fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383 
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Post by fearnot on Mar 24, 2023 14:52:32 GMT -5
They will all come and settle on the steep ravines,
on the ledges of the cliffs,
on all the thorn bushes
and on all the watering places.
Isaiah 7:19
The coming enemy invaders will be everywhere!
No place to run or hide, they will be like a plaque of insects,
it will not be good!
In that day the Lord will shave with a razor,
hired from regions beyond the Euphrates
(that is, with the king of Assyria),
the head and the hair of the legs;
and it will also remove the beard.
Isaiah 7:20
In the day when Judah is judged,
the razor being symbolic of Assyria.
The very razor Ahaz had trusted in,
will be Judah's worst enemy.
They will be disrespected by being shaved.
Even so, God pities them and has mercy on them,
so that they have a few cattle and sheep.
Now in that day
a man may keep alive a heifer
and a pair of sheep;
Isaiah 7:21
In fact:
and because of the abundance of the milk produced
he will eat curds,
for everyone that is left within the land
will eat curds and honey.
Isaiah 7:22
They sort of have abundance, because there are so few people.
True, it is not wine and bread and other luxuries,
but God in His love and compassion, has not left them to starve.
It is good for us today, to remain grateful
for the blessing God has continued to provide.
Even if it's not up to the standards we are either used to,
or wish for, it is still mercy.
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 26, 2023 15:58:22 GMT -5
And it will come about in that day,
that every place where there used to be a thousand vines,
valued at a thousand shekels of silver,
will become briars and thorns.
Isaiah 7:23
A sign of devastation, bleakness, bareness, which is part of God's judgment.
This is a physical sign, but I think something similar happens to people
when they stray from God, a kind of emptiness, invades their hearts and mind.
People will come there with bows and arrows
because all the land will be briars and thorns.
Isaiah 7:24
No longer good agriculture land,
it is now only good for hunting,
plus, people need to defend themselves from the wild animals.
As for all the hills
which used to be cultivated with the hoe,
you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns;
but they will become a place for pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.
Isaiah 7:25
And likewise for the hill country.... more desolation .
A refused blessing, can turn into a judgment.
Then the Lord said to me,
“Take for yourself a large tablet
and write on it in ordinary letters:
Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey.
Isaiah 8:1
Tho Judah would not be defeated by the Assyrians,
nevertheless, she would suffer from the invading Assyrian forces.
The tablet would be more sturdy than parchment.
And to write in a language and style understood by the most common man.
Done for today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 27, 2023 11:32:18 GMT -5
“And I will take to Myself
faithful witnesses for testimony,
Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
Isaiah 8:2
Two Faithful witnesses are needed for a legal document
“A single witness shall not rise up against a man
on account of any iniquity
or any sin which he has committed;
on the evidence of two or three witnesses
a matter shall be confirmed.
Deuteronomy 19:15
Uriah was a priest during the reign of King Ahaz
but Zechariah is not the famous prophet tho.
So I approached the prophetess,
and she conceived and gave birth to a son.
Then the Lord said to me,
“Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
Isaiah 8:3
I am thinking, she was the wife of the prophet.
but in the sense that she does fulfill the role of a prophet,
by giving birth to a son,
whose name conveyed a prophetic message...
Isaiah's first son's name meant,
a "remnant will return.
for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’
the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria
will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
Isaiah 8:4
Why did Isaiah's son have such a long name?
It was sort of like a walking sermon.
In that, in a few years hence,
the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III,
would plunder Damascus.
Again the Lord spoke to me further, saying
Isaiah 8:5
God was speaking then, and He is still speaking to us now.
Are we listening?
“Inasmuch as these people have rejected
the gently flowing waters of Shiloah
And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah;
Isaiah 8:6
The rejection, was not just a rejection of the waters,
but of God.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
Psalm 46:4
They chose a man, over God.
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Mar 28, 2023 9:57:16 GMT -5
You've done a tremendous job on this Barbara! Thank you! Isn't it amazing how much we can relate all of this to today?
