The End Times According to Scripture ... Part 3
Sorry this part was delayed. I had to have major cancer surgery, but the Good Lord decided to keep me on the earth for a while longer. The least I can do to say thanks to Him, is to publish Part 3. My hope is that it is beneficial!
THE MILLENNIUM
For 1000 years believers will reign with the Lord in a theocratic kingdom where all of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants are fulfilled. See Deuteronomy 30:1-6 and Revelations 20:4-6.
During this kingdom, universal peace and justice prevail as Isaiah 11:1-10 says: "...with justice he will give decisions...the wolf will live with the lamb...they will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Believers from all nations will worship at the millennial temple in Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:22-23 says: "And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord...In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew... and say Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you." Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss for a thousand years to keep him from deceiving the nations as clearly stated in Revelation 20:1-3.
This is a time of unheard of peace and prosperity on the earth. Jesus is the ruler of all and is available for counsel and decisions. Righteousness is the descriptive term that best characterizes the Messiah's rule during this period.
The original curse on nature (Genesis 3:17-19) is lifted so that there will be abundant productivity on the earth. Animals will be changed so as to loose their ferocity and venom. Human life spans are increased, for most men live for the whole 1000 years. Death is a rarity and is now a penalty for overt sin.
Pentecost best describes the conditions existing in the Millennium:
A. PEACE. The cessation of war through the unification of the kingdoms of the world under the reign of Christ, together with the resultant economic prosperity, since nations need not devote vast proportions of their expenditure on munitions, is a major theme of the prophets. National and individual peace is the fruit of the Messiah's reign (Isa 2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9; 32:17-18; 33:5-6; 54:13; 55:12; 60:18; 65:25; 66:12; Ezek 28:26; 34:25-28; Hos 2:18; Mic 4:2-3; Zech 9:10)
B. JOY. The fullness of joy will be a distinctive mark of the age (Isa 9:3-4; 12:3-6; 14:7-8; 25:8-9; 30:29; 42:1, 10-12; 52:9; 60:15; 61:7, 10; 65:18-19; 66:10-14; Jer 30:18-19; 31:13-14; Zeph 3:14-17; Zech 8:18-19; 10:6-7).
C. HOLINESS. The theocratic kingdom will e a holy kingdom, in which holiness is manifested through the King and the King's subjects. The land will be holy, the city holy, the temple holy, and the subjects holy unto the Lord (Isa 1:26-27; 4:3-4; 29:18-23; 31:6-7; 35:8-9; 52:1; 60:21; 61:10; Jer 31:23; Ezek 36:24-31; 37:23-24; 43:7-12; 45:1; Joel 3:21; Zeph 3:11, 13; Zech 8:3; 13:1-2; 14:20-21).
D. GLORY. The kingdom will be a glorious kingdom, in which the glory of God will find full manifestation (Isa 24:23; 4:2; 35:2; 40:5; 60:1-9).
E. COMFORT. The King will personally minister to every need, so that there will be the fullness of comfort in that day (Isa 12:1-2; 29:22-23; 30:26; 40:1-2; 49:13; 51:3; 61:3-7; 66:13-14; Jer 31:23-25; Zeph 3:18-20; Zech 9:11-12; Rev 21:4).
F. JUSTICE. There will be the administration of perfect justice to every individual (Isa 9:7; 11:5; 32:16; 42:1-4; 65:21-23; Jer 23:5; 31:23; 31:29-30).
G. FULL KNOWLEDGE. The ministry of the King will bring the subjects of His kingdom into full knowledge. Doubtless there will be an unparalleled teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit (Isa 11:1-2, 9; 41:19-20; 54:13; Hab 2:14).
H. INSTRUCTION. This knowledge will come about through the instruction that issues from the King (Isa 2:2-3; 12:3-6; 25:9; 29:17-24; 30:20-21; 32:3-4; 49:10; 52:8; Jer 3:14-15; 23:1-4; Mic 4:2).
I. THE REMOVAL OF THE CURSE. The original curse placed upon creation (Gen 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 (Isa 11:6-9; 35:9; 65:25).
