I have talked to the 7th Day Adventist many times about the 66th chapter of Isaiah. They think it to show that in the “new heavens and new earth” the sabbath and new moons of the old Covenant were to remain. In the 22nd verse of Isaiah 66, the results of the creation of Christ were pictured as part of the “new Testament Covenant,” a remembrance of the diligence to duty imposed by those practices which would have to be the same of the church of the New Testament. To begin to see the picture of the 66th chapter, let us look at the beginning of that chapter.
The universality of the kingdom of Christ would be seen. Christ would be seated on His throne (“judging the 12 tribes of Israel” as is mentioned in Matthew 19:28) sending out His apostles to “all the world” with the authority of Heaven behind their message. This would include, yet not exclude, all the kingdoms of the world. Mentioned are Tarshish, Pul, Lud, etc., to allow us to see the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to every man in every nation. Whereas in the worship of God in Jerusalem where only one tongue would be spoken, in the new kingdom “that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see My glory.” Isaiah 66:18
“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” Isaiah 66:7-8 A voice had come from the city of Jerusalem, a voice from the temple where they were accustomed to assemble to worship God. This voice was proclaiming the coming kingdom When the Church of Christ came into existence in Jerusalem, AD 33 at 9:00am that Pentecost Sunday morning, no one expected that to occur, not even the apostles, themselves, for there were no signs to indicate she was even expecting!! To the world, the church was in hiding in the upper room. Fearful of their lives. No one would expect such a motley crew as was gathered in the upper room in hiding would break forth from their place of hiding and produce a kingdom that would cause “a nation to come forth in one day.” Zion, the name of Jerusalem in many prophecies of Isaiah, travailed (had no labor pains), and before her labor pains came, she was delivered of a man child!! (Only men can reproduce the seed.)
The next question is as exciting as the afore mentioned. “Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb?” “Rejoice you with Jerusalem (which is from above), and be glad, all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her.” These infants would be satisfied with the milk (the sincere milk of the word) that would flow out of heaven to earth and would not mourn because this milk would satisfy their desire (to be forgiven of sin). This would be a nation that would satisfy the Gentile (as well as the Jew, for both would be members of her body). With fire (truth that refines) and sword (the Word of God) the Lord would plead with all flesh (not just the Jew, only). Those who were in her branches would sanctify themselves and glorify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst. They would partake of the one Supper that would cause this to occur, the Lord’s Supper. They shall be priest of God when the “new heavens and new earth” would come into being on this earth. “From one new moon (which Christ said would cease in observance) to another, and from one sabbath (the symbol of a day of remembrance) to another, shall all flesh (not just the Jewish people, only) shall come to worship before Me, saith the Lord.” As the church goes into all the world, she shall declare the separation of God from the dead carcasses (the Jewish ancestry), for they have transgressed against God. Their end will be described as that of the place called Hades where their worm dieth not and the fire not quenched. The world would abhor them.
To miss this picture of the Church of Christ, looking for the sabbath and the new moons of the old Covenant, is truly sad of a denomination that has never had an existence before God. This beautiful picture of the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, which shows the glory and reality of her existence thrills all who love her and share in the thrill of her existence on this earth!! The Church of Christ, ONLY could fulfill these truths of this account. Tell me when else was a nation brought forth in one day from the womb of the dead (Jew) to glorify our God? This is just too rich to miss!! This is the nation that became twice dead whose fate will never be the Hadean world!! THANK GOD!!
