D17.04.88.htm

THE "SCOFFERS" OF ISAIAH 28:22.

"And now do not show yourselves scoffers, in order that your bands may not grow strong, for there is an extermination, even something decided upon, that I have heard of from the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, for all the land." (Isaiah 28:22).

THE BANDS WHO SCOFF AT THE "STAMMERING" LANGUAGE FROM GOD.
These bands that have grown strong, and have become set in their ways of scoffing at the "stammering" language of spokesmen of God, are those described as "braggarts" and "rulers of this people" lording it over Christ's congregations on earth. (28:11,14). They know the Will of God, that they should be giving much needed rest to the weary souls of "sheep"like ones, for they were once taught these ways by the Spirit of God. (John 10:16). However, as unfaithful covenant-leavers they have ceased to be "resting-places" of God. (28:12). And because they continually rejected instructive teachings from God in the "Little Scroll" that were repeatedly sent to them in its many "parts" ("stammering" to them "here a little, there a little"), they gradually became "scoffers" against their spiritual obligations to God. Their destiny: "that they may go and certainly stumble backwards and actually be broken and ensnared and caught." (28:13).

THE EXTERMINATION DECIDED UPON.
"In Zion the sinners have come to be in dread; shivering has grabbed hold of the apostates: 'Who of us can reside for any time with a devouring fire? Who of us can reside for any time with long lasting conflagrations?'" (33:14. 10:22,23 NWT & NEB).

This Spirit of "devouring fire" will lodge within the spirits of sinners and apostates falsely claiming to be within the spiritual "land" of God and will exterminate them. "The very thought of such tidings will bring nothing but dismay... and it must become nothing but a reason for quaking to make others understand what has been heard." (28:19 NEB & NWT).

The apostasy of such ones is the consequence of having gratified their desire for glory through the appointment of unsealed men as 'over-seers'. They prematurely swallowed down the "early fig" before its season, erroneously teaching the fulfilment of prophecies of the Word of God before such knowledge and its fulfilment were due to be revealed. (28:4). "For it is a rebellious people, untruthful sons, sons who have been unwilling to hear the Law of Jehovah; who have said to the ones seeing, 'You must not see,' and to the ones having visions, 'You must not envision for us any straightforward things. Speak to us smooth things; envision deceptive things.'" (30:9,10). Many will perish.

There is, however, a form of spirit "burning" that has as its purpose the spirit correction of beloved ones of God, just as it is written: "Beloved ones, do not be puzzled at the burning among you, which is happening to you for a trial, as though a strange thing were befalling you. On the contrary, go on rejoicing forasmuch as you are sharers in the sufferings of The Christ, that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory." (1 Peter 4:12,13). This spirit "burning" is for the correction and cleansing of one's spirit and is therefore not the "devouring fire" of Isaiah 33:14. There are some who will wake up "hungry" and "thirsty" in spirit for having waged war against spiritual "Mount Zion". (29:7,8).

SCOFF:

Jest, mockery, contemptuous ridicule; expression of scorn.
An object of contempt or scorn; a mark for derision or scoffing.

17/4/88.