Introduction The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ Himself
will reign bodily in Jerusalem for a thousand years as the King of the earth
and Israel will be head of the nations. Jesus Christ will establish His
millennial reign at His Second Advent. He will come from heaven with the elect
angels and the church to deliver Israel from Satan and the non-elect angels and
Antichrist, the false prophet and the Tribulational armies. During the
millennial reign of Christ, Satan will be incarcerated for a thousand years.
Israel will be regathered and the four unconditional covenants that the Lord
established with the nation will be literally fulfilled. There will be perfect
social, economic, environmental and political conditions during the millennial
reign of Christ. During this time, God will make a display of the absolute
authority of divine government through the rule of the Messiah. Men will be
subjected to and tested by the authority of the King.
The Messianic reign is the final divine trial
of sinful man on this earth before the Great White Throne Judgment and
destruction of the earth. The millennial age is designed by God to be the final
test of fallen humanity under the most ideal circumstances, surrounded by every
enablement to obey the rule of the King, from whom the outward sources of
temptation such as Satan have been removed, so that man may be found and
demonstrated to be a sinner by nature.
The word “millennium” is derived from the Latin
words mille, “thousand” plus annus, “year.” The corresponding Greek
expression in Revelation 20:4-7, chilia
ete, gives rise to the term “chiliasm,” properly a synonym for
“millennialism.” The term “chiliasm” has been superseded by the designation
“premillennialism.” The word “millennium” denotes a biblical doctrine taught in
Revelation 20:1-6 and throughout the Old Testament. It describes the
penultimate triumph by the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan and the kingdom of
darkness and the establishment of the kingdom of God on planet earth. The distinctive
feature of this doctrine is that Christ will return “before” the thousand years
and therefore will characterize those years by His personal presence and
exercise of His rightful authority, securing and sustaining all the blessings
on the earth which are ascribed to that period. This thousand-year period takes
place between the resurrection of the church, Israel, born-again Gentiles and
the resurrection of unsaved at the end of history. Fulfillment of the Four
Unconditional Covenants to Israel As we noted in our introduction, the millennial
reign of Christ will literally fulfill the four unconditional covenants that
God established with the nation of Israel: (1) Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:16;
22:15-18; 26:4; 28:14; 35:11; Ex. 6:2-8). (2) Palestinian (Gn. 13:15; Ex. 6:4,
8; Num. 34:1-12; Dt. 30:1-9; Jer. 32:36-44; Ezek. 36:21-38). (3) Davidic (2
Sam. 7:8-17; Psa. 89:20-37) (4) New (Jer. 31:31-34; cf. Heb. 8:8-12; 10:15-17).
There are seven great
features that are distinct in each of these unconditional covenants to Israel:
(1) Israel will be a nation forever. (2) Israel will possess a significant
portion of land forever. (3) Israel will have a King ruler over her forever. (4)
Israel will have a throne from which Christ will ruler, forever. (5) Israel
will have a kingdom forever.
The entire expectation of Old Testament Israel
is involved with its earthly kingdom, the glory of Israel and the promised
Messiah seated in Jerusalem as ruler of the nations. Since the Lord Jesus
Christ literally fulfilled prophecy during His First Advent, then He will
certainly literally fulfill the prophecies related to the millennium at His
Second Advent.
The word used most often in the Old Testament
to express the covenant concept is the Hebrew noun berith. A general characteristic of the OT berith is its unalterable and
permanently binding character.
There two categories of
covenants: (1) Conditional (2) Unconditional. The fulfillment of unconditional
covenants depended entirely upon the faithfulness of God rather than the man
whereas the fulfillment of a conditional covenant depended upon the faithfulness
of man.
In a conditional covenant,
that which was covenanted depended on the recipient of the covenant for its
fulfillment, not on the one making the covenant. Certain obligations or
conditions would need to be kept by the recipient of the covenant before the giver
of the covenant would be obligated to fulfill what was promised. This type of
covenant has an “if” attached to it. The Mosaic Covenant made by God with
Israel is an example of a conditional covenant. In an unconditional
covenant, on the other hand, that which was covenanted depended for its
fulfillment solely on the one making the covenant. That which was promised was
sovereignly given to the recipient of the covenant on the authority and
integrity of the one making the covenant, entirely apart from the merit or
response of the receiver. It was a covenant with no “if” attached to it
whatsoever. Now we need to clarify an
important aspect of an unconditional covenant. An unconditional covenant which
binds the one making the covenant to a certain course of action, may have
blessings attached to it that are conditioned on the response of the recipient.
That response is simply faith or to trust that God will deliver on His promise.
The fulfillment of
unconditional covenants does not depend on the continued obedience of the
recipient but rather the integrity and faithfulness of God who instituted the
covenant. Therefore, the promises contained in the four unconditional covenants
will all be literally fulfilled since their fulfillment is based upon the
faithfulness of God rather than the nation of Israel. Fulfillment of the Abrahamic
Covenant The story of Abraham is
recorded in Genesis 11:27-25:11. Abraham was born around 2161 B. C. in the land
of Ur of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:31). His father’s name was Terah (Gen. 11:27)
and he also was born in Ur. He was a prophet of God according to Genesis 20:7. Abraham had two wives with
his first being Sarah according to Genesis 11:29 and his second was Keturah
according to Genesis 25:1-6. Sarah bore him one son, the son of promise, Isaac
(Genesis 21:1-4) from whom came Jacob whose name was later changed to Israel.
The nation of Israel descended from Abraham’s son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Keturah bore Abraham six
sons (Genesis 25:2) and through Jokshan, Abraham had two grandsons and three
great-grandsons (Genesis 25:3), for a total of five children of Jokshan and
through Midian, Abraham’s fourth son through Keturah, he had five grandsons (Genesis
25:4). These sons that Keturah bore Abraham formed one branch of the Arabs. He had a son through his
concubine Hagar and his name was Ishmael, who was the progenitor of one branch
of the Arabs (Gen. 16; 17:20; 21:13; 25:12-18). Therefore, Abraham was the
progenitor or father of the Jews and the Arabs since both these groups descended
from him through his wives, Sarah and Keturah and his concubine, Hagar. His name was originally
‘Abram,” which means “exalted father,” but was changed by God in Gen. 17:5 to
“Abraham” after God had established His covenant with him. The name Abraham
means “father of a multitude,” and this he was indeed though he and his wife
Sarai were childless up until the time that Abraham was hundred years old (Gen.
21:5). Abram was a fairly common
name in those days and means, “exalted father” or “my father is exalted.” It
was given to him by his father Terah to honor the moon god Nannar, which Terah
worshipped and not the God of the Bible. On the other hand, the name Abraham
means, “father of a multitude” and became a declaration of God’s purpose and of
His covenant with Abraham, which God would accomplish by making Abraham
prolific so that not only populous nations but also kings would be among his
descendants. Abraham is one of the heroes
of faith and in Hebrews 11:8, he is mentioned as the fourth member in God’s
Hall of Fame. Romans 4:11 says that he is the “father of all them that believe” thus indicating that he is the
progenitor of all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, which would of
course, include Christians. In James 2:23, Abraham is called in Scripture “the friend of God.” At times in his life,
Abraham did not walk in faith as demonstrated in Genesis 12:10-20 where he left
the land of Canaan without the Lord’s direction because of the famine in that
land. Also, out of fear for his life told the Egyptians that Sarah was his
sister and not his wife. This led to Pharaoh attempting to add Sarah to his
harem but the Lord intervened. Genesis 20 records Abraham
committing the same sin but this time with the king of the Philistines,
Abimelech and again the Lord delivered him. Genesis 13 records Abraham’s
magnanimous behavior towards Lot. Genesis 14 records Abraham courageous
rescuing of his nephew Lot from the Eastern Kings and his meeting with
Melchizedek. Genesis 18 records his intercession for Sodom, which delivered his
nephew Lot and his daughters. There were seven crises in
the life of Abraham, which tested his love for the Lord, his faith in the Lord
and his obedience to the Lord: (1) God commanded Abraham to leave behind his
parents as recorded in Genesis 12:1 and Hebrews 11:8. (2) God commanded Abraham
to live among the Canaanites as an alien (see Genesis 12:1-8; Hebrews 11:9-10).
