Forever – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word

Prophecy of Isaiah – Isa 45:14-25 Part 1 – Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Tongue Shall Confess

Mike Vinson — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 23:56:34 +0000

Isa 45:14-25 Part 1 – Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Tongue Shall Confess

Isa 45:14-25 Part 1 - Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Tongue Shall Confess - Discussion

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Isa 45:14-25 Part 1- Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Tongue Shall Confess

[Study Aired on September 1, 2019]

Isa 45:14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
Isa 45:15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
Isa 45:16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
Isa 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD ; and there is none else.
Isa 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Isa 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isa 45:24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
Isa 45:25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

It is very easy to see and rejoice in the outward fulfillment of this first verse of our study today:

Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sabeans were the great nations of Isaiah's day, and they symbolize the strength of our flesh. Babylon and Syria, also symbols of the strength of our flesh, have already been prophesied against earlier in this prophecy. Chapter 14 is called "a parable against the king of Babylon":

Isa 14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

Chapter 17 is a prophecy against Syria and its capital, Damascus:

Isa 17:1 THE burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

The point being made is that all these nations are the enemies of the Lord's kingdom, Israel. They one and all are destined to be subdued by the Lord's kingdom. They are all prophesied to be subdued by "the Israel of God".

Zec 8:22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
Zec 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

It is true that all of this will take place outwardly at the Lord's appointed time. However, the outward nations will not bow down to any of us if those very nations have not first bowed down inwardly to Christ within us "in this present time" (Rom 8:18).

Let us keep the perspective Christ had and the perspective He gives to us. It is Christ Himself who informs us that His kingdom, His ‘Israel’, is "within [us]":

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.

"Comes not with observation" is not meant to be understood as never being a physical kingdom ruling over the kingdoms of this world. No, not at all:

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The words..."He was demanded of the Pharisees" tell us that Christ knew these men had no interest in the things of the spirit, and He was not about to try to give them the holy things of the temple of which they have no right to partake:

Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Am I telling you that all these enemies of Israel... "Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature" are within us? Yes, of course they are. If "the kingdom of God is within you", then it follows that the enemies of that kingdom are the false doctrines which are also within us, working with the passions of our flesh to destroy the kingdom of God.

If we are granted to hear the voice of the shepherd, then we will subdue our enemies within us and place them into the service of the Lord to the point that every knee will bow and every tongue “will confess that Jesus is Lord…”

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

…Which is a quotation from our next verse:

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

"Swearing", which was permitted and required under the law of Moses, is changed to "confess" in the New Testament.

Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 14:11-12 makes clear that every knee bowing and every tongue confessing has to do with 'every one of us giving account of ourselves to God'. In other words, we are all to be judged. That is the "one event... to all" mentioned in:

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Judgment has already begun at the house of God (1Pe 4:17), but judgment has not begun upon this world. When that time of judgment is accomplished and we are granted to take part in the resurrection to life, then and only then, are we even qualified to have the physical 'Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sabeans come over and fall down to us and make supplication to us saying, "Surely God is in you: and there is none else..."’

Until that time, until “the resurrection of life” (Joh 5:28-29), these great strong nations are just symbols of our flesh, which is subdued and put into Christ’s service within us. Let’s read it again:

Isa 45:14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

The Lord Himself is just naturally unknown to all of Israel's enemies both within and without:

Isa 45:15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

What this tells us about ourselves is that when we are deceived, we are totally unaware of our deception. We are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and we are blinded and deceived by the Lord Himself (Eze 14:9 and Mat 13:11), and the adversary would have us believe that it is impossible to know the Truth:

Joh 18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Joh 18:34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Joh 18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Joh 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Pilate is our own flesh, judging and condemning our new man, Christ in us. Our flesh, our old man, does not believe it is possible to "know the Truth". Is it possible to "know the Truth"? Let God be true and every man a liar.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue [Greek: abide] in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Christ is the Truth:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Christ did not say 'I know the way, I know the Truth, and I know the life'. He said, "I AM the Truth". Those who do know the Truth can discern the Truth, and in doing so they also can discern the voice and words which are not The Truth:

Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

When Christ begins to purge His temple, His kingdom has begun to come to us and is beginning to take control of everything within His temple, "which temple [we] are" (1Co 3:15-16). As Christ told Pilate, when His kingdom comes, His servants will fight for Him. Therefore when He comes to reside within us “the… [subdued] Egyptians… Ethiopians and… Sabeans” within us “come over to us” and begin to fight for His throne within us. So while His kingdom is not of this age, its ambassadors are of this age, and every one of His ambassadors are being tried and tested to prove whether they are fit to be rulers in His coming kingdom which will rule over the kingdoms of this world with a rod of iron:

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Many in the world will have us to believe that "divers temptations" excludes our own shameful sins and injustices. Nothing is further from the Truth. "Divers temptations" especially includes those shameful sins which humble and humiliate and crush us to powder. When Christ crushes our old man, He then harnesses all the energy of our sinful old man and puts that energy to work in His service. The apostle Paul is a perfect example of how the Lord does this:

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

‘The Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sabeans’ have been subdued, conquered and overcome, and are now in the Lord’s service within us. Only the humble who feel they are not even worthy of lifting their eyes to the Lord will be honored with the highest seats at the marriage supper of the lamb:

Luk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

All of scripture is about these “two men”. Our very worst enemy is our own self-righteous old man who credits himself with his own righteousness as this Pharisee who took pride in his service to God. We are all this vain Pharisee before we are made to see ourselves as this humble publican. It is our old man inwardly, a Babylonian self-righteous Pharisee, who becomes the Egyptian, the Ethiopian and the Sabean who will be subdued to Christ within us. The new man who increases day by day is Christ within us as he overcomes and subdues all the enemies of “the kingdom of God… the Israel of God” within us.

Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

That is the inward application of our next verse:

Isa 45:16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

We have all manufactured our own idols of our hearts and lived to please those false lying doctrines until the day we were brought to our wits’ end and we were "confounded" and humbled before the Lord and before the Truth of His word.

Isa 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

It is "the Israel of God" within us which is being "saved in the Lord with an everlasting [olam] salvation", and that salvation will remove all shame for "ad olam ad", as the Hebrew reads. Let's examine this phrase 'ad olam ad'.

There are actually three separate Hebrew words though it appears to be just two words, 'ad' and 'olam'. But the first 'ad' is H5704 and the second 'ad' is H5703. ‘Ad olam ad’ does not translate to “world without end”, and we will see why that is.

Here is Strong's definitions for the first 'ad' H5704:

H5704
עַד
‛ad
ad
Properly the same as H5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjugation; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with): - against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for (-asmuch as), [hither-] to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

Never trust Strong’s definitions without comparing them to how any word is question is used elsewhere in scripture. Strong's definitions are many times the definitions given to the Hebrew and Greek by the mother of harlots, but we can always see through her lies when we examine how the holy spirit inspires any word to be used, and this is how the holy spirit uses this word:

Gen 8:5 And the waters decreased continually until ['ad', H5704] the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

Gen 8:7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until ['ad', H5704] the waters were dried up from off the earth.

This word clearly has nothing to do with eternity or being perpetual. It means "until", and that is how it is most commonly translated. Here is how it is most commonly translated, and rightly so:

H5704
עד
‛ad
Total KJV Occurrences: 590
until, 297
Gen_8:5, Gen_8:7, Gen_24:19, Gen_24:33, Gen_26:13, Gen_27:44-45 (2), Gen_29:8, Gen_32:4, Gen_32:24, Gen_33:3, Gen_33:14, Gen_34:5, Gen_39:16, Gen_41:49, Gen_46:34, Gen_49:10, Exo_9:18, Exo_10:26, Exo_12:6, Exo_12:10 (2), Exo_12:15, Exo_12:18, Exo_12:22, Exo_16:20, Exo_16:23, Exo_16:35 (2), Exo_17:12, Exo_23:18, Exo_23:30, Exo_24:14, Exo_33:8, Exo_34:34-35 (2), Lev_7:15, Lev_8:33, Lev_11:24-25 (2), Lev_11:27-28 (2), Lev_11:31-32 (2), Lev_11:39-40 (3), Lev_12:4, Lev_14:46, Lev_15:5-7 (3), Lev_15:10 (2), Lev_15:16-19 (4), Lev_15:21-23 (3), Lev_15:27, Lev_16:17, Lev_17:15, Lev_19:6, Lev_19:13, Lev_22:4, Lev_22:6, Lev_22:30, Lev_23:14, Lev_25:22 (2), Lev_25:28, Num_4:3, Num_4:23, Num_6:5, Num_9:15, Num_11:20, Num_14:19, Num_14:33, Num_19:7-8 (2), Num_19:10, Num_19:21-22 (2), Num_20:17, Num_21:22, Num_21:35, Num_23:24, Num_24:22, Num_32:13, Num_32:17-18 (2), Num_32:21, Num_35:12, Num_35:28, Num_35:32, Deu_1:31, Deu_2:14-15 (3), Deu_2:29, Deu_3:3, Deu_7:20 (2), Deu_7:23-24 (2), Deu_9:7, Deu_9:21, Deu_11:5, Deu_20:20, Deu_22:2, Deu_28:20-22 (4), Deu_28:24, Deu_28:48, Deu_28:51-52 (3), Deu_28:61, Deu_31:24, Deu_31:30, Jos_2:15-16 (2), Jos_2:22, Jos_3:17, Jos_4:10, Jos_4:23 (2), Jos_5:1, Jos_6:10, Jos_7:6, Jos_7:13, Jos_8:24, Jos_8:26, Jos_8:29, Jos_10:13, Jos_10:26-27 (2), Jos_10:33, Jos_11:8, Jos_11:14, Jos_13:13, Jos_20:6 (2), Jos_20:9, Jos_22:17, Jos_23:13, Jos_23:15, Jdg_4:24, Jdg_5:7, Jdg_6:18 (2), Jdg_13:15, Jdg_18:30, Jdg_19:8, Jdg_19:25, Jdg_20:23, Jdg_20:26, Rth_1:19, Rth_2:7, Rth_2:17, Rth_2:21, Rth_3:3, Rth_3:13-14 (2), Rth_3:18, 1Sa_1:22-23 (3), 1Sa_3:15, 1Sa_7:11, 1Sa_9:13, 1Sa_11:11, 1Sa_14:9, 1Sa_14:24, 1Sa_14:36, 1Sa_15:18, 1Sa_15:35, 1Sa_17:52, 1Sa_19:2, 1Sa_19:23, 1Sa_20:41, 1Sa_25:36, 1Sa_30:4, 2Sa_1:12, 2Sa_4:3, 2Sa_5:25, 2Sa_10:5, 2Sa_15:24, 2Sa_15:28, 2Sa_17:13, 2Sa_19:7, 2Sa_19:24, 2Sa_21:10, 2Sa_22:38, 2Sa_23:10, 1Ki_5:1-3 (3), 1Ki_6:22, 1Ki_10:7, 1Ki_11:16, 1Ki_11:40, 1Ki_15:29, 1Ki_17:14, 1Ki_18:26, 1Ki_18:29, 1Ki_22:11, 1Ki_22:27, 2Ki_6:25, 2Ki_7:3, 2Ki_8:6, 2Ki_8:11, 2Ki_10:8, 2Ki_10:11, 2Ki_17:20, 2Ki_17:23, 2Ki_18:32, 2Ki_24:20, 1Ch_5:22, 1Ch_6:32, 1Ch_12:22, 1Ch_19:5, 1Ch_28:20, 2Ch_8:8, 2Ch_8:16, 2Ch_9:6, 2Ch_16:12, 2Ch_18:10, 2Ch_18:26, 2Ch_18:34, 2Ch_21:15, 2Ch_24:10, 2Ch_29:28, 2Ch_29:34, 2Ch_31:1, 2Ch_35:14, 2Ch_36:16, 2Ch_36:20-21 (2), Ezr_4:5, Ezr_4:21, Ezr_5:16, Ezr_8:29, Ezr_9:4, Ezr_10:14, Neh_8:3 (2), Neh_12:23, Job_14:13, Job_26:10, Psa_57:1, Psa_71:18, Psa_73:17, Psa_94:13, Psa_104:23, Psa_105:19, Psa_110:1, Psa_112:8, Psa_123:2, Psa_132:5, Pro_7:18, Son_2:17, Son_3:4, Son_4:6, Son_8:4, Isa_6:11, Isa_26:20, Isa_32:15, Isa_36:17, Isa_39:6, Isa_62:1, Jer_23:20, Jer_27:7-8 (2), Jer_27:22, Jer_30:24 (2), Jer_32:5, Jer_36:23, Jer_37:21, Jer_38:28, Jer_44:27, Jer_52:34, Eze_21:27, Eze_33:22, Eze_46:2, Dan_4:32, Dan_7:22, Dan_7:25, Dan_9:27, Hos_7:4, Mic_5:3, Mic_7:9
till, 91
