FEAST OF TABERNACLES - Day 1

Fred Coulter - September 25, 1999

And greetings brethren, to the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. And today is a holy day, a high day, a day in which we come to understand about God’s Word and God’s plan in a very special way. And I hope that you all were inspired by the welcome that you had for the feast, whether last night or this morning. And brethren, hope that this feast will be one of the very best that you have ever had.

Now let’s go to Leviticus 23, because in Leviticus 23 we have all the holy days of God. And this is a very important part for us. And this is something that is very special for us to realize. And isn’t it profound. I really believe it is truly profound, that God put all of the holy days in Leviticus 23, one of the chapters in the Old Testament, so that those people who would blind themselves to the truth of God because they want their own way, or they want their own ideas, or as we covered last night - they set up their own religion in their own imagination of their minds and create idols out of them. So God conveniently hid the holy days right here in Leviticus 23. Yet, when you come to understand it, the whole plan of God is built around the holy days. The whole plan of God is revealed in the holy days. And the whole Bible is written around the substance of these holy days. That’s how profound and important they are. That’s why the weekly Sabbath is so important.

So let’s begin right here in Leviticus 23:1. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD,…” And this means that they belong to Him. The feasts of the LORD - they are His. They belong to no man. These are not the feasts of the Jews. And you will find nowhere in these feasts of the LORD, Christmas or Easter, or Sunday worship at all. No, these show the entire opposite of that. “…Which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations,…” Now the Hebrew is very particular here. The Hebrew means “appointed times” for holy convocations. And that means that God has set the time. And it is in it’s seasons. “…These are My feasts.” And it begins first of all, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation;…” So every week God has an appointment with you. Every Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. And God has given that as a special time that He can fellowship with His people spiritually wherever they are gathered, or with just two or three because there maybe only two or three. “…Ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings” (Lev. 23:1-3).

Then it continues on verse 4, “These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations,…” That means commanded assemblies, appointed times. “…Which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” Now the apostle Paul wrote Timothy, “Preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season. Rebuke, correct, exhort, encourage with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2, paraphrased). And so that’s what we’re going to do brethren. And doctrine means teaching. And one of the great doctrines of God, or teachings of God are the holy days as contained here in Leviticus 23. So these are to be proclaimed in their season. We’ve already gone through the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Pentecost, and the Day of Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement, and now here we are for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Now let’s read it beginning in verse 33. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel,…” Now notice something that’s very important. The law of Moses, so called, is really the law of God. The only thing that Moses did was write it. Everything that he wrote was what God told him to speak and to write. Now notice: “…Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.” That’s this day. “On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” Whenever you read that, that means that you can do whatever is necessary for preparing for eating for the feast. “Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD:…” Today we don’t offer offerings by fire. We offer offerings of monetary value because we’re not in an agrarian society like they were any longer. “…On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat [meal] offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: besides the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD” (vs. 33-38).

Now we know that we are to take an offering on the holy day. Now we’re commanded back there in Deuteronomy 16:16 that three seasons in a year shall all the males appear before God, in the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of firstfruits, and the feast of tabernacles, and none shall appear before the LORD empty. But every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD his God. (Deut. 16:16, paraphrased) Now this is something that we need to understand. God wants you to give freely. Now we do teach tithing because that’s taught in the Old Testament and also in the New, when you come to understand it properly. And God does expect an offering. However, we don’t merchandise you. We don’t send out letters begging for money, but we ask that you give whatever you give, freely. Because what we receive we give freely also. So that’s the way that God intended it to be. So that it will be in a right way, and in a right manner. And so consider the blessings that you’ve had this year. Consider what God has given to you, and make your offering according to your heart that you give willingly and freely to God, to God’s glory, and we will use whatever you give to God’s glory to do the things that benefit all the brethren, which is what God want’s it for. And so thank you for it brethren. At this time we’ll take a short pause and we will take up the offering.

