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23/03/2009 / Test All Things

A Study Of Isaiah 4:1-6

We come to Isaiah 4:1, which is a strange looking parable.

What has this parable to do with the Gospel?

Ah, then we remember that the Bible is a spiritual Book. This parable reveals to us a
portion of the history of the New Testament Church. It is:

The Parable of the Defiant External Church (Isaiah 4:1)

All along in Isaiah 1, 2 and 3, the language has been difficult because God has been speaking in parabolic language. But here, in chapter 4, just in that first verse, God gave us a complete parable that describes to a tee the condition of the Church in the Final Tribulation Period. This is the sixth time that God says “In That Day”. Here God does not focus on Judgment Day itself, but on the Final Tribulation Period, which is the last event just preceding Judgment Day.

Isaiah 4:1
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

There are seven objects, or action items, in view here that we have to look at:

1) Here are seven women.

2) They take hold of someone.

3) There is one man. Literally the Hebrew text says that these seven women “hold up” or “support” this one man.

4) We will eat our own bread.

5) We will wear our own apparel.

6) Only let us be called by Thy Name.

7) To take away our reproach. In the Hebrew text the primary meaning of this verb is “to gather and take away”. Secondly, this is said in the Imperative Mood, which means: it is said like an order or a command.

Remember, this is a parable. First we must find a spiritual meaning for these seven women.

Who are the seven women representing? (Revelation 1:4,11)

Whenever we need a spiritual meaning for a woman in the Bible, she always turns out to be a religious organization, such as the New Testament Church, or the Old Testament Congregation, or a false gospel.

For example, you ladies should not get depressed when you read about the perfect woman in Proverbs 31. This is not describing a perfect Christian woman.

Did you know that?

This is the Church.

Another example is that the Eternal Church, consisting of all the Old Testament and New Testament Saints, is called the Bride of Christ. This is the Bride of the Lamb that is described in Revelation 21.

And now, look at the context where Isaiah 4:1 is located: In Isaiah 3:16 God started to speak to the Daughters of Zion, which is the Church, and God was still speaking to them at the end of the chapter in Isaiah 3:26. But then in Isaiah 4:1 their condition has become so terrible that God does not use the name Daughters of Zion any more. But it is the same women whom God has in view.

These seven women represent the New Testament church in the Final Tribulation Period.

When I think of the Final Tribulation Period, what portion of the Bible does that remind me of?

Of course! The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you remember our opening verses this morning:

Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Do you see the connection?

Seven Churches = Seven women

The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the Apostle John and commanded him in verse 11

Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

This letter was not meant just for these Seven Churches of Asia minor.

To whom was this letter written?

Who do the Seven Churches of Asia Minor represent?

They represent the entire New Testament Church.

And what is the dominant feature in this letter of Revelation?

At least eight chapters in Revelation are dealing with some aspect of the Final Tribulation Period.

And when you read Revelation chapter 2 and 3, is it not astounding that already in the 1st Century AD five of the seven Churches in Asia Minor are in some state of apostasy?

From thereon was it getting better or worse?

History proves that it was getting worse as time went on.

The number 7, if it has any spiritual meaning, indicates “Perfection”. In Isaiah 4:1 these Seven Women represent the New Testament church, which has become a false church, matured to perfection.

The gospel that is preached in the false church during the Final Tribulation Period is no longer the Gospel of the Bible alone. It is no longer the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It has become another gospel, and in reality they are worshipping another jesus. God accurately describes the condition of the Church in that day in Amos 8:11-12.

Amos 8:11
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Amos 8:12
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Perhaps many of you can identify with that. Perhaps you have experienced that you went to a church on Sunday, but you came home empty. Today we are may already be living in or are very close to that period of time which the bible calls “the great tribulation”. In most Churches today the Word of God is not the center of all the attention. Instead they say:

1) Come and receive this gift of the Holy Spirit.

2) Come and hear this famous personality.

3) Come and be blessed by the music, or see the nice building.

4) Come and see miracles performed and demons cast out. And so on.

You see, this is attracting the multitudes: see and feel good and have this experience.

But there is more in Isaiah 4:1. See the false church in action:

Isaiah 4:1
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Who is this one man that they hold up?

That man represents the Lord Jesus Christ.

When a man marries a woman, he is to provide for her. But here these women want to provide for their own bread and for their own apparel.

Why?

Because they do not want Christ to be ruling over them (2 Thessalonians 2:11-13)

Instead of being subject to the Gospel of the Bible alone, and being subject to Christ who is the Bread of Life, they want to eat their own bread, they want their own gospel, their own plan of salvation.

Instead of receiving the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness freely, without any work on their part, they want a righteousness of their own, they want a security which is not only based on Christ’s work only, but also on something that they can FEEL or something that they can DO. They do not trust Christ, but they trust in something that they have done. Let me suggest seven examples:

1) They trust the action that they came forward in church and accepted the Lord Jesus in their heart.

2) Or, they trust in the action that they said the sinner’s prayer just like their Pastor said.

