THE PROPHET ISAIAH AND EARTH’S CLOSING SCENES

     Among the many prophets of GOD, Isaiah stands out as the most awe-inspiring and complete of the prophets of GOD!

     The time span of his words, at the command of GOD, reaches back to the dawn of "the mystery of iniquity" when the once holy angel, Lucifer began his rebellion against GOD and His Holy Law in heaven. They also address the many snares of evil that warn of every sin, heartache and pain; explaining the cause and effect of every abuse of life’s dignity today. And he also pens the words describing the holy life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the face of all the forces opposed to everything “holy, and just, and good.” Rom.7:12. Finally, he pens the prophecies that reach all the way to “the new earth” where every creature, great and small will live forever in peace, never to be threatened ever again.

     How precious to the human soul is the counsel in this book of the Bible!

     Isaiah’s influence in helping to insure the eternal safety of the people of Judah spanned the reign of several kings: Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh (the most wicked king of Judah). It is said that Manasseh had Isaiah sawed in half, from his head to his groin. But the Bible says that Manasseh repented of his wickedness and therefore will see Isaiah in Glory; and there will be no animosity between them. "For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Ps.100:5.

     Among the most profound prophecies that apply to our day is the chapter describing the coming desolation of earth in Isaiah, chapter 24. The popular views of Christian doctrine deny the plain words of this chapter just as they do concerning Christ’s several commands to obey the Ten Commandments as the standard of Christian living. But what calls our attention in this study are how the prophecies of Isaiah and “the seven plagues” of Revelation 16 are closely linked. And all deserve to see the bridge that spans the two.

     Each of the seven plagues that lead to Armageddon (in the 6th plague) forecast the extinction of life on Earth. It is this coming fate of the global decimation of life that ushers Christ to come and rescue "them that love him and keep his commandments.” Deut.7:9. Christ’s overruling power makes null and void every fortification of sinful man to prevent His rescue of those who are faithful from among men.

     Satan determines to blot out the Commandment-keeping class of Christians; and because GOD gave His Word assuring their safety, Satan attempts through his pawns among men to overturn GOD’S Word and destroy the faithful before the coming deliverance of Christ. But in the 5th plague, all government support for the religious apostasy comes to an end, and the people will view things in a different light although they leave no stone unturned that would secure them the victory in their determination to perpetuate sin.

     It is at this time that a most profound prophecy will be fulfilled: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.” Amos 8:11-13.

     Such loss of life because of the few whose lust for power knows no bounds! The course of our religious leaders is speeding the multitudes into harms way no less than the captain of the ill fated Titanic commanded, “Full speed ahead,” right into an iceberg.

The final result of religious infidelity masquerading as Christian

     The Bible describes the condition of the earth after our religious leaders have accomplished their last deed of infidelity to Jesus Christ. It defines the coming state of ruin as “the bottomless pit” (Rev.20:1-3), fulfilling the prophecies of GOD’S faithful servants Jeremiah and Isaiah: men who were themselves fiercely persecuted. But before their deaths the LORD gave to those men precious insight that they recorded with pen and ink that is for our benefit today:

“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void [as lifeless as it was in the beginning (Gen.1:2)]; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly [like waves of the sea]. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end [for the earth will be recreated (Rev.21:5)]. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.” Jer.4:23-28;

“Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down [flipping the poles], and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof…The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away [like a withering flower], the haughty people of the earth [those who live their lives in sinful pride] do languish. The earth also is defiled [polluted] under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws [openly violated the Sacred Law of GOD], changed the ordinance [altered and removed the Sacred Precepts (Dan.7:25)], broken the everlasting covenant [denied the method GOD ordained for the salvation of man]. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left....The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard [wobbling on its axis], and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again [in its present sinful state]. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth [the church/state confederation who leads civilization into universal rebellion against a Holy GOD, which is “Armageddon:” (“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Rev.16:16; 17:14)]. And they [the unrighteous] shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit [the grave], and shall be shut up in the prison [of death], and after many days [the millennium Sabbath judgment, which takes place in heaven, not on the earth (Jn.14:2-4; I Th.4:17; II Pet.3:8] shall they be visited [the time when Christ returns with His saints (Jude 14-16) for the second resurrection: “the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (II Pet.3:7)].” Isa.24:1,3-6,19-22.

