Isaiah Chapter 9

Today we're going to be taking another tour through the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah's chapters 7 through 12 have a theme, discussing the prophecies relating to a war taking place between Syria, Israel, and Judah.

We've gone through chapter 8 of that section. Today we're going to be looking just at chapter 9. In chapter 9 of Isaiah, we see one of the most beautiful prophecies in all of God's Word. It's one of the most quoted prophecies that we've had in our church culture over the generations that God has been working with the church in this era. It's an off-quoted prophecy even by people of the world. It's a beautiful prophecy. One we'll be taking a look at today and surrounding issues with that prophecy. So let's turn over to Isaiah chapter 9.

Isaiah 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 way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.'" So here we have a discussion at the outset of chapter 9 about the gloom pervading this situation, this area, this time frame here. That's the very last thing we saw in chapter 8, verse 22, "'Then they will look to the earth and see trouble and darkness gloom of anguish, and they'll be driven into darkness.'" Now as we went through chapter 8, we talked about how it's incumbent upon the people of God to walk by faith and not by sight. And of course, here in chapter 8, we saw where they weren't walking by faith, and they were walking by sight. And there's a price to be paid for that, and they're paying that price. But starting here in chapter 9, even though it starts off with a discussion about gloom, it very quickly turns into something else. But let me not get ahead of myself too much here. When this prophecy was written, and we believe it was 733 BC, if you like dates, 733 BC. And of course, you know when Israel went into captivity as a nation, right, 722. So just a few years prior to their going into captivity, we see this discussion here taking place. The territories, the northern kingdom territories of Naphtali and Zebulun, were the first to feel the brunt of the Assyrian empires encroaching onto the nation of Israel. They're first to feel it. And of course, in your notes, you might want to jot down Joshua chapter 19 that goes through and discusses the territory for both of those tribes, both Zebulun and Naphtali. Also, you might want to jot down in your notes 2 Kings chapter 15 verse 29, which shows Assyria coming into that particular region and beginning to subjugate those peoples.

But at the end of verse 1 of chapter 9, it talks about by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan and Galilee of the Gentiles. These were three districts that were set up by the Assyrian empire to begin to rule in that part of the country, where it says, the way of the sea. This is referring to a major international highway that was used by the peoples of that region, especially by the Assyrians as they came in to conquer that part of Israel. And notice also the phrase, the Galilee of the Gentiles. Because the Assyrians came into that part of Israel and subjugated that part of Israel. It became known as Galilee of the Gentiles, because the Gentile power was now ruling there under the auspices of King Tiglath Pileser III. Verse 2. Now, here we break into something that's really beautiful. We begin to see all this gloom and darkness and all this heaviness as something that is very, very beautiful. Verse 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 when we think of Galilee, who do we think of? What do we think of? Put a marker here. Let's go to Mark chapter 1. Mark chapter 1. What's taking place there in Galilee many years later? Mark chapter 1. Verse 14. Now, after John, talking about John the Baptist, was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe in the gospel.

So as we're thinking about light shining in darkness, and as we're going to see as we get further into the ninth chapter of Isaiah about a son being born, this is a reference to Jesus Christ. Very much so. Let's go to Matthew chapter 4. Matthew discusses Isaiah chapter 9. Matthew chapter 4. Matthew chapter 4 and verse 13. After leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. Ah, something we read earlier just a moment ago. Then it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, the land of Zebulun and 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, and upon those who sat in the region and the shadow of death, light has dawned.

So here you see where Matthew talks about Isaiah chapter 9 that we've just read about the coming of Jesus Christ. So despite the gloom that the people are looking at, and they're going to face an awful lot of hard times between what we see here, 733 BC and the first coming of Jesus Christ. A lot of very, very difficult times, troubling times, challenging times. But there is hope on the horizon for the people, and that hope is certainly Jesus Christ.

We go back now to Isaiah chapter 9. You, talking about God, have multiplied the nation and increased its joy. This will take place through Jesus Christ. They rejoice before you according to the joy of the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. So here they're looking at happier times, better times. There's going to be better times because of what we see in verse 2.

For you have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of the oppressor, as in the day of Midian. So here what we're looking at in verse 4 is a discussion about God's supernatural deliverance. And Midian is made mention of because it's referring to, it's alluding to, the time of Gideon, how a small band of men deliverance was brought forward.

