Feast of Tabernacles 2004 – Day 6

Fred R. Coulter – October 5, 2004

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And greetings, brethren. Welcome to the Feast of Tabernacles, day number six, 2004. And here we are getting close to the end of the Feast right now. It just seems as though time just flies by. And I think it’s true that the older we get that the quicker time goes by. And also then you have this as well: the older you get the longer it takes to do things, so it kind of speeds everything up. Now when we’re young, when we are strong and healthy, and all of that sort of thing - I don’t mean healthy from the point of view that when we get older we are sick, but more vigorous if I could put it that way - that we don’t even think of that. We don’t even think about getting old. And it’s a good thing that God has done that so that people will always have before them the things that they need to do.

Now here on day six we’re going to see how the kingdom of God is going to operate on the earth. Today we are living in such a time; and I do believe, as I have mentioned before, it would not surprise me if we have not entered into the time of the beginning of sorrows. And the longer that we are going, the closer that we are getting to the end - and like Paul wrote, he said that “You are closer to the time when,” I’m just paraphrasing Romans 13:11, that “we’re closer to the time of the end and the return of Christ than when we first believed.” And how many of us here have been in the church for 20, 30, 40, and even some cases 50 years? And now when we look out at the world and we see the things that are going on, and every day we read of disasters, and death, and war; and of course we’re in a situation now where that all news can be brought together - news 24/7.

And another big problem with news 24/7 is this: too many reporters are out there looking for events so they can create news according to their political agenda. And so you have to be very askance as to the news that you look at and watch and listen to, and try and understand what’s going on. And just remember this: the only truth and the only solution is the return of Jesus Christ. People can vote every election, put up any candidate that they want to, and they don’t even realize God is in charge.

So if we are at the beginning of sorrows, we’re pretty much like Isaiah felt back here in Isaiah 64. Let’s go back here to Isaiah 64. And sometimes we feel like this. But also we have to understand this: that the return of Jesus Christ and the setting up of the kingdom of God is according to God’s time table. And God has let it be within the churches of God and down through history that no one knows the day, or the hour, or the time.

Now when certain events begin to happen, then we will have a better understanding of it. Just like a man wrote here recently, if the holy days and different things picture the plan of God, and it says we don’t know that day or the hour and so forth, how is it that we can understand these things? Well, how many years have we been keeping the holy days? All the true Christians down through time have always kept them. The minimum they have kept has been the Sabbath and the Passover. But do we today have any greater understanding as to the exact day or time? No. And then we have to ask the question as we look back on the holy days and so forth, which is this: when the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven, is that not the beginning of the return of Jesus Christ? Yes it is.

So even though we can go through the Scriptures and show very conclusively that Pentecost is the first resurrection, and Trumpets pictures the return of Jesus Christ, and Atonement pictures putting Satan away, we still do not know the exact day or time or hour of any of these things. And we won’t have a closer estimation of it until certain things happen. And when those begin to happen then we know that the time of the end is upon us. And we know one thing that Jesus said, which is very true, which is very clear: when you see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place where it ought not be, that’s when the great tribulation begins. And when that begins we will have a closer and more fair understanding concerning it, because God has revealed it. Not because we can think of it or find it ourselves.

But right now between that and the time that Christ comes, and the resurrection takes place, and the saints come back to the earth with Christ and set up the kingdom of God, here is how a lot of us feel, Isaiah 64:1: “Oh that Thou wouldst rend the heavens...” And that’s what God is going to do. He says there He’s going to shake the heavens, shake the earth, shake the sea, and all that’s in it, right? “...That Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence!” (Isa. 64:1-2). That’s how we feel, living in this time and living in this age. And what is going to have to happen with all of us is this: is that we have to, in being able to cope with the times that we are living in, we have got to keep our minds focused on what God wants us to do and how He wants us to do it. So even though all of these things are going to happen, and we see all the evil around us of wars and rumors of wars, and deception, and commotion, and betrayal, and spying, and denying, and terrorist things going on, we have to have a spiritual insulation, as it were.

Here, just hold your place in Isaiah 64 and turn over here to Jeremiah 23:9. Now here Jeremiah, he was only one man. So we can understand why he became almost overwhelmed in the mission that he had to do. Because he had to stand there every day. He had to preach every day. He had to tell the people of Jerusalem and Judah that they are going to go into captivity. And even during the ministry of his prophecy there was a respite in the days of Josiah. But Josiah, even though he did well, even though he pleased God, got lifted up in his vanity and went out to battle, and he was killed when he was told, “Don’t go out there.” So this is a good demonstration of that we don’t know how long the time is, or whether there is going to be a short revival, or whether there’s going to be a quick end like it happened to Josiah for doing something foolish.

However, here in Jeremiah 23:9, here is how Jeremiah felt, and here’s how a lot of us feel. But what we need to do, we need to, with faith in Christ, with the Holy Spirit, we need to build an installation so that we are not carried away with over much grief and over much sorrow of the things that are going on in the world. He says in verse 9: “Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of His holiness. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up...” (Jer. 23:9-10). And then he just said in another place, “Oh, tears are coming down out of me, that I could just go someplace and cry it all away.” Well he couldn’t do it, and neither can we. So we need to build in our spiritual life by walking in faith, believing in hope, and living in love, that we can be able to stand even though all these things are going on around us; and not to be so overwhelmed and not to be discouraged because we need to look to the future and the coming kingdom of God, which we are going to be a part of. And just realize, as sorrowful as you may feel with all of these things going on, please understand this: you’re going to have a part in correcting it at the right time. See, that’s the good news that we need to realize here.

Now let’s come back to Isaiah 64:4-5: “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O [LORD] God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember Thee in Thy ways: behold, Thou art wroth; for we have sinned...” and so forth. And it says: “...In those is continuance, and we shall be saved.” And we’re going to have a part in bringing salvation to the world.

Let’s come here to Acts 3. Right after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ the apostles were all (even Peter says, “I go fishing”) discouraged. Because they didn’t understand that Christ would be resurrected. Then after that, Christ opened their minds to understand the Scriptures concerning Him and why all the things had to happen that happened. And He told them that now their mission was to go preach. They wanted to know when the kingdom would be restored, but He says, “It’s not going to be restored at this time. It’s in the hands of the Father to do so.” But they went out and preached the coming kingdom of God. Now notice here in Acts 3 what Peter did in calling them to repentance: “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: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of 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 this is what we are in now. We are in that time leading up to it. And when we are resurrected and enter into the kingdom of God and reign as kings and priests, as we have seen, then we’re going to help bring the restitution of all things. We can undo all sorrows; we can help dry all tears; we can help the people be restored in the love and kindness and a right relationship with God. And we’re all going to have part in this. So this is quite a wonderful and marvelous thing for us to do, brethren. So in the midst of all the trouble, the way you keep your sanity is always be focused on the kingdom of God; as we covered earlier, seek first the kingdom of God.

Now let’s come back to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 61, and let’s see some more of this, and let’s see how the earth is going to be and how it’s going to be developed into what God wants; what kind of message we are going to preach, how we are going to do these things, how the world is going to be, how all of the people will eventually be, even though right at the first there will be war at the beginning in order to settle everything down. So here in Isaiah 61:1, we have here what the full mission of Christ is going to be with all the saints for the whole world. So as we read this let’s understand that this not only applies to Christ and His ministry, but it also applies to Christ and the ministry that He is going to do with the saints in ushering in the kingdom of God on the earth.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek...” That’s what’s going to be given to us. We are going to be appointed to preach and teach. We are going to be appointed to rule and govern. “...He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted...” And I tell you what, those who survive through the tribulation… Think you’ve gone through anything? Think we’ve seen anything yet? Just imagine what those people are going to be like who have survived. You talk about being shell-shocked and dazed and mind-numbed. They’re going to have to have the spiritual healing that comes from God alone, right? Without a doubt. “...To bind up the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives...” Beginning first of all with Israel that’s in captivity, and Judah that’s in captivity. “…And the opening of the prison to them that are bound...” (Isa. 61:1), because Satan is going to be put away. Instead of imprisoning people with Satan the devil and the demons and the legions of Satan, all of that’s going to be done away. Prisons are going to be opened. They’re going to be released.

“To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD...” The beginning of real salvation for all the world. And then it says, “...And the day of vengeance of our God...” and so forth. That’s going to be accomplished just before the millennium begins. “...To comfort all that mourn...” (verse 2). Now I saw on the news a very touching piece of a little 10 year old Iraqi boy. And he went out and picked up a hand grenade and it blew off his right hand. So the American soldiers over there, they all got together, they chipped in the money, they sent him over here to America to one of the organizations that makes and produces prosthetic hands that they can actually use and work, and sent him over to receive it. And it was really a touching thing. Now I want you to take that and I want you to expand that buy multiple thousands and hundreds of thousands and millions. Because every one that survives to live into the beginning of the kingdom of God after the great tribulation and all the events that take place, they are going to need all the healing that can be. And there are going to be tears of joy. There is going to be healing. There is going to be restoring.

