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FEAST OF TABERNACLES - 2001

DAY 7

Fred Coulter - October 8, 2001

And greetings, brethren. This is the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles because we are told to keep the Feast of Tabernacles seven days. Then on the eighth day (so we’ll talk about the eighth day tomorrow), but today is the seventh day, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. And what this does, this reminds us of what Solomon said, that there is a time, there’s a season for a purpose of everything under heaven. And so just as the Feast of Tabernacles began, it is also going to end. And in God’s plan there is a beginning and ending in relationship to human life.

Now let’s come here to Revelation 1 and let’s see what Jesus said of Himself, because the whole plan of God hinges around the plan and purpose through Jesus Christ as revealed in the word of God, and as revealed in the holy days. So just as we have seen, there was a beginning. Now we’re going to see there is an ending. And we’ll find out why there has to be an ending.

Now let’s pick it up here in Revelation 1:4. “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne;” Because those Spirits go out and search in the earth who is seeking God. “And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness [and that could even be martyr because it’s martus], and the [firstborn, as it should read, not begotten but firstborn] first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father:…” So there again is projecting forward what we are going to be doing during the Millennium, but also this is going to expand out into all eternity as we will see. “…To Him be glory and dominion…” Now dominion here means sovereignty. That God is sovereign and rules and reigns, “…for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Rev. 1:4-7).

Now how is it that those who pierced Him are going to see Him? They aren’t living today. But, let’s think on this for just a minute. The book of Revelation gives us the details of the fulfillment of the Last Great Day, which is the eighth day, isn’t it? And they shall see Him at that time. So they will literally see Him. Now there’s another explanation which you can apply to this, which is this: since Jesus died for our sins, which He did, we just read it. And since He became the sin offering for each one of us individually, therefore when He returns and we see Him, because our sins have pierced Him, therefore it could be fulfilled that way. But I think it’s talking about those who literally pierced Him. That is, the soldiers who did it, with the nails in His hands and in His feet, and the spear in His side.

Now verse 8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Now Jesus overcame death to set the pattern for those that followed Christ. And so, after John saw the vision of Christ in His glorified form, verse 17, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that [is living] liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [the grave] and of death” (vs. 8, 17-18). So with this we see there’s a beginning, there’s an ending. And we see that just as the Millennium began, it’s going to end.

Now let’s come here to Revelation 20 and let’s see it right here concerning the beginning and the end. And there are a couple things which are a little perplexing when you read this and try and understand what God is really telling us in these things. Now let’s pick it up in verse 1. “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [or, the abyss] and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.” So all during the Millennium Satan is not going to be around. That means that human nature is not going to have the intense evil that it has today, because Satan today is the prince of the power of the air. And he has all the things working for him, especially today to deceive people, to keep them deluded, to give them wrong information, wrong understanding, to try and take them away from God. So when he is removed, the author of sin is gone. Then human nature is not going to be intense as it is today. Because it’s going to be taught the good of God rather than having to have evil there and then repentance from the evil that in the depths of it.

Now let’s understand something also, that repentance during the Millennium is going to be perhaps for some people a little more difficult than it is today when they look and see all of the terrible sins that they have had in their lives. However, since God is the one Who grants repentance, therefore when God grants it they will repent. And it will be a…I don’t know if we can say a different kind of repentance than ours, from the point of view that they won’t have had experience in sin like we do. So from that point of view it will be a little bit different, but Satan won’t be there, that’s the main and important thing here.

But notice verse 3, “And cast him into the [abyss] bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled [completed]…” Now why is that? “…And after that he must be loosed a little season.” Why is that? Why is Satan not immediately, as we find here in Revelation 20:10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were cast, because that happened at the beginning of the Millennium] are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Now it is true that the verb here is a plural verb and should read, “and they shall be tormented day and night forever”, but that’s referring to Satan and the demons because wherever Satan goes the demons go. And we know that they will go back into the abyss because that’s where a lot of them came from.

