Admittedly, we are living in "this present evil age" with wickedness and ungodliness on every hand, but over against the abounding sin of man is the much more over abounding grace of God. During this age God is withholding the judgment that man so richly deserves. He is reaching out in grace to all everywhere, offering pardon from sin and everlasting life to all who will believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Already this dispensation of grace has lasted longer than any previous one. Even after many centuries the door of salvation still stands widely open and whosoever will may enter in. One of these days that door wiII be closed and then God will no longer be speaking in His grace, but "then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure" (Psalm 2:5). In that coming day many will be praying to the mountains and rocks, and saying, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6 16-17) Instead of grace it will be wrath. It behooves each one to flee to Christ, the eternal Rock of Ages, and find in Him a refuge from the coming storms of judgment.
This present age of grace will end with the removal from this earthly scene of the Church, by means of the Rapture, when every member of that Church will be caught away to be forever with the Lord. This takes place prior to the Great Tribulation. The Church was a secret and has no place in a prophesied period of time such as the Great Tribulation, which is "the time of Jacob's trouble" and has to do with Israel's prophesied program. Members of the Church have been "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (I Thessalonians 1:9-10). The Lord Jesus has been raised from the dead and has rescued and delivered us from the coming wrath, for "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:9)
In every age had a people those who are his witness. The Great Tribulation will be no exception. Even then God will have those who will bear a testimony for Him. In the seventh chapter of Revelation the judgments are briefly suspended while 144,000 are sealed and sent forth to be Jehovah's witnesses. There is no need to speculate as to who these are. The Scripture plainly states they are all Jews, twelve thousand from each one of the twelve tribes that make up that nation. Through their preaching of the gospel the world will be evangelized and the result is an innumerable multitude saved out of all the nations. What gospel will they be preaching? Not the gospel of the grace of God which we preach today. The Lord tells us what gospel they would preach. In the Olivet discourse He said, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24 14) The kingdom of heaven will again be at hand and these witnesses will be preaching the gospel of the kingdom. They will testify of the coming kingdom and when the testimony has reached all nations the consummation will come with the return of that One of whom the prophet Isaiah wrote: "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" (9:7).
The Great Tribulation will be a time when God will be pouring out the vials of wrath upon the impenitent, but it will also be a time when Satan will be venting his wrath against the Lord's people. Many of the saints will suffer martyrdom because of their refusal to take the mark of the Beast and to worship him In Revelation 6:9-10 the Apostle John writes: "1 saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth')" The blood of these martyrs will be avenged and they will be rewarded by having a part in the first resurrection to live and reign with Christ. We read: "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 worshiped 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" (Revelation 20:4). This resurrection is called the first simply because it is the first of the two which arc here being considered. This has no reference to the Body of Christ. At the Rapture several years prior to this some members of the Body Church will have already experienced a resurrection out from among those who are dead. The above Scripture indicates that those who take the mark of the Beast have sealed their doom; they have committed a sin which will not be pardoned. To refuse to take the mark will mean physical death, whereas to take it will mean spiritual death. The visible "sin unto death" mentioned in 1 John 5: 1 6 seems to have reference to this.
During the days of the French Revolution, when that country was filled with chaos and terror, there was a mighty spiritual movement under the Wesleys that kept England from going down the same path. It was called "The Great Awakening." The revolution in France and the revival in England were coexistent. So it will be in the End-time. That will be an era of trouble such as the world has never experienced, chaos indescribable, but at the same time it will be a season of soul saving such as was never seen before. It would appear from Scripture that the ones saved in the Tribulation will be those who had not previously heard the gospel. There are untold millions in many lands who have never had the opportunity to hear the good news of Christ, and those saved in the End-time will possibly come mainly from among these people. Those who have had the truth presented to them in this age of grace, and have turned away from it, will find that it is then too late. In every dispensation God has been "longsuffering ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," and even in this future time of judgment He will have his mcssengers and many will be brought to salvation. During the first three and a half years of the end time, while Antichrist is consolidating his power, God has the two witnesses in Jerusalem (Revelation 11 :7-12). The powerful testimony of these two will have a large part in preparing the world for the fruitful ministry of the 144,000. The 144,000 will be active during the last half of the seven years, which period is really the Great Tribulation. Yes, souls will be saved and snatched from the burning even during this time of judgment. We dare not hold out one ray of hope, though, to any who have heard the gospel today and have rejected God's offer of mercy, and who think they may have another chance at some future time. "Now is the day of salvation .. Today if ye will hear his voice." The passage in II Thessalonians 2: I0-12 seems to indicate that those who have refused the truth concerning Christ will be given over to believe the lie of Antichrist.
