Powerful Prognostications - C. R. Oliver (find a book to read txt) 📗

Powerful Prognostications

Introduction:
          Biblical Prophecy holds within it certain elements which cannot be found in its modern counterpart. For instance, in Isaiah's chapters 7-14, there is a growing awareness of accuracy in forecasted history which is uncanny when it is overlaid with historical accounts that were after the fact. No wonder Daniel was brave in his stalwart faith, defying the king. He had Isaiah's work in his mind and the part where Babylon would fall and be punished by the Medes and Persians. This, most likely, brought confidence and joy to him whether in a lion's den or as the surprise guest at Belshazzar's feast. 

          If one simply looks at the historical chronology, Isaiah rightly prophesied the carrying away of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria, the demise of Assyria, the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon and their demise by the Medes. These countries had not even developed to world powers when Isaiah spoke freely of them, some being nearly 200 years in advance. 

          Cyrus, whom he calls by name, did not appear until around 550 BC. Isaiah lived in 740 BC. It was even 20 years before the Assyrians captured Samaria when Isaiah prophesied what would occur. Where is this accuracy today? How dare people call themselves prophets who say simplistically, "This is the year of great works and advances in the kingdom" and label it prophecy. 

Chapter 7:
           This chapter opens with a huge dilemma facing Ahaz, king of Judah. Not only was Syria joining with Ephraim (the northern kingdom of Israel), but they were plotting his overthrow. "The heart of the King and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind. (They are shaking like leaves) v. 3."

          Isaiah is instructed to take his son and meet Ahaz at a particular location: the aqueduct. There, the prophet spells out the game plan his enemies are plotting and he makes a declaration:

Isaiah 7:7
It shall not stand,
Nor shall it come to pass ... 

Isaiah 7:8
Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken,
So that it will not be a people.

This latter word reaches beyond the immediate threat to Ahaz and declares a definitive time frame of sixty-five years (65 yrs). Because of Ephraim's league with the Syrians, they will cease to be a people. The Assyrians took away Ephraim and the Ten Lost Tribes crossed the Caucasus Mts. and mingled with the nations (see Ireland and Spain, Denmark and others.) God challenged Ahaz's faith.

Isaiah 7:9
'If you will not believe,
Surely you shall not be established.'

Then, He challenged Ahaz another way by asking him to choose the sign of his choice to validate what he had heard. Faithlessness requires a sign. Ahaz refused. Isaiah then gave him more than a sign; it was one of the greatest declarations of the plan of God for the ages found in the Bible.

Isaiah 7:14-17
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. 17 The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father's house - days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.

Seemingly, as outrageous as a virgin conceiving a God-man, the not yet powerful nation of Assyria would bring judgment on those who were Ahaz's enemies. 

Isaiah emphasized that NOTHING is outside the control of God's hand. The prophet lays out three truths that would be well for all of us to heed.

l. All God has to do is whistle and nations and elements obey Him.
2. Nothing plotted or planned by man will prevail unless He permits it.
3. When God says it will come to pass (observe the four invectives).
          "It shall come to pass. v. 18"
                    "In the same day. v. 20"
                              "It shall be in that day v. 21"
                                        "It shall happen in that day. v. 23"
(The prophet is not speaking about a futuristic time, but during Ahaz's time.)

Chapter 8: Children having kingdom reality upon them.
          Isaiah recognized that both he and his children will be used as signs and wonders for the sake of Israel.

Isaiah 8:18
18 Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel
From the LORD of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.

Notice: just as he said in chapter 6, "here am I send me," he now stands with his children giving the same pledge. Families for God are rare entities today. Fathers standing with dedicated children are a beautiful sight in any age. (Lord give us families like Isaiah's.) 

There is a reason God calls Isaiah aside to talk about a yet unconceived son. God tells him the boy's name and that He will use his name greatly in Israel. This process is necessary because the Lord is going to tell him about another, as yet unconceived son and His Name, that will be used greatly in Israel and the entire world. 

Isaiah's son will be named: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Speed the spoil and hasten the booty). The name is cryptic and refers to the speed by which the king of Assyria will execute punishment by conquering Israel and carrying away everything they possess (The act which ultimately caused the scattering of the people). 

So important is this boy's name and the assurance of his birth, Isaiah is instructed to write it down before two credible witnesses before going to his wife. The fact she is a prophetess is another element in the picture of Isaiah's ministry. As priests were limited in marriage choices to virgins and widows of other priests, so it behooved prophets to be married to prophetesses. Imagine the harmony of that marriage as they conceived under the direction of the Holy One of Israel and knew their child was a product of destiny. They knew his name in advance. They knew the interval of his development when history would kick in and God's timing would release judgment upon a nation. Prophets and Prophetesses in ministry together are an awesome propensity, as both are yielded to God and possess His anointing. 

The yielded heart will hear from God! 

Again, the Lord spoke to Isaiah. This time it was about the difference between the Northern Tribes (Israel) and the Southern kingdom of Judah. As the North will experience scattering brokenness -Judah shall relish "Immanuel (God with Us)" vs. 8, 10. This truth holds true to this very day! 

Again, the Lord instructs Isaiah for he is not to participate in the fear-mongering going on around him. His is not to enter into the conspiracy conjecture of the day (v12) and be moved by perceived events broadcast among the people. (This is great advice today.) 

Instead, the prophet is to hold fast to the following:

Isaiah 8:13-14
3 The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
14 He will be as a sanctuary,

When the people ask your opinion as to events, you give them this testimony:

Isa 8:16-18
16 Bind up the testimony,
Seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait on the LORD,
Who hides His face from the house of Jacob;
And I will hope in Him. 
18 Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel
From the LORD of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.

Like Joshua standing before the people when he cried out, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," so Isaiah openly declared His allegiance only to God. 

Is this not the time to "bind up the testimony?" Is this not the time to "seal the Law among His disciples?" Is this not the time to "wait upon the Lord and hope in Him?" 

People today are like those of Isaiah's day. Their desire is to know "what's coming down on us?" Their search for answers is similar to the contemporaries of Isaiah who searched among mediums and sorcerers of witchcraft. Where do you search for answers? What determines your course of action? Does the internet garner your interest more than your dependence upon God and waiting upon Him?

Isaiah 8:19-20
19 And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Apply the Litmus Test of the Word. 

Verse twenty calls it right. If what is being said and implied and pushed as agenda does not match up with the Law and the testimony---trash it. 

God said it best. The end result of not applying the Litmus Test is starvation, deprivation and destruction.

Isaiah 8:21-9:1
They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

Are we not nearing this condition today? Arise, O Israel, be done with lesser things! 

Chapter 9: Another unconceived child of Destiny: Jesus 

When God works supernatural things in your life, it is easier to believe He can do extraordinary supernatural things in the future. The pane of prophecy shifts forward more than seven hundred years to a tiny place in Judah, to a virgin giving birth to a child of Destiny. Here is a passage of Scripture that is more than Christmas fare. As profoundly as the prophet and prophetess believed they would have a son, they also proclaimed the birth of the Son of God. 

Instead of announcing His birth and then the sequence of destiny, this prophetic word begins with a description of the ministry of Jesus, even to its location being primarily in Galilee.

Isaiah 9:1-4
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles. 
2 The people who walked in darkness
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined. 
3 You have multiplied the nation 
And increased its joy; 
They rejoice before You 
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden 
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.

As the victory of Gideon, with only a small cadre of men carrying lamps and shofars, the battle was solely a "God thing," so will be this immaculate ministry. It will begin with a child and end with a victorious Savior.

Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called 
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Notice the phrase: "from