Let’s come here to Revelation 9:1 and we will see this. “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 [abyss] bottomless pit. And he opened the [abyss] bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the [abyss] pit, as the smoke of a great furnace…” (Rev. 9:1-2). So this is the time when all of the demons that are there are released and let go. So let’s see if we can understand why this is going to happen this way. And we’re going to see that there are some other events that are going to take place. And we need to have an understanding of what the whole atmosphere is going to be like during the Millennium. We have seen how that the knowledge of God is going to cover the earth as the seas and the oceans cover the earth. We have seen that everyone is going to know God. In other words, everyone is going to have a chance for salvation. There will be universal salvation at that time. It won’t be anything like we have today.

And we also know, let’s come to Acts 3 again and let’s just briefly review this, that the world is going to be put back into the same order that it was when God created it. Acts 3:19 where Peter says here, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21). So the earth is going to be restored. And as we’ve seen, the people under our supervision are going to build the cities, they’re going to raise up the waste places, they are going to have wealth, they are going have fine homes. Everyone is going to keep the Sabbath. Everyone is going to keep the holy days. No question about it.

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 62 and let’s review just a couple of these things so that we can understand, what is it going to be like in the Millennium? And as we’re coming back here to Isaiah 62 let’s think about one of the weaknesses that human beings have. So you think about it and kind of write it down and we’ll see if you picked out the right weakness that is going to be most prevalent during the Millennium.

Isaiah 62:1, “For Zion’s sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.” Now that’s referring to us who are going to receive the new name, and we’re going to rule and reign with Christ. “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” Now then He talks about Israel. Israel was forsaken. “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married” (Isa. 62:1-4). And so God is going to make the whole earth that way with all the peace, with all the great things that are going to be taking place. There are going to be children born. There are going to be big families because God wants a lot of spiritual sons and daughters in His kingdom.

And then I’m sure that God is going to, since the restoration of everything, I’m sure that God is going to take away the curse of the problems in childbearing, and also child rearing, because there’s going to be right education, see. Where there isn’t going to be any NEA to teach the kids. And you won’t have to send them off to college just to get their brains all messed up. They’re going to learn the right things.

Now, let’s see what else they’re going to do. Let’s come to Isaiah 66:23, and here’s what they are going to do all through the Millennium. This is going to be quite a thing. This is going to be a magnificent thing indeed. And this will also show you some of the activities that we will be doing in helping and teaching and training in all of these things. And I’ve often wondered, what is the society going to be like that has everything that it needs, and also have the knowledge of God, and also know the truth of how to live? Isn’t that going to be something? From the very time the children are taught they are going to understand that there is a purpose in their life. And they’re going to be taught how to fulfill that purpose.

And of course we’ll see here Isaiah 66:23, “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another,…” Now this indicates that there is going to be a restoration of the astronomical things. So is this telling us that there will be a 360 day year again? Don’t know. But at least this means from month to month. “…And from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the LORD.” And so that’s going to be happening all during the Millennium.

Now, is there a time in history which gives us a close proximity as to what it’s going to be like to have the perfect society? Now we will look at one that’s recorded in the scriptures here that was nearly perfect, as far as human perfection and it had God’s blessing and it had God’s inspiration. Let’s go back to 2 Chronicles 9, and let’s look at the reign of Solomon. Now Solomon, when he was made king, remember what happened. He came to God and prayed to God, and God appeared to him in a vision, because Solomon prayed to God and said, “I need wisdom to rule Your people because I’m so young.” God came and said, “Now choose what you want. Wealth, power, whatever it is. You say what you want and I’ll give it to you.” And so he said, “I need wisdom so I can judge Your people.” So God says, “Because you asked for wisdom I’m going to give you wisdom.” And He also gave him wealth because he didn’t ask for it, and made Solomon the wealthiest man on earth, as well as the wisest. Now you see we’re also going to learn in this, that wisdom without retaining the knowledge of God can lead to a disaster.

