Feast of Tabernacles 2006: Day 1-Part 2

Now let’s see how God is going to have to deal with certain of those large, huge nations that have to be brought into subjection in order for their final peace to be established after the Kingdom of God is set up under Jesus Christ and the saints. Israel is brought back into their land. Now it talks about here in Ezekiel 38, let’s read just the first verse because there are a lot of things here that we need to cover, and so we don’t want to go through all of Ezekiel 38 or all of Ezekiel 39, but we need to cover some of the highlights and understand when this is going to be. This is going to be after Jesus Christ and the saints return to the earth. This is going to be after Israel has been gathered and brought back to the holy land and they have peace. God is dealing with them. Some of the nations will come up and they will want to learn of God’s way; other nations will have to be forced to do it because they’re going to try to make war, and this is going to be the final war that is going to take place which is going to end all rebellion against God. Ezekiel 38 and verse 1: “…The word of the LORD came to me, saying, Son of man set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. And say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:” And then He is going to bring them. Now it lists all the different nations that are with them. We won’t cover all those verses, but come down here to verse 7: “Be you prepared and prepare yourself, you and all your company that are assembled unto you, and be you a guard unto them.”

Verse 8: “After many days…” Many days, has in prophecy, approximately three and one-half years. So let’s look at this – three and one-half years into the millennium – those nations of Gog and Magog, which consist of Russia and China and all the Orient, some of the nations down into Southeast Asia coming on back through India and Pakistan and Afghanistan and Persia and Iraq and Iran, and all those nations are not yet going to be convinced because God has something special for them, and His judgment is going to come upon them. And remember that out of that area came the army of two hundred million, and with the armies scattered all the way back from the middle-east clear back to the far-east, there are probably some of those armies of the two hundred million survived all the battle, and so what’s going to happen is this: after Israel is in the Promised Land, brought back out of captivity, He says here, verse 8: “…you shall be visited: in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword…” Now the land brought back from the sword has to do with the physical land of Israel. “…And is gathered out of many people,” That’s the exodus of all the Israelites back to Israel. “…Against the mountains of Israel, which have always been waste:” That is up to this time. “… But is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” When that happens: “You shall ascend and come like a storm, and shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your bands and many people with you. Thus says the Lord GOD; It shall come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into your mind, and you shall think an evil thought;” (Ezekiel 38:8-10). Now this is kind of a repetition of Pharaoh in Egypt in coming after the children of Israel after they escaped; only this time it’s on a grand world scale, and these are the nations that Christ is going to have to rebuke.

Now there are nations far off and they’ve come to make war. Verse 11: “And you shall say I will go up to the land of unwalled villages;” No defenses, no armies, no rocket launchers, no Missiles, planes, anything “…And I will go to them that are at rest,” They are already rested and in the inheritance that God has given them. “…That rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.” So he thinks in his heart, I'm going to come, verse 12: “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn your hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”

Now all those nations to the north and to the east – they are going to come up and see this and they’re going to go back and say, “We can have it for the taking.” And so what’s going to happen, verse 14: “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus says the Lord GOD; In that day when my people…dwell safely shall you not know it? They are going to know they are dwelling safety. They are going to know that they have been brought back by God, but they are still not convinced, and there are other nations that are still not convinced. So this tells us then, how Christ is going to fulfill it where it says that He shall rebuke strong nations afar off. So they still think they’re strong.

Now let’s see what’s going to happen here, verse 15: “And you shall come out of your place of the north parts, you, and many people with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army: And you shall come against my people Israel, as a cloud to over the land; it shall be in the latter days,” And of course the latter days also includes, what, the beginning of the millennium. “…And I will bring you against my land that the heathen may know me…” So this is right at the beginning of the millennium; not all heathen know God; not all are going to Jerusalem to learn of His ways. [Continuing in verse 16]: “…When I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes.”

Now let’s come to verse 18: “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;” So it’s going to be tremendous. This is going to be the last great, great subjecting of the nations that will not yield to Jesus Christ and the saints. You see God is reserving this for a special purpose. Now we’re going to see it here in just a minute, verse 21: “…I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, says the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” Those are the things that God always uses, right? Yes. He used them in Egypt; He used them to destroy armies that were gathered there in the seven last plagues, and He uses it here to show His power against them. Now notice here is the reason, verse 23: “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations…” This is going to convince them, yes, this is really God. “…And they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:11-23). So that’s going to be quite a thing that will take place here.

Let’s come over here to verse 6 of chapter 39, and we’ll finish off with just a few verses here, “And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles:” So that’s meaning other nations that have not submitted that are way off. “…And they shall know that I am the LORD.” That’s why He's doing it, so that they will know. “So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them profane my holy name anymore; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD the Holy One of Israel.” (Ezekiel 39:6-7). So that’s how God is going to convince them to submit to Him.

