Yes, I am preaching this week in a Revival Meeting. Psalm 83, verse by verse. And today’s “Millennium Text” will become part of this evening’s Sermon, the Lord willing.

Specifically: “Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name. If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.” Verses 35-37 of Jeremiah 31.

This is a powerful Statement!

God just guaranteed the longevity of Israel as a Nation! Perpetually so, looks like!

As long as the sun shines and the moon waxes and wanes!

As long as the stars twinkle and the sea roars!

Israel will never cease from being a nation!

Then comes the same truth worded a different way …

If every square inch of the earth (all the way to the core, to the molten fire there) could be examined thoroughly (searched out) … then Israel might be in danger! (A feat that will never happen, not by mortal man! Too deep, too dark, too hot, too far!)

Or if the heavens above (not just could be mapped) could somehow be distributed/rearranged (one valid meaning of the verb “measured”) by any human being … then Israel might be in jeopardy! (Another impossibility, we have not even seen all the universe out there! And now it is believed that it is expanding so rapidly we shall never see it all!)

So I conclude, deduce … “the seed of Israel” … is eternally part of God’s Plan, as a Nation! (Much as the Church is too, as the Bride of Christ Jesus our Lord!)

One amazing Lesson today!

Thank you Jeremiah.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

No matter what “they have done” implies forgiveness too! Everlastingly pardoned!

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Jeremiah 31 is truly one of the great chapters of the Bible. With the Millennium being front and center …

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; AFTER THOSE DAYS, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall ALL know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”Verses 31-34 of Jeremiah 31.

Wow!

Holy Ground!

What needs to be said?

Old Covenant … in the days of Moses. And the people broke it into smithereens!

New Covenant … in the days of Messiah, His Second Coming to earth! And it will be kept, obeyed diligently!

“After those days,” meaning the horrors of the Tribulation, I think. Yes, Israel will trust in Jesus.

Do you see why it’s called the Golden Age? With Jesus as Saviour of the whole world! “THEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME!”

I thought that last Line was interesting. A “parallelism” likely. Read it again: Where the Lord promises “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

So then … forgiveness of sin equates to God’s remembering our transgressions no more!

The verb “forgive” (in Hebrew “salach”) used here means “to pardon.” And the verb “remember” (spelled “zakar”) can at times mean “not even to mention!”

Amazing Grace!

A new world indeed!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Not quite perfect yet, as we shall learn. But “new” anyway. I say that because the Lord God yet is going to create a “new earth,” Revelation 21:1. This is after the Millennium, too.

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I have now decided to write the Bible Study Lessons only five days a week, Monday through Friday.

Saturday is most often a travel day for us, journeying to the next Revival Meeting. And Sunday is a “preaching” day for sure, delightfully so!

But these past two nights of Revival have been special. In Andrews, North Carolina.

My Grandson Andrew (whose Dad died unexpectedly April 15th) has been my “driver,” giving Debbie some well deserved time at home. What sweet fellowship we have enjoyed!

And too, I have had the privilege of preaching for a precious young Pastor, one eager to serve the Lord.

I have added a couple of new pictures on the “Standing with the Bagwells” Page if you’re interested.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Honestly, there is so much in the Bible (the Old Testament being the dominant contributor) concerning the Millennium (the coming Kingdom Age of Christ) that a Bible student is nearly overwhelmed!

How can anyone deny this fact?

Prophet after Prophet!

Psalmists, too!

Amazing!

And we go back to one of those Prophets this morning … Jeremiah again.

The Paragraph I have chosen is typical, and full. So much so that I am going to let you read it all, but I shall comment on just one verse.

Truthfully, it is self explanatory when read as a literal coming Event with Jesus as the Hero, the Protagonist, the Main Character!

Jeremiah 31:10-13, yes a little divinely inspired paragraph.

“10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. 13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”

Have you read it?

My emphasis today is the fact that Jesus was not only “Shepherd” in days past. But Jesus will yet again be “Shepherd” to His people, the Jews! (Actually Christian friend, He is still the “Shepherd of our souls” right now, overseeing us from the Father’s Right Hand, according to 1st Peter 2:25.)

In a fuller sense, the New Testament shows Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” (three times in John chapter 10) and the “Great Shepherd” (in Hebrews 10:13) and finally the “Chief Shepherd” (in 1st Peter 5:4).

The John references concern the past, the Death of Jesus. The Hebrews analogy concerns the present, the resurrected Jesus and His ministry right now. And the Petrine reference refers to the future, to the Second Coming of our Lord!

Wow!

But Preacher, where is this “Shepherd” Metaphor in the Jeremiah Passage you’ve shared today?

In Verse 10, God talking to the whole world … “Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, AS A SHEPHERD doth his flock.”

Yes, the Chief Shepherd has returned!

Jesus, “as a Shepherd,” sorry I just can’t help but capitalize His dear Name, His beautiful Title!

Isaiah 40:11 (also Millennial), if you recall, adds to this scene: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Wow!

But back to the Jeremiah Pericope above, my Text.

After the Shepherd comes, His flock (His people Israel) will be “redeemed” They are also here “ransomed!”

Then they break into “song!”

Then abundant blessings will freely flow!

Then all “sorrow” is vanished!

To which we now add the Passage’s final Line: “For I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”

Also very Isaiah like!

“To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:3, part of the verse.

I have ended so many of these Millennium Lessons the same way. But what else can one do?

Praise the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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“3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:3-6, a glorious Passage!

I count four Personal Pronouns (“I“) in our Text, referring to the LORD Himself. Things for Israel HE is going to do! “I will gather ….” Because “I have driven ….” Then “I will set up ….” After which He vows “I will raise up …!” The Lord clearly being very active in the Millennium!

These key “I” words are further (and undoubtedly) identified in verse 4, “saith the LORD.”

When He refers to “My flock,” Israel is in mind. The scattered Jews, a diaspora made necessary by the Tribulation, fleeing the anti-Christ.

Then comes some leaders simply called “shepherds.” Godly men who will lead the Jewish people. (Under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, for sure!) “Good” shepherds, as opposed to the “false” shepherds Israel has had in the past, wicked men called “hirelings” at times. (In the Old Testament “shepherd” was a civil term as well as a religious one. These are God appointed “undershepherds” to the Lord Jesus Christ during the Millennium.)

Then HE is described, our dear Lord Jesus.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”

Jesus is that Branch!

Jesus is that King!

Jesus is that Judge!

And Jesus is that Saviour … “In his days Judah shall be saved.” Verse 6a of our Paragraph today. “Judah” referring to all Israel I suspect.

Bur Preacher Bagwell, how do you know this is Jesus? The very next Line … “This is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Who Else could that be?

Jesus back on earth.

Jesus as King of the Jews.

And peaceful Ruler of all the earth.

Oh, what Scripture!

Enough to rejoice/meditate on all day long!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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