"Here Am I! Send Me." A Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-23

By Garry Glaub

An in depth, verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-23. Though these Old Testament prophecies were made over 2,500 years ago, many have come to fruition. Others are being unveiled right before our eyes. Still others are yet to come true, but we know God's promises always will come true. It's easy to see the demise of ancient Israel, when its people ceased to honor the Lord. This should give Americans a wake-up call, as this country also has ceased to honor Him. If He judged His chosen people, will He be more lenient with us?

Garry Glaub is a lifelong outdoorsman and sports coach, gifted at simplifying complexities. Since giving his life to the Lord, he has applied that gift of teaching to the Bible, the most complex document ever written. From the Sierras to the Holy Land, he has served as a mentor and guide on spiritual retreats and excursions, inspiring others to find their special gifts through a closer walk with Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Garry Glaub
• Release date: Jan 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311613905

Garry Glaub

Garry Glaub is a lifelong outdoorsman and sports coach, gifted at simplifying complexities. Since giving his life to the Lord, he has applied that gift of teaching to the Bible, the most complex document ever written. From the Sierras to the Holy Land, he has served as a mentor and guide on spiritual retreats and excursions, inspiring others to find their special gifts through a closer walk with Jesus.

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Here Am I! Send Me.

A Commentary on

The Book of Isaiah

(Volume I: Chapters 1-23)

Garry Glaub

Copyright 2007

Published by Garry Glaub at Smashwords

Discover other titles by Garry Glaub at Smashwords.com

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All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author. The views expressed in this book are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Preface

Part One: Isaiah’s Prophecy Regarding Judah

The Vision of Isaiah

War No More!

Tribulation Terror Brings Brokenness

God’s Chosen People Come to Know Him

The Seven Woes

Here Am I! Send Me.

Part Two: Isaiah’s Prophecy Regarding Israel

The Immanuel Prophecy

Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz

Unto Us a Child is Born…

The Assyrian

The Messiah

A Hymn of Praise

Part Three: Isaiah’s Prophecy Regarding the Nations

Babylon

Pride and the Fall of Lucifer

The Burden on Moab

The Fall of Moab

Damascus Will Be Gone!

Ethiopia or Somewhere Else?

Egypt

Naked and Barefoot

Babylon Is Fallen and the Burdens on Edom and Arabia

The Burden of Jerusalem and a Man Named Shebna

The Burden of Tyre

Epilogue and Acknowledgments

This book is dedicated to my Lord, Jesus Christ, who carried the burden of my sin on Calvary and gave me the ability to study His Word and write about it. Without Him, I am nothing. I would like to thank my family, who continued to pray for me throughout my years of wandering aimlessly and welcomed me back by killing the fatted calf. I look forward to sharing eternity with you all. After decades of praying for me, my mother, Barbara Sizemore, went to be with our Lord. I guess she wanted to talk to Him in person about saving me! When she arrived in heaven, He dried her eyes by showing her all that He was going to accomplish in my life! I especially would like to thank my sister, Gwen Current, who was the first one in the family to give her life to the Lord. Her prayers were instrumental in the salvation of this family. Let us praise Him!

Preface

The Lord put it on my heart to begin a study of the Book of Isaiah. When I began, I had no idea of the depth of the study, but after writing over 10 pages on the first chapter and seeing that there were 65 chapters more to go, I knew the endeavor would take much prayer, time and energy. As the weekly studies continued, I posted my writings on two separate blogs on the internet, knowing that the Holy Spirit had the power to carry anyone He wanted to those web pages. Though the study was for my personal benefit in my relationship with the Lord, I felt led to share it with others who might get something out of it. This book only covers one third of Isaiah. I plan to complete two more volumes, but that is up to the Lord! I never had written a document of this size or magnitude. Yet the size of the document had little to do with the daunting task at hand. The real difficulty was in the fact that the book was about God’s Word. Leading myself astray with erroneous doctrine would be bad enough, but leading someone else astray would be a far greater error. I say this to cover myself. The interpretations in this book are ones that I believe, yet being human, the chances of me having everything correct are slim, at best. I think that when we get to heaven, we all will find that there were doctrines or beliefs that we held on earth that were incorrect. What I am asking each of you to do who read this is to measure each one of my words against the words of our Lord. Each of us needs to be just like the Bereans, searching the Word daily:

¹⁰ Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Acts 17:10-11 (NKJV)

