Prepare the Way for My People

[Keraz]

Isaiah 57:1-2 The righteous perish and no one is concerned, those loyal to their faith are persecuted; they achieve peace at last on their deathbed.

Isaiah 57:3-11 Come near, you children of sin; spawn of a lie. You practice idolatry, desert your Maker and make bargains with men. You don’t think that your plight is desperate, because now, you have renewed vigour, you do not worry about your future. As the Lord kept silent and looked away, so you don’t fear Him, don’t remember Him or give Him a thought.

Isaiah 57:12-15 Now I shall expose your conduct, that what you think is right. Your idols will not help you; when disaster comes, your strength will vanish.

But he who puts his trust in Me will possess the Land and inherit My holy Place. Then the Lord will say: Prepare the way for My people, let them come to the Place of My dwelling. I will revive the spirit of the humble and the courage of the disheartened.

Isaiah 57:16-19 I shall not always be accusing, I shall not keep My wrath forever, or else the spirit of mankind would fail because of Me. For a short time, I was angry with My people, I withdrew My favour from Israel because of their sins. Despite their conduct, I will heal them and give them relief and comfort. Those who mourn for Israel will then praise Me, as I heal and save them. There will be peace for all, both far and near.
Reference: REB, NIV, KJV. Some verses abridged.

‘the righteous perish’ - the persecution of Christians now and throughout the ages. Matthew 23:35, Revelation 6:9-11

‘you practice idolatry - The apostate and atheistic peoples of today have no idea that their judgement is coming. Ezekiel 20:39, Romans 2:9-11

‘renewed strength’- The descendants of Jacob today, in the Christian nations, have become numerous, rich and powerful, so they no longer ‘give the Lord a thought’.

‘when disaster comes, your strength will vanish’ - the Lords Day of vengeance and wrath. Isaiah 17:4-6 The military powers of the world will be destroyed or neutralized by this judgement against the Lord’s enemies, which will ‘prepare the way’, for the return to the Land of My people. Jeremiah 31:21, Isaiah 43:5-7, Ezekiel 20:34

The punishment and exile of Israel and Judah is for a decreed time; ‘a short time’, to the Lord. Now, as that term of exile nears completion, we look forward to ‘relief and comfort’ and ‘peace for all’, for EVERY faithful Christian, from every tribe, race, nation and language, in the new country of Beulah. Isaiah 62:1-5, Ezekiel 37:26

 

[Keraz]

The Lord’s people will enter the holy Land with joy and thanksgiving:

Isaiah 35:10 The Lord’s people, set free, will enter Zion with shouts of triumph…

Gladness and joy will come upon them, while suffering and sorrow will pass away.

Psalms 149:4-5 For the Lord accepts the service of His people and crowns the lowly with victory. Let His loyal servants exult in triumph!

Jeremiah 33:6 & 25 I shall restore the Land, My people will live there. They will shout: Praise the Lord of Hosts, for He is good and His love endured forever.



Psalms 69:36 Those who serve the Lord and love His Name, will inherit the Land.

Psalms 37:9 Those who trust in the Lord, will inherit the Land.

Isaiah 57:13b but, he who makes Me his refuge, will possess the Land.

Psalms 85:9 Certainly, His loyal followers will soon experience His deliverance, then glory will appear in our Land.

Isaiah 61:3-6 My righteous people, planted in the Lord’s holy Land, to display His glory.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the Land.

Isaiah 29:19-22 The lowly and poor will once again rejoice in the Lord, sinners will be cut down.

Jeremiah 12:14-15 The Lord says: I shall uproot those evil people who occupy My holy Land…. Judah may come back only if they learn the ways of My [Christian] people.

Isaiah 32:15-20 The Land has been [will be] made forsaken and desolated….but in a very short time, it will become a garden Land, where My people will dwell in peace.



Zechariah 9:16 The Lord will save His people like a flock, for they are like precious jewels, that sparkle all about His Land.

Jeremiah 23:3-4 I will bring My sheep back to the Land, they will increase and be fruitful. I shall appoint shepherds who will tend them, they will live in peace.

John 10:16 There are other sheep of Mine, not of this fold. I will lead them, they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one Shepherd.

Ezekiel 34:11-31….You are My flock, the sheep that I feed and I am your God…



Isaiah 66:18b-21 I will gather My people from every race, nation and language. They will come on every type of conveyance, as an offering to the Lord in Zion.