Now let’s pick it up here in 2 Chronicles 9:1. “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the [food] meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her” (2 Chron. 9:1-4). It just took her breath away it was so beautiful. Now this was a very advanced civilization. And I’m sure that all of the clothes….you know you talk about clothes today. These are nothing but cheap rags compared to what they had. And the wealth was unbelievable.

Now there’s going to be plenty of wealth during the Millennium. God is not going to hold back anything. God is going to bless all the people and they will be tithing, all of them properly, and there won’t be anymore confounded taxes from the countries. And the money is not going to be wasted cause there will be no crime. There will be no jails, there will be no hospitals, there will be no big departments like we have in governments because we will be the government. The government will be on Christ’s shoulders but we will be the government and we will live off the tithes. And also, they’re going to keep the land sabbath every seven years. And the land sabbath guarantees a perpetually prosperous economy, because if it’s done right the land sabbath takes out the ups and down cycles of the economy that we have today. Because they get too much and then the bottom falls out. So you see, every seventh year if you rest the land then that solves the problem.

Ok, now back to this. So after seeing that, took her breath away, it must have been just absolutely splendiferous, if I can use that word. “And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom” (vs. 5-7). Now there is going to be nothing but happiness during the Millennium, see, and we’re going to help bring that about. Isn’t that going to be amazing? I mean you stop and think. Every evil under the sun is going to be removed. It’s going to make this just become almost pale in comparison, but notice this gives us a good idea what it’s going to be like.

“Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on His throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made He thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.” Sound a little familiar about what we’re going to do? Yes, it does. “And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, [that’s a lot] and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.” I wonder what those special spices were. But he didn’t have them till she brought them. “And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir [now Ophir, as far as we are able to understand, Ophir is Southeast Asia], brought algum trees and precious stones. And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and the harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants” (vs. 8-12).

“Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year…” (vs. 13). Now this is yearly. This is an annual tribute from all the nations of the earth, because you see at that time Israel was a world ruling empire. And Israel’s job was to be functioning toward God and the rest of the world as priests of God. Now hold your place right here and let’s come back to Exodus 19 for just a minute, because I don’t think we understand what a great failure it was that Solomon did when he sinned the way that he did.

Let’s come back here to Exodus 19:4. Now listen to this, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:4-6).

Now let’s come back here to 2 Chronicles 9, because Solomon had the opportunity to really do that because of the blessings that God gave to him. Now let’s come to verse 13 again. “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold…”, 666, isn’t that amazing. And that’s the number of the mark of the beast. So is that the number of the best society that men can do? Now you see this was the real Kingdom of God. The kingdom of the beast is going to be the fake kingdom of God. So isn’t it interesting that the number of his mark is 666. And it has to do with buying and selling.

Ok, we’ll go on. We’ll just let you think on that one. Verse 14, “Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target” (vs. 14-15). And shows all that he did and the tremendous and beautiful throne that he made for himself.

Now let’s come down here to verse 20. Now how’s this? Listen to this wealth. They had so much gold, listen to this. “And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold…” Can you imagine drinking water and wine out of gold? I mean you almost have to use two hands to pick it up because gold is pretty heavy. Now it doesn’t tell us how thick they were, it doesn’t tell us if they were 100% gold. But at least they were of gold. “…And all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not anything accounted of in the days of Solomon.” Now that is such a booming prosperous kingdom and economy, it’s just unreal.

Verse 21, “For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” And so that’s why when he built his terraces he probably had the finest zoos in the world. He had the specimens of all animals. And when he looked out and saw Jerusalem, which he had built, boy it just took his breath away. But he forgot God, didn’t he? Yes, he did. We’ll talk about that in just a little bit.

