## Faith for the Future: The Kingdom Age

## Revelation 20:1-10

Over the last several weeks we have been using the topic "Faith for the Future" for our consideration of prophecy. To help us understand the time frame of these events we have divided time into seven periods or dispensations. The next event on the calendar will be the Rapture of all believers. After the Rapture there will be a time when all believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven. On earth there will be a horrible time of tribulation where the antichrist will rise to power. As we saw last week, at the close of this 7-year tribulation the Lord will literally return to this earth. There are four events that will be accomplished when Jesus Christ returns to this earth.

- He will stop the "battle of Armageddon". 16:12-16
- He will cast Satan into the bottomless pit. 20:1-3
- He will judge the living Gentiles (sheep / goat judgment). cf Mt. 25:31-46
- He will establish His kingdom on this earth. 20:4

Read: Revelation 20:1-10

Six times in our passage, John uses the phrase "a thousand years". This is the Kingdom Age, also known as the Millennium: When I use this term, I am not talking about the last 1000 years or the next 1000 years. I am talking about the literal 1000 years that Jesus will reign on this earth.

I. The Purpose of the Millennium.

A. To Fulfill God's Covenants with Israel.

1. The Abrahamic Covenant.

Ge 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Ge 17:7-8 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

2. The Palestinian Covenant. (Moses)

De 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

3. The Davidic Covenant.

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

4. The New Covenant.

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

B. To complete His work.

1. Christ's death and the restoration of Israel are inter-related events.

2. When Jesus died on Calvary a fountain was opened potentially for Israel and the entire world.

3. However, in "that day" there will be a fountain opened for the cleansing of Israel.

Zec 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

4. Remember, He came unto His own but His own received Him not.

5. When Christ returns in glory, the nation of Israel will turn to Him.

C. To restore the earth to willing submission.

1. Right now this earth is a rebellious province ruled by the Prince of this world.

2. Since the fall of Adam the earth has been in bondage.

3. When Christ returns creation will be delivered from bondage.

Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

4. There will be no more famine, droughts, disease or pestilence.

II. The Presence of the Earthly Kingdom.

A. Earth's capital will be Jerusalem.

1. It will be a beautiful city.

Isa 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

2. It will be a center for the teaching of God's Word.

Mic 4:1-2 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3. Jerusalem will be known as a place of rejoicing rather than weeping.

B. The conditions on earth.

1. Absolute justice and righteousness.

2. The earth will revert to conditions that prevailed before the fall. Cf. Is. 11:6-8

3. The knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth.

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

4. The earth will be renovated following the mass destruction of the tribulation.

Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

5. Long life, peace, answered prayers, and security will be characteristic. 6. Note: Isaiah 65:20-25

III. Post-millennial Events.

A. Satan will be loosed. v7-10

1. Sin has not been done away with during the millennium.

2. However, the influence of Satan has been removed until the 1000 years have ended.

3. Not everyone will be saved, and many will be led astray by the devil when he is released.

4. There will be a brief rebellion that will involve multitudes of people.

5. When they prepare to attack Jerusalem God will destroy them and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire to join the beast and the false prophet.

B. The Great White Throne Judgment will be held.

Re 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

1. Only the "dead" will be judged. v12

2. This will be the second resurrection.

Joh 5:29 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.

3. Only the spiritually dead, the lost of all the ages, will be at this judgment.

4. The Judge will be the same: Jesus Christ.

5. The results will be that all the unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire.

6. There will be no hope for those who must stand before the Great White Throne.

7. They will have no opportunity to escape this awful judgment.

8. The only hope that the lost world has is to turn to Christ now, before it is too late.

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

C. The New Jerusalem. 21:1-4

1. The Present Heaven and Earth will pass away. v1

2. This is not a renovation, this is a replacement!

3. It will be new because the old will be gone.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

4. God will make all things new. v5

Mt. 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

5. It will be beautiful, and perfect.

6. There will be plenty of room for all.

a. If you combined the land area of the seven continents of the world, as we know it now would amount to 57,609,000 square miles.

b. The New Jerusalem will be 1500 miles long and 1500 miles wide = 2,250,000 square miles and 1500 miles high!

c. If 100 billion people went to heaven, we would each have 12 square miles to enjoy!

7. It will be a city of "no mores".

a. No more separation from God.

b. No more tears or crying.

c. No more sorrow and pain.

d. No more death.

e. No more wants.

f. No more darkness.

g. No more curse.

h. No more sin!

Studying the prophecy of God is exciting for the believer, but it should also be sobering! When we realize that those who do not place their faith in Jesus Christ have no hope for the future. That is where we come in…our purpose…our commission from God…is to evangelize. To actively seek to share the Gospel message with those who do not know Him. Are we doing that? If not…why aren't we? Faith for the future is only found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!