The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, Part 3

But we will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years was a priest priest brings people to whom God will be our worldwide function will be bringing people to God bringing people to the Lord, bringing people to the knowledge of Christ, ushering them into his glorious presence bringing them out of your function will be ruling as well will reign with the old, when Jesus comes. But before we get to that John today is a major holiday in the United States it's Independence Day which is typically a day to relax a bit and enjoy time with the family and maybe watch some fireworks. It's also natural for our thoughts to turn to government and our leaders and with that in mind, let me ask you this. Do the responsibilities that Christians have, to our government differ depending on the system of authority that we live under, or the character of the people who are in leadership. What does the Bible say about that Bible says nothing about the character of the people in leadership except render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and you couldn't have a more pagan reprobate than Caesar. So in fact, Jesus said render to Caesar what is Caesar's and render the to God the things that are God so that there was no moral evaluation of Caesar. In fact, he was put on the same line with God in the sense of authority so we are told in by by the apostle Peter to do the same thing to submit to the authorities than to honor the king and those who are in power over us so it also doesn't define the system whether it's a democracy or whether it's a monarchy or whether it's an oligarchy, or whether whatever it is a Republic or a dictatorship or communism. We we are told that we have to basically submit to certain forms of government, but not other forms of government is not the character or the nature of the government which determines our submission. What determines our submission is what that asks us to do and there are times when we cannot obey the government so let's just take the exceptions if they ask us to sin. Secondly, if they ask us to refrain from doing what God commanded us to do, or, thirdly, if they attempt to take control over the life of the church in the kingdom and the invade the jurisdiction of Christ, the head of the church and of course we thought that in the covert years.

I know Grace Community Church in the Lord was kind to us so no, we don't have the option of not obeying a government because it's socialist communist dictatorship or democracy.

And even when you have immoral leaders which is most always the case.

Right yeah most always the case that we that we aren't given by virtue of their lack of morality, freedom to be non-submissive again. It's what they ask us to do when it invades whatever their morality is, whatever their form is when it invades the realm of the kingdom of heaven which applies to Christ in that belongs to Christ. They've overstepped their bounds yes thank you John, that is a helpful application of God's word about government wherever listeners are hearing us today and so friend stay here as John MacArthur looks at the amazing future that awaits all Christians, when Jesus comes. That's the title of his series and it continues right now just imagine a world where righteousness and goodness dominate a world where there is absolutely no injustice.

A world where everybody is treated fairly. A world where no court ever renders an unjust or undeserved verdict. Imagine a world where everything is true and right and everything is noble every area of life in society and commerce and education and everything else is under complete control directed toward what is right. Imagine a world where there's total and lasting and enforced peace, where joy abounds where health is widespread where people live for hundreds of years. A world where there are lions and lambs flying down together and children can play in snake pits where bears and cows walk together, led by a child. Imagine a world where food is profuse and well-being is common to everyone. Imagine a world ruled by one perfect person one world ruler, and where under that world ruler only glorified, perfected, people are the agents who carry out his will and his purpose so that perfection range from the top right on through the whole system. Imagine a world where sin is dealt with instantly and firmly well if you can imagine that kind of world you're headed toward understanding the character of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the kingdom become unrestored and radically reconstructed earth is coming because he is coming in the chapter before us presents the general character of that glorious paradise regained until Revelation 20. Everything has been pre-millennial pre-kingdom. Now we have a vision of the kingdom there to any Bible student has been a significant preview of this kingdom. Even though everything up to here is been premillennial. We've gotten a glimpse of this kingdom and that glimpse came in the incarnation of God in the form of Jesus Christ and his life and ministry on the earth.

We saw glimpses of the kingdom.

For example we saw Jesus cast out demons. We saw him heal bring well-being. The people we saw him performing miracles. We saw prophecy and revelation take place. We saw the overruling of normal natural law. We saw the demonstration of the Spirit's power, bringing salvation we saw Christ ruling in the domain of his spiritual influence over the souls of those who place their trust in him and all of those were foretaste of kingdom and glory even on the day of Pentecost when the spirit of God came, Peter says this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel in the prophecy in Joel two was a prophecy of the kingdom and Peter was saying this is a foretaste. This is a preview, but here it is in its fullness and in its reality it's only a general framework. I mean, you can't cover all the character of the kingdom in just these 10 verses oh what you're looking at here is really the general framework of the skeleton outline in which you can hang a lot of other passages.

