By James Fire
While we are nearly done with the book of Isaiah, we are hardly finished with all that the Scripture has to say about the Millennial Reign of the Messiah! And it seems that towards the end of this book, Isaiah’s intensity and frequency of mention of the Messiah increases, to the point where virtually every chapter and every verse references the King of Israel and His future kingdom there. Last time we covered chapter 61, but we hardly venture into the beginning of the next chapter when we are confronted with even more revelation!
While I made the point already (a few times), redundancy is important in this regard: Zionism in its biblical form is not only legitimate, it is destiny as outlined in prophetic Scripture! We see it everywhere in the written Word; prominently in PSALM 2 – as well as other places, like ISAIAH 62.
That being said, there are other forms of Zionism which are to various degrees legitimate, or not, depending on their basis. Certainly occult Zionism as promoted by Rothschilds and other interested parties that have invested considerable finances to the establishment of the modern government of Israel is counter to the absolute and perfect will of God. The fact that it was to a majority degree, the money of such men that helped to bring things together for Israel matters not to God – He even uses Satan for His purposes, how much more the evil men who serve the fallen one?
Ultimately, we understand that God is sovereign and that He holds all things in His hand; just as He declared that He would bring Israel back “the second time” (ISAIAH 11:11), He has also promised to restore the kingdom of Israel – the pure doctrine of Zionism – under His own rule as the rightful King of Israel.
ISAIAH 62:1-4
For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
Note that Zion is associated with Jerusalem, the city which is hardly recognized as the credible capital of the nation (most governments insist that it’s Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem that is the capital, due to political expediency and to curry favor from the oil-rich Muslim nations, which themselves have the determination to rob Jerusalem from the Jews and claim it for themselves, and bring utter ruin to Israel). Yet “Jerusalem: is mentioned 767 times in the Scripture; “Zion” is mentioned 153 times; “city of David” 62 times; “the Holy city” 26 times. To say that God has a high regard for that city and the land is an understatement of epic proportions!
In the passage before us, the LORD declares that He will not hold His peace – for the sake of Jerusalem, He will not rest, until her righteousness is revealed in all the glory that God intends for her. All the Gentile nations will witness this “crown of glory in the hand of the LORD” – and they shall not be called “forsaken” or “desolate” because the LORD delights in Israel and the land that the nation dwells in. She will even be given a new name by the LORD – something that has yet to happen.
ISAIAH 62:5-7
5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Certainly in her history, Israel has had her allies; particularly ancient Israel, during the reign of David and even more so, the reign of Solomon, his son. However, the modern state of Israel is a far different story – even the United States, for all of the government’s lip service of friendship and stalwart alliance with the Jewish people, have worked actively behind the scenes (particularly the State Department*) in opposition to Israel, ever since their return in 1948.
Yet in vs. 7 of our text, the LORD declares that He will establish this nation and “make Jerusalem a praise” – not among certain nations, but the entire Earth! This certainly is unprecedented! Especially since the 20th century when anti-Semitism has reached fever pitch, not just during WW II but even today! Yet the LORD’s Word shall stand fast: this shall take place just as the prophecy indicates; my assertion is that this will be realized when the King returns and is received by His people, the Jews, at the Millennium!
*This has been documented with excellent research by Dave Hunt in his book, JUDGMENT DAY
ISAIAH 62:10-12
10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Casting up the highway, gathering out the stones is a reference to maintaining or even refurbishing a roadway where a person of nobility will soon travel in order to visit his people. It’s the Scripture’s way of declaring the coming King to the nation. Again, the mention of Zion – the daughters of such – is addressed with the promise of salvation; to the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD. As with us, Israel possesses no holiness of their own, and cannot hope for redemption except in the Person of Jesus Christ; and yet this promise stands sure in the pages of Holy Scripture, the truth of God’s Word!
Though they are now unredeemed, and bereft of holiness, the LORD will transform them – as He has done with us, according to His grace, and faithfulness to His promises. He shall seek them out, and Jerusalem shall not be forsaken of the LORD!
Let us then move on to Chapter 63:
ISAIAH 63:1-4
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
As mentioned on countless other occasions, when we read prophecy, we often read it through an order that we are not accustomed to here in the Western world; we like things to flow chronologically in any narrative that we read; however, in Eastern literature, and especially in Hebrew writings and even more so prophetic Scripture, things are not always written in chronological order. We often read about events to take place during Daniel’s 70th week and then, immediately following, something that occurred during the time of the LORD Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Likewise, in ISAIAH 62, we read many passages that deal with the MILLENNIUM; and here at the onset of ISAIAH 63, we are reading about the LORD in His Second Coming, at the conclusion of the 70th Week of Daniel.
He comes from Edom, a region [here is a map of the region] that represents about the lower third of the nation of Jordan. His garments are dyed red (like those who trod grapes in a wine vat) because He has committed a great slaughter of those who were attacking His people, Israel. We read about this elsewhere (ISAIAH 34:5-7; REV 14:17-20; 19:11-21).
The remnant of faithful Jews, who during the time of Jacob’s Trouble, will embrace Jesus as their Messiah, will be led by the Spirit to Bozrah, or also known as, Petra.
At the LORD’s First Advent, He came with the anointing of the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel, and healing and salvation; at His Second Advent, it will be to bring vengeance on those that know not God, nor received the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 THESS 1:7-8). Both Advents are in view in just three verses, found two chapters prior to our present text:
ISAIAH 61:1-3
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.
We know that there is a distinction between the LORD’s First and Second Advent, being exclusive events, because of when the LORD Jesus read this very passage and stopped eight words into verse 2 (See LUKE 4:17-21). He did not go on and quote the remaining part of verse 2 and none of verse 3. We see the same editing, as it were, in ZECH 9:9-10 where it addresses the coming of Christ into Jerusalem (which we recognize as ‘Palm Sunday’). Just as prophecy indicates, He came riding into the city riding upon a donkey – but then in verse 10 Zechariah speaks of the dominion of the LORD “from sea to sea” and His speaking “peace to the Gentiles” – events that have not yet happened but will transpire in the Millennium. So within two or three verses we witness prophetic events that have already happened (at His First Advent), along with those that have yet to be fulfilled (At His Second).
In fulfilled prophecy, we read about Christ coming with the message of the Gospel of peace, in seeking to bring reconciliation for sinners with our Holy God (which He has done and continues to do); in prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled, we read about Christ Who is coming as Judge, and Righteous Executioner (which He will do upon His Return). Two events: the same Person of Christ.
ISAIAH 63:5-9
5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. 7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses. 8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Further demonstration of the duality found in the Person of Christ, not just in regards to a time differential, but in His role during these circumstances we shall witness upon His Second Advent; we observe both His goodness and His severity (as in ROM 11:22) towards the people of the Earth. We see Him bringing salvation to those who desire Him, and fury against those who spurn Him as the Righteous Ruler – He Who is Creator God and LORD.
He will tread down in anger and fury as well as bestow “great goodness” towards the House of Israel, His loving kindnesses, His mercies.
Being the awesome Savior that He is, and always has been, He identifies wholly with those He saves: their afflictions became His own, He bore them in accordance to His longsuffering, even though they rebelled many times; still He pitied and loved them.
Merely being in His Presence is sufficient for those who love the LORD to know His salvation, and we saints shall experience this when we finally see our LORD face to Face, and we shall be fully redeemed, having our corrupted bodies transformed into incorruptible bodies, having the very sin nature that plagues our corruptible flesh eradicated from our being! See ROM 8:22-24; 1 COR 15:53-54; 1 JOHN 3:2.
Before leaving this chapter and continuing on with ISAIAH, I must point out vs. 18-19:
ISAIAH 63:18-19
18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. 19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.