The period of tribulation concludes with the personal return of the rightful Ruler, our Lord Jesus Christ. He comes, unlike His first coming, not in weakness but in power, not to suffer at the hands of His enemies but to destroy them with the breath of His mouth, not to die on a tree of shame but to sit on a throne of glory. He comes to take unto Himself His great power and to reign. Matthew writes: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (25:31). Before this throne, the nations, or their representatives, are gathered and it will be determined what place they are to occupy in the millennial kingdom. Israel, restored to favor, their blindness removed, and again blessed of God, will be head among the nations. The Gentile nations will be blessed through them, as God promised to Abraham, saying, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3).
In the opening verses of Revelation 20 there is a reference six times to "the thousand years." This is the Millennium, for the word simply means a thousand annums, or one thousand years. Christ will be reigning during this time as King of kings and I,ord of lords, but His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom "which shall never be destroyed" and cannot be limited to a thousand years. The Millennium is only the initial stage of Christ's never-ending kingdom and has to do with "the heavens and the earth which are now" (II Peter 3:7). Then the kingdom will be continued in the eternal state having to do with the "new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (3:13). The Millennium is not the golden age, it is the iron age, when Christ will be ruling with a rod of iron. Blessed as the Millennium will be, it will be followed by something better. The Millennium is man's last test; Satan will be absent, in the bottomless pit, the curse at least partially removed, a righteous government installed, plenty for all, and yet, as in all previous ages, man fails again. Those born during the Millennium will still need to be born again. Many will be and many will not. Some will rebel against the laws of the kingdom and will be swiftly dealt with. Others will give feigned obedience but with no change of heart, and when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years they will rush to ally themselves with him and to fight against the Lord.
The conditions that will prevail in the Millennium will certainly be a vast improvement over the present order. Satan will not be on hand to deceive the nations for he will be shut up in the bottomless pit. Then the disciples prayer, "Thy kingdom come," will be answered. The Messianic kingdom will have come and the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then the peace long dreamed of will be a reality. The Prince of Peace will be enthroned and His kingdom will be peaceful. We read: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). With the curse lifted the earth will become fertile and fruitful, providing in abundance. Man's life span will be greatly lengthened and the world population will increase dramatically. There will be no homeless or hungry. All will be workers, and no shirkers, for the Divine Dictator and His agents will make sure that each one does his part. There will be a righteous rule, with no miscarriages of justice, and lawbreakers will be speedily punished, some even by death. But such a sovereignty over the earth with all the attendant blessings does not change the heart of man. This is proven when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years and when many will again flock to his banner in revolt against the King of kings.
Will the Lord have His messengers during the Millennium and will there be those who need their preaching and teaching? Multitudes will be born during the Millennium. They will be born as members of the lost Adamic race and therefore will need to have the gospel preached to them so they may be born again, for no one experiences the new birth apart from the hearing of the Word. Peter wrote: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abidetll for ever" (I Peter I :23). God will has to do with "the heavens and the earth which are now" (II Peter 3:7). Then the kingdom will be continued in the eternal state having to do with the "new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (3:13). The Millennium is not the golden age, it is the iron age, when Christ will be ruling with a rod of iron. Blessed as the Millennium will be, it will be followed by something better. The Millennium is man's last test; Satan will be absent, in the bottomless pit, the curse at least partially removed, a righteous government installed, plenty for all, and yet, as in all previous ages, man fails again. Those born during the Millennium will still need to be born again. Many will be and many will not. Some will rebel against the laws of the kingdom and will be swiftly dealt with. Others will give feigned obedience but with no change of heart, and when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years they will rush to ally themselves with him and to fight against the Lord.
