ISAIAH 48

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of Yahweh, and make mention of the Elohim of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

Their sham religious pretensions are exosed by the all seeing eye of Deity. Yes they professed the Truth, they prayed and called upon the name of Yahweh, they did this and did that as they supposed in the name of Yahweh the God of Israel, thinking that they were the living waters of Judah (ls.8.6, Ezk. 47, Jhn 7). All this but in Yahweh's eyes they were apostate (Rev.3.16-18).

This was the case whether in Hezekiah's day (2 Chron.29. 4-8), or in the time of Zedekiah when Babylon came down (Ezk 2l. 25-27). Hezekiah effected a reformation and "cleansed out the filthiness from the holy place" (2 Chron. 29. 5), and restored the true faith from Dan to Beersheba (2 Chron. 30. 5), but it was too far gone for Jeremiah to bring about any change of heart at the time of the end (Jer:39). This is how it is when the Lord comes at the end of Gentile times - now. (Luke 18. 1-7)*

2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the Elohim of Israel; Yahweh hosts is his name.

This betrayed the depths of their strong delusion. Josiah had acted to cleanse Jerusalem of idolatry (2 Kgs 23.4-6), but this did not last (2 Kgs 24,25). The holy city became an harlot apostate city (Ezk. 8,9) fit only for destruction. In the Apocalypse the holy city is seen in Rev. 11. 1, and the outer court Apostasy.

The holy city is the persecuted brethren, the remnant of the woman's seed who repudiated, and separated from Apostasy (Rev.12.6,14), rather than cohabit with it and dupe themselves into thinking this was acceptable to fellowship with heresy, and not purge out the leaven of corruption (1 Cor.5).

The bride of holy city is seen in Rev. 21, who is arrayed in garments of linen clean and

white undefiled by the moral decadence and depravity and filthiness of the world, and by

the defilement of heresy and apostasy, but who have had the courage to stand for the purity of the faith.*

5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

The idolatry of the world would mesmerise them.

Moses had anticipated their apostasy (Deut. 31. 20,29, Deut.32. 15-18).

"For I know that after my death ye shall utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the ,way''"Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked."

They would follow the ways of the flesh and be given over to the brass and iron of Greece and Rome which yoke they have groaned under ever since (Dan.2, Dan.4).*

6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

They were blind to the spiritual depths of the law, seeing there was a vail over the eyes. (2 Cor 3. 14; Jdg 2. 10-13; Jdg. 3). Their ear was not open to the plain teaching of the Truth. They were ignorant of the deeper things of Yahweh, or the fundamentals of the Faith set forth by the prophet. *

9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

God's anger restrained; time for.repentance. God's abundant mercy is manifest towards, his people (Ex 34), but only for more time for repentance, which did not come (2 Kgs 25; Rev. 2. 21) Things instead got worse and worse. This is always the pattern (2Tim.3.13, 2 Tim 4. 3,4). Corruption spreads (Ga1. 5. 9). *

11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

Yahweh's holy Name must be honoured and not polluted or defiled by the thinking of the flesh or carnal mind, by those who would come to worship him. This reverence for Yahweh's Name and and honour and glory can only be done 'in spirit and in Truth" (Jhn 4.24), for Yahweh is a great King (1sa 43. 10-15; Pslm 47. 2; Ma1 1.14). He will only honour and glorify those who are in his Name (Yahweh Elohim), and no other, for Holy and reverened is his Name (Pslm. 111. 9), and he will be had in reverence by all those who approach unto him.*

14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? Yahweh hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

God would call them out of Babylon and do his pleasure on Babylon. Yahweh had established the heavens and earth or Jewish polity, and called upon them to assemble and be prepared to make the journey through the waste howling wilderness to Zion, since he loved them as his people.

The same call comes through to day, to separate from Babylon which is doomed to fiery destruction (Rev. 18. 6) Come out and be separate and touch not the unclean thing, How many are prepared to do this. Very few.

16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now Lord Yahweh, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Isaiah and his message personifies Christ who came unto his own but his own received him not - yet the Spirit hath sent him.

17 Thus saith Yahweh, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am Yahweh thy elohim which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Yahweh (Christ) was their Redeemer, their Holy One, their teacher and shepherd to lead them in the way they should go, into green pastures (Jhn. l0). This their eldership could never do. Such were false teachers and false shepherds that neglected the flock and did not teach them the true path to follow, and deceived the people, and thus denied them the Kingdom and eternal life (Ezk.34, Mtt.23).

The Apocalyptic Messenger, Feb 2018.

22 There is no peace, saith Yahweh, unto the wicked.

...the most absurd thing imaginable is that the arbitrationists profess to advocate peace upon Scriptural grounds! Because one of the titles of the Lord is "the Prince of Peace," [Isa. 9:6] they argue that war is displeasing to God; and that, Jesus came to establish peace as the result of preaching.

But war is not displeasing to God any more than a rod is displeasing to him that uses it for correction. God instituted war when He put enmity between the serpent and the woman. It is a divine institution for the punishment of the transgressors of His law; and a most beneficent one too: for all the little liberty the world enjoys is attributable to the controversy of the tongue, the pen, and the sword.

What would have been the fate of the thirteen trans-atlantic Colonies, if they had been left to the arbitrative justice of George the third's contemporaries? The heel of spiritual tyranny, backed by the civil power, would have trampled upon them to this moment, as it does upon the rights of the Quakers here at this day.

The weak who contend for liberty and truth have everything to dread from arbitration. With sword in hand, they may extort justice from the strong; but, if under the necessity of expecting it at the conscience and tender mercies of "the powers that be," [Rom. 13:1] the award will be a mockery of justice, and an insult to the sufferings of the oppressed.

Elpis Israel 1.4.