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11.
The Return of Messiah
The
End of Daniel’s 70th week
27
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to
sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations
shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the
consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the
desolate."
In
Daniel 9:24, seven events will be completed for
Israel with the 490 years determined on his people and
his holy city.
Ø
To finish
transgression
Ø
Make an end of sins
Ø
Reconciliation for iniquity
Ø
Bring in everlasting righteousness
Ø
To seal up vision
Ø
prophecy
Ø
to anoint the most Holy.
At
69 weeks with the death of the “Suffering Messiah”, some
have argued that all these conditions were fulfilled.
Despite the cross, sins have continued to increase with
an increasing population. Prophecy and vision is not
“Sealed up” or complete. Prophecy fulfillment is taking
place today in
Israel and Jerusalem. Only at Christ’s return, will God
judge the sin’s of Earth, and control of the kingdom’s
will be turned over to the saints. During the reign of
Messiah, prophecy and visions cease. The glorious
appearing of the Messiah will bring about the judgment
of this age.
When
Messiah came into the world the first time the world
waited for a glorious king to appear. They were not
expecting a baby birthed in a Bethlehem manger. When
Jesus returns it will be to a converted
Israel
awaiting its glorious king who was “Despised and
rejected” by an earlier generation. For this reason, we
see two pictures of Messiah in the scripture. He is
both, “exalted and extolled and… very high” and “marred
more than any man”. Isaiah captures the two pictures of
Messiah separated by time. The first time Messiah comes
and is marred more than any man, the second time He is
exalted and extolled and very high.
13
Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
14
Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men;
15
So shall He £sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see,
And what they had not heard they shall consider.
Isaiah 52:13-15
The
fist picture was suffering servant, the second
is conquering king. Jesus will conquer the armies
of the world in their final assault against God. Satan
will make his final stand against Christ. Dwelling
inside the body of the “Beast”, he will try to destroy
humanity.
Israel’s conversion to Messiah will bring the return of
Christ.
Israel’s Position
To
understand the return of Christ we need to understand
the unique position of Israel in the Earth. Through
Israel, God accomplishes his work on Earth. Israel’s
rejection of Messiah allowed the Gentile nations to
partake of the covenant relationship that God
established with Abraham and his descendents.
6And
you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy
nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to
the children of
Israel.”
Exodus 19:6
23And
who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on
the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a
people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for
Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before
Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt,
the nations, and their gods?
2
Samuel 7:23
6“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the
LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself,
a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of
the earth.
Deuteronomy 7:6
The
Church, the believing body of Jews and Gentiles never
nullified God’s relationship with Israel. The rejection
of Messiah put Israel’s position on hold until a
righteous generation was ready to accept the Messiah
earlier rejected by most of Israel.
During the 70th Week, God deals with
Israel. A select portion of Israel goes into hiding in
the mountains of Judea, to be cared for 1260-days or 3.5
years. According to Zechariah, during this period 2/3
of Israel dies in this period of testing. Satan in an
all out war attempts to destroy every remaining Jew or
believer in Jesus Christ because of his rage.
(Revelation 12:17)
8 And
it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the Lord, "That
two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-
third shall be left in it: 9 I will bring the one-third
through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My
name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My
people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "
Zechariah 13:8-9
To
this generation Jesus said the following statement
before he left the Temple in Jerusalem.
for I
say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”Matthew
23:39
Jesus warned Jerusalem, they will not see Him until they
acknowledge He came in the LORD’s name. The nation will
have to accept Him as their Messiah, before He returns.
The conversion of this generation will bring
the return of Messiah. What will cause this generation
to see Christ? The events in Daniel’s 70th week will
transform Israel. During this period Israel will turn
to Jesus as Messiah and will pray for his return. The
seeds planted in the first half of the tribulation will
bear fruit in the 2nd half of the 70th week.
Israel’s survivors, hidden in the Earth and elsewhere
will cry out to Jesus as Messiah, at the end of the 70th
week. Christ will return with the angels and saints to
begin the Messianic Kingdom with an obedient Israel.
The
Day of the Lord
The
Day of the Lord, referred to 19 times in the Old
Testament., is a period of judgment and dread on the
Earth.
6Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It
will come as destruction from the Almighty.7 Therefore
all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt,
8And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take
hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in
childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their
faces will be like flames.
