Bible Study Subject
Through the years there has been controversy about the subject of A "Thousand-Year Reign and/or the Millenium." Therefore, let’s take a trip through the pages of the Bible and see just what God has to say about this subject.
Before we get started, I would like to pose a couple of questions:
1. Do you believe that God’s Word is Truth? - St. John 17:17
2. Do you believe that a lie is no part of The Truth? - 1st John 2:21
If you answer both questions with, "yes", then you must conclude that the following Scriptures are True.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 4:17 wrote, "As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."
We know that during Abraham’s lifetime, he did not physically see his seed become many nations. However, the apostle Paul actually saw the evidence and in fact was part of that evidence that came to being from that which was not.
In Hebrews 11:3 we read, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
It is true that God often speaks in metaphors and similitude therefore, one needs Holy Ghost inspired interpretation by and through the Written Word of God in order to know Scripture application.
The Prophet Job in Job 26:7 said, “He “God” stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing."
Space travelers can affirm that the World is just sitting in space with seemingly no external support just like the Scripture states.
In St. Matthew 5:5 Jesus was reported to say, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
One word to consider here is the word, “shall.” Shall, is a future-tense word. That means, it has not happened yet. Although, God and Jesus speak it as though it is.
In the beginning God gave Adam dominion over the earth and every thing in it. But when Adam sinned, he basically sold his owner-ship to satan. We see the evidence of this when satan tempts Jesus saying, he will give Jesus all the eye can see if He will worship him. St. Luke 4:5-7
Jesus did not respond to satan by telling him he didn’t have the authority to give Him what He saw. But He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
St. Luke 4:8
In St. Luke 17:20-21 we read, "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: *Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
The Kingdom of Heaven that is within us cometh by redemptive Blood of Jesus through the Power of the Holy Ghost which is: righteous, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
Righteousness is living life according to that which is Written in the Word of God. A person can experience peace by being a person of peace, James 3:18 and by showing themselves friendly, Proverbs 18:24. A person can experience the joy that this world can not give only by, in and through the Holy Ghost.
King Davis in Psalms 110:1-2 wrote, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. *The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."
This has not happened yet. The footstool is not in its place and the enemy is still unruly ~
In Revelation 11:17 it is written, “We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.”
Remember that this is a vision that John the Revelator is seeing, before it actually happens. It is yet to come.
John in Revelation 20:4 wrote, "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."
If you were to see someone that was beheaded, the adjective (was) is past tense. When a person that was beheaded is raised at the coming of Jesus, they will have a NEW BODY. Praise His Holy Name!
Where and when are these Saints that were beheaded ruling and reigning with Christ for a thousand years if not after the resurrection / Christ’s second coming? It surly can’t be now because those Saints that were beheaded are still in the grave.
The Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:13 wrote, “Who (speaking of the Heavenly Father) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
The Apostle Paul speaking here makes it sound like this has already, actually, physically happened because of his use of the past-tense word (hath). However, here again Paul is speaking as Jesus did in calling those things that are not as though they already are.
That word (translated) is an interesting word. It was used another time in the Bible when referring to Enoch in Hebrews 11:5, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."
To find out something very important about this statement regarding Enoch being translated, one needs to read Hebrews 11:13 where it states, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Hebrews 11:40, is also important because it states that, “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”
I like the words, “they without us” because it confirms that God is of not a respecter of persons.
Note what is stated in Acts 10:34-35, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: *But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
Aren’t you glad that God is not a respecter of persons? Aren’t you glad that God says what He means, means what He says, and that He doesn’t change or deviate from what He says?
Jesus is the only one that lived on this Earth that has received a Glorified Body. He is the only one that has actually ascended to God’s Heavenly Kingdom. Likewise, He is the only one that has experienced the FULLNESS of the Kingdom of God.
In Revelation 20:6 we read, "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."
One needs to remember that this second death that John the Revelator is referring to is not a back-slid condition of some of the Saints, it is regarding the final reward of satan, his angels and sinners that refuse to repent - see Revelation 20:14 & 21:8.
