Sounding An Alarm: Isaiah 11
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
ALL of Isaiah 11 is prophetic about the Lord Jesus Christ and end time events.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. Isaiah 11:11, 16
Verse 11 speaks of the second time that the Lord will sovereignly recover the remnant of His people. Note that the Verse says "the remnant of His people," not all born-again believers. There is a difference. Jesus said that in the last days the deception will be so great that "if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:24). Verse 11 can NOT refer to the restoration after the Exile in Babylon which began around 600 B.C. There was NO exile at that time to Egypt, Pathros, or Cush. That verse also says "in that day." The events spoken of in Isaiah 11:6-10 CLEARLY have not yet happened. Therefore these events are prophetic of the end times ... the last days. Verse 16 compares this second (and last) recovering of the remnant to the first time when the Lord led His people out of the land of Egypt. Recall that although a great multitude came out of Egypt, only two adults, Joshua and Caleb, actually entered the promised land. Verse 16 says there shall be a highway. Many are called but few are chosen (because few choose). The Lord has provided the highway but we have to choose that highway. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision.
The first recovering of His people (out of Egypt) was a natural, historic event, which began about 1491 B.C. The second (and last) recovering of His people will be a spiritual event, which certainly is on the verge of occurring in this hour. This is the time when the modern day Moses (more than one believer) is beginning to speak to the modern day Pharaoh to let the people of God go free from our captivity and all of our many bondages. The Church today is in captivity and in bondage to spiritual Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea. Let us consider the significance of those eight names.
Assyria comes from a root word which means successful. The founder of Assyria was Asshur, the second son of Shem. Shem was the chosen line through which Jesus came (Luke 3:36). All of the descendants of Shem, except for the direct line of Jesus, represent the religious system. Noah prophesied, "Blessed be the Lord God of Shem" (Genesis 9:26). Please note that Noah did NOT prophesy, "Blessed be Shem." He said, "Blessed be the Lord God" who is to come through Shem. The religious system of today ASSUMES, in error, that they are automatically blessed of the Lord.
The religious line of Shem is further borne out by Genesis 14 with the war between the four "good kings" and the five "bad kings." Genesis 14 is packed with much prophetic significance. The Assyrians worshipped Asshur, the man who founded Assyria. So the spiritual bondage for the Church today that is represented by Assyria includes (in addition to success, money, power, and the "good" religious system) the idolization of a man, even a Godly man. Some churches today almost idolize William Branham, who was indeed a great prophet of the Lord in his time. There are also groups today who almost idolize Witness Lee.
Natural Egypt was a polytheistic, well-educated nation. The Egyptians created the pyramids and sphinxes, some remarkable architectural accomplishments for their day. Scriptures speak of the "wisdom of Egypt" (Acts 7:22), the "treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26), and "the pleasures of sin" (Hebrews 11:25) associated with Egypt. Apparently the Egyptians also had delicious-tasting food because the Israelites murmured after that good food when they were wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Therefore, the spiritual bondages represented by Egypt for the Church today are education or the wisdom of man, food, financial treasures, the religious system, technology, and the many pleasures of sin, such as illicit sex, which has brought down too many believers. The industrial revolution has tended to make man physically lazy; the computer revolution has tended to make man intellectually lazy; and all of the Christian books, tapes, DVDs, conferences, etc. have tended to make man spiritually lazy.
Pathros was part or all of "Upper Egypt," or "Southland," extending from South of Memphis (South of modern-day Cairo), to the First Cataract on the Nile River. Pathrusim (meaning persuasion of ruin), from whom came inhabitants of Pathros, was the fifth son of Mizraim. Soon after the great flood of Noah's day, Egypt was founded by Mizraim, the second son of Ham. Mizraim means tribulations or fortresses. In addition to the bondages which Egypt represent, as above, Pathos inflicts tribulation on believers. Fortresses (walled cities in the Old Testament) are man's way to protect himself, but man's best efforts fail.
Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. Zechariah 2:4
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7
Cush means black or Ethiopia. Cush was the youngest son of Ham. The bondage represented by Cush has no relationship whatsoever to the color of one's skin! Ham also means dark. The sin of Ham is recorded in Genesis 9:21-25. Ham saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers about it. Without any doubt, Ham's act was a manifestation of an impure heart. Perhaps he had always been a filthy dreamer.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Jude 7, 8
Because the imagination of our (natural) heart is evil (Genesis 8:21), we are all the sons of Ham in a sense until we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and are found in Him.
There is none righteous, no, not one. Romans 3:10
The root cause of the sin of Ham was passed on, generationally, to his youngest son, Cush. The bondage represented by Cush is the blackness of the heart and imagination. That is why Paul wrote,
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
Elam, which means youth or high, was the first son of Shem. As such, Elam also represents the bondage of the "good" religious system of the world today. Elam was also the predominant ruling power in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:1 and 14:4). We believe that Elam spiritually represents the mixture of the political and religious systems today. There are many Christians today who still believe that Christians should get more involved in the politics of the United States. Their reasoning is that by getting into high places in the political system, Christians can change politics for the better. This reasoning is NOT according to the ways of the Lord. In actuality, the system pollutes the Christian. The first recorded war in the Bible was between four "good" kings and five "bad" kings" (Genesis 14). Clearly, Abraham was part of NEITHER! For further "proof" please read Joshua 5:13-15. In addition, the Lord never will "clean up" democracy, which is a government by man. Democracy is perhaps the best that the world has to offer but the government of God is a theocracy, not a democracy. Unfortunately, some Christian groups, including the house church of which we were a part for twelve years, have tried to function on a democratic basis. This kind of bondage is all throughout the Church today. Bible "studies" frequently are "I think this" and "someone else thinks that" and another person thinks something else... majority wins!
