Bulletin Insert: the Glorious Kingdom (Aug. 1, 2021)

 

The Glory of the Millennium

(Pastor Terry L. Reese; Valley GBC, Armagh, PA; 7/25/21)

 

The biblical view of the Millennium, known as Dispensational Premillennialism, recognizes that the Second Advent of our Lord (Rev. 19:11-21) follows the seven-year Great Tribulation Period, and that our Lord will then establish His glorious, literal 1,000 year earthly Kingdom (Rev. 20:2-3), which will be established at Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2-3, Zech. 8:3, 14:17). He will rule over all the nations from the Throne of David (Dan. 7:14, Ps. 2:8), as He has been promised by His Father (II Sam. 7:16, Isa. 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33). Further, a literal Temple with a literal Zadokian Priesthood will be revived (for pedagogical & disciplinary purposes, guaranteeing protection from the physical penalties & temporal judgments associated with living in harmony with the Glory of the Divine Presence (Ezek. 40-48).

 

This thousand year Kingdom, during which time Satan will be bound (Rev. 20:1-3), shall be a paradisiacal time (Isa. 11:6-8) of Peace (Mic. 4:2-4, Isa. 2:4, 19:23-25, 32:17-18), Prosperity (Isa. 35:1-7, Amos 9:13-14), Joy (Isa. 65:19), Holiness (Isa. 2:3, 11:9), and Longevity (Isa. 65:20), with righteous government (Isa. 11:3-5, 32:1), in which such infractions as there are will be dealt with instantly and justly (Zech. 14:17-19).

 

The occupants of this Kingdom include the glorified saints of the Church Age (raised at the Rapture, prior to Tribulation; I Thess. 4:15-17) as well as OT saints (raised at the end of Tribulation, with the Second Coming of Christ; Dan. 12:1-3). These aforementioned governmental authorities (Rev. 20:6) will have as their subjects the believing Jewish & Gentile survivors of the Great Tribulation, who will survive both Armageddon and the Judgment of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46). These will enter the Kingdom Age in mortal bodies and thus, procreate.

 

The Kingdom Age will conclude with a vast and widespread final rebellion amongst the unregenerate children of the survivors of Armageddon, who will be directed by an unbound and unleashed Satan, who, once again, will deceive the nations (Rev 20:7-9). Following the destruction of the rebels, the unsaved dead will be raised for final judgment at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:5, 10-15), and cast forever into the Lake of Fire—that eternal Hell which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). The Millennial Kingdom will then give way, or transform, with the merging of the Thrones of the Universal & Mediatorial Kingdoms (1 Cor. 15:24), into the final and perfected Eternal State (II Pet. 3:10, Rev. 21-22), from which sin and death have been forever banished (Rev. 21:4, 27; 22:15), and the last vestiges of the Curse stripped away (Rev. 21:5; 22:2-3). There will be no longer a need of the sun and the moon, “for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb,” nor of a Temple (Rev. 21:22-25; 22:5), for we shall enjoy perfect and intimate communion with Him forever and ever (Rev. 21:3; 22:3-4).

 

 

Various competing Historic views of the Millennium entertained by Christian believers throughout the centuries.

 

 

The Dispensational Premillennial view (the historic view of the Grace Brethren Church) is the biblical & correct view, based upon a consistent literal hermeneutic (i.e., method of interpretation) that honors prophecy & recognizes the terms of the Covenants of God.

 

The Postmillennial view, with undue optimism in regard to the perfectibility of human nature (Matt. 7:13-14), sees the Church (as opposed to Christ) gradually inaugurating a Golden Age (contra Dan. 2!).

 

Amillennialism likewise spiritualizes the Kingdom into the present Church Age, ignoring the complexity of the prophetic witness and the unconditionality of the Abrahamic Covenant to the Hebrew People.