Behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
The title is from Isaiah 29:14, a chapter which explains precisely how this has happened. It tells of the LORD pouring blindness upon the wise and so-called learned of our time, which will be as if these men awaken from a dream and realize their own minds have deceived them.
Friends, this is the state of all God’s people; led there by the those who teach and preach their own ways and ideas. As we have read in 2 Thessalonians 2 & 3, these men are those who hold God’s people down (katecho) and will hold them there until taken out of the way. Chapter 3 says we should pray these wicked men will be removed so this true gospel will have free course and be glorified: seen as the word of God and those hearing it as such will realize they are in the presence of the LORD at His coming. (See 1 Thessalonians 2:19 as it refers to those spoken to in verse 13). Even those who now superficially believe this is true remain under the effect this false doctrinal poison: unsure and confused refusing to tell the masses this sword was coming and has now come.
1 Thessalonians 2
12 That you would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works also in you that believe.
And
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our LORD Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
The effect of the above is what Isaiah 29 describes as the LORD laying siege to recover Ariel: the name we know means the lion of God and describes God’s strength in His people. This aspect is spoken of in Isaiah 25 where the same terrible ones, the wicked, are suddenly brought low, which is speaking of the marvelous work of God when the wise of this world are removed and the LORD’s voice is heard.
The sudden occurrence comes when the strength of God’s people returns and they as lions roar. This is the confession Paul describes in Romans 10, where he first speaks of not looking in heaven of in the deep for the LORD, but rather He is found in the preaching of this gospel, which is confessed. This is the quickening to life of God’s people, when their strength returns and they rise as the LORD describes in Job 38:7, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Their rising is the beginning of the new creation, the new man and the new heaven and earth, wherein dwells righteousness – correctness based on God’s truth.
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge [they lack this knowledge of who God is and how He manifests His presence].
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness [correctness and truth], and going about to establish their own righteousness [trying to establish their teaching and ideas are truth], have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness [correction and truth] of God. [They reject it because it doesn’t agree with their teaching – their creations.]
4 For Christ [One God in man working His will and plan – His marvelous work of destroying the so-called wisdom of the wise and hiding His truth from them while they remain in rebellion] is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes.
5 For Moses described the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what says it? The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart [your reasoning mind]; that is, the word of faith, which we preach [is Christ in us, and you are in His presence at His coming – and receiving Him is life from the dead as He rises in you – we confess not ourselves, but we confess Christ has risen in us];
9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed [they have reached the end they expected – in the presence of God].
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? [These tell of believing Jesus Christ is alive in the preacher {which describes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit}, and hearing the words as His.]
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, LORD, who has believed our report?
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Isaiah 29
1 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add you year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
3 And I will camp against you round about, and will lay siege against you with a mount, and I will raise forts against you.
4 And you shall be brought down, and shall speak out of the ground, and your speech shall be low out of the dust, and your voice shall be, as of one that has a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust. [The siege is to release God’s people from their captivity, held by the words of men – to restore their strength and open/fill their mouths with the Word of God.]
5 Moreover the multitude of your strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passes away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
6 You shall be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder [His voice that comes with the light – understanding], and with earthquake [to shake the wicked from the world – see Job 38:13], and great noise [the roar of His people’s confession], with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreams, and, behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreams, and, behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul has appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be [those who have no knowledge of God], that fight against mount Zion.
9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry you out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers has he covered.
11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed [see Daniel 12:11 & 12, when the word is sealed until the end, until God’s people have regained the power {lost in verse 7} by being purified from the false doctrines and the blindness that caused the book to be sealed]:
12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he saith, I am not learned.
13 Wherefore the LORD said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart [their reasoning mind – to know the knowledge of God] far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. [Do you understand this?]
15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us? [The LORD sees you and knows you.]
16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon [purity] shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest [men risen on the mountain of purity]?
18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.
22 Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham [the father of those who receive the blessing], concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob [those who have unknowingly wrestled with God and His word] shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale [he shall reach the expected end].
