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(Cont.
from Page 20/5/87).
A FURTHER EXEGESIS OF ISAIAH 29:1-8. Originally, the exalted "O City where David encamped!" was the Mount Zion of literal Jerusalem. (Isaiah 29:1 Moffatt). But the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the "hearth and altar" that Jehovah has pressed upon and besieged (barred access to), are the anointed members of heavenly "Mount Zion", the "altar" class of God on earth in the final part of this system of things. (29:2,3 Moffatt). Through these, Jehovah had voiced His spiritual instructions by the Mediator, their brother Jesus the First Christ and first perfected one. (Heavenly "Mount Zion": Hebrews 12:22-24). By Jehovah besieging His spiritual "altar" class, all communications being offered through His "altar", and issued from His "altar" to mankind, are terminated. This is a cause for grief, as His "altar" class carry accurate knowledge of those spirit sacrifices which are acceptable to God for our salvation and are the means by which we may approach Him for life now, and for immortality. This besieging was made manifest by the Spirit of God pressing upon the spirits of each of His faithful anointed sons, reducing their ability to speak to "a faint low twitter", humbling them, and on occasion completely taking away their inspiration to speak. (29:4 Moffatt). All this followed the ostracism they suffered at the hands of rebel sons who cruelly distressed them with dispiriting evil works against each member of the "altar" class of God. (29:7 RSV). Although Divine warnings from the "altar" class of God went unheeded, nevertheless Divine visions received from God during that time are a matter of record.
"Punishment"
is prophesied to come suddenly upon all those who pressed upon His "altar"
class by oppressively warring against them for having faithfully declared
spiritual instructions of God for the people. Enemies of His "altar"
shall "crumble into dust" and "fly like chaff" (29:5
NEB) After they are awoken to the reality of having warred against the Spirit of Almighty God, they will realize their spirit "hunger" and "thirst" and the hopelessness of their fate: Abandonment by God, which will cause them to lament in bitter grief. Especially so, for having once believed they were "eating" and "drinking" while hating and ostracizing faithful anointed sons of God! While the Moffatt translation of Isaiah chapter 29 and 30 is for the most part accurate, verse 6 of chapter 29 has been incorrectly translated, erroneously stating that God will punish "you" (His own "altar"). The New English Bible correctly translates this verse, for punishment is the destiny of "the horde of all the nations warring against Ariel". (29:5-7 NEB). Those using the authority of this "darkness" to fabricate charges against spiritual "Mount Zion" will end up alone, their wickedness publicly exposed for all to see. They will be like a lonely signal post on a mountain-top. (30:17 NEB). (Cont. on Page 8/6/87).
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