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 29, 2023 10:20:39 GMT -5
I agree, it is amazing. Those who would say we are evolving to a higher state, must be blinded. It's true we have technology, but even that has nothing to do with our character, if anything, it points out our depravity and sins even more.
Thank you Cindy.
Yesterday I got up at noon-ish, ate breakfast, and went back to sleep until 7 at night, when I ate dinner, and feel asleep again.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 29, 2023 10:59:48 GMT -5
Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates,
Even the king of Assyria and all his glory;
And it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks.
Isaiah 8:7
Since Judah rejected God's help, and trusted in man
( the pagan Assyrian nation),
they will struggle and some may even drown in the 'strong waters'.
Still, people do this by rejecting God's help, today.
The other day, my grandson ( who is in High school)
said something about God, to a very good friend of his,
who sharply relied:
I don't need God!
Apparently, his friend thought he could do it all, without God!
But we do so at our own peril!
Then it will sweep on into Judah,
it will overflow and pass through,
It will reach even to the neck
and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel:
Isaiah 8:8
"Then": describes the Assyrian invasion of Judah
But since it went 'only' to the neck,
Judah was not totally destroyed.
Even so, God was still with them,
even in judgment!
As is the case, when we make foolish decisions
that have harsh consequences,
yet, God is still with us.
Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered;
And give ear, all remote places of the earth.
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered;
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered.
Isaiah 8:9
Since they were set on fighting and war,
then go ahead, but it would backfire!
“Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;
State a proposal, but it will not stand,
For God is with us.”
Isaiah 8:10
So go ahead and devise your strategy Assyria!
God sometimes allows nations to attack Israel,
as a type of judgment and punishment, but...
in the end, ultimately to vindicate them,
God is always with them.
Even in judgment God was with them,
and He will be with us, if we ask ( are His, born again Christians).
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2023 11:29:41 GMT -5
I'm glad to hear that you're finally getting some sleep! That's great! 
I enjoyed reading what you wrote here too. It's ironic that you posted what you did for me to read today. My neighbor and I were talking this morning about how the Lord discipled us when we weren't living the way we should have been 30 or more years ago. At the time we both hated it, and we weren't really happy with God either. But now, looking back, we see it as the blessing it actually was. It finally got us to turn back to Him and now is proof that we are saved, because we know He only disciplines those who belong to Him. (Those who are really saved.)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 30, 2023 12:54:48 GMT -5
For thus the Lord spoke to me with mighty power
and instructed me
not to walk in the way of this people,
saying,
Isaiah 8:11
Well fancy that...
do not walk in the way of this people...
words we sure need to hear in this day and age!
14 I have given them Your word;
and the world has hated them,
because they are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world,
but to keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
John 17:14-16
“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear
what they fear or be in dread of it.
Isaiah 8:12
While this admonishment is directed at Isaiah,
it could also be applied to the present day.
It may be a fear of what is being nefariously planned by men behind closed doors.
Certainly throughout time, evil men have made evil plans behind closed doors.
They do so today as well.
Sometimes it is just rumors, and not facts,
sometimes it turns out to be true...
which is not surprising.
I think the more important issue is,
about the fear and dread of whatever 'it' is.
'It' is often evil, but even so,
we are not to fear man's evil plans,
but to trust God!
Fear can be so devastating and deadly!
The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Proverbs 29:25
and
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline
2 Timothy 1:7
Even IF the 'conspiracy' turns out to be true,
which 'ought' to make us fear,
In the sense that ,
is what the devil would like
Nevertheless:
we walk by faith, not by sight—
2 Corinthians 5:7
Instead, here is a 'healthy' 'fear'!:
It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.
Isaiah 8:13
God is perfectly Holy!
There is no sin, evil or wrong in Him.
So if we 'fear' God',
then nothing of mankind,
can make us afraid.
This is a great blessing, relief, safety, and joy.
Rather than keeping our focus on the evils of the world,
worrying and fretting, let us keep our focus on God.
No, we do not stick our heads in the sand,
we do need to know what is going on in the world, to some extent.
Like for example:
We need to know, for our children and grandchildren's sake
that schools are no longer very big on teaching
children normal things: like math, reading, etc.
