The path of toil appointed to the Christian on earth may be hard and wearisome, but it is honored by the footprints of the Redeemer, and he is safe who follows in that sacred way. {CG 353.2}
Dealing with Assyrian Confederacy
Timely Christian Greetings to All!
The rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire is rich in lessons for the nations of earth today. Inspiration has likened the glory of Assyria at the height of her prosperity to a noble tree in the garden of God, towering above the surrounding trees. {PK 362.1}
"The Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. . . . Under his shadow dwelt all great nations. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. . . . All the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him." Ezekiel 31:3-9. {PK 363.1}
But the rulers of Assyria, instead of using their unusual blessings for the benefit of mankind, became the scourge of many lands. Merciless, with no thought of God or their fellow men, they pursued the fixed policy of causing all nations to acknowledge the supremacy of the gods of Nineveh, whom they exalted above the Most High. God had sent Jonah to them with a message of warning, and for a season they humbled themselves before the Lord of hosts and sought forgiveness. But soon they turned again to idol worship and to the conquest of the world. {PK 363.2}
This week's lesson will somehow show us the significance of its prophetic truth which had been revealed to Isaiah - the birth of Christ as the type of those who will be in the last days who know how to distinguish the evil and good - know to refuse evil and choose the good (Isa. 7:16)
Let's then turn our attention to this outline of our study!
A. The Word of God is Fulfilling - Isaiah 7:15-16
B. The Consequences of Disobedience - Isaiah 7:17-25
C. Beaten, but not Destroyed - Isaiah 8:1-10
D. Fear the Lord - Isaiah 8:11-15
E. Don't Believe the Lies - Isaiah 8:16-22
And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. {Isaiah 8:17}
"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psalm 27:14). "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:26). There are those who work all day and far into the night to do what it seems to them needs to be done. The Lord looks pitifully upon these weary, heavy-laden burden-bearers, and says to them, "Come unto me, . . . and I will give you rest. . . . For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30) (letter 83). {LHU 263.5}
Our life is to be hid with Christ in God; and if it is thus hidden, in His hands it will be converted into a lamp which will shed upon the world a bright and steady light. . . . But though time is short, and there is a great work to be done, the Lord is not pleased to have us so prolong our seasons of activity that there will not be time for periods of rest, for the study of the Bible, and for communion with God. All this is essential to fortify the soul, to place us in a position where we shall receive wisdom from God to employ our talents in the Master's service to the highest account (Youth's Instructor, Feb. 3, 1898).
“For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.” (Isaiah 7:16)
In past ages the Lord God of heaven revealed His secrets to His prophets, and this He does still. The present and the future are equally clear to Him, and He shows to His servants the future history of what shall be. The Omniscient looked down the ages and predicted through His prophets the rise and fall of kingdoms hundreds of years before the events foretold took place. The voice of God echoes down the ages, telling earth’s inhabitants what is to take place. Kings and princes take their places at their appointed time. They think they are carrying out their own purposes, but in reality they are fulfilling the word God has given through His prophets. . . . {CTr 327.2}
Let more time be given to the publication and circulation of books containing present truth. Call attention to books dwelling on practical faith and godliness and to those that treat on the prophetic word. The people are to be educated to read the sure word of prophecy in the light of the living oracles. They need to know that the signs of the times are fulfilling. It is God alone who can give success either in preparing or in circulating our publications.-- Testimonies, Vol. 7, pp. 150-158. (1902.) {CW 14.1}
The warning message for this time is not being given earnestly in the great business world. Day after day the centers of commerce and trade are thronged with men and women who need the truth for this time, but who gain no saving knowledge of its precious principles, because earnest, persevering efforts are not put forth to reach this class of people where they are. {CW 14.2}
In amplification of this cluster of events, several facts stand out in unmistakable self-interpretation:
(1) "Immanuel," by virtue of his virgin birth and his name, "God with us" (Matt. 1:23), can only be Christ with us.
(2) He was born for a sign that the unholy alliance between Israel and Syria was to come to naught.
(3) The lands, Israel and Syria, which Judah abhorred, were to be forsaken of both their kings -- conquered by the king of Assyria -- before Immanuel was to be able to refuse evil and choose good, and before Maher-shalal-hash-baz was to be able to say "my father and my mother." {14Tr 32}
But the simple historical fact that these two kingdoms were overthrown centuries before Immanuel was even born, brings a time-discrepancy which can be reconciled only by the conclusion that all four nations (Judah, Israel, Syria, and Assyria) involved in this historical action, were typical of four others that were to arise sometime following Immanuel's birth; for after His birth, Israel and Syria were to be conquered by Assyria.
