Isaiah 9/ Ezekiel 2-3

Okay, today for this sermon, we are going to go back to the book of Isaiah. We're going to see some very interesting material, I believe, in the book of Isaiah. Today, we'll be looking into Isaiah chapter 9. Also, we're going to be taking a little bit of a tour into the book of Ezekiel. I may mention when we were starting this series that I'd be taking you to different places as needed to discuss material in Isaiah. Certainly today, there's a subject that Barazan are going to the book of Ezekiel as well. So, let's go over to Isaiah chapter 9.

Isaiah chapter 9 verse 1. Now, if you like history and you want to note when this is, we believe this is 733 BC. 733 BC. Now, why is that important? Well, we know what happened in 722 BC. Israel went captive. The whole nation was in captivity by that time. Well, what we're going to see here, starting in chapter 9, is the very beginning stages of the captivity of Israel. Okay. Chapter 9 verse 1. Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her who was distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. Now, chapter 9 starts out with gloom. We see that chapter 8 ends with gloom. Let's look at chapter 8 verse 22. And this is where people of chapter 8 was talking about people who were living by sight, not by faith, and the results of living by sight and not by faith. Chapter 8 of Isaiah verse 22. Then they will look to the earth and see trouble and darkness gloom of anguish, and they'll be driven into darkness. So this carries over. As you know, in the original, there were no chapter and verses. That came much later. So this whole idea, this concept of what's going on now comes into chapter 9. Chapter 9 starts off with this gloom, and we see that Zebulun and Naphtali are spoken of here because these were the first of the tribes to go into captivity. We see the tribal allotments for Zebulun and Naphtali in Joshua chapter 19. You want to jot that down? You also see in 2 Kings chapter 15 verse 29 how the Syrian invasion began with these two areas of Zebulun and Naphtali. So right now, in 733, the carving of the nation of Israel is beginning. Isaiah is living through this time. He will see the whole of the nation of Israel going into captivity. Of course, as we remember from our introduction, Isaiah basically wrote to Judah, but there were some of the prophecies that dealt both with Judah and with Israel. Now at the end of verse 1 of chapter 9, you see a phrase, by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan in the Galilee of the Gentiles. What's that all about? Well, these are desperate times in that part of the country. The way of the sea was a major international highway that was used by the Assyrian Empire. It was used by the Assyrian army. And so they used that highway to send their troops into this part of Israel. This area became a part of three administrative districts under Tiglath Pileser III. That's from the Nelson Study Bible showing that date 733 BC. But we see something else now taking place. Gloom is not going to be the pervasive part of the whole chapter, but now we see something very, very good in verse 2. Isaiah 9-2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shined. So in my Bible there's a little star next to this verse showing this verse talks about Jesus Christ, talks about the Messiah. The Jews today would realize this is a verse that talks about the Messiah. Matthew, let's turn to Matthew chapter 4. Matthew quotes this section of Isaiah in reference to Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 4.

Verse 13. And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. That's the same area we're talking about there in Isaiah chapter 9. That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, verse 15, the land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. Upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. Verse 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So Isaiah chapter 9 verse 2 is talking about Jesus Christ. Let's go back to Mark chapter 1.

You know, we've had an in-home study on Mark and we've completed that. We're now into the book of Acts. But here in Mark chapter 1, you know, we saw in Isaiah chapter 9 about Galilee of the Gentiles. What's that all about? Well, we're going to see here in a moment. Mark chapter 1 verse 14. Now, after John was put in prison, John the Baptist, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying that time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the gospel. So when you put Mark and Matthew and Isaiah 9 together, we see that in 733 BC the Assyrians began to carve up the nation of Israel. They started with Zebulun and Aftali in the area of Galilee. It's called Galilee of the Gentiles because the Assyrian people, the Gentile Assyrians, came in and invaded that area and began a deportation process. And so it became known as Galilee of the Gentiles. But the good news was that 733 years later, roughly, more than that actually, a little more than that, Jesus Christ came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, preaching the good news of another kingdom. So it's an interesting idea to take a look at in terms of, one, the tribes of Naftali and Zebulun going into captivity. And then years later, with the preaching of Jesus Christ, we get the beginning of talking about another kingdom where people won't be captive under a world system. Okay, we go back now to Isaiah chapter 9. We want to follow the thread of what we see in verse 2, which is a discussion about Jesus Christ. We drop down to verse 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and government will be upon his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Now here we see more detail about why the people in verse 2 have seen a great light. Because verse 6 is talking about Jesus Christ. Now, in your notes, you might also want to jot down and go back to chapter 7 of Isaiah, verse 14. Isaiah 7.14, where it says, Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and should call his name Emmanuel. God with us. All of that's talking about Jesus Christ. Now, in chapter 7, verse 14 of Isaiah, for this to have any relevance for the meaning of King Ahaz's day, there had to have been some sort of a situation where there was a woman who was a virgin who conceived and bore a son. Now, obviously, that wasn't talking about Jesus Christ back then. You know, years down the road, that would be the case where Jesus Christ would be born. But chapter 7, verse 14, and now chapter 9, verses 2 and verse 6, we're talking about Jesus Christ. We're talking about Jesus Christ, and here we see some of his names.

Wonderful. Now, some people will take Wonderful and Counselor and put them together. I don't have a problem with that. They're both individual names, and they can be a compound name if you put them both together. But when you take a look at the name Wonderful, that's Strong's number 6382. 6382. Byron's notes on the Old Testament says this about the name Wonderful. To separate, to distinguish, or to make great. It is applied usually to anything that is great or wonderful. It is applied here to denote the remarkable assemblage of qualities that distinguish the Messiah. Anything which is suited to excite wonder and amazement from any cause will correspond with the sense of the Hebrew word. Our God, Jesus Christ, our elder brother, Jesus Christ, is wonderful. In your notes, you might want to jot down Exodus chapter 3 and verse 20. A similar word is used. It's just a little difference from the same family of words. This is Strong's number 6381, used in Exodus 3.20, where it talks about how God would stretch out his hand and smite Egypt with wonders. Our wonderful God would smite Egypt with wonders so that his people could be let loose from Egypt.

Let's go to, I would like you to turn to Exodus chapter 15. Put a marker there in Isaiah. Exodus chapter 15.

Let's go to Exodus chapter 15 and verse 11. Now, this same word is used here in Exodus 15.11, as was used over in Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6. But let's look at Exodus chapter 15 verse 11. Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious and holiness? Fearful and praises. Doing wonders. That's the same word there as the name Wonderful God in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6.

Jesus Christ is the God of wonders. His birth was a matter of wonder. We see that in Luke chapter 1 verses 31 and 35. Christ's teachings were wondrous teachings. Again, I'm not going to turn to all these, but I will cite these for your notes if you want a complete set of notes. Christ's teachings were wondrous. You see that in John chapter 7 and verse 46, where it says, No man ever spoke like this man.

His teachings were wondrous. They were wonderful. Christ's works were wondrous. Acts chapter 10 and verse 38, where it says Jesus went about doing good.

His resurrection was wondrous. Romans chapter 10 and verse 9. Certainly, His second coming will be wondrous. We see that in Matthew 24 verses 27 through 31. It's a tremendously wondrous second coming. Whereas Jesus Christ circles the globe with His angels, the saints, Old Testament and new, are resurrected. We think about what it means to us to be resurrected. I'm sure probably in most of our minds, when we're resurrected, we're going to think, Hallelujah, I made it. I don't have to worry about death anymore. I don't have to worry about any of those kinds of things I used to think about being hot, being cold, being hungry, being tired. That's all a thing of the past. In fact, I had to wear glasses, had ears that didn't work, and all that's a thing of the past. I'm now a spirit being. But from Christ's perspective, from God's perspective, when you think about the people in your life who are members of the church who have died, wonderful people over the years, family members and so forth, all those people are going to be resurrected. Where God and Father used to enjoy listening to their prayers, hearing their prayers, those prayers were stopped by death. But now, those people, you know, people like Moses and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Peter and Paul, they're now resurrected. Deborah, Ruth, they're resurrected. Their voices are not stilled anymore. And so as excited as we are going to be in that first resurrection, Jesus Christ and God the Father are also very excited about the resurrection, a wondrous thing. Okay, the second name we see in Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 is Counselor. Counselor. That's Strong's number 3289. Counselor. In Isaiah, let's go back to Isaiah chapter 2. Isaiah chapter 2.

Verse 2, Now shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house, mountain referring to a government, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on top of the mountains, worldly governments, and shall exalt it above the hills, smaller governments of the world, and nations shall flow to it. Why will nations flow to Jerusalem? To the mountain of God. Because our great God Counselor is there. Verse 3, Many people shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations and rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. The people of the world will gladly listen to the counsel of the great Counselor, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah chapter 25.

Isaiah chapter 25. Verse 1, O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You. I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things. Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. So here we see both of those together. You have done wonderful things. Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. We receive the counsel of God through God's word, and through God's Spirit.

Psalm 119.

Psalm 119.

verse 24.

Your testimonies are also my delight and my counselors.

Your testimonies are my counselors. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 talks about how we are led by the Spirit of God. As God's Spirit counsels us, we are led.

The next name we see in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 is the mighty God. Mighty God. Strongs number 1368. 1368. The mighty God is all powerful, all-knowing, present, everywhere. He's able to save those who cry out to Him. He is mighty. He is God.

As the mighty God, He has the power and the knowledge and the ability to design the entirety of this universe. When you think about the mind that has done that, and I said so many times, I'll continue to say, whatever you and I have envisioned in our mind, we've got a prior pattern to work from. God had no pattern at all. There was nothing. There wasn't a physical universe. And I don't know how long it took. You know, I don't know when God started working on the human body. How long did that take? I don't know. Was it quick? Yeah, I don't know. We'll have to ask Him when we were resurrected. But when you think about the various features of the human body and how intricate they are, how beautifully designed they are, and sometimes we take it for granted until one of those things are hurt. We don't think much about our feet until we've got foot problems. We don't think much about a little finger until we have a little pinky that's hurting. We don't think about our appendix until it explodes in us or something like that. And yet, God designed these things. God created these things. He sustains these things. I mean, how sustained do you feel after the Day of Atonement? You don't feel so sustained, do you? But God is able to sustain everything all at once. He's the author and finisher of our faith and deliverer from a bondage and oppression. Next name is the Everlasting Father. Jesus Christ is referred to as the Everlasting Father. Now, how can He be the Everlasting Father? The Father is the Father! Well, you know, depending upon where you came from, what religion you may have come from, if you were a Trinitarian once upon a time, you would have a certain answer for that question, how can Jesus Christ be called the Everlasting Father? But in the book of Ephesians, let's turn there, Ephesians chapter 3, we see what God says about the issue. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9, Ephesians 3, 9, And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. God created all things through Jesus Christ. That's how Christ is the Everlasting Father, through our creation physically, and also through our creation spiritually, as our Savior.

Next name. And these are all wonderful things when we think about, you know, going back to chapter 9 of Isaiah, let me go back there. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder.

I don't know about you, and I've said this so many times, but I'm getting really tired of watching news and looking at how dysfunctional our government is. And yet our government is dysfunctional as it is. It's the best in the world. What does that say about the rest of the world and their government? It's going to be a wonderful thing when God's government comes to this planet. And Jesus Christ, under God the Father, is ruling, and he has a whole group of assistants, namely you, who are going to govern in love. And you're also going to govern, and the next thing that we're going to see is the name of Christ, where it says, you know, verse 6, he's wonderful, he's counsel, he's the mighty God, he's the everlasting Father. He is also the Prince of Peace. And we see in verse 7, Isaiah 9, 7, of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Unlike all other governments who will have come to an end, a screeching halt, that will not be true of the government of God. Once it starts, it is here for all time. It is here forever. And we can rejoice in that fact. We can rejoice that that government will be established from that time, even forever. We'll have the restoration and the perpetuation of peace. Now, I want to make a point about this. Christ is the Prince of Peace. But Christ is also something else. Christ is also the Prince who is peace. He's not only the Prince of Peace, he is the Prince who is peace. That's what he is. And if you and I don't have the peace we so desire, we need to be closer to God. And all of us need to be closer to God. And all of us, I'm sure, need greater peace in our life. Some of us who are going through trials need more peace now than others may need at this particular time. Let's take a look at some scriptures here. Let's go to John chapter 14. John chapter 14 and verse 27.

