Issue 12 - Amethyst by Lindie Gouws

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about

Sanctification and Atonement Sanctification is a process of purification. As God’s children it means to become more and more like Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit (Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale). Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17-19, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” Atonement is the reconciliation of God and mankind; it is making amends for an offence (Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale). In the Old Testament, the high priest went through a process of sanctification. Even the garment he wore when he came into the presence of God was to be undefiled. Everything had to be made pure in God’s presence. The high priest regularly offered sacrifices to God according to Law, for the forgiveness of the people’s sins. When God sent His Son, Jesus, who was sinless and pure, who willingly gave His Life as an offer on the cross, Jesus became the once and for always perfect atonement sacrifice before God. Never again was a blood sacrifice required. “God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His Blood” (Romans 3:25). “For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17). “Since we have now been justified by His Blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:9-11). Jesus prayed to the Father that we will be sanctified by His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of Truth that lives within us. By accepting Jesus as our Saviour we are accepting the Word (the Truth) that became Flesh, we are accepting the One who was and is pure. He said in John 13:8, “...Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” Jesus has made the way and He is the Way to the Father. His Purity and His Blood brings us into the presence of our Heavenly Father. Jesus is our Atonement but He is also our Sanctification. God loves us so much and by His grace and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives will we in turn learn how to truly love Him more! “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-23). Let us look forward to eternal life with Him. There where, according to the Book of Revelation, the city wall has twelve foundation stones. The first foundation stone is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius (carnelian), the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth and the twelfth amethyst. Upon these foundation stones MY World is built. Our twelfth issue - our twelfth foundation is

Amethyst

Issue 12 – Amethyst

From the Book of Jude for foundation twelve - Amethyst

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:20-25

From the Book of John for our issue on sanctification and atonement:

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” John 17:17-19

an evangelism tool that is timeless

“Our vision is to be a tree planted by the Living Waters of Life and to bear fruit

through leaves that bring healing.”

This simply means that as you page through MY World, you will be inspired, you will be touched and you will be brought closer to Jesus. (The cover: This Issue, Amethyst, is a voice calling: “Make the way straight for the King to come in!”

OUR TEAM EDITORIAL Lindie Gouws Cherise Helena

CONCEPTUALIZATION AND DESIGN Lindie Gouws Liezl du Preez

It is all about announcing the return of Jesus as

ADMINISTRATION

the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Andries Erasmus Erika J v Vuuren Zoë Simani Enocentia Maraya

Jesus is coming back to fetch His church, His bride. The white rose signifies the Purity of Jesus!)

Founder and Editor Assistant

Conceptualization, Layout & Graphic Design Photographer

Accountant & Office Manager Administrator (Accounts) Administrator (Accounts) Administrator (Subscriptions)

Phe-tiwe Media and Publications (Pty) Ltd reserves the copyright to the content of MY World.

CONTACT DETAILS Tel +27(11) 662-6450 Fax +27(11) 953-4281

Phe-tiwe Media and Publications (Pty) Ltd: Founder and Managing Director - Lindie Gouws

POSTAL ADDRESS Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740

All graphic illustrations have been conceptualized and created by MY World and remain the property of Phe-tiwe.

PHYSICAL ADDRESS No 1 Windsor Road, Mogale City, Gauteng

All photos (unless otherwise stated) have been commissioned by the Editor and remain the property of Phe-tiwe.

SUBSCRIPTIONS +27(11) 662-6450 ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@myworld.za.com PRINTING Printability

Scripture references were taken from: - The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan (1965) - King James Version - The Message. Colorado Springs: Navpress (1993) - New International Version. Colorado Springs: International Bible Society (1978, 1984) - New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thoman Nelson Inc. (1979, 1980, 1982) - New Living Translation Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers (1996)

I regularly buy MY World and what is always inspiring to me is the high value you guys place on your personal relationship with God and the amount of excellence that just exudes from your product. Besides being an evangelism tool, I believe MY World is also a prophetic voice speaking to this nation. You are really doing a sterling job and I pray that God would really bless your ministry and open doors for you which no man can shut. Regards

WOW, thank you for one of the most inspiring mags that I have ever read, and every month, two months I just can’t wait for your new edition, knowing that it will be inspired by the Holy Spirit. The mag has offered me as cell leader every now and again the opportunity to share stories from the mag, and has offered many hours of discussion and sharing of our own thoughts and stories.

I am currently living in the USA and recently received the 11th Issue of MY World as a gift from a family member. What a wonderful magazine. . .

Thanks again and be blessed

Thank you and God bless

Jaco Viviers

Debbie Boake

What a blessing this magazine is - every article gives me goosebumps and many more move me to tears. I have been praying for South Africa for years and this magazine truly gives me hope!

Bianca Steffen

At the SPAR the other day I was delighted (really, really delighted) to spot MY World magazine. I have to, have to, have to have the first ten editions of this truly fantastic mag. Congratulations to Lindie and her team. Kind regards Kim Marais

I look forward to the 12th Issue and how the Lord will change my life once again through the Holy Spirit! Your ministry is a blessing to many to prepare us for the coming of Christ! We want to be ready for Jesus! Love and blessings!

Letters to

Thank you to all our readers for taking the time to write to us. Although we do not publish all the letters received, we are so thankful for each letter and testimony. To everyone who phones - your calls are much welcomed and so encouraging! We love you! Send your letters to letters@myworld.za.com or post them to Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740. Please phone us at +27(11) 662-6450.

Thank you so much for this very special Spirit-filled magazine. The glory of our Lord shines from this magazine! I know that each article, picture and comment comes straight from the heart. May God continue to bless you and your team abundantly because we as the readers are certainly being blessed. There is an excitement that flows from this magazine, the same excitement and joy that is obvious in Psalm 45:1, “My heart is inditing a good matter. I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer”. Love in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christa G

What a wonderful work you are doing through MY World! I praise the Lord for people who are obedient to God and to His powerful Word! I have bought my first copy and cannot put it down, what a word, what a revelation to find how God is moving!

Mariaan PS. Thank you for the wonderful article in the 11th Issue on Jerusalem! It was a revelation to me! I am currently sitting at work with the 11th Issue in front of me, I have read a few other Issues before and felt touched by the words I have read each time. I try my best to obey the words of our Father but it is difficult for me. Don’t ever stop this magazine. It is what is needed in South Africa. Thank you. . .

I attended the “Vrouefees” at Moreletapark Church, Thursday 24 August 2006. Lindie, the words spoken from your mouth pressed upon my soul very deeply. The following thought came to mind as you spoke: “Be the change you want to see in this world.” I have such a “wounded heart” for our country and make it my business to pray a lot for only this. . . the healing of our land, people, hearts, souls and the powerful restoration of a mighty colourful piece of the puzzle in God’s world! Yes, I too want to be a part of the change God is raising up for His work to be done, I want the silver rain upon my head and all around! Felicia Lategan

I can’t wait for my Issue to arrive. . . Everything in these magazines are sent directly from our Father God and is such an inspiration for me as well as for all my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Your sincerely

God bless you all

PJ Johnson

Marie

Amethyst Issue

Presents

SECTION 1 “COMFORT, YES COMFORT MY PEOPLE” “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”

The Breath of Life in Amethyst

SECTION 2 “BEHOLD, YOUR GOD!” “Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”

The Word speaks Jesus said: “Follow Me!”

