Category Archives: Jerusalem & Zion

The Revelation of Isaiah, Isaiah 24, Part 4 of 5

Posted on by
Reply

God has many ways to make our sins come down on our own ears. One those, which is prominently addressed in Isaiah 24 is the land, the earth, being cursed because of our sins, which of course has been the case from the first.

Of course another way that God sometimes uses to bring the fruits of our sins down on us is of war. Both the gospels of Matthew and Luke make it clear that Jerusalem will be destroyed because of the sins of the Jewish nation in rejecting their own Messiah, Jesus the Christ.

But the gospel discussions of the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD also kind of slides into a discussion of the end of the world. Many seem to miss the point, but it seems that the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD is also symbolic of the way it will be at the end of this present world.

Listen to this lesson here, or click on the player to download as a podcast.

Of course these are terrible things that have happened to the Jews, even though significant numbers have been converted to Christ down through the Christian age.

In the end there will be a complete turnaround of the Jews. Jeremiah pictures a day when,

“At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of ALL the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.” Jer 31:1

Of course, that day has not happened YET! It will only happen after a time of severe stress for both Christians and Jews, and of that day it says.

“Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.” Jer 31:2.

This is not about a so-called millennial kingdom, but rather of the time when a very stubborn people at last turn to their own Messiah, and bring about a complete world turnaround for the church of Jesus of Nazareth the Christ of God. Then will be fulfilled what it says in Dan 2:35, that the church/kingdom will “fill the whole earth.”

The full story, of both how the Jews got side tracked, and how at last they will be turned around, is told in my third book, Jewish Chronicles. Available from your book seller.

The Faithful City Has Become a Harlot, Isaiah chapters 1 and 2, Part 3 of 5

Posted on by
Reply

Harlotry is a big subject in Scripture, and Harlotry in the Old Testament Hebrew sense, includes not only women, but also men, and it includes all types of promiscuous behavior.

Also there is the Great Harlot in Scripture. She is symbolized by ancient Tyre and Sidon. She is a Religio-Commercial-Political entity which has dominated world trade, and many nations, evidently since pre-Christian times.

But God is going to relieve Himself of His enemies, and is going to restore the Jews to faithfulness in His Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth. Scripture tells us these things will happen at some point in the Christian Age, when the Jews are in great distress.

Audio lesson”

Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.

These issues are dealt with in detail in my third book, Jewish Chronicles. The discussion there starts with how the Jews got off track from faithfulness to their God, and where this has led, and where this is going.

Available from your bookseller. See also reviews at this website under the “About the Books” tab.

Psalm 69, Of David and the Christ, Part 5 of 5

Posted on by
Reply

An audio lesson.


Press play to listen to the podcast, or right click to download it as a podcast.

The last part of Psalm 69 not only has to do with the Christ and you and I, but it also seems to have to do with the Jews as a nation. It speaks strangely of things which seem to have FAILED concerning the nation of Israel. But is it a failure of a prophecy which we see here, or is it merely something which has not happened YET!

The subject of the Jews turning to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, is discussed in detail in my third book, Jewish Chronicles, How the Jewish Nation will turn in faith to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, Well Before the Second Coming. It will bring glorious times to the gospel and the Jewish people, and will bring an era of great prosperity to the entire world. Available from your bookseller.

The Slave Woman’s Son, Genesis 21

Posted on by
Reply

An audio lesson.

Addressing the twin subjects of prophecy: “Present Jerusalem,” and “Jerusalem Above.” Both are subjects of both Old Testament and New Testament prophecy. This conflict will be resolved in history when the Jews as a nation accept their own Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God.

Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.
The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.

The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.

The story of how the Jews became sidetracked, and how they will finally turn as a nation to Jesus of Nazareth, is told in Jewish Chronicles, available from your bookseller.

Psalm 46, A Synopsis of Revelation, Part 4

Posted on by
Reply

“God is in her midst.” Psa 46:5a

The first point here is that God is with this city of God, “In her midst.” Zechariah speaks of “the daughter of Zion,” Zech 2:10; and says,

There is of course much more to the book of Revelation than is told in Psalm 46, and the basics of how to approach these subjects is what the book Revealing the Christian Age is all about. Available from your bookseller.

“… and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that Yahweh of Hosts has sent me to you. ”
Zech 2:11

Moses said a similar thing to Israel of old.

”You shall not be scared of them; for Yahweh your God is in the midst of you, a great and awesome God.”
Deut 7:21

And he counseled Israel,

“for Yahweh your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.”
Deut 23:14

So for instance in context Moses says they must bury their excrement, lest God walking through the camp see any unclean thing and be offended, and leave.

So you have to be holy!

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
Heb 12:14 KJV

Oh? What does that mean? It means first of all that you cannot be in filthiness, sexually or figuratively. You cannot be walking in hatred of God or man, or in malice and anger. Further, to really be holy you must be washed in the blood of the lamb, Rev 7:14. You have to be living a committed life to the Lord, trusting Him to make good what is missing.

“She shall not be moved” Psa 46:5b

Of the assault on the city in Zechariah it is so.

“For thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. “ Zech 2:8

Further,

“ … I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.”
Zech 12:3 NASB 95 ed.

It is related to staying with the Lord

“I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
Psa 16:8

But also there are tragedies in “the city,”in both
the Old and New Testaments

In the Old Testament Jerusalem was nearly taken in Hezekiah’s time, and was taken, and destroyed in the time of King Zedekiah, 2Kings 25. Similarly in Revelation 11 all “the city” but the inner court of the temple is trampled underfoot foot.

“… They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.,” Rev 11:2d

Naturally, “the city” of Revelation ultimately is “Jerusalem that is above,” Gal 4:26, Revelation 21, but additionally physical Jerusalem may also be in view in Revelation 11. Further it says of the beast,

“It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. …” Rev 13:7a

And to overcome them? I thought God was with the city?

So what gives?

Is this psalm false, or is Revelation true or not?

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version of 1611

Psalm 46, A Synopsis of Revelation, 3 of 9

Posted on by
Reply

“There is a river, the streams of which
make the city of God glad,

“The holy place of the tents of the Most High. ”
Psa 46:5

Psalm 87 speaks of Zion as the city of God

“2 Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God.”
Psa 87:2-3

Mount Zion is in essence “capital hill” in Jerusalem. There it was that Solomon’s temple was built to the Lord. There the kings palaces were built. Plainly many passages speak of Jerusalem as God’s city. For instance,

“Blessed be Yahweh from Zion,
Who dwells at Jerusalem.
Praise Yah!”
Psa 135:21

But there is something unsettling about this!

Because you see, Jerusalem is built on a mountain top! There are no major rivers on mountain tops. In fact Jerusalem was so water poor that it was big news when a tunnel was built to a spring outside the walls of Jerusalem. So a “a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad”? Of what could that be speaking?

But of course there are two Jerusalems

Paul also writes of these things.

“25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
Gal 4:25-26

So there is a Jerusalem “that exists now,” a Jerusalem below if you will, of this physical world, which is compared to a Jerusalem which is “above.” Jerusalem below is mentioned in Isaiah chapter 1. Isaiah speaks of “the daughter of Zion” being isolated in Isa 1:8. Then Isaiah addresses the rulers and people of what we might call Jerusalem “below.”

“Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!”
Isa 1:10

But Isaiah is not speaking of the actual Sodom and Gomorrah, but of Israel and Judah. There are many passages in both the Old and New Testament that address either Jerusalem below, or Jerusalem above. Matthew writes of some coming out of the tombs at Jesus death, and says,

“and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. ”
Mtt 27:53

And yes, once again Jerusalem will again become “the holy city.”

After the end of this universe, and it has passed away with a roar (2Pe 3:10-12), then we see coming down out of heaven a new Jerusalem.

“1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, …”
Rev 21:1-2

And there is a river there!

“He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,”
Rev 22:1

So there is indeed river which makes glad the city of God.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Jews, Tragedy and Glory to Come, 3 of 3

Posted on by
Reply

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament testify
everywhere to the sins of the Jews

Moses laid it out.

