This appears to be a lesson on the logical order of betrayal, destruction, and salvation of God’s chosen people, as seen throughout the Bible and prophesied about the end times. It examines Isaiah 1-2, which describes the betrayal of God’s people, their destruction by Gentile nations as punishment, but also promises future salvation and restoration. The pattern of betrayal leading to destruction leading to salvation is seen repeatedly, from the Old Testament all the way through prophecies about the Second Coming of Christ. Key concepts covered include the “remnant seed” who remain faithful, Zion as the place of salvation where all nations will come to learn, and the ultimate triumph of peace over war. The lesson draws parallels between the Old Testament prophecies in Isaiah and their fulfillment during the First Coming of Christ, in order to understand how that pattern will repeat during the Second Coming. Believers are encouraged to self-reflect and see themselves represented accurately in the Biblical narratives, especially in the Book of Revelation’s prophecies about the end times. The focus is on recognizing one’s role in these prophetic events.

 

Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

Logical Order of the Betrayal, Destruction and Salvation of the Chosen People

Isaiah 1:1-2:4, 2 Thes 2

I wanted to take some time for a short, tiny activity. Because in the last lesson, we went over something very deep.

I’d love to know your thoughts on what we discussed in the previous lesson. So, if you can, write down three things you found surprising about the last lesson on a sheet of paper. Also, note down any questions you may have.

If you have questions, please write them down. I want us to self-reflect on these things. Let’s take two minutes.

Let’s take some time to self-reflect. What are two or three quick things that really grabbed your attention? And what questions do you have? This way, we can ensure we’re digesting what we talked about in the last lesson.

Please send the questions you have to your evangelist. We’ll address these specific questions during the Q&A session. And for the points that surprised you, also send those to your evangelist and discuss them in your next one-on-one.

Let’s get into the habit of practicing this self-reflection on what we’ve learned. If we’re not doing this already, I know many of you already are. But for some of us, having a little structure for self-reflecting on the lesson, especially one that covers deep topics, can be helpful.

 

Preview

One of the significant takeaways from the previous lesson is that betrayal, destruction, and salvation are not solely related to the second coming but have been occurring throughout the Bible. It is the fundamental logic of how creation and recreation transpire in the Bible, and it has been happening all along.

We may not have fully comprehended it in this manner previously. However, due to the time of the end, we can now make connections that occurred even in the past.

Today, we will explore two critical chapters in the Bible, Isaiah 1:1, all the way through Isaiah 2:4.

We will read the entirety of Isaiah chapter 1 and then the first 4 verses of Isaiah chapter 2. Recall our discussion about God’s preferred method of writing His books: He informs us about what He is about to convey or summarizes the conclusion of the entire book.

Subsequently, we receive the book itself, and at the end, there is a summary of what transpired within the book.

Revelation follows a similar structure, where chapter 1 serves as a summary, particularly the first 8 verses. From verse 9 of Revelation 1 through Revelation chapter 20, we encounter the events.

Revelation 21 and 22 then summarize what was discussed. We will delve into these details more thoroughly later, but for now, it helps us understand how God summarizes, then narrates, and finally recapitulates what He has conveyed. 

Today’s focus is on rebellion, destruction, and salvation, and how they unfold.

By comprehending how these events will occur during the second coming through understanding how they transpired in the past, we gain insight. And, of course, this happens to those who are the chosen people. Again, from God’s perspective, the chosen people are whoever upholds the current covenant or possesses the current covenant.

We should be familiar with 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, where the Apostle Paul discusses the rebellion, destruction, and salvation that must occur during the second coming.

Our hope is to understand the fulfillment of Isaiah 1:1, through Isaiah 2:4, and how it happened during the first coming, and then observe how its logic also applies to the second coming.

Generally, the Old Testament points to the first coming, while the New Testament points to the second coming. This is a general principle. Sometimes, there are prophecies in the Old Testament that point toward the second coming, but generally, when we read something in an Old Testament book, it was fulfilled during the first coming.

We know that certain things from the Old Testament are referring to the second coming because people at the time of the first coming spoke about that matter in a future sense. For example, Daniel prophesied about a beast emerging from the sea and entering a holy place, which was in the Old Testament. However, in Matthew 24, Jesus mentions that prophecy from Daniel in the context of the signs of the second coming. So, what Daniel saw was actually a vision of the second coming, and Jesus referenced it concerning the signs of the second coming.

