Feast of Tabernacles—Day 6

Work of Christ & the Bride

Fred R. Coulter—October 18, 2011

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Greetings everyone, welcome to day six of the Feast of Tabernacles, 2011. Time sure goes by fast—doesn’t it? Yes, indeed! Tomorrow will be the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, then we will have the Last Great Day. Let’s continue on with what the Millennium is going to be like. This time, it will be: What is the work of Christ and the bride?

We’re going to work together to help bring Israel back, to help teach all nations. Let’s see what the work of Christ and the bride will be. In Revelation 19 and let’s see where it talks about the marriage of the Lamb and the wedding supper of the Lamb. Also, where it talks about the return of Christ to the earth, and, of course, that’s going to be the bride and Christ and the armies and everything that is there. It’s going to be something!

We have to go back to just before the Feast of Trumpets and on the Sea of Glass. Let’s pick it up here in Revelation 19:1: “And after these things I heard the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Hallelujah!…. [praise God!] …The salvation and the glory and the honor and the power belong to the Lord our God. For true and righteous are His judgments; for He hasjudged the great whore, who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.’ And they said a second time, ‘Hallelujah!….’” (vs 1-3).

We’re going to see that they say it four times here, because these are momentous events and this sets up what is going to be the work of Christ and the bride through all the Millennium. This is quite a thing—isn’t it? Yes, indeed!

“‘…And her smoke shall ascend upward into the ages of eternity.’…. [Once it escapes out of the atmosphere of the earth, particles of the smoke will go on and on and on.] …And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, Who sits on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’” (vs 3-4).

Let’s answer the question of a ‘great multitude’ because it says in the King James Version that ‘of much people in heaven.’ Well, that’s not a bad translation, but the people who are in heaven are those who have been perfected and glorified.

Verse 5: “And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all His servants, and all who fear Him, both small and great.’ And I heard a voice like that of a great multitude… [or ‘much people’] …and like the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty has reigned. Let us be glad and shout with joy; and let us give glory to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready’” (vs 5-7). We’re going to be the wife and we have to make ourselves ready.

Verse 5: “And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all His servants, and all who fear Him, both small and great.’ And I heard a voice like that of a great multitude, and like the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty has reigned. Let us be glad and shout with joy; and let us give glory to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready’ And it was granted to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. (vs 5-8).

So, we have to make ourselves ready—we’ve already talked about that, how we grow and change and overcome with the Spirit of God and so forth.

Verse 9: “And he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’”

Now, let’s come over here to Revelation 22, and after we see things concerning New Jerusalem and so forth, then we come to a section where it talks about Christ and the bride and, again, Christ being in the spirit here.

Revelation 22:16: “‘I, Jesus, sent My angel to testify these things to you in the churches….’” That’s why the book of Revelation is so important. Isn’t it interesting that only the wise in the churches—those who love God and obey Him—have been granted the understanding of the book of Revelation? Isn’t that something?

So, it is: “‘…to you in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who thirsts come; and let the one who desires partake of the water of life freely” (vs 16-17).

What is the work of the bride and Christ? ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.’

Let’s come back to Isaiah 55, and here is what’s going to go out. Here is a time of preaching the Gospel: the whole world, all nations are going to learn. They’re not all going to submit at once. But God is first going to deal with Israel, the nations of Israel, and then those nations that come up to Jerusalem, that say, ‘Come, let us go up to the house of Jacob’—to the house of God, the God of Jacob—and He will ‘teach us of His ways, for the Law shall go forth from Zion.’ There’s also going to go personal salvation, too.

We will see what it’s going to be. We’re going to see a little later that this is going to be very affective, because the human heart is going to be changed back to what it was before Adam and Eve sinned. Here’s the message that’s going to go out:

Isaiah 55:1: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters… [the Spirit of God; the water is the life that comes from God] …and he who has no money, come, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And your labor for what never satisfies? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness” (vs 1-2).

Eating what is good is not only the physical things, but God is going to restore all things back as they were. As we started out in the first of the Feast of Tabernacles, the restoration of all things. That means the restoration of the planet, restoration of the plants, food, animals and how we saw that it’s going to be a phenomenal thing that the nature of animals likewise is going to be changed.

Verse 3: “Bow down your ear… [Listen!] …and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”

• King David is going to be there.
• Christ is going to be there.
• The bride is going to be there.
• Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be there.
• Abel, Enoch and Noah will be there.

It’s going to be a fantastic time indeed! And all of us are going to have a part in the work of Christ, each one according as God determines. So, that’s going to be a wonderful thing indeed, and we can look forward to it.

Let’s come to Zechariah 14; let’s see how it’s going to start out since we’re getting close to the end of the Feast. Let’s go back and re-capitulate a little bit. We are going to see something that is really something. We have already read and know that Christ and the saints are going to come to the earth. Christ is going to be King over the earth. One of the first things that they are going to do is this: They are going to learn how to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Isn’t it interesting that the first thing they’re going to do is be keeping the Feast. Wonderful! So, right away the whole world is going to start keeping God’s ways. That’s going to be a great thing, indeed! Never happened before in the history of the whole world.

Zechariah 14:16: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem… [to fight against it] …shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” It’s going to be the law of the land.

Not like today, ‘everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.’ And they’re going to learn to enjoy the Feast. Right at first some of them won’t want to do that, because they have to be convinced that Christ and the bride and all of the resurrected saints are not invaders from outer space. Christ will convince them of it real quickly!

Verse 17: “And it shall be, whoever will not come up from all the families of the earth to Jerusalem…” Obviously, everybody in the world is not going to go to Jerusalem, that’s for sure. But we can know that there are going to be representatives from the countries going up there. That being the case, we can also understand that the people in the nations back home will be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, too. I wonder what that is going to be like, the whole world keeping the Feast of Tabernacles?

That is going to be something! Remember, from then on no more Sunday-keeping, no more Halloween, Christmas, Easter, New Years—none of that! That’s all gone! That’s all destroyed!

Here’s the family of Egypt; God has always had a difficult time with Egypt. Let’s put it the other way around, Egypt has always had a difficult time with God! Egyptians are hardheaded!

Verse 18: “And if the family of Egypt that has no rain… [they have a desert climate] …does not come up to present themselves, this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall strike the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” Amazing! It’s going to take a while to get everybody going here—isn’t it?

Verse 19: “This shall be Egypt’s punishment, and the punishment of all the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” Egypt, which has no rain, is going to have the plague. All the rest are going to have the rain cut off. God uses the same weapons He has always used to punish people and to convince them that they need to repent. That’s a deliberate choice that they have to make.

Think of the Egyptians right at the beginning of the Millennium, and think of the hatred that they have had toward the Jews. Think how absolutely galling this is going to be for them to come to Jerusalem, send a representative to Jerusalem, to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and for them to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in Egypt! That’s going to be something! Think about those in Iran! Think about those in China! In India! What’s it going to be like for them? It’s going to be something! God is going to convince them!

It says in Isa. 2 that there are great nations far off that He has to use power against them, that they will ‘beat their weapons and swords into plowshares and into pruning hooks.’ They aren’t going to ‘learn war anymore.’ Toys ’r Us will be out of business! Little GI Joe never be heard from again. All of the monster toys that people have, never going to be again. All of the movies of destruction and hell and damnation, never going to be again. We’re gong to have quite a work that we need to do.

Let’s look at some other things here in Zephaniah 3:14: “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel… [all the Jews and all the ten tribes of Israel are going to be joyful] …be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD has turned away your judgments; He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall not fear evil anymore” (vs 14-15). That’s how the Millennium is going to be working all during the thousand years.

Verse 16: “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, ‘Fear not! Do not let not your hands be slack, O Zion. The LORD your God is mighty in your midst; He will save; He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love; He rejoices over you with singing. I will gather the ones who grieve over the appointed Feasts, who are among you, and will lift the burden of reproach from her’” (vs 16-18). Won’t the Jews be glad when that is lifted. All that they’ve gone through for centuries, God is going to take care of that.

Verse 19: “Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you…. [Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Turkey, all the Arab states.] …And I will save her who is lame, and gather her who was driven out. And I will give them praise and fame in all the land where they have been put to shame. At that time I will bring you, even in the time that I gather you; for I will give you for a name and for a praise among all the people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,’ says the LORD” (vs 19-20).

That’s going to be something—isn’t it? The way God is going to bring the peace, there’s going to have to be some power, execution, rod of iron—that’s going to have to be used. And doesn’t He say to the churches, that ‘I will give you a rod of iron’ and with it you shall ‘rule over the nations and smite them.’ If they don’t obey, they’re going to learn. They’re going to learn one thing for sure: you ain’t going to fight against God! No way! Isn’t that something? We’re going to have a part in bringing that and bringing peace to the world.

Back to Zechariah 8—here is the mass exodus that’s going to happen to bring everybody back and put them in their own lands, regardless of where they are. This applies here to the children of Judah and the children Israel, but God’s going to do it to all nations.

Zechariah 8:7: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country. And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.’” (vs 7-8).

• All the religions of men will be gone!
• All the phony Christianity will be in the trash bin!
• All Judaism will be absolutely abolished!

—because Judaism is not the Law of God!

Verse 9: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, that in the day the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts is laid, the temple is to be built.” And, of course, we saw what that temple will be like, it’s actually going to be a big tabernacle.

Verse 11: “But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘for they shall sow in peace; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, but let your hands be strong’” (vs 11-13). Isn’t that something!

We’re also going to see what they’re going to do. There’s going to be plenty of work. Remember, when we come back to the earth, this earth is a desolation because of the wars, because of the plagues, because of the things that God has done in shaking the earth and the heavens and the sea and the land, and in destroying the armies. I mean, it’s going to be something! They’re all going to come back and they’re all going to have to start to work, and they’re all going to have to get these things done together.

Zechariah 10:6—here’s what He’s going to do in bringing the children of Israel back: “And I will strengthen the house of Judah [the Jews], and I will save the house of Joseph… [Ephraim and Manasseh—U.S. and the U.K.] …and I will return to save them; for I have mercy upon them. And they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.”

Great things are going to take place. Remember, Christ and the bride is going to do this together. Christ is going to direct it, and the saints are going to carry it out.

Verse 7: “And Ephraim shall be like a mighty one, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine. And their children shall see and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will signal for them and gather them; for I have redeemed them. And they shall increase as they formerly increased. And I will sow them among the people, and they shall remember Me in distant countries; and they shall live with their children and they shall return” (vs 7-9).

Then He says He’s also going to bring those out of Egypt, those who are in Egypt. Some of the nations are going to be ashamed of the things that they did. That’s why they’re going to repent. These will be the ones who will come up to Jerusalem, to find out how to live according to God’s laws. They won’t have to have the rod of iron. They won’t have to be rebuked afar off—those nations afar off, strong nations. As it says the Lord will have to do.

Let’s come to Micah 7:16: “The nations shall see and be ashamed at all their might; they shall lay their hand on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like a snake; they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of You. Who is a God like You, Who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not keep His anger forever because He delights in mercy. He will turn again; He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. Yea, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will perform the Truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old” (vs 16-20).

Remember what Peter said? That the words of all the prophets ‘will be fulfilled,’ and they will be fulfilled in their time. Isn’t it interesting and fantastic that this is the work of Christ and the bride? Think about it! Look at the world, the way that it is today. Look at the warring and fighting scheming and politics and lies and religions and cheating and all of the things that are going on. God has called us—who are going to be the bride of Christ—to put an end to it! Christ is going to do it. He is going to give the command. It will happen, and we will carry it out! Quite a thing! Quite a calling! Let’s understand how great that is!

