Yes, Hosea!

Even Hosea, the Old Testament Prophet that talks so much about love, and sin, and restoration!

At least I believe these two verses are Millennial:

“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the SAND of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” Hosea 1:10-11

God’s “population promise” to Abraham will some day be fulfilled; literally, mathematically!

“Here’s that Promise, specifically … Genesis 22:17-18 … “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the SAND which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Obeyed in being willing to sacrifice Isaac!)

“Ye are not my people,” a saying Hosea used twice, consecutively … Hosea 1:9 negatively and Hosea 1:10 (our Text today) positively!

Yet the positive side of this Blessing become even stronger in this Text, not just “You will become My people,” but … “Ye are the sons of the living God.” That’s sounds like the New testament, the Age of Grace!

This great miracle, conversion … happens at the beginning of the Millennium, when Israel (the Nation) is saved!

“One Head,” that is Jesus!

God appointed, but here pictured as wanted by Israel too!

“Jezreel” means “scattered” in Hebrew, but here God has “regathered” His dispersed people.

Called them home to the Holy Land, from all the earth’s other lands! Every continent, every state, every isle when they once dwelt.

Excuse all the exclamation marks, please. I can’t write about this without using them!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

Revelation 22:20

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Out Text this morning, Ezekiel 39:25-29, ends magnificently!

It is the culminating Paragraph of the Bible Account of God’s defeating a massive army, one attacking Israel. Or planning to attack anyway, to spoil (rob) that wealthy little Country …

A great Battle which involves some huge nations, poised to conquer Israel. “God and Magog,” along with “Persia (Iran), Ethiopia and Libya!” Plus “Gomer” (Germany) as well! (These nations are identifiable yet to this very day! Primarily Russia and her allies.)

God defeats this coalition, killing all but “the sixth part!” It will take Israel “seven months” to bury all the dead!

But then our Text, sort of a general summary … “25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. 27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:25-29

That last verse has captivated my attention … “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.”

Did you notice the Lesson title?

Verse 29 looks to me like a Parallel to the “Day of Pentecost” in Acts chapter 2. God plans to again “pour out” His (Holy) Spirit! Once upon the Church! Now upon His favorite Nation!

The verb “pour out” is “shaphak,” and in Hebrew means (and is translated) “to gush out” once! A copious Gift!

Zechariah 12:10 is similar … “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications.”

And the result?

Salvation for Israel!

Sanctification too!

And an eternity of service to the Lord God Almighty!

Wow!

“3 For I 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: 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5 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.” Isaiah 44:3-5 here seems to be describing the same glorious Event.

Yes, the Holy Spirit is God’s “Comforter” to mankind! (This is Jesus’ favorite Name for the Spirit.)

God’s “Completer” one Preacher said.

Yet He is so neglected today.

Christian friend reading here today, do you know Him?

One God, triune in Persons, Essence!

Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Each Member of the Godhead being active in every aspect of our Christian lives! (As He was in every aspect of Creation, for that matter!)

Israel, her best days are still coming.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Today (for the third Lesson) we again study Ezekiel chapter 37, surely a great encouragement to the Israelites!

“23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” Ezekiel 37:23-28, the reminder of the chapter.

“Saved” and “cleansed!”

“My people,” a term of endearment!

And “David my Servant” is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, I believe.

He is the “One Shepherd!”

In the “Land,” perpetually, meaning “for ever!”

Wow!

God’s “Sanctuary/Tabernacle” there too, a literal Millennial Temple of colossal size, according to Ezekiel chapters 40-48.

With the whole world (the “heathen,” gentiles) looking on in amazement! At a “sanctified” Israel … abiding with her Lord God forever!

And in agreement, too, these now Jesus loving gentiles!

This chapter, should be preached (verse by verse) in every Bible believers’ “Prophecy Conference” from now to Glory!

Israel has a lot yet to endure.

But Oh, what a bright future!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Bright, just like ours … because of Jesus!

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Since the days of King Rehoboam, son of Solomon, has Israel been a “split” nation. Often called the “Northern” Kingdom and the “Southern” Kingdom. At times even being designated by their capital cities; Samaria and Jerusalem. Or by their largest tribes; Ephraim and Judah.

And though not divided by tribal identity today, Israel still is a very splintered Country. Politics, culture, worldviews … how disparate that little Nation is right now.

But all that will change … when Jesus comes again. And that’s the Focus of today’s Ezekiel 37 Text. God is here (again) talking to His Prophet, whom He lovingly calls “son of man” … “16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. 20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.” Ezekiel 37:16-22, again a longer Passage than usual, but you must read it to understand my comments.

Two “sticks” … about to be joined as one!

“Judah” representing the south and “Joseph” (whose son was “Ephraim”) here standing for the north.

Made “one” in Christ Jesus the King and our Saviour!

God thrives on unity, when that harmony is rightly achieved and maintained.

As in … “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:3-6

As in … “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Amazing, Psalm 133, all of it!

Something God “hates” as well … “He that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:19

Yes, this specific example of God granted Unity is yet future, Millennial … but literal nonetheless.

I suppose I can begin to close this segment of Ezekiel 37 by reminding us that we should also be living in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, those truly born again.

Paul is grieved here … “When ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.” The Corinthians, who else?

Paul again, on how to live day by day as believers … “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18

Jesus’ Prayer for us, a Petition I believe He is still asking of the Father … “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE .”John 17:11

Wow!

This “Unity” thing clearly means a lot to God, no doubt because He is One! (The “Godhead,” Paul says; “Father and Son and Holy Spirit!” Never a cross Word!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The chapter itself is too long for a single Lesson. It begins with another one of Ezekiel’s “mystical” (though authentic) experiences.

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.” Verses 1-2, of Ezekiel 37. Hereafter I will only give the verse numbers in this Lesson, all being from this epochal chapter.

Next … “The Lord God said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” Verse 4, “Preach!”

Then God Himself speaks to the “bones” themselves: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” Verses 5 and 6.

What did Ezekiel do? “So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.” Verse 7, he “did as he was commanded!” Can you hear the “noise?” A miracle indeed, clearly indicated!

Watch … “And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” Verses 9 and 10, the “wind” likely being a Type of the holy Spirit of God, Who is oftgen numerically described! (Revelation 1:4, in Heaven … John saw “the seven Spirits which are before his throne.”)

Now the Lord “interprets” for His Prophet, and for us … “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” Verse 12, by “whole house” He means ALL of Israel, north and south.

Now the Lord is preaching! “And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” Verses 13-14.

Resurrection, national resurrection!

Parts of which, simply harbingers of the full manifestation, we have seen occurring since Israel was re-born as a nation in 1948, May 14th.

Israel will be saved some day!

At the end of the Tribulation/beginning of the Millennium!

And Ezekiel has given us a pictorial exposition of that event.

Except, he is not though yet!

“The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying …” Verse 15, and the beginning of tomorrow’s Lesson.

We have seen and heard enough for one morning anyway. The Apostle Paul’s longing will be fulfilled some day!

Romans 10:1 … “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

And Paul craved this Day so much that he once described his yearnings: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites.” Quoting Romans 9:1-4a.

Wow!

No, not by a long stretch, Israel is not dead!

God still has plans for His people, that little Nation!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I hereby heartily “bless” Israel! And refuse in any way to “curse” her! And pray for her “peace” to become a reality!

See Genesis 12:1-3 and Psalm 122:6 for the basis of my Bible-determined feelings.

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