Participants: Pastor Stephen Bohr
Series Code: CGC
Program Code: CGC000027
|
01:12 Let's bow our heads for prayer.
01:15 Beloved Father, 01:18 What a joy it is to come into Your presence 01:22 with the specific intent of opening Your Word 01:27 and hearing Your voice. 01:31 We ask that as we study 01:33 about Genesis and Revelation's millennium 01:38 that Your Holy Spirit will be with us 01:41 to teach us the lessons which will strengthen our faith 01:43 in these last days. 01:46 We thank you for hearing our prayer. 01:48 For we ask it in Jesus' name, Amen. 01:54 We would like to begin our study 01:56 today by turning in our Bibles 01:58 to Genesis chapter 1 and verses 1 and 2. 02:03 Genesis chapter 1 and verses 1 and 2. 02:08 We've read these verses before. 02:10 We probably can recite them from memory. 02:13 But there are four points that I want to underline 02:16 as we begin our study. 02:18 It says: 02:56 Four ideas. The earth before creation was 03:00 without form, void, in darkness, 03:04 and it is described as "the deep. " 03:09 And then of course God which we've already discovered 03:12 is Jesus Christ... God proceeded to create 03:17 this world, to put it in order, and to fill it. 03:22 And I'm not going to read the verses in Genesis chapter 1 03:25 that describe the order of creation. 03:28 I'm just going to mention the verses and also what God did 03:32 on that specific day. And I'm going to do it 03:34 for a specific purpose. 03:37 Of course the first day the Bible says that God made 03:40 the light. In other words, He dispelled the darkness 03:43 and light appeared. 03:46 The second day God made the firmament. 03:49 And basically it's described as God separating the waters 03:53 from the waters. He put waters under the earth 03:56 and he put waters above the earth. 03:58 Above the earth to make the world a gigantic greenhouse 04:02 so to speak and under the earth to water the earth. 04:06 Kind of like with an automatic sprinkler system. 04:10 So He placed water above and He placed water below. 04:14 The springs of water if you please on the second day. 04:17 The third day God made the dry land 04:21 and He also created the trees, the plants, the grass, 04:26 the flowers... upon the earth. 04:30 On the fourth day we find that God made the sun, 04:34 the moon, and the stars. 04:36 On the fifth day God performed two works of creation. 04:41 He made the fish that swim in the waters 04:44 and He made the birds that fly in the air. 04:47 On the sixth day we find that God created the land animals 04:52 and then finally He created man and woman. 04:58 And when God finished His work of creation we find 05:02 that He looked upon what He had made 05:05 and it was very good. 05:09 Each day was good, but when He finished the sixth day 05:12 He saw that it was very good. 05:15 He had made the light, the firmament, the fertile land, 05:19 vegetation, sun, moon, and stars, 05:22 birds and fish, land animals, and human beings. 05:28 And so the earth was in an orderly state 05:31 and the earth had been filled. 05:35 Now the book of Revelation describes seven devastating 05:39 plagues which are going to afflict this earth 05:45 shortly before the second coming of Jesus Christ. 05:49 Actually the seventh plague cul- minates with the second coming 05:52 of Jesus Christ. 05:54 And what these plagues are going to do is they are 05:57 going to reverse creation. 06:00 They are going to return the earth to the condition 06:03 that it was in before God proceeded to put this world 06:08 in order before He proceeded to fill it. 06:11 In other words, the plagues are to be understood 06:15 as a reversal of creation 06:17 and a return to primeval chaos or to primeval disorder. 06:25 Now I would like us to go in our Bibles 06:28 to Jeremiah chapter 4 because that's where 06:30 the condition of the earth is described in consequence 06:34 of these plagues, in consequence of the second coming of Christ 06:40 as well. Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 19. 06:44 Here Jeremiah is seeing or witnessing an awesome 06:50 catastrophic event. 06:52 It says in verse 19: 07:05 In other words, his heart is raging. 07:08 His heart is beating very fast. He says: 07:22 So notice that what's making Jeremiah's heart beat in his 07:27 chest is the fact that he's hearing the sound of the 07:31 trumpet; he's hearing the alarm of war. 07:35 Now the question is: what event is Jeremiah witnessing 07:40 in this verse that we just read? 07:43 Well, all you have to do is go to the New Testament. 07:47 And I'll just mention the verses because you know them very well. 07:50 I Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 16 says that the Lord 07:54 will descend from heaven with a shout, 07:57 with the voice of an archangel, 07:59 and with the what? And with the trumpet of God. 08:03 I Corinthians chapter 15 verses 51 and 52: 08:07 "Behold, I show you a mystery: 08:09 we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 08:13 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, 08:15 at the last... " What? "at the last trumpet. " 08:19 And so what Jeremiah is witnessing here 08:22 is actually the culmination of the period of the plagues. 08:25 He's witnessing the second coming of Jesus 08:27 in power and glory. And by the way, 08:30 the word war that is used in Jeremiah 4 08:33 is found in Revelation 19 08:35 which describes the second coming of Jesus. 08:37 It says that John saw heaven opened 08:40 and on a white horse was seated one who wages war 08:45 in righteousness, and He's coming to punish the inhabitants 08:49 of the earth... specifically the kings of the earth. 