Now since we’re right here let's see what’s going to happen to the children of Israel and all of those then, who submit. Let’s come to Ezekiel 36 and see what has to happen. Because of this, there’s going to be repentance and when there is repentance there is going to be a change of heart. Israel will already have repented and be brought back to the Promised Land. So what happens here in Ezekiel 36 that happens to the children of Israel when they repent, it’s also going to happen to the heathen when they repent after these tremendous things that God is going to bring upon them. They are going to be convinced. Now you think of this: think of all the things that happen leading up to the return of Jesus Christ, all the wars, all the battles, all the things that took place, and yet out there in the north and the east there are still going to be people who will not be convinced – that’s why you have Ezekiel 38 and 39 taking place after Israel is come back into the Promised Land, after Israel has been given their inheritance, and have peace and rest and beginning to build their lives, and they come down and see this, and then this last war takes place to convince the whole world that, yes, God is God; and, yes, the saints of God are ruling with Him.

Now when there’s repentance then this is what is going to take place. Let’s pick it up here in a verse 23, and see again where it talks about the heathen that will know God, Ezekiel 36:23: “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from your filthiness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers;” and so forth. Now verse 31: “You shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good…” Now this is going to happen to every nation – every individual is going to come to repentance and God will give them a new heart. “… And you shall loathe yourselves in the sight of your iniquities for your abominations.” Ezekiel 36:23-28, 31). And so this is how God is going to do it, quite a fantastic thing. There is an awful lot in the Word of God which tells us what He is going to do.

Now let’s come over here to Isaiah 26 and let’s see some more how the Kingdom of God is going to be and how it’s going to work and what it’s going to be like. Isaiah 26 and let's pick it up here in verse 6: “The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is uprightness: you, most upright do weigh the paths of the just. Yea, in the way of judgment, O LORD, we have waited for you, the desire of our soul is to your name, to the remembrance of you.” Isaiah 26:6-8). And so this shows here how that God is going to really bring the truth and knowledge and understanding to the people.

Now let’s come here to Isaiah 61. Let’s see what’s going to happen. Let’s see how it’s going to be with those of us who are going to be ruling and reigning with Christ, Isaiah 61, and let’s pick it up here in verse 6: “But you shall be named the Priests of the LORD:” That’s where we began in Revelation 20 and “…men shall call you the Ministers of our God: you shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall you boast yourselves. For your shame you shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.” Now that’s the covenant that we enter into while we are on the sea of glass before we come back to the earth. It is a new everlasting covenant of ruling and reigning with Christ. Verse 9: “And their seed…” Of course, we’re the seed of Abraham, right? “…Shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring…” That is all those who come in to the Kingdom of God. “…Among the people: All that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD has blessed.” Now that’s us – that fulfills the promise to Abraham. Verse 10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” (Isaiah 61:6-11). Now what this does, this shows us that we are part of that, and we are part of helping to bring all nations under the true government and Kingdom of God. Now that’s a tremendous thing for us to understand.

Now think of it this way: when you watch the news on television, don’t you get frustrated? It’s the same old, same old, same old thing, and you see all the evils that are taking place, and you get disturbed, and you get to feeling bad about it that all these things are taking place. Well, think of this: each one of us are going to have the job of changing that – not only just for some people, but for the whole world! See that’s going to be a tremendous thing! Now here is what we are going to direct them to do – and the way it always is, God is going to have people clean up the mess that was caused by the judgment for their sins. Now you talk about a project of building and making the world right – now think on this: verse 4, Isaiah 61: “And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, and the desolations of many generations.” So that’s going to be quite a project – doing all of that, supervising that, make sure that it is done, make sure that it takes place – quite a tremendous and magnificent thing that it’s going to be.

Now let’s continue on, let’s come to Psalm 105. Now let’s begin here Psalm 105 and verse 1. This is a millennial Psalm. Now there are quite a few millennial Psalms, matter of fact I could probably give at least two sermons on the Kingdom of God and millennial Psalms from the book of Psalms. Now, verse 1, Psalm 105: “Give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make his deeds known among the people.” That’s what we’re going to do. “Sing unto him, sing Psalms unto him: talk you of all his wonderful works. Glory you in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” So they’re going to do it. Once there is repentance, people are going to be seeking God and seeking His way in everything that they do. “Seek the Lord and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvelous works that he has done his wonders, and judgments of his mouth” (Psalm 105:1-5).

And you go back and what’s going to happen – we are going to also remind people of all those events that took place leading up to the return of Christ and all the marvelous events and judgments of His mouth that took place. Verse 6: “O you seed of Abraham his servant, you children of Jacob his chosen.” So this is going to be something, brethren. We are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. Verse 7: “He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.” Now the only time that could be is when Christ and the saints are reigning, so that they know that all the judgments are in all earth, not just in one little country, but the whole world. Verse 8: “He has remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:” (Psalm 105:6-10). And that blends into the church which is spiritual Israel, and the everlasting covenant that we will partake of.

