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THE MILLENNIUM … AND EVANGELISM!

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I will not be surprised if the Millennium presents one of the greatest periods of evangelism the Cause of Christ has ever seen!

Multitudes being born, the devil being restrained, Jesus ruling the whole world from Jerusalem, and this glorious invitation being extended … “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

We already know that everyone born during the Millennium will NOT wholeheartedly submit to Jesus’ Reign, to His Standard of Righteousness. Because … by Millennium’s end, when Satan is released from confinement, an uprising will occur. Here’s John’s view of the event, written from the Isle of Patmos two thousand years ago … “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem): and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10

Wow!

Thus conversely … we can believe that while multitudes clearly resist Jesus (Who has never FORCED anyone to believe on His Name) … many others will believe on His Name!

His purpose for coming to earth the first time will not vary greatly from His purpose for coming the second time! Which was/is … “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

Hence our Text today, this global invitation … “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7, certainly a valid, general truth for our age, but a specific truth during the Millennium. If a Passage’s “context” matters any! (Isaiah 55 is Millennial to the Core!)

Joel 3:14 … “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Not directly applicable to the Millennium, I think, but representative of the world-wide offer of salvation (what a glorious appeal) Jesus extends when He returns to earth.

If at the Second Coming … a whole Nation (Israel) will be born (born-again) in a day … no telling what might happen to the Gentiles as well!

“Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” Isaiah 66:8

Isaiah 49:22 encourages me along this line … “Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.”

Wow!

Evangelism during the Millennium?

To this extent … “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9

We Bible literalists see a bright (because of Jesus) future for planet earth! Ultimately will come, based on dozens and dozens of Bible prophecies … the thousand-year Kingdom Rule of Christ.

Where Jesus goes … souls will be saved!

After all, He has been certainly lifted up (the Cross of Calvary) … so the rest of John 12:32 will be fulfilled too. “And I (Jesus speaking), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

Yes, “drawing all men,” a magnetism culminated during the Millennium. That’s where I theologically stand anyway …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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THE MILLENNIUM … AND “DAVID!”

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Isaiah 55:3-4, today’s Bible Focus … “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.”

This “Everlasting Covenant” is a positive thing, for sure. Its first occurrence is Genesis 9:16, where God promises to never destroy the whole earth again … by water. (“The waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.”)

Then Genesis segues to the Nation of Israel (through its founder Abraham) and its “Everlasting Covenant.” For example (several could be given) … “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Genesis 17:5-7, Israel “exceeding fruitful!” This facet of the Covenant has not yet been completely fulfilled. Israel’s most fruitful days still lie ahead!

Then the “Everlasting Covenant” clearly turns Millennial, I think. In Ezekiel 37:24-27 … “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

By the way, the human (Son of Jesse) King David had already reigned and died, by the Ezekiel preached this sermon! Yet … “David My Servant shall be King” … future tense! A dynamic reference to Jesus, King Jesus, the greater Son of David!

That’s Who Isaiah has in mind in our Text today … “An everlasting Covenant with you, even the Sure Mercies of David,” Jesus as the Divine Fulfillment of the David Promise!

God to David, a promise: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” 2 Samuel 7:16 … through Jesus, for ever!

Jesus, the Davidic King of all the earth … during the Millennium!

Jesus, in the Millennium … a “Witness,” then a “Leader,” then a “Commander!” See Isaiah 55:4 above (or below), all three Titles are there, in the King James Version.

Wow!

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.”

Sounds like not only a glorious Promise, but a generous Invitation as well!

That’s Jesus … always inviting folks to “come!” To “hear!” And to receive “everlasting life!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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THE MILLENNIUM, BUT NOT YET NEW JERUSALEM!

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Today’s two Verses introduce, I think, an element of negativity. Yes, even during Jesus’ coming 1,000 year rule on earth!

“In righteousness shalt thou (Israel) be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.” Isaiah 54:14-15

True, it will be a time of “righteousness,” like the world has never before seen. For God’s people (again, Israel primarily) no “oppression!” Neither any “fear” nor “terror!”

BUT … looks like there is still the possibility of some kind of opposition! Though held “in check.”

One might wonder, “How can this be?” After all … “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.” Revelation 20:1-3 promises this for sure!

No “devil” and yet …

Back to Isaiah 54, that last half of our Text … “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together AGAINST THEE shall fall for thy sake.” Verse 15, “against thee” … against God’s subjects, the recently born-again Israelites!

They (the rebels) will attempt to confront the Jews, now saved by Grace Jews, but they “shall fall!” Coup unsuccessful!

Then two verses later in Isaiah 54, confirmation … “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Undoubtedly there will be some opposition … using “weapons!” But to no ultimate avail!

