With the Judaeo-Christian tradition, western societies collectively understood that God reigns above the affairs of men—and we shall all answer to Him in the end. But something has changed in recent years largely spawned by evolution.

JUDAEO CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW

1. There is an objective reality.
2. Moral law is immutable and handed down from God
   (rather than invented and imposed by mankind).
3. Each person is accountable to a Judge who will execute
   perfect justice in due time.

CONTRASTING WORLDVIEWS
Humanism versus Christianity:

Man is Supreme versus God is Supreme

Man is basically good versus Man is inherently evil (disobeying his creator)

Evolution produced life versus God created life

Life has no meaning versus Jesus gives life meaning

Morality is irrelevant versus God’s Word determines morality

Truth is relevant versus Truth is absolute

The supernatural is a myth versus The supernatural is real

There is no life after death versus Eternal life possible through Jesus

Life is about achievement versus Life is about service to God

The world’s only hope is economic political and social reform versus The world’s only hope is Jesus.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Which worldview do you hold? Your eternal destiny depends upon you making the right choice.

God has given us the truth about His world from its beginning to its end. Fulfilled prophecy proves it is the word of God. Jesus expected the Old Testament Scriptures to be fulfilled to the letter because the honour of God resides in the fulfillment of His Word. That is why Jesus made it a condition of Christian discipleship, that we not be ashamed of His words because His honour is likewise at stake.

“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26

I am in the process of developing a website http://www.millennialkingdom.net. I believe this is my final assignment before I am taken to Paradise or Jesus returns and I get raptured with the Saints. The website is to prepare the Saints to rule and reign with Jesus in the Millennium. Please check it out. You will find this post there along with a lot of other information and resources.

Background

As revealed in MILLENNIAL KINGDOM – PURPOSE (www.millennialkingdom.net). One of the main reasons for the Millennium age is the fulfillment of the covenants and promises God made to Israel

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. 

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. 

The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity – in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground – in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” Deuteronomy 28:1-14

The Hebrews had to obey God’s voice and meet their obligations in order to obtain the blessings of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:5). This is not the case with the Promised Land Covenant.

The psalmist summarized and emphasized the eternality of God’s covenant promise to Israel regarding the land.

“He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you, I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.” Psalm 105:7-11

The Bible reveals God will regather the Jews from all of the Nations and on Jesus’ return, with Him ruling and reigning from Jerusalem, Israel will realize her destiny as head of the Nations. The regathering started in 1948 when Israel was miraculously re-established as a nation. This was the first major prophesied “end times” sign that was obvious to everyone.

At the beginning of Jesus’ first ministry on this earth, He recited Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue:

“He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Isaiah 61:1-2

but note what He did then. “And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. “And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:20-21

Jesus did not read the rest of Isaiah’s prophecy because it refers to His second coming. This time gap in the Isaiah prophecy is similar to the time gap in Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy between the 69th and 70th week.

Look at the incredible amount of detail in the Isaiah prophecy about what will happen at Jesus second coming to earth and during His Millennial reign.

“and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory, you shall boast. Instead of your shame, there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor, they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land, they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:2-11

To fulfill this prophecy by Isaiah and Ezekiel’s prophecy below, as well as the many other O.T. and N.T prophecies on Jesus’ second coming, the Millennium Kingdom is a necessary transition before the new heaven and new earth. God tells us He will make Israel one nation and He will make a new covenant with them. He will ensure they never backslide again. The saved and the unsaved alike will behold Jesus’ rightful place as the divine sovereign of the universe.

“Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned and will cleanse them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 37:21-23

Zion’s Coming Salvation
​ “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:1- 5

The only prayer Jesus taught us to pray includes “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven” this prayer needs an answer and it will be answered by Jesus’ Millennial reign on this earth.

The Branch (Israel) of the Lord Glorified

“In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.” Isaiah 4:2-4

New Covenant Of Peace

“I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Ezekiel 37:26-28
“This is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.” Isaiah 59:20-21

Israelites will have transformed hearts and minds but still mortal

“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:6

“I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33

“And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.“ Hosea 2:18-20

“Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus, says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of these people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?” Zechariah 8:4-6

The young and the old spoken of here are the mortals that live around the base of the New Jerusalem in its greater metropolitan area, the Holy Allotment.

God Will Favour His Nation Israel

“Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it. “Thus, says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 36:36-38

This can only be the Millennial Kingdom, those that inhabit the New Heaven and New Earth do not marry or have children.

“You shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory, you shall boast. Instead of your shame, there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor, they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land, they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.” Isaiah 61:6-7

The Israelites will be able to enjoy the fruits of their own labor and live life the way God intended. God will answer prayers before they’re even finished! Miracles will abound. Edenic conditions are evident in Israel. Animals shall not hurt or destroy in my holy mountain.

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.” Isaiah 35:5-6

“I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.“ Isaiah 65:18-25

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing... For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;” Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7

Coronation Banquet

After his coronation at the beginning of the Millennium, Jesus is going to prepare a lavish banquet! People will come to the height of Zion shouting for joy, beaming over the bounty of the LORD. Grain, wine, and choice meats will be enjoyed along with dancing. God will fill the souls of the priests, and his people will be satisfied with his goodness (Jeremiah 31:12–14). Many will come from east and west to recline at the same table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 8:11).

