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  Episode #266

  The Millennial Reign of Christ | Revelation 20:1-6

  Aug 26, 202630 min

  Revelation 20:1-6 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. We stand here at one of the most majestic peaks in all of Scripture. After the seals have been broken, the trumpets have sounded, and the vials of wrath have been poured out, after the beast and the false prophet have been cast into the lake of fire, the Spirit of God draws back the curtain on a scene that every believer’s heart has longed for since the garden of Eden was lost. Here is the literal, earthly reign of the Lord Jesus Christ for a thousand years. Here is the fulfillment of promises given to Abraham, to David, and to the prophets. Here is the answer to the prayer that has ascended from the lips of the saints for two thousand years: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This passage is not a puzzle to be solved by clever allegorizing. It is a plain declaration of what God has determined to do. Let us take the text as it stands, in the order in which the Spirit has given it, and let the Word of God speak for itself. I. The Binding of the Ancient Enemy (vv. 1–3) John says, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” Notice carefully that this is not the Lord Jesus Himself who descends; it is an angel. The Greek word is angelos, a messenger. One angel is sufficient. The same Lord who once cast a legion of demons into a herd of swine with a single word now commissions one of His messengers to seize the chief of all rebels. The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan—four titles piled one upon another so that there can be no mistake about the identity of the prisoner—is laid hold of and bound. The Greek verb for “laid hold” is krateō, meaning to seize with power, to take firm grip. The great chain is not a figure of speech for the restraining influence of the church or the gospel; it is a real instrument of restraint in the hands of a real angel. He is cast into the bottomless pit—the abyssos, the same abyss from which the demonic locusts of chapter 9 emerged. The pit is shut and sealed. The purpose is stated with crystal clarity: “that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.” Six times in this chapter the Holy Spirit uses the expression “a thousand years” or “the thousand years.” The Greek is chilia etē. When the Spirit repeats a number six times in the space of a few verses, He is not inviting us to spiritualize it away. He is underscoring its importance. The binding is for a definite period of time. After that period Satan “must be loosed a little season.” The word “must” (dei) indicates divine necessity. God’s program requires it. There is no room here for the idea that Satan is already bound in some limited sense. If he is bound now, then the nations are not being deceived, and the New Testament itself becomes nonsense when it warns us that the devil walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), that he is the god of this world who blinds the minds of them that believe not (2 Corinthians 4:4), and that the whole world lies in the wicked one (1 John 5:19). This binding is future, personal, complete, and temporary. It is the necessary prelude to the kingdom. No kingdom of righteousness can flourish while the great deceiver is free to work his will among the nations. II. The Resurrection and Reign of the Saints (vv. 4–6) John continues, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” Who are these who sit upon the thrones? The text itself identifies them in two groups. First, the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God. These are the martyrs of the tribulation period who refused the mark of the beast. Second, those who “had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.” These are the faithful who endured to the end. Together they “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” The Greek word for “lived” is ezēsan, an aorist tense that points to a definite act of coming to life. This is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead—the unsaved—do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Then comes the solemn declaration: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Here is the double blessing: they are priests and they are kings. As priests they have access to God and offer spiritual sacrifices of praise. As kings they share the governmental authority of the Son of David. This is not a spiritual reign in the hearts of men; it is a reign with Christ upon the earth. The text says they reigned with Him. The location of that reign is fixed by the entire prophetic program of the Old Testament. III. The Character of the Millennial Kingdom Described in the Old Testament The book of Revelation is indeed a book of signs, symbols, and numbers. Yet the Holy Spirit has not left us to guess at the meaning of the thousand-year reign. He has given us page after page in the Old Testament that describe the activities of that kingdom in language so plain, so geographical, so political, and so material that only a determined refusal to accept the plain sense of Scripture can turn them into mere spiritual ideals. Let us listen carefully to the prophets as they describe what the saints will be doing and what the earth will be like during those thousand years. Isaiah 2:2–4 declares: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Here the saints, under the direct rule of the Messiah, will see the law go forth from Jerusalem. The nations will stream to Zion to learn the ways of the Lord. The saints will participate in the administration of that perfect justice. War will cease. The instruments of destruction will be converted into instruments of agriculture. Isaiah 11:1–10 continues the picture: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 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. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” The saints will live in a world where the curse on the animal creation is lifted. The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth. The Messiah will rule with absolute equity, and His people will share in that rule. Children will play safely. Nature itself will be at peace. Isaiah 65:17–25 adds further detail: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” Longevity returns. A person who dies at one hundred is considered a child. The saints will build and inhabit, plant and eat the fruit. Their labor will not be frustrated. Prayer will be answered immediately. The elect of God will enjoy the work of their hands for the full thousand years. Micah 4:1–4 echoes Isaiah: “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. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.” Every man under his own vine and fig tree—personal security, private property, and peace. The saints will enjoy this rest. Zechariah 14:8–11, 16–21 describes the geographical and religious center: “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. … And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.” Jerusalem will be the political and spiritual capital of the world. The saints will go up year by year. Nations that refuse will be disciplined with drought. Holiness will characterize even the ordinary utensils of daily life. Psalm 72 is a portrait of the righteous King’s reign: “Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.” The saints will share in this universal dominion. They will see the poor delivered, the oppressor broken, and the earth productive under the King’s blessing. Ezekiel 40–48 describes in exhaustive detail a temple, a priesthood, a sacrificial system, and the division of the land among the tribes. The prince will have his portion. The saints from every nation who have part in the first resurrection will serve as priests of God and of Christ in that restored order. The glory of the Lord will fill the house. Living waters will flow from under the threshold, healing the Dead Sea and bringing life wherever they go (Ezekiel 47). These are not vague spiritual principles. They are concrete, measurable, geographical, agricultural, political, and religious realities. The saints will reign. They will judge. They will teach. They will worship. They will enjoy the fruit of the earth. They will see nature restored. They will watch the nations come up to Jerusalem year after year. They will experience longevity, security, and the absence of war. This is the kingdom the prophets saw. This is the kingdom John saw. This is the kingdom that lasts a thousand years. IV. Why the Thousand Years Must Be Taken Literally Why do we insist that this reign is literal rather than a mere figure of speech? Because the plain sense of Scripture demands it, and every alternative interpretation collapses under the weight of the text itself. First, the number is repeated six times with deliberate emphasis. If “a thousand years” is only a symbol for a long time, then why does the Spirit carefully distinguish “the thousand years” from “a little season” that follows? Symbols do not require such chronological precision. Second, the binding of Satan is described with concrete details—an angel, a key, a chain, a pit, a seal. If these are symbols, then the resurrection of the martyrs in the same paragraph must also be symbolic, and the second death must be symbolic. But the second death is clearly the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14; 21:8). Consistency requires that the first resurrection and the thousand-year reign be just as real. Third, the Old Testament promises to Israel of a restored land, a Davidic King on a literal throne in Jerusalem, and a time of national and universal blessing have never been fulfilled. The amillennial view spiritualizes them into the church age. The postmillennial view postpones them indefinitely into a golden age produced by human effort under the gospel. Neither does justice to the land promises, the throne of David, or the geographical center of Zion. Only the premillennial view allows the promises to mean what they say: a future, earthly, theocratic kingdom under the personal rule of the Messiah, with resurrected saints sharing that rule for a thousand years. Fourth, the sequence of events in Revelation itself is chronological. Chapter 19 ends with the beast and false prophet in the lake of fire. Chapter 20 begins with the binding of Satan. Then comes the thousand years. Then the loosing of Satan. Then the final rebellion. Then the great white throne. To rearrange this sequence into a spiritual present or a progressive ideal is to do violence to the order the Spirit has given. Fifth, the first resurrection is called “the first.” If the only resurrection is a general one at the end of time, then there is no “first.” The text insists there is a resurrection of the righteous that precedes the thousand years, and a resurrection of the rest of the dead that follows it. This matches the “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of damnation” of John 5:29, and the order of 1 Corinthians 15:23–24—“Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end.” While Revelation is filled with signs and symbols, the substantiation from the Old Testament gives the premillennial understanding a weight of evidence that no other view can match

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  Episode #265

  Building on the Rock | Matthew 7:24-27 | Dr. J. Allen Mashburn

  Jul 17, 202629 min

  A Biblical Exposition of Matthew 7:24–27 Our Lord concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a searching contrast: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” —Matthew 7:24–27, KJV These verses are far more than a charming illustration or moral tale. They form the solemn, climactic warning of the entire Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). After unfolding the character of true righteousness, the realities of kingdom life, the heart of prayer and giving, the dangers of anxiety and being judgmental, and the narrow way that leads to life, Jesus now presses every hearer to a decisive response. The question is not merely “Have you heard?” but “Have you obeyed?” The Context and the Force of “Therefore” Matthew 7:24–27 stands at the very end of Jesus’ longest recorded discourse. Immediately preceding it are three paired contrasts that build to this point: The two gates and two ways (7:13–14) The two trees and their fruit (7:15–20) The two claims at the judgment (“Lord, Lord…”) versus doing the will of the Father (7:21–23) In 7:21–23, Jesus warns that many will claim His lordship with impressive religious activity yet be rejected as “workers of lawlessness” (anomia — lawlessness, rebellion against God’s revealed will). The “therefore” (Greek: οὖν — oun) is not a casual transition. It draws the inescapable conclusion from everything that has gone before. It means, “In light of all I have said — the radical demands of the kingdom, the necessity of fruit, the danger of false profession — this is how you must respond.” The entire Sermon on the Mount is not optional religious advice. It is the authoritative teaching of the King. The “therefore” demands that every listener move from hearing to doing. Hearing and Doing: The Great Divide “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…” The Greek is emphatic: πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἀκούει … καὶ ποιεῖ αὐτούς (pas oun hostis akouei … kai poiei autous). ἀκούει (akouei) — “hears.” This is not mere a question of hearing. In biblical usage, akouō often carries the idea of hearing with understanding and attention that calls for response. Jesus is addressing those who have sat under His teaching, who have been exposed to the light of the kingdom. ποιεῖ (poiei) — “doeth.” From the verb ποιέω (poieō), meaning to do, to perform, to practice, to produce. It is in the present tense, suggesting ongoing, habitual action— MAKE IT A HABIT! — a lifestyle of obedience, not occasional compliance. This is the same word used in 7:21 (“he that doeth the will of my Father”). Both the wise and foolish man hear. The difference is not access to truth but response to truth. James echoes this exactly: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). Hearing without doing produces self-deception — the most dangerous spiritual condition. Examine your life honestly. Do you read Scripture, listen to sermons, or discuss doctrine — yet continue in known sin, neglect known duty, or live as though Christ’s words are suggestions rather than commands? The difference between information and transformation is obedience. The Wise Builder and the Rock “…I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…” The Greek for “wise” is φρόνιμος (phronimos). It does not mean merely clever or intellectually sharp. It describes one who is prudent, thoughtful, far-sighted, and practically wise — someone who thinks ahead and acts accordingly. It comes from the root idea of the phrēn (the mind or seat of thought). The wise man counts the cost and builds for permanence. He builds “upon a rock” — πέτραν (petran). This is not a small stone (petros) or a loose rock, but a massive outcropping of bedrock — solid, immovable, able to bear the full weight of the house through every season. In the immediate context, this rock is “these sayings of mine” — Christ’s own words. More deeply, it is Christ Himself as the divine authority and foundation (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4; Psalm 18:2). The wise builder does not begin with appearance, speed, or convenience. He begins with stability. He digs deep (as Luke’s parallel emphasizes in Luke 6:48) until he reaches the unshakeable foundation. Practical application: Building on the rock means ordering your entire life — marriage, finances, speech, relationships, ambitions, suffering — according to the concrete teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. When He says forgive, you forgive. When He says love your enemies, you seek their good. When He warns against anxiety, you trust the Father. This is not legalism; it is the fruit of genuine faith in the One who both commands and enables obedience. The Foolish Builder and the Sand “…shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand…” The Greek for “foolish” is μωρός (mōros) — from which we get “moron.” It means dull, senseless, morally and spiritually stupid. It is the opposite of phronimos. The fool is not necessarily ignorant; he is one who acts as though God will not judge, as though words may be heard without being heeded, and as though life can be built on shifting ground. He builds “upon the sand” — ἄμμῳ (ammō). Sand is loose, shifting, and unable to bear weight under pressure. In the Jewish context Jesus’ hearers knew well, this often meant building quickly and cheaply near a dry riverbed (wadi). In fair weather it seemed convenient; when the rains came, the sand would be washed away in sudden, violent flash floods. The sand represents any foundation other than obedience to Christ: outward religion without inward reality, emotional experiences without repentance, self-made morality, reputation, wealth, tradition, or feelings. All of these may look solid until tested. Practical application: Many today build on the sand of “I believe in Jesus” without submission to His lordship, or on church attendance and moral respectability without the transforming power of the gospel. Ask yourself: If every external support were removed — health, reputation, comfort, approval of others — what would remain? The Storms Are Inevitable — and Revealing Both houses face the identical storm: “the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house.” In the land of Israel, storms could be sudden and catastrophic. Torrential rains would turn dry riverbeds into raging torrents within minutes. Winds would lash the structures. The same forces struck both houses. Obedience does not exempt the believer from trials; it determines whether he stands when they come. These storms picture: The ordinary trials of life (suffering, loss, temptation, persecution). The providential testings of God that expose the heart. Ultimately, the final judgment for believers, when every life is tested by divine fire (TURN 1 Corinthians 3:13–15). The storm does not create the foundation — it reveals it. The Contrast in the End The wise man’s house “fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” It stands because its foundation was secure from the beginning. The foolish man’s house “fell: and great was the fall of it.” The Greek πτῶσις (ptōsis) means collapse or ruin. The word “great” (megalē) emphasizes the total, devastating nature of the destruction. All the labor, time, and hope invested in the house are lost in one catastrophic moment. Practical application: A life of religious profession without obedience may appear impressive for years. But when the storm comes — whether in this life or at the judgment seat of Christ — the collapse will be total and terrible. There is no partial ruin when the foundation is wrong. Christ’s Supreme Authority Notice the personal claim: “these sayings of mine.” Jesus does not point to Moses, the prophets, or tradition as the ultimate standard. He places His own words at the center. This is an astonishing assertion of divine authority. The final question of every life is not “Did you hear?” but “Did you do what I said?” Gospel Comfort and Urgent Invitation This passage is both warning and mercy. Christ does not leave us without hope. The Rock is available. The same Lord who demands obedience also provides the grace to obey through the new birth and the indwelling Spirit. To build on the rock is to come to Christ in repentant faith, to trust Him as Savior and submit to Him as Lord, and then — by His grace — to walk in obedience to His word. Hearing + doing is the evidence of genuine saving faith, not the ground of it. Conclusion Matthew 7:24–27 teaches that the final test of discipleship is obedience to the words of Christ. Both the wise and the foolish hear. The difference is what they do with what they hear. Storms will come to every life. Only the house built on the rock — the solid, unmovable foundation of Christ and His authoritative teaching — will stand. Therefore, examine yourself today. Are you building on the rock or on the sand? The wise man builds for eternity. The foolish man builds for the moment. May God grant us grace to be wise builders — those who not only hear the sayings of Jesus but do them, to the glory of His name. Christ is that Rock. His word is sure. His house shall stand forever.

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  Episode #264

  Eternity Future | Revelation 21 | J. Allen Mashburn

  Jun 19, 202628 min

  Eternity Future: The Glorious New Heaven, New Earth, and the Literal Holy City New Jerusalem After the thousand-year reign of Christ upon this earth and after the final judgment at the Great White Throne, Scripture opens the door to the eternal state. The old order ends completely, and God brings forth a new creation filled with His presence, His glory, and His redeemed people. This is not a vague spiritual realm. It is a real, tangible, physical reality that will last forever. Let us begin by anchoring ourselves in the immediate events that lead into this eternal future. After the thousand years expire, Satan is released for a short time. He deceives the nations one last time. They gather in vast numbers like the sand of the sea to surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. Then the devil himself is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet already are. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Immediately following this, John sees the Great White Throne. The One seated upon it causes the earth and the heaven to flee away. There is no place found for them. The dead, small and great, stand before God. Books are opened, including the book of life. Every person is judged according to their works recorded in the books. The sea gives up its dead. Death and hell deliver up their dead. All are judged. Then death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Whoever is not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire. With the judgment complete and the old creation removed, John records the breathtaking vision of what comes next. The New Heaven and the New Earth John writes: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” The old heaven and earth do not merely receive a fresh coat of paint. They pass away entirely. The elements melt with fervent heat. Everything built on the foundation of sin and rebellion is dissolved. In its place God creates something entirely new in quality and character—a heaven and earth where righteousness dwells perfectly and permanently. There is no more sea. Throughout the Bible the sea often pictures unrest, chaos, and separation. In this new creation those things are gone. There will be no restless tossing of waves, no vast oceans dividing continents, no symbol of the wicked whose waters cast up mire and dirt. The new earth will be a place of perfect order, perfect stability, and perfect unity under the rule of God. The prophet Isaiah had already seen this coming reality hundreds of years earlier. He declared: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock; and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” While some aspects of this prophecy find expression during the millennial kingdom, the complete and final fulfillment belongs to the eternal state we are considering now. Grief, frustration, premature death, and the curse upon creation will be remembered no more. The new creation will be a place of unending joy and perfect fulfillment. The Literal Holy City, New Jerusalem, Descending from Heaven John continues: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” This is a real, literal city. It is not an allegory or a symbol for something else. It is a tangible, physical city that descends from the very presence of God. Its preparation is described as that of a bride adorned for her husband—beautiful, pure, radiant, and perfectly suited for the glorious purpose for which it was made. The city itself shines with the glory of God. Its light is like a most precious stone, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. It radiates the very presence and holiness of the One who created it. An angel carries John in the Spirit to a great and high mountain so he can see this city clearly. The angel says, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Then John beholds the city descending out of heaven from God. The Massive Scale and Perfect Design of the City The city is foursquare. Its length is as large as its breadth. John measures it with a golden reed and finds it to be twelve thousand furlongs in length, breadth, and height. Twelve thousand furlongs equals approximately fifteen hundred miles. Picture a city that stretches one thousand five hundred miles from north to south, one thousand five hundred miles from east to west, and rises one thousand five hundred miles into the sky. It is a perfect cube of staggering proportions—larger than any city humanity has ever imagined or built. The wall of the city is measured at one hundred forty-four cubits according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. This wall is great and high, providing perfect security and separation from anything unholy. The city has twelve gates—three on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. At each gate stands an angel. On the gates are written the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. The wall itself rests upon twelve foundations, and in those foundations are written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. This design reflects perfect governmental order and divine completeness. The twelve gates and twelve foundations speak of access and stability rooted in God’s covenant dealings with His people throughout history. The angels at the gates guard the holiness of the city. Nothing unworthy will ever pass through them. The Breathtaking Materials and Radiant Beauty The building materials of this city are beyond anything known on the present earth. The wall is constructed of jasper. The entire city is pure gold, and this gold is like clear glass—transparent and flawless. The foundations of the wall are adorned with every kind of precious stone in dazzling array: The first foundation is jasper—clear and radiant like the glory of God Himself. The second is sapphire—a deep, heavenly blue. The