Isaiah

Brethren, we are going to get back into the book of Isaiah. Wow, it's been a long time.

To be more specific, last time I was in the book of Isaiah—last time we were in the book of Isaiah—was last December. And prior to that, it was another several months. You might say, well, Mr. D., what's up with Isaiah? Well, what's up is there are needed sermons that need to be given along the way. When those needed sermons come up, I feel that I should be giving those. Meet in due season. We had some holy day preparation with Days of Living Bread and Passover. So what I'm going to be doing from this point on with Isaiah is just hitting the highlights. We're not going to be going through every chapter. We're not going to be going through every verse. There are other projects I want to tackle down the road, but we'll be covering a great deal with the book of Isaiah as time permits. If you would, let's turn over to Isaiah 19. Isaiah 19. Last time we were together, we went through chapter 16. So we're skipping 17 and 18. You can go to the online Bible commentary that United has, and you can catch up with those two chapters if you'd like. But there's something about Isaiah 19 that struck me as a highlight, one of the highlight chapters of the book. Isaiah 19 is a prophecy against the nation of Egypt in the last days. Now, you may say, well, what does that have to do with us? Well, brethren, as we go through this chapter, yes, explicitly is talking about Egypt. But take a long look at some of these verses as we go through them, and I believe that you're going to see something closer to home as we go through this. Isaiah delivers, as it says in verse 1, the burden against Egypt. So this is written probably between 715 and 709 BC, so far as giving you a little bit of a time element, between 715 and 709 BC. Prophenic import of the book. Let's turn over to Daniel. I should have told you to do that before. Go over to the book of Daniel, chapter 11.

Daniel 11. This is the longest prophecy in the book, the longest prophecy in the Bible. We went through this in some detail when we were going through the book of Daniel. Daniel 11, verses 42 and 43. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries in the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver over the precious things of Egypt. Also, the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. So what we're looking at here is the end time ruler of Assyria. We would say it's the United States of Europe. The king of the north is pushing down at the king of the south. This is what we're looking at here. If you turn back to Isaiah, chapter 19, and we've always associated the king of the north pushing at the king of the south with the fifth trumpet plague or the first woe that you see in Revelation, chapter 9.

This being the case, if this is the case, if we understand this properly, then we're looking at the perhaps last year prior to the return of Jesus Christ. So we're very, very close to the return of Jesus Christ. In Isaiah, chapter 19, and verse 20, And it shall be for a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts and the land of Egypt. For they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressions, and he will send them a Savior and a mighty one, and he will deliver them. Here, in the last part of verse 20, again, we have always viewed this as speaking about the return of Jesus Christ. The return of Jesus Christ. So, Isaiah chapter 19 is significant in this chapter deals with God's judgment on a sinful nation. And even though it explicitly is talking only about Egypt, I think a lot of this also is going to be happening in many countries, including our own.

God's judgment on sinful mankind, but starting in verse 16, you see something very, very encouraging. You see something very encouraging, and we'll get to that as we go through the chapter here. But we see the hope of the future, the hope of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the hope of the resurrection, the hope of the kingdom of God. So, this chapter is very interesting. The first part talking about God dealing with sinful mankind. The second part of the chapter, God blessing mankind as mankind repents before God. So, let's begin here in chapter 19 of Isaiah, verse 1. The burden of the burden against Egypt, behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt. The idols of Egypt will totter at his presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. So, here we see Egypt explicitly being humbled by the great God. Here we see the great God being magnified. And, brethren, this is true not only explicitly for Egypt, but for all mankind at the end of the age. All of mankind will be humbled. Mankind's armies, mankind who fights against God, Jesus Christ's return at his Second Coming. All mankind is going to be humbled. God is going to be magnified in the eyes of all men at the end of the age. Now, here it says that the Lord rides on a swift cloud. Put a marker here. Let's go to Psalm 104. Very poetic language here in Psalm 104.

