A Gift Will Be Brought to Jehovah of Armies
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 5:03AM Permalink 
Continuation of Isaiah seriesThe 18th chapter of Isaiah opens with these words: “Ha for the land of the whirring insects with wings, which is in the region of the rivers of Ethiopia! It is the one sending forth envoys by means of the sea, and by means of vessels of papyrus upon the surface of the waters, saying: ‘Go, you swift messengers, to a nation drawn out and scoured, to a people fear-inspiring everywhere, a nation of tensile strength and of treading down, whose land the rivers have washed away.’”
What is the land of the whirring insects with wings and what is the message of the envoys God commands them to send forth? And who are the fear-inspiring people and the nation of tensile strength to whom the messengers are sent?
Over the years that I have studied prophecy I have revisited the 18th chapter of Isaiah many times to ponder it’s possible meaning. It remains maddeningly inscrutable. What seems clear, though, is that, the prophecy is intended to apply to the ultimate success of God’s purpose at the conclusion of the present system of things.
And what is God’s purpose?
As all of Jehovah’s Witnesses know, God’s grand, over-arching purpose is to bring forth a new creation composed of 144,001 humans that will ultimately be reborn into immortal, incorruptible spirits. Jesus is, of course, “the firstborn among many brothers,” as Paul described the Christ.
Because Mount Zion was the original site of the physical temple of God and the place where Jehovah initially caused his name to reside, Zion is used throughout prophecy as a symbol of God’s heavenly place of dwelling, where the new creation will also reign.
Now consider the last verse of the 18th chapter: “In that time a gift will be brought to Jehovah of armies, from a people drawn out and scoured, even from a people fear-inspiring everywhere, a nation of tensile strength and of treading down, whose land the rivers have washed away, to the place of the name of Jehovah of armies, Mount Zion.”
The nation of treading down accomplishes God’s purpose by presenting to him a gift. What is that gift? The verses preceding supply the answer: “All you inhabitants of the productive land and you residents of the earth, you will see a sight just as when there is the raising up of a signal upon the mountains, and you will hear a sound just as when there is the blowing of a horn. For this is what Jehovah has said to me: ‘I will keep undisturbed and look upon my established place, like the dazzling heat along with the light, like the cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For before the harvest, when the blossom comes to perfection and the bloom becomes a ripening grape, one must also cut off the sprigs with pruning shears and must remove the tendrils, must lop them off. They will be left all together for the bird of prey of the mountains and for the beast of the earth. And upon it the bird of prey will certainly pass the summer, and upon it even every beast of the earth will pass the harvesttime.”
As is common knowledge, the harvest is the concluding phase of the vinedresser’s season-long work. But just as the previous chapter foretold the harvest would unexpectedly cease, so too this prophecy. Before the grapes can be gathered they are lopped off and left for the birds of prey and the beasts of the earth? What does this analogy signify in reality?
As Jesus foretold in his illustration, the harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, which is also known as the time of the end in the Hebrew texts. According to the prophecy of Daniel, the time of the end is marked by very specific, earth shaking developments among the nations that will have a profound impact upon the holy ones – (those invited to be part of the new creation.) What developments?
The eighth chapter of Daniel foretells that a king fierce in countenance will bring to ruin the mighty ones of the world, along with the holy ones, during a freedom for care.
The 11th chapter of Daniel foretells that the king of the north will flood over all the lands during the time of the end and that he will even enter into the land of the Decoration. The land of the Decoration is God’s possession; or, as it states in the prophecy under consideration: “For this is what Jehovah has said to me: ‘I will keep undisturbed and look upon my established place, like the dazzling heat along with the light, like the cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.’”
Interestingly, the king of the north also subjugates “Ethiopia.” Ethiopia is referred to in Isaiah as the land of the whirring winged insects. It appears, then, that the “land of the whirring insects with wings” are the same as the locust swarms depicted in Joel that overrun God’s earthly sanctuary. The land washed away by the rivers parallels the lands flooded over by the king of the north.
Keep in mind that the rulers of the present evil world are not necessarily literal kings of individual nations. The real human rulers are the aristocratic oligarchs – powerful families that have ruled Europe for centuries. True, nominally they are grouped around the British Crown and lesser thrones of Europe. But even those literal kingdoms are expendable. The real levers of power are exerted through control of the monetary and financial systems. Through that mechanism the elites are able to control sovereign nations and through their control over political nations it is as though a single king can muster vast armies.
The prophecy of Joel portrays in symbolism God’s established place being overrun and the harvest devoured by Jehovah’s own military force, yet the assault merely accomplishes God’s purpose and the nations are ultimately destroyed. That would seem to be the message contained in this portion of Isaiah.
“Jehovah will remain undisturbed” while his established place is trampled. That trampling will serve as a sign to the nations that Christ’s kingdom has come.
The nations will see a sight, in what sense? They will witness nation rising against nation on a scale never before seen. According to Joel, the final sealing and outpouring of holy spirit will proceed after the harvest is interrupted and will be accompanied by blood and columns of smoke, which is undoubtedly a reference to the fear-inspiring mushroom clouds produced by nuclear explosions. They will see the raising of the signal on the mountains and hear as if the blast of a heavenly trumpet that will indicate Christ reigns upon Mount Zion.
But what is the meaning of the previously cited span: “They will be left all together for the bird of prey of the mountains and for the beast of the earth. And upon it the bird of prey will certainly pass the summer, and upon it even every beast of the earth will pass the harvesttime”?
