Isaiah 45:14 today, that single verse.

“Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee (Israel), and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.”

This happens during the Millennium.

Three belligerent groups are mentioned, the Egyptians and the Ethiopians and the Sabeans, all virulently anti-Jewish at times … will submit themselves to Israel!

That’s certainly not an event of history … not so far!

But in the future … world opinion and international favor will turn from being against the Jewish people … and will begin to admire God’s little chosen Nation!

Yes granted, the verse is clearly couched in economic terms. The “labor force” of Egypt … now that’s a “twist” isn’t it? The Jews once were Egypt’s labor force! Or should I say “forced labor?” Slaves to the Pharaohs for decades upon decades! But things are different now!

And the “merchandise” of the Ethiopians (thought to be living in the “upper Nile” region of Africa … too! (Talk about “foreign aid!”) Brought and laid at Israel’s feet, reminding me of three Gentile Magi in the past!

Jesus earlier taught us … Where your “treasure” is, there will your “heart” be also! Cash flow! These today mostly Muslim Countries in alliance, in submission to Israel! Can you imagine Jews running OPEC? (I am smiling at God’s Sense of Irony!)

But not only business related is this great “turn.” There is “conversion” in another sense too.

Religiously speaking, spiritually oriented … “They shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.” The last Line of our Text above, Isaiah 45:14.

No other God?

Just Jehoivah Jesus!

Yes, looks like Jesus is still attracting sinners!

Coming world-wide Revival, I call it.

When?

During the future Kingdom Rule of our Lord Jesus Christ here on earth.

Where else can one situate this miracle?

Praise be unto the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

And this is one verse among dozens and dozens indicating the Glory of those coming days!

No wonder Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come!”

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For a period of time yet in the future the City of Jerusalem will be a “cup of trembling” and a “burdensome stone” to all people, to the nations of the world! She is nearly that now, an object of hatred too, in the year 2020 at least. The two terms in “quotation marks” are direct quotes from Zechariah 12:2-3, by the way.

But yet further into the future … for at least a thousand years of Utopia, Biblically called the Millennium … Jerusalem will become the Capital of the whole world! The center of geography! The “City of the great King!” So says Isaiah 48:2, verbatim … “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.”

Listen in our Text today, pay attention to Almighty God as He “testifies” to Israel. Wooing her back to Himself! Isaiah 44:24 … “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.” Touching words, not a scintilla of judgment in them either!

God immediately continues, verse 25, describing Himself … “That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish.” Down go all Israel’s “stupid” adversaries! Here is God scattering His (and Israel’s) enemies!

One more consecutive verse must be considered … “That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof.” Isaiah 44:26, God establishing/proving/fulfilling the words (the prophecies) of His servants and His messengers (the Prophets of old, including Isaiah), especially their predictions and promises concerning Jerusalem!

Men who have said to Jerusalem … “Thou shalt be inhabited.” Prosperity as never seen before, in an environment of Peace! But there is more, listen intently … “And to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof.”

Wow, real urban renewal!

Yes, Jerusalem will be the “center” of the universe during the Millennium! A City mentioned 811 times in the Bible! No other place comes close, even “Heaven” to be frank!

Salvation miraculously available … “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zechariah 13:1, as in “There is a Fountain filled with Blood!”

“And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.” Now quoting Zechariah 14:11.

Even the Psalmist agrees … “The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.” Psalm 128:5

And urges, if not commands … “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6

Yes, God has already filed His coming “change of address” card … “Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 135:21

But I must stop!

Just one more … “The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.” Psalm 147:2, sounds promising!

The Old Testament is often called (in academia anyway) “the Jewish Scriptures” or even “the Jewish Bible” … and while I do not use that term personally … I can see why they do!

No wonder Jesus (during His first earthly Ministry) so loved that City! “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing, more tomorrow …

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If Jeremiah is called (aptly so) “the weeping Prophet,” Isaiah could just as appropriately be called “the Millennium Prophet!”

His writings are “loaded” with information and inspiration concerning that coming thousand-year Kingdom Rule of Jesus here on earth.

I mean Isianic chapter after chapter, not just verses either … often whole paragraphs!

And I for one am not willing to “transfer” all these Promises made to a future, saved Israel … and impose them on the Church! (If one makes this hermeneutical “blunder,” he or she will probably end up being “amillennial.” And that would be a sure sign of Bible ignorance!)

Plus … the concept of “rightly dividing the Word” will just not allow me to do so, to invert Jews and Gentiles. Rightly dividing the Word like this: “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.” Thank you, Paul, for 1 Corinthians 10:33. Readers/students, keep those three entities straight in your Bible study mind, heart.

For example, today’s Text … ISAIAH 44:22-23 … “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.”

Technically, though a pretty set of word pictures, this Pericope is NOT discussing us New Testament believers. The Church (which was officially birthed on the Day of Pentecost) is not Israel. Look at the word “Jacob,” please! And its parallel, “Israel!” What’s not to understand here?

There’s not a drop of Jewish blood flowing in my gentile body! I am an old ex-sinner, saved by Grace!

But to the JEW, admittedly in a small minority by the time it happens (at the end of the Battle of Armageddon) IS going to see the retuning Lord Jesus and repent from sin and gloriously believe on the Saviour!

