INTRODUCTION
Welcome back this morning as we continue our foundations for faith series we are on week 12 and studying the 14th fundamental truth of the Assemblies of God talking about the millennial reign period last week we did talk about the rapture which is our blessed hope and I think a great place to start they would be going back and reading .
Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men 12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age 13looking for the BLESSED HOPE and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ 14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Following the rapture is the time that is most often talked of as the great tribulation but that's not today's topic. That's a topic for a different sermon.
Today's topic may be one of the most debated subjects of prophetic works in the Bible. When it comes to reading scripture we have to walk the line between literal interpretation and symbolic meaning of scriptures as well as understanding cultural Context in which the original documents were written. When it comes to understanding the truth of scripture it is important to look at many different sources within the Bible to get the best possible picture in interpreting what the Bible is teaching us. When groups stand on one scripture alone and they take it out of context that is how cults and heresy is formed. So before we get into really discussing the millennial reign I want to talk first about some of the viewpoints that don't fully line up with scripture.
BODY
During Christ’s earthly ministry many of his followers were looking forward to the time in which he would establish his Kingdom here on earth.
Acts 1:6-7 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.
The early church looked forward to Jesus’s physical returning to earth to establish the reign of the Kingdom of Israel here on earth. They believed that he would return in quote the same way he left End Quote as the angels had said to him in acts 1:11.
As time went on and believers grew cold in their walk and stopped living in the same manner as the original early church, there continued to be those in the early centuries who believed and emphasize Christ millennial reign on earth. After Christianity had become the official religion of the Roman Empire and Rome moved its capital from Rome to Constantinople this led to a political vacuum in Rome and the Bishop of Rome stepped up to take this political leadership and set himself a throne here on earth. This is the beginning of the papal rule of the holy Roman Empire. As a result , POSTMILLENNIALISM arose teaching that the millennial Kingdom was started with Christ’s resurrection and would end with the second coming and would not need a future Kingdom of God here on earth. The problem with this belief is that it left Israel without seeing the fulfillment of prophecies from the Old Testament that we'll talk about shortly.
Later a millennialism arose teaching that there would be no millennial reign on earth. This view was popular within the Protestant Reformation because they denied a future Millennium on earth they had no room for theological systems of restoration of the earthly Israel. Therefore they spiritualized the Kingdom prophecies of the Old Testament as being fulfilled through the church themselves. While there is plenty of figurative speech in the Book of Revelation such as the Antichrist being referred to as a beast but when you compare that to 2nd Thessalonians 2 it shows that he is a real person. There are also some very plain and literal statements in the Book of Revelation especially in the opening and closing chapter. The 1000 years are mentioned six times in the Book of Revelation and this kind of repetition tends to indicate a special emphasis should be taking to the millennial as a literal timeline.
WE BELIEVE in the second coming of Christ, which is our Blessed Hope, and which includes the rapture of the Church followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Isaiah 11:6–9; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11–14; 20:1–6).
One of the biggest reason why the early post millennialism cannot be biblically accurate is the existence of Satan still on the earth. Satan was not bound when Jesus died on the cross as is prophesied in revelation why don't we go ahead and read that prophecy right now. So please turn with me to revelation starting in 19
Read Revelation 19:11-21
The White Horse here is seen as a mighty conqueror with contextual cultural references to a king writing in in victory. We see very clear wording here that this is Jesus himself written by John who literally saw Jesus and would recognize this writer as such. And he comes in at this point at the end of the tribulation.
Here we see the one who was born in a Manger and then later died on the cross now he comes to rule With a quote iron rod” a symbolism of acting as part of the shepherd but with an iron rod. This along with making the final acts of war that were prophesied in the book of Daniel. And we see with him all of the fine linen armies who identify themselves as the church who were there from the time of the rapture who are with the Lord forever. That's us!
This is Part 2 to the second coming of Jesus. The first part, the rapture the trumpets were only heard by the faithful as he called them home but the second part everybody seize him as king as he ushers in the Kingdom that the disciples were long awaiting.
1. Jesus ushers in His Kingdom with the Church following him as His army dressed in fine linen
Revelation 1:7
Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!
Joel 3:11-12
Come quickly, all you nations everywhere. Gather together in the valley.” And now, O LORD, call out your warriors! “Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the LORD, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all.
1 Thess 3:13
May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.
Jude 14
Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones.
2. Satan is bound in chains for 1,000 years
Revelation 20:1-6
In revelation 16 the evil spirits coming from the beast, the false prophet and the dragon who was Satan go forth and conquer Jerusalem at the end of the time of the great tribulation. This could not be the conquering of Jerusalem in 70 AD for several reasons: 1 ) Many historic, biblical scholars believe that the book was written somewhere between 70 and 95 AD most likely near the end of the reign of Domitian who reigned from 81 to 96 AD after John had fled to Ephesus. 2) The destruction of Jerusalem did not lead to the restoration of Israel, 3) Satan was not bound after this event had happened.
