120. Life In the Millennium

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Hymns: RHC 165 Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne 217 Rejoice – the Lord Is King 218 See the Con-q’ror Mounts in Triumph 

Isaiah 61

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: menshall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 For your shame ye 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. 8 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. 9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth 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.

Life in the Millennium

OUTLINE

  • Jesus’ First Coming (v1-2a)
  • Jesus’ Second Coming to Establish His Millennial Kingdom (v2b-11)
    • Function of the Jews in the Millennium

INTRODUCTION

We see here the unveiling of the Messiah empowered by the Holy Spirit of the LORD. He is the greater Son of David – 2 Samuel 23:1-2 (KJV) Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

David spoke Psalm 2 of the rule of Messiah in the Kingdom – Psalm 2:1-12 (KJV) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give theethe heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Here is one of the greatest Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament is given here in v1-3.

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-3 and apply it to Himself – Luke 4:16-19 (KJV) And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

How amazing it is the exact quote was handed to Jesus on that occasion. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading Isaiah 53 when Philip came by to open the understanding to him that it refers to Jesus.

Luke 4:20 (KJV) And he (Jesus) closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Jesus didn’t finished the verse. He stopped at “To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” 

Luke 4:21 (KJV) And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The next portion “… and the day of vengeance of our God;…” was not read by our Lord because they day has come yet, and still hasn’t come yet but the day of His coming to “heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and the recovering of the sight of the blind … the acceptable year of the Lord” was fulfilled. 

Here our Lord took verse 2 and divided it exactly at the right point as the Apostle Paul said … a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) [Whitcomb]

  • Jesus’ First Coming (v1-2a)

Here is given the difference the First and Second Coming of Christ.

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed (He was empowered, appointed by God the Father to do a special work by the enablement of the Spirit of God) me to preach good tidings unto the meek…

Luke 2:40 (KJV) And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Isaiah 11:2 (KJV) And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

The seven aspect of the Holy Spirit enablement and empowerment which means He is total empowered. Jesus had it all. Jesus was brought into the world by the Holy Spirit that overshadowed Mary – Luke 1:35 (KJV) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.  

Luke 1:41 (KJV) And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

Luke 1:44 (KJV) For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

How does a Spirit-empowered Person do? Jesus healed all the sick in Israel during that 3 ½ years, it was a foretaste of the Millennium.

Isaiah 35:5-6 (KJV) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

When Peter was at the Gate Beautiful in the Temple that he healed the lame man. It was a foretaste of the kingdom.

Acts 3:1-10 (KJV) Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

Peter and John had a platform to preach the gospel of the kingdom with the healing of the man, a foretaste of the kingdom.

Jesus must remain in heaven until the time of restitution will come and then the kingdom come when the Israelites repent.

The kingdom doesn’t come until Israel gets saved, repents!

Those who come out of the Great Tribulation who are cripple will be permanently healed. There won’t be one cripple in the kingdom. What a Messiah!

  • Jesus’ Second Coming to Establish His Millennial Kingdom (v2b-11)
    • Function of the Jews in the Millennium

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees[1] of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Everything bad becomes good at the touch of Jesus. The best for the worst when Jesus comes!

The trees of righteousness referred to Isaiah 1 – Isaiah 1:30-31 (KJV) For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

In the kingdom, Isaiah will be called the tree of righteousness. 

Here is a description of the righteous in Psalm 1:

Psalm 1:1-6 (KJV) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Trees in the Bible is a major part of imagery. In the kingdom age, God’s people will have a life span like that of a tree, that kinds that God can plant, like the age of man before the flood reaching to a thousand years. The oldest existing living things are trees on earth – 4000 years old pine tree in California.

People with mortal bodies will outlive Methuselah – Genesis 5:27 (KJV) And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

What will man do with their long lifespan and tremendous physical strength? 

4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall beyour plowmen and your vinedressers.

When the kingdom comes Jerusalem will flourish again, Jews, regenerated, healed, reinvigorated, natural bodies will rebuilt the ancient ruins with the strength that God endued them. 

The strangers are those of the nations that come to worship God in Jerusalem – Isaiah 56:6-7 (KJV) Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Foreigners will be your farmers and vinedressers.

6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

The gentiles will do all the menial tasks so that the Jews can be full time as priest and teachers of the world.

The sons of foreigners would become tributary to them, and feed their flocks and plow their fields, and dress their vines.

The main function of priests in the Old Testament are the teachers of the law, the Bible teachers of Israel, not the prophet nor the king.

Deuteronomy 33:10 (KJV) They (the sons of Levi) shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

They will be teachers of the world in Christ’s kingdom and ministers of our God.

When God started the Theocracy of Israel, He said in Exodus 19:5-6 (KJV) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

The Jews will be priests to the Gentiles, mediators to help them to God and it will be a full time job and with vast numbers of people upon earth ~ a trillion people on earth!

The sacrifices on behalf of the people and the people they will have to teach. The Millennia Temple will be greatly enlarged.

According to Ezekiel there will be tens of thousands of Zedokian priests and hundreds of thousands of Levites, the Holy Land will be expanded, enlarged according to Zechariah. 

It will be efficiently carried out! It will be perfectly managed under God.

The priest will be born-again people, as functionaries in the Temple and the teachers of the law that Christ will prepare. Christ will be ruling. No Judas Iscariots in the kingdom age!

The administrative strategy of the Lord in the Millennium, the teachers will be unencumbered to teach the people. 

7 For your shame ye 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.

Everlasting joy will be the lot of the priests. They shall have what is needed to fully function as priests in the Millennium.

8 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. 

The everlasting covenant of God through the blood of Jesus

Isaiah 54:10 (KJV) For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. 

Like the Apostles in Acts 4 when the enemies acknowledged that they had been with Jesus, they were Christ reflectors. Reflecting the light of Christ that these are God’s servants.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 

Zion is spirit-endowed. Proclamation is made to all nations that the LORD is about to come and rescue His people. The church as prepared as the bride of Christ, the bridegroom.

11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth 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.

There will be righteousness in all the world in that day of the Millennium with the church ruling together with Christ. Christ is the ultimate fruit of the earth. All praise and glory to Him.

[1] אַיִל ʼayil, ah’-yil properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree:—mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.