Necessarily, then, there must be found in the Christian dispensation a backslidden Christian power (Israel) confederated with a pagan one (Syria), to the end of assimilating or annihilating the orthodox Christians (Judah). And the only such confederacy in the Christian era was the unholy union of Church and State which ruled during the Dark Ages, and which sought the destruction of the "born again," who refused to depart from the Apostolic faith and submit to a Christian-Pagan (Israel-Syrian) confederacy. {14tr 33}
“The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.” (Isaiah 7:17)
Notice verse 18 - the phrase, "it shall come to pass in that day" the writer expecting this event in the future.
True Christianity is a growth. It is plant-like. Christ Himself is represented as a Branch (Isa. 11:1), and His kingdom as a mustard seed (Matt. 13:31, 32) which after it is planted becomes a tree, the greatest of its kind. But since the literal tree must necessarily feed on physical food, likewise the spiritual tree must necessarily feed on spiritual food, on such as the Branch Itself was fed:
"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." Isa. 7:14, 15.
Surely all of us agree that this passage of Scripture is a forecast of the Emmanuel of Matthew 1:23 -- Christ at His first advent. The fact, however, that Christ ate all manner of lawful food, and was even accused of being a "gluttonous man, and a winebibber" (Luke 7:34), eating with "publicans and sinners" (Mark 2:16), makes it transparently clear that this diet of "butter and honey" is not literal. Moreover, the fact that butter and honey possess absolutely no virtue to endue one with wisdom and will to choose the good and to refuse the evil, no, no more than do other articles of food, shows conclusively that this "butter and honey" are figurative of something special, just as the fly and the bee of Isaiah 7:18 are figurative of Egypt and Assyria. And of what else could it be but of spiritual food, the kind that builds up moral character, that makes one "refuse the evil, and choose the good?" And from what source other than the Scriptures could such food come? And what else, moreover, could the honey represent but the sweet Spirit of God that blesses everyone's sincere study of and simple faith in the Word? {2TG 45.3}
Manifestly, therefore, this butter-and-honey symbolism infallibly tells us that Immanuel, Christ, was enabled to discern and to overcome sin by His study of the Bible -- by digesting Its contents and allowing them to become a part of Him. This was His sweetest delight, as the symbolical honey reveals. Thus it was that "He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of" (John 4:32), and, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matt. 4:4.
Accordingly, the truth is evident that Christianity is a spiritual plant, feeding on the Word of God as unfolded by the sweet Spirit of Truth. Consequently if Christ our Examplar thuswise "increased in wisdom..., and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52), then it is even more essential that we, His followers, live on the same Word, on the same butter and honey, if we are to possess true, life-sustaining, life-preserving Christianity. Indeed we are told precisely that in the next verses of Isaiah's prophecy:
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land." Isa. 7:21, 22.
In these verses Inspiration directs our attention to three butter-producing creatures -- two sheep and a young cow, and forewarns that only those who eat of their products will have the right to live in "the land" -- in the land of God's people. None others, no, not another one, will be there.
Since, therefore, only those who eat of the butter, those who thus learn to refuse the evil and to choose the good, are to be permitted to live in the holy land, all the more obvious it is that the butter is figurative of spiritual food. And since its source of supply is the two sheep and the young cow, it is of absolute necessity that we explore in the realm of this Bible symbolism to find what they are.
The two sheep, of a kind and not young, are manifestly symbolical of the Old and New Testaments, the Word, which enables its recipients to "choose the good and to refuse the evil." And the cow being young, and therefore of later origin than the sheep, and its also being of larger size than they, it can accordingly only be figurative of inspired writings of later origin and of greater volume than the Bible Itself. The only such besides the Bible are those which bring to us "the testimony of Jesus:....for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy" (Rev. 19:10) -- the inspired interpretation of the Scriptures. {2TG 45.5}
It is also to be noted that this butter and this honey are produced in the Christian era, in the time when both sheep, both Testaments, are in existence, and also in the time when the Spirit of Prophecy is at work.
And what is the Spirit of prophecy? -- The same chapter and verse give the answer:
"And I fell at his feet," at the feet of the one who unfolded the prophecy to John, "to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10.
Here it is seen that as the prophecies were unfolded to John by one of his brethren, thereby was revealed to him the Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy. Plainly, then, an inspired servant of God who bears a message to his brethren, bears the Testimony of Jesus to them. To illustrate: Suppose the Lord Jesus communicated a personal message to you by a messenger, would not His message be His testimony to you? And should God endow the messenger with the gift of His Spirit to unfold to you the prophecies which are in the Scriptures, would he not be coming to you with the Spirit of Prophecy?
