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SOME MILLENNIAL KINGDOM SURPRISES

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lion and lamb

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

“And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” Revelation 2:27.

 

There’s no end to the stories one will hear about the thousand year rule of Christ on earth. There is the notion that only the spiritually saved enter it. Some teach the whole earth will be a Garden of Eden. Then there is the idea that everyone will know the Lord, that witnessing will not be permitted. There are those who think there’ll be no rebellion, sin, or death, and all will be vegetarians and live in harmony. These are just a few of the many stories you will hear.

 

The rule of the nations will be a dictatorship. Not only will Christ rule in Israel with a rod of iron, so will those appointed as government leaders. Notice; “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psalm 2:8-9. See Revelation 2:26-28.

 

Jesus comes back to Israel, and sets His kingdom up there first. The way to visualize the process is to imagine dropping a stone into a pool of water. The ripples are the greatest, and move fastest at the point of impact. Thus, the first order of business will be the organizing of His kingdom within the boundaries of Israel. The Twelve Disciples will rule the twelve tribes. See Daniel 12:12. Then, He sends Jewish evangelist into all the world to preach the Kingdom gospel, or good news. Miracles and supernatural powers will be restored to those Jews who preach to the nations.

 

National representatives will travel to Israel each year to worship the King, and observe the feast of Tabernacles. Those who do not will be judged by the withholding of rain on their nation. That results in drought and crop failure. “And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18  And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19  This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16-19.

 

It appears life expectancy will be extended. “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” Isaiah 65:20. A person, who dies at age one hundred, will be considered but a child. However, those who commit sins worthy of death will be executed. “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”Isaiah 11:3-4.

 

People will not be vegetarians, and animals will not live in harmony. “And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD. 28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest’s: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house. 31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.”Ezekiel 44:26-31. The above is speaking of the thousand year kingdom, and Jerusalem is in the heart of it. Meat will be eaten, and animals will still kill each other. That is the meaning of the word “torn.” When the lion and the lamb lie down together, probably, only one of them will get up.

 

By the end of the thousand years, the earth will be filled with those who hate the King and His rule. Satan will be released, and lead a rebellion against Jesus the King. His end is as follows. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10.

 

If I have misrepresented the kingdom of heaven, I would welcome your comments.

WILL JERUSALEM BE TAKEN OVER BY THEIR ENEMIES?

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By Ken Blue

“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Daniel 11:45.

We have stated in recent articles that the nations surrounding Israel will consolidate into a ten nation alliance. Syria will be one, and from there the Antichrist will arise. He will take control of the alliance, and remove three of them. Through craft and policies he will deceive multitudes. Israel and the others sign a seven year peace agreement. This is the “white horse” aspect of the Tribulation. Israel will then have some security.

Other nations outside his kingdom will make war with the Antichrist. He will be busy fighting, and will handily defeat them. Egypt will come up against him, and he will come down from Syria against Egypt. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Daniel 11:40-45.

Verse 45 states, at that time, Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Jerusalem. The next 3 ½   years Jerusalem will be ruled and crushed under foot of their enemies. “Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:11-14.

During that time, two thirds of the Jews in the land will be killed. “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:7-9.

Therefore, Jerusalem will be under the heel of Antichrist for the last half of the Tribulation. His objective will be total destruction of all Jews, and unless those days should be shortened, none would be left in the land. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22.

How does God describe the sins of Jerusalem? “…the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” Revelation 11:8.

However, God will deliver them. “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” Isaiah 40:1-2. This prophecy looks forward to the Second Advent of Christ. The hopelessness of their situation will bring true repentance and the New Birth of the remnant. The nation will be “born again.” Antichrist, who ruled over Jerusalem for 3 ½ years, will be destroyed by armies led by Jesus Christ, and Jerusalem will be delivered. Pray for Israel.

 

THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS

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By Ken Blue

The first issue we must clear up is that nothing in the chapter has anything to do with the Church, the Body of Christ, of which all believers are members today. All is about Israel.

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:3-31

The questions are three: “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? You will notice that he Lord does not answer the first question first, but rather gives them a list of signs that they should look for. In addition, the events in this chapter are the same events found in Revelation 6-19.

A list of signs for Bible believing Jews to note, are given. 1. False Messiahs and false Jewish prophets. 2. Wars. These are wars that would concern Israel. The Spanish American, the Civil War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Falkland War are not to be considered here. Only the wars that might trouble them are considered here. 3. The famine, pestilences, and earthquakes are found in the book of Revelation, and thus, within the Tribulation period. 4. Not only will the Jews be hated by all nations, they will also betray one another. The orthodox Jews will be hated and killed by the secular Jews. In addition, the religious Jews who do not believe their own Scriptures will persecute the righteous Jews. Note the indictment Stephen brings against his on nation. “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.” Acts 7:51-53. 5. The gospel of the KINGDOM will be preached to the whole world by saved Jews in the Tribulation. 6. Now the Lord answers the “when” question. When they see the Antichrist desecration of the temple at Jerusalem, it will be a sign for them to GET OUT OF JUDAEA! Paul speaks to this in his letter to the Thessalonians. “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. 7.

This period will be the worst suffering for Israel since the world began. In addition, were it not for an elect remnant of Jews, all would be killed. 8. The battle of Armageddon will take place, and the birds will gather to eat the dead bodies. 9. Jesus returns to Israel and gathers the Jews from the surviving nations to come and enter the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. This is the kingdom found in the “Lord’s Prayer.” These events lead up to the end of the present “age.” It will not be the end of the world.

LET’S STUDY REVELATION # 30

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CHAPTER NINE

The Mutants from Hell

Revelation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” (Revelation 9:1).

At this point a new sphere is introduced. The three spheres in Revelation are heaven, earth and the pit. From this point on, the bottomless pit holds much of our attention.

 

Under the trumpets the underworld begins its invasion. These events are at the mid-point of the Great Tribulation and parallel chapter 12, where the devil is cast out of heaven.

We are not given the identity of this “star.” Obviously he is a living creature. Many assume it is Satan or one of his servant angels. Some writers take the RSV interpretation suggesting that John is saying he saw a star, which had fallen from heaven. They then cross reference to Luke 10:18, which says, “And he (Jesus) said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Although Satan did fall prior to Genesis 1:2, and will also be cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:9), there is no proof that is what John is talking about.

This star could be any angel carrying out the bidding of God. Men and angles are often called stars. The twelve sons of Jacob were represented as stars (Genesis 37:9). Jude speaks of the ungodly as wandering stars (Jude 1:13). A star was seen in the east at the birth of Christ and was no doubt an angel (Matthew 2:2-10). Stars are often spoken of symbolically (Numbers 24:17; Revelation 1:16, 20; Revelation 12:1).

This angel has the key to the bottomless pit and loosens its demonic inhabitants upon the earth. The fact that he has the key indicates that he is not Satan or one of his evil agents. This angel is the Lord’s servant. When he opens the pit the emergents ascend, and are described as incomprehensible creatures. They come from the pit that is, no doubt, located in the heart of the earth. If so, this would explain why it is called the “bottomless pit,” since the earth is constantly in motion.

Pits are often spoken of in Scripture, and they served many purposes. They were used to capture wild animals or to hold captives secure for judgment. Jeremiah was confined in such a prison-pit in the courtyard. “Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire” (Jeremiah 38:6). See Jeremiah 38:13 which says, “So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.”

These abandoned pits were a danger to travelers, and many times the careless would fall into them and remain there until help came, or until they died. David compared certain events in his own life as one hopelessly trapped in such a pit. “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalms 40:1-3).

Demons acknowledged Christ’s power when He was on the earth and feared He would assign and confine them to the pit. “And, behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29)

Luke 8:28-31 describes our Lord’s power over these creatures from the underworld and their plea not to be sent to the “deep” or the prison house of the underworld. The inhabitants of the bottomless pit are held captive until the angel with the key comes to release them.

“And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.” (Revelation 9:2-6).

A LIVING DOG AND A DEAD LION

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By Ken Blue

“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclesiastes 9:4-10 .

All men die, whether they are kings or canines. If you really want to be depressed, read the book of Ecclesiastes without an understanding of its purpose. There is much wisdom found in the above verses, and we would do well to understand then, since we too will die.

The purpose of the book is to show what this life on earth consist of apart from knowledge of God. It never rises higher than the clouds. It’s about life, “Under the sun.”

Although a living dog is better than a dead lion, the dog too will die. Kings die also, and are soon forgotten. All possessions perish with them. The dog, on the other hand, still has some life ahead of him. How then should he live his remaining day under the sun? How is he better?

The writer is not advocating a reckless life. He is saying enjoy the life you have. Christians must remember that there are boundaries.

The reward for your work is the bread and drink you can purchase with the money earned. That is God’s plan. Also, one should not live as though every day is a journey to the graveyard. The idea of dressing in white and anointing one’s head, gives the idea of enjoyment contentment, and cheerfulness. Don’t spend your life moping about circumstances. Also, husbands and wives are to enjoy one another all their remaining days. If you will notice verse 9b, you discover that the things discussed are the portion of this life. This is your reward under the sun.

Many are despondent because they thought there was more to this life than what they have experienced. There is, if you can get your affections above the sun. Notice what the best Christian who ever lived said about this life. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” 1 Corinthians 15:19.

You see, a living dog is better than a dead lion. You have a life before you. You can enjoy it and live for God. The dead, on the other hand, have no more opportunities. They no longer serve the Lord, nor can they be saved if they die without Christ. Indeed, the living dog is better than a dead lion.