My Dear Friend, 

Are you a remnant believer currently experiencing great distress? If so, prepare to be blessed. Isaiah has an encouraging message just for you.

In Isaiah 26 and 27, the prophet foresees Israel in the Great Tribulation, in great pain travailing to birth a spiritual remnant (26:16-17), troubled because evil continues in the world (26:18), yet reassured by God her faithful martyrs will live again (26:19).

In the midst of this Great Tribulation, God calls Israel's remnant into hiding, "Come, my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself," assuring her it is only for a brief time, "for a little moment" (3 1/2 years), and only so He may release His wrath to free them from Antichrist, "until the indignation [divine wrath] is past" (26:20; cf. Revelation 12:6, 14-17). But there's more.

Amazingly, Isaiah foresees Christ's second coming at Armageddon: "Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place [heaven] to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity [rejecting Christ and worshiping Antichrist]" (26:21). "In that day," he says, the Lord will use His "sword" of judgment to "punish" the serpent (Satan) and the sea-monster (Antichrist) that has arisen from the "sea" of fallen humanity (27:1; cf. Rev. 13:1; 19:15). Then the scene and message Isaiah foresees change drastically.

The Great Tribulation has passed and the Millennial Kingdom has begun. "In that day" the Lord will sing a victory song to His then-delivered remnant of Jewish Jesus believers, whom He describes as a vineyard (27:2).

His lyrics describe the intensive personal care He has given His people in their worst hour, the Great Tribulation - watching, watering, and weeding His vineyard people. Though they didn't fully realize it, while they suffered, He supervised. While they were under attack, He was on the attack. While they were persecuted, He was planning good for them. And, faithfully, He never let their trauma traumatize them or their overwhelming affliction overwhelm them.

Thus, He lovingly and faithfully "kept" His people, or watched and protected them (27:3). While the heat was on, He "watered" them with inspiring messages of eternal truth and biblical prophecies, parables, and principles delivered just when they needed them (27:3). This watching and watering wasn't random; it was constant.

He described it as "every moment … night and day" (27:3). And He will weed His garden of anyone who would harm it. The "briars" and "thorns," Antichrist's vicious, Jew-hating worshipers that will vex and persecute Israel's remnant and at last gather to "battle" Christ at Armageddon, He will destroy: "I will attack them, I will burn them up" (27:4, NLT). Thus, Israel's intensively tested remnant will survive the Great Tribulation because of God's intense personal care. But there's another key point.

Israel's delivered remnant will not only survive the Tribulation, it will thrive in the Kingdom Age that follows! Listen to God's promise: "He shall cause those who come of Jacob [Israel] to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit" (27:6).

Revelation and other prophetic writings show Israel will be the center of the world during Christ's 1,000-year reign on earth. Her tested remnant of Jesus believers will take deep "root" in the kingdom, "blossom" with the beauty of Christlikeness, "bud" with new life and works in Christ's administration, and "fill the face of the world with fruit" in the form of countless ministry and administrative works that will bless all Christ's subjects throughout the repopulated earth. And that will greatly glorify Him.

So God's great care in the Great Tribulation brings great fruitfulness and great glory. That's a great encouragement. Why? The same great God will do the same great thing for us today when we're in great troubles.

Are you in trouble? Great trouble? The greatest tribulation you've ever faced? Take courage and rejoice, offering fresh praise and worship, knowing you're under God's intensive personal care right now! "Every moment … night and day" He's watching you. He's watering you. He's weeding you. And nothing and no one can stop Him.

To the contrary, the hotter the heat the more He waters you with fresh anointings of His Spirit in prayer, new insights from His Word, uplifting devotional messages, timely Bible teachings, inspiring Bible prophecies, and spot-on personal counsel through spiritual counselors and pastors He has raised and sent to you.

So endure your great tribulation successfully by submissive trust and obedience to Christ, always pleasing Him in all situations, confident His joyful deliverance is coming.

And what about your vexing "briars and thorns"? Leave them to Him. And pray for their repentance. They will surrender to Him or He will deal with them in a corrective or, if necessary, penal way (27:4-5). Determine to not let them steal the greater joy of what God is doing in your life right now. And what He's going to do.

"In that day" when the Lord releases you from your distresses, you will "take root" in a new work or ministry, your soul will "bud" with new life, your work will "blossom" and God will bear eternal fruit through you that, when combined with other overcomers' works and ministries, will touch and bless people all over the world for Christ's honor.

Thus, God's great care in your great tribulation will bring Him great fruitfulness and great honor. That's great news. And it's a great blessing. Oh, praise Him for His intense personal care!

In His care,

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries