That was my Son’s name, Joel. He died unexpectedly April 15, and my heart still grieves. Yet the Lord has been my Comfort during these ensuing months. Along with a Wife who has supported me through it all.

Still, our “Millennium Text” today is found in the short Biblical Prophecy of Joel. As follows …

“16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.” Joel 3:16-21

The Lord roaring and the earth shaking (verse 16) are descriptive of the Tribulation, particularly the Battle of Armageddon at the end of that 7 year “blood bath” coming to planet earth!

And look what the Lord is named there, “the Hope (and Strength) of Israel!” 

Verse 17 clearly pictures the Lord “dwelling” (Hebrew “shakan” of Shekinah Glory Fame) in Zion, in Jerusalem! This is the Millennium for sure.

And the earth itself will rejoice during those glorious days, based on verse 18 above! To this degree: “The mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD,” no doubt the River Ezekiel described in his great 47th chapter.

Anti-Semitism will be a thing of the past, too. Verse 19 illustrates: “Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.” Payback time! Isaiah 63:4 will have become a reality … “For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.”

Wow!

How long will this ideal world last? In a word, “forever!” Read verse 20, carefully.

Israel’s Salvation being the Cause of all these phenomena! “For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion,” a Promise straight from the Mouth of the dear Lord! Also verse 21 of Joel’s Paragraph.

I am telling you … virtually every Book in the Old Testament either alludes or directly prophesies of this coming Golden Age on earth.

King Jesus!

A redeemed Israel!

And a perfect ending, well no ending at all in reality! “And they will live happily ever after!”

Amen!

No wonder the hymnwriters pen words like these: “Some Golden Daybreak, Jesus will come!”

Even so … Come, Lord Jesus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I no longer write Lessons on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Why? Heavy (but delightful) preaching on Sundays (at least three times, most often) … and Saturdays usually set aside for driving.

But we did want to say “Happy 4th of July” to each of you.

Pray for America!

Don’t forget to watch the “Evening Meditation” later on, around 5:30 or so this afternoon. Proverbs chapter 20 …

The view outside our bedroom window is so peaceful. When home (not real often) this is what greets me every morning; birds singing and the sun (soon) rising and God’s handiwork!

Pray for us as we serve the Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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It’s not long, Hosea 14, but it is totally a Millennium Passage!

Let me show you …

“1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. 7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. 8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. 9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Again, Hosea 14, in its entirety, all 9 verses.

The addressee … Israel, verse 1 specifies.

The problem … Israel had “fallen” … into sin, still verse 1.

The solution … prayer (“say to the Lord”) and repentance (“turn”), seeking God’s Face, verse 2. Notice here that the Lord gives Israel the exact words to say! This is a major point!

Next, note the result … Israel realizing that God (Jesus) is the ONLY Saviour! Not Asshur (Assyria), not our horses (war horses), not even the “work” of our hands! Only the Mercy giving God, the God of Abraham! All this is found in verse 3.

Then verse 4 … God is talking, planning, promising … “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” The Millennium, after the Tribulation and conversion of Israel! Yes, as in “All Israel shall be saved.” Romans 11:26

Then in verses 5-7 the Millennium is described. What glorious conditions … “I (the Lord Jesus) will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.” Literally so, I believe!

And this renewed condition, this amazing restoration, seems to be permanent, verse 8 … “Ephraim (Israel) shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?” Something unprecedented has happened! Israel so in love with Jehovah God! Total loyalty!

Then the Lord speaks again: “I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.” Verse 8, at the end. God, the prayer-answering, always-observing, fruit Giver!

And the chapter concludes with a “Holy Spirit” Editorial! “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Verse 10, sounds a lot like Proverbs!

Hosea the jilted lover … now the great prophetic preacher!

Indeed …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

How many times do we have to be told about the Millennium? To begin to get the Picture? Yet many present-day “scholars” say it’s all figurative language … describing God’s blessings on the Church right now!

That’s nearly anti-Semitism!

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Yes, Hosea 6:1 …

“Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.”

Israel is speaking!

And she’s had a change of attitude, spirit! (No longer does she desire to run from the Lord!) “Let’s go TO, TOWARD Him now!”

Undoubtedly for many years the Lord has “torn” her. A strong verb, translated in the King James Text as “tear in pieces” 6 times! To treat as “prey” one time! And “ravening” 3 times!

And “smitten” her too? Meaning “to beat” 9 times! This fierce treatment leads to death often, over 100 times in the Bible. But NOT in Israel’s case! She is still around! Spared of God!

Why has God been like this?

Israel’s sins! Unconfessed and blatant, after promising God she would obey Him fully!

But Israel here has been infused with “hope!” God can do that. In many ways, I suspect. And still observe humanity’s free will in the process.

If we will “return,” Israel believes … using “shub” which is the repentance verb of the Old Testament … God will receive us!

More than that …

He will “heal” us! Where “raphe” is the word for “physician” 5 times! (The Divine Physician!) It’s also “cure” one time and “repair” one time!

And He, the Lord will also “bind us up,” put “bandages” around our wounds, our now healing wounds!

Amazing!

True FAITH!

And just when will this miracle occur?

At the onset of the Millennium!

I believe during the last stages of the Battle of Armageddon!

When Jesus returns to earth!

One Hosea verse … thrilling!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Holy Spirit sure can say a lot in a single compound Sentence!

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Back to Hosea this morning: “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” Hosea 3:4-5

And Israel has been indeed “many days” now without a “King” and without a Temple (“sacrifice”). The most surprising thing in this list is “terraphim,” likely a reference to the household idols Israel at times (dark, backslidden times) has utilized!

The overall point is the emaciated existence Israel has endured for centuries. A nation “without …!”

But Jesus is coming, her King!

And Israel will return to her Land, a land she did not even own until May of 1948, not inhabited by Jews since 70 AD anyway!

But somehow God will place in her a “hunger” for Himself! Israel will choose to “seek” her God. A very strong verb, “baqash,” which can at times mean “beg,” craving Him that intently!

From “without” to enjoying God’s “Goodness!”

Via the “Fear of the Lord,” faith and trust in King Jesus! And His shed Blood on Calvary, that which flowed so freely when our Lord was “pierced” on that old rugged Tree!

And when will this all happen?

“In the latter days,” meaning the Millennium!

I shall likely close every lesson hereafter (nearing the end of this series) with the prayer of Revelation 22:20 …

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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