Jesus observed that his disciples had continued with him in his temptations or some of his persecution at the hands of the Jewish authorities and others. Jesus then said he would appoint a key place in His kingdom that his father had appointed for him. The disciples would have been thinking of the earthly physical Messianic Kingdom promised to the Jews in the Old Testament or Hebrew scriptures rather than the current spiritual phase of God's kingdom in this present Church age. This is made clear when Jesus promises them that they will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel which would be quite appropriate for the Messianic Kingdom or Millennial Kingdom after the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and before the eternal kingdom when God the Father will primarily be ruling as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 in the New Testament. In the Old Testament God promises he will restore judges as at the first that in the period of judges before the kings of Israel to help Messiah Jesus rule the world and the nation of Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. The twelve thrones to the twelve disciples of Jesus over the twelve tribes of Israel will be part of this Messianic Kingdom rule. Of course, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and he was one of the twelve disciples so he is disqualified from God's blessing including to rule one of the tribes of Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. The other judge will be either Matthias mentioned in Acts 1 to replace Judas or perhaps the apostle Paul. The other main thing in this passage is that the apostles are also promised they will have close fellowship with Jesus the King of kings and King of the Jews in the Messianic Kingdom by being allowed to sit with him at his table. This speaks of friendship and close fellowship and is meant to be taken literally probably at the palace of the Lord Jesus in the Messianic Kingdom that for instance is mentioned in Psalm 45:15 and perhaps other places in the Old Testament although Messiah Jesus will also rule in the Messianic Kingdom from the holy of holies in the Messianic Kingdom temple mentioned in Ezekiel 40-48 and other scriptures. The scripture reference from Luke 22 of the reward appointed to Jesus' disciples for being faithful to him in his first earthly ministry that they will receive in the future Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is as follows:
Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28-30
In Ephesians 1 in the New Testament the phrase the dispensation of the fulness of times is used. A dispensation is from the Greek word economio which means an administration during a specific period of time in this case God's Millennial Kingdom administration when he will bring blessing on the believing Jews and Gentiles and the Church. The phrase fulness of times means the times of the fulness of God's blessings from his word over all time that is the blessings to Israel of the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic and New covenants and the blessings to the Church of the New Covenant and Abrahamic covenants. There will also be fulness then in the sense that it will be the fulness or culmination of God dealing with mankind in time before eternity. An indication that this period is the Millennial Kingdom and not eternity is that all these blessings will be under the Lord Jesus Christ rather than God. In 1 Corinthians 15 the scripture says clearly that God's blessing under His Son Jesus Christ will precede God's blessings under Himself directly which will be in eternity as in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. The Church will in the Millennium or Messianic Kingdom still have our home in heaven but will have ready access to earth with our resurrection bodies where we will help reign with Jesus for the 1000 years. Part of the Church's inheritance will be to reign with Him in his exaltation as the glorified saviour of the world and Messiah of Israel in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. The church is composed of those who first trusted in Christ or Messiah but there will be others both Jews and Gentiles who will also trust in Him in the tribulation and Millennial Kingdom that occur after the Church Age. All true Christians who admit we are sinners and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life are also then immediately indwelt, filled, baptized and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is a downpayment by God that is a guarantee of further blessings that await Christians in the life to come. This will include the redemption of the purchased possession or the redemption of our bodies with our new resurrection bodies that will occur at the rapture or catching up to heaven of the church or true Christians at the end of the present Church age and just preceding the tribulation that will start with the agreement of the Antichrist and Israel to allow the building of Israel's third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. True Christians will then come with Jesus from heaven at the end of the tribulation to earth to be with him when he judges the world and to enjoy setting up his kingdom on earth that will last 1000 years. Christians of course will also enjoy God and Jesus' eternal kingdom in the new heavens and new earth but I don't think that is what is referred to in the phrase the dispensation of the fulness of times. The scripture reference from Ephesians 1 of the phrase the dispensation of the fulness of times and its association with the Millennial Kingdom or Messianic Kingdom and some associated verses is as follows:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whome also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:10-14
In Psalm 148 there is a desciption on earth of a world mostly in harmony with God, certainly much more in harmony with God than the present time or in time so far. Therefore I would say this Psalm including the last couple verses are a description of life on Earth during the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus (Y'Shua) Christ (Meshiach). The Psalmist mentions that officials of the nations including kings and princes (that could include rulers in the business or other sectors) and judges would praise the Lord or God of the Bible. This is not the case partly because many people including society leaders are members of other religions or have no religion at all. The psalmist also mentions that people of both sexes and different age groups will praise or give glory to the one true God that also indicates this is talking about an almost ideal society like the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ after His second coming to take over rule of this Earth. The psalmist also mentions that during this period God will exalt His chosen earthly people that are physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) that are called his (the LORD's) people, a people near him and all his saints which is consistent with other passages in the Bible describing the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. These saints are not the Church or Christians but the literal children of Israel or the Jews and not the Church as the true Israel but the true Church will also be blessed with restored Israel and the Lord Jesus Christ according to some scriptures in the New Testament. The scripture reference from Psalm 148 of people of the nations and of the children of Israel enjoying God's blessings in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom is as follows:
Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 148:11-14
It is common to view King Solomon that ruled the nation of Israel at the height of its peace and prosperity and power as a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ in his future reign over the nation of Israel or the Jewish people in his Messianic Kingdom or Millennial Kingdom for 1000 years after his return in power and great glory at the end of the tribulation from heaven. As mentioned above, in the Gospel of Luke the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth promised his disciples they would eat at his table during his future glorious Messianic Kingdom rule on earth that will be the fulfillment of the blessings of God's covenants with his chosen earthly people the Jews or the nation of Israel through their leaders Abraham, Moses and David. There are two references in the Book of Kings to Solomon's table in his kingdom and both can shed light on the abundance of the table that Jesus will dine at with his disciples in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. The first one is in 1 Kings 4:27. In this reference God says in his word that Solomon had many horses, chariots and horsemen and part of their duty was to secure food for King Solomon and his officials. It is clear that King Solomon and his family and officials dined luxuriously in a way fit for a king as the scripture says they lacked nothing. Although this passage emphasizes more food from meat or animals and it is not sure that people will eat animals in the Messianic Kingdom as Isaiah 11:6-9 mentions the tameness of animals and that there will be no violence or killing of them for eating purposes in his holy mountain this still leaves open the possibility that animals would be allowed to be killed for food in other places in the Messianic Kingdom. Also it is clear from Ezekiel 40-48 as well as other passages in the Old Testament that animals will be killed for sacrifices in the Messianic Kingdom temple but God would consider this an honourable way for the animals to die as they would be dedicated to him. The other reference to Solomon's table is on the occasion of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon and his palace and country. Among other things, the Queen of Sheba was impressed by the meat of his (Solomon's) table which includes fruit and probably other food as well as animal meat. At these dinners or banquest the Queen of Sheba was also impressed by the sitting of King Solomon's servants and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel and his cupbearers which would all add to the grandeur and honour of King Solomon and his family and officials that dined probably at his palace in his glorious kingdom. This is also all representative of the glory that will be present with the Lord Jesus the Messiah and his officials including his disciples and others that will dine with him in his palace in the Messianic Kingdom as a way of rewarding his disciples and probably some of the prophets or godly kings or other leaders like Moses that were faithful to God in the Old Testament times. There might also be some invitations sometimes to leading saints of this present Church age to be present at Jesus' Millennial Kingdom table. The scripture reference in 1 Kings 10:5 of the observations and impression of the Queen of Sheba of King Solomon at his banqueting table is also mentioned in 2 Chronicles 9:4 where it is added there that after she saw all these things there was no more spirit in her meaning she was quite awestruck be the scene. The scripture references in 1 Kings of the table of King Solomon as representing the table of Messiah (Christ) Jesus at His Messianic or Millennial Kingdom in which he will be regularly joined by his disciples as their reward for their service to him in his first earthly ministry is as follows:
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 1 Kings 4:26-27
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 1 Kings 10:4-5
Thy (your) light will come especially refer to the light of Israel and also believers of the Gentiles(nations) which is their Messiah (Jesus) and the glory of the LORD (God the Father). The glory of the LORD risen upon you refers to the beginning of the day part of the Day of the LORD that will last for a thousand years just as a natural day on a nice day starts with a bright sunrise. There will also be darkness upon the peoples of the nations that will still be in chaos right after the Messiah (Jesus) and the LORD(God the Father) come. However the believers of the nations will see God's glory in Jerusalem and will seek and yield to God and His plan for Israel and the nations for the 1000 year Messianic Age because of His glory. The scripture reference in Isaiah 60 of God's coming in glory to set up His Messianic Kingdom with Israel as the prime nation and the believers of the nations seeking and yielding themselves to God and His glory is as follows:
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall rise upon thee(you), and his glory shall be upon thee. And the Gentiles(nations) shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:1-3
The Jews are urged to lift up their eyes in all directions around Israel that the people of all these nations even from far off in the world will bring their sons and daughters back to Israel in the beginning of the Messianic Age. The Jews will be encouraged by this and abundance of the people and resources of nations by the sea will be converted to Israel and the forces or authorities of the nations will come unto Israel. There will be very much trade by camel and other means in or through Israel including from Midian in the Sinai Peninsula. Those of Sheba (present day Yemen in the Arabian peninsula) will come and bring presents and praises to Israel and her glory through her LORD and Messiah(Jesus). God will also encourage the people of Kedar and Nebaioth who were sons of Ishmael and whose descendants lived in northern Arabia to come up to Israel with animals of their flocks. These animals will be at least partly for sacrifice to the LORD the God of Israel and of all nations on His altar in Jerusalem and will be accepted of the LORD. This will be a way God will glorify His Messianic Age Temple or House which is described in detail in Ezekiel 40-48. Also the isles(or coastlands) (places and peoples far from Israel such as Northern Europe, the South Asia the Far East, Central Asia, places of the former Soviet Union, Subsaharan Africa, Oceania and the Americas) will wait on the LORD. As well the people from Tarshish (Spain and Portugal) by ship and perhaps by plane(vs 8) will bring Israel's sons(and daughters) and their riches with them unto the LORD and land of Israel He has given to the Jews. God then will further glorify or bring prosperity to these nations that are faithful to bring His people and possessions to their land. The specific mention of gold and silver as resources that will be brought by some of the Gentile nations to the LORD in Jerusalem are probably an indication that these metals will be the basis of the currency and economy in the Millennial Kingdom both in the resources that will come into the Kingdom and probably also what God will distribute to the nations through Messiah Jesus and His worldwide government. The scripture reference in Isaiah 60 of people from many nations coming to Israel to bring the Jewish people and their possessions among the nations there and also to worship the LORD at His Temple in Jerusalem and God's blessing also to the nations with prosperity in the Messianic Age is as follows:
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. Then thou(you) 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. 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 show forth the praises of the LORD. 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. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 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. Isaiah 60:4-9
