Christ's Regal Millennium

[Ray Berrian]

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.

 

[BobRyan]

In Hebrews 10 we are told that He "put an end to sacrifices".

Why would God call for the needless killing of animals - if "it is impossible for the blood of animals to bring forgiveness of sins" and "He put an end to sacrifices and offerings"?

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

IN Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

It is clear that we can conclude that when Christ returns and sets up His kingdom on earth - then are the promises made to Israel - finally fulfilled - that could not be fulfilled once they rejected the Messiah. "For they are not all sons who are sons of the flesh - but of the promise".

However - when is that? If the resurrection of the righteous is 'The first resurrection" Rev 20:4-5 and not the second, and if 1 Thess 4 Also describes the resurrection of the righteous - then ... when Christ returns and takes us up - raptures the church to go to heaven "For I go to prepare a place for you ... and I will come again and receive you to Myself That Where I AM there you may be also" John 14 - it is then that we are in heaven - taken up to heaven as promised.

In Christ,

Bob

 

[3AngelsMom]

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.

Uh, when did He UNinstitute it? What a laugh!

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by Ray Berrian:
along with the sacrificial system

That will never happen. Today we regard people who sacrifice animals to be pagans, devil worshippers, etc. The animal rights people, as well as all right thinking people, would never stand for an animal sacrifice system on a large scale.

That's just plum silly.

 

[Ray Berrian]

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]

 

[Ray Berrian]

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]

 

[3AngelsMom]

Ray,

You have yet to show how the Ezekiel passage is even TALKING about the Millenium!

I asked you that before, and you didn't reply.

It's time.

God Bless,
Kelly

 

[MEE]

Originally posted by KenH:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ray Berrian:
along with the sacrificial system

That will never happen. Today we regard people who sacrifice animals to be pagans, devil worshippers, etc. The animal rights people, as well as all right thinking people, would never stand for an animal sacrifice system on a large scale.

That's just plum silly.

</font>[/QUOTE]I feel that the sacrificial system is referring to sacrifices, in the future, for Israel, not here in the USA.

If you haven't heard of Clyde Lott and the Red Heifer, go to google.com and type in Clyde Lott Red Heifer! You may find it very interesting.

I have listened to him personally and what he had to say was amazing.

MEE

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by MEE:
go to google.com and type in Clyde Lott Red Heifer!

Thanks for the idea, MEE.

I did that and it is amazing what he is saying. I feel very sorry for the man. He is going to be so disappointed when he finds out that his extreme dispensational premillennialism scheme is wrong.

 

[Ray Berrian]

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!

 

[Ray Berrian]

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.

 

[KenH]

Whatever, Ray.

I am convinced that God will wrap up this age in the way He wishes to wrap it up and I am convinced that not a single one of us is anywhere near close to understanding how He is going to do so. But we can still have fun debating eschatology.

 

[Ray Berrian]

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]

Hi Ray,

Why are you reading the genre of Apocalyptic literature as if it were prose?

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".

Jesus Christ has already declared, "if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mt 12:28), not "if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out cemons, then the kingdom of God will come at some future date".

St. Peter has already declared, "Since [David] was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah" (Acts 2:30f), not "... he foresaw and spoke of Christ's Second Advent, when he will then be enthroned".

As David B. Currie said in a workshop at the Applied Biblical Studies Conference last week on the Franciscan University of Steubenville campus,"If Christ's Kingdom is already here on earth, that means that you - as a Christian - have to join it..", and the auditorium filled with Catholic Bible Christians let out a relaxed laugh, "..and there's only one Church that resembles a kingdom on earth at present and dates back to Jesus Christ in an unbroken historical succession of bishops."

In his past, David Currie taught exactly what you are proposing on this thread to seminary students in college as a professor. He quoted the same passages in the same ways, and as of July 16th, his new book on the Rapture is available on bookstore shelves -

Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1928832725/qid=1059619339/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-7001743-1309561

 

[Ray Berrian]

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}.

 

[Ray Berrian]

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.

 

[BobRyan]

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".


AFTER this - WHEN asked "Are YOU the King of the Jews" - Christ stated positively -

"My kingdom IS NOT of this World"


John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews;


But then of course - as Carson admits - even the RCC does not believe what he is saying.

Now you have to admit - if the Protestants don't go for it - and even the RCC does not go for it - well....

In Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

In 1Thess 4 we see the resurrection of the righteous that occurs at the return of Christ.

In 1Peter 1 - Peter tells us to fix our hope "completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ". It is THE focus event of the church.

IN Romans 8 we see that "we groan" in longing for that day - and the associated "redemption of the body" at the its resurrection.

John "sees" that glorious day and declares in Rev 20 that the "First resurrection" is the resurrection of the righteous - and it starts the millenium - the 1000 years.

But in Rev 19 "all mankind" is killed "The REST" of mankind is destroyed - beyond those who are arrayed in battle against Christ.

