“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” Jeremiah 3:17-18

Yes, Jeremiah follows Isaiah in more ways than one!

Not just chronologically, or its placement in the (English) Bible, but in theology as well, eschatology. Specifically in reference to teaching us about he Millennium.

The two verse Text above is nearly self-explanatory.

The Lord’s very throne … will then (during the Millennium) be in Jerusalem!

And the (what’s left of them after Armageddon) nations will come there to worship!

And sin/evil (by and large) will be vanquished, or at least suppressed. (There one more final rebellion coming at the end of the Millennium when Satan is loosed for a spell.)

And Judah and Israel will again be reunited! The “North” and the “South” no longer at enmity! Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” indeed!

Migrating back to Israel (the Land God gave them) from points north! (Russia, for example.)

What a golden set of Promises!

And no doubt, when the Jews are being persecuted (as never before) during the Tribulation … when anti-Christ is trying to massacre them wholesale … verses like these will be a Mainstay to their faith.

Do remember that 144,000 preachers will have been loosed on earth, witnessing for our Lord, truth tellers in an age of confusing lies!

And God will bless their efforts with fruit, with souls saved!

And surely … while many of these new believers will be martyred for Christ’s Sake, simply because they have professed His Name … they will treasure the Word of God in their hearts as long as they do live.

All Christians do that!

Promises, the Bible is full of them!

A great old Preacher used to say, “We Christians do not live our lives on explanations! We live our lives on Promises!”

Some things we will never understand, not down here on earth.

But we can always lean on (believe in) the Promises God has given us!

Jeremiah 3:17-18 … amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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We’re near the end of Isaiah’s comments on the Millennium. And I have come nowhere near discussing all of his information! Yet this particular verse spoke to my heart a few minutes ago …

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.” Isaiah 66:22

Wow!

Yes, the context shows conclusively that Israel is the focus here, with even the previous verse naming the Levites specifically!

(I learned yesterday that a so-called mainline denomination in America has published a New Testament in which the proper noun “Israel” has been removed totally! That sort of sounds anti-something to me! They would tell you they don’t really hate the Jews, not all of them anyway … they just despise Israel! To the point of changing God’s Word! Of course they probably don’t believe that unique Book is the Lord’s inspired Word, either!)

Essentially Isaiah 66:22 just told us that as long as the new heavens and the new earth stand (exist) … that’s how long Israel will continue!

I just counted 75 times “Israel” (by name) is found in the New Testament, King James Version. Incidentally, the term “new Heavens” and its equivalent the “new Heaven” are found only twice.

ISRAEL FOREVER!

The Nation God created!

Jeremiah agrees with Isaiah’s theology and timeline, too.

“Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will (some day) cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.” Jeremiah 33:25-26

Israel is staying in my Bible!

As long as day and night continue!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Millennium is actually inaugurated with war, the War that ends the Tribulation. Armageddon, by name, at least that’s the “place” where it will be fought.

I think Isaiah 66:15-16 describe that “horrific” time. (Or is it in a way a “good” thing, in the sense that evil will be defeated?) Either way, here’s today’s Text:

“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”

Actually the Lesson title, “the wrath of the Lamb,” is lifted/quoted from Revelation 6:16, describing essentially the same Occurrence. ” Hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Clearly a prayer!

Isaiah is framing the Second Coming of Jesus as a “Theophany.” A theological term meaning an “appearance” of Almighty “God!”

The fire and the chariots (warrior angels?) often (in the Old Testament) accompany such an event, a Theophany. And both nouns (“anger” and “fury”) used to describe Jesus are the most intense available in Hebrew, to reveal displeasure. Actually, aggression!

Add to that the “sword,” no doubt two-edged.

And Isaiah’s verb “plead” does NOT Mean to beg! It’s “shaphat” and means “to judge” over 200 times in our King James Bibles. This is not an “invitation” to sinners, being rather a “slaughter” of reprobates.

And “many” will die! With this much bloodshed … “even unto the horse bridles.” Revelation 14:20

The vast majority of the dead are “to-the-core” Jew haters. Volunteers in the anti-Christ’s army gathered to attack Jerusalem and brutally murder its inhabitants!

Armageddon and its victory directly leads to the glorious Millennium and its centuries of peace!

And this morning Isaiah the Prophet has done a good job of giving us a glimpse of that horrible day. A “snapshot” if you please, a “thumbnail” in today’s terminology I guess.

Again … “For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”

And personally, I can envision this happening sooner rather than later. Which means we Christians certainly should be ready … the Rapture is seven years earlier than Armageddon!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I have about decided to begin writing Lessons only five days a week. Monday through Friday, the Lord willing.

Currently dong the “Evening Meditations” on both Facebook and YouTube has required more time from my daily schedule, and right now those outlets are reaching twice as many people as the Website.

I am a bit sad at this announcement, having sat here every Saturday morning since the middle of 2003, but I sense God’s approval of this decision.

Meanwhile, Monday morning … another Bible Study Lesson on the Millennium, again I say Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Just a single verse today, Isaiah 66:14.

“And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.”

See what?

The Lord’s literal Return to earth, the battle Armageddon over and Jesus’ Kingdom Rule having begun.

Then will be answered the age old question … “Why does God allow so much suffering in the lives of good people?” This question too … “Why do wicked people so often prosper?”

And here’s how those questions will be answered … they will dissolve into nothingness! Into oblivion! Into history, ancient history!

Because then … good people will no longer suffer. And bad people will no longer be (seemingly) rewarded!

Hallelujah!

The very purpose of the Old Testament Book of Job, one of them anyway, is to deal with those two thorny issues. Chapter after chapter deals with those “deep” existential situations.

Preacher, what do you mean “dissolve?”

Our verse again, look at it carefully!

“And when ye see this (Jesus on the throne in Jerusalem, the Millennium), your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb.”

Sounds exciting!

Not only the Knowledge of the Lord and the Glory of the Lord, but now the JOY of the Lord will flood the whole earth!

Now, the rest of the verse: “And the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.”

God’s Hand on His servants, for good. For blessing. For reward. Godly people … blessed immeasurably!

And God’s Wrath on His enemies, the wicked! Bad people no longer prospering! The “Fortune 500” lists will change, that’s for sure!

I hope Job (now in Heaven) knows this verse!

God is righteous!

Ultimately … including His (complex at times) judgments!

Psalm 36:6 … “Thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD.”

Yet too … “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” Psalm 19:9

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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