23 But when he sees his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
The sudden end that comes upon the “terrible ones,” spoken of above in verse 5, occurs when the LORD visits them, which is described in Isaiah 25. We know this chapter tells of when death is swallowed up in victory, which Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 15:54 as when the corrupted have put on the incorruptible, and this mortal has put on immortality.
Friends, open your mouth and let the LORD be heard, exhale what you have inhaled.
Isaiah 25
1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things; your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For you have made of a city an heap; of a defensed city a ruin: a palace of strangers [those who don’t know you] to be no city; it shall never be built.
3 Therefore shall the strong people [those to whom your strength has returned] glorify you, the city of the terrible nations shall fear you.
4 For you have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 You shall bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6 And in this mountain [of purity] shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. [This feast at the LORD’s table.]
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people [He will destroy the corruption that has caused the knowledge of God to be covered], and the vail that is spread over all nations [those who don’t know Him].
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD has spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, 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.
10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab [the gates of Sheol – that hold down the dead] shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill [which is Gehenna].
11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swims spreads forth his hands to swim [to divide the waters {word} to not sink and be consumed by them]: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
12 And the fortress of the high fort of your walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust [the words spoken of in Isaiah 29:4, coming from those who have taken and hold strength captive].
1 Corinthians 15
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept [I am].
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ [in man] shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power [these men whose ideas and creations {corruption} must be taken out of the way].
25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he has put all things under his feet [see Isaiah 25:10 above]. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all [see John 17 below].
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead [Romans 6:3 Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?], if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.
32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantages it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
33 Be not deceived: evil communications [joining with idols] corrupt good manners.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame [meaning this isn’t what is expected by those who think they know God, and don’t].
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 You fool, that which you sow is not quickened, except it die [this should be understood in the context of verse 45, this body is quickened: brought from death to life, after the old corrupted mind dies]:
37 And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power [when God’s strength returns]:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [man – quickened to quicken] was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second MAN is the LORD from heaven [in us bringing us to life].
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, un-moveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.
The “sting” of death spoken of in verse 55 above is the Greek word kentron, the same word used in Revelation 9:10 to tell of the sting in the tail of the scorpion. As we have seen, this is referring to the poison that rots those stung from the inside. It is referring to the corruption spoken of before, rotting the mind into death, as the law requires of those who have eaten the poison of the tree. We also know this eating is referring to words, the advice of the serpent, and the death following, which it has brought upon all humanity. We know the serpent is Satan, those who use their word to resist and rebel against the knowledge of God, also known as Lucifer [see Isaiah 14], and the dragon [death in the waters – his words] the false light among God’s people, who drew away a third part of these stars and cast them down where he holds them (katecho).
The victory over this corruption in our minds and rotting us into death is the LORD Jesus Christ who raises us to life by taking these men’s venom out of the way, and (reversing the rot) quickens us to life (by understanding) from the dead.
Verse 55 above is referring to Hosea 13:14 where we are told of the LORD redeeming us from this state of death. The passage’s context continues to its point in chapter 14:2, when we return to the LORD and render to Him the calves of our lips (word of our mouth) as the sacrifice He desires. We know what the LORD desires is the knowledge of God, and mercy, which Hosea 6:6 tells us.
Hosea 6
1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning [as the light of understanding]; and he shall come unto us as the rain [the pure word of God flowing from heaven], as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
4 O Ephraim [God’s people in this generation], what shall I do unto you? O Judah [those who have led His people astray], what shall I do unto you? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away.
5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and your judgments are as the light [understanding] that goes forth.
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Hosea 13
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring [the word of death] shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
16 Samaria [those who worship idols in the place of God] shall become desolate; for she has rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
Hosea 14
1 O Israel, return unto the LORD your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
John 17
17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.
18 As you have sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world has not known you: but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them your name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.
1 Corinthians 1
19 For it is written [in Isaiah 29:14], I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the LORD.
1 Corinthians 2
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the LORD of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.
10 But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who has known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