Many of them from the Old Testament as we'll see in a few moments, but as the structure of the kingdom unfolds.

Remember that in chapter 19 is the return of Jesus Christ. He comes back comes back to the great battle of Armageddon which she engages in it last a very brief time he destroys all the ungodly remaining on the world is the end of chapter 19 tells us, and then in chapter 20 he sets up his kingdom. The first thing we saw in the setup of the kingdom is the removal of Satan, the removal of Satan verse one.

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, and 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. One of the first things that we are to learn about the kingdom of course is that Satan is knocking to be around the one who is the God of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this age will not be the ruler of that age. He will not be the prince of that age. She will not be the dominating force.

He will not run the world system Jesus Christ will, and Satan will be incarcerated confined in the abyss and held there by unbreakable chains. You will be there until he is released for a little time and then cast into the hell that is the final hell. As noted in verse 10, so Satan is removed. That gives us a very very great insight into the character of the kingdom. Those who would tell us we are now in the kingdom which is the millennialist's view and also the view of many post-millennialist that is to say millennialist say there's no kingdom other than this church age now a spiritual kingdom. Post-millennialist say Christ comes at the end of the kingdom. So we might be in it or it might be at the come they have a problem. How can you say this is the kingdom, when in fact Satan is not bound goes about Peter reminds us as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

First Peter chapter 5 verse eight in second Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 11 it says that Satan can take advantage of us and were not ignorant of the scheme so we have a scheming roaring lion moving around devouring everyone he can is involved in our world is not bound in that characteristic belongs to the future, not the present. That's one reason why we don't believe the kingdom is here so the first thing we have then is the removal of Satan we gone into that. The second thing that I noted for you in our previous study is the reign of the saints.

Look at verse four. This is another characteristic of the millennial kingdom. The thousand year kingdom. Not only will Satan be bound and consequently the world will be run by Jesus Christ himself imparts that rule through his glorified saints from the Old Testament the time of the tribulation and New Testament as well, but we see here in verses four through six.

The reign of the saints, and I saw thrones. They sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those would not worship the beast or his image, and not received his mark upon their forehead and upon their hand and they came to life and reigned with Christ for thousand years and that verse you have Old Testament saints. You have those who lived during the time and ministry of Christ you have the New Testament saints, tribulation saints, all of them coming together the rest of the dead didn't come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection so you have all of the godly resurrected before the thousand years. As we noted in you have the ungodly resurrected after the thousand years is over the first resurrection involves only the godly so he says in verse six Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection over these the second death. That's eternal death has no power. They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for thousand years. Daniel chapter 7 tells us the Old Testament saints will reign. Matthew chapter 19 verses 28, 29, says the apostles and those who followed Christ in his life will reign. First Corinthians 6, two and three says New Testament saints will reign in here in the book of Revelation we are told right there in verse four tribulation saints will reign as well.

So all the saints of all those periods will come in glorified form into the kingdom to reign with Christ. That's the character of the kingdom as far as the reign of the saints is concerned a reminder the Philippians chapter 3 in verse 21 were still reviewing says it will be transformed into conformity with the body of his glory. So when we come into that kingdom. We will have our glorified form. New Testament believers are enraptured and transformed at the rapture. Old Testament believers and tribulation believers are transformed the end of the time of the tribulation and the resurrection. Daniel talks about in chapter 12 in verse two, so we all come in that new glorified form into the kingdom and so you have Christ in his resurrection glory ruling and then you have all the saints of all the ages in their resurrection glory as his co-rulers, as it were those under him carrying out his rule and it says in verse four. They're going to reign with Christ to sit on thrones.

The verse begins.

I saw thrones. The end of the verse they reigned with Christ a thousand years, again at the end of verse six that reigned with Christ a thousand years is going to be on earth. The Very Pl., Satan ruled and for which she was expelled and what's it going to be like what we talked about something of the physical character of the earth at that time I took you through a little bit of a, perhaps the scientific scenario of what the restored Earth is going to be like to talk about the physical earth.

Let me talk about the character of the rule of Christ and his saints.

