Isaiah Chapter 66 "God's Answer. Given, New Heaven and New Earth." This Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org Isaiah 66:1 "Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: Where is the house that ye build unto me? and were is the place of my rest?" There is no way that you can compare anything man could construct or create with what God has created. God is trying to tell you that He just doesn't need any man on the face of the earth. God is asking those that think they are pretty hot stuff; "Do you have a bed for me?" Try to see the power of God within this verse, and understand what God is declaring is that everything on earth as in Heaven is completely under His contol. What He has said in His Word is exactly as it will come to pass, and He is in complete charge. He is telling us that there is nothing that we can do for Him, other than what He has asked of you. The way that God wants you to worship Him is written in His Word. Isaiah 66:2 "For those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word." God is telling us that of all the people on earth, the one that draws our Father to Him is the one with a humble heart. The man with a poor and of a contrite spirit is one with a crushed spirit. One that is down and needs his heart mended from our Heavanly Father. The one that "trembleth at My Word", is one that recognizes that I am in complete charge. Isaiah 66:3 "He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man, he that sacrifeceth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways," and their soul delighteth in their abominations." To kill a man is murder, and to cut off a dog's neck is to sacrifice an unclean animal to God. An oblation is a blood sacrificed offering to God, and to use the blood of swine on an altar is a complete insult to our heavenly Father. The burning of incense is a man's way to worship and not God's way, and God looks at it just as if that man were blessing an idol. What God is saying in this verse is that man likes to make up his own religions, and then attribute the religious form that he has created to God. God is telling you that anything you do outside of the instructions written in His Word for worshipping Him, is an abomination to Him. Man's heart is to make his own forms of worship, and choose other ways then to seek the truth for inderstanding from His Word. Why? He does this because he is lazy and desires to find an eazy way out. Then he seeks to delight himself in those abominations, and find pleasures in the very things that God says that He hates. Isaiah 66:4 "I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not." Listen to this very close. If any man delights in their abominations, then God will choose their delusions. If they want to create a picture in their own minds of a God that that will burn them in hell, God is telling them that He will help them create the delusion, and add to their fears. Grasp what God is saying here. God does not find any pleasure in the falsehoods preached from pulpits, and that parents teach their children that God will burn them in hell. That idea is not what God brought to His children, but it stems out of Molach worship, the ancient cult where the people burned their children in offering to gods. Though they stopped burning their children, the warning has continued on since long before the time Jesus Christ walked the on earth. God wants to draw all the people, all of His children to Himself, but it is they that choose to spread delusions in their own minds. Remember what God calls His children from Isaiah 62:4? "Hephzibah", meaning "My delight is in her". However, those that chase around creating their own evil, and who choose to make their own delusions are not a delight to God. We are living in the final generation, and if you desire to believe a lie, you can bet that God will allow you to choose any form of idolatry that you desire. Satan is coming in the role of the instead of Christ, or Antichrist, and if you desire to believe in rapture doctrine, or any other form of life style, God will so fix it in your mind that you will be completely deceived. This is exactly what is happening today in the church world. When Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians, they so distorted the meaning of that letter, that in a hurry he had to sit down an write another letter to straighten out the first. It is from the first letter that the rapture or any moment doctrine was formed. It had to do with our gathering back to our Heavenly Father and His Son. I Thessalonians was written to answer a question that had come up in the church as to where the dead are. Paul wrote them to explain that upon death the body goes to the ground, however the soul goes immediately to be with the Father in Heaven. Paul did not want Christians to be ignorant like the heathen were, and without hope. I Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." The next five verses are the foundation to what is called the "rapture theory". That is all it is but a theory, and unproven idea. It is time to set aside all preconcieved ideas you have about a rapture, and let's see what Paul is trying to tell the Thessalonian Christians. Are you willing to bet your soul on an unproven idea, or hunch? In this book, after Paul had told the Thessalonians to live right in the community, and search their souls for sin in their lives, they were then to repent of any sin in Jesus name. Paul then moved next to what happens when death comes to this flesh body. This topic is important to Paul, for it is the stablizing factor to the Christian life. It removes the fear that comes from the unknown of ones death. Paul gives this information of one reason, and that is that we not be ignorant as the heathen are. In other words, Paul doesn't want Christians stupid. So this concern is over "them which are asleep", or dead. The concern is over the Christian's loved ones that have died and left them. Paul is telling us not to be sorry about those Christians who are dead and gone, for that is the concern of the heathen. The heathen's fear comes from their ignorance of God's Word, and His promises. The heathen have no hope for they believe it's over at the burial. I Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." If we believe, as a Christian, that Christ set the example for us; so that we will follow as He did, in dying and rising again, then to "sleep" is to be dead from the flesh body. The Greek is a simple language, for it's structure allows one to be more precise than in English. The subject in the frame of this verse is: "that ye not be ignorant as to where the dead are." If you are a Christian you know and believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and on the third day arose and came out of the tomb. If you do not believe this, Paul classifies you as ignorant, and heathen [non-believer]. It was on the fortieth day after the Passover that Jesus ascended back to the Father in heaven. When Jesus ascended into heaven, all the souls went with him into heaven also, that had passed on, up to that point in time. The souls of some went to wait for that time of judgment, while others to the glory of God. Those that sleep [are dead] are not out there in a hole in the ground, but all Christians must believe that they arose to be with the Father, just like Christ did also. The dead are with God; all of them. "To be absent from the body [flesh body] is to be present with the Lord." Ecclesiastes 12:7 Regardless what chapter nine of Ecclesiastes says concerning the flesh body; when this flesh body is dead, the soul is gone from it, and the flesh is left to rot in the tomb. It is difficult to see how they made a rapture theory out of this, when the subject is, "Where are the dead?" When one dies, his or her soul goes immediately to be with the Father, and any belief other than that is to be ignorant, and as the heathen are. I Thessalonians 4:15 "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep." Notice that Paul is attributing these words he is writing as coming from the Lord Jesus Christ. To doubt this then is to doubt God Himself. Lets break this down a little deeper. "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord," this is our gathering back to Jesus Christ. It is at the seventh and last trumpet, after all other trumpets have sounded, and then we go nowhere, but our physical bodies are changed in the wink of an eye into our incorruptible bodies, and we remain right here on earth for the start of Jesus Christ's Millennium kingdom. Paul wrote of this in I Corinthians 15:50-53. "We are not going to precede [go before] them." We cannot precede them for a very simple reason; the dead are already there with our Heavenly Father. It is the only logical fact that can come from this. If you do not, or will not believe this, then you believe in soul sleep as the heathen do, and the hope and glory Paul is speaking of for the Christians, you are ignorant of. Whether victorious, or sentenced to hell, all the souls of the dead are now with the Father and not in the ground. Lets document what happens at the coming of the Lord more by going to I Corinthians 15:50. I Corinthians 15:50 "Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." Paul is stating simply that no flesh and blood can exist when Jesus Christ returns to this earth to set up His kingdom. The flesh body has its sin nature, and is called "corruption" which means that it ages and gets old and dies. Even those that are spiritually dead will be changed into their "incorruptible" [spiritual] bodies. That is the body that doesn't get sick, nor age because it is your spiritual body. It is the body that you will be living in during the next thousand years through the Millennium period. I Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," "Sleep" in the Greek, is to "die". The mystery that had been hidden from the ages is the fact that at a certain period of time, all souls living on the face of the earth will be changed instantly. Thats right "changed" from their fleshly body of clay, to the new incorruptible body that shall live for the next thousand years in the Millennium age. I Corinthians 15:52 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed." Paul is telling us that this change will be instant, faster then you can wink your eye. Paul also gives us the moment that it shall happen, and that is at the last trump, the seventh trumpet as recorded in the book of Revelation. That is when all souls shall be changed, good and bad alike, and all souls shall come in full understanding of God's entire Word. They will know right from wrong, and will not have to ask their neighbor of the things of God, for it will be fresh in their minds. Then in this kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ it will be a matter of discipline and learning to do what you know to be right. Satan will be absent from the earth at this time, and in the pit, and for that thousand years there will be only peace and harmony. So to understand what happens at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet, lets go to the original text and see wht the word "raised" is in the strong's Greek dictionary. The number is #1453; Egeiro, eg-i`-ro; a kin to the base of 58 (throught the idea of collecting one's faculties); to awaken, i.e. rouse from sleep, from lying down, inactivity, ruin". Lets go to # 58, and complete the study. "agora, ag-or-ah; to gather, (prop. the town square) as a place of public resort, a street, market place." This is in reference to our existing in the flesh body prior to Jesus Christ's return, and our being gathered right here on earth, and changed from one form to another instantly, at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet. The flesh body is the "corruptible" body, while the spiritual body, as the angels have, is the "incoruptible" body. It is like waking up from a sleep and realizing that you are somewhere other then where you thought you were. Only when you wake up, you have full use of your mental capicities, with complete understanding of God's Word and the things that are hid from your knowledge now. Your not in heaven but right here