Lesson #51

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #51
THE MILLENNIUM — INTRODUCTION

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 46:10

• PLEASE REFER TO THE MASTER TIME LINE CHART (LESSON #02) LOCATING THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST OCCURS ON THE EARTH. IT IS AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL KINGDOM WITH CHRIST RULING AS KING FOR 1000 YEARS.
• IN THE CONTEXT OF REV 19 AND 20, THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OCCURS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH.
• THE BASIC EVENTS OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM:
• THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEGINS WITH THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS (THE SHEEP AND GOATS JUDGMENT). (MAT 25:31-41)
• WE DISCUSSED THIS EVENT IN OUR STUDY IN LESSON #50.
• FROM THE TIMETABLE GIVEN IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL, THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ALSO BEGINS WITH A 30-DAY CLEAN-UP PERIOD. (DAN 12:11)
• AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THE BIRDS BEGIN TO REMOVE THE DEAD BODIES FROM THE EARTH. (REV 19:17-18)
• WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF DEATHS AT THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, AND WITH THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OVER THE EARTH OF ALL CITIES, AND WITH THE MOVING OF LAND MASSES FROM THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, THERE WILL BE MUCH DESOLATION TO BE REMOVED. CITIES WILL NEED TO BE RE-BUILT.
• FROM THE TIMETABLE GIVEN IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL, THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF 45 DAYS USED TO ESTABLISH CHRIST’S GOVERNMENT ON THE EARTH. (DAN 12:12).
• WE WILL DISCUSS HIS GOVERNMENT IN MORE DETAIL LATER IN OUR STUDY.
• THE MILLENNIUM WILL LAST FOR 1000 YEARS.
• SATAN WILL BE LOOSED TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS AND PEOPLE FROM THE MILLENNIUM WHO REBEL AGAINST CHRIST IN THEIR HEARTS. (REV 20:3)
• THE GOG-MAGOG WAR (REV 20:8)
• THIS IS THE FINAL WAR THAT ENDS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• THE PRIMARY MILLENNIAL CAST OF CHARACTERS – WHO IS GOING TO BE THERE?
• =1= JESUS CHRIST AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF GOVERNMENT AND WORSHIP. (REV 20:4)
• HE WILL HOLD THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS IN THE MILLENNIUM:
• A REDEEMER (ISA 59:20-21 ISA 62:11 MAL 4:2)
• A JUDGE (ISA 61:11 ISA 63:1 DAN 2:44-45 DAN 7:9-10)
• A REWARDER OF THE SAINTS (ISA 62:12)
• A TEACHER (ISA 2:3 ZEC 8:22)
• A KING (ISA 33:17-22 ISA 40:9-11 ISA 52:7 DAN 2:45 DAN 7:25-27 MIC 5:2-5 ZEP 3:15)
• A PROPHET (DEU 18:15,18)
• A LAWGIVER (ISA 33:22 GEN 49:10)
• A SHEPHERD (ISA 40:10-11 JER 23:1,3 MIC 4:5 MIC 7:14)
• IN THE MILLENNIUM JESUS CHRIST WILL EXHIBIT THE FOLLOWING DIVINE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GODHEAD:
• OMNISCIENCE – KNOWING ALL THINGS (ISA 66:15-18)
• OMNIPOTENCE – HAVING ALL POWER (ISA 41:10,17,18 PSA 46:1,5)
• WORTHY OF WORSHIP (PSA 45:6 ISA 66:23 PSA 86:9 ZEC 14:16-19)
• RIGHTEOUSNESS (PSA 45:4,7 PSA 98:2 DAN 9:24 ISA 10:22 ISA 28:17 ISA 60:21 ISA 63:1 MAL 4:2)
• DIVINE MERCY (ISA 63:7-19 ISA 54:7-10 ISA 40:10-13 HOS 2:23 PSA 89:3)
• GOODNESS (JER 33:9,15 ZEC 9:17 ISA 52:7)