The testimony of this Issue: Amethyst

“Listen Job and let me speak...” Job’s friend speaks to you with words of wisdom

The Word speaks Journey with us through certain chapters of one of the strongest prophetic voices in God’s Word, the Book of Isaiah. Discover where and how many of the prophecies spoken by Isaiah were fulfilled and also read about the things to come as given to us by God in His Word.

“He who testifies to these things says, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21

SECTION 3 “BEHOLD!” “My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”

Jesus taught us the Way The Way, the Truth and the Life spoken by Jesus

Through His Words, Jesus is saying the same today “Receive the Holy Spirit! Believe!”

66 80

SECTION 4

82 “GO THROUGH!”

“Prepare the way for the people, build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples!”

84 “Come!” The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

86 The Word speaks

Apostle Paul, a Benjamite, strengthens believers with his words from the Book of Ephesians

87 “Make the way straight for the King to come in!”

“dear dear

friends”

As a team we say “thank you” and share with you the way forward!

We have come to the final Issue in our foundation series, Issue No 12, Amethyst. Looking back at the last two years, truly, the only words that come to mind are “Thank you”. First and foremost we say “Thank You God, Abba Father!” For in His Majesty and His Sovereignty, before the foundations of the earth were laid, He knew that one day He would Breath to life a media ministry, MY World. And to think that God would use mere man to accomplish this task for Him, is beyond our understanding. For He is above all powers, above all kingdoms, He is above all wonders and all created things. Our God is “I AM!” Then “Thank you!” And that is a “Thank you!” to you, our loyal readers, truly our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank you for your support, your prayers, your loyalty, your understanding and above all, your patience! As we ventured into the world of media, we experienced many challenges. Yet they were all overcome in the Spirit. For we always held on and still do to Zechariah 4:6-7, “Then he said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’” So our 12th Issue, Amethyst, is the final foundation stone in our foundation series and we shout: “May God bless it!” You will notice that Amethyst is very different from all the previous Issues of MY World. Yes, Amethyst is a Royal stone. Clothed in purple, calling out: “Make the way straight for the King to come in!”

During these last two years God has transformed MY World from a published magazine, into a worldwide media ministry. Why do we say that? Access our website www.myworld.za.com and download all the previous Issues of MY World in the foundation series for free! It is in electronic magazine format (emag) and you can page through each Issue at your own leisure. Of course, electronic format can never replace the hard copy printed format of MY World, but it is a way to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world! And yes, as you notice with the ministry CD included in this Issue, we are truly going multi-media! Furthermore, we have received so many requests from our readers for back copies of all the previous Issues that we have put together a Celebration Bundle that will be coming out in 2007, after Amethyst has accomplished its purpose! The Celebration Bundle is a hard cover, coffee table book including the Key Issue and the 12 foundation series Issues. For more information, please phone us on (011) 662-6450. You can speak to Erika. In future you can look forward to a very dynamic new series. Revelation 21:19 says, “The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. . . ” (our foundation series). Revelation 21:21 says, ”The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.“ (Look forward to this series!) And if you go to page 82 of this Issue, you will notice that the Section starts with the words “Go through! Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people, build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples!” That is all we are permitted to say for now! Should you like to subscribe for the next 12 Issues, please phone us at the same telephone number as above. Speak to Enocentia. Included in the new series for all subscribers is a CD on which I, Lindie, minister the teachings in the new series (the same format as the CD included in this Amethyst Issue). So should you subscribe now, you will be certain to receive the “spoken word” of MY World on CD. It is important that we mention how often MY World is published. MY World is not a monthly publication. We publish a new Issue as the Lord leads, approximately every 2 to 3 months. Be sure you will receive each Issue when it is published. On behalf of and from our administrative team, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” (Number 6:24-26) Fondest love

SEATED ON COUCH: from left to right Enocentia Maraya (Subscriptions and Admin - Eno is the youngest of our team. She bubbles with joy! Your brother and sisters in Christ: The MY World team Lindie Gouws (Founder and Editor - I’m the mom of MY World and of the team) Cherise Helena (Administration - and although Cherise is seated on my left, she has become a right hand to me) Zoë Simane (Accounts - Zoë’s name means ‘the light of God’ and she is a very constant, mature light in and to our team) SEATED ON GROUND: from left to right Erika Janse van Vuuren (Accounts - Erika is the best accounts clerk! And might I add, I have yet to meet a mother that helps her children with their homework like Erika) Andries Erasmus (Accountant - Actually, Andries is our all-in-all IT specialist, handyman, technician, gardener (prunes the rose trees) he also has a mind for figure work, our Accountant!) ABSENT: Liezl du Preez (Photographer) - Absent due to a process that we are very excited about! Liezl got married in October this year and is in the process of moving back to Gauteng from Cape Town! Sorry Capetonians, she is coming home!)

After placing these photos, I realised that I had placed the rose turning face forward - Following Jesus!

a word in

seaSon

Welcome to

Amethyst

Jesus said:“Follow

Me!”

- our Issue of sanctification and atonement

It is complete! Born to the family of MY World, Issue No 12, Amethyst. The lastborn in the foundation series of MY World, a Benjamin. And as Jacob said of Benjamin in Genesis 35:18, “. . . son of my right hand.” Amethyst is a joy to our family. I can so vividly recall the day when our team sat around the boardroom table and I prayed that the Holy Spirit would show us exactly what He wanted in Amethyst! Whilst praying, the Holy Spirit prompted me to pray differently. It was as if I could hear Him say to me, “Ask Jesus what He wants! Amethyst is His!” So I corrected my prayer and asked, “Jesus, what would You like Amethyst to be?” I became intensely aware of an urgency to teach the readers more of the Word. And I still told my team that Amethyst has to be Word, Word, Word! During the planning of the production, God was busy moulding the character of Amethyst. I continuously asked Jesus about every aspect in Amethyst and He faithfully showed exactly what He wanted. (This has been one of the most fulfilling times of my entire walk with Jesus. He has spoken to me in such special ways that came direclty from the Father’s Heart!)

One morning at about 3 o’clock I woke up hearing these words, “Take up your cross and follow Me!” I knew it was the word for this page - a word in season. Little did I know that Jesus was very gently instructing me to follow Him through Scripture. It became more evident as I obeyed every prompting. When I heard Him with my spiritual hearing say to me, “I am going to allow you to present to the world who I am! Not a baby born in a manger, also not an image of a man dying on a cross. No, present to them who I am now. And what I am going to look like when I come back to fetch My people! Present to the world that I am The Rider on a White Horse, My eyes are like blazing fire! And out of My mouth comes a sword with which to strike down the nations. Tell them Lindie, who they are going to meet!”

“. . . Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

I was led to read all the red words in the Bible. In certain Bible translations all Jesus’ recorded words are printed in red. This led me to the Gospels, particularly the Book of John, as well as the Book of Revelation. Revelation 19 talks about the Rider on the White Horse. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is the Word of God! And I knew, Amethyst was to be Word! Word! Word! For Amethyst remember, was what Jesus wanted for this season! And I also knew why He had been so faithful to show me every step of the way. For the “. . .Rider is called Faithful and True.” (Revelation 19:11)

Be blessed by the words from Isaiah 50:4-10, a prophecy of our Messiah Jesus, “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord God will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and rely upon his God.” (Isaiah 50:4-10).

The underpinning message of Amethyst (as seen on the cover) is: “Make the way straight for the King to come in!” The Holy Spirit ministered this word to me in June this year. This word took me to the Book of Isaiah 40 and John 1. There I found “a voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord. . . ‘“ Still, the Lord was busy with me, very gently leading me. He led me to replace my photo in this editorial letter with a photo of a white rose. Not the one one the cover, for that one resembles Jesus. But a different one, one that resembles His church, His bride. I said, “I will do that for you Lord.” I prayed that through being obedient to Him, it would be a sweet smelling fragrance before Him. And then He led me into taking a bold step. He said that I had to be a voice. My initial reaction was that I possibly did not hear correctly and that I could not. But when again He led me, ever so gently, to the Book of Isaiah 40:9, “Behold, your God!” I felt His urgency and I knew beyond any shadow of any doubt that had existed, that I had to be a voice and cry out: “Behold, your God!” (”Here is your God!”, “Look, this is your God!”) So in conclusion, Amethyst is an urgent call! Amethyst is His! Jesus, the Word that became flesh! We see who He was, is and is to come! We get perspective concerning His All-Powerful, All-Present, All-Knowing Nature and that He is God and we are not! That we are mere man. But that we are His children, whom He loves intensely. We receive another opportunity to accept Jesus as our Lord, to be washed and sanctified by Him through His Word and to accept that He was the precious Atonement Sacrifice on Calvary who made and continues to make us right with God the Father. We are given the opportunity to, as Jesus said, receive the precious Holy Spirit. And then we read the final Words of Jesus, “Yes, I am coming soon!” So as I followed Jesus, I experienced the heart of the Father towards Jesus, Jesus’ heart towards the Father and I experienced the power of His Spirit, “Ruah” which is Hebrew for the Breath/Spirit of God. The essence is Love! Please listen to the testimony on the CD included on page 14. It is very much part of Amethyst. It is the spoken message. I share with you a phenomenal walk with God since June this year. One that I pray will say as is written is Revelation 19:10,

As you read Amethyst you will see the following sections: SECTION 1: “Comfort, comfort My people!” SECTION 2: “Behold your God!” SECTION 3: “Behold, My Servant!” SECTION 4: “Come, all who are thirsty. . . ” You will notice pages with headings “The Word speaks”. This is a cord linking the sections forming a unit, a voice!

“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:19). “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose Rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11-16). I now realise why Amethyst is Word, Word, Word. Because nothing can sanctify the soul of man like the Word of God. Amethyst, our Issue of Sanctification and Atonement! Be washed by the Word of God! And be made right with God the Father, through the only Way, His Son Jesus Christ. Be filled by His Spirit, the Holy Spirit and believe that Jesus is our soon coming King! May the Holy Spirit help us to take up our cross and follow Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

“

Comfort,

yes, comfort My people! The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’

“Lift up y your voice with strength, g Lift it up and be not afraid...

Isaiah 40:1,3,9

holy “Then the twenty-four our eelders and

the four living bein beings fell down and

worshiped God, Go who was sitting on thee throne. They cried crie out,

‘Amen! men! Praise the Lord!’ And from the throne came a voice that th

said, ‘Praise our God, all His serr vants, all who fear Him, from the least to the greatest.’”

Revelation 19:4-5

Revelation 1 19:10

“Then I fell ell down at his h feet to worship him, but he said, ‘No, don’t do worship me. I am a servant se of God, just like e yyou and your brothers ers and sisters who testify fy about their faith in Jesus. esu Worship only God. For the essence of prophFo prophecy is to give a clear wit-t ness for Jesus.’”

THE TESTIMONY OF Amethyst A voice crying out! He said to me, “Be a voice!” I said, “Lord,

I don’t know if I can, I don’t know how.”

He said “Fear not for I am with you!” I asked, “What

shall I cry Lord?”

He said “Cry out: ‘Behold, your God!’” I heard Him say,

“Make the way straight for the King to come in!” And I understood,

Out of the Throneroom of God: His Spirit, His Breath, RUAH! Lindie Gouws

â&#x20AC;&#x153;All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful f o r t e a c h i n g , rebuking, correcting and t r a i n i n g in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for

Ruah every good work.â&#x20AC;?

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

“

Behold your God!

“Isaiah” means “Yahweh Is Salvation” “Isaiah

Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

Isaiah 40: 9,10

holy Revelation 14:14-16 14:14

“...To Him m who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His

Blood, ood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory

and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

Revelation 1:5-6

“Then I saw a w white cloud, and d seated on the cloud was someone omeone llike the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Then another ano angel came ame from the TTemple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the he time t of harvest has come; e; tthe crop on earth is ripe.” Soo th the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the sw earth, and the whole earth was harvested.”

THE

Wspeaks ORD

Jesus said,

“follow Me.”

Genesis is the beginning to the end.

So we followed Him from Revelation

and acknowledge once more: God is GOD! The Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit

photography: liezl du preez

Romans 11:33-36 and therefore concur with Paul when he said,

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

IN THE BEGINNING GOD created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the

OLD TESTAMENT BOOK: Genesis CHAPTER: 1

waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was

VERSES: 1-5

light. And God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night”.

IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

NEW TESTAMENT BOOK:

John

CHAPTER: 1 VERSES: 1-5

THEN GOD SAID, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. . . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the

OLD TESTAMENT BOOK: Genesis CHAPTERS: 1, 2 VERSES:

(chapter 1:26-27) (chapter 2:7)

ground, and breathed into his nostrils the Breath of life; and man became a living being.”

But man was tempted into sin. And sin removes man from fellowship with God. So for mankind to be reunited with God, we needed a Savior!

NEW TESTAMENT BOOK:

John

photography: liezl du preez

CHAPTER: 1 VERSES: 4, 10, 14

IN HIM WAS LIFE, and the life was the light of men. . . He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

OLD TESTAMENT BOOK: Isaiah CHAPTER: 59 VERSES: 1-21

Isaiah’s name literally means ‘Yahweh is salvation’ (salvation of the Lord). In this

SEPARATED FROM GOD BEHOLD, THE LORD’S HAND is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; he who eats of their

chapter we can see the effect of sin and the

eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not

importance of repentance. We see God’s

become garments, nor will they cover themselves with their works; their works are

saving grace through Jesus Christ as well as

works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and

the glorious future for God’s children in

they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;

the time to come... when Jesus returns!

SIN CONFESSED

wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; we look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we have no eyes; we stumble at noonday as at twilight; we are as dead men in desolate places. We all growl like bears, and moan sadly like doves; we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

THE REDEEMER OF ZION Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garment of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says the Lord. “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My Words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forever more.”