(3) Abraham’s faith was tested in that he had to choose between living in the
land of Canaan, trusting that the Lord would take care of him even though there
was a famine in the land or leave the land of Canaan and go to Egypt. (4)
Abraham had to separate from his nephew Lot as recorded in Genesis 13:5-18. (5)
God commanded Abraham to send away Ishmael whom he loved dearly as recorded in
Genesis 17:18-21 and 21:12-14. (6) Abraham’s faith was tested in that he had to
wait twenty-five years for the birth of Isaac and had to trust that God could
deliver on this promise even though he and Sarah were biologically unable to
have children together because of their advanced age (see Romans 4:18-22). (7)
God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac after he waited so long for him to be
born (Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:17-19). Abraham is also the
recipient of covenant promises from God as recorded in Genesis 12:1-3, 6-9;
13:14-18, 15:6, 18-21; 17; 22:15-18. These covenant promises are called by
theologians the “Abrahamic covenant,” which was originally established with
Abraham when he left Haran and is recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. The Abrahamic covenant was
originally established with Abraham when he left Haran and is recorded in
Genesis 12:1-3. In His covenant promises to Abraham, the Lord emphasized to
Abraham that he would not only be a progenitor biologically but also one spiritually. Let’s look at in detail the
“Abrahamic” covenant, which was originally established with Abraham when he
left Haran and is recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country,
and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will
show you. 2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make
your name great; And so you shall be a blessing. 3 And I will bless those who
bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families
of the earth will be blessed.” (NASB95) The Abrahamic covenant
contained three categories of promises: (1) Personal (2) National (3) Universal
and Spiritual. (1) Personal: “I will bless you and make your name great”
(Gen. 12:2), which refers to the fact that the Lord would make Abraham a famous
character with a great reputation among men and before God. This fame and
reputation is expressed in that Abraham is called a “father of a multitude” in Genesis 17:5, a prince of God in Genesis
23:6, the man in God’s confidence in Genesis 18:17-19, a prophet in Genesis
20:7, the servant of God in Psalm 105:6 and the friend of God in 2 Chronicles
20:7 and James 2:23. (2) National: “I will make you into agreat nation” (Gen. 12:2), which refers
to the nation of Israel. (3) Spiritual and Universal:
“And all the peoples on earth will be
blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3) refers to the fact that through Jesus
Christ, Abraham would be a blessing to all mankind (Deut. 28:8-14; Is. 60:3-5,
11, 16) since it is only through Jesus Christ that one becomes Abraham’s seed
and heirs of the promise (Gal. 3:29; Eph. 2:13, 19). The phrase “and you shall be a blessing” is “not” a
promise since the verb hayah, “you shall be” is in the “imperative”
mood expressing a command and literally means, “so become a blessing”
indicating that Abraham had a responsibility to walk by faith, which is
expressed by obedience to the Lord’s commands. The promises “I will bless them that bless you and the
one who curses you I will curse” refers to the fact that the Lord is
identifying Himself with the cause of Abraham and guaranteeing protection for
Abraham and his descendants. “Bless” is the verb barakh,
which appears five times in Genesis 12:1-3 and means, “to endue with power for
success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.” Therefore, the verb barakh indicates that Abraham and his
descendants were endued with power by the Lord for success, prosperity,
fecundity (offspring in great numbers) and longevity.” Bruce K. Waltke, “The three
nuances of bless-posterity (13:2, 5; 14:22-23; 24:35; 26:12-13; 30:43;
32:3-21), potency/fertility (1:28; 13:16; 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; 28:3, 14; 35:11)
and victory (cf. 1:22)-are spelled out in 22:17. Horst says, ‘Blessing brings
the power for life, the enhancement of life, and the increase of life.’”[1] The Lord blessed Abram in
the sense that the Lord multiplied his descendants so that his posterity was
great in number both, racially and spiritually. Also, the Lord blessed Abram in
the sense that the Lord multiplied his possessions and livestock and prospered
him financially. The Lord blessed anyone who was associated with Abraham. The phrase “I will bless you” was fulfilled
“temporally” according to Genesis 13:14-18; 15:18-21; 24:34-35 and it has been
fulfilled “spiritually” according to Genesis 15:6 and John 8:56. “Name” is the noun shem,
which refers to a person’s character, reputation and fame among men and in the
kingdom of God. The promise “I will make your name great” refers to
the fact that the Lord would make Abraham a famous character with a great
reputation among men and before God. This fame and reputation is expressed
throughout Scripture in that Abraham is called a “father of a multitude” in Genesis 17:5, a prince of God in Genesis
23:6, the man in God’s confidence in Genesis 18:17-19, a prophet in Genesis
20:7, the servant of God in Psalm 105:6 and the friend of God in 2 Chronicles
20:7 and James 2:23. Again, the phrase “and you shall be a blessing” is “not” a
promise since the verb hayah, “you shall be” is in the “imperative”
mood expressing a command and literally means, “so become a blessing”
indicating that Abraham had a responsibility to walk by faith, which is
expressed by obedience to the Lord’s commands. The imperative mood of the verb hayah indicates that others would be
blessed when Abraham walked by faith and was obedient to the Lord. Therefore,
the imperative mood of hayah teaches
us that the Lord wants us to be a blessing to others and this is accomplished
by obedience to the Lord, which expresses our faith in the Lord. The promises “I will bless them thatbless you and the one who curses you I will
curse” identifies the Lord with the cause of Abraham. Therefore, blessing
Abraham would be equivalent to doing it to God whereas those who curse Abraham
would be cursing God. The promises “I will bless them that bless you and the
one who curses you I will curse” refers to the fact that the Lord would
bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him. The promise “in you all the families of the earthwill be blessed” refers to the fact
that through Jesus Christ, the Promised Seed of Genesis 3:15, Abraham would be
a blessing to all mankind (Dt. 28:8-14; Is. 60:3-5, 11, 16) since it is only
through the Lord Jesus Christ that one becomes Abraham’s seed and heirs of the
promise (Gal. 3:29; Eph. 2:13, 19). This promise was the Gospel of salvation
proclaimed to Abraham (Gal. 3:8) and reaches back to the divided “families” (10:5, 20, 31) of the earth
at the Tower of Babel who were alienated from God due to sin and rebellion and
the deception of Satan but who would be blessed through faith alone in Christ
alone. Galatians 3 teaches that
Gentiles and Jews who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior become the
“spiritual” posterity of Abraham and heirs according to the promise made to
Abraham in relation to the nations. The promise “in you all the families of the earth will
be blessed” gives us further information regarding the Promised “Seed” of
Genesis 3:15 who would destroy the works of the devil and would deliver Adam
and Eve’s descendants from sin and Satan and indicates that the human nature of
Jesus Christ would originate from the line of Abraham. Up to this point in Genesis,
the human nature of Jesus Christ is identified as coming from the line of Seth
(Luke 3:38) and Shem (Gen. 9:24-27; Luke 3:36) and now Genesis 12:3 states that
Jesus Christ would be a descendant of Abraham. The promise “in you all the families of the earthwill be blessed” refers to God’s plan
to reverse the curse of Genesis 3 and all the effects of the Fall of Adam and
is God’s promise of salvation to the human race and is repeated five times in
the Book of Genesis (Gen. 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). This covenant with Abraham
was reaffirmed and confirmed after Abraham’s faith was tested (Gen. 22:15-18)
and was confined to the Jews who are the racial descendants of Abraham (Gen.
17:1-14). The “Abrahamic” covenant has
several applications in different areas of theology: (1) Soteriology: Study of
salvation (2) Resurrection (3) Eschatology: Study of events that are future to
the rapture of the church. The apostle Paul wrote to
the Galatians that Christian believers enter into the blessings promised to
Abraham (Gal. 3:14, 29; 4:22-31) and his argument is based on this same
covenant promise made with Abraham (Rom. 4:1-25). Paul taught that after the
Fall of Adam, God revealed His purpose to provide salvation for sinners (Gen.
3:15) and which purpose was progressively revealed to man and the promise made
to Abraham represented a significant and progressive step in that revelation. In Matthew 22:23-32, the
Lord refuted the Sadducees unbelief in the resurrection by stating that God had
revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Ex. 3:15), with whom
He had entered into covenant relationships. Thus since these men had died
without receiving the fulfillment of the promises (Heb. 11:13) and since the
covenants could not be broken, it was essential for God to raise these men from
the dead in order to fulfill His word. In Acts 26:6-8, Paul united
the “promise to the fathers” with
the resurrection from the dead. Dwight Pentecost writes
concerning the “Abrahamic” covenant and eschatology, “The eternal aspects of
this covenant, which guarantee Israel a permanent national existence, perpetual
title to the land of promise, and the certainty to material and spiritual
blessing through Christ-and guarantee Gentile nations a share in these
blessings-determine the whole eschatological program of the Word of God.”[2] The “Abrahamic” covenant
serves as the foundation for the message delivered to the nation of Israel by
the Old Testament prophets and writers. The “Abrahamic” covenant marked the
“patriarchal” dispensation, which ended with Exodus of Israel and the giving of
the Law at Sinai. The “Abrahamic” covenant is declared to be eternal or
everlasting in Genesis 17:7, 13, 19; 1 Chronicles 16:17 and Psalm 105:10 and is
confirmed repeatedly by reiteration and enlargement. The “Abrahamic” covenant was
solemnized by a divinely ordered ritual symbolizing the shedding of blood and
passing between the parts of the sacrifice (Gen. 15:7-21; Jer. 34:18). This
ceremony assured Abraham that his seed would inherit the land in the exact
boundaries given to him in Genesis 15:18-21. The Lord gave circumcision
to Abraham and his descendants to distinguish those who would inherit the
promises as individuals through faith from those who were only physical seed of
Abraham (Gen. 17:9-14). The “Abrahamic” covenant was
confirmed by the birth of Isaac and Jacob who also received the promises
repeated in their original form (Gen. 17:10; 28:12-13). A comparison of Hebrews
6:13-18 and Genesis 15:8-21 records that the “Abrahamic” covenant was immutable
and was not only promised but solemnly confirmed by an oath from God. Genesis 12:6-9 records
Abraham’s journey through the land of Canaan, which the Lord had promised to
Abraham and his descendants. Genesis 12:6 Abram passed through the land as far as the site of
Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 The
LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”
So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.” (NASB95) The Lord identifies the land
of Canaan as the land that was promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:1. Now, remember, this promise
was not yet fulfilled since the Canaanites were still occupying the land, thus
Abram had to continue to trust the Lord to deliver on His promise. Many times
the promise often seems long and delayed and the believer must simply continue
trusting the Lord day by day and trusting that His timing is always perfect. Psalm 37:34 Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to
inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. (NASB95) Throughout his lifetime,
Abraham had to rest in the promise that the Lord made to him that he and his
descendants would possess the land of Canaan and he had to trust the Lord to
fulfill this promise in His perfect timing. Genesis 12:8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of
Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and
there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 9
Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev. (NASB95) Genesis 13:14-18 records the
Lord promising land to Abram and is called in theology, the “Palestinian”
covenant, which is the sixth covenant in history God has made with men. The
“Palestinian” covenant is in fact an extension of the “Abrahamic” covenant,
which is recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. Like the “Abrahamic”
covenant, the “Palestinian” covenant that the Lord established with Abram
denoted the Lord’s gracious undertaking for the benefit of Abram and his
descendants. Like the “Abrahamic” covenant, the “Palestinian” covenant was
“unconditional” meaning that its fulfillment was totally and completely
dependent upon the Lord’s faithfulness. We will note this covenant in detail in
the next section. Genesis 13:14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him,
“Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and
southward and eastward and westward 15 for all the land which you see, I will
give it to you and to your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants
as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth,
then your descendants can also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk about the land
through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” (NASB95) Genesis 15:1-6 records the
Lord’s guarantee to Abraham that he would have a child and that his descendants
would be innumerable. Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a
vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be
very great.” 2, Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am
childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said,
“Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4
Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be
your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your
heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and
count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall
your descendants be.” (NASB95) The Lord guarantees Abram
that the promises would be literally fulfilled by a child of Abram’s own and to
drive the point home, the Lord compares the number of the stars of the universe
to the number of descendants of Abram there will be in the future. Bruce K. Waltke, “The
representation of offspring like the uncountable stars is not just an amazing
promise but an assurance of God’s creative and sovereign power.”[3] The promise of Genesis
15:4-5 not only pertains to Abram’s “natural” progeny (cf. Deut. 1:10; 10:22;
Heb. 11:12) but according to Romans 4 it refers to his “spiritual” progeny (cf.
Gal. 3:29). Genesis 15:6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as
righteousness. (NASB95) Abram’s faith in the Lord in
Genesis 15:6 and the Lord imputing His righteousness to Abram as a result of
his faith is employed by the New Testament writers as the pattern of a sinner’s
justification (Rm. 4). “Believed” is the verb `aman,
which is in the “hiphil” (causative) stem meaning, “to cause to have confidence
in, to trust.” The object of Abram’s faith
is the Lord Himself who alone can make this guarantee to Abram because He
sovereign and omnipotent and omniscient. Although, the New Testament writers
employ Genesis 15:6 to teach that justification is through faith alone in Christ
alone, it does “not” mean that Genesis 15:6 records the moment when Abram first
got saved. There at least three reasons for this. First of all, Abram had
already obeyed the Lord’s call to leave Ur and Haran (Acts 7:2-5; Gen. 12:1-5).
