Isaiah Prophesies an Endtime Repeat of Thirty Ancient Events
A unique feature of Isaiah’s endtime scenario is that he prophesies nothing new unless he bases it on something old. In short, he limits himself to predicting an entire series of endtime events as if their ancient versions will be relived. This time, however, they happen under modern conditions.
Leading up to and including Jehovah/Jesus’ coming to reign on the earth, thirty events repeat themselves on a worldwide scale that involve the descendants of all Israel’s twelve tribes, both those who have retained their ethnic integrity and those who have assimilated into the Gentiles.
The first endtime event—the one that sets off the entire series like falling dominos—is the apostasy or falling away from the truth of God and his righteousness of those who claim to be God’s covenant people today. There is room here to mention ten events that repeat themselves:
Israel’s Apostasy—Isaiah 3:8–9
Their tongue and their actions are contrary to Jehovah,
an affront to his glory before his very eyes.
The look on their faces betrays them:
they flaunt their sin like Sodom;
they cannot hide it.
Woe to their souls;
they have brought disaster upon themselves!
The Egyptian Bondage—Isaiah 52:5
My people are taken over without price;
those who govern them
act presumptuously, says Jehovah,
and my name is constantly abused all the day.
Assyria’s World Conquest—Isaiah 10:13–14
He [the king of Assyria] said,
I have done it by my own ability
and shrewdness, for I am ingenious.
I have done away with the borders of nations,
I have ravaged their reserves,
I have vastly reduced the inhabitants.
I have impounded the wealth of peoples like a nest,
and I have gathered up the whole world
as one gathers abandoned eggs;
not one flapped its wings,
or opened its mouth to utter a peep.
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah—Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the most splendid of kingdoms,
the glory and pride of Chaldeans, shall be [thrown down]
as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot’s Deliverance from Sodom—Isaiah 57:1–2
The righteous disappear,
and no man gives it a thought;
the godly are gathered out,
but no one perceives that from impending calamity
the righteous are withdrawn.
They who walk uprightly shall attain peace,
and rest in their beds.
Israel’s Exodus out of Egypt—Isaiah 48:20–21
Go forth out of Babylon, flee from Chaldea!
Make this announcement with resounding voice;
broadcast it to the end of the earth.
Say, Jehovah has redeemed his servant Jacob.
They thirsted not when he led them through arid places:
he caused water to flow for them from the rock;
he cleaved the rock and water gushed out.
Israel’s Pilgrimage to Zion—Isaiah 30:29
For you there shall be singing,
as on the night when a festival commences,
and rejoicing of heart, as when men march
with flutes [and drums and lyres]
on their way to the mountain of Jehovah,
to the Rock of Israel.
Jehovah’s Protective Cloud—Isaiah 4:5–6
Over the whole site of Mount Zion,
and over its solemn assembly,
Jehovah will form a cloud by day
and a mist glowing with fire by night:
above all that is glorious shall be a canopy.
It shall be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day,
a secret refuge from the downpour and from rain.
Paradise—Isaiah 51:3
Jehovah is comforting Zion,
bringing solace to all her ruins;
he is making her wilderness like Eden,
her desert as the garden of Jehovah.
Joyful rejoicing takes place there,
thanksgiving with the voice of song.
The Creation—Isaiah 65:17
See, I create new heavens and a new earth;
former events shall not be remembered
or recalled to mind.
Recommended Reading and Listening:
Avraham Gileadi, Apocalyptic Commentary of the Book of Isaiah. A verse-by-verse analysis of Isaiah’s endtime prophecy for Judeo-Christian readers that opens up Isaiah’s message written for our day. Hebraeus Press, 2013: 432 pages. Softcover $29.95; E-Book $9.95.
Recommended Reading and Listening:
Avraham Gileadi, Windows on the Prophecy of Isaiah: Study Tools for Understanding Isaiah. Many examples of analyzing or “searching” Isaiah’s words for Judeo-Christian readers and the tools needed to do one’s own research and investigation. Hebraeus Press, 2015: 322 pages. Softcover $25.95; E-Book $8.95; MP3 download $9.95.