By Stephen Haskell

Isaiah 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die an hundred years old, but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

Also verse 23: “They shall not bring forth for trouble.”

REPLY. – DEAR BROTHER: I conceive that the only difficulty in the first text you refer to, is in supposing it refers to something that takes place after the creation of the new heavens and new earth. Some, to avoid this difficulty, have claimed that there was to be a state of this earth during the thousand years of Rev.xx, before the final burning day, when a portion of the inhabitants of the earth should be mortal and subject to death. Those who hold this view have claimed that it produced harmony with the text to apply it in that period. I can see no propriety in the prophet’s connecting the creation of the new heavens and new earth with the death of the child one hundred years old, if it all applied to a state that must cease before even the time shall come for creating the new heavens and earth. Now if this text can be so explained as to show that the dying is not in the new earth, and yet that it is intimately connected with the bringing in of the new-earth state, all will be plain. – Stephen Haskell.

Let us see how it is introduced, verse 17:

“For behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more THENCE an infant of days.” Isaiah 65:17

Now we see the manner in which the prophet introduces this matter, and the point of time to which he refers. When a prophet speaks of an event which is to come, we must look at him in his relation of the matter as standing at the very point where the work is to be accomplished. The Lord here carries us to the time when the new earth is to be created, and tells us something of what shall be when that state comes. “There shall be no more thence an infant of days.” When? After the new earth is created. Why shall there be no such thing there? Let the prophet answer: “For the child shall die an hundred years old,” etc. But when is this child of one hundred years to die? If you say, In the new earth, you spoil the text; for if there is death there, there would of course “be an infant of days” – a short-lived child – and “an old man who had not filled his days” – premature old age. But as this dying here spoken of is one reason assigned why there shall be no dying in the new earth, it must be that it is to take place just at the point where that work of creating the new heavens and new earth takes place. – Stephen Haskell

As we have fixed the point of time where the dying is to take place, the next question is, Who is meant by the “child a hundred years old?” We conclude it is the sinner who may be a hundred years old. Who is to be destroyed at that time? Surely it cannot be the righteous; for they will then be immortal, to die no more. Peter, in speaking of the creation of the new earth [2Pet.iii,7] says: “But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” The same fire that purifies the earth, destroys the wicked; so it must be the wicked who are referred to here by the term child. Although they may be a hundred years of age, they are but children in age compared with the lives of the saints who are to live forever. With this view we conceive all is plain thus far. {October 22, 1861 UrSe, ARSH 164.17} Advent Review and Sabbath Herald

Rev. 1:18;– “and shut him up and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

How long is a season? 90 days… How old is a child? Say ten years old. A ten year old lives during the period of the little season, 90 days applying a day for a year prophecy which means when the wicked are destroyed in the lake of fire, that child is then 100 years old and dies for it has lived during the little season when Satan is loosed after the 1000 years.

Remember that was the resurrection of damnation? These people that rise, they will be there for a season, a little season. A child being ten will die at 100 years old. Ninety years. Many people have great difficulty with this text. How can the people around the city of God die? During that season, the small season, it is another period. The wicked will fully learn Gods righteousness. Notice what they will do.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.

They were resurrected, God had done this earth movement and the city of Jerusalem had come down, but the rest of the planet, what does it look like? Broken down. The people who have been resurrected, what will they do? Satan goes to deceive them. He gathers them together for battle. Against what?

Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

This description is split up into several experiences. They have ninety years to establish something. Instead of doing good what do they do? They prepare for battle. That takes a bit of time. Build living quarters, build factories. That has been given them. They will prove they are wicked by Satan and submission to him. They will bring some sort of order about to prepare for war.

Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions. {GC 664.2}

They are preparing for that period of time to take the city. They have to train their army. They have to build instruments of warfare, they have to eat, grow food.

At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on–an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset. {GC 664.3}

What an exciting film is played out. The city gates are open but now as they come to take it, the gates are closed and the wicked surround the city. They are just about ready to take the city and what happens next?

See also: http://sabbathsermons.com/2009/08/25/13-events-of-the-seventh-millenium/