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And greetings brethren. This is day two of the Feast of Tabernacles, 2001. And time just keeps going along, and every year we have the Feast of Tabernacles and it reminds us and gives us the understanding of God’s plan and God’s way.
Recently I had a woman ask me the question concerning: What does the new moon foreshadow? Now let’s come to Colossians 2:16. Let’s just read it and we’ll answer the question, what it means. “Let no man therefore judge you in [eating] meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday…” And we just had a holy day yesterday, and a lot of people judge us and say well, we shouldn’t do it. But God says we should. Jesus Christ did. He set us the example and showed us the way and we are to have a relationship with God based upon love and obedience. “…Or of the new moon…” Now, it should be translated “or of new moon”. That’s just what it is in the Greek. There is no definite article “the”. It doesn’t mean “a” new moon. And it’s not plural and it doesn’t mean “new moons”. So “new moon” here has direct reference to the calendar. And the calendar is set by the new moon of the seventh month and the full moon of the seventh month. It says there “to blow the trumpet in the new moon” and then on the feast day, which then is the full moon. So this pictures the calendar.
Now in the calendar of God the foreshadowing is that it tells us the plan of God and unfolds it for us year by year and gives us understanding of the word of God and what He’s doing. And then when you really understand the Bible you’re going to understand this: You cannot understand the Bible unless you understand the Sabbath and the holy days because the Sabbath and holy days are the framework and the foundation, which then God has built upon. So He has designed them. Now you just stop and think for a minute. Think about all the Sunday-keeping churches that are out there. Do they understand the word of God? No. Do they keep the calendar the way God says? No. Do they keep the Sabbath and holy days the way God has commanded? No. Alright, let’s look at what is happening to them. They are being divided down even further.
Now then, let’s look at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. They understand about the Sabbath, and we can throw in there the Church of God 7th Day as well because they are very similar. But they don’t understand the plan of God because they don’t keep the holy days. So you see the new moon with the calculated Hebrew calendar foreshadows God’s plan that He is doing. Now therefore this fits right in with the Feast of Tabernacles.
Now let’s go back to Genesis 12 and let’s see something concerning the Feast of Tabernacles, that it is going to be a time of great fulfillment of the promises given to Abraham. So let’s focus in on those and let’s begin here in Genesis 12, and let’s see what Abraham did, what God required of him, and how he did it, and we will see parallels that apply to us.
Genesis 12:1, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee”. Now he had to forsake everything that he had. He had to leave his country. He had to leave his father’s house. He had to believe God and walk in faith not knowing where he was going. And here’s the promise that God gave to Abraham, which then has a great fulfillment, as we will see, in the Feast of Tabernacles.
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great…” And we will see how great that name is today as it fits in with the Feast of Tabernacles and the salvation of all nations during that time. “…And thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (vs. 2-3). Now that is a great framework that God has His plan working to reveal to us. And it all begins with Abraham.
Now notice verse 4, very simply, “So Abram departed…” He left. So it’s the same thing with us. Now when we come to God and we say, “I’ve repented of my sins and I want to be baptized,” then Christ says, “If any man will come to Me and hate not his father, and mother, and brother, and sister, and wife, and children, and lands, and yea his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” So that’s exactly what Abraham did here. He went as God told him to. And all during his physical life that he sojourned in the land that God gave to him as a promise to inherit, he never inherited it. He had to walk in faith from the time he was called at 75 until the time he died at 175. So that’s a long time. And there’s some very important lessons that we are also going to learn, which apply not only to us today but will apply to all of those during the Millennium and the Kingdom of God.
Now let’s come over to Genesis 15:4, and let’s just review this a minute. And so God said to him, “…This [Eliezer of Damascus] shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them…” An impossible task. So he was asked to believe God. That was his response - to believe God. “…And He said unto him, So shall thy seed be” (Gen. 15:4-5). But you see, God does the impossible. And that’s why we need to also understand with us, God is also doing the impossible with us. God has called us so we can be the spiritual sons and daughters of God, born again at the resurrection. And our life and our growth and the things that we do in our Christian life becomes, as you look at it from the human perspective, an impossible task. But with the Spirit of God all things are possible. So we also need to believe God in that, just like Abraham did here.
