The Ministry of Serving Others, Making a Difference

The Blessing of Serving Others

Book of Ephesians 3:1-13

To understand this passage, we must realize that we as Christians all have a personal ministry after our salvation. There are none who are excluded!

The Apostle Paul, even though he was bound in irons and limited by his cell, continued in his personal ministry given to him by the Lord. The same ministry given to us all.

Christians are to make an impact in this world!

The Lord Jesus Christ changed this world when He first came and when He returns the changes to this world will be even more dramatic!

We must understand that the "Gospel" will never lose its freshness, it will be relevant in every age!

We must also understand that the "Gospel" can never be exhausted because God's "Grace" can never be exhausted.

We must understand that the "Gospel" is for every human that breathes God's air!

We must certainly understand there will be great blessings come to those who serve the "Gospel" to others!

*****Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

This cause, would be the entire subject of the first two chapters but summed up in the last verse of chapter two.

Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul clearly understood that he was to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, but it did not stop his craving to reach out to his brother Jews. Had Paul devoted his ministry to the Jews, he may have been honored and beloved, but he would have been outside the will of God.

Since Paul took his ministry to the Gentiles he was hated by his countrymen but inside the will of God.

The absolute safest place any of us can be is in the will of God!

This goes to show us, being in the will of God may mean we will hated by our nation.

When we step out of the bounds of our ministry, we are stepping out of the will of God for us!

Paul was a willing prisoner in bonds in a sense because he had taken his ministry to the Gentiles.

As Christians we all exist to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus Christ who will set the bounds of our ministry!

Paul reached out to the Gentiles, we are to reach out to all people after we have reached out to our family!

Our family is our very first missionary field!

It is God's purpose to form a brand-new race of people which are called Christian by the world but, are the "Body of Christ", "Born Again" into the family of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered for His message.

The Apostle Paul suffered because of his message.

As Christians, we will all suffer as we tell the story of Jesus!

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

To be a Christian we will have been touched by the "Grace" of God.

*****Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

The Apostle Paul was called of God.

The Apostle Paul existed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and this by the ''Grace" of God!

Most every minister of the Gospel will suffer to bring the "Gospel" to God's people.

Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

The Apostle Paul suffered greatly because he was a Jew who was called of God to preach the "Gospel" of "Grace" to the Gentiles.

The Apostle Paul existed to be a good steward of the Word of God!

This is the example that all the teachers of the Gospel should try to meet, a good steward of God's Word.

As the people who sit regularly in the pews, we simply do not always realize the responsibility God lays upon His Pastors!

Even in this, the Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest example for the true Pastor.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

To be quite honest the Lord says for all of us to pick up our own cross and follow Him.

Mat_16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

In fact, the Lord Jesus is very serious about this!

Mat_10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, "is not worthy of me".

The cross is an instrument of death and Jesus was speaking to His disciples when He spoke these words.

Every disciple of God is to be a steward of God's "Grace"!

And again, we see this word "mystery”, but we also see how Paul explains it.

A mystery in the New Testament is something that God did not expressly make known in the Old Testament. The information was there in the Old Testament but just like today not many would study the Scriptures to dig out those nuggets of golden information or some, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees would interpret their own beliefs and keep the truth from the people and the Essenes were just too legalistic to express the real truth to others.

We could say that these mysteries in the New Testament where things that God Himself had to reveal to humanity.

If we go through the Scriptures, we see repeatedly where God had to provide examples to prove that His Words are all true!

God still says what He means, and God still means what He says.

As sinners we have by nature a veil over our eyes and we cannot see spiritual matters!

The Lord Jesus Christ spent 3 and 1/2 years opening the eyes of His disciples to the great mysteries of the Old Testament.

Even Paul spent 3 years under the tutelage of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

We should understand there will be no new Scriptures other than we have now but, there may still be some important jewel, locked away in the Scriptures that God has not opened our eyes to yet.

It is only the pure in heart who will be able to see the hidden mysteries of God!

The one pure fact that we know for sure today is that God has totally revealed His is plan of salvation, the most important promises in all the Scriptures!

The Scriptures were opened up to some by the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ came Himself to make sure there is no misunderstanding of the Scriptures!

