SupportA Coming Economic Downturn? or Worse?
I’ll try to keep this short.
Some time ago, I came across this verse:
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
At the time, I was trying to understand the New Testament references to cornerstones, and this was one of those references. The other major reference being to Ps 118:22. Unlike Ps 118:22, this Isaiah verse had a context that quite captured my attention. For example, if you back up by just one verse, you read:
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
That’s not just pretty poetic language, its powerful language and … it has my attention. Specifically, why does verse 16 begin with the word “Therefore”? The two verses seem to be completely unrelated. Or at least, they seemed unrelated to me until I understood how and why God had put them together. Once you put them together, they then speak very loudly to today’s day and age.
So, let’s back up further. I’ll back up all the way to verse 9.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Let me pause for a moment and expand upon the language a little bit here.
First, since studying Biblical Greek (yes, I know this is from Hebrew), I’ve had a different definition and understanding of the word “doctrine”. I would define this word as “the substance of what is taught.” This isn’t all that different from today’s Wikipedia definition, “a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a belief system,” save that I don’t connect doctrine with a “belief system” by nature. The word is more neutral than that. It’s simple the substance of what is taught. It’s the text book if you will, the “codification” of a “body of teachings or instructions.” There is a doctrine of mathematics, for example–it’s not about beliefs, it’s just the codification of the lesson material.
God wants to teach us “knowledge” and “doctrine”. This sounds like a good thing. I’m interested. I’d sign up for that class.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
This we all know and agree upon. You can’t teach a child how to multiply unless they first know how to add. You can’t teach reading unless you first teach letters. Teaching is built upon a foundation, and that foundation needs to be laid a little bit at a time.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
This part starts with a promise, and one I like–a promise of rest and refreshing. I like promises, especially promises of good from those who are able to keep them.
But it continues with, “yet they would not hear.”
God, therefore, is offering to man a wonderful promise and getting rebellion in response. This forms the backdrop of what takes place next.
Indeed, the next part is where it starts to get interesting.
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared,
Here’s God’s point: if you don’t learn the lessons of truth, about how the reality of the world works, the truth doesn’t change. Instead, the realities of life will break you. As one preacher once said, men don’t break God’s laws, God’s laws break them. Sure, you can jump off a building an defy gravity for a fleeting moment, but you can’t avoid the sudden stop at the bottom.
It’s not just that two plus two equals four and not five independent of the family you were born into, but it’s also the simple basics of life: only hens lay eggs, only cows provide milk, and only women can give birth. You aren’t going to get eggs from a cock (a farmer’s term for a male chicken, since technically all chickens roost and are therefore roosters), and I’m going to laugh at the individual who tries to milk the bull. Frankly, there are some parts of this world that man cannot change, and those who try will “fall backward, and be broken, and snared.” Put simply, it’s not going to end well.
But this is only the part of where God describes what is currently taking place. It’s in the next verse where He begins His pronouncement of judgment.
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Yes, I know that this particular judgment has long since passed. The individuals who ruled “this people which is in Jerusalem” did so over a thousand years ago. I’m just not willing to dismiss this passage that quickly, especially since the nature of God which caused Him to send this judgment hasn’t changed, neither have the simple truths of life which still need to be taught today.
Indeed, “We have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves” describes the day we live in. Yes, the government can get itself out of the problem it has created by spending more than it has by printing more money! Yes, we can escape all responsibility by blaming our predecessor! Yes, we can blame foreigners and aliens for the problems we’ve created in our own back yards! Yes, a man can win in women’s sports by declaring himself to be a woman! Yes, I can declare my engineering products as “working” even before they are tested! Reality doesn’t affect me!
But what of the peace treaty with death? God gets to that two verses down. For now, in the midst of this pronouncement of judgment, the prophet adds this verse about the cornerstone.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Again, like I said at the beginning, at the first read this feels out of place. The verse following seems to skip it. It’s almost as if, if you only removed verse 16, the passage would make more sense.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
Verse 17, referencing a line and a plummet, is a clear reference to the restoration of truth in a society. We build using lines. A taught cord can be used as a straight line when setting a wall. Indeed, masons use such cords often and for that specific purpose. Straight lines are important. So is the plummet–a basic weight on a cord. The plummet is used to determine which way is down and, as a consequence, which is up. Both are references to basic truths which cannot be ignored or broken. This, therefore, is a reference to God bringing His creation back to reality. This judgment will be a true “Come to Jesus” moment, if ever there was one.
What of the peace treaty with death? It will be disannulled. There was no basis for it. The judge will neither recognize it, nor honour it, nor compel its enforcement. The agreement with hell? Same thing. It will not stand. The overflowing scourge?
Ahh, now that’s where we meet what’s coming next.
What form will this overflowing scourge take?
Will it be an economic recession? Perhaps. A depression? Could be. An interruption in the food supply? We’ve already seen some of that. An interruption in power? That’s already in the forecast. War? Another world war even? We know from prophecy that another one is coming if not two. The destruction of the current world order? That’s also been prophesied. It’s just a matter of when.
Frankly, I don’t know what’s coming next. Sure, God’s word is a lamp unto my feet–just not my horizon. What I do know is this, the signs are all around us, and “It shall be a vexation only to understand the report.”
When God steps in, there will be shock and awe.
Okay, so let’s now go back to that corner stone verse. How does that apply here?
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
The application is now straight-forward. The storm is coming. Many shall be destroyed by it. God has declared it, and there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. All we can hope to do is to ride through it. For this reason, God provides a “sure foundation”, so that those standing upon it will not get swept away with the judgment of the unbelievers.
It’s against this backdrop that Jesus teaches,
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
You will hear many individuals telling you how to prepare for whatever they believe the coming catastrophe will be. I’ve heard some telling me to buy gold or silver. Some say that I should purchase packaged food for long term storage. Others have said to buy bonds. Still others say that inflationary times are the best times to borrow money.
While these individuals may be well intentioned, the only advice that will help you avoid God’s judgment of sinful men is the advice God offers.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, …
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (Is 28:16)