Verse 5, for every warrior sandaled from the noisy battle and garments rolled in blood will be used for burning and fuel of fire. So again, more good news. Put a marker here. Let's go to chapter 2 of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 2, in verse 4. Isaiah 2.4, He shall judge between the nations and rebuke many people, and 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. So that's a direct reference to what we're seeing here in verse 5 of Isaiah chapter 9.

Now we come to this verse. These two verses, verses 6 and 7, they're some of the greatest verses in all of Scripture, some of the most hopeful, some of the most wonderful topic we can look at here. Verse 6, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the 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 from that time forward, even forever.

The zeal the Lord of hosts will perform this. So here we see a very beautiful Scripture, verse 6, for unto us a child is born. Now we discussed that a little bit in chapter 7 and verse 14 when we were going through that section of Isaiah. As we also mentioned, as we were going through that portion, I think also in chapter 8, for Isaiah 7.14 to have any relevance, any meaning, there had to have been a child born back in Isaiah's time that King Ahas could have related to. But the biggest story of Isaiah 7.14 and what we're seeing here is that child, and this child here in verse 6, is not any one of the possibilities we discussed in chapter 7 and 8.

This child in verse 6 is Jesus the Christ. Jesus the Christ. And it says here in verse 6, the government will be upon his shoulder, not upon man's shoulder, but upon God's shoulder, Christ's shoulder. And of course, the assistance that God and Jesus Christ have, which is us, you and I, as the family of God. Government will be upon our shoulders. And then, of course, we have now the various names to kind of show just how beautiful this is.

In verse 6, you see the name Wonderful. Now some people will take Wonderful and Counselor and combine them. I don't know that I have a problem with that, although I tend to look at this individually. But when you take a look at the word Wonderful, the name Wonderful, that's Strong's number 6382. Strong's number 6382. Quoting from Barnes' notes on the Old Testament, it says this, regarding the word, the term, 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 is Wonderful. In a time of gloom, in a time where the nation is about to be carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey, people here can look to the future. It's not always going to be bleak. It's not always going to be dark. There is a Wonderful God that is going to rule forever once He starts.

In your notes, you might want to jot down Exodus chapter 3 and verse 20.

The same word Wonderful is used in Exodus 3 and verse 20, talking about how God stretched out His hand to smite the Egyptians with wonder. Talking about the plagues, how our wondrous God delivered His people in a wondrous way. I would like you to turn to Exodus chapter 15. Keep your marker there in Isaiah. Exodus chapter 15. Verse 11, Exodus 15, 11. Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Our God is known as a God who does wonders. As I was thinking about this, I was thinking about the life of Jesus Christ. I was thinking about His wondrous birth that we see there in Luke chapter 1.

Thinking about the wondrous teachings of our Lord and Savior. We see a discussion there in John chapter 7, verse 46. We'll turn there. John 7, 46, where people say, no man ever spoke like this.

Jesus Christ had wondrous teachings. In Acts chapter 10, verse 38, I'm not going to turn to any of these verses. Acts 10, 38, we're talking about Jesus went about doing good, wonders, healing the sick, casting out demons, setting a tremendous example.

The wonder of Jesus Christ being raised from the dead. Romans chapter 10 and verse 9. And certainly, the wonder of Christ's second coming, which we're going to be discussing on trumpets here in not too long. Matthew chapter 24, verses 27 through 31. How Jesus Christ is circling the globe, gathering the saints as he goes. And so many times we think about what it's going to be like for us.

I know when times are difficult and challenging for me, I tend to allow my mind to go there and say, this is not always going to be this way. There will be a deliverance. Maybe we're going through, I'm going through some really hard times, but it's not always going to be that way. Worst case scenario is I die, and then when I die, I'm going to be in the resurrection. You think the same thing. You and I both. And we think about what it's like from Christ's perspective, as he's going around the world gathering the saints. All those voices that have been silenced by death that God the Father and Jesus Christ enjoyed so very much as they would send up their prayers to Him. Those voices that were silenced by death. Well, death is not going to silence those voices anymore. As Jesus Christ is wondrously going around the world collecting his family, then he can look and see all the wonderful people he's loved through the ages.

