MOURNING TO JOY

The Lord then sends His angels to the four corners of the earth to bring the Jews back to their own land, Israel. There will be no cars, or trains, or planes etc operating after the great earthquake, the Jews will be brought back on horses, mules and camels.

`Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all the nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem.` (Isa. 66: 20)

While these are coming, the Lord goes into Jerusalem to reveal Himself to the people there. He goes first to the house of Judah, the ruling tribe then to the people of Jerusalem.

`The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah.....

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a first-born.` (Zech. 12: 7 & 10)

Oh how sorrowful will be the people of Israel when they realise that their long awaited Messiah is the one their nation crucified many years ago. There will be great mourning in the land. However, God has promised the people of Israel that their mourning shall be turned to joy.

`.I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.` (Jer. 31: 13)

God not only gathers all His people from around the world but He brings many (Gentiles) from the nations to see His glory in Jerusalem.

`I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations....to the coastlands afar off who have not heard my fame nor seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.` (Isa. 66: 18 & 19)

There will be great celebrations in Jerusalem as their mourning will turn to joy; the Messiah has come, their `sons and daughters` are coming from afar, and the Gentiles are blessed to see the glory of God over Jerusalem.

`Behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my people; the sound of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.` (Isa. 65: 18 & 19)