I'm just going to say at the very outset of this lesson, I
have an enormous task today. This is a very difficult
subject, and it's a very big subject, as you can see on the
screen. It is entitled The Rapture and
the Thousand Year Reign. And I'm just going to tell you
the reason for the lesson. We're going to deviate from our
series on the great Sermon on the Mount just for one sermon.
So I can preach this very important subject.
And the reason that I'm going to preach this lesson is because in
all of the Bible discussions that I have with people, I would
say in all the things that come up, this is probably the hottest
topic. And that is people talking about
the second coming of Christ but misunderstanding what the Bible
teaches and talking about the concept of the rapture, the
seven years of tribulation, and the thousand year reign.
So what I'm going to ask you to do is this, do me a favor, stay
tuned in, and I'm going to do my part to be very methodical and
systematic as we go through this.
And I'm going to do my very best.
Also not to talk too long, but I want to talk on this very, very
important subject. I will say one more thing by way
of introduction. Every time there is political
unrest in our country or in the world, people talk about the
rapture and they talk about things like like I heard the
other day, somebody says, well, the rapture's coming.
Look what's happening in the world today.
I want to talk about what the Bible teaches.
First of all, I want to talk about the second coming before I
say anything. We'll say a whole lot later on
this, but I want to say this going before we go any further.
This is very important to the second coming of Christ is
everything to us. In fact, the entire Bible
revolves around Jesus. You've heard me say this many
times. From the book of Genesis to the
book of Malachi, the message is Jesus is coming.
From the book of Matthew to the book of Acts, the message is
Jesus is here. And from the book of Acts to the
Book of Revelation, the message is he's coming again.
I'm so thankful and I'm so grateful that Jesus Christ is
coming back. And this world is not the end,
OK? But when people try to
understand the second coming of Christ, many times people in
misunderstanding the Book of Revelation.
And may I just say this too? And I'm not saying this
sarcastically, I'm saying this really as a truism.
There's so many people that don't know know anything at all
about the Bible or about Jesus, but they think they know
everything about Revelation and they know everything about the
end of time. They got that dialed in, OK.
And many people, well meaning people, in their quest to
understand the figures and the symbols in the Book of
Revelation, have put together a doctrine regarding the second
coming of Christ that is not scriptural and really is quite
blasphemous. And that is the doctrine of
premillennialism. Now I'm going to get to what
that great big word means. It's a very big word.
We'll get to that in just a moment.
But you may have seen, by the way, when it comes to the
rapture or the concept of the rapture, we'll talk about what
that means too. By the way, if you Google
Rapture, it has a number of definitions, one of which is
when Jesus comes back to take his people to heaven, is that
going to happen? Jesus Yes, and the second coming
is going to take his people to heaven.
But the doctrine of the rapture is a misunderstanding about the
second coming of Christ. OK, have you ever seen that
bumper sticker that says this warning, in case of the rapture,
this car will be unoccupied? And the concept or the meaning
is this in that bumper sticker, it means this, that when Jesus
comes back in the rapture, the car is going to still be
continuing down the road and some people are going to be left
behind. That is part of the doctrine of
the rapture, which is false. It is one of the doctrines of
premillennialism. In fact, there are five, and
we're only going to notice 2 today, but I'll just put them on
the screen. The five doctrines of
premillennialism are these #1 prophecy unfulfilled.
And what that means is that means that the prophecies
concerning Jesus Christ, his reign, and the Kingdom have yet
to be fulfilled. That is a doctrine of
premillennialism that is false #2 here's another one.
The rejection of the Messiah by the Jews #3 imperfection of the
church. These are three of the five.
But I'm just going to focus on the last two because that's our
title. And that's our sermon today.
And that is this, that only the Saints will be raised in the
rapture. And #2 or finally, the earthly
reign of Christ will happen at that point in time, after the
seven years of tribulation, and he will reign on the earth in an
earthly Kingdom. All right, I'm going to ask 4
questions. I'm going to put these four
questions on the screen, and we will answer these questions in
our conclusion. Number one, will there be a
rapture #2 will there be 7 years of tribulation after the rapture
#3 will Jesus establish an earthly Kingdom after the seven
years of tribulation? And #4 will Jesus reign on earth
for a literal 1000 years in an earthly Kingdom?
We'll talk about those things in conclusion, Just stay with me as
we systematically build the case for the Word of God.
OK? Before we go into this any
further, though, premillennialist misunderstand
the promise of David's throne. That's number one, the promise
of David's throne. Premillennialists believe and
hold to the fact that David's throne is a literal throne that
will be established on the earth someday and it will last
forever. But the scriptures teach
otherwise. What was the promise regarding
the throne? A number of scriptures.