*****Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

What are some of the greatest benefits for accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior?

We will be joint=heirs with the things of Christ, who is the Son of God.

We will be accepted as the same "Body of Christ", the Church, the Bride of Christ.

We will be partakers of the promises of God to His Son!

It is the by the truth of the Gospel which brings us to faith and a heavenly inheritance.

Let's think on this for a moment: Whatever God does throughout eternity, we will be a part of it and we already know that there will be no sin and no sinners around to mess things up!

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

In the Old Testament we know that the saved Jews are the apple of God's eyes but guess what? God is no respecter of persons and we the saved Gentiles will share in everything by Jesus Christ and be part of that apple.

We do not have to approach God through Judaism with all its laws but by Jesus Christ we can walk right into the throne room of God like it is our own home and He who sits on the throne is our own Father! We may not realize how great this privilege is, but it is true!

The "Body of Christ" is alive because the Spirit of God dwells in each of us and with one life and one purpose we are God's force against evil until God takes us home!

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

All the promises to the Jews are just are just as true for the Gentile.

It will be the Jews who will join with the Gentiles and not the Gentiles who will join with the Jews because God will not deal with the Jews as the nation of Israel until after the "rapture of the Church!

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is the ministry and the message Paul had for the Gentile nations and this message made its way to the United States of America because of the Apostle Paul and those who followed in his footsteps.

*****Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

We can only imagine Paul as the glorious "Gospel" was opened to Him and Paul understood the "Grace" of God better than most because he had persecuted God's Church and had been forgiven.

Each Pastor may differ in the gifts of God’s of "grace”, but the Apostle Paul can be an example to them all.

We should also understand that each of us have been given certain talents to be used in our service to God and no matter what it is, it must also include the "gospel" of Jesus Christ and the proof of our existence by the 'Grace" of God.

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We are saved only by the "Grace of God" but through "Faith" in the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead was the same power that had allowed the "Grace" of God to work in Paul's life and it had worked so wonderfully that Paul preached the "gospel of Jesus Christ with every breath he took.

Paul, like us all, certainly felt unworthy to be used of God.

*****Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

All his days Paul carried a heavy burden because he had persecuted the church he was now trying to build. The lesson for us is Paul's humbleness.

If we cannot humble ourselves before the Lord, then we cannot be saved. If we can humble ourselves before the Lord, He will forgive the most terrible of sins. God can save any sinner, anywhere, at any time!

We can walk right in to the throne room of God, but we better be humble when we get there yet even a humble person can be bold!

Paul looked back on the things he had done before he had asked the Lord to come into his heart and when we look back we know there was nothing good about our life of sin, nothing at all.

We should look back on occasion, but we should also know that God has forgotten everything that we have ask Him to forgive!

God took a dirty rotten sinner such as Paul and made him into the greatest missionary this world has ever seen.

And before we feel so high and mighty we were all sinners such as Paul.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul was "washed" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was "sanctified" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was "justified" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

These are the things it takes to be adopted into the family of God!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

It is because of God's "Mercy" that any of us can receive God's "Grace"!

And again God's "Grace" is God's Riches at Christ Expense!

We know that the calling of the Gentiles into God's Church was a mystery that the Jews did not see coming.

The resurrection of the dead was a mystery that the Jews could not explain.

The relationship of the Lord Jesus and His Church is still a mystery to the Jews.

The mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks were a mystery.

The mystery of the woman clothed in scarlet was a mystery.

The Anti-Christian power at work in the day of Paul and continues today, was a mystery.

**The mystery of blessings that come from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest mystery of all and the free exercise of His love, He showed to all humanity when He gave His life, so all His creation could be saved.

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isa 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

The Lord Jesus Christ was certainly the cause of Creation because all things were made by Him.

God wants a people who have chosen, who have elected, who have been "Born Again" just so they can spend eternity with their Creator who is also their Savior and Redeemer!

And because the Church has been formed and Christ Jesus has finished the work of salvation, all of Heaven is aware of God's plan and the Church now knows the plan for the New Heaven!

*****Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Surely as Heaven looks down upon this earth and sees God's mercy shown to His creation, it is a sight to behold.

We should understand that there must be principalities and powers in Heaven that we just do not understand the workings of.

We know that the Lord is also Lord of the angelic host and those that remain in Heaven have chosen to follow the Lord rather than follow Satan.

The angels did not understand the Church until the Lord formed the Church, but the angels have seen God's Church grow. This is something that the angelic hosts cannot do. They have a set number even though it is a large number.

There is not one angel that can be filled with the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit!

1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to consider.

We can even see that the Jews never understood the Church, nor the "Grace" of God, but they had witnessed it many times.

We can see that the angels do not understand the filling of the Holy Spirit and the Saint of God who wears the seal of God, but they are also used as ministers of the "Gospel" but without the power of the Holy Spirit!

Rev_14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

What we see is that God's plan of salvation toward those who choose to be the "Body of Christ" is open for all God's creation to witness.

What does God say?

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God's purpose for all those who choose to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer is eternal!

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

God chose the work of redemption because in redemption it is the work of "perfection" and we are saved by the Lord of perfection.

The boldness of the Church comes by our perfect Lord Jesus!

*****Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

These gifts of God are free to the believer.

The truth is as believers, we can talk to our Father in Heaven without fear of offending Him!

We have access to the most powerful being to have ever existed and He will continue to exist throughout eternity!

We have the liberty to snuggle up to our Father in Heaven without rebuke.

Jas_4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you......

We can approach our God being confident that He will respond to us!

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

When we come in the name of Jesus Christ we will find nothing but success!

God is a God of truth and when we come to Him in truth we have access to all the wonders of God!

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

By Jesus Christ we have access to eternal life!

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Knowing all these things, we must also realize just as Jesus Christ suffered in this world, we will also suffer in this world!

*****Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Wherefore means in view of these facts, the previous Scriptures:

The welcome of all Gentiles of "faith" into the Church.

The Church is the "Body of Christ"

This has been the purpose of God from the beginning and throughout all the ages.

Heaven has been made aware of the plan of God.

All the Saints of God have free access into the throne room of God.

We will suffer tribulations for doing the work God has given us to do until He takes us home!

These sufferings, not indicating defeat or failure but glory because the world has seen those of faith to be like Jesus Christ and suffer as He suffered.

Luk_24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

1Pe_5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Throughout the Book of Acts and the Epistles of Paul, we have seen the many places where he suffered for preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

None of us will ever suffer as Paul suffered for then he would no longer be an example, but we can say that Paul suffered so that we here today will one day be glorified!

Paul was willing to suffer for the Church to survive!

As we who may suffer some in tribulations we should all keep our mind on the glory that lies ahead for the child of God!

To faint at the work that God has given us to do means we are cowards!

Amen.

The Goodness of God

God's Blessings to Obedient Nations

Book of Isaiah Chapter 60

We should all understand that there is no one more secure than those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

The truth is, in the last days of human history, the Lord Jesus Christ will return to set up God's Kingdom on this earth for 1000 years!

It is after this that God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth for all His people and the history of this world will be over and no other books will be written about this earth, it will not exist as a place for the living!

Rev_19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

Rev 21:1 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.

Rev 21:5 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.

Throughout history, the city of Jerusalem has been destroyed time after time but it has always been rebuilt.

There was the Assyrian destruction, the Babylon destruction, and the devastation by Rome recorded in the Bible and many battles surrounding Jerusalem since that time.

The nation of Israel is so tiny, one would wonder why it is constantly in the news today.

It is really very simple. Most all this world hates the God of Israel and not Israel itself!

It astounds me that so many in America ridicule the Christian because of our faith in Jesus Christ and say we all worship the same God. If that is so true then why is the Nation of Israel always under the attack of all Muslim countries?

The truth is Jerusalem will continue to be the focus of the world, simply because of what God says and the rest of the world trying to stop what God said He will do! They will find that this is impossible!

If everyone in the world truly believe we all worship the same God, then why does this entire world try to end the future of Jerusalem as described by the Word of God.

What does God say?

Rom_3:4 God forbid: yea, "let God be true, but every man a liar"; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

What else does God say?

*****Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

It is said that in the East that the Sun does not rise as we understand the rising of the Sun. In the East, the Sun leaps above the horizon.

When those people feel it is time for sunrise, then suddenly it is already up in all its glory.