The conditions that will prevail in the Millennium will certainly be a vast improvement over the present order. Satan will not be on hand to deceive the nations for he will be shut up in the bottomless pit. Then the disciples prayer, "Thy kingdom come," will be answered. The Messianic kingdom will have come and the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then the peace long dreamed of will be a reality. The Prince of Peace will be enthroned and His kingdom will be peaceful. We read: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). With the curse lifted the earth will become fertile and fruitful, providing in abundance. Man's life span will be greatly lengthened and the world population will increase dramatically. There will be no homeless or hungry. All will be workers, and no shirkers, for the Divine Dictator and His agents will make sure that each one does his part. There will be a righteous rule, with no miscarriages of justice, and lawbreakers will be speedily punished, some even by death. But such a sovereignty over the earth with all the attendant blessings does not change the heart of man. This is proven when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years and when many will again flock to his banner in revolt against the King of kings.
Will the Lord have His messengers during the Millennium and will there be those who need their preaching and teaching? Multitudes will be born during the Millennium. They will be born as members of the lost Adamic race and therefore will need to have the gospel preached to them so they may be born again, for no one experiences the new birth apart from the hearing of the Word. Peter wrote: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (I Peter I :23). God will has to do with "the heavens and the earth which are now" (II Peter 3:7). Then the kingdom will be continued in the eternal state having to do with the "new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (3:13). The Millennium is not the golden age, it is the iron age, when Christ will be ruling with a rod of iron. Blessed as the Millennium will be, it will be followed by something better. The Millennium is man's last test; Satan will be absent, in the bottomless pit, the curse at least partially removed, a righteous government installed, plenty for all, and yet, as in all previous ages, man fails again. Those born during the Millennium will still need to be born again. Many will be and many will not. Some will rebel against the laws of the kingdom and will be swiftly dealt with. Others will give feigned obedience but with no change of heart, and when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years they will rush to ally themselves with him and to fight against the Lord.
The conditions that will prevail in the Millennium will certainly be a vast improvement over the present order. Satan will not be on hand to deceive the nations for he will be shut up in the bottomless pit. Then the disciples prayer, "Thy kingdom come," will be answered. The Messianic kingdom will have come and the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then the peace long dreamed of will be a reality. The Prince of Peace will be enthroned and His kingdom will be peaceful. We read: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). With the curse lifted the earth will become fertile and fruitful, providing in abundance. Man's life span will be greatly lengthened and the world population will increase dramatically. There will be no homeless or hungry. All will be workers, and no shirkers, for the Divine Dictator and His agents will make sure that each one does his part. There will be a righteous rule, with no miscarriages of justice, and lawbreakers will be speedily punished, some even by death. But such a sovereignty over the earth with all the attendant blessings does not change the heart of man. This is proven when Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years and when many will again flock to his banner in revolt against the King of kings.
Will the Lord have His messengers during the Millennium and will there be those who need their preaching and teaching? Multitudes will be born during the Millennium. They will be born as members of the lost Adamic race and therefore will need to have the gospel preached to them so they may be born again, for no one experiences the new birth apart from the hearing of the Word. Peter wrote: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abidetll for ever" (1 Peter 1 :23). God will certainly have many messengers bearing the life-giving Word during this period. In fact, there will be an entire nation, constituting a royal priesthood, who will lead all the nations in their worship of Jehovah, and who will instruct them in all the laws of the kingdom. This is the purpose for which God raised up that nation, the nation Israel, Abraham's seed. God had said, "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep, my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exodus 19: 5-6) In the past Israel failed to perform this mission, but in the future they will succeed in bringing all nations to the knowledge of the true and living God. Then, as a result, "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14), 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" (Micah 4:2).
There can be little doubt as to the widespread dissemination of the Word during the thousand year Millennium. It is sad, but true, that there are untold millions in the world today who have never heard the gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation. This will not be true during the Millennium. All will have had God's message brought to them repeatedly and those who do not respond will be without excuse as well as without hope. In every age God has given His Word to the peoples of the world. Those who hear it and obey it are like the wise man who built his house upon the rock, and when the stonns came the house stood finn. Those who hear the Word and ignore it are like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and when the storms came the result was disastrous.
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