on earth, and everything has changed. I Corinthians 15:53 "For this corruptible must have put incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." "Mortality" means "liable to die", and there will be no death in the Millennium age, for after the thousand years are over, Satan will be released for short season, and those souls that fell short of God's standard in this age of the flesh will be tested again. Then comes the judgment. The flesh body just will not make it through the thousand years, and in Jesus Christ's kingdom, there will be no flesh, nor evil present. None of those things that would hinder your learning the discipline and obedience that are present and required for the flesh bodies will be present for this thousand year period. The location is here on earth, not on some distant star or planet. I Corinthians 15:54 "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." Going back to I Thessalonians 4:15, we know when this will come to pass. It will be at the "last trump", when the alive in Christ are changed, and not flying away anywhere. I Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" The Lord is going to descend, at the seventh trump [the last trump]. So why will the dead in Christ rise first? Because they are already there, and with Him. Many people have images of massive amounts of people flying off the earth, only the bible doesn't teach this. In fact the only record of anyone flying away is recorded in Revelation 11:12 when the two witnesses that were slain in the streets of Jerusalem by Satan, the Antichrist. Revelation 11:11 "And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that saw them." All Christians that are not sealed in their minds with the Word of God during Satan's reign as the "instead of Christ", or Antichrist will think of these two witnesses as evil. Those sealed with the Word of God in their minds know that at the end of three and one half days, the wrath of God comes on the earth. Satan's wrath is nothing but deception, trying to get people to worship him as God. Revelation 11:12 "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, "Come up hither." And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies behild them." These are the only two men that fly away out of here in their flesh bodies in the end this earth age . I Thessalonians 4:17 "Then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The remnant who gave God the glory, are God's elect, and those who are sealed of God, including the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel. These are the ones chosen to stand against the Antichrist, and only them. The traditions of men will be preached right up to the seventh trump. What happens then at the seventh trump? Well, that is what Paul is teaching about in I Thessalonians 4. Now what about the "clouds" and the "air"? The "clouds" are in reference to a large gathering of people, as Paul used elsewhere in explaining a large group of runners gathered together in a cloud or group, ready to run a race. When the race starts the runners are all clustered together in a group, or cloud as Paul puts it. The "air" spoken of here, in the Greek is "breath of life". Paul is saying that we will meet Christ in our "breath of life," or "spiritual bodies". This is the mystery that Paul spoke of in I Corinthinas 15:50-54. There is no FLY AWAY, no dodging of the tribulation of the Antichrist and his system's deceptions, but Christ will come and establish His kingdom on earth, and you will see it in your spiritual body with full understanding. Then Paul went on to explain in His second letter to the Thessalonians [II Thessalonians] that Christ is not coming back until you see Satan, the Antichrist standing in Jerusalem, in the holy place claiming to be God. That is the "abomination of desolation" that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15, when He was quoting from Daniel 9:27. Satan is the desolator, and the abomination that takes place is Satan telling the world that he is God. The desolation is the fact that the entire world except for God's elect will believe it. I Thessalonians 4:18 "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." You talk about swine's flesh and all the other abominations that man can think of here in Isaiah 66:4, this is the ultimate of all desolations and abominations that could take place. When Christians find joy in their traditions and false doctrines, God is saying that He will help them in believing in their lies; "I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them, because when I called, none did answer;" God spoke in His Word, and they just did not have any interest in what God was saying. That is what they will believe in their fly-away dontrines and other false religious ideas. When Satan comes he will be supernatural, and that is why they will believe him. They are looking for the easy way out, and Satan will offer it to them. It is for this reason that "God will sent them strong delusions that they should believe a lie:" II Thessalonians 2:12. Every part of our Bible is important and the overall understanding of it is necessary to understand the basic plan of God. That Word is what seals your mind to keep you from being deceived when that day of Satan's arrival comes. God is saying that He is going to leave it up to you, whether you should be sealed or not, and if you choose to remain ignorant, then so be it. He will help you be deceived if that is your request, and you will believe Satan to be Christ, that is the lie Paul speaks of in II Thessalonians 2. The rapture theory is an abominsation, like the swine's blood on the altar of God. Think about it. The ones that are doing the abominable offerings to God are not the ones that are the drunks and heathen, but the ones that are trying to find their way to God, yet refuse to accept the way that God instructed in His Word. That is what makes it so disgusting. Isaiah 66:5 "Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His Word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, `Let the Lord be