Untitled Sermon

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 (Ez.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