My Bible is all red lettering. John 14, 27. Peace I leave with you, my peace. Notice. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. My peace, Christ's peace. Christ is the God. He is the Prince who is peace. John chapter 16 verse 33. Again, all red lettering. John 16, 33. These things I've spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you'll have tribulation. You going through a test right now? Some of you are. Others of us will have our share down the road. But in the world we have tribulation. But Christ says, in me you may have peace.

Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians 2.

Verses 13 and 14.

Ephesians 2 verse 13. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once a fire off have been brought near by the blood of Jesus, or blood of Christ, for He Himself is our peace. He Himself is our peace. Who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation. So Christ is not only the Prince of Peace, He is the Prince who is peace. Okay, let's go back now to Isaiah chapter 9 verse 7.

Now, I want to make a point before I leave this section of verse 6 and verse 7. You know, it's so easy for us to look at people who lived in Christ's time and not understand why it is they didn't see it, see the fact that Christ, according to the scriptures, had a first coming and a second coming. We think, oh, those poor biblical people, how could they have made such a drastic mistake as that? Well, brethren, let's go back 2,000 years. Let's look at Isaiah chapter 9, Isaiah 9 verses 6 and 7. For unto us a child is born. And then, right on the heels, it talks about of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. One of the greatest tools for understanding the Bible's context. And people back 2,000 years ago looked at this in terms of context and said, oh, if child's going to be born, and the kingdom's coming.

They didn't have God's Holy Spirit like you do, and I do. They don't have 2,000 years of human history to look at like you and I do. So it's easy for us to look at them and say, how can they think that way? But when you go back 2,000 years without God's Holy Spirit, and you see this prophecy of Isaiah, you can see what people didn't understand. People simply didn't understand.

Okay, Isaiah chapter 9 verse 7. Of his increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice, even from that time forward forever, for the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. It's not going to be up to man. God's going to do this. We drop down to verse 9. All the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and arrogance of heart, the bricks have fallen down, but we will be rebilled with eunestones. The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars. Now we're going back to some more of the doom stuff.

Remember, Naftali and Zebulun are now starting to come under the sway of the Assyrians. They're starting to be taken captive and transported out of their homeland. And as this is happening, they're saying, well, you know, better times are coming down the road. How many times do we hear that here in America? Things are bad. People say, yeah, but America always bounces back. That's basically the thought that we had here when this was happening in 733 B.C. Ah, Naftali and Zebulun will bounce back, will come back stronger than ever. Notice what it says there in verse 9, who say, in pride and arrogance of heart. Well, they were never going to bounce back. It was never going to happen. Things would only get worse. And that same sort of things that happened in our day-to-day, very same things that happened. Verse 11, therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him. Rezin was the king of Syria. Syria has already been conquered by the Assyrians. The Philistines have already been conquered. Remember, I said earlier in a previous study that one of the things the Assyrian Empire wanted, they wanted the breadbasket of the region. And the breadbasket of the region was Egypt. For them to get to Egypt, they had to go through the area where Israel and Judah, Syria, and Philistia were all there. And so now the Assyrians have swooped down through that area. They've already conquered the Assyrians. They've conquered the Philistines. Now they've conquered part of Israel. And now they're using those armies, the army of Syria, the army of the Philistines, against Israel. That's what it's talked about here in verse 11 and 12. Verse 12, The Syrians before and the Philistines behind may shall devour Israel with an open mouth, for all his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. In that phrase, his hand is stretched out still, as used several times in the ninth chapter. And it's talking about how God is angry with his people because they did not follow him. They did not obey him. Now we come to verse 13, which to me is a pivotal verse in this whole section, because we're going to pivot here and go over to the book of Ezekiel. Isaiah 9, verse 13, For the people who do not turn to him, who strikes them, nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.

Israel was stiff-necked. Israel was rebellious. They would not repent. It was true then. It is true now. We have a role to play. Let's take a look at what that role is in Isaiah, chapter 62.

Isaiah 62, Isaiah 62, verses 6 and 7. Isaiah 62, verses 6 and 7. I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem. They shall never hold their peace day or night. You make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give him no rest till he establishes until he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah was to be a watchman. Ezekiel was to be a watchman. And, brethren, I say to you, and not just I, in the research I've done recently, I've gone back, I've taken a look at the Herbert W. Armstrong website. I've seen when Herbert W. Armstrong said, we are watchmen. Not we are watchmen, both corporately as a work, getting out the message, and we are watchmen individually, Mr. Armstrong said. Garnert T. Armstrong said the same thing. If you go back far enough, Ron Dart said the same thing. When I was doing the research, I saw where Denny Lucre was saying the same thing. I saw where Dr. Ward and Victor Kubik are saying the same thing. Mark Welsh saying the same thing. We are watchmen. We have got a work to do.

Question is, are you and I going to do what we need to be doing as a part of the Church of God, and as Mr. Welsh brought out in his sermon, which I listened to not long ago, where he said, you know, there may come a time where you as an individual may need to go to your next-door neighbor or family member with wisdom, with the right spirit, in humility. If there's a proper opening, you put all those things together. If you have a relationship where you can say some things, maybe God is going to use you to cry aloud and spare not and tell the people their sins.

Now, that's not for everybody, but maybe it's for you. Now, let me give you a little bit of a historical background here. Isaiah lived from 760 to 680 BC.

Ballpark number, we think that he wrote his book in 700 BC. Isaiah. Isaiah was contemporary with Amos and Hosea, possibly Jonah and Micah, all living about the same time. Isaiah's primary task was to warn Judah, although to a lesser degree he also spoke to Israel. Ezekiel. His name means God will strengthen or God will harden. He had a really rough task ahead of him.

Now, we believe he wrote his book 570 BC. So, there's 130 years difference between these two men. 130 years difference between when they wrote their books. I may mention who the contemporaries of Isaiah were. The contemporaries of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was among the first wave of captives taken out of Judah to Babylon by the River Kebar, 597 BC. At the same time, Jeremiah was in Jerusalem. At the same time, Daniel was at the headquarter city of Babylon itself. So, Ezekiel was contemporary with Daniel and Jeremiah. Let's go, I'll turn to Ezekiel chapter 2.

Ezekiel chapter 2, starting here in verse 1. Here we're going to see Ezekiel's calling and his commission as a watchman. And there are things, you know, the Bible is written so that we can understand and learn. This is not just some page of musty old history. There are things that we're going to see here that God wants us to individually learn about being a watchman. And the case what I wanted to explore with you today is not necessarily the work of a watchman, but we're going to take a look at the character of a watchman. What our character should be as we're doing the job we're called to do. Ezekiel chapter 2 verse 1. He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak to you. To stand before God is essentially a metaphor saying that you're going to be taking a stand for God. Son of man, stand on your feet, make a stand for me and I'll speak to you. Then the Spirit entered me. God's Spirit entered me when He spoke to me and set me on my feet. And I heard Him who spoke to me. And He said to me, Son of man, I'm sending you to the children of Israel to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn. I'm sending you to them and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord. Ask for them whether they bear or whether they refuse, whether they hear or whether they refuse. For they are a rebellious house, yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Brethren, we have got the same task. Why do I say we've got the same task?

When did Ezekiel write?

570. When did Israel go into captivity? 722. When Ezekiel was writing his message, Israel had not been a nation for 130 years.

