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Kings and Priests Under Christ #2
God delights in giving us the Kingdom and our delight is in His Way
Fred R. Coulter—October 18, 2016
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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the second day of the Feast of Tabernacles! Time marches on!
When we look at the world the way that it’s been, and especially this summer and everything that has happened, and as we look forward to the election in November, let’s look at a couple of things that are really important for us to understand and to really keep our mind focused on.
What does God want for us?
What is He going to do for us and the world?
Actually, this is a summary of the whole plan of God! Matthew 5:48: “Therefore, you shall be perfect…” This is in the future, showing that it is a process. But, how perfect?
“…even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect” (v 48)—the perfection of God! That’s what God wants for us. Of course, as we know, He wants our full participation in it.
Matthew 6:33: “But as for you, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
We’re going to see the kingdom that we’re going to inherit is first going to start as a colossal mess! That’s why we need to grow in grace and knowledge and be perfected.
Matt. 11 is an astonishing Scripture when you come to understand it, though we have gone over it many, many time. This tells us some more about the plan of God, and how He’s choosing some here and some there, and what God is revealing to us. As we will see, the Bible is literally filled with information concerning the Kingdom of God and how it’s going to be on earth and all of that.
Isn’t it astonishing when you stop and think about that the Christianity of this world in the main believes in going to heaven, when the Bible shows that God is going to bring it? Talk about having everything backward!
Matthew 11:25: “At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I praise You, O Father… [the One Who is perfect, and we are to be perfect like Him] …Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to babes.’” That’s us!
As far as the world is concerned not a single one of us is worth anything to them, because we belong to God. To be babes means that we have to be:
open to the teachings of God
yielding to God
using His Spirit
Verse 26: “Yes, Father, for it was well pleasing in Your sight to do this.”
Isn’t that an amazing thing, that the world is so upside down and backward, has so many things going wrong for it—and it seems to be multiplying and increasing in severity all the time, which it will, because that’s what Jesus said was going to happen. But God is going to give us the kingdom!
Verse 27: “All things were delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son personally chooses to reveal Him.” That’s an amazing thing in each one of our lives! That God would:
call us
open our mind
lead us to repentance
give us His Holy Spirit
help us and teach us through His Word
prepare us to receive the kingdom
That is revealed to those who answer the call of God, not to the world. Let’s see what else Jesus said along this same line.
Luke 12:22: “And He said to His disciples, “Because of this, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat; nor about your body, what you shall put on. The life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens…’” (vs 2-24). Look out at the creation of God, He provides for everything.
“…for they do not sow, nor reap; neither have they a storehouse or granary; but God feeds them. Of how much greater value are you than the birds?” (v 24). Yes, we’re going to be His very sons and daughters; think of that! Isn’t that not valuable?
Verse 25: “And which one of you, by taking careful thought, has the power to add one cubit to his stature?” It shows that self-improvement will never get you off the ground.
Verse 26: “Therefore, if you do not have the power to do even the least, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies… [consider the grass] …how they grow…” (vs 26-27).
Verse 29: “Then do not be seeking what you shall eat or what you shall drink, and do not be anxious. For all the nations of the world seek after these things; and your Father knows that you have need of these things” (vs 29-30).
God will take care of us; that’s how we walk by faith, trust in God. Ask Him to help us, especially in the time now when there is so much abundance and so many things. We’re going to reach a time when we’re going to have to prove to God that, yes, Your kingdom and Your calling is greater than our physical lives.
Notice why, v 31: “But seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” When for us? The greatest abundance of it is going to be with all the saints in the Kingdom of God!
Verse 32: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father delights in giving you the kingdom.” Giving us the Kingdom of God! That’s an astonishing thing when you think about it. Look at the governments of this world, look at everything that’s going on, and God is going to say to His Family, ‘You’re going to straighten it up; I’m going to be here to help you, and we’re going to get it done!’
As a astonishing as this may seem, the first and second Psalm tell us an overview of God’s plan for each one of us who are seeking righteousness and the Kingdom of God And for the world, the wicked and the rulers. So, this is quite an astonishing thing!
Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…” How are we to walk? In the paths of God! In the Truth of God!
“…nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. But his delight…” (vs 1-2). We just read the Father delights in giving us the kingdom. We’re to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and being, and we are to delight in God’s way.
Verse 2: “But his delight is in the Law of the LORD…” Today we could just say is the whole Bible, because it is. It comes from God—doesn’t it? Yes, it does!
“…and in His Law does he meditate day and night” (v 2). That’s the firs thing in our lives, and isn’t that what Jesus said: Seek first the Kingdom of God!
Notice that spiritually speaking… This can be, at times, physically speaking as well. But whenever blessings come, be sure and thank God for them, and use them properly, and don’t get complacent. We’ll talk about complacency a little later.
Verse 3: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water that brings forth its fruit in its season…” We’re to bring forth:
the fruits of righteousness
the fruits of truth
the fruits of growing and overcoming
the fruits of the Spirit
All of those things come in their time and in their way with the Spirit of God. We are like a tree; the water is God’s Spirit, and through God’s Spirit we grow and develop and bring forth these things:
each in its own time
each in its own way
each in its own season
The plan of God is revealed in its seasons, the appointed times! But here’s an outline for us.
“…and its leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper” (v 3). Even in the troubles and difficulties that you may go through, those are prosperous for us to learn lessons of spiritual growth and understanding.
Here’s the world, v 4: “The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff, which the wind drives away.” In other words, their lives bring forth nothing.
Verse 5: “Therefore, the wicked shall not stand in the judgment… [some may repent] …nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.”
Stop and think about this for a minute; this is why we have to walk in the way of God, the commandments of God, the Truth of God—everything about what God has—being led by the Spirit of God. All of these things are necessary for us to receive the kingdom. God delights in giving it to us! Think on that. But the wicked won’t be there!
Now, the ultimate of the wicked is found in Rev. 20, the Lake of Fire. They won’t be in the Kingdom of God.
Verse 6: “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.” Be gone! Not just die, but be gone! No longer existing!
Now let’s read about the world today, and it’s been this way through history. Stop and think: When was there a time when there was no war. There may have been some times when there was no war in certain areas, but think about the whole world. Everybody is fighting, arguing, shooting, killing, bombing and looting. Before they had explosives they had knives, spears, swords, bows and arrows, axes, clubs, hammers, and all of these were used to kill people.
There’s always been war, and here’s why, and this is really quite a prophecy especially for the end-time with bringing in the one-world government, the one-world rule and all that we know as defined by Rev. 13.
Psalm 2:1: “Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain?” What scheme, what plan of men, for whatever endeavor, for whatever project, for whatever thing to be done…
We’ve got a lot things. We’re sitting in a room and we have lights, chairs, tables; God has provided the Bible for us. We can record like we’re doing right now—audio, video and all that sort of thing. All of those things are there, but unless there is the central purpose of the Kingdom of God, all of these things are in vain.
Verse 2 is exactly what’s going on in the world today: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Christ…” You can read Rom. 1 and how they do that:
change the Truth
ignore the Truth
worship Satan
worship physical things
If you have idolatry there are always evil spirits behind that.
“…and against His Christ…” What is the world going to do at the return of Christ? We know! They’re going to fight Christ! and we are going to have to fight! Guess who is going to win? We are! Then, under Christ, establish the Kingdom of God. Here’s what they want:
no God
no control
we’ll make up our own laws
we’ll make up our own ways
we’ll do whatever we want to do
“…saying, ‘Let us break Their bands asunder and cast away Their cords from us’” (vs 2-3). What does God think about that?
Verse 4: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD scoffs at them. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and in His fury He terrifies them…. [Rev. 16] …‘Yea, I have set My King upon Zion, My Holy mountain’” (vs 4-6)—that’s Christ! That’s in Jerusalem! That’s what the Feast of Tabernacles is all about.
Verse 7: “‘I will declare the decree of the LORD. He has said to Me, “You are My Son; this day I have begotten You.”’” Showing the physical birth of Christ, everything about what God did in Christ’s coming. All of that is contained here; it’s amazing what’s in the Bible when you come to think of it!
Verse 8: “Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations for Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Your possession.” Is that not true. ‘In that day Christ is coming to the earth’ (Zech. 14). All the saints with Him will come from the Sea of Glass:
we’ll take over the world
we’ll bring everything that God wants for the world to have
we will introduce the Millennium
What a time that is going to be! We’ll see that as we go through the Feast of Tabernacles.
