(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

All right, chapter four, only six verses long, but don't think you're getting out of here any earlier tonight. There's a lot to preach on this chapter, this is a great chapter. And each verse just seems to be packed with all kinds of great doctrine. Now before we even just get started, you know, in Isaiah you're going to see segmentation, a lot of segmentation throughout the book, throughout the entire book. We covered in chapter one kind of the span of Isaiah's preaching, that he was getting these various visions through the reigns of four different kings. So it's spread out over quite a bit of time overall, right? And then within this book, we realize and remember that the Bible wasn't always subdivided into chapters, right? You have this entire book. Chapters make sense, I'm not against the chapters, I think they're great, the chapters and verses are a good way of organization and everything else. But where we're picking up here in chapter four, it's basically kind of the conclusion of chapter two and three and four. So it starts off with chapter two, and the whole theme of chapter two through four, kind of the main thing that's going on here, is just essentially destruction from the Lord. And it was judgment coming against Judah in Jerusalem because of their wickedness, right? They were just behaving extremely wickedly, and you know, I'd made a comment before how even though the political leadership seemed to be right with God and they were doing things that were right and they had a good leader, the people, by and large, were still extremely wicked and just doing wicked things. And if you remember, I think it was last week, where we read where it was talking about they declare their sin as Sodom, right? And that might have been from chapter one, but it was chapter one, but where they said, you know, that's the state, right? They didn't even have the shame for their sin. They're basically just, they're sinning. It doesn't mean that they're committing the same exact sins as Sodom, it just means that they declare their shame as Sodom, right? That they're just open about it. Like their sin, their wickedness, it's just wide open, it's just broadcast for everyone to see, and they don't care and they don't have shame. That's a really bad state to be in when you're around people that, and in a culture, culturally where people can just get away with just being wicked, and it's just declared and accepted and tolerated and it's just fine. And unfortunately, that's the state that we're in right now, that people just declare their sin, and it's amazing how fast these things happen, how short period of time it takes to even get to the point where we're at. You know, there used to be a day where, you know, not even that long ago, within a lifetime, where it was a shame for people to live together in fornication, right? People living together outside of marriage, it was a shame, no one really wanted to talk about it. People came out there saying, oh yeah, me and my boyfriend got an apartment, and now, it's so much not a shame, kids are just talking to their parents, and parents are just like, oh, okay, yeah, that's great, honey, here, let me help you out, here's a housewarming gift as you're moving in with your boyfriend, and it's declaring their shame. Among all the other shame, I mean, I went in with all the wickedness, you know, in the previous sermon, I'm not going to get into all that. But when things just get so bad that people are just so desensitized to how sinful sin is and how wicked and bad that is, you know, watch out, because judgment's coming. And that's been the theme of this, so we're kind of picking up the tail end in Isaiah chapter 4 at the beginning, but then we're going to get into some more promise and good news at the end. It kind of wraps up and finishes on a positive note, but as we begin chapter 4, we still see the tail end of the judgment that's coming. Also included in chapters 2, 3, and 4 is also some prophetic passages just about the end of the world and things like that, so that's all mixed in, even though the judgment is primary, I would say, against Judah and Jerusalem, you know, at the time, but then also there's plenty of scripture that is a dual meaning where it's being prophesying of the future as well. So we're going to try to get into all that this evening as much as applicable. Now, verse number 1, look down in your Bibles there, the Bible says, and in that day. And also, you know, in that day, so it says in that day, you go back in chapter 2, you go back to chapter 3, and you can see all the reference to what day he's talking about. It's a day of destruction, essentially, it's a day of destruction from the Lord. It says, 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. So what's happening here is that these women, it says there's going to be seven women just going after one man, right? And for all you single guys, you've been looking for a wife, you know, it's like, man, that's a day you want to be in, right? You've got seven women coming after you, just wanting to be your wife, and they're saying, look, we don't even want anything from you. Like, we're not wanting to marry you so that you can take care of us, we don't want to marry, you know. What they're saying is, let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach, right? Your reproach, we've got sin, let us marry you just so that we can take your name. Because here's what's happening is that with all the people, and we're going to see this as we continue on here, that God's judgment is going to wipe away all the wicked people from Judah and Jerusalem, and then whoever's left is going to be blessed. And there's only six verses, so