Isaiah 29:17-24 They That Erred in Spirit Shall Come to Understanding - Discussion

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Isa 29:17-24 - They That Erred In Spirit Shall Come To Understanding

Isa 29:17  Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Isa 29:18  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isa 29:19  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 29:20  For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
Isa 29:21  That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
Isa 29:22  Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
Isa 29:23  But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
Isa 29:24  They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Let's remember where we left off our last study with this verse:

Isa 29:16  Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

In this study we will see clearly what Paul means by these words:

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

The things of the spirit bring life, while the things of the flesh bring nothing but death and destruction. Our judgment by the Lord is not designed to bring us into eternal torment. Turning God's judgments upside down with such a heinous doctrine does not change the purpose for His judgments in our lives.

Here, once again, is the true purpose for which all of God's judgments take place:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

This verse agrees with the New Testament and Christ's doctrine concerning the purpose for the Lord's judgments:

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

And to what is "the world... condemned?"

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [the "chastening" judgment, of the world].

"Learning righteousness" through judgment is a far cry from the 'eternal torment' false doctrine which "turns" the truth of Isa 26:9 "upside down" and backward. Nevertheless, in the Lord's time and on His schedule, "they that [have] erred in spirit shall come to understanding... when [the Lord's] judgments are in the earth."

We continue now with our study of this "marvellous work and a wonder... among [the Lord's] people":

Isa 29:14  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

The Lord is at this very moment "proceeding to do" what He calls a marvelous work and a wonder in spite of all the efforts of  "[our] wise men [to] turn things upside down", as we read in our opening of this study.​

Potters make and fashion pots of various shapes for various uses and purposes. Pots do not make and fashion themselves for their own purposes. The fulfilling of the Lord's purpose does not depend on us or on our understanding of what He is doing or our own will. He operates "all things after the counsel of His own will".

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

This 29th chapter of Isaiah is a foundational part of Christ's much hated "replacement theology" doctrine with which He began His ministry in His first recorded sermon:

Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a [Gentile] woman that was a widow.
Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the [Gentile] Syrian.
Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

This doctrine of our Lord does not depend upon our opinion. It matters not at all what we think of this very Biblical and true doctrine. As He told the Gentile Samaritan woman at the well:

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

If "salvation is of the [physical] Jews" then the worshiping of God would remain in physical Jerusalem. However, Christ reveals exactly what He actually meant when making this statement to this Gentile woman. Here is how He expounds upon that statement:

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

"He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly... but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly... and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit" is what is today so disdainfully called "replacement theology". It is still true that "salvation is of the Jews", but now Christ informs us that outward pedigree no longer meets His new standard for what constitutes a 'Jew'. The new standard is the spiritual Jew and now, "he is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly... but he IS a Jew which is one inwardly... in the spirit." However, mankind refuses to relinquish his flesh. Like Abraham we all cry out in anguish:

Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

But Ishmael is "the son of the bondwoman" who now, through Christ's replacement theology, spiritually corresponds to "Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children."

Read it with your own eyes!

Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these [two women] are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

"Jerusalem which now is" corresponds to "the bondwoman" and her son "who was born after the flesh". That again is 'replacement theology', and it is integral to the true "gospel of the kingdom of God [which is now] within [us]". Christ calls it "the New Testament in my blood":

Mar 14:24  And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

With the mind of Christ we can now believe and appreciate the fact:

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

There are two doctrines of Christ in this 50th verse of 1 Corinthians, and both are rejected by mankind. The first is the doctrine of the destruction of all flesh, and the second is that the things of the spirit, things like, "He is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly... But he IS a Jew which is one inwardly" have replaced "the things of the flesh" as it regards what constitutes "the kingdom of God".

Christ confirms all of this with His doctrine of 'replacement theology', which as we have seen, was the message of His very first recorded sermon, and here He explains it again to the Samaritan woman:

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Paul establishes this doctrine of Christ in Romans 9, and he confesses that this doctrine gives his own flesh "great heaviness and continual sorrow in [his] heart... for [his] brothers, [his] kinsmen according to the flesh."