“32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,
Of the fields of Gomorrah:
Their grapes are grapes of gall,
Their clusters are bitter:
33 Their wine is the poison of serpents,
The cruel venom of asps.”
Deut 32:32-33

A later Jewish prophet also noted,

“14 … the Jews; 15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:”
1Thes 2:14-15 KJV

All of this will turn around during a time of great stress

One day the Jews will wake up! It all be in a time of severe stress on the Jews worldwide. Also it seems this will be preceded by severe persecution of Christians worldwide. This is discussed at length in Jewish Chronicles, available from your bookseller.

“When you are in oppression, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice:”
Deut 4:30

The KJV incorrectly translates this as a conditional promise, but it is an UNFULFILLED statement of what WILL BE! The next one is unambiguous even in the KJV.

“Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.”
Deut 30:6

There will be a dramatic spiritual turnaround for the Jews, which will result in a dramatic flourishing of Christianity both in Israel and all around the world.

The great time of stress will evidently
begin with severe worldwide
persecution of Christians!

This is too big a topic to condense into a short article, but it does seem to indicate the persecution of Christians precedes the assault on Israel, but is dealt with in “Jewish Chronicles.”

The Jewish survivors of this great time of stress, will build
Israel into a mighty worldwide power

“In that day, Yahweh’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel.”
Isa 4:2

They will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations.

“… I will send such as escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, who have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.”
Isa 66:19

There are many other passages to quote.

Here is the promise, written about 1400 BC

“40 If they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me, 41 … if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity; 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.” Lev 26:40-42

Only the truth will make the Jews … or you and me … free!

New and better days are coming for the Jews, all in their Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

The Jews, Tragedy and Glory to Come, 2 of 3

Posted on by
Reply

When the Messiah came, He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies of His first coming. That included betrayal by a friend (Psalms 55 and 69), a judicial murder (Isaiah 53), and death by crucifixion (Psalm 22), and many other things which the reader search out and see for himself.

At first the common people among the Jews enthusiastically accepted the Messiah, but their leadership opposed Him, and arranged His murder, exactly as predicted in the Old Testament. They then worked ruthlessly to suppress Christianity, and anyone involved. Some believed in their Messiah, but the majority were intimidated into submission … even to this day.

Then other paths to worldly power were pursued

Still wanting that worldly preeminence that was promised them, but unwilling walk in righteousness and truth, many Jews turned to dark deeds for preeminence and power. That included the occult, revolutions, and oppressing and exploiting those gullible goyim the people of the nations whenever they felt they could get by with it.

Then the Jews met with a series of cataclysmic
judgments from God

As with most nations in history, many judgements for the sins of peoples come in smaller setbacks and desolations. Beyond such things, three huge disasters are spoken of for the Jews. Two have already happened, and one is yet to come.

The first was the destruction of Judah
and Jerusalem in 586 BC

After centuries of patient warning being sent to them through God’s servants the prophets, God finally brought the hammer down. First the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered and deported in 722 BC, never to return to their land.

“Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.”
2Kgs 17:20

All of which had been predicted by God’s prophets, whom the people and ruler had rejected. Then came total desolation and deportation of Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC, after multiple rejected opportunities to turn around.

The second great desolation was the
fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD

Jewish Chronicles tells the story of how the Jews transitioned from Moses’ Law to religions of their own making, and the disastrous results this has had. Available from your bookseller.

Zechariah forecast these things, Zech 10:9-10. Also Rabbi Jesus warned,

“20 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein. 22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”
Lk 21:20-22

Jesus further predicted in 30 AD,

“They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Lke 21:24

Which is exactly what has happened over the last two thousand years. Still unwilling to accept these answers, the disastrous second century AD Bar-Cochba revolts only dug their hole deeper.

Why did this happen?

“… because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.”
Lk 19:44

They had plenty of evidence. But they just didn’t want to believe and follow.