Shinar was another part of the "good" religious system (Genesis 14:1). Amraphel, the king of Shinar, has been identified historically to be Hammurabi, who devised an excellent "worldly" code of law and justice. There are many similarities between the Hammurabi code and the law as given through Moses. Guess which of the two is true and which is false. The significance of Shinar can be seen from Genesis 11:1-4.
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Those verses represent the attempt of man to bring about unity through our own natural efforts. It will never happen ... God will never allow it. So this is related to the ecumenical "movement." The first part of Verse 3 represents the haste of man to bring about what man calls "good." They wanted to hurry up the brick-making process by burning them. The normal procedure for making brick was to allow the sun to dry them.
We need to allow the Son to bring about what He wants, in His time. One of the greatest lacks in Christians is patience. The second part of Verse 3 represents substitutes... brick for stone and slime for mortar. The first part of Verse 4 represents man's attempt to get to Heaven through good works, not through faith in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. The second part of Verse 4, "let us make us a name," is ever present in all levels of the Church. Finally, "lest we be scattered abroad" represents inbreeding or huddling together. This bondage is reflected today in the form of mega-churches, with so many programs and building structures that support the activities and needs of all age groups. This also reflects a false sense of security through large numbers of people. Safety or security through numbers is another lie of the enemy. Back in the "hey day" of the house church of which we were a part for twelve years, there was an implied "doctrine" that our individual "covering" was the local body. One day in the late 1970's the Lord said, "Not so," and gave a good scripture to back it up.
8 And He discovered [or uncovered or removed or revealed] the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest [the body of Christ].11 Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago. Isaiah 22:8, 11
Brethren, our covering is our Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. You can submit to a local body without being submissive to the Lord. But it is NOT POSSIBLE to truly submit to the Lord Jesus Christ without at the same time submitting to the authority that the Lord arranges for our good.
Hamath means fortification, walled, or a wall of separation. They were descendants of Ham and Canaan (Genesis 10:18). The huge, all-inclusive mega-churches of today are almost a walled city within a city. The "store cities," which Solomon built in Hamath (2 Chronicles 8:4), were probably places to store staples for trade. Therefore, the significance of Hamath for today is not only self-sufficient separation (closed ministries) but also man's attempt at self-preservation through storing up food and water. This includes setting up Christian "communities." Quite a large number of non-believers and even some sincere believers tell us to store up three-to-six months' worth of food and water for the difficult days that are surely coming. Well what are you going to do for the many months and years after that supply runs out? When the Jews coming out of Egypt for 40 years tried to save the daily manna for another day, it would rot, stink, and breed worms. If the Lord tells you to store up food for others (as He told Joseph), then well and good. But if anyone selfishly stores up food for himself and his family, it will rot. We Christians need to have the word made real in our hearts that,
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Concerning the islands of the sea, the sea normally speaks of the sea of humanity. Islands are completely surrounded by the sea. Christians are to be IN the world but not part OF the world (John 15:19). This bondage may well be akin to the peer pressure of the world, which all the elders of Israel succumbed to when they told Samuel to "make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (1 Samuel 8:5). This pull and infiltration of the ways of the world into Christianity produces a polluted mixture which is never acceptable by God; it becomes strange fire. This is a very strong bondage from which we Christians must be set free.
In summary, when the Lord sovereignly recovered the remnant the FIRST time (from the bondage and captivity of Egypt) there was only ONE captor ... Egypt. When the Lord sovereignly recovers the remnant of His people (spiritual Israel, the Church) the SECOND time, in these last days, there are EIGHT captors, as listed above. The Church today is in various degrees of bondage to money, success, education, the wisdom of this world, food, entertainment, all the pleasures of this world, sex, politics, mixture and impurities of all kinds, the desire to make us a name, fleshly attempts to bring about the kingdom of God on earth, desires to be like the world, vain imaginations, traditions of men, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, and being lukewarm. Nothing has changed in 6000 years. The nature of man has never changed. The Revelation of John, given to him by the Lord, includes the following unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans:
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16
The sad part is that we Christians, at every level, do not see the bondage and captivity that we are in. Jeremiah prophesied for 40 years and never made one convert. No one ever believed Jeremiah concerning the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the exile. Some of us may see and heed the Lord's warning. Some of us may not see, may not agree, and may even get angry. If anyone gets angry, then that is GOOD! I remember the time, about 52 years ago, just before the Lord apprehended me, when I heard that some people in the Methodist church we were attending were doing some "funny things" like "speaking in tongues." I can never remember a time when I was so angry. I was furious! I told my wife, "If they want to do funny things like that then they should get out of the church!" Not long after that, I was doing those SAME "funny things." Leonard Ravenhill, a highly respected English evangelist and author once said there were times when Charles Finney, another great evangelist, preached and the whole congregation got up and left. Jesus said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). (But please read all of Matthew 10:34-38.)
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.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.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. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5
Only the Spirit of God can shed His light and dispel the darkness. We all need to ask the Holy Spirit to shed His light into our heart concerning these subtle and hidden captivities that hinder the fulfillment of His eternal purposes for Himself within and through us. The question is, do we want to be part of the problem (those who need to be recovered from the snares of the enemy) or part of the solution (those who will be deliverers in these end times) as foretold in Obadiah 21?
"And saviours [or deliverers] shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's."
It is not enough just to "Come out of her, My people." This word reflects an all-consuming burden that the Body of Christ might come into that full measure of spiritual maturity that delights and satisfies the heart of God... Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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