January 18, 2025: Isaiah 49:17-18 - Lift Up Thine Eyes Round About, and Behold!

“Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.” - Isaiah 49:17-18

In these written passages of Scripture, through His prophet Isaiah, God tells us that there is coming a time when the enemies of Israel will be gone, and Israel’s children will come to her. As God told us in Isaiah 49:1-6, He sent His son Jesus Christ, whom God sent at Jesus’ first coming to earth, to be His servant:

“…to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

The Scriptures from Isaiah 49:17-18 that I am focusing on in this devotional speak of a future time when the remnant of Israel that will be saved through the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and who will finally turns to Jesus Christ and believes on Him as their Messiah, will be gathered together in Israel, the land that God gave them long ago. No longer will Israel’s enemies be a threat to them, for Isaiah tells us, “thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee,” meaning Israel’s enemies will go away from them.

Ever since God called Israel to be a nation set apart for Him, Israel has been at war. Time and time again, the nations of the world have tried to eliminate Israel, but God has always preserved a remnant of Israel in order to accomplish His plan for humanity. As I discussed most recently in the last devotional on Isaiah 49:14-16, the source of this hatred is Satan. Satan believes that if he can wipe Israel off the face of the earth, then Jesus will not return to earth a second time to restore Israel (Zechariah 13:8-14:21) and that Jesus will not cast Satan into the eternal lake of fire and brimstone, even though the Bible clearly tells us this will happen (Revelation 20:10), no matter how many times Satan tries to stop God’s plan. In our modern world in which we live today, Satan is still influencing wicked men and women to try and eliminate Israel. They chip away at her borders, decreasing the size of the land that God gave them, with the goal of making Israel unable to defend herself. If these men and women would only read and believe God’s word, the Bible, they would know with certainty that God is not finished with Israel, and that there is coming a day, as Isaiah told us, that the enemies of Israel will be gone from them, and all of the Jews will be gathered in their land in Israel. This regathering of the Jews in Israel most recently began in 1948, when the state of Israel was reborn after World War II. However, though many Jews are back in their land, they are not gathered in belief of Jesus Christ as their Messiah. It will only be after the time of Jacob’s trouble when they are gathered in belief, having finally accepted Jesus as their Redeemer. From that time forward, no more will God remember Israel’s sins against Him. No more will He have to discipline her because of her disobedience against Him, when she turned away from Him and turned to false gods and worshipped idols. No, this final gathering of Israel in her own land will be different, and all of God’s creation will rejoice. No longer will the world hate Israel but will bow down to her, for it was through Israel that Messiah, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, came, who provides redemption of sins to all who believe in Him.

As we will read more about in a future devotional in Isaiah 49:20-23, it won’t just be the believing Jews that will come to Israel, but also people from all the Gentile nations who have also put their faith and trust in Jesus to save them. Let us read one of those Scriptures, Isaiah 49:22:

“Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand [make an oath] to the Gentiles, and set up my standard [banner] to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22)

As the apostle Paul wrote about, when one becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, there is no longer any separation between Jew nor Gentile:

“For ye are all the children [sons] of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither bond [slave] nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)

It is these who have the right to be called the sons, or the children, of God. Contrary to popular belief, we are not all children of God just because we are human beings. The Bible clearly tells us that only those who have been saved by putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save us from all our sins are called sins, or children, of God:

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended [apprehended] it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John [John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin]. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own [His own things or domain], and his own [His own people] received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right] to become the sons [children] of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:1-13)

There is coming a time when God will restore Israel, and they and many who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, will gather together in Israel. Let us read from Isaiah 54 about this coming beautiful time:

“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 [thy dwellings]: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth [expand] 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)

Before continuing in Isaiah 54, notice in the Scriptures above that God is saying that Israel will expand the territory of its land, for it will not only be the Jews who will return to the land, but it will also be the Gentiles who will come to the land of Israel to live there and bring honor and glory to Almighty God, the mighty One of Jacob. The once desolate cities will now be inhabited by both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Continuing in Isaiah 54:

“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.” (Isaiah 54:4-7)

