Isaiah
18:2
That sendeth
ambassadors
by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying,
Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to
a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation
meted
out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
"...ambassadors
by the sea, ..." Being
located across the Atlantic from Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa; American
ambassadors for 150 years traveled by sea when on government business.
Even to South America, Mexico, and Canada they traveled by water.
"...vessels
of bulrushes..." In your mind's eye see
steam ships (water-drinking vessels), but in technical language of 2800
years ago, "vessels of bulrushes". Vessels that drink water like
bulrushes, cattails, or papyrus.
"...Go,
ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled,
to
a people terrible from their beginning..."
"scattered" H4900
ощ?к ma?shak maw-shak' A primitive root; to draw, used
in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong,
to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall, etc.): -
draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, X give, handle, make
(pro-, sound) long, X sow, scatter,
stretch out.
"peeled"
If as peeled in Ezekiel 29:18 H4803
оши ma?rat? maw-rat' A primitive root; to polish; by
implication to make bald (the head), to gall (the shoulder); also, to sharpen:
- bright, furbish, (have his) hair (be) fallen off, peeled, pluck
off (hair.)
Is Isaiah seeing
a vision of a land possessed by men who were tall like trees with the bark
peeled off. i.e. "tall and clean-shaven people"
"...terrible
from their beginning hitherto..." is
this a true description of the fierce and warlike Indian tribe found in
the new world?
Also, America
has never been defeated in defense of her own lands or in the freedom of
the seas. (a pretty terrible
I would say)
The word, "hitherto"
in
the prophecy also suggests that America will never be conquered from without,
throughout the future ages.
"...a nation
meted
out and trodden down,..."
meted H6957
че че qav qa?v kav, kawv
From H6960 (compare H6961); a cord (as connecting), especially for measuring;
figuratively a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accord: - line.
Compare H6978.
trodden downH4001
обе?сд mebu?sa?h meb-oo-saw' From H947;
a trampling: - treading (trodden) down (under foot).
Put together
this could translate "measured out under the treading" that is a land measures
out by lines and feet. This is a description of how the United States
and only the United States is surveyed and divided into literal checkerboard
sections. Surveyed by the North Star; a base line run east to west, and
all land marked up into mile squares. These sections then sub-divided into
quarter sections of half mile squares. No other nation was so "meted"
out into blocks before. All the other countries of the earth have surveyed
and marked their land by local boundaries.
"...whose
land the rivers have spoiled!"
"spoiled"
H958 б?жа ba?za?' baw-zaw' A primitive root; probably
to
cleave: - spoil. This is a term used to describe an animal
killed, hung up and quartered. The United States is divided in half
by the Mississippi River. The halves are again divided east to west from
the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi by the Columbia River to the Snake
River to the Missouri River in the west. and the from the Atlantic Ocean
by the Ohio River to the Monongahela River to the Younghiogheny River which
becomes the Castlemen River to the Potomac River and runs into the Bay
and unto the Atlantic dividing the eastern half into two parts. Thus the
whole land is "quartered by rivers". No other land on earth is divided
by rivers this way into four sections: northeast, northwest, southeast,
and southwest.
Isaiah 18:3
All ye inhabitants
of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when He lifteth up an
ensign
on the mountains; and when He bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
Note the words
"ensign"
and "trumpet" which are symbols of war. Isaiah saw America
lift up an ensign on the mountain, meaning nation, and blow the trumpet,
meaning declaration of war. Twice when America has declared war,
most nations of the world "took heed" and became involved.
Isaiah 18:4
For so the LORD
said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place
like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat
of harvest.
Isaiah 18:5
For afore the
harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the
flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruninghooks, and
take away and cut down the branches.
Isaiah 18:6
They shall be
left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the
earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the
earth shall winter upon them.
Although
hard for a Westerner to understand, verses 4-6 being highly figurative
and Eastern, it is possible that Isaiah is taking about a nation blessed
with fertile soil, sunshine and showers, clouds of dew, providing
favorable conditions for cultivation and a bountiful harvest; a
nation possessing natural resources favorable for national productivity.