08:52 So what Jeremiah is seeing here 08:54 and what Jeremiah is hearing is describing 08:58 the second coming of Jesus in power and glory 09:01 which is actually the seventh plague, the culmination 09:05 of those catastrophes which return the earth 09:09 to its original primeval condition. 09:13 Now notice Jeremiah 4 and verse 23. 09:16 Here Jeremiah goes on to describe 09:19 what the condition of the earth will be when Jesus comes... 09:24 when the trumpet sounds and when Jesus comes 09:27 seated on the white horse 09:28 to make war with the powers of the earth. 09:31 It says there in Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 23: 09:49 Do you notice three of the characteristics 09:52 that we found in Genesis 1 verses 1 and 2? 09:55 Without form, void, and the heavens had no what? 10:00 No light. In Genesis 1 and verses 1 and 2 10:04 we find these 3 characteristics 10:06 before the creation of this world 10:08 which means that Jeremiah saw that this world 10:12 returned to the condition that it was in before God 10:16 proceeded to put the planet in order and before 10:20 He filled this world. 10:23 The world will return to primeval chaos 10:27 and disorder according to Jeremiah chapter 4. 10:31 Now I'd like us to notice and I'm not going to dwell 10:35 a long period of time on these because you can read these 10:38 verses. You've read them before. I'm only going to refer 10:41 to some of them. But let's go to Revelation chapter 16 10:45 and verses 4 and 5. 10:48 Revelation chapter 16 and verses 4 and 5. 10:51 What I want to show you is that the seven last plagues 10:55 which take place before Jesus comes - 10:58 actually they culminate when Jesus comes - 11:00 actually reverse what God made at creation. 11:03 Now Jesus made the light on the first day. 11:05 Is that reversed according to what we just read in Jeremiah 4? 11:09 The heavens now have no what? 11:11 No light. 11:13 And so when Jesus created 11:15 there was light. 11:16 As a result of this cataclysmic event 11:19 there is no light. 11:20 The first day is reversed. 11:23 Now what about the springs of water that were created 11:26 on the second day? Notice Revelation 16:4-5. 11:40 "And I heard the angel of the water saying: 'You are righteous 11:43 O Lord... the One who is and who was and who is to come 11:47 because You have judged these things. ' " 11:50 Notice that the springs of water no longer can sustain life. 11:54 They are turned into blood. 11:56 No longer can they help the inhabitants of the earth 12:00 to survive. In other words, to a certain extent 12:04 the springs of water are reversed to a condition like 12:08 they were before creation when they could not serve 12:11 the purpose of life. 12:13 Notice Revelation chapter 16 and verse 20. 12:17 You remember that on the third day God made the dry land. 12:21 Actually this whole earth is going to be turned upside down. 12:24 Notice chapter 16 and verse 20 of Revelation. 12:28 It says there: 12:41 In other words, the surface of the earth is totally 12:45 broken up and turned upside down so to speak. 12:49 What God created on the third day for plants 12:52 and for trees and for flowers 12:55 has now been reversed to primeval chaos. 12:59 Notice Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 26. 13:03 Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 26. 13:06 What about the land that has trees and flowers 13:11 and all of these things that beautify the earth 13:14 and sustain life? Notice Jeremiah 4 once again 13:19 and verse 26. It says there: 13:38 What happens to the fruitful land? 13:40 All of the trees that bore fruit? 13:42 Everything is turned into a vast wilderness. 13:46 And by the way, the fourth plague explains why. 13:49 In the fourth plague the sun scorches the earth 13:53 with a devastating heat and all of the vegetation 13:57 of the earth burns up. 13:59 And so what God did on the third day is reversed. 14:03 What God did on the second day is reversed. 14:05 What God did on the first day of creation is reversed. 14:09 Now let me ask you: what about the sun, moon, and stars? 14:12 Do you know what's going to happen to the sun, moon, 14:13 and stars? Go with me to Matthew chapter 24. 14:16 Matthew chapter 24. We're dealing now with the 14:19 fourth day of creation. 14:20 Matthew chapter 24, and we'll read verses 29 and 30. 14:25 This is the great discourse of Christ that deals with 14:28 the signs of the second coming. 14:31 It says here in verse 29 of Matthew 24: 14:52 Let me ask you: what are the powers in the heavens? 14:57 Actually you could translate this the rulers in the heavens. 15:01 Do you know who the heavenly rulers are? 15:04 Genesis 1 verse 16 explains that God made the sun 15:08 to rule the day 15:11 and He made the moon and the stars to what? 15:14 To rule the night. 15:16 So what is going to happen with the heavenly bodies? 15:19 They are going to be shaken out of their places 15:22 by the voice of God. 15:24 And by the way, that's the reason why when Jesus 15:27 makes this earth all over again He not only makes a new earth 15:31 He makes a new what? He makes a new heavens... 15:34 because He has to put this whole planetary system in order 15:38 which has been turned upside down 15:40 by the plagues and by the coming of Jesus. 15:44 So what God did the fourth day is undone. 15:47 Now what about the birds? 15:49 Go with me to Jeremiah chapter 4 once again. 15:53 Jeremiah chapter 4 and let's read verse 25. 15:57 Jeremiah 4 and verse 25. 16:00 It says, and we'll come back to this first point: 16:11 That means that all of the birds of heaven were gone. 16:14 What about the fish that God created on the 16:17 fifth day of creation? 