Timeline

The timeline is divided into three parts:

1. Old Testament times, from Creation to Christ (the time of Israel). God promised Israel that through it, all nations would be blessed.
2. The Church Age, from Christ to the present, today (includes the New Testament). We’ll talk about the "mystery" of the Church.
3. End Times. This will happen in the future. We’ll spend three months in Revelation and see the summary and culmination of the Bible. Isaiah and other books in the Old Testament refer to the End Times as "In that day," or "the Day of the Lord." Some people believe the Church will be raptured at the beginning of the End Times, meaning Christians, believers, will be taken up in the twinkling of an eye. This will begin a 7-year period called "The Tribulation." We’ll study this a little bit in Daniel. After that comes a thousand-year reign, called the "Millennial Reign." Then there is the "Final Judgment," the "Great White Throne Judgment," where death and Satan are destroyed. After that, we spend eternity with God.

Those are the three time periods. This is what Isaiah is talking about—all three time periods. You are all familiar with 1^st and 2^nd Kings. Somewhere around 2^nd Kings 16 is when Isaiah is prophesying. Does anybody remember the monumental, momentous event in 2^nd Kings 17? The Northern Kingdom was carried into captivity by Assyria. The ten tribes are lost. You can hear about this event as you read Isaiah. He’ll say, "Here’s what God has done to judge the Northern Kingdom using Assyria." We’ll read the names in here, like Aram. Isaiah will say that the Southern Kingdom is protected by God because of some good kings. Assyria was not allowed by God to take over the Southern Kingdom which lasted another 150 years before being taken into captivity by Babylon. That’s what Isaiah talks about.

Christ in Isaiah

I told you about Christ in Isaiah, the fifth Gospel. Isaiah will mention all kinds of things that we read in the New Testament about Christ. I’ll show you that this morning. Isaiah will talk about his "current events," he’ll talk about Christ, and he’ll talk about the future.

Sometimes we will say something and have a double meaning for it. Isaiah does this too. He’ll talk about something "current" that also applies to Christ. It’s a double meaning. I’ll show you that. It will be clear.

In that day…

Also keep in mind that Isaiah refers to the End Times as "In that day." Does anybody know when the second coming of Christ will occur? We don’t know the time but it will be at the start of the Millennial Reign. This is when Christ comes again to rule on Earth. He will rule for 1,000 years on Earth. Isaiah talks about His Reign. He describes the conditions during the thousand years.

You may be thinking, "Whoa! I didn’t read all that in Isaiah!" We’ll study it together. Once you know this background, you can read all of Isaiah and agree, "This is awesome! I cannot believe Isaiah wrote this!" There are some parts of Isaiah that skeptics have said could not have been written until Christ was born, "This is too detailed and accurate. Somebody must have gone back and snuck this in." No. It was translated in 250 BC so we know it was written before Christ.

Unbelievable

The Book of Isaiah was found complete in 1947 in the Dead Sea Scrolls. They compared it to the other translations 1,000 years older and found that it was virtually identical. There may have been some minor differences, but that was about it. Otherwise it was verbatim. So for a thousand years, Isaiah has remained unchanged. This lends credibility to the fact that what you’re reading is what existed in AD 1100, AD 100, 250 BC, or 750 BC. You’re reading what God had intended and protected all this time. That’s exciting in and of itself. Isn’t that exciting!? Don’t you get excited about that? The more you read God’s Word and read about God’s Word, the more unbelievable you’ll realize it is.

Isaiah 1:11-12

"The multitude of your sacrifices-- what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?

That speaks volumes to us today. It literally tells us, "When you step foot inside the sanctuary to worship God corporately, with other people, what is your heart like?" God says, "I don’t care what you think. I don’t care how you’re dressed or who’s seeing you. I don’t want any ulterior motives. Are you coming for me? You can look like a Christian, act like a Christian, and talk like a Christian, but what’s inside your heart?" That’s what God is saying, "Quit trampling on my courts. Don’t do it if you’re not pure before me."

Isaiah 1:16b-17a

Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!

Isaiah will repeat this over and over. Look at what he’s saying to those people. "Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!" That is to us, as Christians. We should be saying, "Today, God show me what I’m doing wrong and teach me to do right." That should be an active, conscious plea, not just, "Oh God, one of these days show me what’s going on." We should beg Him, "God, through your Holy Spirit, show me today what I’m doing wrong." Ask that every morning when you get up.

