Archive for December, 2013

Isaiah 11:1 Jesus, The Branch

Posted in Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 29, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

The “shoot” or “branch” that will bear fruit is Jesus. His story is the central theme of the Bible. The first mention of His coming and necessity of His arrival is told in the Garden of Eden. The context is the fall of mankind and the choice of sin. God is talking to Satan in Genesis 3:15 “From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” We know this person is going be a male and He will be a human. He is the offspring of the woman.

As the narrative moves forward, we learn the Savior will come from the tribe of Judah of nation Israel. He will be a king. The scepter or sword indicates His military power. Multiple sources indicate Shiloh is a Hebrew word that has an uncertain meaning. Some take it to mean “tranquility” or “secure”. He will be obeyed. Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

We further learn He will come from a little town in Israel, Bethlehem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He is eternal. Micah 5:2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

Jesse is David’s father. Other prophets verify He is to come from the line of David. Jeremiah 30:9 But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

The people of Israel, the Jews will be returning to their land. We learn He will come in “the last days”. Note, “the last days” are equated with the Jews returning to the their home land of Israel. By definition, we are in “the last days” as of December 2013. They have yet to seek their king. Hosea 3:5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.

The Apostle Luke verifies Jesus is God’s promised Savior in Acts 13:23 “From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus…

Witnesses in the throne room of Heaven, in the presence of the Trinity, verify Jesus is of the tribe of Judah and of the family tree of David. Revelation 5:5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

Jesus Himself confirms He is the One. Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

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Isaiah 10:33-34 God, the Lumberjack

Posted in Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , on December 22, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 10:33-34 Behold, the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash; those also who are tall in stature will be cut down and those who are lofty will be abased. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

Who is coming? The meaning of God’s names in this context are: Adonai (The Master), Yahweh (the Existing One). The grammar in the Hebrew indicates God is the cause. He is doing this repeatedly and intensively. The actions are extended and intentional. Descriptively, the actions are shocking and terrifying. This is a shock and awe campaign.

This is the same Lebanon that borders present day Israel to the north. Lebanon was known for their forests. It was a significant source of income. The trees are a sign of economic prosperity. Today on Lebanon’s flag is the very Cedar of Lebanon. These trees grow primarily in the mountains of the Mediterranean region. They grow up to 130 feet tall with a trunk of up to 8 feet in diameter. The wood of the cedar is disease resistant and slow to decay. Timber came from here to build the temple under Solomon. Cedar is the chosen wood of God’s temple. The temple built by Solomon was primarily made of cedar. 1 Kings 6 gives significant detail regarding the temple. Lebanon’s physical resource of lumber will be destroyed.

The verses are a reminder to the Assyrian. He is a tool of iron, an axe. The Assyrian is under the direction of God. Isaiah 10:15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. To the Assyrian, “This is how you wield an axe!”

A pattern of Scripture is noted in this verse along with other places in the Bible: trees, like proud men, are coming down. Psalm 29:5 confirms this fact. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

Isaiah 2:13 And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up,

Pride will be humbled. God will take care of that.

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Isaiah 10:28-32 Assyrian Antichrist? Part 3

Posted in Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , on December 15, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 10:28 He has come against Aiath, he has passed through Migron; at Michmash he deposited his baggage.

Isaiah 10:29 They have gone through the pass, saying, “Geba will be our lodging place.” Ramah is terrified, and Gibeah of Saul has fled away.

Isaiah 10:28-32 describes an invasion of Judah from the north to the south. These verses describe the Assyrian advance toward Jerusalem. All the cities named are within a three-hour march of Jerusalem (Ryrie Study Notes).

The first town mentioned is Aiath. It has been translated Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai per Strong’s Concordance. Its name means: heap of ruins. Ai is located approximately 15-20 miles due north of Jerusalem in the mountains. Ai is east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho.

Migron is the second town noted. Migron means: precipice.  Migron is located south of Ai and north of Jerusalem. I Samuel 14:2 describes it near Gibeah. Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. Strong’s Concordance has Migron located north of Michmash.

The third town is Michmash. Its name means: hidden. It is located 7 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Supplies will be dropped in this town.

Geba or “hill” is located south of Michmash. Citizens of Ramah (hill) and Gibeah (hill) are sandwiched between the invading army from the north and the city of Jerusalem to the south. These places are approximately 5 miles from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 10:30-32 Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim! Pay attention, Laishah and wretched Anathoth! Madmenah has fled. The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge. Yet today he will halt at Nob; He shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 

Gallim (springs), Laishah (lion), Anathoth (answers to prayer), Madmenah (dunghill, how would you like to live in a town that means pile of poop?), Gebim (cisterns). These are all towns that lie just north of Jerusalem. They are located approximately 3-5 miles north of Jerusalem.

The Assyrian invader will be stopped at Nob. It means: high place.

Historically, there is debate if this invasion noted in Isaiah 10:28-32 has taken place. There were invasions in 735 BC, 713 BC, and 701 BC. But, there are discrepancies in time lines and approach to Jerusalem.  For example, historical records indicate Sennacherib approached Jerusalem from the southwest 701 BC. This invasion of Israel is from the north.

If this invasion has not yet taken place, is this a prelude of things to come? In today’s world, a leader from modern day northern Iraq/Syria would invade Israel from the north. He would get to within 3 to 5 miles north of Jerusalem before being turned away and executed.

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Isaiah 10:26-27 Assyrian Antichrist? Part 2

Posted in Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , on December 8, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 10:26 The LORD of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt.

The Hebrew word for “scourge” is showt. It can be translated as a scourge or whip. Showt can also be meant as figurative language for national judgment (Strong’s Concordance). A modern day translation would be, Assyria and its leader are going to get a butt whippin’.

The whippin’ is going to be like the events documented in Judges. Judges 7:25 reminds us what happened. They captured the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from across the Jordan.

The best guess for the location of the Rock of Oreb is east of the Jordan River, south of the Sea of Galilee, and north of the west bank territory. Oreb’s meaning is a raven, a bird of prey. The Hebrew text makes it clear, these leaders are executed.

I take it the Assyrian is going to be killed and decapitated. For this reason, I do not think the Assyrian is the Antichrist. His fate is described here in Isaiah 10:26. The Antichrist is thrown alive in the Lake of Fire in Revelation 19:20. There are other arguments in support of this position, but that is a discussion for another day. I would encourage investigation of the issue from where does the Antichrist come.

God is reminding Assyria from Isaiah 10:24. You treated my people the way Egypt treated my people. Assyria oppressed Israel in bondage. God is going to treat Assyria the way he treated Egypt. God absolutely crushed and destroyed the Egyptian military with a wall of water. The reference is to Exodus 14:16 and God’s commandment to Moses. “As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. Exodus 14:27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Israel will make it through these difficult times, Assyria will not.

Isaiah 10:27 So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness.

The image is of an ox with a yoke on his shoulders pulling a plow and tilling a field. The yoke is the Assyrian. Israel is the ox. The yoke or the Assyrian will be shattered. There will be freedom and God’s abundant blessing.

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