But rather,
schools have instead,
in a big way,
become evil propaganda machines.
But we not just wring our hands,
in worry and fear.
We can still counteract what is being taught with the TRUTH.
We can do everything in our power to try to get them home schooled,
We can provide them with godly reading material.etc. etc.
BUT...
We absolutely need to bring this issue,
and a zillion other evil worldly issues:
to God in prayer...
LOTS of prayer,
We should be petitioning our Lord and Savior,
and knocking on Heaven's door as much as possible!!!
We must 'fear' the all powerful God,
above any human, any group, any situation,
and to show it,
by what we do and say, and pray.
There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves punishment,
and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
1 John 4:18
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Mar 30, 2023 13:00:00 GMT -5
Oh wow Cindy!
I totally loved the way you put this...
I had not had it put so succinctly and perfectly before...
but yes, and wow!
Quote you :)
"But now, looking back, we see it as the blessing it actually was.
It finally got us to turn back to Him and now is proof that we are saved,
because we know He only disciplines those who belong to Him.
(Those who are really saved.)
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2023 10:33:55 GMT -5
I thought you put it great too!
I've got to comment on this too: “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ I got my grandkids a game called "Conspiracy Theory" for Christmas and keep it at my house. They update it every year, to make sure they've covered every internet conspiracy theory they're able to find. We've played it a number of times and it's hilarious! We all wind up laughing so hard we're crying LOL But playing it also helped me understand one reason why the Lord tells us not to get upset at so called conspiracies, even if they wind up being true. I realized that no matter who is doing what, or how horrible or scary or ridiculous they are, God is in control of it. No one can do anything unless the Lord allows it. No president is elected, unless the Lord places them in control of that country. No dictator controls a country unless God has given him that control. Just like He will give the AntiChrist control one day soon. So, if God knows about it, and He's in control of it, nothing is really a conspiracy, except to the people doing it who think they're smarter than God and think they're really in control. (that's the funny part, because they're not in control, God is!)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 1, 2023 11:34:24 GMT -5
You gave an excellent and concise wording of it. So true...even the anti-Christ, who will rule for 7 years, only does so because God will allow it!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 1, 2023 12:01:59 GMT -5
“Then He shall become a sanctuary;
But to both the houses of Israel,
a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,
And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 8:14
Since 'He' is capitalized, in the verse above,
I am pretty sure this refers to Jesus, the Messiah.
He will be a protection, a sanctuary for both houses of Israel.
He can be our sanctuary also
or...
He can be a stone to strike
or stumble over.
A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble
because they are disobedient to the word,
and to this doom they were also appointed
1 Peter 2:8
and
but we preach Christ crucified,
to Jews a stumbling block
and to Gentiles foolishness,
1 Corinthians 1:23
Also a snare and a trap:
Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.
Proverbs 7:23
and
Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind
will be the portion of their cup.
Psalm 11:6
also
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
Amos 3:5
However, sadly
as then,
and is today:
“Many will stumble over them,
Then they will fall and be broken;
They will even be snared and caught.”
Isaiah 8:15
This will happen to those who do not believe in Jesus the Messiah!
The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.
Proverbs 4:19
and
The nations have sunk down in the pit
which they have made;
In the net which they hid,
their own foot has been caught.
Psalm 9:15
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Apr 3, 2023 11:12:14 GMT -5
Amen! Good one!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 3, 2023 11:17:52 GMT -5
Bind up the testimony,
seal the law among my disciples
Isaiah 8:16
Here are two commands:
To Bind
and
to Seal...
such as in Daniel:
But as for you, Daniel,
conceal these words
and seal up the book
until the end of time;
many will go back and forth,
and knowledge will increase.
Daniel 12:4
These commands were of a 'legalese' type of language.
So that Isaiah could not be accused of tampering with the message,
(the testimony, the prophecies),
since they were written down,
and bound in a sealed scroll for safekeeping.
Also, in the future, Isaiah can produce them,
thus, authenticating his ministry,
and even more importantly,
God's authority!
And I will wait for the Lord
who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob;
I will even look eagerly for Him
Isaiah 8:17
We all should wait for the Lord!
And we should wait for His Word.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield
Psalm 33:20
But not just a bored, grumbling kind of waiting,
but rather, an expectation with confident, certain hope,
and a very attentive, eager focus.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:3
However, in this case, it is about divine disfavor
concerning the house of Jacob.
God is hiding His face, and not doing as this verse says:
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you
Numbers 6:25
Sometimes, when I see evil rapidly increasing in the world,
I can nevertheless see it as a silver lining...
that God's Word is absolutely true!
So Isaiah, notwithstanding, is looking for his Redeemer,
be it, good or bad, in his world, at the time.
Though judgment is coming,
Isaiah has chosen to fix his eyes on God.
A good question for us is:
What are we looking for and fixing our eyes on?
Are we looking for wealth, power, fame, etc.?
Or are we looking for Jesus, our blessed hope?
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 3, 2023 11:21:05 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy...you are really so encouraging! :D
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Post by Cindy on Apr 4, 2023 11:06:29 GMT -5
Excellent! I like what you said about waiting on the Lord too. I did a study on that some time ago as i felt it was important for me to understand it better so I could apply it to my life. This is some of what I discovered:
WAIT. Qavah. To wait for, look for, expect, hope. Qavah is the root of the noun tiqvah, “hope” or “expectancy.” Qavah expresses the idea of “waiting hopefully”. Also yachal; To wait, tarry, hope, trust, expect; be patient; remain in anticipation. Yachal is often translated “hope”. The correct way to hope & wait for the Lord is to steadfastly expect His mercy, His salvation, & His rescue, & while waiting, not take matters into one’s own hand. It's active, daily obedience in the things you know to do with supreme confidence in His perfect, sovereign answer. Waiting on God means you know that He's at work when all appears silent & frozen. In His time, in His way, He will meet your needs & bring honor to His name. Hayford’s Bible handbook
Wait …. This particular word for waiting connotes either a tense or eager and patient anticipation of the Lord (Ps 37:34; Ps 40:1). The MacArthur study Bible
“Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.” (Psalm 37:34)
God’s promises are your hope as you wait on Him. Waiting on God does not mean being idle. It is active, daily obedience in the things you know to do with supreme confidence in His perfect, sovereign answer. Waiting on God means you know that He is at work when all appears silent and frozen. In His time, in His way, He will meet your needs and bring honor to His name. Admit your helplessness. In your weariness, cast your burdens on Him. Remember, nothing is too difficult for Him. Enter His gates
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:7)
When I was in seminary, my Hebrew professor told us that the words “Be still” literally mean “Take your hands off!” “Take your hands off and know that I am God.” You could even translate it “Relax and know that I am God.” In other words, “Get your hands off the situation—stop playing God—and permit me to take over.” The bumps are what you climb on.
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)
Solomon wrote in Ecc 3:1: “There is an appointed time for everything”. Though not included in the list of appropriate seasons that followed, this principle rings just as true: “There is a time to wait—and a time to act.” How do you see the difference? There are two conditions involved in determining the latter course. If you have done everything you know to discern God’s leadership—praying diligently, gathering facts, searching the Word, obtaining good counsel, submitting totally to Jesus’ lordship—and if a decision must be made now, then it is time to move forward. If you want to please God sincerely, you must not worry about the consequences of your decisions. If it is the wrong decision, then He will forgive you & steer you rightly. But when a course must be charted, your confidence, faith, & courage are fully cast on the God who knows the future & has secured your relationship with Him. Wait on God when you can, but act boldly in faith when you must, entrusting yourself to a faithful God. Enter His gates
“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:25)
“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” (Hebrews 6:15)
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:7–8)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 4, 2023 13:40:29 GMT -5
As always, Thank you so much for the added info....Great as per usual! :)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 4, 2023 15:13:59 GMT -5
Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me
are for signs and wonders in Israel
from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion
Isaiah 8:18
Behold: take note, pay attention, etc.
Isaiah tells the people he and his sons,
are a supernatural message from God.
They are lights in the darkness.
( which is what Christians are supposed to be today as well).