Satan is called in scripture the father of lies and his role as we see in revelation 20 starting in verse 7 which we'll talk about at a different time he is to deceive the nations. And that has been his role for the last 2000 years which would seem to indicate that he's still alive and well on this earth as we can all really attest to. But at the beginning of chapter 20 Satan is bound and thrown into the bottomless pit so that he cannot deceive the nations anymore: revelation 20:3.
The belief that we are currently in the pre millennial reign of Jesus and awaiting for the rapture, the blessed hope, the great tribulation, and then the coming millennial reign of Jesus is the only view that takes the Bible as literally as it intended to be. This view sees that God has fulfillment for both the church and the nation of Israel and it looks forward to Jesus to return and fulfill these prophecies as well as fulfill the prophecy that he will sit on the throne of David and establish his Kingdom. God had promised to Israel in genesis with Abraham that there will be blessings for the family here on earth. In the book of Ezekiel the prophet saw full restoration of the land and the temple of God.
Read Ezekiel 36:22-28
This prophecy was never fulfilled when the Jews returned to Israel after the exile because they did not have the spirit of the Lord living within them as was prophesied by Ezekiel. We know from the church age that the spirit of the Lord did not come to indwell until after the crucifixion, but the 12 tribes were again scattered after the destruction of Jerusalem in both 70 and 135 AD with no hope of returning to the promised land. God's faithfulness in keeping his promises guarantees Israel’s restoration to the land that he had promised them.
In order to fully understand the millennial reign we have to recognize that the church and Israel have to be a part of the established Kingdom that Jesus makes because prophecy points this direction. Jesus never gives up on the restoration of Israel and there can be no way that the church can be divided into 12 tribes only Israel can and it was the disciples who then become the apostles who would judge the 12 tribes for the restoration. Again the premillennial view is the only place for the restoration of the national Israel and for the literal fulfillment of prophecies of peace and blessings that the prophets foresaw.
During the millennial reign we're going to see several things fulfilled.
1) Jesus will reign with universal peace.
Isaiah 2:4 The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
Isaiah 11:4-12
2) The Glory of the Lord will rest on the rebuilt temple
Ezekiel watches as the glory of the Lord departs from Israel and from the temple.
Ezek 9:3
Then the glory of the God of Israel rose up from between the cherubim, where it had rested, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. And the LORD called to the man dressed in linen who was carrying the writer’s case.
Ezek 11:23
Then the glory of the LORD went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east.
Later he sees the glory coming back and filling the temple
Ezek 43:2,5
2Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. 4And the glory of the LORD came into the Temple through the east gateway.5 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the LORD filled the Temple.
3) Jesus will reestablish David's throne
Jeremiah 23:5
For the time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
During the millennial reign there will be joy and the earth bless for this.. The Millennium is going to be a wonderful and glorious time and the world will be cleansed from its present pollution and renewed to a state superior to that of Eden. Our hope for the future isn't only fixed in Jesus coming back but we have encouragement to look forward to a time that is unlike anything that we've ever experienced here on earth before we finally get to heaven. When we think about the blessed hope it should stir us to seek Jesus in a more powerful way to seek the moving of the spirit.
Closing
Read Revelation 20:7-15
The Millennium teaches that Jesus wins!
Jesus showed this vision to John so Christians in all times could hear its message. This includes us. It also includes those in the first century. They were experiencing severe persecution. For some it ended in their death.
Revelation is a special kind of writing that became popular between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. It was a way to express hope when life was painful. It makes sense that this kind of writing would be used when John wrote this book. The vision shows a world divided between good and evil and the war between them. It is hard to understand all the scenes and symbols, but the bottom line is clear: Jesus wins! Satan and death are defeated. Jesus and His followers get to experience the best life possible on the earth. The Millennium will be a time of peace and blessing when righteousness and justice will prevail under Jesus’ leadership.
While we may not have all the answers, it is important that we trust God and His timing. It may be that this message has left you with some questions about what to do with what you’ve learned. That’s okay! God gave us His Word to warn and prepare us, not to bring fear or doubt for believers. We can rest in knowing a loving God looks after His children and promises them a future greater than they can imagine.
Studying the end times and the millennial reign shouldn't cause us to have fear because we know Jesus wins and we should already be living in a time when Jesus is the ruler of our life. The world is afraid they will have to face Jesus in the end but we get to look forward to his coming. If you're here this morning and you haven't surrendered to him today is the day, don’t wait another second before accepting him as King.
Ask for his Holy Spirit to lead you in ways that you can better serve to grow his Kingdom today. Seek after what he has for us.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’
