The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 29 Discussion

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Isa 6:11-13 Until The Cities Be Wasted Without Inhabitant... and There Be A Great Forsaking In The Midst of The Land

Isa 6:11  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
Isa 6:12  And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
Isa 6:13  But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

We have learned that the seraphims are just another symbol of God's elect who are "in the midst of and round about the throne of God in heaven":

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The book of Revelation adds the "four and twenty elders" to the various Biblical types and figures of God's elect who will rule with Him through the millennium and then be used by God as the saviors of all mankind in and through the lake of fire, which is merely one more type and figure of our Lord's elect, whose words will devour the kingdom of our old man:

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Rev 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

"My Words in your mouth fire", for those who  can receive it, is the Biblical definition of "the lake of fire", which will be used by God to judge the whole world, which will be raised up into the realm of the spirit:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The "four and twenty elders", the "four beasts", tell us plainly who they symbolize:

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

So the seraphims of Isaiah six are the "kings and priests "redeemed unto God out of all nations [who] shall reign [with Christ] on the earth... for a thousand years".

The "one hundred forty and four thousand" of Revelation 7 and Revelation 14 are also "redeemed from among men", and are just another symbol of Christ's firstfruits, who will reign with Him on this earth and will then become the 'fire' of "the lake of fire".

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 14:4  These [144.000] are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This brings us to the judgment of 'angels', of resurrected spiritual bodies (1Co 15:44), before the great white throne:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

These seraphims and cherubims fly, wing touching wing, as a single-minded body "proclaiming the everlasting gospel, and crying one to another", affirming the wonderful works of God to the children of men. This is the message of the seraphims, and this is also our message "one to another":

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

These destructive judgments against the kingdom of our old man are "His wonderful works to the children of men". Our rebellious old man thinks God's ways are wicked ways, and that we, His marred creation, are much more righteous than our Creator. Being brought "to [our] wits' end", to our old man, is simply nothing less than sadistic torment from an unjust God, and like Job, we all come to our wits' end and reprove, contend with, and condemn God, to make ourselves appear righteous in our own minds (Job 40:1-8).

1Kg 6:27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

Isa 6:3  And one [seraph] cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Isa 6:4  And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

As these seraphim, cherubims, twenty four elders and 144,000, what is it we are to proclaim as "the everlasting gospel"?

We need not guess. It is no coincidence that immediately after seeing the seraphims around the throne of God, having "a live coal from the altar" placed upon his lips, Isaiah is sent as a witness to preach the gospel, and to proclaim the Lord's judgments upon the Lord's rebellious people. It is no coincidence that Ezekiel had the exact same experience, immediately after having a very similar vision. Immediately after being shown the Lord's throne and the cherubims around God's throne, Ezekiel is also sent to proclaim the gospel and to declare the Lord's judgments upon the Lord's people, the people of Israel:

Isa 6:8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Notice that Ezekiel's experience is exactly the same as Isaiah's. Immediately after being shown the Lord's throne and the cherubims around His throne, Ezekiel was given this commission:

Eze 3:1  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest;eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Eze 3:2  So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
Eze 3:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

This commission to us actually appears three times in scripture. Here is where John was also shown the the throne of God in heaven and was given the exact same commission:

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Rev 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 
Rev 4:3  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Rev 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 
Rev 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 
Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

In Revelation 10 John gives us the exact same commission given to us in Isaiah and Ezekiel. It is worded slightly differently, but the variations in the description of the throne of God and of what takes place around the throne of God simply adds to our understanding of why we are shown His throne and the living creatures, which symbolize those saints who are seated round about God's throne, with Christ in the heavens.  We are given the same commission the third time here in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This is what we are commanded to proclaim as His gospel:

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

Why does the devouring of this "little book" make our belly bitter? It is because this is the same book we are commanded to eat in the book of Ezekiel, and we are given the same commission:

Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

In all three prophets we are given the same commission to give His words to His people and to leave nothing out nor add anything to it.

