A Commentary on Immanuel
&
The Gospel of Truth

by Mel West

Chapter 18
(continued)

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

Why are we given this prayer? For God prophesied that He would scatter the Children of Israel from that place and one day — in Righteousness — restore them. On the day they are restored, or redeemed, He would then take out His Wrath against all those who had condemned Israel and He would bring them — the Gentile — into the valley of death. When does He consummate this act? When Israel is at Peace. Israel has never been at Peace! So the name, Rock, means much more than just a hard place!

Without an accompanying story Simon's New Name, Peter, has no significance in prophetic terms. The story relating to giving the Keys of the Kingdom to Peter, that Jesus would found His Church upon that Rock (of righteousness), is extremely scriptural and expected from one who knows the chain of the prophets. One who does not know that chain would not appreciate the significance of the phenomena of a New Name.

More anomalies, to be pursued in greater detail later, exist in the Gospels. Jesus, referring to His Second Coming in the Latter Days, told His disciples to watch for the Abomination of Desolation and then they would seen Him coming with great glory in the cloud or clouds of heaven. We have also noted that the thing that appears precisely after the Abomination of Desolation is Michael. By reference to Daniel's exposition, then, Jesus acknowledged that Michael had not yet come and He was then not Michael. Those in His hearing ought to have understood him, just as the Essenes would have understood, that His Second Coming would be as Michael. For everything Jesus had claimed in His Inheritance had already been written of Michael. Again, concerning Michael, Daniel said:

Daniel 7.13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, One like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.
7.14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pas away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
10.21 ..and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

He and His Saints are opposed by one who thinks to change time and the Laws:

Daniel 7.21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
7.22 Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
7.23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
7.24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
7.25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
7.26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
7.27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Again, Daniel further defines the MessiahÕs opposition:

Daniel 8.23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, [When the fullness of the Gentiles is come] a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
8.24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
8.25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
11.21 .. shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
11.22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the Prince of the Covenant.
11.23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
11.24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
11.25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
11.26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.
11.27 And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
11.28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the Holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.
11.29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; and it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
11.30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the Holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covenant.
11.31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
11.33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
11.34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
11.35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
11.36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
11.37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
11.38 But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
11.39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
11.40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
11.41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Isaiah 16.4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at the end, the spoil ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

Daniel 11.42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
11.43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
11.44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
11.45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain: yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
12.1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
12.2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
12.3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
12.6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
12.7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the Holy People, all these things shall be finished.

These verses are the scene of the Last Judgment according to Daniel. Opposed to the Son of Man is one who thinks to stop the sacrifice and change the Law. Furthermore, this character, whom we shall call the AntiMessiah, will attempt to raise Himself above God, to cause men to worship him. This is a replay of the scene from the Adam and Eve story which explained why the devil was cast out of Heaven: He thought to make himself equal to God. Once he concludes he is equal then he would feel justified in changing the Law.

Interestingly, in this confrontation of the Messiah and AntiMessiah, is the issue over maintenance of the Law. The Messiah must Confirm the Law, whereas his opposition is noted for being against the Law. Peculiarly, at the same time, we have the Promise that the Messiah brings a New Covenant or Law with Him and is, in fact, the New Covenant. How He is seen bringing a New Covenant, and how the terms of that New Covenant are seen in the end, are not discussed. What is discussed is that He is seen to be Faithful and True to God, and is even called The Word of God. To be the Word of God He must say things which are commonly accepted and understood to be the same Word that had been in the Holy Scriptures all along. He would not be seen, most assuredly, arguing a cause which would suggest, or even obliquely imply, that those Scriptures are no longer valid. For once there is any casting of doubt on any part of the Holy Scriptures and prophesies, including the Law, then the entire Word of God comes into disrepute. Once this phenomenon occurs there is Confusion. And we can see that the prophesies provide for Confusion, over which the Messiah must labor to clear. As it is said, He makes the crooked ways straight and overcomes the opposition through the fire of the Torah. And:

Isaiah 11.3 And (God) shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.
11.4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the Rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips will he slay the wicked.
11.5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Revelation 19.11...and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
19.15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Isaiah 16.5 And in mercy shall the throne be established; and He shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
28.17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
29.14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their Wise Men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
29.15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and say, Who seeth us? And who knoweth us?
29.16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: For shall the work say of Him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

This is what we are dealing with when we search the teachings of Christendom under the guidance of Paul. To a certain degree, we can say that Paul was correct, His Gospel would be used in judgment. But according to the scriptures we just reviewed, Paul's Gospel would be used as an illustration of those who have turned the scriptures upside down, claiming that God did not intend what He put forth in His Word. Truly, Paul has asked His master whether He had any understanding when He framed the Scriptures we have reviewed.

Isaiah 30.27 Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire.
30.28 And His breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people causing them to err.
42.16 I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These I will do unto them, and not forsake them.
50.11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand: ye shall lie down in sorrow.
55.4 Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

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.
23.6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: And this is His Name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness.

The gospels suggest that Jesus is that King, the Lord our Righteousness, the judge. Yet, Jesus is reported in the Gospel of John to have said that he did not come to judge; that there is one who judges, referring to the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit. The Book of Disputation, a letter from Rabbi Shem Tov ben Isaac Ibn Shaprut to Cardinal Pietro de Luna (the Antipope Benedict XIII, 1394 A.D.) maintains that the reason Jesus could not be the Messiah is because He did not judge. Further, he says, referring to Ezekiel 37.24, and my servant, David, shall be king over them:

And from this three principles emerge: One is that a time will come when all the tribes of Israel will be gathered in their land. The second is that all of them will become one nation in the land. The third is that he [the Messiah] will rule over them. And of this not one thing has come to pass thus far...at the time of the Redemption He will bring down all the nations to the Valley of Jehoshaphat there.

Of course these are just a few of many arguments the Jews have used to question Jesus's right to claim the Messiahship. The arguments just cited, though stated about a hundred years before Columbus discovered America, are still valid. The Deliverer Messiah must answer to the three principles mentioned. The rabbi most certainly believed according to the Promise that the Messiah would come when Israel is restored to their land. Israel today, therefore, has not seen its Messiah and awaits judgment from the highest as to the gathering that is now taking place.

A String of Pearls to keep in mind:

Jeremiah 25.32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
25.33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried: they shall be dung upon the ground.
25.31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.
25.35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
30.11 For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: But I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
30.24 The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have done it, and until He have performed the intents of His heart: In the Latter Days ye shall consider it.

Jeremiah 23.20 The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the thoughts of His heart; in the Latter Days ye shall consider it perfectly.

Ezekiel 21.27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, Until He come whose right it is: and I will give it Him.

Concerning which the Dead Sea Scrolls say:

(Commentary on Habakuk:) ..And as for that which He said, By cutting off many peoples you have forfeited your own soul, interpreted this concerns the condemned House whose judgment God will pronounce in the midst of many peoples. He will bring Him thence for judgment and will declare him guilty in the midst of them, and will chastise him with fire and brimstone.

This confirms:

Psalm 9.15 The Heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

Psalm 73 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment....concerning oppression they speak softly...and they say, how doth God know?

Psalm 98 With righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.

John 16.7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.

Mid. Mishie, ed. Buber: Rav Huna said: The Messiah is called by seven names and they are: Yinnon, Tzidqenu [Our Justice], Tzemah [Shoot], Menahem [Comforter], David, Shiloh, and Elijah.

John 16.8 And when He [The Comforter] is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
16.9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
16.10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
16.11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
16.13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.
16.14 He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

We are speaking of Judgment and Judgment must be based upon Truth. It is not Truth to imply that the Comforter cannot be the Messiah! Yet, this is what self-righteous Christian Ministers have led us to believe, in spite of the fact that the long standing Jewish Tradition, even in the time of Jesus, held that one of the names of the Messiah is the Comforter. Furthermore, should you ask who the Spirit of Truth would be when He visits this world, rabbis ought to reply: He is the Messiah, the Son of Righteousness or Truth.

John 14.26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

According to Malachi, as we have seen above, before the Lord is written a Book of Remembrance; furthermore, we have seen that one of the characteristics of the Messiah, according to the Dead Sea Scrolls, is to know the Three Books. This we have also shown in the Book of Enoch. Here John is quoting Jesus as assigning the responsibility of the Book of Remembrance to the Comforter. The Comforter has traditionally been held as a name of the Messiah, because in the End of Days he will Comfort them who mourn.

Who is it that is mourning in the end of days?

Isaiah 33.9 The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
33.10 Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
33.17 Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty: They shall behold the land that is very far off.
33.18 Thine heart shall meditate terror.
2.19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

Jeremiah 16.16 Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

Note that Jesus taught his disciples that he would make them fishers of men. The Latter Day epoch involves hunters who hunt people hiding in the holes of the rocks because of the Messiah, who himself brings great fear into the hearts of men.

Micah 7.11 In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.
7.15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

Ezekiel 37.27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God and they shall be my people.
37.28 And the Heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Psalm 62.3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain, all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

Ezekiel 36.36 Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.

Isaiah 32.1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
32.2 And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
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 rain.
33.3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations scattered.
33.4 And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.
28.2 Behold, the Lord hath a Mighty and Strong One, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
28.5 In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of Glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people.
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.

Before the Spirit of Scattering the Son of Righteousness arises:

Malachi 4.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings: and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Yet, after Israel is scattered to the nations the Messiah again rises:

Isaiah 28.9 Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Note that Scattered Israel would be weaned and drawn from the breasts.

Isaiah 28.10 for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
28.12 To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest: and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Jesus is not recorded to have spoken to the Children of Israel like another Moses, addressing them in a foreign tongue and with stammering lips. Nor does His Gospel review precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, etc. Thus, the Deliverer Messiah must do this, as with the Book of Remembrance, for instance.

Isaiah 28.13 But the Word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept....that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Micah 7.16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

Isaiah 9.2 The people that walked in darkness [the nations] have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

For we have heard that the Lord hath a controversy with the Nations; and it is they who live in the Shadow of Death. Earlier we saw that Galilee, the people of Naphtali and Zebulon, signify the land in the Shadow of Death.

Psalm 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
23.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
23.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his nameÕs sake.
23.4 Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
23.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
23.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Back to the Suffering Messiah:

Isaiah 52.13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
52.14 As many as were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men:
52.15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
10.17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and His Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.
5.11 Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard...and he looked that it bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes.
5.5 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

As a reminder, The Sign of the Virgin appears just at the time Israel is laid waste and turned into briars and thorns.

Isaiah 5.14 Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
5.25 Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
26.15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the end of the earth.
27.6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
27.7 Hath He smitten him, as he smote those that smote Him? Or is He slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by Him?
5.26 And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly.
7.11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.
7.13...Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary My God also?
7.14 Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
7.233 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.
7.24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.

Zechariah 7.14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
Isaiah 9.2 ...they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
9.5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

Micah 5.3 Therefore, will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
5.4 And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth.
5.5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

During the Diaspora it was Rome who came into the land and turned it into briars and thorns. We wait, therefore, for the Assyrian to do his work.

Micah 5.7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the lord..

Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
9.7 Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth ever and for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

We finally come to the end of our string of pearls, or string of wisdom, if you prefer. When the Lord speaks of breaking down the walls of his vineyard and scattering it to the wind, it explains why He has scattered the power of His People. Following this precept we have the precept that through the Scattering He has enlarged the Nation. But through the vehicle of the Scattering another thing comes into place: The Spirit of Burning, leaving only a remnant to return to the Promised Land in the end of Days. At the end of days another Event occurs involving the Assyrian treading in the palaces of Israel. Coupled with this is the fact that Lebanon is hewn down. Now will I rise, saith the Lord.

When will the scattering of the Children of Israel take place? What sign should they watch for to indicate that they are about to be scattered off their land? It is the sign of the Virgin who gives birth to a son called Immanuel, whose name means God is with us. In his name is the name of God, El. That son is born before the Travail of the Children of Israel, at the exact moment the land is invaded by men carrying bows and arrows and fire, turning the land into a desolate place, being fit for nothing more than briers and thorns.

The event of which we have been speaking, namely the desolation of Israel and selling of its people into captivity, scattering them midst the nations, happened already, about two thousand years ago. Since then the Children have been in exile, up until 42 years ago. Then, in 1948, the exiles became known as the Nation of Israel.

Because of this knowledge we can therefore say the Sign of the Virgin must already have come (before the diaspora) about two thousand years ago and before 70 A.D., when Jerusalem was burned by Rome and its temple torn down.

But now, since the exiles have been returned, it is also time for the Messiah Deliverer to appear.

Psalm 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Knowing the Secrets of men

He will judge man by the books, specifically, as we have seen, Three Books. They are: The Book of Life; those who are not written in the Book of Life are condemned to eternal damnation. The Angel Pravuil, we were told, wrote all the acts of men in the Book of Life as God had commanded Him and then gave it to Enoch. The Angel with the Book gave it to Ezekiel and He also gave it to John, who wrote Revelation.

The Second Book we have found in Scripture is the Book of Remembrance. We also saw the Messiah going unto the people precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. This perception reflects the process of exegis required to reason with people concerning scripture. Because we have seen that a great deal of Scripture has been extended from the Torah into more detailed expectations of the Messiah and His Times, the exegis would have to involve recalling other pertinent scriptures, as well as the Torah, into Remembrance. He would remind the people what they had been told. As the Book of Enoch said, He shall measure out all knowledge discovered throughout the ages, together with the precept of the age. This, again would have to include, as a minimum, The Old Testament and the New Testament, together with addressing other scriptures which pertain, as well as the Oral Traditions, The Dead Sea Scrolls, etc. and contemporary thinking. Among these we cannot overlook even the Koran because it is a branch from the Torah and the New Testament! Thus, the Messiah has a big task. How foolish He would appear were He to overlook some important tradition or scripture precious to the believers!

We say He must address the New Testament as well as the Old Testament because The New Testament says it is derived from the Old and, therefore, anything drawn out of the Old Testament must also be considered. For the Messiah must measure out Truth to the World. To do this He must judge which "truths" are really True! He determines which scriptures are Faithful and True to the Word of God (for He knows and is the Word); and He is measured by men as being Himself Faithful and True to the Word. The world has posed the questions, Is Jesus the True Messiah? He answers. The world has asked, Is Jesus the Son of God? He answers. The world asks, is Mohammed a True Prophet of God and should we obey His Koran? He answers. The world asks of its other scriptures. He answers. As He answers, principally through His Book of Remembrance, the world ought to be overwhelmed with His knowledge, for:

Isaiah 53.11...by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many!

He comes in Wrath. Because He represents Truth and many fear the Truth He cannot be too popular among the people. To many He is the Harbinger of bad news! He knows the Secrets of Men and exposes them. Some Secrets were held in Scripture for Him only to reveal. He, for instance is hidden in the Secrets of the Tabernacle and reveals the Tabernacle to man, building even a copy of it. But because He knows the Secrets of Men He must also know where the Original Tabernacle and its Ark is hidden.

He knows things that have been Sealed by God from the imaginations of Men. We have encountered the Sealed Book, in which He opens a book before the world and men are embarrassed by it. They say they did not read it because they thought it sealed. Others will say they did not read it because they did not know how to read. All these things, the Book of Life, the Book of Remembrance, and the Book of Lamentations and Woe are represented in this Sealed Book. For their opening will be like the coming forth of Wisdom out of the Windows of Heaven, or the waters of Meribah. They are enlightening and nourishing, yet many of the wise men will look like fools, through their vanity, and fail to either receive the light or drink of the everlasting waters.

Finally, just mentioned, there is a Third Book which is in Revelation, and called The Book of Lamentations and Woes. What is this Book? We recall that after Jeremiah had written his prophesy, concerning the Children of Israel being carried off to Babylon in captivity, he wrote yet another. That book has come down to us as Lamentations. Here Jeremiah recalls how the prophesy he had made did in fact apply to the very generation whom he addressed! It did not apply to those in the future. As a consequence, Jeremiah himself was carried off with the captivity to Babylon! He experienced the suffering of the people along with them; buthe may also have experienced the joy of being restored from the captivity.

Taking Jeremiah's book, Lamentations, by comparison, we find that the Messiah of the Latter Days is put into a similar predicament. For everything prophesied to come down from the windows of heaven during the Judgment descends along with Him and He is seen living through it, like Jeremiah! Being a writer, like Moses, as we have seen is expected in many prophesies, He might be anticipated to record what He experienced. For it would be a lesson to the Preserved. Again, we recall that one of the precepts is that He will determine the Survivors. Once again we must recall the Angel who goes through the city with coals in his hands and marks the survivors.

Because He must address Truth and there are many contenders for the glory of being found true — though many will not be chosen — He will stir up jealousy. We have good reason for this jealousy. For Isaiah shows a man who is sacrificed and another (presumably the same man, or His Double) standing in Jerusalem addressing those who had pierced Him. He shows a ministry branching out to the Gentiles. Because He must judge the New Testament, He must also judge those who believe in it. If they are in conflict with principals of the Old Testament, then he will stir up jealousy; for He must support the Old Testament, and we saw that many of the New Testament teachers have proclaimed themselves to be against the Old Testament. The Deliverer Messiah must also defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem and even Glorify the Children of Israel, in spite of the fact that God had made them an object of derision and scorn among the nations. For Him to defend them, therefore, He would be in opposition to those nations who scorn the Children of Israel. He also, according to Isaiah, represents a source of glory to the Gentiles, as He appears among the Gentile, wheresoever the Children of Israel are scattered. He is like Zerubbabel, born in Babylon. Because of the Scattering it is possible that the Messiah's True Heritage may be in question! After all, He is born of the survivors of the diaspora and even the holocaust. Would the records be sufficient for one to trace back through his heritage to prove without a doubt that he is in fact a Son of Judah and a Son of David, which thing He, to be the Messiah mentioned by Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Zechariah, must be? Surely there are many problems in the presentation of the Messiah of the Latter Days, but He will overcome it.

But we have seen His voice is not heard in the streets and, according to Revelation, no one knows His Name but He, himself. Yet, in spite of the fact that no one really knows who He is and probably does not really see Him He leads a great army. From these precepts we might conclude as the prophesies show:

Isaiah 33.17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
33.18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe..

Everyone goes back to the books, asking, Is it true? And they call forth the scribes and the lawyers.

Isaiah 41.28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

Yet:

Isaiah 42.4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his Law.

For:

Isaiah 42.6 I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.
Isaiah 42.13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: He shall cry, yea, roar; He shall prevail against His enemies.

Of course He stirs up jealousy, because he knows the Secrets of Men! The Dead Sea Scrolls agree that the Messiah will know the secrets of men:

Horoscope of the Messiah: ..of his hand: two..a birthmark. And the hair will be red. And there will be lentils on...and small birthmarks on his thigh. And after two years He will know how to distinguish one thing from another. In his youth, he shall be like...like a man who knows nothing until the time when He knows the Three Books.
And then He will acquire wisdom and learn understanding...vision to come to him on his knees. And with his father and his ancestors..life and old age. Counsel and prudence will be with him, and He will know the secrets of man. His wisdom will reach all the peoples, and He will know the secrets of all the living. And all their designs against Him will come to nothing, and his rule over all the living will be great. His designs will succeed for He is the Elect of God. His birth and the breath of his spirit..and his designs shall be forever..

When you see Lebanon hewn down and its animals not sufficient for the sacrifice at hand, then the Lord will rise. When will that be? Lebanon is now hewn down like it has never been in the past, and, we hope, never to happen again. And Babylon, and those old Assyrians, have just invaded Kuwait!

We know the Latter Day Messiah is the Gatherer and appears wheresoever the sheep are scattered, which is among the Gentile, or nations. It is the time of the Gathering. The Messiah, recognizing that the Gathering is not complete, but still reflecting on the fact that the Children of Israel are scattered says:

Isaiah 49.5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength.

He shall bring the design of the Tabernacle with Him. Even He is given credibility for the building of the New Temple. Revelation does not see the Temple as a lasting structure, however and only the glory of the Tabernacle is with men in the end. In Revelation the Tabernacle is described as a man, the Messiah.

Christian theology is based upon the presumption that Jesus is greater than a building and therefore replaces that building. The thesis is that God will place His Temple in our hearts through Jesus. It recalls the comment of God that a Pure Offering to God is a contrite heart. It strives to convert the practices of the faith involved in the temple to a New Being with a New Heart, as the prophesies of Ezekiel said: I will put my covenant within your hearts and turn your hearts from stone to flesh and you shall be my people and I shall be your God. This promise is fulfilled in the Latter Days, after the Dispersion and at the time of the Gathering.

The Redeemer is modeled upon the Prophet raised up like unto Moses:

Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
18.16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
18.17 And the Lord said unto me, they have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
18.19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

The Angel with "El" in His Name

Jesus, responding to the criticism of the pharisees, said that Moses spoke of Him. If He is referring to the Prophet like unto Moses, which speaks in God's name, then this makes the image of Jesus to conform to that of Moses. But there is another of whom Moses spoke:

Exodus 23.20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
23.21 Beware of Him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in Him.
23.22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine adversaries.
23.23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

This Angel is a Deliverer like unto the order of Joshua (Jesus) who led the people of the exile across the Jordan river into the land of Canaan, conquering Jericho first among many cities. Interestingly enough, we saw, however, that the Messiah born of the Virgin, before the desolation and scattering of the children of Israel, carries the name of God in Him: i.e., Immanuel, who has El in his name. That character, therefore, is a candidate as the Angel of whom Moses spake. We believe, however, that the Angel of whom Moses spoke is the Deliverer, coming at the time Israel is Restored; therefore, any identity of Immanuel as the Deliverer and that Angel, would have to be through His Resurrection or Second Coming. Immanuel, once again, is a Sign of the Scattering, not the Deliverance. The sign of the Deliverance has been couched in the name of Zerubbabel (see Zechariah).

What have we here? we may ask. Did not Israel bear that child? Again, one of the gospels has Jesus telling the Pharisees that he is the one whom Moses prophesied. Yet, Jesus did not prophesy of Himself in the context of the Deliverer Messiah or in regard to the Deliverance Characteristics mentioned above; but rather He chose the epic of the Suffering Messiah. Through the choice, and we will see later it was by His Choice, Jesus abrogated then and there the claim to be the Deliverer King of the Jews and Deliverer of Israel. At the least, however, his kingdom was dedicated to the future. Somehow, recognizing that prophesies also indicate the Deliverer Messiah standing in front of a Jerusalem in mourning and making note of the fact that they had pierced Him and caused the Wounds in His Hands, we have to account for the fact that Jesus, or the Suffering Messiah — who is the Son of the Virgin — would one day have to make this demonstration. He would one day have to appear, in the end of days, at the time the Children of Israel are restored to the Promised Land, though He be dead. This is, in fact, the basis of the Second Coming precepts so well founded in Christian Scriptures.

The restoration of the Children of Israel from their scattered places, among all nations, in the Latter Days, would be characterized along the same model illustrated in the Deliverance by the Angel of Moses. They would be led back into a land occupied by the inheritance of the Hittites, Perizzites, etc. And God will cut those who then occupy that land off. For it is certain when Israel is restored the prophesy would allow for a resistance against the Restoration by those already there occupying the Promised Land.

An important feature of this Angel is that God's name is in Him. Therefore the Oral Torah and Dead Sea Scrolls concluded that His Name would have the letters, El, in it. For El is the word for God. The King of Righteousness, Melkizedek, has the name of God, El, in it, for instance.

Whereas the Prophet of God, raised like unto Moses, is raised up from among the Children of Israel, the Angel, Melkizedek, is not confined to this requirement.

Christian Scriptures tend to suggest that Jesus is that Prophet raised up like unto Moses. But the Christian rendering of Jesus is more than a prophet: He is The King. Of Moses's requirements for a King raised unto Israel we have:

Deut. 17.14 When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
17.15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
17.16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17.17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
17.18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
17.19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
17.20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

The Messages from Moses have not only placed a restriction on the people to always obey His Law, it also requires the King to be raised up to obey His Law as peculiarly setting forth restrictions on the King's birthright and conduct. Again, we recall, the Children of Israel are under a curse of being scattered and spoiled if they should waver from the Law.

Of these restrictions we may first point out that Jesus did not write a copy of this Law in a book, as required by the King.

One thing the Christian Ministry — beginning with Paul — have failed to understand, because they are Gentile, is that the Torah forbids the Jews from ever falling away from their Law. Though the Promise of the Torah is that a New Covenant, or agreement between man and God will be made in the Latter Days, the Torah does carry a curse against any Jew who fails to uphold the Torah. The Curse is mentioned in chapter 28 of Deuteronomy, as we saw earlier: that the Children of Israel will be scattered off their land and sold into captivity if they cease to obey the Law. Again, Paul, in proselytizing the Jews, causing them to abandon the Law, did not understand this. The modern ministry continue the tradition of beguiling the Jews from their Law. Study the Torah: it won't hurt you. As Rabbi Meir said, a Gentile who engages in the study of the Torah is like a High Priest.

In The Secret of His Tabernacle He Hid Me

Since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., the Children of Israel have had to either convert their feasts and sacrificial rites of the Temple into another form or drop some of them altogether. Being among the Gentile they had to worship or honor other rites. During the last two thousand years of exile, then, they have, by force of their circumstances of fleeing from one place to another, fleeing even from rumors, been compelled to give up many practices. Christians, knowing that the Tabernacle was a place of Sacrifice, as well as the Temple, consider those structures abominations since they implicitly suggest that their restoration would bring back blood sacrifices. We, however, see in the Tabernacle something else other than a place of Sacrifice and expect that it must have greater value in God's mind than just a place of Sacrifice. Because of His complaints against Sacrifice and because He has promised a New Law or Covenant with the Latter Day Messiah, asthe Tabernacle is a Sign of the Latter Days, it follows that The Tabernacle would be a sign of a New Law. Only that Messiah of the Latter Days has the authority to give the New Law; and when he does it He delivers also the Tabernacle. Again, we recall:

Psalm 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God..In them hath He set a Tabernacle for the sun,
19.5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

From this we can arrive at the conclusion that the Tabernacle and the Messiah, a man, are the same thing. Thus, we have in Revelation:

Revelation 21.3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, or crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This is the final scene of Revelation, showing that through the Tabernacle, which is, to fulfill prophesy, both a man and a Tent, God will reside with his people and be their God. Of course the strict understanding of the Deliverer Messiah is that He will restore the Tabernacle as in the days of the Solemn Feast, when Moses brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Since He will restore the Tabernacle, it follows that the Cloud of God, the Shekhina, which resides upon the Mercy Seat of the Tabernacle upon the Ark of the Covenant, will also be with man. And if this is so, it follows that God, Himself, will be with them and be their God, since the Shekhina is the Presence of God. The coincidence of the Messiah with the Tabernacle would then equate to the perception of the Messiah coming in the Cloud of Glory, the Shekhina; and in this relationship it would be difficult to separate the Messiah from His glorious Cloud. He and it become One Thing.

Psalm 27.5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide Me in his pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

Psalm 37.6 And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Again, because the Tabernacle involved, in part, a secret design revealed only to Moses upon Mt. Sinai, the Deliverer Messiah would be hidden in that Secret. In the secret of His Tabernacle shall He hide me. And that Secret cannot be revealed until the Children of Israel are redeemed from Exile, from all the nations from whence they had been scattered. And at that time:

Psalm 11.6 Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Psalm 18.11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
18.12 At the brightness that was before him His thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

Habakkuk 3.9 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

Again the precept that the Deliverer Messiah knows the Three Books and is a writer is reinforced here, and His Light overwhelms the wisdom of men. The Wisdom of the Wise Men shall perish; people shall put their hands over their mouths; kings and princes shall be overwhelmed having seen what they had not before seen and heard what they had not before heard. His light has been compared to that of Seven Suns; He is brilliant! Yet, He appears in a time of Great Darkness, such Darkness, as Daniel put it, that had never before been seen or will be seen again. It is so dark a small flame is sufficient to be as the light of Seven Suns! [re: the Book of Enoch]

Though the Oral Torah agrees that the Messiah comes by many names, it agrees that the name of God is in Him:

S. Buber's note: The Messiah is called by eight names: Yinnon, Tzemah, Pele [miracle], Yo'etz [counselor], Mashia [Messiah], El [God], Gibbor [hero], and Avi 'Ad Shalom [Eternal Father of Peace].

The messenger of God whom Malachi mentions, who shall come before the Messiah, is called Elijah. God's name, El, is in Him. He sets a standard on the expectation of the name of the Messiah; and, as seen in the Oral Torah is one of the names of the Messiah Himself! But in addition to being one who carries the name of God in Him, conforming to the Angel of whom Moses spoke, The Messiah is also the Son of God:

II Samuel 7.11 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
7.12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
7.13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
7.14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
7.15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
7.16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.
7.17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

Haggai 2.9 says that the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former...and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. Earlier we had seen in Zechariah that the House of David shall be as God:

Zechariah 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the House of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them.
12.9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

We again recall how Moses prophesied that He would send an Angel before the Children of Israel whom they must obey, who will deliver the lands of the Hittites, Canaan, etc., to them. Thus, the Deliverer Messiah raises up a family, a House, which succeeds Him forever upon the throne of David. Again, we emphasize that at that time God will take out His Wrath against all those nations who come against His People during the Redemption. Furthermore, from God's defense of His People there will be a lasting Peace. The Dead Sea Scrolls agree with this perception:

Dead Sea Scrolls – From a Midrash on the Last Days: And concerning His words to David, And I will give you rest from all your enemies, (II Sam. 7.11), this means that He will give them rest from all the children of Satan who cause them to stumble so that they may be destroyed by their errors, just as they came with a devilish plan to cause the sons of light to stumble and to devise against them a wicked plot, that they might become subject to Satan in their wicked straying.

The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that being tempted away from the Law would be the same as being led to Satan.

(we continue in the Midrash on the Last Days): The Lord declares to you that He will build you a House (II Sam.7.11) I will raise up your seed after you (II Sam. 7.12). I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever (II Sam. 7.13). I will be his father and he shall be my son (II Sam. 7.14). He is the Branch of David who shall arise with the Interpreter of the Law to rule in Zion at the end of time. As it is written, I will raise up the tent of David that is fallen (Amos 9.11). That is to say, the fallen tent of David is He who shall arise to save Israel.

We have assurance from the Dead Sea Scrolls that the Deliverer Messiah would restore the Tabernacle or Tent of God and in that capacity is viewed as the Tabernacle of God Himself. After all, in the characterization of Melkizedek, who is the King of Righteousness, He is God Himself and His Seed after Him are as the Angel of God before the Children of Israel. This also goes along with the precept that He brings a New Covenant and, in another place, is given as the New Covenant of God.

(Continuing the Midrash on the Last Days) Why do the nations rage and the peoples meditate vanity, the kings of the earth rise up, and the princes take counsel together against the Lord and against His Messiah (Psalm 2.1) Interpreted, this saying concerns the kings of the nations who shall rage against the elect of Israel in the last days. This shall be the time of the trial to come...

Two things are important to keep in mind here: The Messiah is clearly described to David the king, through the prophet Nathan, that He will be known as the Son of God. I will be his father and He shall be my son. Psalm 2 repeats this saying:

Psalm 2.7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

The Dead Sea Scrolls recognize that the Messiah is the Son of God. Again, the scriptures pertaining to Melkizedek connect the Messiah to the very being of God. For one to claim that He is the Messiah to the priests of the Essenes would to them, who are well schooled in these things, be the same as claiming to be the Son of God. This becomes a major issue concerning Jesus, as reported in the gospels. Based upon the Dead Sea Scrolls, then, there would be no surprise to see pharisees and scribes in Jesus's day answering him as to whether He was claiming to be the Son of God. The Gospels try to make an issue that Jesus is the Son of God but their argument often ties into things which only obliquely have anything to do with establishing Jesus's divinity. For instance, most of the things in the Gospels, which recognize Jesus as the Son of God, are men besought with madness and devils; these are things which are not believable witnesses. Excepting madmen and devils, we have the Three Wise Men in Matthew, who are Shepherds, not wise men according to Luke, who recognize Jesus is the Son of God. Peter, in one gospel, recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God, and is rewarded by Jesus for making the recognition, but the other Gospels fail to notice this. The Gospel of John, unlike the other gospels which were trying to find a sensible basis of establishing the divinity of Jesus, saw Jesus in another way: It actually saw Him as the Manifestation of the character in prophesy called The Word. And simply put, The Word is God's Righteous Servant whose mouth is a sword and brings forth judgment in the Latter Days.

To call Jesus the Son of God, however, was translated in the gospels to mean that Jesus had blasphemed before the Pharisees. This premise states that the Deliverer Messiah to come would also be considered a blasphemer, since He most clearly is understood to be the Son of God! Any man who is not the Son of God is a Blasphemer.

