Isaiah 65:1 I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE SOUGHT BY THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK; I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I SAID, "HERE I AM; HERE I AM!" TO A NATION NOT CALLED BY MY NAME.
Referring to the Lost Ten Tribes.
A NATION THAT WAS NOT CALLED BY MY NAME: This must mean “Joseph” i.e. the Lost Ten Tribes since the Jews of Judah are recognized as the People of God: They Jews are recognized as the People of the Book whereas “Joseph” is not known as such.
Isaiah 65:2 I SPREAD OUT MY HANDS ALL DAY TO A CONTRARY PEOPLE, WHO GO IN A WAY THAT IS NOT GOOD, AFTER THEIR THOUGHTS.
“ALL DAY”: God is calling us all the time.
Isaiah 65:3 THE PEOPLE WHO VEX ME TO MY FACE CONTINUALLY; THOSE WHO SACRIFICE IN GARDENS AND BURN INCENSE ON THE BRICKS.
GARDENS, i.e. groves as the ancient Druids used to do.
Isaiah 65:4 THEY SIT AMONG THE GRAVES, AND WITH CORPSES THEY LODGE; THOSE WHO EAT SWINE FLESH, AND BROTH OF ABOMINATIONS IS IN THEIR VESSELS.
THEY SIT AMONG THE GRAVES (“LODGE IN THE MONUMENTS”): the word translated as “monuments” is “natzurim”, literally (perhaps) “covered up places”. The word “Natzurim” however is linked with a type of worship that once prevailed amongst the ancient Israelites. This is connected to Christianity and indications that the prophets foresaw that the Lost Ten Tribes would be Christians in the End Times. This is explained in detail in our work “Ephraim”, chapter nine.
Isaiah 65:5 THOSE WHO SAY, "KEEP TO YOURSELF, DO NOT COME NEAR ME FOR I AM HOLIER THAN YOU"; THESE ARE SMOKE IN MY NOSTRILS, A BURNING FIRE ALL DAY LONG.
Isaiah 65:6 BEHOLD IT IS INSCRIBED BEFORE ME; I WILL NOT REMAIN SILENT UNTIL I HAVE RECOMPENSED, AND I WILL RECOMPENSE ONTO THEIR BOSOM.
Isaiah 65:7 "YOUR INIQUITIES AND THE INIQUITIES OF YOUR FATHERS TOGETHER," SAID THE LORD, "THAT THEY BURNT INCENSE ON THE MOUNTAINS, AND ON THE HILLS THEY BLASPHEMED ME, AND I WILL METE OUT THE RECOMPENSE FOR THEIR DEED FIRST INTO THEIR BOSOM."
Isaiah 65:8 SO SAID THE LORD, "AS WHEN WINE IS FOUND IN THE CLUSTER, AND ONE SHALL SAY, "DESTROY IT NOT, FOR A BLESSING IS IN IT"; SO WILL I DO FOR THE SAKE OF MY SERVANTS, NOT TO DESTROY EVERYTHING.
Isaiah 65:9 AND I WILL EXTRACT SEED FROM JACOB AND FROM JUDAH, THE HEIR OF MY MOUNTAINS, AND MY ELECT SHALL INHERIT IT, AND MY SERVANTS SHALL DWELL THERE.
i.e. the Lost Ten Tribes and Judah together.
[Isaiah 65:10 AND THE SHARON SHALL BECOME A SHEEPFOLD AND THE VALLEY OF ACHOR A PLACE FOR CATTLE TO LIE, FOR MY PEOPLE WHO SOUGHT ME.
Isaiah 65:11 YOU, WHO FORSAKE THE LORD, WHO FORGET MY HOLY MOUNT, WHO SET A TABLE FOR GAD AND WHO FILL MINGLED WINE FOR A NUMBER.
i.e. Israelites who abandoned the Temple in Jerusalem and everything connected with it.
WHO SET A TABLE FOR GAD: The word "Gad" may be translated as “Troop.” Gad also was the name of an Israelite Tribe. It also can mean “luck”. It may also connote a particular pagan deity. The Medieval Commentator Radak (Kimchi) quotes (“Safer HaShorashim”) another authority (Rabbi Moshe Cohen) as saying that “Gad” was the name given by the Arabs to the planet Jupiter. Gad could be pronouncedas “God” and may be the source of the word “god” in English.
“NUMBER”: in Hebrew “Mani” which was also the name of a god, i.e. they were preparing a table for the god “Gad” and drink for the god “Mani”.
Cf. Alexander Hislop, “The Two Babylons”, chapter three:
# The name of the Lord Moon in the East seems to have been Meni, for this appears the most natural interpretation of the Divine statement in Isaiah lxv. 11, "But ye are they that forsake my holy mountain, that prepare a temple for Gad, and that furnish the drink-offering unto Meni."[15] There is reason to believe that Gad refers to the sun-god, and that Meni in like manner designates the moon-divinity.[16] Meni, or Manai, signifies "The Numberer," and it is by the changes of the moon that the months are numbered: Psalm civ. 19, "He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth the time of its going down." The name of the "Man of the Moon," or the god who presided over that luminary among the Saxons, was Mané, as given in the "Edda",[17] and Mani, in the "Voluspa."[18] That it was the birth of the "Lord Moon" that was celebrated among our ancestors at Christmas, we have remarkable evidence in the name that is still given in the lowlands of Scotland to the feast on the last day of the year, which seems to be a remnant of the old birth festival for the cakes then made are called Nûr-cakes, or Birth-cakes. That name is Hogmanay.[19] Now, "Hog-Manai" in Chaldee signifies "The feast of the Numberer;" in other words, the festival of Deus Lunus, or of the man of the Moon. To show the connection between country and country, and the inveterate endurance of old customs, it is worthy of remark that Jerome, commenting on the very words of Isaiah already quoted, about spreading "a table for Gad," and "pouring out a drink-offering to Meni," observes that it "was the custom so late as his time [in the fourth century], in all cities especially in Egypt and at Alexandria, to set tables, and furnish them with various luxurious articles of food, and with goblets containing a mixture of new wine, on the last day of the month and the year, and that the people drew omens from them in respect of the fruitfulness of the year."[20] The Egyptian year began at a different time from ours; but this is as near as possible (only substituting whisky for wine), the way in which Hogmanay is still observed on the last day of the last month of our year in Scotland. I do not know that any omens are drawn from anything that takes place at that time, but everybody in the south of Scotland is personally cognisant of the fact, that, on Hogmanay, or the evening before New Year's day, among those who observe old customs, a table is spread, and that while buns and other dainties are provided by those who can afford them, oat cakes and cheese are brought forth among those who never see oat cakes but on this occasion, and that strong drink forms an essential article of the provision. >>
We see from the quote of Hislop that the worship of Mani was practised amongst the Scandinavians (Edda), Saxons and Scottish as well as amongst other peoples.
Christianity and Prophecy:The followers of Jesus were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26) in ca.50 c.e. Before that time they had been known as Nazarenes which in the Middle East is pronounced the same as, or at least very similarly to, "Nosairi". In local Arabic the very name "Nosairi" is a diminutive for Christian!
Verses in Isaiah indicate that the exiled Israelites will be
adherents of a form of worship whose ideas parallelled those later adopted by mainstream Christianity:
Isaiah 49:6 " ..Raise up the Tribes of Jacob and the preserved [Hebrew: "Notseri"] of Israel to return for I have given you as a light unto the Gentiles for my salvation to reach unto the ends of the earth.
The word "NOTSERI" (translated in the KJ above as "Preserved") also connotes "enclosed" or "locked away", sometimes it is translated as "watchman"..In the verse above "notseri of Israel" refers to the Ten Tribes. As indicated the name "Notseri" hints at a form of Hebraised
semi-pagan religion which may then have been extant and from which one form of Christianity may have developed. In Hebrew "Notsri" was the name given to a Christian and is derived from the appellation they called themselves in the beginning. Whatever one thinks of Christianity, this interpretation and related expressions indicate that the Lost Ten Tribes at the time of their return (or just before it) will be practising a form of Christianity.
HEBREW VERBAL ROOTS: In Hebrew every single word may be considered as derived from a verbal root of three letters. All words based on the same three letters in the same order are assumed to have a similar internal meaning. The root "n-ts-r" is that from which the word "notsri" meaning Christian is derived allegedly in honour of Natsareth (Nazareth) which was considered the home-town of Jesus. It was suggested above that "notsri" had previously been the name for a type of religious practice ultimately perhaps derivable from the Lost Ten Tribes.
The above mentioned words "Nosairi", "Nasaraioi", "Nazareth", "Nazerini", "Nazarine", and so on (though transliterated differently) all are based on the same Semitic "n-ts-r" word root.
THE MEANING OF THE HEBREW ROOT "N-ts-r".
"N-ts-r" and its derivatives generally connotes preservation or guarding. The sprig (shoot) of a young tree is called a "n-ts-r" since it preserves and continues qualities of the parent. "N-ts-r" may therefore be applied to an heir or descendant.
A rod will come forth from Jesse and a "NeTSeR" (English: "branch") shall grow out of his roots (Isaiah 11:1); meaning the future Messiah who will be a descendant of David son of Jesse.
Isaiah (ch.19) speaks of Hillel Ben Shacher whose name is translated as "Lucifer, son of the morning". Whoever this person was, or will be, his image seems to be based upon that either of the King of Tyre or of the King of Babylon. This man (i.e. "Lucifer") claimed to be like God (Isaiah 19:13-14) yet he will be thrown out of his grave like an abominable "NeTSeR" (English: "branch" , Isaiah 14;19)*k.
There was a god named “Netser” worshipped by the Ancient Israelites. An inscription from about 750 BCE concerning this god has been found east of the Jordan in what was the former territory of Gad. Netser is described as descending to hell. The inscription is in a mixed hebrew-Aramaic dialect. It is described and translated in the book “Ephraim”.
The Children of Israel in the future will be the "NeTSeR" (English:
"branch") of God's planting (Isaiah 60;21).
God promises that the Tribes of Jacob (according to the context, meaning the Lost Ten Tribes in their places of exile) will be raised up, and the "NaTSuRi" (English: "preserved") of Israel restored; they shall
be a light to the gentiles and salvation unto the end
of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).
Isaiah, chapter 65, speaks mainly concerning the Ten Lost Tribes.
"I was sought of them that asked not for me; I made myself found to those who did not request me; I said, I am here, I am here, to a people who did not call my name (Isaiah 65:1).
"I spread my hand out all day long to a deviating people (65;2)
"...a people who were angering me...sacrificing in the gardens and offering incense...(65:3).
"Which remain among the graves and lodge in NoTSRim [English (KJ): "Monuments(*l)] who eat the flesh of swine and dishes made of improperlyslaughtered [i.e. non kosher] meat..(Isaiah 65:4).
Isaiah continues his description and depicts the northern Ten Tibes as eating bread and wine in a religious ceremony:
" ...for the sake of my servant I will not destroy all of them (Isaiah 65;8).
"I will bring seed out of Jacob and an inheritor of my mountains from Judah and he who is my chosen will inherit them and my servant shall inhabit
there....(Isaiah 65:9).
" And you who abandoned The LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who lay out a table for God (*) and for Mani(*m) fill the glass with consecrated wine
(Isaiah 65:11).
Isaiah, Chapter 66, is addressed to, and speaks of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, the Jews of Judah, individual Jews and Israelites whose ancestors were assimilated amongst the Gentiles, and the Gentiles themselves.
The root "n-ts-r" as mentioned connotes preservation and lends itself to the formation of words that are somehow connected with each other. Amongst these words is the Hebrew "notser" applied in the sense of "guard" or "watchman" since both are occupied with preservation:
Jeremiah (31:6) later again talks of "Notsrim" and in this case both the
simple sense of the passage as well as the opinion of most major
commentators (e.g. Yehonathan, Rashi, Radak, etc.) says that those spoken of are the exiled of Israel. Jeremiah predicts that these Lost Israelite "NoTSRim" (English: "watchmen") upon the mount of Ephraim,
"Shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God" (Jeremiah 31:6).
The only Commentator who does not think that this verse refers to the
returnees of Israel is Don Isaac Abarbanel (1437-1508) who interprets it differently. Even so, the opinion of Don Abarbanel is interesting since he also suggests that the word "Notsrim" used here refers to members of the Christian faith as it was received by the Romans of old:
"The Prophet foresaw through Divine Inspiration that the Roman descendants of Edom would believe [in that faith] and therefore they would be called by name Notsrim"30.
Don Abarbanel therefore at least supports our opinion that the appellation "Notsrim" was used by the prophets as referring to Christians.
The name "Notsrim" and its derivatives was later applied to the
Christians who at least superficially held parallel notions.
References in Isaiah (and Jeremiah?) to "Notsrim" in connection with the Lost Israelites together with other passages also in Isaiah (such as described religious practices, etc.) leave room to suppose
that the Lost Ten Tribes right up unto the End Times will be of a Christian persuasion and therefore must be searched for amongst the "Christian" nations. The fact is that the Lost Ten Tribes are amongst these peoples so why should the prophets have not mentioned it?
Isaiah 65:12 AND I WILL COUNT YOU OUT TO THE SWORD, AND ALL OF YOU SHALL KNEEL TO THE SLAUGHTER, SINCE I CALLED AND YOU DID NOT REPLY, I SPOKE AND YOU DID NOT HEARKEN, AND YOU DID WHAT WAS EVIL IN MY EYES, AND WHAT I DID NOT DESIRE, YOU CHOSE.
Isaiah 65:13 THEREFORE, SO SAID THE LORD GOD, "BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL EAT, BUT YOU SHALL BE HUNGRY; BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL DRINK, BUT YOU SHALL THIRST; BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL REJOICE, BUT YOU SHALL BE ASHAMED.