16:19 Go with me to Revelation 16 once again. 16:21 Revelation chapter 16 and let's read verse 3. 16:26 Revelation 16 and verse 3. It says: 16:41 How many birds? None. 16:45 How many fish? None. 16:48 Sun, moon, and stars? Moved. 16:52 The fruitful land? A wilderness; no vegetation. 16:56 The fresh waters which were to sustain the earth? 17:00 Turned to blood. 17:02 The sun which God created the first day? 17:04 No longer... By the way, He did make the sun 17:08 the first day. I'm not misspeaking because 17:11 I don't have time to explain it but the sun was there. 17:14 On the fourth day what God did was synchronize the sun, moon, 17:18 and stars so that they would serve for the month 17:21 and the season. But I won't get into that right now. 17:23 But there was light the first day. 17:25 You say: "How do we know that? " Because there was the evening 17:27 and the morning of the first day. 17:29 Now I'm not going to pursue that any further. 17:32 What I want you to see is that what was done the first day 17:35 was actually undone because the planet is in darkness. 17:39 Now what about human beings? 17:41 We just read in Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 25 17:45 it says that he beheld no what? He beheld no man. 17:51 In other words, there are no human beings on planet earth 17:54 any more. In fact, what happened with the human beings? 17:59 Go with me to Jeremiah chapter 25 and there we find 18:03 the description of what happens when Jesus comes 18:06 with all of the human beings who are left on planet earth. 18:09 It says there in Jeremiah chapter 25 and verse 33: 18:36 What's going to happen with all of those human beings 18:39 who are left on planet earth? They are going to what? 18:43 They are going to die and they're going to be spread 18:46 all over the surface of the earth from one end of the earth 18:49 to the other end of the earth. 18:52 Is it clear in your mind 18:55 that the plagues and the second coming actually reverse 18:58 everything that God made during creation week? 19:01 Let me ask you: how many people are going to be able 19:05 to live on planet earth during the millennium? 19:11 How are they going to eat? 19:14 How are they going to drink? 19:17 How are they going to live without light? 19:22 If the world is reduced to pre-creation disorder 19:26 and chaos, this earth absolutely cannot sustain what? Life. 19:31 It cannot sustain life any more 19:34 than this world did before Jesus proceeded to 19:37 put it in order and to fill it. 19:40 And somebody says: "But Pastor, but God is going to make 19:42 a new heavens and a new earth. " That's true, but that's after 19:45 the thousand years. 19:47 It is not before the thousand years. 19:49 It is not during the thousand years. 19:51 It is after the thousand years. 19:54 And so folks, what we find when we compare Genesis 19:58 with Revelation is that in Genesis Jesus created 20:02 this world. He put it in order; He filled it. 20:07 And as a result of the plagues and the second coming 20:10 the world will return to the condition that it was 20:13 originally before creation. 20:16 Now this is the picture of Revelation 16 20:19 and Jeremiah 4. But there is another chapter in scripture 20:23 that describes this period in a very vivid way. 20:27 Isaiah chapter 24. 20:29 Isaiah chapter 24 and I would like to read 20:33 verses 18 through 20. 20:36 Isaiah chapter 24. Actually, before we get to 20:39 verses 18 to 20 let me give you a little bit of context 20:42 in the course of the chapter. 20:44 It says here in Isaiah 24 verse 1: 21:09 We just read in Jeremiah that 21:11 they're spread out. They're dead. 21:12 From one end of the earth to the other. Verse 2: 21:50 "The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants. " 21:54 And now it gives the reason. Notice: 21:56 "Because they have... " What? "transgressed the laws. " 22:03 Is that significant? 22:05 You know, I have a whole 1-hour presentation just on verse 6. 22:08 I just have to give you the gist of what we're talking about 22:11 here. "They have transgressed the laws. " 22:14 What else have they done? 22:16 "They have changed the ordinance. " 22:19 I wish I had time to talk to you about the changing 22:22 of the ordinance. Does Daniel 22:23 chapter 7 talk about 22:24 someone who tried to change 22:26 something relating to time? 22:29 Some scheduled event that comes about every week? 22:33 That's relating to this. 22:36 And then it says: "changed the ordinance, 22:39 broke the... " What? "the everlasting covenant. " 22:43 And by the way, the covenant in the books of Exodus and 22:48 Deuteronomy is the Ten Commandments. 22:51 Deuteronomy 4 verse 13 says that God gave His covenant 22:55 even the Ten Commandments. 22:57 In other words, what leads to this desolation and this 22:59 destruction is the fact that people have transgressed 23:02 God's laws. People have changed God's ordinance... 23:06 which by the way has to do with set times that God has 23:08 established to celebrate certain events. 23:11 And they have broken the everlasting covenant of God. 23:14 That's the reason why destruction comes. 23:17 And then notice what we continue finding here 23:20 in Isaiah chapter 24 and I want to read verse 6. 23:24 Isaiah 24 and verse 6. It says here once again: 23:44 Now we need to stop there just for a moment. 23:46 "Few men are left. " We just read in Jeremiah 23:48 that how many men are left? 23:51 None. 23:53 Jeremiah says: "I looked at the earth and there was... " What? 23:56 "there was no man. " 23:58 Isaiah is describing the same event and he says that 24:00 "few men are left. " How do we reconcile these two ideas? 