Although man was created by God and utterly dependent upon His saving grace, throughout the Word we often see how man contended with God and questioned His ways, His Majesty and His Sovereignty. One such example is in the Book of Job. Job, a righteous man and a servant of God went through an intense period of suffering and trialing times. Four of his friends gave him possible reasons for his suffering. Job argued with the first three friends and although he was a faithful servant of God, he justified himself rather than God. The fourth friend, Elihu, the youngest of them all, however did not respond to Jobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arguments but brought a different perspective into Jobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. We often see this in our lives today. How as mankind we justify ourselves, we become self-righteous and tend to forget that God is GOD and that we are His creation! Read with us what Elihu says to Job about who God is and who we are not! Allow Elihu to speak to you. . .

THE

Wspeaks ORD

Elihu said: Job 33 ELIHU PRESENTS HIS CASE AGAINST JOB LISTEN TO MY WORDS, Job; pay attention to what I have to say. Now that I have begun to speak, let me continue. I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. For the Spirit of God has made me, the Breath of the Almighty gives me life. Answer me, if you can; make your case and take your stand. Look, you and I both belong to God. 26

I, too, was formed from clay. So you don’t need to be afraid of me. I won’t come down hard on you. You have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard your very words. You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin; I am innocent; I have no guilt. God is picking a quarrel with me, and He considers me His enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks and watches my every move.’

Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food. Their flesh wastes away, and their bones stick out. They are at death’s door; the angels of death wait for them. But if an angel from Heaven appears - a special messenger to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright - he will be gracious and say,‘Rescue him from the grave, for I have found a ransom for his life.’ Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it. God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.’ Yes, God does these things again and again for people. He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life. Mark this well, Job. Listen to me, for I have more to say. But if you have anything to say, go ahead. Speak, for I am anxious to see you justified. But if not, then listen to me. Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!

Then Elihu said: Job 34

But you are wrong, and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. So why are you bringing a charge against Him? Why say He does not respond to people’s complaints?

ELIHU ACCUSES JOB OF ARROGANCE

For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; He keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.

Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge. Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’ So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. I am innocent, but they

call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’ Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men. He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’ Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong. He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve. Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice. Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place? If God were to take back His Spirit and withdraw His Breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say. Could God govern if He hated justice? Are you going to condemn the Almighty Judge? For He says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’ He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and He pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. For God watches how people live; He sees everything they do. No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from His eyes. We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment. He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and He sets up others in their place. He knows what they do, and in the night He overturns and destroys them. He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see. For they turned away from following Him. They have no respect for any of His ways. They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy. But if He chooses to remain quiet, who can criticize

Him? When He hides His face, no one can find Him, whether an individual or a nation. He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people. Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’? Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done - tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’? Must God tailor His justice to your demands? But you have rejected Him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us. After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say, ‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’ Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.

Then Elihu said: Job 35 ELIHU REMINDS JOB OF GOD’S JUSTICE Do you think it is right for you to claim, ‘I am righteous before God’? For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’ I will answer you and all your friends, too. Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you. If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on Him? If you are good, is this some great gift to Him? What could you possibly give Him? No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans. People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my Creator, the One who gives songs in the night? Where is the One who makes us

smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?’ And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride. But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned. You say you can’t see Him, but He will bring justice if you will only wait. You say He does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness. But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.

Elihu continues: Job 36 Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God! I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator. I am telling you nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge. God is mighty, but He does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted. He never takes His eyes off the innocent, but He sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever. If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble, He shows them the reason. He shows them their sins of pride. He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil. If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant. But if they refuse to listen to Him, they will be killed by the sword and die from lack of understanding. For the godless are full of resentment. Even when He punishes them, they refuse to cry out to Him for help. They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living. But by means of their suffering, He rescues those who suffer. For He gets their attention through adversity.

God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food. But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin. Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed. Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil. ELIHU REMINDS JOB OF GOD’S POWER

Look,

God is greater

than we can understand Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like Him? No one can tell Him what to do, or say to Him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify His mighty works, singing songs of praise. Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance. Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted. He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven? See how He spreads the lightning around Him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. By these mighty acts He nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance. He fills His hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. The thunder announces His presence; the storm announces His indignant anger.

Elihu concluded:

consider the wonderful miracles of God!

My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from His mouth. It rolls

across the heavens, and His lightning flashes in every direction. Then comes the roaring of the thunder - the tremendous voice of His Majesty. He does not restrain it when He speaks. God’s voice is glorious in the thunder. We can’t even imagine the greatness of His power. He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Then everyone stops working so they can watch His power. The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens. The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold. God’s Breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with His lightning. The clouds churn about at His direction. They do whatever He commands throughout the earth. He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show His unfailing love.

Job 37

Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God! Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from His clouds? Do you understand how He moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?

When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, He makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that? So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments. Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused? We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds. So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor. We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though He is just and righteous, He does not destroy us. No wonder people everywhere fear Him. All who are wise show Him reverence.

Job 38:1-7

After Elihu, the Lord answered Job out of the storm and these are of His words: “Who is this that darkens My counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell Me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”. . .

and the Lord continued to question Job Job 38-41

Then Job understood and replied Job 42:1-6to the Lord: “I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions My Wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about You before, but now I have seen You with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

I was talking about things I knew nothing about

After repenting, Job prayed for his friends and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. The Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first! Job acknowledged that God is God and gave Him reverence!

Let us too reverence God for being God! The Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit

“I am

LORD; that is My Name! I will not give My glory the

to anyone else.

will not share

my praise

with carved idols.

”

“Everything I

prophesied has come true,

I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens. ” and now

THE

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THE LORD GAVE SPECIFIC instructions for this Issue of MY World. The underpinning message: “Make the way straight for the King to come in!” God confirmed this message through His Word in the Book of Isaiah Chapter 40 (Old Testament) and the Book of John Chapter 1 (New Testament). However, as I worked my way through the Book of Isaiah it became more evident that the message was more than just a sentence printed on the cover of MY World, it was a prophetic utterance. Through a sequence of events in my life the past few months, the Lord patiently guided me and ministered to me daily concerning the specific details for this Issue (I share this testimony in depth on the included CD on page 14). One of the instructions He ministered to me was that I had to read all the red words in the Bible (in certain Bible translations all Jesus‘ words are printed in red). I therefore had to read all the recorded words spoken and in certain instances, prophesied by our Messiah. This took me to the New Testament and specifically the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. However, during these past few months He very gently led me into reading the entire Book of Revelation. He led me through certain events in my life, particularly when we were in search of a white horse for the photo on page 72, the purple flowers in nature during this season, as well as through a couple of meetings where I had to minister during the time. Sensitive to what God was busy doing in preparation of this Issue, by His grace, I could submit to His promptings. Guided by the words of Jesus, “Follow Me!” as written in the editorial letter on pages 10-11 in “a word in Season” I continued to follow Him through Scripture.