Now, let’s come to Isaiah 52. Isn’t it interesting how much about the Kingdom is written in the Prophets? Isn’t it interesting that we need the book of Revelation to get the timing on how these things will take place? Let’s see some more about what’s going to happen, the work of Christ and the bride. We’re going to participate in these things, so as I read these things let’s understand the great work that God is going to do. The reason we know it’s going to be the work of God is because God is the One Who puts the whole world in the shambles that it will be in, because of the mighty plagues that He will bring upon it. He, in turn, is going to heal it all!

Isaiah 52:1: “Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful robes, O Jerusalem, the Holy city, for never again shall come to you the uncircumcised and the unclean ones. Shake yourself from the dust; rise up! Sit, Jerusalem! Free yourself from your neckbands, O captive daughter of Zion, for thus says the LORD, ‘You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money.’ For thus says the Lord GOD, ‘My people went down at first into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. Now therefore, what have I here,’ says the LORD, ‘that My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them howl,’ says the LORD; ‘and without ceasing My name is blasphemed every day. Therefore My people shall know My name, thus it shall be in that day, for I am He Who speaks; behold, it is I.’” (vs 1-6).

Verse 7: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings… [the Gospel] …who publishes peace; who brings good news, who publishes salvation; who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” That’s going to be absolutely phenomenal when that takes place.

If we can just kind of visualize the world and the globe and kind of look down upon it. Look down where the Holy Land is. Then look where the children of Israel have been scattered, and God is going to bring them all back.

• No longer have to be afraid!
• No longer have to worry about those things!
• God heals their wounds!
• God raises them up!
• God brings them back!

What a tremendous thing this is going to be!

Let’s see some of these things here. Let’s see how it’s going to be. Let’s come to Isa. 35, and let’s see some other things. Isn’t it amazing how much of this is in the book of Isaiah. I could almost do an entire Feast of Tabernacles—all seven days—using mainly the book of Isaiah and nothing else, and preach for all seven days. That’s how much there is concerning the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles and the plan of God.

When the disciples read these things, no wonder they kept asking Jesus, ‘Is the Kingdom of God going to come now?’ And the very last thing they asked Him—on the 40^th day before He ascended into heaven for the second and final time—‘Lord, will You at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?’ He said, ‘It’s not for you to know the time or the seasons that are in the authority of the Father. You go preach!’

So now, here we are able to understand some of these things. Here’s what’s going to happen. The whole world is going to change and get progressively better:

• ecologically
• religiously
• politically
• individually

—for a thousand years!

Isaiah 35:1: “The wilderness and the desert shall be glad and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORDand the majesty of our God” (vs 1-2).

• No longer: ‘where is their God?’ No!
• No longer: ‘is there a God?’
• No longer: ‘God has become obsolete.’ NO!

God is right there carrying out His will.

Verse 3: “Make the weak hands strong and make the feeble knees sure. Say to those of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance… [which He did] …with the full recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” (vs 3-4)—salvation for the whole world. Think of what a glorious thing that is, brethren, that we have been called and chosen to do that, the future elite of the world under Jesus Christ.

Verse 5: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened… [physically and spiritually] …and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.… [physically and spiritually] …Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness waters shall break out, and streams in the desert” (vs 5-6).

It is going to be a magnificent thing, when the curse of the sin is removed from men and animals and the land. What a glorious thing that is going to be, brethren! We’re going to see what a fantastic thing that is going to be. We’re reading of it right here.

Verse 7: “And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land shall become springs of water in the home of jackals, in its lair, it shall be a place for the reed and rush. And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness…. [The way to receive eternal life. That’s what we’re going to teach. That’s going to be something!] …The unclean shall not pass over it. But it will be for him who walks in that way, but fools, shall not err in it. No lion shall be there, nor any beast of prey shall go up on it, they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (vs 7-10).

