Isa 2:1 This is another vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
Isa 2:2 In the last days, the
Isa 2:3 Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the
Isa 2:4 The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end.
Isaiah was a tremendous prophet of God. He was faithful and true to the Lord in a time when it wasnt the done thing to proclaim that you were a servant of the living God. It wasnt the popular thing to do.
It was the same in Isaiahs time. However, in his era Gods own people would persecute and murder the prophets who were true to God and their calling. Therefore it was a very dangerous time in which the prophet Isaiah lived, because the people of God were now committing apostasy practicing those things that God had forbidden them to do.
Isaiah, himself was well aware of his own personal risks to his own safety but nevertheless he trusted in God because he knew there was more to the life he lived here on earth and knew that he would one day pass from this earthly existence to go to be with his God, our God who is in heaven. Such was the zeal of the man towards God our Father.
Isaiah came from a very influential family who had what you would call an upper class background in the city of
This great man of God had all of these tremendous privileges and responsibilities but it did not make him proud of himself quite the reverse. He knew what it felt like to be humble before God. I believe before God can do anything in and through our own lives we must humble ourselves before Him. Every little bit of self must be surrendered to God. God cannot use a proud man or woman who Lords it over others because of the position given to them by the Lord. They have become big headed forgetting who it was who gave them the position; they have become self righteous. We have all been there havent we? How does this start we like to hear the sound of praise from men and women in our ears before we know what is happening we are enjoying the adulation of the world and sadly Gods presence has left us without us even knowing.
The apostle Paul strikes the right note on this very difficult matter when in his epistle to the Colossians 3:22 he says,[ not with eye service as with men pleasers]
Let me give you an example. God has given to me a gift of being able to preach and teach His Word, but up until the last two years I had wronged Him because without realising it I had stolen some of the glory from Him thinking somehow the message from heaven and Himself had come from me. I would then seek praise from God people for myself because of the word preached robbing God of His glory. It took our gracious God and heavenly Father twenty eight years to get this very important and crucial message through to me. If it had been anyone else they would have given up on me. But we are speaking of God arent we. He in this instance showed His long suffering patience and compassionate merciful love towards me. He never gave up on me, continued to love me. He is merciful and compassionate towards His children, you and I; a great God.
This is the same God that Isaiah the prophet experienced and knew. What does God look for from us? he looks for a broken and contrite heart. Isaiah experienced the same emotions and feelings before God and one of fear in holy reverence towards and before Him. This is what God looks for from each and every one of us. I want you to know that this word Gods Word does not come from me. It comes from God and when God gives me His instructions to you His people. I apply it to myself as one of Gods people. I ponder over the words, I anguish myself over them; at times overawed by them. Sometimes, I would like to run away from it but because of the fire He has put into me I cant. Even for just today I would like you to see beyond me and hear and see what the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ would have to say to you so that you can go out glorifying and praising His holy name.
I was speaking about Isaiahs humility before God, a prerequisite that is demanded by God from all of us. God cant use the proud. He will only use those who are totally committed to Him in every day of their lives. We can see this in the life of Isaiah, listen to the words of this great godly man as he is confronted by a vision of the almighty God in all His glory. Then said I , Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King; the Lord of Hosts I believe that what the Prophet here saw in a vision granted to him by the grace of God was the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, all equally God. Our Saviour Jesus Christ as God the Son is here too, whether Isaiah recognized and knew of this we do not know, but what he did see brought him to his knees. The purity of a perfect righteous God in all His majestic glory radiated in holiness towards the earthly figure of the man, the prophet Isaiah. A force of light greater than the daylight itself and any other fire that has been seen by mortals including the flash of the atomic bomb that was dropped in the last world war. A fiery fire of the light within the vision, No wonder Isaiah felt so afraid and frightened I would have been too.
Remember, our Lord and Heavenly Father said no man could look upon God face to face and live. No wonder Isaiah was so afraid. God wants us to come humbly into His Presence and to seek His face, to stand in awe of Him or to prostrate ourselves before Him as we realize something of the awesome Presence of our God.
by Raymond McGough
Samuel begins his prophetic ministry.,
While Samuel was trained as an assistant priest to Eli, he had no idea that God had a much greater role in mind for him. Samuel would prove to be the great transitional figure from the time of the judges to the Davidic monarchy. To do that, Samuel had to become a prophetic spokesman for the Lord. Only as a prophet could he function as kingmaker and conscience of
1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,
1Sa 3:3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
1Sa 3:4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"
1Sa 3:5 So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me."
And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down.
1Sa 3:6 Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!"
So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
1Sa 3:7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)
1Sa 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me."
Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy.
1Sa 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears."' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
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And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
Samuel made himself available for the Lord to speak to him. His response to the Lord was Speak to me for I am listening once he knew that it was God who was speaking to him. This was the beginning of relationship for Samuel, for at first he did not really know God, he knew of God. Samuel learned at the feet of Eli, He listened to his spiritual leader and took his advice. He was not too proud to learn at the feet of anther, who mentored him.
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1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
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The message God delivered to Samuel concerning Eli's house was fairly short. God did reveal to him at this time how great a Prophet he would be in his day, and what a blessing he should be in
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He answered, "Here I am."
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Although this was a hard message for Samuel to deliver to Eli, and he was at first afraid to deliver the message, he gave Eli the word from the Lord in its entirety. Eli received the message well for it was a message from the Lord.
