The Kingdom Of Heaven Part 1 - Millennialism Series

The Two Kingdoms

The Kingdom of Heaven part 1

Millennialism

Millennialism - 3 views

This message is the first in a series dealing with the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God and the Rapture. I trust you will be blest as we examine these three vital subjects together.

We've heard and read a lot about 'end-times'. I imagine that most of you are familiar with the well-worn (but still valid) concepts of the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Mark of the Beast etc.

You may or may not agree with the doctrine of the 'Secret Rapture' (so-called) but all of us agree that the Lord will one day return to this earth!

But now it can get a little ‘woolly’. Do we call the Lord's return to the earth the 'Second Coming'? Or is the Rapture (if it happens at all) the ‘Second Coming?’ And if it is, then can we say that the Second Coming is in two parts?

And in any case, how important is a belief in the Rapture? Many Christians believe it's an unbiblical doctrine (just check out a few of the web-sites or tune into YouTube). Others (and you may be one of these) have given up trying to decide and conclude that it doesn't matter - not important! I've heard it many times: 'I know he's coming - one way or the other - and that's all

that matters to me!'

Another hotly-debated question is that of Israel's

future. Does she even have one or has that nation been permanently replaced by the church (replacement theology)? And then, assuming that Israel does have a further part to play in God's plans, how does this fit in with the Rapture, Christ's coming to the earth, and the Church itself?

And one more thing! Where does the New Covenant fit into the whole picture? After all, it was promised to the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jer 31:31). Did this ever happen? Will it ever happen? Or is the house of Israel and the house of Judah an expression simply now symbolic of the church?

Finally, are the Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God separate entities or are both expressions referring to the same thing (as many believers seem to think)?

Let's begin!

You've no doubt heard the reign of Christ on earth described as the Millennium. There are varying opinions about the nature and timing of the Millennium. So exactly what is it and when does it occur?

To find this out, we need to go to the book of Revelation and examine chapters 19 and 20.

Revelation chapter 19 is one that describes the tumultuous events that bring the Great Tribulation to a shuddering climax!

There we read the story of how, after seven years of Tribulation, the armies of the Antichrist (effectively representing the nations of the world) will march on Jerusalem in one final, frenzied assault- apparently determined to destroy what is then left of God's people and the Holy City.

But, unbeknown to Satan, God Himself will have brought the armies of the godless nations together so that He might destroy them!

Zechariah 14:2

I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it;

But just as the battle is raging (a battle we know as Armaggedon), Christ returns to destroy his enemies. Zech 14:3-4 describes this event:

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

This Second Coming of Christ is described in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 which tells us that Christ will be 'revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.'

The slaughter that takes place at Armageddon will be horrific: the armies of the Antichrist are defeated and the Beast and false prophet thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20-21).

Events following Christ's climactic victory then unfold in quick succession. And it's now that we come across the first prophetic reference to the 1000-yr rule that ensues.

Firstly Rev. 20:2 tells us that an angel binds Satan and throws him into the Abyss for 1000 yrs so that he can no longer deceive the nations. Then the saints who will have been martyred during the preceding years of Great Tribulation will be resurrected - brought to life again to rule with Christ for the same period of 1000 yrs.

Revelation 20:4,

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life (in v. 5 this is described as the first resurrection) and reigned with Christ a thousand years.