We should clearly understand that this is the same way the Lord will return. When we know that we live in the last days before the Lord returns at any moment the Glory of the Lord will appear in the Eastern Sky.

Why the Eastern Sky? So, the world will clearly see that the Messiah is much brighter than the Sun He created!

Of course, we also know that the only thing that will happen before this day is, the Lord will meet the Church in the clouds!

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There is still coming a day when Jerusalem will be lit by the glory of God and in New Jerusalem there will be no darkness at all.

The world seems to think that light comes before darkness but this is backwards and this has always been backwards.

God brought light into a dark world!

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And why will the Lord appear in all His glory and bring a new light to Jerusalem because again after the Church has been removed, this world will be in total darkness, not because the Sun does not shine but because this entire world will be in the darkness of sin and depravity!

God again will bring light to darkness, when He brings the glorious Light of the Lord, into this dark and evil world!

*****Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

We may think of New York City as the one point of light in this world but the fact remains that it is the city of Jerusalem that is the one point of light on the entire surface of this earth!

Jerusalem is still known as the city of God!

Even those of Islam and other false religions, call Jerusalem the Holy City!

Psa 68:15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

Psa 68:16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

What did Moses ask of God?

Exo_33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

How did God respond?

Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

God did not say to Moses, let me show you how powerful I am.

God did not say let me show you all my infinite wisdom.

God did not say let me show you all my glorious possessions.

God simply said to Moses, "Let Me Show You My Goodness"!

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is God's Goodness, (Good News) and God's Goodness comes from God's "Mercy"!

The "Glory" of God's goodness is seen in the "gift" of His Son!

When the Sun arises in the morning, it will always show God's creation in it's true colors.

When the Son of God first came to shine His Light upon this earth, He opened our eyes to the truth of the Word of God!

We should clearly understand that the Church has no light of its own, that Light is of Jesus Christ!

We will see that again darkness will cover this earth after the "Rapture" of the Church and again this earth will be covered in spiritual darkness.

Just as Egypt lay in "thick darkness" by the words of Moses, the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

When Jerusalem is lightened again by the Lord, the glory of God will shine from King Jesus on the throne of God!

Again, the Lord will arise upon this earth and His glory will be centered on the city of Jerusalem. (Zion)

We know that the Lord ascended from the Mount of Olives and this same place is where He will return.

The Book of Leviticus describes this event.

Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.

Lev 9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

It is Jerusalem that is destined to first receive the Light and the Glory of God, when the Messiah returns but the whole world will be witnesses!

There is nothing that can stop the return of the Lord because it is destined by God Himself!

Isa 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

Rom_11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

God has made this "Covenant" (this guarantee) with the children of Israel.

Isa 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

But many Gentiles will also flow into the City, lit by the Glory of God!

*****Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isa 60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

It is the "Glory of the Lord" the King of kings, the Lord of lords, that will draw all nations to Jerusalem!

The Millennial Kingdom will be a time of worship and centered in Jerusalem it will be the place of worship!

It is these Gentiles who make sure that the "remnant" of the Jews gets back home.

This could also mean that some of the Jews will carry dear Gentile friends to be with the Lord, just as Oriental mothers carried small children on their hip with their arm around them to keep them from falling.

This could also describe Jerusalem as the Mother of all the children of God!

In any case, it is the flow of God's people that remain after the 7 years of tribulation and the wrath of God, into the Holy City!

The Holy City of Jerusalem will not only be the center of worship but it will also be the center of world-wide commerce!

*****Isa 60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

Once we are enlightened by the Word of God, our eyes can be opened to the truth!

The eyes of God's chosen nation will be opened and they will flock to the truth of God!

Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

The entire world left after the 7-year Tribulation Period will flock to the "City of God"!

Isa 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Those that cannot come by land will come by sea along with all commerce by sea.

We know that most of the wealth of this world is now used for evil purposes or hoarded for personal gain but in the time of Christ, all the wealth of this world will finally be used to promote the truth of God and the care of those who have a great need.

The wealth of this world will be used in the service of the true Church!

What cannot make it by sea will come by land!

