Rebellion

• No excuse…
  • Heaven and Earth knew to listen when the LORD spoke…
  • Even donkeys and oxen know to listen to their MASTER…
  • But the nation of Judah was REBELLIOUS – they refused to LISTEN to their God…
  • God had tried to PUNISH them – but they were beyond helping…
  • If not for a very small REMNANT – they would have been like SODOM and GOMORRAH!
• Empty Religion…
  • God NO longer wanted their SACRIFICES [empty religion]
  • He HATED their feasts – and HID His face when they prayed [covered in blood]
  • The only solution was for them to REPENT – stop doing EVIL…
  • HOW – they had [imperative] to come and reason with the LORD…
  • Though their sins were like SCARLET [תּוֹלָע] – He would make them WHITE as snow…
  • But it was their CHOICE – if they were OBEDIENT they would eat the GOOD of the Land…
  • If they continued to REBEL – then the SWORD would eat them!

• 1^st – Millennial Kingdom… vs. 1-5
  • 1^st – Later days… vs. 1-2
    • Confirming the Word… vs. 1
      • The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem!
      • The Lord gave a SECOND vision to Isaiah about Judah and Jerusalem [Isaiah 2-4]
      • It is the same WORD that was given to his contemporary – Micah 4:1-5
      • If we want to know if the Lord is the one speaking…
      • One easy way to tell is to see the WORD is confirmed by someone else…
      • God is NOT going to say one thing to one person – and something DIFFERENT to another!
    • Future..
      • Now it shall come to pass in the latter days!
      • What Isaiah [and Micah] saw was a PROPHECY concerning the LAST [אַחֲרִית] days…
      • FIRST mention of the MILLENNIAL kingdom in Isaiah [and the Bible]
      • It shall come to PASS [perfect] – Isaiah foretells how the STORY will END!
      • The mistake a lot of people make is being SHORT sighted…
      • We go about our lives acting as if TOMORROW will be the same as TODAY – II Peter 3:4
      • But the truth is things are about the CHANGE – the world will NOT be the same…
      • The day is coming [soon] when this world will NO longer be in the hands of the ENEMY…
      • And since the LORD might rule TOMORROW – how should we live our lives TODAY!
  • 2^nd – LORD reigns… vs. 2-5
    • Lifted up… vs. 2
      • That the mountain of the LORDs house shall be established on the top of the mountains.
      • And shall be exalted above the hills – and all nations shall flow to it!
      • In the LAST days – the mountain [Moriah] of the LORD will be exalted [niphal]
      • The place where the HOUSE of the LORD had stood [three times]
      • Will once again be REBUILT – so that ALL nations come to worship there!
      • 1260 days [three and a half years] after the Abomination of Desolation – Matthew 24:15
      • Jesus will come out of Heaven on a white horse – King of Kings – Revelation 19:16
      • He will return with us – TEN thousands of His saints – Jude 1:14
      • He will arrive in Jerusalem – and touch down on the Mount of Olives – Acts 1:11
      • He will go to the valley of MEGIDDO [Armageddon] – Revelation 16:16
      • With one word He will defeat the Antichrist and his army – II Thessalonians 2:8
      • THIRTY days after the His return – 1290 days after the Abomination – Daniel 12:11
      • Jesus will JUDGE those who survive the Tribulation [sheep and goats] – Matthew 25:31-46
      • Then He will establish His MILLENNIAL Kingdom – Revelation 20:1-4
      • And the Lord will REBUILD the TEMPLE [fourth Temple] – Ezekiel 40
    • Word of the LORD… vs. 3
      • Many people shall come and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD.
      • To the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways and we shall walk in His paths.
      • For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem!
      • At that time MANY [רַבִּים] people will say: we must GO [imperative]
      • To the mountain [Moriah] of the LORD [יְהוָה] – to the HOUSE [Temple] of God [אֱלֹהִים]
      • So that He can TEACH [hiphil] us to really WALK [cohortative] in His ways…
      • BECAUSE [כִּי] out of ZION [מִצִּיּוֹן] will flow the LAW [תּוֹרָה]and WORD [דָּבָר] of the LORD!