So Christ raptures up the church at His return (as predicted in John 14 and shown in 1Thess 4). But that resurrection of the righteous "begins" the 1000 years. And it also comes following the destruction of all the wicked (Rev 19).

BIG problem:
That leaves "none of mankind" alive on earth during the 1000 years.

Or is it a problem?

What if scripture predicts a devastated planet - cities destroyed, corpses from one end of earth to the other and "non of mankind" left alive on the planet.

Jer 4:23
I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; And to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, And all the hills moved to and fro.
25 I looked, and behold, there was No Man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled.
26 I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD, ""The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.
28 ""For this the earth shall mourn And the heavens above be dark, Because I have spoken, I have purposed, And I will not change My mind, nor will I turn from it.''
29 At the sound of the horseman and bowman every city flees; They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks; Every city is forsaken, And no man dwells in them.




Ezekiel 38
1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying,
2 ""Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him
3 and say, "Thus says the Lord GOD, ""Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.
4 ""I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords;
5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6 Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troopsmany peoples with you.
7 "" Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
8 "" After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.
9 ""You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.''
10 "Thus says the Lord GOD, ""It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan,
11 and you will say, "I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates,
12 to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.'
13 "" Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, "Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?''''
14 ""Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, "Thus says the Lord GOD, ""On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it?
15 "" You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army;
16 and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.''
17 "Thus says the Lord GOD, ""Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them?
18 ""It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,'' declares the Lord GOD, ""that My fury will mount up in My anger.
19 ""In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
20 "" The fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse and every wall will fall to the ground.
21 ""I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains,'' declares the Lord GOD. "" Every man's sword will be against his brother.
22 ""With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone.
23 ""I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD.'''


Jer 25: 29-33
29 ""For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,'' declares the LORD of hosts.'
30 ""Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them, "The LORD will roar from on high And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 "A clamor has come to the end of the earth, Because the LORD has a controversy with the nations. He is entering into judgment with all flesh; As for the wicked, He has given them to the sword,' declares the LORD.''
32 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ""Behold, evil is going forth From nation to nation, And a great storm is being stirred up From the remotest parts of the earth.
33 ""Those slain by the LORD on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be lamented, gathered or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground.


Zeph 1:18
14 Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly.
15 A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD'S wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.


Isaiah 34:2-4
Isaiah 34
1 Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples! Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it.
2 For the LORD'S indignation is against all the nations, And His wrath against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to slaughter.
3 So their slain will be thrown out, And their corpses will give off their stench, And the mountains will be drenched with their blood.
4 And all the host of heaven will wear away, And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; All their hosts will also wither away As a leaf withers from the vine, Or as one withers from the fig tree.

Ez 32:4-8
4 ""I will leave you on the land; I will cast you on the open field. And I will cause all the birds of the heavens to dwell on you, And I will satisfy the beasts of the whole earth with you.
5 ""I will lay your flesh on the mountains And fill the valleys with your refuse.
6 ""I will also make the land drink the discharge of your blood As far as the mountains, And the ravines will be full of you.
7 ""And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud And the moon will not give its light.
8 ""All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you And will set darkness on your land,'' Declares the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 13:9-13
6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man's heart will melt.
8 They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe like a woman in labor, They will look at one another in astonishment, Their faces aflame.[/b]
9 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light.
11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
12 I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold And mankind than the gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of the LORD of hosts In the day of His burning anger.[/b]



Isaiah 24
1 Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.
2 And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor.
3 The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away.
5 The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
7 The new wine mourns, The vine decays, All the merry-hearted sigh.
8 The gaiety of tambourines ceases, The noise of revelers stops, The gaiety of the harp ceases.
9 They do not drink wine with song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10 The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter.
11 There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine; All joy turns to gloom. The gaiety of the earth is banished.
12 Desolation is left in the city And the gate is battered to ruins.
13 For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.
14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the LORD.
15 Therefore glorify the LORD in the east, The name of the LORD, the God of Israel, In the coastlands of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs, "" Glory to the Righteous One,'' But I say, "" Woe to me! Woe to me! Alas for me! The treacherous deal treacherously, And the treacherous deal very treacherously.''
17 Terror and pit and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 Then it will be that he who flees the report of disaster will fall into the pit, And he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the windows above are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake.
19 The earth is broken asunder, The earth is split through, The earth is shaken violently.
20 The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a shack, For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.
21 So it will happen in that day, That the LORD will punish the host of heaven on high, And the kings of the earth on earth.
22 They will be gathered together Like prisoners in the dungeon, And will be confined in prison; And after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders

Food for thought.

These scenes of global devastation with all humanity wiped out - cities burned and corpses from one end of earth to the other - are literally to be fulfilled. Rev 19 shows a complete devastation of all mankind and Rev 20 shows us that "here" is where we find "the First resurrection" - the resurrection of the righteous - that is that same 1Thess 4 resurrection of the righteous at the appearing of Christ - the rapture of the church to the John 14 promised home in heaven for the 1000 years.

In Christ,

Bob

 

[Ray Berrian]

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