Part 15

The Millennial Kingdom

Those who come to believe, trusting Christ during the 7-year Tribulation period, and endure faithful, will enter into Christ’s Kingdom on the earth. The diagram below defines who will go on from the Tribulation into Christ’s Kingdom age, and then also into the ultimate Eternal Kingdom of God on the New Earth.

Peter wrote of those believers who are… LOOKING FOR and hasting unto THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Vs13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for NEW HEAVENS and A NEW EARTH, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:12-13)

Jesus specifically said “this Gospel of the Kingdom” to come on earth would be preached “til the end come” (Matt 24:14). During the Tribulation many people will come to believe the “everlasting gospel” … “of the Kingdom.” It will be preached by the “144,000” (Rev 7:4, 14:6) and the “two witnesses” (Rev 11:3-12).

The “two witnesses” will preach and have miraculous powers during their “1260 day (3-1/2 yr)” (11:3-6) ministry until they a killed. They will be raised from the dead by the Sprit of God after 3-1/2 days, and “ascend up to heaven” in the eyes of the whole world (11:11).

“And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. ¹⁰ And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these Two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. ¹¹ And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. ¹² And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” (Revelation 11:9-12)

Hearing the “gospel of the Kingdom,” many will be “saved” even in the face of Antichrist’s persecution and “beheadings” (Revelation 20:4), and the judgments of God that are to be are poured out upon the whole world. Let’s now consider how one may be saved during the Tribulation, to enter the Millennial Kingdom .

First realize what Jesus said to “his disciples,” “… one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, Till All Things Be Accomplished” (Matt 5:17-18). So, during the Tribulation salvation will be similar to salvation under “the law” dispensation, so far the requirement to keep the commandments and also as what does NOT happen inside of the kingdom believer. Innermost “regeneration” (Tit 3:5) by “the Spirit” will no longer be available as it is today under the present “dispensation of the grace of God.” Nothing changes inside the Tribulation believer to secure and seal his salvation. Only the 144,000 are specifically said to be “sealed” in their foreheads.

Those who believe in Jesus and are saved during the Tribulation won’t be saved on credit as was the case in the Old Testament. Old Testament saints were saved on credit in that their sins were only covered by animal blood sacrifices, but not removed (Heb 10:4). When O.T. saints died they didn’t go to heaven. They went to “paradise,” also called “Abraham’s bosom” (Luk 23:34; Eph 4:8-10, Psa 63:9). This was on the opposite side of the pit from, and within sight of, the suffering lost who are eternally damned (Luke 16:22-26) to later be judged at the “Great White Throne” judgment.

Only when Jesus was crucified and resurrected, was atonement then complete and applicable to the O.T. saints who had believed. Thereby, Jesus was then justified in saving them (Rom 3:26), so He raised the souls and spirits of O.T. saints (Matt 27:52-53) from the dead with Him, then moving them to “paradise” now located in  heaven (cf. 2 Cor 12:4). “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, ⁵³ And came out of the graves after his resurrection, (Mat 27:52-53).

Jesus’ descent into hell (Acts 2:27), the paradise side of Hades, in the heart of the earth (Psa 55:15; Amos 9:2), was not to complete His suffering and redemption. Our redemption was “finished” by His shed blood and His death of the cross. His descent into the paradise side of Hades was to complete His human experience, just as his entire life was part of His human experience (Heb 4:15, 2:17a). Christ’s participation in the human experience has not to do with redemption, but to do with qualifying HIM to be a faithful and merciful high priest and the “first born among many brethren” ( Col 1:18). Jesus became the overcoming “man” and as such He had to experience the full grip of death (Heb 2:9) to make His resurrection an experience that has implications for us also.

The Tribulation believers, like the Old Testament saints, are NOT regenerated, or born again, as we are today under the grace dispensation. The Tribulation Believers are Not Saved by Works, BUT Works Are Required by those who “Believe.” They must endure faithful to the end.

“I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation (ethnos), and kindred, and tongue, and people,” (Revelation 14:6)

“And He That Shall Endure (faithfully) Unto The End, The Same Shall Be Saved.” (Matt 24:13)

1) During the Tribulation all men must first believe the “everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6),

2) And then … obey God by “repenting” of their sins (Rev 2:21),

3) And then … be faithful to him by “NOT taking the mark of the beast” (cf. Rev 20:4);

4) Only then … may they be saved… IF they “endure (are patiently faithful) unto the end” (Matt 24:13).

Salvation in every dispensation is by the grace of God, but Tribulation salvation requires continual faithfulness to the end, or until death. It’s not a certain level of goodness that God requires, but rather complete faithfulness to God in regard to NOT Taking “The Mark of The Beast.”

“he (the False Prophet) Causeth All, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to Receive A Mark In Their Right Hand, Or In Their Foreheads: ¹⁷ that No Man Might Buy Or Sell, Save (except) He That Had The Mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸…is Six hundred threescore and six.” (Rev 13:16-18)

Clearly, “believing,” that is “trusting Christ,” during the Tribulation will be just the first step in salvation. Along with believing one must ALSO … “Keep the Commandments of God,” as seen in these passages.

“And the dragon (Antichrist) was wroth with the woman ( Israel ), and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev 12:17) “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and THE FAITH OF JESUS.” (Rev 14:12)

“Blessed are they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates unto the city.” (Rev 22:14)

So, in the Tribulation men are saved by FAITH… PLUS they must “Keep (His) Works Unto The End”… if they are to co-reign with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom . “he that overcometh, and Keepeth My Works Unto The End, to him will I give POWER OVER THE NATIONS (Gentile survivors of the Tribulation)” (Rev 2:26).

This “Faith PLUS Works” standard is in accord with what James wrote to the scattered of Israel . “Faith Without Works Is Dead” (James 1:1, 2:17, 20, 26). Of course this does not apply to us today. Such a contingent requirement of “Keeping (His) Works Unto The End” confirms that salvation “by grace through faith in Christ alone, NOT OF WORKS” (Eph 2:8-9) will have then ended with the Rapture ~7 years before the Tribulation,

What about UNBELIEVERS born in the Millennial Kingdom ? Clearly, “ALL…Who Believe NOT the Truth” will be “DAMNED” before the Tribulation ends, missing the Millennium.

“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden DESTRUCTION cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY SHALL NOT ESCAPE.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

“When THE LORD JESUS SHALL BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN (at His 2^nd coming) with his mighty angels, in flaming fire TAKING VENGEANCE ON THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, and THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ”  “ ... That they ALL MIGHT BE DAMNED WHO BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thes 1:7b–8; cf. 2:12, Matt 25:31-34, 46)

Since only believers will enter the Millennium, unbelievers appear only later in the Millennium, being born of them during the Millennium with the Adamic a Sin nature. Some of these will believe and some will not.

What about the Tribulation believers who are martyred before its end? They will join all the other “righteous” kingdom believers, who died mainly in the Old Testament, in “the 1^st resurrection” (Rev 20:6). The “1^st resurrection” will occur immediately at the start of the Millennium. These all will be raised in new, immortal, glorified, spirit-bodies at that time. Their spirits and souls, which were already in the “Paradise” of heaven, will then join their new, immortal, glorified, spirit-bodies; then to be whole spirit beings, able to serve and reign with the Lord in the Millennium and beyond in the eternal kingdom on the New Earth.

“I saw thrones, and they (the Twelve Apostles) sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were BEHEADED for the witness of Jesus (martyred), and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, Neither Had Received His Mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and They Lived and Reigned With Christ A Thousand Years. ⁵ But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the FIRST RESURRECTION. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the FIRST RESURRECTION: on such the second death hath no power, but They Shall Be Priests Of God and of Christ, and Shall Reign With Him A Thousand Years.” (Rev 20:4-6)

While those martyred for their demonstrated faith during the Tribulation are obviously saved and will enter the Millennium in their resurrected glorified spirit-bodies (Rev 20:6), those who are Saved and Survived the Tribulation will enter the Millennium in their Natural Human Bodies.

The literal the promises of God concerning the Kingdom will be fulfilled, including the rebuilding of the Temple once again. In the closing sections of the Old Testament prophetic books we note specific details that can be fulfilled in no other way than in a literal, physical, Millennial Theocratic Kingdom on earth.

“For thus saith the LORD; Like as I (the Lord) have brought all this great evil upon this people (Israel), so will I Bring Upon Them All The Good That I Have Promised Them.” (Jer. 32:42)

“IN THAT DAY will I raise up the (physical) tabernacle  (Temple) of David that is fallen,… and I Will Raise Up His (David’s) Ruins, And I Will Build It As In The Days Of Old.” (Amos 9:11)

”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” (Isaiah 9:7).

Jesus of Nazareth plainly told His Israeli followers that the time of His coming would be as the “days of Noah” (Matt 24:37); whereby ALL the unbelievers perished in the flood judgment.

“And God said unto Noah, The end of ALL flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”(Gen 6:13) “[Noah] entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them ALL.” (Luke 17:27b) “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering (patience) of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, EIGHT SOULS (Noah’s family) WERE SAVED by water.” (1Pet 3:20)

Listed below are prophesies that reveal the restoration for Israel , and that the whole world will come under Christ’s righteous Millennial rule. When Christ returns to usher in the Kingdom He will have a “sword” to defeat His enemies (Rev 19:15, 21). In Matt 13:41 (below) we see a “sorting out” of the “offenders” will take place when the Lord returns. Again, NO unbelievers will survive the Tribulation to enter the Millennium.

“The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they SHALL GATHER (sort) OUT of (from) HIS KINGDOM ALL things That Offend, and them Which Do Iniquity (Lawlessness).” (Matthew 13:41)

 “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and ALL the PROUD, yea, and ALL That Do Wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall BURN THEM UP, saith the LORD of hosts…² But unto you (Israel) that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. ³ And ye shall tread down the wicked; for THEY SHALL BE ASHES under the soles of your feet in the day that I SHALL DO THIS, saith the LORD of hosts. ⁴ Remember ye the law of Moses my servant… with the statutes and judgments. (Malachi 4:1-4)

“For then will I TURN TO THE PEOPLE (to the gathered lost sheep of Israel ) a pure (single) language, that they may ALL call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zephaniah 3:9)

Now let’s consider aspects of life as it will be in the time of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on earth.

Ezekiel 40 describes “sacrifices” to be made in the rebuilt Temple on earth during the Millennium. But why sacrifices? We know Jesus is the reality of all the O.T. sacrifices. During the Millennium these will be memorial sacrifices to commemorate the work of Christ’s cross, having died as the Sin sacrifice for all sin in all ages. Sacrifices in the Temple will be a vivid reminder of what Jesus’ cross means in redemption. This “raised up the tabernacle of David” in the Millennium won’t compare to the “New Jerusalem” of the Eternal Kingdom . The “New Jerusalem” is the post-millennium “Holy City” let down from Heaven only after the Millennium when “time should be no longer” (Rev 10:6) and eternity is restored.

Christ will at last bring peace and prosperity to earth. Every wrong will be righted. The Genesis curses will be partially lifted so that crops will grow more abundantly. Though Satan will be bound for the duration, “Sin” will remain until Satan’s demise at the close of the Millennium. “Death” remains until Rev 20:14.

In the Millennial Kingdom age there will be perfect justice, perfect love. This is God’s final answer to Satan. Christ will dwell among His people in peace. This will be true through-out the world because the Lord will settle disputes among the nations and righteous peace will flow like a river as never seen in this world since the fall of Adam. At the beginning of the Millennium life will be as close to heaven on earth as one could imagine. There will be peace on earth and goodwill toward men, as the angel promised to the shepherds the night of the Lord’s birth (Luke 2:14). The newly freed physical creation will respond eagerly to man’s husbandry. Perfect weather and overflowing bounty will make the work of men a joy, ending burdensome toil. Long life will return as sickness and disease become a thing of the past. “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem , each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” (Zech. 8:4-5). The curse of cities and field will be ended (Deut 28:16).