      • The PROBLEM with the world TODAY – is people question the TRUTH…
      • Some people believe in God – others say there is NO god [atheists]
      • One person puts their TRUST in one RELIGION – while others have a different FAITH…
      • And the only thing we seem to AGREE on – is that we do NOT agree!
      • But when Jesus REIGNS in Jerusalem – sits on His THRONE in the TEMPLE…
      • Then all of those DOUBTS will quickly be erased…
      • No one will be able to QUESTION if there is a God – because He is RULING on earth…
      • And if anyone wants to KNOW the TRUTH – all they will have to do is GO and ASK!
    • Peace… vs. 4
      • He shall judge between the nations and rebuke many people.
      • They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
      • Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war anymore!
      • Because Jesus is SITTING in the TEMPLE in Jerusalem…
      • He will be the JUDGE [שָׁפַט] of the whole world – correcting [hiphil] many people…
      • AND [וְ] the RESULT will be [sequential] – PEACE on earth…
      • They will BEAT [piel] their swords into plow – spears into a grass cutters [pruning hook]
      • NATIONS will no [לֹא] longer go to WAR with each other!
      • James 4:1 – “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from our desires for pleasure that war [inside of us].”
      • Why do we have WARS in the world today – because people are SELFISH…
      • When we do NOT get what we WANT – so we end up going WAR to get it…
      • But once Jesus SITS on His throne – there will be NO more WARS…
      • Because the world will finally learn the ONLY thing we NEED is Him!
  • 3^rd – Walk in the light… vs. 5
    • O house of Jacob come and let us walk in the light of the LORD!
    • Knowing how the STORY ends – that Jesus is going to REIGN [Millennial Kingdom]
    • Isaiah command [imperative] the REBELLIOUS house of Jacob [Israel]
    • To choose to really WALK [cohortative] in the LIGHT [אוֹר] of the LORD [יְהוָה]!
    • If someone is walking along the edge of a cliff in the dark…
    • They do CANNOT see the imminent danger they are in [falling off]
    • But the moment someone turns on a FLASHLIGHT – they are able to WALK safely!
    • Those who do NOT know how the story ENDS – are in the DARK…
    • They cannot SEE what matters most in life – and are in constant danger of DEATH…
    • Which is why we need to walk in the LIGHT – John 8:11

• 2^nd – Judgement of God… vs. 6-22
  • 1^st – Filled up… vs. 6-9
    • Abandoned… vs. 6
      • You have forsaken Your people the house of Jacob because they are filled with eastern ways.
      • They are soothsayers like the Philistines. They are pleased with the children of foreigners!
      • The House of Jacob [rebellion] needed to WALK in the LIGHT…
      • BECAUSE [כִּי] – they had ABANDONED [perfect] the LORD…
      • Instead of being FULL [מָלָא] of God- they were FULL of a FALSE religion…
      • They put their FAITH in the SOOTHSAYERS of the Philistines [from the east]
      • SOOTHSAYERS [עָנַן] – observing times [Zodiac or Chinese calendar]
      • [Pleased] Clasping hands [hiphil] with the children of FOREIGNERS [non believers]!
      • People do NOT realize how much they are INFLUENCED by the world around them…
      • We are constantly being FILLED by something – the question is WHAT…
      • If we spend most of our TIME with the world – CLASPING [hiphil] hands with them…
      • Then may well end up ABANDONING the LORD!
      • James 4:4 – “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”
    • Full of money… vs. 7
      • Their land is also full of silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures!
      • [וַ] AND [sequential] – because they were NOT full [מָלָא] of the LORD…
      • They thought they NEEDED to be FULL [niphal] of MONEY [silver and gold]
      • Because there was NO guarantee anyone would PROVIDE for them…
      • But no matter how much they had – it was NEVER [אִין] enough!
      • How we look at MONEY – is a direct indication of our heart towards God…
      • Those who are FAR from the LORD – NEED to have LOTS of MONEY…
      • But those who are CLOSE to the LORD – do NOT worry about MONEY…
      • Because we have the PROMISE our FATHER will take care of ALL our NEEDS!
      • Luke 12:29-31 – “Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink – nor have an anxious mind… your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.”
    • Full of horses… vs. 7
      • Their land is also full of horses and there is no end to their chariots!
      • [וַ] also [sequential] – because they were NOT full [מָלָא] of the LORD…
      • They thought they NEEDED to be full of HOSES – CHARIOTS beyond [אִין] counting…
      • Because they had NO guarantee anyone would PROTECT them!
      • There is nothing wrong with people who want to own guns [I had a CCW]
      • But we do NOT need to PROTECT ourselves – because we know who is GUARDING us!
      • There is NO army – no WEAPON better than the LORD…
      • If God is the one who is watching over us – we have NOTHING to fear!
      • Psalm 20:7 – “Some trust in chariots and some in horses. But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
    • Full of idols… vs. 8-9
      • Their land is also full of idols. 
      • They worship the work of their own hands that which their own fingers have made.
      • People bow down and each man humbles himself. Therefore do not forgive them!
      • [וַ] also [sequential] – because they were NOT full [מָלָא] of the LORD…
      • They thought they NEEDED to be full of IDOLS – images that they MADE…
      • And because they did NOT worship God – and WORSHIPED [Hishtaphel] their idols…
      • HUMILIATING [niphal] themselves – God would NOT [jussive] forgive them!
      • Here we see the ULTIMATE end for those who are NOT full of the Lord…
      • Not only do they have to WORRY about their PROVISION and PROTECTION…
      • In the end they have to WORRY about STANDING before God – Revelation 20:12
      • Because their IDOLS will do NOTHING for them on the Day of JUDGEMENT!
  • 2^nd – The Tribulation… vs. 10
    • Hiding… vs. 10
      • Enter into the rock – hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD – the glory of His majesty!
      • Here Isaiah again gives us a snap shot of the FUTURE…
      • What will happen to those who are FULL [מָלָא] of this WORLD…
      • Those who put their faith in MONEY – POWER [horses] – and IDOLS [things they made]
      • They will be LEFT behind when the RAPTURE happens – I Thessalonians 4:16
      • And will have to go through the TRIBULATION…
      • Where they must [imperative] run into CAVES [rock] to HIDE [niphal] in fear of the LORD!
      • Revelation 6:15 – “[They] hid themselves in the caves.”
    • Be ready…
      • Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore – for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming!”
      • We MUST [imperative] WATCH [be on guard] – be FULL of the LORD…
      • Because we do NOT know [εἴδω] the exact HOUR [ὥρα] when He will come!
      • I John 3:3 – “Everyone who has this hope… purifies himself.”
      • PURIFIES – [ἁγνίζω] – from the ROOT word HOLY – to be separate for God…
      • If we are LIVING [present] our LIVES like Jesus could come back at ANY moment…
      • It will cause us to be HOLY – so we are ready to meet God!
      • We are living in the LAST days – we know the END is close…
      • If the RAPTURE happened today – what would Jesus find in us doing…
      • We might think – PLEASE come back NOW – I am in CHURCH…
      • But what if He came this TOMORROW morning – are we READY…
      • When we CHOOSE [active] to live our lives like Jesus could come at ANY moment…
      • It causes us to be HOLY – be FULL – so we are PREPARED to meet our LORD!
      • Matthew 24:44 – “Be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do NOT expect!”
  • 3^rd – Day of the Lord… vs. 11-17
    • Humility… vs. 11
      • The lofty looks of man shall be humbled.
      • The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down – the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day!
      • It will be in that [הַ] DAY [יוֹם] – ONLY the LORD will be lifted up [2x emphasis] – Isaiah 2:17
      • As all MEN will be humbled [perfect] and will [perfect] BOW before Him!
