In part one of this series we examined God dealings with America’s ancient ancestors–the children of Israel–then and their descendants now.  At this point let us be reminded that the Almighty, who had the Prophet Isaiah address his message to “Judah” and then to the “world” that He was speaking to the Jews of the Middle East at that time and to the other tribes of Israel whom He had scattered throughout the entire world for the remainder of human history.  Recall that He told both Daniel and John to “seal up” the messages He revealed to them, that they would be understood at the END OF THE AGE.  Remember also that during the time of Judah’s (the Jews’) enslavement in Babylon God told the Jewish Prophet Jeremiah that he (Jeremiah) would be relaying His (God’s) Words to the tribes of Israel.  Yet, even if he had known where they were, Jeremiah had no way to get to the Israelites who had been scattered throughout the world for over 150 years.  How was he going to teach them God’s Words addressed to them?  GOD PRESERVED JEREMIAH’S WRITINGS SO THAT TODAY WE ARE READING HIS MESSAGE.  Let us understand that a vast portion of the Old Testament was written as PROPHECY–the foretelling of FUTURE EVENTS.  God’s prophecies are dual in nature.  They came to pass anciently and are coming to pass today.

Let us also appreciate the fact that the messages written by the prophets were printed on either parchment or animal skins, both of which were subject to weather conditions.  In spite of this the Lord preserved them for thousands of years so that we today can “hear” the words of Jeremiah, Daniel, Moses and the other Old Testament prophets, as well as the New Testament apostles.  His overriding message still rings true today: “OBEY MY WORDS WHICH I HAVE PRESERVED FOR YOU.”  As stated earlier, I have seen some of those precious Words and I still marvel at what God did so that we could know what those “holy men of old (who) spoke (and wrote) as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).  There was a reason for what the Almighty did relative to the writings of the prophets.  THAT REASON IS YOU.  Let us remember these facts as we lovingly handle and study the miracle performed by our incredible God so that we can hold it in our hands.

In Isaiah 1:1-15 the Lord tells us why the so-called “Christian nations,” particularly the United States, are disintegrating before the eyes of a God-rejecting world.  But there is hope, and it has nothing to do with a global revival.  In fact, the Truth-seekers only hope will depend in large part on fleeing what the coming revival will offer–MORE COUNTERFEIT RELIGION.  Remember Christ’s Words recorded in Matthew 24:4,5–FALSE PROPHETS WILL PERSUADE THE MASSES TO FOLLOW SATAN, just as they have been doing for 1700 years.  Let us turn to verse 16 and learn how we individually and nationally can escape the spiritual ravages of the “revival” that might be coming.  Regarding the word “revival,” the suffix “viva” means to live.  The prefix “re” means to do again.  “REVIVAL” MEANS TO RAISE THE DEAD.  The modern version of Christianity is a dead version of true Christianity.  A “revival” would simply bring the dead version back to life.  This is the one thing this world does not need.  This world needs to believe and obey God’s Word, not what is proclaimed by the counterfeit church.

In verse 16 the Lord speaks, telling the church sinners to “wash yourselves, clean yourselves up,” to stop doing, thinking and saying evil things before His eyes.  A good place to start would be to obey the 4th Commandment–HIS COMMAND CONCERNING HIS SABBATH.  The Apostle James wrote that to disobey ONE commandment is the same as disobeying ALL of them (2:10), making one a “worker of iniquity–Lawlessness” (Mat. 7:23).  Remember also that Jesus told the rich man that because he broke ONE COMMANDMENT, he could not receive eternal life, this in spite of the fact that he obeyed the other nine commandments, causing Jesus to “love him” (Mk. 20,21).  As the Apostle James said, “But be ye doers of the Word (Law–2:10) and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (1:21,22).  Translation: owning, reading, quoting, preaching, etc. the Holy Word means nothing if it is not BELIEVED AND OBEYED.

In verses 17,18 God tells the backslider to “Learn (from His Word) to DO well.  God calls us to reason (agree) with Him.  Though one’s sins may be many and horrific, turning from one’s evil ways and following Him can make those sins go away and be replaced with the purity of holiness that results from obeying God’s Law.  Sin is the breaking of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4).  At this point let us review what God told Israel (and us) at a time when she was enduring His wrath because of her sins: “If I shut up heaven so that there is no rain, or if I send locusts to devour your land, or if I send a deadly disease on My people; IF My people, who are called by My name, will HUMBLE THEMSELVES, PRAY, SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN (AND ONLY THEN) I WILL HEAR THEIR PRAYERS, FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND HEAL THEIR LAND” (2 CHRON. 7:13,14).  

If this uber-religious, God-rejecting nation does not have a real revival and return to the Truth found in the Holy Bible, then verse 20 will come into play: “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword (war); for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”  China, Russia and the nations of the Middle East are waiting for inner rot to weaken the United States to the point of no return.  Then they will strike.  Two more years of spiritual and political liberalism will render her unable to win a war.

If the citizens of this so-called “Christian nation” do not cry out to God from a kneeling position, repent of their sins, turn from Satan and his Catholic/Protestant religion, enter God’s strait gate and walk His narrow path, then defeat, destruction, death and enslavement will come upon them and consume them.  Know this: THE DEADLY, SELF-INFLICTED WOUND WILL HAVE BEEN SENT BY GOD.  L.J.