Now I wonder how many, in situations like that, are going to be healed that God will give us the power so that a new hand will suddenly be there, or a new foot, or a new leg. Wouldn’t that be something? Now you talk about being in on the greatest thing that’s ever going to happen to this world. And we need to understand that, brethren. Because that’s what’s going to sustain us through all the times and difficulties that are ahead.

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes [going to change everything], the oil of joy for mourning...” No more depressions, no more mourning, no more down at the mouth because everything is wrong and bad. Not only is God going to send out healing waters from Jerusalem, which is going to heal the whole earth, but He is also going to send out healing to everyone - emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, the whole thing. We see it right here. “...The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness...” In other words, to fulfill the very purpose as to why God created them. “...The planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified” (verse 3). All of this to the glory of God. And they are surely going to know and understand, just as we need to realize, we have nothing that we haven’t received. And we’re going to have the greatest part, the greatest job that can ever be. And also, as we will see when we come to the Last Great Day, that this is going to go on for us. We will have a greater standing than anyone else who comes into the kingdom of God through the millennium and the Last Great Day, because we are the firstfruits. So that’s something to really know and understand.

So I want you to realize this: even though things in the world are as bad as they are, and as difficult as they are, it’s going to get worse. But if we have this hope, and if we keep our minds on what we’re going to cover today in this sermon, then you will never be discouraged; you will never be down, except just temporarily. And the Spirit of God will lift you up so you can go forward and do the things of God.

Now here, Isaiah 62, and let’s pick it up here in verse 10. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to be busy. We’re going to be active. “Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones [in other words, make it nice and smooth for them]; lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion [which then is having to do with Israel physically, and with the church spiritually], Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. And they shall call them [talking about us now], The holy people [of God], The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out...” In other words, people are going to seek us out. People are going to seek out God’s way. And in speaking of Mount Zion, that also has to do with Jerusalem. And so as we saw, people are going to be coming to Jerusalem to learn of God’s way, right? Yes, sought out, “...A city not forsaken” (Isa. 62:10-12). No, but inhabited by all the sons and daughters of God, doing the work of God with Christ right there.

And in the restitution of all things, we go back and we see what happened with Adam and Eve. When God created them, God was there. He talked with them. He taught them. He instructed them. He married Adam and Eve, and He was right there with them all the time. And so when the millennium starts, this is what it’s going to be, but with Christ and all the patriarchs, and all those down through time, and all the saints of God. What a fantastic thing that this is going to be, brethren. It is going to be marvelous. And the first thing we’re going to do is be dealing with Israel and those nations that come up to Jerusalem.

Let’s come over here to the book of Hosea 14, that’s the last chapter of Hosea; Hosea 14:4, and here’s what’s going to happen. Here’s what’s going to happen to Israel. Let’s come up here to verse 1: “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God [that’s going to be the message]; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips” (Hosea 14:1-2). That means “the praise to God of our lips.”

Now verse 4: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely...” Isn’t that interesting? God has wanted to love Israel, but Israel in what they have been doing, has always said, “God, we love You, but don’t get involved totally in our lives. We’ll come to You when we need You.” And in their carnality they just fall down with all their sins and everything. And so here it is, God says, “...I will love them freely: For Mine anger is turned away from him.” It’s going to be totally changed. It’s like Peter said, the restitution of all things. “I will be as the dew unto Israel...” (verses 4-5), which is cooling, and soothing, and healing. Much like you feel when - one of the reasons why people go down, especially here in California if they want a little solace, they go on down to the beach and they walk on the beach. And the breeze comes in and they look out and see the sea gulls, and the pelicans, and the people there, and children playing on the beach, and so forth. And the air from the ocean - and I’ve been told that it’s probably the proportion of ions, which are uplifting. So kind of think of this dew on Israel as like that, that’s going to be refreshing, that is going to be settling; that is going to be calming; that’s going to be encouraging; that’s going to be nourishing, you see.

“...He shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread out...” In other words, Israel is going to grow and be great all during the millennium. “...And his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? [The great conversion, right?] I have heard Him, and observed Him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? [Who is] prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them...” Then there’s a little warning here which is still going to be all during the millennium: “...but the transgressors shall fall therein” (verses 5-9). And of course, then repentance will be offered to them and the things so that they can recover, because the earth is going to be run on the whole basis of the grace of God, the love of God, the truth of God, which we bring to them. An amazing and tremendous thing, isn’t it, that that’s going to happen.

Now let’s come to the book of Joel, the next book over. Now let’s pick it up here in Joel 2:21. And here is going to be the message: “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.” So it’s going to be the healing, not only of the people, but of the earth, the land, the animals, the plants, everything. “Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness to spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil” (Joel 2:21-24). It’s going to be an absolutely tremendous time.

