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Christian Biblical Church of God Biblical Truth Ministries: “the truth shall set you free” Order Books Online | Sermon Text Index | Sermon Audio Index | Afrikaans Nuwe The Holy Bible In Its Original Order - Available Now New |
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In Acts 10, that God is no respecter of persons. “But in every nation [which then includes Gog and Magog the people], he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness…” Now all of those who are fighting against the thing of works of righteousness that you have nothing to do, here Peter says, “that works righteousness”. So there are works to righteousness. Let’s understand that. “…Is accepted with Him” (vs. 35). And so all during the millennium this is what is going to happen. But since it’s going to be the restitution of all things let’s go back to Genesis 3 for just a minute here and let’s see what happens when God does not give the death penalty immediately. We know the wages of sin is death. And we know God told Adam and Eve that in the day that they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that they would die. And Hebrew there is “in dying you shall die.” But He didn’t state exactly when they would. But on that day that they ate thereof they received the death sentence within their very beings. And that was God’s judgment. Because He said to Adam, “dust you are and unto dust you shall return.” See now if they would have chosen God’s way and eaten of the tree of life, instead of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, I am sure that we would have entered into a time that would have been just like the millennium all the way through the whole history of mankind. But they didn’t do it. They sinned. Now what was their punishment? When God does not choose to bring instantaneous death to sinners, which He can do, then what does God do with them. And I think this will help answer the question, that Gog and Magog back in Genesis 20 is a geographical area, and we will see that God does something with that geographical area based upon the principle that we find here in Genesis 3. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 22, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil…” Now that is not just to know, but to decide for himself good and evil. Now you see, human nature cannot rightly decide good and evil on it’s own. Now God can, but human beings can’t. So in a sense that they took to themselves to choose, not only good and evil, but also to lay out what they figured what was good and evil. In that sense they became as God. They didn’t become as God in any other sense, just in that sense alone. “…Now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:” Now here is a good lesson. God does not want you to life eternity in a state of sin. Nor does He want you to have sinfulness in your nature for all eternity. Can you imagine what that would be like. Overcoming sin for all eternity. Look at what has happened to Satan the devil. That ought to be a good enough lesson for us. He is going to suffer the wages of his sin forever, as we will see right at the end of this sermon. So what did God do to Adam and Eve? He sent them forth from the garden. Verse 23. “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the round 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” (vs. 23-24). So Adam and Ever were removed. Now what is removal? Removal is exile, is it not? Now I believe, and I think that we will see the principle here based upon this, that the last generation of the millennium, those that commit the sin unto death, the unpardonable sin, will be exiled to the geographical area of Gog and Magog for a purpose. Now again, let’s examine this exile here. What happened when Cain killed Able? He was exiled even more. Wasn’t he? He was further removed. Yes, further removed from God. Genesis 4:16. Cain was absolutely cut off from God. “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 moved even further away. Now the land of Nod is the land of wandering. And so God removed him. Now then there comes a time when there is judgment against wickedness, isn’t there? And we have the flood of Noah, don’t we, where God killed all of the civilization at that time except Noah and his family. So God’s judgment came. God’s judgment is going to come at the end of the millennium. And it’s going to come on people who have been exiled to Gog and Magog. Now let’s go to 2 Kings 17. Let’s see how that God exiled and drove into captivity the children of Israel as He also did the children of Judah and Levi who remained there in Jerusalem. And here’s what they did. Let’s pick it up here in verse 7, concerning the children of Israel. Now remember the end of the millennium, these people are not going to be allowed to live with the righteous. They’re going to be exiled. Now some have even asked the question, “Is there going to be a place of exile all during the millennium?” I don’t know. I can’t answer that question because I think the circumstances at the end of the millennium are so different and so special that it’s going to require this. Whereas during the millennium I don’t think that it will be required. Now it’s a possibility but I think we may stretch it a little bit too far if we say it’s going to be all during the millennium, because it says that the earth is going to be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the seas cover the earth. Now at the end of the millennium, now we have a little bit different story here. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 7. “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…” Now we can say this, that the people at the end of the millennium sinned against the Lord their God Who had them born into the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God, and living in the flesh they rejected God’s way. And it says here of the children of Israel, “And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel…”, and so forth. “And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right…” (vs. 8-9). Now will there be people who will attempt to do things secretly during this last generation that are not right? That God is going to allow them to do so? I believe there will be. Now, just as Adam and Eve and just as Cain the children of Israel were exiled. Now let’s pick it up here and we will see. Let’s come down here to verse 13. Now they are going to be witnessed to. They are going to be warned. We are going to teach them. We are going to try and persuade them to repentance. But remember, when a person comes to the point of committing the unpardonable sin it’s impossible to renew them to repentance. So they will have warnings just like this. “Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets…” And in this case it will be by all the sons and daughters of God, who are kings and priests. “…And by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded you by My servants the prophets.” And boy, during the millennium isn’t that going to be so? There are going to be millions of servants of God being able to make this known to