Isaiah 28-29

Introduction

Really 27. Those 12 chapters or so. What do you think is the main point of those? What do you get out of it?

So maybe I have one. Nobody got anything out of the day. What’s happening here? Would you say it had something to do that as Isaiah is known for talking about the holy one of Israel, as he refers to Jehovah. Is he the God only of the Israelites? Or is he the God of the world? Is he sovereign? And I think that’s one of the major points to get through that section is that as uh Isaiah even made the point for the Lord has spoken, chapter 25 and verse 8, and uh chapter 24 and verse 3. And the Lord purposed this, and the Lord has spoken, chapter 22 in the last verse. So over and over you get this thought. Well, who’s in charge? It is God, and even the others that may have come up against God’s people, they too would be brought down.

For the Lord is the one who is sovereign over all the world. But Israel, of course, are God’s chosen people to be the family out of which the Messiah would come. Consequently, the the prophecy of Isaiah is directed mainly to Judah. And of course, the the reproof against their sin, and also the promise that there would yet be a remnant that would be spared, out of which, of course, would come the Messiah and the blessings of the spiritual blessings that would come through the Messiah. Well, that’s the night is really number 11 in your workbook, which is really chapters 28 and 29. And I find that so many rich lessons really are in these two chapters. I think, of applications, even for our own days. But let’s begin reading in verse 20, chapter 28, verse 1.

1. Woe to the Crown of Pride

Where he says, woe to the crown of pride. And may I stop and write off and say, this begins six different woes that are in this section. Let me just point out, in case you’re wanted to mark them, chapter 28 and verse 1, woe to this proud people. Chapter 29, verse 1, woe to Ariel to Ariel, the city where David dwelt, which would be Jerusalem. Chapter 29 and verse 15, woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord. They try to hide from God, but they won’t succeed. Chapter 30, and then verse 1, woe to the rebellious children who would turn to Egypt for support and for help. And chapter 31, woe again to those who rely on uh who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they’re very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the Lord.

And then in chapter 33, finally, woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered. That’s of course against uh Syria itself. So you might say right here through chapter 33, there are six different woes that sort of you might say embrace this this particular section. But it starts off in in our lesson, chapter 28. Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, uh, verse one, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is at the head of the burden valleys, to those who are overcome with wine. Well, where is the capital of Ephraim? Samaria. Samaria itself. And what kind of a city geographically was it? It’s on a hill. It was on a hill. They really thought themselves that they were well fortified and would not be conquered.

And so they were lifted up with pride and with self-sufficiency and in a sense that you know they would not be overtaken. But he says their glorious beauty is like a fading flower. What a way to put it. In fact, uh verse 2 Behold the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hell, and a destroying storm, like a flood of many waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with his hand. What is that picture for you? If it was like a flood of mighty waters, like a blood, would it bring it down? Yeah, and uh in a hailstorm, a tempest. Who is this that he’s talking about? Who’s the Lord have that’s the mighty one that will bring this Samaria down?

It’s full of pride. Assyria Syria. And in what year did really Samaria fall? You know that date in your mind? That Samaria fell. Yeah, which is in the northern.

Usually we’ll say somewhere around 722, you’re correct. But it’s hard to be specific, you know. You don’t say, well, June the 3rd, 17th, and he don’t. You just have to say, well, approximately it in the time frame. They did fall. And so this this uh particularly this capital city, but which represented Ephraim as a people, had its pride and felt like it would stand, and yet the prophecy is it will fall. In fact, verse 3, the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot, and the glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is at the head of the burnant valley, the fruitful valley. Like the first fruit before the summer, which an overseer sees, he eats it up while it’s still in his hand.

2. The Priest and the Prophet Have Erred

You know, that that first one that comes good and it’s juicy, and it’s taken and eaten, and Samaria will be just like that. So you start off with these first four verses, talking about this proud uh uh Samaria itself. But what will be accomplished when that’s done? What will be made known? Verses five and six. In that day the Lord of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of his people. What are they going to see? God is in charge. Verse 6, for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. Beginning in verse 7 now, to the drunken rulers even in Judah, when he says in verse 7, but they also have erred through wine and through intoxicating drink, or out of the way.