Isaiah 13:6-8
The
Day of the Lord ends with the return of Messiah.
However, before Messiah/Christ returns, most people on
the Earth will die. Almost 50% die in the first three
and half years, the result of war, Others die from
cosmological disasters affecting water and food
supplies. An innumerable number suffer for their faith
in Christ, sing praises in Heaven (Revelation 6:9,
7:9-17, 15:2). This leaves the remaining survivors,
those in hiding for their faith, and those who choose
the Antichrist and his Kingdom. The second group,
receives the wrath of God, as they unite in their
assault against God.
The
survivors, the ones marked with the name of the Beast,
666 head toward
Jerusalem
in their final assault on God. The river
Euphrates is dried up to make their journey easy.
Unknown to them, they are heading for eternal judgment,
they think they are coming to make war against God, but
they are being gathered for judgment.
The
Conversion of
Israel
The spiritual conversion of Israel is pictured for us
in the book of Joel. Joel 1 tells Israel to pray and
seek God as the armies of the world pictured as locusts
gather against her. Like Daniel in the lions den saved
by God’s angel,
Israel
will be surrounded by the lions of the Earth. Her only
hope will be in the Messiah rejected by an earlier
generation.
13 Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail,
you who minister before the altar; Come, lie
all night in sackcloth, You who minister to my God; For
the grain offering and the drink offering Are
withheld from the house of your God.
14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry
out to the LORD.
15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at
hand;
Joel
1:13-14
The
armies pictured for us in the 2nd chapter of Joel bring
darkness and gloom on the earth. As spiritual blindness
leaves
Israel,
the words of the prophets come to life. An instruction
manual, a guide for
Israel’s
physical and spiritual survival will unfold as they see
themselves living out verses written almost 2700 years
earlier.
1 Blow the trumpet in
Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the
inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at
hand:2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of
clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds
spread over the mountains. A people come, great and
strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there
ever be any such after them, Even for many successive
generations.
Joel
2:1-2
This coming confrontation between
Israel and the nations of the World will bring about the
conversion of Israel. Sometime after the invasion and
conquest of Israel at the “Midpoint” of Daniel’s 70th
week,
Israel
will rebel against the armies of the Antichrist During
this rebellion the people of
Israel
receive supernatural powers to throw off the conquering
armies. Picture of an eighty-year-old man fighting like
King David or descendents of David fighting like
superman might be hard to fathom. However, the “Day of
the Lord” will be unlike any day in the history of
humanity. Days when the spiritual realms merge with
physical as the armies of Satan make their final stand
against God. In that day, God will empower Israel to
fight back in supernatural power.
6In
that day I will make the governors of Judah like a
firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the
sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples
on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall
be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.7“The LORD
will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of
the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of
Judah.
8In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of
Jerusalem;
the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be
like David, and the house of David shall be like God,
like the Angel of the LORD before them.
Zechariah 12:6-8
All
the nations will be gathered to Israel for a final
assault on the God of the universe.
The
Kings of the Earth gathered
The exact events of what will lead the nations of the
earth to
Israel are not entirely clear. There are several
theories and opinions. One theory, has armies from the
East coming against The armies of the Beast after the
capital of the Beast is destroyed in Revelation 18.
Another theory, the armies of the east unite with the
armies of the Beast after demonic signs and wonders are
performed in alliance against God. Regardless of the
reason, the worldwide meeting is at Armageddon and
Jerusalem. The purpose is Satanic and the result of
demonic signs and wonders (Rev 16:13). These signs and
wonders gather the nations, under Satanic delusion.
40“At
the time of the end the king of the South shall attack
him; and the king of the North shall come against him
like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many
ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them,
and pass through. 41He shall also enter the
Glorious
Land,
and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall
escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent
people of Ammon. 42He shall stretch out his hand against
the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43He shall have power over the treasures of gold and
silver, and over all the precious things of
Egypt;
also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his
heels. 44But news from the east and the north shall
trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury
to destroy and annihilate many. 45And he shall plant the
tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious
holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one
will help him.
Daniel 11:40-45
Rebellion will cause the gathering of the nations to
Israel.
The gathering of nations is pictured in both Old and New
Testaments. The nations are being gathered for
judgment.