• WILL OF GOD, THE FATHER (MAT 6:10)
• HOLINESS (ISA 6:1-3 REV 15:4 EZE 36:20-23 ISA 4:3,4 ISA 35:8-10 EZE 45:1-5 JOE 3:17 ZEC 2:12)
• TRUTH (MIC 7:20 ISA 25:1 ISA 61:8)
• WE CAN OBTAIN A GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF CHRIST IF WE CONSIDER THE NAMES AND TITLES FOR CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIUM:
• THE BRANCH (ISA 4:2 JER 23:5 JER 33:15 ZEC 3:8-9 ZEC 6:12-13)
• A PROOF THAT CHRIST IS THE DESCENDANT OF DAVID COME THROUGH THE JEWS.
• THE LORD OF HOSTS (ISA 24:23 ISA 44:6)
• THY GOD (ISA 52:7)
• THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (JER 23:6 JER 33:16)
• THE ANCIENT OF DAYS (DAN 7:13)
• THE LORD (MIC 4:7 ZEC 14:9)
• THE MOST HIGH (DAN 7:22-24)
• THE SON OF GOD (ISA 9:6 DAN 3:25 HOS 11:1)
• WONDERFUL (ISA 9:6)
• COUNSELOR (ISA 9:6)
• THE MIGHTY GOD (ISA 9:6)
• THE EVERLASTING FATHER (ISA 9:6)
• THE PRINCE OF PEACE.(ISA 9:6)
• JEHOVAH (ISA 2:2-4 ISA 7:14 ISA 9:6 ISA 12:6 ISA 25:7-10 ISA 33:20-22 ISA 40:9-11 JER 3:17 JER 23:5-6 EZE 43:5-7 EZE 44:1-2 JOE 3:21 MIC 4:1-3,7 ZEC 14:9,16-17)
• THE ROD OF JESSE (ISA 11:1)
• A PROOF THAT CHRIST IS THE DESCENDANT FROM THE KINGLY TRIBE OF JUDAH THROUGH KING DAVID.
• THE SON OF MAN (DAN 7:13)
• THE SERVANT (ISA 42:1-6 ISA 49:1-7 ISA 53:11)
• THIS TITLE EMPHASIZES HIS HUMILITY.
• THE TENDER PLANT (ISA 53:2 EZE 17:22-24)
• THIS TITLE EMPHASIZES HIS HUMANITY.
• THE KING (ISA 33:17,22 ISA 44:6 ISA 2:2-4 ISA 9:3-7 DAN 2:44 DAN 7:15-28 OBA 17-21 MIC 4:1-8 ZEP 3:9-10 ZEC 9:10-15)
• THE KING OF KINGS (REV 19:16)
• IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WILL BE NO OTHER GOVERNMENT IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• THE JUDGE (ISA 11:3-4 ISA 16:5 ISA 33:22 ISA 51:4-5 EZE 34:17,20 JOE 3:1-2 MIC 4:2-3)
• THE LAWGIVER (ISA 33:22)
• MESSIAH THE PRINCE (DAN 9:25-26)
• THE PRINCE OF PRINCES (DAN 8:25)
• THE REDEEMER (ISA 59:20)
• THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (MAL 4:2)
• THIS TITLE EMPHASIZES THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS TRUTH AND JUSTICE.
• THE WALL BREAKER (MIC 2:13)
• THIS TITLE EMPHASIZES THE EQUALITY OF HIS JUSTICE.
• THE SHEPHERD (ISA 40:10-11 JER 23:1,3 EZE 34:11-31 EZE 37:24 MIC 4:5 MIC 7:14)
• THE STONE (ISA 28:16 ZEC 3:9)
• THE LIGHT (ISA 60:1-3)
• THE SON OF DAVID (LUK 1:32-33 MAT 1:1 ISA 9:7)
• THE PROPHET (DEU 18:15,18)
• =2= THE PRINCE (EZE 44:3 EZE 45:7-46:18)
• IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, THERE WILL BE A PERSON CALLED “THE PRINCE”. THERE ARE MANY INTERPRETATIONS OF HIS IDENTITY AND MANY MORE QUESTIONS.
• SOME SAY THIS IS JESUS.
• HOWEVER, BECAUSE HE OFFERS A SIN OFFERING FOR HIMSELF, IT IS DEFINITELY NOT JESUS. (EZE 45:22-23)
• IN THE MILLENNIUM, JESUS IS KING, NOT THE PRINCE.
• SOME SAY THIS IS MELCHIZEDEK, OR A TYPE OF HIM. (GEN 14:17-20 HEB 7)
• HE ACTS AS A PRIEST, BUT HE IS NOT A HIGH PRIEST LIKE CHRIST. MELCHIZEDEK WAS BEFORE THE MOSAIC PRIESTHOOD. MELCHIZEDEK IN GENESIS WAS A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR HIGH PRIEST. (HEB 7)
• HOWEVER, THERE IS NO PROPHECY ABOUT MELCHIZEDEK IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• SOME SAY THIS IS DAVID.