(Pause)

Now let’s continue right on here in Leviticus 23. “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land,…” So this is the final harvest. This is the great harvest of God. Greater than the firstfruits, greater than the spring harvest. This is the harvest which pictures the salvation for the whole world. That’s why it’s in the end of the year. “…Ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees,…” (vs. 39-40). Now we’ve done this in the past. We have not made booths because when we go to wherever we keep the Feast of Tabernacles it’s a temporary dwelling. And a temporary dwelling is made of those things of the ground. Made of the things of wood and trees and lumber and all that sort of thing. And I’ve seen pictures of how it is in Jerusalem when they keep the Feast of Tabernacles. They have little booths, they’re little kind of square tents that they have, and they get the boughs and put them in there. Well, one year, for the Feast of Tabernacles we went ahead and we broke off some maple boughs with the leaves, and we brought them in. And every day we looked at them. And every day they got drier and drier, and drier, and finally by the eighth day they were all dried up and crinkled and just ready to be thrown away. And we learned some very good lessons from that. And the very good lessons we learned was this: unless you are part of the vine and attached to Christ, you’re going to die, number one. Number two, all physical things come to an end. Number three, physical things never satisfy and can never bring eternal life.

Now God wanted the people to remember that they dwelt in booths when they went through the wilderness. Temporary dwellings. Even God had a tabernacle made for Him. God never desired a temple. That was the desire of David. But God allowed it, and Solomon to build the temple. And the whole history of that is this: every time a man builds a temple for God, it gets in trouble, because then people stop looking to God and look to the building. So that’s why God dwelt in a tabernacle. That’s why God dwelt in a tent. And the true tabernacle is going to come in the fulfillment of the Last Great Day, as we will see with New Jerusalem.

So they were to take these boughs and “…rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD” (vs. 40-44). Now these are all the feasts of God. There’s a purpose and meaning for it. Part of it is right now that we are beginning the Feast of Tabernacles, which we will see pictures the one thousand-year rule and reign with Christ.

Let’s go back to Revelation 20 and let’s see that again. Let’s pick up where we left off last night, Revelation 20. And this is a tremendous blessing brethren. The thousand years is going to begin. The thousand years is going to end. Just like with those branches you broke off. Right at first they still look a little green. Right at first there’s a little life in them, but gradually there’s less and less and less life. So likewise when we come to the Feast of Tabernacles it’s going to start, it’s going to be a building process, it’s going to be glorious, and we’re going to see all about that today on the first holy day. Then it’s going to come to an end. And when it comes to an end, then God’s plan still has one more phase to continue.

But let’s read it right here in verse 4 of Revelation 20. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” So that’s a special blessing. The bride of Christ is going to live with Jesus Christ and rule and reign a thousand years. And we are going to be blessed in being able to do that. We are going to help this world. We’re going to restore this world. We are going to do everything that these lying politicians of this world, under the sway of Satan the devil, have been promising people. We’re going to do it. They are never going to do it because they’re not of God, and God didn’t send them, and God is not using them. But God is going to use us.

Notice, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” So there’s going to be an end to it just like there’s a beginning. That’s why the book of Revelation starts out, “I am the beginning and the ending, the first and the last.” And so Christ is the one Who has started it. Christ is the one Who is going to finish it. “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (vs. 5-6).

Now let’s ask the question: what are we going to do? We’re going to live and reign with Christ a thousand years as kings and priests. Let’s see what we are going to do. Let’s see how it’s going to be done. Let’s see what the Word of God tells us. Let’s begin right here in the book of Acts because that was preached right from the beginning. Now the apostles, when they began preaching, did not know the times. They did not know the seasons. God had not revealed it to them yet. What God has revealed to us is very profound.

Come to Acts 3 and let’s pick it up in verse 19. The Apostle Peter was inspired to say, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:…” So Christ said, “If I go I will come again.” And He’s going to. And He’s going to come, as we saw on Trumpets with all the power and glory of God. “…Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,…” So there is a time when Christ is going to come. There is a time when all of these things will be fulfilled. And that’s why we keep the feast every year leading up to that so we know, so that we grow in grace and knowledge, so that we understand God’s way, so that we realize that there is a time coming, which is the restitution of all things. “…Which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21). And so it is in the prophets that we find many of these things. And isn’t it wonderful that God has given His word that we can go back and look at it and read it and realize that God has proposed this, God has had this going way, way back.