While the Old Testament sometimes looks toward the second coming, the vast majority of Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled during the first coming of Jesus. The logic that God established, His fingerprint, can be seen through the words of the Old Testament, at the time of the first coming, and at the time of the second coming as well. By understanding the Old Testament and the first coming, we can better comprehend the second coming.

That is why we are going into such great detail about events that occurred in the past, so that we can also understand the future.

5 Key Points to Understand Rebellion, Destruction, and Salvation

 

1. Vision Concerning Judah and Jerusalem

 

The Bible has something amazing that sets it apart from many other religious texts. Unlike some religious texts that are more like fables beginning with “once upon a time,” the Bible provides specific details about when, where, why, and how events occurred. This detailed account of God’s interaction with His people demonstrates that the Bible is not a storybook but a factual record.

This is the reason why genealogy is included in the Bible. The parts that we often skip over, where it lists one person being the father of another, and so on, might seem tedious, but they are important. These genealogies let us know how much time has passed between the key people God has been using.

In verse one of the book of Isaiah, we encounter the key word “vision.” This word should clue us into the fact that we are about to read prophecy. When reading prophecy, we should keep a few things in mind:

 

1. God uses parables, as mentioned in Hosea 12:10.
2. God uses historical events that have already happened to point to future events that have not yet occurred.

 

God uses things that the people of that time could relate to and understand, so they could expect something similar in the future. For the people who existed when these words were written, they were physically enslaved in Babylon, and Babylon had physically destroyed them.

God used events that happened to the Israelites in reality to point to what will happen to their descendants in the future. The book of Isaiah is not about current events, although to the untrained spiritual eye, it may seem that way. 

Instead, it is a vision, a dream, a parable, a prophecy about the future, using historical events as the foundation to spell out the prophecy. An example of this in the time of Revelation is the use of the word “Babylon.”

Babylon is not a nation that exists anymore; that nation went extinct a long time ago. Yet, it appears in the book of Revelation, which is a prophecy.

So, we should not think that the nation of Babylon will reappear and apply for a charter at the UN. We are Babylon. We exist at this location, with our constitution. That is not what will happen.

Instead, a place will appear that will be like the spiritual Babylon of the past. That is what we should keep in mind. Now, let’s break down the verse in Isaiah chapter 1.

So, who wrote the book of Isaiah? It was Isaiah, the son of Amos, and he existed during the time of these key kings. You can read about these kings, such as Hezekiah, king of Judah, Jotham, and Ahaz, in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings. The book of Isaiah actually exists during the same time as 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings.

Those events were happening around that time. One misconception about the Old Testament is that it doesn’t span as much time as it seems. In fact, the last event of the Old Testament was Ezra, who brought the people back into Israel. Ezra’s book is like a book in the middle of the Old Testament, but chronologically, Ezra brought people back into Israel, and then there was about 400 years before Jesus.

The main point here is that Isaiah existed during the time of the kings and before the slavery in Babylon. When was it written? Approximately 2700 years ago from us, but 700 years before Jesus was born. The context of the book of Isaiah is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It is pointing about a future time, which means parables will be used. Guess what? Judah and Jerusalem are also parables.

We should not be thinking literally as we’re reading this. We should be thinking figuratively, but when you think figuratively, you should also think that there is a reality. Thinking figuratively always points to real people, real events, and real places.

The context for the reason why Isaiah takes place this way is because of what happened in 1 Kings 11. That’s really sad. What happened in 1 Kings 11? Solomon brought Gentile gods into God’s land, breaking God’s covenant with the people. After this event takes place, let’s look at the context. This is a map of what Israel looked like during the time of the kings.

During that time, Israel was divided. In 1 Kings 11, God said to Solomon, “Because you have done this in Israel, I will tear the kingdom away from the hands of your son. I will leave you one tribe, but the other tribes will be gone.”

Consequently, Israel split into two. Eleven tribes formed the northern kingdom of Israel, while the tribe of Judah remained in the southern kingdom.

In the south, the city of Jerusalem was located. Those who considered themselves true Jews, faithful to God, migrated to the south as well. Places like Samaria and Galilee were in the north, regions that the Jewish people at the time of Jesus’ first coming disliked.

These northern areas, including places significant to Jesus’ ministry, were inhabited by people who intermingled with Gentiles, which the southern Jews disapproved of. This explains why they did not like the Samaritans and Galileans, although such distinctions were unimportant to Jesus, who mixed with everyone.

After the nation split into northern Israel and southern Judah, with Jerusalem in the south, the warring nations of Assyria and Babylon invaded and destroyed these people, enslaving them for 70 years. This was a truly sad occurrence for the people.

