WHEN THE CHURCH IS GONE – IV

         Last week we covered the Battle of Armageddon and the millennium reign of Christ.  We saw that the results of Armageddon were the antichrist (beast) and his false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire.  All other humans who gathered against the Jews to fight in the army of the antichrist were slain by the sword from the mouth of Christ. (Rev. 19:20-21).   Then having defeated the antichrist and his followers, Jesus commanded that Satan be bound up in a bottomless pit for 1000 years (Rev. 20: 1-3).  He is imprisoned so that he cannot deceive the remaining inhabitants of earth. During the 1000 years Jesus sat up His kingdom on earth.  He, along with the glorified saints of God, ruled the Earth for these 1000 years.           

We also looked last week at the judgment of the nations recorded in Matt. 25:31-46 which happened during the millennium reign of Christ.  The nations who were judged were all the people who were still alive on the earth. Some of the people were Christians, having accepted Christ during the tribulation period. Some were those who had received the mark out of convenience but held no allegiance to any one and thus were not at Armageddon.  Some were not Christians but also were able to escape receiving the mark.  We saw that in the judgment of the nations Jesus separated the goats from the sheep.  The Christians were automatically sheep.  The sheep inherited the kingdom and lived with Christ during the millennium.  The goats were sent into everlasting punishment.  We saw that those who had the mark are automatically goats (Rev. 14:9-11). 

          Those who were not Christians but had no mark were judged based on how they treated Christians and the Jews during the tribulation period. Those who had been helpful were sheep. Those who had not been helpful were goats and were sent into everlasting punishment.   All sheep, which included Jewish and non-Jewish Christians, and those who a were not Christians, but had not received the mark of the beast and had not assisted in the persecution of the Jews and Christians during the tribulation period, were under the rule of Jesus and His saints, and were free from the influence of Satan for 1000 years. 

            Finally last week we talked about some of the great changes that will occur in the Earth during those 1000 years.  We saw that the Earth will bring forth much fruit, rain and sunshine will be plentiful.  There will be fresh streams and pools of water.  Even the desert will have plenty of water and will blossom.  People will be healed of diseases. Animals will be peaceful with mankind and with one another.  In fact all the earth will be at rest.

Zechariah 14:16-19

          During the Millennium all will be required to go up to Jerusalem to worship Christ.  In Isaiah 2:1-4 we saw that many will go to worship Christ by choice, seeking to learn of Him the ways of God.  Those who refuse to go will be punished with drought and plagues.  Some will go only by force; to escape being plagued and to gain the benefit of a fruitful land. 

          Based on Isaiah 65:18-25, the Millennium will be a great time for all those who love Jesus.  For Christ himself will be there and in Isaiah 65:24 He says, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”

          But what happens after the Millennium?

REVELATIONS 20:7-10

After 1000 years, Satan is loosed again so that he might tempt and deceive the people of the earth. Over the 1000-year reign of Christ, the people have had little choice but to serve and worship God. Those who never really make a commitment to Christ so that their nature is changed, still have a nature to sin. Some are still rebellious. New people have been born over this time. This allows a final testing of mankind to determine who is really committed to God. As you can see, the Devil will still deceive many who have lived with Christ as their leader, and cause them to rebel against Christ. This is not just a few stragglers that decide to follow Satan and their own sinful ways.  It is a great multitude.  The number is as the sand of the seas.  He convinces them to wage war on Jerusalem, the capital city of the kingdom of Christ.  The devil is cunning.  He is no joke.  He once convinced angels who had seen the almighty God at work to rebel against God and join him in a revolt to take over Heaven.  Here he convinces a great number of humans who have lived in a time of peace and prosperity with Christ, to rebel against Christ.  But once again the devil’s bark is bigger than his bite.  It does not matter how many he brings together against God, human or angels, he will never be able to beat God.  Bring all the creatures together and they will not be greater than or even equal to the creator.  God is all-powerful and none individually or collectively can beat Him.  God destroys these humans who rebel against Christ.  Fire came down and devoured them.   God went back to being like He was in the Old Testament; no grace no mercy not even any discussion of the matter, just punishment.  Finally the devil is cast into the lake of fire where he will be tormented forever.