Here it is. Here is Paul preaching and teaching "replacement theology". "The things of the spirit" have now, in Christ, replaced all things which are "according to the flesh", including what now constitutes being a Jew, what and where Jerusalem  is and what now constitutes being "the circumcision...of Israel":

Rom 9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Rom 9:4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Rom 9:5  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 9:6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Rom 9:9  For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
Rom 9:10  And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (We will discuss who are the children of Isaac a little later.)
Rom 9:11  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Rom 9:12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25  As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

"I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved" is "replacement theology", and that is the doctrine of Christ Himself! For that very reason Isaiah tells us:

Isa 29:17  Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Isa 29:18  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isa 29:19  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Lebanon is a Gentile nation whose capital was Tyre, whose sister city was Sidon. These verses prophesying of "the deaf hear[ing] the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind... see[ing] out of obscurity and out of darkness" are a prophecy which is addressed to the Gentile nation of Lebanon, and therefore to all Gentiles to whom the Lord reveals Himself and His plans for all mankind.

In His very first recorded sermon, Christ was rejected of His own people because He was teaching replacement theology. In doing so Christ referred to this very message here in Isaiah concerning giving sight to the blind and the poor among men rejoicing in Him. What Christ read that day was from Isaiah 61, but He explained that Isaiah 61 was also referring to His doctrine of replacement theology, and when He had explained the meaning of the verses He had read He received at that time the same reception which that doctrine, which is His own doctrine receives until this very day:

Let's watch once again what happened then, and compare it to what happens today when we simply agree with Christ:

Luk 4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luk 4:15  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Before we continue to see what happened when Christ informed His own people that they were about to be replaced as God's anointed chosen people, let's look at the place in Isaiah from which Christ quoted these verses:

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

There were no chapters and verses in Christ's day, but He left off reading in the middle of what is today Isa 61:2, and then He explained His doctrine of replacement theology:

Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luk 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
Luk 4:23  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias [Elijah], when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a [Gentile] woman that was a widow.
Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus [Elisha] the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the [Gentile] Syrian.
Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

How is this doctrine of Christ received today? Nothing has changed. Even those who profess to believe that Christ is a reformer, insist that there is still a physical Jew and a physical elect.

This is now what Christ thinks of all who reject His doctrine of replacement theology and of those who think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob only "according to the flesh":

Isa 29:20  For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
Isa 29:21  That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

As we have just seen, Christ is the perfect Biblical example of a victim of "the terrible one... and the scorner... and all that watch for iniquity... that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for Him that reproves in the gate and turn aside the just for a thing of nought." But we also have another example of how the established religion of Christ's day treated Him at that time and how the established religions of this world treat Him and those who are His until this very day:

Luk 20:20  And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
Luk 20:21  And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
Luk 20:22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

The Jews hated the Romans far more than Christ. Christ loved everyone including His own people and the Romans. In these verses the established religious leaders feign respect for Christ in an effort to accuse Him of being an insurgent against Rome. These same religious leaders, who rebelled against Rome a short forty years later, are feigning faithfulness to Rome "that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor."

Like our Lord, our adversary is also 'the same yesterday, today, and for the age'.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

The great harlot, and the beast on which she sits are still seeking to "make a man an offender for a word... laying a snare for him that reproves in the gate and [are] turn[ing] aside the just for a thing of nought".

Isa 29:22  Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.

As we have seen, the things of the flesh have been replaced by the things of the spirit, and this principle extends to whom is now the True 'father of all them that believe'. 'Abraham' now simply typifies Christ, "the [true] everlasting Father...of all them that believe" (Isa 9:6), and it is for that reason Abraham is called 'the father of the faithful':

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Rom 4:11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

What we can easily overlook is the reason we are given for why Abraham typifies "the father of all them that believe." Abraham is called "the father of all them that believe" because he was given "the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had being uncircumcised." Yes, the point the holy spirit is making is that even circumcision was nothing more than an outward type of "the putting off... of the flesh" and in reality did nothing to accomplish that end. The only 'circumcision' which is accepted by our Lord, and which does accomplish that end, is "circumcision [which] is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter."

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Col 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

The Lord Himself has blinded the eyes of this world to the words 'not' and 'neither' in Romans 2:28. The only 'circumcision' which "puts off the body of the sins of the flesh" is that which is accomplished "by the circumcision of Christ" which brings His own mind into our hearts and minds, destroying and replacing the rebellious, carnal mind of our old man.