Psalm 104 in verse 3. Well, let's start in verse 1. Psalm 104 verse 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, you are very great, you are clothed with honor and majesty. And this is something the nations are going to come to see. Who cover yourself with light, as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain, he lays the beams of his upper chambers in the water, who makes the clouds his chariot, who makes the clouds his chariot. Just as Isaiah was talking about, coming in the clouds, he makes the clouds his chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind. Going back to Isaiah. So we see the judgments coming from God to Egypt. We see that God is pictured riding on this cloud. Now, of course, in the mythology for the people of Egypt, they thought that this was one of their gods. Well, it wasn't one of their gods, and God is going to very powerfully prove that. Moving on to verse 2. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians. Everyone will fight against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor. City against city. Kingdom against kingdom. So what we see here, starting in verse 2, is God, as he's humbling this nation, is now beginning to deal with them, to bring them to the place where at some point in the future, God is going to be working with them spiritually. God is going to begin calling these people. He's preparing them. He's helping them to see their gods are nothing, that he is the true God, and that he will be working with them down the road. Isaiah now predicts a number of challenges, a number of trials, that have come across to the nation of Egypt.

So here in verse 2, we see one of the first trials, and that is, Egypt is going to be torn apart by civil strife, by disorder, by upheaval, by rioting. Now again, explicitly, Egypt. But are we seeing some of this happening in our day today? Are we seeing some of this happening in our nation today?

Are we as a nation at peace? I think, brethren, that things are really on a course right now, where the end may not be that far off. Now, I'm not predicting anything, but as I take a look at what's happening in our nation, as you take a look, as you... so many of you have come to me and told me you hate to read the news right now because of what's going on, I think something really dramatic is beginning to take place. Now, I don't know how long all of this is going to take before the second coming of Jesus Christ, but as one person wrote me just last week, an individual I used to pastor in another area, she wrote and said, you know, Mr.

D, I wake up and every morning I ask myself, what country am I living in? What country am I living in when I read the news of what's happening in this nation?

So here in verse 2, one of the first things that's going to be happening to Egypt just prior to the return of Jesus Christ is that country is becoming unraveled. It's falling on a social basis. Verse 3 shows a number of things. The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst. I will destroy their counsel and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums, and the sorcerers.

So here are a number of things taking place in verse 3. It says, the spirit will fail. Here we're looking at a feeling of the people as they see what's happening around them, a feeling of despair, a feeling of hopelessness that's demoralizing the people. They don't have the faith in the future as what they're seeing around them. They feel that all hope is gone. It says here in verse 3, I will destroy their counsel. The political leaders, Pharaoh and whoever else is leading Egypt, are viewed as being very not up to the task.

The things are slipping away. Things are not in the leadership's grasp. They can't get a handle on things. It says there in verse 3, they're going to be consulting mediums. So the religion of the day is not serving them very well. It's not serving them well at all. Again, brethren, you ask yourself, do we see some of this taking place in our nation as well? Does Satan have a plan for all nations? God has a plan for all nations. Satan is a great counterfeiter. And again, explicitly, this is talking about Egypt. But we see this pattern happening in other places like our nation. Verse 4, And the Egyptians I will give unto the hand of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them, says the Lord, the Lord of hosts.

So here we see a fifth different trial that the nation is going through. They're going to come under the dominance of an oppressive foreign power. And here we believe we're seeing in verse 4 is the King of the North, a unified Europe pressing down on the King of the South. It's Muslim leader and those nations associated. And this European combine, for whatever the reason, something triggers them to want to push back against the South. Perhaps the King of the South was pushing, doing things that economically or what have you, against the North, and the North didn't want to stand for this.

So here you see this cruel master pushing upon Egypt. Now again, if we're understanding this properly, and with prophecy sometimes we see through a glass darkly, if we're thinking this is the time of the King of the North pushing against the King of the South, we're looking at Revelation 9. We're looking at the fifth seal. Well, going back from that and the fifth trumpet, you've got the Great Tribulation. So we're well into the time of the Great Tribulation. We may be two and a half years into the time of the Great Tribulation at this point.

And we're into that final year before the return of Jesus Christ. Verses 5 and 6. The waters will fail from the sea and the river will be wasted and dried up. The rivers will turn foul.

The brooks of defecile be emptied and dried up. The reeds and the rushes will wither. So here in verses 5 and 6 we see another trial, the drying up of the Red Sea. You know, brethren, you can take and look at these various things that are happening in chapter 19 of Isaiah and take a look at the chapters prior to the Exodus in the book of Exodus. You know, there were a number of things that happened to Egypt back then.

