Ephesians 5:27 informs us that God is going to have a Church - "...a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
While looking around at the present-day churches, we can easily see that many do not fit this description.
How will God do it?
How will He ever get His church ready for His Son's Second Coming?
 
Isaiah 4 opens up with a description of the horrible effects of war.
 
"And in that day" - A terrible judgment was in the land. Multitudes of the mighty men were cut off - they were fallen by the sword in war. As chastening upon the women who were so caught up with their physical appearance at the expense of their spiritual condition, they were left carrying the reproach of being unmarried and childless.
 
Rather than suffer such shame, they did something that was rather odd.
 
Isaiah 4:1 tells us - "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach."
 
The number "seven" is oftentimes used to denote an indefinite amount. So when the Scripture mentions "seven women," it actually indicates a larger amount.
 
What did these "seven women" do?
 
The Prophet Isaiah prophesied that they "shall take hold of one man..."
 
Why is this strange?
 
It is "natural modesty" for a man to pursue a woman while courting. He is to be the aggressive one in the relationship. Yet here in this scenario we have the woman seeking after the man - not one woman for one man - several women chasing after after "one man."
 
With utmost earnestness and passion, these arrogant women of Jerusalem were begging "one man" to be their husband and protector - to father their children and take away their reproach of being unmarried. 
 
They bargained with these men by saying - "...We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach."
 
In other words, just give us your name - let us be associated with you - and we will be satisfied. We don't mind the fact that we have to share you with many other wives. We simply want someone to "cover" us - to husband and protect us.
 
Actually, they were looking for this "man" to protect them from the awful "Hand" of Almighty God which was bringing judgment upon them for their pride and rebellion.
 
In reading about these women in Isaiah 4, we cannot help but see a picture of the present-day Church. Like these "seven women," the church, in general, is "puffed up" when she should be humbling herself under the Mighty Hand of God. The "leaven" of sin is in her midst, yet she is only concerned about her "physical appearance" - numbers in attendance every Sunday, the amount of the offerings, what prestigious people attend her services, how acceptable she is in the community, how many members are in the choir, etc.
 
1 Corinthians 5:2 - Rather than mourn for her backslidden and worldly state, she is "puffed up" - full of pride.
 
Colossians 2:18-19 - She is "vainly puffed up" by her "fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from Which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God."
 
Like these "seven women" in the book of Isaiah, many churches are suffering the reproach of being barren and lifeless. They are dead - bearing no fruit.
 
Instead of "holding the Head" - which is none other than the Lord Jesus - they are "taking hold" of another "man" - the world - begging it to be their "covering" or let them be "called by thy name."

Because many of the churches have lost out with God through their pride and rebellion - refusing to let the Holy Spirit have His way and move as He directs - they have relegated themselves to man's programs and methodologies on how to draw a crowd, reach the people, keep their interests, deliver them from bondages, etc. Resultantly, instead of the preaching of the Gospel, many of our pulpits are filled with the philosophies and ideologies of men rather than God's Truth. Instead of the Scriptures being preached from Sunday to Sunday, congregations are subjected to man's 12-step programs or success methodologies. And the people love to have it so!
 
Like the "seven women" in Isaiah, many churches are going after the world, begging - "...let us be called by thy name...We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel...just simply take away our reproach of being barren and childless."

The Lord Jesus is coming back for a Bride Who is preparing herself solely for Him. He is her one and only "man." She is not seeking to "take hold" of another for anything. She needs nothing and no one but Him!
 
God will have a church where Jesus Christ is the only "Head" - not Bishops, Pastors, Superintendents, Apostles, Prophets, or Deacons. Jesus will have the Preeminence - not man! His Word will be followed - not man's programs, philosophies, ideologies, or methodologies.

Isaiah 4:4 tells us - "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning."
 
God will bring every church - represented by His name - to the place where Jesus Christ is solely exalted and praised. He will accomplish this Mighty Task, using "judgment" and "burning."
 
The Apostle Peter warned us - "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"(1 Peter 4:17)

God will send calamities and judgments to humble her. He will send His Holy Ghost Fire to purge and purify her.
 
In using the words - "spirit of burning" - the Holy Spirit - through the Prophet - was alluding to a chemist purifying metals. In the process, the first thing he does is assesses the state of the adulterated metal. He then kindles the fire accordingly. Lastly, he separates the precious from the vile.
 
Today, God is assessing the state of each individual church called by His name.
He is determining just how much
...man is in control rather than Himself
...man's programs are followed rather than His Spirit
...man's doctrines are adhered to rather than His Word
...man is exalted and revered rather than His Son Jesus.
 
Accordingly, He is determining what type of calamities, judgments, or afflictions are needed to bring each congregation back to Himself and His Word. Some churches will receive greater punishments - based on the degree to which man is exalted over God.

God will have a people who are in love with Him and not the world. He will have a people who follow His Spirit and Word - not man's programs, philosophies, ideologies, and methodologies. We can be certain of that!

Isaiah 4:2 goes on to say - "In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel."

God's people will then be "called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem" (Isaiah 4:3). They will not be the "friends of the world" but His friends - whose names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.
 
"written among the living" - The Jews had a custom of registering the names of each tribe or family in a catalogue. As long as the person was alive, his name was kept in tact. At death, it was removed.
 
God will not be responsible for any churches who are spiritually dead - due to their reliance on man and his methods at the total exclusion of the Holy Spirit and the Word. His people are "written among the living." The "spirit of judgment" and the "spirit of burning" will separate the dead from the living.

Isaiah 4:5 pictures this for us - "And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence."
 
The "cloud...by day" and the "flaming fire by night" stood over the tabernacle in the wilderness as an indication to God's people that He was their guide and protection. As long as they stayed under His "covering," they were safe from all harm.
 
As God manifested His presence among the children of Israel, so does He desire to do the same in all of the "assemblies" today. In order for that to happen, man must get out of the way, and let the Lord have full control.
 
When this happens, He will be "a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain"(Isaiah 4:6). All weary travelers of this world will gladly come to the "assemblies" looking for "a place of refuge" for their souls.
 
No church will need to follow man's 2, 3, 5, or 12-step programs to draw the crowds or deliver the people.
God will be the main attraction. He will perform His mighty acts.
All those who are "heavy-laden" under the burden of sin will come - drawn by the Holy Spirit Who - by the way - exalts no one but Jesus!
 
May God Bless His Word.
Connie