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Isaiah: LORD God

23rd November 2013, mgh

 

2) Future for Jerusalem

There is also a glorious future for the city of Jerusalem. The people of Israel have suffered persecution many times throughout their history and even today the nation of Israel has very few friends. There is the promise that this will change and Israel will acknowledge the name of their God.

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus said Yahweh, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. For thus said the Lord Yahweh, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Now therefore, what have I here, said Yahweh, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, said Yahweh; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. (Isaiah 52:1:6)


At that time the whole earth will recognise the power of the Creator.

For thy Maker is thine husband; Yahweh of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The Elohim of the whole earth shall he be called.(Isaiah 54:5)


James point is from Isaiah, Jews were told that 'strangers' (Gentiles) would join to their God to serve Him,

Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to Yahweh, to serve him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, every one that keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant; (Isaiah 56:6)


For thus said the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)


At that time many will be humbled and assist the Jews to go to their homeland from the nations of the world.

Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of Yahweh thy Elohim, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified thee. (Isaiah 60:9)


Thou shall also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shall suck the breast of kings: and you shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16)


There was a prophecy for the Jews, such as Paul, who were cast out by their own people,

Hear the word of Yahweh, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let Yahweh be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 66:5)


Other prophets echo Isaiah's words


Other prophets emphasise the importance of Yahweh's name, which reflects his purpose in creation and the destiny and promise of salvation for the faithful on this earth.


You show lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty EL, Yahweh of hosts, is his name, (Jeremiah 32:18)


For, lo, he that formed the mountains, and created the wind, and declares unto man what is his thought, that makes the morning darkness, and treads upon the high places of the earth, Yahweh, The Elohimd of hosts, is his name. (Amos 4:13)


For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Yahweh our Elohim for ever and ever.(Micah (4:5)


And he shall stand and feed in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his Elohim; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. (Micah 5:4)


The hope that was offered to the Patriarchs of Israel was also extended to the Gentiles The apostle John, as do other writers of the New Testament, stresses the importance of an understanding of Yahweh's name and name of the Messiah, his son, Y'shua which means 'Yah will save.'


Life and salvation are revealed in these names, for those who are humbled and believe.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)


Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. (John 2:23)


And many other signs truly did Jesus (Y'shua) in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus (Y'shua) is the Christ (Anointed), the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:30-31)


The nation of Israel and the name

Moses speaking to the nation of Israel had told the nation that they had been given promises.

(Yahweh Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he has promised you!) (Deuteronomy 1: 11)


These promises had been made to the Patriarchs of Israel and their seed, because of their faith. As we read through the Old Testament there are many reminders of the name and the promises that would would not fail and were to include the Gentiles. The following verses from Deuteronomy reflect the expressions used in so many places in the Old testament which were to 'LORD God of your fathers', which means Yahweh was the God of their fathers and of Israel. They are frequently reminded of 'LORD your God '. This expression is used many times to remind the people of their God, who is Yahweh their mighty one..

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgements, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Yahweh Elohim of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Yahweh Elohim which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2)


Ruth was a Moabitess and Boaz recognises Ruth's faith in accepting Yahweh Elohim of Israel as her God. It was through the seed of Ruth that David came and through David's seed that the Messiah came.

Boaz answered and said unto her, It has fully been shown me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knew not heretofore. Yahweh recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Yahweh Elohim of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.(Ruth 2:11-12)


The following quotations are a few examples of a similar use of the name of the Creator. They use terminology such as Yahweh Elohim of Israel, of the fathers and of hosts/armies.

Genesis 3:15; 9:1. Deuteronomy 1:11,21; 4:1; 12:1; 26:7; 29:25. Joshua 8:30; 10:42; 13:14; 14:14. 18:3. Judges 2:12; 4:6; 5:3,5; 6:8;11:21, 23; 1Samuel 2:30; 10:18; 23:10-11; 25:32,34; 2Samuel 5:10, 22-26; 1Kings 1:30,48; 8: 15,17,2o. 23,25; 11:9.


Israel were to reverence their God

The name of the Creator was to always be remembered by the nation of Israel. The nation and individuals were to keep Yahweh in their minds and thoughts. The following verses from Deuteronomy show that the promises to the fathers were extended to the people of Israel as shown in the phrase “ the LORD thy God (Yahweh thy Elohim)<”.

That you might fear the Yahweh thy Elohim, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Yahweh of thy Fathers has promised thee, in the land that flows with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 6:2-3)


It is then that many times in the Old Testament we read statements such as Yahweh his Elohim, Yahweh their Elohim, Yahweh my Elohim and Yahweh thy Elohim.

Consider Psalm 7 and the Psalmist's plea.

O Yahweh my Elohim, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O Yahweh my Elohim, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; (Psalms 7:1-3)


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