Title: The 1000 Year Reign
Text: Rev 20:1-10
Pray!!!
Read Text!!!
Introduction:
- Right after the battle of Armageddon, what will happen?
- The glorious appearing of Jesus Christ will take place, for the purpose of setting up His Kingdom.
- It will take place immediately after the tribulation.
- Heaven will open and Christ will appear on a white horse, (Rev 19:11)
- Christ will be followed by the armies of Heaven (Rev 19:14), preparing to judge the ungodly (Jude 14-15)
- Christ will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:3-5)
- The beast and his armies will confront Christ (Rev 19:19)
- Christ will cast the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20)
- Christ’s rejecters will be killed (Rev 19:21)
- Satan will be chained and locked in the bottomless pit for 1000 years (Rev 20:1-3)
- The Old Testament and Tribulation saints will be resurrected (Rev 20:4)
- Christ will judge the nations and establish what we are going to talk about tonight, the Millennium.
What Is The Millennium Going To Be Like:
- As soon as Christ returns with the armies of Heaven, there will be a 75 day interval according to Dan 12:11-12 which says, “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1335 days.”
- The reason for this 75 day interval before the reign of Christ starts is two fold:
a. To cleanse the Temple
b. To judge the Nations.
- The 75 day interval is a time of preparation for the kingdom.
- So much of the globe has been destroyed during the judgements of the Tribulation, I believe the Lord will take the time to prepare the world for the Millennial Kingdom.
- Those who survive to the end of the Tribulation and aren’t cast into the lake of fire by Christ will be the ones who enter the Tribulation.
- They will all be believers, no unbelievers will enter the Millennium.
- During the 75 day interval, the nations of the world will be judged.
- There are 3 different groups of people, which are:
a. The Unsaved followers of the Anti Christ.
b. The Believers
c. The Brethren whom the believers befriend.
- Now theses brethren are the Jews who go into the Millennium as believers.
- Please keep in mind only believers are permitted to go into the Millennium Kingdom.
- Many Jewish people will turn to Christ right after the Anti Christ desecrates the Temple in Jerusalem.
- The Jews will become disillusioned and will turn to their Messiah and flee to the wilderness of Petra, where God will protect and preserve them.
- They will no don’t include the 144,000 and other Jewish people.
- Now after the 75 day interval is complete, the world goes from man controlled to God controlled.
- The world now is ruled by a Theocracy, meaning God is in charge.
- It will be a time of peace and prosperity for the righteous followers of God under the rule of Jesus Christ.
- Zech 14:9 says, “The Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.”
- If this topic interests you, here are some other passages of scripture that talk about the Millennial Kingdom: Isa 11:6-9; 65:18-23; Jer 31:12-14, 31-37; Eze 34:25-29.
Some Points Concerning The Millennium:
- The Adamic curse will be rolled back
- The curse is not completely removed because people will rebel when satan is let out of prison.
- Because the complete effects of the fall will not have been erased, there will be one final revolt against the government of Jesus Christ.
- But many things caused by the curse will be removed, for example:
a. The lion will lie down with the lamb - Isa 11:6-7
b. Environmental Transformation - Isa 35:1-2, tells us the desert will blossom again.
c. Physical condition will drastically change for the better.
- People will live much longer, and many physical diseases will be eliminated
- Isa 33:24 says, “No one living in Zion will say, ‘I am ill’, and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.”
- The absence of sickness and deformity, along with increased life spans will all be a part of the Millennial Kingdom.
- People will enjoy prosperity as poverty, injustice and disease cease. (Jer 31:12-14)
- Life will go on for the ones who usher in the Millennium.
- I personally believe the ones who have survived the Tribulation period and didn’t accept the mark of beast will still have to do daily jobs, driving cars, taking planes and living in homes.
- It will be much like we see it now, but with God ruling and reigning.
- (Read Isaiah 65:17-25)
Transition:
- What does the 1000 Year Reign teach us about Christ?
