The Future in Review, Part 2

Turns this way Walmart while our nation still exists as it does in the kingdom of Chicago will still be Chicago Cherry will still be carried the morals will experience life.

Much like we do now. There will be traffic jams and in school exams and there will be business deal musical concerts, sporting events of the mortals over whom we rule and reign will be normal people just like you and me now baby has brought us through two chapters of the book of Revelation. He's been looking at the future. Of time known as the millennial kingdom. If you missed the previous messages in this series. You've picked a great day to Stephen's going to summarize this entire series today. But here's the thing. It's natural to have many questions when we think about the end times. Stephen's going to challenge you to never lose sight of the most important question is your personal futures.

Today's lesson is called the future and review we been studying our way to the millennial kingdom.

I had intended to go a little further on in the chapter 20, but I've been getting a lot of feedback a lot of questions related to our study. So what I thought we do is quickly review our timeline of future events and specifically answer some questions that have surfaced so far we've covered the rapture of the church is the church age ends in the tribulation. Begin. Paul says this in first Thessalonians 4 verse 15 for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep in other words, when the rapture of the believers takes place. Those who are living, were not going to go up before those who die were in Christ. Their bodies are going to come out first. So Paul explains a number 16 for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first. So Christ is going to give a command. It's probably the same command that he gave often when he interrupted every funeral only ever attended by saying, rise, and that dead body came back to life. So Christ is going to command in the dead bodies of believers that are decayed and turned back to DOS depending on how long they've been in the grave come out of the graves be reconstituted and rise to meet their soul in the air and to be with the Lord up. All right, verse 17 then we who are alive. Those women died we know Christ went out of the grave and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so shall we always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words and every time I read that in preaching from the text. I have to ask, are you comforted by these words or are you convicted.

Do you know Jesus Christ. Now we we have no idea when that rapture is going to occur in the church age and are you concerned with this news or confident love the confidence of one of our staff members who shared her testimony at our last Christmas program. Depending what night you came, you may have heard hers. I was struck by her decision and her husband's to have written on their tombstone. This statement of faith hear the words they're going to have written on their tombstone quote and they lived happily ever after in a great that's true comfort why because they know that's not permanent that's not a permanent place. Their souls already with Christ will be reunited with his reconstructed body. That's called out first command of Christ and they enjoy Christ in face-to-face in a reconstituted glorified body.

No, there is an intermediate body that a lot of Scripture given for us on that subject, but the body is able, as were told in Luke 16, to experience pain to long for drink of water to experience comforts.

We have some kind of intermediate body.

In the meantime, should we die before the rapture. So Paul describes that a physical resurrection of the body's of New Testament believers is the rapture then whisks the bride of Christ away to be kept out, of the wrath of God, the hour of great trouble which will be poured out on the planet during the tribulation that we've Artie studied the tribulation at length.

According to Daniel's prophecy and seven years long. The first 3 1/2 years. A relatively peaceful smaller simpler version of the temple is is rebuilt in Jerusalem and the Jewish people of regathered will attempt to reconstruct their Old Testament system of of sacrifices.

It'll barely get off the ground when at the middle point of the tribulation, the Antichrist gains enough power and enough charisma with all kinds of false signs and wonders, and he will make the claim to be God incarnate, you will place in the holy of holies the holy place in the temple and I don't love himself and he will demand the worship as God.

Revelation 13 gives all those details during the last 3 1/2 years.

Then the great persecution of Israel began because even unbelieving Israel will do that and refuse that many will be placing her faith in Christ as Messiah and Gentiles to come to faith in Christ through hearing the gospel as the only true and living God. Many of them will will begin to be martyred in great numbers and all the while the Lord is pouring out these cataclysmic events of his wrath and one disaster after another.

Revelation 16 and 17 talks about all the natural and cosmic upheavals are coming from the hand of God, and eventually the armies of the world coalesce in the March against the Messiah as they see the Messiah descending with us. Evidently, most believe that is a very slow to send a longer warning. In fact, and yet the armies of the world will combine to March against them.