24:05 Well perhaps we need to under- stand what the word left means. 24:10 You know, it's common among Christians to believe 24:12 that when Jesus comes in the so-called rapture 24:17 He's going to take the righteous to heaven 24:21 and the wicked are going to be left on earth. 24:26 So the left ones are the wicked 24:29 and the taken ones are the righteous. 24:31 Well I have a surprise for you. 24:33 It's just the opposite. 24:36 The ones who are taken are the ones who are taken 24:40 by the destruction whereas those who are left 24:44 are those who are left how? 24:46 Alive after the destruction comes. 24:50 And you say: "How do you know that? " 24:52 Well, let's go back to Genesis chapter 7. 24:55 Genesis chapter 7 and verses 22 and 23. 25:00 You know, we have a tendency of forming these traditions 25:02 that we repeat them year after year after year. 25:05 And many times we don't study for ourselves 25:07 and so we come with the idea. By the way, 25:09 it's theologically true that when Jesus comes 25:12 He's going to take His people to heaven. 25:14 And it's theologically true that the wicked are going to be 25:18 left behind. But that's not what this text is saying. 25:22 What this text is saying is that the wicked are taken 25:26 by destruction and the righteous are left. 25:29 Now do you remember that Jesus said: "As it was in the 25:32 days of Noah so also shall it be at the coming 25:35 of the Son of Man? " 25:36 Do you remember that also in Matthew chapter 24 25:39 it says that "one will be left and the other will be... " What? 25:43 "taken. " Matthew 24 verses 40 and 41. 25:46 Immediately after it describes the second coming. 25:49 Now who is the one who is left 25:52 and who is the one that is taken? 25:54 We have to go back to study the story of the flood. 25:56 And you say: "Why? " Because in the previous verses 25:59 it's talking about the flood. 26:00 So if you want to know who the taken ones are 26:03 and who the left ones are, you have to go back to Genesis 26:06 because it's referring to the flood. 26:08 Now let's notice Genesis chapter 7 verses 22 and 23. 26:13 It says about the flood: 26:15 "All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, 26:19 all that was on the dry land... " What? "died. " 26:49 Says the New King James. 26:50 Now if you read most modern versions, 26:52 they'll tell you that only Noah and his family 26:56 were left. 26:59 Let me ask you: in the flood who were the left ones? 27:02 When the devastating destruction came 27:06 who were the only ones who were left? 27:08 Not the wicked but the what? But the righteous. 27:12 And so when Isaiah 24 verse 6 says that "few men are left" 27:16 the few men that are left are not the wicked 27:19 because they're dead all over the surface of the earth. 27:22 It must be whom? It must be the righteous. 27:26 And by the way, Matthew 24 says 27:28 that when the flood came it "took them all away. " 27:33 So the ones that are taken away are not the righteous, 27:36 they are what? They are the wicked. 27:38 So much for the idea that there's going to be 27:40 a pre-tribulation rapture and the ones who are taken 27:43 are the righteous and the ones who are left 27:45 are the unrighteous. You can't derive it from this text. 27:49 And so the few men that are left is referring to those 27:53 who survive this cataclysmic event: 27:56 the seven last plagues and the second coming of Jesus. 27:59 They are the ones that we spoke about in our previous lecture. 28:03 When Jesus comes seated on His throne 28:06 the question is asked: "The great day of His wrath 28:10 is come and who shall be able to stand? " 28:13 And what is the answer? 28:15 The answer is: the 144,000 28:19 spiritual Israelites who are sealed on the forehead 28:23 who reflect the character of Jesus, 28:26 who mirror the character of Jesus. 28:28 They will be able to what? They will be able to stand. 28:32 Those are the ones who are left in the midst of the 28:35 cataclysmic destruction. 28:38 Now I want to go a little bit more in detail 28:41 into Isaiah chapter 24. 28:44 If you'll go back with me to Isaiah 24, 28:47 we'll jump several verses and we'll go to verse 18. It says: 29:03 Do you see that people are fleeing here? 29:06 Are you catching that people are fleeing? 29:07 By the way, in Revelation chapter 6 29:09 are people fleeing when the Lamb 29:11 is seated upon His throne? 29:12 Do they hide in the caves? 29:14 Do they beg for the rocks to fall upon them? 29:17 This is the same event. It says: 29:40 This is a global earthquake. 29:54 At least the world as we know it because God's going to make 29:56 a totally new world. 29:57 This world will not rise again. 30:00 And then I want you to notice 30:02 verse 21. We're going to 30:03 dedicate the rest of our time 30:05 to verses 21 to 23. 30:08 It says there in verse 21: 30:10 "It shall come to pass in that day... " Which day? 30:15 Which day has just been described? 30:17 The day of Christ's coming when the world is going to be 30:21 destroyed; when the earth is going to be split open. It says: 30:35 Now modern translations actually have a better rendering 30:39 of this verse than the King James or the New King James. 30:42 Actually the best translation I've been able to find 30:45 is the Revised Standard Version 30:47 where it says that God will: 31:00 The host of heaven in heaven and the kings of the earth 31:04 on earth. Now do you notice here that we have two groups 31:07 that are going to be punished when Jesus comes? 