What Can We Expect During the Millennium, Part 10?
Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective
As a for instance, we are seeing protesters up in arms over President Trump’s latest executive order, which bans individuals traveling from certain countries in the Middle East to the USA, known to be hotbeds for terrorism. President Obama did the same thing. Before him, President Clinton did something similar and way back in the 1970’s, President Carter did something similar as well.
The media, motivated by their strong ties to Marxism and the left in general is lying about the executive order signed by Trump, wrongly saying it is a “Muslim ban.” It is not a Muslim ban. India, for example, is not affected by this “ban” and India has a very large percentage of Muslims living there.
In reality, those on the left are given to rants and faux rage based on what they believe to be true. It’s called emotional virtue, aka political correctness, or Cultural Marxism. When these people do not get their way, they become violent, beating up innocent people, destroying public or private property, or things involving other destructive behaviors. In that way, they do exactly what radical Muslims do in order to get their way. They assume that when other people see them on the war path, they will fearfully give into their demands. But things are changing in America and what has worked for the past eight years probably isn’t going to work anymore.
In truth, people like the ones described above will not be part of the coming Millennial Kingdom. The characteristics of people on the left who deliberately lie and actively work to upset and overturn society will be a thing of the past. Jesus Himself will see to that, which is part of the reason He will need to rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:27).
Following the peace and true prosperity of the 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom, there is more bad news in store for people like the ones described above (and for more about this, read Romans 1 where Paul explains the natural downward spiral of those who start out rejecting God and end up full-blown leftists). Once the Millennial Kingdom is over, the Great White Throne Judgment occurs.
Daniel 12:1-2 highlights this coming time.
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (NET)
Verse one points to the coming Tribulation period that will last for seven years (Daniel 9:27; the final “week”), to be followed by two resurrections separated by the Miilennium. First, the righteous will rise from the dead to live during the Millennial Kingdom. Those classified by God as “wicked” will remain in their graves (and in hell; Isaiah 26:14).
Once the Millennial Kingdom has come to an end, God in Christ opens the books and brings all the “wicked” before Him to be judged. This is the scene of the Great White Throne. All those who died from this life into eternity without ever having received Jesus as Savior will be brought before Jesus at this time.
John the Apostle writes about this tragic event in Revelation 20:11-15.
1 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (ESV)
These dead people are resurrected to stand before the Lord of Glory. During this time, the books are opened – one is the book of Life. The other one might possibly be a journal of everything each person did in this life.
Notice also that there is no place for anyone to hide from God. The sea will give up its dead (v. 13), Death and Hades (hell) also give up its dead. Each is judged according to what they did when they were alive.
Interestingly enough, Paul speaks to this problem of evil acts that people commit and how they are responsible and ultimately judged for those acts in Romans 2:11-15.
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)… (KJV)
Here, Paul clearly lays out that those who have not trusted in Jesus for salvation will leave God no option except to judge them by how they lived their lives. Unfortunately, those who have not trusted in Christ will be judged and found wanting. Those who are in Christ will have been given Christ’s righteousness in exchange for their own filthy rags. These will stand before Jesus and received glorified bodies before the Millennial Kingdom begins. Those that stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne Judgment will finally understand why there is no place for them in heaven.
Romans 2:16 and Revelation 20:15 tells the sad story.
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2)
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20)
All secrets will be exposed to the Light. The evidence will be weighed and those found wanting will be literally remanded to the Lake of Fire.
After this judgment, God will create new heavens and earth and in essence, the Garden of Eden will start all over again, but this time only with people who have been tested and found righteous because of their faith in Christ. These will be given glorified bodies that can never become corrupt and the sin nature will be removed from each of them. No one will ever have the desire to sin again.
Once God creates new heavens and earth, eternity future will begin. This is all found in Revelation 21 and highlights exactly what heaven (the new earth) will be like for its citizens. These times are coming and Christians can rightly expect this.
Nothing here on this earth or in society is permanent. That is very clear not only because of what the Bible tells us but because of what we see as far as the transitions that occur in society constantly. Truth is a movable feast for many, but not for God. Yet, too often His truth is rejected by people who want nothing to do with Him.
I watched a video by Ray Comfort about atheism in which he shows a panel discussion which included atheist Richard Dawkins. Dawkins was trying to explain evolution and how something was created from nothing. At one point, even though he said that before there was something there was nothing, he then said that this “something” produced all of what we have today. Either there was truly nothing before there was something or there was something. Even the audience could be heard laughing, much to Mr. Dawkins’ chagrin. Apparently, he’s not used to people finding his explanations absurd.
A day is coming when all will be set right, where sin will no longer exist, and people will finally be what God intended us to be. That day is coming just as sure as Jesus came physically the first time and will return to this earth physically the second time.
There is much to look forward to and as we wait, we work to bring others into the Kingdom of our Lord. It is our job, our commission (Matthew 28), something we need to take even more seriously than our politics.
Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective
Source: http://studygrowknowblog.com/2017/01/30/what-can-we-expect-during-the-millennium-part-10/
