The "Little Season" of 100 Years in the New Earth - Isaiah 65:20
This week we look at 2 questions brought up by the SS lesson. The first question deals with Isaiah 65:20 which is in the midst of what seems to be a prophecy of the earth made new after the millennium...but perplexingly, verse 20 is a prophecy about death. What period is Isaiah 65 describing?

Many SDAs are unaware that this difficult section concerning the 100 years in Isaiah 65 has been addressed in "The Signs of the Times" in a few different issues.

These articles bring out the understanding that although the righteous will be in the earth made new, after the millennium, the wicked will be there also...but only for "a little season," i.e., one-hundred years.

The purpose of this period of time, as you may know, it to show that God's judgments were correct. All will see that those who were not allowed into the kingdom would never repent. It is not that it will be impossible for them to, it is just that they still won't.

So, basically, even when the wicked are given the amazing gift of getting to live in the earth made new, they will prove to commit the same old sins and prove that they would be neither safe nor happy even in such a heavenly place. God will have no choice but to bring their misery to an end.

In summary, there is a "little season" after the millennium and after the second resurrection of the wicked of both young (past the age of accountability) and old, that will be 100 years long. During this time, Satan is released from his prison to deceive the nations once more. It will be seen by all that the wicked would not enjoy the earth made new and would endanger the happiness of everyone else. By the time all of this is done, no one will have any doubts as to the graciousness and the loving character of our God.

Secondly, we address the question concerning Isaiah 66:23 and the New Moon. We show that the New Moon is established even before the Sabbath in Genesis 1 and 2, and go on to point out the biblical case for the perpetuity of the New Moon observance.

Here is an excerpt:

"In Hebrew, the word for 'seasons' here [Genesis 1:14] is 'moedim' which means "appointed times." It is used frequently in the bible to refer to the feast days, the dates of which are determined by the sighting of the new moon. As Seventh-day Adventists, one of our founding doctrines is that Jesus went into the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary on October 22, 1844. Most know that the year 1844 is based on the prophecy of Daniel 8:14, but why specifically October 22? What all the pioneers knew, and what SDAs today should know is that this date was the Day of Atonement in 1844. And, of course, the Day of Atonement is not based on our modern calendar; it is based on the Ancient Hebrew calendar - the calendar of Scripture. In that calendar, the Day of Atonement falls on the 10th day of the 7th month. The first day of each month is the New Moon - which is when the first crescent of the moon is sighted after the conjunction. The only reason why the October 22 was the Day of Atonement in 1844 is because the New Moon was 10 days earlier. What this means is that the very doctrines which founded us as a denomination teach us that the New Moons are still relevant. So, we know from Genesis 1:14 that the moon plays a part setting appointed times - and we know from what Jesus did in 1844 that he still keeps the new moons as well as the other feasts."

Sabbath School Q1 2021: Isaiah - Week 13
A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson.
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"Calendar in the Heavens" by Doug Mitchell:
http://www.bdsda.com/calendar-in-the-heavens/

"Return of the Shekinah" by Doug Mitchell
http://www.bdsda.com/calendar-in-the-heavens/

For the articles on the 100 years of Isaiah 65:20 see:
F.S.L., Signs of the Times, September 25, 1893
Leslie Littell, Signs of the Times, June 4, 1904, p. 3
Max Hill, Signs of the Times, Sept. 26, 1906;
A.K.L., Signs of the Times, Oct. 18, 1910; and
Milton C. Wilcox, Signs of the Times Questions and Answers, 1911,
p. 228-230