third is chalcedony—a stone of milky, translucent beauty. The fourth is emerald—a rich, vibrant green. The fifth is sardonyx—layered with bands of red and white. The sixth is sardius—a fiery red stone. The seventh is chrysolite—a golden, transparent gem. The eighth is beryl—a sea-green or blue-green brilliance. The ninth is topaz—a golden yellow that catches the light. The tenth is chrysoprasus—a apple-green stone of rare beauty. The eleventh is jacinth—a violet or reddish-blue gem. The twelfth is amethyst—a deep purple that speaks of royalty and splendor. The twelve gates are each made of a single pearl. Every gate is one enormous pearl. The street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass. Imagine standing before gates formed from single pearls of unimaginable size. Picture streets of transparent gold that reflect the glory streaming from the throne of God. Picture foundations sparkling with every color of the rainbow in perfect harmony. This is not poetic exaggeration. This is the literal description of the city God has prepared. Its beauty is real, visible, and eternal. The transparency of the gold and the clarity of the jasper reveal a holiness that has nothing to hide. Everything in this city is pure, open, and glorious. No Temple Needed – The Presence of God Fills Everything John notes something remarkable: “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” In the old creation, temples and tabernacles were necessary because God’s presence was localized and mediated. In this new city, the entire metropolis is filled with the immediate presence of God and the Lamb. There is no need for a separate building. The whole city functions as the dwelling place of God. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple. Because of this, the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it. The glory of God lights the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. The light is not created light. It is the uncreated, eternal glory of God Himself radiating through the city. There is no night there. The gates are never shut. There is perpetual day because the source of light never sets. Access for the Redeemed and Perfect Security The nations of them which are saved walk in the light of the city. The kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. The gates stand open continually. People from every nation and tribe who have been redeemed enter freely and bring the glory and honor of their cultures and peoples into the presence of God. Yet nothing that defiles, nothing abominable, and nothing that makes a lie can ever enter. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life have access to this glorious city. God Dwells with His People A loud voice from heaven proclaims the central reality of eternity: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” God’s presence, once veiled behind curtains and clouds, is now fully and permanently with His people. He dwells among them without any barrier. He Himself wipes away all tears from their eyes. There is no more death. There is no more sorrow. There is no more crying. There is no more pain. The former things—the entire order of sin, curse, and death—have passed away forever. He who sits on the throne declares: “Behold, I make all things new.” These words are true and faithful. It is done. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He gives the water of life freely to everyone who thirsts. The one who overcomes inherits all things. God becomes his God, and he becomes God’s son. In contrast, those who refused grace have their part in the lake of fire—the second death. The River of Life and the Tree of Life in the Heart of the City John is shown the very center of this glorious city: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” A pure river of the water of life flows directly from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It is clear as crystal—perfectly pure and refreshing. On both sides of this river stands the tree of life. It produces twelve different kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. Its leaves bring healing to the nations. This is the complete reversal of the curse pronounced in Eden. In the beginning, man was barred from the tree of life. Now the tree stands openly in the middle of the city’s main street, freely available. The river flows from the very throne. There is no more curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb is central to everything. God’s servants serve Him with perfect joy and without weariness. They see His face. His name is written in their foreheads as a mark of eternal ownership and security. There is no night. The Lord God gives them light. And they reign forever and ever. The Eternal Reign and God All in All When the millennial kingdom ends and all enemies have been subdued, including death itself, the Son delivers up the kingdom to the Father. All rule and authority are put down. God becomes all in all. The redeemed reign with Christ in this glorious city forever. Their service is joyful. Their worship is perfect. Their fellowship with God and with one another is unbroken and eternal. The former things have passed away. All things are new. The city stands as a real, glorious, physical reality—massive, radiant, secure, and filled with the immediate presence of God. Its streets of transparent gold, its pearl gates, its jeweled foundations, its river of life, and its tree of life will be seen and enjoyed by the redeemed for all eternity. This is the inheritance of those who overcome. This is the home prepared for the people of God. This is the city whose builder and maker is God. The closing words of Scripture call us to readiness: “Behold, I come quickly.” Blessed is the one who keeps the words of this prophecy. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the one who hears say, “Come.” Let the one who is thirsty come. Whoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

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  Episode #263

  The Great White Throne Judgment: The Final, Dreadful, and Eternal Reckoning of the Wicked Dead | Revelation 20:11-15 | Dr. Allen Mashburn

  Jun 12, 202629 min

  The Great White Throne Judgment: The Final, Dreadful, and Eternal Reckoning of the Wicked Dead In the majestic and awe-inspiring closing visions of the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John, carried along by the powerful inspiration of the Holy Spirit, beholds a series of breathtaking scenes that unveil the final consummation of all things and the eternal destiny of every soul. Following the glorious thousand-year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the earth, after the last desperate and futile rebellion of Satan, and after the complete and utter defeat of Gog and Magog with fire from heaven, the divine spotlight turns with solemn intensity upon the most terrifying and irreversible event in all of human history: the Great White Throne Judgment. This is the ultimate, final, and most dreadful courtroom of the entire universe, where every single soul that has ever died in unbelief, impenitence, and open rebellion against the living God will be supernaturally raised from the dead, solemnly examined with perfect scrutiny, and eternally sentenced according to the flawless, unerring, and infinitely holy justice of Almighty God. Revelation 20:11-15 stands as one of the most sobering, heart-shaking, conscience-piercing, and fear-inducing passages in all of Holy Scripture, a passage that should cause every reader to tremble and every unrepentant sinner to flee without delay to the mercy of the cross. The full text of this profoundly solemn and eternally weighty passage, as given in the inspired and infallible Word of God, reads as follows in its complete and unbroken form: “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. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” This tightly woven, divinely inspired passage forms a self-contained and climactic unit that brings the entire millennial section of the Book of Revelation to its dreadful, everlasting, and irreversible close. It follows immediately after the final casting of Satan, the devil, into the lake of fire where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever. It stands just before the glorious and radiant unveiling of the new heavens and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. The context is saturated with absolute finality, divine justice, and the irreversible nature of eternity. The redeemed saints of all ages have already participated joyfully in the blessed first resurrection and have reigned triumphantly with Christ for a full thousand years. Those who now appear trembling before the throne are precisely “the rest of the dead” who “lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:5). The old creation, stained and cursed by sin, is even now dissolving before our eyes, and every unsaved soul must now give a full, terrifying, and inescapable account before the burning, all-seeing holiness of Almighty God. Let us now carefully, reverently, and thoroughly exposit this passage verse by verse, drawing out its rich and multifaceted meaning through the original Greek language where it adds vivid force and eternal impact, through the surrounding biblical context, and through the weighty, soul-stirring eternal truths it so powerfully proclaims to every generation. The Scene (Revelation 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.” The apostle John begins this vision with the majestic and familiar apocalyptic declaration “And I saw” (Kai eidon), words that immediately signal the introduction of a fresh, breathtaking, overwhelming, and panoramic heavenly vision that seizes both the apostle’s enraptured gaze and our own hearts with a profound sense of holy dread and reverent awe. What suddenly bursts upon his enraptured sight is nothing less than the supreme, final, and most glorious tribunal of the entire created universe: “a great white throne” (thronon megan leukon). This throne is described as megan—vast beyond all human imagination or comprehension, majestic in unrivaled dignity and splendor, and clothed with overwhelming, absolute, and unchallenged sovereign authority. It towers infinitely and eternally above every earthly court of law, every royal palace, and every seat of human government or power that has ever existed. It is leukon—brilliantly, purely, dazzlingly, and radiantly white—symbolizing in the most vivid way possible the spotless, unapproachable, and infinite holiness together with the flawless, unblemished, and perfect righteousness of God Himself. No shadow of injustice, no whisper of partiality or favoritism, no trace of corruption or bribery can ever approach, touch, or stain its gloriously radiant surface. It glows and pulses with the blazing, consuming purity of the One who is eternally “light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Seated in awesome, majestic, and terrifying splendor upon this throne is “him that sat on it” (ton kathemenon ep’ autou). Though not explicitly named in this particular verse, the consistent, harmonious voice of all Holy Scripture clearly identifies this enthroned and sovereign Judge as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself—the very One to whom the Father has committed all judgment without exception (John 5:22, 27). It is the same pierced and crucified Savior who once hung in agony upon the cross as the meek and lowly Lamb of God, now appearing in indescribable glory and power as the exalted Lion of the tribe of Judah and the righteous, eternal Judge of all the earth (Acts 17:31). From His glorious and unveiled face—“from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away” (ephugen ho ouranos kai he ge apo tou prosopou autou)—the entire created cosmos recoils in utter panic-stricken terror and helpless flight. The powerful Greek verb ephugen paints a vivid, dramatic picture of frantic, desperate, and uncontrollable flight, as though the whole vast universe is fleeing away like a terrified servant before the blazing anger and consuming holiness of its rightful Master. The material heavens and earth, which have groaned and travailed together in pain for long ages under the heavy curse and bondage of sin (Romans 8:22), simply cannot endure or withstand the unveiled, searing, and infinite holiness of the incarnate Son of God. “And there was found no place for them” (kai topos ouch heurethe autois). No towering mountain can hide the guilty. No vast ocean can swallow them up or conceal their shame. No dark cavern, no remote corner of the universe, and no hiding place anywhere offers the slightest refuge or shelter. The old creation completely and obediently dissolves in trembling submission to make way for the new heavens and the new earth, soon to be revealed in all their pristine and eternal glory. Behold this scene in all its terrifying majesty and cosmic grandeur: the Judge’s holy countenance shines with such consuming, blinding splendor that the very stars vanish from the sky, the mountains melt like wax before the fire, and the fabric of the universe itself flees away in helpless panic. There is absolutely no escape, no delay, and no hiding place anywhere for the guilty. This is the awe-inspiring, universe-shaking, cosmic backdrop against which the final judgment of all the wicked dead will now unfold in solemn and eternal detail. The Subjects (Revelation 20:12) “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” With the majestic, terrifying, and holy scene now vividly established, the apostle John solemnly describes the vast multitude of those who must appear before this awesome throne: “the dead, small and great” (tous nekrous tous megalous kai tous mikrous). This innumerable host includes every single human being who has ever lived and died without Christ—from the mightiest emperors, renowned philosophers, and world conquerors of history to the poorest peasants, nameless slaves, and long-forgotten souls in obscure