In the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel and the Battle of Armageddon, the properties or cities of Israel will be partly or largely destroyed by the nations and the plagues of that time. God will raise up believers in Him of the nations to rebuild the cities and properties of Israel and its walls and to serve God and His earthly people Israel in the Messianic Kingdom in Jerusalem and the land of Israel. The gates of the cities or properties of Israel being open and not shut day or night means there will be a time of full peace and prosperity there. The word gates especially the expression thy gates or the singular of the second person gates is often used in Deuteronomy especially about the Levites sons or daughters, fatherless or widows or strangers within a given area. Although this could refer to the towns or cities of Israel, it could just as well refer to the properties or estates of well-off landowners such as what the Bible calls elders or people like Boaz in the book of Ruth. The armies or people and kings of the nations will come freely, peacably and in a way to bring blessing to Jerusalem and the Jewish people in the Messianic Kingdom of Jesus Christ. God will also establish and enforce a system that will curse the nation and kingdom that will not serve Israel and the Jewish people in the Messianic Age. This will also help motivate most if not all nations to bless and serve Israel then. The LORD God will also then use the wood of the trees of Lebanon such as the fir tree, the pine tree and the box tree (a type of cedar tree) to build His Messianic Kingdom Temple or House in Jerusalem. This will be as He also used the cedar trees from Lebanon in an agreement with King Hiram of Lebanon with King Solomon of Israel to build Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem as God's Temple before. God will also lead or compel those of the nations, even of the nations that persecuted the Jewish people in the tribulation or before the tribulation, to worship the LORD the God of Israel in His Temple in Jerusalem in the Messianic Age. The people of these nations will also acknowledge that Jerusalem is the city of the LORD the one true God and the God who blesses Israel in the Messianic Age. The Gentiles or people of the nations will also acknowledge that the God of the Bible will choose the Jews to be a witness to the nations of the LORD as the One true God and His better ways according to His law and word and through His Messiah the Lord Jesus. The Gentiles will also acknowledge God and will choose His servant or prince King David to rule under God the Earth and its people then. The scripture passage in Isaiah 60 of this time of peace and prosperity of the people of the nations blessing God's chosen earthly people Israel and certainly God blessing those nations that bless Israel or the Jews in the Messianic Kingdom is as follows:
And the sons of strangers shall build up thy(your) walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee(you): 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. 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. The sons also of them that afflicted thee; shall come bending unto thee; and all they shall bow themselves down at the soles of they feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 60:10-14
God will reward Israel or the Jewish people for all they have suffered for His sake from the people of the nations who previously considered them forsaken and hated them. God will do this by making the Jewish people, Israel and its cities or properties something excellent and enduring that way forever and a cause for joy especially for the Jews themselves but also for those of the nations. The expression thy gates could refer to the cities of Israel or could refer to the properties or estates or Israel. Whatever the case this verse as well as earlier in this chapter is the same Hebrew as well as English word for gates used often in the Book of Deuteronomy for an extended household. God will also bring to pass that Israel will suck the milk of the Gentiles or nations and their kings or take blessing from provisions of the nations and their kings in the Messianic Age. This will also be a constant reminder to the Jews then and also to the people of the nations of the might of the LORD Israel's Saviour and Redeemer. God's final saving word for Isreal will be when he delivers them from the nations at the Battle of Armageddon when Jerusalem will be surrounded by the armies of the nations. God will also uphold Israel or the Jewish people and their receiving the riches of the nations throughout the 1000 year Messianic Age or Millenial Kingdom. This could also continue in the eternal age. The LORD will also bring prosperity to Israel in mineral wealth, either through the regular discovery of precious or useful minerals or metals in Israel itself or through Israel receiving an abundant supply of these precious or useful metals from the nations throughout the Messianic Age. The mention again here of silver and gold could again mean that these metals will be the basis of the economy and finances both in Israel and the world then instead of our current international banking system that is based on fractional banking reserves where banks only have to have deposits or a fraction of what they lend to others and governments can print money by fiat not backed by gold or other tangible wealth. The term officers can also mean financial officers and the term exactors can also mean tax collectors or collectors of tribute such as these offerings of gold and silver etc. from the nations. God will also establish that all Israel's officers such as police or prison guards to be characterized by peace and its exactors (tax collectors, armed forces leaders and employers) righteousness in the Messianic Age. The LORD will also establish and uphold peace as well as prosperity throughout the land of Israel not just Jerusalem throughout the Messianic Age. The scripture reference of this joy, prosperity, righteousness and peace among the Jews and the land of Israel and also among the nations in the Messianic Age from Isaiah 60 is as follows:
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. 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. 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. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; and thou shalt call thy walls Salvation and thy gates Praise. Isaiah 60:15-18
Although I don't believe this last part of this chapter is about the Messianic Kingdom, it however continues to describe God's blessing of His Earthly people Israel. However I think more this passage describes Israel in a new state where sin is removed completely and God and His glory will bring light to Israel and the New Jerusalem instead of the natural light of the sun and moon. God also promises to give the Jewish people the land of Israel including the counterpart in the New Earth and the New Jerusalem forever. However Revelation 21 and 22 in the New Testament make clear that Israel will share the New Jerusalem with the believers of the true Church of the present age and the kings and people of the nations who are believers in the LORD of other ages as well as the Church age. God also promises to bless Israel with population growth at this time. The scripture reference from Isaiah 60 of God continuing to give Israel His blessing, glory and their land in the eternal age is as follows:
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 60:19-22
Although they will be severely outnumbered and overpowered by their own means, God will give supernatural strength to his chosen earthly people Israel or the Jews at the end of the tribulation when all the nations come against Israel and Jerusalem to try to annihilate the Jews. In this passage the term daughter of Zion is used for the Jewish people of Jerusalem in their helplessness and as the objects of God's assistance and mercy. This phrase is also used in the New Testament as a reference to the people of Jerusalem when Jesus offered himself as their Messiah before he went to the cross for our sins and other times in the Hebrew scriptures or Old Testament literally for women of Jerusalem or symbolically for the city or people of Jerusalem when they fell into idolatry or other sin or when they were made desolate after God's judgment for their sin or when God blesses them at Messiah Jesus' second coming. This will enable the Jews to get the final victory over their adversaries. God will then direct them to consecrate the gain from the armies coming against Jerusalem such as gold and silver and clothing to the LORD and this gold and silver will be part of the basis of the economic and currency system in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom as noted also in Isaish 60. This economic system will extend for the whole earth which will all be under control of God and His Messiah Jesus of Nazareth. The scripture reference from Micah 4 of God giving victory over the Jews referred to as the daughter of Zion and his gaining through them the riches of the nations is as follows:
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the LORD of the whole earth. Micah 4:13
God says he will save his flock which means the Jews or the people of Israel both from the nations that will persecute them especially in the tribulation and from ungodly leaders among the Jews that persecute the genuine believers among the Jews. God says he will judge between cattle and cattle meaning he will judge between the prosperous but godless Jewish leaders that oppress more godly Jews and the godly more humble Jews that are persecuted by their more prosperous ungodly leaders. The LORD says he will set up one shepherd over them who will feed the people of Israel even his servant David. This is probably one of the main verses and passages in the Hebrew scriptures that give many Jews the idea of the coming Messiah that will be their political leader and liberator as Meschiach ben David or Messiah the son of David as distinguished from Messiah ben Joseph who was the suffering servant of the LORD that even some Jews will relate to Jesus of Nazareth in his first coming. However I and most Christians and Messianic Jews would say that these passages like this future shepherd over a blessed Israel among the nations is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ reigning over Israel in His Kingdom on earth after His second coming in glory. A reference in the New Testament where Jesus calls himself the one shepherd of the LORD is in Gospel of John 10:16 and he could well have had this reference in Ezekiel in mind looking forward to his second coming. However there might still be some basis of argument to say this shepherd in Ezekiel 34 that is also mentioned in Ezekiel 37:25 and in the last chapters of Ezekiel about the Messianic Kingdom temple in Jerusalem as the actual person of King David since in Ezekiel chapter 40 something the scripture says this prince will in the Messianic Kingdom have children which would be an awkward situation for Jesus Christ as the Son of God according to Christians including myself and the New Testament. God promises to restore the blessings to Israel of His covenant relationship with them in the Messianic Kingdom with making Israel the primary nation on earth that will be esteemed and blessed by the other nations then partly because they will then be aware of God blessing Israel with Messiah Jesus' judging the nations in order to set up His Kingdom on earth. God says that David will be his appointed ruler over Israel in the Messianic Kingdom whether you believe that is David or the Messiah in the line of David such as the Lord Jesus Christ although most Jews wouldn't yet acknowledge him as their Messiah even though he is in the line of David and fulfilled many Old Testament scriptures about the Messiah. God promises peace to Israel when he puts this shepherd over them and saves them from their oppressors. God also promises to take away or tame wild animals in the land of Israel as is also mentioned in Isaiah and other scriptures and that Christians identify with God taking away some of the curse in the Garden of Eden according to Romans 8. God also promises he will make the Jews and the places around his hill meaning his holy hill of Mount Zion where the Messianic Kingdom Temple will be built a blessing to other Jews and to all the nations that remain in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. God also promises to restore abundant rain then to Israel as he says in other prophets that he will restore the latter and early rains. God also promises abundant production from fruit trees and crops or other agricultural land and that the Jews would be safe in their land and know that God is the LORD in this case because of his supernatural blessing them in an absolute sense and in relation to the other nations according to the covenants God made with Abraham, Moses and David. God repeats they will no more be oppressed by their enemies from the nations such as happened in Europe or other surrounding nations before and that is happening at the hands especially of Islamic nations or people and also some people in Europe who support replacement theology now and that will be worse in the tribulation before God through Messiah Jesus delivers the Jews at His second coming. The plant of renown that God will raise up is another term for the leadership of Israel in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom of Messiah Jesus who was called a root out of dry ground in Isaiah 52 for His first coming. God says all this blessing especially after He has delivered the trouble or tribulation they will endure in the 70th week of Daniel will be a cause for Israel to know that they are God's chosen earthly people and He is their God in the Messianic Kingdom or Millennial Kingdom (and for eternity). God then repeats His analogy of the Jews or the nation of Israel as being His flock and He being their God. I encourage the reader to trust in Jesus of Nazareth as your personal Lord and Redeemer or Saviour that died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life so you can reign with Jesus the Messiah in His Kingdom and not be left on earth to face the oppression and deception of the false Messiah the Antichrist or Beast that will try to bring in a false version of the Messianic Kingdom in the tribulation. The scripture reference from Ezekiel 34 of the LORD's deliverance of the Jews at the end of the tribulation and blessing of them and the other nations through them under their shepherd Messiah Jesus in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom after Jesus' second coming is as follows:
Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 34:22-31
The LORD God will turn the mourning of the Jews for the tribulation, affliction and destruction they went through in the tribulation into joy as God begins and continues to bless them. God's blessing on Israel will be when He comes with His Messiah Jesus and His people or saints and holy angels at Jesus the Messiah's Second Coming to Set up God's Kingdom. This joy and blessing of Israel will continue throughout the Messianic Kingdom and into the eternal age. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness could also refer to Israel wearing more joyful or richer clothing than the clothing of mourning possibly even sackcloth. The Jews likely will wear these clothes of mourning in the tribulation or time of Jacob's trouble or 70th week of Daniel. The believing Jews will also be long lived and with righteousness of the LORD in the Millennial Kingdom as meant by their being called trees of righteousness planted by the LORD. The people of Israel will start to rebuild their cities in Israel that have been laid and continued to lay waste for many generations during their peace and prosperity of the Messianic Age. Gentiles will also serve Israel in such positions as shepherds and helping to grow vegetables and fruit. This will allow God to use the Jews to be priests or ministers in His much larger Millenial Temple in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Israel and perhaps among the nations as well. The LORD will also bless the people of Israel with the riches of the nations and they will rejoice in God's provision and blessing on their land in the Messianic Age. This provision of God to the Jews in the Messianic Kingdom will be partly a reward for their being faithful to the LORD and suffering for Him in the Great Tribulation and 70th week of Daniel and to some extent in all the times of the Gentiles since they went into captivity in Babylon around 600 BC. The scripture reference from Isaiah 61 of God turning the mourning of the Jews in the tribulation to joy at Messiah and the LORD's (God the Father's) Coming in Power in Great Glory and His Reign for 1000 years and then forever on the New Earth and New Jerusalem and New Heavens is as follows. The following scripture also relates to the nations serving Israel in general labour so the people of Israel can serve as Priests and Ministers among their own people and among the nations is as follows:
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and vinedressers. But ye shall be called the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall y boast yourselves. For your shame ye shall receive double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. Isaiah 61:3-7
The LORD says He loves justice and hates robbery for burnt offering which likely means part of His directing Israel's work in truth and making an everlasting covenant with them will be to have justice in their land. There will also be the resumption of the animal sacrifices under the law of Moses in a way where people are honest in their obtaining and offering quality animals for sacrifices to the LORD. The Jews offspring being known among the nations probably means mostly that their fame will be known and looked up to or respected among the nations. This could also perhaps mean that the Jews will be Priests or Ministers of the LORD among the nations' territory under the everlasting covenant and so bring blessing to the nations as well. The Jew spoken of as being in wedding garments symbolizes them and their land being married to the LORD in the Messianic Age and eternal age under the everlasting Covenant. The LORD will then make righteousness and praise to spring forth from the Earth under the everlasting covenant before all the nations due to His chosen Earthly people the Jews and from the New Testament also the Church serving Him as His Priests and Ministers. The Church will also be co-rulers representing the LORD in the midst of the nations but especially in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel. The scripture reference of the LORD blessing Israel with His everlasting covenant and blessing them and their seed or descendants and through their being placed partly among the nations the nations in the Messianic Kingdom and perhaps eternal age in Isaiah 61 is as follows:
For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall ackowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Isaiah 61:8-11
In verse 4 the thrones speak of reigning with Messiah Jesus while the judgment given to them speaks of these people having judgment over other people, the people who survive the tribulation from the Jews or the Gentiles (people of the nations) or their seed(descendents). These Jews and Gentiles who survive the tribulation will live and populate the Earth during the 1000 year Messianic Age. Some of these people who will live and reign with Christ are next identified as the martyred tribulation saints (believers in God through Jesus the Messiah(Christ) of both Jews and Gentiles. These martyrs are those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and, who don't worship the beast or his image and receive his mark in their hands or forehead. Then it is said the rest of the dead, those who die in their sins, lived not until the 1000 years (the time of the Messianic Age) was finished. There will then be the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers of all time. The first resurrection is referring back especially to the tribulation martyrs for Christ but probably also refers to an earlier phases of the first resurrection which is to life. Namely this first phase of the first resurrection is the rapture of the Church age saints or believers at the end of the Church Age and before the 70th week of Daniel or tribulation starts. At the rapture or this part of the first resurrection there will be the transformation of living believers into our eternal spiritual bodies. At this time there will also be and the raising from the dead and transformation of the bodies of sleeping or physically dead in Christ believers who have died between Pentecost and the Rapture. We will then be caught up to Heaven before the tribulation starts. We will come back from Heaven and rule with Christ with the tribulation martyrs who are also part of the first resurrection but who will be raised from the dead at the end of the tribulation. The first phase of the first resurrection was the resurrection of some Old Testament believers in Jerusalem immediately after the Lord Jesus the Messiah(Christ) rose from the dead according to Matthew 27:50-53. They will also reign with Christ for 1000 years and come with Him and the Church the LORD(God the Father) and the holy angels from Heaven at the end of the 70th week of Daniel or the Tribulation to take part in setting up and reigning in God's 1000 year Messianic Kingdom on Earth. The second death having no power on those who take part in the first resurrection means that the death of being forever separated in hell or then the lake of fire in body and spirit from God will not be something tribulation saints, Church Age saints or Old Testaments saints who all will take part in the first resurrection will be in jeopardy of. We will all reign with Christ and God and be His priests (and kings or princes and princesses under Him) for 1000 years. Church Age saints or born again Christians will not however live on Earth on a constant basis for those 1000 years but our regular dwelling place will be in the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly city or the Father's house. From this Heavenly Jerusalem born again Christians will be able to freely commute to Earth from in the Messianic Age with our heavenly or resurrection or spiritual bodies. The scripture reference in Revelation 20 referring to the tribulation martyrs for Jesus, the Church Age saints and Old Testament saints who all take part in some phase of the first resurrection reigning and/or living with Christ as priests of God and Christ(Messiah) for the 1000 year Messianic Age on Earth from Revelation 20 is as follows:
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6
God (the LORD) here in Zechariah states he was (will be in the tribulation) jealous for Zion (Jerusalem and Israel) with great jealousy or fury. This will be because of some of the persecution and tribulation against the Jewish people by the Gentiles or people of the nations. These nations will take advantage of the Jews' weakness when the LORD is chastening them in the tribulation in order to get them to return to Him and His law and to acknowledge the Messiah He sent (Jesus of Nazareth). God will then be shortly sending Jesus the Messiah again. The LORD saying He will again dwell in the midst of Jerusalem is referring to His intention to again dwell in His temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This is the Messianic Age Temple and is mentioned also in other scripures especially in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. God's Holy mountain is the Temple Mount. God (the LORD) next promises people will live to a great old age. From Isaiah 65 and the fact the curse will then be (mostly) removed in the Messianic Age this will mean people will be able to live to almost 1000 years old. This was often the case from Adam to the Flood of Noah which caused significant detrimental changes in Earth's geologic, climatic and biologic environment. The beginning of consumption of animal flesh instead of a strictly vegetarian diet in Genesis 9 after the flood also could have reduced the normal human life span. Humans will probably be vegetarians in the Messianic Age as when God (the LORD) says they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain referring to man's treatment of animals in Isaiah 2 and 65. There will also be many children playing in the streets of Jerusalem peacefully and joyfully because there will be peace there and because people will probably have more children. Also the aging process will probably be slower as Isaiah 65 states that people will still be children at 100 years.This longer life span, better diet and health and environment and slower aging process will be not just for the Jews or people of Israel but also for all the people of all the nations of the Earth in the Messianic Age as it was before the flood. God states He will bring the remainder of the exiles of the Jews back to Jerusalem and Israel at the beginning of the Messianic Age and that they will be His people and He will be their God in a righteous way. The scripture reference from Zechariah 8 of God (the LORD)'s bringing the Jews back to their land of Israel, God Himself dwelling their, God extending health and longer life span to people and His renewing His covenant with the Jews in the Messianic Age in Zechariah 8 is as follows:
Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should is also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:1-8
The prophet Zechariah began this section by addressing it to the people of his generation who were laying the foundation for Zerubbabel's Second Temple. This temple was later enlarged and improved by king Herod several hundred years later under the Romans around Jesus time and renamed Herod's Temple. Zechariah was saying that before his time and of his generation who were building the Second Temple there was no stable business, (hire for man or for beast) because of the affliction (persecution by those of the nations(Gentiles) against the Jews. Although there was a partial or limited fulfillment of God giving prosperity in Zechariah' s time the greater fulfillment will be in the Messianic Age when there will be full prosperity for all Israel and also the rest of the world. This prosperity of Israel and the world will be under the LORD's and the Messiah Jesus's rule with the Prince King David, Old Testament Saints, Church and Tribulation Saints ruling under God and Jesus. The seed means the descendants of the Jewish people. God promises to bless their agricultural business and certainly any other legitimate business they have then and for them to possess all their appointed land under the covenants with Moses and King David. God also promises to give the dew or moisture for productive crops. God also promises to save Israel and to make the Jews a blessing among the nations in the Messianic Age even though they were a curse in times previous to that including in the Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel and in the current Church Age. The scripture reference in Zechariah 8 of God (the LORD) addressing Zechariah and the people of His generation and promising future prosperity in their land and business and blessing among the nations is as follows:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. Zechariah 8:9-13
God mentions to the Jewish people of Zechariah's day and to the general reader of any day that God punished Israel when they provoked Him with their backsliding, idolatry and immorality and godlessness. This was before and resulted in God sending them into captivity and destroying Jerusalem and His Temple by the Babylonians but God was saying he would now have mercy on the Jews - His chosen Earthly people. This also looks forward to the Messianic Age which will also be after a time of God punishing the Jews in the Great Tribulation or Time of Jacob's Trouble of 70th Week of Daniel for their secularism and godlessness and failure to recognize their Messiah up to the time of tribulation. However God expects the Jews to live in a righteous or godly way towards him and towards each other and the nations if they desire His continued mercy and blessing. This includes to be truthful to their neighbours, exercising truth and peace in their gates (the place of business and visits from people beyond their cities), not to imagine evil against one's neighbour, not to swear or make vows one doesn't keep as breaking any of these things are things God hates. God would have some similiar blessings and expectations of His believing people of the nations that are saved from the Tribulation. God's intention to bless the people of Israel including in the far view of the Messianic Age and His condition for His continued blessing from Zechariah 8 is as follows:
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. Zechariah 8:14-17
God promises Zechariah and the people of His day that many of the fasts on the Jewish calendar will become days of joy and gladness if they love the truth meaning God's Law or Word and peace. This promise will still be realized in a fuller way to Israel in the Messianic Age. All these fasts mark occasions related to the final year of Judah's Kingdom leading to the Babylonian invasion and destruction. The fast of the fourth month commemorated the capture of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple there (2 Kings 25:3), that of the fifth month the destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-10), that of the seventh month the killing of Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:25) and the fast of the tenth month commemorated the siege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1). The scripture reference in Zechariah 8 of these sad fast days that will be turned to days of joy and gladness especially during the Messianic Age is as follows:
And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. Zechariah 8:18-19
This passage says people will come from many cities of the Earth and go from one city to another city urging each other to go to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of hosts and God of Israel. This will happen on a continuing basis for all 1000 years of the Messianic Age. That this scripture clearly mentions cities among the nations in the Millennial Kingdom implies God might allow science and technology in the Millennial Kingdom since that is more connected to cities usually. Such science and technology will be more used for peaceful purposes as there won't be any wars then or corruption and not nearly as much disease and death. It will not just be a couple weak nations that will do this it will be all nations including the strongest nations of Earth. They will come to seek the LORD and pray to Him at His Messianic Age Temple in Jerusalem. Again this will be His Temple mentioned in detail in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48. God also reveals that all the languages of the nations which will continue to exist and be used in the Messianic Age will also be used to pray to and worship Him including in Jerusalem by the Gentiles or people of the nations. The Gentiles or people of all the nations will come to God's Temple or House in Jerusalem in the Messianic Age especially at the Feast of Tabernacles from Zechariah 14. The scripture also says the people of the nations will take hold of the skirt (hem of the robe) of him that is a Jew and will follow them to Jerusalem to worship and pray to the LORD and the God of the Jews because the people of the nations will have heard that God is with them through their knowledge or hearing of or seeing God's delivering Israel and crushing their enemies at the Battle of Armageddon. This will be part of the Second Coming in glory of the LORD (God the Father) and His Messiah(Jesus) and His believing saints and holy angels from Heaven and then God and His Messiah coming to dwell in and rule the Earth from Jerusalem and Israel giving the Jews first place among the nations. The scripture reference in Zechariah 8 of people of all nations seeking the LORD(God) and coming to pray to Him and worship Him in Jerusalem because of their hearing of His blessing on His chosen Earthly people the Jews in the Messianic Age is as follows:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitant of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:20-23.
