Thy Kingdom Come or The Rest of the Story

"THY KINGDOM COME" (Or the rest of the story!) Spring Valley Mennonite; June 4, 2023; Isaiah 65:18-25, Revelation 20-21 Today as we conclude our studies in Isaiah, it is good to consider why we study prophesy. These last chapters of Isaiah do give us a glimpse into our future. For 60 years Paul Harvey graced the airways with his wisdom and insights. Many of you can remember a delightful series he hosted he called "The Rest of the Story." These were stories with plot twists and unexpected endings that most of the public did not know. We all waited for the punchline ending, and his famous words, "And now you know...the rest of the story." Biblical prophesy gives us "The rest of the story." Stories have a beginning, middle and an end; we know the beginning of God's Kingdom story-the account of the Hebrew people leading to the birth, life, and death of the Lord Jesus. We know how the church began at Pentecost and how the gospel has spread worldwide, and how it has transformed our lives. But the end of the story still lies in the future. Unlike reading an exciting novel and then finding that the last chapter is missing (have you ever had that happen? How frustrating!) God has graciously given us "The Rest of the Story" of our future. Unlike the secular perspective of the future which is summarized by "Who knows?" First Corinthians 14:3 lists the benefits of Biblical prophesy: "But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. David Jeremiah says, "Knowing what is coming in the future gives us perspective on what is happening now. Without biblical prophecy we might not understand the international resentment toward the nation of Israel, the gradual inclination toward a universal world order, the increase in natural disasters, the decline in the moral fabric of societies, and more. Since the Bible foretells all those realities, we are not surprised when we see them happening."1 (unquote) I think it is appropriate to finish our study of Isaiah with a recurring theme of Isaiah, that of the coming Kingdom of God. All of us have questions regarding our future home in heaven, and what life will be like after we die. While scripture gives us all we need to know, it leaves us with many questions. Like the popular Christian song, "We can only imagine" what it will be like. I do know this: our eternal home and life will be much more wonderful than we could ever think! This coming Kingdom is the fulfillment of all of God's promises; the culmination of God establishing His Sovereignty over all His creation. This eternal kingdom is the end-and the beginning of our eternal destiny. Jesus Christ, the Messiah first promised in Genesis 3:15 as the solution to the problem of sin, will take His throne as King over all the earth. Throughout the Bible, the theme of God's Kingdom unfolds progressively until the throne of God is established on earth, and the redeemed saints of all ages reign with Christ forever. The purpose of God has always been His Kingdom on earth. Jesus instructed us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is our hope and expectation: To be with Christ in His final Kingdom on earth. The progressive revelation of the Kingdom has been summarized by the past President of Grace Seminary, Herman Hoyt who has written: "At Sinai the Lord organized Israel into a kingdom of priests (with) Moses the mediator of His word to the people. A prophet like Moses was promised for the future to whom all the people would give submission. David was anointed King over Israel and his kingdom was to last forever, and this was perpetuated through Solomon. The prophet Isaiah announced the coming of a king and a kingdom of which there would be no end. Daniel later declared that the God of heaven will set up this kingdom, and it shall never be destroyed. One like the son of man shall sit upon the throne of this kingdom and all peoples, nations and languages shall serve him. The angel sent to Mary informed her that God would give to her son the throne of his father David, and his reign over the house of Jacob would be forever. During His post-resurrection ministry, Christ taught the disciples the things pertaining to this kingdom and aroused in them question of its restoration to Israel. Paul encouraged the saints to live in anticipation of the appearing of the king and His Kingdom. And in the final book of the Bible, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, it is declared that this long-awaited kingdom has at last 'become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever." (unquote) This final Kingdom will have an introductory stage and a final stage. This final stage is summarized with the words, "A new heaven and a new earth." The preliminary stage is 1000 years long and is called in Revelation 20 "The Millennium." This Millennium will begin soon after Jesus returns from heaven in Power and Majesty. Descriptions of the Millennium are found throughout the whole Bible. But it is not until the Book of Revelation that the length of this preliminary stage of the Kingdom is specified as 1000 years. Often in the earlier prophesies, this Millennial Kingdom is spoken of in the same passages as the final stage, the New Heaven and the New Earth. I will try and give the distinctive characteristics which separate the final from the preliminary. First, and very briefly, we need to consider why this subject of the Millennial Kingdom has produced confusion among believers. I. CLEARING AWAY THE CONFUSION ON THE KINGDOM There are three main schools of thought regarding the Millennium and the timing of Christ's return. Each of these three views include belief in the literal return of Christ to earth. It must be said that dedicated Christians are to be found in each of these three views. The first view holds that the Second Coming of Christ is at the end of the Church Age and that there will be no literal earthly Millennium. Strictly speaking, this