It is essential to keep these historical events in mind, as they will be important for understanding the context. That covers the first verse, and we have just begun.

So, let us continue on.

2. The Betrayal of the Chosen People Reared by God

We should be seeing this with new eyes now that we’re learning the open word.

To rear means to raise, like a parent does to a child. That’s what rear means. So God is saying, my people have betrayed me.

Those whom I raised, those whom I brought out of Egypt, as I promised I would do. Those to whom I gave a great many possessions and granted them a great land to dwell in. Those to whom I gave my covenant, they have now betrayed me.

Even an ox knows its master, and the donkey its owner’s manger. But my people are worse than that because they don’t even know me. And they have become a sinful nation.

Of course, this happened in Israel’s history, in 1 Kings 11, and a little bit throughout too, all the way since the time of Moses. The people struggled. And at the time of Solomon, it was the biggest struggle.

So yes, this happened in history. But remember, God said something key here that should continue to remind us that we’re actually reading a prophecy about the future. Two things are important here.

In verse 4, it says, “they have forsaken the Lord. They have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.” Why did God use “Him” here instead of “me”?

Because the “Him” he’s talking about is Jesus.

So we’re reading about a prophecy. The Holy One of Israel is Jesus.

So it’s a prophecy about Jesus. We should be thinking of his first coming as we’re reading this. But yes, they definitely also betrayed during the time when these words were recorded.

ONE – Heaven and Earth

At the beginning of verse 2, it says, “Hear, O heavens, listen, O earth.” So, we know it’s referring to heaven and earth figuratively. What should we understand by “earth” in this context?

Heaven: Spritits in the Spiritual World and on earth, Tabernacle of the Chosen People in the Physical World

Earth: Flesh (Saints)

However, when referring to heaven in the spiritual world, it primarily means spirits. The verse is saying, “Listen, heaven, and listen, earth.” It’s a decree from God about His people.

What did God say? He declared that they have sinned against Him, becoming a sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to destruction. This represents the reality at the time of the first coming.

But what is heaven when it’s in the spiritual world? It’s spirits.

And on earth, it’s tabernacle of the chosen people in the physical world. But it’s primarily talking about spirits because it’s saying listen.

So listen, heaven, and listen, earth. I have a decree about my people. And what did God say?

That they have sinned against Him. They become a sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to destruction. So what is the reality of this at the time of the first coming?

TWO – Conflict between Jesus and the Jews (Tribe of Judah)

 

Isaiah 29:9-13 ——> John 8

 

For the sake of time, we won’t read all of these verses because we have a lot to cover today. However, we’ll provide a quick summary. At the time of the first coming, when the Holy One appeared, the people at that time went to war against Him.

Remember, John 8 is a critical passage about the war between those who were Jews at the time versus Jesus and His disciples. So there was conflict between them.

There was conflict between Jesus and the Jews, also known as the tribe of Judah, those who were in the south. Jesus said, “Why don’t you hear me? You don’t hear me because God is no longer your father. Satan is now your father. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires.”

They were doing this. There was war between Jesus and them at that time. And this was the very war that was promised and would take place throughout the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 29 talks about the sealed word. If you remember correctly, the sealed word is what is discussed in Isaiah 29. So the sealed word versus Jesus’s opened word was going to war.

THREE – Choicest Vibes —-> Bad fruit

During that era, the people could not comprehend the things God was doing. However, Jesus certainly could. The people of that time represented God’s garden.

They were the choicest vines, those that God had nurtured and raised, but had now become corrupt. So Isaiah 5:1-2 is a figurative parable about God’s vineyard, which we read in the previous lesson.

The content remains the same here. The choicest vines that produced bad fruit. So what does God decide to do in this situation?

FOUR – His own did not receive Him (Holy One of Israel)

In John 1:11, it says, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” So God decided those who will receive him will become His children. Those who receive His Son, who receive Him, also known as the Holy One of Israel.

Those who spurned Him will be held accountable. So the second main point is the betrayal of the chosen people reared by God.

After betrayal comes destruction.

3. Destruction of the Chosen People by the Gentiles

The destruction of the chosen people by the Gentiles is a significant event. It’s important to remember that God can utilize and does utilize anyone and anything for His purpose, doesn’t He? Even those who are carrying out actions that may not be considered good, God can still use them too, as demonstrated throughout the Bible.