we'll get into that soon enough. But that's what's being stated here. So what's going to happen is that these women that are left, they're going to be so desperate to get married, but because of the shame of their names, and I believe it's probably because their wicked husbands were already destroyed, so they left widows, and now they're just looking to, because they had that name now of their spouse that died as a result of God's judgment on them, and they're saying, we don't even care about being cared for, we just want this shame to go away because God judged these people, and now we just want to take your name. Now, along with this concept of being called by thy name, it's interesting because I was just talking about this with someone, and I want to go a little bit more in depth about the biblical aspect of when people get married and a woman taking the name of her husband and why that's so important. And if you've never thought about this before, it might blow you away when you really start thinking about it because it's very important. It goes all the way to the heart of God creating man and woman, and what I'm going to be teaching tonight is going to go against the world's wisdom, it's going to go against everything that this world is going to want you to believe, but I'll tell you what, it's the word of God, and we're going to look at the word of God, and if you can accept the word of God in your life and accept these truths, your marriage will be way better by acting out and believing in what God's word teaches, because marriage, first of all, it's work. There is work involved to a marriage, to a union of two people coming together and living together. No matter how long we were married, there is work to it. Hopefully, the longer you're married, the easier it becomes. I know that to be true, that's not the truth in everybody's case, because there's different issues and different things that people get past, but if both husband and wife are growing in the Lord, growing spiritually, then your marriage should also be getting better and better every year that you continue to remain together, because you're growing, things are going to go better. That's the way it's supposed to be, that's ideal. Not the case with everybody, but again, everybody has their own sins and things that they have to deal with, but the whole point is, if you can take away the truths of what God is teaching, because God has laid it all out for us, God has given us the roles of men and women, and if you can embrace God's creation and embrace God's design, you will be fulfilled and have peace and have joy, and it will help your marriage guaranteed. It takes faith, though. It takes faith because the majority of people aren't doing it this way. It takes faith because the world's going to tell you you're crazy if you do that. What are you thinking? That's so old-fashioned, that's so, oh, I can't believe you do that, I can't, you know, we get it all the time. Well, you serve your husband, oh, you do what he says, oh, he's the boss, like you're nuts, like you're crazy. That's how the world views it. But when we look at how God outlines everything and details it, it's great, and you know, this is also, we're going to touch on a few things here, traditions, you know, a lot of people have a bad concept of tradition in general, because the Bible does talk about vain traditions and traditions of men and how the Pharisees would hold the tradition of man above the word of God, right? Those are bad things. So when you start treating a tradition above the word of God and things like that and elevating traditions and your doctrines of men over what the Bible says, then that's completely wrong. And traditions on its own is not a bad thing, and in fact, there's many good traditions that you can have, and God instituted traditions for the children of Israel over and over again that they're going to keep and for good purpose. Now, the wedding ceremony and everything involved around it, there's so much good biblical truth. We have the luxury of being in a society that has had fundamentally good traditions in marriage ceremonies, many, many, many, many ceremonies, I mean, so many aspects of it, from the white dress representing the purity of a woman coming to marriage that she has kept herself virgin, she has kept herself pure, and that white dress is supposed to symbolize that. That is the point of that big, flowing white dress at a marriage. That is the purpose behind that. It's not just, well, that's just what we do, I mean, why? Why is that what we do? And the father of the bride giving the wife away is another biblical concept, because the Bible teaches that in Deuteronomy that the father in a household is able to disannul any vows that the wife makes or that his daughters make in his household, that God has given the man of the house that authority. So while a woman is at home, while a girl is at home in her father's house, you might think, hey, I'm going to make a vow unto God, and this is personal just between me and God. It is personal between you and God, but you know what? God has the right to say, no, you're not going to make that vow. So winning over the father is a biblical concept for someone trying to marry a daughter, and another reason is because the way that God designed a marriage to be is that the man was going to support the woman. So ideally, a woman is going to go from being cared for by her father, having all of her needs met because her dad is out working, to then when she leaves the house, it's because she's joined with another man, starts a new family, becomes one place with him, but where he is now taking that role of providing for his wife. This is God's design, and you know what? In God's design, there's no backup plan, and we know that the God hates putting away. It's what it says in Malachi. God hates putting away. He hates divorce. Divorce is just an everyday word. It's a concept that people just throw it around because they treat marriage without sanctity anymore. It's just a glorified boyfriend and girlfriend. Well, I'll just get divorced if things don't work out. Look, you can't go into a marriage with that mindset. You don't go making the prenups. You go, no, look, we're getting married, and we're getting married for life, and if you love that person, if you're going to get married to that person, you're going to make a vow before man and God saying, I will not leave you or forsake you basically till death do us part. You're making that vow for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer. So yeah, it's easy to stay with someone when things are great, but the whole reason for the vow is to say, you know what, when things go really bad, when we're poor, when we don't have anything, when things aren't great, when we have a stressful relationship, when we're not getting along great, I'm still going to stay true to you. I'm still going to stay married to you. That's marriage. But people ignore that these days. People forget about that these days, and they say, well, you know, and families and parents are instructing their daughters, no, no, no, you need to go to college. You need to get a degree. You need to get all this stuff because, hey, if things don't work out with your husband, then at least you could go to work and support yourself. No. Now, if people want to go off and work and do whatever, you know, so be it, but my point is, you know, that ought not to be your thinking that this is my backup plan. When you're entering into a marriage, that is not, that is not the right approach to take at all, and we shouldn't even be concerned about that. Turn if you would to Genesis, Chapter 5, because if you think about a wedding, you've got the purity in the white dress. You've got the father giving away the daughter, the vows being exchanged, the vows being made. The, you know, you may now kiss the bride, yeah, you know why you're giving permission? These days, kids laugh about that, because, why, because they've been kissing the whole time anyways, but the Bible says it's good for a man not to touch a woman because you save that for marriage because as soon as you, you know, start getting involved physically with somebody, then you're going to have a lot more temptation and lust of your flesh are going to be sparked even more so, and it's going to be that much harder to keep yourself from fornicating. So the best thing to do is just, let's just not even go there. Let's not, see how close we can get to fornication without actually committing the sin, and in purity, you wait, and you hold off, and you marry for someone for who they are. Marry someone for who they are on the inside, because you're marrying someone who's going to be there with you your whole life. The Bible says that beauty is vain, right, that don't be deceived by the outward appearance thinking that, you know, you're going to marry someone just for their outward appearance. Well, that's going to fade. That's going to get old. That's going to change. That's going to, you know, now I'm not saying you have to marry somebody ugly, you know. It's good to be attracted to your spouse, but you need to be thinking about a lot more when you're thinking about getting married to somebody that you have a good person. You have someone who loves the Lord because, you know what, if they have a good commitment to serving God and that they're going to be someone who loves God, then that ought to show in the way that they treat you as well, husband and wife both, right? Ladies, you're having a good husband that's going to provide for you, that's going to love you, that's going to have the love that Jesus has for the church where he's willing to give himself for that self-sacrificial love is what you ought to be looking for in a husband. Someone's going to love you enough to go out and work his hands to the bone and do whatever he has to do to take care of you because he loves you. That's what you want to find in a good man, because someone loves God, you know what, when things get hard, they're going to keep doing what's right because it's right because they're following the Lord. And the same thing, man, you're looking for a good, godly woman, you're going to find someone who has the meek and quiet spirit, you're going to find someone who loves the Lord and is going to serve him, and you're going to look for that inward beauty for that great ornament that God sees, which is of great price in a woman, and someone who's a hard worker. Just because the Bible's not saying to go out in the workforce, it doesn't mean that the wife doesn't work, there's lots of work to be done. Come over to our house, there's plenty of work, there's lots of things done, even when I'm not there, sometimes even more than I'm doing, there's a lot of work. But I had to turn to Genesis chapter 5, so there's so many different things, I wasn't planning on getting too far in depth on all of that, but essentially on this point though, because in Isaiah 4 they're talking about, let us be called by thy name. So taking the name of your husband is extremely biblical. Now again, these days, people are doing these hyphenated names, and sometimes a man's taking a woman's name, and all this other nonsense. But a woman taking her husband's name, changing her name, like my wife's name is no longer Allen, it's Berzins. And when people get married, you get presented as Mr. and Mrs. Berzins, Mr. and Mrs. whoever, because you've joined together now, and