That is truly a time of wonder. Let's go back now to Isaiah chapter 9. So one of his names is God the Wonderful. You can combine that with Wonderful Counselor. I don't have an issue with that. The word counselor is a different word. Strongs number 3289.

Strongs 3289. I said to turn back to Isaiah 9. Let's go back to Isaiah chapter 2.

Here's the kind of counselor. Here's the kind of counseling that is effective. Isaiah chapter 2.

Verse 2, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. People are going to want to go to Jerusalem to hear the counsel of our wonderful counselor. Because the words he will say will be words of life.

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. He will give us the counsel we need. And we shall walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And of course, we've read verse 4. So Jesus Christ, the hope that we see in Isaiah chapter 9 is a tremendous counselor. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 25. Isaiah 25. Verse 1. Isaiah 25 verse 1. O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you. I will praise your name. For you have done wonderful things. He is a God of wonders. Your counsels of old are faithfulness and true. So there you see both concepts in Isaiah chapter 25 and verse 1. Christ will give counsel through his word. What did the psalmist say in Psalm 119 verse 24? Psalm 119 verse 24. Your testimonies are my counselors. Your testimonies are my counselors. So counsel will be received from the word of God. Counsel will be received from God's Holy Spirit. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14. We are led by God's Spirit. We are counseled by God's Spirit. Going on to the next name we see in Isaiah chapter 9. We see he is not only the wonderful and counselor. He's also mighty God. Mighty God. Moses told the people, don't be overcome by your fear of the peoples you're going to go into the land and those lands you're going to possess. Don't be overcome by fear. Remember past victories. Remember the might that God brought you out of the land of Egypt. Remember all those wonders, all those miracles that God is still with you. He is a mighty God on your behalf. He is all-powerful. He's all-knowing. He's omnipresent. He's able to cry out to those who need his help. He is the mighty God who designed the universe. He is the mighty God that created the universe. He's the mighty God that sustains the universe. He's the author and finisher of our faith and a deliverer of people from oppression. He is the mighty God. Now, when you take a look at what we have there in Isaiah chapter 9, we start with the luminous. Then we start reading about the coming of the Messiah. In all the hope that that garners for us, we're looking at some of the names that show us why people should have such hope. Wonderful. Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. How is Christ an everlasting Father?

Well, Trinitarians would have one discussion on that point, a discussion we would not agree with. But let's turn to Ephesians chapter 3.

Ephesians chapter 3.

Verse 8.

Ephesians 3.8. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

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.

How is Jesus Christ the Everlasting Father? He is the Everlasting Father by virtue of creation. God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ.

And of course, as we look at Isaiah chapter 9, the last title we see here is Prince of Peace.

And notice verse 7. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end.

See, once the kingdom starts, once Christ brings the kingdom to this planet, it doesn't stop. It goes forever. It is a kingdom of peace.

How the world needs that kingdom. How the world needs to understand that hope. The restoration of peace that was had prior to the rebellion of the one we now call Satan.

The perpetuation of peace going throughout all of eternity.

How is that possible?

We see in his title here in Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6, that Christ is the Prince of Peace. But there's another way we can phrase that, another way we can look at this.

Christ is also the Prince who is peace.

Christ is the Prince who is peace.

Not only the Prince of it, he is it.

John chapter 14. Let's go over to John.

John chapter 14.

John chapter 14.

John chapter 14, verse 27. Red lettering in my Bible here. Words of Christ.

John 14, 27. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.

He is the Prince who is peace. Not the Prince, just not just the Prince of Peace. He is the Prince who is peace. Peace I leave with you. 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.

Because we have the very peace of Jesus Christ. Chapter 16 of John.

Verse 33.

Again, red letters. Words of Christ.

John 16, 33. These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

In me you have peace.

Now, going back to Ephesians chapter 2. Going over to Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 13.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who are once a far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and is broken down the middle wall of separation.

For He Himself is our peace.

Here we see in Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 some of the greatest, most fabulously encouraging scriptures in all of the Bible.

But there's another point to be made here about verses 6 and 7. I just want to touch on this in passing.