*****Isa 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

Isa 60:7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

It could be said that this not only represents the world financial system, operating under the leadership of the Lord but we can see that this area represents those that remain of Ishmael being turned to Christianity and those that remain of the daughters of Lot.

They all shall show praise to the Lord. Notice this is Jehovah, the Holy God of Israel and not those imaginary gods they had been led to believe!

The truth is there will be no one in the world of that day, who will be homeless.

No one will be naked in need of clothes.

There will be no one starving for lack of food.

There will never again be a famine of the Word of God!

Repeatedly we also see the descendants of Ishmael return to the Lord.

We should also understand that these animals are not brought to the Lord for sacrifice but to be included in the service of the church!

All people will gladly present their offerings to the Lord!

The Lord does not need anything we have but He will always accept offerings that come from the heart!

And then "Who are these fly as a cloud"?

*****Isa 60:8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

In fact, has we have seen in other lessons, those that would return to Jerusalem are in such a great number, they are compared to the clouds.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Those that come to the Lord will be as the gentle dove!

They will be loving.

They will be harmless.

They will be meek and humble.

They will return as if they had lost their mate and had found Him again.

The dove mates for life and so does the true Christian to the Lord Jesus!

*****Isa 60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

Isa 60:10 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".

Just as in the days of Solomon, all will try their best to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His wisdom.

Just as in the days of Cyrus, it will be the Gentile world that will finance the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple for another time after the wrath of God.

Even much greater than the wrath of God, is His mercy!

During the Church Age, we actually live in the day of God's "Mercy"!

God has provided a means for eternal salvation for each and every believer because of His "Mercy"!

God will restore Israel because of His "Mercy"!

These are the two promises God has made with His created humans and He just ask us to trust Him and why not, what in this world is so promising as the Word of God!

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

There have been many kings who have tried to take Jerusalem throughout history who have tried to make the city of Jerusalem the dominant capitol of this world and they have failed.

These include Solomon, Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, Alexander the Great, Constantine, Theodosius, Charlemagne, just to name a few that we may know, but when the "King of kings" sits on the throne of Israel the city of Jerusalem will truly become the "City of Peace"!

During the time of the Messiah here on this earth for those 1000 years, God will rule with a "rod of iron" that is used with "Mercy" and "Grace"!

Therefore, the gates of the city of Jerusalem will be continuously open!

*****Isa 60:11 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.

Isa 60:12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

During the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom, this world will actually know what peace is all about!

There will be no fear of enemies entering the City of Jerusalem nor any other city.

When I was growing up, we could roam anywhere and were safe in doing so.

Those days will return for the children born during the Millennial reign of the Lord!

All who seek the Lord will be able to see Him in person!

Those who are poor will kneel, side by side by those who were kings at the feet of the Lord.

There will be no disagreement with anything that the Lord will do or what the Lord will say!

Rev_19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Many call New York City the city that never sleeps and it is sin that keeps this city awake but Jerusalem, when the Lord Jesus sits on the throne, will never sleep because of righteousness!

There will be no lawlessness at all because, all who will not serve the Lord will perish!

Those who say that a loving God would never do such a thing are fools who ignore the truth of God!

Psa 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Psa 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

There only be one law and that will be the Law of God, in fact it will be much like Heaven on Earth now under the direct law of God.

The Lord Jesus died on Calvary's cross because He was rejected! During the Millennial reign of Christ all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ will be removed from this earth and will perish!

Jerusalem will be a place of beauty!

*****Isa 60:13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

We know the Temple of the Lord will have been rebuilt and Jerusalem will be a place of beauty!

It can be said that similar materials used to build the Temple of Solomon will be used to build this new Temple, some say the Temple described by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 41-42)

This Temple will also be a place of reverence, for our Lord Jesus will honor this Temple with His presence!

The truth is, it was many of the Jews who persecuted the Church and since these have been converted even they will serve in the Church and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords!

There will also be Gentiles of many nations who will do the same!

Jerusalem which is now home to most every religion on the face of this earth, will again be known as the City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel!

The city that has been called so may names such as barren and desolate, will become a true thing of beauty.

In truth, the door of salvation has been wide open since the Messiah, Lord Jesus Christ first came to establish His Church!

The world is just so full of darkness that most cannot find the doorway to Christ, because of the darkness of sin in their lives!