you've essentially become one person. You're a team, you're a unit, and it's no longer, you ought to be on the same side all the time. And just a little bit of advice, for people who are newly married especially, there's all these different interests that people that you love have in your life, right? Parents especially have a love for their children, and they're going to look out for you, they're going to want to protect you, but they don't always think about what's best for you and the situation you're in now that you're married. And too many parents try to get involved and still instruct their son or their daughter, well, you need to do this and you need to do that, you know what, there shouldn't be any sides. And this is the first fight that you have, the wife's going to go and call her parents up, and then they're going to say, well, you don't have to take that, we're on your side, honey. You know what? That's nonsense. Seriously. Because the husband and wife have to learn how to be a team together, and they don't need anybody influencing them that's going to influence them to start having sides. And at any time you have a problem with them, you can go over here and they're going to confirm you and they're going to reassure you and all this other stuff about your rights, he's wrong, your rights, she's wrong, and all this other stuff. That is not good for your marriage at all. You don't need that influence. Because here's the reality, it doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong, you're going to have to learn how to work it out and figure it out. That's the bottom line. And you don't need anyone else trying to cause that wedge to get any deeper than it already is if you're having problems. And within the first year of marriage, you're going to have a fight, guaranteed, at least one. It happens. And, you know, parents, take heed to that too, because, you know, you love your children, but you need to understand what is best for them. That marriage needs to succeed. Because you've got two sinners living together now, they're married together, and they're going to need to figure out how they're going to make it work, because they made that vow before man and God. And there is no choice of divorce, it's not an option. But look at Genesis chapter 5 verse number 1, the Bible says, this is the book of the generations of Adam, in the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him, male and female, created he them and blessed them, look at this, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. He called their name Adam. Why? Because Adam was joined unto Eve and they became one flesh. Because Adam married Eve on day one. That's pretty cool, he's married, he's created, he's brand new, and boom, he gets married that same day. God just brought that perfect woman into his life. He was, it was great. And see, Adam's the one that ended up naming Eve, he named all the creatures of the earth, but then he also gave his wife a name, in Genesis 3.20 the Bible says, and Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Bible, you know, one, the wife being called by their name Adam, the husband and wife being called by Adam, is because when God created the woman, he was creating a helper for the man. And that's why he brought all the beasts there, and he said, you know what, there still wasn't a help that was meat for him, that was suitable, it just wasn't right. No animal can do the job that needs to be done to help the husband. And since the job is to help the husband, the name is with the husband. It's the husband's name that's being taken, and the wife is taking on a supporting role in the family, in the marriage, the supporting roles to support the husband. It doesn't mean the husband is better, but it means that God has put the husband in charge. And that's it. And he's the one who's making the decisions, and he's the one who's making the rules. Okay? Because if you have two people, you can't have a democratic vote, because as soon as you disagree on something, then you have a tie. And then there's no way of dealing with a tiebreaker with a husband and a wife. So someone, it only makes sense, someone just has to have the authority, someone has to be in charge. And God said, it's the man, and the wife's going to take the man's name, and the man's in charge, and the wife's role is to be submissive and obedient. And I didn't write that. So you can get mad at me all you want, but go ahead and read Ephesians chapter 5 and then tell me that's not what the Bible says. It's clear as day. And I'll go even further to say, it's good. I didn't write it, but man, is that some good advice. And I'm not just saying that because, oh, well, you're a man, that means your wife is just serving it. When you understand the man's role, it's not just a cakewalk to be living as a godly husband either. There's a lot of work involved if you're going to be a righteous godly husband, just like there's a lot of work involved if you're going to be a righteous godly wife. They both are a lot of work. They both are exemplified by hard work. Proverbs 31, look at, read about the virtuous woman. You know, when I walk away, when I read that chapter, man, that woman works hard. The Bible says she gets up while it's still night, and in the evening she's up by candlelight and her candle goeth not out by night, and she's just working. But what is she working at? Supporting her family, supporting her husband, doing all of the things to help. It's a ministerial job. She's ministering to everybody in the whole family. Very important role. Very important role. And there's nothing demeaning about that role. And, you know, for people who are already married, you've got a husband who's not really succeeding and not really doing a good job as a wife, instead of complaining about it and being bitter about it and gossiping, hey, man, my husband doesn't do anything. Why don't you support him as much as you possibly can to help make him better? To make him succeed. Help him as much as you possibly can. And husbands don't get the same bitter attitude, my wife isn't supporting me. You know what? Just work harder then. Why don't you lead by example and show her, you know what, this is how someone's going to behave out of love. I'm going to work my tail off and do everything I can to provide for you. And when Adam named his wife Eve, the reason why is because she was the mother of all living. So not only is her identity wrapped into her husband, because that's what's happening. When you're changing your name, you're changing your identity. And I could understand this as well, it's a change and it might be a little difficult for a woman going, wait, what do you mean my identity is now wrapped up in my husband? But if you're taking on his name, and then as we see here in scripture, the reason why Adam called his wife's name Eve is because she was the mother of all living, that identity is now becoming a mother, being a wife, being tied into that role. That's what the identity is becoming. And you might say, yeah, but that's like a different person. Yeah, it may be, but it'd be a godly person. I mean, if you want to fill the role that God has presented, then this is where it's at. And I'll tell you what, it's a good role to fill. It's fulfilling. Bible says in 1 Timothy 5 verse 14, I will therefore, you want to know what the will of God is? I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house and become the CEO of a company. Oh, wait, no, no, sorry. That's not what the Bible says. The Bible says, I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasionally the adversary to speak reproachfully. There's nothing wrong with that. Look, I'm preaching the Bible tonight. You do with it what you will. But I'll testify that this word is good and this word is true. And the more closely you can, everybody individually, conform themselves to this word, the better off you're going to be, better off you're going to be. All right, verse number two, chapter four, let's get into, let's get into verse number two. 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. So again, in chapter one, it's the women who are trying to find someone because the judgment is now past, right? So like the judgment has finally like kind of come to an end, which is why we have this little short chapter here of six verses as a division, because this is now just summing up the aftermath of the judgment. Now you've got women saying, okay, well, I don't want my reproach anymore. So they're just trying to find somebody and say, I'm not looking for anything. I don't need a dowry. I don't need anything. Just please let me be called by thy name. And then it says, and 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 the earth. Basically saying that the earth is going to come back, you know, God's going to start blessing again. And that the fruit of the field is going to come back and the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious. Now that that that term there, the branch of the Lord, the branch has been used other times in scripture to represent Jesus Christ. And turn if you go to Jeremiah chapter 33, because we're going to see these other representation. And I think this is a very subtle prophecy that goes hand in hand with other prophecies that are a little bit more clear about the end times, because what happens is, and we've already read this a little bit in Isaiah, after God pours out his wrath, after that destruction, after he's clearing out all these wicked people, then he's going to rebuild. Then there's going to be this millennial reign of Christ and there's this thousand years where Jesus Christ actually comes and then the earth's going to be blessed and there's going to be no more war and there's going to be all this goodness and blessing upon the land and everyone's going to eat of their own vine and it's going to be a great place to live. And this is kind of the imagery we're getting in Isaiah chapter 4 of this kind of rebirth, if you will, of the land. And that beautiful branch, that beautiful and glorious branch coming in, and I think that branch, we know for sure it's representative of Jesus Christ in other places, but I think that's also representative here based on these other passages. Jeremiah 33 verse 12 says, thus saith the Lord of hosts, again in this place which is desolate without man and without beast, because of God's judgment, right? So there's a desolate land, without man, without beast, and in all the cities thereof shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the Lord. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David, and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely, and this is the name wherewith she shall be called the Lord our righteousness. So again, the branch is a reference to Jesus Christ very clearly in this passage of coming and bringing righteousness and executing judgment and righteousness in the land, and this is after another great judgment reference in Jeremiah 33. Zechariah 3, you don't have to turn if you want to, you go back to Isaiah 4. Zechariah 3, you're going to see another reference to the branch. Verse 8 says, Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee, for their men wondered at. For behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua, upon one stone shall be seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. So again, referring to the reference of removing the iniquity of that land, and it says, In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. And it's again a reference to this blessing after the iniquity is judged, after this time of destruction. Again, you could read that more in context later, but let's go back to Isaiah chapter 4, because some of these verses that we just read, particularly in Jeremiah 33, we're going to see that continuing in Isaiah chapter 4. Look at verse number 3, the Bible says, And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem. And again, I'm going to refer to this more as, you know, everyone written among the living, maybe possibly everyone has their name in the Book of Life, right as that as that application as that prophecy for future events. But of course, even in this in the short term after this destruction, hey, if you didn't get destroyed by the Lord, because of all this wickedness, then you made it right. Good job, you made it through, then you're going to be called holy because you didn't get destroyed of the Lord, which is exactly the reason going back to the ladies, you know, trying to find a husband because, hey, now they're trying to find someone to marry because their name isn't good anymore. Now these are ladies that didn't get destroyed, but their husbands did. And they're looking for someone and this is, you know, hey, he that's left in Zion, he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy. And everyone that's alive, everyone has written among the living in Jerusalem. Verse number 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. So God is washing away the filth. That's what the judgment is for. And the judgment to come is going to do the same exact thing. And all of this is foreshadowing of that great day of the Lord that's going to come and we're going to get to that in a future chapter of Isaiah as well. But before the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, before that millennial reign, the Bible talks about the days being like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. It talks about like the days of Lot and the days of Noah. And in both of those situations that are brought up in Matthew 24, you've got in Noah's day, right, the Bible says that basically man became exceeding wicked on the face of the earth to the point to where God repented himself that he even made man. God's even just going like, why did I even make man? They become so wicked so fast that they begin to populate and everything else, they start to be fruitful and multiply. And then all of a sudden, people begin to call on the name of the Lord, and then they just start becoming violent towards each other. And it didn't take long for that first murder with Cain and Abel, and then people just kind of continue to spiral out of control to where God's judgment is just, well, the only thing I have left to do now is just to wipe the slate clean and just utter destruction. And of course, he saved Noah and his family, and they got on the ark, and it's a great testament of salvation there, and they got on the ark, they trusted in God even though the flood like that has never been fathomed, and they're preparing against it because God told them they had faith in God's word, that what God said is going to come to pass, it's going to be true. So by the act on faith and build the ark, and of course, they're saved then from that utter destruction, but that's that complete annihilation and destruction upon the earth. And that's the way that the Bible says that things are going to be when the Son of Man comes back. And similarly, it references in the days of Lot, where Lot was like the only saved person in the earth, in Sodom, not in the earth, in Sodom, and God sends the angels to get him out of Sodom because what he's doing is just sending utter destruction. He didn't send the angels to preach the gospel, he didn't send them to do any salvation of anybody else than the person who was already saved just getting his butt out of there because God is just going to bring fire and brimstone and utter annihilation and destruction because that is the point that it got to. And throughout history, there have been nations that have risen and nations that fall. And they fall when God determines there is no more saving, there is no more coming back. You have a space to repent because God is long suffering and God is merciful, but God has his limits. And you cannot push things too far. Now, it's easy to speak about a nation because you can say, well, I'm just one person in this great nation, there's all these people, and I can't control how everyone else is going to live, and if destruction is going to happen, it's going to happen. You kind of have that type of an attitude, and I understand that, but you can also take this and apply it to yourself personally. And just remember, you know what? God has his limits. God is long suffering and merciful, amen. I love it, and thank God for that because otherwise we'd be getting a lot more beatings or a lot more regularly if he wasn't long suffering and merciful. Thank God for his mercy, but don't take advantage of that mercy and just think you're just going to get away with, well, God doesn't care, God's merciful, God hasn't done anything. Look, watch out when you start getting that attitude. Okay? And you know what I'm talking about. When you have your secrets in, when you're, you know, whatever it is that you're doing that you know is wrong, and you think you can just get away with it anyways, well, nothing's happened so far, it must not be that bad, or whatever excuse you want to give yourself, you know, watch out because God has his limits. God has his limits. And if you're saved, God loves you, and he's going to discourage you because he loves you. And don't be like that child that, you know, parents know this, there's always points where kids think that they can take advantage of their parents. They can take advantage of some situation. We've been dealing with it now, with my wife with her knee not being, you know, being laid up in bed, sometimes the kids think they can get away with stuff because they can run faster than her because they can get away with things. Watch out. Because the wrath of Dad is going to come upon you when he finds out about those things. And it's not going to be worth it. That's because I love you. But when you have that attitude, though, of just knowingly doing something, going, well, I can get away with this, and, you know, you might think that's only something that children have, but we see that attitude in the Bible. You know, we see the Pharisees, you know, committing their wicked acts behind closed doors, and they're saying, well, no one can see us. The Lord doesn't see us. And they actually have that stupid, foolish thought in their heart as if they're just getting away with all this stuff. No, you're not. And you know what? No matter what your sin is, no matter what it is that you think you could get away with, God sees everything. Don't ever forget that. Don't ever forget that. Because we all will be in situations where you will have an opportunity to do wrong. You have an opportunity to take some money, take something else, covet something that you like, you know, whatever, whatever. Everyone's going to be faced with an opportunity to do things that are wrong, and no one will ever know about it. And that may be true, that no one will ever know about it. No one but God. And this is why we need the beginning of wisdom as the fear of the Lord, because it's not wise to do wicked things. It's not wise to steal. It's not wise to do any sins. And when you start thinking you can get away with things, watch out, because God won't let you get away with those things. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. But whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. And when you sow, the things that you reap come back a lot more. So when you sow wickedness, that one thing that you steal, the one thing that you do that you think no one knows about, you think, well, that was just a little thing. Well, guess what? When you have to pay the piper on that, when God's bringing that judgment back on you, it's going to come back fourfold, fivefold, sevenfold, because, hey, you just sowed a little something in the ground, but it comes back a lot bigger. It's not worth it. It's not worth it. In all the mercy and love that God has, don't forget about the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, because that's what happens to Judah and Jerusalem. Verse five, Judah and Jerusalem, which are the people called by his name. Now Judah and Jerusalem of today aren't the people called by his name, but you know what? If you're of faith, then you have your father Abraham, and his seed and heirs according to the promise. And you know what? Judgment begins at the house of the Lord, so don't think that you're beyond judgment. Verse five, 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 defense. So it was referencing that God wiped everything away. God cleared out the wickedness. His spirit of judgment and burning got rid of all the wickedness, and now it's a blessing to be alive. Now it's a blessing to be in the land. Now God's going to bring forth the fruit. What this is referencing here, in turn if you go to Numbers chapter 9, it's referencing God's presence as God's presence was with the children of Israel when he led them forth out of Egypt, when he brought them forth out of the house of bondage, when he led them through the wilderness, he led them by a pillar of cloud in the day and by a pillar of fire by night. And that was symbolic of God's presence among the people right there in the midst of the camp, in the midst of the people, guiding them, leading them. And what's interesting here is that I think the biggest passage going over this is in Numbers chapter 9, and guess what book of the Bible Numbers is? It's the fourth book of the Bible. And if you remember what I was talking about earlier in Isaiah, there's a lot of very interesting for each number, each chapter you're in that has correlations. Now again, I haven't done that exhaustively through all 66 books, so I'm not saying that it's 100% true, I've just heard that and I have seen some pretty interesting things. And this one is pretty interesting because now you have this reference here about the smoke by day and the shining flaming fire by night. While yes, you can see references to that in Exodus, the biggest reference is in the book of Numbers. In Numbers chapter 9 verse number 15, we'll see that here, the Bible says, And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely the tent of the testimony, and at even there was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire until the morning. So it was always. The cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed. And in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents, and the commandment of the Lord, the children, excuse me, at the commandment of the Lord, the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched. As long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle, they rested in their tents, and when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and journeyed not. And so it was when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle, according to the commandment of the Lord, they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord, they journeyed. And so it was when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed, whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days or a month or a year that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents and journeyed not, but when it was taken up, they journeyed. I love that story, and I love that reference here, too, because what this story represents is that people are just always looking to the Lord for their guidance, for their instruction, for their light in a dark world, in a dark place. Hey, he's providing that light by night. He's providing that protection because that cloud also protected them in the daytime when the armies of Egypt were coming after them and trying to destroy them. That provided a barrier, a hedge of protection for them. So when you're looking to the Lord always and willing to follow Him anywhere He leads, you will be safe. You will be guided. You will be protected. He says, you know what? If God wants you here for a day or a week or a month, you just obey and do what God says. And you say, okay, well, I guess God's not moving me. Great. We're going to serve the Lord here. We're going to serve the Lord. Oh, wait. It's time to move? Because God said so. Well, we're going to move, and we're going to follow the Lord. And wherever He leads, we're going to follow, and that's what we're going to do. And He will provide the defense, and He will provide the blessing, and He will provide the light, and you don't need anything else when you're following the Lord. And the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, it was 40 years, and they followed the Lord. And guess what? The manna and the shoes that were on their feet never went bad, 40 years. Never need another pair of shoes. That's a miracle. Look, you might say, 40 years is a long time not having to get a new pair of shoes. I don't get a new pair of shoes all the time, it seems like, 40 years. Why? Because your needs are met with the Lord. And when you decide just to follow Him, and look to Him, and don't question Him, well why are we going now? Well, wait, I mean, I like it here, I was only here for a week. You know what? God said to go. Time to go. Let's do it. Let's stay with Him. He's providing for us. The Bible says, seek ye kingdom of heaven as righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Seek ye kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus said that, but it's the same truth and the same concept comes from this story in Numbers, which is also being referenced in Isaiah chapter 4. God being with you. God before us, who could be against us? And when God purges away all the wicked reprobates, when God cleanses this earth, He's going to set up His kingdom, and what a glorious, blessed day that will be. Of course, verse 6 closes here with, 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. Again, that tabernacle, the house of the Lord. It's going to protect you. It's going to provide that defense. It's going to provide you a place that, hey, if things are getting too hot, you're feeling the heat, you're feeling the pressure, go to the house of the Lord. That's there for you. That's your rest. That's your respite. That's your place where you can go to and be refreshed and be edified and be encouraged. And when that storm comes and everything's crazy and scary and frightful because of this powerful storm, you've got cover. You've got protection. Go with the tabernacle. And you know what? For people that get out of church and just stay out of church, man, what are you going to do when the heat comes, when the pressure comes? What are you going to do when the storms come in your life? Get in the house of God. And praise the day when the Lord's going to be dwelling among us. He's going to be ruling and reigning out of Zion and His law is going to go forth and people are actually going to have respect under the law of the Lord. Destruction's coming. It's foreshadowed here. But you know what? It doesn't just end with destruction because we're saved. We're born again. We're going to be counted as those that are alive and holy after all that destruction. And we're going to get to inherit the blessings when God brings forth that fruitful branch and blesses the land and heals the land after the curse. Looking forward to that day. Amen. Let's probably say a word of prayer. Father, Lord, we thank you so much for this great book of the Bible. Lord, I pray that you please help us to see all the truth and wisdom that's packed into these verses, dear Lord, and I pray that you would also help us to make the application in our life. There's so many great truths in your word, and we live in a dark world and a place where people are always fighting against the great truths that are found in your word, Lord. Help us to cling to them. Help us to stake our life in them, just like we staked our souls in our Savior Jesus Christ, Lord. We trust Him completely for our salvation. Why don't we just trust the Word, trust Him with every aspect of our life, Lord? Help us to do that. Help us to increase our faith. Help us to make our decisions in this life based on your word in that we wouldn't be doubtful, we wouldn't be double-minded, but that we can just embrace your word regardless of what people may say or think, dear Lord. And I pray that you please strengthen our church and this physical tabernacle, as it were, that we have here, so that when people do choose to follow your word, when people do choose to do things that are going to be pleasing in your sight, and then they face the heat and they face the storms in their life, dear Lord, that we can be here as providing the support and the love, the encouragement that they need, because we love you here and this will be a place of refuge and a stronghold in the day of trouble, dear Lord. We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.