As I was putting together my notes for the sermon, I was reviewing what Dean Blackwell had to say as he was going through this material. Mr. Blackwell made an interesting point. He said, you know, so many times we kind of take the New Testament Jews and so forth to task because they didn't understand that there was a difference in the first and second coming. They thought when Christ came, that was going to be it.

And he made the comment, Mr. Blackwell made the comment. He says, well, you know, when you take a look at verses 6 and 7, it's easy to understand how they could have thought that. In verse 6 it says, unto us a child is born.

And in verse 7 it talks about the increase of his government peace, there'll be no end.

Now, one of the greatest tools we have for understanding the Scriptures is context.

And he said, you know, in the context, people could easily have misunderstood and thought that verse 6 and 7 was the same time frame.

Now, you and I know better because you and I have the benefit of God's Holy Spirit.

And you and I know better because we've got the benefit of 2,000 years of human history to look back on. They didn't have that. So just a thought in passing as I was putting the message together here. Now, after verse 6 and 7, Isaiah goes back to the business at hand.

More of the disturbing things that are facing the nation.

Verse 8, The LORD sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen on Israel. 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 rebuild them with eun stones. The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.

The concept here, they know they're living under the threat of the Assyrian Empire.

The Assyrian Empire is now starting to carve up Israel.

And true to not only these people then, but our people today, will say there will always be America. America can go down, but we will rise up better, stronger than ever before. That's what they're saying here. Yeah, we may have, you know, Zebulun and Aftali, you know, they've got their issues right now, but you know, we're gonna, we're gonna, you know, get back on the saddle, so to speak. We're gonna charge out and do what we need to be doing, and things will be not only as good as before, but better than before.

Well, this is where we start to get into the idea of how these prophecies are dual in application. Not just for the people of those days, but for the people of our days as well.

Verse 11. Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of raisin against him, and spur his enemies on, the Syrians before and the Philistines behind. They shall devour Israel with an open mouth.

Chapter 10, go ahead just a little bit, chapter 10, verse 4. Without me they shall bow down among the prisoners, they shall fall among the slain. So what we're seeing happening here in verses 11 and 12, and chapter 10, verse 4, is the Assyrians come, they take Syria. They come and they take the Philistines. Again, the leadership of Assyria wants the breadbasket of the region.

They want Egypt, and to get to Egypt they've got to come through these other nations. Well, they're now assimilating those other nations, and now the army of Syria, the army of the Philistines are now the Assyrian army. In verse 11 and 12, talking about now these armies, the Assyrians plus the Syrians and the Philistines, all of this is now descending upon Israel.

And there's a price to be paid.

Verse 13.

You know, as I was reading this, I couldn't help but think about the role you and I have.

We don't want to study prophecy because it's interesting. We want to study prophecy because of what it does for us. Remember the very first sermon I gave in this series. Why do we study prophecy? We study prophecy to look into our hearts, our minds. Where do we need to change? Where do we need to repent? Where do we need to alter and amend our lives to be where God wants us to be? Verse 13 got me to thinking. Let's put a marker here and go over to Isaiah chapter 62. We're going to have a, not a digression here because this is planned. Isaiah chapter 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 who make mention of the Lord do not keep silent and give them no rest till he establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise of the earth.

Brethren, you and I are watchmen. This work we're a part of is a work as a watchman's work.

You know, for those of you who like to go on the internet and do your research, there are several sites that you can go to that have the writings of Mr. Armstrong. One site I go to, I forget now, the URL for that, Herbert Armstrong Library or something like that. But I went to that particular area and I just typed in a search box, I typed in watchmen. And then when you go through the various articles, and there are a great number of articles about a watchman, a number by Mr. Armstrong himself. And the word himself, watchman, will be highlighted in yellow so it's easy to find. And you see, the various times Mr. Armstrong said he was a watchman and our work was the work of a watchman. We have a work to do, corporately and also individually. Corporately and individually.

Through Isaiah the prophet, God promised a watchful eye of his servants would hold day and night vigils until the kingdom comes. We've got a responsibility. We've got a job to do. The special servants here in the scriptures understood their role.

