Sunday, July 16, 2006

Now I Will Arise

This was written Febuary 3 2003 by Bob Westbrook
and it relates to what is unfolding right now.
This is an exerpt
For the rest of it ,hit the link above

The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is confounded and withers away; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves. (Isaiah 33:9 ESV)

It is not as clear at the moment what this is specifically referring to.
Sharon is a region in Israel, the seacoast area south of Haifa and north of Tel Aviv, where the majority of Israelis live.
Sharon is also the name of the current prime minister of Israel.
Bashan is an area roughly equivalent to the Golan Heights, and Carmel is Mount Carmel, adjacent to Haifa.
It appears that some unpleasant things are occurring in Lebanon as well as in the coastal population center of Israel. Lebanon is the home of the Shiite Muslim terrrorist group Hezbollah, poised to attack Israel with 10,000 missiles, some reportedly with chemical or biological capability.
I hesitate to suggest this may mean that the Israeli population centers along the coast, along with the Golan Heights, will be hit very hard with missile attacks from Hezbollah and Syria. This would result in extremely severe retaliation against Lebanon and Syria.
"Now will I arise," says the LORD. "Now will I be exalted; now will I be lifted up." (Isaiah 33:10 NIV)
The verses prior to verse 10 describe events that will happen just prior to this announcement, and will indeed incite it.
What happens when God arises?
His enemies are scattered. But this seems to portend a momentous occasion, a historical event, when God abandons the appearance of not being directly engaged with the affairs of Israel. Rather, He rises up, determined to bring glory to His name by the mighty actions He takes on Israel's behalf.
Could this signify a new chapter in history, an era when God's powerful redemptive acts for Israel once again become obvious to all?
"You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; your breath is a fire that consumes you. The peoples will be burned as if to lime; like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze." (Isaiah 33:11-12 NIV)
We are not told the exact identity of the "you" in these verses; presumably it is the "destroyer" mentioned in verse 1. "You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw" - this an analogy from the baby conception and delivery process. But it is no baby born here; these are both trash materials, both highly combustible.. The Geneva Study Bible says for verse 11: "This is spoken against the enemies, who thought all was their own, but he shows that their enterprise will be in vain, and that the fire which they had kindled for others would consume them."
And how will they be consumed? By their own breath. They will be burned "as if to lime". Do you know what a lime burn is? It's a chemical burn. Could this be talking about chemical weapons, weapons that the enemy attempts to use on Israel but fall back on themselves? The word for "breath" also means wind, gas, or blast. Could it be that these enemies that will be burned by chemical fire will be consumed by their own weapons of mass destruction that are blown back on themselves?
Matthew Henry wrote about these verses: "You shall conceive chaff, and bring forth stubble, which is not only worthless and good for nothing, but combustible and proper fuel for the fire, which it cannot escape, when your own breath as fire shall devour you, that is, the breath of God's wrath, provoked against you by the breath of your sins--your malignant breath, the threatenings and slaughter you breathe out against the people of God, this shall devour you, and your blasphemous breath against God and his name. God would make their own tongues to fall upon them, and their own breath to blow the fire that should consume them."
"You who are far away, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my power!" (Isaiah 33:13 NIV)
As a result of what has just happened, God demands that both those in Israel, and those beyond, must recognize what He has done for Israel. Perhaps this is why these verses are being spotlighted now, so that when it happens, no one will be ambivalent in their determination of who did it. The Lord's mighty hand and outstretched arm are still active for Israel! In response to the failed peace process, God has arisen and powerfully consumed the enemies of Israel.
"The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" (Isaiah 33:14 NIV)
This verse is reminiscent of the accounts I've read about when the Holy Spirit of God moved in a powerful way in peoples hearts to invoke the fear of God, resulting in great revivals of repentance and rebirth. May God do this in Israel soon.

7 comments:

  1. "The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is confounded and withers away; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves. (Isaiah 33:9 ESV)

    It is not as clear at the moment what this is specifically referring to."

    This is referring to 2 Kings 18:14, The treaty which was broken by the Assyrians; the following destruction came because of the broken agreement which the men of Judah cried over, which was probably the treaty between Hezekiah, king of Judah at the time of Isaiah (740 BC - 681 BC)and king of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. This passage does not refer to a future moment or even Lebanon the present state for that matter but ancient Assyria. I think we need to be very careful not to take scripture out of context. Also, I have read some of your posts, and I just wanted to add that God loves Muslims too, He sent His Son to die for them as well. Whatever happens right now in Lebanon or Israel or Syria we can be sure that God is at work and it is His Glory that will prevail and His will that will be done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your input ,but I disagree strongly.
    The prophecy is for now and as usual you bible 'experts' are blind to the times we live in.
    Your mistake was going to a bible school instead of letting God teach you.
    I hope the strong delusion has not completely engulfed you ??
    He loves the moslems just as much as he loved those who didn't make it on Noah's ark.
    Islam is cursed because of their hatred for israel.
    IF YOU LOVE THE Arab's/persian's/Indonesian's/Malaysian's YOU WILL WARN THEM TO FLEE FROM ISLAM AND FROM THE DESTRUCTION WHICH NOW BEGINS TO FALL UPON THEM.
    You are one of those fools who do not understand the wrath and judgments of God that now fall upon the wicked earth.

    Repent and fear God ,that is the message to the world ,the moslems and to His apostate children who play the whore with the world

    The world turns against Israel even more now ,and it is God's plan to lure them into His trap to judge them.
    Those who survive on earth will learn the fear of God as will you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. One cannot be a Christian and be so full of hate and anger. Your perception of events to come are completely unbiblical and unfortunate. Jesus told us to be careful that our hearts would not be weighed down (Lk 21:34) waiting for these things (the end times and/or wars or rumors of wars even!) to come to pass. I think that is why you are so ready to attack and strike down every comment made that is contrary to what you believe. The focus should be on Jesus - salvation comes from Jesus, KING Jesus, not from the Jews. You are not the mouthpiece of God.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We have our different perceptions of what we "THINK" the scripture is saying. To keep it simple, allow GOD to bless us with the Spirit of Discernment, Study the Scripture, and Aviod arguments about who is right and who is wrong. All true believers and followers of Christ need to uplift each other and do not allow satan to cause division. Peace to all!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Peace to all ?
    Jesus said; I come not to bring peace ,but a sword.
    A mans foes shall be they of his own household.
    peace to all ,thats what the islamofascists say along with allah akhbar before they cut off the head a non believer of their satanic religion.
    That about says it all for your false message ,your delusion and satanic deception.
    The message of the hour is repent, God's judgment are here now not peace to all.
    The road is wide which leads to destruction and many find it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. you think I'm angry ?
    When you awaken from your delusion and realize that God's wrath has fallen upon a wicked and unrepentent earth will it be too late for you ?
    When the two witnesses of Revelation begin their fire breathing (hate and anger?) ministry and you are not yet raptured out, will you come against these two witnesses of God as the inhabitants of the earth will ?
    You are the product of a decieved and apostate americanized church.
    Escape while you can.

    ReplyDelete