31:09 One is the host of heaven in heaven 31:14 and the other is the kings of the earth on earth. 31:18 Now I don't think we have very many problems with the 31:20 kings of the earth on earth. 31:22 Because if you read Revelation 19 31:24 when Jesus comes seated 31:25 upon the white horse and the armies of heaven 31:28 follow Him in Revelation 19 and verse 14, 31:30 we find that later on in the chapter the kings of the earth 31:33 are standing to fight against Jesus as He's coming 31:37 on the white horse. And Jesus, of course, is coming 31:40 to punish the kings of the earth. 31:42 So obviously the kings of the earth are the rulers 31:45 of the world who will be punished when Jesus comes. 31:49 But we ask the question: who are these hosts of heaven 31:54 that are in heaven? 31:55 There's a heavenly group which is also going to be punished. 31:59 Go with me to the book of Ephesians 32:01 chapter 6 and verse 12. 32:03 Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12. 32:06 Here we find the identification of the host of the heavenly ones 32:12 or the "exalted ones" as the New King James says. 32:14 Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12. 32:21 What does that mean we don't wrestle against flesh and blood? 32:25 It represents humanity. 32:28 Hebrews 2 verse 14 says 32:30 "because the children partook of flesh and blood 32:34 He also partook of the same. " 32:37 In other words, flesh and blood means humanity. 32:40 Human beings. 32:41 So the apostle Paul is saying: 33:00 So we are not struggling against human beings. 33:03 We are struggling against powers of wickedness 33:06 in heavenly places. Let me ask you: 33:08 who are those powers of wickedness? 33:11 Ephesians chapter 6 identifies 33:14 this power as the power of the prince of the air. 33:18 Satan and his angels are referred to. 33:22 In other words, Isaiah 24 verse 21 33:25 says that when Jesus comes to devastate the earth 33:27 He's going to punish the kings of the earth on earth 33:31 and He's also going to punish the host of heaven 33:35 who are in heaven. He's going to punish 33:38 a group of heavenly beings 33:39 and He's going to punish a group of humans 33:43 that live upon planet earth. 33:45 Now the question is: How is He going to punish them? 33:49 What is their punishment? 33:51 Go back with me to Isaiah chapter 24 33:53 and let's read verse 22. 33:55 Isaiah 24 and verse 22. 33:59 It says here in verse 22: 34:17 What is their punishment? 34:19 Their punishment according to this is 34:22 that they will be gathered together as prisoners 34:24 are gathered in the pit and will be shut up in the prison. 34:29 Now allow me to say something about the word pit here. 34:33 It's a very interesting Hebrew word. 34:36 And I believe that Isaiah could have used other words. 34:40 You know, there are words in the Hebrew that describe 34:42 a place where dead people go: the tomb, the grave, Sheol. 34:45 There are many different words that describe the grave. 34:48 But Isaiah purposely does not use the normal word 34:52 for the place that dead people go. 34:54 He uses a word which is broader in its meaning. 34:58 Now what am I talking about? 35:00 Well, let's notice Genesis 37:24-25. 35:04 This identical word. 35:05 Genesis chapter 37 and verses 24 and 25. 35:11 Here we find the experience of Joseph. 35:13 His brothers have found him... 35:16 he's found his brothers, and his brothers actually 35:19 cast him somewhere. Notice Genesis chapter 37 35:23 and verses... what did I say? 24 and 25. 35:27 It says here: 35:33 Was he alive or was he dead? 35:37 So they cast him in the pit in a living state. 35:45 What was it really? It was a cistern. Verse 25: 35:49 "And they sat down to eat a meal. 35:51 Then they lifted their eyes 35:53 and looked and there was a company of Ishmaelites 35:56 coming from Gilead with their camels 35:59 bearing spices, balm, and myrrh 36:00 on their way to carry them down to Egypt. " 36:02 And then of course they take Joseph out of the pit. 36:05 Now did you see that the pit is a place where he was... 36:08 where he was put in a living state? 36:11 Very, very important. 36:13 Now notice also in the book of Jeremiah 36:15 chapter 38 and verse 6. 36:17 Jeremiah chapter 38 and verse 6. 36:20 The same idea. Notice what they did with the prophet Jeremiah. 36:23 Jeremiah 38 and verse 6. It says here: 36:53 That is, in the clay or in the mud. 36:55 Was Jeremiah put in there in a living state or was he dead? 36:59 He was retained in the pit in a living state. 37:03 But do you know that this word can also refer to a place 37:06 where dead people are retained as well? 37:09 Notice Isaiah 38... Isaiah 38 and verse 18. 37:13 Isaiah 38 and verse 18. 37:17 It's also used to refer to people who are retained 37:20 in the pit in a dead state. 37:23 So it's a versatile word. It can refer to a place of 37:26 retention for the living or a place of retention 37:30 for the dead. Now notice chapter 38 and verse 18. 37:34 It says: 37:52 With what is the pit identified? 37:54 It is identified with those who go to Sheol... 37:57 those who are made captives of death. 38:01 Is it just possible then that when Isaiah 24 verse 22 says 38:07 that the kings of the earth and the host of heaven 38:10 are placed in the pit that one group is placed 38:14 in the pit of death so to speak and the other group 38:17 is placed in the pit in a living state? 38:20 That's what the Hebrew word indicates in the Old Testament. 38:24 I believe Isaiah uses this word because he knew that there were 38:27 going to be two different groups. 