Do we understand our role? The people on Isaiah's day, and as we're going to see in just a few minutes, in Ezekiel's day, they saw the dark clouds gathering. Do you see dark clouds gathering? I see it every time I turn on the news, dark clouds gathering. We're hardly becoming functional as a nation anymore when it comes to politics. Dark clouds are gathering. We need to proclaim a warning message as Isaiah did, as Ezekiel did, as so many of God's prophets did. The message is not just a message of doom and gloom. It's a message as well of what we need to be doing as a people and how we need to be going forth. Do you and I see ourselves as a part of this group of watchmen? Is there a role for you and I? Of course there's a role for you and I. So with that in mind, we're going to walk away from Isaiah a little bit. Isaiah touched on this idea in verse chapter 9 verse 13 and also here in chapter 62. Let's go over to the book of Ezekiel, and as you're turning over to the book of Ezekiel, I want to give you just a little bit of background. Isaiah lived, we believe Isaiah lived from anywhere from 760 to 680 BC.

We believe he probably penned the book of Isaiah right around year 700 BC, and that's a ballpark date. You know, we're not going to go crazy if somebody says, well, it was one year, you know, a couple years either way. Roughly 700 BC, Isaiah writes his book. Isaiah was contemporary with Amos and Hosea, possibly Jonah and Israel and Micah and Judah. His primary task was to warn Judah. And remember, when we were going through the introduction, Isaiah was living these years prior to Israel going into captivity. And then he saw the nation of Israel go into captivity. Okay? So he saw that. Now we go to Ezekiel. Ezekiel's name means God will strengthen or God will harden. And there's a reason God gave him that name, because he was going to have to do a very difficult work as a watchman. Ezekiel comes along about 130 years after Isaiah. We believe he wrote his book probably around 570 BC. Again, about 130 years difference. Ezekiel was contemporary with Jeremiah. Ezekiel was among the captives of Judah. And that's an interesting point. We'll get to in just a moment. He was among the captives of Judah.

Jeremiah was in Jerusalem at the time. And Daniel was in the headquarters city of Babylon itself. So Ezekiel was contemporary with Jeremiah and Daniel, writing, we believe, right around 570 BC.

Let's go over to the book of Ezekiel. I'm not there yet, so bear with me. Let's start here in Ezekiel chapter 2. Ezekiel chapter 2 verse 1. He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak to you. Then the Spirit entered me when he spoke to me and set me on my feet, and I heard him who spoke to me. So here we're seeing God commanding Ezekiel to stand. He was having a transforming experience. God's Spirit is entering him.

And when it says he was standing before God, that's essentially a metaphor saying he was taking a stand for God. Okay? Just like you and I have been called today to take a stand for God. Ezekiel was called to take a stand for God. Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, were priests and prophets.

And there's, we'll get to it a little bit later, the two men may have actually been related.

Verse 3. Ezekiel 2 verse 3. 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. Now remember, Isaiah was trying to speak to this nation 130 years before. They weren't listening. We do a broadcast right now.

We sometimes wonder what's happening. Well, they're not listening. This is the way it's been.

Verse 4. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I'm sending you to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God. So he's going in the name of God, proclaiming the words of God. Not his own words, the words of God.

Verse 5. Ask for them whether they hear or whether they refuse. For they are a rebellious house, yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

And, brethren, that's something that you and I need to make sure that we appreciate. We've got a very tough job to do. Whether people respond, that's up to God. But our job is to put out the proclamation. Our job is to use God's words in the most effective way we know how to do that. Now, we've been at times we've been more successful with that than other times. That's because we're human beings. We're not perfect. But our job is to proclaim the words of God. And then, when those words fall on the ears, then it's up to God as to what he's going to do with those people's hearts and minds. Just like you and I.

Whether you were born into the church or not born into the church, we all had to make a decision what we were going to do. If we were born sitting in a church, there came a point in our life where we had to make a decision. Am I going to keep on attending church or not? Is this just mom and dad's religion or grandparent's religion or all of the above? Or is it my church? Is it my faith? It is my belief. And God had to work with our hearts and minds. This is God has to work with the hearts and minds of those people that we're proclaiming the witness to. Verse 6, And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. In other words, persecution, tough times, people not believing, people laugh at you, so forth. Do not be afraid of their words. Do we understand now why Ezekiel's name means God will strengthen or God will harden?

Don't be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.