There were 10 plagues back then. Here we see maybe eight or so plagues taking place or trials coming upon the land. But enough to teach the people. Enough to teach the people. As a matter of fact, let's turn back to...where did I have my notes on that? I skipped over that part.

Let's go back to Exodus chapter 7.

Put a marker there and go back to Exodus chapter 7. What is God up to here with these various plagues that happened back in the day of Moses and what's happening here? The end of the age. Exodus chapter 7.

Here during the first plague, which again took place with the Nile, chapter 7 verse 17. Thus says the Lord, By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned into blood.

So what we had back in the days of Moses were having at the end of the age. And notice why. By this you shall know that I am the Lord.

Brethren, God loves all people. God loves Jews. He loves Gentiles. There's no separation between the two. God very much is wanting to work with Egypt and all the other nations of the planet that are in rebellion against Him. Chapter 9 of Exodus. Chapter 9 of Exodus. The seventh plague. Verse 14.

Chapter 9, verse 14 of Exodus. For at this time it will send all my plagues to your very heart, on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like me and all the earth. God wants to teach these people a lesson. Verse 16. But indeed for this purpose, I have raised you up that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth. Exodus 14. Verse 4.

As talking about the Red Sea incident. Exodus 14.4. Exodus 14.4. Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them, and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord, and they did so.

So again, we're seeing what God is up to here. God is wanting to teach the nation of Israel, well, all the nations of the world, but here in Isaiah 19 we're talking specifically about Egypt.

Going back now to Isaiah 19.

Verses 7-10. We see one of the last of these trials coming upon the nation.

Economic difficulty. Verse 7. The papyrus reads, By the river, by the mouth of the river, and everything sown by the river, will wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishermen also will mourn all those who lament, who cast hooks into the river. They shall languish who spread nets on the waters. Moreover, those who work and find flax, and those who weave fine fabric, will be ashamed, and its foundations will be broken, and who makes wages will be troubled of soul. So here we see because of what's happening in a nation, because of what's happening with leadership at every level of their society, because what God is doing with the waters of the nation and so forth. Their infrastructure is just caving in, and the economics of the nation are failing. Verse 11. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. So in this last trial the nation is going through, verses 11 through 15, talking about the unwise counselors, the unwise leaders, the politicians, if you will, not leading a nation in the proper way. And again, explicitly talking about Egypt, but is Satan using this pattern in other places, like this nation? Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. Verse 11. Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the ancient kings? Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now. Let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Nof are deceived. They also have deluded Egypt, those who are the mainstay of its tribes. The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst.

God has allowed a perverse spirit to be in its midst. Has God is God allowing that in our nation today? And they have caused Egypt to err in all of her work. As a drunken man staggers in his vomit, neither will there be any work in Egypt, which the head or tail, palm branch or bulwish, may do. So just a horribly set of circumstances taking place in this nation. So what's the lesson learned from this very first part of Isaiah 19? It's a time of judgment that has come. A time of judgment has come. It's coming nationally to every nation under the sun, not just Egypt. Egypt here is an example. Egypt has an excellent description of God's judgment on a nation that has denied him, that has turned his back on him. Let's take a look at a bit of marker here. Let's take a look at Matthew 24. Matthew 24. Now, as I've mentioned in this sermon to this point, not only is Egypt being called in the carpet for its national sins, so is our nation. Matthew 24, verse 21. For then there should be great tribulation, such as not been seen since the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. So here we're looking at the time of the great tribulation. What is the time of the great tribulation? In your notes, you might want to jot down Jeremiah 30, verses 5 through 7. Jeremiah 30, verses 5 through 7. It talks, Jeremiah refers to it as a time of Jacob's trouble.

Jacob's trouble. Israel's trouble. Our trouble. So not only Egypt will be taken to task, but our nation as well. But not only nations, individuals. Let's take a look at Isaiah chapter 34. Isaiah chapter 34, and verse 8.

It is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the day of the Lord's vengeance, again, the day of the Lord, we believe, is the last year prior to the return of Jesus Christ. You've got the great tribulation that starts at the three and a half year mark before the return of Christ. That great tribulation lasts all three and a half years prior to the return of Christ, the time of the Gentiles. In that last year of that three and a half year period is the day of the Lord, the seventh seal of the book of Revelation that has the seventh trumpet place. For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

So individually as well, I may mention that a moment ago, we have to make sure each and every one of us that we're living the way God would have us live. Let's go to Matthew chapter 7.

Matthew chapter 7. And my Bible, what I'm about to read is all in red lettering. Matthew chapter 7 verse 21.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Talk is cheap, but are we doing the will of God in heaven? Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, than many wonders in your name? Now, we look at these verses and we see ourselves as a church. We see ourselves as members. We make sure we're doing these things, doing the will of God. I look at verse 22 very personally.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Well, isn't that one of the jobs of the ministry? Cast out demons in your name? Isn't that the job of the ministry? Done many wonders in your name? You know, verse 22 deals largely with the ministry of Jesus Christ. Are we doing what we should be doing? Are we faithful to God? Are we faithful in loving and serving His people? If not, then we are not doing the will of our Father in heaven. So this is true. This section of Scripture is true for members and ministers alike. No one gets a free pass here. Verse 23, And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practiced lawlessness. Boy, none of us want to hear that from Jesus Christ. I never knew you. You didn't come to me in your prayers. You didn't come to me and study my Word. Yeah, you might have come to church. You may have gone to the feast. That's a lot of physical things you did. You showed up. But were you actually there? Were you an empty suit sitting in that chair, or an empty dress sitting in that chair? Hebrews 10. Paul writing to a group of people, we believe it was the Apostle Paul, to a group of people who knew the faith early on in their lives as Hebrews, but they were actually thinking about going back to Judaism and leaving Christianity. Hebrews 10. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, sin willfully. Now here we're talking about as a way of life. We're not talking about a person who gets caught up in their individual weaknesses, and they're very sorry for that. No, we're talking about a person who's actually turned from going God's way. A person who just doesn't want to repent anymore. They don't want to go there. They made a decision of will. They're going to go a different way, and nothing's going to turn them from going that way. If we sin willfully in our hearts and minds, in our actions, after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. Why not? Because the person doesn't want to repent. Because they're going the way of the world. But notice, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. They know the truth. They've walked away from the truth. They know what's going to happen to them. They know that there is a lake of fire. Verse 28, anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment do you suppose will be thought worthy—he would be thought worthy—who has trampled the Son of God under foot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Here we're talking about a church member, a former church member, who says, I don't care about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I'm going my own way.

For what it's worth—and I'll just say it that way—when I was in Ambassador College, one of my teachers, who was teaching Old Testament survey class, was talking about a man who he had known who was very zealous in the church, doing a lot of good works, but kind of a shooting star. Came into the church, you know, really zealous, doing a lot of things, very bright, and then all of a sudden he faded, and he left. And years later, he got a notice from this man who was in a home for the insane. And the man looked at the teacher that I had and said, look, I know what I'm doing, and I know what I'm doing is wrong, and I know what I'm going to pay the price for, but I'm not going to change. And the guy who was teaching us Old Testament survey said that's the closest he ever came to maybe meeting somebody face to face who was going to the lake of fire and knew it. And he was in an asylum. Now, I'll just give you that story for what it's worth. That's what the gentleman who taught that class said. I can't verify it one way or another, but it sends shivers up and down my spine. I don't know about yours.

Let's go back now for some good news. Isaiah chapter 19. Okay, God is going to do his thing. He's going to... Because mankind is such a rebellious... We are such rebellious individuals. You know, I could have brought in some of the quotations from the book of Revelation, where God is giving trial after trial all these various hard, torturous things that are happening upon mankind. And it says in the later chapters of Revelation, now people would not repent of their sins. Human nature is a very tough nut. But brethren, here's the good news in this. And that's why I wanted to focus on this chapter for today's sermon. Starting here in chapter 16, we see where Egypt used to symbolize false religion throughout the ages. There is a change coming to Egypt. And it's going to be one of the premier nations in the world tomorrow.

Let's take a look. Let's look at the end of it, and then we'll kind of go through the rest. Isaiah chapter 19, verse 25. Isaiah 19, verse 25. Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed is Egypt my people. Blessed is Egypt my people. Now brethren, this is not going to happen overnight.