For a moment. It's going to be in. It's going to be a universal rule that is the Lord Jesus Christ through his saints is going to rule the whole world. It's going to be totally ruled by Christ its comprehensive Psalm to tells us, I have installed my King upon Zion, my holy mountain. Ask of me, I'll give you the nations as thine inheritance and the very ends of the earth as thy possession shall break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt shatter them like earth and where, in other words, it's a comprehensive global rule by the Lord Jesus Christ. Nobody is going to be outside that rule, he will rule every where on this globe. In fact it says in Daniel 235 that when Christ comes into this world. He is the stone that strikes the statue that represents all the kingdoms of men and that stone becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth again in the seventh chapter of Daniel is either comprehensive or universal character of his rule and to him was given dominion, glory in the kingdom that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away. His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. It is comprehensive, it is indestructible. In fact, even in the New Testament we get some insight into that.

I think it's the 19th chapter of Luke is a couple of verses of interest there. Verse 17, well done, good slave, you have been faithful over a very little thing be in authority over 10 cities, then to the next. He said that you two have been faithful, you may be over five cities and there's a little insight into the comprehensive rule that Christ has over the world and how he dispenses it to those who are faithful gives 110 cities to rule over in 15 cities to rule over depending on their faith.

It is universal rule and it is mediated through the saints is also absolute rule that is to say there is quick judgment on those who oppose it is absolute. It is a rule with a rod of iron, as it said in an Psalm to Psalm 72 verse nine adds let the nomads of the desert bow before him and his enemies lick the dust.

Let the kings of Tarshish end of the islands bring presents the kings of Sheba and CIBA offer gifts when all kings bow down before him all nations serve him. It's kind of like her and or else threat is also going to be a righteous rule that is going to be benevolent is going to be right there just says in Isaiah 11. Three and he will delight in the fear the Lord and he will not judge by what his eyes seen her make a decision by what his ears here but with righteousness he will judge. In other words, he is going to judge rightly, not because of what he hears from somebody not because of what he thinks he sees or what someone reported has been seen, but he will judge righteously because he knows everything.

He will decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth. He will strike the earth with a rod of his mouth. The breath of his lips shall slay the wicked righteousness will be the belt about his loins, and faithfulness the belt about his waist.

So you have the political or the social rule of Christ. Universal comprehensive absolute righteous, just, fair rule, but he will rule not only politically and socially will rule spiritually. That is to say, when the kingdom begins.

The only people in the kingdom are going to be converted. People, Jews and Gentiles who survived the time of the great tribulation are the subjects of the King.

In fact, as we read in the Scripture about the character the kingdom here the things we read about Israel. First of all, will be converted and restored to the land and that's in a lot of places.

Jeremiah 30 Jeremiah 23 five. She will have the land that was promised to Abraham in Genesis 13 and Genesis 15 Gordon Jeremiah 30 Jerusalem will be rebuilt. According to Ezekiel 40 to 48 a Temple will be rebuilt on the proper site and memorials will be held there to remember God's marvelous redemptive work and the prophet Micah in chapter 4 and in verse two says this many nations will come and say come up and let us go to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob that he may teach us about his ways that we may walk in his paths for from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. You will judge between many peoples render decisions for mighty, distant nations hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation.

Never again will they train for war.

Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken at the wall. The people walk each in the name of his God is for us. We will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever and that bases alert all assemble the layman gather the outcast, and so forth. There's a spiritual movement. Not only are all those coming in believers, but they'll have children of those that are born. Many will come to faith in Christ. Many will be led to the knowledge of Christ. In fact, there will be 10. A Gentiles is the prophet hanging on the garment of the Jew asking to please be taken to see the Messiah Israel will be blessed the land of Israel. The city of Jerusalem will come back to its glorious prominence in the time of God's promise to them will be fulfilled will come about. Zechariah 1416 says that any who are left of all the nations it went up against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and celebrate the feast of booths and it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them instant judgment on people don't worship will do two things that will be a very good motivation for them to go and worship and the ones who don't will become more and more agitated and irritated and hostile and that's important to because they're ready for war. At the end of the thousand years. Those projectors Isaiah 61 Isaiah 62 also talk about the blessing that's going to come to Israel.

So there's a special time for Israel and the special time of salvation for the nations as well. Beyond that, there are some other spiritual characteristics.

I won't go into in detail just to mention them. The presence of Christ will be there that's very clear. According to Psalm to Psalm 72. In the book of Revelation. The presence of truth will be there. Isaiah 11 nine righteousness will flourish again.

