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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Unrighteous Laws-- Justice is Coming


ISAIAH TEN

10.1
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
10.2
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
10.3
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
10.4
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
10.5
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
10.6
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
10.7
However he doesn't believe I send him, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
10.8
For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings?
10.9
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
10.10
As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria:
10.11
Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
10.12
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
10.13
For he said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
10.14
And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
10.15
Shall the ax boast itself against him that hews with it? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that holds it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
10.16
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
10.17
And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
10.18
And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard bearer fainted.
10.19
And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
10.20
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
10.21
The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
10.22
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
10.23
For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
10.24
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
10.25
For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
10.26
And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
10.27
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
10.28
He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: 10.29
They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
10.30
Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
10.31
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
10.32
As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
10.33
Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
10.34
And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.


Unrighteous Laws-- Justice is Coming
Woe to them that decree unrighteous laws — laws of oppression.

When the U.S. was founded it upheld that humanity had unalienable rights, given to them by God, which government was not to intrude upon. These rights were protected in the constitution and amendments of American government. Presently in the US, laws are passed and continue to be passed that systematically strike down these principles and allow government greater and greater power in the private lives of the people. Liberties are fast disappearing!

Revelation tells us oppressive laws will be enacted in the last days.
Rev 13.16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
13.17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Woe to those who oppress those who are helpless. Woe to the world where violence and taking advantage of others is considered the most crowd drawing entertainment. Woe to the world that no longer values the life and dignity of personhood. WOE TO THEM WHO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS FROM THE POOR OF MY PEOPLE, preying on the weak. Woe to a world that is fast moving back to the idea of that the person is of less value than the community.

Woe to us all when people are no longer considered equal but once again must serve those who have control over them. Confiscation of property is a common method to humble those who will not bow to the tyranny of an oppressive system. Revelation tells us death will be decreed against all who will not worship the image and the beasts. They will try to rob us of more than material possessions and our earthly life, they will try to rob us of eternal life.

Many will join the oppressive confederacy, yet what will they do in the day when desolation comes? They have turned from following God and then, without Him, they fall with the slain. But, at the present, God's hand is still outstretched. Today, harden not your hearts in rebellion, today accept Christ as Lord in your life!

How important it is for God's people to be right with their Lord! Those who turn their backs on God will have no one to turn to when God sends His judgments. Without God they have no defense. Their money and material goods will not help them then.

Assyria was allowed, by God to humble Israel, to sift them as it were. Because they were a hypocritical nation (they have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.)

Hypocritical — they claim great religiosity, but disregard God's Word and righteousness. This is the picture Revelation presents of the last day church.

Rev. 3.15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 3.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
3.17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

When the oppressive enactments come there will be a great sifting among the Seventh-day Adventist church. Many will forsake the Sabbath and join the false religious system. Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful deceptions that will over run the world. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise.. By the sifting of temptation, the genuine Christian will be revealed. Are the people of God now so firmly established upon his Word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible, and the Bible only? Satan will, if possible, prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day.

They refuse to buy the gold, the eye ointment and the white robe, so they have no protection against deception, they seek to escape the oppression by alining themselves with the popular concepts, just as Israel tried to do by siding with Assyria against Damascus, but Assyria turned against them. So many Adventists seek to be approved by the mainline Churches to escape being peculiar and singled out for ridicule, but the escape is only temporary, when the plagues fall Rev. 15-16, and God's judgments come, they will have no protection.

Assyria was a merciless nation, with a fixed policy of causing all nations to acknowledge the supremacy of the gods of Nineveh. Assyria believed their religion, their gods, were superior to Israel's God because they were winning, they were conquering! Ruthlessly they subdued the nations. Assyria represents the militant powers that at first support the false religion then turn against it and are themselves destroyed in the end.

God is always the one in control — the enemies may be mighty and valiant, but God is still the one in control. God's church will be sifted and severely tired. God will have a pure people. The oppressors, just like the Assyrians will exalt their religion as far superior to the humble followers of Christ who cling to obedience to God's laws.

God's justice is not a respecter of person's. All false worship will eventually be cut off. It does not matter what their idols be — material things or ideas and philosophies. Professing Christians as well as those who make no profession and are outright sinners — all will face judgment.

When God has performed his work of purifying His people, He will punish the stout hearts and high looks of the oppressive powers.

Assyria felt they were king over kings and could do as they pleased. In the last days the religious power that claims to be in the place of Christ upon earth will do as they please. But Christ is Kings of Kings, he will send the plagues upon the oppressors and protect His faithful.

The Assyrian's cruel policies turned against them and gnawed at their internal structure.

In the same way the military power in the end time drama will turn upon the false religious system. Revelation 17:16

Just because one power apparently gains victory over many people does not make them supreme and independent of God, or favored by God.

Historically Assyria conquered all of Israel and Judea and it seemed impossible for Jerusalem to withstand the huge army. Yet when King Hezekiah completely trusted in the Lord — in just one night an angel smote 184,000 Assyrian soldiers and delivered Jerusalem.

In the last days it will seem like the forces of evil are running rampant — nothing can stop them — but God will put a stop to them! The light of Israel shall be for a fire — Christ is the light — for His faithful followers it means deliverance, for their enemies it means destruction.

The Remnant

The remnant: God's true people will no longer look to worldly sources for their direction, they put their trust in God. They have turned from every idol that binds them to earth and worship "Him that made heaven and earth"

Only a small group remain faithful. Though Christians are as numerous as the sands of the sea, only a few will be saved.

The crises will come. The Lord has decreed it. There is a limit beyond which He will no longer delay His judgments. He will complete the work in righteousness.

God assures His faithful remnant. Don't be afraid . . . even though the wicked appear to be winning the war...

Just a little longer and deliverance will come.

"The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;"
Rev. 18.8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

If this is prophetic time- the plagues all happen within one year.

Rev.18.10 Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

If this is prophetic time—the actual destruction of Babylon, that ecumenical religious system, will take place in half a day.

He will cause the enemy to turn on each other, just like He did the Midianites.

Rev.17.12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
17.13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
17.16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

God opened the Red Sea for Israel to escape from the Egyptians, thus He will allow His people once again to escape.

The power of the oppressor will be broken. God's people are delivered. A remnant will return to the Mighty God, they will not depend on any earthly power or earthly kingdom "But will depend on Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth."

The enemy is put to flight

For the Lord God of hosts will make a determined end in the land.
He will "shake his fist" at those professing to establish the kingdom of God "on the hill of Jerusalem and will lop off the bough with terror."

He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

Remember in Isaiah 9, in our discussion on the Sabbath, the false religion would also try to rebuild the breach in the wall (which Isaiah 58 shows is the Sabbath) but they would use their own materials, not the ones God specified. They would use the Cedars of Lebanon instead of the sycamores! This ties right in with the oppressive laws that will be made. Now notice the forest (the whole kingdom) of Lebanon will be cut down with iron and fall by the Mighty One.

Rev. 19:11-17 I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations and He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God ...for He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords...

Notice that in all these passage there is a "determined end". This is important to know, for the enemy of our souls will try to counterfeit God's deliverance and try to lure use into trusting in an earthly kingdom— this will be an almost overwhelming deception.

Yes, God will deliver His people, but Isaiah, in this chapter makes it clear that we MUST NOT DEPEND ON ANY EARTHLY SYSTEM but depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, IN TRUTH.

May we be among those who wait for that deliverance, without being swept into any counterfeit solutions. May we declare, when we see Him coming,
Isaiah 25.9 Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Praise God for His deliverance.



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