Now let’s come back here to Psalm 96. This is one of the reigning Psalms which says the Lord reigns, and we saw it’s going to be in Jerusalem, and it’s also going to be the saints are reigning. Let’s see what this says here. Let’s see what the earth is going to be like. Verse 1: “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD all the earth.” Now after all these nations have been put down, after the last battles against Gog and Magog, and peace begins to spread to the whole earth, think about what this Psalm is telling us. Just think of what it’s going to be like every Sabbath – people gathered together, worship God, sing unto Him, praise God, praise the saints that are ruling with God and so forth. Verse 2: “Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen…” That’s what we’re going to do. “…And his wonders among all people. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.” (Psalm 96:1-4).

What we’re going to do, we’re going to go in there and we’re going to teach them the right way and then they are going to go out and destroy all their idols, destroy all their gods, blot out the memory of the name of it – no one is going to be allowed to secretly pass these traditions on to the people because Isaiah 30 says that the teachers will be seen and they will be able to say, “this is that way, walk you in it, if you start to go to the left-hand or to the right-hand.” Plus every Sabbath they are going to be taught God’s way. They are going to be converted; they’re going to have new hearts, new minds, new attitudes; they are going to have the Spirit of God in them. And so this is going to be a great and marvelous thing, and we’re going to be able to witness it; we’re going to be able to be part of it; we’re going to be able to be helping administer this to all the people of the world.

Verse 5: “For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the LORD, O you kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due his name: bring an offering and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth.” Now notice verse 10: “Say among the heathen the LORD reigns: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.” So this is a tremendous Psalm isn’t it – picturing all the things that are going to be taking place during the millennium – the conversion of the people, the love of the people, and think what a great and fantastic thing that is going to be. “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, all that therein is: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth.” (Psalm 96:5-13). And that’s what we're going to administer, that’s what's going to be done.

Now Psalm 99 says, let’s read that: “The LORD reigns…” and Psalm 97 says, “The LORD reigns…” Psalm 98 says, verse 2, says “The Lord has made known his salvation; his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the heathen.” For that is a tremendous thing, all the salvation of the whole world is going to take place here.

Now let’s see what's going to happen. Let’s see what the earth is going to be like and what glorious, marvelous reward that we have been called to share in; to administer and help bring and minister the government of God, to help administer the spiritual conversion of the people of the world to bring them to the understanding of God so that they can be brought into the Kingdom of God as spiritual sons and daughters of God. And in the book of Revelation in chapter 21 [verse 24] it talks about “And the nations that are saved…” So this is going to be a great and a fantastic, wonderful thing that’s going to take place. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 16 because what we’re going to see here is that we share and participate in this. Isaiah 60:16: “You shall also suck the milk of the Gentiles…” Now the best is going to be given to the sons of God. “…and suck the breast of kings: and you shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 60:16).

Now here is how great the economy is going to be. Today you hear a lot about the economy, but it is going to be paled into total insignificance of what it’s going to be during the millennium. Verse 17: “For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, for stones iron: I will also make your officers peace and your exactors righteousness.” Now that’s us administering the laws and the commandments and the spiritual aspect of the Kingdom of God so the people can come to repentance, people can come to the knowledge of God and, of course, all the way down through the millennium. And as we get further and further into the millennium this is what is going to happen and soon, you know, just picture two hundred years down into the millennium that those things which happen at the return of Christ are going to only be things which will be reviewed because of everything that is there – the great and glorious things that God will do for the people physically, the great and glorious things that God will do for the people spiritually, and the increase in the Kingdom of God and the number of people coming into the Kingdom of God is going to be marvelous and overwhelming. Because you see, God is going to fulfill His purpose and His promise and we are an integral part of helping to carry that out.

Now notice, verse 18: “Violence shall no more be heard in your land…” No war, no violence, no crime, no rapes, no robbery, no stealing, no adultery, no lying “…Wasting nor destruction [that won’t be] within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.” And I just wonder what it is going to be like every Sabbath. Now where ever they start the Sabbath – I don’t know if it’s going to start in Jerusalem first, very likely, and then it’s going to compass around the whole earth. And just think what it’s going to be like if you were, say, stationed above the earth and you could look down on the earth and you could see as the Sabbath comes, everybody begins keeping the Sabbath; they come to Sabbath services, they’re taught the way of God – all the Psalms and praises to God, all of that’s going to be absolutely marvelous and beautiful. It is going to be such a fantastic time that mankind down deep inside always wants it, but doesn’t know how to do it because of his nature and because of Satan, see, so all of that is going to be changed and we're going to do it! That’s a tremendous thing to understand!