Now, either God's really late here at a really long nap, or the message for Ezekiel is the message we are to bring to Israel today. And that is the case. It's the message we are to bring to Israel today. And so many times we think, well, we just wish the church was growing, and that's a wish we all have. But notice what God says to Ezekiel. Whether they hear or not, that's not the point. You were to be a witness. You were to get the word out there. You were to make that word as attractive as possible. Not just throw it out there and hit him in the face with it, but make it as attractive and as intriguing as possible. Let your speech be seasoned with grace.

And so forth. Verse 5, Ask for them whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are a bellious house, yet they will know a prophet has been among them.

And as we do our work today, corporately, they will know a prophet has been among them, a work of a prophet, the Ezekiel work. Verse 6, Use on a man, Do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though their briars and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. So in other words, Ezekiel's task is not going to be very pleasant. That's why his name means God will strengthen or God will harden. You've got to be tough to do this work. It's not for wimps. Do not be afraid of their words or be dismayed by their looks, though they are a bellious house. Verse 7, You shall speak my words to them. Notice it's not Ezekiel's message. It's God's message that Ezekiel says on God's behalf. You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. So we have been called to do a watchman's work corporately as a church, individually, as we pray for the church, as we fast for the church, as we give of our tithes and offerings. And yes, perhaps, even as God calls us to say things individually to those around us. I'd like to read from our online Bible commentary on Ezekiel 2. I quote now, Recall from 2 Kings 24 that the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and took away 10,000 captives, including the Jewish king Jehoiakim. This was the second Babylonian deportation of the Jews which took place in 597 BC. The prophet Ezekiel was among that group of captives, as the Jewish historian Josephus also relates. Ezekiel's group was resettled by the river Kebar southeast of Babylon. Ezekiel's mission was to serve as a watchman for God's people, a century warned of impending nature. As we so see, his messages were meant in large part for the house of Israel, even though the northern Ted tribes had been taken into captivity about 130 years earlier. In fact, the phrase house of Israel occurs 78 times, plus the house of Jacob once, in his book, while the house of Judah occurs only five times. So Ezekiel is captive with the Jews in Babylon, but his book is written mostly to the people who went into captivity 130 years earlier. So obviously, this book that you've got sitting on your lap right now is a message for today, for Israel of today. Going on with the online Bible commentary from the church, in some cases the name Israel is used to designate Judah, but there are also numerous instances where it's clear that the northern tribes are meant. Since God would never be a century late in delivering a warning message, it seems clear that he must have inspired significant portions of the book primarily for the end-time descendants of Israel. However, some of the specific prophecies were also meant for Ezekiel's time, and some others are dual, meant for Ezekiel's day and the end time. The spiritually deteriorating conditions in Judah were a type of the end-time decline of modern Israeli nations, and the approaching destruction and captivity of Judah was a type of what would happen to the nations of Israel, especially the descendants of Joseph, just prior to Christ's return.

So we're going to take you a little overtime today. My wife hates when I say that. This time I'm really going to take you over time a little bit, because we've got to take a look at a number of the qualities of a watchman. We're not going to take a look today at what the watchman does. I've said in general we are to proclaim a witness, a message. We do that largely through the auspices of the church, but God wants us as his witnesses to be a certain kind of people. We need to be the light of the world, a light which is not hidden. We want to be the kind of people where people will ask you, like happened to me the one time. I've made mention of this on a number of occasions where, I was thinking in 1981-1982, there was a TV show talking about nuclear disaster. I went into my sales office the next day and my boss said, Randy, you're a Holy Joe. You see that show last night? I said, yeah. He says, tell me about Bible prophecy. I said, JC, you really want to know what the Bible says about the end of the age? He says, yeah. And so in that room we had him, who was an Eastern Orthodox. We had a Jewish lady. We had several Catholics. We had some guys who walked in from the back who probably were high on drugs and know where they were. But we had a smattering of a number of people. And as they asked questions about the end of the age and about Holocaust and all those things, I never asked. I never began one topic. They asked each one. And we went for two hours and 20 minutes. And when we was done, I finally had to go on a sales call. When we finally had done, the receptionist who happened to be a Roman Catholic said, Randy, why did my priest never say things like this to me? And I said, well, Denise, that's a good question. Why hasn't your priest said some of these things to you? There's a hunger out there. But we need to be the kind of people where others will ask, where people will know we're different. Not self-righteous, not holier than thou, but that we are people who believe and live by what we believe. So here in Ezekiel 2, we see one of the first things that a watchman is to be. Let's take a look at verses 5 through 7 again. As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are a rebellious house, they will know that a prophet has been among them. And, brother, that's not only true for the, that's true for all of us. People will know that we are the light of the world. And you, son of a man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though Briers and Thorns are with you and they dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words nor dismay that they're looks, though they're rebellious. You speak my words to them. You speak my words. And what did Christ say about when people put you in front of various other people? That God's Spirit will give you what you need to say. Now, God's Spirit will only give you what you need to say if you've been studying God's Word. He's not going to put things there that aren't already in your mind. But if you've been studying the Word of God and you know the principles, you know the Scriptures, God will give you help in those times. So, number one, a watchman is to be a witness.

