Honestly, there is so much in the Bible (the Old Testament being the dominant contributor) concerning the Millennium (the coming Kingdom Age of Christ) that a Bible student is nearly overwhelmed!

How can anyone deny this fact?

Prophet after Prophet!

Psalmists, too!

Amazing!

And we go back to one of those Prophets this morning … Jeremiah again.

The Paragraph I have chosen is typical, and full. So much so that I am going to let you read it all, but I shall comment on just one verse.

Truthfully, it is self explanatory when read as a literal coming Event with Jesus as the Hero, the Protagonist, the Main Character!

Jeremiah 31:10-13, yes a little divinely inspired paragraph.

“10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. 13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”

Have you read it?

My emphasis today is the fact that Jesus was not only “Shepherd” in days past. But Jesus will yet again be “Shepherd” to His people, the Jews! (Actually Christian friend, He is still the “Shepherd of our souls” right now, overseeing us from the Father’s Right Hand, according to 1st Peter 2:25.)

In a fuller sense, the New Testament shows Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” (three times in John chapter 10) and the “Great Shepherd” (in Hebrews 10:13) and finally the “Chief Shepherd” (in 1st Peter 5:4).

The John references concern the past, the Death of Jesus. The Hebrews analogy concerns the present, the resurrected Jesus and His ministry right now. And the Petrine reference refers to the future, to the Second Coming of our Lord!

Wow!

But Preacher, where is this “Shepherd” Metaphor in the Jeremiah Passage you’ve shared today?

In Verse 10, God talking to the whole world … “Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, AS A SHEPHERD doth his flock.”

Yes, the Chief Shepherd has returned!

Jesus, “as a Shepherd,” sorry I just can’t help but capitalize His dear Name, His beautiful Title!

Isaiah 40:11 (also Millennial), if you recall, adds to this scene: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Wow!

But back to the Jeremiah Pericope above, my Text.

After the Shepherd comes, His flock (His people Israel) will be “redeemed” They are also here “ransomed!”

Then they break into “song!”

Then abundant blessings will freely flow!

Then all “sorrow” is vanished!

To which we now add the Passage’s final Line: “For I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”

Also very Isaiah like!

“To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:3, part of the verse.

I have ended so many of these Millennium Lessons the same way. But what else can one do?

Praise the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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“3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:3-6, a glorious Passage!

I count four Personal Pronouns (“I“) in our Text, referring to the LORD Himself. Things for Israel HE is going to do! “I will gather ….” Because “I have driven ….” Then “I will set up ….” After which He vows “I will raise up …!” The Lord clearly being very active in the Millennium!

These key “I” words are further (and undoubtedly) identified in verse 4, “saith the LORD.”

When He refers to “My flock,” Israel is in mind. The scattered Jews, a diaspora made necessary by the Tribulation, fleeing the anti-Christ.

Then comes some leaders simply called “shepherds.” Godly men who will lead the Jewish people. (Under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, for sure!) “Good” shepherds, as opposed to the “false” shepherds Israel has had in the past, wicked men called “hirelings” at times. (In the Old Testament “shepherd” was a civil term as well as a religious one. These are God appointed “undershepherds” to the Lord Jesus Christ during the Millennium.)

Then HE is described, our dear Lord Jesus.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”

Jesus is that Branch!

Jesus is that King!

Jesus is that Judge!

And Jesus is that Saviour … “In his days Judah shall be saved.” Verse 6a of our Paragraph today. “Judah” referring to all Israel I suspect.

Bur Preacher Bagwell, how do you know this is Jesus? The very next Line … “This is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Who Else could that be?

Jesus back on earth.

Jesus as King of the Jews.

And peaceful Ruler of all the earth.

Oh, what Scripture!

Enough to rejoice/meditate on all day long!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” Jeremiah 3:17-18

Yes, Jeremiah follows Isaiah in more ways than one!

Not just chronologically, or its placement in the (English) Bible, but in theology as well, eschatology. Specifically in reference to teaching us about he Millennium.

The two verse Text above is nearly self-explanatory.

The Lord’s very throne … will then (during the Millennium) be in Jerusalem!

And the (what’s left of them after Armageddon) nations will come there to worship!

