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Coronation [Millennium]
Rev. 20:1-10
Ever wonder what it would’ve been like to have lived in the garden of Eden? Before sin? A pristine earth before the curse! Paradise!
That time is coming in the Millennium, before we enter the “eternal state”.
God created the universe in 6 literal days, and rested on the 7th…and now, 6 millenia later, perhaps the 7th millennium will be that 1k yr. rest!?
2 Peter 3:7-8
7 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.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of
this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.
I’m not a date-setter, the Bible forbids that, and we don’t know the date of creation any closer than w/in 20-30 years at the very best.
For centuries men have dreamed of utopia—a perfect world…where good always prevails and evil is always punished/no crying, sighing, dying/lion and lamb lie down together and roses can be picked w/out the prick of the thorn/go to bed at night w/ door unlocked/no racism/class struggles/no muggings/murders.
Walk down a dark alley counting a wad of cash out loud w/ no fear!
Joke—2 peanuts walked down a dark alley, and one of them was a ‘salted’ [assaulted!]
Complete security/equality/prosperity!
And…a perfect ecology [balance of nature]. Also, government w/ no scandals!
That time is coming to earth! The 1,000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ!
Controversial chapter we study now, though I believe scripture makes it fairly plain.
The word Millennium is not in the Bible, true, but neither is Trinity, Missions, Deity, or Rapture.
Prefix “Milli” means 1,000 [ie: millimeter, etc.]
“anum”=year [word annual]
The phrase “a thousand years” occurs 6 x’s in the verses we just read.
What will the Millennium be like? Some facts…
· Jesus will rule from Jerusalem…from the throne of David…it will be the capital of the world!
· No more war
· Nature no longer cursed
· Jews will realize Jesus is the Messiah
· The glory and knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth!
Hebrews 8:11
And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother,
saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the
greatest.
Believers have an endless hope! [lost have a hopeless end!]
3 positions:
a-millennialism=no millennium
say it is symbolic
We rejected this for 5 reasons:
1. A-millennialism contradicts consistent interpretation.
2. A-millennialism contradicts the Biblical doctrine of Satan.
3. A-millennialism contradicts the way we have been taught to pray.
4. A-millennialism contradicts scores of other verses which promise an earthly kingdom where Christ rules and reigns.
5. A-millennialism contradicts the clear promise of Jesus Christ to come back and establish an earthly kingdom.
[much more detail about these reasons in the footnotes at the bottom…]
Post-Millennialism=there WILL BE a millennium, but Jesus will not return until the end of it.
They believe Jesus won’t usher it in, but the church will. That thru preaching the gospel the world will get better and better until we, the church, usher in the time of perfect peace.
This was popular 100 years ago when great revival was going on under the names of DL Moody/Billy Sunday/Spurgeon…it looked to be a likely scenario…but after 2 world wars, global depression, rise of communism and the advent of nuclear weapons…well, that answered that…so, you don’t find many who hold to this today.
Also, it contradicts scripture:
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2 Timothy 3 |
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3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. |
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3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves [selfish], covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents [throwing off authority], unthankful, unholy, |
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3:3 Without natural affection [homos/mothers killing their babies in the womb and out!/and children killing their parents!], trucebreakers[handshake used to be bond/today even written contracts and peace treaties not any better than the paper written on!], false accusers [spirit of WANTING there to be a problem/divisive/enjoying strife!], incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good [jealousy], |
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3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; |
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3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. |
We’re not getting better, but worse…things are winding down/coming apart at the seams.
We may feel like we’re in graduate school technologically, but never forget we’re in kindergarten morally as a society!
Post-M. is unrealistic/unscriptural…
So, what do we believe?
The Bible position is clearly pre-millennialism=taking Rev. 20 at face value, literally: rapture/trib./2nd coming/Armageddon/millennium
Now, what is the purpose of the Millennium?
Why have 1k years of peace…what’s the purpose?
This is not exhaustive, but here are 3 good reasons:
1. To fulfil all of God’s promises to the nation of Israel
We call them God’s chosen people, but chosen to do what?
God chose to reveal Himself thru them. God always uses human instruments [didn’t write it in the sky], and so, the Bible was written by the Jews [40 men], and then, Messiah came thru them [why? I don’t know! But clearly, He did!!]
As His chosen people, God made them some unconditional promises:
· A time would come when they would not be persecuted
Jeremiah 23:3-4
3 And I will gather the remnant
of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring
them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds over
them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed,
neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
Why persecuted? Because Satan knows they are God’s chosen people. [has always tried to exterminate them…Pharaoh/Haman in Esther/Nebuchadnezzar/Titus, the Roman General in AD 70/Hitler [just a Johnny-come-lately]…and Satan is behind the thinking of all of these!