I thus invite you to journey with us through certain chapters of one of the strongest prophetic voices in God’s Word, the Book of Isaiah. Discover where and how many of the prophecies spoken by Isaiah were fulfilled and also read about the things to come as given to us by God in His Word. I pray that the Holy Spirit will minister to you as you read the Word of God and you see how relevant it is to the times we are living today. THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPOKE of things to come. His message was one of impending judgment, yet it also laid a sound foundation of hope in the Messiah. He foretold the coming of Jesus as Savior but also as Prince of Peace. Isaiah prophesied of the voice in the wilderness crying: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” This prophecy came true when John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” At a time when the world around us is engulfed in unrighteousness, we can take hope in the everlasting security of Isaiah’s message: In Jesus Christ our Messiah, we have a Savior who is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, of whose Kingdom there will be no end! Isaiah spoke of Jesus as King. Through these words God is still speaking to us today. The message of salvation and hope found in Jesus Christ as emphasized in the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Revelation still gives us hope today as we await the return of our King Jesus! MY World, Issue 12, Amethyst, clothed in purple, signifying Royalty, is a voice crying out: “Make the way straight for the King to come in!”

“‘COME NOW, LET US

The Lord’s Future Reign REASON

TOGETHER,’

says the Lord. ‘THOUGH YOUR

SINS

ARE

SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE AS

WHITE

SNOW;

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 2:1-22)

THIS IS A VISION that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all - the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; His Word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.

THOUGH THEY ARE RED AS

CRIMSON,

THEY

A Warning of Judgment Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

SHALL BE LIKE WOOL. IF YOU ARE WILLING AND

For the Lord has rejected His people, the descendants of Jacob, because they have filled their land with practices from the East and with sorcerers, as the Philistines do. They have made alliances with pagans. Israel is full of silver and gold; there is no end to its treasures. 33

OBEDIENT, YOU WILL EAT THE BEST FROM THE LAND; BUT IF YOU RESIST AND REBEL, YOU WILL BE DEVOURED

THE

SWORD.’ for the mouth of the lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 1:18-20

Their land is full of warhorses; there is no end to its chariots. Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands. So now they will be humbled, and all will be brought low - do not forgive them. Crawl into caves in the rocks. Hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.

For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted. He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the mighty oaks of Bashan. He will level all the high mountains and all the lofty hills. He will break down every high tower and every fortified wall. He will destroy all the great trading ships and every magnificent vessel. Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.

Idols will completely disappear. When the Lord rises to shake the earth, His enemies will crawl into holes in the ground. They will hide in caves in the rocks from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. On that day of judgment they will abandon the gold and silver idols they made for themselves to worship. They will leave their gods to the rodents and bats, while they crawl away into caverns and hide among the jagged rocks in the cliffs. They will try to escape the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty as He rises to shake the earth. Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?

A promise of Restoration words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 4:2-4)

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

BUT IN THAT DAY, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. All who remain in Zion will be a holy people - those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living. The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot Breath of fiery judgment.

The Sign of Immanuel words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 7:10-14)

LATER, THE LORD SENT this message to King Ahaz: “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want - as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.” But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.” Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a Child! She will give birth to a Son and will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

A Call to Trust the Lord w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 8 : 11 - 2 2 )

THE LORD HAS GIVEN me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah He will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem He will be a trap and a snare. Many will stumble and fall, never to rise again. They will be snared and captured.” Preserve the teaching of God; entrust His instructions to those who follow me. I will wait for the Lord, who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my hope in Him. I and the children the Lord has given me serve as signs and warnings to Israel from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies who dwells in His Temple on Mount Zion. Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead? Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict His Word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.

Hope in the Messiah words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 9:6-7)

FOR UNTO US A Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

A Branch from David’s line w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 11 : 1 )

OUT OF THE STUMP of David’s family will grow a shoot - yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

The genealogy of Jesus Christ

Fulfillment

New Testament

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h e w 1 : 1 - 17 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 11 : 1 - 2

THE BOOK OF THE genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazor, Eleazor begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-23)- reference to Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6-7

THIS IS HOW JESUS the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Darkness and pain

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( R e v e l a t i o n 16 : 10 - 11 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 8 : 2 1

THEN THE FIFTH ANGEL poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

A Branch from David’s line

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , w r i t t e n b y I s a i a h ( I s a i a h 11 : 1 - 9 )

OUT OF THE STUMP of David’s family will grow a shoot - yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of His Word, and one Breath from His mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

Praise for Judgment and Salvation words: The Word of God, written by Isaiah (Isaiah 25:5-9)

BUT YOU SILENCE THE roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled. In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There He will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against His land and people. The Lord has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in Him, and He saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation He brings!”

Praise for Judgment and Salvation wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , w r i t t e n b y I s a i a h ( I s a i a h 2 8 : 16 )

THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.”

A Reign of Righteousness w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , w r i t t e n b y I s a i a h ( I s a i a h 3 2 : 1, 3 ,17,18 )

BEHOLD, A KING WILL reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice... They eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen... The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places...

Fulfillment

John baptizes Jesus

New Testament

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h e w 3 : 16 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 11 : 4

WHEN HE HAD BEEN baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

Christ on a White Horse

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( R e v e l a t i o n 19 : 11 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 11 : 4

NOW I SAW HEAVEN opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 22:4) - reference to Isaiah 25:6

Confirmation

New Testament

AGAIN, HE SENT OUT other servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner - my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’”

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Re v e l a t i o n 7: 17 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 2 5 : 8

...FOR THE LAMB WHO is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Fulfillment

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

New Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h ew 21 : 4 2 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 2 8 : 16

“HAVE YOU NEVER READ in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.’?”

The Law of Love

Confirmation

New Testament

w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Ro m a n s 14 : 17 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 3 2 : 17

...FOR THE KINGDOM OF God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly versus demonic wisdom

Confirmation

w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( J a m e s 3 : 18 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 3 2 : 17 - 18

NOW THE FRUIT OF righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

New Testament

â&#x20AC;&#x153;...Shout

that people are like the grass. Their fades as quickly

beauty

as the flowers in the field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the Breath

LORD.

of the And so it is with

people. The grass withers

the flowers fade, but the

WORD of our GOD

stands forever.â&#x20AC;?

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

Comfort for God’s people w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 4 0 : 1 - 11 )

“COMFORT, COMFORT MY PEOPLE,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.” Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!” A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the Breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever.” O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, He brings His reward with Him as He comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His Heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

The Lord has no equal wo r ds : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 4 0 : 12 - 31 ) 40

WHO ELSE HAS HELD the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give Him advice or teach Him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does He need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach Him what is right or show Him the path of justice?

photography: liezl du preez

No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are worth nothing to Him. In His eyes they count for less than nothing - mere emptiness and froth. To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble Him? Can He be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down! Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the Words of God - the Words He gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant?

God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to Him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes His tent from them. He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. They hardly get started, barely taking root, when He blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff. “To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of His great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Fulfillment

New Testament

John the Baptist Prepares the Way words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:3) - reference to Isaiah 40:3

FOR THIS IS HE who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.' "

Jesus Testifies to the Churches

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

wor d s : T h e Wor d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Reve l a t i o n 2 2 : 12 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 4 0 : 10

"AND BEHOLD, I AM coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."

