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Even though they are taught
God's Iaws, many people will at first
have to be forced to obey them!
"And he shall judge among the na–
tions , and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation
shall not lift up sword against na–
tion, neither shall they learn war
any more" (verse 4).
Israel Blessed Under God's
Government
God's dealing with Israel is often
used as a type of the way He will
deal with all nations. Many of the
Old Testament prophecies con–
cerning the millennium have par–
ticular reference to Israel. Yet, since
God is no respecter of persons (Acts
10:34), this may be viewed as a type
of what God wíll do, in principie,
for all nations as they serve and
obey Christ.
Speaking of the final regathering
of Jsrael, God says: "And I will
bring again the captivity of my
people oflsrael, and they shall build
the waste cities, and inhabit them;
and they shall plant vineyards, and
drink the wine thereof; they shall
also make gardens, and eat the fruit
of them. And l will plant them upon
their land, and they shall no more
be pulled up out of their land which
1 have given them, saith the Lord
thy God" (Amos 9: 14-15).
The fulfillment of this prophecy is
yet in the future, for God says Israel
shall "no more" be pulled out of her
land at that time. This is speaking of
the great physical blessings God is
going to shower upon His people of
Israel when He brings them back
from captivity after Christ's return.
(If you do not yet understand the
true identity of America, Britain
and the democratic peop les of
northwestern Europe, please write
for our free booklet entitled
The
United States and British Common–
wea/th in Prophecy.)
In a prophecy written over one
hundred years after the first and
only captivity of non-Jewish Israel
so far, God prophesied through
Jeremiah of a future captivity of
Israel-our people-and their resto–
ration back to Palestine after
The
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1979
Christ's return (Jer. 30: 1-1 1). The
time of our national captivity is
called "the time of Jacob's trouble"
(verse 7). But we will be rescued out
of this national punishment and
captivity at the second coming of
Jesus Christ: "For it shall come to
pass in that day, saith the Lord of
hosts, that I will break his yoke [our
yoke of captivity) from off thy neck,
and will burst thy bonds, and
strangers shall no more serve them–
selves of him: But they shall serve
the Lord their God, and David their
king, whom 1 will raise up unto
them" (verses 8-9). At Christ's com–
ing, Israel will be delivered from
their captivity, and David and all
the saints will be resurrected from
the dead to take their places as
kings and priests in God's govern–
ment to rule this earth under Christ.
"Therefore fear thou not, O my
servant Jacob, saith the Lord; nei–
ther be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo,
1
will save thee from afar, and thy
seed from the land of their captiv–
ity; and Jacob shall return, and shall
be in rest, and be quiet, and none
shall make him afraid" (verse 10).
At last peace shall come to this war–
torn world- and Israel shall no more
be made afraid by any nation!
Joy Under God's Government
Referring to the entire prophecy,
God says: "... in the latter days ye
shall consider it" (verse 24). Jere–
miah 31 continues with the same
prophecy (verse 1), and God telis of
His blessings to Israel at that time:
"Again 1 will build thee, and thou
shalt be built, O virgin of Israel:
thou shalt again be adorned with
thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the
dances of them that make merry.
Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the
mountains of Samaria: the planters
shall plant, and shall eat them as
common things" (Jer. 31 :4-5).
Dancing, singing, happiness and
joy will overflow in abundance as
Israel is blessed by God after Christ
brings them back to Palestine to be
the chief nation of the world and to
set a pattern for all nations of His
government.
After their national punishment
and captivity, they will come back
repentant and contrite. "They shall
come with weeping, and with suppli–
cations will
1
Jead them" (verse 9).
But as they return, God will begin
to bless them in every possible
way- spiritually and physically.
"Therefore they shall come and sing
in the height of Zion, and shall flow
together to the goodness of the
Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and
for oil, and for the young of the
flock and of the herd: and their soul
shall be as a watered
g~rden;
and
they shall not sorrow any more at
all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in
the dance, both young men and old
together: for
l
will turn their mourn–
ing into joy, and will comfort them,
and make them rejoice from their
sorrow" (verses 12-13).
Through obedience to God's
ways, there will be an abundance of
good things to eat and drink- and
there will be overflowing happiness
in the human heart at last!
The en tire 11th chapter of Isaiah
is a description of the coming thou–
sand-year reign of Christ on earth.
Here Christ is described as the
"branch" or offspring of Jesse. He
will be totally motivated by God's
Spirit to become the perfect world
Ruler!
As a divine Being,
"h~
shall not
judge after the sight of his eyes," but
will be able toread the thoughts and
hearts of men everywhere. He will
judge the poor and downtrodden
"with righteousness" and will punish
the wicked with the death penalty,
which will put fear into the hearts of
evildoers (verses 3-4).
After Christ's return, the wild and
vicious nature shall be removed
even from the wild anima ls such as
the wolf, the !ion, and the poisonous
snakes! "The wolf also shall dwell
with the lamb, and the leopard shall
Iie down with the kid; and the calf
and the young !ion and the fatl ing
together; and a little child shall lead
them" (verse 6).
Most important of all , human
beings everywhere will at last Iearn
God's way which alone can bring
peace. "They shall not hÚrt _nor de–
stroy in all my holy mountain: for
the earth shall be full of the knowl–
edge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea" (verse 9).
This is the wonderful time spoken
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