Verse 9: “You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Note: Isa. 2; Micah 4. If they don’t want to cooperate when Christ comes to the earth, oh, oh, oh, look out! You better not do that. He’s going to have to rebuke nations afar off!
Verse 10: “Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be admonished O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath can flame up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him” (vs 10-12).
That’s us! That’s quite a thing! Let’s look at how this world is. Let’s see what it’s going to be like. It’s going to be everything upside down:
earthquakes
wars
chaos
dead bodies
broken hearts
broken lives
of those who survive. There will be those who survive. This is going to be something, brethren! Think of it! When God says that ‘I’m giving you the kingdom’ the rest of the story is that ‘you’re going to have to make it right.’ Think of that!
We are going to inherit the greatest mess from the greatest war, from the most damage that could possibly happen to the earth, and that’s how we start the Kingdom of God!
If you want to do a very interesting study, think of this: go through the Psalms and ask: How many of these things apply to the Kingdom of God? Write down the Scriptures! Then go through the Prophets one by one. This is a long study-project.
What are we to do?
What are we to learn?
Are we to not seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Yes, indeed!
Well, that how we can do it. Here’s another one of these the Lord reigns Psalms:
Psalm 93:1: “The LORD reigns; He is clothed with majesty…” We’re going to have a lot of ‘one-ups’ on the people in the world, that none of the rulers of the world today have. We’re going to be able to read their minds; we’re going to be able to appear and disappear.
God “…is clothed with majesty…” We’re going to have a bit of that given to us, as well. We’re going to have a lot of authority over the people to teach them, to help them.
“…the LORD is clothed with strength. He clothed Himself and the world also is established; it shall not be moved” (v 1). Guess who’s going to do the establishing? We are! How?
with the Truth of God
with the love of God
with everything that needs to be done
Verse 2: “Your throne is established… [Psa. 2] …of old; You are from everlasting.” That’s quite thing! What is it going to be like to live forever? How is that going to be? I don’t think we can understand it very well, but we can understand it somewhat!
Psa. 147 is quite a Psalm; this is going to be good. Here is how God is going to solve the problems using us. We know that there are going to be multitudes of those in the first resurrection. God has been working this ever since Abel, and especially since the first coming of Christ. What a thing that is going to be.
Psalm 147:1: “O praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God, for praise is pleasant and becoming.” What is it going to be like when sin is removed? Satan isn’t here? People are going to learn! They’re going to enjoy life!
Verse 2: “The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (vs 2-3). We are going to be doing that. Think of what a great plan that is. That’s why we suffer through the things that we do. Notice coming from God…
we praise His goodness
we praise His glory
we praise His Word
we praise His Son
Verse 4: “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names…. [Fantastic!] …Great is our LORD and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (vs 4-5).
Stop and think about it just for a minute. How much do we really, really, really know? Got and eyedropper with a wee, little, teeny point? One drop! That’s about all we know! But His understanding is infinite!
Verse 6: “The LORD lifts up the meek; He casts the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises upon the lyres unto our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow upon the mountains. He gives the beasts their food and to the young ravens which cry. He delights not in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, who hope in His steadfast love” (vs 6-11).
That will be the whole mission of the Millennium!
Verse 12: “Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.” Notice what God is going to do, because what we have to do we must have God initiating everything first.
Speaking of Jerusalem, v 13: “For He has made the bars of your gates strong…” This time Jerusalem is never going to be done away. Added on top of that, He’s going to replace it with New Jerusalem. Talk about mind-boggling!
Notice that all of these are what God does and we carry it out, v 14: “He makes peace within your borders and fills you with the finest of the wheat. He sends forth His commandment upon earth; His word runs very swiftly” (vs 14-15). The knowledge of God is going to cover the earth like the sea.
Verse 16: “He gives snow like wool; He scatters the hoarfrost like ashes. He casts forth His ice like crumbs. Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His Word… [the seasons, the laws and everything] …and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. He declares His Word unto Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances unto Israel. He has not done so with any other nation; and as for his ordinances, they have not known them. O praise the LORD!” (vs 16-20).
We’re going to have to do that for all the world! The first thing He needs to do is bring Israel, in order for all of this to happen. Let’s see what God is going to do. We’ve covered some of this in Day 1 and how it’s going to be with Israel:
Jeremiah 32:17: “Ah, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm. Nothing is too great for You. You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His name, great in counsel and mighty in work…” (vs 17-19). That sure is going to be true in setting up the Millennium.
