Good News! Good News! Good News! (Part 1)

 tldr;  Let me tell you the story of God's people at the end of this age, as I understand it.

In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped. Isaiah 4:2

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36

These are very exciting times!  Do you understand what's taking place in the world right now?  We are witnessing the fulfillment of God's plan that He designed before time began.

It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it. Isaiah 1:21

How do we know?  God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us a book with enough information to let us know not only that we are in the final years, but also how events play out until the return of Christ and beyond.

For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. Revelation 18:23

Let me make this as plain as I possibly can.  The CHIEF NATION of the last days, America, is said to deceive the whole world by the administering of drugs....which is poison, for those who have ears to hear.

Tangent:  Do you remember about 20 years ago when a book came out claiming that Saddam Hussein was rebuilding the ancient city of Babylon and how that, somehow, was going to fulfill Bible prophecy?  It gained a lot of press and I'm sure sold a lot of copies, but doesn't it just seem so very silly now?

It was just a few months later, in 2003, that the CHIEF NATION of America invaded Iraq (on false pretenses) and summarily killed Mr. Hussein and did what they wanted with whomever they wanted, just as foretold in Habakkuk chapter 1: They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it.

And it wasn't long after that when God started to raise up prophets and teachers who would begin to understand and begin to prophesy right things and begin to teach true things about the end times and to warn of God's coming judgment.  I myself began to wake up to the truth around 2008 and I know of several others that got their start around that time as well.

Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria, Notable persons in the CHIEF NATION, To whom the house of Israel comes! Amos 6:1

What mixed emotions so many of us have here in the states; that is, those who are awake and aware.  On the one hand, we love our country, it's all we've ever known.  We love the great idea that once defined America.  We love our freedoms and opportunities and the documents that, once, guaranteed such things.  But on the other hand we realize that that America is gone.  Now, we are surrounded by liars and thieves and murderers.  How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. Isaiah 1:21

The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net. That they may successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together. Micah 7:2-3   For the wicked surround the righteous; Habakkuk 1:4

Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Matthew 24:28

Woe to those who still trust in man's justice to prevail; who don't realize the country has become a rotting corpse; who haven't yet placed all their hope alone in God's justice to prevail.

Let me ask you something:  Do you see as God sees?  Do you understand as He understands?  Do you have the mind of Christ?  For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. I Corinthians 13:12  

Which parts do you see?  Which parts do you know?

Which parts do you think you know so well that you will defend those ideas tooth and nail?

I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle. Jeremiah 8:6

Often times in the Word, the horse is a symbol for mindsets.  Have you ever rode a horse into battle?  Have you ever tried to stop a runaway horse?  

Have you ever tried to change someone's mind?

God has horses too! 

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
And I looked, and behold, a white horse...
Another horse, fiery red, went out...
So I looked, and behold, a black horse...
So I looked, and behold, a pale horse.
Revelation 6

Was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? Habakkuk 3:8

Just as horses symbolize mindsets, the sea represents the collective mindsets of the people of the world.  Why is God's wrath turned against the sea at the end of this present age?

Only those with the mind of Christ will be able to answer that question.  Does your mind need to be changed?  Do you love this world and the things of this world?  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:15-16

For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Isaiah 2:2

How do we get there?  How do God's people get to the promised land?  How does the rotting corpse become a city set on a hill, a beacon of light to the world?  How do the dry bones live again?

In the punishment of one notoriously oppressive world-power the prophet sees a pledge that the branch of Jehovah shall be again “beautiful and glorious”.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers on Nahum 2:2

His counsels of old are faithfulness and truth! Isaiah 25:1

Before 2020 I studied God's Word, I revered God's Word, I believed God's Word, I tried desperately to understand God's Word. 

But now, I am constantly amazed and in awe as I watch God's Word unfold before my very eyes.  

Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies. Micah 4:10

Be in pain, O daughter of Zion; the cry rings out!  Be in pain!  To Babylon you shall go and FROM THERE you shall be delivered!  Surrounded by your enemies, the LORD will redeem you!  He who touches you touches the apple of God's eye, O Zion!

Will anyone believe this report, though it were told you?  Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. Habakkuk 1:5

Even now, as the enemy comes in like a flood (Is. 59), like feasting on the poor in secret (Hab. 3), having gone entirely too far with their evil intentions (Zec. 1), what will God do on our behalf, Zion, to save His people?  

Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. Isaiah 28:2

Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty. Joel 1:15

God has a flood of His own!  A raging torrent no less!

For this is a people of no understanding, when God's mercy ceases for a moment. Isaiah 27:11  Will anyone stop to consider that God's plan to save His remnant involves the death of a nation, their chief nation; so many unregenerate souls that hell opens wide its mouth (Is. 5) on the day of sudden destruction when they still feel safe and secure (1 Thes. 5:3), when He breaks His staff of Grace (Zec. 11, Is. 33) for a moment as the indignation passes over (Is. 26)?  Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life. Isaiah 43:4

The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.” Isaiah 6:12-13

The remnant will return, and be for consuming.  Is it not enough, O LORD?  Have their mindsets still not been set right?

For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 5:25