3) Or, they trust in the action that they have been baptized in water.

4) Or, they trust that they have lived a very good life, and God will reward their good works.

5) Or, they trust that Christ has done all He could, and now all you have to do is believe in Jesus.

6) Or, they trust that the good and warm feeling inside comes from God the Holy Spirit.

7) Or, they trust in a dream or vision they have received, and that they now have received the ability to speak in tongues.

All these ideas are not from the Bible; they are doctrines of devils. But when a church has drifted into apostasy, they will generate more and more of these doctrines of devils. This is what God warned us for in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-13. This you have to read carefully:

2 Thessalonians 2:11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: (Note: It is God who sends them strong delusion.)

2 Thessalonians 2:12
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(Don’t stop there)

2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Can you see how these three verses hang together?

During the Final Tribulation Period, when a Church has drifted into apostasy, God will reinforce their unbelief by sending them a strong delusion of some kind, verse 11, because they believed not the Truth, as it says in verse 12.

What is the Truth that they do not believe?

The answer is in the next verse, verse 13, where God in the end of verse 13 again repeats “Belief of the Truth”.

And what is their sin?

God spells it out in verse 13,

“Beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation”.

This is what the Bible declares almost on every page, if you want to see it. Our God does the saving, and we have no contribution in it. But the false church close to the end of time does not want the Authority of the Bible; rather they want their own gospel.

What is their sin?

They do not want a God who hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation.

And yet, and yet, they take hold of Christ and want to be called by His Name: They want to be called Christians. But they do not trust that Christ does the saving, rather they trust that Christ will do what they command Him. Look at the words of Isaiah 4:1 one more time:

Isaiah 4:1
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

What is the reproach that these women have?

What is a reproach?

A reproach is a Discredit, or a Disgrace because of Sin. They have enough sense to realize that they are not sinless. The Bible says that there was only one day in the history of the world that sins were gathered and taken away. That was when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross almost 2000 years ago. But He did that without our approval. He did that without us asking for it, because we were not around at that time.

But the church near the end of time does not believe in a God who chooses whom He will save, rather they believe that they must do something to claim the Blood of Christ. That is why they say to Christ in the Imperative Mood: gather and take away our reproach. Which almost sounds like:

Yes Lord, I want to be saved and I want it right now.

That is a sad state of affairs for the Church in the end time.

Will there be any true believers alive when the church is worldwide in a state of apostasy?

Yes, there will be true believers alive. The Eternal Church will never die, because the Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 16:18
Upon this rock (i.e. Christ) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Eternal Church In That Day (Isaiah 4:2, Jeremiah 23:5)

God comforts those who have remained faithful until the end in Isaiah 4, beginning at verse 2.

Isaiah 4:2
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, …

This is the SEVENTH time God said: “In That Day”.

Who is the Branch of the Lord?

There are many places where the Branch of the Lord is spoken of. Just listen to this one. Jeremiah 23:5,

Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Who is this King who shall execute judgment and justice?

Well, we don’t have to guess. This can only be the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me continue in Isaiah 4:2.

Isaiah 4:2
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

On the Last Day Christ will appear, every eye shall see Him and He will be beautiful and glorious.

Then what is the fruit of the earth?

The fruit of the earth is the New Heaven & New Earth we will inherit on the Last Day, and it will be for pride and for glory to those who have remained faithful and have escaped the trappings of the false church. God will again perform surgery: He will remove the false church into Hell, and the Eternal Church will be called “the New Jerusalem”. Look now at verse 3. We see here:

The Remnant Chosen By Grace (Isaiah 4:3-6)

Isaiah 4:3
And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:

In verse 3 God speaks about: “every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.” They are among the living, not because of their endurance, but because they have been written. The New Testament says: They have been written in God’s Book, the Book of Life of the Lamb, which was written before the foundation of the world. Look how this is confirmed in verse 4:

Isaiah 4:4
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Did the Daughters of Zion deserve to be saved for their endurance?

No! Not at all. But God has His Elect people whom He intended to save from among the Daughters of Zion. They are the ones whose names have been written in God’s Book. Their sins were washed away at the Cross, not everybody’s sins of the whole world. And the sins of Jerusalem, the Church, were rinsed from their midst by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning on the Last Day. But to indicate our safety, God draws a picture, parallel to the protection He gave to Israel in the desert:

Isaiah 4:5
And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

Isaiah 4:6
And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

God’s irresistible Grace will keep His people protected throughout the Final Tribulation Period. We will be safe. Nevertheless,

We have to be on the alert (2 Peter 3:17-18)

2 Peter 3:17
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

We cannot sit back and assume that our Church will not be attacked by apostasy.

God says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) Apostasy comes into a Church when the people do not know the Bible, so that they have to trust the clergy instead of trusting God.

We need to know what the Bible says, and we need to learn how to compare Scripture with Scripture.

We need to search the Scriptures like the Bereans in Acts 17. But in the end, it is only by the Grace of God if we come to know the Truth.

By Alfred Chompff

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