Isaiah 1:17b

Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.

When God presents people to you who are oppressed, stop everything and encourage them in the right way. It’s not all about you…other people are going through things. We’re not to sit on the sidelines and say, "Well, maybe they won’t see me and I won’t have to talk to them. I don’t know what to say to them." No. Encourage them. How do you encourage them? Not with the flesh but with the Spirit. Let God, through the Holy Spirit, talk to them through you. Then you’ll say things to that person that you’ve never thought of. You’ll think, "Wow! Where did that come from?" Guess what? Ding Ding. It’s the Holy Spirit, not you.

Isaiah 1:17c

Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Those are lost people. That’s what we’re to be about, Christians: these people. Jesus Christ carries it over into the New Testament. These are the people He talks about. We don’t do enough of that.

Isaiah 1:18-20

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

This is Isaiah, introducing the Book of Isaiah. You’ve all heard this…"Though sins are red, like scarlet, they shall be white as snow because of Jesus Christ." He has forgiven us of all our sins.

One of the other interesting things about Isaiah is that he talks about Israel. He doesn’t talk about the Church. He talks about Israel. Get it in your mind—he’s talking about the Nation of Israel, the one God founded through Abraham and promised, "Through you, all nations will be blessed." He mentions many events but says, "Here’s Israel in these events." When we get out to Revelation, this is big. The Church is gone. So who does God use? If you read Revelation carefully, you’ll see that He uses Israel. He uses Jews who come to Christ during the Great Tribulation to testify on His behalf for Christ. This is what we’ll see in verse 21.

Isaiah 1:21a

See how the faithful city has become a harlot!

What is the "faithful city?" Jerusalem. See, that’s where you think, "What city could he mean?" You could read enough and determine that it’s Jerusalem. You know what a harlot is: a prostitute, a woman willing to sell and give up her purity.

Isaiah 1:21b-22

She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.

He’s talking about the headquarters of and center of religion for Jerusalem: Israel. These are the kinds of things you have to think about when reading Isaiah. You can’t just read it. It can’t be, "Just give me the plot and the ending." It’s a dwelling. You read and you dwell. Do you know what I mean by "dwell"? Read a little bit and think about it. You try to picture it.

Picture it

Let me give you an example. We went to Poole’s Mill Bridge State Park last week. If you’ve never been, you can’t picture it. Here’s a description. There’s a beautiful, old, wooden, covered bridge. It’s shady. It has a river/stream with small rapids running under it. How does that sound? Are you getting the picture? Does it sound like a place you’d like to visit to see what it’s like? Yes, because of the way it was described.

Read and Dwell

That’s what Isaiah does. Isaiah is describing things to you. You have to stop, think about it, and ask, "What do I see in this?" Something is described, you don’t know what it’s like, but you can think about it and picture it. As a matter of fact, it is a natural, human tendency that when someone is talking to you, you start to picture it. It may not look anything like what it really is but you have a picture in your mind. That’s why you have to dwell on Isaiah. Read and dwell.

Isaiah 1:23

Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.

Do you know who "rulers" are today? Politicians. Does that fit today? Isn’t it amazing? They’re only interested in their own political careers.

This is what Isaiah will do for you. He will tell you the conditions under which he was living, the conditions surrounding Christ, and the conditions during the Great Tribulation. And they all fit, even today. It is a beautiful, wonderful book.

Chapters 2-5 of Isaiah are references to the Great Tribulation period. I’m sure some of you are sitting there saying, "Well, why didn’t he organize it so that it was in order by time period?" It just doesn’t work that way. God said, "I’m going to reveal it to people this way. This is my revelation." We’re going to see Christ mentioned all throughout Isaiah. It’s not in one place. See if you can picture the Great Tribulation in chapter 2.

Isaiah 2:1

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

Here’s the "Israel" thing—Judah and Jerusalem. Do you see that? What are "Judah and Jerusalem" at this point in Isaiah’s time? The Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom is gone. He’s talking about Jews/Israelites, saying, "Here’s what’s going to happen."

Isaiah 2:2a

In the last days

He tells you, "This is about the End Times."

