The Millennial Kingdom - Part 3
Notes
Transcript
Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:1-6; Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:1-6; Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:17-25
Turn to Psalm 15 first then Psalm 24 thumb in Isaiah 11 and later Isaiah 65 to see how the bible describes our future government. These four passages give us a taste.
This is Pt 3 of our rare topical studies - It is a subject that isn’t talked about much. Rapture, tribulation or Heaven teachings? Yes! But for some reason the subject of the millennial kingdom is ignored. Why? Well, I assume like the timing of the rapture or the tribulation, the millennial kingdom has many views and while these are non-essentials I can see why most pastors would rather avoid them.
There at least four views concerning the Millennial kingdom but there’s another view that has gotten more popular because of its historic record.
It called Preterism meaning “past or beyond”. It teaches the prophecies in the Bible about End Times have already been fulfilled.”
But the three basic Millennial views are
1. Postmillennialism
1. Postmillennialism
A hopeful view of the future where the gospel gradually transforms the world before Christ returns.” It’s interesting that Christian nationalism is getting popular and holds this view. But personally I see the opposite happening!
2. Amillennialism
2. Amillennialism
There is no 1000 year reign. but is it a present‑reign view that sees the “millennium” as the current age between Christ’s first and second coming. Most prophecies of the “millennium” are symbolic. Presently, Jesus rules from heaven and is already King, Christians who are alive and in heaven are part of His kingdom -
3. Premillennialism - CC view
3. Premillennialism - CC view
The church is caught up before the 70th week of Daniel and our marriage with the Lamb commences in Heaven - When Jesus returns to Earth, we will be with Him as the bride but after Satan is cast into the Abyss a 75 day interval prepares for a 1,000‑year kingdom of total peace as mentioned in Rev 20 because Jesus will be the King, the government will be upon His shoulders. At the end of the 1000 years comes the final judgment of Satan and resurrection of all sinners and then the literal new heaven and new earth becomes the eternal order.
4. Historic Premillennialism
4. Historic Premillennialism
Is the same as premillennialism but holds a post trib view and no rapture but “Jesus comes back before the kingdom.” Christians go through the tribulation, supernaturally protected.
This was the traditional view for centuries in the early church but recent teachings have been discovered by some of the church fathers who taught the pre-trib rapture so this view is not recent. As Paul said, it was a mystery
It wasn’t created by John Darby in 1830 - He just made it more popular to common believers.
It’s true that the church has a lot of spots and blemishes that need to be purified but Peter said
For it is time for judgment to begin with the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
“Judgment begins in the house of God” and we are seeing that happen right now! [The tribulation is for those who do not obey the gospel!] The church cannot be delivered from wrath and then sent into wrath at the same time. That’s not Bible doctrine — that’s confusion. And God is not the author of confusion.
Personally, if the church were there, we’d just get in the way and confuse people. Consider this, It might be, that all this scripture about the tribulation and Millennial kingdom is meant for that final generation to discover and navigate through it. As these new converts experience salvation with joy, they may have to hide but have plenty of time to study these prophecies for themselves as they stay off the grid. After all, Jesus said “My words will never pass away”. These people will search scripture to prepare and survive the next seven years and it won’t be easy for them. Many will be martyred but in the end sweet victory.
Ok, let’s look at Psalm 15 A Psalm of David.
O Yahweh, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? [that is, Jerusalem]
Keep in mind, according to Torah, only the high Priest was allowed to go into God’s presence once a year on Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement to enter into the Holy of Holies. - When he wrote this song, David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem and had a desire to build a temple but that would later be assigned to Solomon his son. [answer to these questions?] who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?
He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach [disapproval] against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate [rejects God] is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out or lend his money at interest, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
[Heb - mem-bov-tet] Where we get the English word “mote” = fall or stagger into a hole
Psalm 15 gives us the description of what the typical citizen in the Millennial kingdom will be like.
Turn to Psalm 24 which repeats this description because it was written around the same time.
The earth is Yahweh’s, as well as its fullness, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who may ascend into the mountain of Yahweh? And who may rise in His holy place? He who has innocent hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to worthlessness and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall lift up a blessing from Yahweh and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—pay heed O Jacob. Selah.
These Psalms were used in the temple by the Priests later as “entrance liturgies” which meant as a worshiper entered the temple would ask “who may enter God’s presence?, and a Levitical priest would answer with these characteristics.
OK, flip over to Isaiah 11:6-9
And the wolf [not a lion] will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a young boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.
I2N: Chapter 11:1-5 prophesy of the coming Messiah from the stem of Jesse [David’s dad] and mentions that the sevenfold spirit quoted in Revelation would rest on Him. Then it speaks of this Kingdom He would reign in. As Paul confirmed - For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
All animals will return to the original state in the Garden of Eden and become vegetarians. The curse is reversed!!
In this new kingdom young boys are going have blast leading friendly wolves, purring leopards & young lions like pets!!