“And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness” (vs. 6). So he believed God that it would be. Now, do you believe God that you are going to be a spirit being in the Kingdom of God, and that you are going to rule and reign with Christ as kings and priests? You have to believe that because that is the promise. And we will see as we go through this that God does not lie. That’s why the word of God we can count on. It is absolutely sure. It is absolutely true. It is absolutely right. And it’s going to be done and it’s going to accomplish whatever God wants it to do.
Now there are some things that God requires us to do. And sometimes He gives us things which look like are a very difficult and almost impossible task to accomplish. But He wants us to do it by faith. That’s why when we come to Genesis 22 (now let’s turn there) and we will see the other trial and test that Abraham had where then not only did he have to believe God, but he had to obey God, and he had to do the things that God asked him to do in faith, believing and knowing that God is true and right.
So you know the account. He was told to take his son, Isaac, whom he loved and to take him out and offer him for a burnt offering on one of the mountains of Moriah. So they took a three days journey, went to the mountain that God said. Abraham loaded the wood on Isaac’s back and he took the hot coals in the portable pan. And as they were going up Isaac said to his father, “Father, I see the wood and I see the fire, but where is the lamb?” And Abraham said, “God will provide, my son…” Now you have to understand, he walked by faith and God is the one Who has to provide. You have to also trust God that He will provide for you.
And in the account both Isaac and Abraham believed God, trusted in Him, and after Abraham bound Isaac and put him on the wood and reached down to get the knife, then the angel of the Lord cried out and stopped him from doing it. Now let’s pick it up here in Genesis 22:11. Now this is very important, not only for Abraham, but here is a great principle in our lives. And a great principle that I have seen many people fail.
“And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest [Me] God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.” (Gen. 22:11-12). Now, this was approximately 37 years after God first called Abraham. And all that time Abraham had his ups and down. We can go through and do a sketch of his life. But not until this time did God say, “Now I know that you fear Me.” Meaning, “Now I know for sure, absolutely that you will always fear Me and love Me and keep My commandments.”
Now I want to ask you a question: Do you - have you come to the point that God can say this of you? Now you look around and you see all the people that you’ve known in the Church of God through the years. And you think about all the trials and difficulties that you have gone through, and you need to understand every one of these trials and difficulties that we go through are for the very purpose of knowing whether we love God with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and being, whether we fear God, and whether we will continue to do that all of our lives. Some people are tempted by power. Some people are tempted by office. Some people are tempted by money. Some people are tempted by sex. And I mean in the temptation, they give into it and they justify it, and they figure God will understand. And the truth is God does understand, and He knows that He cannot say this of many, many people. So there’s an important lesson for us. And let’s understand this: If we do not come to this point in our lives, we’re not going to be in the Kingdom of God either. Now that’s especially true when you consider the age that we are living in. When you consider the age, we’ll just call it the Laodicean age of plenty of everything for everyone, see. And there are so many things that can come along.
Now within the Church we also have: Do you trust God? Do you believe the Bible? Or, do you want to create your own doctrine? Do you want to be exalted in some sort of office that you think is some great promotion? Are you pulling a Haman, or a Simon Magus? What is it? Now we can be thankful that Abraham was faithful and loved God and obeyed His voice.
Now here, since we’re right close, we’ll come back to Genesis 22 here in just a minute. Let’s come to Genesis 26:5. This is one that I’ve gone over and over, and over, and over, but you know, really some people have really not gotten the point. And they really haven’t understood, and they haven’t grasped that, as we will see, if we are Christ’s we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. However, we’ve got to do as Abraham did.
Now in verse 5 God is talking to Isaac, and He says, “Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” And He knew that he would always fear God. God would always be first in His life in spite of everything that came along, even his own only begotten son and the firstborn of Sarah, Isaac. For the sake of what God asked him to do, he did.
Now let’s come back to Genesis 22 and let’s read on here a little bit more. Let’s come to verse 15. After God provided the ram and they offered the sacrifice, “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven…” And that is the spiritual seed. That includes us because we’re going to be born again at the resurrection, become spirit beings, have glory and shine as the stars in heaven, just like Jesus said. “…And as the sand which is upon the sea shore…” That’s all the physical seed of the twelve tribes of Israel. “…And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice” (Gen. 22:15-18). Now that is the standard of faith that we are to follow. And we have recorded for us all the words of God. And these God spoke or God inspired to be written. So these are the words of God, and so we need to be willing to obey the words of God.
Now let’s come here to Galatians 3 and let’s just review this verse once again. Because Galatians 3 tells us quite a bit about our relationship with God and the faith that we have to have. And this is given to us so that we can have strength. So that we can believe God. So that we can have an example to follow. Now Abraham did not have an example to follow. He is our example. That’s why he’s called the father of the faithful.
Now let’s come over here to Galatians 3:5. “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth He it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Now how are you inspired? By God’s Spirit, by the hearing of faith, by the understanding of the word of God, by loving God and believing Him. That’s how you grow in grace and knowledge and understanding. That’s how Abraham did. And he’s our example.
“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (vs. 6-7). That’s what we are. And all of those who come into the Kingdom of God during the Millennium are going to likewise be of the children of Abraham because the promise that God gave to Abraham extends down through this age into the Millennium and on into the Last Great Day. Because the complete fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham will not be fulfilled to it’s highest degree until we come to Revelation 22.
Now let’s look at verse 8. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [or that is, the nations, or the pagans] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” And that’s continuous from that time. Now remember, I made the mistake of saying Genesis 22, but isn’t it interesting that the beginning of the fulfillment was in Genesis 22, and the finalization of the fulfillment is Revelation 22? And Jesus said He was the beginning and the ending. Genesis is the first book, the beginning. And that’s what Genesis means, the beginning. And Revelation is the last book, which is the finishing. And the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles through the 1000 year reign and rule of Christ and the saints of God fulfills even greater the promises that God gave to Abraham.
Now let’s come over here to verse 29. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” You are included in that, you see, if you have the faith that Abraham had. Now let’s see how this applies to the Millennium. Let’s come to Isaiah 51 and let’s see what is going to be taught then as well as now. And can you imagine what’s it’s going to be like with Abraham there teaching? We won’t have to read the scriptures to find out about Abraham. We can see him. We can talk to him and to Sarah, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, and all the Patriarchs as well. And to all of the apostles. So there’s some tremendous things that we can look forward to that we can live during the Millennium when it starts.
Now here, Isaiah 51:1, “Hearken to Me, ye that follow after righteousness…” Now remember, righteousness was imputed unto Abraham because he believed. Righteousness was imputed unto Abraham because he obeyed. Righteousness was given to him because he heard and obeyed the voice of God. So it says here, “Hearken to Me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the Rock [from] whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” Now the Rock is Christ, so we see a combination of things here in Isaiah 51. Christ is the Rock.
Now notice verse 2, “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you…” Because Sarah is a type of the Church, Jerusalem above. So here now we are in a millennial setting. And what’s going to be taught? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, the truth of God, and God is going to fulfill the promises that He gave to Abraham all through the Millennium.
Now verse 3, “For the LORD shall comfort Zion…” So this goes right into a millennial setting. “…He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden [that’s the restoration of all things], and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Tremendous picture of the Millennium but notice it’s looking at Abraham and Sarah.
Now let’s continue on here right in verse 4. “Hearken unto Me, My people; and give ear unto Me, O My nation: for a law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgment to rest for a light of the people.” And of course all during the Millennium it’s going to be the judgment of God, isn’t it?
Verse 5, “My righteousness is near…” They’re not going to have to go and say, “Where’s the Lord?” “…My salvation is gone forth…”, given to everyone, an opportunity for salvation. “…And Mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner…” Talking about the lake of fire, isn’t it? “…But My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished” (vs. 5-6). Now all Protestants, pay attention. It’s not going to be abolished.