John in Revelation 21:1-2 wrote, "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. *And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
As far as I can discern, by whatever means, we are still living under the same heaven, on the same earth and by the same sea that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and also Jesus lived with.
Again in Revelation 21:5 & 7 John writes, "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. *He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
ALL things have not become NEW yet ~
In Revelation 3:12 we read, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him My New Name."
John in Revelation 21:7 wrote, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
I don’t know about you friend, but I haven’t fully overcome ALL things yet. I still suffer in the flesh and from what I read in the Scriptures, when ALL things are made NEW, I / we will have a NEW body. There will no longer be any pain, sorrow, sickness or dying. Praise His Holy Name!
However, it is true that we are NOW called the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. 1st John 3:2
Another Scripture in 1st John 4:17 states that, “as He is, so are we in this world." I don’t know about you, but to me, to be like Jesus is simply AMAZING!
In Revelation 21:9 we read, "Come hither, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. And He carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that Great City, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
Please note that this experience that John had was a Spiritual experience not a literal experience. Also, here it is Holy Jerusalem, the Holy White City descending out of heaven from God and it isn’t here yet.
I would like to share another thought here. When referring to the Bride or as it is described in another verse in Revelation 21:2 - as a Bride. This scripture is speaking figuratively. The Saints as Lively Stones - 1st Peter 2:5, are part of that City. The Bride as the Apostle John recorded Jesus say in St. John 14:2, “I go to prepare a place for you.” The Saints are His Building - 1st Corinthians 3:9
John in Revelation 21:9-14 said, "Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; *And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: *On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. *And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
The twelve Apostles are those twelve foundations, Jesus, Himself being the Chief Cornerstone. And we, the rest of the Saints as Lively Stones are part of that City.
In Revelation 21:27 we read, "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."
If we are literally in God’s Heavenly Kingdom today, now, why are there still abominable, lying, defiling things in it?
John in Revelation 22:12-14 wrote, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. *I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. *Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
If the Saints have already received their reward, why would Jesus be bringing a reward with Him when He comes to receive His own, the Saints.
Jesus said that He is coming and bringing His reward for the Saints with Him. He hasn’t returned; He isn’t here yet. Jesus is coming back for a people that are looking for and love His appearing. 2nd Peter 3:12-13 & Titus 4:8
In St. Matthew 7:21, the Apostle wrote, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
In St. Matthew 13:10-11 it is written, "The disciples came (to Jesus), and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? *He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."
ALL THINGS are revealed in their time ~
The Apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 wrote, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
The Saints of today can experience the Kingdom of Heaven by living a righteous life; by living their life according to that which is Written in The Word of God, that is righteousness. They can experience perfect peace by being a people of peace, James 3:18. They can also experience a joy in and through the Holy Ghost that this present world can not give.
The Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 6:1-3 said, “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? *Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? *Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?”
I don’t see the Saints judging the world, nor judging angels in this present day. I know that by living a righteous life, the Saints condemn sin in the world. When Jesus comes again, then He will give the Saints this power and authority.
The Prophet Daniel in Daniel 7:21-22 wrote, "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; *Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."
In Daniel 7:18 we read, "The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever."
Don’t you think a person should have authority and control over anything that they possess? I don’t see the Saints having much control over anything at this present time. Do you?
King David in Psalms 25:13 said, “His soul shall dwell at ease; and His seed shall inherit the earth.” Time and time again throughout the Bible, the Scripture uses this future tense word, “shalt” to inform the Saints that which will be.
In Psalms 37:8-11 King David wrote, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. *For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. *For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. *But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
The righteous shall inherit the earth and live in peace once the wicked are taken away.
The Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 57:13 (in part) said, “He that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain."
"Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." St. Matthew 19:29
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" St. Matthew 25:34
The Kingdom of Heaven began with Jesus The Only Begotten Son of The Heavenly Father before this world began. Praise His Holy and Righteous Name!
In closing, let me remind you of the following Scripture in Revelation 22:19, "If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this book."
Derwood A. Stewart, Minister
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Comments? Email Us: hope@preachersteacher.org