Thus it is clear that the "Testimony of Jesus" and "the Spirit of Prophecy" are synonymous terms for a timely message sent from God -- "meat in due season." The Spirit of prophecy, therefore, is God's means of communicating from Heaven directly to His church on earth, as well as of unfolding the sealed prophecies to her.
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He will pass through Judah, He will overflow and pass over, He will reach up to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.” (Isaiah 8:8)
First is mentioned the history of ancient Israel's unsuccessfully confederating with Syria against Judah, for they could not prevail against her. Instead, both were taken by Assyria. Then follows the prophecy of the birth of Immanuel. Since, however, Christ was born long after the kings of Israel and Syria were taken, it is obvious from verse 16 of chapter 7 that a circumstance was to occur at sometime that would be the antitype of the confederacy which took place anciently between Israel and Syria against Judah, and that in this antitypical period both kings represented by Syria and Israel would be taken by a power represented by Syria and Israel would be taken by a power represented by Assyria before "Immanuel" would know the difference between good and evil.
Since, as has already been pointed out, Christ ("Immanuel") did not live in the time of such a confederacy, it must be that not only Israel, Syria, and Assyria are types, but Christ Himself is also a type. We learned that Immanuel (meaning, "God with us") could represent only His true followers, the born-again Christians. {12SC 1.5}
Through these scriptures and historical facts we learned that the antitype of Israel and Syria's confederacy took place commencing in the first century A.D., when one part of the Christians (Israel) federated with pagans (Syria) against the other Christians (Judah), but their combined church-state power was broken by the Protestant nations (Assyria) after Immanuel (born-again Christians) came but before they had advanced in Truth far enough to know how to choose between good and evil and before the younger Christians, represented by the second son, Mahershalalhashbaz of chapter 8, had progressed enough even to know their "father" (God) and their "mother" (the church).
After Isaiah mentions the ancient historical confederacy and then the sign of Immanuel, which we have just reviewed and applied to the experience of the early Christian church history, Isaiah 8:9 warns against another association of peoples, saying that this confederacy will likewise surely fail and fall to pieces. And for us, this is the main lesson in these chapters. We are instructed as to what to expect and what to do about it. {12SC 1.6}
The period we are now in is antitypical Assyria. The Assyrian period is about to pass away and the period of Babylon to be ushered in. But there is another thing that is to happen between the setting up of the confederacy of Isaiah 8:9 and the rise of Babylon: it is the setting up of God's Kingdom. God's people are to be taken to their own land and made free.
In outlining the chapters we find this order: The seventh chapter brings the birth of Christians and the federation against them, the eighth chapter brings in the latter-day confederacy of peoples and nations and the outcome of it; the ninth and tenth chapters contain a continuation of the antitypical period of Assyria and her fall; the eleventh chapter brings the setting up of the Kingdom of God; the twelfth chapter expresses the praise of those in Zion in the Kingdom; the thirteenth chapter brings the burden of Babylon.
The command, "Gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity," does not mean to gather His saints from the earth into heaven; neither does it mean to destroy the wicked from the earth; for the former are to be gathered, not directly to heaven, but first into "the barn," the kingdom on earth; and the latter are not to be destroyed immediately "in the time of harvest," but first are to be gathered into bundles, and then destroyed, as is further illustrated in the parable of the net:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away." Matt. 13:47, 48. {3Tr 67}
“But in Judah there dwelt some who maintained their allegiance to Jehovah, steadfastly refusing to be led into idolatry. It was to these that Isaiah and Micah and their associates looked in hope as they surveyed the ruin wrought during the last years of Ahaz. Their sanctuary was closed, but the faithful ones were assured: ‘God is with us.’ ‘Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary.’ Isaiah 8:10, 13, 14”
"The Bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."
But the main lesson of Isaiah, chapters 7 and 8, teaches that the church collectively, born in the first century A.D., is today about to pass from her childhood and be fed "strong meat" so as to empower her to choose the good and refuse the evil. "For every one that useth milk," Inspiration declares, "is unskillful in the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb. 5:13, 14. Obviously, as time progresses, so the Truth and the Christian advance commensurately with it.
Having fed on "milk" only -- on the simple, elementary revelations of the Word -- through the long years of her infancy and childhood, the church has finally come to the stage where she must take "strong meat" also -- the advanced, latter day revelations of the Word .