REVELATION 20: 11-15

This is the judgment of the wicked dead. Those whose spirit and soul are in hell will be resurrected and given immortal bodies. They will be judged for their works, shown the many opportunities where they were offered salvation and refused to accept Christ. Their names are not written in the Lamb's book of life because they rejected the lamb. These will be cast into the lake of fire along with the devil, the antichrist, the false prophet, death and hell. They will be there forever in torment. 

I CORINTHIANS 15:24-28

            The last enemy to be destroyed will be death.  For death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire.  At this point Jesus has completed his work and He can now offer the Earth and its inhabitants to God as a gift.

            One might ask, “If there are human beings still in their flesh here and people will no longer have the fear of death what will keep them from just rebelling against and living a sinful life?  I hope to answer that question later.

REVELATION 21:1-7

First of all the word translated in verse 1 as passed away is the Greek word parerchomal which does not mean to go away, but rather to pass from one state to another.  God will renovate the earth and after the renovation the earth will no longer have large oceans of water.   

II PETER 3:10-13

                        What we must remember here is that the Day of the Lord is not just one 24 hour day.  It is a time period that starts at the second coming of Christ and runs until Christ returns the kingdom to God.  At the end of the Day of the Lord there will be a great purging of the earth and maybe even our solar system by fire.  The elements spoken of here are not material elements like houses, people, trees, jewels or precious metals.  The Greek word used is stoichelon which means rudiments or principles.  Thus one commentator says this reference is to “the principles or basic elements of this present world system of evil spirits, sinful and fallen nature, disease, germs, corruptions and all elements by which mankind has corrupted itself.  In other words God will purge the Earth of anything that is not pleasing in His sight.

REVELATION 21:3 -7

Having purified and renovated the Earth, God himself will come and dwell with man. This is what God intended from the very beginning.   In verse 6 Jesus declares “It is done.”  What is done? All rebellion against God has been put down and the rebels judged and confined to the lake of fire. The curse of sin and death has been destroyed.  The earth and the heavens have been renovated and all things therein have been made new.  The earth and its inhabitant have been turned back to God and He is recognized again as the one and only supreme ruler of the universe.  God’s original plan for mankind is realized and God Himself lives among those who with free wills choice to love and fellowship with Him.  This is what God wanted from the very beginning.  He walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and now he come to live with man. There will be no death, sorrow or pain. Finally man will get to live the life that God initially intended for Him.  God will bring His city, the New Jerusalem, to the earth and live with mankind.  New Jerusalem will be the capital city of Earth.  The city itself will be adorned beautifully like a bride for her husband.

REVELATION 21:9-11

Here John is shown the Bride of Christ.  Note, that John is shown New Jerusalem.  The city itself is the Bride of Christ and all who dwell in the city are apart of the Bride.  It is improper to say that the Church alone is the Bride, nor are the Jews alone the Bride.  All of the redeemed will live in the city and will thus be a part of the Bride.  This includes the Old Testament saints, New Testament saints (the Church), The 144000 Jews and the tribulation saints.  All these groups took part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:6) and they will be priest of God and of Christ.  

REVELATION 21:24-22:1-5

The nations of people remaining on the earth will be able to come into the Holy City. There they will find the tree of life, necessary for them to sustain themselves. These are still flesh and blood human beings. Though their spirits and souls have new life because they are saved, their flesh is still subject to decay and death. The people must partake of the fruit and leaves of the tree of life to maintain eternal health. They will also have access to water from the river of life. Thus all those who have been redeemed from sin, whether in mortal bodies or immortal bodies will live with God and Christ forever.

            I am often asked, if people who are in human flesh remain on the earth and the seed of sin is inherent in man, what will keep someone else from deciding to rebel against God and plunge mankind back into the midst of a life of sin and rebellion.  I believe the answer to be in Isaiah 66.

ISAIAH 66:22-24

            Humans will be required to come to New Jerusalem to worship God.  As a deterrent to sinning and rebelling against God they will be allowed maybe even required to look into the lake of fire where they will see those who are eternally separated from God.  Though death will no longer be an option, they can be tossed alive into the lake of fire as were the antichrist and his false prophet.