"THE GOD OF JESHURUN"
“The God of Jeshurun”
“As Willows by the Flowing Waters”
Sunday, May 18, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Isaiah 44: 2, 3 & 4: “Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring; And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.”
Jesurun or Jeshurun means straight or even. The symbolic meaning is upright or righteous; most upright; most beloved; here it refers to the faith and purity of the patriarchs of the founders of the nation.
I was drawn to this verse because we will be having our services in the Willow Room of the Willow Fork Country Club.
As “the God of Jeshurun” the Lord speaks to us under that glorious covenant-name that we are heirs to the blessings which follow. All the spiritual seed of Israel are “upright”, and “righteous” through the righteousness of “the Righteous One, Jesus Christ”. It is in Him alone that our feet stand in an “even place”. “Surely shall one say, in the Lord I have righteousness and strength…In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory” (Isa. 45L: 24-25).
The "God of Jeshurun" is the "everlasting covenant" name promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob.
These verses are a special promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Can it be a co-incidence that we have found a place of “refuge” for this season in the “Willow”? Could it be that we have entered into the promise of “There is none like the God of Jeshurun…the eternal God our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms”. (Deut. 33:26-27)
In Isa. 44:3, the water poured out on the thirsty and dry grounds is clearly identical with the second promise of I will pour My Spirit upon your seed and will pour floods on dry ground. I will pour my blessing upon your offspring.
The double promise expresses plenty in abundance. Both the water and the floods, the rain from heaven and the mountain-torrents to refresh the parched land. This is prophetic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church of God. “They shall spring up as among the grass; as willows by the water-courses.”
These willows by the water-brooks are spoken of in the book of Job as the lair or covert of Behemoth.
The detailed description of Behemoth is in Job 40:15-24: Behemoth points to the Lord Jesus Christ and his brethren; thus the corporate Son.
Job 40:19 is the key that points Behemoth as metaphorical of the Lord Jesus Christ. “He is the chief of the ways of God; He that made him can make his sword to approach to him.” This is the principle of firstfruits! (See teaching on Job 40- Bible Studies – www.eastgateministries.com)
The willow contributed its part in forming the booths or tents constructed during the Feast of Tabernacles. It was therefore a joyous festal emblem; and is prophetically suggestive of that future season of revival which we now know as the Glory of God.
The willow, of all trees, was most dependent on moisture, so it is a beautiful and appropriate emblem of the Believer and the Church, moistened and refreshed by the influences of the Holy Spirit; when He comes down “like rain upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth,”---causing those who in themselves are dry, sapless, dead, to become “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified”.
Jesus confirms the interpretation of this figurative language in his glorious words: “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink.” This He spoke of the Spirit, which all who believes on Him will receive.”
“This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
We have had wonderful seasons of refreshing and revival. The Lord poured out during the time of John the Baptist, Jesus, Pentecost, the ministry of the Apostles.
The church backslid in the dark ages under the Roman Church; in 1517, there was another refreshing under Martin Luther as he laid again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith (Justification by Faith); then the doctrine of water baptism by immersion in 1524; and the Holy Ghost Baptism in 1906 by Charles Parham and William Seymour.
In 1948, through George Hawtin there was another outpouring of the laying on of hands and the restoration of the Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist and Teacher to the church.
This continued during the 1950’s (the evangelists); the 1960’s and 70’s (the pastors and teachers); the 1980’s (the prophets) and the 1990’s (the apostles).
However, I believe these are only foretastes---the pledges and harbingers of yet greater abundance. Jehovah has uttered a yet unfulfilled challenge to His Church---“Prove me now herewith, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Mal. 3:10).
“Ask of the Lord rain the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain to every one grass in the field” (Zech 10:1`).
In chapter 35, Isaiah again uses the metaphor under the descending rain of God’s Spirit: “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”
We have felt the early drops of the showers to come. But I believe a great outpouring of the Spirit of God will usher in the Harvest of all the deposits of the Kingdom of God in the earth since its creation.
In Deut. 33: 4-5: In Moses final address to his congregation before his death, He spoke this blessing: “Moses was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.” He commanded a blessing upon the twelve tribes of Israel. 33:26-29: “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides upon the heaven to your help, and in His excellency on the sky. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath is the everlasting arms. He shall thrust out the enemy from before you; and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also His heavens shall drop down dew. Happy are you, O Israel; who is like to you, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your Excellency! And your enemies shall be found liars to you; and you shall tread upon their high places.”
Could it be a coincidence that I preached on “The Dew of Heaven”, just last Sunday evening?
As “the God of Jeshurun” He speaks to us, His glorious covenant-name of Excellency, uprightness, and righteousness of His glorious promise that He will pour out His Holy Spirit upon the seed.
To the Patriarch, Abraham was the promise given – Gen. 17:7:
“I will establish my covenant between me and thee and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto you, and to your seed after you.”
Gal. 3:16: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, and to seeds as of many; but as the One, and to your seed, which is Christ.”
We are a prophetic people. The Lord has used Eastgate Ministries as a prophetic sign to many of what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Could it be that by us finding “refuge” at Willow Fork Country Club and in the Willow Room this is a “sign” of the beginning of the outpouring promised to us as a church Body and to the greater Body of Christ of the streams of comfort and blessing to the Church in all ages? “I will pour my Spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring; and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by flowing waters.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of John Ross MacDuff (1818-1895), “The Harp Taken From the Willows”---Public Domain --- Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Rev. MacDuff.