Secondly, the Lord had entered into a covenant agreement with him as recorded
in Genesis 12:1-3 and 15:4-5, which is something the Lord would never do with
an unbeliever. Thirdly, the perfect conjugation of the verb `aman, “believed” demonstrates that Abram’s faith did “not” begin after the
events recorded in Genesis 15:1-5 since it represents the state of Abram
trusting in the Lord, which flowed from his initial faith in the Lord the
moment he got saved in Ur of the Chaldeans. Bible Knowledge Commentary,
The Old Testament, “Abram’s faith is recorded here because it is foundational
for establishing the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant did not give
Abram redemption; it was a covenant made with Abram who had already believed
and to whom righteousness had already been imputed”.[4] “Reckoned” is the verb chashav,
which refers to the Lord imputing His righteousness to Abram and as a result it
refers to His “viewpoint” of Abram as a result of Abram’s faith in Him in
delivering on His promise to give Abram a son. Imputation is the function
of the justice of God in crediting something to someone for cursing or for
blessing. At the moment of spiritual birth, God imputed His righteousness to
the believer so that he is “positionally” the righteousness of God meaning God
has given His righteousness as a gift to the believer and that God views the
believer as righteous as Himself. Romans 3:21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been
manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 22 even the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;
for there is no distinction. (NASB95) The righteousness of God is
received through faith in the gospel concerning Jesus Christ since in it (the
gospel) the righteousness of God, Jesus Christ is revealed. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of
God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith;
as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (NASB95) The Bible teaches us that
the Lord Jesus Christ is the believer’s righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became
to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.
(NASB95) The righteousness of God can
never be attained by anyone through human power and dynamics or by keeping the
Mosaic Law but rather it is received as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ
who is the righteousness of God incarnate (Romans 4:1-5). Genesis 15:7 records the
Lord reconfirming His promise to Abram to give him the land of Canaan. Genesis 15:7 And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of
Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” (NASB95) Therefore, the phrase “I am the Lord” expresses the
unimpeachable authority of the Lord’s declaration to give Abram the land of
Canaan in order to possess it. Covenants made by kings in
the days of Abram began with the king identifying himself and giving a brief
historical background and this the Lord does by beginning His covenant with
Abram by identifying Himself to Abram as the One who brought him out of the
idolatry of Ur of the Chaldeans. Genesis 15:7 records the
Lord reiterating and confirming His original promises to Abram recorded in
Genesis 12:7 and Genesis 13:14-17 to give him and his descendants the land of
Canaan. The northern border of the land of the Canaanites went as far as Sidon,
which is 120 miles north of Jerusalem and the southern border extended to
Gerar, which is about 11 miles south-southeast of Gaza, which was on the coast
50 miles southeast of Jerusalem. In Genesis 15:7, the promise
by the Lord to Abram to give him the land of Canaan is a reference again to the
“Palestinian” covenant. Genesis 15:8 He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess
it?” (NASB95) Abram’s question recorded in
Genesis 15:8 was motivated by faith and was simply a question asking for more
details or more accurately the specific means by which the Lord would
accomplish giving him the land of Canaan. Therefore, Abram’s question in Genesis
15:8 does not indicate that Abram doubted how the Lord would fulfill His
promise but rather he simply asked for confirmation as to the specific the
means he will accomplish giving Abram the land. In Genesis 15:9-21, the Lord
gives Abram quite a few details surrounding the specific means by which the
Lord would bring about Abram possessing the land of Canaan. The specific means
by which the Lord will give Abram the land of Canaan would be through the
unconditional covenant that the Lord initially made with Abram in Genesis
12:1-3 and 13:14-17, which would be enlarged and amplified and confirmed as
demonstrated in the covenant ceremony recorded in Genesis 15:9-21. Also, the specific means by
which the Lord will give Abram the land of Canaan would be through suffering as
indicated by the Lord’s prophecy in Genesis 15:13-16 that Abram’s descendants,
specifically, the nation of Israel would suffer in Egypt for four hundred years
before they would finally leave Egypt and then enter the land of Canaan to
possess it. Also, although not
specifically mentioned but it is implied, is that it would be through
resurrection from the dead that Abram would personally enter into possessing
the land of Canaan, which will take place during the millennial reign of
Christ. Genesis 15:9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a
three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a
young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and
laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds
of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. 12 Now when
the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and
great darkness fell upon him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your
descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be
enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation
whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.”
(NASB95) “Your descendants” is a reference to the nation of Israel and the “land” in which the nation of Israel
would be strangers in and would be enslaved to and oppressed for four hundred
years is Egypt. “Four hundred years” is a “round” number for the more precise figure
of four hundred thirty years appears in Exodus 12:40-41; Acts 7:6; Gal.
3:16-17. Genesis 15:15 “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you
will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will
return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete. 17 It came
about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a
smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces.” (NASB95) The flaming torch symbolizes
the Lord’s presence and the fact that the torch alone passes through the pieces
teaches Abram that this covenant that the Lord is making with him is
“unconditional” meaning its fulfillment is totally and completely dependent upon
the Lord’s faithfulness. Genesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying,
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as
the great river, the river Euphrates.” (NASB95) “Your descendants” refers to the “regenerate” Israel or Jews
racially who are saved who entered into this covenant that the Lord made with
Abram by believing in Promised “Seed,” as their Savior namely, Jesus Christ.
Never in Israel’s history has she secured these boundaries and thus this
promise awaits its fulfillment during the millennial reign of Christ. According
to Genesis 15:18, the boundaries of Israel during the millennial reign of
Christ would be the river of Egypt on the south and the Euphrates River in Iraq
in the north. Genesis 15:19 “the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite 20 and the
Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21 and the Amorite and the Canaanite
and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.” (NASB95) In Genesis 17:1-8, the Lord
enlarges again upon the covenant He made with Abraham not only promising him
that he would have many descendants but he would also be the father of many
nations, which has been fulfilled in a two-fold sense: (1) Biological (2)
Spiritual. Genesis 17:1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared
to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.
2 I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you
exceedingly.” 3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, 4 “As
for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a
multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your
name shall be Abraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of
nations.” (NASB95) The promise to make Abraham
a father of many nations was fulfilled in a “biological” sense through Hagar
and the Ishmaelites (Gen. 17:20; 21:13; 25:12-18); through Keturah and the
Midianites and others (Gen. 25:1-4); through Isaac and Rebekah, the Edomites
(Gen. 25:23; 36:1-43); through Isaac and Rebekah, the Israelites (Gen. 12:2;
18:18). The Lord’s promise to make
Abraham a father or progenitor of many nations was fulfilled and continues to
be fulfilled in a “spiritual” sense through those individuals who exercised
faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:1-7; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:15-29). This is
how the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that in him “all the families of the earth would be
blessed” would be accomplished. The “Seed” God covenanted
with Abraham found its fulfillment uniquely in the Lord Jesus Christ (see
Galatians 3:16). Genesis 17:6 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make
nations of you, and kings will come forth from you.” (NASB95) The Lord’s promise to
Abraham in Genesis 17:6 that “kings will
come forth from you” is a reference to primarily the kings of Israel (Gen.
35:11; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:8-16) and the Lord Jesus Christ. Genesis 17:7 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your
descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant,
to be God to you and to your descendants after you.” (NASB95) The promise recorded in
Genesis 17:7 “I will establish My
covenant with him (Isaac) for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after
him” indicates that the Promised Seed, the Savior, Jesus Christ would come
through the line of Isaac rather than Ishmael. Genesis 17:8 “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the
land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God.” (NASB95) Genesis 17:9-14 records the
Lord giving Abraham and his descendants the ritual of circumcision to observe
as a sign to ratify the covenant that He established with Abraham when he left
Haran. Then in Genesis 17:15-22, we saw that the Lord promised Abraham that his
wife Sarah would be the progenitrix or the mother of numerous nations and
kings. Genesis 22:15-18 records the Lord reconfirming the promises of this
covenant and then enlarges upon them. Every time Abraham made a
sacrifice for God the Lord responded by giving Abraham more: (1) God commanded
Abraham to leave his hometown and as a result God rewarded him with a new one
(Gen. 12:1; Heb. 11:8). (2) Abraham offered the best of the land to Lot and
separated from Lot and as a result God rewarded him by giving him more land
(Gen. 13:5-18). (3) Abraham gave up the King of Sodom's reward (Gen. 14:17-24)
and God gave Abraham more wealth (Gen. 15:1-6). (4) God commanded Abraham to
sacrifice Isaac after he waited so long for him to be born (Genesis 22:1-19;
Hebrews 11:17-19) and as a result the Lord rewards Abraham by enlarging upon
the previously made covenant (Gen. 22:15-18). In each case, where Abraham was
obedient to God, God rewarded Abraham with a deeper and more intimate
fellowship with Himself.
Genesis 22:15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time
from heaven 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because
you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son.”
(NASB95)
The Lord’s statement “by Myself I have sworn” indicates that
the Abrahamic covenant, which will be reconfirmed and enlarged upon in Genesis
22:17-18 is “unconditional” and “guarantees” its fulfillment. The phrase “declares the Lord” expresses the Lord’s
faithfulness in fulfilling that which He has promised, indicating that the Lord
is “guaranteeing” the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham and his
descendants. The reason for the Lord
guaranteeing the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham is given in the Lord’s
statement “because you have done this
thing.”This statement refers to
Abraham’s obedience to the Lord’s command in Genesis 22:2 “Take now your son, your only son whom you love and go to the land of
Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of
which I will tell you.” The word “only” in Genesis 22:2 and 16 is
incorrectly translated since Abraham had many sons (Ishmael through Hagar, see
Genesis 16; Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah through Keturah,
see Genesis 25:1-2) and so Isaac was not an “only” child. “Only” is the adjective yachidh
and means, “uniquely born one” and this interpretation is supported in that
Isaac was a “miracle” baby since his mother was ninety years old and his father
was one-hundred years old when he was born. Furthermore, John 3:16
employs the adjective monogenes
translated “begotten” in the NASB
and is used to describe God the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ as being uniquely
born of a virgin.
Hebrews 11:17 employs monogenes translated “begotten” in the NASB but like the word
in John 3:16, it means, “uniquely born one” since it is used to describe Isaac
who was born to parents who were well past the age of having the capacity to
procreate. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and Isaac was born of parents who
were in their old age and so like Jesus Christ, Isaac was unique. Genesis 22:17 “indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly
multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the
seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.” (NASB95) In Genesis 22:17, Moses
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit employs two infinitive absolutes to
express the fact that the Lord is “guaranteeing” the fulfillment of the
promises made to Abraham as a result of his obedience to God’s command to
sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. “I will greatly bless you”: (1) Piel infinitive
absolute complement form of the verb barakh,
“blessing” (2) Second person common (neither masculine nor feminine) singular
piel imperfect form of the verb barakh,
“I will bless” (3) Second person masculine singular pronominal suffix, “you.” In Genesis 22:17, the verb barakh means, “to bless in the sense of
enduing someone (Abraham) with power for success, prosperity, fecundity,
longevity, etc.” Therefore, the verb barakh
indicates that Abraham and his descendants were endued with power by the Lord
for success, prosperity, fecundity (offspring in great numbers) and longevity.” The Lord blessed Abraham in
the sense that the Lord multiplied his descendants so that his posterity was
great in number both, racially and spiritually. Also, the Lord blessed Abraham
in the sense that the Lord multiplied his possessions and livestock and
prospered him financially. The phrase “I will bless you” was fulfilled
“temporally” according to Genesis 13:14-18; 15:18-21; 24:34-35 and it has been
fulfilled “spiritually” according to Genesis 15:6 and John 8:56. The infinitive absolute barakh stands before the finite verb of
the same root in order to intensify the certainty or force of the verbal idea
expressing the certainty that the Lord would fulfill the promise to bless
Abraham. So to the English speaking person this construction literally means,
“blessing, I will bless you” but to the Hebrew mind, it simply means, “I will
greatly bless you.” “I will greatly multiply”: (1) Hiphil (causative) infinitive
absolute complement form of the verb ravah,
“multiplying.” (2) First person common (neither masculine nor feminine)
singular hiphil (causative) imperfect form of the verb ravah. The infinitive absolute
stands before the finite verb of the same root in order to intensify the
certainty or force of the verbal idea expressing the certainty that the Lord
would fulfill the promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants. So to the English
speaking person this construction literally means, “multiplying, I will
multiply” but to the Hebrew mind, it simply means, “I will greatly multiply.” “Your seed” refers to not only Isaac but also those who like Abraham
exercise faith alone in Christ alone, which would include the church and
regenerate Israel and regenerate Gentiles who lived in dispensations outside of
the church age and ultimately it refers to Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Scriptures
teach that the “seed” of Abraham is four-fold: (1) Abraham’s biological or
racial descendants, which would include: (a) The Ishmaelites through Hagar
(Gen. 17:20; 21:13; 25:12-18) (b) The Midianites and others through Keturah (Gen.