Now stay with me on this. We first go to the Old
Testament, Second Samuel, Chapter 7, beginning in verse
12. When your days are fulfilled and
you rest with your Father's, I will set up your seed after you
and will come from your body, and I will establish His
Kingdom. He shall build a house for my
name, and I will establish the throne of His Kingdom forever.
All right, who's going to be the one that's first of all going to
be on that throne that was promised and prophesied so long
ago? We go to the book of Isaiah
Chapter 9, beginning in verse 6. For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his
shoulder, and his name will be called.
Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace, of the increase of his government and peace, there will
be no end upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to
order it and establish it with judgment and justice.
From the time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of
hosts will perform this. Let's go to the New Testament by
the way. First of all, I think everybody
in this room knows exactly who that is unto us.
A son is given, a child is born. Who's that?
That's Jesus. We know that Jesus is going to
be the one that's going to sit on that throne.
Now we're going to get to what the throne is.
We're going to get to whether it's literal or figurative, but
we know that Jesus is the one to sit on that throne.
Let's go to the New Testament. Let's go to the Gospel according
to Luke chapter 1, beginning in verse 32.
He will be great and he will be called the Son of the highest,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the House of Jacob Forever, and of His
Kingdom there will be no end. OK, Jesus was to be on the
throne. We have concerning the reign of
Christ the following in Hebrews chapter 1, beginning in verse 3
and also in verse eight. Who being in the brightness of
his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by Himself purged
our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
But to the Son he says, your throne, O God, is forever and
ever. A scepter of righteousness is
the scepter of your Kingdom. Let's notice, please, what
happened and when did Jesus sit on the throne?
Notice upholding all things when he had Himself purged our sins.
When was that? When Jesus was crucified, when
he was buried, when he rose from the dead, when he ascended to
his Father, What happened? He sat down on that throne that
we're talking about, and that is forever and ever.
What does forever and ever mean? Again?
We've got all kinds of figurative language here.
Forever and ever means it's not limited by space and time.
In other words, it's eternal. It's an eternal Kingdom.
Let's go to the book of Acts chapter 2.
It's the first time the gospel was preached with the
opportunity to respond in Acts chapter 2 on the day of
Pentecost. Therefore, being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit
of His body according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ
to sit on his throne. He, for seeing this, spoke
concerning the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not
left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
This Jesus God is raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having
received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he
poured out this which you now see and hear.
OK, notice please. He was resurrected to sit on
that throne. Where's the throne on the earth?
It's at the right hand of God. Jesus is sitting on the throne
of David now. He's reigning now over the
Kingdom and that rain or that place or that place where he's
sitting, that throne is to the right hand of God.
OK, there's more. Let's go to the Book of
Revelation chapter 3 and verse 21.
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my
throne, as I also overcame and passed tense and sat down with
my father on his throne. OK, there's many prophecies
which the premillennialist claim have yet to be fulfilled.
And me, I just suggest this to people misunderstand the Book of
Revelation because they misunderstand the Old Testament.
Many people look to the Book of Revelation as things that all
the things that are found therein with all of its symbols
and all of its wording and phraseology is talking about
something that is going to happen in the future instead of
something that has already happened or is currently in
process. One of which is regarding the
Kingdom of Jesus Christ. In John chapter 18 and verse 36,
Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world.
If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight
so that I should not be delivered to the Jews.
But now My Kingdom is not from here.
In other words, His Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom.
I'm going to give you another Bible passage though.
I love this. I preached on this recently in
our series on the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 17.
I noticed this passage with you verses 20 and 21.
Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of
God would come, he answered them and said, the Kingdom of God is
does not come with observation, nor will they say see here or
see. Therefore indeed the Kingdom of
God is within you. You know what that means?
There's not going to be a future Kingdom.
He is already reigning. It's not going to be on the
earth after Jesus comes back. He's reigning now.
And where's the Kingdom? It's within you.
What's the Kingdom? The Kingdom is the church.
Who are the church? Baptized believers, faithful
members of the body of Christ, Christians, those that are doing
their best to be Christ like those that are true learners and
followers of Jesus, disciples of Jesus, obeying with the word of
God says you throw all that in. We're talking about Christians
are in the Kingdom. Therefore Jesus is reigning now
on his throne at the right hand of God.
And guess what? He's reigning.
If you are the Kingdom, he's reigning in you.
He's reigning in your heart. It is a spiritual Kingdom.
It is not a earthly Kingdom. Got to say this though.
Got to say this. The Kingdom is a heavenly
Kingdom, and the church is the earthly institution of the
heavenly Kingdom. And he's raining now.
That's beautiful. So as some would say, well,
Jesus failed to set up the Kingdom.
Well, let's notice 10 things. I got to be fast about this. 10
things #1 Daniel prophesied that it would come in the days of the
Roman Empire. Daniel chapter 2 and verse 44.
It did check. Got that one done.
What about this? John the Baptist preached that
it was at hand, meaning I like my, my, my father-in-law used to
say it was so close. You can see it, you can taste
it, you can touch it. It was right there.
That's how Daryl used to put it. In other words, when something
is at hand, it's near. It's right here.
John the Baptizer, the cousin of Jesus, the forerunner of Jesus,
said it was near. Oh, but there's more #3 Jesus
comes on the scene and he preached that the Kingdom of
heaven was also near or hand. Matthew 4 and 17 #4 Jesus told
his disciples to preach the very same thing.
The Kingdom was at hand. Matthew 10 and verse 7 #5 Jesus
said that the Kingdom would come before some of those standing
around had not died. That sounds like something is
coming in the future. That sounds to me like something
was coming real soon while they were still alive.
And that's what Jesus said in Matthew 16 and 28 numbers Also,
in addition to that, it would come with power.
Mark Chapter 9 and verse #1 number six.
Jesus said that power would come when the Holy Spirit came in
Acts chapter 1 and verse 8. The Kingdom came with power by
the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2, which was in the lifetime of
the disciples, just as Jesus said.
Next, Jesus said that the disciples would eat and drink at
His table in the Kingdom. Luke 22 and 30.
And they did, and we do too. Jesus did not fail to set up His
Kingdom. It's in existence today.
He is the king and He's reigning over His Kingdom, and the
Kingdom is the church. And finally, Christians,
Colossians 1 and 13 says we are translated into the Kingdom of
God's dear Son when we are baptized for the remission of
our sins. OK, now let's talk about the
doctrine of the rapture. Then you already know in advance
I believe in the resurrection. I believe in the same coming of
Christ. I long for the second coming of
Christ. In fact, the only reason that I
don't want Jesus to come back and the only reason that I don't
want him to come back right now, right this minute, now, there's
only one reason you all know it's coming, is to give people
time that are not ready. That's it.
Oh, but we longed for that day. Wonderful day.
What about the Rapture though? What's wrong with the doctrine
of the rapture? Let's talk about that.
The doctrine of the Rapture believes this, that only the
Saints are going to be raised in the rapture.
In other words, Jesus is going to come back and pluck the
Saints out of here, but only the Saints are going to be raised in
the rapture. Then the rapture is the time
when Jesus will come back to the earth and take the saved to
heaven with him. Then after that.
This is what's wrong with the doctrine of the rapture.
I'm going to prove this, I promise.
There's going to be a period of great tribulation for seven
years. After the seven years of
tribulation, this is the doctor of the rapture.
The belief is this, that after those seven years, Jesus is
going to come back to the earth and reign on the earthly throne
for a literal 1000 years. What have we already
established? He's reigning now.
He's on the throne. And by the way, I promise you
this, I'm going to tell you at the end of this lesson what 7
represents, what 1000 represents.
And I think it's going to make sense, I promise.
Or I'm going to try. Do my best.
OK? Here's the problem.
When you talk about only the Saints will be raised in the
rapture. Have you ever seen that video on
YouTube? There's a video on YouTube.
And by the way, I've said this so many times, Chris, and I
laugh about that, but stay off YouTube, man.
YouTube's killing me. They don't know anything about
the Bible, boy, they know about YouTube.
Dial in YouTube, right? I saw a video on YouTube and
this is what it was. It showed this an auditorium
full of people and then all of a sudden there was a great big
booming sound and I don't know half of them were blown out of
there. They disappeared and the rest
had to stay. That is the doctrine of the
rapture, that the save get blown out of here.
But then there's a seven-year period of tribulation where
everybody else has to stay and have a second chance.
And then when that's over with, Jesus will come back and reign
on an earthly throne for 1000 years.
All right, it's false to say that only the Saints will be
raised when Jesus comes back in the rapture.
That's false. And I'm going to give you a
Bible and I'm going to give you a Bible and I'm going to give
you Jesus. This is what Jesus said in John
chapter 52829 Do not marvel at this for the hour is coming in
which all I know I put it in all caps and underlined it but I
don't think I needed to do that did I?
What's all mean all? I don't think there's anybody
here that doesn't understand all, but there's more to the
verse to understand who's included in the all.
Do not marvel at this. The hours coming in which all
that are in the graves will hear His voice.
Those that have done good to the resurrection of life and those
that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.
