(Isaiah 18:1-7)
1 Woe, land of whirring wings
Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,
2 Which sends messengers by the sea,
Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters.
Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth,
To a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation
Whose land the rivers divide.
3 All you who inhabit the world, and live on earth,
As soon as a flag is raised on the mountains, you will see it,
And as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it.
4 For this is what the Lord has told me:
“I will quietly look from My dwelling place
Like dazzling heat in the sunshine,
Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
5 For before the harvest, as soon as the bud blossoms
And the flower becomes a ripening grape,
He will cut off the shoots with pruning knives,
And remove and tear away the spreading branches.
6 They will be left together for mountain birds of prey,
And for the animals of the earth;
And the birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,
And all the animals of the earth will spend harvest time on them.
7 At that time a gift of tribute will be brought to the Lord of armies
From a people tall and smooth,
From a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation,
Whose land the rivers divide—
To the place of the name of the Lord of armies, to Mount Zion.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,
2 Which sends messengers by the sea,
Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters.
Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth,
To a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation
Whose land the rivers divide.
3 All you who inhabit the world, and live on earth,
As soon as a flag is raised on the mountains, you will see it,
And as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it.
4 For this is what the Lord has told me:
“I will quietly look from My dwelling place
Like dazzling heat in the sunshine,
Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
5 For before the harvest, as soon as the bud blossoms
And the flower becomes a ripening grape,
He will cut off the shoots with pruning knives,
And remove and tear away the spreading branches.
6 They will be left together for mountain birds of prey,
And for the animals of the earth;
And the birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,
And all the animals of the earth will spend harvest time on them.
7 At that time a gift of tribute will be brought to the Lord of armies
From a people tall and smooth,
From a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation,
Whose land the rivers divide—
To the place of the name of the Lord of armies, to Mount Zion.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
These verses were written for the people back then, and they can be applied today as a warning for all people, that as soon as the trumpet is blown, those who are believers will be caught up (raptured), and then the Tribulation will begin. The trumpet could also be the call to war during the Battle of Armageddon, which is at the end of the Tribulation. Either way, believers now do not have to worry. At the trumpet sound before the Tribulation, Jesus will collect us and take us to heaven. We are not meant for the wrath to come. And for the ones who become believers during the Tribulation, that trumpet will let them know that Jesus is coming again.
The Tribulation is to judge the nations, as well as cause the Israelites as a nation to see the signs and believe in Jesus. Jesus will return to earth for the Battle of Armageddon, which is when all sinners will be defeated. This is when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, and unbelievers and evil are removed from the face of the earth. The bodies of all unbelievers will be left as food for the animals and birds of prey. Then Jesus will lead the Israelites and anyone else who becomes a believer during the Tribulation into the Millennial kingdom.
Meanwhile, we can be comforted and excited about verses 3-4. God is more real than reality itself. He is like dazzling heat in the sunshine, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of the harvest! When the Lord works, it is as obvious as a raised flag and a trumpet blast! If our eyes and ears are open, He is impossible to miss! And when we make Him Lord and Savior of our lives, He is our caring friend, guide and "gardener" who knows what to prune away in order to keep us healthy, thriving and fruitful. He is our sun that causes us to grow, and He is our cloud of dew to protect and refresh us. In a very real and personal relationship, we can and are to look to Him for everything!
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