Mat_7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

God will soon execute judgment upon all that is evil and all darkness will be removed and the way to the Lord will be clearly lit!

Some things will still never change:

1) Access into God's presence is still only granted to those who call on the name of Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ is "that Gate", "that Door" that leads to eternal life!

Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

2) Access into God's presence is granted only to those who now know the truth of God's Word, this will never change!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

3) Access into God's presence is only allowed to those who turn away from sin and turn toward the Lord. (Repent)

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

These things will never change in any age since the time of Christ.

And the city that has seen so much turmoil since the time of King David will then become the City of Peace!

*****Isa 60:15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

Isa 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Zion was once forsaken by her Maker, as a wife is forsaken because of her adulteries.

Jer_13:27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

It must be that same Maker who would make Zion an eternal excellency and a joy for many generations!

Jer 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

Jer 30:18 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.

Jer 30:19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

Jer 30:20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

God will always do what He says He will do and it is this very thing in which we must place our "faith"!

Now, the wealth of the world will be used to promote the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ centered upon Zion, Jerusalem!

*****Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

Time and time again, the gold of the Temple had been stolen or given away and replaced with brass and so with the silver and the other valuables but now all these things would be returned to do what they were intended to do!

Jerusalem has gone through so many hands and devastation all these years that in reality much of the world hates this city.

Even today not many, including many Jews, even want Jerusalem declared the capitol city of Israel.

In the day of the Messiah, Jerusalem will become the most prized possession of all the citizens of this earth and all the nations of this world will provide to make this so!

All the government of the world, will be centered in Jerusalem and true peace will be the theme of the government and righteousness will be the law of the land!

Righteousness is not only doing things right but it is doing things that are morally right!

Righteousness is the character of God!

Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

For 1000 years this world we live in now, will undergo a major transition.

*****Isa 60:18 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 truth is there will be no prisons, no jails, no police officers and no need for a military because there will be no violence in the streets when the Lord sits on His throne in Jerusalem.

Isa 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, 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 nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

This will be a world that has repented because it will only have in it a people who have repented and returned to the Lord!

The prophecies of God will continue to be fulfilled!

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Salvation comes by the purpose of God through the Lord Jesus Christ!

It was the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) who came to this lost world to restore those who would commit themselves to Him to that harmony of God which had been lost because of the sin of Adam! (Disobedience to the Word of God)

Salvation is our wall of protection because it is assured by the Lord!

Praise is our gateway into the presence of God!

God warns us today to think about these promises before it is too late:

Psa 50:22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Psa 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

To be saved is to live in the "Glory" of the Lord forever!

*****Isa 60:19 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.

Isa 60:20 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.

Without the darkness that sin has brought to this world all who have committed themselves to the Lord during the Tribulation period will see a new light!

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

That Light was the Son of God at that time and it will be the glory of the Son of God who will light up this world in the 1000 years He will sit upon His earthly throne!

Eze 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

Just as light enters a dark room, The Lord Jesus Christ will scatter all the darkness of this world, leaving no place for it to hide there will not even be a shadow of darkness.

There will be no ignorance of the Word of God. The truth of God will be constant and there will also be no shadow of change in God's Word!

What we find if we look is, that the Word of God is consistent from the Book of Genesis through the Book of Revelation and we have never seen our God change in anything that He has said or that He has ever done.

This will always be true!

When all the world does the right things according to the Word of God, we will once again know the paradise of God!

*****Isa 60:21 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.

Isa 60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

Once again, the world will be a people planted by their Creator, the work of the hands of God!

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

In truth, we all as sinners have realized that pain and sorrow are the only fruits of sin. Once sin has disappeared all sorrow will go with it!

I have said many times that we cannot truly enjoy a good day until we have been though a bad day.

We will never know the truth of joy until all sorrow is gone from this world!

When the Lord Jesus Christ was upon this earth the Church began with 12 fishers of men and by the end of the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom it will have grown into a strong nation!

None of these things will find their completion until the Lord returns, first to take His Church out of this world and second to rid this world of sin!

When it is time, the Lord will come quickly!

What is the Lord waiting on?

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Lord will not return until that very last soul is saved to end the Church Age!

Questions?

Let's Pray!