glorified:' but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." God is telling you to listen the "the Word of the Lord", listen to what our Heavenly Father has stated to us through His prophets. Those people that try to play church try to be so religious and holy, yet what they say and do is not pleasing to our heavenly Father. We are to stay loyal to God and His Word and remember that He is the one that has created you, this world, the heavens and everything in them. Stop playing church, and turn to His Word for instruction. Isaiah 66:6 "A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to His enemies." When there is a move to put you down by those that hate you, always remember that vengeance is for our Father. Romans 12:19; "Dearly beloved, abenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." Remember what we read of in Isaiah 63, and the blood staind clothes that Christ shall wear. On that day the blood on Christ's robe is that of our enemies, for Christ shall take vengeance on those that are being paid back for all the injustice that has been done against you and Him. Our God is a jealous God, and He doesn't like people to take advantage of His children. Isaiah 66:7 "Before she travailed, she brought forth: before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child." This is an analogy given here, and this goes back to Revelation 11. There will be two witnesses that come forth before the end of the travailling. The witness have spoken out, and they will be killed by Satan in the streets of Jerusalem. Many of the elect will be delivered up at that time to give witness as recorded in Mark 13:11, and what is about to be born is the birth of a new age. The Millennium age of Jesus Christ's kingdom right here on earth. Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit." It is going to happen, but before she prevailed, if you had been sealed in the Word, you would have been aware long before it would have happened. Isaiah 66:8 "Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." Do you believe these questions that God is asking you? It is going to happen exactly as it is written, and it will happen all at once, a nation of all of God's children brought together at once, in the wink of an eye. As we read earlier from I Corinthians 15:50-52, we saw that it shall happen at the seventh and last trump. That is the time that we read of in Isaiah 63, and it is the birth of a new age. We call that age the Millennium age, and it continues for one thousand years, to be closed out at Judgment day, as then all souls will move right into the eternal kingdom age, except for those that have chosen to follow Satan, and they will be destroyed with him. Isaiah 66:9 "Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth?" saith the Lord: "shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb?" saith thy God." God is saying that at this time we are far enough along with the birth that the cervix is already open, then He asks, Should I close it? The birth of this new age has already started, should I bring it to a close before it even starts? The Millennium age is the time when many will come to know the Lord and receive salvation, should I close that age to them? God will not let it happen, for He has foretold us exactly as things will be in His Word and that is how it shall come to pass. Isaiah 66:10 "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:" God made a covenant with Jerusalem, and He married that city; He bound Himself to Jerusalem. Those that mourn Jerusalem in our generation are the ones that will see with intelligence the abominations that have started and will continue until our Lord's return. Before our Lord Jesus Christ comes to earth, Satan will sit there in the holy place and declare Himself to be God. II Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of Sin be revealed, the son of perdition." II Thessalonians 2:4 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." When Satan sits in Jerusalem in that Temple of God, the biblically illiterate Christians will be worshipping him as Christ. True Christians will be mourning at that time. Isaiah 66:11 "That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." God is comparing the coming of the new age of Christ's kingdom to that of a mother nursing her new born child. That little child is the delight of the mother as she is concerned with the childs health and happiness. It is going to happen. This is the analogy of the birth of a new age. Isaiah 66:12 "For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees." When a small woman or a sister is carrying the child on her side or on her hip, that is the expression used here. In that new age God is not going to leave anyone alone, but He is going to make sure that everyone is tended to. God is telling us that He intends to bring this peace of the Millennium age forth, and it will be like a flowing stream. There is no one or thing that can prevent it from happening. Isaiah 66:13 "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." This is what our Heavenly Father will be doing. Just as that loving tender care of the mother is for her baby, that is exactly as God is going to see to our needs. This is to give you and I the understanding of the true nature of God, He like the mother, will protect and to feed us, like the child. It is not the church that gives the comfort in the Millennium, but from our Lord Jesus Christ who is reigning from Jerusalem. No matter which generation you are in, nor even in the animal kingdom, the one true expression that is felt is the bonding force between the mother and her child. That love is a natural force, and it is not created but inbred. No one can feel that same protection as a baby does when it is in its mother's arms. When the child is bounced on its mother knee to take away any fears that it may have, and it is all done in love. God is telling you that this is the same kind of love that He has for you. This is what God tells us from beginning to the end of our Bible, that He loves you and desires your love and obedience in return. Isaiah 66:14 "And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward His servants, and His indignation toward His enemies." When you come to see the love of our Heavenly Father that He has for you, your mind shall rejoice, and it shall be felt within your entire being. If you want to understand God's protection, then bring this picture of a baby and it's mother to your mind. The mother does all the fighting that the baby needs to protect itself. The thinking of the defense for itself are not thought of by the child, but by the mother. It is the mother that checks the temperature in the room, and sees to it that nothing that could harm the child is near. That is how God is telling us that His protection will be for you. If there is any vengeance to be tended to, it is the mother and not the baby that gives back the vengeance, and that is where God tells us to put our vengeance. It is God that does all the pay-back that is necessary. God is promising you, I am going to see to it that you are successful. Isaiah 66:15 "For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire." When we relate this verse to Ezekiel 1:4, we see a likeness to the vehicle that brought God's throne to earth. God's fire can burn the very earth, and scorge those that are against Him, but that same fire by the Spirit of God will warm the hearts of those that love Him. Isaiah 66:16 "For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many." We know that Christ's tongue is the two edged sword. When Christ speaks His words are fulfilled, for it is the Word of God. The love of God stands up to it, whild falsehood and evil melts before it. Those that are not of the elect or sealed with the word of God in their minds, at the coming of the Lord will yield and fall to the Lord. Every knee on the face of this earth will bow to Christ at His return. The purpose of this is to show those of the world that there is a God, and that He loves them. Isaiah 66:17 "They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord." Here again God is drawing attention to the fact that many people will create for themselves many religious forms, that God is against. The word "tree" is not in the Massorah manuscripts, however the word that is used is "Asherah" from the goddess Ishtar. God is saying that at His return mankind will be doing things that sound so religious, and the forms are beautiful to them, yet to God it is like eating swine's flesh, and a mouse. In ignorance the religious world, including most Christians will partake of filth both spiritually and physically. This is speaking in a spiritual sense and it is not implying that you would eat a mouse, but that is how God observes you, when you sit in your church houses and take in those traditions that will lead you to Satan. They think that they are sanctifing themselves to God, when God has turned His back on them. This is about the strongest terms that God could use to tell you what He thinks of false teachings. Isaiah 66:18 "For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see My glory." We discussed this verse back in Isaiah 45:23, that on the first day of the Millennium age, every knee would bow and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Paul talked of this also in Philippians 2:9-11. Philippians 2:9 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:" Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This is speaking of the first day of the Millennium age, when every soul has been changed from their flesh bodies to their new incorruptible bodies. They will know then that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and all souls will be living in Jesus Christ's kingdom age. Isaiah 66:19 "And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles." God is saying that on that first day of the Millennium age, He is going to send ambassadors to every corner of the the earth. Tarshish, Pul, and Lud are African nations, while Tubal is to the east, however Tubal also were referred to as the Scythian tribes of the old House of Israel after they were scattered around the world, and Javan is to the north. From Jerusalem the isles are to the west, so this represents all the nations and peoples of the earth that have not heard of Jesus fame because they were biblically illiterate. Those ambassadors that will be sent abroad are called God's elect, and Jesus will use them for the spreading of His glory to all the people. The Word will be understood, for teachers will go out and teach discipline in that age. Isaiah 66:20 "And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem," saith the Lord, "as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord." There is a day coming when every person on the face of the earth will worship Jesus Christ. They will come to God's Holy mountain in Jerusalem, and when they come they will have the right offerings for the House of the Lord. There will be no have way to the sacrifices and substitutes for what God calls clean and appropriate. Jesus Christ is going to set up His temple right there on the north side of Mount Zion, and His throne will be there also. We see that the sacrifices from the people will be carried by many means, however lets take a closer look at the words "swift beasts". In the Hebrew Massorah text it is "Kirkaroth", from the word "Karar". The word means to move in a circle; which means in a vehicle that moves on wheels. The form of this word is never used to describe an animal of any sort. It also could refer to vehicles that are in a circular shape and move at great speed. This record was given to Isaiah over six hundred years before Christ, and the fastest thing of the day was a horse chariot. Isaiah 66:21 "And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites," saith the Lord." Friend, if you are one of the elect this is exactly what you will do for the thousand year period. You will teach as a priest or do Levite duties. Isaiah 66:22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain." The new heaven and the new earth will remain with the Lord, even after He sets His kingdom here on earth, because they are for the eternity. This