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Isaiah 21:1 - 21:17
This next 'burden', the fifth so far, is upon Babylon, named in this Chapter as "the
desert of the sea." (Isa.21:1). But don't forget this is all a 'blueprint' for
today also, as God will trigger some of the analogies of the end time
Revelation prophecy
within this. And I'll go into depth with some of those deeper analogies from The Word
within this study, as we ask a Word of Wisdom from our Father Jehovah in Christ Yeshu'a
Messiah's Name, Amen.
Isa
21:1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass
through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
This verse is speaking of ancient Babylon, as it once was a covered marsh land with canals
and such. And the 'sea' (Hebrew 'yam') reference is to the Euphrates
river. There's a metaphor within this phrase "the desert of the sea",
for it's given in the sense of ancient Babylon's once greatness having become a waste, a
desolate desert, as the geographical Babylon today certainly is.
So what's these 'whirlwinds' coming upon Babylon
here, "from a terrible land"? It's the armies of Persia and the Medes.
Back in Isaiah 13 & 14 we were given
another view of ancient Babylon's prophetic destruction by Cyrus, one of God's anointed.
It also applies to today's 'New World Order', the last Babylon system upon all the earth,
covering all nations.
Isa
21:2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth
treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing
thereof have I made to cease.
This 'vision' is given through God's prophet Isaiah. This 'treacherous
dealer' is the Hebrew word "baga" meaning 'to cover (with a
garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage'
(Strong's no. 898).
So who do you think those are, who act 'covertly' among
the Babylon world government hosts of today? Just as that system of ancient Babylon
covertly attacked those ancient nations, likewise Satan's final Babylon system of today is
doing the same, over the whole earth, for that's how Satan works; covertly. What about
within the Church? Could it be happening there today also? I gave some clues to this with
that word 'MYSTERY', back in Isaiah 19.
"Elam", meaning 'eternity', is
used for the combined armies of Persia and the Medes sent against ancient Babylon by our
Father. Elam was the area of Elymais on the left opposite of Babylon. "Go up"
and conquer Babylon is the message.
Isa
21:3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs
have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was
bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my
pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
What are these 'pangs of a woman that travaileth'? Those who have studied with me
should know the analogy this has reference to. But for the sake of the new student, I'm
going to cover it a bit more here as to all these 'burden' Messages from our
Father.
This analogy of a 'woman that travaileth' and 'pangs'
is about the birth of a new age. For us today, it's about the coming age of Christ's
thousand year reign upon this old earth (Rev.20). Most all Christians know this birth
pangs part of this analogy. But there's more. Turn with me back to Isaiah 13:6:
Isa
13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a
destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold
of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall
be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and
fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of
it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give
their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause
her light to shine.
The
"day of the LORD" is when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns on
His second Advent as Messiah. That's when the final Babylon false one-world kingdom of
Satan will finally be defeated upon this old earth. Paul the apostle would refer to events
taking place on this future 'day of the LORD' in 2 Thessalonians 2. It certainly
is an analogy to the birth of a new age, but look closely at verse 8 with the phrase "their
faces shall be as flames". That's symbolic of shame upon their faces when this
day of the LORD happens. But who will experience that kind of shame when our Lord
returns? Who's this 'travail' upon? Not so fast... let's build up to the answer for that
question.
Isa
26:17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time
of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been
in thy sight, O LORD.
18 We have been with child, we have
been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any
deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
Now
the idea of giving birth to a 'child' is added to this analogy. The coming future age of
Christ's return being like birth cramps, or 'pangs' is a simple enough analogy to
a time of trouble, such as tribulation. But the next step... actually giving birth to a
child; well that extends this analogy to a deeper level doesn't it? What's our Father
trying to tell us with the 'child' symbol in all this?
These particular verses from Isaiah 26 are about the
'house of Judah' declaring themselves having been 'with child', past
tense, and Christ having returned at that point (rightly divide God's Word as to Its
timelines). Who else is this a Message to from our Father's Word?