So just as we have been called, Ezekiel was called. Now, I'd like to read you this section from our U-C-G online commentary, this section of Scripture here in Ezekiel. I quote, 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 Jews, which took place about 597 BC. The prophet Ezekiel was among the group of these captives, as the Jewish historian Josephus also relates. Ezekiel's group was resettled by the Verkebar southeast of Babylon. Ezekiel's commission was to serve as a watchman for God's people, a sentry who had warned of impending danger. Break the quote in my comment.

We have got the same commission as a corporate body and as individuals.

We can't just lay it all off in a church and say, well, I send my tithes and offerings, and they're going to do their thing. Now, you have next-door neighbors. I have next-door neighbors. We have got people we work with. We've got relatives. We've got people we come in contact with all the time. We are to be a light of the world. We are to have our speech seasoned with grace and with salt. We are to know how to respond to everyone who comes. We come in contact with. We're still thinking about responses to people and the kinds of questions they may ask.

We have a job individually as watchmen, going back now to the online Bible commentary.

As we will see, these messages were meant in large part for the House of Israel, even though the northern ten tribes have been taken into captivity 130 years earlier.

Break into thought again. Here is Ezekiel with the Jewish captives in Babylon, writing to a nation that's already gone. Why? Because those are our marching orders.

Going back to the quote. In fact, the phrase, the House of Israel, is a very important message for Israel. Even though they're gone.

Going back to the quote. In some cases, the name Israel is used to designate Judah, but there are numerous instances where it's clear that the northern tribes are meant. The name Israel is used to designate Judah. In fact, the phrase, the House of Israel, is a very important message for Israel. In fact, the phrase, the House of Israel, is a very important message for Israel. In fact, the phrase, the House of Israel, are numerous instances where it's clear that the northern tribes are meant.

And I've underlined this in my notes. 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.

The spiritually deteriorating conditions in Judah were a type of the end-time decline of modern Israelite 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 it's important Isaiah talked about watchmen. Ezekiel talks about watchmen. But what do we do as watchmen? What do we do? Well, Ezekiel has a lot to say about this. Let's keep looking at Ezekiel chapter 2.

I've already read verses 5 through 7, but let's reread it. Ezekiel chapter 2 verses 5 through 7. As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for their rebellious house, yet they will know a prophet was among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words, or dismayed by their looks, though their rebellious house. You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.

So, point number one. And we've got a number of points here about what it means to be a watchman, individually, not just corporately. A watchman is to be a witness. We're not here to convert people. Only God does that. We are here to be a witness. We are here to properly transmit the words of God the Father and Jesus Christ. We are to be a light. We are to be an example. We are to be as well-versed in the Scriptures, and to allow the words to be as appetizing as possible.

I mean, I've known people in the past who had this impression that the people of the world, well, you know, they're all going to go to hell in a handbasket, and why should we basically care? But probably those people are not with us anymore with that kind of mind-frame of mind.

No, we are to be, as we talked about a couple of weeks ago, we are to be loving people.

Even to those that we may have difficulties with, we are to be loving people. Christ said we are to love our enemies. And certainly we need to be loving people as we are proclaiming the truth of God. It is such a tremendous blessing and responsibility for each of us, not just the ministry, but for each of us to properly be the Christians we are to be. So number one, a watchman is to be a witness. Verse 8, But you, Son and Man, hear what I say to you, do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you. A second thing a watchman is to do, or is to be, a watchman. Number two is to be true to God. True to God. There was a real danger for Ezekiel, for Isaiah, for the men of God to go the way of the society they lived in, just as there's a real danger for people today to go the way of the world.

I was talking to one of our older members of the Chicago church two weeks ago.

He's been a baptized member since I think the late 1950s. I'll probably give it away who I'm talking about. But I said, how many people have you seen come and go, not just through death, but in the church and out of the church, in those years you've been a part of God's church?