Fulfillment

New Testament

Jesus the Good Shepherd w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( J o h n 10 : 11 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 4 0 : 11

"I AM THE GOOD Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

The Glory of God in His Goodness to Israel

Affirmation by king David

OldTestament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( P s a l m 6 8 : 1 - 6 ,19 - 2 0 , 2 8 - 3 5 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 4 0

LET GOD ARISE, LET His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His Name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His Name YAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land... Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah. Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death... Your God has commanded your strength; strengthen, o God, what You have done for us. Because of Your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring presents to You. Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of peoples, till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war. Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Oh, sing praises to the Lord, Selah. To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. O God, You are more awesome than your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!

The Servant, The Light to the Gentiles words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 49:1-7)

LISTEN, O COASTLANDS, TO Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My Name. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me. And He said to Me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorifed.’ Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, and my work with my God.’ And now the Lord says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and My God shall be My strength), indeed He says, ‘Is it too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel and He has chosen You.”

A Call to Trust the Lord

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 51:1-23)

photography: liezl du preez

LISTEN TO ME, ALL who hope for deliverance - all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation. The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air. Listen to Me, My people. Hear me, Israel, for My law will be proclaimed, and My justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to Me and wait in hope for My powerful arm. Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but My salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end! Listen to Me, you who know right from wrong you who cherish My law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults. For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But My righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation. Wake up, wake up, O Lord! Clothe yourself with strength! Flex Your mighty right arm! Rouse Yourself as in the days of old when You slew Egypt, the dragon of the Nile. Are you not the same today, the One who dried up the sea, making a path of escape through the depths so that Your people could cross over? Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness. I, yes I, am the One who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator, the One who stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth. Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors? Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies? Where is their fury and anger now? It is gone! Soon all you captives will be released! Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be your fate! For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea, causing its waves to roar. My Name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And I have put My Words in your mouth and hidden you safely in My hand. I stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth. I am the One who says to Israel, “You are my people!” Wake up, wake up, O Jerusalem! You have drunk the cup of the Lord’s fury. You have drunk the cup of terror, tipping out its last drops. Not one of your children is left alive to take your hand and guide you. These two calamities have fallen on you: desolation and destruction, famine and war. And who is left to sympathize with you? Who is left to comfort you? For your children have fainted and lie in the streets, helpless as antelopes caught in a net. The Lord has poured out his fury; God has rebuked them. But now listen to this, you afflicted ones who sit in a drunken stupor, though not from drinking wine. This is what the Sovereign Lord, your God and Defender, says: “See, I have taken the terrible cup from your hands. You will drink no more of My fury. Instead, I will hand that cup to your tormentors, those who said, ‘We will trample you into the dust and walk on your backs.’”

Fulfillment

New Testament

The Parable of the Fig Tree words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:35) - reference to Isaiah 51:6

"HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away."

Seventh Bowl: The Earth utterly Shaken

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Re v e l a t i o n 16 : 19 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 51 : 17

NOW THE GREAT CITY was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

Vision of The Son of Man

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 1:9-18) - reference to Isaiah 49:1-7

I, JOHN, BOTH YOUR brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodecia.” Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

Fulfillment

New Testament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 2:25-35) - reference to Isaiah 49:1-7

AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to your Word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The Lord’s suffering Servant

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 5 2 : 13 - 15 )

SEE, MY SERVANT WILL prosper; He will be highly exalted. But many were amazed when they saw Him. His face was so disfigured He seemed hardly human, and from His appearance, one would scarcely know He was a man. And He will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 5 3 : 1 - 12 )

WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My Servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance, nothing to attract us to Him. He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. Unjustly condemned, He was led away. No one cared that He died without descendants, that His life was cut short in midstream. But He was struck down for the rebellion of My people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief.

photography: liezl du preez

Yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in His hands. When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of His experience, My Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins. I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

All Things Made New

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 21:2-7) - reference to Isaiah 52:1

THEN I, JOHN, SAW the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’

Fulfillment

New Testament

Jesus faces the Sanhedrin words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 26:67) - reference to Isaiah 52:14

THEN THEY SPAT IN His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands...

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

Affirmation by king David

OldTestament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 103:1-22) - reference to Isaiah 53

BLESS THE LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy Name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in Heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” “And My

ways

says the Lord.

are FAR BEYOND

anything you could imagine...” Isaiah 55:8 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

It is the same with

My Word. I

send it out, and it always

produces fruit.” Isaiah 55:10-11

Invitation to the Lord’s salvation

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 5 5 : 1 - 13 )

IS ANYONE THIRSTY? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to Me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious. Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. 48

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with My Word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s Name; they will be an everlasting sign of His power and love.”

The Beatitudes

Confirmation

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:6) - reference to Isaiah 55

New Testament

“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h ew 13 : 4 4 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 5 5

“AGAIN, THE KINGDOM OF heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

God’s Assurance of the People’s Return

Affirmation by Jeremiah

OldTestament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 32:40) - reference to Isaiah 55

“AND I WILL MAKE an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”

Israel Needs the Gospel (Salvation Is for All) words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:9-10) - reference to Isaiah 55

Confirmation

New Testament

...THAT IF YOU CONFESS with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Fulfillment

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper

New Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( L u ke 2 2 : 19 - 2 0 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 5 5

AND HE TOOK BREAD, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My Body which is given to you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant in My Blood, which is shed for you.”

The Lukewarm Church

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 3:18) - reference to Isaiah 55

“I COUNSEL YOU TO buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

All Things Made New words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 21:6) - reference to Isaiah 55

AND HE SAID TO me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”

Jesus Testifies to the Churches w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Re v e l a t i o n 2 2 : 17 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 5 5

AND THE SPIRIT AND the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Fasting that pleases God

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 58:1-14)

“CRY ALOUD, SPARE NOT; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell in. If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

photography: liezl du preez

The Redeemer of Zion words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 59:20-21)

“THE REDEEMER WILL COME to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says the Lord. “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My Words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

...and things to come

New Testament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 25:31-46) - reference to Isaiah 58

“WHEN THE SON OF Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will seperate them one from another, as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ‘For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and gave You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ‘For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The New Priestly Service

Fulfillment

New Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( H e b r ew s 8 : 1 - 13 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 5 9 : 2 0 - 21

NOW THIS IS THE main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Future Glory for Jerusalem

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 60:1-22)

ARISE, JERUSALEM! LET YOUR light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home. Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands. Vast caravans of camels will converge on you, the camels of Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense and will come worshiping the Lord. The flocks of Kedar will be given to you, and the rams of Nebaioth will be brought for My altars. I will accept their offerings, and I will make My Temple glorious. And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nests? They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in Me, led by the great ships of Tarshish. They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold. They will honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has filled you with splendor. Foreigners will come to rebuild your towns, and their kings will serve you. For though I have destroyed you in My anger, I will now have mercy on you through My grace. Your gates will stay open around the clock to receive the wealth of many lands. The kings of the world will be led as captives in a victory procession. For the nations that refuse to serve you will be destroyed. The glory of Lebanon will be yours - the forests of cypress, fir, and pine - to beautify My sanctuary. My Temple will be glorious! The descendants of your tormentors will come and bow before you. Those who despised you will kiss your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, and Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 52

Though you were once despised and hated, with no one traveling through you, I will make you beautiful forever, a joy to all generations. Powerful kings and mighty nations will satisfy your every need, as though you were a child nursing at the breast of a queen. You will know at last that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel. I will exchange your bronze for gold, your iron for silver, your wood for bronze, and your stones for iron. I will make peace your leader and righteousness your ruler. Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there. No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end. All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plant them there with My own hands in order to bring Myself glory. The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 21:24) - reference to Isaiah 60:3

AND THE NATIONS OF those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.

Fulfillment

Wise Men from the East

New Testament

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h e w 2 : 11 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 0 : 6

AND WHEN THEY HAD come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrrh.

Confirmation

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

wor d s : T h e Wor d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h ew 21 : 4 4 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 0 : 12

New Testament

“AND WHOEVER FALLS ON this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Reve l a t i o n 21 : 2 3 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 0 : 19

THE CITY HAD NO need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

The River of Life wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Reve l a t i o n 2 2 : 1 - 5 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 0 : 19

AND HE SHOWED ME a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street and on either side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His Name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

The Beatitudes words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:5) - reference to Isaiah 60:21

"BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Confirmation

New Testament

Assurance of Zion’s Salvation

Prophecy and exhortations

Old Testament

wo r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 6 2 : 1 - 12 )

FOR ZION’S SAKE I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength: “Surely I will no longer give your grain as food for your enemies; and the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, for which you have labored. But those who have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.” Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’” And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. 54

Judgment and Final Salvation w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( I s a i a h 6 5 : 17 - 2 5 )

LOOK! I AM CREATING new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in My creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in My people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For My people will live as long as trees, and My chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to Me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on My holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Fulfillment

The Triumphal Entry

New Testament

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( M a t t h e w 2 1 : 5 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 2 : 11

TELL THE DAUGHTER OF Zion, “Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus Testifies to the Churches

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e W o r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( R e v e l a t i o n 2 2 : 12 - 14 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 2 : 11

“AND BEHOLD, I AM coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

All Things Made New

...and things to come

New Testament (Revelation)

w o r d s : T h e Wo r d o f G o d , i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( Re v e l a t i o n 21 : 1 - 8 ) - r e f e r e n c e t o I s a i a h 6 5 : 17 - 2 5

NOW I SAW A new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the Throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.

For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.â&#x20AC;?

The Last Chapter in the Book of Isaiah: Chapter 66 words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit

THIS IS WHAT THE Lord says: “Heaven is My Throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you build Me a temple as good as that? Could you build Me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are Mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My Word. But those who choose their own ways delighting in their detestable sins - will not have their offerings accepted. When such people sacrifice a bull, it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice. When they sacrifice a lamb, it’s as though they had sacrificed a dog! When they bring an offering of grain, they might as well offer the blood of a pig. When they burn frankincense, it’s as if they had blessed an idol. I will send them great trouble - all the things they feared. For when I called, they did not answer. When I spoke, they did not listen. They deliberately sinned before My very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise.” Hear this message from the Lord, all you who tremble at His Words: “Your own people hate you and throw you out for being loyal to My Name. ‘Let the Lord be honored!’ they scoff. ‘Be joyful in Him!’ But they will be put to shame.” What is all the commotion in the city? What is that terrible noise from the Temple? It is the voice of the Lord taking vengeance against His enemies. “Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son. Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, her children will be born. Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord. “No! I would never keep this nation from being born,” says your God.

Rejoice with Jerusalem! Be glad with her, all you who love her and all you who mourn for her. Drink deeply of her glory even as an infant drinks at its mother’s comforting breasts. This is what the Lord says: “I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap. I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.” When you see these things, your heart will rejoice. You will flourish like the grass! Everyone will see the Lord’s hand of blessing on His servants - and His anger against His enemies. See, the Lord is coming with fire, and His swift chariots roar like a whirlwind. He will bring punishment with the fury of His anger and the flaming fire of His hot rebuke. The Lord will punish the world by fire and by His sword. He will judge the earth, and many will be killed by Him. “Those who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center - feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats - will come to a terrible end,” says the Lord. “I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see My glory. I will perform a sign among them. And I will send those who survive to be messengers to the nations - to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to all the lands beyond the sea that have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. There they will declare My glory to the nations. They will bring the remnant of your people back from every nation. They will bring them to My holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will ride on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “And I will appoint some of them to be My priests and Levites. I, the Lord, have spoken! As surely as My new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be My people, with a name that will never disappear,” says the Lord. “All humanity will come to worship Me from week to week and from month to month. And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against Me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by will view them with utter horror.”

Everything I prophesied has come true, and now

Jesus Tells about the Future

I will prophesy again.

I will tell you the future before it happens.

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:1-25) - reference to Isaiah 66

Isaiah 42:9

JESUS LEFT THE TEMPLE and was walking away when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” He asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant woman and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equalled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.”

Jesus Tells about His Return

...and things to come

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:26-35) - reference to Isaiah 66

New Testament

“SO IF ANYONE TELLS you, ‘There he is, out of the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Now learn this lesson from the figtree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you now that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away.”

Jesus Tells about Remaining Watchful

“My Church, watch and pray”

words: The Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:36-51) - reference to Isaiah 66

“NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT that day or hour, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming; he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

“

Behold!

“Immanuel ” means “God with us” “Imman

My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. s.

Isaiah 42: 1

holy “... thetwenty-four elders lders fall down and worship thee O One sitting on the throne (the One On who lives forever

and ever). er). And they lay their

crowns nss before the throne and say,

‘You You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You cree ated what You pleased.”

Revelation 4:10-11

Revelation 19:11-12

“Then I saw Heav Heaven opened, ope and a white horse was standing ding there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges dg fairly and wages a rig righteous war. His eyes were we like flames of fire, and an on His head were many crowns. A name was man written on Him that no one w understood except Himself.”

THE

Wspeaks ORD

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “And you are My servant. You have been chosen to know Me, believe in Me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God; there never has been and there never will be. I am the Lord, and there is no other Savior.” NEW TESTAMENT 64

BOOK: John

OLD TESTAMENT

BOOK: Isaiah CHAPTER: 43

VERSES: 10-11

CHAPTER: 3 VERSE: 16

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” NEW TESTAMENT

BOOK: Romans CHAPTER:10

VERSES: 9-10

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. . . So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s One and Only Son. . . John 1:6-14

Now this is the testimony of John. . . He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.” John 1:19,23

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

. . . “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10

THE

Wspeaks ORD

THE WORD OF GOD is faithful and true! And the Word says that Jesus will return to the earth again to fetch His People! He will triumphantly return as the King of kings and Lord of lords! While Jesus lived on the earth, He did many things and He spoke many words. His words still bring life today and by reading and believing His Words, we are following Him and allowing Him to teach us the Way! Allow Jesus to speak to you!