They will believe that they can take him on and defeat him much like the battle at the end of the millennium which we study were the multitudes will March against Jerusalem one word from Christ. Babylon will be crushed. These armies will be slaughtered in the blood will flow as deep as the bridal level of the horse. Satan then is bound for a thousand years in a deep abyss. Revelation chapter 20 and that takes us about to where we are of the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth begin to remember not the first time Christ appeared in the sky. First Thessalonians 4. He was coming for the believers. The second time Christ appears in the sky. In Revelation 19 at the end of the tribulation. He is appearing with the believers unconvinced. The average Christian today thinks of his future in these terms, saved I've been called by God's grace out of darkness into a marvelous light. He has redeemed me and I'm either going to die or am going to be rapture and then have, that's what the average Christian thing. I hope now you have in your minds. No, there is this 1000 year amazing epic of time when we will rain this incredible time of joy and glory and development on earth and the economy and business and arts and industry and made sure and discovery all waiting to play out on the stage of human history is the Golden age begins and we the immortals will call reign with Christ in this kingdom does Christ comes to establish that kingdom. There is another physical resurrection. This is the physical bodily resurrection of Old Testament believers whose souls have been with our Lord as well as the physical bodily resurrection of believing tribulation martyrs. Revelation 20 clearly tells us will rain along with their not left out of the kingdom Old Testament saints. The relation martyrs are going to be given glorified moral bodies as they would us rain with with Christ and so we immortals rain over the mortals, both Jews and Gentiles who believe the gospel. At the end of the tribulation and who were allowed to enter into the millennial kingdom.

Those who didn't believe in Christ during the tribulation will be executed and they will await their final judgment in Hades.

We however will enjoy this great period of time of joy of discovery and those who enter the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies like children. In fact thousand years of flourishing on planet Earth going to be absolutely amazing that I had one woman coming to me and she said to me you know this ideal ruling has no appeal to me at all if I can is no appeal to my husband affect my husband would rather be flyfishing for trout work.

Rather than working in a governmental post and I said well tell him that he might be the one in charge of the entire industry of flyfishing he might be the person who tests out the newest equipment and decides who can fish when and where the best seasons for flyfishing of the best places he may very well get to enjoy flyfishing expeditions with Peter he could teach Andrew how to do it daily nowadays and that they can share their fish stories only will be telling the truth. We have no idea how this rule is a rule no think of. Okay, I got a government job in a behind the desk. Everything that happens on the earth will be under the Regency of you the immortal accountable to Christ, everything, everything, if the Lord returns thing with this way. While our while our nation still exists as it does, then in the kingdom of Chicago will still be Chicago. Carrie will still be carried. The mortals will experience life.

Much like we do now. There will be traffic jams and in school exams and and shopping malls. Unfortunately, there will be clothing designs. There will be business deal. There will be musical concerts, sporting events, one of you might be the future Commissioner of baseball farmers are still going to plant crops drive tractors milk cows should produce around the globe and build houses and roads and bridges and boats of the mortals over whom we rule and reign will be normal people.

They can be just like you and me now. However, as we learn to live a very long time like I had this question asked me where do mortals who enter the kingdom as believers go when they die during the millennial kingdom question. There is not one verse or implication in the Bible that tells us any believer who enters from the tribulation into the millennial kingdom and those who are born who believe not one verse that any believer ever dives we are given the idea certainly as well as the prophetic Scriptures clarified for us that conditions are going to revert back to the early days of creation and you have people living like Adam and Methuselah. There 930 years 960 years. Their bodies are going to be remarkably improved, even though they are mortal they can be healed at the beginning of the millennial kingdom.

Anybody entering his immortal will be instantly healed, according to Isaiah's prophecies there still going to have their sin nature. They're not going to glorified perfected in holiness, but they will be secure in Christ, having believed still have to battle against sinful temptation, having believed in Christ during the tribulation.

All other secure etiquette have to develop the same discipline that we have to develop in our online that I will tell you that the unbelievers change quickly hear the unbelievers what we are told will live long lives. However, Isaiah chapter 65 implies that unbelievers will experience death that seems to be part of the judgment of Christ rain those who believe live throughout the entire millennial kingdom are glorified at the end of it. Those who do not believe eventually die conditions, however, will be much more encouraging for people to believe what they sin will be repressed as truth sits on the throne. Satan will be bound.

This influence will be nullified. Christ will be physically visible on the throne you want introduce people to an invisible Lord, but a visible Lord, they can take a field trip to Jerusalem and see his glory, the spirit of God will be globally unusually active among the nations of believers. According to Joel chapter 2. Visions and prophecies will begin again supplement the ministry of the gospel of the kingdom era. Like never before that that work of the spirit was partially unveiled at Pentecost in acts chapter 2 will now be open and and have center stage during the millennial kingdom with all kinds of signs and wonders.

According to Joel two and Ezekiel 36 and one other aid in encouraging men and women to obey and follow Christ and worship and will be the newly constructed millennial Temple had some questions about that Ezekiel's prophecies inform us of the glory of the Lord will fill the temple little just glow Ezekiel 43 verse five everyone who comes to observe the enactment of the sacrificial system.

What will believe in all of the glory of God's grace and the sacrifice of Christ and the gospel.

Worship is going to center on Jerusalem.

Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 3 Micah 5 Zechariah 8 many more passages.

The Levites will minister once again in the temple, Ezekiel 44, the sabbaths, and the feast of Israel will once again be observed as a testimony to Jesus Christ, to fulfill them all and I've been asked this excellent question. In recent days. Doesn't this violate these sacrifices.

Doesn't this violate the finished work of Christ. Hebrews 10 tells us that Christ offered himself up one sacrifice for all time. Verse 10, verse 18. Now, where there is forgiveness of these things there is no longer any offering for sin.

So it's a very, very good question to ask is violated well no not at all.

Hebrews 10 is defining for us the sufficiency of Christ's atonement once and for all is full of vinyl sacrament, his sacrifice on the cross is necessary for salvation and he alone is the path for forgiveness resurrection of the life, the millennial kingdom. The eternal state.

But you say well I accepted Christ as my Savior living Lord. I've come to the cross eyed confess my sin. So that's all past tense for me and for all time. That's right, you have you come to the cross. He believed in the atoning work of Christ. But remember, millions, perhaps billions of mortals will need to his window. They haven't. They're going to hear the gospel of Christ's sacrifice for them to throughout the millennial kingdom. According to Ezekiel 43 these temple sacrifices are not being performed for the sake of atonement but as an illustration of Christ's atonement. God condescends to give us visual aid doesn't even today in the New Testament church. We have an illustration of Christ's atonement through the unleavened bread, the fruit of the vine which we partake not because Christ needs to be sacrificed all over again were not sacrificing him again so I will participate in mass Christ is not being sacrificed again. He was sacrifice once for all. These are memorials. This is an illustration of what he did for us in giving his body and his blood in Jesus Christ, that he said do this, not to put me to death over and over again. But do this in what remembrance of me. Take this visual aid which I am in great wisdom I'm giving to you because you forget do this and so remember my sacrifice because of the organs of communion we were getting it into that big tank full of water heated nine times out of 10 it is not as quick and happens very quickly. People are going to get into there and they're going to illustrate what happened to them as they go under the water that they are buried with Christ in baptism, and then we believe in the resurrection. Fortunately, in everybody's illustrated and are bringing them up, illustrating their identification with his resurrection is why we have an illustration of the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ which he displays through us as were marked as his disciples to save us when it's saved in water, it illustrates the fact that we have been saved so to reenact that in the temple here in the millennial temple these sacrifices the wonderful illustrations. In fact, I can't wait to see and what that will do for us as we will weep with joy at the sacrifice of the unblemished lamb who gave himself for us, and those who don't know Christ haven't placed their faith in him alone will see this and be moved as well. It will be wonderful aid to evangelism. It will be a wonderful incentive for worship and gratitude believe another's one more physical resurrection. All mentioned in the were done, it is yet to happen in the timeline of human history were not there. In our study, Italy, the physical resurrection of the bodies of every unbeliever who is dying throughout all of human history. Their souls have been in Hades. So now for thousands of years, some perhaps only recently having refused to believe the gospel in the millennial kingdom. Their bodies will be raised and then they will be immortalized also reunited with her souls which have been languishing in Hades awaiting this terrifying moment of judgment. That's our next study know God will be able to save them as they stand before the great white throne. John calls in Revelation chapter 20 it will be the finale of God's judgment against unbelief in the world will discover as as they are swept into this awful see that that no one will ever be able to get away from the no matter how religious they were if they've not been redeemed by Christ. The religion will not be able to help. They will discover then that all roads do not lead to heaven anymore than all interstates lead to New England they're going to discover just as you would know. Even now you get on I-95 South and you can say over and over again.

I'm going to Massachusetts I'm going to Massachusetts exhibit over and over and over you and get a carload of people to believe you and are convinced that you can chant as you go down the road were going to Massachusetts were going to Massachusetts exhibit all the way as you run off the tip of Florida and drowned in the Atlantic Ocean.

The matter how sincere you are, you know the differences between Massachusetts and Miami, but 100° right, my friends, this is going to be terrifying moment when the world will recognize the Jesus indeed told the truth when he said I am the way, the truth and the life and no one will ever come to the father except through me. Let me ask you where you in this timeline physically where the church age were not in the Old Testament right before the cross whereafter the cross that historic test.

In fact, were now living in this. Call the church rapture could just be around the corner. The church age could go on but God designed it for another thousand years. But you know what you won't. And neither will I write will experience death. So the real question is where are you spiritually. Where are you in relation to that cross, which is making the difference in the church age, which will make a difference for you in the rapture, which will make a difference then where your waiting is the tribulation takes place in heaven or in Hades and in the millennial kingdom where will you be raining with Christ are still waiting for the judgment. And of course the great white friend, will you be one of the judge were told by Paul, we will judge the world, or will you be one of the judge. If you're not in the body of Christ through faith in him alone. The rapture were to occur.

You like to go up with them in the rapture will not come back down with him at the second coming will not be his coregent in the millennial kingdom and you will not enter the new heaven.

There's a lot of things weighing on your answer. Where are you right now as relates to the cross of crimes. The questions that need to be answered today are not even another intriguing indeed in heaven. Can people see their families from other horses and other computers have.

Why did Adam sin what is sin have to do with natural disasters.

Good questions, but here are more fundamentally important questions for you that the only question you really must have an answer. Are you a member of the family. Have you been born again thinking is your faith genuinely rooted in the atonement of Christ will Jesus Christ were intrigued by unraveling seem obscure to us regarding heaven in the end times. Well it's good to know and understand what God's word says we need to make sure to never lose sight of the real important questions. Is my faith genuinely rooted in the atonement of Christ alone. Do I belong to Jesus Christ without knowing the answer to those questions gaining knowledge about heaven will be useless if we can help you today. We sure would enjoy talking with you.

Give us a call at 86 648 Bible we have information we can share with you regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ and how you can know for certain that you have the right answers to life's important questions that number once again is 86 648 Bible you'll find us online. If you visit wisdom online.org you can access all of our resources as well as interact with us. With today's lesson. Stephen concluded a series called thy kingdom come. We have this series available as a set of CDs. If you'd like this resource about the millennial kingdom in your library. We can help you ask about it when you call us today at CD set is also available in our online store. If you prefer to take care of the tomorrow Stephen begins a series on the book of sure and join us for that right here on wisdom