No longer will Israel bear the shame that she bore many times when she turned away from God and turned to idols and false gods and worshipped them instead of the one true God, when she acted as a harlot, a prostitute. No longer will she feel as if she had no husband, as if she was a widow, which Israel brought upon herself when God had to discipline her for her sins. The book of Hosea writes of this time when God restores her:

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.” (Hosea 2:14-15)

I believe that in Hosea 2:14-15 above, there is a prophecy of the coming 7-year period known as the time of Jacob’s trouble, the last seven years of human history before Jesus returns to earth at His second coming. During this time period, God will turn His attention back to Israel, and He will send a series of 21 judgments upon the earth, which are detailed in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. It is during this time that not only Israel but the entire earth will undergo a time that has never been experienced upon earth, nor never will again. It is a time when the final antichrist will reign upon the earth, and the Jews and every person alive will need to decide if they will worship him or worship God. It is God giving humanity a final seven years to decide if they are for Him or against Him, and the choice each person makes will determine where they will spend their eternity. At the beginning of this time, Israel will make a 7-year covenant with the one who will be the final antichrist, though they will not know it at that time. Instead, they will make the covenant thinking that he will bring peace and safety to Israel. Once again, Israel will not look to Almighty God for their protection but to a false god, as they have done so many times before. During the halfway point of this 7-year period of tribulation, the antichrist will reveal who he really is when he will desecrate the coming third Jewish temple, which I believe will be built during Donald Trump’s second presidential term. It will be at that point that the surviving Jews in Israel will realize they have been deceived by Satan and that the one whom they thought was their friend is really their adversary. They will then flee to the mountains. Jesus Himself spoke of this event, which is referred to and prophesied by the prophet Daniel as “the abomination of desolation,” when the antichrist reveals who he really is. Gotquestions.org has a good article about this at https://www.gotquestions.org/abomination-desolation.html. Jesus also told us how horrific the final 3-1/2 years of the time of Jacob’s trouble is going to be:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child [pregnant], and to them that give suck [who are nursing babies] in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day; for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s [chosen ones] sake those days shall be shortened.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 24:15-22)

It is during this horrific time that a one-third remnant of Jews will finally see that Jesus Christ IS their Messiah and will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and will turn to Him in belief. During the last half of this time period, which is known as the Great Tribulation, God will protect this remnant of Israel and feed her:

“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore [sixty] days.” (Revelation 12:6)

“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14)

Notice in Hosea 2:14-15 God compared this time when He will provide for Israel when she is in the wilderness, as He provided for her when she left Egypt. During Israel’s exodus from Egypt, God not only provided nourishment to Israel but also protected her.

There is also something interesting in what God said about the valley of Achor in Hosea 2:14-15. The valley of Achor is also mentioned in Joshua 7, when before the Israelites defeated the city of Jericho, God had commanded them not to keep any of the spoils of war but to destroy all but the silver, gold, bronze, and iron, which would be put into God’s treasury. However, after Israel defeated Jericho by the power of God, a man named Achan disobeyed God and kept a cloak, gold, and silver. Joshua did not know this had happened, and when he and his men went into the town of Ai to capture it, they were defeated. Joshua appealed to God, for Joshua did not understand why God would allow them to be defeated. God told him it was because one of his men had disobeyed Him, and consequently, it had brought destruction upon them. God told Joshua to remove from among him what was devoted to destruction. God would not allow Israel to commit sin against Him and then go and defeat their enemies. Let us read God’s words to Joshua when Joshua had asked God why He had allowed them to be defeated at Ai:

“And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing [things devoted to the LORD], and have also stolen, and dissembled [deceived] also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed [devoted to destruction]: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify [consecrate] the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed [overstepped] the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly [done a disgraceful thing] in Israel. (Joshua 7:10-15)

The next day, Joshua did as God had commanded him, and it was revealed that a man named Achan from the tribe of Judah was the one who had committed this sin against God. “And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.” (Joshua 7:19) Achan confessed his sin against God, and told Joshua where he had hidden the things he had kept. As instructed by God, Joshua took Achan, all of his family members, and all of his animals and property, and brought them to the valley of Achor:

“And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor [trouble], unto this day.” (Joshua 7:25-26)