Verse 7, “Hearken unto Me…” They’re going to have to listen to the voice of God. And as we saw yesterday they’re going to have to listen to our voice, and we’re going to be teaching every Sabbath. And we’re going to say, “This is the way, walk in it. Don’t go to the right hand, don’t go to the left hand. Here is the way of God.” They’re going to have to pay attention. They’re not going to have any excuse, see. “Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law…” Now there’s a message for us today, and a message for the people during the Millennium because that’s how it’s going to be. “…Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment…” Now that’s for us today to give us encouragement. God will fight our battles. God will watch out for us. God will take care of us, if we believe in God the way that Abraham did. And that’s what we are going to teach the people in the Millennium. “…But My righteousness shall be for ever, and My salvation from generation to generation” (vs. 7-8). All through the Millennium for a thousand years. But it’s going to be a wonderful and fantastic thing and God says you have a part in it.
Now let’s come to Hosea 14. Let’s see what Israel is going to have to do. Very interesting chapter. This is the repentance of Israel when God brings them into the promised land. When God brings them back. When God grants them repentance. Now there’s going to have to be the repentance first before these other things can take place.
Now let’s pick it up here in Hosea 14:1. “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” And Israel is going to fall by their iniquity, sure enough. And you just look what is happening to us today, and it’s happening big time in many cases. “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously [God will]: so will we render the [worship] calves of our lips.” Now it says “calves” in the King James, but it means worship. Instead of worshipping calves now they’re going to worship God.
And they will confess, verse 3, “Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods…” And that’s what we are doing today, aren’t we? The very work of our hands we’re saying, “Oh, this is great. This will save us. Let’s do this. Let’s do that. Let’s do the other thing. Let’s build this. Let’s build that.” And of course the greatest thing that men want to do is clone human beings and say we are gods. “…For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.”
God says, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for Mine anger is turned away from him.” Now this is what it’s going to be to Israel as the Millennium begins. God is going to turn away His anger. And He says, “I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, 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 any more with idols? 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? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (vs. 4-9). And that’s what’s going to happen all during the Millennium.
Now let’s continue on and see how God is going to do this and make it great for the 1000 year rule and reign of Christ. And we’ll see even more where Abraham is going to be involved. Let’s come to Ezekiel 36:8. “But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for you…” Now one of the biggest points of faith we need to understand: God is always for us. Do you understand that? Even in the trials and difficulties that you go through, where maybe sometimes you feel alone, remember Abraham and Isaac felt very alone when they had that test, didn’t they? But God was with them. So God is with you in everything that you do. If the Spirit of Christ be in you, He is going through the trial with you. And He is for you, and He will help you, and He will bless you in His way, according to His will. And you will learn from those things just like He says right here, “…I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown [that is the land]: and I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: and I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit [that is be fruitful]: and I will settle you [upon] after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezek. 36:8-11). So that’s really quite a thing that God is doing here, isn’t it? Yes, absolutely marvelous.
Now let’s come back to the book of Hosea again and see one of the things that God is going to have to do. In the repentance that they are going to do, they are going to have to get rid of all their old ways and all their old religions of the days of Baal, and they’re going to have to have that purged completely out of their system, out of their thoughts, out of their hearts and minds. Now this will have to happen with all the nations of the world too. And it’s going to take some time to get them to really give up their gods, and give up their idols, and give up their ways. Just to give you an example, I had an interesting conversation with a man recently, and he was in a situation where he had to work for a Hindu. And he had to work in this motel to be office clerk, and so forth, and he worked six days a week. And every Sabbath his Hindu boss would say, “What are you doing on Saturday?” And he says, “Well, you know it’s my Sabbath and I go to church and I worship God.” And he {Hindu} says, “I have no respect for Jesus Christ. I have no respect for your religion.” You see, Israel’s repentance is going to be easy compared to someone like that. What’s it going to be like to bring conversion to India, to China, to Pakistan, to Mongolia, to Russia after all the things that they did. And remember what we covered about how the earth is when the Millennium begins. It’s going to take some time.
Now here, Hosea 2:14, “Therefore, behold, I will allure her [that is, Israel], and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi [that is, husband]; and shalt call Me no more Baali [or, Baal]” (Hos. 2:14-16). Now remember there’s an island in Indonesia called the isle of Bali. And there’s a song, “Bali High”. Everyone thinks that’s a wonderful song. It’s praising Baal. That’s what it’s doing, it’s praising Baal.
