Bible Study

Ted:
Not all of Israel will be saved, but only a remnant; not all will be destroyed, but some will be chosen to inherit the mountains of God in Israel (Isaiah 65:8,9).

A new heavens and a new earth is yet to be created (after the Millennium has been completed), and everything about this present universe will pass away and be forgotten (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1). Never again will there be weeping, crying, mourning, or pain (Isaiah 65:20; Revelation 21:4).

"Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children" (Isaiah 66:7,8). That is, before Israel is born as a nation, whose God is the Lord (which will happen at the end of the age), Israel delivered a son: Jesus. Israel will be (re)born in a day, and the nation will be brought forth in a moment. When Jesus, Israel's Messiah returns, a remnant (children) of Israel will be "born" into an everlasting covenant with God.

Messianic prophecy: "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor..." (Isaiah 61:1,2). This was fulfilled when Jesus spoke in a synagogue one Sabbath day in Nazareth. He opened up a scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read this (Luke 4:16-19). Then He told all sitting there that this scripture was fulfilled that day in their hearing (4:21).

The "year of the Lord's favor" proclaimed by Isaiah and Jesus (Isaiah 61:2; Luke 4:19) has not taken place yet. Jesus' proclamation of it was fulfilled, but not the year itself, which was yet in the future. Isaiah added the phrase "and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn." Jesus did not state this part of the prophecy, because at His first coming He preached good news to the poor, bound up the brokenhearted, and proclaimed freedom for those who were captives and prisoners of sin. The "day of vengeance" would be a time of severe judgment, to take place at Jesus' second coming, not His first coming.

I believe that the "day of vengeance" will be the last year of the final seven years. Besides being the "day of vengeance," it also can be considered to be the "year of the Lord's favor" because the Rapture of believers will occur just prior to that time. Thus, believers who will be caught away at that time will experience God's favor, while those left behind will experience His vengeance and wrath.

Isaiah 62 is another Millennial prophecy. It describes how Zion/Jerusalem will receive a new name, bestowed upon them by the Lord (62:2). This never has happened before; therefore, it will take place after Jesus returns. They will be called "the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD" and also will be called "Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted" (62:12). This will be true because the Messiah, Jesus, will live there, and Israel will be God's special people on the earth.

Isaiah 63:1-6 again describes God's day of vengeance, which most likely will last a year (63:4). The year of God's redemption indicates that those who will be redeemed, via the Rapture, will experience redemption and glorification for a year; while those remaining on the earth will experience God's vengeance and wrath.

When Jesus finally returns to earth, at the end of the final seven years, He will "touch down" in Bozrah of Edom (part of present-day Jordan). He will travel, presumably on His white horse, to Jerusalem, "treading the winepress" (that is, destroying Israel's enemies) the entire way. The blood of those who are slain will spatter and stain His garments (Isaiah 63:3). Their blood will be poured on the ground (63:6) for a distance of 1,600 stadia (Revelation 14:19,20) or about 180 miles.

I feel that the majority of Isaiah 59 is representative of how the world will be during the final 3˝ years of the 70th Week. Evil and violence will reign, while justice and truth will be quelled. But, at the end, "The Redeemer [Jesus] will come to Zion" (Isaiah 59:20).

The arm of the Lord (Isaiah 59:16) is representative of Jesus, the instrument of God's salvation for the world. I believe that any "body part" of God, mentioned in Scripture, represents the physical manifestation of God--that is, Jesus (see eyes, ears, arms, hands, fingers, feet, and body of God).

Isaiah 60 speaks of the ultimate glory of Zion, that is Israel. Many Bible commentators have stated that these verses in Isaiah have been being fulfilled for the past 60 years, ever since Israel became a nation again. I disagree. I believe they speak of the ultimate glory of Israel, to take place after Israel's Messiah, Jesus, returns again.

Isaiah 56:2,4,6 stresses the importance, to God, of keeping the Sabbath. The Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) is clear that the Sabbath day is the seventh day of the week (Saturday), not the first day of the week (Sunday). Going to church on Sunday is a tradition started hundreds of years ago by the Catholic Church, and it continues today among the majority of Catholics and Protestants. But that is unbiblical. Why do Christians not keep that one commandment, just as it says, even though we keep all the rest? There is no good reason, other than that it has become a tradition.

The Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday evening and ends at sunset on Saturday evening. We are to set it aside and not do the same kind of work that we do on the other days of the week (Leviticus 23:3). Isaiah also indicated that we are to "maintain justice and do what is right" (Isaiah 56:2) and to "choose what pleases [God]" (56:4). For that 24-hour period, we should abstain from doing things that we normally do, get away from things that distract us, and make an effort to think about and commune with God. Basically, we should set it aside and spend time with Him, whether we do it with others or do it by ourselves, on the Sabbath.

Ted:
"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isaiah 55:8,9). This shows how it is impossible for us to figure out God and predict what He will do in our lives, on a day-to-day basis. Because of that, we must put our trust in Him to know what is best for us.

Millennial prophecy: "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed" (Isaiah 55:12,13). After Jesus returns, all of nature will rejoice, and it never will stop.

Messianic prophecy: "See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him" (Isaiah 52:13-15). On the day of His crucifixion, Jesus' face and body were disfigured beyond human likeness. On the third day, he was raised and lifted up (from death). When He comes again, He will be highly exalted, will sprinkle many nations with righteousness, and unrighteous kings and rulers will "shut their mouths" because they will have nothing to say in His presence.

The entire chapter of Isaiah 53 is the longest Messianic prophecy, describing Jesus, in the Bible.

Prophecy of the new Creation: "O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones" (Isaiah 54:11,12). After the Millennium is over, and this creation ("heaven and earth") has passed away, a new Creation will come into being (Revelation 21:1). The New Jerusalem will descend from the new heaven onto the new earth (21:2). It will be like a precious jewel (21:11), and the foundations of the city will be "decorated with every kind of precious stone" (21:18-20).

Messianic prophecy: "And now the LORD says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength—he says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth'" (Isaiah 49:5,6). This is prophetic of Jesus, who would be formed in the womb (of Mary), who would bring Israel back to God, and who also would be a light to the Gentiles, bringing His salvation throughout the earth.

Furthermore, "This is what the LORD says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: 'Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you'" (Isaiah 49:7). Jesus was, and still is, despised and abhorred by Israel. He humbly submitted Himself to the rulers of His day, even unto death. At the end of the age, kings will rise up against Him (Revelation 17:12-14), and princes (and many others) will see Him and bow before Him, shaking in their boots (6:15,16). Jesus is the Holy One of Israel chosen by the Father to come to earth in humility and peace the first time, and in power and wrath the second time.

Messianic prophecy: "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting" (Isaiah 50:6). These are exactly things that Jesus did on the day of His crucifixion.

Millennial and Messianic prophecy: "The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations" (Isaiah 50:3,4). During the Millennium, Israel will be like the Garden of Eden. Everyone there will be joyful, because their righteous Messiah will in charge. The law will go out from Him and will be a bright beacon to all the nations of the world.

"To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?" (Isaiah 46:5). Why does it not say "To whom will you liken me that I may be compared?" Why does it say "we"? There are hints throughout the Old Testament (the earliest of which is in Genesis 1:26) that God is both multiple, as well as singular, in nature--that is, a Trinity (see singular and multiple).

God said of Cyrus, "He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, 'Let it be rebuilt,' and of the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.' This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut" (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1). This is a prophecy about someone, Cyrus, who had not yet even been born. Now I need to give a complicated and convoluted explanation.

It was in 605 B.C. that the first Israelis were taken captive and exiled to Babylon (although the general captivity and exile of most of Israel did not take place until 586 B.C.). The Babylonians took into captivity not only Israel but the nations around it. Babylon was the greatest empire in the world at that time.

The prophet Jeremiah prophesied that these nations (including Israel) would serve the king of Babylon seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11). In the seventieth year, the prophet Daniel (who had been taken captive to Babylon as a youth) understood from Jeremiah's writings that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years (Daniel 9:2). The previous verse reads, "In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom..." (9:1). However, it is known that "Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian" (6:28). According the footnote of that verse states, "Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus." Thus, evidently, another name for Darius was Cyrus.

At the beginning of the book of Ezra, we read, "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you—may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem" (Ezra 1:1-3). This occurred in 535 B.C., which was seventy years following the beginning of the captivity and exile of nations to Babylon. So Isaiah first wrote of Cyrus many years before he even existed (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1,13); and Jeremiah specified that the captivity would be exactly seventy years, without actually mentioning Cyrus by name (Jeremiah 25:11).

Messianic prophecy: "Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear" (Isaiah 45:23). This was prophetic of Jesus: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phillippians 2:9-11). One day everyone, whether or not he/she embraces the Lordship of Jesus, nevertheless will be forced to confess that He is Lord.