38:29 Both were going to be imprisoned, 38:31 but one was going to be imprisoned being dead 38:35 and the other group was going to be imprisoned being alive. 38:40 Now the question is: who is the leader of this host 38:43 of heaven who is going to be punished? 38:46 Go with me to Revelation chapter 20. 38:48 Revelation chapter 20. This is immediately after 38:51 the second coming of Jesus. 38:53 And we just read in Isaiah 24 38:55 about the second coming of Jesus. 38:57 We read in Jeremiah chapter 4 about the second coming of Jesus 39:01 so this is speaking about the same moment of time. 39:04 Notice Revelation chapter 20 and verse 1. 39:08 "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven 39:11 having the key of the bottomless pit. " 39:13 Terrible translation: bottomless pit. 39:15 Incidentally, it's the Greek word abussos... 39:19 the abyss. 39:21 Actually, in the Old Testament the equivalent word 39:25 is the same word that is 39:27 translated deep in Genesis 1:2. 39:30 You say: "How do we know that the word deep in Hebrew 39:32 is the same word abussos that 39:34 we find here? " It's very simple. 39:35 All you have to do is go to the Greek translation 39:38 of the Old Testament. And you want to discover 39:41 how the Hebrew word tehom in Genesis 1 verse 2- 39:44 which is deep - how that word is translated into the Greek. 39:48 And in the Greek version of the Old Testament 39:50 the word is abussos... the very word that we have here. 39:52 Do you remember the four words that we found in Genesis? 39:55 Four ideas in Genesis 1 and verses 1 and 2? 39:58 Without form, void, in darkness, 40:01 and the earth is described as "the deep. " 40:04 Do we find these same characteristics with relation to 40:06 the earth when Jesus comes when the plagues devastate the earth? 40:09 Absolutely. The earth is without form, 40:12 void, the heavens have no light, 40:15 and the earth is described here as "the deep. " 40:18 Now notice verse 1: "Then I saw an angel 40:22 coming down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit 40:25 and a great chain in his hand. " 40:40 That means He cast him into the world in a state that it 40:43 was in before creation, because that's what the word means 40:47 in the book of Genesis. 40:49 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 40:50 And by the way, the same thing is going to happen to the devil 40:53 as happened to him at the flood. 40:56 How many of Satan's followers remained alive outside the ark 41:02 when the flood came? 41:04 Did the devil lose his power base? 41:07 Were all of his followers dead? 41:10 Yes. And the saved were where? In the ark. 41:15 Is it just possible that during the millennium 41:17 all of the followers of Satan are dead 41:20 and the only ones who are alive are the righteous? 41:24 You see, the story of the flood is going to be repeated. 41:26 "As it was in the days of Noah so also shall it be 41:31 at the coming of the Son of Man. " 41:32 And you say: "Well, yes, it says that he has a chain 41:34 in his hand. And yes it says that he cast him into the abyss 41:38 or the bottomless pit or the deep if you please. 41:41 And it says that he was shut up. Yes. 41:44 But it doesn't say here that he was cast in prison 41:46 Like Isaiah 24. " Go with me to verse 7. 41:49 Revelation 20 verse 7. It says: 41:59 So who is the host of the 42:00 high ones? Who is the host 42:02 of heaven? The host of heaven 42:04 is Satan and his angels. 42:06 How will they be bound to this earth? 42:08 Will they be dead or alive? 42:10 They will be alive. 42:12 What about all of his wicked followers? 42:14 His wicked followers will all be what? Will all be dead. 42:17 You know, it's interesting in Revelation the way that this 42:19 is described. Revelation 20 says 42:22 that at the beginning of the thousand years Satan is bound. 42:26 At the end of the thousand years he is unbound. 42:29 You say: "Now how do you understand what that means? " 42:31 It's so simple. Where does the power of Satan reside? 42:38 If he doesn't have people, does he have power? 42:40 No! And what happens with all of the wicked when Jesus comes? 42:45 They're dead. 42:47 So how much power does the devil have? 42:50 None. 42:51 But what's going to happen after the thousand years? 42:53 The rest of the dead according to Revelation 20:5 42:57 are going to live again. 42:58 The rest of the dead must be wicked because the righteous 43:01 dead resurrected at the beginning of the thousand years 43:03 and were taken by Jesus to heaven. 43:06 Are you understanding me? So the rest of the dead 43:08 live after the 1,000 years and what does the devil have back? 43:11 He has his power base back again. 43:14 So binding and unbinding of Satan 43:17 has to do with the condition of his power base: 43:20 the wicked. When they're dead he's bound. 43:22 When they are alive, he is what? He is unbound. 43:25 It is that simple. 43:27 Now, let's go back to Isaiah chapter 24 43:33 and let's read the last part of verse 22. 43:38 Isaiah 24:22. 43:40 Let me ask you: is the millennium clearly taught 43:43 in the Old Testament? Yes or no? 43:46 See, you go to Revelation 20 and if you don't go to the 43:50 Old Testament you have a very incomplete picture. 43:52 But when you go to Genesis, you go to Jeremiah, 43:56 you go to Isaiah, and you compare Revelation 20 43:59 everything makes sense. 44:01 Now notice Isaiah chapter 24 and verse 22 again. 44:06 "They will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered 44:08 in the pit and will be shut up in the prison... " 44:12 And now notice: 44:19 Now whoa... let's stop there. 44:21 After many days they will be... What? 44:26 Who will be punished? 