This is going to take a while. This is going to take some time. We'll go through some scriptures and show that. But there's coming a point where Egypt is going to find spiritual salvation. They're going to be a great people of God in the millennium down the road. They are going to be God's people. Continue on to verse 25. And Assyria, the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. So here you see at the end of Isaiah 19, three nations that were sworn enemies to each other are now God's people, the work of God's hands, God's inheritance. We see the saving power of God, how He's going to work with these nations and reveal Himself to these nations, and show them the error of their ways, and they will repent. They will repent. Let's see that as we go from verse 16 down in this chapter. Isaiah 19, verse 16. In that day, now you know from previous sermons, you know from your own reading, that when you see that phrase, in that day, that normally talks about the end of the age.

In that day, let's read verse 16 and 17, Egypt will be like women and will be afraid and fear because of the wavering of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He waves over it. And the land of Judah will be of terror to Egypt, everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid of it himself because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which He has determined against it. So, what exactly is verse 16 and 17 referring to here? A first blessing we see is that Egypt and the nations begin to learn a fear of the Lord. They begin to learn a fear of the Lord. When it's talking about here, Egypt will be like women. Back in those days, you know, women, you needed a man. You needed a husband. You needed a brother. You needed a father. If you were without a man in that society, you were very vulnerable. And so what verses 16 and 17 are talking about are people realizing that they are helpless under the awesome power, the hand of the great God.

Verse 17, where it talks about in the land of Judah will be the terror to Egypt. Well, it's because the nations know who the God of Judah is.

They know who the God of Judah is. Everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which He has determined against it. So they realize God is the God, you know, those people we enslaved back in the days of Pharaoh.

They're a mighty God through those 10 powerful plagues. Set them free. That is the true God. And so the Egyptians will understand the God of Israel in that light. Let's turn over to Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs chapter 3 3. Proverbs 3 verses 5 through 10.

This is the process we're beginning to see in a nation of Egypt. This is the process that will be copied nation after nation after nation.

It will be healthy your flesh and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first roots of all your increase, so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. So again, this is over a period of time that the people begin to appreciate the great God of Israel.

And they begin to properly fear Him again over the course of time. We'll be back to chapter 19 of Isaiah verse 18.

In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the Lord of hosts. One will be called the city of destruction. Now what is all that about? Now notice again, beginning of verse 18, in that day, in that day, the Egyptians will be filled with an insatiable hunger to know the great God. Some of them will even begin to learn Hebrew or whatever language it is that God will have.

In your notes you might want to jot down Zephaniah chapter 3 and verse 9. Zephaniah 3.9. I'll just read this for you. For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call in the name of the Lord to serve Him with one accord. That's Zephaniah 3.9. And so you see here in verse 18, where the people are going to speak the language of Canaan. Whatever language God wants them to learn, maybe they will take it upon themselves to make sure they really are studying very thoroughly because they want to read the Scriptures in the original tongue. They really want to know God. So here's a second blessing that God is giving to the nation of Egypt here. That is the blessing of beginning to learn the ways of God. Learn the ways of God. Verse 19. In that day, and time speaking, in that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. It will cry to the Lord because of oppressions. And again, He will send them a Savior and a mighty one. He will deliver them. So in verse 20 there, we've been talking about this. The return of Jesus Christ has set up the millennial reign of Christ and the resurrected saints. But here we see another blessing. And that is, there will be state worship of the great God in every country, not just in Jerusalem, in every country.

Let's put a marker here. Go over to Ezekiel. Ezekiel 11.

Now, what I'm about to read you explicitly talks about Israel. But again, I believe it talks in principle about what's happening in the world tomorrow as God begins to work with every nation and every individual. Ezekiel 11.

Verses 19 and 20. Ezekiel 11.

Then I will give them one heart, and I'll put a new spirit within them, and take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. They shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Again, explicitly talking about Israel, but again, in Isaiah 19, God called Egypt his people. So in principle, this is what God's going to be doing all around the world. Certainly Egypt included. A blessing of the state religion now being the state religion of God.

Going back to Isaiah 19.

We see in verse 20 the Savior coming to the people, the return, we believe, of Jesus Christ. That's how we've always understood. Verse 20 here. Verse 21. Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offerings. Yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. And the Lord will strike Egypt, and He will strike and heal it. Strike it in the past, and then heal it. And they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them, and heal them. So isn't that wonderful? Verse 21. Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. They will know the Lord. How are they going to know the Lord?