J. SICKNESS REMOVED. The ministry of the King as a healer will be seen throughout the age, so that sickness and even death, except as a penal measure in dealing with overt sin, will be removed (Isa 33:24; Jer 30:17; Ezek 34:16).
K. HEALING OF THE DEFORMED. Accompanying this ministry will be the healing of all deformity at the inception of the millennium (Isa 29:17-19; 35:3-6; 61:1-2; Jer 31:8; Mic 4:6-7; Zeph 3:19).
L. PROTECTION. There will be a supernatural work of preservation of life in the millennial age through the King (Isa 41:8-14; 62:8-9; Jer 32:27; 23:6; Ezek 34:27; Joel 3:16-17; Amos 9:15; Zech 8:14-15; 9:8; 14:10-11).
M. FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION. There will be no social, political, or religious oppression in that day (Isa 14:3-6; 42:6-7; 49:8-9; Zech 9:11-12).
N. NO IMMATURITY. The suggestion seems to be that there will not be the tragedies of feeble-mindedness nor of dwarfed bodies in that day. Longevity will be restored (Isa 65:20).
O. REPRODUCTION BY THE LIVING PEOPLES. The living saints who go into the millennium in their natural bodies will beget children throughout the age. The earth's population will soar. These born in this age will not be born without a sin nature, so salvation will be required (Jer 30:20; 31:29; Ezek 47:22; Zech 10:8).
P. LABOR. The period will not be characterized by idleness, but there will be a perfect economic system, in which the needs of men are abundantly provided for by labor in that system, under the guidance of the King. There will be a fully developed industrialized society, providing for the needs of the King's subjects. Agriculture as well as manufacturing will provide employment (Isa 62:8-9; 65:21-23; Jer 31:5; Ezek 48:18-19).
Q. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. The perfect labor situation will produce economic abundance, so that there will be no want (Isa 4:1; 35:1-2,7; 30:23-25; 62:8-9; 65:21-23; Jer 31:5, 12; Ezek 34:26; Mic 4:1,4; Zech 8:11-12; 9:16-17; Ezek 36:29-30; Joel 2:21-27; Amos 9:13-14).
R. INCREASE IN LIGHT. There will be an increase of solar and lunar light in the age. This increased light probably is a major cause in the increase productivity of the earth (Isa 4:5; 30:26; 60:19-20; Zech 2:5).
S. UNIFIED LANGUAGE. The language barriers will be removed so that there can be free social intercourse (Zeph 3:9).
T. UNIFIED WORSHIP. All the world will unite in the worship of God and God's Messiah (Isa 45:23; 52:1, 7-10; 66:17-23; Zech 13:2; 14:16; 8:23; 9:7; Zeph 3:9; Mal 1:11; Rev 5:9-14.
U. MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD. God's presence will be fully recognized and fellowship with God will be experienced to an unprecedented degree (Ezek 37:27-28; Zech 2:2; 10-13; Rev 21:3).
V. FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT. Divine presence and enablement will be the experience of all who are in subjection to the authority of the King (Isa 32:13-15; 41:1; 44:3; 59:19, 21; 61:1; Ezek 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Ezek 11:19-20).
W. THE PERPETUITY OF THE MILLENNIAL STATE. That which characterizes the millennial age is not viewed as temporary, but eternal (Joel 3:20; Amos 9:15; Ezek 37:26-28; Isa 51:6-8; 55:3, 13; 56:5; 60:19-20; 61:8; Jer 32:40; Ezek 16:60; 43:7-9; Dan 9:24; Hos 2:19-23).8
THE FINAL UPRISING
At the end of Christ's 1000 year reign, Satan is let free from the abyss, gathers a multitude of unregenerate people, and incites a rebellion against the King. Revelation 20:7-9 states: "When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released...and will go out to deceive the nations...to gather them for battle...in number they are like the sand of the seashore...they marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them."
This final uprising exposes conclusively the depravity of the human heart. With Jesus physically present in the world for 1000 years, giving humankind every opportunity to embrace Him and His righteousness, many still choose to rebel against God.