• DAVID IS A TYPE, OR PRE-FIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST, ALSO. GOD WILL FULFILL ALL HIS PROMISES TO DAVID THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE PROMISES WERE MADE TO DAVID, AS A PERSON, GOD WILL FULFILL THEM IN PART TO DAVID IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• THERE IS A PROPHECY ABOUT DAVID’S MILLENNIAL ROLE. (JER 30:9 EZE 34:23-24.)
• THEREFORE, THE MOST LIKELY INTERPRETATION IS THAT THIS PERSON IS DAVID RULING AS A VICE-REGENT.
• =3= THE RAPTURED AND RESURRECTED BELIEVERS IN AN IMMORTAL BODY RULING AND REIGNING AS PRIESTS AND GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS (REV 2:26-28)
• THESE RESURRECTED BELIEVERS LIVE IN THE NEW JERUSALEM CITY SUSPENDED AS A SATELLITE IN SPACE OVER THE EARTH. THEY ARE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE EARTH ON A HOLY HIGHWAY.(ISA 35:8-10)
• THESE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST WILL HAVE POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY OVER CITIES ON EARTH. (REV 2:26-28 LUK 19:17)
• THE 12 DISCIPLES WILL SIT ON 12 THRONES AS JUDGES OVER MORTAL JEWS (MAT 19:28 LUK 22:30)
• =4= THERE WILL BE LIVING GENTILES IN A MORTAL BODY. (ZEC 14:16 PSA 2:8 EZE 36:36 EZE 37:28)
• THESE ARE THOSE WHO MANAGED TO SURVIVE THE WARS, FAMINES, PLAGUES, WHO WERE NOT MARTYRED, AND WHO DID NOT TAKE THE MARK OR WORSHIP THE ANTICHRIST–PROBABLY MANY WILL BE CHILDREN BUT SOME WILL BE ADULT BELIEVERS.
• SCRIPTURE IS CLEAR THAT SINNERS CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD BUT WILL BE CUT OFF BEFORE THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEGINS. (ISA 1:19-31 ISA 65:11-16 ISA 66:15-18 JER 25:27-33 JER 30:23-24 EZE 11:21 EZE 20:33-44 MIC 5:9-15 ZEC 13:9 MAL 3:2-6,18 MAL 4:3)
• GENTILES WILL BE SERVANTS TO THE JEWS. (ISA 14:1-2 ISA 49:22-23 ISA 60:14 ISA 61:5 ZEC 8:22-23)
• =5= A REMNANT OF LIVING JEWS IN A MORTAL BODY. (ISA 66:20-22)
• THE 144,000 JEWISH WITNESSES THAT WERE HIDDEN IN PETRA DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THOSE JEWS WHO ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AT HIS COMING. THEY ARE THE REMNANT SPOKEN OF THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.
• GOD WILL RESTORE THEM TO A BEAUTIFIED LAND AND UNITED AS A NATION. THE NATION WILL AGAIN BE RELATED TO JEHOVAH BY MARRIAGE (ISA 54:1-17). ISRAEL WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS AND EXALTED ABOVE THE GENTILES. THEY WILL BE GOD’S WITNESSES DURING THE MILLENNIUM AND HAVE POSITIONS OF IMPORTANCE IN THE KINGDOM. (PSA 68:27-28 ISA 1:26 ISA 66:21)
• THE JEWS WILL POSSESS ALL THE LAND FROM THE EUPHRATES RIVER TO THE NILE RIVER. (GEN 15:18 ISA 11:14 EZE 47:13-23 EZE 48)
• THEY WILL BE RESPECTED AND PROSPEROUS (ZEC 8:23 MIC 4:7 DEU 30:9)
• THE PURPOSE OF THE MILLENNIUM:
• TO COMPLETE A TIME CYCLE OF 7,000 YEARS.
• REMEMBER IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR STUDY OF REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING, WE DISCUSSED THE JEWISH BELIEF THAT HUMAN HISTORY WOULD LAST FOR A PERIOD OF 7,000 YEARS ON THE EARTH (LESSON #01) ALTERNATING BETWEEN PERIODS OF LAW AND GRACE.
• TO PROVE THAT CHRIST RULES BEST:
• THROUGH ALL THE DISPENSATIONS OF HUMAN HISTORY MAN HAS TRIED TO RULE HIMSELF BUT CANNOT SUCCEED. FINALLY MAN CHOOSES THE ANTI-CHRIST TO RULE THE WORLD IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, BUT IT RESULTS IN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION AND ALMOST CAUSES THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND.
• TO FULFILL PROPHECY:
• THIS IS THE BROADEST ASPECT OF GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. FROM THE TIME OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS, MAN HAS BEEN WAITING FOR GOD TO FULFILL HIS PROMISES THAT HE MADE TO ABRAHAM, THEN TO ISAAC, AND THEN TO JACOB, THEN TO DAVID. ALL THESE PROMISES WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. THESE PROMISES WERE MADE IN SPECIFIC COVENANTS.
• THE PROMISES IN THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT:
• THAT ABRAHAM’S DESCENDANTS WOULD BECOME A MIGHTY NATION (GEN 12:1-3 GEN 13:16 GEN 15:5 GEN 17:7 GEN 22:17-18)
• THAT ABRAHAM’S DESCENDANTS WOULD OWN THE PROMISED LAND FOREVER. (GEN 12:7 GEN 13:14-17 GEN 15:7,18-21 GEN 17:8)
• THE MILLENNIAL FULFILLMENT: (ISA 10:21-22 ISA 19:25 ISA 43:1 ISA 65:8-9 JER 30:22 JER 32:38 EZE 34:24,30-31 MIC 7:19-20 ZEC 13:9 MAL 3:16-18)
• THE PROMISES MADE IN THE DAVIDIC COVENANT (2CHR 13:5 2SAM 7:12-16 2SAM 23:5)
• THAT DAVID’S THRONE WOULD BE AN EVERLASTING THRONE.
• THAT DAVID’S KINGDOM WOULD BE AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM.
• THAT DAVID’S DESCENDANT WOULD BE AN EVERLASTING KING.
• THE MILLENNIAL FULFILLMENT: (ISA 11:1-2 ISA 55:3,11 JER 23:5-8 JER 33:20-26 EZE 34:23-25 EZE 37:23-24 HOS 3:5 MIC 4:7-8)
• THE PROMISES MADE IN THE PALESTINIAN COVENANT(DEU 30:1-9)
• THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND.
• THIS IS THE LAND FROM THE EUPHRATES RIVER TO THE NILE RIVER.
• A NATION OF GOD’S PEOPLE.
• A NATIONAL PROSPERITY.
• THE MILLENNIAL FULFILLMENT: (ISA 11:11-12 ISA 65:9 EZE 16:60-63 EZE 36:28-29 EZE 39:28 HOS 1:10-2:1 MIC 2:12 ZEC 10:6)
• THE PROMISES MADE IN THE NEW COVENANT(JER 31:31-34 ISA 42:6 HEB 8:7-12)
• THIS IS THE NEW TESTAMENT COVENANT THAT INCLUDES GENTILE BELIEVERS. HOWEVER, THE COVENANT WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN TO THE JEWS. IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH.
• FORGIVENESS FOR THE SINS OF THE JEWS.
• TO GIVE THE JEWS NEW HEARTS.
• TO USE ISRAEL TO REACH AND TEACH GENTILES.
• THE MILLENNIAL FULFILLMENT: (JER 32:35-39 EZE 11:18-20 EZE 16:60-63 EZE 37:26 ROM 11:26-29)
• TO REWARD THE SAINTS OF GOD (PSA 58:11 ISA 40:10 COL 3:24)
• LIVING IN THE MILLENNIUM, RULING AND REIGNING WITH CHRIST WILL BE A REWARD FOR FAITHFULNESS.(REV 22:12 MAT 25:34)
• TO ANSWER THE MODEL PRAYER (LUK 11:1-4)
• GOD ANSWERS ALL THE PRAYERS OF HIS SAINTS. THIS IS ONE PRAYER THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN ANSWERED.
• TO REDEEM CREATION (ROM 8:19-22)
• WHEN LUCIFER REBELLED AGAINST GOD AND BECAME SATAN, WHO THEN DECEIVED EVE, ALL OF CREATION WAS SPOILED BY SIN. THE REDEEMER, JESUS CHRIST, WILL REDEEM EVERYTHING INCLUDING THIS PHYSICAL WORLD.

HOMEWORK
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIAL EARTH
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE STUDY, THE MILLENNIUM—INTRODUCTION
• HOW DOES A STUDY OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM HELP THE BELIEVER TO BE ENCOURAGED TO:
• BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST?

• SERVE CHRIST?

• LOVE CHRIST?

• PREPARATION FOR THE STUDY, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIAL EARTH:
• READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AND WRITE YOUR COMMENTS:
• ZEC 14:8-11, 16-21

• EZE 47:1-12

• ISA 30:23-25

• ISA 11:6-8

• EZE 48:8-20

• MEMORY VERSE: ZEC 14:9