The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink. They are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink. Evidently, at this point, even uh after uh the the fact is uh that they also seem to indicate, and certainly the priests and the prophets, that he’s including in this uh woe, even those who were in in Judah. And uh they they also, according to Leviticus chapter 10, verses 8 to 11, that it was a sin if they were to come into the tabernacle and drinking intoxicating drink. So, what’s happened to them? That they’ve gotten to the point that they would also be intoxicated when God’s law had been very specific that the priests, those who would serve in the tabernacle, would not be drinking.

What happens to them? As the latter part of verse 7, they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth, no place is clean. But their attitude? When a person is full of pride, what’s his attitude toward the word of God generally? Generally he guide himself.

God’s word is fine, that’s good. There are people who today would say, I believe the Bible, but let’s not be too conservative with it. Let’s not be too narrow-minded about it. So in verses 9 and 10, it’s kind of raised the question, maybe from their own point of view, whom will he teach? Knowledge. Whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from breast. Well, precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little. That probably expresses more their attitude. You know, the Bible is just uh it’s too too it’s too narrow. And really it cannot teach us anything. We have wisdom, we know kind of what to do.

Uh does he think we’re just babes, just weaned? That we’re just just off of the milk of the breast. Are we are we uh unable to think for ourselves? Uh his message is probably too elementary. His message is too legalistic for that matter. We heard that said today. There are many preachers and teachers and hearers today who have a tendency to consider parts of God’s word as being rather insignificant. And you know, they select for themselves what they will observe and they eliminate what they want to disregard. But that was that’s not just new to our generation of time. Evidently that was more their attitude then. And so in verse 11, he says, What will God teach them? How will he teach them? With stammering lips, he will speak to this people, to whom he said, This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest.

And this is the refreshing. Yet they would not hear. But the word of the Lord was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they might go and fall backward and be broken and snared and caught. So he almost repeats, doesn’t he? Second time in this same chapter. But what he’s saying to them is that just as the Lord had promised rest, and he had promised refreshing to those who were faithful to him. He’s made that promise very clear, but they would not hear. You see the statement. It’s given to them, but the last phrase of verse 12, they would not hear God’s word. And therefore, because uh that really it was too simple and too legalistic, what really is going to happen to them is that they’re gonna fall backward.

3. A Covenant With Death and a Sure Foundation

They indeed turn away from God, they fall into apostasy. And as a nation, what did they do? As a nation, they turned to idolatry eventually. In fact, under Ahab was a terrible time for Judah. Not only did he, of course, encourage idolatry, but even he offered his own children in the fire. You know, I tell you that to me, that is the height of the idolatry of that time. They would, according to man’s wisdom, think this is the way to please God. This is the ultimate sacrifice to sacrifice a child. So in verse 14, he says, Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men who rule this people who are in Jerusalem. Because you have said, We’ve made a covenant with death, and with Sheol, we are in agreement.

When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us. For we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves. Now to read that at first, you might say, what does it mean? They’ve made a covenant with death. They’ve said, you know, we’re not really worried. You may say that we’re going to fall, and God may promise that you know that we’re not uh we’re not doing right, but but we’re really not afraid. We’ve made a covenant. Perhaps in their own mind, they may have thought of themselves at this point in time as though they have uh by agreement uh maybe with Assyria, thinking that they’ll be spared if Assyria does in fact come. Or the fact is that they just didn’t have any fear that they’re going to be put to death.

And so what he says in verse uh 15 for we have made lies our refuge, the idea really is uh by maybe political maneuvering in some way. They made a pact which they thought would give them refuge when the scourge passed through the land. But are they going to be safe? No. In fact, in verse 16, therefore, thus says the Lord God. Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not act hastily. Also I’ll make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plummet. The hell will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled. Your agreement with Sheol will not stand when the overflowing scourge passes through.

Then you will be trampled down by it. As often as it goes out, it will take you.

It will be a terror just to understand the report.

In verse 16, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Uh for a moment, look back at Isaiah 8 and verse 14. We’ve had something similar to this already. Chapter 8, verse 14. It’s not the first time in Isaiah. Isaiah 8 14, he will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. How does that fit Jesus Christ? How does that fit the Messiah? In what way is the Lord a stone of stumbling? Kathy? Um, well, the Jews, when they were promised the Messiah, were expecting a physical king, a physical savior, and he came to save them, but not in the way they wanted or expected.