Babies will be placed near a Cobras hole by their mother’s to play without concern!!
Toddlers will stick their hands in vipers dens just to feel them crawl around their arms and giggle without fear of being bitten.
The knowledge of the Lord will work like a healthy contagious virus causing people to live righteously.
This last passage gives some great detail! Is 65:17
17 “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart. 18 “But be joyful and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for joy.
Verse 17 begins with the announcement of the creation of new heavens and a new earth. Memories of the old life will be erased!
Israel will see many new changes - Jerusalem will be the epi-center of the world, much higher in elevation,
The new heavens and new earth depicted by Isaiah are not to be confused with Revelation 21–22 of the Eternal Order but Isaiah is describing the Messianic Kingdom, as a total renovation of this present heavens and earth.
And the dead sea, only 25-30 miles from Jerusalem now evaporating and dying
will be full of fresh water and be like the Garden of Eden in the millennial kingdom. Vs 19
“I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be joyful in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the voice of crying. “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not fulfill his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred, And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed.
It’s so cool! The prospective of life for Jewish people will be very different. Everyone born in the Kingdom will reach at least 100 years old and those who die at that age will be considered “young.” or accursed. When the kingdom begins all the mortal Jews and [sheep] Gentiles who survived will be believers. There will be no unbelieving Jews in the Millennial kingdom as spoken by Jeremiah - the New Covenant which Jesus gave us in the act of communion during Passover will be ultimately fulfilled in the Millennial kingdom to the Jews - let’s read it
“Behold, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I cut with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, but I was a husband to them,” declares Yahweh.
Note all twelve tribes will be represented - Israel and Judah - so the ten tribes are not lost!!
As YHWH states He was as a husband to His wife Israel -Yeshua calls Himself the bridegroom to His body, the church [Eph 5.32] [These are Different marriages]
Some people want to cram these marriages into One but in the new covenant YHWH is married to Jews only. The mystery of the church differs in relationship. It’s Christ making both Jew and Gentile as one new entity - not Jewish but originally called “the way” was later called “little Christs or Christians”. It was part of the New Covenant in His blood. But Jeremiah continues...
Back at Jer 31
“But this is the covenant which I will cut with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Yahweh: “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “And they will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares Yahweh, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
It’s interesting that Hebrews 8 cites this passage to point out that if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, [Israel] When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. God promises Israel all Jews will know Him!! And in the next 1000 years Isaiah 65:21-22
“They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. “They will not build and another inhabit; they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
Israel will build and plant without threats of war or being kicked out of their land after they make the land fertile and build nice homes.
Incidentally, that’s exactly what they did when they came back to Israel in the early 1900’s - they cultivated the land and brought it back to life. Fulfilling Ezekiel 36:8-9
‘But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. ‘For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown.
Now Israel is the top producer of fruits, dates and nuts in the US - close to half a billion dollars
But in the millennium - the mortal Jewish men will work tirelessly building and planting!!
Many effects of the curse will be removed and there will be a guaranteed enjoyment of their labors, no fatigue and “They’ll get to enjoy what they build and what they grow. No one will take it from them.
They’ll finally get to live a long, happy life—like a strong old tree—and they’ll get to use the things they make until they are physically exhausted but it will take a very long time because they will enjoy it so much!
“They will not labor in vain, or bear children for terror; for they are the seed of those blessed by Yahweh, and their offspring with them. “And it will be that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
Life will be characterized by health and strength, no error and turmoil, and an instantaneous response from God when they pray.
In other words, prayers will be answered immediately!!
Keep in mind, our place as Christ’s bride will be to counsel, teach and bless these mortal people as priests in God’s ways! Some of us will be assigned over regions, cities, villages, depending on our ambition to be pleasing to the Lord now.
25 “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain,” says Yahweh.
Just as we read in Isaiah 11 the animal kingdom will be at rest with each other and with man.
Sorry guys, no hunting! But we’ll be able to pet a lion, a squirrel or a wolf. They will be tame, not skittish! Note that the serpent remains the same as mentioned after the curse but the enmity will be gone! Parents will be able to tell their kids to “go play with the snakes”. Just be home by dark!!
if there’s no time - give the assignment of Matthew 25:13-30
Please read this week - because we will learn the importance of excelling in our abilities. This is why we want to be doers of the word. I promise, it’s going to pay off! As far as our jobs or ministry in the millennium, all I can say is; we will be working for the government! Like glorified feds!
[worship team]
Now as come to the table - remember, God has the good work already prepared for you. You don’t need a best-selling to discover this - you simply need to have the heart of a servant and I promise you, God will bring those works that are custom fit for you to do!
[if there is TIME] -
Reigning with Christ and assigned to a task but that task will be up to us as we serve in this life so I want to leave us with this parable to consider then look at it next week. - Matt 25:13-30- we’ll read through it