9It
shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the
nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12:9
Joel
links these days to the gathering of the captives of
Judah and Jerusalem. When the captives are gathered,
the nations of the Earth will also be gathered for
judgment. The Valley of Jehoshaphat has been identified
by the Jewish writer Kimchi as the
Kidron
Valley which separates Mt. Olives from the Eastern wall
of the Temple Mount. Here is where the nations will be
judged by the Messiah.
1
“For behold, in those days and at that time,When I
bring back the captives of
Judah
and Jerusalem,
2
I will also gather all nations, And bring
them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter
into judgment with them thereOn account
of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have
scattered among the nations; They have also divided up
My land.3 They have cast lots for My people, Have
given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for
wine, that they may drink.9 Proclaim this
among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty
men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come
up.10 Beat your plowshares into swords And
your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am
strong.’”11 Assemble and come, all you
nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your
mighty ones to go down there, O
LORD.12 “Let the nations be wakened, and come
up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to
judge all the surrounding nations.13
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go
down; For the winepress is full, The vats
overflow— For their wickedness is great.”14
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For
the day of the LORD is near in the valley of
decision.15 The sun and moon will grow dark,
And the stars will diminish their brightness.
Joel
3:1-3, 9-15
12Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great
river
Euphrates,
and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings
from the east might be prepared. 13And I saw three
unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of
the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of
the mouth of the false prophet. 14For they are spirits
of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings
£of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who
watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and
they see his shame.”
16And
they gathered them together to the place called in
Hebrew, £Armageddon.
Revelation 16:12-16
17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried
with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in
the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the
£supper of the great God, 18that you may eat the flesh
of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty
men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them,
and the flesh of all people, £free and slave, both small
and great.” 19And I saw the beast, the kings of the
earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war
against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.Revelation
19:17-19
The
Glorious Appearing of the Lord
After
Israel’s
conversion, the prayer for Messiah’s return is answered
with the 2nd coming. Following the “Wedding
of the Lamb” and the “Wedding Supper”. Christ will
return with his bride to Earth to judge the nations. The
picture of his appearing is in both Old and New
Testaments.
From
Isaiah we see The Glorious return of Christ from Edom.
According to Daniel 11:41 Edom escapes out of the hand
of the Antichrist. Edom could be where the elect of
Israel have been preserved for 1260 days at the start
of the last half of the tribulation. When the
“Abomination of Desolation” took place. (Rev 12:6,
Matthew 24:16)
1
Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from
Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel,
Traveling in the greatness of His strength?— “I who
speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”2 Why is Your
apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in
the winepress? 3 “I have trodden the winepress alone,
And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have
trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury;
Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have
stained all My robes.4 For the day of vengeance is
in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help, And I
wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore
My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it
sustained Me.6 I have trodden down the peoples in My
anger, Made them drunk in My fury, And brought down
their strength to the earth.”
Isaiah 63:1-6
From
Edom,
Christ will proceed to Jerusalem to those who earlier
rejected Him. In that day there will be great morning
in the
land
of
Israel.
Israel
will mourn over their lost and recovered relationship
with the God of the Universe. Zechariah compares this
weeping to the lost of a firstborn son. When Jesus came
the first time He wept over Jerusalem and the pain and
suffering they would go thru because their rejection.
Jesus saw what could have been. The future glories of
Jerusalem will be realized when Jesus comes to the
generation of Israel that waits for him.
41Now
as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
42saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in
this your day, the things that make for your peace! But
now they are hidden from your eyes.
Luke
19:41
Israel at the end of the tribulation period will
understand the Messiah was Jesus. Their understanding
leads to the return of Christ as promised in Matthew
23:39. Jesus will return as King Messiah, who will reign
over the earth with his saints.
10“And I will pour on the house of David and on the
inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and
supplication; then they will look on Me whom they
pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns
for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for
a firstborn. 11In that day there shall be a great
mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon
in the plain of £Megiddo.
Zechariah 12:10-11
3
Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those
nations, As He fights in the day of battle.4 And in
that day His feet will stand on the
Mount
of Olives,
Which faces
Jerusalem
on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split
in two, From east to west,9 And the LORD shall be
King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—
“The LORD is one,” And His name one.12And this shall be
the plague with which the LORD will strike all the
people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh
shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their
eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues
shall dissolve in their mouths.13 It shall come to pass
in that day That a great panic from the LORD will be
among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his
neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor’s
hand;14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:3-4,9,12-14
25“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and
in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26men’s
hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of
those things which are coming on the earth, for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they
will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and
great glory. 28Now when these things begin to
happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your
redemption draws near.”
