“Bible prophecy is not given to scare us, but to prepare us.” Greg Laurie
Today we identified the actors who will be part of the millennial kingdom at the 2nd Advent. All of heaven will be emptied as described in Revelation 19:11-21. Who returns with Messiah King Jesus at this incredible event in history?
1. All of the immortal incorruptible Church Age saints (1 Corinthians 15:50-54, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), having been rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ for their faithfulness, having received various crowns and white raiment ready to reign with our Lord and Savior in a spiritual manner befitting our commitment to him in this life. 1 Corinthians 3:8-15, 4:1-2, Revelation 5:9-10, 19:6-8
2. The Old Testament saints who waited patiently in paradise / Abraham's bosom in the heart of the earth (Luke 16:19-31) until Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God died for the sins of humanity satisfying the debt that He only could pay. Jesus went to paradise with the thief of the cross (Luke 23:42-43) fulfilling his own prophecy in Matthew 12:38-40. He went to preach to the rebellious antediluvian angels who were bound in everlasting chains of darkness. 2 Peter 3:18-20, Jude 1:6 These saints were resurrected with the Lord when he came out of paradise. Matthew 27:50-53, Ephesians 4:8-10 These saints will be mortal, but resurrected. Job 19:25-27, Psalms 71:20, Ezekiel 34:23-24, 37:24-25 They will be judged for their faithfulness upon returning with Christ at the 2nd Advent, and serve him in the millennial kingdom as befitting their reward. Matthew 25:14-30 The one talent individual could only be a person who was part of the tribulation Jews, who was an unfaithful steward and was stripped of his talent and cast into outer darkness / hell. He did not faithfully endure to the end. Matthew 24:13
3. The tribulation saints both living and dead (Revelation 20:4). Some resurrect as guests to the Matthew 22 wedding (Revelation 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 19:9), and some will be alive on earth waiting for the prophesied return of Messiah King Jesus. Matthew 25:31-46 The Matthew 13 parables describe them as the wheat and the good fish. This group consists of both Jews and Gentiles like the sheep nations who assist the Jews when the Antichrist wages war on them.
In summary, all of the people who participate in the first resurrection will be with Christ in kingdom. The issue of the rebellion that will occur at the end of the millennial kingdom, when Satan is loosed to deceive those who are born in the kingdom is what we will discuss comparing Ezekiel 38 to Revelation 20 in our next Bible study -- the Gog and Magog rebellion.
Five Basic Bible Study Principles:
1. The Law of non-contradiction – Two opposing doctrines, though true, cannot both be true at the same time. They are true for different groups at different times. (Contrast Acts 3:17-21 with Romans 16:25-27. Contrast Romans 4:1-5 with James 2:14-18. Contrast Romans 8:1-2 with James 2:10.) In all three examples, both statements are true, but not to the same group at the same time. Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17). We are not bound to the law because we are in the dispensation of the grace of God where all our tespasses are forgiven. 2. The Law of trans-dispensational truth – Some truths are universal, in that they are true in more than one dispensation. Example: The definition of faith is the same regardless of the dispensation. Studying the Bible through the lens of the mystery of the dispensation of the grace of God helps us to understand what the writers of the Old Testament understood to be true, and how it impacts our understanding of the scriptures. Hebrews 11:1-6, 2 Corinthians 5:7 3. Paul's letters are the commands of Christ. 1 Corinthians 14:37 Do we follow what Jesus said before the cross, or what Paul said after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ? The truth of the matter is: What Paul wrote is what Jesus commanded after his ascension. Galatians 1:1-2:16 4. A change of dispensation brings a change of admistration, and a change of adminstration brings a change of operation. Ephesians 3:1-12, Colossians 1:25-29 5. The Law of double fulfilment. Historical events that occurred in the Old Testament that have a prophetic implication will occur again either in the tribulation or the millennial kingdom depending on the context of the event.
The three basic applications of Bible study:
Simple Treasure Historic Application (STHA): The events we read in scripture really happened to real people at a particular time in history. Understanding the historical context is vital to proper interpretation and to make the second application meaningful.
Personal Treasure Devotional Application (PTDA): We learn lessons from the the real events. situations, and experiences of those real people in the historical application that we can apply devotionally / inspirationally to our own lives as we face similar situations and circumstances.
Deep Treasure Doctrinal Application (DTDA): Also known as the prophetic application, identifies what an event or situation in history foreshadows or pictures prophetic events yet to be fulfilled. It is the real teaching of the passage. Doctrine = teaching! This Application employs strict rules of Bible study to make consistent prophetic applications. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 2:1