The very purpose of mankind on this earth being fulfilled to the fullness with:

• God’s Spirit
• the work of Christ and the bride

This is going to be absolutely a marvelous and a great thing.

Let’s come over here to Isaiah 61. We find some great things that are said here, and what’s going to happen. We’re going to see how these things are going to be worked out and how it relates to us as well.

Isaiah 61:1 “‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me because the LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor… [this is the mission of Christ; first coming/second coming] …He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to preach the acceptable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn’” (vs 1-2)—all humanity!

Think of all the pitiful pictures of little children starving, living in these countries naked and destitute. Think about all of those who had their parents killed. Think about all the starvation and everything that had gone on. Now here comes the solution; here’s what’s going to be:

Verse 3: “‘To appoint to those who mourn in Zion, giving to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.’ And they will build the old wastes, they will raise up the desolations of former times. And they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations” (vs 3-4). That’s going to be the activity that we are going to do. Isn’t that something? That is great!

Isaiah 60:15: “Instead of being forsaken and hated, so that no one passes through, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” Notice how abundant this is going to be.

• You talk about peace and prosperity!
• You talk about riches and wealth!
• You talk about magnificent things being done for people!

Verse 16: “You will also suck the milk of nations, and suck the breast of kings… [that’s talking about those of us who are going to be kings and priests] …and you shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”

Here’s what we’re going to bring to the society. It’s going to far different than what the governments of this world can supply. Look at the wealth that we have today. It’s all tenuous; it’s all based on lies. When they get into the ditch, it’ll form with no more currency, then they can do anything they want with it. God is not going to be that way. God is going to wipe out that system.

Verse 17: “For bronze I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver; and for wood I will bring bronze, and for stones, iron. I will also make your overseers to be peace, and your rulers to be righteousness.” No more lies, no more cheating. As a matter of fact, we’ll be there and we will teach them the way of God! If they start going the way that they shouldn’t, we’ll show them what to do and the way to go.

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Let’s come to Joel, the second chapter. We’re going to see that this is going to happen to all nations, and it’s going to really be a wonderful thing, brethren. This is why it’s called the good news of the Kingdom of God. This is why we are given these things to know and to understand today. We can understand it as never before, because of the knowledge of the Word of God and everybody having Bibles. Part of what we’re doing here is part of the preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God as a witness before the end comes. Not only in preaching it, but also in living it. Not only in understanding, but also in obeying it.

Joel 2:21—it always starts out with Judah and Israel. God says He’s going to have pity.“ Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD will magnify his deeds.” To give them land, to give them food, to give them every wonderful thing physically. And to have all of that, and for all people to receive it for a thousand years.

That’s going to make every effort by man to bring peace, to end poverty, to get rid of stupid government, look absolutely pitiful! The truth is this, ‘the way of man is not in him to know how to direct his paths.’ There’s a ‘way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.’ That’s the whole history of man! All of that is going to change, and that’s the work of Christ and the bride.

Verse 22: “Do not be afraid, beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness grow green; for the tree bears its fruit, and the fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the former rain in just measure, and He will cause the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain as before. And the threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten, the locust larvae, and the destroying locust, and the cutting locust, My great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt with you wondrously; and My people shall never again be ashamed” (vs 22-26). That’s the time we’re going to usher in, brethren.

What I want you to do is this: If you have trials and difficulties, I want you to think about these things that we’re going to bring to the world. I want you to understand that regardless of whatever circumstances we’re confronted with, God will see us through it! This is the marvelous mission God is going to give us—the work of Christ and the bride!

Verse 27: “And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and there is none else; and My people shall never again be ashamed. And afterward it shall be that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh….” (vs 27-28). The whole world; God is going to take care of Israel first; take care of the Jews first; then go to the rest of the world.

“…And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams; your young men shall see visions. And also I will pour out My Spirit upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days” (vs 28-29). Yes, it’s going to be something. He showed the wonders before His coming.