44:30 The kings of the earth and whom? 44:32 And the host of heaven. 44:34 "After many days... " How many days is many days? 44:37 You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that 44:40 the many days are 1,000 years. 44:42 And by the way, we've always believed in the year/day 44:45 principle in the inter- pretation of Bible prophecy. 44:48 In prophecy, days are equal to years. 44:51 Here you have the proof. 44:53 Some people say: "Why don't you apply the year/day principle 44:56 to the thousand years of Revelation? 44:57 Why don't you say that that's 360,000 years? " 45:01 It's very simple. Because the Bible itself 45:03 gives us the year/day principle. In Isaiah it says days. 45:06 In Revelation, it interprets those days as years. 45:10 So when you go to Isaiah, the days in Revelation 45:14 are explained as years. 45:15 So you don't have to use the year/day principle in Revelation 45:18 because Isaiah uses the year/day principle. 45:21 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 45:23 Now... "After many days they will be punished. " 45:27 How many stages does the punishment of the wicked have? 45:33 Now you have to be a careful reader to catch this. 45:35 Are they punished when Jesus comes? 45:38 When they're thrown into prison are they punished? 45:40 Did we read it? Sure! 45:43 Verse 21 and verse 22 says that they are punished. 45:48 They're cast into prison or into the pit. 45:52 Stage #1. But did you notice here that it says 45:55 that after many days they will be punished? 45:58 So is the first punishment their permanent punishment? 46:01 It can't be, because after the many days they are what? 46:06 After the many days they are punished. 46:08 In other words, the punishment of the wicked has how many 46:10 stages? It has two stages. 46:12 The punishment of Satan has how many stages? 46:15 Two stages. 46:17 Is the devil destroyed when Jesus comes? 46:19 Do the wicked receive their reward when Jesus comes? 46:23 No. 46:24 Now I want you to notice that the wicked suffer two deaths. 46:29 The two deaths are related to what we're talking about. 46:33 You see, when Jesus comes all of the wicked what? 46:37 Are slain. They all die. 46:40 Are you agreed with that? 46:41 There's not one person alive on planet earth. 46:44 The few that are left are the saved. 46:48 But of the wicked no one is left. They're all dead 46:51 from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. 46:54 So they died... either before Jesus came or at the moment 46:57 that Jesus came... all of the wicked are dead. 47:00 Is that their final death? 47:01 Is that their final punishment for sin? 47:03 No, because after the thousand years 47:05 the rest of the dead live again 47:09 and then they are judged according to Revelation 20 47:14 verses 11 through 15. They're judged. 47:16 And then they suffer what the book of Revelation calls what? 47:21 Second death. 47:23 You cannot have a second death unless you have a first death. 47:26 So do you see? This is so simple. 47:29 That when Jesus comes all of the wicked die. 47:31 They remain prisoners in the pit 47:34 in a dead state for 1,000 years. 47:37 After the thousand years they come to life again 47:39 and then they're punished with second death. 47:41 Satan and his angels are punished when Jesus comes. 47:44 They are put in prison in a living state. 47:47 And after the 1,000 years they receive their final what? 47:52 They receive their final punishment. 47:55 Is this clear to you? It's so simple. 47:57 How many people are going to live on planet earth 47:59 during the thousand years? 48:01 If you can call the devil and his angels people, 48:03 they would be the only ones that are going to live here. 48:06 Who else could live here? 48:08 Can this earth sustain life? It's impossible! 48:12 Everything has returned to the way it was before creation. 48:16 Without form, void. Darkness in the heavens. 48:20 A desolate wilderness 48:23 described as the deep, 48:25 as the abyss. 48:27 There's no way that human beings 48:29 could live on planet earth 48:30 if creation has been reversed. 48:32 Now let's go quickly to 48:34 Isaiah chapter 24 48:35 and let's read verse 23. 48:37 Notice what happens after the many days. 48:40 It says in verse 23: 48:42 "Then... " that is, after the many days... 48:52 What is this? 48:54 After the many days it says that the moon will be disgraced 49:00 and the sun ashamed? 49:07 What's seen after the many days? 49:09 Mount Zion and Jerusalem. 49:12 And what happens with the sun and the moon? 49:15 They are disgraced and they are ashamed. 49:18 What does that mean? 49:19 Go with me to the book of Revelation chapter 21. 49:23 What comes down from heaven after the thousand years? 49:26 Is it Jerusalem that comes to view after the many days? 49:29 After the thousand years? Absolutely. 49:31 Revelation chapter 21 and let's read verse 2. It says: 49:43 And now let's jump down to verse 23. 49:45 It says in verse 23: 50:00 So what does it mean that the sun and the moon 50:02 are disgraced and ashamed? 50:04 It's because the Lord sits in Jerusalem on Mount Zion 50:09 and His light is so great that the sun and the moon 50:13 have to step aside. 50:15 Now understand me. It doesn't say that there will 50:17 not be any sun or moon because we are going to have 50:19 a monthly cycle. 