*After the activities we discussed last week (Jesus fighting His enemies at Bozrah / Petra in Edom (Jordan)) He then fights the battle of Har Megiddo, fulfilling Zechariah 14:1-8
“Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoils taken from you will be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, the houses plundered, the women raped, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south. 5 And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
6 On that day there will be no light; the luminaries will die out. 7 For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at the time of evening there will be light.
8 And on that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.”
This seems to correspond with Revelation 19:15, 17-21 …
15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great feast of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, and small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army.
Doom of the Beast and False Prophet
20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
**Today’s session will likely be confusing as there is much controversy regarding Daniel 12:11-13.
Revelation 20:1-3
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he took hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
20:1-3a –Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he took hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed
Must be a powerful angel! Only Michael could accomplish this…
*cf Daniel 10:12-13, and 20-21.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in my way for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
*20 Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am leaving, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. 21 However, I will tell you what is recorded in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.
*cf Revelation 12:7-9
7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they did not prevail, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
20:2b – what do you think at least one purpose is for binding Satan for 1000 years?
To prove that humans don’t need satanic influence to sin. The world and the flesh are enough.
What happens during these 1000 years?
- Christ on His throne (The ‘Lord’s prayer’ will be fulfilled, ‘Thy Kingdom Come’) (Matthew 6:10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.’ - Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Matthew 25:1-12)
- Judgement of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46)
- Building of Millennial Temple (Ezekiel ch 40-46)
- Judgement of the Jews (Ezekiel 20:34-38)
- All the many OT prophecies regarding God’s kingdom on earth.
**But how about *between* the end of the Tribulation and beginning of the Millennium? How long of a period is that?
For that we have to go to Daniel 12:11-13
11 And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
There are many and varied opinions on this passage. They often conflict, and each is certain that THEIR interpretation is correct.
*Many commentators ascribe this to the period of oppression of Antiochus Epiphanes (only) who hated the Jews and sacrificed a pig on the Temple Altar.
*Preterists make this to mean when Christ was crucified and the temple in Jerusalem burned in 70 AD.
*Others see it as one of those dual focus prophecies, that foretells of Antiochus, but ALSO describes, like other places in Daniel, the activities of the Antichrist in the future.
Jesus references the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24:15-22, which was in itself a dual focus prophecy, warning of Titus Vespasian’s overthrow of Jerusalem, as well as the activities of the Antichrist in the last days…
15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand—((because they were familiar with Antiochus Epiphanes in the past)) 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. 18 And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Moreover, pray that when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short
So those who interpret it as a future prophecy as well as about Antiochus Epiphanes, their explanation: further time periods are given (12:8b-13)
*1290 days (3.5 prophetic years plus 30 days)
*1335 days (3.5 prophetic years plus 75 days)
If these refer to a time between the end of the Tribulation and the start of the Millennium, could these extra time periods account for Matthew 25:1-12 (Wedding Supper of the Lamb), Matthew 25:31-46 (Sheep and Goats Judgement aka Judgement of the Nations (for how they treated Israel during the Tribulation)) and Judgement of Earthly Israel (Ezekiel 20:34-38)? How about the destruction of the defiled ‘third’ temple prophesied to John in Revelation 11? Surely it must be destroyed for the Millennial Temple of Ezekiel ch 40-46 to be built.
**Read pages 177-185 in ETICO by Ron Rhodes and pages 66-69 in ‘Charting the End Times’ by LaHaye**
The marriage supper of the Bride as we talked about last week
**Skip to page 8**
————————————————————————————————–
[[AN INTERPRETATION OF MATTHEW 24-25
by Thomas Ice
Part 37 – Matthew 25:1-13 The Parable of the Ten Virgins
(*Big Notes pages 104-107)
Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.—Matthew 25:1-13
Alas, we wave good-bye to chapter 24 and say hello to chapter 25. There are a number of items that need to be addressed as we move into Matthew 25, which impact how we should understand Christ’s intent in this passage. If we are wrong on these issues it will guarantee that we will misinterpret the passage (unless we are illogical in the process).
One of the first issues that should be recognized is that the parables and teachings in Matthew 25 are a continuation of the flow of the previous chapter. Jesus has not totally shifted gears and started speaking about something totally new when He enters this section. This means that these parables are related to Israel, (not the church), her first century rejection of His Messiahship, and the coming spoken of here relates to the second coming and judgment that will take place upon Christ’s arrival. Stanley Toussaint explains as follows:
This parable as well as the next one deals with the Jews in the tribulation period. This is seen from various facts. The context favors this view (Matthew 24:3, 8, 14, 15, 30, 31, 33, 42, 44, 47, 51). The subject being discussed is the end time, the final years before the kingdom is established. At the time the church will be absent from the earth. Therefore this section deals with a Jewish period of time. 1
Chapter 25 highlights that since the Jewish people missed Messiah’s first coming because of unbelief and were judged temporally in A.D. 70, they need to be prepared for His return so that they will escape judgment and enter into blessing (the millennial kingdom). “He taught that following His return (Matthew 24:30) and the regathering of the nation Israel to their land (Matthew 24:31), the nation would be brought under judgment (Matthew 25:1-30),” says Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost. “Christ used two parables to teach that the regathered nation will be judged to determine who is saved and who is unsaved. The purpose of this judgment will be to exclude the unsaved from, and to received the saved into, the kingdom that He will establish following His Second Advent.” 2 Jesus accomplishes His goal as He continues presenting parabolic lessons and teachings about judgment upon His return. Matthew 25 can be broken down into the following three sections: First, the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), second, the parables of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and third, the judgment of the Gentiles (Matthew 25:31-46).
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS
In a sense, Matthew 24:50-51 raises the following question: “On what basis will Israel be judged?” The answer in Matthew 25:1-13 is preparedness. The parable of the ten virgins provides a picture of living Israel brought back to the land at the end of days for a judgment to see who is prepared and who is unprepared the second time for the coming of Messiah. The focus is on Israel in the last days (i.e., the tribulation period just described in Matthew 24:4-42.) The prepared enter the millennial kingdom while the unprepared are excluded.
The ten virgins represent the nation of Israel as a whole. The nation is divided into two groups of five each. One group, the wise, is depicted as prepared and waiting since they have obtained extra oil in case a delay occurs in the coming of the bridegroom. This first group represents believing and prepared Israel. The second group, the foolish, did not prepare and they represent unbelieving Israel. They were not ready for the coming of Messiah. Dr. Pentecost tells us the following:
Although a strong testimony will be given to the nation of Israel during the Tribulation (Matthew 24:14), some people will be unprepared when the King comes to institute His millennial kingdom. The prepared will be received into the kingdom to enjoy its bounty but the unprepared will be excluded. Thus this parable teaches that there will be a judgment of living Israelites to determine who is and is not prepared. This is an expression of Christ’s previous statement that “you also must be ready” (Matthew 24:44). 3
SOME RAPTURE IMPLICATIONS
Since this parable deals with the future nation of Israel (likely the current nation of Israel that exists today), this is not a passage that comes into play concerning the rapture. This means that the parable of the ten virgins does not support the notion of a partial rapture position, which has been argued from this, as well as other passages (Matthew 24:40-51; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 20:34-36; 21:36; Philippians 3:10-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:24-28; Revelation 3:3, 10; 12:1-6). This view teaches that the rapture occurs before the tribulation, but only “spiritual” Christians will be taken, while other Christians will remain through the tribulation. They also believe that multiple raptures will occur throughout the seven-year tribulation period. This view is thought to have been developed by Robert Govett in the mid-nineteenth century in England, and held mainly by British advocates such as J. A. Seiss, G. H. Lang and G. H. Pember. 4
Since this passage, by and large, is not thought to relate to the rapture by pretribulationists because it contextually refers to Israel, it is even harder to make a case for a partial rapture. “We shrink from the partial rapture idea because other passages seem plainly to suggest that every member of the body of Christ will be caught up (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, etc.),” notes Randolph Yeager. “Partial rapture would seem to imply rupture in the Body of Christ.” 5 Quite frankly, the same grace that saves each believer is the grace that will take one out at the rapture. One does not have qualify through their own works or reach a certain level of sanctification to be taken at the rapture. Qualification for being taken in the rapture is not a reward for faithfulness, but like salvation itself is a free gift. One’s name is added to “the rapture manifest” when their name is added to the roll the moment one trusts Christ as his Savior. Even if a believer does not believe in the pretribulational rapture, they will be taken anyway if they are indeed a believer. I am sure some will be taken by surprise, and perhaps some kicking and screaming but they will be taken nevertheless.
Partial rapturists say that this parable pictures the part of the church that is watching and waiting for the Lord’s return as the five wise virgins who had oil and the carnal church who is left behind as the five foolish virgins. This they believe supports the notion of the partial rapture theory.
There are major problems with anyone’s attempt to apply this parable to the church to begin with, since Israel is in view. Further, the imagery does not match up with what should be if this were actually teaching a partial rapture doctrine. The imagery used in the parable of the ten virgins does not comport with that used of the church in other New Testament passages. “The passage itself uses none of the characteristic terms relating to the church, such as bride, body, or the expression in Christ,” 6 notes John Walvoord. Instead we see that the ten virgins are merely bridesmaids who would be attending at a wedding and not brides themselves. Were this portraying in some way the church, then these virgins would need to be portrayed as brides who were waiting upon their bridegroom, which would be Christ. This is not what is found in the passage. Dr. Walvoord further explains in the following:
If watchfulness is necessary for worthiness, as partial rapturists characteristically argue, then none of the ten virgins qualify for “they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” The command to “watch” in Matthew 25:13 has, then, the specific meaning of being prepared with oil—being genuinely regenerated and indwelt by the Spirit rather than having unusual spirituality. The clear teaching is that “watching” is not enough. This passage will serve to refute the partial rapturists instead of sustaining their viewpoint. Only by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit can one be qualified for entrance into the wedding feast, but all the wise virgins enter the feast. ]]
———————————————————————————————————
The Millennial Temple will be built (Ezekiel ch 40-46),
*During the Millennium, will there still be sin? Yes. (Revelation 20:8)
Will there still be death? Yes. (Isaiah 65:20,22)
Is it a ‘miniature heaven’? No, because of the above. But it is a great improvement!
Next week, we will read at least 10 OT passages that describe the Millennial Kingdom such as the wolf living alongside the lamb, etc.
20:3b after these things he must be released for a short time. This foretells of Revelation 20:7-10
7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Discussion of Daniel 12:11-13 11 And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
Read pages 177-185 in ETICO by Ron Rhodes (I have one disagreement) and pages 66-69 in ‘Charting the End Times’ by LaHaye
*Opinions?
Repeat of Focal Passage: Revelation 20:1-3
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he took hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
*And that’s basically all Revelation has to say about the Millennium. Most of our information on it comes from the Tanakh (OT).
*We have discussed several details of this passage previously but now let’s talk about what the Millennial Kingdom will be like….
Luke 1:31-33
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Note there was no throne of David at the time this prophecy was given. Israel was no longer a sovereign nation.
Matthew 6:10
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Daniel 2:34-35,
34 You continued watching until a stone was broken off without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces all at the same time, and they were like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth.
Daniel 7:13-14,
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a son of man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 And to Him was given dominion,
Honor, and a kingdom,
So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
Isaiah 65:18-23,
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
19 I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
20 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives only a few days,
Or an old person who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of a hundred,
And the one who does not reach the age of a hundred
Will be thought accursed.
21 They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain,
Or give birth to children for disaster;
For they are the descendants of those blessed by the Lord,
And their descendants with them.
Jeremiah 31:12-14,
12 “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion,
And they will be radiant over the bounty of the Lord—
Over the grain, the new wine, the oil,
And over the young of the flock and the herd.
And their life will be like a watered garden,
And they will never languish again.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old together;
For I will turn their mourning into joy
And comfort them, and give them joy for their sorrow.
14 I will refresh the soul of the priests with abundance,
And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.
Ezekiel 34:25-29,
25 “And I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful animals from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will make showers fall in their season; they will be showers of blessing. 27 Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its produce, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have saved them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plunder to the nations, and the animals of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore.
Joel 3:16-21,
16 The Lord roars from Zion
And utters His voice from Jerusalem,
And the heavens and the earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge for His people,
And a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
17 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
Dwelling on Zion, My holy mountain.
So Jerusalem will be holy,
And strangers will no longer pass through it.
Judah Will Be Blessed
18 And on that day
The mountains will drip with sweet wine,
And the hills will flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water;
And a spring will go out from the house of the Lord
And water the Valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt will become a wasteland,
And Edom will become a desolate wilderness,
Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah,
In whose land they have shed innocent blood.
20 But Judah will be inhabited forever,
And Jerusalem for all generations.
21 And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged,
For the Lord dwells in Zion.
Amos 9:13-15,
13 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When the plowman will overtake the reaper,
And the one who treads grapes will overtake him who sows the seed;
When the mountains will drip grape juice,
And all the hills will come apart.
14 I will also restore the fortunes of My people Israel,
And they will rebuild the desolated cities and live in them;
They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine,
And make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will also plant them on their land,
And they will not be uprooted again from their land
Which I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God.
Micah 4:1-7,
And it will come about in the last days
That the mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established as the chief of the mountains.
It will be raised above the hills,
And the peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will come and say,
“Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord
And to the house of the God of Jacob,
So that He may teach us about His ways,
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For from Zion will go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 And He will judge between many peoples
And render decisions for mighty, distant nations.
Then they will beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation will not lift a sword against nation,
And never again will they train for war.
4 Instead, each of them will sit under his vine
And under his fig tree,
With no one to make them afraid,
Because the mouth of the Lord of armies has spoken.
5 Though all the peoples walk,
Each in the name of his god,
As for us, we will walk
In the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.
6 “On that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will assemble those who limp
And gather the scattered,
Those whom I have afflicted.
7 I will make those who limp a remnant,
And those who have strayed a mighty nation,
And the Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion
From now on and forever.
Zephaniah 3:9-20,
9 For then I will restore to the peoples pure lips,
So that all of them may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers, My dispersed ones,
Will bring My offerings.
11 On that day you will feel no shame
Because of all your deeds
By which you have rebelled against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst
Your proud, arrogant ones,
And you will never again be haughty
On My holy mountain.
12 But I will leave among you
A humble and lowly people,
And they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong
And tell no lies,
Nor will a deceitful tongue
Be found in their mouths;
For they will feed and lie down
With no one to frighten them.”
14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, Israel!
Rejoice and triumph with all your heart,
Daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
You will no longer fear disaster.
16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not be afraid, Zion;
Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will rejoice over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
18 I will gather those who are worried about the appointed feasts—
They came from you, Zion;
The disgrace of exile is a burden on them.
19 Behold, I am going to deal at that time
With all your oppressors;
I will save those who limp
And gather the scattered,
And I will turn their shame into praise and fame
In all the earth.
20 At that time I will bring you in,
Even at the time when I gather you together;
Indeed, I will make you famous and praiseworthy
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.
Isaiah 32:17-18
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness will remain in the fertile field.
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
18 Then my people will live in a peaceful settlement,
In secure dwellings, and in undisturbed resting places;
Isaiah 11:6-10
6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together;
And a little boy will lead them.
7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.
10 Then on that day
The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a signal flag for the peoples;
And His resting place will be glorious.
*From GotQuestions.org….
‘The millennial kingdom is the title given to the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. Some seek to interpret the 1,000 years in an allegorical manner. They understand the 1,000 years as merely a figurative way of saying “a long period of time,” not a literal, physical reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. However, six times in Revelation 20:2-7, the millennial kingdom is specifically said to be 1,000 years in length. If God wished to communicate “a long period of time,” He could have easily done so without explicitly and repeatedly mentioning an exact time frame.
The Bible tells us that when Christ returns to the earth He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). The unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish the kingdom. The Abrahamic Covenant promised Israel a land, a posterity and ruler, and a spiritual blessing (Genesis 12:1–3). The Palestinian Covenant promised Israel a restoration to the land and occupation of the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10). The Davidic Covenant promised Israel a king from David’s line who would rule forever—giving the nation rest from all their enemies (2 Samuel 7:10–13).
At the second coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations (Matthew 24:31), converted (Zechariah 12:10–14), and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. It will be a time of peace (Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 32:17–18), joy (Isaiah 61:7, 10), and comfort (Isaiah 40:1–2). The Bible also tells us that only believers will enter the millennial kingdom. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience (Jeremiah 31:33), holiness (Isaiah 35:8), truth (Isaiah 65:16), and the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14). Christ will rule as king (Isaiah 9:3–7; 11:1–10). Nobles and governors will also rule (Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 19:28), and Jerusalem will be the political center of the world (Zechariah 8:3).
Revelation 20:2-7 gives the precise time period of the millennial kingdom. There are countless other passages that point to a literal reign of the Messiah on the earth. The fulfillment of many of God’s covenants and promises rests on a literal, physical, future kingdom. There is no solid basis for denying the literal interpretation of the millennial kingdom and its duration being 1,000 years.
*Ezekiel ch 40-46 discusses the Millennial Temple – please read it on your own- note the detail given, not unlike the detail for building Solomon’s temple or Noah’s Ark.
*I wonder if our assignments during the Millennium will be just as detailed.*
Revelation 20:4-10
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
20:4a – 4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them…
this may be a reference to what Jesus said in Matthew 19:28
28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
20:4b – And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Recalls the fifth seal in Revelation chapter 6…
Revelation 6:9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.
20:5 – 6a 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power
–why is it the ‘first’? Because it isn’t the second. For whatever reason, the Bible has lumped all of the resurrections of the saints into what it calls the ‘first resurrection’. The ‘first’ always has a place of significance in the Bible – the first born, first fruits (many fruits in the harvest, all considered ‘first’)
Resurrections: ‘First’ of saved: Rapture of church (1 Cor 15:51-54, 1Thess 4:16-17), Trib saints (Rev. 20:4), OT saints (Ezekiel 37:12-14), Millennial saved (Rev.20:5), ‘Second’ of unsaved – (Rev 20:11-15) (Daniel 12:2)
20:6b – but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
As we know from the Torah, from which tribe were priests to come from? Levi. Which tribe were kings to come from? Judah. Priests cannot reign and kings cannot perform priestly duties EXCEPT for Melchizedek, Jesus, and those in the first resurrection.
*This is why Saul eventually lost his crown – because as a king, he could not perform priestly duties, yet he insisted on doing so when Elijah was delayed.
Remember that story from 1 Samuel 1:8-14?
8 Now he waited for seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” 13 But Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for the Lord would now have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
And you recall the undignified way Saul died in 1 Samuel 31.
Suicide, as his armor bearer was unwilling. Then…
1 Samuel 31:9 They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to bring the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they nailed his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
*If you were a king, you weren’t supposed to impersonate a priest.
Revelation 20:7 – 9 7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Contrast this passage with Ezekiel 38 and 39 – another ‘Gog and Magog’ war. This trips up a lot of people, and as a student of eschatology, you need to be aware that many people conflate these two wars. In both cases, as well as Armageddon, they end with a Psalm 2 scenario.
*Read pages 205-211 in ETICO
Quick recap of where we are – the Tribulation, aka Daniel’s 70th week and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble has completed.
Jesus Christ returned FIRST to the remnant of Jews who cried out to Him from Bozrah /Petra who fulfilled the Hosea 5:15 prophecy by crying out to Him (possibly Isaiah 64),
THEN to the Mt. of Olives which split in half as He stood on it (Zechariah 14:4).
THEN the binding of Satan for 1000 years
Then possibly a 75-day period (Daniel 12:11-13) where the defiled Temple is destroyed and the Millennial Temple construction started (Ezekiel chapters 40-46) the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Matthew 25:1-12) the Sheep and Goats Judgement (Matthew 25:31-46), the Judgement of Earthly Israel (Ezekiel 20:34-38)
THEN the Millennial Kingdom itself
(The above two items take place between Revelation 20:6 and Revelation 20:7)
THEN the loosing of Satan and the second ‘Gog / Magog War’ which also hearkens to Psalm 2
THEN Satan being thrown into the lake of fire to join the Antichrist and False Prophet who have been there 1000 years already waiting for him, which brings us to…
*Revelation 20:11-15:
Judgment at the Throne of God
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- Judgment at the Great White Throne. *David Guzik commentary* (we will meet Dr. Guzik again in our study of Daniel as he has an excellent commentary on Daniel chapter 11 – this is the chapter ‘between the Testaments’. Most people think the Bible skips 400 years in its narrative, but actually Daniel chapter 11 fills in most of that information).
- (11) An awesome throne.
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
- I saw a great white throne: Greatin status, power and authority; white in purity and holiness; and a throne in kingly sovereignty.
- And Him who sat on it: Who is this? The Bible tells us that the Judge is Jesus (John 5:22-27); or more likely, the fullness of the Triune God.
***c. The earth and the heaven fled away: Earth and heaven flee from this throne, but there was found no place for them. There is absolutely no hiding from this throne. No one can escape the judgment that it represents.
- Many – even most – Bible scholars believe that Christians will never appear before this great white throne. It isn’t because we can hidefrom it – no one can. The idea is that we are spared from this awesome throne of judgment because our sins are already judgedin Jesus at the cross. We don’t escape God’s judgment; we satisfy it in Jesus.
- However, Christians will have to stand before another throne – the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
iii. Therefore, when we pass from these bodies to the world beyond, we must each give account according to what he has done, whether good or bad. This describes a judgment of works of believers.