“…for Your eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings” (v 19). Yes, we’re going to be there teaching them, helping them, making all of this possible.
Verse 27: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” Think about that!
Here is what God is going to do, and we’ll be part of this, v 37: “Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands where I have driven them in My anger, and in My fury and in great wrath.…” Going to bring back Israel first.
“…And I will bring them again to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely…. [no more war; think of the prosperity that is going to develop from that] …And they shall be My people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for their good and for the good of their children after them” (vs 37-39).
Just think how many children are going to come during the Millennium. What a thing that is going to be!
Verse 40: “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them…” Give them the opportunity of receiving eternal life. Those of us in the first resurrection will always be in a different category than they, because we will be the firstborn, the first Family of God. Christ is the First of the firstfruits. We are the firstfruits. This is why that everything that we do is worth everything that we go through! Never forget that when the going gets tough.
“…that I will not turn away from them, rather, to do them good. But I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I will rejoice over them… [rather than dish out wrath] …to do them good, and I will truly plant them in this land with all My heart and all My whole soul” (vs 40-41).
Look at what God is going to do! That is something! God is going to make this the most wonderful thing that there is, starting out with Israel and Judah. Then the nations that see this will come to Jerusalem and say, ‘Show us what we must do.’ We’ll be there to help them!
Here’s what’s going to happen; we must do this first; Jeremiah 33:6: “Behold, I will bring it health and healing, and I will heal them and will show them the riches of peace and truth.” You can take one verse and multiply that over and over again. Take that one verse and look at the world news on television, look at the lives of people. Think what it’s going to be, this kind of health; this kind of healing.
Think of that the next time you watch on television one of those ads for some kind medicine, which is the most wonderful thing in the world to take if you don’t die from taking it. “…I will heal them and will show them the riches of peace and truth.”
Verse 7: “And I will cause the return from captivity of Judah and the return from captivity of Israel, and will build them, as at the first.”
Now then, here’s what also has to come along with it. And what we’re describing here is what we’re going to be doing. God is going to do it through us, who are the kings and priests, the city rulers, county rulers, administrators and teachers, and He’s going to do all of this through us.
Verse 8: “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me; and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned, and by which they have transgressed against Me.” Think of that! Add to that the next layer of salvation, the Last Great Day. Just plant that seed there and think on that.
Verse 9: “And it shall be for Me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear of all the good that I do to them….” This is why God delights in giving to us the kingdom.
Think of what we are going to bring to the world!
Think of what salvation is going to be like for them!
Then we go down 50 years, 100 years, 150 years, 300 years, 500 years 600 years, 700 years, 800 years and on down to the completion of the Millennium. Amazing!
“‘…And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the peace that I bring to it.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘Again there shall be heard in this place, which you say is a waste without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast… [here’s what you’re going to hear] …the voice of joy…” (vs 9-11)—rather than sadness and crying and wretchedness from all the ways of man.
“‘…and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who shall say, “Praise the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His steadfast love endures forever”…’” (v 11). Think of that! Think of what Sabbath services are going to be like during the Millennium everywhere in the world!
“‘…and the voice of those who shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land, as at the first,’ says the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Again in this place which is a desert without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall be a home of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him who tallies them,’ says the LORD. ‘Behold, the days come,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will establish the good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah’” (vs 11-14).
Think of that! That’s going to be something! We are going to be there teaching, training, administering, helping in every way as the spirit sons and daughters of God to make the Millennium a fantastic and wonderful success for God!
(go to the next track)
Let’s see the great and fantastic work that God is going to give us, because He delights in giving us the kingdom. We will be able to accomplish the greatest tasks in helping this world come:
to know God
to understand why they’re here
to live in love and in truth
to rejoice in the goodness of God
Let’s apply Psa. 126 to every single one that lives through the Tribulation and into the establishing of the Kingdom of God. Just a short, little Psalm, but what a message that is there:
Psalm 126:1: “When the LORD brought back the exiles, those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.” It’s going to be something! It’s going to be so fantastic! It’s just like dream.
Is this really happening?
Is this really true?
Is this really taking place?
Verse 2: “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then they said among the nations…” All around the world. Just to give you an idea what this will be like. We’ve got a globe right in our meeting room
Take this Psalm 126 and think about it for all nations of the world, everywhere on earth, all people everywhere. It’s going to be our job to bring this to them so they can:
have happiness
have joy
have love
have truth
understand about life
understand about God
This is what God has given us to do. I just wanted to show you this globe and think about the big picture of what we are talking about here.
“…‘The LORD has done great things with them.’ The LORD did great things for us and we are glad. Turn back our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (vs 3-5)—especially that first generation. What a time that is going to be. All of those who live through the Tribulation, the horrible and terrible times that they have to go through.
Verse 6: “He who goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come home with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Psalm 96:1—we’ve got this song in our hymnal: “O sing to the LORD a new song…” I don’t think we have a clue as to what kind of real singing there’s going to be in the Millennium. Especially with all the spiritual sons and daughters of God. What is the heavenly choir going to be like.
“…sing to the LORD, all the earth….” Think about the globe. When Sabbath starts at one part of the earth and goes around the whole earth, think what that’s going to be like:
everyone keeping the Sabbath
everyone honoring God
everyone coming to church
everyone being taught the way of God
everyone being taught the Word of God
If you think the Bible is great—which it is—it’s fantastic, it’s marvelous, it’s eternal; it has the words of life and spirit; think of what’s going to be added to it.
Verse 2: “Sing to the LORD, bless His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people” (vs 2-3)—everyone from the least to the greatest are going to know God, and God has called us to do that, brethren! That’s why we’re here!
Verse 4: “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” No more gods of the nations. No! No!
Verse 5: “For all the gods of the nations are idols… [they’ll all be destroyed; there won’t be anymore of them] …but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O you kindreds of the people; give to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth” (vs 5-9).
That is going to be something! Think what it’s going to be like in keeping the Feast of Tabernacles during the Millennium.
Verse 10: “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns, and the world shall be established; it shall not be moved; He shall judge the people with righteousness.’ Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness of it. Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD; for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth; He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with His Truth” (vs 10-13).
That’s why we’re here, brethren! That’s an amazing thing. All of this is in the Bible! Think of that! Think of how God is going to take, as it were, each one of these verses and expand it out with understanding all during the Millennium. That is going to be something! This is quite a study!
Psalm 122:1: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.’” What’s it going to be like during the Millennium and we’re out here in this country or that country—whatever it is—and it’s time for us to go up to Jerusalem where Christ is, where the patriarchs are, and all of those who serve around the throne of God. What a wonderful thing that is going to be!
Verse 2: “Our feet shall stand within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is all joined together as one where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD” (vs 2-4). We will bring those offerings and those things to Jerusalem, to God. Amazing!
What are we going to see? Verse 5: “For there were set the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”
Think of what Jesus told the apostles when they said, ‘Lord, we left everything, what is there for us?’ And He says, ‘You’ll each be sitting on thrones judging the tribes of Israel.’ So, there they are, all the apostles. What a time that’s going to be.
As we look forward to it, v 6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you prosper. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ For of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good” (vs 6-9). Can hardly wait to get there!
Let’s see some things in the book of Isaiah; there are some really great Scriptures. You can do the same thing with every one of the books of the Old Testament: How much does it talk about the Kingdom of God?
Isaiah[transcriber’s correction]59:20: “‘The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,’ says the LORD.”
We’re going to help administer this. Think of what God is going to have us to do. We’re just like an teeny, little drip or drop of something for what we know compared to what God is going to reveal to us. Since we’re going to live forever, don’t you think that we’re going to be learning forever? That’s hard to contemplate!
Verse 21: “‘As for Me, this is My covenant with them,’ says the LORD, ‘My spirit that is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed,’ says the LORD, ‘from now on and forever.’”
Other than just a little brief time with Satan the devil at the end of the Millennium, it’s going to be all God’s way!
Isaiah 60:1: “Arise, shine; for your Light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.” This world right now as it is, is in darkness]: …for behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people… [v 3]: And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (vs 1-3). That’s us!
Verse 4: “Lift up your eyes all around, and see. All of them gather themselves together; they come to you. Your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall throb and swell for joy; because the abundance of the sea shall turn to you, the wealth of the Gentiles will come to you” (vs 4-5).
We’re not going to do this for nothing! That’s amazing to understand! Think about that! I tell you, that’s something!
