We dealt with three things concerning the Second Coming of Christ.
I. THE PLACE OF HIS SECOND COMING
II. THE PURPOSE OF HIS SECOND COMING
III. THE PARTICIPANTS IN HIS SECOND COMING
III. THE POWER OF HIS SECOND COMING
Again, I remind you, the Second Coming is different than the rapture.
• The Rapture is when the Lord will come back in the clouds to gather His Church
• The Second coming will take place with Christ coming with His saints to the earth to set up His Kingdom on earth
Good men of the Bible disagree as to when the Second Coming will take place. There are three views:
(1) One view is called the POST-MILLENNIAL VIEW
These are the people who believe that through the preaching of the gospel, the world will get better and this will usher in the Millennium.
(2) Another view is called the A-MILLENNIAL VIEW
These people do not believe there will be a thousand years of peace on earth before or after the return of the Lord.
(3) Another view is called the PRE-MILLENNIAL VIEW
These folks believe the Lord will bodily return and set up His Kingdom on earth. This view is held by many theologians who know the scripture.
WHY HAVE A MILLENIUM?
It is essential for three reasons, such as:
1. It is used as an incentive for people not to take the mark of the beast.
Remember, the message of the 144,000 in Matthew 24:13, was the message , “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
These Jewish men will be spreading the gospel of the Kingdom, and that is, “Do not take the mark of the Beast, because Christ is coming soon to set up His Kingdom on earth!”
2. We need the millennium because when Adam sinned, he not only plunged the human race under the curse of sin, he also plunged all creation under the curse.
This is why in Romans 8:22, Paul says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
When Adam sinned, both the human race and creation were placed under the curse of sin.
And Paul speaks of Creation “Groaning”, wanting to be delivered from the curse of sin.
During the Millennium, that curse is going to be taken off creation, and farmers will be able to plant crops in soil that is not cursed, and they are going to produce crops like this world has never seen before.
We need the Millennium, because it is during this time that the curse on creation will be removed.
3. We need the millennium also to show the depravity of mankind
Illus: Wicked men will be under the Rule of the Greatest King that has ever reigned on this earth, and when the devil is loosed from the bottomless pit at the end of the millennium, wicked men will be deceive by Satan and will rise up in opposition to Christ.
Those who are allowed to come from the tribulation period into the Millennium period, will show how sinful lost men are, because that during this time the Lord will have to rule with a “rod of iron.”
Today I want to show you some more things about this period after the Battle of Armageddon, when the Lord sets up His Kingdom on this earth.
I want to show you FOUR things:
I. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR SATAN DURING THE MILLENNIUM
Satan has been deceiving people since the Garden of Eden.
• Listen, he is the biggest deceiver that ever existed
• The world is FULL OF SINNERS because that lying rascal has deceived people.
But the Bible tells us that before the Millennium starts, Satan is going to be chained for a thousand years, and HE IS GOING TO BE OUT OF THE DECEIVING BUSINESS!
Let’s look at three verses in Rev. 20:1-3, we read, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And HE LAID HOLD on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
Look at the words, “Laid Hold”. This is the Greek word krateo, (Pronounced as krat-eh'-o) which means to use strength, seize, lay hand (hold) on.
The devil had better have all the fun he can now, because one of these days the Lord is going to GRAB HIM and cast him into the Bottomless pit. (GLORY!)
Notice, God did not say, “Satan, see that pit over there, hop in!”
The Lord is going to LAY HOLD on him and personally put him in that pit.
The Bible says when that happens, he shall deceive, “…the nations no more, till the thousands years should be fulfilled….”
This is going to be a great place to live while he is confined to the bottomless pit.
This is what it will be like for SATAN DURING THE MILLENIUM, but let’s look at-
II. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SAVIOR DURING THE MILLENNIUM
He will rule the entire earth!
Illus: In the garden of Eden, God meant conditions to be, “Peace on earth and good will toward men.”
But because of SATAN AND SIN, all we have had are wars, divorces, lies, deception, hate, envy and every kind of evil thing you can imagine and cannot imagine!
When the Lord comes back to set up His Kingdom, He is going to fulfill His plans. For the first time there will be PEACE ON EARTH.
• Look at Isa. 4:2, we read, “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”
Notice the phrase, “In that day”. This phrase occurs in all the Books of prophesy.
It refers to that time that begins with the Tribulation period and goes into the Millennium.
The word “Branch” refers to Christ. He is going to be KING of the whole earth.
But did you know that the scripture indicates that He who sits on the throne of David, will have David there with him also?
• Look at Jeremiah 30:9, we read, “But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.”
Now I do not know what part David is going to have during the Millennium, but David is going to be raised up to rule under the King.
• David will play a major role in working with the King of Kings to see to it that His programs are accomplished.
• He was once the KING OF ISRAEL, but now he is going to be allowed to sit next to the KING OF KINGS!
