Christ's Regal Millennium

The concept of a unique time in the future called the Millennium is hardly a miscue taken by some theologians by way of interpreting a thousand years where Christ will reign on the earth. As if to emphasize this event, God speaking through John refers to it six times in the first seven verses of Revelation chapter twenty.

A great harvest of Jews and Gentiles will appear in Heaven because of the martyrdom of millions of saints during the Great Tribulation era, [Rev. 7:14] and millions of souls will be brought into the welcoming Presence of Christ during this period called the Millennium. [Romans 11:24]

After the Great Tribulation Temple is desecrated, [Daniel 9:26c; Daniel 9:27c,d,e; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:4] Christ will build His Millennial Temple notarized in multiple Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments. [Isaiah 16:5; Ezekiel 40:5-43:7; Ezekiel 43:7; Ezekiel 45:7; Ezekiel 46:9; and Zechariah 6:12]

I would like to lift out of the Word of God two of the above Scriptures. In Revelation 20:4 John speaks of several thrones where the Millennial leadership will sit in judgment on the lost souls, and Christ also will have His throne room in the Millennial Temple. Ezekiel 43:7 indicates that the dwelling place of Jesus will be wherever His feet will take Him among the children of Israel in the Jerusalem vicinity.

God has forever given the land of Israel to His people although they have been exiled many times because of their backsliding. Ezekiel chapter forty-five repeatedly speaks of His sanctuary and 'a portion shall be for the Prince' [vs. 7] The land is His possession in Israel [vs. 8] and was given to Abram and his lineage way back in Genesis 12:7, even before God made the eternal covenant with Abram and his ancestors. It was in Genesis 17:1-7 that the Lord made the everlasting covenant with Abram at the age of ninety-nine.

The Great High Priest Jesus Christ will be re-instituting the sabbath day as the day of worship along with the sacrificial system, as in pre-New Testament times, as a reminder of His death on the Cross and the real atonement and blood sacrifice that was shed for the sins of the whole world. [John 1:29 & I John 2:2] He has and will institute new forms of worship during the age of grace now, and that of His Millennial reign on this earth in the future. During this dispensation of time we celebrate His death, endless life and coming for the church via the Holy Communion. During the Millennial reign of Christ on the earth we will celebrate His atonement on the Cross, by worshipping Christ via the Old Testament feast days as noted in Zechariah 14:16,18,19]

The prophecy will then be fulfilled where it says that Christ will sit on the throne of His father, King David. [Isaiah 15:5] 'And in mercy shall the throne be established; and He shall sit on it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.' Jesus never made an appearance under the Old Covenant or during His earthly stay after His virgin birth by way of sitting on a regal throne. Thus, He will be seated at a future time as designated in Zechariah 14:9 & 16, as the theocratic King over the entire world, having dethroned the world-wide authority of the antichrist.

 

If some of you would have lived at the close of the Old Covenant system of animal sacrifice, you might have said, "We will not believe in and trust in Jesus to cover our sins because our fathers have trusted in this way for hundreds of years." But, this would not have been right because God changes things from time to time and we must go with His new instruction. Yes, there was a time that the animal sacrifices had to be given up and the Lord directed a new approach to worshipping Him. You could not have been right by saying, "It's always been done this way."

So too, after the rapture of the church to Heaven and after the Great Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ in Revelation 19 Christ is going to officiate a new approach to Divine worship. Just as we look back to the Cross and also worship through the Eucharist, in this future era we will look back to the Cross and offer animal sacrifices as a Divine remembrance of His great price paid for our sins at Calvary.

Ezekiel chapters 40-48 clearly depict the Millennial Temple, worship, the priests at the altar and the dividing of the land of Israel among the twelve tribes of Israel. There is no 'ark of the covenant' in this Temple because Jesus will officiate in place of this Old Covenant furnishing where the Presence of God remained under O.T. times.

As far as the 'animal rights people' most of them will already have been judged by Christ and sent to Hell. Zechariah pictures people conforming to His plan of Divine worship and also the 'feast of Tabernacles,' at this future time in Jerusalem. [Zechariah 14:16,18,19] Some non-Christians will not comply and Christ will 'smite the heathen.' [vs. 18] This O.T. system will be re-visited because the Israelites during Jesus life on earth rejected this Millennial earthly Kingdom. [Matthew 4:23, Matthew 23:37, John 1:11]

 

Is there any text showing that after the cross - after the Messiah is crucified animals are to be sacrificed?

Yes, in Ezekiel chapter 40 and 41:4 the prophet has a vision of the dimensions of the Millennial Temple among other things. Ezekiel 45:17-through chapter 46.

Non-Israelites who are living or passing through Israel will be assigned to one of the 12 tribes of Israel. [Ezekiel 47:22-23]

The priesthood and the sanctuary/Temple are mentioned in the same verse. [Ezekiel 48:10] The Lord will be seated in regal, Divine authority in Jerusalem [Zechariah 14:16] in His theocracy on this earth, during this 1,000 year period of time, before the the new Heaven and the new earth. [Revelation 21:1]

 

Mee,

Years ago I heard they were trying to mate a red heifer so that have a completely pure animal for the required ingredient for the appropriate liturgical ritual that will take place in the future Temple. A couple of years ago they were real close to producing such an animal.

I will go to the web site that you suggested. Thanks!

 

Ken H,

You might need to open your mind to the fact that you and I are not always the deepest souls spiritually speaking. You need to sit with a Messianic Christian who is knowledgeable and he or she will teach you much of which you need to understand and believe, if you are interested in ingest the full truth of the Scripture.

I thought I was understanding the Ezekiel passages from chapters 36 to the end, and after talking with a Messianic Christian he confirmed to me the fact that I was really on target. We feel sorry for those who reject the fact that in the Millennial Kingdom, Christ will introduce some new ideas and realities as to the sacrificial system being a remembrance of what Jesus did already on the Cross of Calvary. People will still have to trust Christ for grace and the atonement, but the sacrificial system will point back to His death on the Cross.

 

3angelsmom,

I will give you some ideas that you can think about.

Ezekiel chapter thirty-seven is dealing with the future spiritual awakening coming to the nation of Israel. Verse twenty-two speaks of Israel being one nation. They were often in the past Judah and Israel, but in 1948 they became this one nation. They will have one king in the future, Jesus Christ. [Zechariah 14:16]

In 37:14 God says that He will put His Spirit into the inhabitants of Israel. This is also recorded in Hebrews 8:8-10 and Romans 11:24 where Paul says that in a future time the Israelites will be again 'grafted into their own olive tree.' And beyond this in Hebrews 11:26 says that all Israel will be saved during the Millinimum and that no one will have to say to his neighbor, "Do you know the Lord because everyone will know Jesus Christ." [Hebrews 8:11] The Jews at this time do not recognize Jesus as their Messiah; during the Millennium all of the Jewish people will love and serve Him.

In Ezekiel 38 the northern nations will attack Israel in the future. If my history serves me well, Moscow or at least Russia is directly north of the land of Israel. Check out your maps.

Ezekiel 39:29 speaks of Israel's revival where God will outpour His Spirit on these people. Verse 22 speaks of the Lord's involvement in His program for them.

Scholars tell us that Ezekiel chapter forty is speaking of the Millennial Temple, because the other temples have had their own dimensions. I think that all of the Temples have had 'the ark of the covenant.' In this Temple it is not be found, because the Messiah, Jesus will be there. [43:5, 7, and 48:35 tells us that the Lord will be there. The Hebrew word used in 48:35 is {Yehovah, yeh-ho-vaw} meaning the Self-Existent One. This is the Jewish national name for God.

There will be 'the most holy place' or as in O.T. times the Holy of Holies and the dimensions are given in 41:4. Notice no ark of the covenant, so this could not be referring to any of the O.T. Temples, like Solomon's or Zerubbabel's Temple or even Herod's Temple. As you well know the ark represented the place of the glory of the Lord in O.T. times; during the Millenimum the Lord will be ever present as the sovereign, regal King over not only Israel but the whole world. [Zechariah 14:9]

The waters coming from the sanctuary/Temple area will water the fruit trees which people will eat and the leaves will prove to be medicinal and pharmaceutical. [Ezekiel 47:12] Here again is another reference to the Millennial Temple which will be built during the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth. Also, 45:18.

Sabbath worship will be the rule of the 1,000 year reign of Christ on our earth. [Ezekiel 46:12]

I hope this will give you some things to review and firm up in your mind and heart.