Her “sins” all gone! Blotted out, hidden behind the thickest cloud you’ve ever seen!

Israel … redeemed! (In Hebrew “gaal,” the “Kinsman-Redeemer” root word, once translated “to purchase!”)

And all nature, a poor word choice, all creation rejoicing in Israel’s salvation! (So there is still rejoicing when a sinner comes home to Jesus … Luke 15:10.)

Tell us again, Isaiah: “Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein.”

“Joy to the world!”

Because of sinners coming to Jesus!

Seems the heavens here really will declare the Glory of God! The bowels of the earth as well! The mountains and forests then add to the symphony!

No more “groaning” (Romans 8:22) … just delightful praise and worship!

Maybe trees are alive, more so than we’ve ever realized!

One sure is, the Cross of Calvary!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Paul’s Romans 10:1 prayer will be answered! That’s praying in God’s Will, if I’ve ever heard it.

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I am again amazed at the VOLUME of Bible Data depicting the coming Kingdom Age, the Millennium!

Read these verses, today’s Text, and see if you feel these conditions have ever been literally fulfilled on earth.

“For I (the Lord) will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the LORD’S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:3-6, King James Version.

Is there not here another future Outpouring of God the Holy Spirit? (One matching if not superseding the Day of Pentecost?) A veritable Floodtide of blessings that just might turn arid land into verdant gardens!

And then no one will be “ashamed” to call himself or herself a Jew! (Today in parts of the world the Jewish people travel incognito, disguising themselves because of virulent anti-Semitism.) Other ultra-liberal Jews are embarrassed (they say) to claim their nation’s godly history. Even its monotheism!

Plus, in the Millennium salvation will permeate the earth. Jesus will have returned. And the greatest Revival in all the Bible will be underway! I say this because: “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

Notice too that God is both “King” and “Redeemer,” Titles reserved for Jesus as well as God the Father.

And the Self-Identifiers “First” and “Last” are familiar as well. They are Jesus’ Very Words as given in Revelation 1:11 … “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.”

Be honest with me please. Have these foregoing traits of life on earth ever been satisfied?

Here we’ve reached a real crux in Bible prophecy, in eschatological hermeneutics … is God speaking figuratively (poetically) and parabolically in these hundreds of passages?

Or is He speaking forthrightly? Meaning exactly what He says? Giving Truth to be understood in a literal sense?

I believe the latter of the two.

Jesus IS coming again.

And He will rule and reign (in His glorified human Body, the same One that ascended to Heaven) for a “thousand years.”

I’m taking God at His Word.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Thousands, if not millions, of other believers (most already in Heaven) have accepted this literal view as well. We Bible students (also known as pre-Millennialists) are merely following the “faith of our fathers” as taught in Scripture.

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Isaiah (the Old Testament Book) has four great Passages about the “Servant of the Lord.” I personally believe each refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, just several centuries prior to His Virgin Birth. (Pure Bible Prophecy, in other words.)

I have eagerly realized (learned) this morning that at least one of these is Millennial in its interpretation. Or partly so, for certain. Let me show you what I mean …

Isaiah 42:1 … “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”

Is this Jesus, this “Servant?”

Did the Father “uphold” (support, sustain, strengthen) His Son while our Saviour was on earth? (Question asked, question answered!) YES!

Was Jesus God’s “Elect?”

“Choice One,” better “Excellent One,” as in Song of Solomon’s description of Jesus our Bridegroom … “His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, EXCELLENT as the cedars.” (The Best of the best!)

Did the Father “delight” in His Son?

More than once we hear Him from Heaven announcing: “This is My Beloved Son! In Whom I am well-pleased!” Sure sounds like “delight” to me!

And did Jesus have the “Spirit” (Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost) put “on” Him?

Scripture (John 3:34) clearly says YES, even to this degree, “without measure!”

Then, did Jesus “bring forth judgment to the gentiles?” (Here “gentiles” is spelled “goy,” a Hebrew noun meaning “nations” 374 times in the King James Version of the Bible.)

Answer … NOT YET!

The actual “judgment of the nations” as depicted in Matthew 25 will not occur until Jesus comes the second time and ends the Tribulation and introduces Peace to the whole world (the Millennial reign of Christ)!

Looks like the main basis of that particular Judgment … “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” … is the way these individual nations have treated Israel during the Tribulation! (Quoting Matthew 25:40)

But none of the foregoing was my main emphasis today!

I was trying to get to verse 4, “He (Jesus the Servant) shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” Isaiah 42:4, a classic!

See … Jesus is going to judge “the whole earth!”

And even the small “isles” in the seas will be included in this “world court” scenario! Eagerly (in Hebrew meaning “with hope”) awaiting our dear Lord’s Pronouncements!

That’s the Millennium, dear readers (Bible students)!

And NOTHING is going to stop Jesus from accomplishing this Goal, this Mandate from His Father! (Just as NOTHING stopped Him from dying on Calvary to atone for our sins!)

Nothing as in … “He shall not fail (grow weak) nor be discouraged
(be defeated, crushed, oppressed),” until He (the final world Ruler, Jesus) has got all this done!

Things in this world look bleaker and bleaker to this Preacher … but Hallelujah … “Some Golden Daybreak” Jesus will come!

Then, after initial judgment … things will look brighter and brighter!

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that SHINETH MORE AND MORE unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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