Gen_3:19, Gen_19:22, Gen_38:11, Gen_38:17, Exo_15:16 (2), Exo_16:19, Exo_16:24, Exo_40:37, Num_12:15, Deu_28:45, Jos_5:6, Jos_5:8, Jos_8:6, Jos_10:20, Jdg_3:25, Jdg_6:4, Jdg_11:33, Jdg_16:3, Jdg_19:26, Jdg_21:2, Rth_1:13, 1Sa_10:8, 1Sa_16:11, 1Sa_22:3, 1Ki_14:10, 1Ki_18:28, 2Ki_2:17, 2Ki_4:20, 2Ki_7:9, 2Ki_13:17 (2), 2Ki_13:19, 2Ki_21:16, 2Ch_26:15, 2Ch_29:34, 2Ch_36:16, Ezr_2:63, Ezr_9:14, Neh_2:7, Neh_4:11, Neh_4:21, Neh_7:65, Job_7:19 (2), Job_8:21, Job_14:6, Job_14:12, Job_14:14, Job_27:5, Psa_18:37, Pro_7:23, Ecc_2:3, Son_2:7, Son_3:5, Isa_5:8, Isa_22:14, Isa_38:13, Isa_42:4, Isa_62:7 (2), Jer_9:16, Jer_23:20, Jer_24:10, Jer_49:37, Jer_52:3, Jer_52:11, Lam_3:50, Eze_4:8, Eze_4:14, Eze_24:13, Eze_28:15, Eze_34:21, Eze_39:15, Eze_47:20, Dan_2:9, Dan_2:34, Dan_4:23, Dan_4:25, Dan_4:33, Dan_5:21, Dan_6:14, Dan_7:4, Dan_7:9, Dan_7:11, Dan_10:3, Dan_11:36, Dan_12:9, Hos_5:15, Hos_10:12, Jon_4:5
long, 51
Exo_10:7, Exo_16:28, Num_14:11 (2), Num_14:27, Jos_18:3, 1Sa_1:14, 1Sa_16:1, 2Sa_2:26, 1Ki_18:21, 2Ki_9:22, Neh_2:6, Psa_6:2-3 (5), Psa_13:1-2 (4), Psa_35:17, Psa_62:3, Psa_72:7, Psa_74:9-10 (2), Psa_79:5, Psa_80:4, Psa_82:2, Psa_89:46, Psa_90:13, Psa_94:3-4 (3), Psa_104:33, Pro_1:22, Pro_6:9, Isa_6:11, Jer_4:14, Jer_4:21, Jer_12:4, Jer_23:26, Jer_31:22, Jer_47:5-6 (2), Dan_8:13, Dan_12:6, Hos_8:5, Hab_1:2, Hab_2:6, Zec_1:12
how, 49
Exo_10:3, Exo_16:28, Num_14:11 (2), Num_14:27, Jos_18:3, Rth_3:18, 1Sa_1:14, 1Sa_16:1, 2Sa_2:26, 1Ki_18:21, 1Ki_22:16, 2Ch_18:15, Neh_2:6, Job_7:19, Psa_6:2-3 (5), Psa_62:1-3 (5), Psa_74:9-10 (2), Psa_79:5, Psa_80:4, Psa_82:2, Psa_89:46, Psa_90:13, Psa_94:3 (2), Pro_1:22, Pro_6:9, Isa_6:11, Jer_4:14, Jer_4:21, Jer_12:4, Jer_23:26, Jer_31:22, Jer_47:5-6 (2), Dan_8:13, Dan_12:6, Hab_1:2, Hab_2:6, Zec_1:12
hitherto, 9
Exo_7:16, Jos_17:14, Jdg_16:13, 1Sa_1:16, 1Sa_7:12, 1Ch_9:18, 1Ch_12:29, Job_38:11, Psa_71:17
or, 9
Gen_31:24, Gen_31:29, Exo_11:7, Exo_22:4 (2), Lev_11:42, 2Ch_15:13 (2), Ecc_12:6
while, 9
Exo_33:22 (2), Jdg_3:26, 1Sa_14:19, Neh_7:3, Ecc_12:1-2 (2), Son_1:12, Nah_1:10
into, 8
Deu_1:31, Deu_11:5, Jdg_11:19, 2Sa_4:6, 2Sa_17:13, Job_38:16, Psa_108:9-10 (2)
very, 8
1Sa_25:36, 2Ch_16:14, Psa_71:19, Psa_119:107, Psa_147:15, Lam_5:22, Dan_8:8, Dan_11:25
yet, 8
Gen_15:16, Lev_26:18, Deu_12:9, 2Ki_13:23, Neh_2:16, Pro_8:26, Jon_4:2, Hag_2:19
so, 5
Exo_14:28, Jos_8:22, 1Sa_2:5, Isa_47:7 (2)
against, 4
Gen_43:25, Num_10:21, 2Ki_16:11, Eze_47:20
even, 4
Gen_14:23, Num_11:20, 1Ch_11:8, Est_4:2
never, 4
2Sa_12:10, Psa_49:19, Eze_27:36, Eze_28:19
toward, 4
Gen_13:12, Jdg_19:18, 1Ki_7:9, Eze_48:21
without, 4
Job_9:9-10 (2), Jer_33:12 (2)
at, 3
Jos_15:5, Neh_6:1, Jer_32:20
when, 3
Jdg_16:2, Psa_71:18, Jon_4:2
whilst, 3
Jdg_6:31, Job_32:11, Psa_141:10
within, 3
Lev_25:29-30 (3)
before, 2
Gen_48:5, Exo_22:9
much, 2
Exo_14:28, Deu_2:5
also, 1
Jdg_15:5 (2)
end, 1
Isa_45:17
ever, 1
1Ch_16:36
forasmuch, 1
Jos_17:14
mean, 1
1Ki_18:45
on, 1
1Ki_7:9
sore, 1
Psa_38:8
thither, 1
Job_6:20
whether, 1
Exo_22:4
yonder, 1
Gen_22:4-5 (2)

This word is translated as ‘until’ 297 times. It is translated as ‘till’ 91 times for a total of 388 entries which make it super clear that this word has to do with a period of time which comes to some kind of termination. This word clearly means 'till' or 'until’ and is not even remotely associated with the concept of endless time or eternity.

Here is Strong's definition for the Hebrew word, 'olawm':

H5769
עֹלָם עוֹלָם
‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm
o-lawm', o-lawm'
From H5956; properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point; generally time out of mind (past or future), that is, (practically) eternity; frequentative adverbially (especially with prepositional prefix) always: - always (-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, [n-]) ever (-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world (+ without end). Compare H5331, H5703.

Well, is 'olam' "practically eternity" or is it 'eternity'? Which is it? The answer is that it definitely is not 'eternity' neither is it "(practically) eternity". There are many passages in scriptures which contain this world, 'olam' in which the context is such as these two:

Deu 23:6 Thou shalt not seek their peace [the peace of Moab and Ammon, vs 3] nor their prosperity all thy days for ever. ['olam', H5769]

"Forever" is a terrible translation because we know that at the appointed time "all in Adam... shall all be made alive" (1Co 15:22).

Here is a second example of how this word, 'olam' is used in scripture:

Psa 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) ['olam', H5769]

Again, we know that no one's life "ceases forever" because "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive". Here are three times we are told there is a resurrection of the dead leading to judgment and life.

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [judgment].

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

As we will see in next week's study “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is Lord" to the glory of God, and we are also told:

Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

That is a Biblical equation… “If you confess with your mouth you will be saved…”, and then we are very clearly told, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God”.

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We will stop at this point and make this Part One of the study of these verses. There were too many pages for a single study so we will finish this chapter of Isaiah next Sunday, Lord willing. Next week we will analyze what should be the proper translation of the Hebrew word ‘olawm’, H5769, and the proper translation of the second form of the Hebrew word, ‘ad’ H5703. Then we will put all three words together as the scriptures reveal they are properly translated, and we will see how ‘ad olam ad’ should have been properly translated.

Who Has “Sinned Willfully”, and What Are the Consequences?

Mike Vinson — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 21:03:43 +0000

Mike,

I confessed Christ as lord and savior at a very young age in our church, I believe 4th grade. I would tell people in my 20’s and 30’s I believed in the bible, but I wouldn’t call myself a Christian. I didn’t want people to look at Christianity through my life; a bit self-righteous I suppose, but I believed I was doing right. I forgot about Christian life needless to say, and grew into a life of indulging flesh and every sin I can think of.

Probably 2 years ago, I was reading the bible again and had a moment where I cried out to God. I felt I was on the right track in my walk with the Lord. Before long though, I’m right back where I was as a sinner. Then about 3 months ago on a Sunday, I have an urge to start reading Bible again, and all these sinful urges just stopped in me.

I’m also reminded of Peter talking about a dog returning to its vomit, second state worse than first, and it would have been better for that person to have not known the truth than to forsake the Holy commandment given him. I had things happen I’m not going to go into that I tie into all this. Did I commit apostasy? Am I the dog that returned to its vomit and is doomed? I have a fear of God in me and a view of sin that was missing my whole life.

Anyhow, I feel like I’m seeing the gospel really clear as being much watered down, but I’m hoping I’m seeing it wrong out of arrogance. Since my ordeal recently, like a hypocrite, I see people who have no fear of God, only view a God of abundant grace. I read in scripture about a Holy God that eventually stops listening to the prayers of people who don’t live in obedience, and destroys them. I realize God is a God of love, mercy and grace who abundantly pardons. But based on the order of events and how they’ve been presented to me, I wonder if I crossed the line of Hebrews 10:26. And please don’t tell me that it only applies to Hebrew Christians at the time going back to Judaism. I believe scripture says “if we” continue sinning willfully, if you assume Paul wrote Hebrews, then that would include himself as a believer in the statement. This isn’t a comfortable passage, but it’s one I wish somebody would have preached to me over and over as a new believer. One minister said God might be warning me. Why would God warn me at a time when my life is as clean as it’s ever been? Anyhow, this is my story, so please tell me what you think.

Thanks,

M____

Hi M____,

You ask me to “tell me what you think” of your story, so I will do that. What I think is that “man [that includes you and me], shall… live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mat 4:4). Your story demonstrates the truth of those words, as do the stories of all whom God drags to Himself:

Joh 6:44 No man [you, me or anyone else] can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [Greek: helkuō, ‘drag’ against his will] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

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 9:18 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?

What I think of your testimony is that God is demonstrating to you the truth of these words:

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

If God gives you the eyes to see, you will know that “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” includes the verse you so fear:

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

You would also know that there is not a man in the world, other than Christ, who has not “sinned willfully after having received the knowledge of the Truth”. Peter and all the apostles denied Christ by forsaking Him after saying they would never do so, and Paul tells us this about all of us:

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: [We are “marred in the Potter’s hand” (Jer 18:4)] for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

I think this is exactly what you are experiencing, just as I and all other humans experience being “marred in the hand of the Potter”. We sin because of how God created us – “naked… of the dust… sinful flesh and blood… no good thing… in me.”

You will also come to know that “when we are judged in the “judgment and fiery indignation” of Hebrews 10:26-27, that judgment will accomplish what all judgment is intended to accomplish, which is:

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

While there is indeed a judgment, which is “fiery indignation”, it is still “judgment”, and someday you will know that it is that “fiery judgment… the lake of fire”, God’s elect, who will be used by God to save all men of all time:

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Who is it among us who dwells comfortably in the devouring fire of Hebrews 10:26-27? Who among us will dwell with the everlasting burnings of that “devouring fire”? Here is the answer, and it is not what you have be told in the church of you were in. Here is who dwells comfortably in the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings:

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

The “fire” of scripture is not literal flames. When Christ spoke of entering into life with one foot, one eye or one hand, He was not speaking of having literally crippled spiritual bodies, and neither was He speaking of literal physical flames of fire. This is the fire of all scripture when it speaks of judgment and the chastening of all judgment:

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

That is exactly what Christ told us will be the fire that will judge all men, now and in the lake of fire:

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the [fiery] word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

What you need to know is that every time you see the words ‘for ever, for ever and ever, everlasting, eternal, or eternity” in the scriptures, the Greek word behind those English words is either the Greek noun ‘aion‘ (an age) or the Greek adjective form of ‘aion‘ which is ‘aionios‘. What that means is that “everlasting punishment” and “eternal torment” are just God’s aionian “fiery indignation” which will burn up all that can be burned up and will at the same time purify and cleanse every man, just as the apostle Paul tells us concerning all the “wood, hay and stubble” of your life.

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [Either the “fire” of 1Peter 4:12-17 or the fire of Revelation 20:14].
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? [God’s fiery judgment will continue in the lake of fire upon those who are not the first to be judged]
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? [They will appear in a later, less desirable judgment, the judgment of the great white throne (Rev 20:11) where the righteous of Isaiah 33:14-15 will use the fire in their mouths to judge all men of all time].

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 [Isa 33:14-15]. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [Jer 5:14].

For a much more in-depth study of Heb 10:26-27 please read this link:

http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/Judgment_Follows_The_Impossible.php

I am not certain you meant to send this to me, but I know God meant for you to send this to me.

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us 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:

You asked what I thought of your testimony, and I must say that it sounds like God’s fiery word is performing its intended function of burning out all the wood, hay and stubble, in your life just as it has in my own life. I have suffered the loss of all my old man ever wanted, and through the fiery death of my old man I myself am being saved.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire

Your brother in the Christ who is working all things after the counsel of His own will,

Mike