Members and ministers. That doesn't make a difference what a title is. People of God. How many have come and gone? Too many. Too many. Because people get grabbed by Satan, and some people probably were never called to begin with. I think sometimes some of our people were kind of called to a doctrine, whether it be prophecy or something. But then there were people who were converted. They're not with us anymore. So God gives him this warning, and this is a second thing. Actually, the third thing we're getting into now is a watchman needs to be filled with God's Word. If we're not filled with God's Word, we will accept anything, or not anything, we will accept too many things that come down the world that Satan wants to throw at us. Let's continue reading here. Chapter 2, 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. Now most writings had writings on one side. This had writings on both sides. The idea here is there was just so much it was overflowing. And of course, if you and I look into scriptures, it is a great deal. There's so much there for us to understand. Chapter 3, we continue with the same thought. Forget about the chapter break. Chapter 3, verse 1. Moreover, it said to me, Son of Man, eat what you find, eat this scroll, and go and speak to the house of Israel. 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. So I ate, and it was my mouth like honey and sweetness. So basically what we're looking at here, area number 3, a watchman needs to be filled with God's Word. A watchman needs to be filled with God's Word. Not our word, not our thoughts, not our hang-ups, not our pet teachings or whatever. A watchman needs to be filled with God's Word. He was told to open his mouth and to eat, to let that thing come into the Word. Let it be a part of him. Let's put a marker here. Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 1.

Jeremiah chapter 1.

Verse 9.

Jeremiah 1.9. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold, I put my words in your mouth. I put my words in your mouth. This is an accounting of Jeremiah's call. Remember, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were at the same time frame, and they well may have been related. So number three, we've got to have the Word of God very much a part of our life filled with the Word of God. We're going to be a proper watchman. We've got to have a well to draw from. We've got to have, when people ask us questions, we want to give them responses from the Word of God, from our own life's example. Years ago, I knew somebody who, this is many, many years ago. I think I may have mentioned this in the past, but there was one individual I knew who kind of took pride in the fact he had worked for this company for like 20 some years. And he only had to work Monday through Friday. So people didn't know he was a Sabbath keeper because he never had brought that up. And they didn't know he kept the feast because he never brought it. He took the time off, but he never told him why. He just talked about a convention or take sick days for the other ones through the course of the year. But he just kind of took pride in the fact that people didn't really know who he was or where he was regarding the church. And when people would ask him a question, what did he do? He would give them the phone number of the pastor.

Now, you don't do that. I'm sure you don't do that. I'm sure you're the kind of people that, because as I talk with you, I see in you that you're the kind of people who love the Word of God.

You love discussing the Word of God. You want to share that if somebody is truly interested the Word of God. And you do that. Let's go back now to Ezekiel chapter 3.

Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 10.

Moro resaid to me, Son of Man, receive into your heart all my words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. Receive into your heart. So number four, a watchman internalizes the message. It's just not something we say. It's just not a theory. We internalize the message. We internalize the message. We accept the message. We understand the message. We believe in the message.

And we want to export that message. Let's go back to the book of Jeremiah chapter 29.

I've mentioned that Jeremiah and Ezekiel may well have been family, but something else is also the case. Jeremiah may have been instrumental in Ezekiel's calling and conversion.

Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 1. Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive to the priests.

Remember, Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, they were not only prophets, they were both priests. So Jeremiah is sending a letter to the priests in captivity. That letter would have gone to Ezekiel. To the priests, to the prophets, and all the people who Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. We drop down to verse 4. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon. Notice the the counsel that Jeremiah is now giving to these priests.

Build houses and dwell in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands so they may bear sons and daughters, that you may be increased there and may not be diminished. Basically, Jeremiah is saying, okay, you're in a bad spot. You're captives in a foreign land, but make the best of it.

Be a light to the people. Have an influence on them by the way you live your lives. Be profitable individuals in your society. Verse 7, and seek the peace of the city where I've caused you to be carried away captive.

Pray for your enemies. Pray for the leadership of Babylon, that you might have peace so that you can continue to do the work on an individual basis. Seek the peace of the city where I've caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace, in Babylon's peace, you will have peace. So that's really internalizing the message.

The message of peace. Remember, we talked about the Prince of Peace.