Isaiah 2:2b

the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

What is he talking about there? Give me the picture. What has he just described? There is a huge mountain. What does "all nations" mean? Everybody. All nations on the Earth will come to the huge mountain. This is the Millennial Reign. That’s the only time it’s going to happen. It hasn’t happened yet and it won’t happen until then. If anything, everybody’s against Israel right now. But at the End Times, this will happen. You’ll read more about this when we get to Revelation. This is what the Jews originally expected in the Messiah. There will be an unbelievable number of Jews coming to Christ at that time.

Are you getting a picture of how you can read Isaiah?

Isaiah 2:3-4a

Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.

Has this ever happened? No. Is it happening today? No. What does that mean? If God’s Word is true then it’s going to happen. It hasn’t happened yet. This is future prophecy, "in the last days," the End Times. During this time, people can still make choices. Man’s free will, the freedom of choice, is still there. During the Millennial Reign, some people will choose Christ and some won’t. But Jesus Christ will be here, on Earth, ruling. He’ll be ruling from Jerusalem. This is what Isaiah is talking about. It’s a future event.

How do we know what he’s talking about? Through the Holy Spirit and the rest of God’s Word. These topics are not just in Isaiah but in Revelation, Daniel, and Zechariah. Tie them all together and it paints one picture of the future, End Times. We know the end. We know what’s going to happen.

Dispensation

There will be a different "dispensation" of God’s grace during this time. Before Christ, how were people saved? By faith, not the Law. It took everybody, by faith, to look ahead and see God’s plan of salvation. Do you remember what we read in John about Isaiah? Isaiah saw what? The glory of Jesus. He saw Jesus’ glory. Isaiah was looking forward to Christ. Every Old Testament person was looking forward and saying, "By faith, I accept Him." We’re on the other side of the cross. We look back and say, "By faith, I accept Him," because we weren’t there. We hear about Him. We read about Him in the Bible and other secular books. But we still have to accept by faith. When you make a personal decision for Christ, you become a Christian and part of the Church. The dispensation during this time is acceptance of and belief in what has already happened. But we have something else we’re looking forward to just like the Jews. By faith, as a Christian, you’re accepting that the End Times, Millennial Reign, and God’s Judgment will happen in the future. Today we are under the "dispensation" of grace.

When we get to the End Times, the people accepting Christ are called the "sealed." What is the dispensation then? People will look back at God’s Word, see what was said about Christ and the End Times, and say, "Wow! God, in the form of Jesus Christ, came and died for my sins. I accept that. He is in control. He is going to judge all the nations and I’m right here in the middle of it." As members of the body of Christ, we’ve been raptured. If you show up next week and we’re not here, accept Christ as soon as you can because He says that you’ll be sealed throughout the Great Tribulation. You will become a more powerful witness during the Great Tribulation than we ever dreamed we could be. I get chills thinking about the time of Revelation. More people will be saved during those seven years than in all of history. It will be unbelievable. But there will also be the worst persecution ever.

Isaiah 2:4b

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

You’ve heard this before. Has there ever been a time without war? No. These are the kinds of things you dwell on. "Let’s see. Has this happened yet? No. There have been wars all over the place. Has anybody ever beaten their swords into plowshares? No. Pruning hooks? No. It hasn’t happened. Is it happening today? No. What does this mean? OK. If it hasn’t happened yet and it’s not happening today, it must be…the future. When in the future?" In the last days. What’s going to happen during the 1,000-year Reign? Jesus Christ will rule with a sword coming from His mouth. That’s what’s described in the Bible. In other words, He is the one calling the shots. No one will go to war because He will be controlling everything. That’s what this says.

The Day of the Lord

Some of you may have a caption before verse 6 in your Bibles that says, "The Day of the Lord." It’s referring to the End Times. Do you understand why it’s called, "The Day of the Lord?" Man has had his chance. At the start of the End Times, God is in control. God is in control all the time but now the clock starts for the End Times—it’s going to happen. Until that happens, the Bible says that no man knows the time. Christ said, "I don’t even know the time. My Father does." It will start in the twinkling of an eye.

<A preacher one time said that there was nothing else that had to happen according to the Bible before God raptures His Church. If you agree with that, you must agree that time is of the essence. It is important for people to know God.>
I agree with the supposition and your conclusion. I believe that God can do whatever He wants to, whenever He wants to. That settles it. He doesn’t say, "Oh, I’m going to wait on this or that." It could happen at any time. Time is of the essence. Absolutely.

Isaiah 2:6

You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans.