everyone. “Notwithstanding they would not hear…” And that’s going to be the key. “…But hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.” And so that’s exactly what’s going to happen for those who commit the unpardonable sin. “And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers…” And whatever covenant we make with all the people during the millennium, that’s what it’s going to be. “…And His testimonies which He testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them”(vs. 14-15). Now then, we are not going to allow false gods during the millennium to be in the Kingdom of God. But when they come to the point of committing the unpardonable sin they’re going to be exiled to Gog and Magog. Now let’s read it here, the last part of verse 17, “…And sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out of His sight” (vs. 17-20). Now, at the end of the millennium God is going to remove them to Gog and Magog. Now once they get over there, they’re going to be given over to their own human nature. They’re going to set up their own civilization, which will be contrary to the Kingdom of God. God is going to let them do that. God is probably going to send them prophets. God is going to send them messages. God is going to plead with them. God is going to warn them. But they are going to harden their hearts and they are not going to change. So rather than coming to live to be 100 years and die, and then be buried to wait the resurrection of the wicked to be cast into the lake of fire, I believe that God is going to exile them to Gog and Magog. So they’re going to be out there sinning. They’re going to be out there doing those things. Now then, this is going to solve a problem, because there has to come a time that all sinners die once in order for them to die the second time. Now all down during the millennium those who have sinned and didn’t repent came to the end of their lives of 100 years old and were buried accursed. And whenever there was a funeral everyone knew that that person faced the resurrection to the lake of fire and the second death. Now here we have all these people over in Gog and Magog. Now I wonder what they’re going to do. I just imagine that they’re human nature will lead them back into doing things of false worship, cause they’re bitter, they’re angry, they’re hostile, and what a crowd for Satan to be loosed upon. Now, let’s come back to Revelation 20:7 and look at this because this is really quite a profound thing that is going to happen. Let’s read this again. “And when thousand years are expired, 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, Gog and Magog…” So it’s nations. That shows that it’s a geographical area, because it doesn’t say the nations of Gog and Magog, it says goes to the nations that are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog. So now we are talking about a geographical area, not a people. Now here is the mission, “…to gather them together to battle…” (Rev. 20:7-8). Now when Satan is loosed what is he going to do? Well, we can almost write the script, can’t we? He’s going to be loosed out of the abyss. He’s going to go over to Gog and Magog where all these nations are, where all these people are that have committed the unpardonable sin and he’s going to say, “Boy, I’m glad I finally got out of that prison. Do you know that I am really the true god. You know that I have been bound by this evil one down here in Jerusalem for 1000 years. And now I’m finally out. Now I want to enlighten you as to the true way.” Now here are all these bitter, sour, turned off people. Hardened their hearts, committed the unpardonable sin, and Satan now, and of course the demons too. Because wherever Satan goes the demons go. So they will be there and they will bring great, how shall I say, wickedness of joy. And he is going to set himself up to be worshipped again. He’s going to set up his whole selfsame system there. I wonder, will he set up another pope? Will he set up the same religion that he had, because he’s going to be given enough time. Says loosed for a season. How long is that season? Is that season 3 ½ years, 5 years, 10 years? We don’t know, we’re not told. But anyway he’s loosed on them. And he’s going to convince them that now if they prepare for the battle, and if they prepare for the war, and if they make these implements of destruction, which will take time to do, that they can go down and look at Jerusalem. There is not one defense around it. There is not one gun, there is not one sword, there is not one bow and arrow. There is no one there that has any armor. “Why look this is just going to be a piece of cake. What we need to do is really build ourselves up.” Now they’ll train them in armies, and they’ll learn the tactics, you know. You can almost write the script, can’t you? Yes. And they’re going to be ready. And they’re going to come down and they are going to be convinced that they can conquer God, that they can conquer the saints, the sons of God, that they can take over Jerusalem, that they can rule the Kingdom of God. Just like Satan tried to convince, and he did convince a third of the angels that yes, if we do it right we can accomplish it. We can do it. And Satan has never given up on that. So they will gather together, boy there’s going to be joy with the wicked sinners if they think they can take it. They think they can show God. They think that they are going to be able to destroy the saints, and destroy the holy city. Now notice it says, “…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…” Now the camp here means tabernacles. So could it be that they come up on the very last day of the Feast of Tabernacles whenever this takes place? The last Feast of Tabernacles and on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles they come up. I just ask that as a question. It’s possible because God does everything on time and in season. Now notice, “…of the saints about, and the beloved city [so they had it all compassed around with their armies]: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them” And they all died, which means that the purpose of Satan being loosed at the end of the millennium is to gather all of the wicked in that last generation who refuse salvation, who committed the unpardonable sin, who hardened their hearts, who turned their backs on God, who determined to go their own way, and who accepted exile rather than repentance, that he gathers them all together to battle and they die all at once. Now notice the fire devoured them all. They’re all burned up. This is their first death. Now we know that God has decreed that they have to die twice. Now then let’s continue on. Let’s see what happens to Satan the devil. Now he has finished everything that God is going to use him for. There’s no more need for Satan the devil. Some people have had the misunderstanding that during the 100-year period Satan is going to be there. No, he’s removed first as we will see. Living one life under Satan is quite sufficient, thank you, isn’t it? Yes. So he’s going to be removed. Now here’s the fate of Satan and the demons. Now let’s read it, verse 10. “And the devil