Verse 9: “Surely the isles shall wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD your God, and to the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you. And the sons of strangers shall build up your walls, and their kings shall serve you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My grace I had mercy upon you” (vs 9-10).
Grace to the whole world! That’s going to be an amazing thing! Notice that there is still going to be some correction that’s going to have to come. God is not going to tolerate any rebellion. He’s not going to put up with any way of living in sin. This is talking about us and our authority over the world under Christ:
Verse 12: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you will perish. Yes, those nations will be completely wasted.” I’m sure that goes on into the Great White Throne Judgment and so forth.
Verse 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.” You talk about being exalted, isn’t that going to be something? Yes!
Look at this, v 16: “You will also suck the milk of nations, and suck the breast of kings; and you shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob…. [notice the prosperity that is going to be brought]: …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” (vs 16-17). That’s us! We’re the rulers and overseers!
Verse 18: “Violence will no more be heard in your land, neither wasting nor ruin within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day; nor the brightness of the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you for an everlasting light, and your God your glory” (vs 18-19).
We’ll still have the sun and moon, but compared to what God is going to give us, it’s going to be an amazing thing, indeed!
Verse 20: “Your sun will no more go down, nor your moon withdraw; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Your people also will all be righteous; they will inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified. A smallest will become a thousand, and the least one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in its time” (vs 20-22).
How is that going to be? On down through the Millennium, then on down through eternity! Amazing! Amazing, the things that God has here for us!
Think of this for a minute: No wonder the Protestants don’t know anything, and the Catholics don’t know anything. They says, ‘Well, the Old Testament is all done away or fulfilled.’ You might ask anyone who says that to you:
Is the Kingdom of God established on the earth?
Did you know that the Old Testament talks an awful lot about this?
Did you know that’s why Christ is returning?
Did you know that you ‘ain’t a gonna go to heaven’?
Heaven is going to come to the earth, so you better get yourself ready!
Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me…” This is Christ’s prophecy. This is what He spoke in Luke 4 when they brought Him the scroll of Isaiah. This is talking about Christ.
“…because the LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor…” (v 1).
How is He doing that? Through His Church!
How is He going to do that during the Millennium? Through His kings and priests to whom He has given authority over the earth!
Remember the big globe that we looked at; it’s a big place with a lot of land, and a lot of ocean. After the shaking of the heavens and the earth and so forth, we don’t know what it’s going to look like, but it’s going to be something! Notice that this also tells us what we are to do:
“…to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted… [at the beginning of the Millennium that will be just about everybody] …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).
“…he day of vengeance…” does not mean just executing everybody. How about ‘good’ vengeance? Making everything right! Have you ever thought about that?
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.”
Showing conversion to the world and all the people and the things that they go through. That’s going to be quite a job! Can you imagine the histories, accounts and everything? How we’re going to gradually put all of that in the past? Right at the beginning it’s going to be quite a thing to rehearse it, but as we go down through the Millennium we will see that things will change a bit.
Verse 4: “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.”
You talk about a work project. Remember what they said after WWII and the Marshall Plan how we were going to fix up Europe? We did a pretty good job with that, but look, there they are right in the middle of fighting again. Human beings just cannot get along. It is an amazing thing! Here all of that is going to be taken away.
Verse 5: “And strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the stranger will be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you…” (vs 5-6)—that’s us! Here is a prophecy for us; tie this in with Rev. 20 where it says that we will be priests of Christ.
This applies to all who are in the first resurrection, v 6: “But you shall be called the priests of the LORD; it will be said of you… [put your name there] …‘The ministers of our God’; you will eat the riches of the Gentiles, and you will boast in their glory. For your shame you will have double; instead of dishonor they will rejoice in their portion; therefore, in their own land they will possess double; everlasting joy will be theirs” (vs 6-7).
That is going to be for those in the first resurrection. Then as we administer this to the people during the Millennium in all nations, it will come to them.
Verse 8: “For I the LORD love justice… [that’s what He’s going to bring and we will administer it] …I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth…” Through us. That’s why we need the Truth of God, the Truth of God, the Truth of God!
“…and I will make an everlasting covenant with them…. [because they will enter into the Kingdom of God, as well] …And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people; all who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed the LORD has blessed” (vs 8-9).