Let us comprehend how God permitted the Gentiles to bring about the destruction of the chosen people.

God laments about what has happened to His people. He questions, “Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in these actions that cause you to be beaten? Why do you persist in your rebellion?”

Your cities and fields are burned with fire. Everything about you has been destroyed. After betrayal, destruction always comes.

God uses a tool to judge and destroy. Let’s see an example in Isaiah 10:5. Keep your finger here in Isaiah 1, as we’ll come back to it.

ONE – Assyria = Club of my wrath

Assyria figuratively represents the club or instrument through which God’s wrath was fulfilled. It can be said that Assyria contained or embodied God’s wrath. As a result, God allowed Assyria to destroy Israel, which was a prophecy or parable of His wrath. The word “my wrath” and the phrase “my being God’s” refer to how Babylon, like Assyria, was also an instrument through which God’s wrath was manifested, as extensively discussed in the book of Isaiah. 

TWO – The chosen people who betrayed —> The shepherds and people of Jerusalem (Israelites)

So what happens to the chosen people? Who were the chosen people who betrayed at the time of the first coming, when this was fulfilled?

We can identify them as the shepherds and people of Jerusalem, the Israelites at the time of the first coming.

THREE – Who destroyed like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Teachers of the Law

Who were the Gentiles or foreigners who destroyed them at the first coming?

Oh, this is an interesting point. Let me explain a concept that I think will help us understand this better.

There are four ways a person can exist, both physically and spiritually.

Let me illustrate this by drawing four people.

Every person has a physical characteristic and a spiritual characteristic.

Every person possesses both characteristics.

In God’s eyes, there are only two groups of people: Jews and Gentiles. But here’s the thing:

These characteristics are both spiritual and physical at the same time. However, many of us paid attention only to the physical aspect because we didn’t fully understand the spiritual aspect.

From God’s perspective, there are two groups of people: Jews and Gentiles

 

Group 1 = A person can be a Jew physically, but a Gentile spiritually.
Group 2 = A person can be a Jew physically and a Jew spiritually.
Group 3 = A person can be a Gentile physically, but a Jew spiritually.
Group 4 = A person can be both a Gentile physically and spiritually.

 

At the time of the first coming, who were each of these groups of people?

 

Group 1 = Those who were physically Jews but spiritually Gentiles were those who rejected Jesus.
Group 2 = Those who were physically Jews and remained spiritually Jews were those who accepted Jesus.
Group 3 = Those who were physically Gentiles but became spiritually Jews were those who also accepted Jesus, like us. I don’t know if there are any Jewish people in the class, but that’s us. That’s everybody else who accepted Jesus.
Group 4 = Those who were physically Gentiles and remained spiritually Gentiles were the non-believers who weren’t Jewish. So, at the first coming, those who rejected Jesus became, in God’s eyes, spiritual Gentiles. If we turn to Romans chapter 2, we’ll see this clearly.

At the time of Jesus’ first coming, the standard of who was considered Jewish in God’s eyes changed. It was no longer solely about being physically Jewish that determined someone as God’s chosen person, but rather those who accepted Jesus. They are the ones who continued to be regarded as Jewish in God’s eyes, even if they were not physically Jewish.

By God’s grace, we all became spiritually Jewish by believing in Jesus. So when I say Gentile here, let’s go back to the main point. I’m actually talking spiritually, not physically anymore at this point.

At the time of the first coming, who were the spiritual Gentiles that destroyed the chosen people? Those who were Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law acted like an invading army. They destroyed the people, causing them to focus only on men’s teachings and traditions, and preventing them from accepting Jesus, who was the one they were waiting for in the first place. This was very sad. But out of these people comes those that God intends to use to do something new.

Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, there’s that concept again, right?

It goes through the whole Bible. Survivors like Noah and his seven family members. Survivors like those who actually entered the promised land.

Because not everyone who escaped Egypt was allowed to enter the promised land. Some people didn’t make it. So God always grabs those who try and remain repentant and righteous, though everyone around them is not anymore.

And God uses them to build something new.

 

1.- So who are the remnant seed at the time of the first coming?

Jesus and the twelve disciples. And God built something new with them.

 

2.- Well, then what about the time of the second coming?

New John and the twelve tribes of new spiritual Israel, also known as the 144,000 and the great multitude in white, holding palm branches in their hands. They are the ones that come out of Babylon and gather on Mount Zion.

Let us now continue in Isaiah chapter 1 and examine how God perceives the people who have betrayed and are now being destroyed, and what He chooses not to accept from them anymore.

You know, when I teach the early versions of lessons before someone joins the course, one of the lessons I really enjoy teaching is about prayer.

Some of you may have heard that lesson during your one-on-one time before you started studying. And one of the questions asked in that early lesson is, “Does God hear every prayer?” It’s often surprising when people say, “Yeah, of course.”

Then, you show them Isaiah 1:15, and they go, “Whoa.” If someone’s hands are full of blood spiritually, God is not listening to what those people are praying. And what did He say? Their sacrifices, their worship services, their celebrations, festivals – all of those things became detestable to God. They became detestable.

And God was no longer listening.

This is the reason why it’s so important to ensure someone is living right in God’s eyes and not just right in their own eyes. Because if someone is living right in their own eyes, they may be wasting their time offering things to God that He does not want or desire.

It’s almost like, let’s say, there’s a marriage relationship, and the man does all kinds of awful things to his wife. Yet, every time he comes home, he brings a gift – flowers, chocolate, food – but nothing changes about his attitude, heart, or the way he operates with her. So, though those gifts were lovely, accepted, and awesome at the beginning of the relationship, because of the person’s heart, those gifts now become disgusting. They lose their value. It’s like, “Ah, get those things away from me. I don’t want them anymore because they’re coming from someone whose heart is not really with me.”

So, if someone can continue offering, “Oh God, God, God, God, God,” but God says, “You didn’t keep my covenant, and you refuse to repent,” and even after He sent destroyers, they’re still not repenting, God cannot accept prayers, worship, or anything like that from that kind of person.

Instead, God will focus on these people – the remnant seeds, the survivors – those who are the ones who come out, not those who remain in the way they’ve always done things. Traditions tend to keep people trapped and unable to see what God needs them to do today.

What is God’s heart? It is loving and forgiving. However, God forgives only if people repent. God’s heart desires for them to repent, but God is also just. God is a judge, and He will judge. He keeps His word and cannot break it.

Yet, God’s heart pleads, “Please, come back, please. Don’t make me judge you.” It’s as if God is saying, “Please listen to what I’m saying.” Oftentimes, people think they are doing the right thing and don’t need to repent. So, what did God say? “Take up the case of the widow. Take care of the fatherless,” meaning orphans. 

Didn’t we have a parable lesson on this? It was even on our test. Who was the spiritual widow? A pastor who betrayed. And the fatherless are the congregation of the pastor who betrayed. 

“Take up their case” means go and reason with them.

Verse 18 says, “Come now, let us reason together or settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Come and repent. Come back to me.

God’s desire is for people to repent, to experience forgiveness and repentance. God desires people to be saved. That’s His heart.

But this happens by reasoning, by settling the matter. And that’s what we’re actually doing here. That’s why we say, “Come to one-on-ones. Come to small group.” When you don’t come to small group, you’re missing a key part of the class. We’re actually missing out on a lot when you skip out on small group because we get a chance to digest the lesson and ask deep questions. Come to small group.

Once a faithful city has become a harlot, has fallen, has become a prostitute. Their silver and wine, we know what silver and wine represent spiritually, right?

What does silver and wine figuratively represent when in a good position?

Silver and wine represent the word, correct? Let’s revisit those parable lessons, everyone.

Silver and wine represent the word, but the fact that they have become dross and diluted is not good. They have lost their potency. They have become dissolved.

They are no longer pertinent to God. Dross represents waste. It’s like a waste product or byproduct.

It’s valueless, meaningless.

Let’s read Revelation 9:21 to see the second coming’s equivalent of this.

In Revelation 9, we are also reading about the destruction of a chosen people. This destruction takes place at the second coming. We’ll see this in detail when we get to Revelation, but know that this is the equivalent. The people refused to repent of their sins, even though they were being judged and destroyed. This happened to Judah and Jerusalem, as mentioned in Isaiah Chapter 1.

So what do we see here?

That there is going to be judgment of those who destroyed. In Isaiah 1:24-26, it says, “I will relieve myself from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.”

“I will turn my hand against you. I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all of your impurities and restore your judges.” So there will be a judgment of those whom God had used to judge.

So, judgment of the destroyers.

But also redemption, redemption of the penitent ones.

Penitent is another way of saying repentant. Those who repent. It’s another way of saying that those who repent will be redeemed. Where?

Oh, on Zion, right? The penitent ones, those who repent, will be on Zion. Okay, we have to keep going.

So what happens to those who betray and to those who destroy?