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.” That’s the time we’re going to bring in. So isn’t it interesting that we are living in the time which is going to come up to the great tribulation and the near destruction of the whole earth, and then we are going to have the ability and the blessing of God to help bring this into the whole world, as God with His Spirit begins to cleanse and heal the whole earth. “And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel...” (verses 25-27). Not only spiritual Israel, the church, but physical Israel itself because Christ is going to dwell in Jerusalem.

Now what kind of dwelling that will be, we don’t know. How temple-like it will be, we don’t know. But as we have covered in the past, there is surely not going to be any animal sacrifices for sin or anything else, because Christ is going to be here, and He is our sacrifice and it’s going to be the forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ for all the people who repent. So it will be interesting to see what it’s like. Now one way to find out, make sure you’re there. Then you will know. You’ll be able to find out. It says, “And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed” (verse 27).

Fantastic. Come over here to Joel 3:18: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that 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 of the house of the LORD...” So there we’re talking about it’s called the House of the Lord. So there’s going to be a fountain of water coming out of the house of the Lord, just like as we’re going to see in new Jerusalem, out from under the throne of God and the Lamb, come rivers of crystal clear water. So here we have this is going to be happening on the earth coming from Jerusalem wherever the house of the Lord is going to be. And I think that it’s interesting that it’s called “the house of the Lord.” “...And shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a desolation...” (Joel 3:18-19). Well, it’s going to recover from that. Egypt will recover from the desolation.

And isn’t that going to - here, let’s go back to Zechariah 14 here for just a minute, because we have to get this in. Because just think how hateful that the Egyptians and the Islamic people have been toward the Jews and toward the other tribes of Israel. So this is going to really be a galling thing for them. But they will grudgingly come to the point of repentance and conversion. Zechariah 14:16: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of 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.”

Well now, let’s think about this in a proper way. Every nation cannot come up. All people of all nations cannot come up to Jerusalem. So what is it going to be? There are going to be delegations from all nations that will come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. And around the world in the different nations they will be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles there as well. So all nations are going to do it. Now then: “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” (verse 17). Well God has a way of doing things, doesn’t He? Now the weapons of God are very effective. If you don’t have rain, you don’t have food. Now how long are you going to last? So they will be turning to God in repentance.

Now verse 18: “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.” If God did that today, there were be far more people keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, wouldn’t they? Now notice this. It’s something. This is not a feast of the Jews. This is the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles. And all nations are going to come up. And he says in verse 19: “This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (verses 18-19). Amazing.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 19, and let’s see once that has been accomplished, once they all agree with God – see, the long and short of the millennium is this: everyone is going to agree with God or they are going to have a lot of troubles. It’s just that simple. Now tomorrow we will talk about how God deals with sin toward the end of the millennium, because now here again we have a special case. Now Isaiah 19:23. Now here the two great adversaries of Israel and Judah are all going to be getting along: “In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria...” Now if you look at a map, you’ve got Egypt here, and a highway will probably come right around by on the east part of the Mediterranean, go on up through to what we call Mount Carmel. It will come up into what we know as Assyria and begin veering over to what we call Iraq today, because that area where the Kurds are today is where Assyria was. So here is going to be that highway. It’s going to be a highway of peace; it’s going to be a highway of commerce, and so forth.

“...And the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.” Now they’re going to agree with God and all repent and begin serving Him. “In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land...” So once they repent, then they’re also going to become a strong force in the millennium. Of course, always under the direction and the government of the kingdom of God through the saints of God who are there to rule and reign. So that’s something. “...Even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying...” Now this is an astounding statement, isn’t it? It shows you how things are going to be completely reversed from what they are today. “... Saying, Blessed be Egypt My people...” Now if you want an interesting Bible study, you go through and you read all the things about Egypt and the Egyptians, and their practices, and their religions throughout the Bible and you will find that it’s nothing but condemnation from one end to the other. Now here that’s going to be totally changed. “...Blessed be Egypt My people [fantastic] and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance” (Isa. 19:23-25).

So the millennium is going to be a fantastic place. The kingdom of God is going to rule, to reign, to bring peace, to bring prosperity, and it’s going to set everything right just like Peter said, the restitution of all things. And so it’s going to be astounding the things that are going to happen. Look how everything has changed here because of that. Just think what has to happen in dealing with these people to bring them to the point of repentance and conversion and willingness, and then full cooperation, and then full belief. You have to have full belief in order to be “Egypt, My people.” Can you imagine all of those who used to be Muslims and now their offspring are converted to God the Father and Jesus Christ? What an astounding thing that’s going to be. Absolutely amazing.

