Making Jerusalem a Praise

“Give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:7).” This verse is prophesying two very important end time prayers, both of which are the desire of God’s people. They are each a request for God to rise up and do that which he has promised to do. "He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them (Psalm 145:19)." The first prayer is for God to rise up, and help believers establish the new covenant. “Wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly (Psalm 108:11-13).” And the second prayer is for God to rise up, again, for a second time, to restore peace in the land, and to make his people a praise in eyes of all the earth. “He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he brings them unto their desired haven (Psalm 107:29-30).”

Man cannot defeat the laws of every religion, therefore God will arise and religion will be defeated, and the new covenant will be established: after all, God's people are thoroughly convinced that they must believe in the laws of their religion (Deuteronomy 4:2; Galatians 1:8). No religion is esteemed righteous is God's eyes, for every one of them has taken a select scripture verse, and magnified it in the eyes of its people. These well-rehearsed scripture verses are set up as laws, and they are proclaimed to be the only way in which God's people receive salvation. They are well-loved verses which seemingly justify the religion, and impute righteousness upon its people. God calls these verses our silver. “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6).” The teachers which magnify and rehearse these laws in the eyes of the congregation, are likened to gold. “The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter (Lamentations 4:2)?” “Thy silver is become dross (Isaiah 1:22).” “How is the gold become dim (Lamentations 4:1)?” “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath (Zephaniah 1:18).”

King Solomon assured believers that there is a better way than that of silver and gold. “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold (Proverbs 3:13-14).” Wisdom and understanding are each virtues that insure eternal rewards: but wisdom has advanced, and wisdom can promote you (Proverbs 4:8). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom (Proverbs 4:7).” Wisdom understands the deep and hidden mysteries of prophecy. “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Proverbs 2:7).” Wisdom got her start by having a good understanding of God’s word, and then she blossomed as she spent time in God's word, crying out to God for his answers concerning prophecy: therein she has discovered evidences of God's end time plan. Wisdom shared her proofs and discoveries with other people of understanding (Proverbs 8:1-12). They have inclined their ears to hear her discoveries, and to consider her evidences (Proverbs 2:2). “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee (Proverbs 4:5-6).”

“Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul (Psalm 66:16).” The exaltations of a psalmist serve to identify how believers can get wisdom, and how they can be delivered from deception. To paraphrase his remarks, the psalmist wrote: if believers will forget their religiously motivated fears, and will leave off worrying about their past mistakes, and if they will pray unto God asking him for his help in understanding the truths which are necessary for the deliverance of his people, then God will hear their prayers, and he will attend to their needs: for this is the spirit that glorifies and extols God. Read this Psalm in the sixty sixth chapter of the book of Psalms, giving special attention to verses seventeen through twenty. “In the day when I cried thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul. All kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth (Psalms 138:3-4).” 

All of the laws upon which the nations were founded are about to be shaken, and every mistaken religious belief will be exposed: and the hearts of God's people will be moved. "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved (Psalm 46:6)." "The earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills were moved and were shaken (Psalm 18:7)." In other words, prophecies which speak about the shaking and movement, are prophesying truths about what will happen as believing priests stand up and confess the newly revealed truths of prophecy in their pulpits. When truth is being proclaimed, and the land is shaking, then priests which elected to stand firm upon religious beliefs, will rise up, and they will mockingly come against the priests that are teaching the truth. "Those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved (Psalm 13:4)." “Defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity... The mighty are gathered against me… They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me (Psalm 59:1-4)." "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and they right hand shall save me (Psalm 138:7)." The scriptures confirm that God will arise and deliver the servants that stand up and confess the truth: and when he does this, the faithful will rejoice, for they will recognize and know that it is God's hand.

Unmistakable and definitive proof that the covenant message has been revealing the truth of end times, will not happen until Judgment Day: but on that day God will pour out a destroying pestilence which will confirm the matter. In the meantime, believers must walk by faith, and they must study the scriptures, because they contain the evidences which are necessary to verify the hidden things of prophecy. God's end time message was to be learned and received by faith, and one place wherein scripture reveals this is the ninety sixth chapter of the book of Psalms. In this psalm, believing priests are encouraged to rise up and speak the truth in faith, knowing, beyond any doubt, that God will come and deliver them. “O sing unto the Lord a new song… declare his glory among the heathen… let the heavens rejoice, and let earth be glad… for he cometh, he cometh to judge the earth (from Psalm 96)." Priests which elect to do God's will, have nothing to fear, because God has lifted his hand, and he has sworn, not only to bring the curse, but also to give his people a new covenant (Deuteronomy 32:40; Jeremiah 31:36). “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers... because they continued not in my covenant (Hebrews 8:8-9).”