What we have just read may seem harsh to us, but God had to deal with Israel’s sin then and there, for if He allowed it to continue, Israel would not have become a nation and would have been further defeated by her enemies, as they were at Ai. God would not allow Israel to be a corrupt nation and to defeat her enemies, for then they would not be a nation chosen by God to be set apart from the world, but would be like the corrupt world. I think there also may be some significance that Achan was from the tribe of Judah, the tribe from which Messiah would come. Because of Achan’s sins against God, the place where he was buried is called the valley of Achor, or the valley of Trouble. Fast-forward to the coming 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, which I believe is prophesied of in Hosea 2:14-15, I do not think it is any coincidence that Hosea mentioned the valley of Achor as being a door of hope. When Israel sees the abomination of desolation committed by the antichrist and realizes that she has been following a false god and that Jesus IS their Messiah and flees to the wilderness and is protected by God during their time of trouble, they will see a door of hope, and Jesus IS that door:

“Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:7-9)

I believe this is confirmation that Hosea 2:14-15 is a prophecy of the time of Jacob’s trouble. Without Jesus, there is no hope. That is why God must allow Israel to go through this time of Jacob’s trouble so that they can see that He alone is their hope, and He is their Messiah. Let us read further what is written in Hosea 2:

“And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [My Husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [My Master]. For I will take away the names of Baalim [false gods] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.” (Hosea 2:16-17)

It will be at that time that Israel will call God her “Husband” and not her “Master.” As a bride truly loves her husband, so will Israel love and obey God and will no longer speak of and worships false gods, nor remember them. This has never happened to Israel, for she has always turned to false gods, and is still doing that today and, as a nation, is still in full rejection of Jesus Christ. I believe Hosea 2:16-17 is speaking of a specific day, which I believe is called the Day of the Lord, which refers to the time of Jacob’s trouble and at the end of it, Jesus will return to earth a second time and put an end to all wickedness upon the earth. It is also when the coming antichrist and the false prophet will be cast into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 19:20), and Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a period of 1,000 years. This 1,000-year time period will be the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, when He will reign with a rod of iron from Jerusalem, the Holy City. I believe Hosea wrote of this time in the Scriptures below. Because Jesus will be reigning, there will be no more war; there truly will be peace and safety upon the earth. The animal kingdom will also be like it was in the days of Adam and Eve, when they did not fear mankind, and the earth will give forth its food for her. God will finally be Husband to His beloved Israel, and she will be His bride. No longer will she play the role of harlot that she did so many times when she committed adultery against Him and turned from Him and turned to false gods. He will be her God, and she will be His people. These passages from Hosea are a beautiful love letter from God to His people, Israel.

“And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break [shatter] the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment [justice], and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear [answer], saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear [answer] the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel [God will sow]. And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” (Hosea 2:18-23)

Before continuing in Isaiah 54, let us read from Isaiah 62 that also speaks of the time when Israel will no longer be called “Forsaken” but will be righteous in God and will shine in His glory and light:

“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace [keep silent], and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah [My Delight is in Her], and thy land Beulah [Married]: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” (Isaiah 62:1-5)

Let us continue reading in Isaiah 54 when God tells Israel that though He has had to discipline her because of her disobedience to Him, He has not forgotten her and will restore her:

“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 no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth [angry] with thee, nor rebuke thee. 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.” (Isaiah 54:8-10)

Here is another instance I believe where the Scriptures are referring to the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, when we know, as the Bible tells us, that two-thirds of the Jews will die, for they will continue in their rejection of Jesus Christ as their Messiah. However, the one-third remnant who will turn to Him, will make it through their time of trouble through God’s protection and provision. I believe the Scriptures above may coincide with what is written in the book of Revelation that describes just one of the 21 judgments of God that will occur during this time period:

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs [drops its late figs], when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman [slave], and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17)

Let us continue reading from Isaiah 54:

“O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours [colourful gems or antimony], and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates [pinnacles of rubies], and thy gates of carbuncles [crystal], and all thy borders of pleasant [precious] stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. 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.” (Isaiah 54:11-14)