This becomes all the more obvious as we consider that when "Assyria" in the Middle Ages dealt the deadly blow to the church-state union of that day, neither Maher-shalal-hash-baz, the flesh-born Christian, nor Immanuel, the Spirit-born Christian, were mature enough, as we have seen, to "refuse the evil and choose the good." Now, though, they must be coming into full maturity, for not only have many years passed since the Assyrian dealt the blow to the church-state union, but also has come the time for Assyria, herself, to fall. Besides that, the "strong meat," too, is already here. {14Tr 37}
Unquestionably the time has come for all church members to realize that they are now passing from Christian childhood into Christian maturity, and should, therefore, no longer try to reach the stature of the full grown by continuing to feed on the food of babes. Hence each one, even the younger members (the born after the flesh), can now be enabled to recognize their spiritual parents, so as intelligently to say, "my Father and my Mother": for to know their God aright through the Son, and to know their church aright through timely Truth, is what brings life eternal. And as each assimilates the "strong meat," he will thereby become wise and strong "to refuse the evil and choose the good."
Of necessity, therefore, the "special work" for the church, predicted in The Great Controversy, page 425, has been ordained to bring every honest member to Christian maturity.
Accordingly, also the two foods which Immanuel was to eat in order to "refuse the evil, and choose the good" must be symbolical; for butter and honey in themselves possess no virtue or efficacy to transmit moral discernment, vitalize the will, and purify the heart. Besides, He ate of all lawful foods in general (Matt. 11:19). These two points therefore witness that the "butter and honey", are symbolical of the Scriptures unfolded -- "meat in due season," -- the only food that gives one the knowledge and the will to do right instead of wrong. Thus Christ said: "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." John 4:32. Hence, the Christian who would truly know his God and his church in order to be emptied of evil and be filled with the good, must now feed on Present Truth, -- the progressive Truth of the living Word revealed through Inspiration. {14Tr 38; 6Tr 27-44}
Ancient Israel as a nation and a government were obliged to protect their own property, people, and families--even by the sword. But they were not to war against their own brethren. When the ten-tribe kingdom, Israel, confederated with Syria to war against the two-tribe kingdom, Judah, God's curse rested upon both Syria and Israel, and each was consequently broken by the king of Assyria. (See Isaiah 7:1-8; 8:4).
But when persecuted for the gospel's sake, the Christians were instructed never to retaliate: "I say unto you," says the Lord, "That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. 5:39-45. {5Ans 71}
“The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” (Isaiah 8:13)
Shall we who are living near the close of this world's history "take heed"? Shall we heed the apostle's warning, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it"? The Lord would have his people trust in him and abide in his love, but that does not mean that we shall have no fear or misgivings. Some seem to think that if a man has a wholesome fear of the judgments of God, it is a proof that he is destitute of faith; but this is not so. A proper fear of God, in believing his threatenings, works the peaceable fruits of righteousness, by causing the trembling soul to flee to Jesus. Many ought to have this spirit today, and turn to the Lord with humble contrition, for the Lord has not given so many terrible threatenings, pronounced so severe judgments in his word, simply to have them recorded, but he means what he says. One says, "Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law." Paul says, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." {RH, October 21, 1890 par. 6}
When nothing is said or done to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, but it is regarded as a welcome guest, then God is honored, and those who meet together will be refreshed and strengthened. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels." {TM 82.1}
“And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19)
"Come," says Jesus. "Come," says Christ your Saviour, "learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." His arm is extended, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He has told you where to go. "Come unto Me," every one of you, "and I will give you rest." Do you believe it? Do we believe the word of God today? Do we believe just what He tells us? What is the matter with us, that we do not have more freedom, and that Christ is not glorified in us? It is because we don't believe Him. Every soul will act out all the faith that he has. {1SAT 198.2}
"The work rests upon us to perfect holiness. When God sees us doing all we can on our part, then He will help us. Angels will aid us, and we shall be strong through Christ strengthening us. Do not neglect secret prayer. Pray for yourself. Grow in grace. Advance. Don't stand still, don't go back. Onward to victory. Courage in the Lord, my dear boy. Battle with the great adversary only a little longer, and then release will come, and the armor will be laid off at the feet of our dear Redeemer. Press through every obstacle. If the future looks somewhat clouded, hope on, believe on. The clouds will disappear, and light again shine. Praise God, my heart says, praise God for what He has done for you, for your father, and for myself. Commence the new year right. Your mother. E.G.W." {1T 663.1}
“Every individual must seek by earnest prayer to know the Word of God for himself, and then to do it […] In all your temporal concerns, in all your cares and anxieties, wait upon the Lord. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the sons of man because they may be in positions of trust. The Lord has united your heart with Him. If you love Him, and are accepted in His service, bring all your burdens, both public and private, to the Lord and wait upon Him.” (EGW This Day with God, March 14)