The third tragedy is yet to come.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy Practice: Micah and the Christ, Part 9 of 12

Posted on by
Reply

The Jews reject their own Messiah

“1 Now you shall gather yourself in troops,
Daughter of troops.
He has laid siege against us;
They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.”
Mic 5:1

It almost pictures it as part of the siege against the true Zion of God.

And maybe it is. You know it was clearly forecast that the Jews would stumble over the Christ, over the Lord, Yahweh Himself, as discussed in the previous post of this series.

Is this King Zedekiah of 2Kings who is being struck?
Why or why not?

Some commentators say so.Perhaps such happened, but it must be said that there is no record of such. Additionally King Zedekiah was NOT really a “judge” of “Israel.” At best he was a Babylonian puppet king over a greatly diminished Judah.

Also Jesus is the true judge of Israel

“For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
2Cor 5:10

And that is the way Jesus pictures Himself in Matthew 25 and in many of His parables.

Of course the Messiah was to be struck

“… he was cut off out of the land of the living for the disobedience of my people to whom the stroke was due?”
Isa 53:8

And again,

“Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him …”
Isa 53:10

And the Messiah was struck

“29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.”
Mtt 27:29-30

Some would argue that the ruler of Israel was to be struck on the check by a rod, not a reed, as in the World English Bible quoted above, and also in perhaps most English Bibles, in keeping with traditions in translations. The Hebrew word used in Mic 5:1 is shevet, and it is a word used for a rod or a club or a staff/scepter such as kings used.

The word “reed” used in the Gospels for striking Jesus is kalamos, and is word used in the New Testament of both “reeds” and pens made of reeds, but it is also of a measuring rod in Rev 11:1, and Rev 21:15-16. Here it could be also be translated as either a “rod” of a “staff.” The New American Standard Version, 95 ed., says in footnote “Or staff, i.e. to mimic a king’s scepter.” The NIV does translate it as “staff.” “The New English Translation also translates it as a staff, and their footnote refers to the standard New Testament Greek lexicon.

So Mic 5:1 clearly can be taken of Jesus.

I think Jesus is the ruler of Israel who is struck on the cheek with a rod in Mic 5:1, and He indeed is the true judge of Israel, and of you and me.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy Practice: Micah and the Christ, Part 8 of 12

Posted on by
Reply

Now the nationS gather aginst Israel in Micah 4, she defeated them, and took their profits, and dedicated them to the Lord God of Glory. Remember it said,

This distress in which most of the Jews perish, and those left both win the conflict and turn to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth as the true Messiah of Israel, is within history! This is discussed in detail in Jewish Chronicles., to be released in the fall of 2020.

“Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion;
For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hoofs brass;
And you will beat in pieces many peoples:
And I will devote their gain to Yahweh,
And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.”
Mic 4:13

But there are evidently TWO giant assemblies of the nationS against BOTH the Jews and Christians, that are discussed in Scripture.

One of these is the great distress of the Jews in which they turn to the Lord as a group, Deut 4:30, Deut 30:6, Zech 10:11-12, and so on. This time evidently also includes a major assault on Christianity world-wide. This happens within history, and seems to be the assault described in Micah 4.

The second great assembly of the nationS against both the Jews and all Christians is, of course, at the end of this universe, as described in the Gospels, and Revelation 20, and all through the Old Testament. It is addressed in all three of my books on prophecy and especially in Revealing the Christian Age.

But first comes the rejection of their own Messiah by the Jews,
AS FORETOLD IN SCRIPTURE!

It is a broad subject in Scripture. Isaiah says, speaking of the Lord,

“14 He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 Many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.”
Isa 8:14-15

Certainly that is exactly what has happened over the last two thousand years.

Now you can say that this is just about Yahweh, the Lord God Himself, but it is in the grand context of the Messiah, all the way from being born of virgin in Isaiah 7, to again speaking of the Messiah’s birth as a “child” in Isaiah 9, and saying of this “child,”

“… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ”
Isa 9.6

The son, the child is called Mighty God, and Everlasting Father! The child … even in the Old Testament … is clearly God. As the apostle John put it,

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.”
Jn 1:1-5

And again,

“10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.”
Jn 1:10-11

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901