|
|
|
| .1
¶ I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will
watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am
reproved.
.2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. .3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. .4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. |
1
- Stand The prophet is listening for an answer to his prayer
for understanding. He is ready to obey, too. An important lesson for us.
re0103.
1 - Tower Or "temple." Isa. 5:4-7 is0504. 2 - Plain A promise we may claim as we share God's truth with others. Run Act on knowledge and conviction. 3 - Vision for appointed time The promises of God are certain although we may expect them before their time. Most serious today is the promise of the coming of Jesus. The Hebrew Christians were told, in reference to this verse, that Jesus would come and not tarry he1037. In Revelation, Jesus said four times that he would come "quickly," that is without immediate warning re0311. 4 - Live by his faith You may have thought that this concept was original with Paul. He was quoting or paraphrasing Habakkuk. Notice how this clarifies Paul's version. For the righteous, faith is a way of guiding living, not just a theoretical belief. And James helps us understand ja0214. |
| 5 ¶ Yea also, because
he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who
enlargeth his desire as hell [the grave], and is as death, and cannot be
satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all
people:
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! .7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? 8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. |
5
- Transgresseth by wine Although this
is symbolic, the picture of the curse of alcohol is very real today.
5 - Grave ... death Compare the 4th horse of the fourth seal in Revelation re0608. 7 - Rise up ... bite Compare to the kings or horns that turn on the woman re1716. |
| 9 Woe to him that coveteth
an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that
he may be delivered from the power of evil!
10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. .11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. .12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? .14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. |
9 -
Nest
on high ... delivered This may be compared to the Tower of Babel
— symbolic of the end-time arrogance against God ge11.
11 - Stone cry See Jesus' comment lu1939. 14 - Earth ... filled A marvelous promise soon to be fulfilled. This is a global revelation re1801. It is to involve a knowledge of the Lord's glory – His character seen in His faithful people, nu1421, is6009, mt0516. This glory characterizes those found worthy in the preadvent judgment. They will have chosen faithfulness to Christ and have chosen Him as king da0714. |
| .15
¶ Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle
to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
.16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. 17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. 18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. .20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. |
15
- Woe ... giveth ... drink The action of the wicked world
religion at the end of time re1701,
re1702wi.
15 - Makest him drunken ... nakedness Reference to the experience of Noah after the flood ge0920. 17 - Better, "violence against Lebanon." is1404ff. 18 - What profiteth? Images for worship may be seen as symbolic of the larger foolishness of living as if there were no real God. 19 - Woe ... The Lord is in His Temple A contrast is set between idols and the God who is not seen. The lesson in reverence is for all of us. Music often used in worship services is a distraction from the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit – the reality of His awesome presence. da0303. 20 - Silence For the judgment of His people, Christ does a special work of preparing them. It is represented in the sanctuary calendar by the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) le1629. Compare zp0107. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image ©