THE DAY OF THE LORD

Within the Scripture we often see the name Israel and we tend to always interpret it the same way.  We must learn to rightly divide the Word of God.  First, discern the context of the word’s use and then prayerfully consider it.  Be as the ox, chewing and re-chewing the food (word) God gives you, dividing it correctly, just as his hooves are cloven in perfection.  The story of Israel begins with Jacob, a carnal man who began as the rest of us do, with our own plans, schemes, and ideas.  But after he wrestled with God through the night, he learned humility and trust and became an overcomer of God.  So God renamed him Israel which, according to Strong’s,  means “he will rule as God.”  His name defined his calling as elohim.  His sons were to follow in this calling, but we now know that their’s became a history of failure and perversion of truth.

Because Israel departed from his ways, God often uses the name with respect to the disobedient descendents of Jacob Israel, for example:

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (Isaiah 1:3 KJV) 

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.  (Isaiah 5:7 KJV) 

In addition we find that in the prophetic literature God uses the word Israel and certain of his children to describe the Church, those who would believe in Jesus as the Christ many years later.  An enlightening example of this occurs in Isaiah 28 which describes the condition of the Church at the time of the beginning of the Day of the LORD:

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!  Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:  And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.  In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. (Isaiah 28:1-8 KJV)

Finally, we see the word Israel used to describe the body of overcomers who are about to be revealed.  In fact in the passage just below we see God use Israel in two disctintly different ways.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel [here he refers to Israel as the faithful ones who will rule as God], in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.  And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel [and here he speaks of the multitude of Israel now called the Church who are not yet obedient to him] be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel [this reference to Israel as the Church is even more clear because here we see that the overcomers, the first ones called Israel in this passage, will perform a work to restore "the preserved of Israel"]: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles [Gentiles means "nations" which shows that the ultimate calling of the overcomers is to bring the knowledge of God to the entire earth, "as the waters cover the seas"], that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.  Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.  Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;  That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion [Zion here is used for the overcomers, but like Israel, the meaning of the word can change with context.  Be discerning!] said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.  Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:1-16 KJV)

Today the overcomers, the remnant of Israel, have grown faint in the weakness of their flesh and often feel forsaken of God, like Zion above.  They have preached and walked in righteousness (practicing righteousness means to learn God’s ways and repent, get up, and keep going when you sin), but their strength seems spent for naught since the world continues its mad cascade into ever more evil.  At this time they appear to have worked, spiritually speaking, all their lives in vain.  They are, as it were, dead trees, dead almond rods to be exact.  But, it is just about time for these “dead” rods to put forth new growth and burst into bud, flower, and fruit, for these will become the Shepherd’s Rod.