How do we know, then, that a man who claims to be the Messiah is in fact the real thing? How do we recognize Him? After all, the Rabbis have concluded in their Oral Torah that there is a good possibility that the Messiah will not be recognized. They even argued whether anyone really wanted to see the Messiah, because He would be carrying the wrath of God. The Messiah speaks in Psalm 73:

Psalm 73.15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
73.16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me:
73.17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
22.6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
22.7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
22.8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
22.9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my motherÕs breasts.
22.10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my
22.14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
22.15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
22.16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
22.17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
22.18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever.
22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
22.29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
22.30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
22.31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Isaiah 61.8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
61.9 And their seed shall be known among the gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed.

Again, Isaiah, Zechariah, and the Psalms of David paint a vivid picture of a Suffering Messiah who is rejected and pierced because of Israel's iniquity. They also show the Messiah in that scene looking back upon His Soul and being satisfied in the Travail of His Soul. Out of His travail we clearly have the example of a Seed who will declare His Righteousness to a people that shall be born, that God put His Messiah to grief!

Of the people who can fall into the category of a People who shall be born there is the very profound example of the Americans which became a People who had never before existed; and they were called: The New World. No people can claim this prophesy better than the Americans. Therefore, they can claim to be chosen to spread the gospel of the Suffering Messiah's Righteousness. The Psalms here compare to Isaiah's view of this process of proclamation of the Suffering Messiah:

Isaiah 66.16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

Who the Messiah Must Condemn

We recall that the Lord's Sword is one who is the Deliverer Messiah whose tongue is a Sword and his breath is hot flaming fire, etc.

Isaiah 66.17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.

Here we have a clear statement of fact, concerning the disposition of this matter of the Suffering Messiah and eventual redemption of Israel. They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh..shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. This once again compares to the statements that God will, at the time of the Redemption of Israel, take out His Wrath against all those who come up against Israel, who were against Israel wheresoever they were scattered, and even those who condemned Israel for the judgments against them (presumably including causing God to smite His Anointed One). By the prophesy, anyone who condemns Israel is judged among the wicked. Again, we have seen that the Word will argue with a tongue of fire, which, as we have seen in 4 Ezra, is like the Law, the Torah; and the Oral Torah argues that He will link together precepts of the Torah in the defense. Again, to agree with these remaining verses of Isaiah, the Deliverer Messiah must also condemn those who eat the flesh of swine among those of the wicked. Paul, once again, we regret to admit, spent a great deal of time arguing that it is acceptable for the Gentile to eat anything put before their plate. Acts then even argues that Peter accepted this change in the law, to eat whatsoever is put before you. Nevertheless, when we review IsaiahÕs statement that God will direct their work in truth and He will make an everlasting covenant with them, we must conclude that somehow, by some means, those among whom the fame and glory of the Sacrificed Messiah are spread, will have their work directed in truth; furthermore, God will make a New Covenant with them. For God to make a New Covenant with the Gentile (re: the Messiah is given for a Covenant and a Light to the Gentile), a process has to be provided to explain how it will be that way.

Isaiah 66.18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
66.19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations..to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
66.21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.

To those who have not heard of God's fame or His Glory, we see a Missionary activity being set up both in the Psalms and in Isaiah. Obviously, since both the Psalms and Isaiah show the Messiah to be cut off, the remembrance of the event would be to His Fame and His Glory. Furthermore, Isaiah clearly states that of these people who are scattered abroad to preach this gospel He will take of them as priests and Levites.

Isaiah 52.14 As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men:
52.15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
49.8 Thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.

Here we have a clear statement that the marring of the visage of the Messiah is the thing by which God sprinkles many nations; and the affirmation that the Messiah is the means by which God intends to establish the earth and cause to inherit the desolate heritages. This causes us to consider that before the sprinkling of the Messiah's blood over the earth, in the context, God had not established the earth. This is a truth, for the entire prophesy in the Bible is based upon a war between God and His children of Light and the Wicked of the earth who sacrifice to false gods, etc., who are, incidentally, all non-Hebrews or Gentile: i.e., the nations and heathen. Thus, He says

Jeremiah 25.30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; He shall give a shout as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
25.31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.
25.32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
25.33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried: they shall be dung upon the ground.

Ezekiel 36.36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.

Bringing Forth a New People

He vows, however, that all men will one day bow down unto Him and call upon His Name with a common consent and with one language.

Psalm 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
98.2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

We have seen in Isaiah 53 that the Suffering Messiah is cut off for the iniquities of God's People and that His blood is for the Atonement of sins. The atonement of sins is Salvation, the Promise of Eternal life. Again, when the Latter Day Messiah appears, as noted in Daniel, those who are dead in the earth will be risen up to life. This is a promise of eternal life, which to the Children of Israel, was Eternal Salvation. We again recall how the Restoration of the Children of Israel is regarded as not only a day of peace and plenty but also a day when people will begin to live to very old ages, even, perhaps, conquering death. The Messiah of the Latter Days very clearly represents Eternal Salvation for all those who come to Him and survive the fury of GodÕs Wrath in His Rain of Fire and Brimstone. Again, we recall 4 Ezra telling us that He will determine the Survivors.

Psalm 98.3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 45.23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
45.8 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it to thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
45.6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
45.8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
55.3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Clearly Isaiah 53 says that the Salvation of God, which is He who is Sacrificed for the Atonement of sin of the Children of Israel (by his stripes we are healed, etc.), is sprinkled over the earth (rather than the Mercy Seat). This confirms the Psalm's view of all the earth seeing the Salvation of God. Once again we can confirm that the Suffering Messiah must be a vehicle by means of which every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear to God.