Now let’s come to the book of Zephaniah, just before Haggai. And Haggai is just before Zechariah, and Zechariah is just before Malachi, and Malachi is just before Matthew. So if you go to Matthew, Malachi, Zechariah, Haggai, then you come to Zephaniah, one of the so-called minor prophets. Now let’s come here to Zephaniah 3:8: “Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger [fury]: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.” That’s how we know Christ is going to come. Then He says here, notice: “For then will I turn to the people of pure language...” Now this, I’m sure, is not going to be Hebrew. This is going to be the undoing of the Tower of Babel. God is going to give one language to all the people of the earth. That will make it easy to communicate, won’t it? Yes, it will. Here’s the reason: “...that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent” (Zeph. 3:8-9).

Now just to give an example how this is going to be: “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, shall bring Mine offering” It’s going to be something, isn’t it? One language for the whole earth. Now verse 11: “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against Me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of My holy mountain” (verses 10-11). So here’s part of the change in nature that we will read about a little bit later. God is going to take that all away. God is going to minimize the law of sin and death within human beings by giving them what the Bible calls a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone.

Now verse 13: “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth...” Wow! What a tremendous conversion this is going to be! “...For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Now just like it says there in Malachi 4, that they’re not going to learn war anymore, and every man is going to sit under his fig tree and under his vine. And no one is going to make him afraid. That’s a tremendous thing. This is the way that God wanted it to be from the beginning. However, in giving free choice to human beings, these things had to come this way. And it was all in God’s plan, and God knew that it was going to happen. That’s why we have all these prophecies taking place here, now being fulfilled.

“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.” No more war, no more attacking; no more lying, cheating, stealing; no more murders; no more any of these things. Just think of the great tremendous productivity and accomplishments that people are going to be able to do. Now verse 16: “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God is in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing” (verses 14-16). What is that going to be like to hear God singing in joy for the creation that He is doing? Marvelous indeed.

Part 2

Now let’s come to Isaiah 62:1. Again, we’re going to see - and isn’t it interesting how much of all of this concerning the kingdom of God is contained in the Old Testament? And it helps maybe give you a little understanding that unless God would open the mind of someone, especially the Jews there at Jerusalem, then they could say, “Well, look, I read all the Word of God here, and all of this shows, this is what the Messiah was going to do when he comes. But this one hasn’t done it, and he has died.” So it gives you a little understanding in it. That’s why Christ had to open the minds of the apostles for them to understand it. And God has to open the minds of us for us to understand. And the day is going to come when all of the Jews down through time who have rejected Jesus Christ, that He is going to open their minds and they will understand. So let’s come here to Isaiah 62, and let’s see how He is going to be dealing with Israel. We’ll see what He does with them.

“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” Now this ties in with Isaiah 2, that the law is going to go forth from Zion, and so forth. “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.” Now this is talking about spiritual Israel, right? Are we not to be given a new name? Yes indeed. Are we not to receive the garments of salvation? Yes indeed. Are we not to have a job and position and rule over the nations with Christ? Yes indeed. Now notice: “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate...” Now then it blends back into the type of physical Israel. “...But thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married” (Isa. 62:1-4). Now what does this mean? This means the land and the people are going to be working together in covenant with God to carry out things the way God wants them carried out. And this is all going to be part of the new covenant that God is going to make with Israel and with Judah.

Now let’s come here to Jeremiah 31, and let’s see how this is going to be. When Christ returns He is going to gather all the children of Israel first, the children of Judah, and so forth. We know all of that. And then He is going to make a new covenant with them. Now this new covenant will be very similar to what is like with the covenant that He has given to the church. Only it will be a little different. The church, we have been promised eternal life through the blood and body of Jesus Christ. The church has been promised, though we live in the world, we’re not of the world. And we’re going to have tribulation in the world because of the way it is today. But He says, “Be of good courage,” because Jesus has overcome the world. So we also need to keep that in mind. So here, when Israel is brought back out of captivity and Judah is brought back out of captivity, just like God always does, He enters into a covenant.

Now the covenant that God entered into with Israel at Mount Sinai came to an end with the covenant that God made with the church. The only part of the covenant that was still active in it are the laws and commandments of God, which transcend all covenants, by the way; and all the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that God gave concerning Israel. All of those are fulfilled because of the promise given to Abraham and the will and determination of God beforehand. So now that the millennium is in hand, there needs to be a new covenant. So let’s come here to Jeremiah 31:31: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with house of Israel, and with the house of Judah...” And we can also say, with all nations too, right? Have to be. We saw how it was going to be with Assyria and how it is going to be with Egypt. So there has to be a covenant with them. Now notice what He says here. This is interesting, because this also helps answer the question that there will not be sacrifices during the millennium. “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: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days...” (Jer. 31:31-33).

