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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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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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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The Tribulation first, then the Millennium … that’s the Biblical Order. Based on a literal reading of the Book of Revelation, the Book of Zechariah, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Jeremiah, and the list has just begun!

“The time of Jacob’s Trouble,” a phrase used in Jeremiah 30:7 … followed by the time when “the Lord will be King over all the earth,” quoting Zechariah 14:9.

Wow!

Well, today’s Text highlights (emphasizes) this sequence. Graphically so in my estimation.

“For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.” Isaiah 54:7-8

It almost speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

Obviously, God is the Author, the Speaker.

“A little wrath” (the Tribulation, comparatively so) followed by “everlasting kindness” (the Millennium)!

But note that the Millennium (the time of Kindness) is here NOT limited to a thousand years. It is now said to be “eternal!”

This kind of analogy reminds me of Paul. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 … a “little” suffering here … a “ton” of Glory over yonder!

But why the Tribulation, all that trouble, God’s wrath … anyway?

I believe to humble Israel, to bring her to repentance … to put her under conviction … all of which leads to her salvation!

In microcosm, Isaiah 66:8 … “For as soon as Zion travailed (the Tribulation), she brought forth her children (New Birth, Millennium, Salvation).

Zechariah 12:12 … the Tribulation … “And the land shall mourn (under conviction for sin), every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart.” (Here’s Genuine Brokenness, Sorrow.)

Then immediately … Zechariah 13:1 … “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.” Salvation, Jesus returning, sin forgiven!

Comparatively speaking … “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Hallelujah for Israel!

And we New Testament believes will be eye-witness to this Majesty!

Hallelujah for the Church!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Isaiah (the whole Book generally and chapter 54 specifically) is sort of like (regarding the Millennium) peeling a sweet onion! Each new layer reaches/reveals more “meat” and gets nearer and nearer to the central “core”, the very “heart” of the matter!

And today’s Text is no different.

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Isaiah 54:4-5

What a “reversal” from Israel’s checkered history …

No longer fearful! (Does that not somehow imply peace?)

No longer ashamed!

No longer confused!

No longer a widow, poor and alone!

No longer considered a “blight” on society, a “useless” people, a “freak” of nature!!

These few foregoing sentences sum the Text’s first half … “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.”

But why?

Who cares anyway?

Martin Luther, echoing (or maybe even determining) the Reformation’s attitude toward them, called the Jews … “a base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth.” (Quoted from his Book “On the Jews and their Lies.”) There’s much more: They are full of the “devil’s feces … which they wallow in like swine.” Their synagogue was (according to Luther) a “defiled bride, yes, an incorrigible whore and an evil slut.”

Is that shame enough, especially when heaped upon them by a churchman? (Martin Luther is NOT my hero, not by any means!) Hitler used some of these nefarious lines to promote his brand of anti-Semitism!

Yes, that was Israel’s legacy for many years, decades, centuries! And nobody cared!

Well … I’ll tell you Someone Who does care about His people, His little “chosen nation” … God Himself cares!

He (during the Millennium) will remove all that blight from the Jewish Nation! (From “the apple of His Eye,” called such four times in Scripture, Israel is.)

The rest of today’s Text … the “Meat/Heart” of it … “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Isaiah 54:5, notice the Titles here!

God is Israel’s “Maker!” In essence, Creator!

And her “Husband!” (Then she is a widow no longer!)

And her “Defender,” not as plain in the Passage but there! “The Lord of Hosts” is literally “the God of the armies!” Look it up …

And her “Redeemer,” having bought her unto Himself with His precious Blood!

And I’ll add, her “Sanctifier,” as the “Holy One” of Israel!

Then also, to the earth’s other Millennial inhabitants … He is the “God of the whole planet!”

Truly, a world Ruler!

If I am reading this right, taking Isaiah literally … the Millennium will be wonderful for Israel, her believing remnant!

And we who are alive today, having trusted Jesus as Saviour, having been saved, born-again … will at that time (during the “Millennium”) also be “with the Lord,” right near His side I assume.

According to Paul, anyway … “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.” Quoting 1st Thessalonians 4:13-17, King James Version.

“Ever with the Lord!”

What comfort!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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