 

Carson Weber,

Carson said, 'Jesus Christ has already declared, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 4:17), not "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven will come at some future point in time".

Either you or your apostate professor needs to study more before, at least you say what you carelessly said above.

Yes, Jesus told the Israelites to repent through the forerunner, John the Baptist. The Israelites refused to welcome the King and the Messianic Kingdom as duly noted in N.T. passages. [John 1:11] This means that the Messianic Kingdom [Zechariah 14] has been held in abeyance until the 'fullness of the Gentiles' [Romans 11:25] comes to a conclusion when Christ comes for His church and takes us to Heaven. [I Thess. 4:17] The church age is an intermission [Ephesians 3:3-5] until the Israelites return to the truth that they neglected at His first coming. None of the O.T. prophets prophecied or spoke of this present church age or age of grace. Israel will be reinstated into all of the spiritual blessings during Christ's regal, Millennial Kingdom on this earth. [Romans 9:1-33] True Christians in every branch of the church, will find it most difficult to spiritualize away the truth of Zechariah chapter 14 and the Second Coming of Christ to the earth and then His reign over the entire world. [vs. 9]

Micah 5:2 prophecies about this future coming 'Ruler in Israel.' I'll guess that even present day, Catholic quasi-theologians will not affirm that Christ has ever ruled in Israel up until their sojourn here on this earth.

The ministry of the 'two witnesses' [Rev. 11:3] and the preaching of the 144,000 [Rev. 7:4] during the Great Tribulation [Matt. 24:21; Rev. 7:14] will be as you said, 'Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, the Messianic King is soon coming.' {meaning the Second Coming of Christ Who will come in power and great glory--Rev. 19:11-21}.

 

If Almighty God has planned His Millennial Age there must be a purpose behind it. Here are a couple of the purposes of this era of time.

First, and always it is the greater glory of God. 'Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom of God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.' [I Cor. 15:24-25] During this age of grace this world is under the control of the evil one. [II Cor. 4:4; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 6:12] The N.T. also declares that Satan is the god of this world.

The Millennium will bring about an end to all the enemies of Christ who at the moment sit around in their earthly governments in defiance of Him. This is partially what God means when He says that 'He will put all enemies under His feet.' In this new era after the Second Coming of Christ He will set up His earthly dominion in Jerusalem [Zechariah 14:4 & 17] where He will reside as King over the whole world. [Zechariah 14:9] Dr. Van Falkenburg has said, 'The dominion shall indeed be rescued from His enemies, and restored to the Godhead . . . . and His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and that of His Kingdom there shall be no end.' {Dr. G.N.H. Peters, "Theocratic Kingdom" Volume I, p. 183] He will not merely ask allegiance of the people of the world, He will destroy many of them at His Second Coming. [Rev. 19:15; Zechariah 14:3] Those nation who defy Him, He will send Divine judgment to them by way of plagues. Egypt is named as one who will challenge Him because their proclivity to worship at another altar of a world religion, namely Islam. [Zechariah 14:18] Drought will come to the land of Egypt.

Christ's Kingdom of God will continue forever and of course beyond the Millennial Kingdom. The second purpose is to bring in again, the Israelite nation into the camp of His trusting saints, those who will yet believe in Him as Savior. [Romans 11:23d, 24e & 26] The everlasting covenant that God promised Israel has never been revoked. [Genesis 17:7-8]

During the Millenium the curse will be removed. 'The original curse placed upon creation {Genesis 3:17-19} will be removed, so that there will be abundant productivity to the earth. Animal creation will be changed so as to lose its venom and ferocity. [Isaiah 11:6-9] {My words, 'The wolf will lie down with the lamb; the calf and the lion will roam the fields together as a child leads them.'} Isaiah 35:9 says, 'No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon; it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.' Also, Isaiah 65:25 suggests that 'The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock . . . ' {My words-'and the snake will not bite anyone in all of God's Kingdom.'}

Christ will sit on the throne of His father David. [Isaiah 16:5] The New International Version says of Isaiah 16:5, 'In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it-one from the House of David-one who in judging seeks justice and speed the cause of righteousness.' Christ comes from the lineage of David. [Matthew 1:6,17,18]

In summary, the Kingdom Age of 1,000 years will portray to the saved and the lost souls, the authority of Christ and the visible resplendence and glory of God. Secondly, this era will show to all that Christ will put down all human governments in our world. Thirdly, it will show all human saints that His Kingdom is even beyond His 1,000 year reign which will extend forever into eternity. Fourthly, Jesus will remove the original curse that was started in the Garden of Eden. And lastly, in my immediate listing will be shown that Christ will sit on the earthly, throne of His father, David; He will insure justice in the world and human obedience to He and His throne--will be the rule of these coming earthly days.