Stop and think of the promise given to Abraham: your seed shall be like the stars of heaven! That will be all of those in the first resurrection. Will that be a blessing to be in the first resurrection? Yes, indeed! Never again to be repeated!
Verse 10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation, He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” That’s how we are going to be clothed! Imagine that! Look at these promises!
Brethren, this is a mighty, fantastic and wonderful thing that we have, so that we can understand these prophecies and promises, and see that those have been given so that we can have inspiration, hope, joy and know that we are doing the things that are right before God by:
loving Him
keeping His commandments
keeping His Holy Days
Why would anyone not want to keep the Holy Days?
Why would anyone not want to keep the Feast of Tabernacles?
If they’re never taught what is right, if they’re never taught these things, they won’t understand why, and they make it a burden.
Verse 11—talks about our work: “For as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes that which is sown to grow; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations.”
I want you to think about that. I want you to think how great that that is. I want you to take whatever problems you have and put them aside, get them resolved and concentrate on the blessings and promises that God has given us and why we keep the Feast of Tabernacles and the great, fantastic spiritual everlasting promises of being His sons and daughters. Because when these people are done with their physical life, they’re going to enter into the Kingdom of God. What is that going to be? That’s why the heavens are so vast! There is so much out there that God has done in preparing for us!
God isn’t going to give that to us until we learn, know and understand His way, the way that He wants it to be.
Isa. 11 is one of my favorites. Take a look at the world the way that it is today, and everything that’s going on. How many suicide radical Islamic terrorist attacks have we had? Hundreds! That’s only just a start. What is it going to be like just before the return of Christ? It’s going to be absolute madness and mayhem! Compare that with:
Isaiah 11:1: “And there shall come forth a shoot out from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him…” (vs 1-2). That was Jesus in His physical life. Not only that, magnified as He came back and regained being God.
“…the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. And His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. And He shall not judge according to the sight of His eyes, nor after the hearing of His ears” (vs 2-3). Neither will we!
Verse 4: “But with righteousness He shall judge the poor…” Isn’t that what is needed today? Without a doubt!
“…and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked” (v 4). Not going to tolerate it! No way!
Verse 5: “And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.”
There’s going to be a change in the whole earth, not only in human nature, as we saw that God is going to give them a heart of flesh, but also in the environment, in the animals. Look at what goes on in the animal world; same thing is going on in the human world:
fighting
warring
quarreling
squabbling
taking
stealing
That’s all going to be changed! These things are going to be so fantastic it’s hard for us to believe it.
Verse 6: “Also, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the cub lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”
Who will want plastic toys? Nobody! And no more war games, sorry about that. That’s where they learn war, and you’re not going to learn war anymore!
Verse 7: “And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” That’s going to be something to behold, a grass-fed lion. How is that going to work? I don’t know, but that’s going to be something!
This is the one that gets me, v 8: “And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper’s den.” Quite a contrast to what it is in some places in the world. Today in the America they tell children to be careful in Florida because of the pythons eat little children. Look at this, it is completely changed!
Verse 9: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” That’s something! That is going to be really great!
Verse 10: “And in that day there shall be the Root of Jesse standing as a banner for the people; to Him the nations shall seek; and His rest shall be glorious.” That’s the part that we play in, the glory of the Lord of God!
That’s why we are here!
This is why we have been called!
This is why we need to grow in grace and knowledge!
This is why we need to keep the Feast of Tabernacles!
to be uplifted
to be inspired
Especially this year, because one week after everything is all over and we get home, BAM! Halloween puts its presence right in the middle of things. We need to be strengthened:
spiritually
mentally
emotionally
and uplifted with
the Word of God
the Spirit of God
And let it dwell richly within us!
Scriptural References:
Matthew 5:48
Matthew 6:33
Matthew 11:25-27
Luke 12:22-27, 29-32
Psalm 1:1-6
Psalm 2:1-12
Psalm 93:1-2
Psalm 147:1-20
Jeremiah 32:17-19, 27, 37-41
Jeremiah 33:6-14
Psalm 126:1-6
Psalm 96:1-13
Psalm 122:1-9
Isaiah 59:20-21
Isaiah 60:1-5, 9-10, 12, 15-22
Isaiah 61:1-11
Isaiah 11:1-10
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
Revelation 20; 13
Romans 1
Revelation 16
Zechariah 14
Isaiah 2
Micah 4
Luke 4