     Claiming to be the expositors of heavens light our religious leaders lead the world to a millennium of night. And because of their miscalculations based on long-held traditions promoting self-idolatry the flocks under their shepherding care are led to face the great retribution of GOD against their corruption of His Law: a retribution called “the seven plagues,” ushering the world to its lifeless desolation: again, fulfilling the words of the prophet:

“And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD. He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.” Jer.25:33-38.

     The most obvious words of Scripture about our prophetic future in this sinful world have been overruled by men whose sole intention is to restore a man, a mere charade of virtue, the pope, to the throne of earth in place of Jesus Christ. The very words of GOD spoken a thousand years before Christ are being repeated today: “they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” I Sam.8:7. The determination of men to make the Roman Pontiff king over the earth will not be dissuaded. In essence, sin loving men desire to vicariously live through the power of the pope. Today, waiting in the wings are religious tyrants, whose lust for power knows no bounds. And they merely wait for Divine permission to set in motion the scenes of this world’s vilest dishonesty, with Satan at the helm not Jesus Christ. Jesus warned us of how “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mk.4:19. This overruling of GOD’S Word has ever been Satan’s method to drive the forward momentum of man’s self-destruction through sin. In the ease of Satan’s ability to deceive the Christian Church he has calmly concluded: “Its like taking candy from a baby.”

The catalyst to tyranny

     The prophecy of Isaiah 57:1, and Amos, chapters 1 & 2, reveals the timeless principle of the limits of GOD'S forbearance. Again and again, Scripture describes GOD'S anger concerning the indifference of the wealthy towards the suffering and downtrodden among men:

“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”

“Thus saith the LORD...I will send a fire...which shall devour the palaces...I will send a fire which shall devour the palaces...I will send a fire which shall devour the palaces...I will send a fire...which shall devour the palaces...I will kindle a fire...and it shall devour the palaces...I will send a fire...and it shall devour the palaces...I will send a fire...and it shall devour the palaces.”

     MARK THE FOLLOWING: The lesson from this judgment of GOD directs our attention to the mansions of the wealthy class of men, and those business districts who are subservient to those insatiably greedy men. The recent terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center was a merciful forewarning, allowed of GOD, to awaken His faithful children to the coming scenes of calamity such as this world has never known. GOD'S judgments, [allowing Satan’s manipulations of both nature and freewill beings (Job 1)], are always done with surgical precision and are NEVER ARBITRARY. The methods GOD used to warn the Israelites of their imminent destruction are the same merciful warnings found in the United States today: everything from the hurricanes and famine to war and disease.

     GOD has ordained that everything that can be shaken in this world will be shaken (Heb.12:27): everything from the "fearful sights" in the heavens to demon angels impersonating the Apostles and deceased family members (Gal.1:8); only to be crowned by Satan's counterfeit of the 2nd Advent of Christ (Matt.24:23-27), whose purpose is to exalt ancient pagan traditions adopted into the church of Rome above the Law of heaven. GOD must purge from His church all who refuse Scripture's lessons on faith; for only the Biblically obedient class of Christians will endure this great shaking of the church. The chaff is to be sifted from the precious wheat that GOD may present a FINAL MESSAGE to the world (Rev.18:1-4; Is.57:19) untainted with personal and Unbiblical speculations (Jer.9:13,14; II Pet.1:20).

     This message will be a revelation of His Love, and expose the sins of religious "Babylon" (men's efforts to attain salvation apart from GOD'S method). Sinful men have rarely associated GOD'S reproof with His Love; and yet, this was the sole reason He raised up the prophets: that all may know where they stand both in time and character.

