Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
If you keep looking back, you’ll keep yourself from moving forward to the great things God has planned for you. In order to get to where you’re supposed to be, you have to leave where you’ve been. Do not stay stuck in what is holding you back. Most often, that’s something on the inside. The windshield is bigger than the rear view mirror for a reason. Step out in faith…
Isaiah 43:18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
If you keep looking back, you’ll keep yourself from moving forward to the great things God has planned for you. In order to get to where you’re supposed to be, you have to leave where you’ve been. Do not stay stuck in what is holding you back. Most often, that’s something on the inside. The windshield is bigger than the rear view mirror for a reason. Step out in faith…
Isaiah 43:18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
Deuteronomy 24:15 You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the LORD and it becomes sin in you.
Deuteronomy 25:4 You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.
Leviticus 19:13 You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.
The Mosaic Law states workers, people and animals, are to be paid for their labor immediately.
Labor is honored and rewarded across time in the Bible. In Genesis 1 and 2, Humanity was created to work. Adam and Eve were to manage a garden and tend to animals. Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
This same concept of paying workers (humans and animals) is noted in the New Testament.
The Apostle Paul quotes the law in 1 Timothy 5:18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
It is Biblical to support your family with labor and wages. 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Payment of workers and reward for labor are hallmarks of the Millennial Kingdom. Consistency continues…humanity and animals are rewarded.
Isaiah 65:21-23 They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.They will not build and another inhabit, they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.They will not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, and their descendants with them.”
Isaiah 30:24 Also the oxen and the donkeys which work the ground will eat salted fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.
God does not change. The Millennial Kingdom is not going to be a time and place of idle sitting on white, puffy clouds with cute, little, baby angels. There will be no sickness and everyone will be physically able to work.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
Genesis 9:2 The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
When Noah and his family were free of the flood and out of the ark, God made the promise stated above. Animals were instilled with a sense of “fear” and “terror” of humanity. Animals are now meals.
The Hebrew word for “fear” is mowra’. It means: fear, reverence, or terror.
The Hebrew word for “terror” is chath. It means: fear, terror, shattered, or dismayed. (Strong’s Concordance).
Humanity was told they could eat whatever animal they wanted, just make sure there is no blood in the animal that is being consumed. Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
What happens when an animal is backed into a corner? It will defend, attack, and bite. The animal will also flee and retreat.
As a result, animals have hostility towards each other. The height of animal fear and terror will occur during the Tribulation. Animals turn on humanity. The fourth ashen or pale green horse of the Apocalypse confirms in Revelation 6:8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
In the Millennial reign of Christ, all of this changes. A new covenant is coming between zoology and humanity. Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety…”
The result will be harmony in the animal kingdom. The hostility between animals ends. Animals stop eating and attacking each other. For examples, lions, bears, and wolves will become herbivores. Isaiah 11:6a, 7And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together…The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
Isaiah 65:25a The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox…
The hostility between humanity and animals ends. Would you let your child play near snakes? One of these days, it will be okay. Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
When Jesus roamed the Earth over 2,000 years ago, He was a healer. Jesus fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah 35:5-6a Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy…
Matthew 15:30 And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them.
Jesus healed the deaf in Mark 7:31-35.
A man with leprosy was cleansed in Matthew 8:1-3. Ten men with leprosy were cleansed in Luke 17:11-19.
When He comes the second time, health will be a hallmark of His kingdom. At the onset of the kingdom, residents will be healed from their illness. Jeremiah 30:17 ‘For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the LORD…
Ezekiel 34:16a “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick…”
History will repeat when Christ heals the deaf and blind. Isaiah 29:18 On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
Of those born into the kingdom era, they will not face disease. Isaiah 33:24 And no resident will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.
Isaiah 65:20 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.
Still births and sudden infant death syndrome will be a thing of the past. The Hebrew word for “youth” is na ‘ar. It means: a boy, lad, servant, youth, or retainer (Strong’s Concordance). A young boy will be the age of 100 years.
Longevity of life will be restored as in the days prior to Noah’s flood. Prior to the flood as the oldest man, Methuselah lived to be 969 (Genesis 5:27). It was not uncommon to live 700-900 years as noted in Genesis 5.