Psalm 107:1-3 & 36-38 Let those redeemed by the Lord, give thanks. All of His righteous people, gathered from around the world. They are blessed with peace and prosperity.

Psalms 147:12-20 The Lord has brought peace and plenty to His Land.

Praise the Lord!

Reference: REB. Some verses abridged

 

[quietthinker]

Prepare the Way for My People​

John the Baptist...'I am the one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord'
Jesus.....I am the way, the truth and the life.

 

[jeffweeder]

Prepare the Way for My People​

John the Baptist...'I am the one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord'
Jesus.....I am the way, the truth and the life.

Amen.
And here we are...,

Heb 12
18 For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging windstorm, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and a sound of words [such that] those who heard it begged that nothing more be said to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, “If even a wild animal touches the mountain, it will be stoned [to death].” 21 In fact, so terrifying was the sight, that Moses said, “I am filled with fear and trembling.”


22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels [in festive gathering], 23 and to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to God, who is Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed in heaven) who have been made perfect [bringing them to their final glory], 24 and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant [uniting God and man], and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance].


Only the redemption of the body remains to be received at his second coming for the first born of the Spirit...the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Our land is the NHNE.

 

[Keraz]

Raise a standard– call to assemble in Israel

Isaiah 13:1-8 Babylon- an oracle. A Prophecy against foreign nations:
Raise a flag, sound the call to battle. I have commanded My holy ones to carry out My judgement, all My troops, eager for the victory. Listen to the noise of their gathering, they come, prepared with the weapons of the Lord’s wrath. Wail, for the Day of the Lord is near, devastation from the Almighty. Because of this, all courage will melt away and terror and fear will grip everyone. Joel 2:1-11, Isaiah 24:1

Isaiah 13:9-16 The Day of the Lord is coming, that cruel Day of wrath and fierce anger, to reduce the earth to desolation and to destroy all the wicked there. The sun, moon and stars will be darkened when God punishes the world for its sins. The heavens will tremble and the earth will be shaken to its foundations.

Humans will be scarcer that gold, at the wrath of God and the Lamb, on that Day of their blazing anger. Like sheep with no shepherd, people will rush back to their native lands, those who are caught will be killed. Isaiah 66:15-16

Isaiah 13:17-22 Is fulfilled prophecy - Ancient Babylon was destroyed by the Medes, it has never been rebuilt as an inhabited city. Isaiah chapter 47.

Isaiah 29:20-23 The arrogant and ruthless will be no more, therefore the Lord says: This is no time for Jacob [Israel] to be shamed, for his descendants will regard Israel’s God with awe and will praise Him for their deliverance. Habakkuk 3:12-14

Isaiah 11:11-16 On that Day, the Lord will exert His power a second time, to recover the remnant of His people from all parts of the world, He will raise a standard for the nations. The scattered people of Judah and Ephraim will assemble and the ancient hostility between them, will cease. They will take over the area that was promised to Abraham. The Lord will make a road for them to travel into the Land, as He did for the ancient Israelites. Isaiah 49:8-13, Revelation 18:4

The Lord’s people, every faithful Christian, are gathered and settled into the Land

Isaiah 12:1-6 On the Day of our deliverance, we will say: We praise You, Lord. You were angry with us, now Your anger has abated and you comfort us. God is our deliverer, our refuge and defence. On that day, we will say with Give thanks to God, make known what He has done among the peoples. Cry out, you dwellers in Zion, for the Holy one of Israel is among you in His majesty. Not His physical return, as yet. Psalms 100:1-5

The glory of God will reside in the 3rd Temple, His people will rejoice and praise Him. Eze. 43:4
Reference REB,NIV. Some verses abridged.

Isaiah 13:1-16 is about the forthcoming Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath. This is the next prophesied event, which will clear the entire Middle East area, enabling Greater Israel to be settled by the Lord’s people, Jew and Gentile; every born again Christian. Revelation 5:9-10

Verse 10 says how it will be dark on that Day – this will be caused by the smoke and ash clouds resulting from a massive coronal mass ejection from the sun. Isaiah 30:26-28, Jeremiah 30:23-24, Malachi 4:1, Isaiah 66:15-16, Ezekiel 20:46-48, Revelation 6:12-17.