- What does it reveal about His character?
- I want to give you 5 points that it teaches about Jesus that will be a comfort to us now and in the future millennial Kingdom.
Point 1: His Way Is The Best Way
- We can trust in Him completely.
- Anyone going through the tribulation that has reached this point without accepting the mark of the beast, knows that His way is the best way.
- When we enter the Millennium, it will be ruled by God. And in that time there will be peace, prosperity and joy like never before.
- It will be great for us, we will be ruling with God on this planet.
- All the hardships that we go through now, if we keep on serving God and don’t waver but trust in Him, it will be worth it all.
- We will see that His way was the best way.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”
- Human wisdom is a poor basis for determining what is true or false, right or wrong, worthy, or unworthy.
- God’s Word is the only source for determining the right path of life.
- Let me explain with this story:
(Pastor Grant and I were on our way to a conference in Montreal, and I was driving. This was my second time driving in the city of Montreal, and the first time I got lost. As we entered Montreal again, I quickly realized that we were getting lost again, we went through areas that I had never seen before the first time I came, we were lost. We continued driving thinking that we were on the right track, but we ended up in the country were no one spoke English. Not a good situation. So we decided to buy a map and we finally found were we were going. The map helped get to where we wanted to go, the Bible will help us get to where we want to go and that’s Heaven.)
Point 2: He Is In Charge
- God does not bind satan, but rather gets one of his angels to do the job.
- Maybe because God doesn’t want to be a bully.
- It’s no contest between God and satan.
- In Rev 17:16-17 says that God put it in the hearts of the wicked nations to destroy the apostate church.
- Out of all this caus God still is in charge and has everything under control.
- Even if things look out of control.
When Jocelyn was born, there was great concern because of the long delivery and labor, but again I give God all the glory because He was the one that was in control and He brought us through a difficult time.
Point 3: God Loves Us
- The reason for the plagues is because God loves people, and is desiring to bring them back to Himself, but also we know that God is a righteous judge and will punish sin when unrepented of.
- God wants to use us, and give us purpose.
- We will rule and reign with God, what are you going to be in charge of and watch over?
- What area of the world will you like to rule and watch over for Jesus?
- Would you like to rule in Florida, Cuba, or do you like the winter and say British Columbia.
- One day this will be a reality because God loves us and has a plan for us. It’s not to sit and wait but rather to be active in His Kingdom.
- There are so many people in the world today that have such low self worth that they can’t see the gifts that God has given to them so He can use them.
Point 4: God Is Not A Oppressor
- Meaning God is going to allow people to make a choice.
- When satan is released it’s not for fun and because God has pity on the devil.
- Rather it’s because there will be people who were saved during the tribulation period that will usher in the Millennium and they will have babies during this time and repopulate the earth.
- Adam’s curse has not been completely removed, because there will still be people who for the season will listen to the devil.
- All the nations will go to make war in Jerusalem, but then fire will fall from Heaven and destroy all who listened to satan’s lies.
- The point is, God will not force His love on anyone, we must willing make a choice and serve Him.
- The same goes today, God is wanting people to willing call on His name and serve Him.
- And this is the reason He let’s satan out.
Point 5: God Brings True Victory
- The devil would like to promise the world that He has there best interests in mind, but God will destroy him one day.
- When we serve God, no matter what we go through He will see us to victory.
- If we serve ourselves, we will have no victory.
- Believing the devil brings false victory.
- For about 6000 + years the devil has paraded around like his is victorious by getting Adam and Eve to eat the tree.
- He has gotten people to blame God for the misery in the world, by still feeding the same lie as he did to Adam and Eve.
- The misery in the world today is because of the curse that’s on the world through sin.
- God will bring satan and his kingdom to an end.
- God wants to bring your situations to an end.
- But we need to serve Him and be faithful to Him.
- It was never God’s plan for us to live under the curse, but one day it will be done away with.