I believe the Scriptures above are looking far forward into time, when the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble will have ended, Jesus returns to earth and destroys all wickedness, reigns for 1,000 years from Jerusalem, and after which He resurrects all who have died in their sins and rejected His free gift of salvation and casts them all into the eternal lake of fire. Afterwards, the current earth and heavens will be burned with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:12), and Jesus will create a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem. I believe the Scriptures above are parallel Scriptures to what is written in the book of Revelation, chapter 21 that describe the beautiful holy city, New Jerusalem:

“And the building [construction] of the wall of it was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the city were garnished [adorned] with all manner of precious stones.” (Revelation 21:18-19)

Now, let us finish reading Isaiah 54:

“Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by 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 [or weapon] for his work; and I have created the waster [destroyer] 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 [from] me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:15-17)

I think there are several possibilities as to the timing that the Scriptures above are addressing. Two are from Zechariah 12 and 14, both of which refer to the second coming of Jesus Christ. I believe those two chapters also refer to the Scriptures in Revelation that prophesy of Jesus’ second coming. Revelation 16:16 tells us that God will gather together the nations that come against Him at a place called Armageddon, or Mount Megiddo. Revelation 19:11-21 describe those nations that will be struck down by Jesus at His second coming with the sharp sword of His mouth. The reason I do not think Isaiah 54 is referring to any of the prophecies in those Scriptures is because Isaiah tells us that those who come against God’s children will be destroyed by fire. We can deduce this by the wording that is used: “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.” (Isaiah 54:16) I believe this refers to stoking the fire to make it very hot to burn completely, and God will destroy those who gather against His children. Instead, I believe Isaiah 54 that speaks of the nations which are gathered together not by God but by something else and are burned in judgment is referring to Revelation 20:7-10. These Scriptures are describing what happens at the end of the 1,000-year millennial reign of Jesus. At the beginning of His reign, an angel will bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit for the entire 1,000 years. After which, Satan will be let out of the pit. As he has always done, he will go and deceive the nations. Then,, Satan will gather those who will side with him, and believe it or not, there will be people who will turn against Jesus and align themselves with Satan, and they will surround God’s children at Jerusalem, referred to as the “beloved city.” However, God will destroy by fire all who are aligned with Satan. Let us read the Revelation 20 passage below:

“And when the thousand years are expired [completed], Satan shall be loosed [released] out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed [surrounded] the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast [antichrist] and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:7-10)

As the last part of the Scriptures above tells us, this will finally be the end of Satan, also called the devil. Never again will he gather people who reject God in order to torment God’s children. The unholy trinity that is going to come during the time of Jacob’s trouble - Satan, the final antichrist, and the false prophet - will be cast into the lake of fire and will remain there forever, in torment, because they hated God and His people. It is at that time that the current heavens and the earth will be dissolved with fire and God will create a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem. This is what ALL believers in Jesus Christ have to look forward to, and oh, what an amazing site it will be to behold!

I know that many times when writing these devotionals, I have looked both forward and backwards in the Scriptures to give you the deeper meanings behind the Scriptures. I want you to know that I believe this is due to the guiding of the Holy Spirit, and I believe this is critical, for many Christians do not study the Bible at a deeper level. In order to fully understand the word of God, we must search the Scriptures, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, for they truly are connected to one another. As I have learned since I believed the Holy Spirit impressed upon me in November 2022 that I was to study His word at a much deeper level, the entire Bible is about Jesus Christ; there are literally prophecies of Him in every book. The Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to this truth, and it is amazing to me that when I read prophecies of Him in the Old Testament, I have seen many times how they connect to the New Testament Scriptures. The entire Bible gives believers in Jesus Christ hope for the future, even when, and especially when, our world is growing darker and more evil. It reveals and confirms for us that this world is not our true Home, but it is a temporary stopping place on our way to eternity. Jesus Christ IS our hope, and the book of Revelation especially shows us what our true Home will be like. I praise God that He has given us His word so that we can keep our eyes on Him and not on this world that is literally passing away before our very eyes.