25:1-4) (c) The Edomites through Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25:23; 36:1-43). (2)
Abraham’s biological or racial descendants the Israelites of Jews through Sarah
and Isaac and Rebekah and Jacob (Genesis 12:2, 7; 18:18; Rom. 9:6-9). (3)
Abraham’s spiritual descendants, which would include those individuals, both
Jew and Gentile racially, who exercised faith alone in Christ alone (Gal.
3:6-29). (4) The Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16). The comparative clause “as the stars of the heavens” echoes the
Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:5 and is used to compare the Lord’s
promise to Abraham to multiply his descendants with the number of the stars of
the universe. The promise of Genesis
15:4-5 not only pertains to Abram’s “natural” progeny (cf. Deut. 1:10; 10:22;
Heb. 11:12) but according to Romans 4 it refers to his “spiritual” progeny (cf.
Gal. 3:29). The comparative clause “as the sand which is on the seashore”
echoes the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 13:10 to multiply his
descendants as the dust of the earth and drives the point home regarding the
Lord’s promise to greatly multiply Abraham’s descendants.
The prophecy that Abram’s
descendants would be as the dust of the earth in a “near” sense was fulfilled
in the days of Solomon (see 1 Kings 4:20) and will be fulfilled in a “far”
sense during the millennial reign of Christ (see Hosea 1:10). The Lord’s promise to
Abraham that “your seed shall possess
the gate of their enemies” is a prophecy that through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ the great enemy of God and His people would be
defeated, namely, Satan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 (see
Colossians 2:15; Philippians 2:6-11; Ephesians 1:15-22). In the ancient world, to
“possess the gate” of one’s enemies was to have access to a walled city and
possessing control of the city. The term “enemies”
refers to Satan and the kingdom of darkness who at the present time temporarily
rule this world (Eph. 2:1-3; 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Jn. 5:19; Rev. 12:10). The
Lord Jesus Christ has defeated Satan with His death and resurrection and at His
Second Advent, He with His church, and the elect angels will imprison Satan and
the fallen angels and assume control over planet earth for a thousand years
(see Revelation 19:1-20:6). In another sense, this prophecy also refers to the
fact that regenerate Israel will be delivered by Jesus Christ from the armies
of the hostile Gentile nations and Antichrist during Daniel’s seventieth week
and will become head of the nations during the millennial reign of Christ (see
Zechariah 14:16-21). “Your seed” is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord statement that “in your seed (Christ) all the nations of
the earth will be blessed” echoes the Lord’s promise in Genesis 18:18 and
is an enlargement upon the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that in
Abraham “all the families of the earth
will be blessed.” Galatians 3:8-14 reveals
that the promise in Genesis 18:18 that “in
(Abraham) all the nations of the earth will be blessed” and the promise in
Genesis 22:19 that “in your Seed
(Christ) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” are references to
the fact that Abraham’s descendent, Jesus Christ, would bring salvation to the
Gentile nations through faith in Him. Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having
become a curse for us -- for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A
TREE” 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to
the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith.” (NASB95) Genesis 22:19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and
went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba. (NASB95) Abraham returned with Isaac
as he believed he would since according to Hebrews 11:17-19, he reasoned that
God would raise Isaac from the dead. Genesis 28:13-15 records
Jacob receiving from the Lord reconfirmation of the promises of the Abrahamic
Covenant and reassurance that the Lord would protect and prosper him in exile
in Paddan Aram. Genesis 28:10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had
set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and
lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the
earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were
ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and
said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the
land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your
descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to
the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in
your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (NASB95) The promises to Jacob that
are recorded in Genesis 28:14 echo the promises given to his father Isaac,
which are recorded in Genesis 26:4. They also echo the blessing that his father
Isaac pronounced upon him before he left home, which is recorded in Genesis
28:3-4. The Lord’s promises to both Jacob and Isaac and the blessing of his
father bestowed upon him before he left home were a “reconfirmation” of the
promises made to Abraham that are recorded in Genesis 12:2-3, 7, 13:14-18,
15:1-6, 18, 17:1-8 and 22:17. In Genesis 26:3-4, Isaac
received reconfirmation of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant by means of a
theophany. In Genesis 26:23-25, the Lord appeared in a theophany to Isaac at
Beersheba and gave him reassurance by reconfirming to him the promises of the
Abrahamic Covenant. In Genesis 28:3-4, the blessing that Isaac bestowed upon
Jacob before he left home echoes the promises of the Abrahamic covenant. In
Genesis 28:14-15, God’s reiteration of the promises to Abraham and Isaac
assures Jacob of God’s faithfulness. The Lord is reassuring Jacob
in his time of adversity that like his grandfather Abraham and his father
Isaac, that he would receive divine protection and would be prospered by the
Lord. The Lord’s reiteration to Jacob of the promises He made to his grandfather
Abraham and his father Isaac would reassure Jacob that the very God who
protected his grandfather and father and prospered them would do so for him. The Lord’s reiteration to
Jacob of the promises He made to his grandfather and father would confirm to
Jacob that he was in the Messianic line. So these promises to Jacob would
reassure him that the God of his grandfather Abraham and that of his father Isaac
would not abandon him. “Your descendants” refers to Isaac’s “biological” descendants, which
would be the nation of Israel and it refers to his “spiritual” descendants,
which would be anyone, Jew or Gentile who believes in Jesus Christ as their
Savior. In a “near” sense “Your
descendants” refers the nation of Israel (saved and unsaved) and in a “far”
sense it refers to saved Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. The comparative clause “like the dust of the earth” echoes the
Lord’s promises to Abraham in Genesis 13:10 to multiply his descendants “as the dust of the earth” and “as the sand on the seashore” in Genesis
22:17 as well as the promise to Isaac in Genesis 26:4 to multiply his
descendants “as the dust of the earth.” The comparative clause “like the dust of the earth” drives the
point home to Jacob regarding the Lord’s promise to greatly multiply his
descendants and would indicate quite clearly to him that the Lord has a plan
for his life and would give him assurance during his time of adversity! The prophecy that Jacob’s
descendants would be as the dust of the earth in a “near” sense was fulfilled
in the days of Solomon (see 1 Kings 4:20) and will be fulfilled in a “far”
sense during the millennial reign of Christ (see Hosea 1:10). Like his grandfather
Abraham, Jacob receives these promises of numerous descendants while he was
childless. In fact, at this time, he wasn’t even married! The Lord’s promise to Isaac
that he “will spread out to the west and
to the east and to the north and to the south” echoes the Lord’s promise to
his grandfather Abraham that is recorded in Genesis 13:14-15 and pertains to
the “Palestinian Covenant. The Lord’s promise to Jacob
that he and his descendants would spread over the land of Canaan would reassure
him that he would be returning to Canaan. The Lord is promising Jacob that He
would bring him back to Canaan even though he is fleeing from it at this
particular time. “Spread out” is the verb parats,
which is a military term meaning “to break out” and implies that the descendants
of Jacob who would be the nation of Israel would through military conquest take
possession of the land of Canaan. This military conquest of the land of Canaan
was accomplished to a certain extent in Israel’s history under Joshua. But it
will find its ultimate fulfillment when the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second
Advent who at that time will destroy anti-Christ, the false prophet, and the
Gentile armies surrounding Israel during the Tribulation period (aka Daniel’s
seventieth week) and will establish His millennial reign.
Genesis 28:14 “Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth,
and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the
south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth
be blessed.” (NASB95) The Lord’s promise to Jacob
that in him, “all the families of the
earth be blessed” is a “universal” promise and indicates that Jacob would
be in the Messianic line meaning that the Lord Jesus Christ in His human nature
would descend from him. The promise “in your descendants shall all the families
of the earth be blessed” should be translated “in your Seed or Descendant all the families of the earth shall be
blessed” since the word for “descendants” in the Hebrew text is in the singular
making the promise Messianic. This promise is a “reconfirmation” of the
“universal” promise the Lord made to Abraham, which is recorded in Genesis
22:18. The Lord statement in
Genesis 22:18 that “in your seed
(Christ) all the nations of the earth will be blessed” and the promise to
Jacob in Genesis 28:14 that “in Your
Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” echoes the Lord’s
promise in Genesis 18:18. It is an enlargement upon the Lord’s promise to
Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that in Abraham “all
the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Galatians 3:8-16 reveals
that the promises in Genesis 18:18, “in
(Abraham) all the nations of the earth will be blessed,” Genesis 22:18, “in your seed (Christ) all the nations of
the earth will be blessed,” Genesis 26:4, “by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” Genesis
28:14, “in Your Seed shall all the
families of the earth be blessed” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ who would
bring salvation to the Gentile nations through faith in Him. Genesis 28:15 records the
“personal” promises that the Lord made to Jacob. Genesis 28:15 “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go,
and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have
done what I have promised you.” (NASB95) Genesis 35:9-13 records the
preincarnate Christ appearing to Jacob and reconfirming the change of his name
to “Israel” and reconfirming the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live
there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from
your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with
him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and
change your garments 3 and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an
altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with
me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which
they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the
oak which was near Shechem. 5 As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon
the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6
So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and
all the people who were with him. 7 He built an altar there, and called the
place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled
from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried
below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth. 9 Then God appeared to
Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. (NASB95)
Jacob would be “blessed” or
in other words, “endued with power for success, prosperity, fecundity and
longevity” by means of the Word of God since the Word of God is “alive and powerful” according to
Hebrews 4:12. God would bless Jacob
through six promises, which are contained in Genesis 35:10-12. Therefore, the
statement “He (God) blessed him (Jacob)” means that Jacob
would be the recipient and beneficiary of the omnipotence of God, which would
be manifested in time by the Lord fulfilling six promises through Jacob and his
descendants (spiritual and biological), which are recorded in Genesis 35:10-12. Genesis 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer
be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name. Thus He called him Israel.”