"A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God'" (Isaiah 40:3). This is prophetic of John the Baptist (Jesus' second cousin), who would show up prior to the first coming of the Messiah, Jesus (Matthew 3:3). He was called, by Jesus, the "Elijah who was to come" (11:12-14). At the end of the age (during the last half of the final seven years), two witnesses will be on the earth for 1,260 days, prophesying the second coming of Jesus (Revelation 11:3). It is believed, by many (including myself), that one of these two witnesses probably will be Elijah.

Here is another Messianic prophecy (of the second coming of Jesus, and what will happen after He returns): "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope" (Isaiah 41:1-4).

Isaiah 34 depicts God's final judgment of the nations. This will take place on the very last day of the final seven years (70th Week), on the day that Jesus returns to earth. God's wrath will have just been poured out on unrepentant, unsaved mankind for a year. Finally, on the day He returns, Jesus will destroy the armies of the nations attacking Jerusalem as He is treading the winepress of God's wrath (Isaiah 63:1-6; Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:19,20, 19:15).

"My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; see, it descends in judgment on Edom, the people I have totally destroyed. The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood, it is covered with fat—the blood of lambs and goats, fat from the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in Edom" (Isaiah 34:5,6). The sword He will use will be this one: "Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations" (Revelation 19:15).

Jesus actually will return to Bozrah, in Jordan: "Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? 'It is I [Jesus], speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.' Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 'I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing'" (Isaiah 63:1-3). From Bozrah, Jesus will travel (presumably, on His white horse) all the way to Jerusalem, slaughtering armies all the way, causing the greatest blood bath in history.

Isaiah 35 is a Millennial passage, describing the appearance of the earth, as well as the healing of the blind, deaf, and lame, after Jesus returns: "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. ... Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow" (Isaiah 34:1,2,5-7). This will continue for 1,000 years, the Millennium--the best time in history to take photographs of nature and people. ;-)

"You boast, 'We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place'" (Isaiah 28:15). This most likely speaks of the covenant, prophesied in Daniel 9:27, into which Israel will enter for seven years. It will not be something of which God approves, because Israel will have entered into the covenant without having sought God's advice and direction.

God will be very displeased with this. This is His reply: "Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror" (Isaiah 28:19). As a result, Israel's troubles will increase steadily and markedly during the period of the covenant. The European Neighborhood Policy, established for the period 2007-13, very well may be that covenant.

"But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer" (Isaiah 26:19-21)

This is a passage foretelling the Rapture event, among other things. It describes how the dead will live, via resurrection; the earth will "give birth" to its dead. This resurrection of the dead (believers in the Messiah, Jesus), along with the miraculous transformation of those believers who are dead or alive at the time, also is described in Matthew 24:30,31, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, and other places.

After the resurrection, catching up, and supernatural transformation of believers (soon after the opening of the Sixth Seal), they will be hidden away while the wrath of God is dispensed upon the remainder of mankind (after the opening of the Seventh Seal). This will be as punishment for their sins, because they will refuse to acknowledge or repent of them. It also will be to avenge the blood of the saints of God slain during period known as the Great Tribulation.

In the writings of the Old Testament prophets, the phrase "in that day" virtually always refers to the end of the age, at which time God's wrath will be poured upon the earth and then the Messiah, Jesus, will return to earth to save Israel, then to rule and reign. Thus, both devastation and blessings will take place "in that day," as shown in Isaiah 27:1,2,12,13.

"And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem" (Isaiah 27:13). The "great trumpet" refers to the trumpet of Yom Kippur. This trumpet (Leviticus 25:9, Isaiah 18:3; Zechariah 9:14; Revelation 11:15) will be sounded on the day the Messiah, Jesus, returns to earth. From that time forward, Jesus will be worshiped on the Holy Mountain in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 24 is a depiction of the final devastation of the earth by God. This will take place during the period known as the "day of vengeance," which I believe most likely will be the final year of the 70th Week (which, if my time line is correct, will take place from the fall of 2012 to the fall of 2013).

In the midst of it, among all the great distress, suffering, and anguish, will be heard shouts of joy exalting the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, saying "Glory to the Righteous One!" (Isaiah 24:14-16a). These most likely represent those believers who will be caught up or "raptured" just prior to the "day of vengeance" period. The remainder of mankind will be left behind to encounter God's wrath.