Returning to today’s Scriptures in Isaiah 49:17-18, God is telling us that the Jews will return to Israel, to the land that God gave them. However, as we will read about later in Isaiah 49:22-23, the Gentile believers in Christ will also come to Israel. Let us read Isaiah 49:18 again:

“Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.” (Isaiah 49:18)

The Scriptures above speak to the bride of Christ, who are all the believers in Jesus Christ, and they will gather in Israel. Through His precious blood, Jesus has saved His bride, and cleanses her by the power of His word, the Bible, so that she is made her ready for her Husband. This will include Jewish people who accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah during the time of Jacob’s trouble and who are protected by Him:

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify [set it apart] and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence [respects] her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22-33)

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and thy 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 arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 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 shalt see, and flow together [become radiant], and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged [swell with joy]; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces [wealth] of the Gentiles [nations] shall come unto thee.” (Isaiah 60:1-5)

The believing Jews will then be one with their fellow believers in Jesus Christ from the Gentile nations, whom God calls their new sons and daughters. Israel will be adorned with them as a bride. All believers in Jesus Christ are His bride, and this includes those who will be caught up to Jesus Christ in the rapture of the church prior to the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble/tribulation period. It also includes those who will turn to Him and be saved during the tribulation period, including the remnant of Jews who are saved.

Revelation 19 speaks of the marriage supper of the Lamb, the time when Jesus’ bride will be married to her husband, a beautiful time of celebration. There are some believers who think this marriage supper will occur in heaven during the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble and before Jesus’ second coming to earth. If that is correct, then those in attendance will be those believers in Jesus Christ who previously died and also those who remain alive when they are raptured/caught up to Him in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). Some also believe that all who died in their faith in God prior to the first coming of Jesus Christ, referred to as “Old Testament saints,” will also attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. Gotquestions.org has an article about the marriage supper (See: https://www.gotquestions.org/marriage-supper-Lamb.html) I do not know the timing of this with certainty, but what I do know is the marriage supper of the Lamb will happen, when Jesus the groom will be married to His bride. Let us read what the Scriptures say:

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice [sound] of many waters, and as the voice [sound] of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour [glory] to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white [bright]: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:6-9)

After the creation of the new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem, never again will Israel, particularly Jerusalem, be threatened again with destruction, for her Husband, Jesus Christ, will reign forever more in eternity, and sin will be no more:

“Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting [devastation] nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his [its] time.” (Isaiah 60:18-22)

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper [act wisely], and shall execute judgment and justice [justice and righteousness] in the earth [land]. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:5-8)

“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal…” (Revelation 21:10-11)

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten [illuminate] it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall be in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh [causes an] abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:22-27)

“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle [lamp], neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3-5)

Oh, how I look forward to the time when Jesus will return to earth and put an end to all wickedness and evil. I know this means that many people will die, and I pray for them, that before He returns, they will turn to Him and be saved. I pray that they would see that we are all sinners in need of Jesus Christ to save us, to redeem us, from all our sins. I pray that Israel would stop pursuing false gods and stop looking to mere man to save them, for I know they will soon look to the final antichrist to save them. Not only will he not save them, he will seek their utter destruction. I know all of this is coming, because the Bible tells us it is going to happen, and I believe it’s going to happen sooner than we may expect. I also know that before Jesus returns, He will have given mankind every chance to turn to Him and be saved from spending their eternity in hell. Sadly, I know that most people will reject His precious free gift, for as He told us:

“Enter ye in at the strait [narrow] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait [how narrow] is the gate, and narrow [difficult or confined] is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 7:13-14)

I look forward to the time when all believers in Christ will be together, both Jews and Gentiles. I look forward to the time when Israel, particularly Jerusalem, will dwell safely in the land, all the land, that God gave them, never to be threatened again by those who seek their destruction. I look forward to the time when I will see my beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, with my own eyes, and I will dwell in His house forever. Let us finish reading from Isaiah 62, and let us all proclaim what is written in Revelation 22:17, and hear the words of Jesus in Revelation 22:20 and consider, are we ready to see Him, either as one whose sins who have been washed clean by His precious blood, or as one who has rejected His gift of salvation, to our own peril:

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace [keep silent] day nor night: ye that make mention of [remember] the LORD, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat [grain to be food] for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger [foreigner] shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast labored: but they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness. Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up [build up], cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard [banner] for the people. Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work [recompense] before him. And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” (Isaiah 62:6-12)

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst [thirsts] come. And whosoever will [desires], let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20-21) ✝️