(NASB95) The statement “You shall no longer be called Jacob but
Israel shall be your name” echoes the Lord’s statement to Jacob at Peniel
after wrestling with Jacob, which is recorded in Genesis 32:28. After Jacob
wrestled with the Lord at Peniel, the Lord changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” and here the Lord reiterates
and reconfirms and reaffirms to Jacob that this is still the case. The name “Jacob” means, “heel catcher” implying
someone who is a “deceiver” and a “supplanter,” which is a person who takes the
place of another by force, scheming or strategy. “Israel” is the proper noun yisra’el,
which means, “one who fights and overcomes with the power of God” since the
Lord states the reason for the name is that Jacob has fought with both God and
men and has prevailed. Therefore, the promise “You shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel shall be your name”
is not only a promise but a reaffirmation to Jacob that would impress upon him
the need to live his life in a manner that is consistent with the meaning of
his new name. He would live his life in a manner that is consistent with the
meaning of his new name by appropriating by faith in prayer the promises that
God had given to him just as he did prior to being reunited with Esau (See
Genesis 32). By means of His Word, the
Lord would fulfill His first promise to Jacob and empower him to live in a
manner consistent with the meaning of his new name yisra’el, “Israel,”
which means, “one who fights and overcomes with the power of God” (See Genesis
35:10). The bestowal of the name “Israel” upon Jacob constituted the
essence of the blessing that he requested from the Lord recorded in Genesis
32:26. The name yisra’el, “Israel” memorializes the historical
event of Jacob wrestling the preincarnate Christ, and which wrestling match
symbolized Jacob’s struggles in life with men, which in reality were with God. The name “Israel” represents the character of his
new divine nature whereas the name “Jacob”
represents the character of his old Adamic sin nature, which will be
permanently eradicated at his physical death. Therefore, the emphasis of the
name change to “Israel” implies that
Jacob would experience the fulfillment of these six promises during the
millennial reign of Christ when he will live permanently in his new nature that
God gave him, which is signified by the name “Israel.” Genesis 35:11 “God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and
multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings
shall come forth from you.” (NASB95) The title El Shaddai, “God Almighty” emphasizes the omnipotence of God and describes the
Lord as being able to bring to pass that which He has promised to Jacob (Romans
4:20-21). The expression “God Almighty” (Hebrew: El Shaddai) was first used by God of
Himself when speaking to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 17:1 and was used by
Isaac when blessing Jacob as recorded in Genesis 28:3. Therefore, the title El Shaddai, “God Almighty” signifies that the six promises contained in Genesis
35:10-12 echo Isaac’s prophecy about Jacob, which is recorded in Genesis 28:3-5
and also recalls the covenant with Abraham recorded in Genesis 17:1-8. The Lord’s promise to Jacob
that he would “be fruitful andmultiply” echoes the prophecy of Isaac
concerning Jacob, which is recorded in Genesis 28:3 and means that the Lord
would give Jacob the capacity to be prolific in that he would be the progenitor
of a multitude of children in both a biological and spiritual sense. This
promise means that the Lord would endue Jacob and his descendants with the
ability to be prolific in terms of posterity. By means of His Word, the
Lord would fulfill His second promise to Jacob that he would “be fruitful and multiply” and endue him
with power for success, prosperity, fecundity (offspring in great numbers) and
longevity (See Genesis 35:11). The promise “a nation…shall come from you” in a
“near” sense refers to the nation of Israel (saved and unsaved) and in a “far”
sense it refers to saved Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. By means
of His Word, the Lord would fulfill His third promise to Jacob that he would be
the progenitor of “a nation,” and
endue Jacob with power to be the progenitor of the nation of Israel (See
Genesis 35:11). The promise “a company of nations…shall come from you”
was fulfilled and continues to be fulfilled in a “spiritual” sense through
those individuals who exercised faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:1-7; 1 Cor.
12:13; Gal. 3:26-28). The expression “a company of nations…shall come from you”
refers to a community of nations that will originate from Jacob and echoes the
Lord’s promise to his grandfather Abraham that he would become “the father of a multitude of nations”
(Genesis 17:4-5) and “the father of
nations” (Genesis 17:6). The Lord’s promise to
Abraham to make him “the father of a
multitude of nations” and Isaac’s desire that the Lord would make Jacob a “company of peoples” and the Lord’s
promise to Jacob that “a company of
nations…shall come from you” would be fulfilled in both a “biological” and
“spiritual” sense. In a “biological” or
“racial” sense, the “company of nations”
that would originate from Jacob would be the nation of Israel. In a “spiritual”
sense the “company of nations” that
would originate from Jacob be all those who exercise faith alone in Christ
alone who would be composed of all nations and races, both male and female,
slave and freeman (John 3:1-7; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28). This is how the
Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that in him “all the families of the earth would be blessed” would be
accomplished. In the same way, that
Abraham became a father in a “spiritual” sense to those individuals who
exercised faith in Christ so also Jacob would become the father in a
“spiritual” sense to all those who exercised faith in Christ. By means of His
Word, the Lord would fulfill His fourth promise to Jacob and endue him with
power to be the progenitor of “a company
of nations” in a “spiritual” sense through all those who exercise faith
alone in Christ alone. The promise that “kings shall come forth from you” echoes
the Lord’s promise to Abraham, which is recorded in Genesis 17:6, 16 and is a
reference to primarily to the kings of Israel (Gen. 35:11; 49:10; 2 Sam.
7:8-16) and the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the promise that “kings shall come forth from you” is a reference to the Kings of
kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is therefore related to the “Davidic”
Covenant, which like the “Abrahamic” Covenant, was an unconditional covenant
meaning its fulfillment was totally dependent upon God’s faithfulness. By means
of His Word, the Lord would fulfill His fifth promise to Jacob and endue him
with power to be the progenitor of the kings of Israel and the greatest King of
them all, the Lord Jesus Christ (See Genesis 35:11). Genesis 35:12 “The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give
it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.”
(NASB95) The promise of “land” is a reference to the
“Palestinian Covenant.” “Your descendants” refers to Jacob’s “biological” descendants, which
would be the nation of Israel and it refers to his “spiritual” descendants,
which would be anyone, Jew or Gentile who believes in Jesus Christ as their
Savior. In a “near” sense “Your descendants” refers to the nation
of Israel (saved and unsaved) and in a “far” sense it refers to saved Israel
during the millennial reign of Christ. By means of His Word, the Lord would
fulfill His sixth and final promise to Jacob and endue him and his descendants
(spiritual and biological) with power to possess the land of Canaan (See
Genesis 35:12). Though Jacob was still a
resident alien in the land of Canaan, it was really his according to God’s
promise and would be possessed by him and his descendants through faith in
Christ during the millennial reign of Christ. Genesis 35:13 “Then God went up from him in the place where He had
spoken with him.” (NASB95) Genesis 46:2-4 records
Israel/Jacob receives a theophany, divine reassurance and promises (46:2-4). Genesis 46:1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to
Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke
to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here
I am.” 3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go
down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.” (NASB95) “God” is not the usual Elohim
but rather the singular form of the noun, which is El in order to express a contrast between the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob who is the one and only true God and the foreign gods of the
Canaanites and the Egyptians. God identifies Himself to
Israel as “I amthe God of your father” in order to reassure Israel that he will be
protected by Him just as He protected his father Isaac. The prohibition “do not be afraid to go to Egypt” that
was issued to Israel/Jacob indicates that the patriarch was fearful of leaving
the Promised Land. The explanatory clause “for I will make you a great nation there”
gives the reason why Israel should not be afraid and would give him assurance
that it was according to the will of God that he and his family migrate to
Egypt. In Genesis 46:3, God is
assuring Israel that everything is ok that he will be protected from the
Egyptians and reassures him that God will make his descendants into a great
nation while in Egypt in accordance with the promises God made to his
grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. The assurance that God gave Israel
that He would make Israel’s descendants into a great nation while in Egypt is a
positive declaration or guarantee from God intended to give Israel confidence
and courage. This statement “I will make you a great nation there”
is a reference to the “Abrahamic” covenant since it reconfirms the promise to
Abraham in Genesis 12:2 and 18:17-18 that God would make Abraham’s descendants
into a great nation. “Nation” is the noun goy,
which is in the singular referring to Abraham’s “national” posterity (Gen.
18:18), the nation of Israel that would originate from Abraham and Sarah’s son
Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob. “Great” is the adjective gadhol,
which refers both to numbers and to significance or impact the nation of Israel
would have on both human and angelic history. Therefore, the “national”
posterity of Abraham, the nation of Israel has been a great nation in history
during the reigns of David and Solomon and will be significant according to
prophecy since she will be the head of the nations during the millennial reign
of Christ (See Isaiah 2:1-4). Israel has had a huge impact
upon human history in that she was the custodian of the Old Testament
Scriptures, the recipients of the covenants of promise, the Law (Rm. 9:1-5) and
the nation from which the Savior, Jesus Christ would originate (Jn. 4:22). Prophetically, the promise “a great nation” in a “near” sense
refers to the nation of Israel (saved and unsaved) and in a “far” sense it
refers to saved Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. Genesis 46:4 ‘I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely
bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.” (NASB95) The statement “I will also surely bring you up again”
is a reference to the “Palestinian” Covenant, which was a confirmation and
enlargement of the original “Abrahamic” covenant and amplified the land
features of the “Abrahamic” covenant (Gen. 13:14-15; 15:18). The promise “I will also surely bring you up again”
is “national” promise in that it is a guarantee that the Israelites will return
to the land of Canaan. It is a “personal” promise in that it is a guarantee
that Israel himself would return to the land of Canaan not only in a coffin
(See Genesis 49:29-32) but more importantly that he and all of born again
Israel will live in the Promised Land in resurrection bodies during the
millennial reign of Christ. Fulfillment of the Palestinian
Covenant As we noted in the previous section, the
“Palestinian” covenant is in fact an extension of the “Abrahamic” covenant,
which is recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. Like the “Abrahamic” covenant, the
“Palestinian” covenant that the Lord established with Abram denoted the Lord’s
gracious undertaking for the benefit of Abram and his descendants. Like the
“Abrahamic” covenant, the “Palestinian” covenant was “unconditional” meaning
that its fulfillment was totally and completely dependent upon the Lord’s
faithfulness. Genesis 13:14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him,
“Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and
southward and eastward and westward 15 for all the land which you see, I will
give it to you and to your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants
as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth,
then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through
its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” (NASB95) The Lord’s promise of land
to Abram and his descendants in Genesis 13:14-17 is an “extension” upon His
promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1 and is thus related to the “Abrahamic”
covenant. The “Palestinian” covenant was a confirmation and enlargement of the original
“Abrahamic” covenant and amplified the land features of the “Abrahamic”
covenant (Gen. 13:14-15; 15:18). The “Palestinian” covenant
was confirmed to Isaac (Gen. 26:3-4) and Jacob (Gen. 35:12), reiterated to
Moses (Ex. 6:2-8) who described the geographical boundaries of the land in
Numbers 34:1-12 and who prophesied the fulfillment of this covenant during the
millennium in Deuteronomy 30:1-9. The land grant under the
“Palestinian” covenant: (1) Most of the land in Turkey (2) Most of East Africa
(3) Saudi Arabia (4) Yemen (5) Oman and Red Sea (6) Syria (7) Iraq (8) Jordan. The land grant has
boundaries on the Mediterranean, on Aegean Sea, on Euphrates River and the Nile
River. Deuteronomy 30:1-10
describes seven features of the “Palestinian” covenant: (1) The nation will be
plucked off the land for its unfaithfulness (Deut. 28:63-68; 30:1-3). (2) There
will be a future repentance of Israel (Deut. 28:63-68; 30:1-3). (3) Israel’s
Messiah will return (Deut. 30:3-6). (4) Israel will be restored to the land
(Deut. 30:5). (5) Israel will be converted as a nation (Deut. 30:4-8; cf. Rm.