Christ Himself told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God is no longer the outward nation of Israel, but His kingdom is now "within... all who believe".

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The carnal mind simply cannot accept the depth of that Truth. So we are told that Christ has two kingdoms, a spiritual and a physical kingdom. We are also told that Christ has two elect, a spiritual elect and a physical elect. But those who teach such heresy fail to remember what we read earlier in this study when Jesus told the woman at the well that neither in Samaria nor at Jerusalem would anyone worship the Father, "but... the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him." He went on to make it clear that if anyone wanted to worship the Father "they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in Truth."

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Joh 4:26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Let's put these words of Christ together with the words Christ inspired the apostle Paul to write:

When Christ teaches us that "the hour... now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth... [not] in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem... for the Father seeks such to worship Him..." He us teaching that hated doctrine of 'replacement theology', and lest anyone fails to understand His point, the Lord repeats this doctrine in no uncertain terms in:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth [Greek: politeia - citizenship] of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye [Gentile Ephesians] who sometimes were far off are made nigh [to the commonwealth of Israel], by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

"Of both one... of twain one new man... that He might reconcile both unto God in one body." There is no room in those words for two separate elect Jews, elect Israelites, elect Jerusalems, or two separate elect of God. "He is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly... but he IS a Jew which is one inwardly" (Rom 2:28-29), is "replacement theology, and it is to be found throughout the entire New Testament, in Christ's own words and in the words of His apostles, and it is found here in Isaiah, and in the other prophets.

In the previous chapter of Ephesians we are told 'the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.' This is all addressed to the Gentile Christians of Ephesus "for our sakes":

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The Lord "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world", and the Greek word translated 'chosen' is the same Greek word which is translated as 'elect'. It is the Greek word 'eklectos', and Paul again is emphasizing the fact that Christ is not divided:

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

As we have seen, Christ's first recorded sermon prophesied of the replacing of God's typical chosen "outward... Jew" by "all them that believe... yet being uncircumcised... aliens from the commonwealth of Israel."

This is all a very hard pill for our flesh to swallow. Our flesh clings to the physical Jew, the physical Israelite, physical Jerusalem and a physical elect of God who Christ tells us are now "the son of the bondwoman... Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children" to the law of Moses... for the lawless (1Ti 1:12).

Christ came in His Father's name and brought us a "new covenant". His time in the flesh was part of "the time of reformation":

Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

He even openly proclaimed that He had done that "which was not lawful for Him... neither for them that were with Him, but for the priests only." Christ claimed that He, like the priests, could "profane the sabbath" and be "guiltless", even though Christ was not of the tribe of Levi. The only justification He gave for doing so was "...in this place is one greater than the temple, [and] the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day".

Mat 12:1  At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Mat 12:2  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Mat 12:3  But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Mat 12:4  How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Mat 12:5  Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Mat 12:6  But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 12:8  For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Did Christ actually "profane the sabbath"? Here is what the holy spirit tells us:

Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto [on the sabbath], and I work.
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

It is Christ who is the true "father of all who believe", and it is He who is 'redeeming Abraham, and it is His house who will not be ashamed' (Isa 29:22).

Instead:

Isa 29:23  But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
Isa 29:24  They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Those who disdain and despise Christ telling His own physical kin, that the kingdom of heaven would be taken from them and given to a nation bring forth fruits of that kingdom are indeed "erring in spirit".

Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

This is all about the despised Truth of the replacing of the things of the flesh with the things of the spirit. But it is also all about the salvation of all men through those "who first trusted in Christ". It is we "who first trusted in Christ" who have been chosen to "judge the world [and to] judge angels".

"They that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine... when your judgments are in the earth." That is truly 'good news' even though it is at the expense of the flesh.

Joh 3:30 He [the new spiritual man] must increase, but I [the old carnal minded man] must decrease.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us [inward spiritual, Jews] the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin our study of Isaiah 30, where we will learn that we have all preferred the smooth lies of the flesh over the fiery judgments against our physical flesh and its replacement by the new man of the spirit:

Isa 30:1  Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
Isa 30:2  That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
Isa 30:3  Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
Isa 30:4  For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
Isa 30:5  They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
Isa 30:6  The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
Isa 30:7  For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Isa 30:11  Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.