733 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 1 Part 1 Book 62 - Comparing America Today with Israel of Old

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 1 * PART 1 * BOOK 62 COMPARING AMERICA TODAY WITH ISRAEL OF OLD ISAIAH 57:3 – 60:22 How much will be in Isaiah? After the Babylonian captivity the Jews were never again guilty of idolatry. Idolatry was the thing that caused God’s wrath that caused the judgment that destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. It was spiritual adultery when Israel would start having relationships with pagan gods and goddesses instead of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All right, so here’s how He refers to the children of Israel, a term of scorn, "you who are the offspring of a prostitute." Isaiah 57:4a It’s way back here in Isaiah’s day. So, that’s what Israel was doing to God! Isaiah 57:4b Isaiah 57:5a Isaiah 57:5b Isaiah 57:9a "And thou wentest to the king…" Now the word king here in the Hebrew is the pagan god Molock. Fire. Heat them white hot. And then lay their children on them as an offering to this pagan god. That was Israel! Isaiah 57:9 The word "toph" in the Hebrew was "drum." Scream! All right, come back to verse 5, and this is what the picture is, they were bringing their little children and offering them to the fire god Molock under the noise of these incessant drums that would drown out, hopefully, the screams of their little ones. Isaiah 57:5-6a "Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks? Making them an idol! Isaiah 57:6b "…they, (these smooth stones from the creek bed) they are thy lot: even to them (these worthless stones) thou has poured out a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I (God says) receive comfort in these?" Well, to whom would people pour out a drink and meat offering? A god. See how ridiculous people can get? Isaiah 57:7 "Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: (Now, the word bed here is an ‘altar,’ a pagan altar.) even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice." Now, verse 8: Isaiah 57:8a Israel, nationally, had literally taken off their spiritual clothes to appear to the pagan gods as something they would want to have a relationship with. Isaiah 57:8b "…and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, (altar again instead of the word bed) and made thee a covenant with them; (Who? Pagan gods) thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it." Turn with me to Jeremiah 44. All right, in Jeremiah 44 starting at verse 15. Now don’t forget, this is Israel! Jeremiah 44:15 Jeremiah 44:16-17a "As for the word that thou has spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, (Jehovah) we will not hearken (or listen) unto you. Jeremiah 44:17b "…[we’re going] to burn incense unto (whom?) Jeremiah 44:17c Jeremiah 44:18 It was because they were worshipping the queen of heaven instead of the God of Heaven. Ignorant. Okay, back to Isaiah chapter 57, the time is just about gone already. Now, verse 10: Isaiah 57:10-11 "Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. 11. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou has lied, and hast not remembered me, (God says through the prophet) nor laid it to thy heart? Isaiah 57:12-13 "I will declare thy righteousness and thy works; for they shall not profit thee. There was still that small segment of believers, and those believers are still going to inherit the promises of Israel’s God. Isaiah 57:14-15 Isaiah 57:16-17a Now, whenever you see the word covetousness in the Old Testament, it usually is associated with idolatry. Isaiah 57:17-19 (speaking of Israel as a Nation) 18. Lets start with verse 6. Romans 10:6-8 The word is nigh thee, even in they mouth, and in thy heart; (What word?) that is, the word of faith, which we preach;" Here is the word of faith for us. Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, (or that Jesus is Lord) and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." All right, now of course, Israel wasn’t being approached with faith in the death, burial, and resurrection as we are today, but nevertheless, they were to approach the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by faith. Now, back to Isaiah 57, and in the closing minutes let’s look at the last two verses, Isaiah 57:20 "But…" The just will live by faith and God will honor that faith. They’re going to have peace with God because they know that His righteousness has been imputed unto them. "There is no peace, saith my God, (to what people?) being justified by faith,…" "…we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" No believer has to fear going into God’s presence. If death should suddenly come, we don’t have to be afraid of death, "because we have peace with God." I can’t skip verse 2. Well, Israel had much the same opportunity in antiquity. The God of Israel. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible