Bible Lessons

From: Messages of God's Love: 1933

Isaiah 11 and 12

IN order, in our progress through this most instructive book, we have found,

First, the state of man (Israel, it is true, but man nevertheless), and God’s proposal of cleansing and blessing, with the assurance that His enemies would be dealt with (chapter 1).

Second, the declaration that Jerusalem shall be the capital city of the world, the seat of government and the center of earthly blessing of the highest order, when the day of Jehovah has come, and He shall judge among the nations, and wars shall cease (chapter 2).

Third, that in that day there will be a Branch, or Sprout, of Jehovah for beauty and glory, —Jehovah will dwell in Zion (chapter 4).

In chapter 7 we found the promise of the virgin’s Son Immanuel, taking up the declaration of God to Satan in Genesis 3:15¹⁵And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15).

In chapter 8 the land of Israel under the heel of the invading Assyrian is Immanuel’s land, and He will subdue every enemy, though for a time He would be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but afterwards He is seen with “the children that Jehovah hath given Me,”—the begotten-again of Israel.

In chapter 9 Immanuel, the child born to Israel, is the Head of all Government, the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Mighty God, the Father of the Coming Age, the Prince of Peace.

Chapter 11 briefly describes the Branch, Immanuel, the Hope of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ who died on Calvary’s cross that sinners lost and perishing might live eternally. He is of the seed of David truly (2 Timothy 2:8⁸Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: (2 Timothy 2:8); Luke 1:32,33³²He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32‑33)), but here of the stock of Jesse, David’s father, taking His place thus with the humblest of the children of Israel.

Upon Him shall the spirit of Jehovah rest. In verse 3 the best text is “And His delight will be in the fear of Jehovah, and He shall not judge, etc.” Blessed will be this poor world, when He rules it and its present ruler (Matthew 4:8, 9⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (Matthew 4:8‑9); Revelation 2:13¹³I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:13); John 11:30³⁰Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. (John 11:30)) is deposed and in chains (Revelation 20:1-3¹And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ²And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, ³And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:1‑3)).

In that day deep changes will be wrought in the very animals and reptiles, so that the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted beast together, and a little child shall lead them (verses 6 to 9). Impossible today, for such a thing to be! Romans 8:19-22¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:19‑22) is not yet fulfilled.

Then will Jehovah set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His earthly people which shall be left when His judgments are over. Pathros (verse 11) is upper Egypt; Cush is Ethiopia, Elam is Persia; Shinar is west of Persia—pact of Irak. Hamath is north of Damascus.

There will be physical changes too (verses 15, 16). Read “into seven streams” instead of “in the seven streams.”

Chapter 12 Concludes this most interesting and instructive section of the prophecy of Isaiah with a song of praise, Israel’s praise to God. The sighs, and groans and tears of the past will be remembered only to magnify the grace of our Saviour God.

The reader will note that God’s purposes for Israel are entirely distinct from His purposes for the Church; the one is earthly in prospect, the other a heavenly body. The present period of grace, from the cross to the Lord’s coming to take His Church away (1 Thessalonians 4) is entirely passed by in Isaiah’s prophecy.

ML 05/28/1933

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