Verse 22, “And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year” (vs. 22-24). So this was a world wide tax that came from all of the countries. Now this thing that America was not discovered until Columbus is just a bunch of bunk. They had ships that went around the world. How long does it take to go around the world when you use a sailing ship? Three years. That’s how long it took Magellan to do it. And you know they knew how to build things. And I’m sure they had far better ships than we ever give them credit for. But you see because of the evil theory of evolution people think of these times as a bunch of just ignoramus people that knew nothing. Well, here this is telling us of very advanced, very advanced society, isn’t it? Now the reason I bring this out is because the Millennium is going to be even more advanced. And it is going to have such wealth, as we have seen, that God is just going to just pour out His blessing on all people, on all nations, and everything that they do, and there’s going to be universal salvation for everyone.

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 61, and let’s see if we can put this together and understand what’s going on here. This is going to be something. And you know the thing that’s so important brethren, is this. We have been blessed to be called to have a part to do this. Isn’t that something? Have you ever down deep, deep…I know I have…down deep inside of them, I’m sure everyone of you have…that you have wanted to do something to really make this world right. But you see with Satan there you can never make anything right because he always has agents there to upset it. So now all during the Millennium he’s going to be removed, and we’re going to do the things to make it right.

Now here, Isaiah 61:1. “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek…”, is what we’re going to do. We’re going to preach the gospel every Sabbath, every holy day. We’re going to show people how to live. We’re going to show people how their lives can interact with what God has provided for them. They will be educated, they will be skilled. We won’t have any of the diseases. No mental problems or anything that we have today. It is going to be just stunning brethren. “…He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.” And then as we read before, verse 4, “…build [up] the old wastes [waste places], they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isa. 61:1-4).

Now remember that we are going to be given authority to rule over the nations, aren’t we? Given authority to rule over the cities. We’re going to be responsible for making sure that the cities are right. Not the jumbled up messes that we see today.

Now let’s come over here to Isaiah 60:16. “Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise” (Isa. 60:16-18). That’s something. Now think of this for a thousand years, and children being born into this environment. What a tremendous thing, right?

Now then, let’s see that there is something else that’s going to happen. Let’s understand this: all through the Millennium there’s going to be the right way of God taught, but that they’re also going to have to choose. Now their choices will not have the broad spectrum that we have today but they’re still nevertheless going to have to choose. It’s not going to be quite exactly the same that it was when God told Israel that “I set before you this day life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life that you may live.” But there will have to be that. There will have to be…the penalty of sin is going to be known, because people are going to sin just simply because there is human nature.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 65 and let’s understand this in relationship to the Millennium. And I think with it this year I’m able to understand one part just a little bit better in this that I didn’t quite understand before, but I’ll see if I can make sense of it for you. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 17. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…”, and that’s what we’re going to be doing during the Millennium. “…And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Now let’s understand something. This section of scripture can apply, 1) to the Millennium, and also as we will see, 2) to the Last Great Day. Because those people that are resurrected in the second resurrection will be coming into what? A new heaven and a new earth, and every thing is going to be different than what they understood it was when they died. Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.

Now verse 18, “But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more [from that time] thence an infant of days [that is, which shall not have fulfilled their purpose, or an infant of days that dies prematurely - that’s the meaning of it], 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” (vs. 18-20). Now, I think this is telling us very clearly that the life span in the Millennium is going to be approximately 100 years.

Now then it says, “…the child shall die being a hundred years old. The sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.” So there will still be sinners. Now we’ll look and see how God will handle sinners. Now let’s understand this. We’ll see a little bit later on here, we’ll come to it in just a little bit. We are told… Well, let’s go on, let’s see if we can make some sense of this and put it together to understand about the child dying a hundred years old. In other words going to live a hundred years. “…The sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.” In other words if you sin to the point that you die and you are buried you know that that person is waiting for the lake of fire for the second death, because that’s what accursed means.