He’s describing the people of Israel. Do you remember Israel from 2^nd Kings? You got kind of disgusted with them. It was like, "If I were God, I would do away with them just like Moses did."

Isaiah 2:7-8

Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Does this sound like America? Think about it. Dwell on it. What do your hands make? "Well, nothing, because I’m in computers and …" Be careful. What do your hands make? Money. Where do you put your money? Into idols. You may not call them "idols" but that’s what you do.

Isaiah 2:11

The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Do you see that? It hasn’t happened and it’s not happening but it’s going to happen. The Lord alone will be exalted in the Last Days.

Isaiah 2:12

The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),

Could that be any clearer? God has a day in store for the Final Judgment. He says, "It’s there. It’s going to happen. One of these days."

Isaiah 2:22

Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?

That’s one of my favorite verses. I’ll explain this one of these days. I have no faith in my wife, my son, or my family. I don’t put any faith in them but I love them. I can’t put faith in them because God says, "Put faith in me." That’s where your faith should be. If you have your faith in Him then you will love your family unconditionally.

Chapter 3 is interesting but we don’t have time to go through it. It talks about weak government and women. As an example, look at Isaiah 3:9.

Isaiah 3:9

The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.

Do you remember Sodom and Gomorrah, where we get the word "sodomy" today? This is like today’s society: acceptance of everything. They literally parade their sins like it’s alright.

Isaiah 4:1

In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, "We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!"

This is talking about the results of war. The "war to end all wars" will occur. A lot of men will be killed. There will be so many women left saying, "No. Marry me. Marry me." That’s what he’s describing here.

Isaiah 4:2

In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.

Who is the "Branch of the Lord?" I believe it’s Jesus Christ. This is part of the "Messiah" references that make Isaiah the fifth gospel. He talks a lot about Christ. This is one of those statements.

There is a beautiful story in chapter 5. You need to read this. The vineyard is Israel. The "one I love" is God or Jesus Christ. There’s a beautiful song. Go to verse 20.

Isaiah 5:20

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

That’s like anybody today who does something illegal and calls it legal. That’s what he’s talking about.

Isaiah 5:21-23

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.

Do you see what he’s describing here?

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Think about this. He’s describing something that we haven’t seen. You have to picture it.

This is Isaiah’s commission. This is a heavenly, spiritual scene that happens. It talks about the holiness of God.

Isaiah 6:2-3

Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

This is the only place "seraphs" are mentioned as angels, by the way.

When we talk about the Book of Revelation, everybody thinks of the "Left Behind" series of books. Everybody talks about the "Woe"’s, the Trumpets, the Bowls, etc. If you read Revelation carefully, every other chapter talks about the holiness of God, how righteous He is, heavenly scenes, etc. In other words, many people have the impression that Revelation is very serious, bad, dark judgment time. But read it. It’s a glorious, holy time for God judging the Earth. This is an example.

Isaiah 6:4-5

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

In other words, Isaiah was struck with his sinfulness. He said, "Oh no. Woe is me. I am in the middle of all this holiness and purity but I am a sinner. What am I going to do?"

Isaiah 6:6-7

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Now he can stand there. He can be there. God ordered it. God ordained it and had the seraph do it.

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Isaiah was saying, "OK. I understand that I am supposed speak for the Lord. No matter what the conditions are, I am going to testify for the Lord, witness for God." That’s what he does.

Isaiah 7:13-14

Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Does that sound familiar? Did you know that it came from Isaiah? This was a double sign. If you read all this, there was a situation back in 2^nd Kings 15 between Assyria’s king (Rezin) and Israel’s king (Pekah). Before the Northern Kingdom (Israel) was wiped out, Israel asked to join Assyria in defeating Judah, the Southern Kingdom. In other words, Israelite brothers were going to fight the Southern Kingdom. God wouldn’t let it happen. You can read about it in 2^nd Kings 15 but it’s also here. He gets to a point when he says, "Ask me for a sign that this will not happen." This is the sign he gave: "A virgin will give birth to a son called ‘Immanuel,’" meaning "God with us." It happened at that time and it happened with Jesus Christ, born of Mary.

Isaiah 8:14a

and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.

We know that happened because Jesus came and what did Israel say? "Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" They rejected Him. That’s the way they stand today. That’s what Isaiah’s talking about years before Christ came.

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Do you remember this from 2^nd Samuel 7?

Who’s he talking about? Christ, again.