is what is described in Revelation 21 and 22. This is an eternal promise from God to you individually. Isaiah 66:23 "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." Modern teaching reverses the twenty third and twenty forth verses so that Isaiah doesn't end on a sour note. However we will look at them as it is in the text. God is speaking here of the Millennium age, when all souls will learn to respect the things of God, and worship as required by God. We know that the seventh trumpet has already sounded, so that all flesh is gone, and souls have all been changed into their new incorruptible bodies. So when we take this back to the Hebrew text we see that it should be translated, "All those that were in the flesh..." Those that were not in the flesh, other then the arch angles, were the fallen angels, and they will be absent from the earth at this time. That goes for Satan also, for He is in the pit at this time. They have already been condemned to hell, and there is no need to teach any of them. This shows us the regularity and dedication through discipline of the people to Christ in the Millennium age. Isaiah 66:24 "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." Jesus quoted this verse in Mark 9:44. This verse is taking place after the judgment and the Millennium age is finished. To put in respect, it falls after chapter twenty, when Satan and all those that followed Him were marched into the lake of fire, and destroyed. Mark 9:44 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:48 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Remember in Mark 9, Christ addressed hell as "Geenna" in the Greek. Geenna was the valley that was the garbage pit, where the fires burned continually. There all the waist, and dead animals were piled and torched, and the maggets worked in and out. Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Hell - 1067 geena (gheh'-en-nah);of Hebrew origin [1516 and 2011]; valley of (the son of) Hinnom; ge-henna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: KJV-- hell. God is saying that after judgement day, He is not going to reclaim their souls in any manner, but their souls shall be completely destroyed. The is called the second death, for the first death is the death of your flesh body, or when it is discarded at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Those fallen souls from the Millennium age had the right to choose God, and have their name placed in the Lambs book of life, through their works in the Millennium. They were in their spiritual bodies with full knowledge of Christ and His Word, and they chose not to follow Him. When Satan was released for that short season following the Millennium age, they chose to follow Satan. They will be place exactly where Satan will be for the eternity, and that is to ashes forever. Revelation 21:11 "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." This is the final judgment that follows the Millennium age of Jesus Christ's kingdom, and the short season that Satan is releast to go out and test all spiritually dead souls for the last time. There is no hidding place from this judgment, and no one to represent you at this court, for all matters are known, including the intent of every sin you ever committed. It is the spiritually dead from the flesh age, and the those works in the Millennium age that are to be judged here. Those saved, and the elect from this age of the flesh have their judgment and rewards at the sounding of the seventh trumpet that ended this age of the flesh. The elect received their inheritance on the first day of the Millennium age. Revelation 21:12 "And I was the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened" and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." It is the spiritually dead that are standing before our heavenly Father here. All those souls will be judged according to their works achieved and committed in the Millennium. Those found worthy will have their names written in the Lamb's book of Life, while the others are judged to punishment. Revelation 21:13 "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." The righteous souls are not judged here, for it is the spiritually dead that are judged by their works only. Revelation 21:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." This is the end of the line for Satan, his fallen angels, and all those that choose Him both in this age of the flesh, as well as the Millennium age. When they were given an opportunity when their soul was placed in an incorruptible body with complete understanding they went to Satan during that short season after his release. In doing this, they choose death for themselves, and here that sentence is carried out. Revelation 21:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." There is no more chances or opportunities after judgment, you are either in the Lamb's book of life, or you are non existant. If you are, then all your sins are blotted out by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way, He is the truth and the life for all those that trust Him and love Him enough to follow His ways. Each of those lost souls from this day of judgment into eternity will be as if they had never existed. Even the thoughts of them by their loved ones that do love the Lord will be blotted from their memory, and that is why there will be no tears in the eternity. Those that never made it simply won't exist anywhere. What a book, "Isaiah", "God's salvation". God has revealed His plan of salvation to all those that will listen and study His Word. For those that do follow His way, and love and trust Him, He promises an eternal life that He will prepare for His own. We do not have to wait for the eternity for God's blessings and protection, for upon repentance in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ we have the credentials to approach His throne and request His help. That is what He asked us to do, for it shows our kinship to Him. God's love for you is as natural as a mother's love for her child.
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