Man’s heart (multitudes will have been born during the Millennium, apparently not all believing in Jesus as Saviour) is inherently wicked, we’re talking about “natural” men here.

And even apart from Satan’s influence (him being detained) … a few reprobates hate the Lord and His kingdom citizens!

Yes, during the Millennium, some static! But not after the great White Throne Judgment … and not after “New Jerusalem” comes down from God out of Heaven!

Just for a peek, back to Revelation 20 … “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be LOOSED out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne ….” Verses 7-11, truly amazing!

Even the Millennium, due to the hardness of some men’s hearts … ends in battle! But a battle which finally hands defeat and eternal torment to the Devil!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

We’ve glanced at a great “time span” this morning, many centuries. But that’s just an example of how “up-to-date” our Bible really is!

Wow!

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THE MILLENNIUM … AND THE CHILDREN!

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During the Millennium, we who are saved in this Age of Grace (having already been raptured to meet our Saviour in the air) will still be “with the Lord,” except in our glorified bodies.

The Jewish population on earth (and other pro-Jewish peoples) will live on this planet still in their “natural bodies.” In fact, they will have just been spared the horrors of the Tribulation, their lives miraculously not extinguished. (Jesus in Matthew 24:22 … “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.”)

And these “subjects” of our Lord’s Kingdom will continue to pursue normal (but godly) lifestyles, including baring children. (Jesus once called the Millennium the “regeneration.” Meaning a time of countless “births!” See Matthew 19:28.)

And by the end of the Millennium, look at how many people will have been born on earth, after a rather meager start. Revelation 20:8 … “the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

Many children … born and having lived up to a thousand years! Yes, having lived those hundreds of years!

Isaiah 65:20 implies that a person dying at age 100 … will be considered merely a child! “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old.”

I’m taking too long to establish the fact of “childbirth” in that coming Golden Age.

Today’s Text Verse (our Lesson) is found at Isaiah 54:13. It arrested my attention an hour or two ago. “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Millennial in context, all of Isaiah 54 really.

What a wonderful thought!

Jesus finally will have ALL the little children come to him! None will be forbidden!

And our Lord will teach them, thereby bringing them great peace!

An old adage says: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world!” Jesus must have heard of that!

A world is changed … one child at a time!

Do you know a little one today about whom you are burdened?

Good news … Jesus cares as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

As to how the devil is going to be able to lead a rebellion against Jesus at the end of the Millennium … I am still “in the dark.” But that’s exactly what appears to be the case!

Looks like even in those utopian conditions … some who “act” like they love Jesus really do not!

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THE MILLENNIUM … NO MORE WRATH, BUT LOTS OF KINDNESS AND PEACE AND MERCY!

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What a strange (and longer than normal) Lesson title! But it accurately depicts two consecutive verses in Isaiah chapter 54. And we’re going to consider them today, but one at a time.

First comes Isaiah 54:9 … “For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.” God speaking to Israel!

Israel, whose history has largely been one of chastening (sometimes severe) from the Hand of the Lord. Israel, God’s most favored Nation ever! (And thus held responsible by God along the line of Jesus’ Parable in Luke 12:48 … “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”)

This perennial “Israel” has just been promised (during the Millennium, the hermeneutical scope of Isaiah 54) “no more wrath!” Even “no more rebuke!” (Both nouns express a measure of God’s “fury.”)

Sounds like her days of chastening are over! 

Once the Millennium begins, once the Tribulation has finally ended.

And God here confirms His Promises of Peace by using an early Genesis “Flood” analogy. (I am increasingly amazed at how many times in the Bible the “worldwide Flood” of Noah’s day is referenced! Even in the Book of Job, several times.) Isaiah 54:9 … “For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee ….”  The “waters of Noah!” That’s the Flood, for sure.

So the Lesson title this morning, its first descriptor … “No more wrath!”

Now to Isaiah 54:10 … and another illustration from early Genesis, this time creation week! “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.”

Wow!

Even if the primeval mountains should suddenly disappear, and all the hills be leveled in the process … (a big “IF”) … God’s “kindness” (“hesed”) and God’s “peace” (“shalom”) and God’s “mercy” (meaning His “innermost feelings, love, compassion”) will never waver!

Hence the final part of the Lesson title … “kindness and peace and mercy!”

A bright future indeed, Israel … after much suffering … no wonder Scripture three times uses this glorious Phrase “the Hope of Israel!”

By the way, that’s one of God’s Names or Titles (“Hope of Israel”) in the Old Testament, used twice by Jeremiah.

Let’s pray for that little Nation today. Specifically … “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:6) Which I think is equivalent to praying “Thy kingdom come!” (Matthew 6:10)

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land.” Jeremiah 14:8

“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” Jeremiah 17:13

Amen.

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