lord. And we know, as I've already said, that includes the Holy Days and the Peace of Tabernacles. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of men. They have transgressed against me, that have transgressed against me. For their worms shall not die, neither shall their fire be quench, and they shall be an abhorbing unto all flesh. You'll be ashes, those who are wicked, will be ashes under the feet of the righteous, as it says in Malachite. You will burn till you burn up, till there is nothing combustible, but the fire itself will continue to burn. So we come to the conclusion of Isaiah, and so that ends the Bible study tonight, and now we will have a brief discussion. For those of you I ask for suggestions as to what we might cover next. I have received nothing. We will resume the Bible studies, God willing, after the Feast of Tabernacles, and I didn't look at the specific date. I assume that sometime toward the end of October the Feast is rather late this year, and so we will once again resume the Bible studies, and if you do have Bible studies that you would like, or a book that you would like to cover, then please let me know. So now we offered up for questions and comments.

Once again, this is our last class of this series. I mean, we have covered so much material. I hope you haven't. Dr. Ward, thank you for the handouts you gave us at the beginning of Isaiah.

It's been a while back. Yes. Thank you.

I have a lot more handouts, so maybe I'll send some of those.

Anybody else have a question or comment?

It's just I want to thank you for your time that you put into this. I know that you've had physical problems, and you and your wife, but yet you're always faithful to be there for us.

I just I don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate it, and we all do, and we thank you.

I agree. You're very welcome.

Okay, anybody else? If not, we're going to sign off, and we'll see you later down the line. Hopefully we'll see some of you at the feast. I hope we can go. If it were tomorrow, we would not be going.

But who knows what will happen between now and then.

Are you planning to be at GCE? No, I do not plan to be there. Okay. I cannot travel that distance myself. I'm, as I said, walking a little bit without the cane, but I have the cane when I go out, and to sit for like, not to drive two days. I sure couldn't do the airports, the walking that's necessary and airports, and neither could wander. So I won't be at the GCE. I hope we'll be at the Feast of Tabernacles. We're signed up for Branson. That could change, but I don't know for sure. Anybody else have a question to comment?

Okay, I appreciate all of you. Thank you very much for attending, and I hope this will be posted online, and some other people around the world get the benefit of it, and they'll study it. So until we meet again, good night.