Now let’s finish the rest of the verse. “For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name [that is the Baal’s, many of them, you see]. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth [as we covered yesterday, they aren’t going to learn war any more], and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever [so this is a new covenant that God makes with Israel]; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her unto Me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not My people, Thou art My people; and they shall say, Thou art My God” (vs. 17-23). And that carries out to all the nations. And remember this is all through Abraham and the promises given to Abraham.
And we know that the time is going to come, as it says in Amos 9 that it’s going to be so fruitful and so bountiful that the plowman is going to tell the reaper, “Get out of the way, here I come.” And he’s going to say, “Well, I’ve got more to get up.” And he’s going to tell him, “Hurry up and get it up”, because everything is just going to flow with wine, with milk, with honey, with good things. And then everything else that comes from there because all economy is based upon agriculture.
Now let’s come to Joel 3. And so it’s going to be a wonderful thing, brethren. Can you imagine what it’s going to be like to rule over some of the cities of Israel and help bring these things in? To understand God’s way? Now look, when we’re resurrected God is going to give us more knowledge. He is going to teach us. He is going to give us understanding on how to do these things, and how to properly rule and reign and do the things in love and mercy and kindness. And to bring the administration of Jesus Christ to this earth. Quite a thing.
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…”, as we saw yesterday, and it will go out and it will heal the whole earth. “…And shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness…”, and so forth. And he says, the last verse here, “For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion” (Joel 3:18-19, 21).
Now, since we’re here let’s come to Micah, over a few more pages. Micah 7 and let’s see what this tells us about Abraham. I think we’ll find this very interesting. Micah 7:16, “The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.” In other words they’re going to stop all the gainsaying that they’ve had against God’s people, as they have now. “They shall lick the dust like a serpent [meaning they are going to repent], they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of Thee. Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old” (Micah 7:16-20). And so what I want us to learn today is that all of this springs from Abraham. All of this springs from the promises that God gave to Abraham, saying that, “In you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
Now let’s come to Psalm 105, and again we’re going to see how important this is with the work of Abraham during the Millennium. Psalm 105:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people.” That will be a daily occurrence all during the Millennium. “Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works.” They are going to be something. Can you imagine what education in schools is going to be like? Can you imagine what it’s going to be for the children growing up? It’s going to be amazing. “Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and His strength: seek His face evermore. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done; His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (Psa. 105:1-5). And what are we going to show them? What are we going to teach them? The judgments that God had before Christ returned. Look at the wonderful works that He is doing in bringing the earth to destruction and then rebuilding it. And you see the only way to save the world is to let it nearly be destroyed, because you’ve got to get rid of all the sin and iniquity and all of the paganism and all of the rebels, and that’s the only way it can be done.
“O ye seed of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob His chosen” (vs. 6). Now that can apply to us as spirit beings when we’re born again into the Kingdom of God and rule and reign with Christ. And that will apply to the children of Israel down through the Millennium because they are the seed of Abraham and the chosen children of Jacob.
Part 2
Now let’s continue on with the next verse. “He is the LORD our God: His judgments are in all the earth.” Now remember this forms around Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “He hath remembered His covenant for ever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant He made with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant” (vs. 7-10). Now brethren, we are part of that everlasting covenant. You see, the framework of God as defined in His holy days is very important. And it’s amazing when you really begin to look at it and understand how much that this fits in going clear back as Christ said, “I am the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, Alpha and Omega.” And maybe you’ve never heard it before this way, but Abraham is going to have a lot to do. Can you imagine what his position is going to be? I’ve often thought about it. Is he going to be the one at the right hand of Christ? Now we don’t know because Christ said that that’s the Father’s decision. We do have the vision of Christ and Moses and Elijah. But you see Moses and Elijah are both subordinate to Abraham. They are both subordinate to Isaac and Jacob, if you want to look at it that way. So we don’t really know how God is going to do it, but we know that Abraham is going to be right there.
Now, Psalm 145, and again we’re going to see that Abraham is involved. And again we’re going to see that the fulfilling of the covenant that God gave to Abraham comes right on down through our time, right on down through the Millennium, right on down through the Last Great Day to the finishing of the salvation of mankind.