Verse 32: “And it shall be that whoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved… [That’s the work of Christ and the bride.] …for salvation shall be in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” God is going to do that. God is going to bring it about, and it’s going to be something—all of it!

Let’s see a summary of this and how great it’s going to be. Brethren, I don’t think that even our greatest imagination can bring us the thought of what it’s going to be, but it is going to be fantastic!

Joel 3:17: “Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My Holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be a Holy thing, and no stranger shall pass through her any more. And it shall be, in that day the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Acacias” (vs 17-18). That’s going to be something!

Let’s come to Ezekiel 36; let’s see how God is going to change the nature of human beings again, and how all of this is going to come about. It picks up right where we left off in the book of Joel:

Ezekiel 36:7 “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “I have lifted up My hand; surely the nations around you shall bear their shame. But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall put out your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they will soon return. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and you shall be tilled and sown” (vs 7-9).

Let’s stop right here and think of something for our own lives, too.

• God is for us!
• God will turn to us!
• God will help us!
• God will love us!

And provide all of this so that we can participate here in bringing this to the world when the work of Christ and the bride begins.

Let’s continue on and see what else He says here, v 10: “And I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it…. [All are going to have an opportunity for salvation. This is going to be an incredible time.] …And the cities shall have people, and the wastes shall be rebuilt. And I will multiply men and beasts upon you, and they shall increase and be fruitful. And I will make you dwell after your old estates, and I will do better to you than at your beginnings. And you shall know that I am the LORD” (vs 10-11). That’s the work of Christ and the bride!

• Everybody will know Who God is!
• Everybody will have plenty of everything!

Verse 12: “Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even My people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and shall no longer bereave them of their children.”

Verse 21: “But I had pity for My Holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they were exiled. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My Holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their very eyes. For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all countries, and will gather you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean waters upon you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols”’” (vs 21-25).

There is going to be a time of really changing ways—won’t there? When that happens then God is going to work with them. God is going to change human nature.

Verse 26: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you… [conversion] …and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My ordinances and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (vs 26-28). That’s quite a thing!

Then they’re going to repent! They’re going to loathe themselves, as we find here. God says He’s going to clean them.

Verse 31: “And you shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations…. [Repentance on a mass scale. The things we’ve talked about. The things that cannot happen in this age.] …I do not do this for your sake,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘be it known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.’ Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the wasteland shall be tilled, instead of being desolate before all who pass by. And they shall say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. And the wasted, desolate and ruined cities now are fenced and inhabited.” And the nations that are left all around you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it’” (vs 31-36).

That’s all the work of Christ and the bride. Fantastic thing that we’re going to have to do here—isn’t it?

Verse 37: “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘I will yet be sought by the house of Israel to act for them. I will increase them with men like a flock. As a Holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed Feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am the LORD’” (vs 37-38).

There we have the great time that is coming, the work of Christ and the bride! We’re going to accomplish these things in a mighty, mighty way.

Brethren, just think of the opportunity that that is for us! Just think how:

• Wehave been called to be the ones to save the world.
• We are the ones who have been called tobring peace to the world.
• We are the ones who have been called to rule and reign as kings and priests with Jesus Christ for a thousand years.

And the great harvest of conversion will continuously go on, as we will see tomorrow—the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Scriptural References:

1. Revelation 19:1-7, 5-9
2. Revelation 22:16-17
3. Isaiah 55:1-3
4. Zechariah 14:16-19
5. Zephaniah 3:14-20
6. Zechariah 8:7-9, 11-13
7. Zechariah 10:6-9
8. Micah 7:16-20
9. Isaiah 52:1-7
10. Isaiah 35:1-10
11. Isaiah 61:1-4
12. Isaiah 60:15-17
13. Joel 2:21-29, 32
14. Joel 3:17-18
15. Ezekiel 36:7-12, 21-28, 31-38

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:  Isaiah 2