      • Because we do NOT get to choose whether or not to WORSHIP God…
      • We only Get to choose WHEN – either now in salvation – or later in condemnation!
      • Romans 14:11 – “As I live – says the LORD – every knee shall bow to Me.”
    • Day of the Lord… vs. 12
      • For the day of the LORD of hosts!
      • BECAUSE [כִּי] – of the DAY of the LORD [יוֹם לַיהוָה] of the ARMIES of heaven [צָבָא]!
      • The DAY of the Lord – the phrase is used 32 times in the Bible…
      • 27 times in the Old Testament – 5 times in the New Testament…
      • IMPORTANT – the DAY of the Lord is NOT just one DAY…
      • It describes the EVENTS leading up the RETURN and Jesus – and JUDGEMENT of the world…
      • It BEGINS with the RAPTURE of the church – and ENDS with the WHITE throne!
        
        
    • No hiding… vs. 12-17
      • Shall come upon everything proud and lofty. Upon everything lifted up shall be brought low.
      • Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up. And upon all the oaks of Bashan.
      • Upon all the high mountains – and upon all the hills that are lifted up.
      • Upon every high tower and upon every fortified wall.
      • Upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all the beautiful sloops.
      • The loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low.
      • The LORD alone will be exalted in that day!
      • When the DAY of the LORD begins [with the Rapture]
      • EVERYONE [כָּל] who is PROUD will be [sequential] HUMBLED – and BOW down…
      • Isaiah goes on to give EIGHT locations…
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the cedars of LEBANON [40 meters high – 2.5 meters thick]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the oaks of BASHAN [Jordan] – [25 meters high – 2 meters thick]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the MOUNTAINS that are high..
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the HILLS that think they are tall [niphal]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the high TOWERS [מִגְדָּל]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the fortified WALLS [protected cities]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the ships of TARSHISH [Spain or Carthage]
      • Upon [עַל] ALL [כָּל] of the beautiful SHIPS [only here OT]
      • The picture is SOBERING – there is NO place to HIDE…
      • The WRATH of God will come upon [עַל] EVERYONE [כָּל] – EVERYWHERE…
      • Those who are in the FOREST – those who are in the MOUNTAIN…
      • Those who are in the CITIES – and those who are on the SEA…
      • There will be NO place where men can HIDE from the FACE of the LORD!
      • Psalm 139:7 – “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”
      • The world does NOT want to be FOUND by God…
      • So they stand in DARKNESS – to try and HIDE from the LIGHT – John 3:19
      • The problem is there is NO place where they can HIDE…
      • God is OMNIPRESENT – He is EVERYWHERE – and He will ALWAYS find us!
  • 4^th – Revival… vs. 18
    • [And] the idols He shall utterly abolish!
    • AND [וְ] – in that day – ALL of the IDOLS will DISAPPEAR…
    • Everything that men have MADE – and put their TRUST in – will vanish!
    • We just came back from Japan – a very impressive country…
    • They built TRAINS that travel at 300kph – and they are ALWAYS on time…
    • Their built one of the largest STOCK markets in the world [3^rd largest]
    • They built the largest CITY in the world – TOKYO with over 37 million people…
    • What they do NO have is Jesus – their FAITH is in what they have BUILT!
    • What will the world do when EVERYTHING they have built their lives on CRUMBLES…
    • When their buildings FALL – and their money FAILS…
    • When all of their IDOLS vanish – and they are left with ONLY the LORD…
    • The TRIBULATION is NOT about God wanting to PUNISH the world…
    • He is trying to WAKE them up – show them Jesus is what they are MISSING…
    • TEN percent of EVERYONE who has ever lived – is alive today [eight billion]
    • Yet only around 25% of the world today identifies as CHRISTIAN…
    • And when their IDOLS fail – it will lead to the greatest REVIVAL in history!