Isaiah's two children's names and what they meant:
Shear-jashub
("A remnant will return") (Isa 7:3)
and
Maher-shalal-hash-baz
(Speed to the spoil, hurry to the plunder)
And
Isaiah's name:
Salvation is of the LORD
A 'sign' serves to authenticate the message as from God.
And 'wonders' get our attention.
Do we followers of Jesus today,
keep in mind, we are to be light in the darkness,
and ambassadors, displaying His message of Salvation?
But this is not something Isaiah just made up,
it is from God, that they should be living witnesses.
Have we all not noticed how quickly almost everything has changed, and is being in the process of change?
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
First we noticed a slight breeze of change,
but the breeze of change was so mild,
we did not give it much attention,
but now...
the winds of evil are whipping up more and more,
the storm is coming and is almost totally upon us!
We need to be leaning on God, in prayer,
being in His Word ( the Bible),
in fellowship with each other,
being light in the darkness.
Even many unbelievers today, are noticing the changes.
Some revel in them,
but others,
are like those in Isaiah's day,
who did this ( because there is always an empty space
( a space only the True God can fill)
in the human soul,
but if people turn from God,
it still needs to be filled with something,
even if it is evil)....
When they say to you,
“Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God?
Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
Isaiah 8:19
Satanism is growing and is becoming 'popular' in America at a fast rate, as is witchcraft etc.
This is what societies do when they turn from the True God.
I think Christians know the answer to the question:
Should the living consult the dead...
Do you wish a potential opportunity
to consult with a demon a fallen angel?
Then no!
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 5, 2023 11:11:08 GMT -5
To the law and to the testimony!
If they do not speak according to this word,
it is because they have no dawn.
Isaiah 8:20
All of our opinions
( and all men and women) ,
are to be judged by God's Word.
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7
The law is what God requires of a man,
the testimony reveals God's will for men.
They are not to go to witches, warlocks,
mediums or spiritists,
horoscopes, fortune tellers , or astrology
or false prophets,etc.,
rather, the only place to go is God's Word,
the Bible,
the absolute Truth.
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire,
one who uses divination,
one who practices witchcraft,
or one who interprets omens,
or a sorcerer
or one who casts a spell,
or a medium,
or a spiritist,
or one who calls up the dead.
Deuteronomy 18:10,11
Such folk, do not have the light of salvation,
thus, they are spiritually dead,
and in the darkness of their trespasses and sins.
Thus says the Lord of hosts
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
They are leading you into futility;
They speak a vision of their own imagination,
Not from the mouth of the Lord
Jeremiah 23:16
Furthermore
They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished,
and it will turn out that when they are hungry,
they will be enraged and curse their king
and their God as they face upward.
Isaiah 8:21
Those who did not speak according to God's Word,
but their own imagination.
their lives will be like wearing a heavy yoke.
They will not only face physical hunger,
but worse,
they face spiritual hunger.
Instead of repenting,
they curse with vile, sinful, wicked, evil words,
against the King,
but even God,
the only one who could help them!
This is spiritual insanity, and spiritual suicide.
They look up
( knowing in their hearts there is a God)
but they blame Him, rather than themselves.
They do not repent!
This is a very sad state to be in,
and it will only get worse,
if they never repent.
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 6, 2023 12:16:16 GMT -5
Then they will look to the earth,
and behold,
distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish;
and they will be driven away into darkness.
Isaiah 8:22
Having abandon God, they look to
earth
As people today look to:
'mother earth', gaia, environmentalism...
Nevertheless, they will not find true help, comfort, safety, or salvation there,
instead, distress, and darkness.
They rejected God's light,
so the only alternative is endless darkness.
the sons of the kingdom
will be cast out into the outer darkness;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 8:12
This is the end result of the occult.
Tomorrow will start chapter 9
Done for today.
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Post by sevenofnine on Apr 6, 2023 13:45:50 GMT -5
Going back to river for moment check out LA River all SO CAL snow is melting already raising concern for flooding
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 7, 2023 11:13:48 GMT -5
But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish;
in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali
with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious,
by the way of the sea, on the other side of on the other side of Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles
Isaiah 9:1
It was 'dark' ( evil abounded) then,
and we are experiencing more and more darkness these days.
