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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I have about decided to begin writing Lessons only five days a week. Monday through Friday, the Lord willing.

Currently dong the “Evening Meditations” on both Facebook and YouTube has required more time from my daily schedule, and right now those outlets are reaching twice as many people as the Website.

I am a bit sad at this announcement, having sat here every Saturday morning since the middle of 2003, but I sense God’s approval of this decision.

Meanwhile, Monday morning … another Bible Study Lesson on the Millennium, again I say Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Just a single verse today, Isaiah 66:14.

“And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.”

See what?

The Lord’s literal Return to earth, the battle Armageddon over and Jesus’ Kingdom Rule having begun.

Then will be answered the age old question … “Why does God allow so much suffering in the lives of good people?” This question too … “Why do wicked people so often prosper?”

And here’s how those questions will be answered … they will dissolve into nothingness! Into oblivion! Into history, ancient history!

Because then … good people will no longer suffer. And bad people will no longer be (seemingly) rewarded!

Hallelujah!

The very purpose of the Old Testament Book of Job, one of them anyway, is to deal with those two thorny issues. Chapter after chapter deals with those “deep” existential situations.

Preacher, what do you mean “dissolve?”

Our verse again, look at it carefully!

“And when ye see this (Jesus on the throne in Jerusalem, the Millennium), your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb.”

Sounds exciting!

Not only the Knowledge of the Lord and the Glory of the Lord, but now the JOY of the Lord will flood the whole earth!

Now, the rest of the verse: “And the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.”

God’s Hand on His servants, for good. For blessing. For reward. Godly people … blessed immeasurably!

And God’s Wrath on His enemies, the wicked! Bad people no longer prospering! The “Fortune 500” lists will change, that’s for sure!

I hope Job (now in Heaven) knows this verse!

God is righteous!

Ultimately … including His (complex at times) judgments!

Psalm 36:6 … “Thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD.”

Yet too … “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” Psalm 19:9

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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God, in our Text today, pictures Himself as a “Mother!” Unless I have misunderstood the whole Paragraph. Let me at least attempt to show you what I mean …

“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13, with the Lord speaking through the Prophet.

Jesus did this too, at least once. “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, where a “hen” is a mother chicken.

Paul did it as well, particularly when writing to his beloved Thessalonians: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children, being affectionately desirous of you.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9, where the Greek noun “nurse” is feminine gender.

Wow!

But in our Jerusalem Text above (Isaiah 66) … there’s even more such imagery! Jerusalem herself (note the gender again) is discussed by the Holy Spirit of God. In a feminine sense, I believe. See if you agree …

“Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her. That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.” Isaiah 66:10-12 now, the three verses immediately prior to verse 13, where God is specifically seen as a comforting and loving mother!

Look at the feminine terms (used of the world’s “Capital City” during the Millennium) describing Jerusalem …

Nine times (I just counted) the feminine pronoun “her“ is used in our King James Text! That’s a persuasive number!

Also … Jerusalem is presented as nourishing (under the figure of a mother’s breasts) her neighbors, her fellow citizens of planet earth! (They being others who love the Jews, all anti-Semites having been earlier banished. At Armageddon!)

Then our Text presents people being “borne upon her sides,” teaching us that this grand City during those days will “carry” many a people to and fro. Will uplift them and aid them and support them! (Jerusalem as the new “United States,” back when there was a United States … back in her glory days!)

But what about the clause “dandled upon her knees?” Like a Mom lovingly bounces that little child on her leg, on her knees, in her lap! Except here the Hebrew verb also means “delighted in” or even “played with!” A pretty scene!

Jerusalem, the “Power House” Entity of the world … under the Reign or Administration of King Jesus! But gently so!

Yes, back to the Lesson’s title … “what an interesting analogy!”

Isaiah could really paint some gorgeous “word pictures,” for sure. Of course, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Finding these “Millennium” Verses … is a thrilling search! But now I am beginning to wonder, “Is it also an endless search?”

Isaiah alone is a Pioneer in this area. And though we have nearly compassed his literary Corpus, we find ourselves in his penultimate chapter again this morning.

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 65:24-25

One verse deals with prayer, the other with peace!

Both, contextually, millennial in nature.

“I WILL ANSWER,” Who can that be but the Lord God Almighty? So here is an incitement to pray! (As are dozens of other Bible verses.) But I know of none other like this one! “Before they call, I will answer.” Astounding! Then, nearly as delightful, “While they are yet speaking (praying), I will hear.” Miraculous, instantaneous answers to prayer!

Whereas elsewhere in Scripture, Daniel once had to pray 21 days before his answer came! (Daniel 10:13) And Jeremiah, 10 days on one occasion, Jeremiah 42:7.

But in the Millennium … “before they call!”

Wow!

Then something about “peace.” Isaiah has it: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together.” Two presently warring natures … now eating side by side! And the addendum: “The lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat.” No more vicious, bloody attacks on innocent little creatures! Lions eating grass!

And that little fact about the serpent may be a “slur” on the devil, on Satan! Recall Genesis 3:14 please: “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.”

Wow!

Our Text this morning has given us (again) ample evidence that the Millennium will be a (gloriously) different time on this earth. (I almost wonder if creation reverts to its “pre-Flood” state. I know it enjoys the Presence of its Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ!)

Lots of little, short Bible “snippets” about the coming Kingdom Rule of Christ here on earth. But when we merge them, synthesize them … a good summary statement might be: “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” Numbers 14:21, spoken by the Prophet Moses.

Grant it, dear Lord, we pray.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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