Let’s go to Hebrews 4 first, and let’s see something that is very important. Now in Hebrews 4 it talks about how that entering into the promised land, the rest that Israel was to receive, was a type of the coming millennium. A type of the promised wonderful blessing of the world which God is going to have during the millenium. Now many of them didn’t enter in because of fear and disobedience.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 4. “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.” Now the reason that I’m going here is because the holy days are sabbaths, and the holy days picture the plan of God, and a profound meaning in it. “And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest.” So it’s conditional upon your believing Christ, accepting His sacrifice, believing in the promises of God. “Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief [or, disobedience]: again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4:4-7). And brethren, today is a day that we need to listen to God so that we don’t harden our hearts, but we open our hearts and our minds.

“For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest,…”, as it should read. It says Jesus here, but it should be Joshua. So if Joshua brought them into the rest of God. Now the “rest of God” means two things. One, the rest from sin that you have in Christ. Two, the rest of the millennium, where it says “And his rest shall be glorious”. So that’s what it has reference to, and Joshua didn’t give it to them. “…Then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” But there has been spoken of another day. “There remaineth therefore a rest…” (vs. 8-9). Now this is really a poor translation and should be translated this way, which I have in the New Testament, which will be coming sometime in the year 2000. Which is this, “There remains therefore for the people of God Sabbath-keeping.” Now that is a very direct translation from the Greek. And it’s not all mixed up with this rest.

Now let’s understand something concerning the Sabbath rest. Christ did not fulfill the Sabbath for anybody. And that is the first step into leaving the Word of God. And that’s what so many have done. “Christ has fulfilled it for us.” No! If you enter into His rest there remains Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. Now who are the people of God, just the Jews? No, the Gentiles are too, because Paul in Ephesians 2 told the Gentiles that in past time they were uncircumcised in the flesh and without God. But now they are near to God and they are the people of God. So when it says the “people of God” here, that is Jew and Gentile. All who have the Holy Spirit of God, they are to have Sabbath-keeping, meaning all the holy days of God, which we just read. This first day of the Feast of Tabernacles is what? A Sabbath. Yes. Now that becomes crystal clear, doesn’t it?

“For he that is entered into his rest [through Sabbath-keeping], he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His” (vs. 10). Now there’s another meaning to this also, not only Sabbath-keeping. Sabbath-keeping is not your works. Loving God is not your works. Those are the works which come from God. So you have ceasing your labor to enter to keep the Sabbath. You have ceasing from doing your own works by Christ in you performing those spiritual things so that you are truly in the rest of Christ. And that’s what it means with that. “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest [in Sabbath-keeping, and into the millennium - the restitution of all things], lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (vs. 10-11). So that’s pretty powerful. Now Christ is the one Who’s going to do this.

Let’s go back to Isaiah 9 and let’s see, as Peter said, that has been prophesied by all the prophets. And Isaiah, perhaps, gave more prophecies concerning the coming kingdom of God and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ than any of the other prophets. And we will spend quite a bit of time in the book of Isaiah today.

Now let’s pick it up here, Isaiah 9:6. “For unto us a child is born,…” Now then this begins to show the whole plan of God, doesn’t it? “…Unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder:…”, because He only is holy and true and righteous. So you see, the government of God is Christ in you. That is the true government of God. And I hope you understand that with the booklet that we sent out, “Is the Government of God The Ministry?” No, it’s not. The government rests on Christ. Who is the head of the Church? Jesus Christ. Who should we look to in everything that we do? Jesus Christ and His word, and His gospel. “…And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor [now these are all names of God], The mighty God [or, the Almighty God as it could read], The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Now Jesus is going to be the everlasting Father when the Bride and Christ, during the millennium, start bringing children into the kingdom of God. And in that time then He’s going to be the everlasting Father. “Of the increase of His government and peace [if you shall enter into His rest, you see] there shall be no end,…” (Isa. 9:6-7). So once God starts it, it is going to be finished. And it will never stop. It will increase throughout all eternity. And brethren, we’re going to have a great and a wonderful part in that. So we need to understand and realize how great that is, the part that God is going to give us. So Christ is the one Who is going to bring the government of God to this earth.