This is what He said:

“God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s One and Only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. We must believe But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 3 : 17 - 21 )

“I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. ”

We must be born again

“I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” words: Jesusʼ Words (John 3:3,5-8)

He heals the sick

“Would you like to get well?”. . . “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” . . . “Now you are well; so stop sinning or something even worse may happen to you.” wor ds: Jesusʼ Wor ds (John 5:6,8,14)

He does what the Father does

“My Father is always working, and so am I.” . . . ”I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” . . . “I tell you the truth, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death to life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear My voice - the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in Himself, and He has granted that same life-giving power to His Son. And He has given Him authority to judge everyone because He is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. I can do nothing on My own. I judge as God tells Me. Therefore, My judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent Me, not My own will.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 5 : 17,19 , 2 4 - 3 0 )

He feeds the hungry

“I tell you the truth, you want to be with Me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given Me the seal of His approval.” words: Jesusʼ Words (John 6:26-27)

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. . . ” “. . .those the Father has given Me will come to Me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from Heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do My own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given Me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is My Father ’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day. . .” words: Jesusʼ Words (John 6:35,37-40) 68

He forgives the sinner and silences the accuser

“All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” . . . “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” . . . “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 8 : 7,10 ,11 )

He gives sight to the “blind”

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” . . . “You have seen Him, and He is speaking to you!” . . . “I entered this world to render judgment - to give sight to the blind - and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 9 : 3 5 , 3 7, 3 9 )

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25)

He is the living bread and water

“I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is My flesh.” . . . “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. Anyone who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in Him. I live because of the living Father who sent Me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on Me will live because of Me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. . . ” “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” wor ds: Jesusʼ Wor ds (John 6:51,53-58,63)

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me! Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” words: Jesusʼ Words (John 7:37-38)

He does the work of the Father

“My Father is always working, and so am I.” . . . ”I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. . .” “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent Me and from finishing His work.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 5 : 17,19 , J o h n 4 : 3 4 )

wo r d s : J e s u sʼ Wo r d s ( M a t t h ew 6 : 9 - 13 )

“In In this manner, manner therefore, th pray:

‘Our Father in Heaven,

May Your Name be honored.

May Your Kingdom come soon.

May Your will be done here on earth,

just as it is in Heaven.

Give us our food for today,

And forgive us our sins,

Just as we have forgiven those

who have sinned against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the

power and glory forever.

Amen.’ ”

He is the Gate, the Good Shepherd...

“I tell you the truth, I am the Gate for the sheep.” . . . “Yes, I am the Gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.” . . . “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My own sheep, and they know Me, just as My Father knows Me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to My voice, and there will be one flock with one Shepherd. “The Father loves Me because I sacrifice My life so I may take it back again. No one can take My life from Me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what My Father has commanded.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 10 : 7, 9 - 11,14 - 18 )

The Resurrection and the Life... “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. . .” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 11 : 2 5 )

The Light to the world “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.” wo r d s : J e s u sʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 12 : 4 6 )

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows...”

Psalm 23:1-2

Jesus was the Word that became Flesh. He prayed to the Father...

“They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy (sanctify them) by Your Truth; teach them Your Word, which is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give Myself as a Holy Sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your Truth.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 17: 16 - 19 )

that by the Word

Who was (in the beginning was the Word)

Who is (Jesus is the Resurrected Christ, seated at the Right g Hand of the Father,

He is our Eternal High Priest, our Atonement by His Blood)

and d Who h is to come

(The Rider on the White Horse, the King g of all kings, g who wears a robe dipped in blood, and His title is the Word of God)

we be washed (sanctified).

He set the example, He washed His disciples feet and said: “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” . . . “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me.” . . . “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” . . . “Do you understand what I was doing? You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. ” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 13 : 7, 8 ,10 ,12 - 15 )

He is the True Vine “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean becaue of the Word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, He is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

He showed us True Love and commanded us to love one another

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My Name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 15 : 1 - 17 )

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” Jesus reconciled us to with the Father. He is the Way!

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s Home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” . . . “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. If you had really known Me, you would know who My Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!” . . . “. . . The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” . . . “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My Name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My Name and I will do it!” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 14 : 1 - 4 , 6 , 7,10 ,11,12 - 14 ) 78

And when He ascended to Heaven, He did not leave us alone “If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all Truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” . . . “. . . Since I live, you also will live.” . . . “Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 14 : 15 - 17,19 , 2 1 )

We received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth

“When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all Truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me. All that belongs to the Father is Mine; that is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever He receives from Me.’ ” wo r d s : J e s u sʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 16 : 13 - 15 )

He said about His Kingdom... “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. . . My Kingdom is not of this world.” words: Jesusʼ Words (John 18:36)

His last words before He died on the cross...

“It is finished!” The He bowed His head and released His Spirit. wo r d s : J e s u sʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 19 : 3 0 )

But He was raised from the dead and ascended to Heaven...

“. . .tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ Wo r d s ( J o h n 2 0 : 17 )

Then when He appeared to His Disciples and to Thomas, this is what He said:

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” Then He Breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. . . ” “Peace be with you. . . Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” . . . “Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me.” w o r d s : J e s u s ʼ W o r d s ( J o h n 2 0 : 2 1 - 2 2 , 2 6 - 2 7, 2 9 )

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere. . .” words: Jesusʼ Words (Acts 1:8)

Through His Words,

Jesus is saying the same to you today. “Receive the Holy Spirit! Believe!”

“I want you to know

that no one speaking by the Spirit p of God will curse Jesus, and no one can sayy

Jesus is Lord,

except by the Holy Spirit.” wo r ds : T he Wo r d o f Go d (1 Co rin t h i a n s 12 : 3 )

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Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people, build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;But now, , O Lord, , You are our Father; ;

we are the clay, and You our Potter;

and d all ll l we are the h work k of f Y Your hand Isaiah 62:10, 64: 8

com ome Revelation 22:3-5

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the Throne of God and of the Lamb mb w will bee there, thhere, e, and His H servan will wo servants orship Him. worship

“From the Throne came flashes

of lightning and the rumble of

thunder. And in front of the Throne were seven lampstands with burning flames. They are the seven spirits of God.”

Revelation 4:5

s His Face, And they wi willillll see and His Nam Na me will be written writt Name on their the foreheads. forehea And there will be no night there - no need for lamps or sun - for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.”

Revelation 22:17

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.”

THE

Wspeaks ORD

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of Everything in Heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

wor ds: The Wor d of God, inspired by the Hol y Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-21, 4:30-32) These words were written by the Apostle Paul. He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

King

Make the way straight

the

for

to come in!

Jesus “Look, I am coming soon!

Blessed are those who obey the prophecy written in this scroll.”

Revelation 22:7

“See, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to repay all according to their deeds.

I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Revelation 22:12

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this messgae for the churches. I am both the Source of David and the Heir to his throne.

Amen

I am the Bright Morning Star.”

Revelation 22:16

“...Yes, I am coming soon!”

Revelation 22:20

had twelve foundations and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb

f o u n d a t i o n

t w e l v e

Amethyst

In Revelation 21, the names of the apostles are not written in a specific order. We know that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. We feature the apostlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names purely as information as to who the apostles were. Their names are in the order which they appear in Acts 1:13.

the name of the apostle for Amethyst M a t t h i a s