God gives each of us different gifts and talents, and we are accountable to Him for how we use them. Though I have not earned my living as a writer in many years, I did at one time. Yet it always has been easy for me to put my thoughts on paper. For most of the years of my life, that gift was not used for God, and now I am very happy to lay that gift at His feet. Early in my walk as a Christian, I was blessed by the Lord to hear some wonderful teachers. One of them, Dr. Chuck Missler, could drive some crazy by not staying on subject. Yet I was fascinated by the intricacies of the Bible and Dr. Missler’s studies revealed to me that a cursory reading was not even a good start! One man who loved the Lord a ton told me that the Word of God was meant to be simple. I disagreed strongly. To me, the Word of God can be many different levels for many different people. Since God did not make us all the same, He did not make us with the same needs. I love the simplicity of the Word, but am drawn by its depth. I have heard that it is shallow enough for a baby to wade in and deep enough for an elephant to bathe in! The depth of the Bible and the multiple levels of connection with each story helped me to give my life to the Lord. I am so thankful to God for opening my eyes to His glorious Word. I also look forward to studying it for eternity! I’ll end this preface with a statement of what God has done in my own life:

God can, and does, change lives.  I am a living example of that fact.  Though I made a commitment to the Lord as a teenager, I walked far away from Him for 25 years. In those 25 years, I did not find a moment of happiness. Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit continued to dwell inside of me, even if it was in a lonely corner of my heart. He would not give me rest and kept pursuing me until I was at rope’s end. As He has promised us in Luke 15, He always will seek after the lost sheep. All of my years of sadness vanished with that recommitment to Him. Since that day, the Lord has continued to bless me in ways I never could have imagined. He healed almost every fractured relationship in my life and family. There is still one relationship I continue to pray for. Though I still blow it on a daily basis, He already has forgiven me. I am so thankful to our Lord, who never looks at us with eyes of condemnation, but with eyes of love. Each day, I love Him more!

In the last couple years, I have come to the conclusion that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.  For many years, I had some belief in God, yet held to the belief that the Bible was written by the hands of errant men.  I also fell into the large group of people who argued about the Bible without having read it.  Once I read it, my life changed.   I know that I never will understand it all, but I will devote the rest of my life to understanding all I can.  The most important message of the Bible is the grace of God.  Grace is an unmerited gift.  We don't earn His forgiveness, but He wants to give it to us!  He has existed for eternity, and created us all, not as playthings, but to share His amazing love with us all!  When Adam sinned, all of creation changed.  Though we inherited Adam's nature to sin, we still have a way to wipe that sin away.  In Old Testament days, God asked men to follow His Ten Commandments.  Yet no man could follow them all the time, and even one sin makes a man a sinner in the same way that one crime makes a man a criminal. 

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

Knowing that we could not be perfect, God sent His only Son to live a perfect life for us.  Our sins put Jesus on the cross and our sins killed Him.  God, being perfect, could not just overlook our sin, so He chose to punish His Son in our places.  When the world is judged, I will be judged for the life Jesus lived as He was judged for the life that I lived.  The precious blood of Jesus was spilled to cover our sins, my sins. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

Jesus didn't die for just some of us. He loved the world, all of us.  His love is an amazing gift, but if you don't receive the gift, it is wasted!  I have spoken with so many people who claim that they cannot believe in something they cannot see.  It is easy to know that God exists by just looking around you.  All we have to do is look around and see the incredible intricacies of our world--plants, the human body, nature and much more.  God shows His mighty power all around us.

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:18-22 (NKJV)

I can't see air, but I have experienced air.  I know what it is like to have a breath in my lungs, and I know what it is like to be underwater and run out of air.  In the same manner, I finally know what it is like to have the presence of God in my life, as I have experienced God.  As horrible as it is to be without air, it is much worse to be without God.  If you want that feeling in your life, I would love to tell you more.  All it takes is a prayer accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  It doesn't matter what sins you have committed, what your lifestyle is.  He will come into your life and help you make the changes.  You never will be the same again.  It is so sad that we hold on to our sinful lives, though they cause us all so much sadness.  Though walking as a Christian certainly doesn't guarantee you an easy path or a stress-free life, it does carry many positive attributes.  You never will be lonely, as Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of you.  He will teach you all things!  He will give you eternal life with Him, so death is but a blink of the eye.  And He will give you the peace that passes understanding.  You just don't know what you are missing!  He loves you so much.

In the mighty love of our Lord Jesus,

Garry Glaub

Part One:

Isaiah’s Prophecy Regarding Judah

Isaiah 1: The Vision of Isaiah

God gave me a love of Bible prophecy! Understanding Old Testament prophecy is certainly a key to unlocking the Book of Revelation. With that in mind, I am going to begin the journey of the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah is in a section of the Bible called the Major Prophets. These prophets are not major because they are more important than the others, but simply because they wrote more words. Isaiah is the first in that section. He lived through the reign of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. All of these kings can be read about in 2 Kings. Isaiah was most likely from a powerful family as he had direct access to the kings, and was the cousin of King Uzziah. The name Isaiah means the Lord is salvation. Isaiah is quoted 65 times in the New Testament and mentioned by name over 20 times. One of the sons of Isaiah was named very oddly, Shearjashub, meaning a remnant shall return. As far as the Jews might fall away from the Lord, God even reminds us in the name of Isaiah’s son about the plans He continues to have for His chosen people. Isaiah was a contemporary of other prophets, namely Hosea and Micah, two of the Minor Prophets. The Book of Isaiah is a mini-Bible of sorts. While the Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters. The Old Testament leads the way with 39 books, and interestingly, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah seem to have a different feel and theme than the last 27 chapters. Amazingly, that is the same number of books in the New Testament. Before we read too much into this, I want to emphasize that man put chapters and verses into the Bible in the 15th century, but as God is outside of time, He knew we were going to do this!

The last subject I would like to discuss before diving into the Book of Isaiah has to do with Bible scholars. A German named Koppe questioned the authenticity of Isaiah 50, and scholars began to study the possibility of two different authors named Isaiah based on those differences. But remember, when interpreting the Bible, always look to the Bible first for help. Our help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. The key to our interpretation is in the Gospel of John:

³⁵ Then Jesus said to them, A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

³⁷ But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, ³⁸ that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

"Lord, who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

⁴⁰ "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,

Lest they should see with their eyes,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them."

⁴¹ These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

John 12:35-41 (NKJV)

In John 12:38, Jesus is quoting Isaiah 53:1, while in John 12:40, Jesus is quoting Isaiah 6:10. In anticipation of what man will attempt down the road, the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the Bible is as always, perfect. In John 12:39, Jesus tells us that the same Isaiah made both statements. So if Jesus already has given the answer, I don’t see any reason in delving into word studies to see the similarities or differences between the first half of Isaiah and the last half. I believe in the power of God, and know that power is sufficient to guide the hands of man in writing His book perfectly. Yes, He can even do that with fallible men! With that being said, let’s begin Isaiah 1! Start by reading the chapter:

¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

For the LORD has spoken:

"I have nourished and brought up children,

And they have rebelled against Me;

³ The ox knows its owner

And the donkey its master's crib;

But Israel does not know,

My people do not consider."

⁴ Alas, sinful nation,

A people laden with iniquity,

A brood of evildoers,

Children who are corrupters!

They have forsaken the LORD,

They have provoked to anger

The Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away backward.

 5 Why should you be stricken again?

You will revolt more and more.

The whole head is sick,

And the whole heart faints.

⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head,

There is no soundness in it,

But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;

They have not been closed or bound up,

Or soothed with ointment.

⁷ Your country is desolate,

Your cities are burned with fire;

Strangers devour your land in your presence;

And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸ So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard,

As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,

As a besieged city.

⁹ Unless the LORD of hosts

Had left to us a very small remnant,

We would have become like Sodom,

We would have been made like Gomorrah.

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD,

You rulers of Sodom;

Give ear to the law of our God,

You people of Gomorrah:

¹¹ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?

Says the LORD.

"I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle.

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

Or of lambs or goats.

¹² "When you come to appear before Me,

Who has required this from your hand,

To trample My courts?

¹³ Bring no more futile sacrifices;

Incense is an abomination to Me.

The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies--

I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.

¹⁴ Your New Moons and your appointed feasts

My soul hates;

They are a trouble to Me,

I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵ When you spread out your hands,

I will hide My eyes from you;

Even though you make many prayers,

I will not hear.

Your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶ "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;

Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.

Cease to do evil,

¹⁷ Learn to do good;

Seek justice,

Rebuke the oppressor;

Defend the fatherless,

Plead for the widow.

¹⁸ Come now, and let us reason together,

Says the LORD,

"Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They shall be as wool.

¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,

You shall eat the good of the land;

²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,

You shall be devoured by the sword";

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

²¹ How the faithful city has become a harlot!