 

Jesus at the onset wanted to set up an earthly Kingdom on this earth, because He sent His apostles to the Israelites at first. [Matt. 10:6; 15:24; John 1:11] Only after the Jewish people rejected Christ as Messiah, did He open the Gospel to the 'ethnos' the Greek word for Gentiles-heathen. The Messianic Kingdom was to welcomed by the Jews but of their own free will they rejected it, but God knew that they would ultimately reject He and His Messianic Kingdom. The point is it was a valid offer to bring the Messianic Kingdom at the beginning of Christ's tour here on this earth. Only after the Israelite rejection of the earthly, Messianic Kingdom did Jesus say in John 18:36 and only hours before His crucifixion, 'My kingdom is not of this world . . . ' With the coming of the church age when the Jews rejected the earthly Messianic Kingdom, then our Lord said in effect, "When people receive Christ [John 1:12] they are then in the heavenly, Kingdom of God, [John 3:5] and at the death of the Christian they immediately go into the Presence of the Lord in Heaven. [II Cor. 5:8 & Philippians 1:23] {Do not go to jail; do not collect $200 and do not go to Purgatory!}

It was only after the Jewish people's rejection of the earthly Messianic Kingdom, did the Lord God then open up a new phase of His program, namely the age of grace. Thus, we have Jesus words in Luke 23:28 'Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.' Jesus knew that the Messianic Kingdom was lost because they rejected His call for such an earthly Kingdom. Then in verse 29 Jesus jumps to a future time where He says, in effect blessed are those who will be without newborns during the closing hours of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ because they will say, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.' [Luke 23:30 & Revelation 6:16]
his age called the church age or the age of grace was not even hinted at under all of the predictions of the O.T. prophets. The Apostle Paul had a mystery revealed to him and it was that the Gospel, unique to the Gentiles, was to be proclaimed to not only Jews but Gentiles also. [Ephesians 3:3] This was also called the 'mystery of Christ.' [Ephesians 3:4] Again, this church age was dictated to Paul via the Holy Sprit [3:5] and not by O.T. prophecy.

The only reason why Jesus said, 'My Kingdom is not of this world . . . ' [John 18:36] only hours before His death was because the Romans thought that He was interested in establishing His Kingship and this would bring an end to their Roman domination. Jesus assures them that He has no such intention, that of establishing an earthly Kingdom.

It was especially on Pentecost and afterward that His spiritual, heavenly Kingdom was being established and our ministry as Christians now is still to bring people into His Heavenly Kingdom above.

This earthly Messianic Kingdom has been held in abeyance, deferral, hiatus, or intermission until the church age has come to an end at the rapture of the Christian Church. Then comes the Great Tribulation [Matt. 24:21] and then the Second Coming of Christ and then His setting up of His theocratic, world-wide, Messianic Kingdom of 1,000 years.

Almighty God promises to give them one more opportunity by 'ingrafting them again into their own olive tree.' [Romans 11:24]

In Acts 1:6 & 7 Jesus did not deny the fact of an earthly, Messianic, theocratic Kingdom in the future or in the words of the apostles a 'restoration again of the Kingdom of Israel.' If an earthly Kingdom was never to take place, Jesus would have 'nipped the the idea in the bud' lest they teach others that one would take place in the future. Notice they did not say, the kingdom of God, because they would come to know in their immediate future that the kingdom of God would speak more closely to a spiritual heavenly kingdom for Christians who would be saved during the church age. Our Lord's answer to the Jewish apostles was that there would be an intermission, deferral, a hiatus, namely the church age, and something would be held in abeyance and that would be Christ's regal, theocratic Kingdom on this earth.

Regards,

Rev. Dr. I. Ray Berrian