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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
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| 1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. |
The day of the LORD – Already begun. R286:5[R286:25]
When the first return of Israelites to Palestine will have taken place. R286:3
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| 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. |
Gather all nations – Gog and Magog, the hosts of merciless plunderers of regathered Israel. D554, D555
Against Jerusalem – The Scriptures clearly show that the end of Jacob's trouble will take place right in Jerusalem. CR141:6
The capital city of regathered Israel. OV69:1
City shall be taken – The battle, at first, goes against Israel. R286:3
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| 3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. |
Then shall – The scene is laid in the time of trouble, probably near its close. R286:3
God interferes only when the great gathering is completed and Jerusalem is taken. HG89:6
Synchronizing with the type in Egypt. It was in the midst of the alarm caused by the seventh and last plague that the Israelites were called out of Egypt. HG91:5
The LORD – Jehovah--exclusively the Father's name. R286:2, R1874:1; D650
Go forth – Will reveal himself, not as a man, but manifest his divine power. CR141:5; D555
Here Israel comes to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, for "the Lord my God shall come, and all thy saints with thee." (vs. 5) R410:1
Israel's first realization of the Kingdom having come. R148:4
Against those nations – The foes of regathered Israel. D555
The time having come to manifest his justice against them, and his favor to Israel. R286:3
As when he fought – In olden times for Israel, D650[D649:4]
For Joshua against the six Amalekite kings at Gibeon, and for David against the Philistines at Perazim. D555, D650
When he miraculously delivered Israel from the hosts of Midian by Gideon and his band. R3469:2, R4083:2, R1876:4
Jehovah fought Israel's battles anciently, seen only with the eyes of their understanding. R296:3
The deliverance will be so great that they will recognize God's power and favor. R286:3
Overthrowing nations so much stronger than they, that it was a miracle. R148:5
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| 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. |
And his feet – Jehovah's favor or dominion. D650; R286:2 R5437:2
"I will make the place of my feet glorious." (Isa. 60:13) R286:2, R5437:5; D647
Accomplished through his representative, Jesus. R286:5
Not the literal feet of Christ, but symbolically, the feet of his father, Jehovah. R1874:1, R286:2; D649
Or, residence. R286:2
Shall stand – Be established. R286:4
Or, rest. R286:4
Jehovah's feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives as one at first, before its division. R287:1
In that day – After the Church is glorified; at the close of Jacob's trouble. R5437:2, R286:2
The Day of Jehovah. R5255:6
In the Millennium. D649
Mount of Olives – Kingdom of light, peace and divine blessing. R5437:5, R286:5; D651
Located to the east (or sunrising) of Jerusalem (the peaceful habitation). R286:5
The literal mountain will probably be involved. R5437:2
As the olive furnishes both light and food, the Mount of Olives would represent the Kingdom of God. R5437:5
Cleave in the midst – Representing the two phases of the Kingdom. R286:5; D652
A part of the work of the glorified Church. R5437:2
Experiencing a great earthquake. R5437:2, R5255:6
Toward the east – Open to the Sun of Righteousness, free from the shadows of sin and death. D653
A very great valley – The Valley of Blessings, God's Kingdom. D652
A place of favor and protection, guaranteed by both the heavenly and earthly phases of the Kingdom. R286:6
The valley of mercy, between and under the care of the spiritual and human phases of the Kingdom. D653
"Passing through the valley of mourning, they change it into a place of (joy) springs." (Psa. 84:6) , D653
Of the mountain – The Kingdom. D653
Shall remove – From earthly to heavenly conditions. D653; R286:5
Toward the north – Toward the Pleiades, the celestial center of the universe, the seat of the divine empire. D653
And half of It – The earthly half, the Ancient Worthies. D653; R286:6
Toward the south – To complete restitution to perfect human life. D653
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| 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. |
And ye shall – While spoken to Israel only, yet it will not stop there--for whomsoever will may become an Israelite. D654
Flee to the valley – The Valley of Blessings, God's Kingdom. D652
Israel is represented as fleeing to this place of protection and safety. R286:6
My God shall come – Thus will Jehovah, my God, come in. D654
The saints with thee – "The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints." (Jude 14) C302
Meaning, both in Hebrew and Greek, the "holy ones," those begotten by the Spirit and born of God; viz., Christ and his Body. HG23:5
All the holy ones shall be thus united with him. D654
Christ coming for his saints and our gathering together unto him is certainly the "coming as a thief," but not the appearing with him in glory, which must be a later event. R245:4*, R154:6*
When he appears in glory we are with him; and we must be gathered to meet him before that. R579:5, R263:2, R19:2
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| 6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: |
In that day – In the Millennial day. D655
Not "the Day of Vengeance." D655
Clear, nor dark – Bright, nor the darkness thick. D655
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| 7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. |
Shall be one day – Shall be the one. D655
Known to the LORD – Foreknown to the Lord. D655
Not day, nor night – Neither full day nor night. D655
Because, as generation after generation are brought back from the tomb they will be in various stages of restitution toward perfection. D655
Typified by the standing of the sun at the overthrow of the Amorites, as an evidence of the Lord's power. A61
At evening time – At the close of the Millennial day. D655
The evening of that dark day, or period of trouble. R286:5
It shall be light – Clear light. D655
High noon--its sun shall never set. D655
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| 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. |
Living waters – "Waters of life, clear as crystal." (Rev. 22:1) Restitution blessings. D655 John 4:4-14
Compare with Ezek. 47:1-9. D650
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In that day – During the 1,000 year "Day of the Lord" - the Millennial Age.
Living waters – The water of life, the Truth.
Out from Jerusalem – From the New Jerusalem, the glorified church which comes down "as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21:2
In the map of Israel below we can see that the northernmost part of the Dead Sea (the "former sea") is almost directly to the east of Jerusalem while the Mediterranean Sea (the "hinder sea") is to the west.
Half of them – This suggests two thoughts.- There will be two classes.
- They will be about equal in size.
The former sea – The Dead Sea. Remember the context. In this symbolic picture there is now a valley extending east and west from Jerusalem. The former sea is the one looking towards the east, towards the sun rise.
This would picture those who have already lived and died and are in their graves at the time of this picture, the time for the New Covenant to go into operation.
The hinder sea – The Mediterranean Sea.
These would picture those who are still alive at the time for the New Covenant to go into operation.
The "living waters" will reach both of these classes of people.
According to those who deal with population numbers, about half of the people who ever lived are alive today. This lends further credence to the thoughts expressed above.
Summer and in winter shall it be – The Hebrews divided their year into two seasons, summer and winter. D602:1 footnote. |
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| 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. |
LORD shall be king – Jehovah. through Christ as his vicegerent. A303; R3114:1
All will recognize our Lord as the great teacher. SM58:3
"Give the king (this king whom thou hast appointed) thy judgments and thy righteousness unto the King's (Jehovah's) son." (Psa. 72:1) R1415:5
By the end of that day his will shall be done on earth even as it is done in heaven. D656
Over all the earth – Not only King of the Jews. B81
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| 10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. |
Inhabited in her place – The population outside the wall near the Jaffa Gate, here described, bids to be greater than that within. R1382:4
Tower of Hananeel – Its ruins and foundations were discovered in excavating for a building across from the Tower of David in 1886 AD. R1390:2
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| 11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. |
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| 12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. |
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| 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. |
A great tumult – The time of trouble. R3271:3; SM735:T; OV341:2
Rise up against – The disconcerted hosts will effect the complete disruption of the present order of things. R5604:5
Anarchy--the general uprising of the people. OV341:2; SM454:2
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| 14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. |
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| 15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. |
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| 16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. |
Go up from year to year – All nations of earth will send their ambassadors to Jerusalem. OV69:1
To worship the King – Upon such as will conform to the arrangements, the divine blessing will rest. OV69:1
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| 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. |
Unto Jerusalem – Jerusalem, rebuilt, is to be the headquarters of the nations. HG36:6
All nations will receive a share of the blessings by coming under the same conditions and participating in Israel's New (Law) covenant. OV85:1
No rain – No blessings of restitution. Q171:T; R5583:4
Blessings only on those who will seek to keep the divine law. R4819:5
Any nation who shall not recognize Jerusalem as God's government shall have no special blessing. OV96:3; R5583:4
May be both literal and symbolic. Q205:T, Q622:1
If there were no rain, there would be no fruitage. R5583:4
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| 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. |
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| 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. |
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| 20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. |
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD – All will be consecrated to the Lord and all will walk in his ways. R1374:6
Surely a change of sentiment from that prevailing in the present time. R1374:5
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| 21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. |
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