Now let’s come to Hebrews 9 and let’s see what it says about all men. Now when it says about all men that means all human beings. Let’s look at it here what it says. Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” Now then let’s understand something. When God calls us, we’re baptized. When we are baptized what is that? That is a spiritual death, is it not? And it is a covenant death. You are actually pledging your life unto God that if you do not remain faithful you shall likewise die. Now if you are faithful, Christ has removed the second death from you. So until Christ returns everyone who has the Spirit of God that dies, they die once.

Now let’s look at a couple of other things that are important in it and let’s ask a couple of questions here. Let’s come to 1 Thessalonians 4 and let’s see, is there a time when God suspends the death, the first death? Yes, there is. 1 Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not [precede] prevent them which are [fallen] asleep [now that is, those who are dead in Christ]. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first…” (1 Thess. 4:14-16). Ok, all those who are dead in Christ have died once, have they not? They also died the death of baptism too, didn’t they? Yes. That’s why Paul said that he was dead to sin. He died that death of baptism.

Now let’s look at the exception for those who are still alive and there is not time for them to die. Because Christ is coming. He’s here, He’s on His way. Verse 17, notice, “Then we which are alive and remain [shall die]…” Now it doesn’t say that. “…Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air [or that is, for the meeting of the Lord in the air]: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Now then, since the saints who are still alive when Christ returns have died that death in baptism, therefore God has suspended the judgment of death upon those people who are converted, and they shall be changed.

Part 2

Now let’s see that again here in 1 Corinthians 15. The apostle Paul wrote about this too. We’ve already covered this but I think we just need to look at it from a little different perspective. Now here, 1 Corinthians 15:50, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep,…” Now at this time he was saying, “We’re all not going to be dead.” He knows that those who are dead in Christ will be raised, but at this point he was also talking about those who would not be dead. “…We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,…” When? When Christ returns. When we’re caught up in the air to meet Christ in the air. We are changed, as it says here in verse 52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” That is all of us, whether we were dead in the grave, or whether we are alive, because he said there in 1 Thessalonians 4 that “We which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the clouds together with them.” So for those who are converted and are righteous the penalty of death has been removed. So what we will be doing during the Millennium is this, and I think that I’ve mentioned this before. Now I’ve also said that since it’s given to men once to die, that when they come to the one hundred years, they die instantly and are changed instantly. Well, there will be no need for them to die because they have died the death of baptism. So they have already died. They have died in Christ. So when it comes time for their life to come to an end because they have been righteous, what would be the need for them to die at that time if there was no need for those who are Christ’s today and are alive when Christ returns, that there is no need for them to die. But to be changed instantly in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ and to be with Him forever.

Now then I think this helps explain concerning the sinner that dies accursed. He’s going to have to wait the second death because God has decreed that all human beings who have committed the unpardonable sin must die the second death. Now we’ll cover a little bit more of that tomorrow. But let’s come back here to Isaiah 65 and let’s finish this section of scripture here, and we can see that this can apply to the Millennium. And this can apply to the length of time that people will be living. Now let’s notice verse 21, “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of My people, and Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isa. 65:21-22). So we’re talking about the elect. Now are those who are called during the Millennium the elect? Have to be. No doubt about it. We are today, we are called the elect.

“They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.” And here’s what it’s going to be like. I mean you talk about instant answered prayer, notice. “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together..” Put in your margin there chapter 11:6. “…And the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, saith the LORD” (vs. 23-25). So here we have at least ten generations, one hundred years long. Of course with people being born all the time then the one hundred year period is not going to be a set fixed one hundred years, but it’s going to be a hundred years for each one as it comes.

Now what’s going to happen to these people? What kind of attitude are we going to find toward the end of the Millennium? What is it that we are going to see? What is it that human nature always does? Now especially considering the last generation, the last one hundred year period there, those who are born into the society, they come into a ready made society that for nine hundred years has been blessed of God, has been perfect, has been just absolutely marvelous. Now, they will also know that those who sin, and sin is the transgression of the law, that they are going to die accursed. Now when we come to the last generation we have a little bit different situation here that we need to deal with. What is going to happen with people who sin?

Well, let’s come back here to Revelation 3, and let’s draw a parallel from the last era of the Church. And I think we are going to understand, and I think we can say with safe assurity that the last generation is going to be Laodicean, big time. Why is that? Because everything is there. Everything has been provided. And they are going to become, how shall we say, there will be a lot of people and their sin is going to be the sin of indifference and callousness. There will be a lot of people then who will not accept the salvation that God is giving them. Now remember that this last generation is going to be a multitude of people. We don’t know what the population of the earth will be when we come toward the end of the Millennium. But the way that it’s described here in the Bible, there are going to be people, and they’re going to have children, and children, and children, and children and God is going to glorify Himself with all the children and human beings all during the Millennium.

Now you see, not only is that going to happen, but that tells you what kind of job that we are going to have to have, right? And each generation there are more people to deal with. So those that are righteous accept the salvation of God. They will be born into the Kingdom of God when it comes to the end of their one hundred year lifetime. There would be no need for them to die, because the sinner dies accursed. The death that God will accept will be the death of baptism into Jesus Christ. And if they are faithful unto the end they’ll be born into the Kingdom of God and be spirit beings. So, you know, what do we have today when people die? Well, the Irish have what is called a wake, and they all get drunk. They should call it a drunk instead of a wake. But it is to be having good memories of the person that died, rather than be all sorrowful. Well, can you imagine what the going out part is going to be like when people are ready to be born into the kingdom of God, because they’ve been righteous and lived their life properly, they have been humble, they have served God, they’ve kept His commandments, they understand and know God’s plan. Boy, I tell you, it’s going to be something, isn’t it? Now I don’t know, but would there be…and I think that would be an appropriate thing, wouldn’t it?…there would be a “coming in” feast, a “going out - coming in” feast. Going out from physical life, and coming into spiritual life. Now that would be something, wouldn’t it. Ok, so we’ll just kind of use our imagination here just a little bit.

Now here, let’s come to Revelation 3:14. You know all about the Laodicean church but let’s just pick up on a few things here, ok? “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the [beginner] beginning of the creation of God…” So here we are again with the beginning. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot…” (Rev. 3:14-15). Now, with everything provided, with everything physical thing that you need, isn’t it going to be hard for some people to repent? Isn’t it going to be hard for them to not be complacent? For them to not be lukewarm? I think it’s going to be very difficult. You know sometimes living in this evil world we see all the evil around us and that really stirs us up, you know to really desire God’s kingdom and to do right and to love God and to serve Him. But all of that is going to be removed. It’s going to be a whole different thing for them.

Let’s go on. “…I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.” Now they’re removed from the Church. That’s an interesting thing. What happens when you’re removed from the Church but you haven’t yet died? Is that not an exile? It surely is. Now, can there be repentance and reentrance? Yes, indeed. Let’s go on. “Because thou sayest…” Now I just imagine there will be a lot of people who will say to God, “Boy, look at all these things around here. Look how fantastic this is. I’m rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.” “…And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:…”(vs. 15-17). Because, you see, human nature is still going to be there, isn’t it? They are going to turn aside the salvation of God. So what’s going to happen to them? There’s not enough time for them to die the first death because the end of the Millennium is coming. So we’ll see what God does.

Let’s go on here. “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” You know, isn’t that going to be true? Aren’t those people then going to have to really see things from a spiritual perspective? Yes, they will. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock…” Now is God going to give those that He vomits out an opportunity to come back? Yes. Jesus is the door (John 10), and you’ve got to go through Him. Now also He’s standing at the door and knocking, this is also likened unto the door of your mind. “…If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (vs. 18-20).

Now, let’s come back to Genesis 3 and let’s see if we can put this together, because here we have something that is really quite unusual, isn’t it, with the Laodiceans. They’re spued out but they’re still living. They’re still living in their sin. They are given an opportunity to repent. Now let’s see what happened here when Adam and Eve sinned, ’cause we’re going to get a parallel, we’ll see what happened. And then we’ll see what happened when Cain sinned. So what’s going to happen to these people at the end of the Millennium that sinned. Yet there is not enough time for them to complete their lives and die at one hundred years old accursed. Well, let’s see.

Let’s pick it up here in verse 23, “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” They were vomited out of the garden of Eden, weren’t they? They were driven out. They were cut off from God, weren’t they. In other words they were exiled. They could no longer go back into the garden of Eden. They could come up to the gate where the Cherubims were, but they couldn’t go in. God would meet with them there, but they were cut off from going back into the garden of Eden, weren’t they?

Now, let’s see what happened here with Cain when he sinned. Genesis 4:16, “And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” So he was removed even further. The land of Nod is called the land of wandering. So when Cain sinned he was removed. Now he still was alive, wasn’t he? He was being punished for his sin because of being exiled. That was his punishment. But you see, Adam and Eve were one step removed from God, now then Cain and his descendants were two steps removed from God.

Now let’s look and see another example here of what happened to Israel and what happened to Judah when they sinned and God did not want to execute all of them. Remember, the wages of sin is death, but if there is not time to die then something else has to happen. Let’s come to 2 Kings 17 and let’s see what God said concerning the children of Israel. I won’t go through the whole chapter because that will take too long, but let’s just catch a couple of verses here which tells us that they were exiled. They were removed from the land that God gave them.

2 Kings 17:6, “In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods…” (vs. 6-7) So they were carried away because of their sin. They were taken away. Now verse 11, “And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them;…” So God did the same thing with the heathen, didn’t He. Did not God expel the Canaanites from the land because of their sin? Yes, and He told the Israelites, “If you sin like they sinned you’re going to be expelled from the land too.” So they were exiled.

Now this is undoubtedly what God is going to do in that last generation for those in the Millennium that sin. Now we also know that Judah was carried away, or exiled, into Babylon. So since that’s the way that God works, we can conclude with great assurity that that’s probably what God is going to do at the end of the Millennium.

Now let’s come back to Revelation 20 and let’s look at that. Let’s understand this. Let’s put it together in a way that is going to give us the understanding we need. Now let’s follow right along here. Let’s pick it up here in verse 5. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” So there is a category of people that died that were not called during their lifetime. That cannot be anyone who lives into the Millennium because all are called during the Millennium. So this has to be those, and we’ll cover that tomorrow, as pictured by the Last Great Day. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection [that is referring back to verse 4 about thrones being set down, as we’ve already covered]. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:…” Now isn’t it interesting, if it were just the resurrection it would say ‘the resurrection’. This says ‘the first resurrection’. And if the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are finished - that’s got to be another resurrection. So as we will see, we know there are two resurrections. Now notice, “…on such the second death hath no power [that is those in the first resurrection], but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:5-6).

Now we come to the end of the Millennium and here is Satan. God put him in the abyss, bound him there for a thousand years so he wouldn’t deceive the nations any more and now He’s got another job for Satan to do. Now let’s read it. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,” Why? Let’s read on. “And shall go out to deceive the nations…” (vs. 7-8) Now remember, all of those who have sinned, and there is time for them to die, have been exiled into the area of Gog and Magog. Now this has to be the geographical location. This has to be a geographical location in Gog and Magog. Why? Because if it were just the people of Gog and Magog, then God is a respecter of persons and has for the people of Gog and Magog, cut them off so none of them will ever have salvation. So this has to be the geographical area. Just like we saw the children of Israel were carried off into Assyria and into the cities of the Medes. So here we have that they are in Gog and Magog.

Now why are they there? They have to be there because they did not accept the salvation of God, and they were removed. Now when you get all these sinners together out there in Gog and Magog… Now they’re probably being witnessed to all the time. There may be some who repent and are able to come back out of Gog and Magog. Even some people have brought up the question, well, will there be a place of exile all during the Millennium? I don’t know, the scriptures don’t tell us. But this at least tells us that there are going to be human beings at the end of the Millennium living out there in Gog and Magog, and why are they there? They have to be there because they have sinned. They have to be there because they have rejected the salvation of God. They have to be there because they were exiled since there is not time for them to live out their physical lives because the end of the Millennium is coming.

Now let’s read on here. “…Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth…” So these are all nations, see, not just Gog and Magog. That’s where they are. “…To gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (vs. 7-8). Now why would Satan be loosed to gather them together for battle? Remember, before the great white throne judgment starts, the Last Great Day, all sinners have to be removed. They don’t have time to die their first natural death and be sinners accursed at one hundred years old. So God uses Satan the devil to go out and deceive them. They’ve already rejected salvation so they’re not being deceived out of salvation. God is not condemning the people of Gog and Magog but there is an area of Gog and Magog where the sinners are exiled.

Now when Satan comes out, you know you can almost write the script. Now the Catholics say that the antichrist will come and he will reign a thousand years. And after that the true Catholic faith will revive. Now you just switch the places, see. Because the antichrist of the Catholics is the true Christ. And Satan is their god so when he comes out what is he going to do? He’s going to say, “Hey, I am the true god, look at me. Now let’s get this thing organized.” And with their carnal seared conscience and rejecting the salvation of God, they’re going to say, “Hurray.” Satan is probably going to perform some great miracles. He’ll probably reinstitute the Catholic religion. And he’s going to form the armies, see, “Because this is going to be an easy target down here in Jerusalem, see, because they don’t have any weapons. So we’re going to make some weapons.” Now it says for a little season. We don’t know how long it’s going to be. We don’t know what kind of weapons they can develop within whatever period of time that is. A short season can refer to a time of about 3 ½ years. Now I suppose with great diligence in 3 ½ years they could raise up a good army. They could develop all kinds of weapons. They could have them ready to go.

Now notice what’s going to happen. He’s going to lead them in this battle against Jerusalem. “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about…” Now why does it say the camp of the saints. Could it be that this is the time of the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem? That, “That’s the time to come and get them because there are the most there at that time, so we’ll come and encircle them. And if we can get Jerusalem we will gain control and power over this world.” See because Satan has always thought that he could defeat God. Satan has always thought that he is just like God. And he knows he’s failed a couple of times, but he himself is so deceived he is convinced that he is going to do it this time. So he comes down, “…compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:…” And God executes His vengeance. “…And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them” (vs. 9). That means they died. That is their first death.

Now at this point what do we have? At this point we have all of those who are then ready to enter into the Kingdom of God because they were faithful. We have all of those who have just been exterminated by the fire of God having gathered together for this battle, having come out of their place of exile in Gog and Magog. And now the judgment comes upon Satan. This is when we judge the angels. God is going to judge Satan. There’s going to be that time of judgment and let’s see what’s going to happen here.

Verse 10, after this great battle, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were cast] are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” And he’s never getting out ever again. There is no more need or purpose for Satan the devil. When we come to the time of the great white throne judgment Satan is not allowed back, because as we will see, all of those people who will come up in the great white throne judgment, who God did not call during their physical lifetime, they have already lived one life under Satan the devil. And living one life under Satan the devil is plenty enough. No question about that. So Satan will not be around. His final judgment has taken place right here in verse 10.

And I think that that’s what it’s telling us here. As far as I am able to understand it. Because you see, if you have the beginning and you have an ending, you’ve got to take care of the problems at the beginning, and you’ve got to take care of the problems at the end. And since God has decreed that all sinners must die twice, experience the second death, therefore that is God’s way to execute the first death upon them at the end of the Millennium.

Now then, there’s one more day, the Last Great Day. And the meaning of that is so absolutely profound brethren. So y’all come back tomorrow and we’ll get into the Last Great Day.