Isaiah 65:14 BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL SING FROM JOY OF HEART, BUT YOU SHALL CRY OUT FROM SORROW OF HEART, AND FROM A BROKEN SPIRIT YOU SHALL WAIL.
Isaiah 65:15 AND YOU SHALL LEAVE YOUR NAME FOR AN OATH FOR MY ELECT, "AND THE LORD GOD SHALL SLAY YOU," BUT TO HIS SERVANTS HE SHALL CALL ANOTHER NAME.
Isaiah 65:16 FOR WHOEVER HIMSELF ON THE EARTH SHALL BLESS HIMSELF BY THE TRUE GOD, AND WHOEVER SWEARS ON THE EARTH SHALL SWEAR BY THE TRUE GOD, FOR THE FIRST TROUBLES HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN AND THEY HAVE BEEN HIDDEN FROM MY EYES.
Isaiah 65:17 FOR BEHOLD, I CREATE NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, AND THE FIRST ONES SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED, NEITHER SHALL THEY COME INTO MIND.
Isaiah 65:18 BUT REJOICE AND EXULT FOREVER [IN] WHAT I CREATE, FOR BEHOLD I CREATE JERUSALEM A REJOICING AND ITS PEOPLE AN EXULTATION.
Isaiah 65:19 AND I WILL REJOICE WITH JERUSALEM, AND I WILL EXULT WITH MY PEOPLE, AND A SOUND OF WEEPING OR A SOUND OF CRYING SHALL NO LONGER BE HEARD THEREIN.
Isaiah 65:20 THERE SHALL NO LONGER BE FROM THERE A YOUTH OR AN OLD MAN WHO WILL NOT FILL HIS DAYS, FOR THE YOUTH WHO IS ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD SHALL DIE, AND THE SINNER WHO IS ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD SHALL BE CURSED.
Isaiah 65:21 AND THEY SHALL BUILD HOUSES AND INHABIT THEM, AND THEY SHALL PLANT VINEYARDS AND EAT THEIR FRUIT.
Isaiah 65:22 THEY SHALL NOT BUILD, AND ANOTHER INHABIT; THEY SHALL NOT PLANT, AND ANOTHER EAT, FOR LIKE THE DAYS OF THE TREE ARE THE DAYS OF MY PEOPLE, AND MY ELECT SHALL OUTLIVE THEIR HANDIWORK.
Isaiah 65:23 THEY SHALL NOT TOIL IN VAIN, NEITHER SHALL THEY BEAR FOR TERROR, FOR THEY ARE SEED BLESSED BY THE LORD, AND THEIR OFFSPRING SHALL BE WITH THEM.
Isaiah 65:24 AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THEY HAVE NOT YET CALLED, THAT I WILL RESPOND; WHEN THEY ARE STILL SPEAKING, THAT I WILL HEARKEN.
Isaiah 65:25 A WOLF AND A LAMB SHALL GRAZE TOGETHER, AND A LION, LIKE CATTLE, SHALL EAT STRAW, AND A SERPENT-DUST SHALL BE HIS FOOD; THEY SHALL NEITHER HARM NOR DESTROY ON ALL MY HOLY MOUNT," SAYS THE LORD.
“THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER”: Some say this is literal that the nature of man and beast will change. Others say it is allegorical and refers to an improved state in human affairs.
Similarly we had a similar verse previously:
[Isaiah 11:6] THE WOLF SHALL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, AND THE LEOPARD SHALL LIE DOWN WITH THE KID, AND THE CALF AND THE LION AND THE FATLING TOGETHER, AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM.
“THE WOLF SHALL DWELL WITH THE LAMB” Some take this literally others see it as a metaphor just meaning that things will be better and there will be peace on earth. No more war, oppression, or violence.
It is worth quoting Maimonides (1135-1204 CE) on this passage:
[Free Translation] # Do not imagine that in the Times of the Messiah anything of this world will be abolished or that anything new will occur in the way of creation. On the contrary the world will continue as it always has done. That which it says in Isaiah
“THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER” [Isaiah 11:6] is a parable and allegory. The truth of the matter is that Israel will be settled securely alongside the evildoers of the world who are compared to a wolf and a leopard, as it says,
“A WOLF OF THE EVENINGS SHALL SPOIL THEM, A LEOPARD SHALL WATCH OVER THEIR CITIES” [Jeremiah 5:6]. Everyone of them will return to the true faith. They will not steal or destroy but rather eat permitted food with Israel. As it says,
“ THE LION SHALL EAT STRAW LIKE THE OX” [Isaiah 11:7]. Similarly everything said in connection with these matters concerning the Messiah are parables. In the Times of the Messiah it will be made known to all what subject each parable was referring to and what was hinted about it. >> (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings, Chapter 12, Halachah 1).