THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM & ETERNAL STATE End Times Bible Study Pt. 10 October 29, 2017 Dr. Ken Baugh IDT Ministries I. FOUR PROMISES GOD WILL FULFILL DURING THE MILLENNIUM PROMISE 1: The Wedding Supper of the Lamb. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless... This is a profound mystery but I am talking about Christ and the church." Eph. 5:25-27, 31 The moment a person puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior he or she becomes a member of the corporate Bride of Christ. Diagram 1 THE FOUR STAGES OF A JEWISH WEDDING CEREMONY Stage 1: The. To seal the marriage covenant, the groom to be would pour a cup of wine to symbolize blood because marriage, is considered a blood covenant. The bride to be would drink the wine symbolizing her desire to enter the marriage covenant. After this ceremony, the couple would be legally married. The groom would then go back home and build a room on his father s house for his bride. 1
Stage 2: The of the bride (see Matt. 25). At this stage of the wedding ceremony, the groom would take his bride into their new home the room he added on to his father s house. The fetching of the bride was proceeded by a bridal procession. Jesus referred to this in the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matt. 25. Stage 3: The marriage. Only a few family members would attend the official marriage ceremony. Stage 4: The wedding. This was the formal celebration with extended family and friends to celebrate the new marriage. All FOUR stages of the Jewish wedding ceremony are used to describe Jesus relationship with the Church. Stage 1: The Arrangement Jesus made the arrangement with His own blood. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her... Eph. 5:25 Now, Jesus is preparing a room for His bride in His Father s house: In my Father s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Jn. 14:2-3 Stage 2: The fetching of the bride Jesus will fetch His bride at the! For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thess. 4:16-18 Stage 3: The marriage ceremony between Jesus and the Church. This ceremony will take place in heaven, sometime after the Bema Seat reward ceremony. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Rev. 19:7-8 2
At Jesus Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21) the armies of heaven that will come with him are riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev. 19:14). The army of heaven is the Church! Stage 4: The Wedding Supper of the Lamb. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev. 19:9 TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS 1. WHO are the people that will be invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb? 2. WHEN is the Wedding Supper of the Lamb going to take place? Answer Q1: The Old Testament saints that will be resurrected at the Second Coming. John the Baptist referred to himself as the friend of the groom: The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. Jn. 2:29-30 It is very likely that John the Baptist represents the OT saints as friends of the groom (discuss Moses and Elijah, Matt. 17:1-3 cf. Mk. 9:2-8, & Lk. 9:28-36). I would also add to this invitation list, the resurrected Tribulation saints and possibly all the Jewish and Gentile believers who survive the Tribulation. Answer Q2: I think the Wedding Supper of the Lamb will take place sometime during the 75-day interval between the Second Coming and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. It s possible that the Wedding Supper of the Lamb will be the transition event that ushers us into the Millennial Kingdom. Both Kingdom parables (Matt. 22 & 25) have the banquet closely connecting with the coming Kingdom. 3
PROMISE 2: A literal Messianic Kingdom on earth. THREE VIEWS OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM 1. Amillennialism. 2. Post-millennialism. 3. Pre-millennialism. Biblical evidence that the Millennial Kingdom will be literal: Jesus feet will touch the Mount of Olives prior to the Kingdom (Zech. 14:4). During the Millennial Kingdom, Jesus will rule on the earth (Jer. 23:5-8). The Millennial Kingdom is described as being under heaven (Dan. 7:13-14, 27). The Old Testament prophets foretold of physical changes that will take place on the earth during the Millennial Kingdom (Acts 3:21; Isa. 35:1-2, 11:6-9, 29:18, 65: 20-22; Ezek. 47:1-12; Amos 9:11-15). I must frankly admit that a literal interpretation of Old Testament prophecies gives us such a picture of an earthly reign of Messiah as the pre-millennialist pictures. That was the kind of a Messianic Kingdom that the Jews at the time of Christ were looking for and it is all based on a literal interpretation of the Old Testament, but it is impossible to make such a literal interpretation of the Old Testament Floyd E. Hamilton, The Basis of Millennial Faith, 38. The Old Testament prophecies if literally interpreted can not be regarded as having been fulfilled or as being capable of being fulfilled in this present age. Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church, 238. 4
I believe that God promised that there would come a future Golden Era where the curse of sin will be suspended and Jesus will bring peace, prosperity, righteousness, and joy to the earth. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of this increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isa. 9:6-9 the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously. Isa. 24:23 The Millennial Kingdom will be a time of holiness, peace, security, and joy even nature and the animal Kingdom will be changed: Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isa. 35:5-10 In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all. The cows will graze among bears; cubs and calves will lie down together, and lions will eat grass like the cows. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes, and a little child who puts his hand in a nest of deadly adders will pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so shall the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord. The Millennial Kingdom will be a time righteousness and world peace. Isa. 11:6-9 (LB) In the last days the mountain of the LORD s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. 5
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:2-5 The Millennial Kingdom will be a time where Jesus physically rules and reigns over the earth. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. Zech. 14:9 The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord our Righteousness. Jer. 23:5-6 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. Rev. 11:15 PROMISE 3: The covenants with Israel will be fulfilled. In Genesis 12, God made promises to Abraham that have yet to be completely fulfilled: Leave your country, your people and your father s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. Gen. 12:1-2 GOD S UNCONDITIONAL COVENANTS TO ISRAEL COVENANT #1: Covenant Unconditional: Gen. 12:1-7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; 18:17-19 22:15-18. Eternal: Gen. 17:7, 13, 19, 1 Chron. 16:17; Ps. 105:10. Will be fulfilled literally: Gen. 13:14-17; 15:5, 18-21; Isa. 10:21-22; Jer. 30:22; Ezek. 34:24; Micah 7:19-20. 6
COVENANT #2: The (Palestinian) Covenant (Expansion of the Land portion of the Abrahamic Covenant) Unconditional: Gen. 13:15; 15:18-21. To this day, Israel has never possessed the full allotment of the land that God promised them, therefore it s fulfillment is still in the future. Eternal: Gen. 13:15 Will be fulfilled literally: Isa. 11:1-12; 14:1-3; 27:12-13; 43:1-8; 49:8-13; 66:20; Jer. 16:14-16; 23:3; 30:1-11; 31:31-40; 32:37-44; Ezek. 20:42; 34:11-16; 39:25-29; Hosea 1:10-11; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:4-7; Zech. 8:3-8. COVENANT #3: The Covenant. (Expansion of the offspring portion of the Abrahamic Covenant) Unconditional: 2 Sam. 7:12 (emphasis on Solomon); 1 Chron. 17:10b-14 (emphasis on Messiah) Eternal: 2 Sam. 7:13 & 16; Ps. 89:34, 35-37; Isa. 9:7 Will be fulfilled literally: Amos 9:11-12 & Luke 1:32-33. COVENANT #4: The Covenant. (Expansion of the blessing-spiritual and physical portion of the Abrahamic Covenant) Unconditional: Jer. 32:40; Ezek. 16:60; 37:26 Eternal: Jer. 32:40; Ezek. 16:60; 37:26 Will be fulfilled literally and always described as a future event: Isa. 55:3; 59:20-21; Hosea 2:18-20; Jer. 31:31-34; 32:40. Always seen as future event tied to the restoration of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom: Jer. 32:36-41; Ezek. 36:24-25; 37:11-14 7
Diagram 2 God s promises that His covenants to Israel will come to pass when Jesus Christ comes to rule from Jerusalem. At that time, the Abrahamic covenant with its promises of the land and the seed, the Davidic covenant with its promises concerning David s house, his throne, and the kingdom, and the New Covenant with its promises of a new heart for God s law, the forgiveness of sins, and the indwelling of the Spirit for a converted nation will all be literally fulfilled. Fulfillment of these promises and covenants in the millennial reign of Christ will bring about God s purpose on earth for man. Tim LaHaye & Ed Hindson: The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy, 235. PROMISE 4: God s people with rule and reign with Christ. God promised that ONE individual and THREE groups of people would rule and reign with Jesus during the Millennium. The ONE individual:. I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. Ezek. 34:23-24 8
Group 1 of 3: The. I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matt. 19:28 Group 2 of 3: The Age believers. Do you not know that the saints will judge the world. 1 Cor. 6:2 You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nations. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Rev. 5:9-10 I believe that the them is referring to all Church Age believers. These are the same people whom Peter referred to in 1 Pet. 2:9-10: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Pet. 2:9-10 Also see the parable of the Ten Minas (Lk. 19:11-27) Group 3 of 3: Martyred saints. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Rev. 20:4 Diagram 3 9
II. THE ETERNAL STATE Diagram 4 SATAN IS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR ETERNITY When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth Gog and Magog 1 to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 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. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. 20:7-10 Magog.html) 1 (For a clear understanding of Gog and Magog click on the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/gog- 10
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in It, 2 and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:11-15 The Great White Throne Judgement marks the end of human history and the beginning of the Eternal State. THE ETERNAL STATE Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away 3 Rev. 21:1 Here we don t know how the former earth and heaven passed away, but Peter tells us in 2 Pet 3:10: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare [burned up]. 2 Pet. 3:10 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Rev. 21:3-4 2 The sea and Death and Hades are virtual synonyms in the book, both personifications of the realm of evil. The Sea personifies evil in 12:12 and 13:1; and Death and Hades are personified in 1:18; 6:8; 20:13-14. Grant Osborne, Revelation: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 722. For an interesting discussion regarding the sea click on the link: https://bible.org/question/can-you-explain-whythere- no-more-sea -revelation-211 3 For a discussion on the new heaven and earth, click on the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/newheavens-earth.html 11