Here's only some of the references from God's Word of whom
this travailing 'with child' is upon. Here in Isaiah 21 and back in Isaiah 13
Babylon has the birth 'pangs'. In Isaiah 26, Jer.6, and Micah 4 Judah and
Jerusalem suffer these 'pangs'. In Jer.30 the 'pangs' are upon both 'Israel'
(house of Israel, i.e. the Ten Lost Tribes - now the Western Christian Nations), and 'Judah'
(house of Judah). In Jeremiah 48, Moab suffers the woman's birth 'pangs'. In
Jeremiah 49 Edom (Esau) suffers the birth 'pangs' of travailing. Ephraim (leader
of the 'house of Israel' today) in Hosea 13 suffers these 'pangs' of a 'travailing
woman'. In Jer.50:43 the 'king of Babylon' actually suffers the birth 'pangs'
himself. Satan is the final king of Babylon for our future.
These examples cover most all nations upon the earth
today. And each example is about past historical events of God's wrath upon various
peoples, including His chosen People. They are also a type or blueprint for the
tribulation time of Satan for today also! The analogy of being 'with child' is
about spiritual adultery, playing the spiritual harlot with a false messiah (antichrist,
Satan) of our future. Historically in The Old Testament times, their 'with child'
experience was still of Lucifer; remember the peoples falling away from God, and turning
to those with 'familiar spirits', to the 'wizards', to the 'charmers',
and to 'idols'? (Isa.19:3 in Egypt's case only, but all nations guilty also). So
then, is everyone destined to experience this 'travailing with child', staying
deceived and worshipping the 'another Jesus' (2 Cor.11) instead of waiting for
our True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? No... some will stay true to Christ Jesus, waiting
on Him, and will not worship false messiah who comes first.
Isa
54:1 "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not
bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that
didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than
the children of the married wife," saith the LORD.
According to the analogy, some do not 'travail with child' during the latter days
of the tribulation, nor through our Lord's coming on the day of the LORD. Notice
these are 'barren', meaning NOT being 'with child' spiritually in false
worship to antichrist. These do not 'travail with child' at all! These
are God's elect servants. They are not to be deceived during this final one-world Babylon
system under Satan's rule. Thus, they do not fall into spiritual adultery and do not
become part of the harlot queen 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH' (Rev.17:5). That harlot queen will worship false messiah,
the 'instead of Christ', i.e. Lucifer. And many from all nations will bear the equal guilt
of this future false act when Satan sets up his super-world religion, to include all major
religious system organizations of men.
Our Lord Christ also had the following to say, while He
was ascending up to be crucified on the cross:
Luke
23:27 And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which
also bewailed and lamented Him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep
not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall
say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never
gave suck.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us; and to
the hills, Cover us.'
Our
Lord Christ is talking about His second coming, and those who were deceived, falling into
spiritual harlotry with the false messiah (antichrist), and being spiritually 'with
child'. When their eyes are finally opened to the Truth when our Lord returns, they
will say to God's elect who were not deceived, "Blessed are the barren...".
Then those same deceived will wish for the the rocks and hills to fall upon them for their
faces are flamed in shame, and they'll wish to die, because of their unknowing deception
against our Lord Christ Jesus. That's when all knees will bow to our Lord Christ Jesus
(see also Luke 21:23).
Now let's go back to Isaiah 21, and cover that 4th verse
which goes along with this Message of being 'with child' in spiritual deception
for today:
Isa
21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night
of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
Our
Lord gives us the analogy of His coming being 'as a thief in the night' (1
Thess.5). The coming of The Bridegroom at midnight within the parable of the ten virgins
also alludes to this idea of 'night' (Matt.25). This word 'night'
here in Isa.21:4 is Hebrew 'nesheph' meaning 'twilight, darkness'
(Strong's no. 5399). This night and darkness are symbols for the
great tribulation time.
I hear many who have bought into the deception of Satan's
false "secret rapture" out before the great tribulation using this phrase "as a thief in
the night", trying to say it means they will be taken out by Christ, 'in secret'
even, and all others are left here on earth to experience God's wrath. I'm going to cover
this 'thief in the night' from 1 Thessalonians 5 by Paul, to finish this 'travailing
with child' analogy for being deceived by the workers of iniquity.
1Thes
5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren,
ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so cometh as a
thief in the night.