Go back to Ezekiel chapter 3. We'll see more of the watchman's duty. Ezekiel chapter 3 verse 3. We've read this before, but there's another point I want to make here. Ezekiel chapter 3, 3. He said to me, Son, a man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with the scroll that I gave you. So I ate and it was my mouth like honey and sweetness. By that it has meant that as he was understanding the writings, he was glad. I mean, aren't you glad when you finally come to understand, or when I finally come to understand a part of the Word of God that we didn't understand before? That's what he's basically saying. I get it. I get it. But we dropped on to verse 14. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and the heat of my Spirit, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. So he was delighted to know the truth as he came to understand it. But when he understood the fullness of what he had to do, there was bitterness of soul, because the warning message was a very sobering message. And that's true for us. So area number five for a watchman. A watchman's message is a sobering warning. A watchman's message is a sobering warning. I'm not going to turn there, but in your notes you might want to jot down Revelation chapter 10, verses 9 and 10. Same thing happened to the Apostle John. He, too, had the sweetness and the bitterness after being given a portion of the Word of God to understand. I'd like you to turn to Matthew chapter 10.

We talked about Isaiah as a watchman. We talked about Ezekiel as a watchman. There are so many others that we could talk about. I just want to highlight those two. We talked about Herbert Armstrong, the work that God began through him and continues to this day. But notice chapter 10 of Matthew here. Again, red lettering in verse 6. Matthew 10, 6. But go rather to the law sheep of the house of Israel. Christ's words to us then and today that we, too, are to have a work as a watchman. But we're not done. Going back to Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 4. Then he said to me, Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech. No, the people you and I deal with, they speak English, and have hired language for the house of Israel. Not to many people of unfamiliar speech and have hired language whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. What did Christ say about the various peoples of his day, the Gentile peoples of his day? He said, if the word had come to them, they would have heard and understood and lived by them.

Verse 7, but the house of Israel will not listen to you because they will not listen to me.

Isn't that what God said to Samuel when they wanted a king? God told Samuel, Samuel, it's not that they are against you, they're basically against me.

Because they will not listen to me, for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. And behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their forehead. Again, think about the name of Ezekiel and what that means. Notice who he's facing and the frame of mind he must have to do his work. Verse 9, like Adam and stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them nor be dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. So area number six for a watchman to understand and appreciate, area number six, is that the watchman's work will be unappreciated.

You know, Isaiah, what was sawn in half, we believe. Ezekiel here was murdered because of his words. You go on and on with what God's people have, you know, Paul being beheaded, Peter being crucified upside down. You know, talk about unappreciated. That's the way it is. One last area, Ezekiel chapter 3 verses 8 and 9, verse 8, Behold, verse 8, I have made your face strong against their faces and your foreheads against their forehead, like Adam and stone, harder than flint. So here we've read these verses. We'll stop there. Number seven area we need is watchman to be tough, to be tough.

He told that to more than Ezekiel. He stole it to many others. Let's go back to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah chapter 1. God working with Jeremiah, giving him his commission and so forth. Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1 verses 17 and 18, Therefore prepare yourselves and arise and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city in an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its priests, against the people of the land. So again, Jeremiah told, Be strong. You've got a commission. Do the work. Rely on God. Walk in faith, not by sight.

So, brethren, we have been given a call to action, a very clear call, an unmistakable call, to proclaim the truth of God, to proclaim it as God has given it to us, to teach as we have been taught, to not fear what others may think. And again, we're not just to throw it out there at people and say, there, take it. We're going to make it as appetizing, as filled with grace as possible. But there are times where we need to speak very plainly. Now, I came into the church and at a time when a number of you came into the church, and others of you were born into it, but when I came into the church in the 1960s, as God was calling me, forget about political correctness. I mean, we had fellows out there telling it the way it was. And I responded to that. Now, maybe that's just me as an Italian. I don't know. But I responded to that.

I had, there were other people I listened to as I began reading the church's literature, and they would put things in a much more gracious manner. We need both. We need both. There are times for the hard line approach. There's times for us to make sure that we're, you know, using another approach, maybe a softer type of approach. Either way, we need to be true to God and be watchmen in this world. So today, we've taken a look at Isaiah chapter 9. We've seen seven different things that a watchman is to do by looking at the book of Ezekiel, which touched on some of the things we saw in Isaiah. That a watchman must be a witness, must be true to God, must be filled with God's Word, must internalize the message. It's a sobering message. We will be unappreciated, but we must be tough. We must be tough.

One last scripture for today, Isaiah chapter 52.

Isaiah chapter 52, verses 7 and 8. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaim salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns. Your watchmen shall fill up their voices. With their voices, they shall sing together, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion. Let's be God's watchman.