The Tribulation believing survivors in human bodies who enter the Millennium will bear children. These children have inherited the sin nature from Adam. Some of these newborns will become believers and some will not, thus we see reference to “the sinner” in Isa 65:20 (below). Life-spans in the Millennium will be increased greatly for most, but some will still die as unbelievers. “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the CHILD SHALL DIE AN HUNDRED YEARS OLD; but THE SINNER being an hundred years old SHALL BE ACCURSED (condemned). ²¹ And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. (Isaiah 65:20-21)

During the Millennium most people will be walking around on the face of this planet with natural human bodies that are still subject to the decay and death. All men have inherited from Adam “Sin and death” (Rom 8:2) in their bodies, by whom “Sin entered the world” (Rom 5:12). Note by verse 20 (above), while natural people will live longer, their flesh bodies can still die. “Sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3b) of the body still will end in death. “Death” is not to be destroyed until the end (Rev 20:14). By contrast, in the eternal Kingdom on earth there is “no more death” (Rev 21:4). This is important to note.

Christ is the wise and just King who shall then establish righteous order on the earth. When Christ returns to establish the Kingdom, the universal moral law will be enforced to bring order throughout the earth. We do not have that kind of order today because we do not have righteous rulers and judges who are sufficiently wise or just. During the Millennium, Christ will justly rule the world “with a rod of iron.” He will chasten the rebellious kings, nations, and peoples who defy Him. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalms 2: 9). There will be capital punishment in the Millennium for those who openly oppose the Lord. The Genesis curse will be partially removed and health will be better in the Millennium, but death can still come upon those who are physically alive and resist the Lord.

Some newborns in the Millennium will remain alive as sinning unbelievers even under the Lord’s “rod of iron”; they will be punished (Isa 65:20). The Devil will be released after his 1,000-year imprisonment to stage his last attempt to overthrow Christ at Armageddon. Many unbelievers will join the rebellion against Israel and Jerusalem and all of these will be quickly destroyed (Rev 20:7-9). Some newborns during the Millennium will faithfully believe and will live in the eternal Kingdom on the New Earth.

In His 1^st coming Jesus of Nazareth came to address to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel ,” (Matt 15:24). Jesus described the two resurrections – one to “life” and one to “damnation.” “… for the hour is coming, in the which All That Are In The Graves Shall Hear His Voice, ²⁹ And SHALL COME FORTH; they that have done good, Unto The Resurrection Of Life; and they that have done evil, unto the Resurrection Of Damnation (John 5:28-29)

The “resurrection of damnation” is what could be called the 2^nd resurrection of Rev 20:11-15. The bodily remains of ALL the lost of ALL ages that currently reside in “Hades,” which is Greek for “hell” (this is not “the lake of fire”) will be raised up so they can “stand” before God at the “Great White Throne” Judgment. The outcome for ALL those who appear at this judgment is to be “cast into the lake of fire” because their names are “not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev 20:12, 15).

Which do you suppose will come first? Must Israel ’s repent first, or, does Christ’s appear first and then Israel will believe?

The verses below indicate that Israel is to be converted NOT because of seeing Him return in the clouds. It’s the other way around.   Israel ’s repentance must come first; “in their affliction” (Hosea 5:15 below), as result of the Lord’s wrath and judgments during the Tribulation. This then brings the return of Christ to earth. Christ will return from heaven to earth at the end of the Tribulation, but Not until Israel First Repents.

“I (Jesus) Will Go And Return To My Place (In Heaven), TILL THEY ( Israel ) ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OFFENCE, And Seek My Face: In Their Affliction They Will Seek me early.” (Hosea 5:15)

“For I say unto you, Ye Shall Not See Me Henceforth, TILL YE SHALL SAY, BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:39)

“( Israel ’s expected prayer) Oh that thou (Lord) wouldest REND THE HEAVENS, THAT THOU WOULDEST COME DOWN, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,” (Isaiah 64:1)

The Lord has been waiting for the moment when Israel would return to Him. He will then return in direct answer to Israel ’s prayer that God would “rend the heavens… (and) Come Down” (Isaiah 64:1, above). Israel has turned to Him in hopeless moments before and He has miraculously saved them out of trouble. It is in response to their prayer of repentance that He “rends the heavens” as He breaks through the clouds and is reveals Himself to Israel as the One “Whom They Have Pierced.” He will save them again, rescuing them from their enemies, and save them spiritually (Eze 36:25-27 below). 