Isaiah 58.4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
58.5 Is this such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day of the Lord?
58.6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
58.9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
58.10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day.

Isaiah had already described the Suffering Messiah and now shows himself making an acceptable fast as a day for a man to afflict his soul. Then He asks if thou shalt satisfy the afflicted soul, then shalt thy darkness be as the noon day.

Isaiah 58.11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
58.12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, the Restorer of paths to dwell in.

We have therefore seen that the Messiah inheriting the Desolate Heritage must, as a minimum, pertain to the heritage of the Children of Israel. They are promised in the end that they will be redeemed and gathered back to the land from whence they had been exiled and scattered. That land, we noted earlier, is desolated by God when He scatters the Children of Israel. Thus, in the restoration the prophesies continue on the theme of planting them back on their land which will then become a garden the likes of which had not been seen before. The land will be plentiful for them and God will bring them peace as well. Plus, we must also note the condition of the redemption is based upon the conclusion of God that the Children of Israel will confess to being the Cause of the sacrifice of the Messiah; i.e., if thou satisfy the afflicted soul.. While this statement may apply in general it certainly must be taken into the specific context of the Sacrificed Messiah previously mentioned. Based upon these facts, It would be ludicrous to presume that God would not use the affliction of the Messiah, and its knowledge, as a basis of Redemption. Again, His argument is contingent upon the foreknowledge that the Children of Israel would, in fact reject the Messiah when He comes. If they had accepted Him, now looking back historically, all these arguments to show the Humility of God and its bearing upon Salvation would be without importance. So to follow this story line the Children of Israel had to reject the Messiah and Cause God to afflict Him.

Isaiah 59.15 Yea, Truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
59.16 And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore, his arm brought salvation unto him; and His righteousness, it sustained him.
59.17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of Salvation upon his head; and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

The Latter Day Deliverer Messiah comes in the day of the Lord's vengeance to resolve His Controversy with the nations. While in the scenario He says He sprinkled the nations with His Salvation, through the ministry which went unto the Gentile, as previously covered, the nations still left Him just cause to take His Wrath out upon them! He put hooks in their jaws; he fed them with wormwood, and then he fed the fat with Judgment.

Isaiah 59.18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands He will repay recompense.
59.19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the West, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

Again, we recall those who are against the Children of Israel, or even those who condemn them, will be at the receiving end of the Fury of the Messiah.

Isaiah 62.1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
62.2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.

Jeremiah 23.6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: And this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

Isaiah 62.3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
62.4 Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah (my delight in her) and thy land Beulah (married). For the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

Revelation 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His Wife hath made herself ready.
19.9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He saith unto me, These are the True sayings of God.
19.11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.
19.12 His eyes were as a flame of fire and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He himself.
19.13 And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called The Word of God.
19.15 And out of His Mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
19.16 And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh, a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Isaiah 52.9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted His People. He hath redeemed Jerusalem.
52.10 ...and all the ends of the earth shall see the Salvation of our God.
60.15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
65.15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My Chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His Servants by another name.

Again, because of the wickedness of the Children of Israel God is caused to afflict His Messiah and then He scattered the power of the people across all the nations of the earth. In the scattering He says they shall be scorned and objects of derision. Here He further clarifies the prospect that their names shall be a curse unto God's Chosen whom He shall call by another name. But then, upon the redemption of the Children of Israel, the tables are turned over once again and the Wrath of God becomes turned against the nations who are against His People Israel.

Ezekiel 39.23 And the Heathen shall know that the House of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by the sword.
39.22 So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward.

When God sets His glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen see the judgment He executed and the Hand that God laid upon the Children of Israel, the House of Israel shall know their Lord their God from that day and forward. This then explains the anticipation that the Sacrificed Messiah must await its proof and the proof comes through God turning His face to the Gentile and setting His Glory within them. This feat alone amounts to an eventual recognition among the Children of Israel of that Glory set amongst the Gentile; and the recognition is such that the Children of Israel will be satisfied just to share in the Glory of the Gentile, who, incidentally, is referred to as a noun called The Double. The Double is the object of the Glory of the Gentile. This falls in line with the Jewish anticipation of Two Messiahs, one of which is Sacrificed (to Gog) and the other, being of David, reigning in Jerusalem in the Last Days.

Ezekiel 39.27 when I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemiesÕ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations:
39.28 Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God.

Zephaniah 1.14 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hateth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
1.15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
1.16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
3.8 Therefore, wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
3.9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.
3.20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.

Here we have a major display of God to be made during the Latter Day redemption of Israel. And it is that display to the Heathen, or Gentile, that causes the Children of Israel to know the Lord their God. Isaiah agrees and put that display in terms of The Double, which is the Cause of the Glory of the Gentile and much confusion. Again, we recall the former prophesies concerning the Confusion in the Latter Days.

Isaiah 61.6 But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord; men shall call you the ministers of Our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their Glory shall ye boast yourselves.
66.12 For thus saith the Lord, behold, I will extend peace like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled on her knees.

In the context of the scattering we have to recall how the priests of the Tabernacle and the Temple prepared the sacrifice. They had a container in which they put the blood of the Sacrificial lamb or goat during the Feast of Atonement and sprinkled the Mercy Seat with the blood of the animal. They did this for the Atonement of Sin for that year. The next year on the Day of Atonement, which is about the 10th of September, the rite is performed again for the sins of the people. But God, in the prophesies, becomes disconsolate over the sacrifices and offerings of the people, since they tend to do it without concern for Him.

Psalm 40.6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.

Isaiah 66.22 For as the New Heavens and the New Earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
66.23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
66.24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

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