OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES AWAITING FULFILMENT 2
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES AWAITING FULFILMENT 2
The next Old Testament Messianic prophecy awaiting fulfilment is Isa 9:6-7 (CP Isa 9:6-7). As we learned in our study, Old Testament Messianic Prophecies - Their New Testament Fulfilment, the only fulfilment of this prophecy at Jesus' first advent was His birth "… for unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given" (CP Lu 2:11). This also fulfilled Gen 3:15, Isa 7:14 and 11:1 (CP Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14; 11:1). The rest of Isa 9:6-7 will be fulfilled at Christ's second advent. The names given to Messiah here confirmed His Deity and His eternal pre-existence. Wonderful means that Messiah would Himself be a supernatural wonder, able to perform miracles. The Hebrew word used here for "wonderful", Pele, is only ever used of God in scripture, never of humans or human works (CP Psa 119:129; Isa 25:1). Counsellor means that Messiah would be the incarnation of perfect wisdom, and have the words of eternal life. As Counsellor He would reveal the perfect plan of salvation (CP Isa 11:1-5). The mighty God expresses the fact that in Messiah all the fullness of Deity would exist in bodily form (CP Jn 1:1-3, 10, 14; Col 2:9). The everlasting Father. The title confirms Messiah's eternal pre-existence - the Planner of the ages (CP Mic 5:2; He 1:8; Rev 1:8; 22:13). The Prince of Peace. Messiah's rule would bring peace with God for humankind and all creation through deliverance from sin and death (CP Isa 11:6-9 with Ro 5:1). Isa 9:6-7 in its entirety will be externally fulfilled in Christ in the Millennium and New Earth (CP Isa 11:1-12:6).
Only V 1-2 of this prophecy have been fulfilled in Christ at His first advent. 11:3 - 12:6 will be eternally fulfilled in Him in the Millennium and New Earth when wolves and lambs will lie down with each other, as also will leopards and goats. Little children will play with, and lead around former wild animals which have been made tame by Christ. Cows will graze side by side with bears, while their cubs and calves lie down together. Lions will eat grass like cows. Babies will play with formerly highly venomous snakes, and an infant who puts his hand in an adder's nest will not be bitten. Nothing, nor no one, will hurt or destroy anything or anyone on earth, ever again, because the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Jesus will be the standard of the people, rallying all nations to Himself. The Gentiles will seek Him, and in Him they will put their trust. He will re-gather the Jews from the four corners of the earth to rule over them as a nation forever, fulfilling numerous end time prophecies (CP Isa 11:11-12; 14:1; 27:12; 43:5; 60:9; 66:20; Jer 30:10; 31:8; 32:37; 33:7 46:27; 50:4; Eze 16:53; 20:33-40; 34:11; 36:24; 37:11-19; 39:25; Hos 2:14; 3:5; Amos 9:13; Mic 4:6; 5:7; 7:11; Zech 2:6; 8:1-8; 10:6, 9; Mal 3:18 with Mt 24:29-31; Mk 13:24-27). Arabs will be cleansed of their envy and hatred of Jews, and Jews will do nothing to cause Arabs concern. In fact, they will unite to defeat common enemies. Jesus will cause the Nile River and the Red Sea to part as in the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt under Moses, to enable the Jews to cross over from Egypt on dry land. He will then create a highway for their easy return to Israel. After Israel is fully restored as a nation under Christ, the events of Isa 12 will take place (CP Isa 12:1-6).
Isaiah's next prophecy has been partially fulfilled in the Old Testament era, but the portion we will examine here awaits its fulfilment in Christ at His second advent (CP Isa 13:1-13). V 1-5 predict Christ's second coming with all the saints of God … my sanctified ones, and the angels of heaven … my mighty ones, to destroy Antichrist, the future King of Babylon, and his armies who are attacking Jerusalem. (CP V 1-5 also 14:4-6 and Zech 14:1-3 with Mt 24:29-31; 2Th 1:7-9; Jude 1:14-15; Rev 19:11-21). Christ's second advent in the Day of the Lord will come as a destruction from God. Every man opposing Christ will be afraid and lose courage. Pangs of sorrow will take hold of them. They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth. They will be amazed, ashamed and confused. Their face will be red because of shame for opposing God.