As it says, the rebels and sinners receive judgment. And the fire that cannot be quenched represents eternal judgment.

Let’s be those who repent always.

ONE – Oaks: False Pastors

So who are the oaks and the gardens mentioned here? Oh, let’s see if we’re paying attention.

What is an oak? Is this a good tree in these passages? No.

What kind of tree is it?

You can also call it a false pastor. The opposite of John 15:1.

Or you can also say the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which produces fruits that corrupt people’s hearts.

You can tell a tree by its fruit.

TWO – Gardens = Gentile Churches

What about the gardens? They represent Gentile churches or congregations that those who betrayed become a part of.

They are becoming one with the destroyers. This definitely happens at the time of the second coming, particularly in Revelation 13.

Also, Isaiah 5:28-31, which we read about in the last lesson about God’s vineyard. So, as God says, he tells us, and then he tells us again.

THREE – The Beast Invades

When the beast invades the holy place, the people cannot fight him anymore. And they begin to worship. They’ll become assimilated.

FOUR – Quench Fire = Eternal Judgment

But God will judge all of these people. God will judge.

4. The Place All Nations Must Come to Learn

We will now examine Isaiah chapter 2. 

Chapter 1 of Isaiah discusses the downfall of Judah and Jerusalem. They began well but ended poorly. God nurtured them, yet they betrayed Him and were ultimately destroyed by the Gentiles.

However, let us focus on Isaiah chapter 2, reading through verse 4:

ONE – This is what Isaiah, the son of Amos, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in verse 1.

Oh, and then he just says all good things. What’s going on here? Because Isaiah 1:1 also mentions a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem, and it was not good things that were being talked about there.

So what’s happening? What’s happening here? Salvation.

Of whom? The chosen people.

Which chosen people? The survivors. And what does God do with those survivors?

He does something new. So Isaiah 1:1 and Isaiah 2:1 are not talking about the same people, though it seems like it. 

Though parables are used, Isaiah 2:1 talks about the chosen people who are recreated.

That’s who Isaiah 2:1 is talking about. But Isaiah 1:1 refers to the chosen people who betrayed and are destroyed – those who were created in the first place but betrayed and are destroyed. So not talking about the same people, but different people. Another way to say this is that at the time of the first coming, it was physical Israel, and those who are recreated are spiritual Israel at the first coming.

At the second coming, it’s similar. New spiritual Israel and spiritual Israel like that. The logic is the same.

TWO – So in Zechariah 8:3 and Isaiah 60:14, both talk about God’s return to Zion and God appointing one who is called Zion. That one, at the time of the first coming, is Jesus.

And Jesus builds something new with the people who were the remnant. And at this Zion, it becomes the chief mountain, and all the nations will stream to it.

And from this place, the word or the law will go out, and all nations must come to learn. All nations come. That was at the first coming.

But guess what? The logic is consistent at the second coming too. God will appoint a chief mountain as well, and all nations will stream to this place to come and learn. Not learn about who was right and who was wrong, but learn about what is being done at this time that is different than what is being done everywhere else – what God and Jesus are doing today.

5. Making Spears into Pruning Hooks

ONE – At the place where all nations will gather, there will be the work of peace.

The work of peace. So if there is a place that is welcoming and spurring on war, it is not Zion. Because that is antithetical to what is prophesied to take place.

Spears are weapons of war, and they are important for a time. Because God is at war.

But eventually, God would rather do the work of pruning hooks. What are pruning hooks tools of? They are harvesting tools. Turning spears into pruning hooks, they become tools of harvest.

It is hard to harvest during wartime, but it is possible. So the spears will become tools of harvest.

The very word “spears” represents the word of God. Pruning hooks also represent the word, by the way.

Spears that were once used to fight in the battle, to overcome, are now being used to gather people, to harvest. The same words, but with a different purpose.

This transformation must happen at the place that is truly Zion. At a place that does not say, “Yay, war,” like physical war.

Not Zion. Let’s go to Isaiah 52:7 to see this in detail.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring peace. A time when God can reign. A time when God is desperately waiting for that era to reign.

TWO – We see this, of course, in Revelation 21:1-4, when death, mourning, crying, and pain will end. No more death. No more mourning. No more crying. And no more pain at Zion. Let that be true one day sooner.

So, we covered a lot for today. But again, these were a summary of rebellion, destruction, and salvation. Right? But in more detail, and it has been going on since the beginning of the whole Bible.

Since the beginning.

 

Memorization

 

Let’s Us Discern