11:26-27). (6) Israel’s enemies will be judged (Deut. 30:7). (7) The nation
will then receive her full blessing (Deut. 30:9). The Lord promises that this
land would be given to Abram’s descendants and this promise was fulfilled to a
certain extent by Israel under Joshua (Josh. 21:43-45; cf. 13:1-7) and David
and Solomon (1 Kgs. 4:20-25; Neh. 9:8). The prophets of Israel
prophesied of the “Palestinian” covenant’s literal and ultimate fulfillment
during the millennial reign of Christ (Isa. 11:11-12; Jer. 16:14-16; 23:3-8;
31:8, 31-37; Ezek. 11:17-21; 20:33-38; 34:11-16; 39:25-29; Hos. 1:10-11; Joel 3:17-21;
Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:6-7; Zeph. 3:14-20; Zech. 8:4-8).
During the millennial reign of Christ, the
northern boundary of Israel will extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the
Euphrates River (47:15-17), incorporating much of modern Lebanon and Syria. The
eastern border will extend south from the Euphrates River, incorporating the
Golan Heights and portions of Syria almost up to Damascus, and continue south
to where the Jordan River leaves the Sea of Galilee. The river will be the
eastern border to the Dead Sea’s southern end (47:18). From there the southern
border will go westward, incorporating the Negev and parts of Sinai all the way
along the Brook of Egypt (the modern Wadi-el-Arish) to the point where it
reaches the Mediterranean Sea (47:19), the western border (47:20). Although the
land will have twelve tribal divisions, these subdivisions will differ from
those in the Book of Joshua.
Ezekiel 48:1-7 describes the northern
subdivisions for seven of the twelve tribes. From the north to the south they
will be: (1) Dan (48:1) (2) Asher (48:2) (3) Naphtali (48:3) (4) Manasseh
(48:4) (5) Ephraim (48:5) (6) Reuben (48:6) (7) Judah (48:7).
Ezekiel 48:8-22 describes the holy mountain,
which will be south of Judah and north of Benjamin, separating the northern and
the southern tribes.
Ezekiel 48:23-29 describes the subdivisions of
the remaining five tribes in the south. From north to south, they will be: (1)
Benjamin (48:23) (2) Simeon (48:24) (3) Issachar (48:25) (4) Zebulun (48:26)
(5) Gad (48:27) next to the southern border. Fulfillment of the Davidic
Covenant The millennial reign of
Christ will also literally fulfill the Davidic covenant. God called David a man
after his own heart (Acts 13:22). The Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon the
Davidic throne in truth.
Isaiah
16:5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit
on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice and
be prompt in righteousness. (NASB95)
Jeremiah
23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for
David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do
justice and righteousness in the land. (NASB95)
David was the second and greatest King of
Israel whose reign over Israel 40 years, seven in Hebron and thirty-three in
Jerusalem, and whose dynasty ruled in Judah for over four hundred years (2
Samuel 5:5; 1 Kings 2:11). He was born in the town of Bethlehem (House of
Bread) (1 Samuel 16:1; 17:12; Luke 2:4).
David was the youngest of
seven sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10; 1 Chronicles 2:13-15) and has two sisters
(1 Chronicles 2:16; 2 Samuel 17:25). He was from the tribe of Judah (Ruth
4:18-22). He was a direct descendant of Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab,
Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (the husband of Ruth), Obed, (the son of Boaz and Ruth)
and Jesse his father (1 Chronicles 2:5-16; Matthew 1:3-6; Luke 3:31-33).
He was a shepherd by trade
before being anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
David was an outstanding military commander, a masterful statesman and
administrator, a skilled musician witnessed by the fact that he organized the
temple music and wrote many of the Psalms (See 1 Samuel 16:17-18). He made his
debut in Israelite history when he killed the Philistine champion Goliath which
resulted in the rout of the Philistine armies (See 1 Samuel 17). Consequently,
King Saul adopted David into his court (1 Samuel 17:55-18:2). David struck up a great
friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan and it lasted till Jonathan’s death on the
battlefield with his father (1 Samuel 18:1-4). Saul persecuted David out of
jealousy for David’s great talents and his tremendous popularity among the citizens
of Israel and even attempted to assassinate David (1 Samuel 16:14-23; 1 Samuel
18:5-9). The next several years of
David’s life were as a fugitive and an outlaw as a result of Saul’s repeated
attempts to assassinate him. During his years of exile, he became an ally with
the Philistines (1 Samuel 27). His years of exile ended with the death of Saul
and his son Jonathan (1 Samuel 28:1-2; 1 Chronicles 12:19-22). David was anointed king over
the house of Judah at Hebron and reigned seven and a half years over that tribe
(2 Samuel 2:1-11). The long civil war between the house of David and the house
of Saul eventuated in the extermination of the house of Saul and David being
anointed king over all Israel (2 Samuel 2:8-5:5). As king over Israel, David
defeated the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 18:1; 2 Samuel
21:15-22). He conquered the Moabites, Aramaeans, Ammonites, Edomites and
Amalekites (2 Samuel 8:10; 12:26-31). David built up a substantial empire for
his son Solomon, which reached from Ezion-geber on the gulf of Aqabah in the
south to the region of Hums bordering on the city-state of Hamath in the north.[5]
He demonstrated his great administrative talents by the extensive kingdom he
left behind and the preservation of accounts of efficient organization (1
Chronicles 22:17-27:34). David also reestablished
Levitical cities and cities of refuge. He captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites
and established his capital there (2 Samuel 5:6-8; 1 Chronicles 11:4-8). He
brought back the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:12-15) but only after several
failed attempts (2 Samuel 6:11-15; 1 Chronicles 15:13). He was responsible for
the organization of the temple music and made plans for the rebuilding of the
temple, which he was not allow to do by the Lord who assigned David’s son
Solomon with the task (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17:1). David received the
tremendous promise from God that his throne would be established forever (2
Sam.7:16), namely that the Messiah
would descend from him. This promise is called the “Davidic” covenant, which
was given to David through the prophet Nathan and was an unconditional covenant
meaning its fulfillment was based upon the faithfulness of God rather than the
faithfulness of Israel. The “Davidic” covenant deals
with the dynasty that will rule the nation of Israel as indicated in 2 Samuel
7:16 where God promised David that a descendant of his would sit on his throne
forever. The Davidic covenant is also
confirmed in the following passages: Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-6; 30:8-9; 33:14-17,
20-21; Ezek. 37:24-25; Dan. 7:13-14; Hos. 3:4-5; Amos 9:11; Zech. 14:4, 9. The Davidic covenant
contains four promises: (1) A Davidic House: Posterity of David will never be
destroyed. (2) A Davidic Throne: Kingdom of David shall never be destroyed. (3)
A Davidic Kingdom: David’s Son (Christ) will have an earthly sphere of rule.
(4) It Shall Be Unending. The “sign” of the Davidic Covenant is a Son (Lord
Jesus Christ). Provisions of the Davidic
covenant: (1) David is to have a child, yet to be born, who will succeed him
and establish his kingdom (2) This son (Solomon), instead of David, will build
the temple. (3) The throne of his kingdom will be established forever. (4) The
throne will not be taken away from him (Solomon) even though his sins justify
God’s discipline. (5) David’s house, throne and kingdom will be established
forever. The essential features of
the Davidic covenant are found in three words in 2 Samuel 7:16: (1) House
(physical descendants): A line stemming from David would continue indefinitely
and would be the divinely recognized royal line. (2) Kingdom (political body):
the political body that David would rule and over which David’s descendants
would successively reign.(3) Throne
(right to rule): refers to the authority as king vested in him. Just as important as these
three terms is the word “forever,”
which refers to any time during which the descendants of Abraham would exist.
Even though there might be temporary interruptions in the exercise of royal
authority because of divine discipline, the authority would never transfer to
another line. As in the case of the
Abrahamic covenant, this covenant with David is restated and reconfirmed
elsewhere in Scripture. One of the royal titles that the Lord Jesus Christ
possesses is that of the “Son of David,” which denotes His rulership over the
nation of Israel (Matt. 1:1; 20:30; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 1:32; 2 Tim. 2:8; Rev.
3:7; 5:5; 22:16). The Bible anticipates a
future literal fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. The Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of David, will literally fulfill this covenant during His millennial reign. The prophetic implications
of the Davidic covenant: (1) Israel must be preserved as a nation. (2) Israel
must have a national existence and be brought back into the land of her
inheritance. (3) David’s descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ, must return to the
earth, bodily and literally, in order to reign over David’s covenanted kingdom.
(4) A literal earthly kingdom must exist over which the returned Messiah will
reign. (5) This kingdom must become an eternal kingdom. Fulfillment of the New Covenant During the millennial reign of Christ,
regenerate (born-again) Old Testament Israel will be resurrected and will enjoy
the millennial blessings that were promised to them (Ezek. 37:1-14). This will
be in fulfillment of the New Covenant to Israel made in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The New covenant is also an unconditional
meaning that its fulfillment is based upon the faithfulness of God rather than
the faithfulness of Israel (Jer. 31:31-37). The New covenant is related to the
restoration of the nation during the Second Advent and subsequent millennial
reign of Christ. There were additional blessings added to the unconditional
Abrahamic covenant. Before the covenant nation could enjoy the covenanted
blessings it must walk in obedience to the laws of God. The obedience required
was outlined for the nation in the Mosaic Law, which was given alongside the
Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17:19) to define what God expected as a prerequisite
for blessing.
The nation of Israel was unable to fulfill the
obedience the Law required. The nation of Israel was characterized by God as
being stiff-necked (Jer. 17:23). They were hardened and obstinate (Ezek. 3:7).
Therefore, if the nation was to experience the blessings of the covenant they
would need forgiveness for their sins, they would need to be regenerated
(born-again), a new heart characterized by obedience, and empowerment from the
Holy Spirit. A covenant that guarantees Israel these divine provisions is given
in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Within the original Abrahamic covenant were
promises concerning the following: (1) Land: Palestinian covenant developed the
land promises to Israel. (2) Seed: Davidic covenant developed the seed promises
to Israel. (3) Blessings: New covenant developed the blessing promises of the
original Abrahamic covenant. The prophets Jeremiah and
Ezekiel have a great deal to say about these blessings that will flow from the
New Covenant, which they speak of often. In spite of the disobedience of the
nation, this covenant necessitates the continuation of the nation. Even continued
disobedience cannot remove Israel from her covenanted position (Jer. 31:34-35;
Rom. 11). Further the nation is
promised a restoration to the land (Jer. 32:37; 33:11; Ezek. 11:17; 36:28-35;
37:21-22, 25). The prophets speak of the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Jer.
31:38-40). The temple will be rebuilt (Ezek. 37:27-28). The blessings the
nation of Israel will receive are based on the New covenant (Isa. 61:8-9; Hos.
2:18-20). The greatest blessing in this covenant is that of being brought in
close relationship with God (Jer. 30:22; 31:33; 32:38-41; Ezek. 11:20;
34:25-27; 37:27). The New covenant with Israel
was based upon the voluntary substitutionary spiritual deaths of the impeccable
humanity of Christ in hypostatic union (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). The Lord Jesus Christ is the
mediator of this New Covenant to Israel. Hebrews 12:24a and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. (NASB95) These four unconditional
covenants (Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New) are all related to Israel
and not the church. The nation of Israel was “directly given” the covenants
according to Romans 9:1-5. However, the church and regenerate Gentiles who live
outside the church age participate in the blessings of these covenants since
she is the bride of Jesus Christ, the king of Israel (See Galatians 3). Ephesians 3:1-13 teaches
that it was a mystery that the Gentiles through faith in Christ would become
fellow heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members of the body of Christ and
fellow partakers of the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel. “Mystery” is the noun musterion,
which refers to doctrines that centered upon the Person of Christ and members
of His body and were doctrines never revealed to Old Testament saints. The mystery is not that the Gentiles would be saved
since this was prophesied in the Old Testament (Isa. 11:10; 60:3). Rather, the
mystery concerning the Gentiles is that they would become fellow heirs with
Jewish believers, fellow members with Jewish believers in the body of Christ
and fellow partakers of the covenant promises to Israel. The content of this mystery
is three-fold: (1) The Gentile believers are fellow heirs with Jewish believers
in the sense that they share in the spiritual riches God gave them because of
His covenant with Abraham. Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves
with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free
man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs
according to promise. (NASB95) Ephesians 3:6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and
fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
through the gospel. (NASB95) (2) Gentile believers in
Christ are fellow members of the body of Christ with Jewish believers. There is
one body, the body of Christ (Eph. 4:4), which has no racial distinctions (1
Cor. 12:13) and has the Lord Jesus Christ as its head (Eph. 5:23). Each individual
member of the body of Christ shares in the ministry (Eph. 4:15-16). (3) Gentile believers in
Christ are fellow partakers of the four unconditional covenants of promise to
Israel. Although, the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel were
specifically given to Israel (Rom. 9:1-6), the church will still and does benefit
from them since they are in union with Christ who is the ruler of Israel. Ephesians 3:7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of
God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
(NASB95) Ephesians 3:7 teaches us
that the Gentile believer’s union with Christ gives them the 100% availability
of divine power that was manifested in the life of Paul and His proclamation of
the Gospel. Ephesians 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given,
to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. (NASB95) Ephesians 3:8 teaches that
the Gentile believer’s union with Christ gives them infinite wealth. Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the
mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things 10 so that
the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the
rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (NASB95) Ephesians 3:9-10 teaches
that this mystery concerning the Gentiles is important to the angels both elect
and non-elect since it reveals the multifaceted wisdom of God. Ephesians 3:11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He
carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord 12 in whom we have boldness and confident
access through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my
tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. (NASB95) Satan Incarcerated As we noted, during the millennial reign of
Christ, Satan will be incarcerated for a thousand years. He will be thrown into
prison at the Second Advent of Christ according to Revelation 20:1-3 before the
millennial reign begins (Rev. 20:1-3). The fact that Revelation
20:3 teaches that Satan will be incarcerated for a thousand years at Christ’s
Second Advent clearly implies that he is not incarcerated at this present time
in history and won’t be until the Second Advent of Christ. In fact, 2 Corinthians
4:4 says that Satan is the “god of this
world” at the present time and also deceives the entire world as well (1
John 5:19; Revelation 12:10). Social, Economic and Environmental Conditions During Millennium The millennial kingdom will be a glorious
kingdom (Is. 24:23; 4:2; 35:2). The King will administer to every need and
there will be complete comfort and rest in the millennium (Is. 12:1-2;
29:22-23; Jer. 31:23-25; Zeph. 3:18-20; Zech. 9:11-12; Rev. 21:4). There will
be the administration of perfect justice to every individual (Is. 9:7; 11:5;
Jer. 23:5; 31:23; 31:29-30).
The millennial reign of Christ cannot begin
until the beast (Antichrist) and the false prophet being thrown alive into the
Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20-21). Furthermore, Satan must be thrown into prison at
the Second Advent of Christ according to Revelation 20:1-3 before the
millennial reign begins. The demons have all been removed from the earth and a
new civilization will begin with believers only.
During the millennial reign of Christ religion
will be abolished from the earth because Satan, who is the author of religion,
will be imprisoned. Only believers will begin the millennial reign since all
unbelievers will be removed through the judgments of Israel and the Gentiles.
The judgment of “Israel” will take place
immediately after the Second Advent and prior to the millennial reign and
involves the removal of unregenerate Israel from the earth leaving only
regenerate Israel to enter into the millennial reign of Christ (Ezekiel
20:37-38; Zechariah 13:8-9; Malachi 3:2-3, 5; Matthew 25:1-30).
The judgment of the “Gentiles” and also takes
place immediately after the Second Advent of Christ and prior to His millennial
reign and involves the removal of unregenerate, anti-Semitic Gentiles from the
earth (Matthew 25:31-46). These judgments are designed to produce perfect
government and environment on planet earth.
Every home in the millennium will start off
with believers. The “overcomers” of the church age dispensation will reign with
Christ during the millennium.
Revelation
3:21 “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (NASB95)
Those believers who survived the Tribulation
who remain on the earth and have yet to receive their resurrection bodies will
repopulate the earth. Those born will have sin natures and will thus need to
get saved through faith alone in Christ alone.
All of creation will be at peace during the
Millennium (Zech. 3:9) and there will be no war during the Millennium.
Isaiah
2:1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2
Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the
LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised
above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will
come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of
the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk
in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, and will render
decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against
nation, and never again will they learn war. (NASB95)
There will be international prosperity. The
life of a man being during the millennium will be greatly increased.
Isaiah
65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things
will not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in
what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for
gladness. 19 I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And
there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of
crying. 20 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or
an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of
one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be
thought accursed. 21 They will build houses and inhabit them; They will also
plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They will not build and another
inhabit, they will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so
will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of
their hands. 23 They will not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; For
they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, And their descendants with
them. 24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and
while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze
together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the
serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the
LORD. (NASB95)
There will be no deserts on the earth (Isa.
35:1-3) and the animal kingdom will be changed (Isa. 11). The original Adamic
curse placed upon the creation that is recorded in Genesis 3:17-19 will be
removed so that there will be abundant productivity to the earth. The animal
kingdom will be at peace as well (Isa. 11:6-9; 35:9; 65:25), all sickness will
be removed (Isa. 33:24; Jer. 30:17; Ezek. 34:16) and all deformities will be
healed (Isa. 29:17-19; 35:3-6; Jer. 31:8). There will be a supernatural work of
preservation of life through the King (Isa. 41:8-14; Jer. 32:27; Ezek. 34:27;
Joel 3:16-17; Amos 9:15; Zech. 8:14-15; 14:10-11). There will be freedom from
oppression (Isa. 14:3-6; Zech. 9:11-12).
There will be a perfect economic system during
the millennium in which the needs of men are abundantly provided for by labor
in that system, under the guidance of the King. There will be a fully
industrialized society (Isa. 62:8-9; 65:21:23; Jer. 31:5; Ezek. 48:18-19) and
agriculture as well as manufacturing will provide employment. There will be
economic prosperity because of the perfect labor situation (Isa. 4:1; 35:1-2;
30:23-25; Jer. 31:5; Ezek. 34:26; Mic. 4:1; Zech. 8:11-12; Ezek. 36:29-30; Joel
2:21-27; Amos 9:13-14).
There will be a tremendous increase of solar
and lunar light during the millennium (Isa. 4:5; 30:26; 60:19-20). There will
be unified worship of the Father and the Messiah (Isa. 45:23; 52:1; Zech. 13:2;
14:16; Zeph. 3:9; Mal. 1:11).
Jerusalem will become the center of the
millennial earth (Isaiah 2:2-4; Jeremiah 31:6; Micah 4:1; Zechariah 2:10-11).
Because the world is under the dominion of Israel’s King, the center of
Palestine becomes the center of the entire earth. Jerusalem will be the center
of the kingdom rule (Jeremiah 3:17; 30:16-17; 31:6, 23; Ezekiel 43:5-6; Joel
3:17; Micah 4:7; Zechariah 8:2-3) Spiritual Character of the
Millennium The outstanding characterization of the
millennium is its spiritual nature. The millennial reign of Christ will be an
earthly kingdom but it will be most definitely spiritual in character.
The millennial kingdom will be characterized by
righteousness. The key words of the Lord Jesus Christ’s millennial reign are
righteousness and peace, the former being the root of which the latter is the
fruit.
Isaiah
32:17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of
righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. 18 Then my people will live in
a peaceful habitation, and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting
places. (NASB95)
During the millennial reign of the King, the
prophecy of Psalm 85:10 will be fulfilled.
Psalm
85:10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have
kissed each other. 11 Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks
down from heaven. 12 Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will
yield its produce. 13 Righteousness will go before Him and will make His
footsteps into a way. (NASB95)
The Messiah’s presence in Jerusalem shall be
the source from which all millennial righteousness will emanate in spectacular
glory.
Isaiah
62:1 “For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will
not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her
salvation like a torch that is burning. 2 The nations will see your
righteousness, and all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name
which the mouth of the LORD will designate.” (NASB95)
Righteousness will be the descriptive term
characterizing the rule of the Messiah as a whole. Christ will be the King
reigning in righteousness.
Isaiah
32:1 Behold, a king will reign righteously and princes will rule justly.
(NASB95)
He will judge the poor in righteousness and in
judging and seeking judgment He shall be quick to bring about righteousness.
Isaiah
11:4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness
for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of
His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Also
righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about
His waist. (NASB95)
Isaiah
16:5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit
on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice and
be prompt in righteousness. (NASB95)
Psalm
96:10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly
established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”
(NASB95)
Under the Lord Jesus, those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness shall be filled.
Matthew
5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall
be satisfied.” (NASB95)
The millennial kingdom will also be
characterized by obedience. There will be complete and willing obedience on the
part of the Lord’s subjects. Through regeneration, Israel will possess the
capacity for obedience because of the indwelling of the Spirit (Jer. 31:31-34;
Ezek. 36:25-31).