“I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant (Ezekiel 16:60).” This verse is not only evidence that God has sworn to establish an everlasting covenant, but it is also evidence that God has promised to remember those people who have faithfully kept his former covenants. In other words, this verse is God's testimony of reassurance that the pestilence which comes upon priests and leaders, will only come upon them if they have broken his covenant (Deuteronomy 28:15; Psalm 89:30-32). “Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of his covenant (Jeremiah 11:3).” The pestilence which comes upon these priests is purposed for their correction, but it is also purposed to be a sign: it will put a miracle before the eyes of all of God's people, one which loudly confirms that God is fulfilling his promise to establish their new covenant (Psalm 89:38-52). “He takes away the first, that he may establish the second (Hebrews 10:9).” “It was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord (Zechariah 11:11).”

“Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother (Isaiah 9:19).” When the truths of revealed prophecy are being proclaimed and promoted in the pulpits, the passions of many believers will be stoked, and their temperaments will be set on fire. “I will dash them against one another, even the fathers and sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them (Jeremiah 13:14).” In other words, our past mistakes and religious arguments will be provoking the people, and they will be mad. But thanks be to the mercies of our God, a remnant of believers in every religion will be prepared, and they will be ready with answers. “The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarries not for man, or waits for the sons of men (Micah 5:7).”

Until the final verdict of Judgment Day, there will be priests and leaders that are fighting against God's word. They will be delivering messages which are backed up by scripture verses that seemingly debunk the covenant message. These leaders have remained faithful to religion's laws, and they are hoping to increase the size of their congregations. “And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver (Micah 5:8).” To further complicate the matter, some leaders which are aware of the covenant message, will be hiding some of its truths, because they fear the reactions of the people. “Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction (Job 36:21).” Priests who are dealing craftily, or dishonestly, by teaching deceptive versions of prophecy, are practicing transgression, and everyone who is practicing transgression on Judgment Day will suffer God's wrath. “The Lord knows how to… reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (2Peter 2:9).” “When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed forever (Psalm 92:7).”

Due to the strong contentions of the people, that afore mentioned second prayer becomes necessary. This prayer is coming from God's people, and they are asking God to restore peace in the land, and to make them a praise. “Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy (Isaiah 65:18).” God's answer to the second prayer is to bring about the annihilating pestilence of Judgement Day. This pestilence will both stop the tumults, and it will glorify the righteous. "I will make you a name and a praise among the people of the earth (Zephaniah 3:20)." To perceive how the pouring out of an annihilating pestilence will glorify the righteous, consider: When the people which had fallen away from the Lord witness the first pestilence, they will perceive that it came forth from God, and they will return unto God's house. If they are fortunate, they will come unto places wherein the newly revealed truths of prophecy are being taught, and they will be rejoicing and praising God along with the congregation, when they escape the pestilence of Judgment Day. "He hath shown his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen (Psalm 111:6)." Giving obedient believers creditability and increase is God’s way of praising them for their faithfulness: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise (1Chronicles 16:35).”

The remainder of this message is purposed for the benefit of the priesthood. Let's start it off with a song which was written by king David: “David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul (2Samuel 22:1).” David was a man who knew how it felt to be under an attack through no fault of your own. The truth about David's experience was captured in this song. This experience was recorded as a pattern for the edification of today's priests. During these times, faithful priests will be facing the same trials that David faced: they too will have to suffer and endure some unsavory attacks through no fault of their own. Those who consider the wisdom of David's song, will be strengthened and encouraged by it.

In this testimony David confessed and insinuated that he feared the ungodly men who fought against him, but it was his fear of God kept him from deviating from God’s instructions. “The floods of ungodly men made me afraid… the snares of death prevented me (Psalm 18:4-5).” Throughout his ordeal, David stayed mindful of who God was, and he prayed; and he kept God’s word ever before him (Psalm 18:22). David perceptibly noticed that each and every victory was of God, even the minor and insignificant ones, therefore he publicly awarded God praise in each and every victory. In other words, David gave God the glory: “He said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer… thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies (2Samuel 22:2-4).”