Israel in the Millennium: The Centre of the World

GEOMORPHOLOGY TRANSFORMED

The geomorphology of Israel and the entire earth will be changed during the time God pours out His wrath upon the earth particularly during the Bowl judgements, as these two Scriptures outline:

“Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations… and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.” Zechariah 14:4

“The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.“ Revelation 16:19-20

The millennial Jerusalem sits on the highest plateau and has two rivers flowing out of its east and west sides. The mountain’s great height emphasizes Jerusalem as the centre of world authority, for all the nations will flow to it. A totally new construct. The millennial Jerusalem is nine times larger than the current city. All the land of Israel round about Jerusalem, which was encompassed with mountains, but now these mountains shall become a plain.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people. Psalms125:2

“The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.” Zechariah 14:10

Geba was a city in the tribe of Benjamin, on the northern border of the land, ( Joshua 21:17 ) and Rimmon was in the tribe of Judah, given to Simeon on the southern part, ( Joshua 15:32, 19:7)

“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it.” Isaiah 2:2 & Micah 4:1

“Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.” Isaiah 4:3-6

“And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter, it shall occur. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:8-9

“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.” Psalms 22:27

“Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.” Zechariah 8:21-22

GEOGRAPHY

Israel is like the Garden of Eden: The land across the planet will produce food in a way that none on earth have experienced since Adam and Eve’s exit from paradise but Israel will enjoy the greatest level of production. It will be restored to be like the Garden of Eden.

The highest mountain on earth, Mt. Zion will not be covered with snow. Rather, it will be a place where the most opulent of plant life will flourish.

The Majestic Tree  – “On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD.”. Ezekiel 17:22–23

“So they will say, ‘This land (Israel) that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate.” Ezekiel 36:35-36

“I will make the places all around My hill a blessing, and I will cause showers to come down in their season… Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land, and they shall know that I am the Lord,… I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people, says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 34:26-30

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing.” Isaiah 25:1-2

The crocus is among the first types of flowers to bloom in the spring, at times even arising out of the snow.

An abundance of wine in the Millennium is to be expected, for Jesus told his disciples that he would drink from the fruit of the vine with them in the coming kingdom (Matthew 26:29).

HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS

The Holy Highway Travel to Jerusalem will be so routine that a special highway for pilgrims will run through Israel. The highway will be called the Way of Holiness, because only the redeemed will be permitted to travel on it. The highway connects Israel with Egypt and Assyria (Isaiah 19:23–24). This astounding highway is part of God’s plan in making Egypt his people and Assyria the work of his hands. Isaiah 19:25

“A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness… but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing,” Isaiah 35:8,10

Pilgrimages to Jerusalem are to become so dense that it will appear as if the nations of the world are flowing toward the mountain like water (v. 2; Mic 4:1). Numerous people will travel to the mountain because it is where they shall receive instruction from the LORD and become his followers (v. 3; Mic 4:2).

EVIDENCE OF MAN’S PAST REBELLION

“But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.” Ezekiel 47:11

The remaining salted areas are emblematic of the transitional nature of the Millennium.

The saltiness of the Dead Sea can rightly be understood to symbolize death. Even with Jesus reigning from David’s throne there will still be death, though it is diminished.

Israel’s Borders Will Be As God Defined Them

The tribe of Levi is given a parcel of land?  L – Levites portion.

Any previous division of the land did not allocate land to the tribe of the priests.  They took their residence in the land of the other 12 tribes. In the Millennium, 13 tribes will inherit a parcel of land.  The portion given to the tribe of Levi is called a holy section.  It will be a parcel 50 miles by 50 miles and will be situated between the land inheritance given to Judah and Benjamin.  Both the city of Jerusalem and the Temple will be in this section of land, called the “sacred district” As described in Ezekiel 45, the land around the Temple is divided into three large parcels of land – The Sanctuary, open space around it and homes for the Levite priests.

King David shall own the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city. P – Prince’s portion

WASTELANDS

Edom in Southern Jordan: The most comprehensive description of Edom’s future is found in Isaiah 34:8-10.

“For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. And the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into sulfur; her land shall become burning pitch. Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up forever. From generation to generation, it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.” Isaiah 34:8-10

In Jeremiah, it is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. Its devastation is the result of God avenging Israel. “Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.” Obadiah 1:10

Jerusalem will be the Capital of the World on the Highest Summit

JERUSALEM – A NEW CITY, A NEW NAME – THE LORD IS THERE

“The city will be surrounded by open country and for the housing of all the tribes of Israel… and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.” Ezekiel 48:15–19,35 The Hebrew for this compound name is YHWH-shammah. It appears only once in the Tanakah. It is descriptive of when the Messiah will be ruling from His city. The name YHWH-shammah is both unique and incredibly comforting, for it describes Jerusalem when the Lord Jesus will be there.

The millennial Jerusalem measures ten miles by ten miles square (Ezek 48:16, 35). She is to have twelve gates, three on each side, each named after a tribe of Israel (Ezek 48:30–34). The primary purpose of these gates is revealed in Isaiah 60:11–12: Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve, you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.

She is to have twelve gates, three on each side, each named after a tribe of Israel (Ezekiel 48:30–34). “your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.” Isaiah 60:11

Once the Jews were forced to build cities in Egypt (Exod 1:11). In a stunning reversal, it is foreigners who will build and maintain the very walls of Jerusalem (Isa 60:10).

The temple is located outside the city, in the northern section of the sacred land given to the priests and it alone is bigger than the current city of Jerusalem. The millennial Jerusalem sits on the highest plateau and has two rivers flowing out of its east and west sides.

Jesus maintains a memorial to the Battle of Armageddon which was the climax at the end of the previous age and His return to earth with the glorified Saints.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” Jeremiah 31:38-40

A Magnificent New Temple

We find incredible detail (8 chapters) of the new temple in Ezekiel 40-48. The numerous details provided on Ezekiel’s temple require that they be taken seriously. The exact measurements and detail by detail instruction are nothing like portions of Scripture that are to be understood symbolically. The narrative is reminiscent of that provided for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25–30), and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6–8), actual physical structures. No respecter of Scripture would deny that the Shekinah departed an actual temple (Ezekiel 10:18–19; 11:22–23). We should pay the same amount of respect and believe that its return is also to a physical temple (Ezekiel.43:1–5). Ezekiel was told by the angel: “look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 40:4

For an excellent detailed description of the new temple, I suggest you get the book – One Thousand Years with Jesus: The Coming Messianic Kingdom by Matthew Bryce Ervin.

The whole area around Zion will reflect the glory of the LORD, and nations will stream to Jerusalem to worship Jesus in this magnificent temple.

The Gentiles will bring the wealth of their nations, filling the temple (Haggai. 2:7).  They will be brought to the holy mountain to enjoy equal access to the sanctuary and find joy within. At that time, the temple will be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56:7).

As further evidence for these Scriptures referring to a future Temple, foreigners will be serving in this temple, even offering sacrifices.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” Isaiah 56:6-8

RIVER FLOWING FROM THE TEMPLE

The River of Life flowing from the temple will stream from the eastern facing threshold of the Lord’s Temple. It begins as only a trickle from the south, growing as it flows eastward. The water level is measured in four 1,750 foot deviations, from ankle deep to knee deep to waist deep, becoming so wide and deep that a man could swim in it but could not traverse on foot. A literal translation of verse 9 and Zechariah 14:8 teaches that this is a double river, flowing in two directions. One side travels to the Dead Sea and the other to the Mediterranean. Much more detail is given on the side flowing into the Dead Sea but the Mediterranean side will probably be similar. By design, both waterways will run through the farmlands on each side of Jerusalem (cf. Ezek 48:18–19).

The river will heal the Dead Sea, making it fresh, and filling it with a great abundance of fish (vv. 8–10). The waters bring life wherever they flow (v. 9).

“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side... Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?… when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish... And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fails, but they will bear fresh fruit every month because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 7:1-2, 5-6, 8-9, 12

This river is a precursor to the River of Life on the New Earth after the White Throne Judgement. Note the differences between Jerusalem in the Millennium and Jersualem in the New Earth: God the Father and Jesus the Son are there, there is no temple, no sun or moon, no night and day

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there… Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 21:22-27, 22:1-5

This is the sixth “Dwelling Place” of God (Fourth Temple). The Seventh and final dwelling place is the ultimate purpose of God in creating mankind, and that is for us to be His temple. This temple is the spiritually mature Bride of Christ or the New Jerusalem, where God’s Spirit can fully dwell in man as He dwelt in our protégé, Jesus.

Millennial Temple Sacrifices

The idea of the Davidic Covenant being broken is presented as an absurdity. And the sacrifices are a direct result of the Davidic Covenant being fulfilled.

“Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: in those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David, a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth… “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; nor shall the priests, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.” Jeremiah 33:14-18

In the Millennium sinners still need to be given a daily reminder that

1. The wages of SIN is DEATH

2. Jesus’ sacrificial death on The Cross provides the only solution to the DEATH problem.

God set up the sacrificial system for that purpose and it will continue in the Millennium but with significant differences.

Jesus sits on His throne in the Temple replacing the Ark of the Covenant. He alone is the answer to the SIN problem. He alone is Saviour but also must be Lord of all.

The Feast Days were pointers to our Lord’s sacrifice on the Cross so will be maintained but two are eliminated and some are modified.

For the saints who lived before Messiah, it was their faith that saved them, the animal sacrifices were a “shadow of good things to come” pointing forward to the blood of Messiah (Jesus) that would be shed on their behalf.

During an age of peace, the sacrifices in the Millennial Temple will be a needed reminder for mortals of the high price that was paid for their redemption. The animal sacrifices will point backward to the blood Jesus shed on The Cross for the sins of mankind. It has always been about Jesus, and not animal sacrifices.

The sacrifices are performed as a memorial of Jesus’ death on the cross just as we celebrate communion as a memorial of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Messianic Temple experts John Schmitt and Carl Laney wrote: “Ezekiel himself believed it was a reality and the future home of Messiah. Then, it becomes not heresy to believe that a Temple and sacrifices will exist; rather, it is almost a heresy to not believe this, especially because it is a part of God’s infallible Word. The burden on us is to determine how it fits—not its reality.” Schmitt and Laney, Messiah’s Coming Temple, 181.

American theologian John Whitcomb explains it well: even in the age of grace, God deems it necessary for Christians to be reminded of the awful price that Jesus paid, through the symbolism of the bread and the cup. Drinking of this “cup of blessing” (1 Cor. 10:16) does not involve a re-offering of the blood of Christ but serves as a powerful “remembrance” of Christ and a powerful proclaiming of “the Lord’s death till he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:25–26).

Horatius Bonar, the 19th-century Scottish minister, and hymn writer: The temple, the worship, the rites, the sacrifices, have all their centre in the Lamb that was slain. To Him, they point, and to Him, they speak. Why should they not be allowed to do so in the millennial age, if such be the purpose of the Father? They are commemorative, not typical. They are retrospective then, not prospective, as of old. And how needful will retrospection be then, especially to Israel? How needful, when dwelling in the blaze of a triumphant Messiah’s glory, to have ever before them some memorial of the cross, some palpable record of the humbled Jesus, some visible exposition of his sin-bearing work, in virtue of which they have been forgiven, and saved, and loved, to which they owe all their blessedness and honour, and by means of which, God is teaching them the way in which the exceeding riches of His grace can flow down to them in righteousness. And if God should have yet a wider circle of truth to open up to us out of His word concerning His Son, why should he not construct a new apparatus for the illustration of that truth?