Whenever Israel disobeyed God, they were put in ‘the penalty box’, and the land cast them out, just as the Word of the LORD said would happen upon such disobedience (DEUT 29:22-28); yet because of the LORD’s oath to Abraham (HEB 6:13-18) He would not refrain from fulfilling these promises to the nation, but out of the abundance of His grace, and not due to their worthiness. He will not cancel His covenant promises to His people, Israel.
Yet the LORD has not made any such covenant with any other nation in all the world – and while the Gentiles have usurped control over the nation of Israel (specifically Jerusalem; this period of time is known as “the times of the Gentiles” – see: LUKE 21:24) more than Israel herself has governed that land, there is coming the time of the Millennium, when all of God’s promises, both to Abraham and to David as well, will be fulfilled.
There are many who try to ‘force-fit’ the covenants of Israel to apply to America – or even say that America has a covenant with God similar to that which the LORD made with Israel. This is a fundamental premise to the book by Jonathan Cahn, The Harbinger* and it is a fundamentally flawed premise, because God made no covenant with us as a nation, and any covenant in the Scripture is always initiated by God to the people, never vice versa (which is Mr. Cahn’s claim – that the Pilgrim’s made a covenant with God).
*- David James wrote the book: The Harbinger: Fact or Fiction and we have written a series of articles based prominently on this text.
The LORD during the Millennium will reign over the Gentile nations, but as the Supreme Regent due to Israel finally being brought to the place of global leadership, and the LORD Jesus Christ as the Messiah King of Israel (JER 16:19-21; MATT 2:5-7; 12:20-21). Today, here in America and all other Gentile nations, we are blessed by the new covenant which was offered to Israel by the Messiah, but rejected – and so, for now, God offers this covenant in Christ to us (ROM 10:19-21; 11:11-13), but on an individual basis, not a national one – but will return to Israel the second time, and at that time (ZECH 12:10; 13:6), Israel as a nation will receive the covenant and the spiritual rebirth (EZEK 36:26).
ISAIAH 65:18-25
18 But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Here, among the multitudinous verses that speaks of the Millennial Reign of Christ, is one of the more well-known passages. These verses are often taken allegorically by preterists and amillennialists, but as someone who believes in the grammatical-historical and literal view of Scripture, I take it just ‘as is’ in the Word of God.
I believe when the Messiah arrives and is received by the remnant of Israel, there will be profound joy unparalleled to any other time in her history! I believe there will be no sorrow, no more tears, but perpetual peace and safety for the LORD’s chosen.
I believe that the longevity of life will be greatly enhanced so that a “child” (the word used in vs. 20 means “young man, youth, lad, etc” will die (presumably by accident) being a hundred years’ old. The Jews at this time will build houses that they themselves will dwell in, and never again be dis-possessed of their land and properties (as they have for so long during their woeful history).
I believe that even nature will be transformed so that the animal kingdom will know peace: the predatorial nature of carnivores will be changed to herbivores; lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) shall eat “straw” – there shall be no hurt, no destruction throughout the length and breadth of God’s Holy Kingdom (“mountain”).
What a blessed time that will be, when the righteous saints of Israel will be resurrected – the likes of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and all the patriarchs, along with Samuel and Elijah and Elisha; Moses and Joshua, King David and Solomon and all the rest, along with the remnant of Israel that embraces their Messiah at His return.
And we, the church, the Gentile bride of Christ joining our LORD for this insurmountably festive occasion lasting one thousand years, with a complete and utter absence of Satan’s presence and his entire realm of darkness and demon lords (REV 20:1-3)!
It is at that time when our LORD, the Supreme Leader of the world, whose flawless character and purest, noblest and holiest heart is exclusive in the right to so reign over all!
And so, we eagerly await His arrival for His church, so that, meeting Him in the air, we shall ever be with our precious LORD Jesus Christ and experience all of what we examined today, first hand in the glories of the Kingdom!
1 THESSALONIANS 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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