It was full of justice;

Righteousness lodged in it,

But now murderers.

²² Your silver has become dross,

Your wine mixed with water.

²³ Your princes are rebellious,

And companions of thieves;

Everyone loves bribes,

And follows after rewards.

They do not defend the fatherless,

Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

²⁴ Therefore the Lord says,

The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,

"Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,

And take vengeance on My enemies.

²⁵ I will turn My hand against you,

And thoroughly purge away your dross,

And take away all your alloy.

²⁶ I will restore your judges as at the first,

And your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."

²⁷ Zion shall be redeemed with justice,

And her penitents with righteousness.

²⁸ The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,

And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

²⁹ For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees

Which you have desired;

And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens

Which you have chosen.

³⁰ For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,

And as a garden that has no water.

³¹ The strong shall be as tinder,

And the work of it as a spark;

Both will burn together,

And no one shall quench them.

Isaiah 1:1-31 (NKJV)

Isaiah prophesied during the period of the divided kingdoms, and here, he focuses on the southern kingdom of Judah and the Holy City of Jerusalem. I’ll start with an outline of the first section, chapters 1-35:

One thing that might be helpful when reading Isaiah is to remember the focus of the book. But remember that the Bible can have more than one focus at the same time. When reading Isaiah, we can first, apply it historically to the people of the time, the Jews. That focus on the Jews can be in terms of that time, but also can apply to their future. Secondly, there are so many parts that seem to relate to the United States, another nation founded on the freedom to worship God, but it has departed just as Israel from what made it a strong nation under God. Lastly, we can apply Isaiah individually to ourselves.

We open Isaiah with the phrase that it is, the vision of Isaiah…which he saw. Since the Old Testament is written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek, we will not find the same word for saw used by John in the Book of Revelation. Yet, Revelation makes the point that John saw, John heard and John was at the events depicted. That’s one of the reasons the language can confuse us in Revelation, as it is a man of the first century describing warfare of the 21st century (or after, as I don’t claim to know the time of the final battle). I can’t say for sure whether Isaiah was given a vision of the events or was transported to those events, as John was, by God who is outside of time. Regardless, there are so many similarities to the two books and the descriptions within. Let’s start with verses 2-3:

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

For the LORD has spoken:

"I have nourished and brought up children,

And they have rebelled against Me;

³ The ox knows its owner

And the donkey its master's crib;

But Israel does not know,

My people do not consider."

To me, that speaks loudly that the Lord testifies to all creation. Next, He goes on to say that He has nourished and brought up children. Once again, this applies first to the Jews, but it is the same that God has done with each of us who know Him. He has fed us and brought us up. Let’s look at verse 4:

⁴ Alas, sinful nation,

A people laden with iniquity,

A brood of evildoers,

Children who are corrupters!

They have forsaken the LORD,

They have provoked to anger

The Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away backward.

We see how evil the nation of Israel had become, as He describes them as a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters. They have forsaken the Lord. That sounds as much like our country as it does Israel. They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel. Today, many pastors like to focus on God’s love, but though God is slow to anger, He still does have anger, wrath and judgment. So many people have trouble understanding how a loving God also can be an angry God. The easiest way of understanding that is through the eyes of a parent. Parents pour their lives into their children, feeding them, clothing them and teaching them. There is a time when children have to stand on their own, and though all that the parent put into them will be there, sometimes those children can make the wrong decisions. When they do, it can evoke many emotions. Disappointment is certainly one of those emotions, yet when they really mess up, anger is there, as well. As we progress in this chapter, God will call attention to all He has done for the Jews, but they have forgotten Him. Ungratefulness breaks God’s heart, just as it breaks the hearts of most parents. When a child is ungrateful, you don’t discipline them. You hurt! Verse 4 finishes by describing the Jews: They have turned away backwards. Backsliding is not a New Testament concept. When we repent, we turn away from our sins and take a step toward God. When we backslide, we turn away from God and step back into our sin, toward Satan. We have all been in this spot, though it grieves me to think that once we have experienced His love that we ever can turn our backs on Him, even for a moment. I guess that is the deceitfulness of the human heart, but God is faithful and will complete His work in us! Let’s proceed with verses 5-6:

⁵ Why should you be stricken again?

You will revolt more and more.

The whole head is sick,

And the whole heart faints.

⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head,

There is no soundness in it,

But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;

They have not been closed or bound up,

Or soothed with ointment.