Now here, Psalm 145:1, “I will extol Thee, My God, O King [Christ is going to be King]; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.” This is quite a thing. This is really a magnificent Psalm. “One generation shall praise Thy works to another [all during the Millennium], and shall declare Thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works” (Psa. 145:1-5). Boy, I tell you. It’s going to be something.
I know one thing, when I go through these and I read these and I prepare for the sermons and just ask God to help me understand so I can bring out the things and teach you and that you can be inspired, I tell you, I get so excited. And the things that are going to happen are going to be so great and so awesome. And what is so fantastic about it is that we have the blessing and the promise of participating in it. We’re not just going to be on the sidelines. We are not going to be couch-potatoes for a thousand years. We’re going to be working. We’re going to be doing. We’re going to be helping. We’re going to be teaching, and carrying out all of these things that God said that He promised to Abraham. An amazing thing, isn’t it. Absolutely amazing.
Let’s come to Jeremiah 23:5. Now here again, now you see every time God goes through and gives great correction, or just before He gives great correction, when He does He gives inspiration to see beyond the correction. So that we understand what the correction is all about. Now, if you want to be inspired, and if you want to be corrected let me suggest that you go ahead and you study the book of Jeremiah. And take it as a message to yourself. Let all the correction to Israel and to Judah be to you. And ask God to give you repentance. And ask God to help you to see His greatness and His goodness. And ask God to give you the strength for the things that are going to take place in the future in our lifetimes, which will be very much similar to the whole collapse of Judah when Babylon came and conquered Judah. But He gives hope in the midst of it.
So always keep this in mind, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch [prophecy of Christ], and a King shall reign [because Christ is going to be King over all the earth] and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved [just like Christ said, “Judah shall be saved first”], and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. 23:5:-6). Just like it began with Abraham, that he believed God, and God imputed it to him for righteousness. So He’s the Lord, our Righteousness for us today, for everyone down during the Millennium, for those who come into the Kingdom of God through the Last Great Day.
“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But [this is what they will say], The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (vs. 7-8). So it’s going to be quite a thing. The things that are going to take place are going to be awesome indeed.
Now let’s come to Isaiah 43:14, and let’s continue on here. Let’s understand how great this is going to be. “Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.” And so He is going to reign as King over all the earth. “Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow” (Isa. 43:14-17). In other words this is now saying, “War is totally over. We’ve gotten rid of all the weapons. We’ve gotten rid of all the attitudes. We’ve gotten rid of all of those that plan war.”
Now we come to the time in the Millennium, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” (vs. 18). We’re not going to look back and say, “Oh it was so great.” We’re going to look back and we are going to say, “It’s buried. It’s done. It’s dead. It’s over with.”
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not [understand] know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Can you imagine what that’s going to be like? “The beast of the field shall honour Me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise” (vs. 19-21). Now we can apply that to the Church today, but that is being applied to the Millennium. That is being applied to Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, the twelve apostles, as we will see a little later on. They are all going to be part of ruling Israel. And it’s going to be a magnificent thing for the whole world to see. And it’s always going to be pointing to God, Christ is King, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Israel.
Now let’s continue. Since we’re here in Isaiah, let’s come to Isaiah 25:6. It’s amazing what’s in here in the scriptures, isn’t it? You know, this is the first time I’ve ever done a sermon on Abraham and the Millennium. But once you get into it and see it, it’s all obvious right there. “And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things [for a thousand years], a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.” Now you think we have good wine today. Out here in California some of us kind of like to be wine connoisseurs a little bit. But I don’t think we have ever tasted wine that is going to be like is going to be produced here. I imagine it will be very similar to the wine that Christ created out of the water in John 2.
Let’s continue on. “And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.” He’s going to take away all the blindness and hardness of heart. “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it” (vs. 7-8). Now that’s going to be a mighty thing to do. Can you imagine what it’s going to be like when God lifts the vail from the Hindus and the Buddhists, and the Moslems, and all of the other religions of the world. And they are going to look at their idols and their stupidity and loath themselves and repent and rejoice in God.