THE SECOND PURPOSE: A Hedge against Defilement

They will appease God’s wrath for a time and keep his home pure in the midst of a still sinful world. The most operative passage on this topic is Ezekiel 45:18–20. Jesus will not allow sin to go unchecked in the same realm where his holiness will reside. Put simply, the King will not tolerate sin in the kingdom. And yet, there will be sinners living throughout the Millennium.

On the first day of the year, the blood of a perfect bull must be used to cleanse the temple (vv. 18–19). This suggests that over the previous year, the sin from outside will begin to dirty the temple. The same ritual is repeated six days later to atone for those sins committed out of ignorance or by accident (v. 20). Just as the offering of animals will continue to point to the Messiah, so too will they continue to provide atonement in the form of ritual cleansing.

Blood from a young bull is to be put on the altar’s horns, on its corners, and on the border around it (Vv. 19-20).  By putting the blood on the altar in this way it is to make atonement for it (v. 20). It just means that the LORD can accept it. As long as the sacrifices are maintained the LORD God will accept the people (v. 27). This is useful in understanding the millennial sacrifices because it is clear that they result in the LORD simply accepting certain people in a limited manner and for a limited time.  It does not in any way teach that they have now gained the same sort of propitiation as one would through the blood of the Messiah.

ALTAR BEFORE INNER SANCTUARY

The altar sits in the inner court before the temple proper (Ezek 40:47). The base is one and one-half feet high. It is surrounded by a one and one-half foot wide trench or gutter, with a nine-inch-high top edge, undoubtedly for draining blood and water (v. 13; cf. 1 Kgs 18:32, 34–35). The base supports three tiers, one on top of another. The first is three feet high and twenty-four feet square (v. 14). The second is six feet high and twenty-one feet square (vv. 14, 17). This tier also has a gutter with a nine-inch top edge (vv. 14, 17). The top tier is the hearthstone, measuring six feet high and eighteen feet square. Four horns will extend from the top of its corners (vv. 15–16). Eastward facing steps ascend the altar (v. 17). This creates the first of many contrasts with the Mosaic sacrificial system

In the Mosaic system, no goats were offered, while in the Millennial system a goat is offered on each of the seven days (Ezekiel 43:25).

The Mosaic called for applying blood on the horns of the altar (Exodus 29:12), while Ezekiel’s instruction goes further with the blood also being applied to the corners and on the border around it (Ezekiel 43:20). In the Mosaic, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies ( Hebrews 9:7). In Ezekiel’s system, all priests are permitted to enter. In the Mosaic, only a Levite could be a priest, while Isaiah prophecies a time when Gentiles will occupy the office (Isaiah 66:18–21).

THE THRONE OF THE LORD REPLACES THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

The Ark of the Covenant played a critical role in the Mosaic System, while it will not be missed or even remembered in the Millennium.

“They will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 3:16-17

The Millennial sacrifices will look back to the death of the Messiah, just as the Mosaic sacrifices looked forward. The feasts and Sabbaths will be observed in the Millennium (e.g., Ezek. 44:24; Zech. 14:16), serving as reflections of the Messiah’s great works.

The five different offerings, four of them with blood-shedding, will serve as a constant reminder to millennial Jews (who will not yet be glorified) that death is God’s judgement of sin but also of the extent of God’s love to offer Jesus (Immanuel) as a complete sacrifice to make their salvation possible.

The book of Zechariah examines several facets of the millennial sacrifices.

“In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 14:20–21

Feast Days

Even with Jesus physically present in the Millennium, the feasts and the Sabbaths will still be important reminders of what is ultimately found only in Him. Israel will function exactly as God intended them to function when he established them as a nation and instituted the law under Moses.

Passover’s observance during the Millennium is quite significant and helpful in understanding these future animal sacrifices. Passover was a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the propitiation effected by His blood. Jesus was the true Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7; cf. John 1:29; 1 Pet 1:19).

God eliminates Pentecost and 10th Tishri (Jewish Day of Atonement).

God deprives Passover of the lamb and as a household meal. In the Mosaic Passover, ordinances were performed by the male head of house (Exodus 12:3), while Ezekiel mandates that the Prince (David) oversees the feast for the nation as a whole. These differences highlight the fact that Ezekiel understood it was a new system and not a return to the Mosaic. Passover’s observance during the Millennium is quite significant and helpful in understanding these future animal sacrifices. Passover was a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the propitiation effected by His blood. Jesus was the true Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7; cf. John 1:29; 1 Pet 1:19).

“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten. On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering. Ezekiel 45:21-22

God retains the feast of 15th Tishri (Feast of Tabernacles) (Ezekiel 45:18-25). This joyous harvest festival has obvious symbolism for the ingathering of the nations (John 4:35-38, Revelation 7:9-10). Note there are dire consequences for nations that do not come up to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Lord Jesus will dwell or tabernacle among his people (e.g., Isaiah 24:21–23; Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 20:4–6), something that the feast has always been a shadow of.

“Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Booths). And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them… they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” Zechariah 14;16-17

Christians from many nations have already been going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles knowing it will be a requirement after Jesus returns to rule and reign.

Government of Israel

GOD’S LAW ENFORCED IN ALL NATIONS

“For out of Zion shall go the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and decide disputes for many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against other nation,” Isaiah 2:3-4

“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” Isaiah 60:12

JESUS

Jesus (The Branch) will build the temple of the LORD and rule from His throne in the inner court of the Temple. Jesus will enjoy both the offices of king and priest, further cementing that the Messiah will fulfill the prophet’s words.

“And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:10

DAVID

Scripture infers Jesus appoints the resurrected King David as His prince over Israel. One responsibility is to oversee the observance of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

“It shall be the prince’s duty to furnish the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the new moons, and the Sabbaths, all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 45:17

“I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the people, a leader, and commander for the people.” Isaiah 55:3

“I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them — My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.” Ezekiel 34:23-24

“This gate (the outer gate of the sanctuary), which faces east shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore, it shall remain shut. Only the prince (David) may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate and shall go out by the same way.” Ezekiel 44:1-2

“The prince shall own the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city,… on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary of the land. It is to be his property in Israel.” Ezekiel 45:7

JESUS TWELVE DISCIPLES

Each of the twelve disciples will judge one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28

“You are those who have stayed with Me in My trials, and I assign to you, as My Father assigned to Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28-30

ZADOKITES AND LEVITES

“The chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to Him.” Ezekiel 40:46

“The Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God. They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.” Ezekiel 44:15-16

“In a dispute, they shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.” Ezekiel 44:24

LEVITES are demoted from being priests and become the temple’s caretakers (Ezekiel 44:11, 14). The consequence of seeking idols instead of God (v. 10).  The Levites bear the consequences of their sin in the Millennium.

How one lives his or her life now results in very real repercussions in the coming kingdom

“They shall not come near Me to minister to Me as a priest, nor come near any of My holy things, nor into the Most Holy  Place.” Ezekiel 12–13

ZERUBABBEL

“I am about to shake the heavens and the earth and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:22-23

Zerubbabel being made a signet ring means that he will represent a dignitary in much the same way that a flag or standard-bearer does. Zerubbabel led the first group of Israelites back from the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:1–2), constructed the second temple (Ezra 5:2), and is in the direct line of ancestry to Jesus, possibly serving as a common link to both Joseph (Matt 1:12) and Mary (Luke 3:27). As a reward for his service, the LORD will bestow a special honor upon Zerubbabel.

RESTORED JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES

The offices of judge and counsellor will be reinstituted.

“I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” Isaiah 1:26

“In a dispute, they (Zadok priests) shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.” Ezekiel 44:24

“I will also make your officers peace and your magistrates righteousness.” Isaiah 60:17

SAINTS RULING

The Saints will be out and about, ruling and reigning the nations with Christ in a world that still has mortals. What roles they will have in Israel is not given. The office/position each Saint will be allocated in the Millennium will be based on the reward one receives from our Lord for service rendered whilst on earth. Perhaps you will get to minister in the same nation in which you ministered and served before the Rapture.

“And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great,” Revelation 11:18

Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High, their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.” Daniel 7:27

Jesus and the Saints rule the nations with a rod of iron.

“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.” Revelation 2:27

“Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Now, therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” Psalm 2:8-11

“For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.” Isaiah 60:12

ANGELS

Angels are now subject to the Saints so in the Millennium Jesus will give some Saints the role of directing the Angels activities on the earth. 

”Even Jesus was made lower than the angels when He came to earth to become a man. Hebrews 2:6-9 Note the change for believers when we get our resurrected bodies and are like the risen Christ.

“Do you not know that we (resurrected saints) shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” 1 Corinthians 6:3

Speech of the Israelis

“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve Him with one accord… “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in My holy mountain. Zephaniah3:9-11

The pure speech referred to in Zephaniah does not mean language but to the use of the language, there will be no blasphemy or swearing. From the following Scripture, it is evident that nations shall still speak the language God gave them at Babel or a derivative of it. Though I would think Hebrew will be the second language taught in the schools of all nations.

“Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” Zechariah 8:22-23

God made it clear to Adam that rejecting the Creator of life would result in death. Satan enters and tempts the first people to reject their Creator, clearly knowing that death would be the outcome. Indeed, death and struggle for survival resulted from this Satan-inspired rebellion.

Speaking of the Pharisees who were plotting to kill him, Jesus said,

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

God creates life; Satan works to destroy life (murder/death). So, it is not surprising that countries that turn their backs on God reap a harvest of death and misery. Whenever the Children of Israel abandoned God and followed after false gods, death and bondage were the end result. The experiment has been repeated many times with the same result (see Judges and Kings).

Can countries that were once strongly Christian expect to avoid similar consequences if we turn our backs on our Creator? No!

The evidence is mounting in our time where nations that once honoured God’s ways have abandoned God, aided by the grand lie of evolution, that we no longer need God. We see it in the developing culture of death, for example in:

• Unrestricted abortion, even up to full term!
• Euthanasia (‘voluntary assisted suicide’)
• Indoctrinating children with gender bending ideology, creating confusion, disaffection with life, and suicidal urges.
• Extremist ‘deep green’ ideology that sees humans as a plague on the earth—they therefore support all policies that kill people, or prevent people being born.

Jesus proclaimed: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is the antithesis of Satan who is a liar and a murderer. Jesus also said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). When we turn away from our sin to follow Christ, we pass from death to (eternal) life (John 5:24).

So, whose side are nations on? Whose side are you on? With the growing prevalence of the death culture, clearly many nations are not on God’s side, but Satan’s.

Satan’s grand lie is that God is a spoilsport who wants to make you miserable with rules and regulations. He tricked Eve in the Garden in that way, claiming that God was withholding blessing from them.

God’s Word, the Bible, gives us the entire story of this world from its beginning to its end.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:9-10

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:11-13

How come the following graph, also from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that shows heat spikes from 1895 until 2015 is not revealed in their latest report?

It shows that of the 50 all-time high-temperature records for the individual U.S. states, 32 (64%) were set before 1950 and 70 % before 1955. The U.S. Weather Bureau was created in 1890. The all-time national record high, 134 deg. F, was set in Death Valley, California, in 1913, one hundred and nine years ago!

In the 132-year span since the National Weather Service was created, 1936 stands out like no other. It owns 14 of the all-time records. In spite of EPA’s penchant for force-fitting more recent heat waves into a mold hoping to validate its dodgy theory of human-caused climate change, the foot does not fit the shoe. We’ll take a closer look at that in a moment.

Consider the 1930s decade that led to a majority of the still-standing records and the evolution of the Great Dust Bowl. By 1930 excessively high temperatures began to appear across the southern plains. Severe drought struck portions of Texas and Oklahoma. Louisiana and Mississippi each established their all-time high temperatures that summer.

The succeeding years were very hot, with only a brief respite in 1933, when welcome rains relieved some of the driest affected areas. Then followed 1934. By some criteria, it remains the hottest year in the entire US record that currently extends through 2021.

Now to the EPA’s reporting on the severity of the current and recent heat waves. Here is EPA’s heat-wave graph with the headline that introduces it:

What is wrong with this picture? As already stated, the US weather record extends back to 1890. The most severe heat and drought-related weather had already occurred before 1960. These graphs are all a day late and a dollar short.

The apparent trends in the bar graphs above are an EPA figment. If the decade of the 1930s had been included, the existing bars would shrink to comparative insignificance. The decade from the 1960s and into the 1970s was a relatively cooler period so by truncating the earlier portion of the time series, EPA has painted a false picture that implies a continuous warming trend that has never existed if viewed on the scale of the entire 20th Century.

The reader may be curious about how nature can produce coupled twin events, a prolonged heat wave, and a long persistent drought.

On a regional scale, dry periods often will follow the development of a coupled circulation pattern in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, known to climatologists as the El Niño Southern Oscillation or ENSO. El Niños develop on the back of prevailing westerly winds that drive warm surface water from the central Pacific Ocean against the coastline of South America (Peru and Chile). The results of this large-scale event were sometimes observed by Peruvian sardine fishermen around Christmas time, and they called it “El Niño,” the little boy. But there is a counter-event known as “La Niña”, the little girl, that sets in when persistent easterly winds push warm water back toward the central Pacific. As surface water is displaced westward, it is replenished with upwelling, nutrient-laden cold water that greatly favors the sardine fishery.

The upshot is that whenever a La Niña pattern is in place, much less water vapor evaporates from eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in less precipitation falling over Central and North America. Persistent La Niñas, like the one now in its third year, tend to produce dry conditions in drought-prone regions of the western United States. It is far more likely that the ENSO pattern is driving the current dryness and accompanying hot weather than that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are.

But heat waves and drought go hand in hand. Once land and forest reach a certain level of dryness, evaporative cooling diminishes. Then temperatures are free to rise and fall to the limits of the diurnal cycle of night and day and the synoptic weather patterns that may cause blocking of a stagnant high-pressure area. The domes of dense, drier air may then slowly move eastward, allowing the maximum daily temperature to continue to rise until its final passage.

During the Dust Bowl, tilled soil that had been planted to wheat and other grains dried out so thoroughly that the crops shriveled to nothing, leaving bare soil exposed to the winds. Ablation then carried away billions of acre-feet of what had been fertile soil across the eastern states and as far as the Atlantic Ocean.

In the absence of beneficial rainfall, the process went on unabated until the arrival of autumn and winter. By then there was too little precipitation to abate the same processes from resuming and going forward during the next summer. Historical revisionism likes to blame the Dust Bowl on poor farming practices. But given the magnitude of the altered 1930s climate, it is not clear that much the same result wouldn’t have proceeded with incipient desertification during that full decade of heat and dryness.

Current temperatures being recorded at locations where new daily records are being notched (no report of a new state record as yet in 2022) are likely accurate in themselves. What is less certain is whether any monitoring station reporting a new record is in proper compliance with NOAA’s strict guidelines for operating an official temperature measuring station.

A team of observers headed by career meteorologist Anthony Watts, under the auspices of the Heartland Institute, has just completed a year-long study of the NOAA weather stations that feed data to the US climatological network.

The prognosis is not good. A full 96% of stations investigated failed to meet NOAA’s own siting standards. Most measurement devices were placed uncomfortably short of the specified minimum 100-foot separation from an adjoining building or structure. Many others are placed over concrete or other heat-absorbing solid materials instead of grassy turf or soil as spelled out in NOAA’s own manuals. Others were even in the immediate vicinity of heat-generating devices such as air conditioners, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiing areas.

The inescapable conclusion is that a vast majority of the monitoring sites are generating data contaminated with a positive bias, adding to the false notion of dangerous warming. The recorded temperatures are higher than if they were being taken from a site not influenced by extraneous heat sources.

So it is at least highly likely that more than a few of the new daily records being bandied about this summer could be artifacts of their immediate environment and do not necessarily represent a true temperature record for the areas of concern. In any case, they don’t yet begin to challenge the temperatures of the 1930s for the highest on record.

William D. Balgord, Ph.D. (geochemistry,) heads Environmental & Resources Technology, Inc., Middleton, WI, and is a contributing writer for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.

Geological Changes in Israel and the World

During the Seventh Bowl Judgement, there are massive changes to the earth’s geology and therefore its geography.

“And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city (Jerusalem) was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.” Revelation 16:18-20

Israel’s Borders

The future western border of Israel is ‘the Great Sea (Mediterranean Sea)’, (Ezekiel 47.20). This must refer to the Millennial earth and not to the new earth since the new earth has no sea (Revelation 21.1).