And sin/evil (by and large) will be vanquished, or at least suppressed. (There one more final rebellion coming at the end of the Millennium when Satan is loosed for a spell.)

And Judah and Israel will again be reunited! The “North” and the “South” no longer at enmity! Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” indeed!

Migrating back to Israel (the Land God gave them) from points north! (Russia, for example.)

What a golden set of Promises!

And no doubt, when the Jews are being persecuted (as never before) during the Tribulation … when anti-Christ is trying to massacre them wholesale … verses like these will be a Mainstay to their faith.

Do remember that 144,000 preachers will have been loosed on earth, witnessing for our Lord, truth tellers in an age of confusing lies!

And God will bless their efforts with fruit, with souls saved!

And surely … while many of these new believers will be martyred for Christ’s Sake, simply because they have professed His Name … they will treasure the Word of God in their hearts as long as they do live.

All Christians do that!

Promises, the Bible is full of them!

A great old Preacher used to say, “We Christians do not live our lives on explanations! We live our lives on Promises!”

Some things we will never understand, not down here on earth.

But we can always lean on (believe in) the Promises God has given us!

Jeremiah 3:17-18 … amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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We’re near the end of Isaiah’s comments on the Millennium. And I have come nowhere near discussing all of his information! Yet this particular verse spoke to my heart a few minutes ago …

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.” Isaiah 66:22

Wow!

Yes, the context shows conclusively that Israel is the focus here, with even the previous verse naming the Levites specifically!

(I learned yesterday that a so-called mainline denomination in America has published a New Testament in which the proper noun “Israel” has been removed totally! That sort of sounds anti-something to me! They would tell you they don’t really hate the Jews, not all of them anyway … they just despise Israel! To the point of changing God’s Word! Of course they probably don’t believe that unique Book is the Lord’s inspired Word, either!)

Essentially Isaiah 66:22 just told us that as long as the new heavens and the new earth stand (exist) … that’s how long Israel will continue!

I just counted 75 times “Israel” (by name) is found in the New Testament, King James Version. Incidentally, the term “new Heavens” and its equivalent the “new Heaven” are found only twice.

ISRAEL FOREVER!

The Nation God created!

Jeremiah agrees with Isaiah’s theology and timeline, too.

“Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will (some day) cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.” Jeremiah 33:25-26

Israel is staying in my Bible!

As long as day and night continue!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Millennium is actually inaugurated with war, the War that ends the Tribulation. Armageddon, by name, at least that’s the “place” where it will be fought.

I think Isaiah 66:15-16 describe that “horrific” time. (Or is it in a way a “good” thing, in the sense that evil will be defeated?) Either way, here’s today’s Text:

“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”

Actually the Lesson title, “the wrath of the Lamb,” is lifted/quoted from Revelation 6:16, describing essentially the same Occurrence. ” Hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Clearly a prayer!

Isaiah is framing the Second Coming of Jesus as a “Theophany.” A theological term meaning an “appearance” of Almighty “God!”

The fire and the chariots (warrior angels?) often (in the Old Testament) accompany such an event, a Theophany. And both nouns (“anger” and “fury”) used to describe Jesus are the most intense available in Hebrew, to reveal displeasure. Actually, aggression!

Add to that the “sword,” no doubt two-edged.

And Isaiah’s verb “plead” does NOT Mean to beg! It’s “shaphat” and means “to judge” over 200 times in our King James Bibles. This is not an “invitation” to sinners, being rather a “slaughter” of reprobates.

And “many” will die! With this much bloodshed … “even unto the horse bridles.” Revelation 14:20

The vast majority of the dead are “to-the-core” Jew haters. Volunteers in the anti-Christ’s army gathered to attack Jerusalem and brutally murder its inhabitants!

Armageddon and its victory directly leads to the glorious Millennium and its centuries of peace!

And this morning Isaiah the Prophet has done a good job of giving us a glimpse of that horrible day. A “snapshot” if you please, a “thumbnail” in today’s terminology I guess.

Again … “For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”

And personally, I can envision this happening sooner rather than later. Which means we Christians certainly should be ready … the Rapture is seven years earlier than Armageddon!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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