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seem to speak of that kingdom and the presence therein of evil-doers. Psa. 101: 8 reads, "I
will early destroy all the wicked of the land". The word "early" is rendered by
Rotherham "morning by morning" and indicates summary judgment upon offenders.
Psa. 149: calls upon Israel to rejoice, and the children of Zion to be joyful in their king.
The Psalm is evidently millennial:--
"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.
To execute vengeance upon the nations, and punishments upon the people. To bind their
kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron. To execute upon them the
judgment written, this honour have all His saints. Hallelujah" (Psa. 149: 6-9).
Here once again we see the "iron rod" in action. It is evident from Zech. 14: 16-19
that throughout the millennium, and not merely at the commencement, judgment will fall
upon disobedience. The two last verses of Isaiah bring before us a dual picture--"all
flesh" shall come to worship before the Lord, and they shall also look upon the carcasses
of transgressors (presumably in the valley called Gahanna), and they shall be an
abhorring unto "all flesh". Death, if it occur, in the millennium will be the direct result of
personal sin. This seems to be the meaning of Isa. 65: 20. The A.V. reads thus:--
"There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled
his days, for the child shall die an hundred years old, but the sinner being an hundred
years old shall be accursed."
Rotherham translates the passage:--
"But a youth a hundred years old may die, yea, a sinner a hundred years old shall be
accursed,"
the suggestion being that for one to die in that kingdom, even at the age of a hundred
years, would be to die young, and that such a death would be the direct outcome of sin.
The millennial kingdom is not the glorious reign of Christ that ushers in the
consummation. The millennium is rather man's most favoured opportunity and most
signal failure. The conditions are even more favourable than those of Eden in some
respects. For here no outside tempter can enter, Satan being bound for the whole period,
yet revolt spreads rapidly as soon as Satan is let loose.
The millennial kingdom is Israel's sphere of blessedness wherein all the promises
related to them as a peculiar people to the Lord shall be fulfilled. The millennium
foreshadows the perfect kingdom. What will take place over the breadth of the earth after
the millennium takes place during the thousand years in Israel's land only. One nation,
Israel, shall be "born at a stroke" (Isa. 66: 8). One people, Israel, "shall be righteous"
(Isa. 60: 21), and the days of their mourning shall be ended. But the ends of the earth will
slowly learn the lesson. A brighter and a better day succeeds the thousand-year reign of
Christ and His people. The royal priesthood will have accomplished its purpose.
Through this chosen "seed" shall all the families of the earth have been blessed; many
will join themselves to the Lord, and come under the promise:--