CHAPTER 5

(710 B.C.)

THE FIRST ADVENT OF THE MESSIAH; HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK

¹Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. (Verses 1 and 2 have to do with the First Advent of the Messiah and His Redemptive Work. Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops, refers to Judah. The word troops is used because of the coming invasion of Titus, the Roman General.

They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek, speaks of the mockers and persecutors of the Messiah, both Jews and Romans [Mat. 26:68; 27:30]. To smite upon the cheek is the grossest insult, and was done repeatedly to Christ.

It is interesting that the Holy Spirit refers to Christ as the Judge! To be sure, that He certainly is, but not only the Judge of Israel, but of all men [Mat. 25:31-46; Acts 17:31].)

²But you, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me Who is to be Ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (The question could be asked as to why the Holy Spirit would give these Prophecies in this fashion, having little or no chronological order? The answer probably falls into the same category as to why the Lord, in His earthly Ministry, mostly spoke in Parables [Lk. 8:10].

But you, Beth-lehem Ephratah, speaks of the birthplace of Christ. Though you be little among the thousands of Judah, signifies a small place, though the birthplace of David, as well! Yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me, Who is to be Ruler in Israel, speaks of Christ coming from the Tribe of Judah. This was prophesied by Jacob long before [Gen. 49:10].

Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, is meant to portray to any and all that this is not just any person, but rather, as Isaiah prophesied, Immanuel, God with us [Isa. 7:14].)

ISRAEL GIVEN UP UNTIL HER REPENTANCE

³Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel. (Therefore will He give them up, refers to their rejection of the Judge of Israel at His First Advent and their consequent destruction at the hands of Titus in A.D. 70. Until the time that she which travails has brought forth, has already been about 2,000 years; however, the time of Israels great travail has not yet come, but will take place in the latter half of the coming Great Tribulation [I Thess. 5:3].

The phrase, Then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel, refers to Israels conversion to Christ at the Second Coming [Isa. 66:7-8; Zech. 10:12-13:1; Rom. 11:25-29].)

ISRAEL TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE ANTICHRIST AT THE MESSIAHS SECOND ADVENT

⁴And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the Name of the LORD His God; and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the Earth. (The phrase, And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, refers to the Ruler or Shepherd, i.e., the Messiah. The word feed concerns the Lord feeding His Flock, with them allowing Him to feed them, which they would not do upon His First Advent.

And they shall abide, refers to His Sheep [Israel] dwelling in permanent security. For now shall He be great unto the ends of the Earth, speaks to His Strength and Majesty being great, not only in Israel, but all over the world.

In effect, at that time, there will be a one-world government, with Christ as its Head [Isa. 9:6].)

⁵And this Man shall be the Peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. (And this Man shall be the Peace, refers to Christ, Who will come at the time of the Battle of Armageddon, defeating the Antichrist and restoring Israel. When the Assyrian shall come into our land, refers to the Antichrist. And when he shall tread in our palaces, concerns the time that the Antichrist will break his seven-year covenant with Israel and take over the future Jewish Temple at Jerusalem [Dan. 9:27; 11:44-45; Mat. 24:15; II Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 11:1-2].

Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men, leaves no clue as to who these are. Possibly the meaning is in the numbers. Seven refers to Gods Perfect Number, denoting completion, totality, and perfection, which could refer to a total victory. Eight pertains to Gods Resurrection Number, and could denote the resurrection of Israel.)

⁶And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian, when He comes into our land, and when He treads within our borders. (The first phrase speaks of the supernatural strength which will be given to the army of Israel at the Coming of the Lord. And the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof, refers to Babylon; from this description, therefore, it seems that the Battle of Armageddon will cover not only the Land of Israel but also the entirety of the Middle East.

Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian, proclaims Christ defeating the Antichrist, which will be at the Battle of Armageddon [Ezek., Chpts. 38-39]. The last phrase concerns the Antichrist invading Israel and the Anger of God aroused because of the audacity of this man.)

ISRAEL WILL BE RESTORED WHEN THE MESSIAH RETURNS

⁷And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men. (In that great day of Restoration, the Nation of Israel will be to the world as Dew and as a Lion [Vs. 8]; that is, they will be the channel of Divine Grace toward the obedient and the instrument of Divine Wrath upon the rebels. Both energies are independent of human cooperation.

And the remnant of Jacob, means that the number will be few but, O so mighty! The last phrase tells us that in that day, i.e., at the beginning of the Kingdom Age, Israels supernatural strength and ability will be wholly from God and not dependent whatsoever upon man.)

⁸And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver. (It is interesting that the Holy Spirit would continue to use the phrase, And the remnant of Jacob, denoting its small numbers, but yet expressing its tremendous Might. That Might is Christ. This portrays Israel as a terrible power among the nations and invincible in strength.

Shall be among the Gentiles, refers to every nation in the world. Furthermore, she will be in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, meaning that she is the king of the forest [nations] as a Lion is king of the beasts. She is that because Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah [Rev. 5:5].

As a young lion among the flocks of sheep, portrays the fact that all other nations of the world will be in comparison to Him, and also to Israel, as a lamb is to a lion.

The last phrase refers perhaps to some few, who, at the outset, may seek to test His Power. They will be quickly dispatched, because none can deliver out of His Hand! As Jesus is the True Man, the True Church, He is also the True Israel.)

⁹Your hand shall be lifted up upon your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off. (In that day, the Kingdom Age, there will be no such thing as Buddhism, Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, etc. All enemies shall be cut off.)

¹⁰And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and I will destroy your chariots (this simply means that the nations of the world will disarm [Isa. 2:4]):

¹¹And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds (the cities and strongholds mentioned here refer to centers of idolatry, etc. Consequently, Rome, as the seat of Catholicism, will be totally changed. Bangkok, as the center of Buddhism, will also be changed! Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, will be changed, and totally. Every vestige of demon worship, which centers up in these false religions, will be totally eliminated; therefore, Salt Lake City, as the center of Mormonism, will be no more, at least in that capacity):

¹²And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers (in fact, at that time, and we speak of the Kingdom Age, every demon spirit, every fallen angel, and Satan will be in the bottomless pit [Rev. 20:1-3]):

¹³Your graven images also will I cut off, and your standing images out of the midst of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands. (Every vestige of religion will be eliminated. A part of the reason why Cains sacrifice was rejected was because it was a work of his hands, and not a Work of Gods Hands. Only the true worship of Christ will remain, and that speaks of the Crucified Christ [Zech. 13:6].)

¹⁴And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you: so will I destroy your cities. (These Verses constitute the remaking of this planet, which includes all of its civilizations and societies, with every evil way eliminated.)

¹⁵And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. (Such as they have not heard, actually means which have not hearkened. In other words, all who are disobedient will not be allowed to continue in this rebellion, but will quickly experience the anger and fury of the Lord. That which has caused the pain and suffering of the past will not be allowed to take root in the coming Kingdom Age.

And I will execute vengeance, speaks of a swift retribution on those who will try the metal of Christ, so to speak!)