    • Revelation 7:9-10 – “Behold a great multitude which no one could number of all nations – tribes – peoples – and tongue standing before the throne… clothed with white robes.”
  • 5^th – Rejection… vs. 19-22
    • Sixth seal… vs. 19
      • They shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth.
      • From the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty.
      • When He arises to shake the earth mightily!
      • Sadly – NOT everyone will REPENT in that [הַ] DAY [יוֹם]
      • [וּ] And [sequential] – some will instead go into CAVES [holes in the ground]
      • Because they are AFRAID to FACE the LORD…
      • As He comes and causes the EARTH shake [עָרַץ]!
      • The JUDGMENTS of the book of Revelation of divided into THREE sets…
      • Seven SEALS – seven TRUMPETS – and seven BOWLS [21 in all]
      • When Jesus [Lamb] opens up the SIXTH seal – there is a GREAT earthquake!
      • Revelation 6:12-14 – “I looked when He opened the sixth seal – and behold there was a great earthquake… every mountain and island was moved out of its place!”
    • Love of Money… vs. 20
      • In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold.
      • Which they made – each for himself to worship – to the moles and bats!
      • In that [הַ] DAY [יוֹם] men will CAST [hiphil] their IDOLS…
      • Their SILVER and GOLD that they WORSHIP [hithpael]
      • They will THROW them into the CAVES [with the moles and bats]
      • The suggestion is they are taking their MONEY with them when they HIDE…
      • Because they are still HOPING it can do something to SAVE them!
      • In the year 1900 – the total GDP [wealth] of the world was – $3.5 TRILLION
      • When I was BORN in 1974 – the GDP of the world had grown tenfold to – $30 TRILLION
      • In the year 1995 – the GDP of the world had almost doubled again to – $50 TRILLION
      • By the year 2025 – the GDP of the world was over $125 TRILLION
      • HALF of all wealth EVER made in HISTORY – has been created in the past TWENTY years!
      • This unprecedented growth in WEALTH – has made the world BLIND to Jesus…
      • It has caused EVERYONE – in EVERY nation – to believe MONEY is the answer…
      • Buying into the LIE – that there is something other than GOD we should live for!
    • Hard heart… vs. 21
      • To go into the clefts of the rocks and into the crags of the rugged rocks.
      • From the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty.
      • When He arises to shake the earth mightily!
      • Men will HIDE in the ROCKS – in the CLIFFS – for FEAR of the FACE of the LORD…
      • But their MONEY will NOT be able to HELP them – or SAVE them…
      • In that DAY when God SHAKES the earth [great earthquake]!
      • What is ODD – is that they choose to go and HIDE – under ROCKS…
      • The first thing you learn as a KID – is do not go inside in an EARTHQUAKE…
      • It is far more dangerous – because in the AFTERSHOCKS – it might collapse!
      • Revelation 6:15-16 – “[They] hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks: Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”
      • They command the rocks to FALL [imperative] on them…
      • Because by the time we get to the SIXTH seal – those who are LEFT – do NOT want Jesus…
      • They are so in LOVE with their sin – they would rather DIE – than REPENT!
      • John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation… men loved [ἀγαπάω] darkness rather than light – because their deeds were evil.”
    • Stay away… vs. 22
      • Sever yourselves from such a man whose breath is in his nostrils. For of what account is he?
      • From these kind of MEN – we MUST [imperative] stay away…
      • Because they only have ONE breath [singular] left – they are NOT going to live long…
      • And then they are going to have to give an ACCOUNT [niphal] of their life!
      • There are only TWO kinds of people in this world…
      • Those who draw us CLOSER to Jesus – or those who will PULL us away!
      • I Corinthians 15:33 – “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.”
      • Since we KNOW how the story ENDS – the DAY of the LORD is coming…
      • And we KNOW that we are going to be FILLED with something…
      • And that MONEY – and POWER [this world] cannot save us…
      • We MUST surround ourselves with those who are going to point us to Jesus!