THEN, His faithful people, have the wonderful promises of redemption and restoration. They will live in peace and security in all that area promised to Abraham. That all this will take place before Jesus returns, is evident by the way His people gather- not by the angels, as in Matthew 24:31 – but by travelling along ‘a highway’, by every conveyance. Isaiah 66:20. Also how the Lord gives them a sign and motivates them to migrate to New Israel- Beulah: Isaiah 62:1-5

 

[Phoneman777]

Isaiah 57:1-2 The righteous perish and no one is concerned, those loyal to their faith are persecuted; they achieve peace at last on their deathbed.

Isaiah 57:3-11 Come near, you children of sin; spawn of a lie. You practice idolatry, desert your Maker and make bargains with men. You don’t think that your plight is desperate, because now, you have renewed vigour, you do not worry about your future. As the Lord kept silent and looked away, so you don’t fear Him, don’t remember Him or give Him a thought.

Isaiah 57:12-15 Now I shall expose your conduct, that what you think is right. Your idols will not help you; when disaster comes, your strength will vanish.

But he who puts his trust in Me will possess the Land and inherit My holy Place. Then the Lord will say: Prepare the way for My people, let them come to the Place of My dwelling. I will revive the spirit of the humble and the courage of the disheartened.

Isaiah 57:16-19 I shall not always be accusing, I shall not keep My wrath forever, or else the spirit of mankind would fail because of Me. For a short time, I was angry with My people, I withdrew My favour from Israel because of their sins. Despite their conduct, I will heal them and give them relief and comfort. Those who mourn for Israel will then praise Me, as I heal and save them. There will be peace for all, both far and near.
Reference: REB, NIV, KJV. Some verses abridged.

‘the righteous perish’ - the persecution of Christians now and throughout the ages. Matthew 23:35, Revelation 6:9-11

‘you practice idolatry - The apostate and atheistic peoples of today have no idea that their judgement is coming. Ezekiel 20:39, Romans 2:9-11

‘renewed strength’- The descendants of Jacob today, in the Christian nations, have become numerous, rich and powerful, so they no longer ‘give the Lord a thought’.

‘when disaster comes, your strength will vanish’ - the Lords Day of vengeance and wrath. Isaiah 17:4-6 The military powers of the world will be destroyed or neutralized by this judgement against the Lord’s enemies, which will ‘prepare the way’, for the return to the Land of My people. Jeremiah 31:21, Isaiah 43:5-7, Ezekiel 20:34

The punishment and exile of Israel and Judah is for a decreed time; ‘a short time’, to the Lord. Now, as that term of exile nears completion, we look forward to ‘relief and comfort’ and ‘peace for all’, for EVERY faithful Christian, from every tribe, race, nation and language, in the new country of Beulah. Isaiah 62:1-5, Ezekiel 37:26

While I acknowledge the existence of "dual prophecy" I'm pretty sure this is not one such - it's Isaiah prophesying of the end of the 70 years captivity, not a return of Israel to national greatness.

The shed blood of Jesus is "upon us and our children forever".
Paul says "wrath has come upon them to the uttermost".
God's offered the "good of the land" or be "devoured by the sword" - they chose rebellion over obedience.

I know Zechariah 14 and Romans 11 are "proof" of a return to greatness, but no one can claim the promises of God without first meeting the conditions of God, and the "natural branches" are no more privileged than are the "wild branches" - both require sight to see before we can be redemption ready.

 

[Keraz]

- it's Isaiah prophesying of the end of the 70 years captivity, not a return of Israel to national greatness.

Isaiah 57 does not Prophesy any return of ethnic Israel to greatness. [Or does Zech 14 and Romans 11]
Nothing to do with the return of a few Jews from Babylon.
It refers to the Israelites of God, now every faithful Christian person. Peoples from every tribe, race, nation and language, THEY will be blessed and prosperous, living in all of the holy Land, as God always wanted His people to be:

Psalms 60:1-5 You have been displeased and rejected us, now restore us, we pray. You have shaken the Land, it is barren and desolate. Your people are punished, but to those who love and obey You, You have raised a signal, to which they may escape. Save us and help us with Your strong Right Hand, deliver those whom You love.

Acts 3:19-24 Repent, therefore and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out. Then the Lord may grant you a time of recovery.

2 Sam. 7:10-11 I shall place My people, in their own Land and give them peace. Psalms 37:29

Jer. 33:6 & 25 I shall restore the Land. My people will live there. They will shout: “Praise the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, His love endures forever”.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

Isaiah 57 does not Prophesy any return of ethnic Israel to greatness. [Or does Zech 14 and Romans 11]
Nothing to do with the return of a few Jews from Babylon.
It refers to the Israelites of God, now every faithful Christian person. Peoples from every tribe, race, nation and language, THEY will be blessed and prosperous, living in all of the holy Land, as God always wanted His people to be:

Psalms 60:1-5 You have been displeased and rejected us, now restore us, we pray. You have shaken the Land, it is barren and desolate. Your people are punished, but to those who love and obey You, You have raised a signal, to which they may escape. Save us and help us with Your strong Right Hand, deliver those whom You love.

Acts 3:19-24 Repent, therefore and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out. Then the Lord may grant you a time of recovery.

2 Sam. 7:10-11 I shall place My people, in their own Land and give them peace. Psalms 37:29

Jer. 33:6 & 25 I shall restore the Land. My people will live there. They will shout: “Praise the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, His love endures forever”.

Peter revealed that the holy land that God's people (us) will inherit is the entire new earth.

2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Are you looking forward to a new heaven and new earth like Peter said we are or are you looking forward to something else?

 

[Keraz]

Are you looking forward to a new heaven and new earth like Peter said we are or are you looking forward to something else?

The NH, NE come after the Millennium. Now; we look forward to living in peace and prosperity in all of the holy Land:

Deuteronomy 33:26 There is no one like the God of Jeshurun [The upright one=of Israel] who rides on the heavens to your aid, on the clouds in His glory.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The Eternal God is your refuge, He drives out your enemies before you, commanding their destruction.

Deuteronomy33:28 So, Israel will live in safety in their own Land. A prosperous and fertile Land.
Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy are you, Israel, blessed and set free. The Lord is the shield and sword that guards you. Your enemies will cower before you and you will take over their high places.


Ezekiel 28:24-26 No longer will My people, Israel, suffer the scorn of their neighbours I will gather them from every nation, to live undisturbed in their own Land, which I gave to My servant, Jacob. After I execute judgement on the wicked neighbours, you will then display My holiness for the world to see.

Jeremiah 32:1-15 Jeremiah is told to buy a field and seal the title deed in a jar, kept for a distant future time, when again Israel will live in the Land. [All the faithful Christian peoples, divided into12 tribes]

Jeremiah 32:37-41 I shall gather My people from every land from where I have banished them. It will be a joy to Me to do them good when I plant them in this Land.

Isaiah 11:12-13 The Lord will raise a banner and assemble those from Israel and Judah, dispersed among the nations. The enmity between Israel and Judah will cease.

Isaiah 65:9 I shall give descendants to Jacob and heirs to Judah, My chosen ones, who will possess My Land. Those who serve Me will live there.
Isaiah 14:1 The Lord will show compassion and will again make Israel His choice. He will resettle them in their native soil, where aliens will join them.
Ezekiel 36:8-12 But, you, mountains of Israel- put forth your fruits, for My people, Israel, for their homecoming is near. I shall settle on you many people – the whole House of Israel, they will increase and be fruitful.

Psalm 126:1-3 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like people renewed in health. Our mouths were full of laughter and we sang for joy. The nations said; the Lord has done great things for them. Great things, indeed, the Lord has done for us and we rejoiced.

Psalm 147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers the scattered Israelites.

Psalm 147;19-20 To Jacob He reveals His word, His statutes and decrees to Israel. He has not done this for other nations.

But now, since the Advent of Jesus, it is every faithful Christian who are the Israelites of God, His holy people, the heirs of His promises.

Reference, REB, NIV, KJV. Some verses abridged.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

The NH, NE come after the Millennium. Now; we look forward to living in peace and prosperity in all of the holy Land:

So, why didn't Peter say we are looking forward to the holy land instead? Was he just getting ahead of himself? Or did he have a different idea of what "the holy land" would consist of?

 

[Keraz]

So, why didn't Peter say we are looking forward to the holy land instead? Was he just getting ahead of himself? Or did he have a different idea of what "the holy land" would consist of?

The clear Prophesies telling about how the Lords peoples will live in all of the holy Land, are in the Old Testament. But I do see how the NT alludes to this truth. Romans 9:24-26.... in the very place.....
All of Ezekiel 40 to 48 describes this future time, before Jesus Returns. There is no other possible placement of that Prophecy.

It will be our inheritance and our great reward, to live in the holy Land, being His witnesses, John 15:27, Isaiah 43:10, and the Light to the nations. Matthew 5:14-16, Isaiah 49:3-8.