corners of the earth. The term nekrous powerfully and solemnly underscores their former dreadful and hopeless condition: they were spiritually dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and physically dead and decaying in the grave. Now they are resurrected—not unto glorious and eternal life, but solely and exclusively to stand condemned and trembling before the righteous Judge. They “stand before God” (hestanda enopion tou theou) in solemn, trembling, and inescapable accountability. They do not sit as honored guests or relaxed observers; they stand as helpless, guilty defendants before the bar of infinite holiness and perfect justice. All earthly distinctions, privileges, and ranks vanish instantly: kings and beggars, the rich and the poor, the famous and the obscure—all stand equally naked, exposed, and without a single defense. Then the books are dramatically and solemnly opened: “the books were opened” (kai biblia eneochthesan). These are the perfect, unerring, and exhaustive records of God’s infinite omniscience—containing every single thought, every idle word, every secret deed, every hidden motive, every act of open rebellion, and every neglected opportunity for repentance. Nothing is lost in the mists of time, forgotten, exaggerated, or diminished by even the slightest degree. “And another book was opened, which is the book of life” (kai allo biblion eneochthe, ho estin tes zoes). This is the precious, blood-bought Lamb’s Book of Life, the eternal and unchangeable roll call of all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb (Revelation 13:8; 21:27). The dead “were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (ek ton gegrammenon en tois bibliois kata ta erga auton). For the unredeemed, their own accumulated works rise up as silent but utterly damning witnesses against them, proving beyond any shadow of doubt the universal guilt declared throughout Scripture: “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). The Significance (Revelation 20:13-14) “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” The resurrection is total, universal, complete, and absolutely inescapable. “The sea gave up the dead which were in it” (kai edoken he thalassa tous nekrous tous en aute)—even those whose bodies were lost in the darkest ocean depths, shipwrecked, or dissolved into nothingness over centuries are raised whole, intact, and fully conscious. “Death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them” (kai ho thanatos kai ho hades edokan tous nekrous tous en autois). Death releases the bodies it has claimed; Hades surrenders the disembodied spirits it has held in waiting. Every single prisoner is freed without exception for this final, terrifying accounting. “They were judged every man according to their works” (ekrithesan hekastos kata ta erga auton)—a perfectly personal, individual, thorough, and unanswerably just judgment. Then comes the climactic declaration of finality and eternal victory: “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (kai ho thanatos kai ho hades eblethesan eis ten limnen tou pyros. Houtos ho thanatos ho deuteros estin). Here we must clearly, carefully, and biblically distinguish the First Resurrection from the Second Death if we are to grasp the full weight and significance of this moment. The First Resurrection, described in detail earlier in this same chapter, is the glorious and blessed rising of all the righteous saints of every age: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). These blessed and holy ones rise to glorious life, priestly service, and triumphant reigning with Christ, enjoying complete and eternal immunity from all judgment and condemnation. The Second Death, however, is the lake of fire itself—the final, conscious, unending, and irreversible torment and eternal separation from the presence of God for all who die without Christ. It is not annihilation, cessation of existence, or temporary punishment. Scripture repeatedly describes those confined there as being “tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10; see also Revelation 14:11 and Mark 9:44-48). The first death is physical, temporary, and universal; the second death is spiritual, eternal, conscious, and reserved only for the impenitent. Those who share by faith in the First Resurrection escape the Second Death forever because the Lord Jesus Christ has already borne their full judgment and condemnation in His own body on the tree. Those who reject Him will experience both deaths in their fullest, most horrifying measure. How infinitely, eternally, and gloriously better it is to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ—the Bema Seat described in 2 Corinthians 5:10—than to stand condemned before this Great White Throne of terrifying justice! At the Bema Seat, believers, already washed in the atoning blood and forever accepted in the Beloved, have their works examined only for the purpose of rewards and commendation, never for condemnation or loss of salvation. Christ has fully and completely borne our judgment at Calvary: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). We may lose certain rewards through unfaithfulness, yet we ourselves are saved “so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15). At the Great White Throne there is no Advocate, no covering blood of the Lamb, and no possibility of mercy—only the damning books of works and the horrifying, eternal absence of one’s name from the Book of Life. The Sentence (Revelation 20:15) “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The sentence falls with devastating, irreversible, and terrifying finality and simplicity: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (ei tis ouch heurethe en te biblo tes zoes gegrammenos eblethe eis ten limnen tou pyros). No appeal is possible. No second chance is granted. No mitigation or end is ever offered. The lake of fire—originally prepared for the devil and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41)—becomes the everlasting, conscious abode of every soul whose name is missing from the Lamb’s Book of Life. All human works, however outwardly impressive or religious in human eyes, prove utterly powerless to save or deliver on that day. Conclusion and Appeal Dear friend, the blazing, inescapable reality of the Great White Throne Judgment should cause every heart to tremble with godly fear, every conscience to awaken, and every soul still outside of Christ to flee without a moment’s delay to the only place of safety—the cross of Calvary. To every sinner still living in unbelief and rebellion: Come now! Do not delay another heartbeat or take another breath without settling this eternal matter. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Repent of your sins with genuine sorrow and place your full, trusting faith in the finished work of the crucified, buried, and risen Savior. His precious, sin-cleansing blood can write your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life this very moment, delivering you forever from this throne of terror and granting you a joyful place in the blessed first resurrection and the eternal joys of the redeemed. To every true believer already resting in Christ: Live with holy urgency, eternity burning brightly in your soul, and a passionate desire to please your Lord. Be ready to meet your Savior at any instant, whether by death or by His glorious return. Serve Him with wholehearted devotion, faithfulness, and love so that when you stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ you may hear His glorious “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) and receive a full and abundant reward. “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42). May the solemn, weighty, and eternal truths of this passage stir us all to fervent prayer, pure and separated living, compassionate love for the lost, and bold, urgent gospel witness until Jesus returns in power and great glory. To the Lamb upon the throne, our blessed Savior and coming Judge, be all honor, praise, dominion, and glory forever and ever. Amen.

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  Episode #262

  The Millennial Kingdom of Christ | Revelation 20:1-6 | Dr. J. Allen Mashburn

  Jun 4, 202628 min

  The Millennial Kingdom: Christ’s Glorious Reign Upon the Earth Beloved reader, imagine a world where righteousness flows like a mighty river, where peace blankets every nation, where creation itself bursts forth in renewed splendor, and where the Lord Jesus Christ reigns visibly and personally from Jerusalem upon the throne of David. The Scriptures unveil this magnificent future age in vivid detail—a thousand-year period of unparalleled blessing, justice, and prosperity under the sovereign rule of the King of kings. Let us open the King James Version together and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate these precious truths. As we journey through God’s Word, may our hearts be stirred with hope and holy expectation. The Foundation: Satan Bound and the Saints Raised The Apostle John, exiled on the Isle of Patmos, received the climactic vision of this kingdom in the Book of Revelation. Hear the very words of Scripture: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:1-6, KJV) With Satan bound and sealed in the bottomless pit, deception and demonic influence are dramatically curtailed. The Prince of Peace can now establish His rule without the constant sabotage of the adversary. At the same time, the faithful—particularly those who endured great tribulation—are raised in the first resurrection to share in Christ’s government. This is no vague spiritual kingdom; it is a literal, earthly reign following the glorious return of Christ described in Revelation 19. The King and His Throne: Fulfillment of Ancient Covenants At the center of this kingdom stands the Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilling every promise made to the fathers. The Davidic Covenant is realized in full: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2 Samuel 7:16, KJV) The angel Gabriel declared to Mary: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:32-33, KJV) Isaiah foresaw the government resting upon His shoulders: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7, KJV) Daniel beheld the Son of Man receiving universal dominion: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14, KJV) Zechariah proclaimed: “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9, KJV) Jerusalem will be exalted, the nations will stream to it, and the glory of the Lord will fill the earth. Righteousness, Peace, and the Transformation of Creation Under this righteous King, injustice will vanish. Isaiah describes His perfect judgment: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” (Isaiah 11:1-5, KJV) The animal kingdom will be reconciled: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 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.” (Isaiah 11:6-9, KJV) War will cease forever: “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4, KJV) A Time of Extraordinary Economic Prosperity and Blessings This kingdom will overflow with economic prosperity and material blessings such as the world has never known. The curse upon the ground will be lifted in large measure, and the earth will yield her increase abundantly. Listen to the prophet Amos: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” (Amos 9:13-15, KJV) Joel echoes this abundance: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.” (Joel 3:18, KJV) Isaiah 35 paints a picture of highways of holiness, blossoming deserts, and rejoicing: “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.” (Isaiah 35:1-2, KJV) The lame shall leap, the blind shall see, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Ezekiel foretells multiplied harvests and restored cities for Israel: “And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.” (Ezekiel 36:30, KJV) Homes will be built, vineyards planted, and families will enjoy the work of their hands without fear of loss. Commerce will flourish under just laws, with no exploitation or poverty for those who walk in obedience. The knowledge of the Lord and His righteous rule will produce a global economy of blessing, where “every man shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4, KJV) This is not socialism or forced equality, but divine prosperity flowing from the presence of the King. We Shall Rule and Reign with Christ One of the most astonishing privileges of this kingdom is that believers—those raised in the first resurrection—will rule and reign with Christ. The Scriptures are clear and repeated on this point. Revelation 20:6 declares that the resurrected saints “shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 5:10 adds: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10, KJV) Paul encouraged Timothy: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” (2 Timothy 2:12, KJV) Jesus Himself promised the apostles: “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28, KJV) In the Parable of the Pounds, the faithful servants are rewarded with authority over cities: “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19:17, KJV) The Apostle Paul further declares: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? … Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3, KJV) Resurrected believers will serve as co-regents, administering justice, overseeing provinces, teaching the nations, and reflecting the character of Christ. What an incentive for faithfulness today! Our present service and suffering are preparing us for eternal responsibility in that coming day. Israel Restored, Worship Central, and the Transition to Eternity Israel will be regathered, regenerated, and prominent in the land (Ezekiel 36:24-28; 37:21-28). The temple vision in Ezekiel 40-48 reveals a glorious house of worship where the glory of God returns. All nations will come yearly to worship the King and keep the feasts (Zechariah 14:16-21). After the thousand years, Satan is briefly loosed, leading a final rebellion that is swiftly crushed (Revelation 20:7-10). Then follows the Great White Throne Judgment and the ushering in of the new heavens and new earth, where God tabernacles with man forever (Revelation 20:11–22:5). A Challenge to Serve Christ and Surrender All Today Dear friend, this glorious kingdom is not a fable—it is the certain promise of our faithful God. The same Jesus who died for your sins and rose victorious will one day reign in splendor, and those who belong to Him by faith will share in His reign. The challenge before us is clear: Will you serve Christ wholeheartedly today? Will you surrender your all—your ambitions, your possessions, your very life—to the One who will soon return as King? If you have never trusted Him as Savior, repent and believe the gospel today. If you are a believer, live as a future king or priest in training. Let every decision, every act of service, every moment of worship be shaped by the coming kingdom. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! May we be found faithful when He appears, ready to reign with Him in righteousness and joy. Surrender your all to Christ today, and enter into the blessed hope of His eternal kingdom. Amen.

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