And so they rejected him as their savior, so they stumbled over his rock of salvation. All right, by their very rejection. It was they misunderstood and did not accept him. Now in the text of ours, the prophet says he’s a stone for a foundation. A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Now this has been said just after he’s been saying, All right, you people have made a you say a covenant with death. You think you’re really going to be safe and secure, but in fact, you’re going to fall. And uh what I didn’t read back down in verses 20 and 21, he said, for the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow, one cannot wrap himself in it.

Uh I guess Jim is the tallest one. Maybe John, have you ever got on a bed where the covering was too short? Absolutely. It wasn’t comfortable. And uh and the covering wouldn’t wouldn’t really cover you all. Uh so you know what he’s saying is, you know, you think you’re secure and you’re safe, but you won’t be. But only those who trust in the Lord. He’s the sure foundation. He’s the tried and true cornerstone. Now, let’s go to the New Testament and read a few verses. Let’s go to Ephesians chapter 2, first of all. And we find that this promise is made. Ephesians and Romans. I want to go to those two chapter two books of the New Testament, Ephesians chapter 2, first of all, where in verse 20, in fact, the apostle there speaks about the the Christ, the Messiah.

Ephesians 2 and verse 21. 20. Anyone have it? I’d like to read it. And we’re built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. Alright. He is the chief cornerstone. Those who know something about building, I don’t know. The two Johns in here may know the most. What’s the cornerstone? What value is a cornerstone to a building? It is the point to where the measurement is laid for the rest of the building, meaning the entire foundation. Depends upon a good cornerstone, doesn’t it? A good builder will have that in place and set out in the proper way. If Jesus is the chief cornerstone of the Lord’s church, what does that signify to us who are members of it?

Everything will be measured against him. That is correct. Now let’s go to Romans. And Romans chapter 9 and in chapter 10. Romans chapter 9. And in verse 11.

There’s the quotation from Isaiah. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame.

And probably you think, well, what does that mean? Will not act hastily. But the New Testament rendering of this text is that whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. Again, what’s he just been saying to the people who were trusting that they had a covenant with death? Would they be put to shame? Yeah. Dead’s gonna be too short for them. Covering won’t actually cover them. They will be brought down. They they have made their uh decree or covenant by lies and by political maneuvering, but it won’t really work. But if you want the sure foundation, you want one in whom to believe, and you will not be put to shame, then it’s a prophecy, of course, of the coming of Jesus Christ Himself.

He is the one in whom to believe. Now let’s go from there to chapter 10 of Romans and then verse 11. For again, for the scripture says, whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. So you have it repeated again from Isaiah chapter 28 and verse 16. So here are two prophecies. Uh two different places, at least I’m trying to say, where you have the prophecy said and quoted in the New Testament and applied to Jesus Christ. One more place in 1 Peter chapter 2 and in verse 6. Peter also quotes from this. 1 Peter 2 and verse 6, therefore it is also contained in the scripture, behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame.

So these scriptures, of course, fulfill, first of all, said by Isaiah, fulfilled in Christ. And indeed, what he says in Isaiah then, he says, I’ll make justice the measuring line, and I’ll make uh righteousness the plummet. What does it mean by that? If justice is the measuring line, righteousness to plummet. What is going to be the character of those who believe in the Lord? Erect righteous and upright and be just right. There’ll be no hypocrisy.

And just as God is holy and righteous, so must his people be. So your covenant with death, verse 18 will be annulled. Your agreement with Sheol will not stand when the overflowing scourge passes through. Then you will be trampled down by it. In verse uh 20, the bed is too short to stretch out on, the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his awesome work, and bring to pass his act, his unusual act. I gave you some scripture in your text about what is Mount Perazim and what is uh Gibeon. Anybody do any research on that? Where what are those two places talking about?

I’ll take a stab at it now. What we’re talking about is back in the days of David and Saul. And uh actually uh the valley here is the valley of Rephea, and there was a battle there with the uh with the Philistines, and uh David was successful first, and they came in again, and the Lord told him not to attack immediately to wait for the sound of the carriages or the horses and the balsam trees, depending upon your translation. So is that what you were? That is good. In fact, it was shortly after David had become king, had been anointed as king. And you might say, in one sense, it confirmed with him, the Lord was with him and would give him victory. And so in both instances, where the Philistines have come to battle against, yet God, and it’s specifically as though David is conferring with the Lord.