David’s righteous approach to victory awarded him the increase, one soul at a time. As the men around David witnessed his righteousness, they lifted up their voices on behalf of David, and they defended him. David's enemies began to hear stories about his righteous acts, and they feared God, and were brought very low for their sins against David. Then was their anger turned to favor David. “Then the earth shook and trembled.. there went up smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth… yea, he sent out arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightenings and discomfited them… He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me (Psalm 18:7-17).” This sensational song is David's testimony crediting God with having been there through his people, especially when David needed him most: for God had strengthened David through men that had begun as his enemies. What a reason for celebrating God’s instructions, and what an argument against hastily accusing one another. “Remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low (Psalm 79:8).”

“The Lord liveth… let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdues the people under me. He delivers me from my enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man (Psalm 18:46-48).” Because of his exercise with the impossible, and because of his glorious victory, David perceived the many benefits of giving God the glory, and he commanded that all men should sing praises unto the Lord (2Chronicles 35:15). “Sing unto him a new song… for the word of the Lord is right; and his works are done in truth… There is no king saved by the multitude of an host… The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy (from Psalm 33).” David's pattern encourages believing priests to put their confidence in God, and to praise him for his provision. It also encourages them to follow God's instructions, for this is not our battle to fight: but we are to trust in God for his deliverance, and he will protect us from our enemies.

David also delivered a vow which is especially beneficial for priests. This vow is recorded in the one hundred and first Psalm. From the words of this psalm, priests are able to discern how they can bring glory to God. Happy will they be if they take this vow and keep it, for God will make them a praise. In order to increase understanding, the following words are a paraphrasing of David's words: Vow to behave yourselves in accordance with God's word, and to remove religious memorabilia from before the eyes of your congregation. Vow not to let anyone tempt you to disobey God’s word, and to correct everyone that is speaking slanderously against believers of other faiths. Vow to put faithful people in the leadership roles of the church, and to rid God’s house of believers that are openly practicing deceit: speak up and correct anyone who is misrepresenting God’s word. Finally, be a living testimony of truth before the eyes of your congregation and teach the covenant message, for these things glorify God. Keep your vows, and God will prevent you from sinning against him. “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord… for thou preventest him with blessings of goodness (Psalm 21:1-3).”

The prayers of righteous priests have postponed the day of salvation: God is patiently waiting for them. “For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off… for how should my name be polluted (Isaiah 48:9-11)?” God has allotted believing priests seven years to study the covenant message, and to get involved with helping to spread its news (Daniel 9:27). “In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee (Psalm 88:13).” God knew that whenever believing priests heard the covenant message, they would need time to study it, and time to spread its news throughout the priesthood.  “I prevented the dawning of morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might mediate on thy word (Psalm 119:147-148).”

“They saw it, and so they marveled; they were troubled, and hasted away (Psalm 48:5).” When Christian priests first heard the covenant message, they hurried away from it. God prevented them from publicly confirming the message, until the allotted time. "The God of my mercy shall prevent me (Psalm 59:10)." "Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord (Zephaniah 3:8)." "Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defense (Psalm 59:5)." God silenced the covenant message because he knew that the reproach of it would be too much. “How do I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people (Psalm 89:50)?” Wherefore God prevented the covenant message from being confirmed until after believing priests of every nation had had sufficient time to prepare themselves, as well as their congregations. "When I call unto them, they stand up together (Isaiah 48:13)." Every religion, including Christianity, has patiently waited: for each and every priest needed plenty of evidence and time before they would, and could, share the newly revealed truths of prophecy with their congregations (Isaiah 60:9). “If thou return to the Almighty… thou shalt lay up gold as dust… the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver (Job 22:23-25).” “I will abundantly bless her provision (Psalm 132:15).”

The covenant message also needed time to evolve: now it has plenty of provision which will curtail the confusions of Judgment Day. This message unapologetically announces that God has delivered his people a new covenant, and it confirms how God intends to make every believer submit to the truth of it. "In God I will praise his word (Psalm 56:10)." "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies (Psalm 25:10)." Covenants were God’s salvation plan from the beginning. By basing salvation upon believers obeying and doing the words of a covenant, God relieved the priesthood of assuming responsibility for the congregation’s salvation. Covenants cause every believer to assume responsibility for their own salvation, and they render the priesthood’s unintentional misrepresentations of scripture, powerless.

"Praise waits for thee, O God, in Sion (Psalm 65:1).""Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth... I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear of all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it (Jeremiah 33:6-9)."