It will be a terrible day of God's wrath and fierce anger. The land will be destroyed and all the sinners in it. The heavens will be dark. There will be no light from the sun, moon and stars (CP Isa 13:6-10 also 34:1-8; Eze 32:7-8; Joel 1:15; 2:1-2, 10, 30-31; 3:14-16; Amos 8:7-10 with Mt 24:29-31; Rev 19:11-21). God will punish the world for its evil ways. The wicked will be punished for their iniquity. The arrogance of the proud will cease and the pride of ruthless men will be humbled. Human mortality will be so high during the destruction that takes place that a man will be rarer than pure gold. God in His wrath and fierce anger will shake the heavens, and the earth ill be moved out of its place (CP Isa 13:11-13 also Hag 2:6, 20-22 with Rev 6:12-17). The destruction of Antichrist at Christ's second advent fulfils God's oath to destroy him (CP Isa 14:24-27). The Assyrian in V 25 is the Antichrist. His title designates his country of origin - Syria.
The next end time prophecy by Isaiah will be fulfilled in Christ's defeat of Satan and Antichrist and the kings who are aligned with Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon. Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire. Satan will be bound in chains in the bottomless pit for a thousand years, at the end of which he will be let loose for a time, and then cast into the Lake of Fire also (CP Isa 24:21-22, also 27:1 with 2Ti 1:7-9; Rev 19:11-21; 20:1-10). Leviathan in Isa 27:1 symbolises Satan (CP Job 3:8; 41:1; Psa 74:14; 104:26 with Rev 12:9). The lavish banquet prepared by Christ on Mt Zion in Jerusalem, to be enjoyed by God's people in the next part of this end times prophecy in Isa 25:6, represents the wonderful blessings the people in the Millennium and the New Earth will experience in Christ's presence (CP Isa 25:4-6 also 2:2-3 with Psa 36:5-9; 63:1-7). Christ will remove the shroud of darkness that enfolds all people, and the pall of death that hangs over all the nations of the earth. For the first time since the fall of man men will be free from Satanic influences. The power of sin will be removed from all hearts and minds. Christ will swallow up death forever. He will wipe away all tears and take away forever all insults against His land and people. In that day God's people will rejoice and be glad, and they will acknowledge Christ as their saviour (CP Isa 25:7-9 also Eze 43:7 and Hos 13:14 with 1Cor 15:23-26, 50-57; Eph 4:18; Php 3:20-21; 1Th 4:13-17; He 3:14-15; Rev 1:18; 20:4-6; 21:4). The Lord will stretch forth His hands prostrating all God's enemies and bringing down their pride. They will all be made subject to Him as easily as a swimmer makes his way in the water by stretching out his hands (CP Isa 25:10-12).
God has to wait until the Millennium for Israel to come to repentance in order to bless her and fulfil the next end time prophecy in Christ at His second advent (CP Isa 30:18-33). This prophecy will be fulfilled in the Millennium and the New Earth eternally. The intensified light predicted in V 26 is symbolic of God's glory and righteousness (CP V 26 also 60:19-20 with Rev 21:23-25; 22:5). The Assyrian in Isa 30:31 is Antichrist, for whom Tophet has been ordained of old. Tophet here is a great funeral pyre kindled by Christ. Ordained of old means that it was appointed by the Lord in this prophecy to be a place of slaughter when Jerusalem will be surrounded by the armies of Antichrist. Christ will destroy five sixth of those armies (KJV) with great flaming fire (CP Isa 30:30-33 also Eze 38:17-21; 39:1-5 and Zech 14:13 with 2Th 1:7-10; Rev 19:11-21). The next end time prophecy will be fulfilled in Christ when He comes down from Heaven at His second advent to defend and deliver Jerusalem from Antichrist and his armies (CP Isa 31:3b - 9 with Lu 21:20-28). This prophecy predicts that at Christ's second coming to deliver Jerusalem, Israel will turn to Him as a nation and be converted in one day (CP Isa 66:7-14; Zech 12:10-13:1). In that day Israel will destroy all its idols, then Christ will destroy Antichrist and his armies at the battle of Armageddon (CP Isa 31:7-9 also 2:10-20; 63:1-6; Zech 14:1-3 with 2Th 1:7-10; Rev 19:11-21). His princes in Isa 31:9 are the ten kings of ten future world kingdoms who will give their allegiance to Antichrist in his attack upon Jerusalem, fulfilling God's purpose for Armageddon (CP Dan 7:7-8; 21-27; Rev 17:8-17).