There will be complete obedience in the
millennial reign because of the absence of Satan and the fallen angels. All the
wicked evil social, religious, economic and political systems of Satan’s cosmic
system will be terminated.
There will be universal knowledge of the Lord,
which will eliminate opposition to God’s will through ignorance. Not only will
there be obedience in the nation of Israel to Christ’s rule but also there will
be universal obedience among the Gentile nations. There will be complete
submission to the Lord’s sovereign authority in the millennium. This perfect
obedience to Christ’s authority will be another manifestation of the spiritual
character of the millennium.
Psalm
22:27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the
families of the nations will worship before You. 28 For the kingdom is the
LORD'S and He rules over the nations. (NASB95)
Malachi
1:11 “For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great
among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My
name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the
nations,” says the LORD of hosts. (NASB95)
Another manifestation of the spiritual
character of the millennium will be holiness. Holiness will be manifested
through the King and the King’s subjects. The land will be holy, the city of
Jerusalem holy, the temple holy and the subjects holy unto the Lord (Is.
1:26-27; 4:3-4; 29:18-23; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:24-31; 37:23-24; Joel 3:21;
Zeph. 3:11; Zech. 8:3; 13:1-2).
Zechariah
14:20 In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO
THE LORD.” And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls
before the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy
to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil
in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of
hosts in that day. (NASB95)
Christ will reign over the nations of the earth
from the throne of His holiness.
Psalm
47:8 God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. 9 The princes of
the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham, for
the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted. (NASB95)
The fact that Christ will reign over the
nations of the earth from the throne of His holiness will be according to the
promise of the Davidic covenant.
Psalm
89:35 Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His
descendants shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before Me. (NASB95)
The millennial kingdom will also be
characterized by truth. Jesus Christ will judge the world with His truth (Ps.
96:10). Truth will triumph since “the Truth” Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ
will reign.
Zechariah
8:7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, I am going to save My people from the
land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 and I will bring them back
and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and
I will be their God in truth and righteousness.” (NASB95)
Isaiah
65:16 “Because he who is blessed in the earth will be blessed by the God of
truth; And he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; Because
the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My sight!”
(NASB95)
Jeremiah
33:6 “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and
I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth. 7 I will restore the
fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will rebuild them as they were
at first.” (NASB95)
Truth shall be joined together with mercy
during our Lord’s reign and then Israel shall say the following:
Psalm
98:3 He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of
Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (NASB95)
The millennial kingdom will be characterized by
the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Joel
2:28 It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all
mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on the male and female
servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (NASB95)
The Spirit will indwell all believers during
the millennial reign of Christ (Ezek. 36:22-28; 37:1-14). The filling of the
Spirit will be common during the millennium. This will be in contrast with the
dispensations of human history prior to the millennial reign.
National and individual peace is the fruit of
the Messiah’s reign (Is. 2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9; 32:17-18; 33:5-6; 54:13; 55:12;
60:18; 65:25; 66:12; Ezek. 28:26; 34:25; Hos. 2:18; Mic. 4:2-3; Zech. 9:10).
Joy will also be a distinctive mark of the
millennial age (Is. 9:3-4; 12:3-6; Jer. 30:18-19; 31:13-14; Zeph. 3:14-17;
Zech. 8:18-19; 10:6-7).
There will be a full knowledge of the Lord
during the millennium because of the indwelling presence of the Spirit in the
subjects of the Lord (Is. 11:1-2; 41:19-20; Hab. 2:14).
This knowledge will be the result of the
instruction that issues from the Lord Jesus (Is. 2:2-3; 12:3-6; Jer. 3:14-15;
Mic. 4:2). The Millennial Government of
Christ and His Subjects The Scriptures make clear that the world
government during the millennium will be under the rule of the Lord Jesus
Christ (Is. 2:2-4; 9:3-7; 11:1-10; 16:5; Dan. 2:44; 7:15-28; Obad. 17-21; Mic.
4:1-8; 5:2-5; Zeph. 3:9-10; Zech. 9:10-15; 14:16-17).
There will be a perfect world government under
the rule of Christ (Isa. 11:1-2; Zech. 14:9). Christ will literally reign in
Jerusalem and Israel will be the head of the nations. Capital punishment will
be used for punishment of any criminals during the millennium as denoted by the
phrase in Revelation 2:27 that Christ will rule “with a rod of iron.”
The cessation of war through the unification of
the kingdoms of the earth under the reign of Christ, together with the
resultant economic prosperity, since nations need not devote vast proportions
of their expenditure on weapons, is a major theme of the prophets.
The city of Jerusalem, which was the center of
David’s government will become the center of the government of David’s greater
Son. The city will become a glorious city, bringing honor onto Jehovah (Isaiah
52:1-12; 60:14-21; 61:3; 61:1-12; 66:10-14; Jeremiah 30:18; 33:16; Joel 3:17;
Zechariah 2:1-13).
So closely is the King associated with
Jerusalem that the city will partake of his glory. The city will be protected
by the power of the King (Isaiah 14:32; 25:4; 26:1-4; 33:20-24) so that it
never again need fear for its safety. The city will be greatly enlarged over
its former area. (Jeremiah 31:38-40; Ezekiel 48:30-35; Zechariah 14:10). It
will be accessible to all in that day (Isaiah 35:8-9) so that all who seek the
King will find audience within its walls. The city will endure forever (Isaiah
9:7; 33:20-21; 60:15; Joel 3:19-21; Zechariah 8:4).
The thousand-year reign is the direct
administration of divine government on earth for one thousand years by our Lord
and His church. Its earthly center will be Jerusalem and the nation of Israel,
though Christ and the overcomers of the church age will rule in resurrected
bodies and will take the place now occupied by the kingdom of darkness.
The millennial reign of Christ will be the
public earthly honoring by God the Father of His Son Jesus Christ where men
dishonored Him on this earth 2000 years ago. It will be the execution of God’s
promises to His Son and the prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus.
The Messianic reign will be God’s answer to the
prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Lord Jesus Christ will finally
receive the kingdom that He was promised by the Father, which in turn allows
the Son to fulfill His promises to those who were faithful to Him while under
the persecution of the kingdom of darkness.
The Lord will share His kingly honors with the
overcomers of the church age.
Revelation
2:26 “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL
GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; 27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON,
AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received
authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NASB95)
Revelation
3:21 “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NASB95)
David will be a regent in the millennium (Is.
55:3-4; Jer. 30:9; 33:15, 17, 20-21; Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos. 3:5; Amos
9:11).
Ezekiel
34:23 “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will
feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD,
will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD
have spoken.” (NASB95)
He will be prince in Israel and offer
sacrifices for himself in the millennial temple (Ezek. 45:22). Nobles and
governors will reign under David (Is. 32:1; Ezek. 45:8-9).
The parable in Luke 19:12-28 indicates there
will be smaller subdivisions of authority in the administration of the
government. Israel will be responsible to David and of course ultimately, they
will be responsible to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The subjects in our Lord’s millennial kingdom
will be the following: (1) Regenerated Israel in resurrection bodies (Is.
9:6-7; 33:17; Jer. 23:5) (2) Regenerated Gentiles in resurrection bodies (Is.
2:4; 11:12; 60:1-14; 61:8-9). (3) Regenerated Jews without resurrection bodies
(4) Regenerated Gentiles without resurrection bodies (5) Unregenerate Jew and
Gentiles.
Israel will become the subjects of the King’s
reign (Isaiah 9:6-7; 33:17, 22; 44:6; Jeremiah 23:5; Micah 2:13; 4:7; Daniel
4:3; 7:14, 22, 27). In order to be the subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ during
His millennial reign, Israel will have been converted and restored to the land
(Ezek. 37). Israel will be reunited as a nation in order to be the subjects of
the Lord Jesus Christ during His millennial reign (Jeremiah 3:18; 33:14;
Ezekiel 20:40; 37:15-22; 39:25; Hosea 1:11). In order to be the subjects of the
Lord Jesus Christ during His millennial reign, Israel will be exalted above the
Gentiles (Isaiah 14:1-2; 49:22-23; 60:14-17; 61:6-7).
Israel will be made righteous in order to be
the subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ during His millennial reign (Isaiah 1:25;
2:4; 44:22-24; 45:17-25; 48:17; 55:7; 57:18-19; 63:16; Jeremiah 31:11; 33:8
50:20; 34; Ezekiel 36:25-26 Hosea 14:4; Joel 3:21; Micah 7:18-19; Zechariah
13:9; Malachi 3:2-3).
The nation will become God’s witnesses during
the millennium in order to be the subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ during His
millennial reign, (Isaiah 44:8, 21; 61:6; 66:21; Jeremiah 16:19-21; Micah 5:7;
Zephaniah 3:20; Zechariah 4:1-7; 4:11-14; 8:23).
In order to be the subjects of the Lord Jesus
Christ during His millennial reign, Israel will be beautified to bring glory to
Jehovah (Isaiah 62:3; Jeremiah 32:41; Hosea 14:5-6; Zephaniah 3:16-17;
Zechariah 9:16-17). Worship of the Messiah During the Millennium The millennial reign will be marked by the
worship of the Lord Jesus Christ (Is. 12:1-6; 25:1-26:19; 56:7; 61:10-11;
66:23; Jer. 33:11, 18, 21-22; Ezek. 20:40-41; 40:1-46:24; Zech. 6:12-15;
8:20-23; 14:16-21).
Worship is adoring contemplation of the Lord
and is the act of paying honor and reverence to Him and affection for Him and
flows from love and where there is little love, there is little worship. It is
the loving ascription of praise to the Lord in gratitude and appreciation for
who and what He is, both in Himself and in His ways and in His work on the
Cross for us and is the bowing of the soul and spirit in deep humility and
reverence before the Lord.
Worship of the Lord involves “reverence” for
Him, which is an attitude of deep respect and awe for Him. Worship of the Lord
also involves “respect” for Him, which is to esteem the excellence of His
Person as manifested through His attributes such as love, faithfulness, mercy,
compassion, justice, righteousness, truth, omnipotence, omnipresence,
omniscience, immutability, and sovereignty.
Worship of the Lord involves “awe” of Him,
which means we are to possess an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration
for Him. Worship of the Lord also involves “wonder” towards Him, which refers
to being filled with admiration, amazement and awe of Him and reaches right
into our hearts and shakes us up and enriches our lives and overwhelms us with
an emotion that is a mixture of gratitude, adoration, reverence, fear and love
for Him.
Worshipping the Lord is adoring contemplation
of Him as He has been revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and is also
the loving ascription of praise to Him for what He is, both in Himself, His
Work on the Cross and in His ways and is the bowing of the soul and spirit in
deep humility and reverence before Him.
The believer is to worship the Father
spiritually by means of truth, i.e. the Word of God (John 4:23-24).
Zechariah 14:16-21 describes the millennial
reign of Christ, which is typified by the feast of booths or tabernacles.
Jerusalem will become the center of the worship of the millennial age (Jeremiah
30:16-21; 31:6, 23; Joel 3:17; Zechariah 8:8, 20-23).