We know in Zechariah 14… Let’s turn there because this is very profound. This ties in with the other scriptures that we have already seen that we are going to live and reign with Christ a thousand years. And we are going to, after the marriage and after the seven last plagues have been poured out, as we saw on the Feast of Trumpets, that we are going to return to this earth with Christ. Now notice when that happens, verse 9. “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one.” And all of the nations are then going to start keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, verse 16. “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all [not just some, but all] the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech. 14:9, 16). Now this doesn’t mean all people of all nations will come to Jerusalem. There are going to be representatives from all nations there keeping the feast there while the rest of them keep the feast in their own countries. And so it’s going to be quite a thing that God is going to do, that God is going to perform. He’s going to make sure that it’s going to be done.

“And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” So God is going to, as we’re going to see, He’s going to have to rebuke nations afar off. He’s going to have to bring them into subjection to Him. And we’re all going to be part of that. “And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” So that’s how important the Feast of Tabernacles is going to be during the millennium, because the whole Feast of Tabernacles during the millennium pictures the fulfillment of the thousand year period. And it will continue. Every year is ticking off one year from the thousand going right on down until the thousand years will be finished. “This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (vs. 17-19). And so Christ is going to be King. He’s going to enforce those things. We are going to have our part with it.

Now who is going to be there in the tabernacle? Well let’s go back here to Psalm 15. Let’s see the qualifications and then let’s see how that ties in with something that Isaiah spoke of, showing who’s going to be there. Psalm 15, let’s go back there. Psalm 15:1, “LORD, who shall abide [or that is, dwell] in Thy tabernacle?…” Now that’s going to be those of us who are in the first resurrection. “…Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?” Then he gives the qualifications. “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.” So this is showing that you have to have the love of God. “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent, He that doeth these things shall never be moved” (Psa. 15:1-5).

Now let’s continue on and go back to the book of Isaiah. Let’s come to Isaiah 33:15. Now I want you to notice how similar these words are describing who’s going to be on God’s holy hill. “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in His beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off” (Isa. 33:15-17). And so, that’s who’s going to be there, and that’s us brethren. Notice the things that we have to do. Notice the things that we have to understand and realize and live by on a day to day basis.

Now let’s come down here to Isaiah 14 and let’s see that this is the whole purpose of God. The whole purpose that God is working out right now is coming right down to the fulfilling of Trumpets and Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. And we are going to have a marvelous part in that. Remember this here in Isaiah 14:24. “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:…” And no one is going to go against God. You see, God will build on no man’s foundation. The millennium is not going to be built on any foundation of this world, but on Christ and on God the Father, and on the saints. He has purposed it. It’s gone out of His mouth. It is going to be done.

Now verse 25, “…I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.” And that’s all necessary with the Feast of Trumpets leading up to the Day of Atonement and then the Feast of Tabernacles. “This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” (vs. 25-27). None. So we are absolutely sure in what we are doing, brethren. Absolutely sure in following God. And if we come to God in the right way, with the right heart, with the right mind, with a right attitude, and all of these things and love God, and know that His way is great and the best that there can ever be. Yes, we’re going to have our sufferings and difficulties in this life as we go along, that’s true. But that’s all to mold us and to shape us, and to bring us into the right reality of how we can serve as kings and priests.

Now let’s come to Jeremiah 31, and let’s see what we are going to do. Because you see the New Covenant that God makes with Israel and with Judah is not the covenant that we have today. The covenant that we have today is a New Covenant, but not the New Covenant with Israel and Judah, except those few who have been called as the firstfruits. And then it goes to all the Gentiles. But now when Christ returns, and He’s going to have a New Covenant with Israel.

Let’s pick it up right here, Jeremiah 31:31. “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD,…” Now when God says something, if it’s gone out of His mouth it’s going to be. “…That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:…” (Jer. 31:31-32). So He’s going to make this New Covenant. Israel is going to be restored. Judah is going to be restored. All the nations of the world will be restored and brought to their own places.