Why not in millennium? Satan is bound!
· A time would come when they would possess all the land that God promised to Abraham
Countless treaties between Jews and Palestinians…always “land for peace”, but it never works, and never will…but in the millennium, they will own it all! [inc. Golan heights/Gaza strip/Jerusalem and temple mount!]
They will possess from Mediterranean to Euphrates!
· A time would come when they would be respected and no longer looked down upon.
Zechariah 8:23
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass,
that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall
take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you:
for we have heard that God is with you.
· A time would come when they will finally live in peace
Isaiah 60:18
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within
thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
This is just 4 of many promises that God has to keep!
So, the 1st purpose for the Millennium is that it is a fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.
2nd:
It will be a worldwide display of the glory and honor Jesus Christ deserves.
His Name won’t be taken in vain, and no rebels can rise or succeed! He will rule w/ a rod of iron!
3rd:
It will be a final demonstration of the inherent sinfulness/wickedness in the heart of man.
Rev. 20:7 -9
2 types will live on the earth at this time:
Mortals and immortals [us]
The mortals which enter the Millennium from Armageddon include the Jews and others not at Armageddon. And now, the earth is free from the curse of nature and is like Eden again, so these mortals may live hundreds of years again! [Adam lived to 930…prob. didn’t look a day over 800!]
They will live long, reproduce, and the Bible teaches many will OUTWARDLY conform to the righteous rule of Christ, but inwardly there will lurk a heart of rebellion.
They will have no choice but to conform outwardly, but when Satan is loosed at the end of the M. there will be many try to rise up in a final rebellion against Omnipotence.
So, what does this teach us? Man’s sin nature! No matter what environment he’s in, man is prone to sin!
People are not solely products of their environment…our heart is the problem! Man has always sinned, from Eden [paradise] to the dispensation of conscience when there was no law given yet
[“let your conscience be your guide?” Not good…some don’t have one, many don’t listen to theirs! Some have become seared!]
God had to destroy man w/ a flood! Then later, Moses brought the written law in black and white, and man sinned all the more, even God’s own people. Then the dispensation of Grace when Jesus came…and we all sin…and in the Millennium man will sin!…even w/ Jesus bodily, physically ruling and reigning/perfect conditions!
That tells us that we have incurable wickedness within…our only hope is the new birth!
Footnotes:
1. A-millennialism contradicts consistent biblical interpretation.
It’s improper to allegorize the 1k years when it’s introduced by a literal resurrection of people! [v. 4/beheaded…literally!]
2. A-millennialism contradicts the Biblical doctrine of Satan.
They say v. 1-3 is an allegory…Satan has already been chained. [Adrian Rogers: must be a long chain!]…as Peter said, Satan is a roaring lion walking about…
If Satan is bound, then why…
Are our public schools becoming killing fields?/suicide leading cause of teenage death?/5k+ unborn babies being killed each day?
I understand that at the cross Satan’s doom was sealed…he was as good as dead, but in-between D-day and V-day there are a lot of battles to fight!
[Satan is the prince of the power of the air/god of this world!]
3. A-millennialism contradicts the way we have been taught to pray.
In the Lord’s prayer, we are given an example of the model prayer…say it w/ me: “our Father, which art in heaven…”
We’ve been commanded to pray for God’s kingdom to come here on earth! His heavenly will only can happen on earth if Jesus is ruling and reigning!
[and any prayer God commands us to pray-He intends to answer!]
Interesting that in Matthew Jesus said, blessed are the meek for they SHALL inherit the earth!
4. A-millennialism contradicts scores of other verses which promise an earthly kingdom where Christ rules and reigns.
This is critical when talking to an A-millennialist because one of their main arguments is that the only place it’s mentioned is Rev. 20…not true! [Every major and minor prophet in the OT mentioned it!] Here’s just a sampling:
Psalms 2:6-8, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."
(Notice where this kingdom is located; on the earth!)
Psalms 110:1-2, “The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion…”
(Out of where? Zion! – Jerusalem)
Isaiah 2:1-5, “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
Isaiah 11:1-9, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 60:18-21, “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.”
Jeremiah 23:3-5, “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase [Jews]. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”
Jeremiah 32:37-43, “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”
Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
Zechariah 8:20-23, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
5. A-millennialism contradicts the clear promise of Jesus Christ to come back and establish an earthly kingdom.
Matthew 19:27-30, “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel…And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”
Acts 1:6, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 1:7, “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” [this would have been the time to correct them if He were not coming back!]
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