In verse 5, God asks, Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. Up to this point in the Old Testament, we have seen a thematic cycle. God blesses the Jews. They praise Him. They fall away and worship idols. God punishes them. They repent and He opens His arms, blessing them again. The cycle repeats again and again. There is so much that we can see from this cycle. The first thing I see is the depravity of man. How quickly we forget what God has done for us in each of our lives. How sad it is that we can pray for something and when it occurs, we often brag about what we accomplished, forgetting to give credit to the Lord, who accomplished it for us. As sad as it is, what makes my heart jump for joy is the fact that the Lord always forgives when we truly ask Him for that. He never holds our sin against us when we bring it to Him. Continuing in verse 5-6, it says, the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. One thing I notice here is that the process begins in the foot and progresses to the head. The foot is emblematic of our walk. The places that our walks take us frequently are the things we find ourselves involved in. Walk into a bar, and the chances are much greater you will be drinking. Walk into a crack house and chances are you are looking to buy crack. What begins in the walk progresses to the head. To me, that is emblematic of our minds. When we come to Jesus, He creates new hearts in us, but we still get to keep our old memories. It’s amazing how Satan can take those old memories and give us reminders of the pleasure involved, though he always seems to leave out the brokenness that came from each of those sinful situations. The Holy Spirit gives us that more important reminder, a perspective of reality. I don’t know about you, but that is certainly what occurs in my life. It is a constant battle. The more we continue to walk in places away from God, the more depraved the mind becomes. Finally, as the verse says, the whole head is sick and the heart faints. The wounds have not been dressed, as they continue to fester. How are our wounds dressed? We bring them to Jesus and He, the Master Physician, heals them. Those wounds don’t have to be physical. Jesus heals the emotional scars along with the physical ones if we let Him. Let’s continue with verses 7-8:

⁷ Your country is desolate,

Your cities are burned with fire;

Strangers devour your land in your presence;

And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸ So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard,

As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,

As a besieged city.

Having been to the Holy Land, I don’t think of Israel as desolate. I remember the amazing difference when leaving Jordan, and going into Israel. Jordan is barren, filled with red, rocky terrain, with sand everywhere. The only green we saw there was in the desert plants of cactus and yucca. But once we crossed the Jordan River, Israel was truly a land flowing with milk and honey. It was easy to picture how excited the Jews were to leave Jordan and enter the Promised Land, just by seeing the difference between the two places. Yet at the time of Isaiah, I am sure a different Israel existed. God had promised the Jews that if they followed Him and obeyed His laws, they would not have to even worry about watering the land--He would take care of it. But they had not followed His commandments, and the land had grown desolate.

In verse 8, there is imagery that is hard for me to decipher. What do a booth in a vineyard, a hut in a garden of cucumbers and a besieged city have in common? They all have been overtaken by what is around them. The vines in a vineyard, when left unpruned, go everywhere. So do the vines of the cucumber. Ultimately, the city besieged has been taken over by those around. Continuing in verse 8, it says, Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been made like Gomorrah. This is the 19th usage of the word remnant in the Bible, of 86. Every time I see it, I get excited! There are many times throughout the Bible when God saves a remnant of the people and it is all prophetic of the time coming soon when God saves a remnant of the Jewish people. In the tribulation, 144,000 supercharged Jews (12,000 from each tribe) will spread the Gospel to the Jewish people. Millions will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It is so comforting to me that God never turns His back on us, never washes His hands of the situation, no matter how badly we behave. Those who believe that God rescinded His promise to the Jews in favor of the church believe a lie that began from the pit of hell. Don’t ever forget, Satan hates the Jews. He hates the Jews because they gave the world the Messiah. He hates the Jews because they gave the world the Bible. He hates the Jews because one day, this great remnant is going to come to know Him as their Savior! Without that remnant, the Jews would be like Sodom and Gomorrah, burned with fire and brimstone and gone from the earth. Even Sodom had a remnant, Lot! Now let’s take a closer look at verses 10-11:

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD,

You rulers of Sodom;

Give ear to the law of our God,

You people of Gomorrah:

¹¹ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?

Says the LORD.

"I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle.

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

Or of lambs or goats.

God is a jealous god.

…you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Exodus 20:5 (NKJV)

By sacrificing to others, and worshipping gods that don’t even exist, the Jews have provoked the Lord to wrath. What is an idol? Though times have changed where we don’t create something with our hands and shape it out of gold, put it on an altar and worship it, that doesn’t mean we don’t have idols today. An idol is anything that you put in the way of your relationship with God. It could