John chapter 6.

John chapter 6.

In verse 44.

John 6, 44. In verse 44.

God's got a plan. Same plan for the Egyptians. He's used with you and I. Just as He's called you and I, He will call them. Verse 45.

Just as you and I have been taught by God, the Egyptians and all the rest of the world will be taught by God. 2 Timothy chapter 2.

2 Timothy chapter 2.

Starting here in verse 24.

And the servant of the Lord and must not quarrel will be gentle to all able to teach and patient. Certainly this is the way Jesus Christ will be working with the Egyptians. This is the way you and I, if God wants us, you or I to work with the Egyptian people, we will be gentle to them in that day. We will be able to teach them that day. We will be patient with them in that day. In humility, correcting those who are in opposition. So as we teach the Egyptians that they were in opposition to their own best spiritual interests, then it says, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so they may know the truth. Not only the truth of God, but the truth of where they were spiritually.

So God's going to call them, God is going to grant them repentance, verse 26, that they may come to their senses, spiritually speaking, and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. They're going to see the way that they lived, the way they thought was not proper.

They are going to come to know the Lord in a proper way. Let's look at Malachi chapter 1.

Malachi chapter 1, we're talking about worship of God becoming the state religion of the whole world, certainly of Egypt as well. Malachi chapter 1 and verse 11.

Malachi 1.11. For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, my name shall be great among the Gentiles. In every place, incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. So basically what you're seeing in Malachi 1.11, there will be worship centers in every nation. Certainly Jerusalem will be the headquarters of the world, of the universe, probably. But every nation will have its worship centers. And that's what God wants.

Now, go back to the book of Zechariah.

Zechariah chapter 14.

I've been saying all along that this is going to take time. This is not going to be something that Christ returns on day one, and everybody begins to worship Christ. We know different than that. Zechariah chapter 14 verse 16. And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the king of the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whatever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the king, the Lord of hosts, on them there shall be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain. And they shall receive the plague which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the feast of tabernacles. So again, we're looking at a process. We're looking at a process that's going to take time. But we see where God there at the very end of this chapter, Isaiah 19, calls Egypt my people. So eventually they're going to get there. Eventually they're going to get there. Let's go back now and finish up the chapter, Isaiah 19.

Starting here in verse 23. In that day, signal of an end-time prophecy, in that day, there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.

Old foes, old enemies.

Now hand in hand, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder. In that day, Israel will be one with the three, with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall say, Blessed is Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. The language here is very interesting. The Bible reader's companion says that the word highway indicates the close relationship between once hostile nations, forged by a shared commitment to the God of Israel. A shared commitment to the God of Israel. It's a highway of worship, where we go to worship the great God of Israel. In that day, there will be peace established on the earth. God alone will be worshipped throughout the world. When Jesus Christ returns to earth, there will be this highway of peace built between the empires of Egypt and Assyria. That highway between Assyria and Egypt must necessarily run through Israel, which lies between them geographically.

Eventually, Egypt will be reconciled with God, with the people of Israel, with the Assyrians, and will become one of the leading nations in a world of peace.

God's very special people. So yes, the first half of this chapter is typical for prophecy. You sin, you're punished. But the second portion of this chapter of Isaiah 19 shows a number of blessings that God pours out. Let me just relate that one last time as I finish up here. Verses 16 and 17, where we see the people of Egypt and the whole world. Everything I'm going to say here goes not only for Egypt, but the whole world. Verses 16 and 17, people learn the fear of God. Verse 18, they learn the way of the Lord. Verse 19, the church of God is the state church. Verses 20 through 22, Jesus Christ returns to heal the nations, to heal the Egyptians. Verses 23 through 25, the healing between the nations. And verse 25, Egypt, a special nation, God's people. Now, let us conclude with Leviticus 23 and verse 40. Last scripture of the day. I'll just read this for you. Leviticus 23 verse 40. Talking about the Feast of Tabernacles. Leviticus 23, 40. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.

This is why we rejoice before God for seven days. When we see what's going to happen, when mankind is chastened, but we also see where mankind is blessed at the return of Jesus Christ. That we all look forward to.