ISAIAH 66 – The Past, Present, and Future of Israel – Part 8
July 31, 2010
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
Great Chaos just before and as Christ Returns to Dwell on Earth!
ISAIAH 66:15-17 – 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. [16] For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh:
and the slain of the Lord shall be many. [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.
We exposited fully on Isaiah 66:15,16 in Part 7 concerning the horrific fiery destruction of unbelievers when Christ returns, and now, in verse 17, we find God’ s de
scription of the characteristics of those who will be consumed by his wrath.
They are self-sanctified and self-purified, worshipping demons in the concealed groves, with the one tree emulating the eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden, which corresponds with their eating of the forbidden swine’s flesh, the abomination, and the mouse. It may be that “the abomination” refers to a particularly heinous sin of “eating” blood of an animal or the flesh of a specific one, but it is more likely it refers in general to all types of flesh prohibited to them under the Law of Moses.
The “mouse” is probably what we identify as the well known hamster.
In any case these people, who were self-sanctified to all their observers, had secret sins that were not hidden from God, and would suffer being consumed together at the coming of the Lord, as those described in II Thessalonians 1:7-10.
II Thessalonians 1:7-10 – And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, [8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; [10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
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.
This verse refers to his gathering the nations together for the last great battle of Armageddon, and the glory he refers to is the glory of Christ, as he comes in the sky through the clouds to win and end the war. The glory of his being will be the sign that he sets among them at his coming.
Revelation 16:16 – And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Luke 21:25-29 – And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; [26] Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. [27] And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
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.
This refers to the remnant of the armies in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that are almost completely destroyed by the Second Advent of Christ at the final battle of Armageddon.
Ezekiel 38:21 to 39:4 – And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. [22] And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
[23] Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. [1] Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: [2] And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: [3] And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. [4] Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
Revelation 19:17-21 – And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; [18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains,
and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. [19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
[20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and
them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. [21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Ezekiel 37:21,22 – And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: [22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
Zechariah 14:9 – And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.