Division of the Land of Israel to the Twelve Tribes

“Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance. This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad, Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This shall be the north side. On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This shall be the east side. On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side. On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.” Ezekiel 47:13-20

God says He will rebuild the ruined places and replant that which was made desolate when the wrath of God is poured out during the Trumpet (Revelation 8&9) and Bowl judgements (Revelation 16). God also says He will increase the people of Israel like a flock. There will be lots of babies born and there will be no infant mortality. He says the waste cities will be filled with people. I assume that the surviving nations will flourish as well but not to the same extent.

Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it. ” Ezekiel 36:36-38

“I will open rivers on the barren heights, and springs in the middle of the plains. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and dry land into springs of water. I will plant cedars in the desert, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will put juniper trees in the desert, elms and cypress trees together, so that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.” Isaiah 41:18-20

“On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.” Zechariah 14:8

‘Living waters’ flow from the new temple and wherever they flow they give life. Half of the waters flow east towards the ‘eastern sea’ (Zech. 14.8) and the map shows the latter to be the northern end of the Dead or Salt Sea. The effect is to remove the salt and enable ‘very many fish’ to live there – enabling fishermen to work from Engedi to Eneglaim.

“From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.” Ezekiel 47:10

“But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:11-12

Why such detail if it is purely symbolic?

“The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.” Zechariah 14:10

“In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.“ Isaiah 27:6

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” Isaiah 35:1-2

“For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;” Isaiah 35:6-8

Jerusalem

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it,

In the millennium, Jerusalem takes on the names of a redeemed city. It is called ‘The Holy City, ‘The City of Truth‘, and ‘The Lord is There‘, reflecting the presence of Christ and the dissemination of the law from Jerusalem. In fact, the name itself, Jerusalem, is likely from the root ‘shalom’, and so Jerusalem is ‘the City of Peace’.

“Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.” Zechariah 8:3

“The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.” Ezekiel 48:35

The Gates of the City
“These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.” Ezekiel 48:30-34

Jesus will control all aspects of nature

It is probable that imperfect aspects of nature, such as drought, locust, earthquake, and flood will be removed except when ordained as a judgement on a nation.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-20

“He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27:6

Once God’s Kingdom is established in Jerusalem among the people of Israel, Christ will ask representatives of all nations to come to Jerusalem to learn about His laws. He will summon them to Jerusalem to attend God’s annual Feast of Tabernacles:

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” Zechariah 14:16; see Leviticus 23:33-44

Scripture reveals that not all nations will immediately cooperate. Early in Christ’s reign, strong measures still will be necessary to convince most nations that He intends to enforce the laws of God.

“He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people” Isaiah 2:4

How will He make this clear, especially to nations who obstinately refuse to attend the Feast of Tabernacles? His means of communicating His message to them will be straightforward. He will simply demonstrate His control over the natural forces of the earth.

“And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain” Zechariah 14:17

The nations will quickly learn that their existence depends on God’s blessing. Good weather and bountiful crops are blessings from God. From this time forward only nations that obey God will reap those blessings. All others will not. Such a system will serve as a convincing argument. In time, all nations will respond.

Rewarding the saints

Jesus Christ has promised to reward people who through the ages have faithfully served Him (Revelation 11:18; Revelation 22:12). Notice their part in His Kingdom: 

“Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6

From the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign the faithful servants of God—including many who will have suffered severe persecution and martyrdom—will serve as the teachers and administrators of that wonderful world to come. They will assist Jesus in teaching the ways of peace and righteousness to the nations. This will fulfill Christ’s promise to His Church:

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” Revelation 3:21

The prophet Daniel foretold the same thing:

“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” Daniel 7:27

Christ does not plan to change the world single-handedly. At His coming, His faithful servants will be immediately transformed from flesh and blood into immortal spirit beings who can assist Him. Paul explained:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-53

These transformed beings will sit with Jesus Christ on His throne. They will serve with Him as teachers and administrators during His millennial reign.

Since Christ will establish Jerusalem as His capital, the first people to experience the effects of His rule will be the restored kingdom of Israel. As their King, He will immediately establish a close working relationship with them:

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst…Indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Ezekiel 37:26-28

The people of Israel will play a necessary role in helping other nations implement God’s ways. Once God has forgiven their sins, Jesus Christ will begin using a humbled and repentant Israel to spread the knowledge of God’s law to other nations. The whole world will gradually come under the administration of a unified code of law, the law of God. Jesus will coordinate this as He reigns over the nations from Jerusalem. The world will finally learn to obey God’s law.

Israel will help the nations learn God’s ways

Concerning the restored nation of Israel during Christ’s millennial reign, God says:

“Behold … I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities … Then [Jerusalem] shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.” Jeremiah 33:6-9

As the people of Israel learn to follow God’s ways, their example will inspire other nations to seek the same way of life and to want to reap the same blessings:

“Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:22-23

Nations will see that keeping God’s law works. They will come to Jerusalem to learn how they can apply it in their own lands:

“Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem ” Micah 4:2

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” Isaiah 11:9

The fruit of righteous knowledge

With Jesus Christ as King, Jerusalem will be the center of learning for the world. God’s Word, the Bible, will provide a solid foundation for the development of education and knowledge:

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth…It shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:11-13

Prosperity will increase while crime and corruption will cease:

“Instead of bronze, I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officer’s peace and your magistrate’s righteousness. Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders.” Isaiah 60:17-18

It takes much more than mere knowledge, however, to produce lasting peace and cooperation. A spiritual change is also necessary. It will be that spiritual change in the people of Israel that will inspire other nations to admire their way of life and want to emulate it:

“O house of Israel,…for My holy name’s sake…I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:22-27

The spiritual restoration of humanity is the most important transformation that will occur during this millennial period when the world is transformed. The Spirit of God will enable people to willingly and enthusiastically obey Him from the heart:

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10

God’s Spirit will phenomenally transform people. Obedience will be widespread; people will exhibit honorable leadership and enjoy a stable society:

“I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” Isaiah 1:26

The changes will be permanent, lasting throughout subsequent generations:

“Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever … that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.” Isaiah 60:21-22

Each new generation will carry on this tradition of righteousness:

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13

People the world over will notice and respect their example:

“Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.” Isaiah 61:9

Spirituality spreads

As people from other nations see what happens in Jerusalem and its environs, they too will want to serve the living God:

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer…For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:6-7

Finally, the barriers between Israel and other nations will fall. This will occur because all will eventually realize

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:28

Physical blessings

As people the world over begin to obey God, first by getting their spiritual priorities straight, they will begin to experience unprecedented physical prosperity:

“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it…They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.'” Amos 9:13-14

Isaiah compares this time to a perpetual feast with the best of everything:

“On this mountain, the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.” Isaiah 25:6

Notice this inspiring description of blessings yet to come:

“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD—and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox … They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. ” Isaiah 65:21-25

This vision of the millennial reign of Christ is not an illusion but a promise of reality. Jesus Christ will return to earth to spiritually transform its people and establish utopia, a paradise on earth. The combination of removing Satan’s influence, giving humanity God’s Spirit and teaching the world the laws and ways of God will produce 1,000 years of peace and a society blessed beyond its wildest dreams.

But, incredible as this sounds, prophecy reveals that an even more amazing period awaits mankind, the new heaven and a new earth.

The Yatir Forest, like most of Israel’s forests, was hand-planted by the Jewish National Fund (JNF). Since 1964 they have planted more than four million trees here. This stunning area covers approximately 40,000 dunams (10,000 acres) and is located in the Southern Hebron Hills.

The town of Anim is located there. In the 4th Century, a massive synagogue was built here, which was in use into 7th Century. It was built on the highest point in town (in accordance with Jewish law). The synagogue’s ruins and frame are very well preserved and its built-in benches and Torah ark are still seen here.

“And in the hill country… Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim.” Joshua 15: 48-50 All cities and towns of Judah.

In the 7th century, Anim (and most of the Southern Hebron Hills) were mysteriously abandoned. This was possibly due to the breakdown of central rule at the end of the Byzantine period and early Islamic period.

Since Anim was on the edge of the desert at a time of weak governance, living in such proximity to desert warriors may have become too dangerous. The fact that the town wasn’t destroyed physically by conquest and not many material goods were found, suggests that the people who left took their movable property with them, lending credence to this theory.

In the later Islamic period (circa 13th and 14th century) a small Islamic village existed here, and a mosque was built on top of the synagogue (during excavations in the 1980s, archeologists removed the mosque, which had been inactive for centuries, and found the synagogue under it). By Ottoman times, the town was abandoned and has since laid in ruins. Until the JNF planted the forest the area was largely desert.

However, Ezekiel prophecies that when the Lord returns to rule and reign from Jerusalem, Israel will be even much better than it is now, it will be like the garden of Eden.

“And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” Ezekiel 36:35-36

Is there a connection between biblical prophecies, current events, our personal lives, and the spiritual realm? Yes, there is and Jonathan Cahn shows us how God has been in control of events throughout history. This has immense ramifications for each of us in how we should be living our lives. How much time are you spending in God’s Word? It is the only reliable source of the truth about God and the world He created.

I will follow this up with another of Jonathan Cahn’s videos, The Mystery of God and His Will for Your Life. Watch out for it. Both of these videos will change how you view the world and how you live in it. At least, I hope they will.

On the 9th of Av the following historic catastrophes occurred:

1. Ten Jewish spies returned from the Promised Land with a bad report (leading the people to lose heart and be consigned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years).
2. The First and the Second temples were destroyed.
3. The Battle of Betar was lost (the Jewish rebellion under Simon bar Kochba was crushed and the remaining rebels were annihilated).
4. The Romans plowed the Temple Mount — in fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah 3:11-12.
5. Jews were expelled from England (in 1290 AD).
6. Jews were expelled from Spain (in 1492 — the same year Columbus “sailed the ocean blue”).
7. Both World Wars in the 20th Century began — unleashing horrific tragedy upon the Jewish people.
8. The Final Jewish Solution was signed by Hitler.

The 9th of Av will fall on August 5th this year. Jewish people will spend the day reflecting and mourning. The Christian sacrament of Communion offers us a regular opportunity to reflect and mourn — but our mourning is surmounted by the joy we have in knowing that Jesus lives.

Death could not hold Him. The tomb could not keep Him. Satan could not lock Him away.

When Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth, He read verse 1 of Isaiah 61. He also spoke “to proclaim the favourable year of our Lord from verse 2 as this is applicable to both His first and Second coming.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent ME to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD…” Isaiah 61:1,2

Jesus stopped reading at that point, sat down, and said to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21).

Isaiah 61:1 prophesied Jesus’ First Coming

The rest of Isaiah 61 prophesies Jesus’ Second Coming which is now not too far in the future.

“To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.“and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes; the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61: 2-11

If you are close to a Jew on the 9th of Av, mourn with them on that day of sadness as a good friend should. And then take the opportunity to tell them about the Good News that their prophet Isaiah spoke of in Isaiah 61 “turns ashes into beauty, mourning into joy, and despair into praise“. That is the power of the Gospel.