Hi Arcturus and eggi,
I'm still looking at this too.
What Ray said,
verse 17 appears not to against all humanity, as back a few verses we have God's spiritual nation being born in one day, then back three verses in verse 14 we read of those whose "heart shall rejoice" because "the hand of the Lord shall be known toward His SERVANTS, and His indignation toward His ENEMIES."
'God's spiritual nation being born in one day,' He will raise up the Saints to be with Him, His return and the Saints raised will be the same day.
1Co 15:52 It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so that we will never die again. (CEV)
The Lord's return will also setup His kingdom on earth.
Rev 5:10 And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth.
But, before He will rule He will removed Babylon.
Rev 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from Heaven, having great authority. And the earth was lighted up from his glory.
v.2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen!
v.21(ESV) Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more;
I think 'gardens' have to do with the churches, Babylon.
Ray said,
Isaiah talked for SIXTY-SIX CHAPTERS, and climaxes with this stern warning concerning those who: "...sanctify themselves, and purify themselves, IN THE GARDENS BEHIND ONE TREE IN THE MIDST, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, AND THE MOUSE, shall be consumed together says the Lord."
What religion or large group of people is so prominent that they have the climax of the Book of Isaiah attributed to them, who "...in the GARDENS BEHIND ONE TREE, eating...THE MOUSE...' And where is the Second and Third Witness to this Scripture to prove its meaning?
Isa 1:29 For they shall be ashamed of the trees which you lusted after; and you shall be ashamed of the gardens that you have chosen. (LITV)
Ray said,
. Obviously the eating of mice is a symbol of something spiritual, not literally eating mice. Swine and mice are two categories of "unclean meats" under the law of Moses. So if we are not to eat unclean meats such as swine and mice (not mice specifically, but mice is an example of a vast category of little fury creations not to be eaten), are we to eat clean food--beef, turkey, etc? No, if the "mice" is symbolic of what not to eat, then what we ARE to eat must also be symbolic. And contrary to the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, Jesus meant eating His body as a symbol for something spiritual as well.
John 6:55 For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink.
v.56 The one partaking of My flesh and drinking of My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
In the same way that we abide in Christ by eating or consuming His body and blood,
wouldn't the people eating or consuming unclean things be the abomination
Isa 66:17 "Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig's flesh and the abomination [From H8262; filth, that is, (figuratively and specifically) an idolatrous object: - abominable (-tion).] and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD. (ESV)
Isa 66:17 The LORD says, "The end is near for those who purify themselves for pagan worship, who go in procession to sacred gardens, and who eat pork and mice and other disgusting foods. (GNB)
This is what I've been thinking about all this.
Keep up the input, it helps.
mercy, peace, and love
Kat