God now deals with this rebellion, and the judgement comes in the form of physical death, through the pouring out of fire on all the rebels assembled under Satan's leadership. Revelations 20:9 states: "They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them." In this manner God removes all unbelief from the theocratic kingdom in anticipation of its merger with the eternal kingdom of God.
GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT
The lost of all ages are judged, and final sentence given to the second death in the lake of fire. See Revelation 20:11-15: "...Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Before the Great White Throne, the lost of all ages finally acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ, but too late for deliverance as stated in Philippians 2:9-11: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
At this time all human distinctions about power, position or wealth are meaningless - the small and the great face their "works" before a holy God and are judged. Their sentence is eternal, conscious internment into the lake of fire. Satan is also cast into this lake for all eternity.
NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH
Finally, the consummation of all prophecy occurs: the new heaven and the new earth!
God creates a new world, and the saints live in a new Jerusalem with many "rooms" prepared for them by Jesus himself. Revelations 21:1-22:7: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth...I saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ...now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them...He will wipe every tear from their eyes (Think of it! God almighty will personally comfort you, will care for you, so that you are never in distress!) There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away....I am making everything new...he who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ... One of the seven angels said...I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb...and showed me new Jerusalem coming down our of heaven from God. It shone like the glory of God...I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ... On no day will its gates ever be shut..Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. ...
Behold I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
PERSONAL SALVATION
Salvation, a gift freely offered from our Lord and Savior; a gift bought at great price and yet graciously offered to each and every one of us.
If you are not yet a believer in our Lord Jesus, take a moment now to reflect upon your life; on your desires, goals and accomplishments. Think about what you have achieved and what the Lord offers. If you are so lead, know that Salvation is certain and absolute, nothing will separate you from the Lord once you have committed yourself to Him. Romans 10:9-11 gives the way and the promise: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' "
CONCLUDING REMARKS
May this work be a faithful presentation of His word, His works and His wishes. May it be useful to His people. If there is error, let His light be shed upon it, and let it be corrected.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I consider the following good works on biblical prophecy descriptive comments are given for each:
Hal Lindsey, "The Rapture", 211 pages in paperback, Bantam Books, 1983.
This is an excellent work to start with. It is easy to read and contains specific scriptural quotations.
Charles C. Ryrie, "The Rapture", 118 pages in paperback, Moody Press.
This work is a more concise and more scripturally based than Lindsey's work. It is also easy to read.
Dave Hunt, "How Close Are We?", 323 pages in paperback, Harvest House Publishers, 1993.
This is an excellent easy to read summary of end times prophecy.
J. Dwight Pentecost, "Things to Come", 633 pages in hardback, Zondervan Publishing Co, 1964.
This is a voluminous, authoritative and scholarly investigation of biblical escatology. It is sometimes hard to read, but is thorough and presents almost all viewpoints for consideration. I consider this the authoritative work on biblical escatology.
Hal Lindsey, "There's a New World Coming", subtitled: "A Prophetic Odyssey", 301 pages in paperback, Bantam Books, 1973
Hal Lindsey, "The Late Great Planet Earth", 179 pages in paperback, Bantam Books, 1970.
Two of Lindsey's earlier works.
John C. Whitcomb, "Everyman's Bible Commentary: Daniel", 170 pages in paperback, Moody Press, 1985.
Charles C. Ryrie, "Everyman's Bible Commentary: Revelation", 127 pages in paperback, Moody Press, 1968.
The preceding two are good, readable commentaries on the Bible book stated. The "Everyman's Bible Commentary:" is available for most all books of the Bible.
1.A.B. Davidson, "Old Testament Prophecy", p 167
2.J. D. Pentecost, "Things to Come", p 61.
3.W. Masselink, "Why Thousand Years?", p 36.
4.R. Anderson, "The Coming Prince",
5.H. Lindsey, "The Rapture", p.5
6.H. Lindsey, "The Rapture", p. 46
7.D. Hunt, "How Close Are We?",p.229
8.J. Pentecost, "Things to Come", pp 487-490