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We saw in this passage that Samuel needed the experience of Eli to understand God was speaking to him. In those latter verses we see that Samuel became known and established as a prophet of God. Samuel is an example of the office of the prophet in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament only a selected few could hear from God.
The gift of prophecy in the New Testament is a Holy Spirit- distributed gift through a person. The prophetic office is for edification, to enlarge and refresh the body, whether locally or beyond. All of us can expect God to speak to us in order to minister to others.
Act 2:16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
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I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
1Co 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1Co 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
1Co 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
1Co 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1Co 14:5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
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1Th 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Luk 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
Luk 22:4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.
Luk 22:5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
Luk 22:6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Luk 22:14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
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Luk 22:17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;
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Luk 22:19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Luk 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
Luk 22:21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.
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Luk 22:23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
Mat 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
Mat 26:15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
Mat 26:16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Mat 26:47 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Mat 26:48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."
Mat 26:49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
Mat 26:50 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.
Act 1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
Act 1:17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry."
Act 1:18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
Act 1:19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
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"Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it';
and,
"Let another take his office.'
Judas was numbered among the twelve apostles yet he betrayed Jesus. It is probably significant that Judas knew Jesus as His Master and His Teacher, but never acknowledged Him as his Lord. While the other disciples wondered what manner of man Jesus was, this man that could calm the sea by a word, Judas accepted him only as Rabbi.
The 12 disciples were called apostles (chosen sent ones) prior to the resurrection but they did not really become the apostles of the Church until the resurrection, for the church was not officially born until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. It was at this time that the apostles started their ministry of teaching, planting churches and doing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Judas was chosen by Jesus like the other disciples but his position was temporary for Jesus knew what was going on all along. He was given the job of treasury but he was secretly a thief. Jesus put Judas in charge of the very thing that would give either wings to his hearts corruption or for his repentance, money. Judas heard Jesus speaking on how money can corrupt and stop people from seeing the kingdom, if they make an idol of it, but it did not change him. The possibility for repentance was always there but it did not occur because he was not inclined to obey the words spoken by the Lord Jesus.
Joh 12:2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
Joh 12:3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Joh 12:4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,
Joh 12:5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
Joh 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Joh 12:7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
Joh 12:8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
The above passage shows what his heart was like when he complained about the oil was poured over Jesuss feet by Lazaruss sister Mary.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
There are two people in the Bible who are called the Son of Perdition, Judas and the Antichrist!! The Bible says that the Pharisees loved money and so did Judas, so they had something in common. This is why they were able to bribe Judas to betray our Lord.
Judas was one of the disciples, even one of the 12 who were appointed to be an apostle.
. Mar 3:14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,Mar 3:15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:
Mar 6:7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
Mat 10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Luk 9:10a And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done
..
Judas was numbered among them.
How did Judas become one of the 12 see the power and all these miracles and then apostatize?
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."
Joh 13:11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."
Judas it appears was never saved, he was not cleansed by the Word of God. He didnt drink in the teachings of Jesus, his heart was not changed. Judas a perfect example of those claiming to do miracles in Christs name and where Jesus turns to them saying he never knew them (Mt.7:21). Jn.17:12 tells us no one will be lost, but the son of perdition, who is Judas. It would appear he lost his position of apostle, not salvation for he was not saved. At the last supper Jesus even washed Judas feet, showing love to his enemy, but this not guarantee he would repent.
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. It is obvious that Judas had already been influenced by Satan which gave him full leeway to enter him. He knew the ministry of Jesus was drawing to a close. Judas loved money and so even though he was among the disciples and spent three years by Jesus side, he was easily influenced to become the one guilty of the greatest betrayal in history.
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Joh 13:27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."
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Joh 13:29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
Joh 13:30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
Satan had the audacity to enter Judas at the last supper, right in front of Jesus. (See above verses) At the last supper we find Judas partook of the bread a symbol of Jesus body, Judas dipped with the bread with Jesus but he left before he could partake of the wine, a symbol of Christs blood shed on the cross.
Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which was the price of a dead slave. While the disciples slept as Jesus was praying in the Garden about his soon coming sacrifice Judas is awake betraying him. The devil never sleeps Judas used the most intimate way to show his betrayal, with a kiss.
Mat 27:3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"
Mat 27:5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Judas is sorry for his betrayal but it was not a godly sorrow that would lead to repentance for salvation. Judas hung himself.
Mat 27:6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."
Mat 27:7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
Mat 27:8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Mat 27:9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
Mat 27:10 and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."
Under Jewish law ill-gained money cannot be put in the temple treasury. The chief priests used the thirty pieces of silver for purchase of the Field of blood.
Mt. 27:3-10 tells us Judas hung himself. But Acts
There is no contradiction because Jewish law stated there is to be no dead body within the walls of
Psa 69:25 Let their dwelling place be desolate;
Let no one live in their tents.
Psa 109:8 Let his days be few,
And let another take his office.
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"Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it';
and,
"Let another take his office.'
When the original group of twelve disciples became eleven, the apostles sought someone to take Judas office.
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Act 1:24 And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
Act 1:25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."
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After drawing lots Matthias was numbered among the Apostles.
Judas recognized that Jesus was a good teacher, he was prepared to call him Master, but Jesus was never his Lord. He never gave his heart to Jesus. He never knew true repentance and He betrayed Him with a kiss. How sad that this man who walked by Jesus side for three years could betray Him in such a way. You either serve Jesus or serve Satan, there are only two choices.
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If you dont know Jesus be sure to enter by that narrow gate today.
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