Verse 33, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people.” And we will be right there as kings and priests with Christ helping them. We are going to teach them. See, right here, Jeremiah (verse) 34 it says, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (vs. 33-34).

Now they’re going to be taught in a unique way. Let’s go to Isaiah 30. Going to be taught in a unique way and we’re going to be the ones who will be teaching them. Now let’s come here to Isaiah 30:18. “And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you [fulfill it in His time plan], and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him.” And then the whole world is going to be waiting for God. Not going out and doing their own thing and going their own way and conniving their own schemes and plans and things. No. Not having their own idols invisible in their heart, as we covered last night. No, they’re all going to know God.

“For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee. And though the LORD give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction [that is, in time past, yet now it’s going to be different], yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:…” The people are going to see us brethren. We are going to be apparent to them. Think of that. “…And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it,…” So it’s not going to be every man teaching his neighbor. They’re going to know the Lord and we’re going to be teaching them, and we’re going to be showing them how to walk, how to live their lives. “…This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, [they’re going to smash all their idols, they’re going to get rid of]…the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence” (vs. 19-22). So there isn’t going to be anymore of that. What a first part of the millennium that’s going to begin. The first thing we’re going to do is make sure that every idol, every sculpture that has ever been made that [are] depicting of God, or gods, or demons, or dragons, or Satan - they’re all going to be smashed, whether they be stone, or silver, or gold, or wood, whatever it may be. And this world is going to be in such an upheaval that it’s going to destroy the greatest part of them, but those will be searched out and destroyed just like it says here. They will be no more.

Now let’s come here to Isaiah 49. Let’s see what else is going to happen. The millennium is going to be a great and a marvelous thing, brethren, when we really understand it. So let’s hope that we can catch the vision. Let’s hope that this will really inspire us when we see what God is going to do, and how He’s going to do it, and the way He’s going to do it, and that we have part in it.

Isaiah 49:1, “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb;…” Now this is talking about Jesus. This is talking about the one Who’s going to be King, and Who’s going to do all of these things, and of which we are going to have a part in. “…From the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name.” Yes, the angel told Mary what to call Him before He was even born. “And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword;…” And that’s what it says back there in Revelation 19, doesn’t it? That out of His mouth, as He’s coming to this earth, as a sharp two-edged sword, which is the Word of God accomplishing the Word of God in battle. “…In the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me; and said unto me, Thou art My servant, O Israel,…” So Christ at this point personified all Israel, “…in whom I will be glorified” (Isa. 49:1-3).

Now let’s come down here to verse 5. “And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be…gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.” Now it says “not gathered” there in the King James, but it should read “Though Israel be gathered”. Verse 6. “And He said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel:…”, the restitution of all things, and Peter said Christ was going to do that. “…I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.” And that could be only be talking about Jesus Christ. None other. “Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation[s] abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee” (vs. 5-7). And so then we are going to bring this tremendous, wonderful salvation of God.

Notice verse 8, “Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee:…” And that’s what it’s going to be in the millennium - a day of salvation. “…I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted” (vs. 8-13). So that’s a tremendous thing. And we are going to have all part in doing that, brethren, to make this happen. And that should just really excite us and thrill us, and give us the real vision and knowledge and understanding that we need to have.

Now let’s come here to Micah 5. And this shows also what else we are going to be doing. I tell you, it’s amazing. When you start putting all these prophecies together, when you start understanding what God has done, what He has preserved in His word. Micah 5:4. We are going to serve the world. We are going to bless the world. We are going to help them in every way. Notice verse 4, “And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.” And that’s talking about Christ, Who shall be King in that day. Exalted above all. And we, right there with Him brethren. I want you to get this picture. I want you to get this vision. I want you to understand the great and marvelous purpose of the millennium and the thousand year reign that we will have part in to serve with Jesus Christ. To serve the world. To undo every wrong, and to make the things that are wrong right. To bring them back to the way that God wants it in the restitution of all things.