The
branches of ill omen, or "sprigs" will spring up, of verse
five may indicate a time of cleansing for our nation as Matthew tells us
about in Matt. 13:39-41.
Isaiah 18:7
In that time
shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered
and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a
nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled,
to
the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
This verse summarizes this
eighteenth chapter and indicates this is a Christian land: "...the
place of the name ... of mount Zion."
I
Chapter 11 acknowledges
that God kept an eye on our forefathers, according to His covenant:
Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall
set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and
from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the
islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts
of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners
of the earth.
Ancient Israel
was but one family, settled in a very small and limited territory,
Israel Restored, however, would be gathered from all the nations and languages
where they had settled and would be set up in a vastly larger territory.
They would have the headship of the world in the work of reformation, in
establishing civil and religious liberty, in overthrowing all despotism,
and proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Ancient Israel
furnished the world with the Bible and with the only plan of salvation.
Israel Restored will show all people in all nations its heavenly teachings
by which man will be freed the bondage of sin, superstition, and slavery.
Israel will show the world, man's highest status attainable under the gospel
of Jesus Christ, that form of government best suited for human development
and religious prosperity.
"The Stone Kingdom" and Publisher John Rhine's
comments.
Nebuchadnezzar's
dream about the four great world empires, (1st.
Babylonian, 2nd. Medio-Persiain, 3rd. Grecian and 4th. Roman)
all of which Daniel prophesied would fall, (they
have, they are history) followed by a fifth
world empire "The Stone Kingdom" (still
future, but very near)
Daniel 2:25 Then
Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him,
I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto
the king the interpretation. [26] The king answered and said to Daniel,
whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream
which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? [27] Daniel answered
in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded
cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew
unto the king; [28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets,
and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter
days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;[29]
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what
should come to pass hereafter: and He that revealeth secrets maketh known
to thee what shall come to pass. [30] But as for me, this secret is not
revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for
their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that
thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. [31] Thou, O king, sawest,
and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent,
stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. Daniel 2:32 This
image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly
nd his thighs of brass,[33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron
and part of clay.[34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without
hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay,
and brake them to pieces.
Ok, with that background in mind,
let's and pick it up in chapter 2 vs. 35 after Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar
that he saw a stone cut out without hands smite the image
upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and break them to pieces.
That stone is Jesus Christ, the Rock of our salvation, the Stone
of Israel as He is called in Gen. 49:24. He is the stone which
the builders rejected and He shall now be the head stone of the corner
over all the earth (Ps. 118:22)! Jesus Christ is the Rock, the only true
foundation upon which you can stand. Don't put your trust in the beast
and his system because the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw had a very weak
foundation of iron mixed with clay and it's coming DOWN! Stand firmly upon
the Rock and put your trust in Him.
Daniel 2:35 Then
was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to
pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors;
and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the
stone that smote the image became a great mountain,
and filled the whole earth. [36] This is the dream; and we will tell the
interpretation thereof before the king. [37] Thou, O king, art a king of
kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength,
and glory. Daniel 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts
of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand,
and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. [39]
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another
third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. [40]
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh
in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these,
shall it break in pieces and bruise. [41] And whereas thou sawest the feet
and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be
divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch
as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. [42] And as the toes of the
feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly
strong, and partly broken. [43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with
miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they
shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. Daniel
2:44 And in the days of these kings shall
the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and
the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the
stone was cut out of the mountain without hands,
and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver,
and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come
to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof
sure.
Publisher John
Rhine's thoughts about "The Stone Kingdom":
Yes,
I believe the land of these United States is the location of the "God's
Stone Kingdom". and
Yes, I believe the Christian nations of the
world are pretty much made up of descendants of the "True
House of Israel", from all twelve tribes.
But,
let's face it; the United States won't really
be "God's Stone Kingdom"until
Jesus Christ, our King, returns and we learn the difference between what
is Holy and what is profane. Revelations
22:20 ...Surely, I come, quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