We don't call people. That's God's job. We don't convert people. That's God's job.

As people work with God on that. But our job is to be a witness, whether they hear or they don't. Our job is to pray for the church, the work of the church, pray for, you know, the best possible times for the broadcast and all those things that we do. The literature and certainly whatever God is inspiring you to do. So, number one, a watchman is a witness. Number two, a watchman must be true to God. Let's look at chapter 2 of Ezekiel, verse 8. But you, Son of Man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like the rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you. So, there was the real possibility for him to go back into the world. For him to say, you know, this is just too hard a job. But a real witness will be true to God.

True to God. Number three, a watchman will be filled with God's Word. A watchman will be filled with God's Word. Ezekiel chapter 2, starting in verse 9. Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me, and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe. So here we see a book. It's written on both sides, writing on both sides of this scroll, indicating a great deal of information is there. Okay? Chapter 3, verse 1. Moroni said to me, Son of Man, eat what you find, eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel. What this scroll represents God's Word. We are to eat it. We are to make it a part of us. And then we are to take and go and speak what that word says to the house. Verse 2. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll. And he said to me, Son of Man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with the scroll that I give you. Notice, fill your stomach. Fill your soul with the Word of God. Be filled with that Be filled with that Word. Understand it. So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey and sweetness. Why was it like honey and sweetness? It was like honey and sweetness because he understood it. He understood it was a great thing to understand. And he was so happy that he understood it.

Dropping down to verse 10. More where he said to me, Son of Man, receive into your heart all my words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. So in other words, he's eating this. He's glad that he's understanding. And it's going into his heart. He is filled with God's Word.

Put a marker here. You have markers all through your Bible by this time. But let's go over to the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah chapter 1. Remember, Jeremiah and Ezekiel are living at the same time, different parts of the country. Jeremiah chapter 1. Different parts of Babylon. Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 9. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Again, a warning to us as watchmen. We don't say our own things. Prophecy is of no private interpretation, nor is any of the principles of any private interpretation. We speak the Word of God, the truth of God, the pure Word of God. That's one of the things that a watchman does. He's filled with God's Word. We now go to the fourth thing that a watchman has or does. He internalizes the message. Go back to Ezekiel chapter 2.

We've already read this verse. We'll read it again. Ezekiel chapter 3. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 10. Ezekiel 3. 10. More, we said to me, Son of man, receive into your heart all my words. So in other words, a true watchman internalizes the message. He believes. She believes the message. It is a part of the fabric of the watchman's life. They're behind the work. They're behind getting out the message. That message means everything to them.

Move on to number five. I've got seven of these, so we're at number five right now.

Number five, the watchman's message is a sobering warning. It's a sobering warning. That's why God gave him the name He gave them. Told them, you know, it's going to be hard. It's going to be difficult.