     Jesus said the "sons and daughters of GOD" will "suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation." Lu.17:25. "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they [the religious leaders] have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying [drawn from the Holy Scriptures], they will keep yours also [who also speak according to the Word of GOD]. But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him that sent Me." Jn.15:20-21. The Savior spoke those words referring to the ministers and theologians of the church who merely masquerade as the servants of GOD. As it was then, so it is today: the popular doctrines lead the Bible illiterate class of men to a sure destruction (Matt.24:24).

Scripture’s view of the 2nd Advent and Judgment

     Under the guise of expanding Christian ministry men literally swindle billions of dollars from the blindly trusting flocks. For "the love of money," which “is the root of all evil” (I Tim.6:10), the church refuses to put into operation the needed reforms, that men and women may repent from their many sinful activities. And in place of loving reproof, a peace and safety message is being taught throughout Christendom leading the church into a false sense of security. Example: By reading the many verses concerning "the day of the LORD," you will quickly discover that Christ does not endorse a "secret rapture," nor does He come to establish a millennial reign of temporal peace on earth. His words should be heard as a plain "Thus saith the LORD:" "My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight…but My kingdom is not from hence." "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered the ark. And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

     The world was destroyed then; and the world will be destroyed when Christ returns: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet [not a secret whisper as the "secret rapture" implies], and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other…Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." "Our GOD shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him." "His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD." "And every eye shall see Him." Jn.18:36; Matt.24:37-41; 24:30.31; Ps.50:3; 97:4,5; Rev.1:7.

     It is at this time, the 2nd Advent of Christ, that the faithful to His Spirit, from both the living and the dead, will "meet the LORD in the air." They will then depart from the earth, leaving it in heaps of ruin: to be the dark, mangled abode of Satan and his angels for a thousand years (Rev.20; Jer.4:22-28), to wander through a lifeless world with no one to tempt, hurt or destroy. This is what the demons meant when they spoke to Christ through the lips of their possessed victims, “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Matt.8:29. For a thousand years Satan and his angels will live in a world of their own making; with their only future being the time they face the judgment of GOD, whose justice has decreed that all the suffering and pain inflicted on life by this host of rebellious angels must be experienced by them before they perish (Gal.6:7). They must feel the pain they caused others to feel: no more, no less.

     If GOD allowed sin to go unchecked, this dominion of sin that causes the earth’s suffering and desolation would bring the whole universe to an identical end. The infinite love of GOD towards His children will never allow this to come to pass.

     The risen saints are to soar with Christ through space to our heavenly home, to live there for a thousand years (Rev.20:6) in the city of GOD: "the New Jerusalem." Said Christ, “In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you [in heaven]. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again [at the Second Coming], and receive you unto Myself [“in the clouds”]; that where I am [in heaven with GOD The Father] there ye may be also.” “The throne of GOD and of the Lamb shall be in it.” “And they shall see His face.” “They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Rev. 20:4; 22:4,3. It is during this millennium Sabbath rest that the saints will review earth's history where every question of GOD'S judgments in justice, mercy and love will be answered to complete satisfaction. This is where the judgment of fallen angels and unrepentant men is to take place: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?....Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" "A thousand years" is prophesied for this judgment of those deceived into sin throughout earth's history. Although now hidden, principles will be revealed concerning the perfect and only way GOD could respond to the mutiny of angels and men.

     GOD must allow sin to run its course that the children of GOD can see the sole purpose of sin if allowed to go unchecked. Sin has one sole purpose: to bring GOD and His Creation to non-existence. The crucified Saviour and the prophesied destruction of earth prove this to be so. The Wisdom of GOD has decreed: “All that hate me love death.” Prov.8:36. Therefore, now is the time to purify our hearts and make them vulnerable to the One Who has never nor will ever betray our vulnerability: Jesus Christ.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out...that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Jn.5:24; 6:37; 6:40.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." II Cor.6:14-18.