Luke
21:25-28
29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the
sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers
of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then the sign of the
Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the
tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the
Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory. 31And He will send His angels with a
great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together
His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to
the other.
Matthew 24:29-31
Matthew, Luke and Zechariah present the view of men
looking Heaven word for the coming of redemption. The
nation will look up and see the Son of man coming in
power and glory, the earth will not rejoice at his
coming, He is coming for judgment.
Israel will weep, because at this point they will
understand the one rejected and defamed was God Himself,
the Son of God, Jesus Christ, rejected for thousands of
years as Messiah was the Messiah. Now He comes with
great glory and the host of Heaven, to rescue Israel
from the Gentile nations.
Those in the gentile nations will mourn because of the
coming judgment. The survivors of Armageddon, and those
throughout the earth will be gathered to be judged.
Revelation presents the view of the redeemed in Heaven,
John is writing from the prospective of those about to
return with Christ to the earth. Chapter 19, shows the
armies of Heaven led by King of the Universe, Jesus the
Messiah, along with the armies of heaven, the saints and
angels. The saints are pictured as clothed in white
linen riding on white horses.
11Now
I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He
who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness He judges and makes war. 12His eyes were
like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.
He £had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His
name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies in
heaven, clothed in £fine linen, white and clean,
followed Him on white horses. 15Now out of His mouth
goes a £sharp sword, that with it He should strike the
nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of
iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God. 16And He has on His robe and
on His thigh a name written:KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF
LORDS. Revelation 19:11-15
The
Elect Gathered
Jesus returns with the saints and angels of Heaven. The
Church is his bride and will reign with the Messiah.
Those believers who came to Christ during the
tribulation period and were not killed, but are in
hiding will be gathered by the angels.
31And
He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew
24:31
Believers resurrected
In
Luke 19:12-27 we read about the parable of the master
who goes into a distant country to receive a kingdom.
Before he goes he entrusts to his servants his
possessions. Each servant is given possessions to his
ability. When the master returns his servants are
rewarded based on what they did with the goods entrusted
to them. Some are given cities to rule over in the
masters kingdom based on their faithfulness.
This parable is for believers to show them
in the Kingdom of Messiah they will be rewarded for
their service. Saints will rule the Earth with the King
of the Earth. Even those killed by the Antichrist for
refusing the mark and holding to their witness will be
given authority in the kingdom of Messiah.
21“I
was watching; and the same horn was making war against
the saints, and prevailing against them, 22until the
Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor
of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for
the saints to possess the kingdom. 27Then the kingdom
and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under
the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the
saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
Daniel 7:21,27
4And
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the
word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his
image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads
or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with
Christ for £a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4
The
Nations and Angels Judged
The
nations and the angels who rebelled will be gathered for
judgment. Paul in I Corinthians writes, “We shall judge
angels”. These are the angels who rebelled with Satan,
and tempted and possessed humanity since the fall.
This is one of the rewards Jesus will give to his
faithful to bear his authority in the earth.
3Do
you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more,
things that pertain to this life?
I Corinthians
6:3
There will be a transition to the Kingdom of
Messiah as nations will be judged for their actions
during the tribulation period. Some nations will not
enter the Messianic Kingdom others will. Nations will
be judged on how they treated the saints during this
period.
This
judgment is for those who are alive at the return of
Christ. Those who died without Christ are not part of
this judgment. This judgment is to determine who will
enter the millennial kingdom of Messiah.
31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the
£holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of
His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before
Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will
set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the
left.
Matthew 25:31-32
Daniel is told that he will receive his inheritance at
the end of days. Daniel along with the saints will
participate in the
Kingdom
of Messiah. The judgment period of the Messianic
kingdom appears to be 45 days long. Daniel 12 tells us
those who reach the 1335 days will be blessed. The
daily sacrifice was taken away 30 days prior to the
abomination of desolation being set up. 30 days + 1260
days=1290 days. At the end of the 1260-days is the
return of Christ. One thousand three hundred thirty five
days are 45 days after the return of Christ. Daniel
writes, blessed are those who come to the 1335th
day. Therefore, we can logically conclude these 45 days
were a period of judgments and assignments in the
Kingdom of Messiah, a transition period.