Now here is a total change. This is a change of nature, a change of heart, with conversion. Let’s see it: “...After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts...” And that means “to inscribe,” just like you would etch and inscribe, which is really tremendous. Because that’s how our minds function, and our brains function. By all the neurotransmitters and parts of the brain, it is etched, it is memorized, it is put in there. And that is by the power of the Spirit of God. So He’s going to do that for Israel. “...And will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Now this is going to be such a great thing, and it’s going to be so broad and so well known. This is why this is a separate and different covenant than what we have with the New Covenant. Because the next verse tells us: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD [it isn’t going to be that way]: for they shall all know Me...” (verses 33-34). So that’s a tremendous and different covenant, isn’t it?

You look at the modern nations of Israel today. The covenant that Christ has made with the church surely did not bring this to all Israel. No, like it says - it’s kind of like Job. Today those who think they are Christians are kind of like Job. They have heard of Him with the hearing of the ears, but unlike Job they haven’t repented to receive the Holy Spirit of God and keep His laws and commandments and so forth. They have a form of Christianity, but not the substance of what the Bible really teaches. “...They shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them...” Now you talk about a fantastic way to bring in peace and prosperity. Because peace and prosperity, and love, and kindness, and graciousness, and goodness does not come while there is evil all around. It does not come while there is a carnal mind that is deceptive and filled with evil, and that is against the will of God. “...For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (verse 34). Isn’t that something? So that’s going to be quite a thing. What a change that is going to be.

Let’s come over here to Isaiah 52:7. Now here is what it’s going to be. Here’s how it’s going to carry out. Here’s part of our work: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace...” That’s our job. That’s our mission during the millennium. Now how beautiful our feet are going to be, I don’t know. But they’re certainly going to be a whole lot better than whatever our feet are now, all gnarly, and scraggly, and whatever, and so forth. “...That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Tremendous thing, brethren. Just think, every time I read one of these verses, I want you to understand this, and I want you to think about this, and I want you to keep your mind on this whenever things get difficult, or you get down, or you get a little depressed: what these Scriptures are talking about is talking about what you and I will be doing as the kings and priests under Christ during the millennium. That’s a tremendous thing.

“Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem [and of course, the waste places of the world]: for the LORD hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (verses 8-10). So that’s going to really be quite a thing, salvation to the whole world - one language, one God, one family of God, one law, one standard. You see, that’s what God is proving today with the United Nations. The United Nations is doomed to failure because, number one, it is not of God; number two, because there has to be a change of heart and mind. And in order to have a one world government, you have got to have Christ as the head of it, and you’ve got to have all the saints of God resurrected as spirit beings who are ruling and reigning with Christ. No other government, world government, is going to work. Now they might piece it together for a little while to work for a little while. But it’s not going to work until all nations see eye to eye; until everyone is of one language, serving one God, keeping the same laws and commandments.

The conversion of the world is going to be a tremendous thing. What a task. What an absolute task that is going to be. Now here, turn back one page to Isaiah 51, and here’s what it’s going to be - not only to Israel, but also to all the Gentiles. Now we will see this here. This is going to be quite profound as we come to it and understand it: “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look into the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him” (Isa. 51:1-2). So now what’s going to happen? The promise and blessing - here, hold your place right here, and let’s come back here to Genesis 12. Because the promise that God gave to Abraham is going to be an ongoing promise, which is going to be fulfilled all down during the millennium, which is going to be fulfilled in the salvation during the fulfilling of the Last Great Day when the second resurrection takes place. So I want you to understand the magnitude of the blessing and the promise that God gave Abraham. So this is tremendous, isn’t it?

Now notice, just like us, we’re called out of the world. Abraham was called out of the world. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram [whose name was changed to Abraham, because he is the father of many nations], Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee...” (Gen. 12:1). Now just like us, we cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and we cannot enter into the kingdom of God until we love God more than father, mother, brother, sister, wife, children, lands, and even our own lives, and we pick up our cross and follow after Christ. So Abraham did the same thing here, same thing that Christ requires of us today.

Now notice the promise: “...and I will make of thee a great nation...” Now what is that great nation? What is that nation? The nation of the resurrected saints, as well as - before the resurrected saints can be, you have to have a physical nation first, don’t you? You have to have physical people first. And so it applies in both ways. But here, a great nation: “...and I will bless thee, and make thy name great...” So here we are reading about in the prophecy of the millennium that there are going to be told, “Look to Abraham. Look to Sarah.” So what’s going to happen? The promises and blessing and fulfillment of the blessing that God is giving Abraham here is going to be fulfilled and multiplied and added to all during the millennium. “…And thou shalt be a blessing” (verse 2).

Now in this life, in this age: “...And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee...” And if that happens during the millennium, the same thing will occur. “...And in thee…” Now notice: “…And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (verse 3). Now you just take and circle “all” - all the families of the earth. And we know this, that in the plan of God that means all the families of the earth from the beginning of Adam and Eve down to the last, where there are no more human beings that are brought into existence. So stop and think about that, brethren. That is something. That’s why the promises of God are so good. That’s why it’s such a tremendous thing. And what we need to do, instead of limiting God in our eyes, and in our minds, we need to take the Word of God and see how God is going to expand this. Not only that, but you think of the promises that God gave to Abraham about the spiritual seed shining as the stars of heaven for ever and ever, Genesis 15 and Matthew 13. That prophecy is going to go on through all eternity, is it not? Yes, because we are going to see that there are nations that are saved who come into Jerusalem, and you know that Abraham is going to be in that new Jerusalem. So what I have said many times in the past, we need to not only think big, we need to think gigantic. In other words, through the mind of God, with the mind of Christ then we can think and understand about these things in as much as possible.

Back here to Isaiah 51, and let’s pick it up here again where we left off right here: “...For I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” And the increase goes right along with the promise given to Christ: “And of the increase of His government there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7, paraphrased). And in that, Abraham is always going to share. And in that, we are always going to share. So think of that. That’s amazing, isn’t it? Now verse 3: “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden...” So what do we have? It’s like the apostle Peter said, the restitution of all things. And it goes right back to the Garden of Eden. “...And her desert like the garden of the LORD…” Which was where? In Eden. “…Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” So that’s really a tremendous thing that is going to be.

Now let’s look at some more scriptures here that we have which tells us about what’s happening here. Let’s come to Psalm 47. This is a tremendous thing. That’s why when Peter said, “the restoration of all things,” it was spoken by the mouth of all of the prophets since the beginning of the world. So that had to also include Abel, that also had to include Enoch, and so forth. Here, Psalm 47, and here is what describes some of the events that are going on during the millennium - the attitude, mostly the attitude. Yes, as we will see little later, they are going to build the waste places, and so forth. Verse 1: “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible [now that means awesome]; He is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us [now this is talking about the church and the nations under our feet]. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. Selah. God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness” (Psa. 47:1-8).

Now that’s how a world government is going to work. And isn’t it interesting, that with the one world government that is coming now, there’s going to be the man of sin, the son of perdition who is going to be the one man and attempt to usurp Christ, who is called the antichrist, and attempt to make it work under Satan’s auspices. That’s why it has to be all destroyed. It’s going to work when Christ sits on His throne. Now notice verse 9: “The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham…” Now who are the people of the God of Abraham? Who are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise? Those who are in the first resurrection. So here again, we see Abraham involved in the whole situation, don’t we? Yes indeed. “...For the shields of the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted.” Now that’s quite a thing, isn’t it?

Here, Psalm 48:1-2. This tells us more about what it’s going to be, how it is going to be. And isn’t it interesting, in spite of all the sins and carnality that human beings have, in spite of the human nature that pulls them down, every human being has someplace in his mind, which I am sure God put there, that wants things to be good and perfect. But man doesn’t have the way to make it. Only God can. And so there is the, what you might say, the bifurcation, or the split in human thinking. Because of having the law of sin and death we still want things to be perfect, but we don’t find it within ourselves to do it. That’s why God has to do it. Everyone is going to be, when Christ takes away the hard-heartedness of people and gives them a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone, what a great change that’s going to be in the world. Only God can do that.

Now here, Psalm 48:1: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.” Now that ties in again where we began the feast, with “the mount of the LORD shall be exalted above the mountains, and the nations shall flow to it. And many shall say, ‘Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord, to learn of His ways,’ for the law shall go forth from Zion” (Isaiah 2:2-3, paraphrased), right? Yes indeed. What is that going to be like? I wonder what the Sabbath is going to be like beginning in Jerusalem with Christ there all during the millennium. I wonder what it’s going to be like, because it shows that there are going to be people coming up to visit Jerusalem, coming up to Jerusalem to worship. Tremendous thing, isn’t it?

Now it’s going to be a wonderful thing. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion…” Now that’s not today. It is terrorism, and death, and hatred, and killing, and wretchedness, and murder, and depravity, and religious confusion. It’s like it says back in Revelation 11, it’s Sodom and Egypt it’s so bad. But look at the change here: “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion...” Now God is going to make it that way when Christ puts His feet on the Mount of Olives. It’s going to raise it up, right? And it’s going to exalt it. So it’s going to be completely changed. It’s going to be a beautiful thing that God is going to do. “...On the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marveled…” (Psalm 48:1-5). Then it blends back into physical Zion, and so forth. So that’s really quite a thing that God has for us here, and what we’re doing, and how we’re going to do it, and how the millennium is going to be run. Absolutely amazing, brethren.

This is why God has given us His Word and given us the knowledge. And a very simple thing happens: as you obey, you understand. As you continue to obey and love God and serve Him, you grow in grace, and you grow in knowledge, and you grow in understanding year after year after year. Which means that we should become more converted year after year. It doesn’t mean you’re going to get rid of your human nature. No, that will be with you till the day you die. When you die that will be the end of it with human nature. So we need to understand that that it is a profound and wonderful thing that God has given us. And so when we talk about all of the things that we understand in the Bible, it’s only because God has given us that understanding because of that.

Now since we’re here in the book of Psalms, let’s go to Psalm 93. This is one of the psalms of “the Lord reigns.” Let’s see how it’s going to be here. This is tremendous. This describes how it’s going to be all during the millennium: “The LORD reigneth, He is clothed with majesty...” And you can put in the margin of your notes there Revelation 1:13-17, the majesty of Christ, Whose countenance shines as the sun in its full strength. But obviously it’s not going to be that way all the time. Because He is going to, just like us, we’re going to be able to tone down the glory that God gives us so we can be more on the human level to be dealing with human beings. God is clothed with majesty, “…the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting” (Psa. 93:1-2).

Now let’s think of verse 3 this way. Put in your margin there, Isaiah 11. And that’s where it says that the knowledge of the Lord is going to be as the seas, or as the ocean covers the earth. And now when we read verse 3 here, let’s see what this is telling us. This is telling us that knowledge is going to come like the waves of the ocean, more and more and more. Just like you go out and stand alongside the ocean, and here comes a wave. And then here comes another one. And then here comes another one. And the waves never cease, do they? So what verse 3 is telling us is this: is that the knowledge of God and the teaching of God and the power of God is just going to come like waves, coming in like the ocean.

“The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.” So that’s something, isn’t it? Can you imagine what the earth is going to be like after 50 years? After 100 years? After 500 years? Can you imagine the ability, and knowledge, and talent of human beings that can be taught the right way, that can be instructed the right way? How all of their talents and their abilities and everything are going to just be so far beyond anything we have today, that we are going to look back on even this whole - what we call the “grand age” at the end - and look at it as nothing but dust and dirt, and filthiness, and rottenness because of all of the evil that has been in our time from the beginning of Adam and Eve down to the return of Jesus Christ. So here it is. “Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house, O LORD, for ever” (verses 3-5). So that’s a tremendous thing, isn’t it? Brethren, this is what we are going to be doing.

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 61, and let’s see here - this will be the last thing that we will do, and here again it is showing the work that we’re going to do. Let’s pick it up here in verse 6: “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD...” ties right in with Revelation 20, right? Yes indeed. “...Men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.” So we’re not going to do this for nothing. God is going to give us the riches of the Gentiles. Now we’re going to be, if you think about tithing, which is interesting too. So let’s go back and think about tithing for just a minute. God gave the tithe to the Levites, didn’t He? Yes. Then they were to take of the tithe, and it was a tithe of all things that the children of Israel had. And they were to take a tithe of what was given them and give that to the high priest. Well, who is the High Priest on the earth during the millennium but Jesus Christ? So when it says we “shall eat of the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall you boast yourselves,” this is talking about the use of the tithe. God is going to give us that. And then that will be heaped up to Christ, one-tenth of that. So just like God said in Malachi 1, even to the doorkeeper He says, “Why have you despised Me? You don’t open and close the door for nothing.” So likewise, we’re not going to be the priests and ministers of God in the millennium for nothing. Now think about that.

“For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.” And that’s going to be given to us. “For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.” Now this is the covenant that we are in. It goes clear back to Abraham, as we have seen. Amazing, isn’t it? “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles…” (verses. 7-9). Now this is blending spiritual Israel in some verses and physical Israel in other verses. That’s why it tells us of the Old Testament that it’s here a little, there a little, precept upon precept, and line upon line. And just like in the Psalms, it will go along and talk about the contemporary line in one verse, and then it will talk about a future time in the next verse, and then it will talk about a past time further verses down. So it all has to be put together.

So here is a combination of spiritual Israel and physical Israel together. “…And their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.” Both physical Israel during the millennium and spiritual Israel during the millennium. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation [that’s us], He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as the bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in its to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (verses 9-11).

So there you have it, brethren. This is what we need to keep our eyes and our minds and our hearts on. That’s why Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33, paraphrased).