It wasn’t just David deciding now, let’s see, as a good military leader, where shall I do it? Uh how shall I enter this? But he conferred with the Lord. The Lord one time told him yet go. Next time said, Not that way, but wait, and then so the Lord gave him direct. But the and the point here by Isaiah is for the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perzen. He will be angry as in the Valley of Gideon. Okay. One other thing on that that that at least I feel is a reference here is uh the valley we’re talking about here is immediately south and west of Jerusalem, and probably in eyesight of it, if you have a good vision. All right, in eyesight of Jerusalem itself.

4. Wonderful in Counsel, Excellent in Guidance

Pretty good point. As you look back towards toward the uh toward the west would be where the Philistine cities were, south and west of Jerusalem for the most part. So uh the word for really introduces the immediate cause of the tragedy. The fact is the Lord is the one who would rise up in the valley of Gideon. Uh in uh in verse uh uh verse 22, therefore do not be mockers, lest your bonds be made strong. For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth. Give ear, hear my voice, listen, hear my speech. Does the plowman keep ploughing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clots? When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the black coming and scatter the coming, plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, the spelt in its place?

For he instructs him in right judgment. His God teaches him. For the black coming is not threshed with the threshing sleds, nor is a cartwheel ruled over the coming. But the black coming is beaten out with a stick and the coming with a rod. Red flower must be ground, therefore he does not thresh it forever, break it with his scarc wheel, or crush it with his horseman. This also comes from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. That last sentence, really, is sort of saying, here’s the point of the parable. The Lord is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. He’s just told a parable. Or he’s used an illustration, a farmer. Does a farmer plant everything exactly the same way?

I’m not a farmer, but I’ve been around enough of them to know that sometimes he can scatter the seed, and sometimes he goes in rows and plants in rows. And the harvesting also, depending on what he’s harvesting, is how he comes to gather the harvest. And so what he’s saying is different types of soil or different types of uh seed have different measures used to plant them and to reap them when they’re when they’re harvested. And so, how does that fit God’s purposes? Does he do everything exactly the same way? No. But why is his counsel, wonderful in counsel, excellent in guidance. So that’s the whole point of this parable. That when you deal with the Lord, he is wise, and just like the farmer, he deals with mankind according to the measure of treatment they deserve.

And so in this chapter 28, here are this woe to the people, proud rulers of Ephraim and Judah also, who will be brought down, though they thought themselves indestructible really.

5. Woe to Ariel, the City Where David Dwelt

And uh what is Ariel? Lion of God. The Lion of God. Where did you get that from? I said it in there. Oh, in your footnote. Footnote. Or the hearth of God. There’s the dispute over which is the meaning of the word Ariel. I suppose I have been influenced to take the hearth of God basically because of uh down in verse 6, where he speaks how you will be punished by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake, great noise with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. What is he saying about Jerusalem? Will Jerusalem as such always stand? We know from history it did not always stand. But there will come a time where even this city itself, because of its uh pride and because of its uh turning against the Lord’s ways, it too will fall.

And the devouring fire from the Lord, so that Jerusalem itself would be like as though the hearth of God. As I said, there is uh a question over that. I’m glad your your your Bible had that as a at least as a footnote. That is one of the translations given to it. But we do know he’s talking about Jerusalem. How do we know that? Because that same verse says, where David dwelt. So he said, add year to year, let feasts come around. Yet I will distress Ariel. There shall be heaviness and sorrow. It shall be to me as Ariel. I will encamp against you all around. I will lay siege against you with a mound, and I will raise siege works against you. You will be brought down, you shall speak out of the ground.

Your speech shall be low out of the dust, your voice shall be like a medium’s out of the ground, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust. What does it mean? Your speech will be like a medium. Fortune teller, so to speak, out of the ground. Your speech will whisper out of the dust. David He’s talking about uh nations treading on other nations, specifically Jerusalem, so they will be trodden down, and so as if you’re speaking from the ground. Alright. And and and then the the using of the medium as the illustration of being like the medium. Like the dead. Okay, well, the medium is said too that the they would often kind of change their voice a little bit and speak in a lower place as well.

