ISAIAH’S END-TIME TIMELINE

ISAIAH Chapters 11-12

ISAIAH CHAPTERS 11 and 12 are chapters dealing with events primarily after the destruction of the Anti-Christ, and the removal of the wicked from the earth. Isaiah 11:1 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the trunk and a Branch shall grow out of his roots…” Having used the metaphor of trees in the permanent lopping off and destruction of Assyria, the prophet continues with it in this verse. And in contrast to the permanent destruction of the tree of Assyria, it is not so in the coming destruction of the Tree of Israel, for it will sprout again. An allusion to the Lord; again a blend of the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ. In verses 2 & 3, the First Coming, verse 4 & 5 the Second Coming and verse 6-9 the Millennial Period. Verse 10 the First Coming, verse 11 through chapter 12 the Second Coming into Millennial Kingdom.

As to 11:1, referencing the First Coming, John bore witness to the Holy Spirit descending upon the Lord. [John 1:32,33] And He did not judge by sight or ear….“for he knew what was in man.” So thus far through vs 3, the references to that first time that He came, “…not to judge the world, but to save the world… But verses 4 & 5, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth (breath of his lips)…..” are clearly descriptive of His Second Coming. (Compare with 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 1:16, 19:15.)

It is clear the Millennial Age of His Kingdom will be reflective of His Righteousness and Justice. Upon Whose Shoulders the Millennial Age government shall sit. Whose rod will smite and continue to smite and rule along with those overcoming worthies’ rods to whom He has promised thrones and Millennial like authority. [Revelation 2:26,27 with 20:4-6]

Isaiah prophesies that in the Millennium, as the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth, like a sea, that man nor beast shall not hurt or destroy. [See verses 6- 9] It should be understood that although the removal of the Wicked One / the Anti-Christ, the false prophet, their followers, satan, and his fallen angels from the earth will be immediate at The Lord’s Second coming, (Revelation 19:20-20:3) this “knowing” or recognition of the authority of Christ is not instant upon the Lord’s Return, but gradual over a period of time.

This can be deduced from verses 11-16 wherein is the description of the Lord setting His Hand, a second time, to the recovering of the remnant of His people militarily after His great victory over the Anti-Christ. (See Psalm 110, Isaiah 60:11,12 Zechariah 14:14 for a description of the time of which Isaiah now speaks. A military campaign that extends past the “DAY” of the Lord, to first the surrounding countries and then an acquiescing more or less over a period of time, in the nations throughout the earth). This recovery or restoration compared to Egypt is the far greater Second Exodus followed by the Millennial Day greater rejoicing typed in the song and dance of Miriam and Moses at the Red Sea, alluded to in the episodes of these two chapters.

The Millennial Kingdom of the Messiah we are here being told about in Isaiah first in 2:1-5 & 4:2-6 & 9:7 and here in Chapters 11 and 12 are relating and describing in general an overall view of the entire 1000 year time frame of His Kingdom reign, not just the beginning. For example, if we were to describe David’s reign, we would not just speak to its state at the beginning but give a general overall description of the entire period. These prophecies will be fulfilled gradually over time in the Millennium. So it will be. Remove the cause of darkness and unrest and light shall gradually grow in the peace. It will not be until the Earth is filled or covered with the knowledge of God, that is to say until the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ is expanded throughout the earth, that men upon the earth will cease in hurt and injury. [Isaiah 11:9]

Verse 10 in the Septuagint reads: “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the gentiles trust, And his rest shall be glorious.” It has in view first the Gospel Age to the Gentiles, until the fullness thereof, and should be seen in connection with the First Coming of Christ wherein God turned to the Gentile at the rejection of His Son by Israel. And so it is seen throughout Scripture the result, that trusting in love of the Gentile inspired by the Atonement and outpouring of the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Age of Mercy and Grace following His First Coming. (As depicted in the “root” or sprig being manifest for or in the last 2000 years.) And secondly, what is in view, contrastingly seen throughout OC Scripture prophecy is subservient Gentile attitude towards the Jew in the following future 1000 yr period. Where that sprig is now a mature full grown Branch. Wherein the Gentile nations will gradually obtain knowledge of God that is advanced from the then Jewish Nation restored and on whom He now pours out His Spirit. Which is the cause of them to become preeminent in all the earth. [Zechariah 13:1; Joel 3:23; Acts 2:17-21]

As to verse 10’s application to the Gentile in this, the Gospel Age, Paul owns this verse in Romans 15:12 as one that accompanies it. As also he holds forth the two successive events of Isaiah verses 10 and 11 with his teaching in Romans 11. In the breaking off and the grafting in before the restoration.

And is further understood to apply to this Age, in the Gentile’s being called to the nation of the New Man. As their accession in ruling as the chosen Bride and ascension into the heavenly part of His Kingdom is that reference to that Jesus Christ’s promised “rest” or residence being one of unparalleled glory. [Romans 8:17,18; 2 Corinthians 3:9, and numerous other places with John 14:3]

“The Lord shall set His Hand again the second time”. This is the greater exodus of all Jacob’s people than that of Egypt, at the end of Jacob’s Trouble. She being a part of that mysterious Woman who has at the same time, a presence in both the heavenly sphere related to the earth and on the earth, which is the entire body of the regenerated called out ones of God over the millenniums. Who, being in travail (at the end time) brought forth the man child, satan’s great enmity. The gathered faithful First Fruit offering up into the heavenly realm, from which he was just cast out down to the earth. Unable to assail into that realm anymore, he turns to the Woman’s seed upon the earth, for which cause latter day Israel shall encounter the great brunt of satan’s anger. This is that time of the Great Troubling, and these are those who are referred to in Scripture at that time as those “…which keep the commandments of God…” [Revelation 12:17; Jeremiah 30 with Revelation 12]

Only After this Greatest of all Tribulation, the sure Word of Prophecy here in verses 10-16 is that the Lord will gather and bring to the Land of Israel, from all nations, the remnant of Jacob’s People, Judah and Ephraim. [Ezekiel 37:19-22] And establish them again the 2^nd time, as He did when He brought them out of Egypt, as victorious conquerors in the expanded and promised kingdom promised to the seed of Abraham. [Verses 14-16 with Genesis 15:18…] “…from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates….” The fulfillment of the prophecy of the 70^th week of Daniel.

The Gentiles will primarily receive their spiritual insight from the anointed Jew in the Millennial Age. And if so minded, they shall further their “knowledge” into righteousness through the mediation of restored Israel. Israel will walk in the holiness of experiential knowledge and the Gentiles will seek it through them. As Israel will be established as the then “Ensign”. “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of they rising.” And that by the promised latter day outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them; accompanied by great wonders of God displayed through them, with priestly authority of God over the entire earth. And the Gentile nations will recognize restored Israel as God-anointed and bring their wealth to Israel. [Isaiah 60 & Zechariah 14]

The nature of fallen man; that which resembles that of fallen satan, is of course, yet present in millennial man. But it is greatly reduced in its effectualness, as its great ally is now incarcerated for 1000 years. [Revelation 20:7] And then over a period of time, the general state of the earth will be peace and justice in the knowledge of the Savior and King Jesus Christ. Therefore the great final test of man will be on the heels of that “Day” or 1000 years. Noteworthy is this time frame, which seems to have been the physical application and limitation of life in the body originally for fallen man. Seen and understood in “…in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”. Applying the principle Peter laid out in Scripture, “….be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

That is to say before God grew tired of man’s propensity to sin, [Genesis 5:5,6, and 27] a product of the fallen nature and the continuing force of pressure and temptation by the unseen forces of satan that continually led them to sin. The last enemy of man is man being subject to death, and has been already conquered as it relates to the heavenly Bride of Christ. But the permanent doing away of the physical death, can not be accomplished on the cursed earth, and so it’s destruction being deferred for a thousand years, in its being replaced with a new earth and heavens. 1000 years being assigned to this Age of Justice is no coincidence or arbitrary number. It is the closest he can/could approach to any deliverance in the power of self. It is the full allotment of that time, assigned under the curse, but no further than can a Millennial child venture. To what does this speak, but to any false accusation towards God, that if He had but removed the forces that antagonized, and restored us or granted us again the mind and light and knowledge of Him, we could/would of walked righteously.

What is being tested is the possibility of any glory or merit, that thought might be gained, in a will independent of God, without an outside adversary to influence. With man’s now inherent knowledge of good and evil, offset now only with the enlivened spirit’s conscience of God, not to do good, nor to do evil. Who thought then in this state of self-awareness in their created selves alone, enough power to attain unto an independent “wholeness”/holiness possible.

It is a time like no other in the sense that man never has lived in an improved state and environment where he is fallen but without satan and his forces to exacerbate that nature. They will be availed the opportunity to the unrestrained Spirit and the Word, through the mediation of the anointed ministers of Israel. Whereby they may experience a unique opportunity for spiritual growth and a self-inflicted death without the previous ages’ injustices, temptations and afflictions.

The effect of this unique atmosphere is seen and described by a view of the animal kingdom, that they are at peace, and non-aggressive. Although still under an unresolved curse of eventual death, they are at peace with themselves and each other. Man will live in relative peace, in a relative unhindered spiritual state, save the resident flesh: the knowledge of good and evil. And it then highly regulated or restricted by 2 circumstances:

1. The knowledge of God with a general sense of the reverent fear of God.
2. The Age will be governed with that rod of iron as it relates to any injustices committed.

In this environment and state man will live centuries, he will have more than ample time and opportunity to perfect wholeness/holiness in himself, by the standards set forth in the Age. That by observance of God’s Word, presented in unbiased, unprecedented clarity with prayer and drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit, he might see his inadequacies as merely created and born again, but is in vital need of that Atonement power of the Holy Spirit to effect the necessary death to self resident. The test of worthiness in an eternal glory, and a place in the Kingdom of God is at stake. The promises will be presented in that Millennial context with the Eternal KINGDOM OF GOD in view.

The test will finally come to them all (literally almost all, as few would have died), on the earth. No generation would have “passed” when satan will be unchained and the character attained by all will now be tested. Most will have experienced being born again, for it is in that power of rebirth and in the enlightened conscience that the seed of the soul’s salvation may be obtained. And have become responsible to nurture throughout their long lives, that could not of been accomplished without re-birth, and the work of the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit, all together being the capable and sufficient force to obtaining holiness for which they are held accountable. Satan will be the instrument by which all these will be tested.

It shall be seen that peace and prosperity in the most ideal circumstances for created and “enlightened” man, will have afforded no guarantee for man’s obtaining his righteousness apart from a death he had yielded to in the power of the Holy Spirit. As spiritual rebelliousness, apathy, laziness and jealousy appears to be the order of the last days of the Millennium. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations….to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea/ And they went upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”

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