With people living longer lives, the population of humanity will explode during the Millennial Kingdom.
Bad news for 21st century politicians, Jesus has a better health plan.
Zechariah 10:8 I will whistle for them to gather them together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before.
Isaiah 11:6-8 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
The earth in its current status (February 2014) is still cursed. The curse finds its origin in the sin of Adam.
Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
God wasted no time with the curse on the ground. The environment changed quickly. Finding food was clearly becoming an issue relative to the perfectly created Earth. From Adam to Noah in nine generations, the cursed ground was taking its toll. Man was having to work harder in order to eat. Genesis 5:29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.”
It is true, Noah (meaning rest or comfort) did provide humanity relief. If it were not for him building an ark, we would not be here. Conditions on Earth continued to become more difficult for growing food after the flood. Lot chose the lush and fertile Jordan valley near Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 13. This area is described as similar to the Garden of the Lord in Genesis 13:10 prior to its destruction.Today we know this area around the Dead Sea to be a barren, desert wasteland.
Romans 8:20-22 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Today, the creation continues to groan. We are still dealing with the effect of Adam’s choice. Prophecy tells us the growing conditions will get worse before it gets better. For now, we hold to the words of the Apostle Peter. 2 Peter 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
God Himself comments in Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. This concept is noted in the Old and New Testaments. Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Isaiah 11:6-8 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
What about the role of Satan, the serpent, in all of this? He is the one who enticed the woman in the Garden of Eden. He is the one who suggested to the woman to challenge God’s authority. He is the one who suggested disobedience to God. What does the future hold for Satan and future snakes? Let’s take a look back to the Garden. Satan was successful in the encouragement of the woman’s disobedience. Granted she and Adam made their own choices and are responsible for them.
Satan’s consequences are spelled out in Genesis 3:14, The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life… This is why we see snakes slither around on their belly.
…on your belly you go…The snake was reduced to the lowest of all animals. The snake is the most cursed (judged, condemned, harshly punished in the original Hebrew as noted per Strong’s Concordance) animal on the planet. There are some who conjecture the snake was originally created with the ability to maneuver upright prior to the fall. Notice the last part of the verse. The length of the sentence, punishment, and consequence is all the days of your life…
The context of Isaiah 65:25 is a time when there is peace in the animal kingdom. “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. Despite these changed and improved conditions, the snake is still cursed. Look at the living conditions of the cobra and viper. They are still in the ground on their bellies.
He wanted to exalt himself like the Most High. Micah 7:17 They will lick the dust like a serpent, like reptiles of the earth… His curse will not be reversed.
Isaiah 11:6-8 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Is this a picture of the animal kingdom in today’s world, February 2014? Look at the pairs of animals: wolf and lamb; leopard and goat, lion and cow. Currently wolves, leopards, and lions are carnivores and predators. Lambs, goats, and cows are herbivores. They are also a meal and prey. I have seen the documentaries on the National Geographic cable channel, I know how these stories end.
Children of all ages, a nursing baby (ages 0-2), a weaned child (ages 2-4), and a small boy (ages 5 plus) are noted in the original Hebrew language. Young children of all ages are represented in these verses. In verse 6, the Hebrew term is na’ar. It means a boy, lad, or youth. In verse 8, the “nursing child” is the Hebrew term yanaq. It is as translated, a nursing infant. The “weaned child” in the Hebrew is gamal. (definitions per Strong’s Concordance). The text states these young children are safely playing around poisonous snake dens. The cobra and the viper are poisonous snakes. I have a nonpoisonous snake that lives under my front porch. I would love to kill it. Apparently, my current attitude would not exist in a future time.
Look at the living conditions. These animals are living together. Prey are living fearlessly with predators. Today, would a goat take a nap with a leopard? A 2-4 year old child is running around with these animals. Would parents allow their children to do this? The lion is described as an herbivore and eating grass, not exactly the image we have of a lion in February of 2014.
This is not the only place where these conditions are promised. Isaiah 65:25 verifies the same harmonious conditions. “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox…”
Imagine the impact on animal life with the curse removed. Reproduction in animal life will result in an explosion of population. Radical behavior changes are coming to the animal kingdom.