11“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken
away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there
shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.
12Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand
three hundred and thirty-five days.13“But you, go your
way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to
your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Daniel 12:11-13
Antichrist & False Prophet cast into the
Lake
of Fire.
The
Two Human beings the Beast and false prophet will be the
first occupants of the
Lake
of
Fire.
The Lake of Fire will be the permanent dwelling of
those who dwell in Hell. Hell is temporary holding cell
till the eventual judgment of all who will stand before
the throne of God to judged of their sins.
In the Lake of Fire they will be fully cognizant and
aware of their fate.
20Then the beast was captured, and with him the false
prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he
deceived those who received the mark of the beast and
those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive
into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 19:20
Satan bound for 1000 years
Satan will loose the physical body of the beast and be
cast into Hell. In Hell Satan will be mocked and
ridiculed by those who were terrified by him. The
dwellers of Hell will be in wonder how such a weak
looking person could have been so fearsome to the
world. This period of Satan humiliation will
last during the Millennium. At the end of this 1000 year
period Satan will be released to test the nations.
1Then
I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key
to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2He
laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the
Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him
up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the
nations no more till the thousand years were finished.
But after these things he must be released for a little
while.
Revelation 20:1-3
3 It
shall come to pass in the day the LORD gives you rest
from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard
bondage in which you were made to serve, 4that you will
take up this proverb against the king of
Babylon,
and say:“How the oppressor has ceased, The golden city
ceased!5 The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of the rulers;
6 He who struck the people in wrath with a continual
stroke, He who ruled the nations in anger, Is persecuted
and no one hinders. 9 “Hell from beneath is excited
about you, To meet you at your coming; It
stirs up the dead for you, All the chief ones of the
earth; It has raised up from their thrones All the kings
of the nations.
10 They all shall speak and say to you: ‘Have you
also become as weak as we? Have you become like
us?11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, And the sound
of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under
you, And worms cover you.’
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O £Lucifer, son of
the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You
who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your
heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the
north;
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will
be like the Most High.’15 Yet you shall be brought down
to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. 16 “Those who
see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,Who
shook kingdoms, 17 Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of
his prisoners?’
Isaiah 14:3-6,9-21
Satan called the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14, literally
becomes King of Babylon. Satan, who entered the
Antichrist at the midpoint of the 70th week,
becomes king of New Babylon, indwelling the person of
the Antichrist.
Babylon is rebuilt and becomes the capital city of earth
during the tribulation period. Satan becomes king when
he enters the Antichrist and assumes his power in his
person.
At
the second coming, Satan is separated from the
Antichrist who is cast into the lake of fire along with
the false prophet. Satan is bound, his power is removed
and he is thrown into hell to the amazement of its
occupants.
Saints assignments given
What role will the saints serve during the
Millennium? We know from scripture what the 12
disciples will be doing this period. Jesus told them
they will rule over the 12 tribes of
Israel,
during the regeneration. The regeneration is the
resurrection period, the period promised to Daniel in
the 12 chapter when Daniel was told he will rise to his
inheritance.
28 So
Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in
the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the
throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also
sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel.
29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or wife or children or
lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold,
and inherit eternal life. 30 "But many who are first
will be last, and the last first.
Matthew 19:28-30
In
the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-29 and the
parable of the Minas in Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells his
church what role they will serve when he returns. He
compares himself to a man traveling to a far country to
gain a kingdom. When he has attained his kingdom, he
returns to reward his servants. His reward is based upon
faithful service in the master’s absence.
In
the same way the saints both in the Old Testament and
New Testament are promised the Kingdom in the period of
Messiah. Currently, the kingdoms of the earth are ruled
by men in an earthly system. In the Millennium the
kingdoms will be ruled by Christ, through his saints who
will represent him over the kingdoms of the earth.
The
saints will serve three roles according to scripture.
The will be rulers, judges and priest over the
millennium. As the population of the earth, grows
during the thousand year period saints will be
established over a repopulated earth.
6
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over such the second death has no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6
And
have made us kings and priests to our God; And we
shall reign on the earth."
Revelation 5:10
18
'But the saints of the Most High shall receive the
kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever
and ever.' 22
"until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made
in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time
came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
Daniel 7:18,22
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