The LORD of God the Father looks forward to the Messianic Age when he will rule the world through His Son and Messiah (Christ) Jesus of Nazareth that the nations will not worship false gods then but the LORD and His Annointed One as the true God. God says that one of the characteristics of that time is that there will be the fulfillment of much that He has prophesied earlier in His Word the Holy Bible and that He might make further prophecies then that will come to pass. The LORD exhorts people of all the nations, to the ends of the earth, to praise Him (and His Annointed or Son Jesus Christ) and perhaps God the Holy Spirit as the One in being true God in all places on earth. God encourages people from all places on earth to sing and glorify him from villages of Kedar (Arabia) and the wilderness or sparsely inhabited areas or the top of the mountains as well as the cities. That cities is also mentioned here among the nations also indicates not only that people from all over the earth will praise the One True God but that there could be science and technology for peaceful purposes as again science and technology is more associated with cities and there will be peace on earth then during the 1000 year Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. I can't say for sure but such science and technology and the work of people in that area for peaceful purposes especially in the cities could include endeavors like space exploration for peaceful purposes. The scripture reference from Isaiah 42 of people all over the earth including cities of the nations praising and glorifying the ONe true God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and manifest personally in the Lord Jesus Christ is as follows:
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. Isaiah 42:8-12
Although verse 1 is applied to Christians in Galatians 4 and there could be some future application of that verse in the Millennial Kingdom or eternity as well as this current Church age for the true Church, the original and main application for Isaiah 54:1 and all of Isaiah 54 is for the believing remnant of Israel that will believe in God through Israel's Messiah Jesus of Nazareth by the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. The believing remnant were persecuted sometimes in the past probably including in the time of Isaiah by the majority of the Jews or children of Israel who at least at sometimes were living for this world and not for the true God the God of Israel and His reward for His faithful people to rule with Him in His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom and eternity. The believing remnant of Israel was barren in this life in the sense that they didn't have as much material blessing in general as the unbelieving majority of Israel that were more prosperous and bearning forth more riches and in some cases able to materially support more children. This is made even clearer with related passages such as in Zephaniah 3 in the latter part of it that also applies to God's reward for the believing remnant of Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. God says through his prophet Isaiah that he will extend the places that Israel or the Jews will dwell in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom after the Second Coming of the Lord JEsus Christ. The Jews will then extend the land they dirctly rule over but might have some managing role over other areas of the world and of the nations. God will use the Jews also in these places to guide the rebuilding of the cities of the nations in these places. These cities of the nations could also indicate that God will use science and technology in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom as cities are usually associated with more advanced science and techology than rural or relatively uninhabited areas. The science and technology in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom would not be used for war but will probably be used for maintaining law and order although there won't be as much influence to be unruly then. There also won't be as much corruption then and money or science and technology wasted on that. The scripture reference from Isaiah 54 on the Jews being used to build up cities of the nations in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom and the likely science and technology in the world then is as follows:
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Isaiah 54:1-3
God goes on to use some analogies of the suffering and contempt that born by the believing remnant in God in his time and that will be true of the believing remnant in the tribulation or time of God's wrath. God promises the believing remnant will not have lasting shame for their dedication to Him and likens their shame to a widow and to a young woman that was refused marriage. God promises that spiritually He will be the husband of the remnant of Israel looking forward to the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom with the emphasis on God the Father and His relationship with Israel in general but especially with the faithful remnant to Him of Israel. This is not to be used spiritually or symbolically as a reference to the Church as married to Jesus as it is not valid to read the Church into this passage as the new or true Israel as the context is literal with Israel being the literal Israel and the physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the part of Israel among whom the part that lived for God and His law or word and for Him Messianic Kingdom or eternal blessings was the faithful remnant that was persecuted sometimes by the more unbelieving majority of Israel and sometimes by the nations or Gentiles but will be blessed to have a share the glory of God the Father and His Messiah Jesus of Nazareth reigning through literal Israel in Jerusalem in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom and having a part with God in the new heavens and new earth. However it is true that the true Church will share in blessings as the bride of Christ in these times but that is not what is primarily in view in the original and main context of this chapter of God's word. This passage goes on to call God the Father mostly as Israel's Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel referring partly to God's Redemption of Israel at the Red Sea when they came out of Egypt but also looking forward to their final redemption when God delivers them from the last persecution by the nations at Armageddon as in Zechariah 14. It is true that the Lord Jesus Christ will do most of the fighting for Israel against the nations and for Israel at Armageddon but I believe among other things the references of the Lord Jesus Christ to His coming at the right hand of power is His reference in Matthew 26:63-64 that the Shekinah glory of God the Father will come with Him from heaven to Earth at Jesus's second coming and in the Messianic Kingdom rest over the Messianic Kingdom Temple in Jerusalem as in Isaiah 4:5-6. God compares the believing remnant of Israel to a jilted or forsaken bride which God admits He forsook temporarily to discipline Israel but that He promises to in great mercy to restore Israel especially the believing remnant to Himself when God refocuses on Israel after the true Church is raptured to heaven very soon and God the Father shifts to focusing fully in restoring the children of Israel through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to Himself in the 70th week of Daniel, the tribulation or time of His wrath and Jesus' or Y'Shua's second coming to judge the world and set up His and God the Father's Kingdom on Earth based in Jerusalem. IN the tribulation there will also be many of the Gentiles saved too and they will be God's people in some role in the Messianic KIngdom or eternity but this will be more in the sense of saved Gentiles in the Old TEstament rather than in this Church Age where there is no distinction between saved Jews and Gentiles. However in the tribulation besides God the Father many of the children of Israel to Himself (and people of the Gentiles) He will also bring many Jewish people (and Gentiles) to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Lord and Saviour from our sins and true Messiah or annointed one of God. God assures the remnant of Israel in the time of Isaiah and those living on earth in the soon coming tribulation or 70th week of Daniel that as His judgment in the time and worldwide flood of Noah was put in the past with God starting anew with Noah and His family God will start anew in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom with the restored of the children of Israel that will be about a third of the Jews or children of Israel that enter the tribulation according to Zechariah 13:8-9 as well as many Gentiles or those of the nations and the true Church of individuals that trust in Jesus in this present age between Pentecost about 2000 years ago and the very soon coming rapture or catching up to heaven of the Church. The scripture passage from Isaiah 54 of the believing remnant of Israel viewed as disciplined by God the Father in the tribulation but restored to Him in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom as a woman forsaken and restored to her husband is as follows:
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. Isaiah 54:5-9
The statement about the mountainss departing and the hills be removed is neither hypothetical or figurative but will literally happen at the end of the tribulation as mentioned in Revelation 16 for instance. This will be just before the second coming of Messiah Jesus. But God (the Father) says to His chosen earthly people Israel that despite some of the trials or dangers they might be suffering in the time of Isaiah or will suffer in the tribulation God will still realize His kindness to them and realize His covenant of peace or the new covenant with them that will take place in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom after Jesus the Messiah (Y'Shua HaMashiach's) second coming. God (the LORD) addresses His chosen earthly people Israel as being afflicted and not comforted referring to their situation in Isaiah's day and looking forward to the time of the tribulation, God's wrath, 70th week of Daniel or time of Jacob's trouble. God the Father then promises Israel literal material prosperity with having some of their dwellings of precious stones in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. This is not to be interpreted figuratively as applying to the Church at the end of the Church Age as many prosperity or health and wealth gospel preachers like to interpret it primarily. God's promise to Israel in the Messianic Kingdom is that the children of Israel will all be taught of the LORD probably from both their parents and by Levites and judges throughout the land of Israel as in Psalm 127, 128, Isaiah 66:19-21, Malachi 3:3, Isaiah 1:26. The peace will be peace from enemy Gentile nations and direct protection from God the Father and His Son, King of kings and King of Israel and Messiah Jesus of Nazareth although it will also be peace from Satan and all other demons that among other things provoke anti-Semitism as in Revelation 20:1-3. The scripture reference from Isaiah 54 of God's peace and material prosperity to His chosen earthly people Israel especially in the land of Israel in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom through His Son and Messiah Jesus of Nazareth is as follows:
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:10-13
God promises that because of Israel (and the nations or Gentiles) that initially populate the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom after Jesus' second coming God will protect Israel especially in all her promised land including between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River and the up to the Euphrates River which is the land God promised them in their forefather Abraham and then adjusted a bit with the description in Ezekiel 47-48. The boundaries in Ezekiel apply more specifically to Israel's land in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. Since Messiah Jesus or Y'Shua HaMashiach and God the Father and His people of all ages including genuine believers of Israel and the nations and the true Church of this age God will protect the children of Israel or the Jews from anyone who might want to or try to oppress them. The Jews or the children of Israel won't have fear or terror concerning thoughts of those that might try to attach them that means among other things that then there won't be any Islamic or other terrorists but there will be among the Gentile converts to the true God of the Bible and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ many converts from the Church Age and perhaps more in the tribulation that were former Muslims. God says any in the Messianic Kingdom or Kingdom Age that would try to gather together against the children of Israel would be disbanded or obstructed directly from God and His Messiah Jesus of Nazareth who will then be ruling the world from Jerusalem as the capital of both fully restored Israel and of the world. Although all people of the nations that initially in their flesh go into the Messianic Kingdom will be true believers there will be children born to them and in turn children born to them etc. for the course of the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom that in some cases won't trust in God or Jesus and could also be hostile to God's chosen earthly people the Jews as well as the saved of the Gentiles or members of the true Church that will all then on Earth. God promises to protect genuine children of Israel or other of His earthly people including the Gentiles that join themselves to God and support the Jewish people in Old Testament times or the tribulation and God's chosen heavenly people the Church from those who resist trusting in Him in the Messianic Kingdom of the nations and perhaps in some cases according to the flesh of the children of Israel. There are some people in this age of Jewish background that have caused much suffering to the Jewish people such as Karl Marx and others and there could be some similiar people born in the Messianic Kingdom. The current US 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders who is Jewish according to the flesh could be said to be somewhat along these lines. God promises that both He will protect the Jewish and other of His true people in the Messianic Kingdom and give them some authority to protect themselves. Verse 17 can perhaps be used now in a secondary way by Christians against adversaries to Christians but we have to remember it is still subject to God's will and sovereignty which some people don't always remember. The scripture reference from Isaiah 54 of God's protection for true believers among His chosen earthly people the Jews or children of Israel as well as true believers in Him from the nations and perhaps of the true Church from mortal adversaries during the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom is as follows:
In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not be me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:14-17
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