view teaches that the present state of the righteous in heaven is the Millennium. The term "Millennium" is interpreted to mean "a long period of time." The Church Age will end in a time of trouble, Christ will come, there will be a general resurrection and judgment and then the eternal state. A Second View is called the postmillennial view, and this sees the Second Coming after the Millennium. The last 1000 years of the Church Age will be an era of peace, justice, and abundance brought about through the efforts of the church. After this, Christ will return. The third view is the pre-millennial view, which teaches that Christ will return and establish the Millennial Kingdom on earth. The strength of this view, to which I subscribe and teach, is that all the promises given to Israel will be literally fulfilled. Both the no-millennial (amillennial) and the post-millennial view ignore Israel and the covenants God made with the nation. I believe a wrong approach to interpreting the Bible has led to the confusion on this subject of the Millennium. We believe that ALL scripture is fully inspired by God and that God intends for us to interpret the Bible in a literal sense. For example, when God speaks to Israel and makes eternal promises, He literally means His chosen people the Jews. There are those who say because Israel rejected Christ, they forfeited all promises, and those promises were transferred to the Church. Yet I believe that the central thrust of Isaiah is that God will be faithful to His promises. Does not the integrity of God Almighty assure that He will keep these promises to Israel? The first and preliminary stage of the Kingdom of God on earth will be established after a seven-year period of time known as the Tribulation Period. II. WHO WILL INHABIT THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? The inhabitants of the Millennial Kingdom will be divided into two groups: those who have resurrection bodies and those who are alive on earth at the end of the Tribulation Period and have moral bodies. By considering all the plagues and judgments of the Tribulation, we can form a rough estimate of what percentage of the world population will survive for seven years. Although speculative, I estimate that only about 30-40% of people will survive the various judgments. That means of the 8 billion people alive today, almost 5 billion will die! The great majority of survivors will be non-believers and will be followers of the Antichrist. The army of Antichrist will be destroyed at the battle of Armageddon, as will the rest of non-believers in the judgment which follows. Only surviving believers will enter the Millennial Kingdom. Their number will be relatively small. Of the current world population of 8 billion people, perhaps only a few hundred million believers will have survived and will enter the Millennial Kingdom. That number will be divided between believing Jews and Gentiles. Realize this is speculation alone, only to demonstrate that the beginning Millennial population of the earth will be low. We of the Church Age will have received our permanent resurrection bodies at the Rapture, and we too will be part of the Millennial Kingdom, but in a different manner than those still in their mortal bodies. If we have died, we also will be reunited with our eternal and perfect bodies at the Rapture. As the Bride of Christ, we will be with the Lord Jesus, for 2 Corinthians 5:8 tells us that "to be absent from our mortal bodies is to be present with the Lord." There are many things about the Saints-Old Testament, Church Age, and Tribulation Martyrs, as well as our life in the Millennium of which we do not have full knowledge. It is unwise to be dogmatic about many of these details. Yet, such issues are of great interest. For example, where will we believers of this age live during the Millennium? Our Millennial home, from all indications will be that eternal city, the New Jerusalem spoken of in Revelation 21 and 22. I believe this eternal city is the "prepared place" of which our Savior spoke in John 14, when He said, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will come again to receive you unto Myself, that where I am you may be also." We will enter this prepared place when He returns at the Second Coming. Apparently, the present heaven where we go when we die, is of a temporary nature where we wait for the Resurrection and our eternal bodies. It is instructive that as we study the construction of this eternal city, Revelation 21:12-14 states that the 12 gates each have the names of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, while the wall of the city has twelve foundation stones on which are the names of the twelve apostles of Christ. In New Jerusalem, there is a marvelous blending of saints of all ages, Old Testament and New Testament. Scripture indicates that all those with resurrection bodies will live in New Jerusalem during the Millennium. New Jerusalem seems to be suspended above the earth and is enormous in size; it is built like a cube, 1500 miles on each side. If we live only on the surface of the cube, there will be six sides, each having an area of 2,230,000 square miles. Adding all sides together we have 13,500,000 sq. miles. And there is no indication that we will live on the outside; most likely there will be levels inside this "city which is four-square. This city will be like no city has ever been! But we won't have to be concerned about overcrowding! What will life be like during the Millennial Kingdom? III. LIFE IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH The answer must also consider the two classes of inhabitants, for life for we who have been resurrected will be much different than the life of those still in their mortal bodies. Let's contrast the conditions of those living in their natural bodies with those having resurrected bodies. Regarding mortal people, while all who enter the Millennium will be believers, there will be children born as the earth is repopulated. Each of these children will need to come to faith in Jesus as personal Savior. Since there will be universal knowledge of God on earth, and Christ will be physically present on earth, it seems that there would be few reasons NOT to believe. But, even though difficult to understand, some will choose to reject Christ as Savior and Lord. Each person born will still have the sin nature, but sin will be much restrained in the Kingdom of Christ. As Jesus will be reigning over the whole earth "with a rod of iron" sin will be punished swiftly. One enormous difference in the earthly Kingdom is that Satan will be bound at the beginning of this time and will be unable to tempt or torment mankind. Since Satan is the Prince of the World System, that evil world system will be replaced by a system of righteousness. Therefore, two of the three enemies of man, the world and the devil, will be gone. All sin will be a result of the inherited sin nature still present in each mortal person. Therefore, sin and rebellion will be controlled, and society will flourish. In this earthly kingdom, universal peace will rule under the Prince of Peace. There will be no more wars, as Isaiah 2:4 emphasizes: "And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for may peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war." Israel will rule the earth, Jerusalem will be the capital of the earth, and all the glories promised to Israel through the Abrahamic, Davidic and the New Covenant will be literally fulfilled. The earth will blossom with fertility, much like the Garden of Eden before the effects of sin. Isaiah 35:1:The wilderness and the desert will be glad and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom." There will be abundant rainfall, with a great abundance of food and cattle. Nature will be under control, with no drought or floods, and even the animal kingdom will be changed as the "Wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox..." Isaiah 65, beginning at verse 18 gives us a few additional details about the life of mortals during the Kingdom of Jesus. Turn there and note that: 18: Gladness and rejoicing will fill Jerusalem. 20: Life will be extended, with no infant mortality, although sinners will live shorter lives than believers. Other verses tell us that healing from sickness and infirmity will be common. 21: As a result of extended lifetimes and increased vitality, this time will see much building and planting, as well as the blessing of being able to enjoy the fruits of labor for an extended time. How often in this world does death cut short the enjoyment of our accomplishments. That curse will be gone! 22: The inequalities of present-day economics will not exist. A man will benefit from his own work. The government will be completely controlled by Christ, as Isaiah 9:6 states, "And the government will be upon His shoulders." 23: There will be incredible prosperity, as all work will be productive. The land will enjoy tremendous productivity, as Isaiah 48:18 tells us, "I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land fountains of water." Life for those with resurrected bodies will be much different. Our role will be to "rule with Christ" as Revelation 5:10 speaks of the church and states: "And You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." While sin will be limited and strictly controlled in the world of mortals, sin will be non-existent in the abode of the Resurrected Saints, New Jerusalem. Revelation 22:3-5 describes life there (Read) Incredibly, the Millennium will end with a mighty battle. Revelation 20:7-10 tells us that Satan will be freed and will lead a great number of people in rebellion against God. John Walvoord speaks of a great principle demonstrated by this rebellion: "People have asked the question why Satan will be loosed form his prison after the 1000 years. This action is in keeping with God's purpose to demonstrate in history that man left to his own devises will, nevertheless, sin against God. Even though the Millennium provided a perfect environment for humanity with abundant revelation of God's power, the evil heart of man is manifest in the fact that people reject Christ and follow Satan when he is loosed." (unquote) IV. THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND THE NEW CREATION This final battle, called the battle of Gog and Magog, ends the Millennial Kingdom, and then follows the Great White Throne judgment of all the unrighteous people from all ages. (Revelation 20:11-15) Then there will be a final cleansing of all creation by fire, Revelation 21:1. Following is the description of New Jerusalem, which has been unaffected by the battle. In the new creation, all will have resurrected bodies. Sin will be non-existent. The world will be much different and New Jerusalem will be on the cleansed and re-created earth. Eden will be restored, and life will be as before sin. Israel will continue to exist as God promised them an eternal kingdom. Belief and faith in these events should have a profound effect on our lives today. How? We should live with a settled assurance that God is firmly in control of our future. We should live fearlessly and confidently, knowing that our future is secure. Knowledge of the Millennium and our eternal home should fill us with anticipation and excitement and lead to joyful living, knowing that all the trials of life are temporary. The best is yet to come! Eternity gives us the ability to put all of life into perspective and to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness," spending our lives laying up treasure in heaven. Jesus is coming back soon, and all these exciting and wonderful things are going to come to pass. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! 1David Jeremiah, "The Rest of the Story"; Turning Points Magazine and Devotional", May 2023, p. 18. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2