- At the judgment seat of Christ, what we have done will be judged. Our motivesfor what we have done will be judged. Paul presents essentially the same idea in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, where he speaks of a coming assessment of each one’s work before the Lord. In that passage, he makes it clear that what we have done, and our motive for doing it, will be tested by fire, and the purifying fire of God will burn up everything that was not of Him. We won’t be punishedfor what was not done rightly unto the Lord, it will simply be burned up, and it will be as if we never did those things. We will simply be rewarded for what remains. Sadly, some will get to heaven thinking they have done great things for God, and will find out at the judgment seat of Christ that they really did nothing.
- (12-13) The judgment of condemnation.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
- Standing before God: This is not a trial, trying to determine what the facts are. The facts are in; here is the sentencing of someone already condemned. “Their standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.” (Walvoord)
- Because this is a sentencing and not a trial, those who stand before the throne have nothing to say. Many think they will “tell God a thing or two” at the final judgment, as reflected in this letter to Dear Abby (a newspaper advice column) written some years ago:
Dear Abby: I am troubled with something a reader wrote: “What right do we mortals have to demand an explanation from God?” Abby, that writer has never known the gut-wrenching pain of losing a child…
God didn’t answer my prayers, and I resent being told that I have no right to question God. If there is a God, and if I ever get to meet him face to face, you can bet your life I will have plenty of whys for him to answer.
I want to know why my little girl died and why that drunk was allowed to go on living. I love her more than my life, and I miss her so. I am mad that I am having to live in a world where she no longer lives, and I want to know why. Why shouldn’t I have the right to ask God?
Aren’t we supposedly created in his image? If so, surely he has a heart and soul capable of hurting just as I hurt. Why would he not expect to be questioned if he has anything to do with miracles?
I don’t fear the Lord. And I don’t fear hell, either. I know what hell is like. I’ve already been there since the day my precious daughter was killed.
Please sign me… A Bereaved Mother
- Of course, there will be no criticism of God on that day. This desperate woman will see not only the righteousness and goodness of God, but she will also see her own sin and rejection of Him more clearly than ever. One could only pray and hope she came to understand how the Father Himself knew the pain she experienced, and sent His Son to give her hope and redemption.
- And the dead were judged according to their works: If people are notlisted in the Book of Life, then each one is judged according to his works. Those who refuse to come to God by faith will, by default, be judged (and condemned) by their works.
- “The issue is not salvation by works but works as the irrefutable evidence of a man’s actual relationship with God.” (Mounce)
- There are degrees of punishment for unbelievers, according to their works (Matthew 11:20-24). Here is where they are sentenced to their specific eternal punishment.
*c. The sea gave up the dead who were in it: Why does the sea give up its dead? It represents the place of unburied bodies; the emphasis is on the universal character of judgment – everybody is included.
- (14-15) Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire.
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
***a. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire: The last echoes of sin are now eliminated. Death is the result of sin, and it is gone. Hades is the result of death, and it is gone. The last vestiges of sin’s unlawful domination are done away with.
- The lake of fire: When a person refers to hell, the lake of fireis what they usually have in mind. The Bible uses three main words to describe where the ungodly may go when they die.
- Sheolis a Hebrew word with the idea of the “place of the dead.” It has no direct reference to either torment or eternal happiness. The idea of Sheol is often accurately expressed as “the grave.”
- Hadesis a Greek word used to describe the “world beyond.” In the Bible, it has generally the same idea as Sheol. Revelation 9:1 speaks of the bottomless pit; this place called the abyssos is a prison for certain demons (Luke 8:31; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Or more generally, it is considered part of the realm of the dead (Romans 10:7 uses it in the sense of Hades).
iii. Gehenna is a Greek word borrowed from the Hebrew language. In Mark 9:43-44, Jesus speaks of hell (gehenna). Hell is a Greek translation of the Hebrew “Valley of Hinnom,” a place outside Jerusalem’s walls desecrated by Molech worship and human sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:1-3; Jeremiah 32:35). It was also a garbage dump where rubbish and refuse were burned. The smoldering fires and festering worms of the Valley of Hinnom made it a graphic and effective picture of the fate of the damned. This is the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Men only go to this place prepared for the devil and his angels if they reject God’s salvation and condemn themselves.
- This is the second death: “As there is a second and higher life, so there is also a second and deeper death. And as after that life there is no more death, so after that death there is no more life.” (Alford)
- “The devil and the damned have punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succor, crying without comfort, mischief without measure, torments without end and past imagination.” (Trapp)
*2 Peter 3:7-13, which occurs between chapters 20 and 21 of Revelation.
7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
A New Heaven and Earth
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
*And that will bring us to Revelation chapter 21.