Before the Rapture

Let’s turn our attention to the future and watch what happens in Ethiopia when that country comes under attack by forces that are identified as coming from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. There are two significant rivers that have their sources in Ethiopia and flow out of the country: the Blue Nile and the Tekeze. Both flow northward, joining the White Nile of Sudan to form the Nile River. It flows through Egypt spilling into the Mediterranean Sea. If the armies are coming into Ethiopia following the river, they must be following the Nile southward, so they are coming from the north. The invading country is not identified, so it could be any army north of Egypt. I would not rule out the forces of the Antichrist. Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!—Isaiah 18:1–2 Ethiopia is a country dissected by many rivers. When we look at a map of the country, we can see the rivers that ramble throughout the land. It brings to mind the look of islands outlined by rivers. That might be the meaning of whose land the rivers have spoiled, and would explain why Isaiah chose to describe the landscape in that manner. The prophet Isaiah did not say Ethiopia will suffer defeat, but he said that the attacking army will. They would come in aircraft of some sort because their wings make shadows over their land. They follow the rivers. The phrase vessels of bulrushes upon the waters does not refer to seafaring ships. The word upon could have been translated over just as easily as that is one of its meanings. Isaiah had never seen aircraft, so he used words that would indicate they were above the water and moving fast. Bulrushes. Swift messengers. It would be difficult, impossible actually, to invade Ethiopia sailing south on the Nile River. There are the Aswan Dam and the Aswan High Dam that the ships would encounter. The water flows south to north, so there is no way they are going to maneuver any battleships up those manmade waterfalls. You cannot sneak up on somebody when you have to get around a couple of dams. In this day and age, armies have to be fast. These are fighter jets approaching Ethiopia with the intent of conquering the nation. They do not know that God has something planned, and He intends to put on a big show before the entire world. He has a most unusual weapon: the Ensign. Right now, the Ensign is in its dwelling place, so that answers the question of why it is out of sight. It is resting, watching, waiting. That will change when this attack is launched. The Ensign will roar out of its resting place and suddenly go into action. Its appearance is likened to the blowing of a trumpet. God is going to lift up an Ensign and the whole world will notice and watch every move. God must be into drama, because this is going to be quite a show. This Ensign will stop aircraft in flight, causing them severe defeat. Actually, it is more like they all crash and die. This Ensign cannot be a flag, as we have been told, for a flag flying from a pole is incapable of such a feat. It must be something more powerful. All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.—Isaiah 18:3–4 In metaphoric form, Isaiah described the battle and the defeat of the attacking troops. The army is preparing for a harvest of captives. The plan is complete and ready to be launched. It is a vicious plan that begins to unfold. The brutal attack is underway, when something goes terribly wrong. All their weapons fail, their aircraft fall from the sky, and their bodies lie upon the ground. The Ensign is on the scene. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.—Isaiah 18:5–6 It would appear that the Ethiopians will present the Ensign as a gift to its rightful owners. It will be moved to Mount Zion because that is where it belongs. The Ensign belongs to Israel. In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.—Isaiah 18:7 An interesting thing happens when the Ensign is presented to the rightful owners. The Jews worldwide recognize the Ensign for what it is: their deliverance and the fulfillment of God's promise to them. They repent. They return from all over the world. Don’t you just love the way Isaiah described the aircraft, their weapons, and the noise? Arrows are sharp. Bows bent. Their weapons are poised for action. I would guess that the loudest, continuous noise that Isaiah had heard was that of a lion. They arrive at their destination so quickly that they do not need to change clothes, a situation unheard of in Isaiah’s time for a trip of any length. But, they are on a mission to retrieve the Ensign and return it to Mt. Zion. And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.—Isaiah 5:26–29 The prey is the Ensign. It will be carried to Mt. Zion, and no one will stop this mission. I doubt any nation would dare challenge them after witnessing the power this Ensign possesses. I know I wouldn’t. The Hebrew word that is translated ensign is nec. It means an ensign, a standard, or a beacon. It carries much more authority, power and victory than a flag. The Ensign is the key to the return of the Jews as it will initiate their quick return. The Ensign is the scepter the nation will rally around. God will lift up the Ensign as a signal. The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord (Ark) in Jewish history was just that. It was a beacon raised in battle, signaling God’s presence and victory. The Ensign is the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.