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Millenial Man
Back to Jerusalem
The Coming King
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Rebellious Prince
The Supreme
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The Law of the King
Bricks Without
Straw
The Glorious
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Witch of Endor
Cities of Ash
A River of Life
Resting the
Land
Bowing to Baylon
A Heavenly
Model
Cleansing the
Temple
A Tale of Two
Women
Windows of
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Ten Times
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Resting the Land
Our
world was first created with a perfect balance in nature. Man, animals,
and plants lived in total harmony. But with the entrance of sin,
everything changed. Man started eating animals, and animals began eating
each other. Thorns and thistles sprouted everywhere. The scourge of sin
depleted even the soil. God told Cain, "When thou tillest the ground, it
shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength." Genesis 4:12.
This is one reason the Lord commanded the children of Israel to rest the
farmlands every seventh year (Exodus 23:10, 11). It would give the
ground a chance to recover its vitality and provide a volunteer crop for
the poor to eat. But most of God's people ignored this law or simply
refused to obey it. Then came a day of awful judgment. Nebuchadnezzar,
the Babylonian king, came to Judah and executed those who had rebelled
against him. Others were carried off to the golden city of Babylon.
Meanwhile, the land of Israel lay quietly in ruins, "until it had
enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath."
2 Chronicles 36:21. At the end of 70 years, the survivors returned to
Canaan to replant the promised land and to rebuild Jerusalem.
For 6,000 years now, Jesus has been sowing the seed of the gospel. The
Bible tells us that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years." 2
Peter 3:8. Soon King Jesus will come to harvest the world. Some will be
slain by the brightness of His coming, and the rest will be carried off
to His golden kingdom. Then this tired old planet will keep a 1,000-year
Sabbath! |
1. What
events mark the beginning of the 1,000 years?
1
Thessalonians 4:16 . For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, ... and the dead in Christ shall ____ first.
Revelation 20:4, 5 And they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
one thousand years of Revelation 20 is often called the millennium.
The word "millennium" is simply a Latin composite of two words: "milli,"
meaning "one thousand," and "annum," meaning "years." The second
coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the righteous mark the
beginning of the 1,000 years. The saints of all ages (described as
"blessed and holy" in verse 6) will be raised in this first
resurrection.
2. What
else will happen at the first resurrection?
1
Corinthians 15:51, 52 . We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
______________, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised.
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body.
2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord ... shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming.
Revelation 16:18, 20, 21 And there was a great earthquake,
such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an
earthquake, and so great. ... And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail
out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent [about 75
pounds].
Revelation 20:1, 2 An angel ... laid hold on the dragon, that
old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: See
the 1,000-year chart at the end of this lesson for a summary of the
events that will take place as the 1,000 years begin.
3. Who
will be raised in the second resurrection, and when will it take
place?
John 5:28,
29 . All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
they that have done ________, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead [the wicked] lived not
again until the thousand years were finished.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
wicked are raised in the second general resurrection at the close of
the 1,000 years.
4. What
is the condition of the earth during the 1,000 years?
Isaiah 24:1
. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth __________, and maketh it waste,
and turneth it upside down.
Jeremiah 4:23-26 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without
form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I
beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled. ... There was no man,
and all the birds of the heavens were fled. ... The fruitful place was
a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at
the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 25:33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at
that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the
earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
earth will be totally devastated by the earthquake and hailstorm that
strike at Jesus' second coming. It will be left in complete darkness.
Dead people will lie strewn across the earth's surface, with no one
mourning, because none will be left alive. The righteous will all be
in heaven, and the wicked will all be dead. (See supplement on "The
Bottomless Pit.")
5. Where
will the saints be during the 1,000 years, and what will they be
doing?
John 14:3
. I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that __________ __
____, there ye may be also. (three word answer)
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and
judgment was given unto them: ... and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years.
1 Corinthians 6:2, 3 Do ye not know that the saints
shall judge the world? ... Know ye not that we shall judge angels?
Answer:
___________________________
Note: During
the 1,000 years the saints will be in heaven, participating in the
judgment. They will not decide who is saved or lost, because God will
already have that determined. They will simply confirm the judgments
of God. "For thy judgments are made manifest." Revelation 15:4. The
fairness of God's punishment for the lost will be affirmed, as well as
the rewards for the righteous (Revelation 22:11, 12). This phase of
the judgment is for the benefit of the saints. For example, suppose
you get to heaven and discover that your beloved pastor is not
there--yet some infamous criminal is there! You would probably need an
explanation. The angels will guide us through the record books to
settle any doubts. At the end of this phase of the judgment, all will
be totally convinced of God's justice, love, and His impartial
dealings with all. They will declare, "For true and righteous are his
judgments." Revelation 19:2. (See supplement entitled "The 1,000-Year
Chart.")
6. What
will happen at the close of the 1,000 years?
Zechariah
14:1, 4, 5, 9 . Behold the day of the Lord cometh, ... And his feet
shall stand in that day upon the mount of ________, which is
before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave
in the midst thereof. ... And the Lord my God shall come, and all the
saints with thee. ... And the Lord shall be king over all the earth.
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: At
the close of the 1,000 years, the New Jerusalem with the saints inside
will descend from heaven and land on what is now the Mount of Olives.
The Lord will flatten the hill to make a great plain for the city's
landing site.
7. What
will happen next to free Satan from his prison?
Revelation
20:5, 7 . But the rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished. ... And when the thousand years are
expired, Satan shall be ________ out of his prison.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: After
the wicked are resurrected, Satan will once again be free to deceive
and manipulate them.
8. What
will Satan do when the wicked are raised?
Revelation
20:8, 9 . And shall go out to ______________ 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. And
they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the
camp of the saints about, and the beloved city.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: Satan
will deceive people into believing that he was unjustly deposed from
heaven and that together they can capture the city and take control.
Realizing they are shut out of the holy city, the wicked will organize
an attack to conquer the New Jerusalem.
9. At
this crucial moment, what will stop everything?
Revelation
20:11, 12 . And I saw a great white _________, and him that
sat on it, ... and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: God's
throne will suddenly appear in the heavens above the city, and the
final phase of the judgment begins. The assault on the city of God is
thus brought to an instant halt. The books will be opened, and every
person's life will be made to pass before him. Everything will be open
for the wicked and righteous to see (Luke 12:2, 3).
10. What
will happen after the wicked are judged?
Romans
14:11 . As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall ______ to
me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Philippians 2:10, 11 That at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Revelation 19:1, 2 I heard a great voice of much people in
heaven saying, ... true and righteous are his judgments.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
wicked will all freely admit that God has been fair and just and that
He tried desperately to save them, but they openly chose to reject Him
and to live a selfish life of sin. After this universal admission, the
sin controversy will be forever settled and it will be safe to destroy
sinners.
11. What
will happen next?
Revelation
20:9 . ______ came down from God out of heaven, and devoured
them.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: God's
fire will then fall upon the wicked and form a vast lake of fire all
around the city of God. This fire will eventually turn them all to
ashes (Malachi 4:3). The devil will have no control over this fire,
which is called hell. Instead, he and his angels will also be punished
in the fire and then turned into ashes (Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel
28:18). There is no resurrection from this fire, which is called the
second death (Revelation 20:14).
12. After
the fire goes out, what will God do for His people?
Isaiah
65:17 . For, behold, I ______ new heavens and a new earth.
2 Peter 3:13 We, according to his promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: At
the end of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the children of
Israel returned to the promised land and rebuilt the city. After the
millennium, the saints will witness Jesus create a new heavens
(atmosphere) and a perfect new earth, where sin will never again rear
its ugly head (Nahum 1:9). The paradise that Adam and Eve lost by sin
will be restored in all of its Edenic glory. Peace, joy, love, and
perfect happiness will rest upon God's people forever!
13. Where
will God and the righteous finally live?
Matthew 5:5
. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the __________.
Revelation 21:3 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and
he will dwell with them.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: Both
God the Father and God the Son will live with their saints on the new
earth. Just think of it--having God for a neighbor!
14. Jesus
says, "I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2. He has a mansion
for you in the holy city. Will you now accept His offer of life
eternal so He may give you the new birth and prepare you for His
kingdom?
.
Answer:
___________________________
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