Untitled Sermon (2)

Essay #1

THE TRIBULATION

The reading of this essay is worth 10 points. It is to be read twice. First, without looking up the references and then a second time including all Bible references except those which are underlined.

Purpose

The tribulation is a seven-year period which will immediately precede the coming of Christ in glory to set up his earthly kingdom. It will be a time of unprecedented trouble, during which God will pour out his wrath upon the whole earth in a series of judgments in order to accomplish three objectives. First and foremost, to bring about the conversion of the nation of Israel. The tribulation is the 70th week of Daniel - a prophecy specifically related to Israel's future (Dan.9:24-27). As God disciplines the Jews through the persecution they will face under antiChrist, they will be prepared to recognize and accept their Messiah when he returns (Jer.30:4-11; Ezek.20:33-38; Zech.12:9-14; 13:1-2,8-9). Second, to reclaim the tenant possession of the earth which was forfeited to Satan by Adam's disobedience (Gen.1:26-28; Luke 4:5-6; John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Cor.4:4). As Christ opens the seals of the scroll representing the deed of purchase for man's tenant possession of the earth (Rev.5), key areas of Satan's domain will be devastated by the ensuing judgments (Rev.6,8,9,16) as Christ asserts his rightful ownership of the earth, wrests control of it from Satan's hand, and evicts him from the planet (Rev.19:19 - 20:6). Third, to pour out wrath on man's rebellion and wickedness (Rev.6:16-17).

General description

Following the rapture of the Church, the antiChrist will rise to power (2 Thess.2:3-8) and will establish a seven-year peace treaty with Israel (Dan.9:27) which will likely include the right to rebuild the temple. This treaty will mark the official beginning of Daniel's 70th week. Just when world peace seems assured, sudden destruction will break out (1 Thess.5:1-3) as God begins to pour out his wrath in the judgments of the seven seals (Rev.6). Mid-way through the seven-year term of the covenant, the antiChrist will break his agreement with Israel, desecrate the temple and proclaim himself God (Dan.9:27; Matt.24:15). This is referred to as the abomination of desolation and will initiate the Great Tribulation (Matt.24:21) also called the time of Jacob's trouble (Jer.30:7). During this time, Israel will be severely persecuted (Matt.24:16-22; Rev.12:13-14) but God will preserve a surviving remnant of Abraham's descendants to the very end (Zech.13:9).

As the end of the seven years approaches, God will sovereignly prompt the gathering together of the armies of the nations of the world for the final conflict: the war of Armageddon (Zech.14:1-2; Joel 3:1-2). This campaign will rage throughout the land from the plain of Jezreel (valley of Armageddon) in the north where the armies will initially assemble (Rev.16:16), to the mountains of Edom in the south (Isa.63:1-6), and finally to the (Kidron?) valley outside Jerusalem where they will lay siege to the holy city (Joel 3:9-14; Zech.12:9). Just when it appears that all hope is lost, the heavens will open and Christ will return in glorywith the armies of heaven: his bride, the Church (Rev.19:11-16). He will descend on the Mount of Olives, destroy the gathered armies, and throw the antiChrist and his false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev.19:17-21; Zech.14:3-15). So will end the Gentile domination of Jerusalem which began with the Babylonian captivity (Dan.2:31-45; Luke 21:24). As Christ returns, the surviving remnant of Israel will recognize him as the one whom they pierced and will turn to him in repentance and be saved (Zech.12:10-11; Rom.11:25-29).

Judgments

Revelation 6-19 reveal the unfolding series of seal, trumpet and bowl judgments which will devastate the earth with accelerating intensity during the tribulation. The first six seal judgments (Rev.6:1-17) will include the appearance of the antiChrist bent on conquest, worldwide wars, famine, the death of 25% of the world's population, and natural disasters on an unprecedented scale.

The opening of the seventh seal will be followed by half an hour of tortured silence before the judgments of the seven trumpets are unleashed (Rev.8:1-9:21). These trumpets will sound judgment on the earth, the oceans, the rivers and streams, the heavens, and all mankind. As a result, a third of the earth and its vegetation will be burned up; a third of all sea creatures and ships will be destroyed; a third of the rivers and streams will be poisoned; a third of the heavenly luminaries will be darkened; wicked men will be tortured by demonic creatures; and a third of the surviving world population will be killed by a massive demonic army.

Following an interlude, the seventh trumpet will sound and the seven bowl judgments will be poured out (Rev.16:1-21). The followers of antiChrist will be afflicted with painful sores; all sea creatures will be destroyed as the oceans, rivers and springs turn to blood; men will be scorched with fierce heat; darkness will envelop the kingdom of the antiChrist; and the Euphrates will be dried up to allow the armies of the east to march to Armageddon. The final bowl judgment will bring about widespread destruction as the greatest earthquake of all time tears the earth apart and 100-pound hailstones fall upon wicked men who will continue to blaspheme God.

Saints

In spite of a frenzy of Satanically inspired persecution, a multitude of people will be saved during the tribulation (Rev.7:9-17) as the gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world (Matt.24:14). This will probably be accomplished by the 144,000 Jews who will be set apart as servants of God during this time (Rev.7:1-8) and by the two unidentified witnesses whose ministry will span the first 3½ years (Rev.11:3-12). Many of these saints will be martyred (Rev.6:9-11).

Mark Strout

Essay #2

THE MILLENNIUM

The reading of this essay is worth 10 points. It is to be read twice. First, without looking up the references and then a second time including all Bible references except those which are underlined.

Beginning

Following Christ's victory over the armies of the nations at the end of the tribulation, Satan will be bound and thrown into the abyss for 1000 years (Rev.20:1-3); tribulation martyrs and Old Testament saints will be resurrected (Rev.20:4; Dan.12:1-2); and unbelieving survivors of the tribulation will be killed (Matt.25:31-46). Massive topographical changes will occur. The Mount of Olives will split in two forming a huge valley to the east (Zech.14:4-5); the entire land of Palestine will be depressed into a massive plain; and Jerusalem will be elevated to an exalted position as the capital of the world (Isa.2:2; Jer.3:17; Zech.8:3; 14:4-10; Mic.4:1). Here Christ will sit upon the throne of David in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam.7:12-16) and inaugurate his kingdom having removed all wickedness from the earth (Ps.2:6; Matt.19:28; 25:31; Isa.9:6-7; Jer.3:17; Mic.4:1-2).

General description

In addition to resurrected and glorified saints, surviving tribulation saints (both Jew and Gentile) will enter the kingdom with their natural bodies. Those with physical infirmities will be healed (Isa.35:5-6). They will procreate without mishap (Isa.65:23) and fill the earth. Their children will possess sin natures and need to trust Christ for salvation (Isa.65:20). Most will but many will not. As the curse is largely removed from the creation, sickness will be drastically reduced (Isa.33:24) and longevity will increase (Isa.65:20-23); animals will revert to their original peaceful condition (Isa.11:6-9; 65:25) although the serpent will continue to crawl on its belly (Isa.65:25); and the land will flourish under ideal climatic conditions (Isa.30:23-24) becoming productive as never before (Isa.35:1-7; Ezek.34:25-27; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). Living waters will flow from the temple to the Dead Sea, purifying it and causing it to teem with life (Ezek.47:1-12).

Christ will be King over all the earth (Zech.9:9-10; 14:9). He will rule with a rod of iron (Ps.2:8-9; Rev.12:5; 19:15), administering a righteous, just and perfect political, social, and economic world government (Isa.9:6-7). Citizens of the kingdom will live and work in peace and safety (Isa.32:17-18; 35:8-9; 60:18; Hos.2:18; Zech.9:10) as war, unemployment, and poverty are eliminated (Isa.11:3-9; 65:21-22; Mic.4:3-4) resulting in continual joy (Isa.35:10; 65:18-19). The Holy Spirit will be poured out (Isa.44:1-3; Ezek.36:24-29; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29) and the knowledge of God will flood the earth (Isa.11:9) as the New Covenant is fulfilled (Jer.31:31-34; Ezek.11:19-20). They will enjoy immediate answers to prayer, sometimes before they ask (Isa.65:24). Every hint of rebellion will be met with instant retribution (Isa.11:3-4; Zech.14:18-19) as righteousness and justice prevail (Isa.9:7; 42:1-4; Jer.23:5).

The twelve tribes of Israel will be reunited as one nation (Jer.3:18; 30:3; Ezek.37:21-28) and will take possession of all the land promised to them in the Deuteronomic Covenant (Deut.30:1-8). They will resettle it (Ezek.48:1-7,23-29) setting aside a 55-square-mile section for the priests, the Levites, and the millennial temple (Ezek.45:1-8; 48:8-14). This temple (Ezek.40-42) will serve as the worldwide center of worship to which all the nations will stream (Isa.2:2-3; Zech.14:16). Animal sacrifices will once again be offered (Isa.56:7; Ezek.43:18-27), not for the atonement of sins, but as a necessary memorial in remembrance of Christ's sacrificial death. These will serve as an important reminder of the awful penalty of sin to those who will be born and live in the near-perfect conditions of the millennium. King David will rule as a prince (Jer.30:4-9; Ezek.34:23-24; 37:24) and the twelve apostles will sit upon thrones judging the tribes of Israel (Matt.19:28; Luke 22:28-30). Israel will be exalted among the nations (Isa.14:1-2; 61:5-9) and will finally fulfill its intended calling to be a channel of blessing to them (Gen.12:3; Ex.19:5-6; Mic.5:7). The Jews will be God's special ministers (Isa.61:6) to proclaim Messiah's glory to the nations (Isa.66:19-20) and to lead them in worship and in the annual celebration of the feasts in Jerusalem (Isa.2:2-4; Zech.8:22-23; 14:16-21).

Church saints and Gentile tribulation martyrs will also reign with Christ (Rev.5:10; 20:4-6), most likely serving him among the Gentile nations (Rev.2:25-27) providing leadership and spiritual direction according to their faithfulness in this life (Luke 19:11-19). They will live in the New Jerusalem (John 14:2-3; Heb.12:22-23; Rev.21:9-10) which will either be suspended above the earth or remain invisible in heaven throughout the millennium (Rev.21:1-2, 10). This ideal world will continue for 1000 years (Rev.20:2-4,6) under Christ's leadership as a demonstration of God's sovereign control over human history and in fulfillment of all the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen.12:1-3).

Closing events

At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be released and will draw together large numbers of unsaved men and women in a final attempt to overthrow God's rule. But fire from heaven will destroy them and Satan will finally be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev.20:7-10). The wicked dead of all ages will be resurrected to appear before Christ at the great white throne and then be cast into the lake of fire (Rev.20:5, 11-15).

And so, on the threshold of the eternal state will stand the God-man, Christ Jesus. Having succeeded in every point where Adam failed and having abolished every challenge to God's sovereign rule and every enemy including death, he will deliver up the kingdom to the Father so that God might be all in all, reigning unchallenged throughout all of eternity (1 Cor.15:24-28).

The kingdoms of this world have become

the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ

and He shall reign forever and ever!

Revelation 11:15