However, gloriousness is promised for the future.
This is quoted by Matthew in the New Testament:
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody,
He withdrew into Galilee;
13 and leaving Nazareth,
He came and settled in Capernaum,
which is by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”
Matthew 4:12-16
So tho doom and gloom can be a reality in any time era,
the believer has the promises of God and by faith
we can have peace,
that passes understanding,
knowing, this is not the end of the story,
God has a different future for us.
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1
Why did God treat them with contempt?
As usual, sinners do not follow what God commands.
John MacArthur explains it this way:
"The region of Galilee originally had been given by the Lord to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali when Israel began to settle in Canaan (see Josh 19:10–39).
But, contrary to God’s command, Zebulun and Naphtali failed to expel all of the Canaanites from their territories (Jdg 1:30, 33-note).
From the beginning, therefore, these unfaithful Jews suffered the problem of mixed marriages and the inevitable pagan influence which that practice brought.
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 8, 2023 11:24:57 GMT -5
The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
Isaiah 9:2
Jesus brings light to darkness, always!
They were walking in spiritual darkness,
( sort of like many or most people in our days).
There is no real joy, peace, love,
or mercy, compassion etc.
when people live in dark depravity and sin.
And death ( spiritual death) is ever present.
But when Jesus cameinto the world,
all manner of light entered in also.
As He taught, He brought supreme intellectual light,
but even more so,
the ultimate spiritual light, everlasting light.
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying,
“I am the Light of the world;
he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness,
but will have the Light of life.
John 8:12
Pastor John MacArthur said this about the passage:
"Just as Isaiah had predicted eight centuries earlier,
the despised, sin-darkened, and rebellious Galileans
were the first to glimpse the Messiah,
the first to see the dawning of God’s New Covenant!
Not mighty and beautiful Jerusalem, the queen city of the Jews,
but Galilee of the Gentiles would first hear Messiah’s message.
Not the learned, proud, and pure Jews of Jerusalem,
but the mongrel, downcast, nontraditional mixed multitude of Samaria and Galilee had that great honor.
To those who were neediest,
and who were most likely to recognize their need,
Jesus went first.
The fact that Jesus began His ministry in Samaria and Galilee,
rather than in Jerusalem and Judea,
emphasizes the fact that His gospel of salvation was for the whole world…
It was no coincidence of history that “the light of the world” (John 8:12)
first proclaimed Himself in Galilee of the Gentiles.
It was in and around Galilee that Jesus had spent all but a small part of His childhood and early manhood, and it was there that His ministry first developed and began to spread.
As the new day of the gospel dawned, the first rays of light shined in Galilee"
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 11, 2023 9:23:42 GMT -5
You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 9:3
Jesus the Messiah will bring joy in the future...
specifically Israel.
The very small believers ( a small remnant)
will be increased along with their gladness and joy.
And who wouldn't be, with God in their midst!
I think when Jesus came for the first time,
this prophecy was partially fulfilled,
but when He comes again, it will be full!
For You shall break the yoke of their burden
and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor,
as at the battle of Midian
Isaiah 9:4
Here are listed some of the other reasons
( in addition to Jesus in their midst again)
for their joy:
Burdens broken, staffs and rods removed.
Therefore they are glad and rejoice.
But until Jesus returns, there will be no lasting peace for Israel,
and so even to this very day,
they are threatened with conflicts.
For every boot of the booted warrior
in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood,
will be for burning, fuel for the fire
Isaiah 9:5
During the millennium there will be no wars,
therefore the weapons and military outfits of war,
their only use will be for building fires.
And He will judge between the nations,
And will render decisions for many peoples;
And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
And never again will they learn war.
Isaiah 2:4
and
He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
Psalm 46:9
Done for Today
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Post by Cindy on Apr 11, 2023 9:52:36 GMT -5
You're doing a fantastic job Barbara, thank you!
