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Revelation #43          

            Have you been at peace in the Lord during the past week? It’s time to continue studying the last Book of the Bible, Revelation 20. Last time we finished chapter 20, verse 5, and looked into verse 6 for a bit. During the millennial kingdom, those who participate in the first resurrection live for a thousand years and reign with the Lord. Everyone, think about it. How precious would it be if we were to be rewarded with the crown when we reign with the Lord for a thousand years through the sufferings we are experiencing for a while in our life of faith now? This is our true hope. Not only did Apotsle Paul say ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV) but He also said For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18 KJV)  This glory is the reward given by the Lord when He comes in the future, that is, as mentioned in (Hebrews 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. These are the two things that pleases God. So, in order to be glorified with the Lord, we must suffer together.

            Let’s pickup from (Revelation 20:6 KJV) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. where do you want to rule? Will you go to heaven and rule? There are angels in heaven. There will be countless people on this earth for a thousand years. That is why the millennial reign is a reward for suffering on earth. How wonderful it would be for the world to be restored during the millennium after the Lord returns, the animals will become very docile, the desert will bloom, as God’s will is fulfilled on earth as in heaven. In fact, the world today is not a place for believers to live, is it? It is full of lies, violence and suffering. What more would we enjoy here? However, it is our job to proclaim the beautiful virtues of God as royal priests, testifying to the Lord’s coming while suffering with Christ, and that everything will be resolved when the Lord comes. There’s a time to suffer now and time to enjoy later. In particular, those who participate in the first resurrection in 20:6 are the resurrection from the dead, as we have discussed in the last study. You will receive everlasting life upon receiving the Lord Jesus Chhrist. That is why we will never be buried with the dead and rise from the grave when the Lord returns. Hence, they shall reign with him a thousand years.

What is the second resurrection? It is the resurrection of the dead. The spiritually dead are resurrected in the body and stand before the Great White Throne Judgment then ultimately into the lake of fire that will never be quenched. That is why our Lord said some will rise unto the resurrection of life; and some will unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29 KJV) as well as …some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. According to prophet Daniel in (Daniel 12:2 KJV) You all know the parable of the pounds in Luke 19 and the rewards given out for the millennial kingdom. It is a bit different from the parable of talents. The parable of talents gave each person a different number of talents. We won’t go over that here today, but the word that can be applied to us today is the parable of the pounds found in Luke 19. Here, the Lord pointed to himself and said, A certain nobleman goes to a far country to receive the kingship. He said in the Bible that he gave one pound to each of his ten servants. The Greek word Minas is found in some Bible translations. This word translates to the english word for money. However, in the King James Bible, Mina is called Pound. Pound is not only a unit of weight measure, but also for British currency. Back to Luke 19, the Lord told the servants to Occupy until He returns with the kingship. (Genesis 13:14-15 KJV) ¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. In Galatians, the apostle Paul said, So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. (Galatians 3:9 KJV) Meaning, the blessing of Abraham is applied to the children of God who have received Jesus Christ and are born again through the Holy Spirit. In the parable of the pounds, when the nobleman who has received the kingship found one servant who has gained ten pounds, granted him authority over ten cities for being faithful in a very little. Unto the servant who gained five pounds, He granted authority over five cities. But to the servant who just wrapped the one pound in a napkin out of fear of his Lord, the Lord rebuked him to be a wicked servant for not putting th money into the bank to gain interest while He was gone away. Not only that, He took away that one pound from this wicked servant and gave it to the servant who gained ten. He will add more unto those who gained much. For that reason, please meditate on Luke 19:11-27 as you read. This is what the Lord will do when he comes as King. In fact, Most of the words of the Old Testament are the propechies of the Lord coming to earth and reigning as the King of Kings. Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and other minor prophets speak of the same, and there are many prophetic words found in the Psalms as well. That’s why you have to look closely at these words of the Bible so that you can live a life without eternally regretting later on. If you live comfortably now, you will not receive anything later. The Apostle Paul says in (2 Timothy 2:12 KJV) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Now we must testify of Jesus Christ. When you testify of His name, you’re not denying Him.

            For that reason, the Apostle Paul says our participation in the Lord’s Supper, those who partake of the bread and cup must not partake unworthily. The proper way to participate is to proclaim His death until He comes. It is to testify of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul warned that to eat and drink the supper without doing so is to eat and drink one’s damnation, and because of that, there are many weak, sick people, and even who have fallen asleep, as in physically dead. You must know the meaning of the words of the apostle Paul that pastors read in 1 Corinthians 11 every time you have the Lord’s Supper means that. We look forward to the millennial reign of the Lord. Without this, there is no need for us to suffer now. Unfortunately, the term Millennial reign of the Lord has disappeared in the past 100 years. Many folks believe this to be Jehovah’s Witnesses are saying. However, that is not the case, and you must know that this is in the Bible. Our millennium is different from theirs. He will come down with us as the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORD. Since we are descending together with the raptured saints, we must read the Bible in detail carefully. The Lord said Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:39-40 KJV) He said this 2,000 years ago, and you really have to read the Bible in detail and dig up the treasures within. I pray that you will dig up the treasures within His words and receive the blessing of reigning together at the Lord’s coming.

            (Revelation 20:7 KJV) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Satan has been in the bottomless pit for a thousand years, and now he is released.  Countless people will be born during the Millennium. The Bible says people who die at the age of 100 are children. A person’s lifespan will be like a tree. Trees can live for thousands of years. Because the devil is imprisoned, he can no longer tempt people. Because of this, people get to live longer. But Satan shall be loosed out of his prison for a while. When that happens, he will deceive the people again. Other than the saints who came down after being raptured, people are wearing the same easily tempted flesh. These people have not yet been perfected. Because of this, when Satan appears again, many people will resist God. Just as the people in Genesis 11 resisted God by building the Tower of Babel, the human flesh always resists the desires of the Holy Spirit. People enjoyed a peaceful life while Satan was imprisoned, but we must know that problems will arise again when Satan is released. People crucified the Savior Jesus when He came 2,000 years ago, and here’s a scene like that starting in verse 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:8-9 KJV) This text is the conclusion of everything. It is the final judgment before the beginning of eternity where there is no devil or sin. How many people will follow Satan when he is loosed? The Bible says Gog and Magog are the peoples of the four quarters of the earth. Psalm 72:8-9 says this: He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. (Psalm 72:8-9 KJV) It’s about the millennium of Jesus Christ. Note in verse 9 that those who bow down to Christ during the millennium are the enemies who hate Him in their hearts and attempt to “devour the earth.” Also, this is what Isaiah 26:9-11 says about this. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. (Isaiah 26:9-11 KJV) Wicked will be present again and followers of Satan will be judged by fire. (Psalm 66:7 KJV) also prophesies about the rebellion. He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. (Psalm 110:2 KJV) The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. (Psalm 2:9-12 KJV) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. ¶ Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

There are group of people on earth who do not like the Lord Jesus Christ at all Even during the millennium. They are simply obeying because they are under the iron-clad dictatorship of the Lord of absolute authority. Therefore, it is a scene of those who faced and survived through the tribulation and multiplied in numerous numbers during the millenium, but as Satan is released they are tempted again and face the Lord’s judgment. (Zechariah 14:16-19 KJV) says ¶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. You need to know it as a reference. This is because there are so many people who have not been transformed like the raptured saints during the Millennium Reign.

            Remember back in (Revelation 13:7-8 KJV) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. We can here that there are people during the Tribulation who do not worship the Antichrist. And yet he cannot reach out to kill them. Another related verse is in  (Daniel 11:41-42 KJV) He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Ultimately, the Bible tells us there will be people who will pass through without receiving the mark of the beast during the tribulation. These are people who are not raptured. Nor are they those who were killed by the antichrist. However, the sole reason they were able to survive the tribulation is because they are not raptured or killed for the testimony of Christ. That’s why the Lord said in Matthew 25, there will be people, nation of sheep who survive the tribulation by helping the Israeli people. There is a scene where all nations are judged. I will not go into detail here today. It is human nature that after the millennial reign, many more people will rebel against the Lord. Those who were raptured have already changed, so that cannot be the case. However, the Bible tells us there will be many people who passed through the tribulation without being raptured. Revelation 20:9 tells us what they do and their outcome.

            And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9 KJV) This scene is the final judgment on that day. The heavens and earth are renewed by fire. We must hold onto our hope through the words of Revelation. Knowing that many things will happen before this final judgment, God has told us a lot about this judgment through Revelation 19. We are able to see what the Lord spoke through the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:7 and 10

(2 Peter 3:7 KJV) 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. (2 Peter 3:10 KJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Then in (2 Peter 3:11-13 KJV) ¶ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Then prophet Isaiah said in (Isaiah 66:22 KJV) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. We must know that the Bible says God will bring down fire from heaven at the end of the Millennium.

            (Revelation 20:10 KJV) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The beast and the false prophet are still burning there a thousand years later. When the Lord comes at the end of the tribulation, he throws the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire in advance, and then the devil a thousand years later. Just as the Lord said in (Matthew 25:41 KJV) …Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: No one wants to go to hell because it is reserved for the devil and his angels. That’s why whosoever believes in Jesus Christ doesn’t go there. This is the gospel.

            (Revelation 20:11 KJV) ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. God suddenly lifted the veil of eternity, where he sits on the throne. After everything is destroyed and finished, we will suddenly see a throne large enough to cover the current solar system. On the throne sits the One who has always been there since the beginning. The Bible speaks of the first resurrection and the resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. And although it speaks of the resurrection of the living and the dead, it is very peculiar here that the dead do not actually come to life. Jesus spoke about this in (Matthew 22:31-32 KJV) to someone who would question Him. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. This means that the resurrection of those who died without being saved is not a true resurrection. The true resurrection is the resurrection from the dead. If you recall last week we talked about the difference between the resurrection from the dead vs resurrection of the dead. More specifically, the heavens will disappear and the unsaved people will be left hanging naked in the air. Job said in (Job 34:22 KJV) There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Then (Proverbs 20:8-9 KJV) ¶ A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. ¶ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? The Word testifies that when this cataclysmic event occurs, all the unsaved will come stand before the books facing God.

             (Revelation 20:12-15 KJV) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. These are verses pertaining to the Great White Throne Judgment, which we will continue next time. May the peace of our Lord Christ Jesus be with you. Amen.