Yes, that’s right. Is this talking about Jerusalem? Do you think? Uh I asked that verse 4 particularly, you shall speak out of the ground, your speech shall be low out of the dust. Is that speaking about maybe the downfall of Jerusalem? Anybody get anything different under this context? I truly believe that, yes, it is they’re talking about the downfall of Jerusalem, but it is not just, it is not just Jerusalem’s demise, it is the cause of the demise. Okay. And the cause of the demise being that there was only a select few left. And when we read Isaiah, it just seems that it was Isaiah, his sons, and his wife, all the faithful or the righteous that was left in Jerusalem. That’s how bad it was.

Well, the reason I really asked that question is do any of you see the Book of Mormon in that verse? I read what you wrote. Well, uh I think it’s a point to make that here in two different places in this very chapter, Joseph Smith quoted and used as a reference to his work. Of course, what did Joseph Smith claim, the golden plates, where did he find them? Hill of Gomorrah. They were written in reformed Egyptian. And thus when one asked him about them, well, this is the verse. They spoke out of the ground. They had been buried there years earlier by Moroni. The particular, of course, the story without going into Mormonism. But here’s one of the verses. And you know, it’s an illustration, number one, how some people find uh the Bible that says a phrase that they like and therefore they hang on it without the context at all being considered.

It’s not at all talking about the golden plates that he found supposedly found. But he used it. And then not only did he misuse the Bible, the second point is how many people have believed it. You know, some people don’t go search for themselves. That doesn’t say anything at all about it. But there’s another point in this same line. I’ll bring it up when we get to it. It’s down in verse 12, 1112. So let’s go with verse 5 to start with it, and we’ll come back to the point.

Moreover, the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust. The multitude of the terrible ones, like shaft that passes away. Yet it shall be in an instant suddenly. You will be punished by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her fortress and distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams and look, he eats. But he awakes and his soul is still empty. Or as when a thirsty man dreams and look, he he drinks. But he awakes and indeed he is faint, and his soul still craves.

So the multitude of all nations shall be who fight against Mount Zion. Now, what uh what is mixed in here, and really we probably don’t get it just just right off, but is he he’s really uh turning from uh Jerusalem’s judgment itself to those who would come and be the foes against Jerusalem. Verse 5 the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust. What does fine dust do when the wind blows? Gone. And that’s what he in fact he’s saying. Those who would now, you know, it’s interesting. God, in fact, uh uses uh even back in chapter 28, and I didn’t ask the question when he talked about the mighty one that would come against them. Who was who is it that God used against Judah as such, first of all, and then even Jerusalem first?

It was Assyria. It was in fact Isaiah back in chapter 10 and verse 5, he did he declared Assyria as the rod of mine anger. So God used a nation, and even though Assyria came up against Jerusalem, and as we get to chapter 37, 38 and 39, and chapter 37, 38, we know that he encamped against Jerusalem, looked like this was going to be a sure defeat, but only because of the righteous Hezekiah that Sennacharib was turned back, and Assyria did not defeat Jerusalem. But he rolled in his own annals, he had defeated 46 cities of Judah. So he’d come through and swept through, and certainly in many ways had uh overtaken, you might say, Judah as such, except for Jerusalem only. But now, while God used Assyria as the rod of his anger, is God going to say, Well, that’s okay now, Assyria, you’re you’re my beloved, and I love you, and everything’s gonna be alright.

No, back even in Isaiah chapter 10, when he spoke of Assyria as the rod of his anger, what did he say was Assyria’s attitude about it? Did they give credit to God? No, he thought it was by our power. It was by our might. And that’s when he used illustration. What about an axe? Can an axe uh be effective if there’s not someone who takes it up and handles it? Assyria has no power unless God, like he takes the axe and uses it. So in this text, he’s really saying, verse 6, you will be punished by the Lord of hosts. In verse 7, the multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her in a fortress and distress her, shall be like this dream.

