Thank you so much for your personal commitment to the study of the Word each Sunday morning. What a joyous time digging in to Ephesians 2:1-10 to understand the difference between alive and dead. Sardis is a dead church, even though it had a testimony of being alive. It was a church full of good works, but those works did not give life to the church.
Ephesians 2 gives us clear understanding that we are not saved by works, but by grace through faith! Just knowing that, being made spiritually alive, through the Holy Spirit, we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
As we continue to study this dead church at Sardis in Revelation 3, we started looking into the Kingdom of Heaven (literal physical kingdom of Jesus Christ as Messiah) / Kingdom of God (spiritual kingdom of all born again believers – the church) chart, discovering the difference between the two, and how both will be in force in the millennium and eternity future. We will look at some scriptures this coming Sunday to help clarify how the two are different and how they will co-rule in the millennium and eternity.
Thank you, Jamie Wood, for your compelling question concerning Gog (the man) and Magog (his kingdom) and when does this battle occur? It was a burning question that deserves greater study. I read Ezekiel 38 & 39 and 40 – 48, Revelation 19 & 20. I was brought to remembrance that there are two invasions of Israel by Gog & Magog. One ends the tribulation then judgment comes (sheep & goats – Matthew 25:31-46; the Tares – Matthew 13:24-30) and ushers in the Millennium and one ends the Millennium then judgment comes (Great White Throne – Revelation 20:11-15) and ushers in eternity future! How awesome is that? Study and remembrance are vital!
The first invasion of Gog & Magog is at the end of the tribulation called the battle of Armageddon. This battle is for the destruction of the enemies of Israel by the Messiah, when he returns to establish his kingdom. Ezekiel 38 & 39 state that this battle occurs in “in that day” and in the “latter days” – Ezekiel 38:14-16 which both are 2nd coming prophetic phrases. Revelation 19:11-21 refers to this same battle with the same results — Ezekiel 39:17-21 and Revelation 19:17-21 — the fowls of the air are called to the feast of the dead! This battle cleanses the land of all the sinful, rebellious men of the tribulation and ushers in the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ — Ezekiel 40 – 48 and Revelation 20:1-6. The slate is wiped clean concerning the wicked and rebellious.
The second invasion of Gog & Magog is after the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ, when Satan is loosed in Revelation 20:7-10. It is amazing that the natural man of the millennium has the same wicked and rebellious spirit toward Christ, without Satan’s influence, as any natural man today has, with Satan’s influence. Satan will be loosed after the 1,000 years has been fulfilled. He will gather all the rebellious men of the millennium, so many, that John has to use a term without number “as the sand of the sea”. The results of the invasion of Gog & Magog are the same! As God poured fire and brimstone upon Gog & Magog in Ezekiel 38:19-23 and Ezekiel 39:1-6 to end the tribulation, God rains down fire upon the invaders in Revelation 20:8-9.
This is why it is important to be in Bible study each Sunday! The Word of God will reveal such incredible truths to us, simply by asking a question. I look forward to seeing you all this coming Sunday, as we open the Book and dig in, and see what wonders will be revealed.