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 11, let’s see how it’s going to affect the whole earth. And remember every time that we read these verses, put yourself into it because you are going to participate in this which says that the LORD is going to do it, that’s true, but He’s going to do it through His spiritual family. And we’re going to be the ones who will implement it on a working basis in every area of the world. Now let’s begin here, Isaiah 11:1 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” Now this is Christ. Hold your place here and turn back, for just a minute, to Isaiah 9 and let’s understand, this goes clear back to the very physical birth of Jesus and blends into the spiritual reign beginning in the millennium and then on down into eternity. So these verses, Isaiah 9, verses 6 through 7, cover an awful lot of time-frame, don’t they? “For unto us a child is born…” That’s when Christ was born in the flesh. “…Unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder…” But He had to come qualify first. “…And his name shall be called Wonderful…” Now these are the names of God, that’s why Jesus was God manifested in the flesh. “…Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father…” (Isaiah 9:6).

Now The Father is the Father of those in the first resurrection. We are the sons and daughters of God the Father. When Christ and the church marry and begin the reign of Jesus Christ through the millennium, then there are going to be more children brought into the Kingdom of God who will be, what, Jesus then will be a father; so that’s why it says, “…everlasting Father…” that’s when it is going to take place. He is not a father now, but He will be when those in the millennium start entering into the Kingdom of God as we go down in time in the millennium.

(Verse 6:) “…The Prince of Peace.” Verse 7: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end…” See because we don’t even have a faint clue as to what God is going to do with the rest of the universe after all those enter into the Kingdom of God, and we won’t find out unless we attain to New Jerusalem and know what the plan of God is going to be for all the ages of eternity after that. (Continuing in verse 7:) And “…upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, to establish it … from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” So what do we have in these two verses – we have quite a thing – prophecy of the birth of Jesus Christ, a prophecy of His coming rule and reign on the earth, a prophecy of His spiritual government that goes all the way down through eternity. So that’s quite a thing, isn’t it? (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 11, and let’s see again what’s going to happen and what the world will be like under the rule and reign of the saints. Now Isaiah 11:2: “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,” And that happened when Christ was on the earth in the flesh, but also in his full spiritual power, right? Yes. “…The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD: And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with a rod of this mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:2-4). Now that’s how He is finally going to clean everything up at the beginning of the millennium.

Now let’s see how it’s going to develop down through the millennium, in the rest of these verses. Verse 5: “… And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Whole nature of animals is going to be changed. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Now I tell you what; all children growing up in the millennium are going to have an absolute marvelous time – no more plastic toys, no more electronic games – they are going to have real live pets, and have the responsibility to take care of them. It’s going to be quite a thing here isn’t it? Yes! “…And a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” (Isaiah 11:5-7).

Now I wonder if God is going to change the nature of a lion that he is going to actually chew his cud or not; I have no idea. But after watching some of these things like on the National Geographic channel where you see about the packs of Lions and how they go out and kill and stalk and grab their prey by the throat and by the nose and take them all down. They can even take down a water buffalo. They get a whole pride of lions together and take them down. Or you look at a special on the leopard and the leopard goes out and hunts at night and is a lonely stocker, and he gets these little kids of springboks, and he kills them and then he takes them up into a tree to keep the food away from the hyenas and the lions. Now, imagine what that’s going to be like, to where the children call “kitty, kitty, kitty” and here comes a lion, or a leopard, or a cougar. You know when they get out there and call for the cows… You know when I grew up, we lived on a farm and used to go out there and say, “Come boss, come boss, come boss” and all the cows would come in to get milked. Well, lo and behold here come the bears lumbering in with them. It’s going to be an entirely different situation.

Now notice this is always one, and I say it every year, but this is going to be hard for me to imagine because I cannot stand snakes; so I guess as a spirit being I’ll finally understand this and make it into the Kingdom of God. Verse 8: “And the suckling child shall play on the hole of an asp and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den.” Now that is such a fantastic change in the balance of nature and the ecosystem. This is a marvelous thing to contemplate, but here’s what it is going to be like: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:” Because as we go down through the time in the millennium and are teaching God’s way and His truth and His righteousness and judgment, this is what’s going to happen. “…For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:8-9).

Now brethren, I’ve just read to you and covered, much of it is your coming job description and what you’re going to do in the Kingdom of God. Now let that inspire you, let that encourage you, and let that give you the inspiration to change, to grow, to overcome, to draw close to God, and know that you are going to be dwelling with Christ and God the Father and dwelling with all the saints and helping to make this world a wonderful, productive, peaceful, and righteous place for a thousand years.

Feast of Tabernacles 2006 – Day One

Scriptural References