Those being taught they're going to 'fly away' before antichrist does his thing are being
left out in the cold, not learning this matter of being 'with child' we've
covered here in Isaiah. Thus they are told not to worry about the "times and the
seasons" of the latter day events our Lord taught in His Word. "Just
believe and you'll be saved", etc. is their theme of the day. But Paul the apostle is
clearly saying here to our brethren in Christ of the time, and to us, that he had no need
to write to them and explain all the "times and the seasons", which are
the seven signs our Lord taught in The Gospel and the Book of Revelation. Paul didn't have
to teach them the 'signs', for they already had been taught and knew them, and were
obedient to our Lord's commandment to study The Word.
Paul also reminded them that because they already knew the
"times and the seasons" of our Lord's coming, they also knew Christ's
second coming would take others by surprise, much "as a thief in the
night." The analogy of this phrase is about one who is 'spiritually asleep' that
won't wake up, nor hear a thief breaking into their home at midnight, all in the spiritual
sense as to our Lord's coming. But one who does know the 'times and the seasons'
will be fully awake, and prepared! Those then would know when the 'thief' came,
simply by paying attention to the signs our Lord Jesus gave us in all of His Word. God's
elect have been given to know those 'times' and 'seasons', as our Lord
Jesus did teach them.
1Thes
5:3 For when they shall say, 'Peace and safety';
then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail
upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Now
Paul is talking about "they", "them", who remain
'spiritually asleep', because they don't know the "times and the seasons"
of our Lord's coming, and thus our Lord's return will be to "them" just
like a thief breaking in at midnight. Those would rather listen to false prophets pushing
slogans and 'hot air', i.e. the "we have brought forth wind" bunch of
Isa.26:18, and they will wish for the mountains to fall on them when our Lord does finally
return. Only those who fall for this future "Peace and safety" will be
those who can't tell the first seal to the seventh seal of the Book of Revelation, nor the
seven signs our Lord gave in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and Rev.6. They'll be part of
that false "Peace and safety" because they will be fooled into thinking
Jesus Christ has already returned, when it will be a false messiah. Thus... "they
shall not escape". They'll be 'taken' alright, but not by Christ Jesus,
The True Bridegroom. That's why they will be 'with child' spiritually speaking,
even thinking that they've 'escaped' the great tribulation, but they will not escape. When
our True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does return afterwards, those will be 'with child'
spiritually, because they will have already married a bridegroom, but a false one, i.e.
false messiah (Lucifer playing the role of the 'another Jesus'. see 2 Cor.11).
1Thes 5:4 But
ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the
day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and
be sober
This 'darkness' is that same 'night' symbol of Isa.21:4 which brought us
here. It is a spiritual 'darkness', one of spiritual sleep. Paul is telling his
brethren in Christ who know the "times and the seasons" of our Lord's
coming, that they are not in a spiritual stupor (darkness). So Christ's second coming will
definitely NOT be "as a thief in the night" to God's elect. Moreover,
Paul is here telling God's People to be watching, and be sober, awake, watching
for the signs our Lord gave us.
So the birth pangs Message within God's Word goes much
deeper, and I wanted to make sure it was well covered. That many from all nations
will experience the 'pangs', and be spiritually 'with child' when our
True Lord Christ does return, let's us know that no lone nation of people can claim to be
in God's perfect 'grace' during the future tribulation. Our Heavenly Father is going to
show us in the near future just how far we can, and have drifted away from Him and His
Truth. And this Message joins with these 'burden' Chapters we've been covering
here in Isaiah; burdens which all nations bring upon themselves due to their own flesh
thinking, allowing themselves to be mystified by Satan's own false workers, and thus
becoming 'apostate' away from God. We are all God's children in this sense, so we need to
seek only ONE during this time. That ONE is Christ Jesus, our Savior.
Now back to Isaiah 21:5:
Isa
21:5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye
princes, and anoint the shield.
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, "Go, set a watchman, let him
declare what he seeth."
This is given in warning from God to the false princes who were to be righteous leaders to
His People. But they set up their own gods, their own laws, their own moral code, etc.
God's saying something like, "Go ahead you princes of the people, set yourself a
great big ol' table feast. Enjoy it while you can, for it's all coming down very soon.
Anoint your 'own' shield of baal worship, instead of My Shield of Faith!"
Then God tells them to go setup a 'watchman' in a tower, a
lookout.