The earth will be broken up, split asunder, and thoroughly shaken (Isaiah 24:19) during the gigantic earthquakes of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12,14) and seventh bowl judgment (16:17-20). At the end of the final seven years, the evil demonic powers and evil kings of the earth will be "shut up in prison," the Abyss (Revelation 20:1-3), where they will remain for "many days" (1,000 years) and then be punished in the lake of fire (Isaiah 24:21,22; Revelation 20:10). During the Millennium, the Lord Almighty, Jesus, will reign on Mount Zion in Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:23).

Isaiah 19, an end-time prophecy about Egypt, is a good example of the prophecies of Middle-east nations at the end of the age that are recorded in the Bible. Here, the "cruel master" or "fierce king" that will rule over them (19:4) probably is the Antichrist. A devastating drought will take place in Egypt (19:5-8). The economy will collapse (19:9,10). "Pharaoh" is representative of the final leader, who will receive useless advice about what to do in the intense time of trouble (19:11-15).

Never before has Egypt sworn allegiance to the Lord Almighty (Isaiah 19:18,19). This will happen only when the Lord (Jesus) comes at the end of the age. Those in Egypt, just as those in any nation, who turn to Him will be saved and rescued (19:20). Many Egyptians will acknowledge the Lord, making sacrifices and vows to Him (19:21). Many, however, will not, and they will be struck with plagues (19:22), as described also in Zechariah 14:18,19.

After the Messiah Jesus returns, there will be a highway connecting Egypt and (As)syria. These two nations, along with Israel, will worship the Lord together (Isaiah 19:23-25).

The "day of the Lord" (Isaiah 13:6-9) refers to the time in the future, at the end of the age, at the beginning of which God's wrath and destruction will be dispensed upon an unrepentant world. The immediate precursor to this will be a short period of what I refer to as "cosmic disturbances" when the sun, moon, and stars will be darkened. Jesus spoke of these signs (Matthew 24:29), as did John when describing the opening of the Sixth Seal of the heavenly scroll (Revelation 6:12,13).

In my time line of the final seven years (or the 70th Week), I believe that the Sixth Seal most likely will be opened after six years have transpired. Then the cosmic disturbances will take place, the Rapture will occur (removing believers to protect them from the subsequent wrath of God), and then the wrath of God will be poured out upon those who are left, during a period of time known as the "day of vengeance" (Isaiah 34:8, 61:2, 63:4), which I believe will transpire for one year--the final year of the seven years (see The Seventh Year).

In Isaiah 13:9-20 is a description of someone who usually is assumed to be the Antichrist. It may have a double meaning of the demonic being, Satan, who presumably will possess the Antichrist.

I thought it peculiar that the prophecy mentioned specifically the gold of Ophir (13:12), and so I googled it and found this pretty interesting page: Ophir - http://www.keyway.ca/htm2004/20040315.htm

Anytime you see "Branch" (capitalized) in the Bible, it is a reference to the coming Messiah, Jesus, who is a descendant of Jesse (father of King David). Many of the prophecies refer to Jesus' first coming (which already has occurred), and many refer to His second coming (which is yet to come). Sometimes the prophesying of both occur in the same passage.

For instance, Isaiah 11:1-3a refers to Jesus' first coming, while 3b-5 refers to His second coming. During the Millennium (1,000-year reign of Christ on earth), "The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious" (Isaiah 11:6-10).

Isaiah 12 also is a prophecy of the Millennium. Pretty much any passage that refers to "in that day" (11:10,11, 12:1,4) is such.

Messianic prophecy: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this" (Isaiah 9:6,7). Here is a prophecy about the coming of Jesus, the names applied to Him, and the fact that He will reign forever.

Here is one of the most famous Messianic passages in the Bible: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). It predicts that the virgin (Mary) would give birth to a son (Jesus) and that He would be called "Immanuel" or "God with us" (Matthew 1:23).

The Old Testament contains writings by both major and minor prophets, and Isaiah is the most major of the majors. In several places he predicted the devastation and destruction of Israel and Judah. Some of these prophecies pertain to things that already have happened (from our historical viewpoint), some talk specifically about future events (at the end of the age), and many have dual fulfillment, both in the past and in the future.

"In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore" (Isaiah 2:2-4).

On the day Jesus returns, He will stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4), and it will rise up to be a very high mountain (Ezekiel 40:2). On top of that mountain, Jesus' Millennial temple will stand (see millennial Temple and Holy Mountain). People from all over the world will come to him to seek advice and justice from Jesus, the world's King.