Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom :: By Mark A. Becker
Isaiah is considered by many to be the crème de la crème of God’s holy prophets. His writings – well, let us be honest here – God’s Words found in Isaiah’s Scriptures – produced an amazing prophetic book with so many aspects of future prophecy incorporated within it. In this study article, our focus will […]
The post Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom :: By Mark A. Becker appeared first on Rapture Ready.
Isaiah is considered by many to be the crème de la crème of God’s holy prophets. His writings – well, let us be honest here – God’s Words found in Isaiah’s Scriptures – produced an amazing prophetic book with so many aspects of future prophecy incorporated within it.
In this study article, our focus will be on five brief passages that essentially contain within them Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom. Though the prophets of God almost exclusively taught on Israel’s coming Messianic Millennial Kingdom age, after Israel comes back to the Lord and accepts Yeshua as their Messiah at the end of the Tribulation, there are occasional allusions that speak of the Eternal Kingdom that are imbedded within these prophecies – especially in Isaiah.
Allusions can be found at times to be crystal clear in the Scriptures, while at other times allusions can be rather subtle, yet can be extended out to their logical conclusions. When the latter takes place, we are usually looking at initial and final fulfillments within these prophetic allusions of blended prophecies.
When it comes to God’s many prophecies that are blended – that is, the above-mentioned initial and final aspect to their fulfillments – the Bible student and teacher needs to stay focused and be cognizant of this common feature of Bible prophecy while rightly dividing the Word of God. An example of what I am speaking of, and what the reader will experience in our examination of some of these passages we will be looking at today, would be the following.
There are numerous prophecies in the Tanakh that speak of God regathering Israel into her homeland in the last days, and these passages have their obvious initial fulfillment in what history has witnessed since 1948. However, their final fulfillment will occur after Israel is dispersed from her land one final time after the Abomination of Desolation in the middle of the Tribulation, when she will again be regathered to her homeland from the wilderness where she was exiled, along with the remaining remnant residing in other nations, by Messiah’s holy angels following His Second Coming.
Some of these prophecies speak, for instance, of Israel’s once barren land blooming again. In similar fashion, we see this initial fulfillment occurring today with Israel taking a once unproductive barren land and causing it to prosper by God’s blessings and His people’s God-given ingenuity. Yet, truly, the final fulfillment will occur when Messiah creates an Edenic-like environment in Israel from an absolutely destroyed ecosystem within the land following the cataclysmic events of the Tribulation in His regeneration (Matthew 19:28) just before the commencement of the Messianic Millennial Kingdom. Of course, Messiah will do the same for the rest of the world as well, with some exceptions, but the land of Israel is the preeminent focus of these prophetic Scriptures.
These blended prophecies have initial and final prophetic implications that are both on the radar screen of God’s prophetic Word!
When it comes to Christ’s regeneration in preparation for His Messianic Millennial Kingdom, this will be a creative restorative act upon the ravaged material universe, Earth, all biological life, and on the remnant who survive the Tribulation and have accepted Messiah Yeshua as their Lord and Savior.
Conversely, God’s creation of a new heavens and new Earth – based presumably on the original exceedingly perfect creation in the beginning – will be an entirely new creative act, as the first heavens and first Earth will have passed away (Revelation 20:11, 21:1).
All underlined Scripture is my own emphasis.
“My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment [contextually, “used up completely” or “consumed”], and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
“Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.” – Isaiah 51:5-7
While at the end of the Tribulation, the heavens will not give light and Earth will indeed “wax old like a garment” from the brutal effects of God’s wrath being poured out, the final fulfillment of these words will occur just before the Great White Throne Judgment – when the heavens and Earth pass away or “vanish away like smoke” and are “used up completely” and “consumed” – and God’s creation of a new heavens and a new Earth.
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” – Revelation 20:11
Just as the old heavens and the old Earth will flee away – as Peter declares, “… in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up“ (2 Peter 3:10) – so will the enemies of God at the Great White Throne Judgment, for they “shall die in like manner” from the presence of the Lord as they are thrown into the Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death.
“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:13-15
Isaiah 51:6 is an example of a blended prophecy with two aspects of future prophecy in view.
“And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
“Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” Isaiah 60:10-11
The gates of earthly Jerusalem in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom will always be open as men and kings will bring their gifts in honor of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, Messiah Yeshua.
The allusion to the Eternal Kingdom is that the gates of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, will also be open “by day, for there shall be no night there” and “the kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honor into it!”
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
“And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
“And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
“And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.” – Revelation 21:23-26
“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” – Revelation 22:5
One of the many differences between the Messianic Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom is that in the Millennial Kingdom, there will be “night” in the earthly city of Jerusalem, and any “nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish” and “be utterly wasted.”
Conversely, in the Eternal Kingdom, there will be no night in the Holy City, New Jerusalem, because “the Lord God giveth them light” as “the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof,” and no nation will ever perish or be utterly wasted as “the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it [God’s and the Lamb’s light in the New Jerusalem]: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it [New Jerusalem].”
[For a supposition on these nations that will be saved in the Eternal Kingdom, please see The Mystery of the Last Sheep.]
Isaiah 60:11 is a prophecy on the earthly city of Jerusalem in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom, yet we can see an allusion to the Holy City, New Jerusalem, in some of the imagery and words.
Clearly, though, this verse and passage addresses the earthly city of Jerusalem and will be fulfilled in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
“Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
“The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
“Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
“Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, 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 his time.” – Isaiah 60: 18-22
Isaiah 60:19-20, underlined above, are clear allusions to the Eternal Kingdom that are sandwiched in between passages that speak of the Millennial Kingdom.
Compare the following verses of the Eternal Kingdom in Revelation.
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” – Revelation 21:23
“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” – Revelation 22:5
When God says through Isaiah that “Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself,” God is not proclaiming that the sun and moon will just hang in the sky in perpetuity, as this was never their intended purpose in creation at the beginning when creation was exceedingly perfect, nor will it be their intended purpose when God creates a new heavens and new Earth.
Rather, this is a comparative contrasting literary device, confirmed in Revelation 21:23 and 22:5, that the Holy City, New Jerusalem, will always have super-abundant light and will have “no need of the sun, neither of the moon” because “the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.” Essentially, the figurative language in Isaiah is declaring that the Holy City, New Jerusalem, will be so illuminated that it will appear as if the sun never goes down and the moon never withdraws itself and that both are perpetually in the sky because “the Lord shall be thine everlasting light,” “for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
[For why the new heavens will essentially have the same functions for the sun and the moon that they were always created and intended to have, please see Time is the Essence.]
The phrase, “and the days of thy mourning shall be ended,” will have its initial fulfillment in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom when Messiah brings glory to His people and nation following their intense suffering in the Great Tribulation, with its final fulfillment occurring in the Eternal Kingdom for all of God’s people.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
Lastly, God says to His people, Israel, “Thy people also shall be all righteous,” and indeed every Israelite that survives the Tribulation will have accepted their Messiah by grace through faith as all Israel shall be saved. They will all be righteous who survive the Tribulation and go into the Millennial Kingdom.
Yet the final fulfillment for all of God’s people will be in the Eternal Kingdom.
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” – Revelation 21:27
“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” – Revelation 22:3-4
We are going to include a large portion of Isaiah 65 because it is such a beautiful passage on the Messianic Millennial Kingdom, but verse 17 has a very clear allusion to the Eternal Kingdom!
“That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
“There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
“And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
“They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.” – Isaiah 65:16-25
Such a beautiful passage of Scripture that declares some of the most precious promises primarily to God’s people, Israel, and, by extension, God’s remnant of Gentiles, following the Tribulation.
This is one of two chapters – the other is in our next passage in Isaiah 66 – where God promises that He will ultimately create a new heaven and a new Earth!
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…” – Revelation 21:1
Indeed, the people of Israel who survive the Tribulation will have 1,000 glorious years to forget their former trials during the time of Jacob’s trouble “that the former shall not be remembered” from their sorrows they experienced in the Tribulation, “nor will come into mind.” In verse 19, God reiterates that in Jerusalem, “the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” And certainly, in Messiah’s Kingdom, there will be no more weeping or crying for God’s chosen people as was heard in her first dispersion by Babylon, her second dispersion by Rome, and will be heard in her again in her final dispersion by Antichrist in the Abomination of Desolation.
Once again, though, the ultimate final fulfillment of this promise – that “the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” – will be found in the Eternal Kingdom, which, of course, they will also be a part of.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
After God’s declaration, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind,” however, the prophecy returns implicitly to Israel’s Messianic Millennial Kingdom with all its wonderful and glorious features!
“And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.
“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” – Isaiah 66:21-23
In our last of Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom, God again promises that He will create new heavens and a new Earth that will remain before Him forever.
In this citation, however, God is making a promise that just as God will one day make a new heavens and new Earth that will last forever, so too will the seed of Israel and their name always remain. This promise is sandwiched, as the others, in between prophecies of the Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
Here is another example of a literary device comparing two articles that are sure to be realized in their proper time. That is, God will ultimately create new heavens and a new Earth, and God will make divinely certain that Israel’s descendants and name will remain forever and ever.
I can think of no better way to end this study teaching than to reflect upon God’s promise of the consummating Eternal Kingdom in Revelation and what we all have, as believers, to look forward to in the future.
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:1-5
This must be one of the most amazingly beautiful passages in all of Scripture and such a precious promise by God to His people — and I, for one, cannot wait!
How about you?
***
May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
➢ Email: mab10666@yahoo.com – I would love to hear from you!
➢ If you have not given your life to Jesus Christ and are seeking answers about God, Jesus Christ, the gospel, and salvation, please email me at mab10666@yahoo.com for information.
➢ I am still taking questions for the Questions from the Body of Christ series. If you or someone you know has a question pertaining to the Word of God – theology, difficult passages, eschatology, etc. – I would really like to hear from you.
➢ To view my entire catalogue of articles, please visit my Home Page on FaithWriters.com.
The post Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom :: By Mark A. Becker appeared first on Rapture Ready.