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Post by sevenofnine on Apr 11, 2023 13:42:00 GMT -5
I agree on rumor of wars after posting about war games US doing with Phillipines China threated them right now also Russia doing war game in Artic yes in end times news forum LOL!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 12, 2023 10:21:48 GMT -5
For a child will be born to us,
a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
God in order to pay for our sins, had to take on 100% humanity
( and of course remain fully God).
The government will be during his 1000 year millennium reign.
And humans are free of the burden of ruling...because their is a burden,
even for the power hungry.
This child has in this verse 4 supreme and Divine descriptions,
descriptions that cannot be applied to just a fully human.
As to Messiah's names:
1) Wonderful counselor:
Some synonyms for wonderful counselor:
extraordinary,
incomprehensible,
marvelous,
unfathomable,
immeasurable,
inexhaustible,
limitless,
etc.
The giver of supernatural divine counsel!
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul observes them.
Psalm 119:129
and
And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words
which were falling from His lips;
and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
Luke 4:22
We need to choose which counselor we listen to.
Our parents Adam and Eve listened to an evil counselor
and thus brought sin and death to the world.
This ( Jesus) is the Creator and as such His is the supreme counsel.
we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to His purpose
who works all things
after the counsel of His will
Ephesians 1:11
and
to those who are the called,
both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God
and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:24
2) Mighty God
Indeed the tiny newborn Jesus was: mighty God,
having Divine power!
In fact, we can also decern, there is No warrior enemy or power,
greater than God!
No other entity created everything.
Ah Lord God! Behold,
You have made the heavens and the earth
by Your great power
and by Your outstretched arm!
Nothing is too difficult for You
Jeremiah 32:17
and
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle
Psalm 24:8
I will look at the other 2 names tomorrow God willing.
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Post by Cindy on Apr 13, 2023 10:45:30 GMT -5
good one! Check out my reply in Christian chat!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 13, 2023 12:56:43 GMT -5
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Today I am looking at the last two characteristics of
the 'child born to us',
who is Jesus the Messiah
Those two characteristics are:
3) Eternal Father:
This is not an human only father
because no human father is:
The Father of Eternity!
Jesus is not God the Father,
Rather:
I and the Father are one.
John 10:30
but to us,
His children
( that were given to Jesus,
and for whom He paid for,
by His death and resurrection)
Jesus acts like a Father....
and
Jesus IS Eternal.
he is like a father to us,
in that,
He protects us,
instructs us with His Word,
He is compassionate,
He loves us,
He is our Provider,
etc.
He is also a Father forever!
you have not received
a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,
but you have received
a spirit of adoption as sons
by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!
Romans 8:15
and backtracking a little:
He will be called:
1) Wonderful Counselor
some synonyms for wonderful:
Stunning,
incredible,
miraculous,
unimaginable,
inconceivable,
mind-boggling,
staggering,
etc.
He is THE PERFECT teacher/councilor!
Why go to anyone else but the absolute best!
Now onto number four
4) The Prince of Peace
Because we sinned we are at War...
with God!
Jesus is the one who brings peace
(with God, tho we still have tons of human wars)
now when we are saved...
Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:1
and Jesus will bring peace in the future.
Today everything seems in a ruinous condition and getting worse by the day,
however, let us not forget, who is the absolute: Prince of Peace.
Jesus birth speaks of His peace:
Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men
with whom He is pleased.
Luke 2:14
And Jesus gave us this promise:
Peace I leave with you;
My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives
do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled,
nor let it be fearful.
John 14:27
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383
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Post by fearnot on Apr 14, 2023 13:25:05 GMT -5
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:7
Jesus rule will be forever, eternal,
and ever increasing.
Not only will there be endless peace, justice and righteousness
but he will infinitely produce new and wonderful things,
we will never be 'bored'
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly
beyond all that we ask
or think,
according to the power that works within us,
Ephesians 3:20
Since His rule will be forever,
it goes beyond the millennium into the New Heavens and New Earth.
The Lord sends a message against Jacob,
and it falls on Israel.
Isaiah 9:8
The Northern Kingdom is also known as Jacob, Israel, and/or Ephraim.
Not a 'good' message...rather, it is 'against Israel.
Done for Today
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