Chapter 3 of Ezekiel, verse 3. And He said to me, Son of man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with the scroll, for I've given you. So I ate and it was in my mouth like honey and sweetness. So as He's understanding, He is so glad He's understanding. He says, you are glad that you came to an understanding of the truth.

But notice verse 14, Ezekiel 3.14. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my Spirit, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

So yes, it was sweet in His mouth when He came to an understanding. But then when He had to actually do something with that word, when He had to act on it, when He had to live by it, that was tough. It was hard. You know, your notes might want to jot down Revelation chapter 10, verses 9 and 10, because the same thing is made mention of the book. When John was told to take the little book from the angel, in both cases there was the initial joy of coming to understand the prophecy, followed by the great heartache when it began to settle in the judgments that were going to fall upon the people of God.

Number six. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 4. Number six is the watchman's work will be unappreciated. The work we do right now, if people know, you know, we are very big on the internet. We're one of the biggest churches on the internet on the face of the earth for religious, religious, as a religious internet site. I think we're in a top 20 right now of all of various church internet sites. But our work is going to, is and will continue to be unappreciated. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 4. Then he said to me, Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them, for you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech.

Now, you're going to go to fellow Americans, you're going to go to Brits and so forth, Canadians, in heart of language, but to the house of Israel. Not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand, surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. Remember what Christ said to the scribes and Pharisees? Had I gone to these other Gentile peoples, they would have listened.

But you guys, you're not listening to what I have to say. Verse 7. But the house of Israel will not listen to you because they will not listen to me. First Samuel chapter 8, verse 7. When Samuel was lamenting that the people of Israel didn't want him as a prophet, God said, Samuel, it's not you.

They don't want me. Verse Samuel 8. But the house of Israel will not listen to you because they will not listen to me, for all the house of Israel are impotent and hard-hearted. Lastly, number 7. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 8 and 9. The watchman must be tough. The watchman must be tough. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 8. Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their forehead.

You know, like a couple of rams. You're gonna do some head-butting here. That's okay. I've built you for this. Verse 9. Like Adam and stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

So the watchman must be tough. He must be tough. We must be tough. As we go through our life, as we are a light to the world, our job as Christians is not an easy one. Going back to Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1. God talking to a man who's living at the same time. Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 17.

Therefore, prepare yourself and arise, and speak to them, all I command you, do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I've made you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against his princes, against his priests, against the people of the land.

So there was a call to action here. That call to action was for them to be tough. Today we've taken a look at Isaiah. We've taken a look at a time where there was a lot of doom and gloom, but we've also taken a look at the fact that there's a work to be done.

Jesus Christ will come, establish his kingdom, and all the beauty that there is there. But in the meantime, we have the work to do of a watchman. We've seen seven things that a watchman must be. A watchman, number one, must be a witness. Number two, true to God. Number three, filled with God's Word. Number four, internalizing the message. Number five, realizing the message is a sober message. Number six, understanding our work will be unappreciated. And number seven, that the work will be tough. Will be tough. Let's conclude by going back to chapter 9 one more time of Isaiah.

Isaiah chapter 9. We began our trip through Ezekiel in verse 13 of Isaiah 9. Isaiah 9, 13. For the people do not turn to him who strikes them. In other words, they're not turning to God. Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore, the Lord will cut off the head from the tail, the branch and the bull rush in one day. In one day. That's ominous.

In Revelation 18, it talks about how Babylon will only have a very short time, hours, it talks about there. In Revelation chapter 18. Here, there's an indication at the end of the age that in one day, this will all come to an end. A very short time.

You know, the Bible talks about a day for a year. So maybe this will all come to pass in one year at the very end. Things will move very quickly. Brethren, we need to be about our Father's business. You know, all different types of people are going to be affected. I'm not going to go through the rest of Isaiah chapter 9. I'll only keep you a couple of minutes here over time, but we've got an important job to do. And we must be about our Father's business. We must appreciate the fact that God has called us, as Mr. Armstrong said, to do a warning work to the world. We have got our part to play in that, corporately and individually. Let's you and I be about our Father's business. Let's you and I make sure we have the character that we see here in Ezekiel to do that work.