PURPOSE: To reveal the purification of the church, the 144 000 and the conditions of the church before the purification.

INTRODUCTION

The 12 tribes of old Israel were divided into two kingdoms after the death of Solomon (1Kings 12).

Northern 10 tribes, capital city – Samaria. Kings chosen from the tribe of Ephraim. Also called after Joseph the father of Ephraim – as House of Joseph. The Southern two tribes

– House of Judah – also called House of David as kings were from tribe of Judah. Capital city-Jerusalem. The 12 tribes intermarried before their captivities (10 tribes by Assyria 721 BC and 2 tribes by Babylon 587 BC). Therefore you could get the blood of all the 10 tribes flowing in the 2 tribes of Judah! Isa 28 is a parabolic prophecy of the conditions in antitype Israel in the last days.

1. THE DRUNKARDS OF ISRAEL

Isa 28:1 – “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty [is] a fading flower, which [are] on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!”

The Ephraimities, 10 tribes, referred to as drunkards. That is, false or idol worship.

Verses 2-6 – “Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, [which] as a tempest of hail [and] a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: And the glorious beauty, which [is] on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, [and] as the hasty fruit before the summer; which [when] he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.”

Their downfall is because of their sins but mercy on the House of Judah “ the residue of His people, “for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty,” modern Israel can also be divided into two: Antitype 10 tribes = Ephraimities = Protestant Sunday churches. Antitypical Judah = SDA church. We can also get SDAs who have come from these Sunday Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic (which is not of the “10 tribes” as it is Christianized pagan church).

2. THE DRUNKARDS OF JUDAH

Verse 7- “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble [in] judgment.”

This reveals that not only are the antitypical Ephraimities drunken with human theories, but antitypical Judah – SDAs also, are overcome with strong wine – theories of men, causing them to error in judgement and discernment – wonder away from the truth. Then all 12 tribes are affected – and how then can be the situation on earth?

Verse 8 – “For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean].”

Very unfortunate! But it is the very same time God brings His last message of mercy and wisdom: Who shall He teach this message of knowledge?

Verse 9 – “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.”

It implies that almost none – all full of theories. But the Truth has to come! The truth is said to be taught only to the teachable, mature, penitent SDAs – who can now able to feed on “strong food” – “butter”. The Ephraimites would not understand it.

Verse 10 – “For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little…”

The message is to cover certain subjects from many angles.

Verse 11 –“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.”

It comes not in Hebrew but this time, God instructs His people through Elijah the prophet, in “another tongue” or “foreign” language = English.

Verse 12-13 – “To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”

The message invites Judah to the “rest” (kingdom) and to heed “the refreshing” (the latter rain). But sadly, they would not hear! “This means those who have not received instructions, but have cherished their own ideas, the Lord gives these the test, that they shall either take their position to follow His counsel, or refuse and do according to their own ideas, and then the Lord will leave them to the sure result...” TM 418, 419.

Verse 14 – “Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which [is] in Jerusalem.”

These are kind of leaders the SDA Church has!

3. THE LORD’S STRANGE (UNUSUAL) ACT (SLAUGHTER)

Verse 15 – “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.”

A prediction of their doom. Their actions speak these words louder.

Verse 16 –“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

Christ had nothing to do in Zion at His first Advent, but here, he as a Chief Cornerstone, and with His saints – become the stone of the foundation of the Kingdom on Mt. Zion (Zech. 12:3/Dan 2:44,45 / Rev. 14:1) . Those who believe Him (His judgement of the living message) are steady, careful – think and understand, before they take a permanent stand on the message – rather than run ahead of light into fanatism.

Verse 15, 18-21 “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves…And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that [a man] can stretch himself [on it]: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it]. For the LORD shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.”

This is the slaughter of Ezek 9:5 /Amos 9:9-10 – The wicked among God’s people shall not survive. It will be terrible when Ezek 9 slaughter commences and take seven days in the Church, and will be a great surprise, a great panic when it will be reported among the 10 virgins that it has started! How “terrible ordeal” (3SM 385) will this “STRANGE ACT” be! It is likened to what took place on Mt. Perazim (where David destroyed the Philistines – 2Sam 5:17-25) and the Valley of Gibeon where Joshua destroyed the Amorites, where the sun had to stand still for the whole day (Josh 10:9-14). Both places reveal a great slaughter.

4. THE FINAL WARNING !

Verse 22 –“Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.”

If the truth makes people free (John 8:32), then, to reject it is to tighten the bands of bondage unto destruction!

Verse 23-29 – “Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? For his God doth instruct him to discretion, [and] doth teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread [corn] is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break [it with] the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it [with] his horsemen. This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, [which] is wonderful in counsel, [and] excellent in working.”

This is a parable about the Spiritual farming. The farmer ploughs and plants to aim at a harvest and not all crops are harvested the same way – so is God’s great harvest: In the church, the tares or wicked shall be thrown out of the church and leave the righteous (wheat) therein. But in the world, the tares (wicked) shall be left therein while the converted saints, the Great Multitude shall be taken out (Rev. 18:4, Isa 66:19-20) to join the surviving saints of the church (144,000).

CONCLUSION

From this lesson we have gained the understanding that should make us able to choose to strive to be among those that shall escape the “the overflowing scourge” the “strange work”- “His strange act” – the slaughter of Ezek. 9. Do not try to continue doubting this message to book a place among those who the Lord will have to take away because of failing to “heed the Word of the Lord that came unto them” TM 419. It is today when you should choose a glorious future. Amen.