Now let’s come here to Psalm 93. God is going to rule. He’s going to reign. There isn’t going to be any more of the things that we have today. There isn’t going to be the rebellion. It’s going to be taken care of before it’s even started. That’s going to be something, isn’t it? I wonder what it’s going to be like when we’re able to see this. Psalm 93:1, “The LORD reigneth…” Now remember He begins His reign at the resurrection. “…He is clothed with majesty…” Isn’t it going to be wonderful to see the brilliance of Christ and of God the Father. “…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. The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.” Now what do the waters picture? The waters picture people. We have that in Revelation 17, so here’s all people. It can be also a type of the physical waters doing that too. But here’s all people lifting up and praising. Lift up their voices, 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. Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house, O LORD, for ever” (Psa. 93:1-5). So the Lord reigns. Marvelous and fantastic. He’s going to be King over all the earth.
Let’s come back here to Zechariah 14 where it tells about how we’re going to come down to the earth with Christ, and He is going to be the King. Zechariah 14:9, “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth…” It says back in the bottom of verse 5, “…and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.” He’s going to be King over all the earth. Verse 9, “…In that day shall there be one LORD, and His name One. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up [the land is actually going to be lifted up and changed], and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. And menshall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited” (Zech. 14:9-11). Because Christ is King.
Now, how many are going to live in Jerusalem with Christ? We know that the Bride is going to be wherever Christ is. So if He’s in Jerusalem the Bride will be there with Him. And it says in Revelation 14 that wherever the Lamb goes the Bride goes with Him. It will be interesting to see how that will be.
Now let’s come down here to Psalm 2. Let’s look at a few Psalms now and see how God is going to reign as King. Psalm 2:6, “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree…” This was when Christ was begotten. So it kind of goes in and out from the Millennium to Christ’s begettal here. “The LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son: this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance…” Now this applies to the conversion of the Gentiles from the time of the preaching of the gospel beginning with the apostles. And this applies to Christ being King over all the earth because He will inherit the heathen or the Gentiles. “…And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession” (Psa. 2:6-8).
“Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron [that ties in with Revelation 2:26 that the saints will be doing that too]; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (vs. 9-12). And that’s going to have to happen all during the Millennium.
Now since we’re here in the book of Psalms, let’s come to Psalm 10 and again we’re going to see that God is King. Let’s begin in verse 15. “Break Thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man…” That’s what’s going to happen. He’s going to take care of all wickedness. “…Seek out his wickedness till Thou find none.” It’s going to perish from the earth. “The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of His land.” The heathen in this case, being not all the heathen per se, but this is saying all of those of heathen worship are perished. “LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear” (Psa. 10:15-17). That’s what God is going to do. He’s going to hear them. He’s going to bless them. He’s going to be with them.
Now let’s come to Psalm 47. It’s quite a fantastic Psalm here in bringing out how that Christ is going to be King. And this ties right in with the thing concerning Abraham. Because you see “in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” That applies to Israel. That applies to Christ. That applies to the Church because we are the children of Abraham. That applies to everything during the Millennium. So you see how multifaceted the word of God is in its fulfillment.
Now Psalm 47:1, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible [that means awesome]; He is a great King over all the earth.” And no one is going to turn Him back. “He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet” (Psa. 47:1-3). Who’s “our feet”? That’s us. That’s the Church. That’s all of those in the first resurrection.
Notice, “He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. Selah.” Now we’re part of the excellency of Jacob. Did you know that? Yes, we are, spiritually. “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” (vs. 4-6). Boy, I tell you what, when you go through all these prophecies, there’s one thing that’s going to happen. There’s going to be a whole lot of singing in the Millennium, and it’s not going to be like it is today in all the jangling music that passes off as so-called gospel music and religious music and silliness like that.
Verse 7, “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. The princes of the people are gathered together…” And if we’re going to rule and reign as kings and priests, we are the princes of the people. Isn’t that something? That’s why it’s so important that we learn, that we know, that we understand. And you see the greatest thing is that we develop the character and the mind of Christ. That’s what brings us into the ability to preach and teach and to do those things when we become spirit beings, whether we be a man or whether we be a woman in the flesh today. Let’s just finish this, “…Even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted” (vs. 7-9). So there it is again. Into the Millennium and into Abraham again.