(1) JESUS WILL PROVIDE PEACE ON EARTH
During the Millennium, there will be PEACE ON EARTH because the PRINCE OF PEACE WILL BE HERE!
The Bible says, in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
During the Millennium there will be PEACE ON EARTH.
(2) JESUS WILL PROVIDE COMFORT FOR EVERYONE
While we are here today, the devil is doing everything he can possibly do to make life as miserable as he can for everyone.
Illus: There are people today that are so burdened down with life that they are contemplating suicide.
The Millennium can not be a place of PEACE ON EARTH if people are burdened down with the cares of this life.
During the Millennium, people are not going to have to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with life, the Lord Himself will comfort them.
Look at Isa. 12:1, “And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, AND THOU COMFORTEDST ME.”
(3) JESUS WILL PROVIDE PERFECT JUSTICE
One of the reasons that our lives are filled with misery is because of the injustice that surrounds our lives.
Those who have money can do almost anything they want to do and get away with it. In this life we suffer:
• Social injustice
• Gender injustice
• Racial injustice
So much of our life is made miserable because of the injustice we have to face each day.
But one day during the Millennium, the King of Kings is going to see to it that injustice is done away with.
Look at Isa. 9:7, we read, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
(4) JESUS WILL PROVIDE PERFECT HEALTH
Look at Isa. 29:17-19, we read, “Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”
There will be:
• No hospitals
• No medical insurance
• No cancer
• No diabetes
• No tumors
• No glasses to wear
• No hearing aids to wear
• No heart attacks
The Lord is going to see to it that it is going to be a great place to live during the Millennium.
We have seen what it is going to be like during the Millennium for Satan, and for the Savior, but look at -
III. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SAINTS DURING THE MILLENNIUM
1 Thess 4:17-18, we read, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
When the Saints are raptured, they will receive their glorified bodies.
(1) WHEN WE RETURN WITH CHRIST, WE WILL BE IN OUR GLORIFIED BODIES
• During the Millennium, all those who were raptured will be here on earth in their glorified bodies, that are controlled by the Spirit.
• During the Millennium, all those who came through the tribulation in their mortal bodies, will still be in their mortal bodies that are controlled by the flesh.
(2) IN OUR GLORIFIED BODIES WE WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST
Now David seems to have that special place under the Lord Jesus Christ, but we in our glorified bodies will rule and reign with Him over those who came through the tribulation period and are still in their fleshly bodies.
The Bible says if we SUFFER WITH HIM, WE ALSO SHALL REIGN WITH HIM.
We will assist Him to make sure there will be PEACE ON EARTH.
Look at Rev. 2:26-27, (this is before the rapture) we read, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”
God will use people who have glorified bodies, to rule and reign with Him during the Millennium.
We have looked at what it will be like during the Millennium for Satan, for the Savior, and for the Saints, but let us also look at-
IV. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SURVIVORS DURING THE MILLENNIUM
These are the people who survived the Tribulation period. No doubt, many of these will be Jews.
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE FOR THEM DURING THE MILLENNIUM?
These are the people that the Lord had prepared a place where they could be sheltered and fed during those 7 years of tribulation on the earth.
Look at Rev. 12:6, “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
(1) THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE MILLENIUM IN THEIR NATURAL (Fleshly) BODIES
In Ezekiel 47:22, we read, “And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall BEGET CHILDREN AMONG YOU: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.”
They will continue to have children.
(2) THEY ARE GOING TO LABOR
Look at Isaiah 65:21-23, we read, “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.”
When man sinned, he was cursed to live by the sweat of his brow.
WHY DOES GOD WANT THOSE WHO LIVE IN THESE MORTAL BODIES TO WORK?
Did you know that most of the trouble in this world comes from people who are not working and have too much TIME ON THEIR HANDS?
Illus: Take me to any church that has trouble in it, and I guarantee you that the trouble is coming from those who are not doing anything.
But those who go through the tribulation period will be still in their fleshly bodies, and God is going to see to it that they have plenty to do to keep them from evil.
The Lord is going to use David and the Christians who have their glorified bodies, to see to it that they are going to work.
(3) THEY WILL BE PROSPEROUS
In Ezekiel 36:29, we read, “I will also save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.”
Illus: When Lyndon Johnson was president, he made it clear that he was going to do away with poverty. He is dead and gone, and we still have poverty.
If he knew God’s Word, he would have known that in Mark 14:7, the Bible says, “For ye have the poor with you always….”
Conclusion:
Life here on earth during the millennium is going to be the greatest time to live on this earth. Especially for those of us who will be living in our glorified bodies.
I. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR SATAN DURING THE MILLENNIUM
II. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SAVIOR DURING THE MILLENNIUM
III. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SAINTS DURING THE MILLENNIUM
IV. WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR THE SURVIVORS DURING THE MILLENNIUM