The bird of prey and the beasts of the field represent the nations that bring the holy ones to ruin during the harvest. The “harvesttime” interval that the beasts are allowed to pass must find a parallel in the 1,260 day time period common to Daniel and Revelation.
But how does the nation of tensile strength present a gift to Jehovah in Mount Zion? By killing the sealed holy ones. Then they are changed in the twinkling of an eye into immortal spirits. When the last one is changed and presented to Jehovah on heavenly Mount Zion God’s purpose comes to a conclusion and the nations are destroyed.
to be continued...
Reader Comments (8)
Eleena maree
How come you don't tell watchman that your tired of hearing the same things.
How many times does he write about the king of the north, which he says is British empire?
How many times does he need to revisit a subject, or be continued?
I don't mind, it's his site, but you got all irritated for me revisiting British history that's painful for some to hear.
I'm half English, but I'm not afraid to hear the truth as it is, and not watered down or censored.
I hope "144,001 humans" is a typo.
It seems some are hell bent on their god Jehovah turning nukes against mankind.
It seems to some that as soon as the A bombs are drop, then the closer the kingdom of their god is.
How scared will the elite really be when they have entire underground cities to take refuge in from nuclear war?
Hell, they can even take refuge in outer space.
Powerful angels will be unleashed upon those that are not servants of Yahweh. (Revelation 9:14-15)
"And it came to pass that night, that the angel of Yahweh went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand (185,000): and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." (2Kings 19:35)
No mushroom cloud needed, but same results.
A lowly servant (bender),
Still at it huh? Guess you will never learn. Why are you "bent" on trying to pick a fight with a woman? Are you a woman? Do you think you are always right and above others? What is wrong with you? Since you are half English, is this the root of your problems? Did your mum drop you on your little head or something? --LOL
"Powerful angels will be unleashed upon those that are not servants of Yahweh. (Revelation 9:14-15)" Matbe you should think about that for awhile. What does a bender think about? -LMAO
Lowly servant, you must be an idiot. Jehovah is not the one who is going to nuke the world. The Devil is. You obviously got your gods confused.
I have been of whole Scottish decent throughout the centuries and I am wondering just who the great harlot is who sits over many waters? read Revelations chapter 18. I think British Empire might fit the scriptural definition more appropriately than the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic church after all were supporting Hitler in reprisal for the holocaust of the Bolshevik Russian Jewish atheists genocide attacks on all Catholic worshippers as well as all Russian and Jewish people with physical impairments. The figures account to greater than the Hitler Holocaust against the Jewish people according to historical data. This was an holocaust against all Bourgeousie's which incorporates all who are not healthy Russian Bolshevik Jews or Jewish Nationality.
Satan being the one misleading the whole inhabited earth is the mastermind behind all the madness and badness perpetrated throughout the world past and present. If only someone would listen to YHWH and not all lean on their own understandings they would then be directed to serve in preparing a people for His Great Name and prepare the way for the coming to power of His Kingdom ushering in Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But everyone is too up on their own thoughts and own understandings to empty themselves and listen to the direction of the only one with the ability to save.
Jay,
I am one half English,and 1/4 Native American,and 1/4 Native American for about at least four centuries.does it matter I don't know but I doubt it.Its kinda fun to search these things out though.
I do think Watchman maybe onto something, I have followed his Isaiah series, but nowhere near, I am sure
his knowledge base, so for me it is definitely inscrutable.I will try to put more time into looking at it closer, but I probably will still not understand it fully.
e-watchman
I not confused about no gods. Jehovah is not Yahweh like you been led to believe. Jehovah is a name created by man.
Yahweh is the name revealed to man. By saying Jehovah is Yahweh your just being doubled faced.
You try to explain that Yoel 2:30 is partly fulfilled by the devil nuking the world, Wow!
Columns of smoke in your head = nuclear fallout.
I'm an idiot, but I'm not the one thinking some valueless Catholic created name will save the world and promotes truth.
"For there will no more prove to be any valueless vision nor double faced divination in the midst in the house of Yisrael. For I myself, Yahweh, shall speak what word I shall speak and it will be done. There will be no more postponement anymore, for in you days, O rebellious house, I shall speak a word and certainly do it," is the utterance of the Sovereign Yahweh."(Ezekiel 12:24-25)
You must believe that Yahweh spoke to all the Catholic scholars and told them His name is J(I)ehovah, and that's it's perfectly fine to call Him J(I)ehovah.
You'll never in your life will be able to back this up by scripture because it's unscriptual. A belief you picked up and have retained from the Church.
Lowly servant
You really are a clueless sort. You say Yahweh is the right pronunciation, but who says so, you? Catholic scholars who fought for centuries to keep the Bible from people? Even if we spoke Hebrew Yahweh ain't even close. I have explained these things already, obviously you are unteachable.
I have grown weary of your presence here and have decided to ban you from commenting in the future.
Dear mrpeacable like your name. The reason I errantly mentioned whole Scottish descent was because someone made issue of small content English gene pull being the result in their opinion of an unpoinant view. I must have read this in another part of the blog as I cannot see that remark now. Anyway to put things straight I have a little English and Irish and centuries back French in my Genealogy but it is of no consequence what our genealogy is we are all equal in the eyes of God and it was a stupid remark I should not have made. The important issue is the search for truth and righeousness. God is truth and we humans need to be humble in our searching and reasoning. We all need to pray for the suffering in this world today and we must have lowlieness of mind and spirit.as the apostles Luke in Acts 20:19; Philippians 2:3 and others.