Now let’s come to Psalm 68:17 and we’ll finish this. Here’s something. Can you imagine traveling like this? “The chariots of God are twenty thousand…” And I imagine there are more than that. “…Even thousands of angels…” Now how are we going to travel in the Millennium? I imagine we’re going to have our spiritual chariot. Now remember, when God travels in the universe what does He go on? He goes on His cherubim (Ezekiel 1 and 6). “…The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them [that is He takes care of the rebellious]. Blessed be the LORD, Who daily loadeth us with benefits…” Now you think of that. Imagine what it’s going to be like every single day for all eternity. God is going to load us with benefits. “…Even the God of our salvation. Selah.” And Selah means stop and think and meditate on this. “He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death” (Psa. 68:17-20). And He’s going to take care of that.
Now let’s come down here to verse 24. “They have seen Thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel” (vs. 24-26). And then it talks about the rest of Israel, and so forth and the temple of God.
Now let’s see something very interesting. Let’s come back here to Zechariah 14 again, because all the nations, they are going to keep the holy days and here we’re going to see they are going to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And that’s going to be one of the main things during also the Millennium. And it’s going to be required that all nations keep all the holy days of God. And it’s going to be required that they come to the Feast of Tabernacles. Now obviously not everyone in the world can come to Jerusalem. So what is going to happen is this: every nation is going to send representatives to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles there with the family of God, as well as there are going to be those of us who are going to be kings and priests and rulers over the different nations and cities, where then we’ll also remain back in those countries and they will keep the Feast of Tabernacles there. But they had better have their representatives in Jerusalem.
Now let’s read it, 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. 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.” Now that is for those who have rain. God is going to correct and rebuke. They’re going to get the point. They are going to learn. “And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain [so it doesn’t matter if you live in a desert area and you don’t have rain]; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16-19).
Now after all, isn’t it going to be really quite a fantastic thing to be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles during the Millennium, and the Feast of Tabernacles picturing the Millennium, and Christ as King and Christ as LORD, and all of us ruling and reigning with Christ. Can you imagine the tremendous lessons that are going to be taught every Feast of Tabernacles? Now, I can. It blows my mind, but the only thing I can know and understand is this, is that it’s going to be fantastic. It is going to be awesome. It is going to be something. That’s why God is going to make all nations come up to Jerusalem.
Now let’s come back here to Psalm 68:32. Now I tell you what brethren, in just going through these things, it has given me more desire and zeal and earnestness to really be there. To participate in these things, to witness these things. To help Christ and the saints and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the patriarchs, and the twelve apostles, and to help Paul and to help Barnabas, and all of those who came before us. And here we live in a time when we can get together in peace and love and harmony and understanding, and have the word of God and understand these things. Brethren, let’s really make this Feast of Tabernacles a wonderful feast, because we look at the spiritual things, and we do the things which are the spiritual things of loving each other, and helping each other, and serving each other, and loving God with all our heart and mind and soul and being, with the anticipation that we are going to be there. That we are part of the promise given to Abraham. That what we will do in the Millennium is part of the promise given to Abraham and the fulfillment of it. And what a wonderful thing it’s going to be to be there and see Abraham and see Sarah and to talk with them. And to work with them, and to bring this knowledge to the whole world. You know, Abraham is going to be able to sit down and teach the whole world, isn’t he? No doubt about it.
Now let’s come back here to Psalm 68:32, “Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah [think on that, meditate on that]; to Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, He doth send out His voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. O God, Thou art [awesome] terrible out of Thy holy places: the God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God” (Psa. 68:32-35).
And we’re going to finish right where we started. Let’s come back to Genesis 12. Remember the beginning and ending. So we will end at the beginning, right where we were. Let’s read the promise that was given to Abraham again. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country…” Brethren, we were called out of this world just like Abraham was. “…And from thy kindred [put God first in everything], and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee…” And for us that is the Kingdom of God. “And I will make of thee a great nation…” We’re part of that great spiritual nation, brethren. “…And I will bless thee, and make thy name great…” Now how great is Abraham’s name going to be by the time we come to the fulfillment of God’s plan? It’s going to be awesome. “…And thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). And so that’s how Abraham figures into the Millennium.