Isa
21:7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of
asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
This word 'chariot' is Hebrew 'rekeb', and means 'a vehicle; by
implication , a team, by extension, cavalry' (Strong's no. 7393). These are the
Persians and Medes, who were known to haul much of their hardware with them for war upon
camels and asses. In other words, they setup a very large base camp to carry out
operations from and were prepared for a long battle.
Recalling from Isaiah 13 about God's anointed one of this
time, i.e. Cyrus, how may this apply to our near future? Cyrus is a 'type' for our Lord
and Savior's Role as KING in the near future, coming to destroy the future Babylon false
system spread over all the earth. Our Lord's 'sanctified ones' who make up His
Army, having His Gospel Armour, are God's elect upon the earth today and the saints now in
Heaven who return with Jesus. The final battle is a spiritual battle.
Isa
21:8 And he cried, "A lion: My LORD, I stand continually upon the
watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
This phrase "A lion" is the Hebrew word "ro'eh",
meaning 'a seer (as often rendered); but also (abstractly) a vision' (Strong's
no. 7203). The idea is that he saw an army approaching, strong 'as a lion'.1
This 'watchman' is calling out to The LORD
(Hebrew 'Adonay') Who appointed him, and he is revealing that the destruction of
Babylon is immanent, soon to happen. But what he first saw evidently had moved on to
somewhere else, as he declares, "I am set in my ward whole nights:".
Isa
21:9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of
horsemen." And he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen;
and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the
ground."
This event happened to ancient Babylon when the Persians ("he" meaning
'Cyrus' probably) and Medes caused its destruction. The phrase "a couple
of horsemen" means a military troop by rows of two's. But this is only a type
for the destruction of a final false Babylon being setup in today's time. Consider the
following from Revelation:
Rev
18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come
down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, "Babylon
the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and
the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
These verses from Revelation 18 have not happened yet today. Notice that the phrase "Babylon
the great is fallen, is fallen" is almost the same words as given here in Isaiah
21:9? One can't apply this to a Preterist view, that Revelation is all past, as this
example for our future is being declared by an "angel", not a flesh man
as Isaiah here in Isa.21. These verses speak about the future final destruction of the
Babylon 'system' which has plagued mankind throughout flesh age history. The Revelation
examples prove that the old system of ancient of Babylon is a blueprint for the future
final Babylon, which is nearly upon us.
Isa
21:10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you."
This is Isaiah the prophet speaking. The meaning of the word "threshing"
here, is toward Isaiah's down-trodden people ('medushshah' - Strong's no. 4098).
And the phrase "and the corn of" is actually the sole Hebrew word
"ben", meaning 'sons' (Strong's no. 1121). And the word "floor"
does literally means a 'threshingfloor', where the impurities of grain are
separated. So what does all this mean? Remember earlier how I covered the analogy of being
'with child' spiritually? Isaiah is grieving for his own people who allowed
themselves to be deceived by the system of Babylon.
This 'threshing' floor analogy should be understood in the
sense of our Father's Righteous Judgments. Well, if you've stayed in Him, and wait upon
His True Son Messiah Jesus Christ, not falling away to false worship during our future,
then what sort of judgment can you expect from our Father? Obviously then, a 'judgment'
can be good also, in the sense of reward for waiting upon The Lord. And just as our Father
is very accurate in punishment, likewise He is very accurate in giving rewards to His
People who stay in Him through His Son:
Amos
9:8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will
destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly
destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.
9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of
Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least
grain fall upon the earth.
10 All the sinners of My people shall die by
the sword, which say, "The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us."
I've covered previously in Isaiah 5 just what type of 'sinners' our Father is talking
about here. Remember those who pull around their cartload of sins for 'show and tell',
hoping to teach others how to sin also? (see Isaiah 5:18). Those
don't care if they sin or not. They abide by their own moral code and worship whatever
fancies them. They have cut off the 'bridge' to our Father through His Son Jesus Christ,
thus they make themselves open game for Satan to do whatever with.
But we have forgiveness through Christ Jesus, repenting of
our sins and trying to follow our Lord's Commandments. So don't allow yourselves to get on
a guilt trip about your slip-ups in sins. Repent to our Lord, and try to do better,
becoming a sober mature Christian.
The Sixth Burden: A burden upon Edom
Isa
21:11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what
of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
12 The watchman said, "The morning cometh, and also the night: if
ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come."
This word "Dumah" is an abbreviated form of 'Idumea', which applies to
the nation of Edom and its principal mountain of Seir (Deut.2:5). 'Dumah' is
mentioned in Gen.25:14 as one of the twelve sons of Ishmael, but this Message is to Idumea
(Greek name for 'Edom'). And Edom is the name given for Esau after he lost his birthright
to Jacob (Gen.25:29-34). The words 'Seir' and Esau both mean 'hairy',
making the connection in this prophecy.
Esau took wives of the Canaanites against Abraham and his
father Isaac's wishes (Gen.24; Gen.26:34; 27:6; 28:1; Exod.34; Deut.7). He also took a
wife of Ishmael to appease his loss of the birthright to his brother Jacob (Gen.28). So
there's a lot mixing here which happened with Abraham's offspring, to which these burdens
apply even today. It is said that Esau now is the nation Russia (Rosh of
Ezek.38-39), but Esau's offspring are tied among Ishmael and among today's Jews also.
So what does this mean, "The morning cometh, and
also the night: if ye will inquire..."? This is a metaphor for a whole bunch of
'travail' upon these places, at different time intervals. Dumah, which also means
'silence', unable to rest through the night, is calling out to the watchmen, to see what's
happening next. And the watchmen is basically giving the message that it doesn't matter
when the morning comes, signaling it's all over. For as soon as morning comes, it's going
to be night again (remember the 'travail' and 'pangs'
analogy), with another destruction by the next army God brings.
Isa
21:13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye
travelling companies of Dedanim.
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that
was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
This is the seventh burden. Dedan was a grandson of Abraham and his second wife Keturah,
and Tema was one of the twelve princes of Ishmael (Gen.25).
Dedan's brother
Tema had brought water and bread to him, in the spiritual sense. This phrase 'they
'prevented' is the Hebrew 'qadam', which means 'to anticipate, hasten,
meet (usually for help)' (Strong's no. 6923).
Tema, was known for their hospitality, even
claiming: "No fire of ours was ever extinguished at night without a guest, and of
our guests never did one disparage us." 2 So this act is symbolic of
brother's helping and relying upon each other during the time of 'travailing', and not
God. The 'bread' and 'water' symbols are metaphors for Christ Jesus and His Truth. So what
was the result then, and probably for these in our near future, as they still mainly rely
upon each other's traditions, instead of coming to Christ in True worship?
Isa
21:15 For they fled from the swords, from
the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, "Within a year,
according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the
children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it."
Kedar
is another son of Ishmael. This burden is upon Arabia. Jeremiah 49:28 reveals Kedar's
destruction. Some will make it through Satan's future tribulation, but the number "shall
be diminished" as given here. And this event of the future is implied more in
the spiritual death sense by deception of worshiping the wrong messiah, not in the sense
of physical destruction which many are claiming with a WWIII. "Peace and
safety" is what the deceived will be proclaiming remember? (1 Thess.5:3).
So how can they overcome the future event of this
destruction? No matter what the whole house of Jacob thinks, they are still our brother.
This is the result of not worshiping God through His Son Christ Jesus! Religious
traditions which men devise will cause these events upon each successive nation. The
Babylon system is the root of all false worship traditions presenting 'confusion' instead
of God's Truth.
GOD
has setup 'watchmen' for today also, just like He told Isaiah to do here within this
Chapter. Now I'm not saying I am one of those 'watchmen', only that God has given to those
who love Him, and who put their trust in Him, to understand much of His Word as It applies
to these latter days. In other words, He has put His Truth in their minds so as not to be
deceived by false messiah. And there are others out in the world to whom He has also given
His Truth which haven't heard His Message yet. They are spread throughout 'all' nations
today, and His Word will still be heard. Praise our Father Jehovah through His Son Christ
Jesus if you have heard already and understand.
Peace to you in Christ
Jesus,
Dave Ramey.
Footnotes:
1 Barnes'
Notes, Electronic Database. PC Study Bible,1997 by Biblesoft.
2 Ibid.
All references to "Strong's nos." are from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance,
PC Study Bible, Biblesoft, 1993-1996.
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