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about (the Arabs), when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem .” (Zechariah 12:2)  “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem . ¹⁰ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED (at the cross), and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:9-10)

“Then will I (the Lord) sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. ²⁶ A NEW HEART ALSO WILL I GIVE YOU, AND A NEW SPIRIT WILL I PUT WITHIN YOU: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, AND CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN MY STATUTES, AND YE SHALL KEEP MY JUDGMENTS, and do them.” (Eze 36:25-27)

“(I) SHALL PUT MY SPIRIT IN YOU, and ye shall live, and I SHALL PLACE YOU IN YOUR OWN LAND: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:14)

Now consider more of the nature of Christ’s Kingdom rule. After Christ finishes His work judgment and defeating His and Israel ’s enemies He will separate the wheat believers from the tare unbelievers and goat and sheep nations. Then He will establish the promised Theocratic Millennial Kingdom on earth.

The entire world will then be under the rule of “the King of kings.” Jesus Christ is the God/man, “born of a woman, made under the Law” (Gal 4:4). He will govern the earth in accordance with His divine will (Psa 2:7-9; Zech 14:9, Rev 11:15). Born in the line of David, according to His humanity, He will fulfill the prophetic Scripture by ruling from David’s throne as King over Israel (Isa 9:6-7, 11:1-12; Jer 23:5-8; 33:14-16; Luke 1:31-33; Act 2:29-30; Rev 22:16). As “King of kings and Lord of lords,” He will rule over all the Gentile monarchs and their nations (Psa 72:8-11; Dan 7:13-14; Zech 14:9; Rev 11:15, 19:16). The world will have the benefit of the benevolent and righteous Kingdom government of Christ on earth for the 1,000 years, but some will rebel.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:  ²¹ … saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.  ²² Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem , and To Pray Before The LORD.  ²³ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even Shall Take Hold Of The Skirt Of Him That Is A Jew, saying, We Will Go With You: For We Have Heard That God Is With You.” (Zech 8:20-23)

In the Millennial Kingdom on earth Christ will reverse many of the consequences of man’s rebellion in Eden . The Lord will make all animals tame again (Isa 11:6-9, 65:25); heal all diseases and deformities (Isa 33:24, 35:5-6); eliminate hazards (Ex 34:26-27); increase the lifespan of man (Isa 65:20, 22); cause a great abundance of trees and fruit (Isa 53:13; Eze 47:12; Joel 2:21-22), of fish (Eze 47:9-10), and of grain and “sweet wine” (Joel 2:24; Amos 9:13); and control the environment of man (Eze 34:26-27); heal the effects of pollution and mutations (Eze 47:1-12); and abolish war and injustice (Isa 2:2-4, 9:6-7, 11:2-5; Jer 23:5; Micah 4:1-3; Zech 9:9-10). These changes constitute what Christ and Peter referred to as “in the regeneration,” the “seasons of refreshing” and “the times of the restoration of all things” (Mat 29:28; Acts 3:19-21). This will be the present earth’s golden age.

During the Millennial Kingdom Israel will fulfill the role that God originally intended for her – to be the spiritual leader of the whole world (Exo 19:5-6) as the “priests of God.” Israel ’s Jerusalem will be the spiritual and political center of the world. Those of all nations will come there to worship Christ and be instructed according to His righteous ways and in the Word of God (Isa 2:1-4, 11:10-12; Micah 4:1-3). Gentiles will call the saints of Israel “the priests of the Lord” and the “ministers of our God.”

Properly placing the Rapture before the Tribulation, whereby the members of “the body of Christ” will have already been Raptured and taken their place in THE HEAVEN for eternity (2Cor 5:1), allows a new group of Kingdom gospel believers to spring up and populate THE EARTH during the Millennium.

After the Millennial age is ended Christ and His kingdom believers of Israel will dwell in eternal Holy City of the New Jerusalem that will come down to the New Earth, forever. Then the two God ordained expressions of Christ’s life; 1) the church will occupy the heavens, and 2) Israel will occupy the earth, co-ruling there respective spheres for eternity – all being ONE IN CHRIST. This will fulfill Paul’s prophetic words concerning the culmination of the ages, which Paul calls “the FULNESS OF TIMES…”

“that In The Dispensation Of The FULNESS OF TIMES He Might Gather Together In One All Things IN CHRIST, both which are IN HEAVEN, and which are ON EARTH; even IN HIM” (Ephesians 1:10)