that deceived them [that is after all the rebellious were devoured] was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…” (vs. 10). And this should read “were cast”, because you go back here to chapter 19. When were the beast and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire? And when a human being dies there is no remembrance any more. They aren’t tormented forever. They’re just burned up. Now let’s read it. Revelation 19:20, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” They are dead. So it should read, go back now to Revelation 20:10, “…was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were cast], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Now then, let’s understand something. In the Greek “shall be tormented” is in the plural. Since the beast and the false prophet are already dead they can’t be tormented forever and ever. But remember wherever Satan goes, all the demons go and they are the ones who are going to be tormented forever and ever. So Satan is going to be tormented forever. That is his fate. Now we have one other thing we need to look to because there are some people who believe that God is going to destroy him. Now we know that nothing is impossible for God to do. But this tells us definitely that they are going to be tormented day and night forever and ever. And the Greek means, “into the ages of eternity”. Now why would God do that? So there would be a perpetual witness for all of those who are in the Kingdom of God never to rebel, never to go against God, never to think that you are going to be greater than God the Father and Jesus Christ, never to let your heart become wicked, ever. That’s why. He will be there as a constant reminder. Now let’s go to the book of Jude, the last book just before the book of Revelation here in the King James Version of the Bible. Let’s pick it up here in verse 6. Now there are no chapters, so they’re just verses. Jude 6, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” And that, the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles at the very conclusion of it is the judgment of that great day when Satan the devil and the demons are cast into the lake of fire, and tormented day and night forever and ever. Now, Jude also gives some things here how that we are to learn from this kind of thing, so let’s just read these verses. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (vs. 7). And brethren, there’s something we also need to understand. We need to hear, we need to fear, we need to love God, we need to always yield to Him so that we do not find ourselves in any of these kinds of conditions, brethren. I mean for us to be Laodiceans as long as we were is bad enough. But once we’ve repented of it let’s always be zealous and let’s always love God, and let’s always go forward that these things don’t come upon us. “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion [and that’s the lordship of Christ in their lives], and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses…” Boy, I tell you, if Satan the devil had been allowed to have the body of Moses just think of the false religion he could have set up. Oh, my. You know, get the body of Moses and put it in a glass casket, and just preserve him forever and ever in honey, because nothing will rot or spoil if it’s preserved in pure honey. And then everyone could come by and see Moses for thousands of years, and thousands of years. Boy would he have this whole world deceived. So God didn’t allow it. But Michael rebuked him, “…durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee” (vs. 8-9). Now it’s very interesting in the Greek because the Greek is an aris punctilious, one time done in the past. So the rebuke of the Lord once against Satan the devil was good enough for all time, that Michael used that to say “the Lord rebuke you”. He didn’t take it upon himself to do it. Now that’s a good lesson. You’re fighting evil spirits, you’re up against them. It is the Lord who rebuked them. It is God who gets rid of them by the power of Christ. Now let’s go on, “But these speak evil of those things which they know not…” and that’s what’s going to happen during that last generation for those people who are removed into Gog and Magog. “…But what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain…” Now notice how this ties it all together. We talked about the way of Cain. “…And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of [love] charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear…” And boy did we not have the infiltration in the Church when they did that. Yes. During the millennium there’s not going to be any infiltration. They’re going to be exposed for sinners and repent, or they are going to die, or they are going to be exiled. And at the end of the millennium they will be exiled. They won’t be around. They won’t be allowed to be in the feasts of God, because the feasts of God are to be feasts of love, and feasts of unity, and feasts of joy, and feasts where God is fellowshipping with us. Not where they’re coming in and feeding themselves and taking in advantage and sowing seeds of discord and rebellion. No, never happen. Says “…feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water…” In other words just empty hollow vanity. “…Carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withered…” Meaning that they have committed the unpardonable sin. No fruit at all whatsoever. “…Without fruit, twice dead…” Now that’s what’s going to happen to wicked human beings. But notice, “…plucked up by the roots…” Now then it blend in to what’s going to happen to Satan the devil. “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars…” That’s Satan and the demons. Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall light lightening from heaven.” Just like a falling star. That’s what we’re talking about here, wandering stars, demons. “…To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (vs. 10-13). So with them being in the lake of fire they are cut off from God forever. There is no light of God’s word. There is no light of God’s truth, and they are going to be tormented day and night forever. Now God has to do this to wipe the slate clean. Now at the end of the millennium all childbearing must stop. You can’t have new children being born because God has to finish his plan. And we’ll talk a little bit more about that tomorrow on the Last Great Day. Now then, someone’s going to ask the question, “What about the physical human beings who are still alive at the end of the millennium?” They can live…, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, and who have loved God, and so forth, they can live right on over into the beginning of the 100 year period, and then when they fulfill their lives then it’s going to be an example for all of those who come up in the second resurrection to see what is going to happen to them. Now just one thing. Satan will not be around during the 100-year period. So you have to come back tomorrow for the Last Great Day, and for the completion of God’s plan and for the rest of the story. |
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