Psalm 72. Peace will reign. Isaiah 24 Isaiah 3217 joy will abound. Isaiah 12 and Isaiah 61. The Holy Spirit will release immense power. Joel chapter 2 verses 28 and 29 so spiritual life is going to be glorious. During that time, people are going to come and worship the Messiah and those that are born are going to come to faith in him and the rebels are going to feel the heat of his judgment immediately.

Obviously they aren't slain immediately. Some will be but not all the be enough left together a rebellious force at the end.

Looking at the kingdom then politically and spiritually.

We can see how the Lord Jesus dominates. What about physically what kind of life is going to be going on. First of all, the curse will be lifted. Isaiah chapter 11 versus 7 to 9 chapter 30 verses 23, 24, then again in chapter 35 it talks about how the curse will be lifted and it'll be Eden all over again. In some measure Joel 221 to 27 says will be plenty of food for everyone. Isaiah 2918 33, 24, 35, Isaiah 65 all of that section of Isaiah talks about health and healing was going to be a remarkable remarkable time. Everywhere you look at the saints. That's all of us are going to rain. There is for that that we long and wait and hope for this world is a beautiful place this world is a wonderful place even though it's Kirsten, even though it so troubled. Imagine what will be like when the curse is taken away. The topography is altered righteousness and peace rule. Everything.

Imagine what it will be like when we come back in the Lord Jesus mediates his rule over this world through us tremendous anticipation. A little note in verse five the unsaved centers aren't included in the kingdom. The rest of the dead don't come to life till the thousand years are completed. The rest of the dead don't come back until the thousand years are over and they come back according to verse 11 for the great white throne judgment. They will be raised. Even the ungodly.

Even the unsaved through all the ages will be raised. They will have resurrection bodies body suited to suffer forever in hell. This first resurrection then is the resurrection of the just the resurrection of the godly this is the resurrection that those who believe participate in whether they are Old Testament saints New Testament saints or tribulation saints. We are all in the first resurrection. It starts with the resurrection of Christ and then comes to the resurrection of the church than the resurrection of the Old Testament saints in the tribulation saints, but it's all the first resurrection is called in Luke 1414 the resurrection of the righteous, the resurrection of the righteous, and it has several parts, but it's all the resurrection of the righteous.

In Luke chapter 20 verse 34 sons of this age Marion are given in marriage with those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead. Neither marry nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels and like the sons of God being sons of the resurrection is a Rex resurrection it's gonna put us into a different form where there is no marriage anymore is what Jesus called in John 529 the resurrection unto life. All of it is the same resurrection wherever the righteous are involved. It is the same resurrection X 2415 talks about Hebrews 1135. I would just remind you there's a verse there that's kinda definitive.

It says women received back their debt by resurrection and others were tortured, not accepting their release in order that they might obtain is the keyword a better resurrection is the resurrection of the just. It is a better resurrection. All the righteous all who died through all of redemptive history will be resurrected and brought into the millennial kingdom we will all be transformed and will have a body like him to his body body of glory.

We will be transformed and changed and made like Jesus Christ. This is that, of which Peter said when he says we are begotten unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away is this, to which we look and saw it says in verse six Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. We are blessed and we are the holy and the second death has no power over us.

What is the second death. It's the death describe down in verse 14. This is the second death, the lake of fire its eternal hell. But we will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years was a priest do a priest brings people to whom the God that will be our worldwide function will be bringing people to God bringing people to the Lord, bringing people to the knowledge of Christ, ushering them into his glorious presence bringing them to the truth. That'll be our function. We will be ruling as well. We will reign with him for thousand year we will be bringing people to the knowledge of Christ bringing people to salvation.

At the same time, we will be ruling and reigning in executing the king's wishes will be combination priests and kings, rulers and priests to tremendous when your body dies your spirit goes immediately to be with a larger body stays in the grave until the resurrection is like. Jesus said to the grieving sisters in John 1123.

Your brother shall rise again three times in John chapter 6, Jesus said, I will raise him up on the last day will be 311 says the out resurrection from among the dead, so a literal physical bodily resurrection into a new eternal form like a seed that goes into the ground and dies, and now that dying seed yields life, we will escape the second death, hell, the lake of fire, eternal death, we will enter into the kingdom and after the kingdom is over we will live forever in eternal glory to tremendous thing to realize what is in store for us this is grace to you with John MacArthur.

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