6. Blind Yourselves and Be Blind

Have you ever had a dream like this as described in verse 8? Maybe you’ve eaten this. But you wake up and you’re still hungry because you really didn’t eat it, it was all a dream. Or you were really thirsty, and you drank, and you know, and you woke up and you’re still thirsty because it was just a dream. And in fact, that’s what he’s saying in verse 8. So the multitude of all the nations shall be who fight against Mount Zion. They’ll just dream as though they’re really succeeding. Because who’s really in charge? God. Verse 9, pause and wonder. Blind yourselves and be blind. They are drunk, but not with wine. They stagger, but not with intoxicating dream. For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely the prophets, and he has covered your heads, namely the sears.

Kind of a sad statement, in it. Although Isaiah told the people of Zion’s destruction, and they they themselves may have been somewhat unimpressed. No doubt they didn’t think it was going to happen to them. We’ve already made talked about having this covenant with the with death with the with the grave. And uh so they don’t really believe it. Blind, you blind yourselves and be blind. The Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. Now, whose fault is it that they don’t believe the prophecy of Isaiah? Um back when in chapter 6, when God called Isaiah, and uh who will go for me? And Isaiah said, Here am I, Lord, send me. And then when he asked of the Lord, well, what will it be like?

You remember the answer? What did God tell Isaiah it’s going to be like? Yeah, they won’t believe you. And that verse is quoted even in the New Testament in many places as well. Uh Matthew chapter 13, 13 through 15, well that Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites as it’s written, this people honor me with the lips drawn. But their heart is far from me. In vain they worship me. He spoke about them as closing their eyes and stopping their ears. Do people do that today? Absolutely. They did it in Isaiah’s day, they do it in our day. We sometimes make up our mind what we want to believe or have always believed, and even if it’s shown to us clearly, sometimes, no, we won’t accept it or believe it.

So I think what he’s saying here is you’re drunk but not with wine. You stagger. The fact that you rejected the prophecy of the Lord is your fault. I want you to look right quickly. I know the bell rang. I’ve got a couple of points I want to make before we close. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 10 through 12. To me are among some of the more frightening verses of the Bible. I say frightening because it all comes down to what I do with the Word of God, and what you do with the Word of God. And 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 10, he speaks about those who did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Verse 11, for this cause God will send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Now that sounds strange when it says, God will send strong delusion. Does God actually make people not believe? Is it God’s fault that some don’t believe? If it’s not, let’s say some of you shake in the head, no, God won’t do that. Well, what does that mean? God will send them strong illusion.

Alright. It started with the verse prior to that, that they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. It kind of reminds me of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. And that tendency, that idea was already there. They’ve made up their minds, and what God’s word does is just harden them more. But it’s not God who makes them, and God allows. God forces nobody to believe. That’s an individual choice. And there are some who turn away from God, even though they’ve had opportunity. We must guard our hearts that it not happen to us. That we never get so fixed that this is what I believe, and that doesn’t matter what the Bible says. Never be like that. Now I want you to see verses 11 and 12 right quickly.

The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. Which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, Read this, please. And he says, I cannot, for it is sealed. Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, Read this, please. And he says, I am not literate. Therefore the Lord said, Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the commandment of men. Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people. A marvelous work and a wonder. For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

I go back to verse 11 again. Joseph Smith used that verse. There was a man named Martin Harris who was sort of financing Joseph Smith’s work. Joseph’s gonna write this book.

Well, Joseph Smith said, Nobody can look at those golden plates. If you if Martin, if you look at it, you’ll die. But I’ll make and he scribbled off some uh letters, and they took them to a press Professor Anton that was at Columbia University, professor of Greek and Latin. And Anton took it. I have actually seen it, it’s on a piece of paper about so big. And I meant to bring this out of our library to show you, because it’s letters that look like, in fact, Anton said, Well, some of them look like maybe Greek letters upside down, maybe some from different languages. And he says, But you know, maybe this is uh somebody’s work. It’s supposed to be reformed Egyptian. And when Martin told him the story, he says, Bring me the book.

Conclusion

And Martin said, I can’t bring you the book. He said, Well, I can’t read it if I don’t have the book. And Martin Harris couldn’t read it. So this, the words of book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who’s literate, saying, Read this, please, and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed. There’s a prophecy of Professor Anton, don’t you know? Again, kind of a lifting of verses out of the context, right? So, I’ll start Sunday with verse 15 on chapter 29 and try to move a little faster. But I think this is a great chapter to emphasize, of course, how important it is to keep our hearts open and minds open to the word again.