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We return to Isaiah 27 ALL , Isaiah 27:12: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and you shall be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.”
What an absolutely astonishing picture presents itself as millions of broken, shattered, terrified human beings are brought together “one by one” out of enslavement. This regathering process begins with a trumpet blast unlike anything ever heard before on Planet Earth—an ear-splitting sound surely heard in every corner of the world. This will be accompanied simultaneously with a planet-rattling earthquake, also greater than anything ever experienced. When these occur, they will also be heard and felt by God’s people, then protected in the Place of Safety, and will send a special signal of this awesome moment for Israel. (And those protected will realize that only one year remains to finish their final preparation to be spirit teachers of these “escapees.”)
Try to imagine 60 MILLION HUMAN BEINGS being brought literally from all over the world—every corner of the earth!—weeping, loathing themselves, seeking God as never before, as they ask the way back to Zion. Beginning with the heavenly signs, plagues of every sort will be occurring all around these deeply humbled and sorrowful people during their incredible journey back to the homeland in which God always intended they reside.
One is left scarcely able to imagine the combination of pathos, repentance and, at the same time, electrifying excitement, all amidst continuing miraculous intervention, that this scene brings to mind. In fact, a verydifferent kind of miracles than those allowing Israel’s escape will also be occurring all around the world. But none will want to experience them…
Contents
The Year of the Lord
Remember that the Day of the Lord has begun—the time of GOD’S WRATH on the rebellious sinning nations of Earth! (This one-year period begins with the heavenly signs.) While the faithful remnant of Philadelphia is in protection at the Place of Safety, this entire year is witnessed by these same millions who are promised by God that they will “live in His sight.”
To get a better picture of what is occurring during this period all around the escaping and protected Israelite Remnant, a number of final passages, all but one from Isaiah, must be examined. The “world setting” tells its own most amazing story.
The Day of the Lord is not merely a reckless God’s mindless BIG BLAST on the world. His carefully crafted purpose is at work. Besides the need for their own punishment due to sin, the Gentile nations receive special attention from God. Understand this basic difference: The Great Tribulation is Satan’s wrath on the people of Israel, allowed by God because it serves His purpose in punishing His rebellious people, but the Day of the Lord is God’s wrath on the also sinning nations who enjoyed carrying out the punishment. This comes mostly in the form of powerful plagues.
Here is Isaiah’s brief but potent summary of the Day of the Lord. The passage introduces a big reason God is angry with the nations: “For it is the day of the LORD’S VENGEANCE, and the year of RECOMPENCES [repayment] for the controversy of Zion” (Isaiah 34:8).
Vengeance and Recompense!
Did you notice that “vengeance” is involved in God’s thinking, and that it has to do with “the controversy of Zion”? Truly today, the peoples of Israel, especially Judah, the Israelis, are given no end of trouble by the heathen nations around them. No matter how humanly reasonable and generous in times of need that all our Israelite nations have striven to be (despite national immorality and corruption, and all that God said Israel has become), the peoples around them are never truly grateful, and never satisfied, and have “plagued” them for millennia. The result has been never-ending “controversy” in Jerusalem and Israel.
A brief side note: Recall the leader offering a “solution” to the problems of the Middle East in his $65 book. (Following today’s typical pattern, he is donating a portion of the proceeds to Mid-East “intercommunal peace efforts.”) But there is no human solution to the “controversy of Zion.” While none is surprised that politicians, diplomats, generals and conquerors have tried to solve the “Mid-East problem,” this man’s book is blindness at a new level. Only the returning Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints can solve this problem!
Next, Isaiah records God speaking this: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:4).
This passage describes two entirely different aspects to God’s mind, both occurring at the same time. Notice that He also calls this time of vengeance “the year of His redeemed.” This passage introduces fascinating understanding. God literally buys back (redeems) His people from bondage. In effect, the nations are “paid” in plagues, literally plagued by God as they plagued Israel. On the one hand, God feels tenderly toward His broken and redeemed people—but toward the heathen He feels very REAL VENGEANCE!
“Ransom” Payment Like No Other
This introduces a longer and very graphic passage from Isaiah 43 ALL. It summarizes all of what we have just described. Read it carefully for the expansive picture presented: “But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).
This describes an incredible scene—the horrors of nuclear war and fiery plagues occurring all around Israel during her return!
Now notice how God says that Israel must be ransomed—redeemed—bought back: “For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honourable, and I have loved you: therefore will I give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not: for I am with you…” (Isaiah 43:3-5).
This latter passage describes an incredible exchange of lives that is part of God’s plan to redeem His people on the way back from scattering and bondage. Quite literally, God says that certain peoples will have to die for Israel (by plagues)—and this is part of God’s “ransom” plan—so that she can safely return “home.” This is different from the usual form of ransom in which the kidnappers receive financial payment to secure release of the hostages. In this case, with the hostages freed, the hostage takers are “paid” with their own blood. At this point, Israel has been released from all further debt of slavery to her enemies. Her captors have received payment for the slaves they lost—their own blood and lives.
Now continue: “I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him [Israel] for My glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:5-7).
God fulfills at last what was always His purpose for Israel!
Finally, National Conversion
The 31st chapter of Jeremiah is one long prophecy that speaks of Israel’s return from captivity, her coming to deep repentance with many details offered and her coming to conversion later in the chapter. The chapter offers insets about her past abominations, but focuses on conversion from Jeremiah 31:31.
Here is what the oft-quoted Jeremiah 31:33 and Jeremiah 31:34 state: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days [after the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, Israel’s return to Zion and the kingdom of God has been established], says the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Because of the final Work done by God’s Church in the few years that remain, there will be a remnant tithe of Israelitish peoples with whom God can work, to whom He can give His law and into whom He can put His Holy Spirit at the outset of the Millennium. And these nations will play a role in leading the entire world to the same. In fact, the Remnant does not return alone from captivity.
Large numbers will join them in the journey...
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