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

We are given to be seated with Christ in His Father's throne in the heavens (Eph 2:6), and this is how John describes part of our experience while being seated with Christ in the heavens:

Rev 10:1  And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

There is only one thing concerning what is written of the things we are to keep, as verse 3 of chapter one tells us, which we are not given to know:

Jas 4:13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

God has given us the revelation of His Christ and the things which must shortly come to pass within our own lives, but He has done so in signs and symbols, and in very definite, yet very general terms. We have been plainly told that as the disciples of Christ we will "be hated of all men", and that "it is through much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom of God". We are plainly told that "if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him", and that we are not to "think it strange concerning the fiery trials which [are] to try [us]:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

We are also plainly told we are to "present our bodies as a living sacrifice [and to be] crucified with Christ":

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

So much for the damnable false doctrine of "the substitutionary death of Christ" which the Lord Himself has given to the adversary for so many long years to rob so many of their salvation in this age. God is honest with His creatures, and He wants us know up front that while the rewards for our obedience far outweigh the price we must pay, nevertheless we are bought with a price and that we, too, are expected to be crucified with Christ and to fill up in our lives what is behind of the afflictions of the Christ, "for His body's sake, which is the church":

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

But this is all presented to us in these general terms, and we only see them if we are "caused... to eat" the words of God by being given eyes to see the things of the spirit and ears to hear the things of the spirit:

Eze 3:2  So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

This is how we will be received by those who are not given to receive our witness:

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are [being] perfect[ed]: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1Co 2:12  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.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We are granted to see all these spiritual things and to understand the spiritual significance of all the spiritual symbols only because we are "saved by grace", and through that saving grace we are given the spirit which gives us the eyes that see and the ears which hear "the things of the spirit":

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved😉
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in [the] heavens[...] in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

We are granted to be shown in Christ and with Him as the finished product of His chastening grace. We are given spiritual eyes and ears only through God's saving grace. And this is what God's favor and His grace does to us. This, again is why the digesting and devouring of "the little book" which is "open[ed]" to us is sweet in our mouths, but is bitter in our bellies.

Here is what God's grace does to us and accomplishes within us:

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

"By grace ye are saved" is not thrown in just to fill up space or to make God appear to be gracious. "By grace YOU are saved" has everything to do with what is involved in coming to see an open door in the heavens, and seeing and understanding what it means to have our lips touched with a live coal from the altar of God in the temple of God, to eat a scroll written within and without, and to "receive the things of the spirit".

Those who value the flesh and who have been given to hate their own Creator, "cannot receive the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him [and he] can[not] know them, because they are spiritually discerned".

"But God has revealed them unto us by His spirit: for the spirit searches out all things, yes, the deep things of God", and nothing is any "deeper than what we, as the seraphims around the throne of God are given to understand and are commissioned and to proclaim to the Lord's people.

It is not a popular message to our old man, and it is completely rejected by a world to which it also applies at the appointed time. Isaiah speaks for us all when he inquires of the Lord:

Isa 6:11  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
Isa 6:12  And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
Isa 6:13  But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

A tenth will return, and even that tenth will be eaten "as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves.

What specifically must we  proclaim and prophesy is not a popular message. It is revealed to be the same in the words given to Ezekiel, and to John in the book of Revelation:

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 
Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

This message is repeated in the next chapter:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

And what does the holy spirit say of this message? The next verse tells us who it is who must "keep the sayings of the prophesy of this book" (Rev 1:3), who must "fulfill the seven plagues of the seven angels" before they can enter into the temple of God in heaven:

Rev 14:12  Here [verses 6-11] is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

"Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God... is the patience and faith of the saints.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Isaiah's lips being touch by a live coal from the altar, Ezekiel's eating of the book and John eating of the roll are one and all types and figures of Christ's commandment He has given us to "eat [His] flesh and drink [His] blood." We do so first to let those words do their fiery work within us and then so we can be used of Christ to give His words to others just as He used others to bring His words to us.

But just as we at first hated and ridiculed His words, Ezekiel informs us that our words will also not at first be received by God's own people:

Eze 3:4  And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
Eze 3:5  For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Eze 3:6  Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
Eze 3:7  But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 
Eze 3:8  Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Eze 3:9  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Eze 3:10  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
Eze 3:11  And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Christ required that His disciples "eat My flesh", which He equates with "the bread of life". He also equates His blood with the water of life:

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Christ is the bread of life, the tree of life, the water and river of life, and He is also the book of life, simply because He is the Truth and the life, and because having eternal life is a matter of knowing Him and His Father:

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.