50:22 Because we will go from month to month 50:24 to eat from the Tree of Life. 50:27 There is a weekly cycle because we are going to go 50:29 from Sabbath to Sabbath to worship before the Lord. 50:32 Let's read the text carefully. The text says 50:35 there in the city - not all over the earth - 50:39 in the city there is no need of sun or moon. 50:43 It doesn't say that there isn't a sun or moon. 50:46 They're simply ashamed and disgraced 50:49 before the glory of God. 50:53 And then, of course, the wicked surround the city 50:59 and the devil, his angels, and the wicked 51:03 are destroyed by the fire that comes down from heaven. 51:09 And then God will make a new heavens and a new earth 51:13 where righteousness dwells. 51:17 Now I'd like to ask the question: where will God's 51:19 people be during the 1,000 years? 51:23 Fundamental misunderstanding of Christians today. 51:27 They say Jesus is going to come in the rapture 51:31 and He's going to take His people to heaven for 7 years. 51:35 And then He's going to come back in His glorious coming 51:38 and He's going to set up His kingdom here on earth 51:40 for a thousand years. Not possible. 51:44 Because Jesus said very clearly in John 14 51:47 "I go to prepare a place for you. 51:50 And if I go to prepare a place for you 51:52 I will come again and receive you to Myself... " 51:54 take you to My Father's house - 51:56 "that where I am there ye may be also. " 51:58 Where is Jesus going to take His people when He comes? 52:01 He's going to take them to heaven. 52:03 They're not going to be in heaven seven years. 52:06 How long are they going to be in heaven? 52:08 They're going to be in heaven for a thousand years. 52:12 By the way, I Thessalonians chapter 4 makes it very clear. 52:33 Jesus doesn't come all the way down. 52:37 We are caught up 52:40 because He's going to take us to the Father's house. 52:43 Are you following me? 52:45 By the way, in Matthew chapter 29 and verses 29-31 52:50 it says that when Jesus comes He is going to send forth 52:53 His angels to gather His elect 52:55 from the four winds of heaven. 52:59 If He's going to come all the way down to the earth, 53:01 why bother to send His angels to gather them? 53:05 The apostle Paul in I Thessalonians 5 53:09 speaks about our gathering together to Him. 53:12 Not Him to us but us to Him. 53:15 In other words, the churches have it wrong when they say 53:19 that Jesus is going to come in the rapture. 53:21 His people will be taken to heaven for seven years 53:23 then He's going to come back to this earth and establish 53:26 His everlasting kingdom here on earth 53:28 beginning with 1,000 years of peace and prosperity. 53:32 How could anybody live here during the thousand years 53:35 if the earth has been devastated 53:37 and a new heavens and a new earth have not been created yet? 53:42 By the way, do you know why the devil wants people to think 53:44 that Jesus is going to spend 1,000 years on earth? 53:47 I'll go through this quickly. 53:50 II Thessalonians 2 says that the devil is going to 53:53 counterfeit the second coming of Christ. 53:56 He's going to appear like Christ. 53:58 Like a glorious being he's going to perform miracles 54:01 and going to speak many of the words that Jesus spoke 54:03 while He was on earth. 54:06 Let me ask you something: 54:08 if you believe that when Jesus comes 54:11 He's coming to live on this earth and to set up His kingdom 54:14 on earth for a thousand years, 54:16 will you probably buy what the false Christ is teaching 54:19 and what the false Christ is doing? 54:21 Sure, because you're expecting Him to come to this earth. 54:25 BUT if you know Jesus is not coming to this earth, 54:30 at His second coming He remains in the air, 54:33 then any being who appears walking upon planet earth 54:36 speaking the way Jesus spoke 54:38 performing the miracles that Jesus performed 54:40 you know that it is not Jesus! 54:44 Because the millennium will not be spent here. 54:47 The millennium will be spent where? 54:49 The millennium will be spent in heaven with Jesus. 54:54 And do you know what we're going to do during the millennium? 54:58 Go with me to I Corinthians chapter 6. 55:02 It's going to be a working vacation. 55:07 Have you ever taken a working vacation? 55:09 All my vacations are working vacations. 55:11 My family can tell you that. 55:14 I get scolded for it. 55:17 Well deserved... well deserved. 55:33 By the way, "the world" 55:35 means worldlings; the lost; 55:37 the unrighteous. 55:54 What are we going to do? 55:56 Judge angels. Which angels? The good ones, right? 56:00 Why would we have to judge the good angels? 56:03 It must be that we are going to 56:05 judge the evil angels. 56:07 And Revelation 20 and verse 4 56:08 says that God's people who 56:10 resurrect at the beginning of the millennium 56:12 reign with Christ 1,000 years 56:14 and judgment is given unto them. 56:17 In other words, they are given the capacity to judge 56:20 those who are left here on earth dead. 56:24 Those who have been overtaken by destruction 56:26 will be judged in heaven, and the punishment of each 56:31 will be written in the books. 56:34 And after the millennium when the wicked resurrect 56:36 when the devil and his angels rally the wicked 56:39 against the city, God will show the life of each one of those 56:43 people who are outside the Holy City. 56:46 And He will show the sentence which was determined for them 56:49 in the heavenly court during the thousand years. 56:52 And Revelation 15 says that they will say 56:55 "Just and true are Your ways, O God. " 57:00 And they will be destroyed by their own request. 57:03 And then God will make a new heavens and a new earth. 57:08 And the meek shall inherit the earth 57:13 and we shall live with Jesus forever and ever. 57:17 And He will wipe away all tears 57:20 and He will remove death forever. |
Revised 2014-12-17