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The
Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew
28:19-20, NASB).
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March 24, 2019
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Contents:
1) Isaiah 2:1-5 (1) (Russell Dunaway)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Isaiah 2:1-5 (1)
Russell Dunaway
The Establishment of the Church
One of the things setting the Bible apart from all other books ever
written are the prophecies contained in the Old Testament
Scriptures. Nothing like Old Testament prophecy can be found in any
other book ever written. Prophecy sets the Bible in a class of its
own. In this article, we are going to begin to study the prophecy of
Isaiah 2:1-5, and seek to understand the meaning and fulfillment of
that prophecy. Thus, in the very beginning, it is important that we
establish a few principles concerning prophecy and the
interpretation of prophecy.
All to often men think of prophecy as being the mere predicting of
future events. Such is not the case with the prophecies of the Old
Testament. Prophecy of the Old Testament is more than a mere
predicting of future events. A weatherman predicts what the weather
will be in the future. His predictions are based on knowledge of
certain facts that he has of the things that affect the weather. He
knows the location of the high and low pressure centers. He knows
the location of the cold and warm fronts. He knows the direction and
the velocity of the wind. He knows the temperature and barometric
pressure. It is with a knowledge of these facts that the weatherman
is able to make somewhat accurate weather forecasts, or predictions
of what tomorrow's weather will be.
The Old Testament prophets had no knowledge concerning the things
which they prophesied. There were no world conditions on which they
could base their prophecies. There was nothing on this earth that
could move the prophets to say what they said. Peter wrote, ". . .
knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”
(2 Pet. 1:20,21). Prophecy did not come by the wisdom of man. It was
not the product of any man's own private interpretation of world
trends and events of the time. Prophecy came by the will of God.
Peter, speaking of the salvation which was in the Church, wrote,
“Of which salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them
did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,
and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that
not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which
are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto
you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven . . .” (1 Pet.
1:10-12).
The inspired prophets desired to know and to understand the meaning
of the things they prophesied. All that was revealed unto them
concerning these things was that it was not for themselves that they
prophesied, but for those who should hear the Gospel of Christ as it
was revealed by the Holy Ghost. The prophets did not understand what
was prophesied. They did not understand that it was not for
themselves until God revealed it unto them that they prophesied for
those who should hear the gospel. Old Testament prophecy was given
for the benefit of you and me, for the benefit of those who should
hear the gospel of Christ.
With this in mind, we now point your attention to the facts revealed
in the New Testament as we endeavor to understand the interpretation
and fulfillment of Isaiah 2:1-5.
Isaiah said, "It shall come to pass in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains . . . " To understand when this prophecy was fulfilled, it
is essential that we determine when "the last days" began.
Every student of the Bible is aware of the fact that the history of
God's dealings with man can be divided into three ages. The first of
these three ages is known as the "Patriarchal Age" and began with
the creation of man. This was an age of family religion. The term
"patriarchal" comes from Latin and means "father government." The
"Patriarchal Age" began with creation and lasted until God led
Israel out of Egypt and gave His law to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
When God gave His law to Moses, the second age, known as the "Mosaic
Age," began. This was an age of national religion. The law was for
the Jews, and the Jews only. The "Mosaic Age" lasted until the death
of Christ on Calvary.
When Jesus came, He said to His disciples, "All things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the
prophets, and in the psalms concerning me .... Thus it is written,
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the
third day" (Lk. 24:44-47). When Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled
all that was written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms
concerning Himself, and took the law out of the way by nailing it to
His cross (Col. 2:14). This marked the beginning of the third age,
the "Gospel Age."
In Acts 2, Luke tells us that "when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, the apostles were gathered in Jerusalem with one accord."
Fifty-three days after Christ's death, the disciples were in
Jerusalem as Christ had commanded them (Luke 24:47-49), and God
poured out His Spirit upon them (Acts 2:14). The apostles began to
speak as the Spirit of God gave them utterance, and the Jews which
had gathered at Jerusalem to observe the Pentecost feast were unable
to understand what was happening. They began to reason among
themselves, and some mocked the apostles, saying, "These men are
drunk on new wine." Peter answered this false charge as He began the
first Gospel sermon to ever be preached. Peter said, "These men are
not drunk on new wine as ye suppose, for it is but the third hour of
the day." The first Gospel sermon began at 9:00 on Sunday morning.
If these men are not drunk, Peter, then what is the explanation of
what is happening? Peter said, "This is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel." What had Joel said? "It shall come to pass in the
last days. . . " Joel gave a prophecy that was to be fulfilled "in
the last days. " Isaiah said that the Lord's house was to be
established "in the last days." Peter said, "This is that." The day
of Pentecost marked the beginning of "the last days."
Peter proceeded to proclaim the gospel of Christ, and for the first
time, "repentance and remission of sins" in the name of Christ was
preached (Acts 2:37,38). Luke said, "They that gladly received his
word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them
about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). Again, Luke said, "And the
Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).
For the very first time, the Church was spoken of as being in
existence.
Isaiah had prophesied over 700 years before that the church would be
established "in the last days." John the Baptist came preparing the
way for Christ and said, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." The church had not yet been established. Jesus said, "The
kingdom of heaven is at hand." It had not yet been established. But
in Acts 2, Luke said that the church was in existence, and that the
Lord was adding unto it daily. Thus, we have a fulfillment of
Isaiah's prophecy. The "last days" were come, the church was
established.
— Via Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 5, pp. 141-142, March 1,
1984
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"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name" (Psalm 63:4, NASB).
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-2-
News & Notes
Folks to be praying for:
Kayleigh Tanner, who recently had a kidney removed
because of a tumor, also had a tumor removed from her liver,
and has another in her lung. On a positive note, the doctors
were pleased with the shrinkage of the tumor on her kidney, as well
as the one in her lung, due to the chemo. Tomorrow, she will begin
chemo every day until the 29th, which will be followed by chemo
every week until September.
Amris Bedford will also be continuing radiation treatments
for her brain tumor, with chemo as an option. She is only 9
years old, and first had this kind of tumor when 2. But with
treatments, had been rid of it until recently.
Others to also be praying for: Pat & A..J.
Joyner; James Medlock (now at the Harborview Health System at
1600 Riverside Avenue in Waycross); Myrna Jordan; Jim Lively;
Anita Young; Doyle Rittenhouse; Bennie, Deborah, and Penny
Medlock; Shirley Davis; Mary Vandevander; Michelle
Rittenhouse; John Stoval; Everleigh and Hazel Greer; Danny
Hutcheson; Roger Montgomery; Mary Aldrich; Rex & Frankie
Hadley; and Tommy Lin
Our gospel meeting with Gene Taylor will be April
7-10. We will be meeting at our regular times on Sunday (9,
10, and 5); but our evening services for Monday through Wednesday
will begin at 7:30.
I (Tom Edwards) will be having cataract surgery on my left
eye this Thursday. The surgery on the right eye went well and
improved vision.
WordPress version of this bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/the-gospel-observer-march-24-2019/
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The Steps That Lead to
Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for
that is how faith comes (Rom.
10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the deity of
Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke
13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom.
10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the
remission of sins (Mark 16:16;
Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4;
Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the
Lord; for, if not, salvation can
be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev.
2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross,
GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00
a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m.
& 5 p.m. (worship)
Tuesday: 2 p.m.
(Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible
class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912)
281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel
Observer website with pictures
in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go
(Older version of Gospel
Observer website without
pictures, but back to March
1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermon)