The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, Part 2

We will be involved in the expression of his will. We will be his agents carrying out his wishes, carrying out his will in the world you will of course destroy his enemies as we know the end of chapter 19 set up his kingdom will become King of Kings and Lord of lords.

We will rain along with him carrying out his remastered, it may be figuring out the order of end times events.

Really though, keeping the events straight is within your reach. The chronology is there in the book of Revelation and you can get a handle on it. John MacArthur is showing you that in his current study here on grace to you the title. When Jesus comes yesterday.

John discussed the one and only time the Bible talks about Satan being bound to review the main points about Satan's binding and then move on from there.

Here's John MacArthur. As you know were studying the book of Revelation and we have been doing so for quite a long time we find ourselves in chapter 20 coming earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter 20 let's talk about the first point in chapter 20.

The removal of Satan.

The first matter of attention for John as he looks at this vision of the kingdom is to see the removal of Satan verse one and I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold of the Dragon, the serpent of old was the devil and Satan bound him for thousand years and threw them into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed after these things he must be released for a short time now. Simple understanding of that at face value, literally interpreting what was said is very very clear angel comes down as a key has a chain takes hold of Satan binds Satan throws them into the abyss for thousand years. At the end of words for a brief time he is released in verse two. This angel comes down and this is got to be a great moment for this angel be it Michael or whoever. This is got to be a monumental moment and he laid hold of the Dragon, the serpent of old who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. That is the duration of the millennial kingdom that says in verse three. After finding Satan for thousand years. This angel like the terminology threw him into the abyss, you have to do that because I guess the angel doesn't want to go down there literally the word applesauce by the way, means bottomless. He threw them into the bottomless. This is the description of this place of incarceration.

It's called the bottomless pit.

Verse three also says that after the angel throws them into the abyss. It says John saw in his vision and shut it and sealed it over him. He is chain with a great chain. He is locked into the abyss with the key is shot and sealed so that the world cannot all be influenced by Satan. The whole world will be influenced only by those purposes of Christ the end of verse three. After these things, that is after the thousand years of being chained. He must be released for a short time, you must be released for a short time.

Why why released him well as one final final escapade. Satan is going to have the opportunity to collect all of those who would rather be in his kingdom and God's because there will be people born during that time. Remember now when Jesus returns. These is not going to kill those that are believers. Many will be martyred, but many will still be alive. There, the sheep of Matthew 24 who go into the kingdom, the nation Israel it's promised a literal earthly kingdom, and there will be people in that kingdom from every tongue and tribe and nation, and they'll all be part of that kingdom will all be believers initially and they'll reproduce and they'll have children and the earth will multiply rapidly. The exponential growth over that period of thousand years will populate the earth and the millions of all those people born during that thousand years. It says anyone dies in 100 years of age dies as a child to live long and therefore they'll reproduce vastly greater numbers than anything we've ever known in our era of history. Some of them will put their allegiance in the Lord Jesus Christ is raining over the earth and some of them because the love of iniquity will reject Christ, and so Satan comes back to collect the rebels you see addenda verses seven and eight. Satan's release from his prison to come out to deceive the nations to gather them together for the war in the number of them is like the sand of the seashore and that amazing not to amazing they didn't reject. They didn't accept Christ when he was here the first time that we walked and talked with them and there will be those who will not accept him. Then as well. So we see them the removal of Satan in the meantime, he is not in chains and we are not to be ignorant of his schemes. Second Corinthians 211 six so the first element then of the kingdom is the removal of Satan. Let's look at the second, the reign of the saints from the removal of Satan to the reign of the saints down to verse four and this is in verse four, five and six and I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand and they came to life and reigned with Christ for thousand years. The rest of the dead to not come to life until the thousand years were completed.

This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for thousand years. In verse four and then again verse six it says we're going to reign with him.

So the second feature of the kingdom that is delineated here for us is the rain of the saints. Now remember, obviously the supreme one rating is Christ go back to chapter 19 and remind yourself in verse 16 that he has a name written on his thigh, King of Kings and Lord of lords were not questioning his sovereignty here when we say that the saints will reign Scripture says, we will reign with Christ.

Somehow, we will be involved in the expression of his will. We will be his agents carrying out his wishes, carrying out his will in the world you will of course destroy his enemies as we note the end of chapter 19 set up his kingdom.

He will become king of kings and Lord of lords, but we will reign along with him carrying out his will, he will be in that day the king no one can gainsay what he says in Luke 132 we read he will be great. He will be called the son of the most high, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end came as a king.

He was rejected as a king. He died as a king scorned he will return as King of Kings and Lord of lords to reign and we will reign with him to understand that we would simply have to say all of the world leaders. All of the governors all the Prime Minister's all the potentates.

All of the judges all the Chiefs of police. All of those who are responsible for education all of those are responsible for the judicial process. All of those who responsible for legislation all those who are responsible for everything that is going on across the face of the earth will be the saints who will have the delegated authority of the Lord Jesus Christ himself to carry out his will.

Every then there will be truth in education, then there will be justice in the courtroom, then there will be moral standards upheld in every area of human life, and there will be honesty in the newspaper. Then there will not be pollution on the book stands. Books will be filled with truth and television will be filled with only that which is true and what's carries out the agenda of the Lord Jesus Christ. The saints will be in charge of television, radio, education, social life, the judicial process. The legislative process every aspect of operation saints will reign with him. What a world that's going to be marvelous and the saints will have to try to figure out what to do because all be glorified and perfect.

And so they will perfectly carry out the will of Christ. What an incredible thought. We will be having committee meetings or any meetings about anything we want to figure anything out will know everything, because we will already have been made to know is where known will simply enforce the king's agenda, which will be abundantly and perfectly clear to all of us is John then sees the vision of the reign of the saints first looks and sees a panorama of all God's people resurrected, rewarded, and reigning with Christ.

Verse four and I saw thrones's first thing he sees thrones is only two kinds of thrones. Really.

One is a judicial throne will we call that the bench where the judge seats in the sense and there is a regal throne, we say that's where the king takes his place. It is either a judicial or a regal place of authority. We will rule that is to say, we will enforce the will of God, and we will adjudicate we will judge by the way, there's no need for checks and balances. Because these leaders and judges are all perfect in righteousness will be executed perfectly and swiftly and the Lord will rule with a rod of iron, which means instantaneous Swift judgment as I saw thrones's the time of reigning in ruling. There's no way in my mind that you can make this equate with the current ages there and yours are the saints ruling reigning are we on thrones.

Not on your life is Satan bound impossible. This is a completely different world and it is perfectly suited to the destruction of the world which now exists.

That's why my ecological concerns are very limited. I want to do my little part to pick up the trash, but I know where this deal is going will have to save the earth and save the planet, we would rather be concerned with saving people I saw thrones, and this is interesting and they sat upon them at first that they becomes an interpreter's nightmare.

And you say Lord, could you at least told us who they are.

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, you know, why doesn't say more than that.

Because it's patently obvious who they are. So who are they well ought to answer the question simply this is the way I approached I saw thrones, and they sat on them. All right, then who are they well there. The people that the Lord put on the throne. That's good.

While the next question is who did he promise that he would put on the throne as we find out who he told he was going to put on a throne we find out who these people are pretty promise with green hoodie promise would rule with him that he promise would be in his kingdom glorified and exalted standing alongside their great King well go back to the Old Testament Daniel chapter 7 and verse 18 but the saints of the highest one of the most high will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever for all ages to come. Verse 22. The ancient of days came, that's God's judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the highest one and the time arrived when the saints took position possession of the kingdom. Verse 27 then the sovereignty, the dual minyan and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the highest one.

His dominion is kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey him three times.

It says the kingdom will be given to whom the saints to the saints. Sovereignty the dominion the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the highest one. So first of all Old Testament saints Old Testament saints have to be included in the scope of Matthew and we don't have to limited just to that in Daniel when Daniel says the saints of the most time he means all of them but certainly that includes the Old Testament saints who were reading and hearing what Daniel wrote Matthew chapter 19 verse 28 Peter is talking to the Lord about the kingdom.

He says we left everything and followed you. What will there be for us what's going to be in our future. Peter says not only for himself but for all those who follow Jesus. Jesus said to them verse 28 of Matthew 19 truly I say to you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration. That's another name for the kingdom, the restitution, the regeneration when the Lord regenerates the whole earth when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you also shall sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, and everyone was left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for my namesake shall receive many times as much in inherit eternal life. No Daniel chapter 7 tells us that the Old Testament saints are going to rain. Matthew chapter 19 looks at that sort of. Between the Old Testament and the new the time when Jesus was on the earth, and he says all the apostles and all who have left to follow me are going to rain now. It's going to first Corinthians chapter 6, first Corinthians chapter 6 verses two and three. By the way, if the kingdom is now how in the world are the saints from the Old Testament reigning and if the kingdom is now. How are the apostles and all to follow Jesus during his lifetime. Reigning and where are the 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel see you you have to do you have to just ignore any literal interpretation to come up with that view. First Corinthians 62.

Do you not know like this is common knowledge are not ignorant about this.

Are you that the saints will judge the world will that's pretty explicit. Verse three do not know will even judge angels much more the matters of this life. This is the New Testament saints second Timothy 212 if we endure, we shall also reign with him reign with him. First Peter 29 you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation people for God's own possession. We are a royal priesthood, royal regal reigning priesthood. So what have we got Daniel talking about Old Testament saints Jesus talking about the apostles and all who followed him and the apostle Paul saying the saints.

The New Testament saints are going to rule and reign become of the book of Revelation and repeatedly we hear about that Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3 talk much about what is coming. Revelation 226 to him. I'll give authority over the nations, that is to Christ, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces.

I have also received authority from my father, not just for Christ, but he who overcomes, in Christ. That's believers. Revelation chapter 3 repeats the same thing. Revelation 3 verse 21 you overcomes all grant to him to sit down with me on my throne. Revelation 510 that was made them. That is the redeemed to be a kingdom and priests, and they will reign upon the earth. Revelation fight in the can be more clear they will reign they will reign upon the earth.

It will rain upon the earth. Say wait a minute you left one group out the Stroock. One group is left out, but not for long. Go back to verse four and after I saw they Old Testament saints.

Those who followed Christ New Testament saints, and judgment was given to them and then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God and those who would not worship the beast or his image and not receive the mark upon their foreign upon their hand and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years were they say from what the tribulation got the last group included Mrs. II saw their souls.

First of all because the initially having been raised is that I saw their souls, those who had been beheaded. Those were martyrs because of the testimony of Jesus and the word of God. Those who had not worshiped the beast or his image had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand and they came to life. There was resurrection, and they reign with Christ. We got resurrected Old Testament saints got resurrected say to follow Jesus during his lifetime he got resurrected New Testament saints, and they get resurrected tribulation saints, and it's all the resurrected saints to reign. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The martyrs who had been beheaded.

That word beheaded Kelly kids so actually means to cut off with an ax. Technically, it can be used to behead someone generally means to put to death. Those have been killed by the Antichrist and his enterprise by Satan during the time the tabulation fundament chapter 6 verse nine the martyrs under the altar refinement. Chapter 18 verse 24 you find them in chapter 19 verse two all those who were massacred by Satan's enterprise and the antichrists reign of terror.

He said I saw them. Those were killed because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God was to marvelous phrases you find in chapter 1 verse nine chapter 12 verse 17 chapter 19 verse 10 repeated four times because of their testimony of Jesus and because of their devotion to the word of God. They lost their lives and they're the same ones who would not worship the beast or his image and had not received the mark upon their forehead or upon their hand. Remember back in chapter 13 and 14 now that the antichrist demanded worship demanded and the false prophet demanded that they worship this image. The antichrist is talking idle in that they receive the mark on their forehead or on their hand. These are the ones who wouldn't take it. These are the tribulation saints. They wouldn't take it. And so they die they were faithful to death. They too came to life by the way when it says came to life. There can't mean anything. The resurrection same word is used in John 1125 I am the resurrection and the life of the believer than me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

And whosoever liveth and believes in me shall never die.

It's a resurrection word that's exactly what the word means and it doesn't mean anything but that it is used that when Romans 14, nine Revelation 28 1314 it's even used that way. In Revelation 20 right here in verse five that will have this. The Old Testament saints and glorified bodies was a followed Christ and glorified bodies, New Testament Christians and glorified bodies tribulation saints and glorified bodies that hold mass of resurrected rewarded believers, reigning in the kingdom and the reigned with Christ for a thousand years. During the time of the kingdom. Then we carry out the rule of Christ in the world. We rain for him says in verse 20 and 1524 then comes the end, and he delivers up the kingdom to the God and father when he abolished all rule and all authority and power. He must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. Ultimately Christ will reign supremely but we will under Christ reign with him until finally the kingdom is over. On earth, and he establishes that eternal kingdom where God is all in all this is going to be on earth in the very place where Satan, the usurper has ruled, and from which he is had to be expelled reign of the saints. By the way, is a footnote verse five the rest of the dead didn't come to life until the thousand years were completed. Who would be the rest of the dead who are the rest of the debt if all the saints of the Old Testament are resurrected and all the saints of the period of Christ time resurrected and all the New Testament believers are resurrected and all the tribulation saints are resurrected, who's not the unbelievers.

The ungodly, they're going to have a resurrection to but it is described until the end of the chapter and will see it when we get down to verse 11 and following what he says, then it is under verse five. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Three. Not the first resurrection includes really everybody. Christ is the supreme one but all the saints of all the ages are in the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us along with teaching each day on the radio. John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is also pastor of Grace Community Church and his current study is looking at that amazing day in the future when Jesus comes. They made the point today John that Satan will be bound for a thousand years. And, of course, that implies he currently is not bound, which has some serious implications for Christians today doesn't it.

Well of course it does. He is not bound, he is loose he goes about the Bible says he goes about like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. Clearly he is not bound. There are some demons that are bound. Peter tells us that Jude tells us that they were bound because of sin committed back in the book of Genesis. But there are plenty of demons that are not bound, that are running loose over the whole earth operating them. Satan's kingdom.

So Satan is currently not bound.

He has free reign within the boundaries that God has established in the future he will be bound. That simply means that he and his satanic system during the thousand year millennial kingdom will not be able to run across the earth, as it were, as a spiritual army creating havoc. However, that doesn't mean the world to be free from sin. It will be free from Satan's enterprises, but there will be people born in the millennial kingdom and many of them will not believe enough of them that there's a rebellion at the end of the thousand year kingdom and the Lord has to come down and destroy that rebellion by the way, at the end he loosens Satan for a little while and the forces of unbelievers that have been born and rejected Christ. Even in the millennial kingdom and Satan are once again join for a final destruction being cast at that point into the lake of fire, Satan is not bound. Today he is free to move. However, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

We have nothing to fear from Satan. He has been sentenced and placed under our feet and we have complete victory in Christ. Along this line.

Let me tell you about a book that is one of my favorites. I wrote it sometime back. It's called standing strong. It tells you how to deal with Satan. Now it's called standing strong will send to you free.

It's couple hundred pages serious book standing strong free to anyone who asks.

If you haven't contacted us before. That's right. In this book will show you the strategies Satan uses against the church and what your responsibility is in fighting Satan and his demons, and the weapons God has given you for protection. Again, John's book standing strong is free if it's your first time getting in touch with us to get your copy, contact us today.

You can request your book when you call 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org standing strong looks at every piece of the believer's armor preparing you for any spiritual attack you might face. It also comes with the study guide at the end of every chapter to help you put into practice what you've learned again standing strong is free to anyone who is never contacted us before.

Just make your request@ourwebsitetty.org and while your online dig into the spiritual tools available@tty.org. One suggestion for daily devotionals written by John they give you an easy schedule to follow for daily Bible reading as they explain important biblical truth in a memorable way. You can also listen to John's latest sermon from his home church.

Those Bible study resources and thousands more are available for free@tty.org now for John MacArthur on Phil Johnson encouraging you to watch grace to you television this Sunday on DirecTV channel 378 or go to our website and see if the program airs in your area and then join us Monday as John continues his series. When Jesus come with another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time. Grace to you