Continuing today where Isaiah 54 ended and the recent topic of new life shooting from what lacks any signs of life. Isaiah 53 begins explaining this with the analogy of the tender plant as a branch growing from a root in dry ground. The prior verse asks a question defining the meaning as this being the arms (work) of the LORD revealed to those believing the report. We understand from what follows it is the LORD taking on a visible appearance in a man, and this coinciding with another aspect of recent studies: those seeing and hearing having to overcome what their earthly eyes are seeing and their ears had previously heard from earthly teachers, and in overcoming see and hear the reality being manifested before them.
Isaiah 54 ends telling of the LORD’s appearance and of the new foundation as it is laid. Then is the description of the Holy City, as it is also described in Revelation 21, coming down from God out of heaven. Here in Isaiah it is also the coinciding description is of Jerusalem in its literal meaning of Yarah-shalam. As we know from many previous studies the words mean, yarah, to flow from as water; to lay down as a foundation; or to teach; and shalam, meaning be safe in mind, body a estate; be complete; be friendly; and is meant in a reciprocal sense. The context is telling of being taught and founded upon the teaching of God ways of civilization and peace.
Isaiah 54
11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.
The chapter ends commanding us to condemn any voice that rises against this teaching, and to do so because all other opinions are the ways that have led to the discomfort and disease. The healing waters are flowing from only one source.
This is where Isaiah 55 picks up by calling all to come to the waters of life and freely drink. These are those waters. In verse 8 we read of the LORD’s ways not being our ways. It is further defining the concept of our having to overcome what our human eyes see and what our ears heard from men’s teaching, and in overcoming the world we see and hear the ways of peace.
The total confusion is the scattering the LORD told would occur at His death at the hand of the earthly powers. John 16: 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Isaiah 55
1 Ho, every one that thirsts, come you to the waters, and he that has no money; come you, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfies not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run unto you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.
6 Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Verse 3 above tells of this being the “sure mercies of David,” and it being part of the everlasting covenant. The terminology alludes to principles defined in Hebrews when it speaking of the LORD being a priest forever in the order of Melchisedec, without earthly origins. The name means king of righteousness, and the person being the king of Salem (peace – the same as shalam). It also alludes to the promise the LORD made to David that their will always be a king to sit on his throne, and David being mentioned is invoking the idea of all God’s people unified under a single righteous King (King of kings, and LORD of lords). These along with God’s promise to create man in His image and likeness are the everlasting covenant and the means of insuring it is achieved.
The “sure mercies of David” is quoted in Acts 13:34 in telling of the resurrection, and this passage in Acts also witnessing to the “everlasting sign that shall not be cut off,” written in Isaiah 55:13 above. If you read along you know we have seen the “scattering” being told of in many places elsewhere as falling away from God’s truth and it being likened to the tree cut off and only the seemingly dead root remaining. We see in verse 13 the everlasting covenant is mention as it also tells of the tree growing from where once only what choked off new growth had grown.
Acts 13
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the [dead] tree, and laid him in a sepulcher [among the dead].
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he says also in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
Verse 33 tells of the resurrection from among the dead being a son begotten by proclamation, and uses a quote from Psalms 2. I tell you plainly I am the son begotten from among the dead, and it is my Father that has raised me by His power and proclamation. He has raised me to be His voice in the midst of a world in total confusion. That is the truth and I couldn’t care less what people think or say about it.
John 16
10 Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.
20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Psalms 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision [ridicule and confusion].
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex [overturn] them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set My king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD has said unto me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Psalms 110
1 The LORD said unto my LORD, Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.
2 The LORD shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion: rule you in the midst of your enemies.
3 Your people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: you have the dew of your youth.
4 The LORD has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The LORD at your right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Psalms 132
1 LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
2 How he swore unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
8 Arise, O LORD, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For your servant David’s sake turn not away the face of your anointed.
11 The LORD has sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.
12 If your children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon your throne for evermore.
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation.
14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 There will I make the horn [qeren – rays of light] of David to bud [shoot forth]: I have ordained [prepared] a lamp for mine anointed.
18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
Verse 6 of Psalms 132 tells of hearing “it” in “Ephratah.” The “it” is of the habitation of God being found with the LORD rising to the place of His rest, and the ark of His strength. We know the ark is what carried life forward in the waters. We also know the waters are God’s teaching and counsel, which we are told is “angel’s food” and the bread of heaven. We know it is by the word of God that man lives, and not by earthly seen bread or water. Ephratah is Beth-lehem, meaning the house of bread, and Ephratah, meaning fruitful. Ephratah is a derivative of Ephraim, meaning double fruit – or second fruit as in the tree bringing forth a second time. Ephraim is also used to tell of the offspring of Joseph, the one separated from His brothers, and as defining his children as the latter time generation of God’s people. (I and the children God has given me are for signs and wonders. Isaiah 8:18)
Here is what was heard in Bethlehem Ephratah, “out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Micah 5
1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian [king and rulers with foreign ways] shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that was not delayed for man, nor waits for the sons of men.
8 And the [REMNANT] remnant of Jacob [God’s people] shall be among the Gentiles [those foreign to God’s ways] in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Your hand shall be lifted up upon your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and I will destroy your chariots:
11 And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds:
12 And I will cut off witchcrafts [those using word to deceive and manipulate] out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers [“experts” predicting the ways to also manipulate in their ways]:
13 Your graven images [shaping opinions by their own opinion] also will I cut off, and your standing images [principles based on self-serving opinions] out of the midst of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you: so will I destroy your cities.
15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