Who are the all? The All are the good and the
evil. In other words, that's everybody
will be resurrected in the resurrection, those that have
done good to the resurrection of life, those that have done evil
to the resurrection of condemnation.
Let me ask you, how many resurrections so far?
I'm going to get more Bible for you, but how many so far?
It's one in that hour. When that comes now, Acts 24 and
verse 15, I have hope in God, which they themselves do accept,
that there will be a resurrection of the dead.
Both of the just and the unjust. How many resurrections?
Singular. A resurrection, not plural.
OK, Plain teaching of Scripture here, all right, There's only
going to be 1 resurrection, both of the good and the bad.
So what about this? What about the period of the
seven years of tribulation? And what about the literal 1000
year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth?
OK, premillennialism teaches that Christ will come back to
the earth after the period of tribulation and reign on earth,
and when he does this is the belief.
Here it is. He will do it in Jerusalem with
all consent of the Jews. He will do this at a time when
all kingdoms of the earth will be brought into subjection for
1000 years and those that had part in the rapture will be able
to join in and get special privileges and special
governorships and reign with Jesus Christ during that
thousand year period. That is the doctrine of the
rapture. Where do they get that teaching?
This is where I'm going to ask you really stay with me.
Where do they get the teaching? They get that idea from a
misunderstanding of this verse right here.
Revelation 20 beginning in verse 5.
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the 1000 years
were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection
over such the second death has no power, but there shall be
priest of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him 1000 years.
So the entire doctrine of the rapture, the seven years of
tribulation, the thousand year literal reign of Christ on the
earth is a misunderstanding of this passage.
And I know you can look in there all manner of commentaries and
all manner of things that you can read about and there's all
different theories. I'm going to present it to you
in the simplest way that I believe makes the most sense and
not give you all the other interpretations.
I'm just going to tell you what I believe makes the most sense.
OK, first of all, let's talk about the first resurrection,
OK? I love what Emzer said.
He said when he talks about the first resurrection, he's not
referring to what he's already said.
He's referring to what he's about to say.
In other words, let me read it like this because this is what
people normally do. But the rest of the dead didn't
live again until the 1000 years. We're finished.
This is the first resurrection. That's how people usually read
that. Let's read it like this.
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the 1000 years
were finished. Period.
New subject. This is the first resurrection.
Then he says this blessed and holy is he who has part in the
first resurrection over such the second death has no power, but
they shall be priest of God and of Christ and shall reign with
them 1000 years. OK, let's notice, please.
Let's go to John Chapter 11 when Jesus was about to raise Lazarus
from the dead. Remember that.
And Martha's talking to him. And Martha says, Master, if you
would have been here, everything would have been fine.
Jesus says this, I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me, though he may die, yet shall he live, and
whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
Do you believe this? He said I am the resurrection
and the life. Jesus Christ.
Please get this was the first one ever resurrected from the
dead, never to die again. Now there were others that were
resurrected from the dead, but you know what happened?
They had to die. Jesus was the first one ever
that was resurrected, never to die again.
And you know what? Then he says he who believes in
me, though he may die, yet shall he live.
Now notice and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
And I got to make a little side point here, please.
Sometimes people cherry pick scriptures and build an entire
foundation or an entire doctrine or an entire belief system when
it comes to their salvation. For example, one passage says
you got to believe all. That's all you got to do.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
That's it. That's the only one not
realizing the Bible also says you got to repent.
I tell you nay, but accept you repent, you will all likewise
perish. You also have to confess the
name of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
You also have to be baptized for the remission of your sins.
You got to do all of it and people do it like this.
They take the Bible, by the way, and they take the Bible and
pluck various things out and then draw in a conclusion or an
entire religious position and belief on cherry picking one or
two passages. Let's not do that.
Anybody here had a job? You've had a job.
If you've ever had a job, chances are you have had an
employee handbook. What if you went to your
employer and you said in your employee handbook, I'm just
going to look at number line number one.
I'm going to obey that one. Forget the rest.
I choose this one. You know what happened?
If you didn't obey the rest of the stuff, you get fired.
The Word of God is the employee handbook for the child of God.
So let's not cherry pick passages of Scripture.
I said all that to say this, do you see this right here?
You have to believe, Yes, that's true.
And having the belief to obey, that's what that means.
When you believe in Jesus, you obey Jesus.
And part of that's obeying the gospel.
But notice, after you believe, there's so much more you have to
do. What you've got to live.
You got to live it. You got to live it.
OK, back to the Book of Revelation chapter 20 verses
5:00 and 6:00. But the rest of the dead did not
live again until the 1000 years were finished period.
This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has
part in the first resurrection over such the second death has
no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and
shall reign with Him 1000 years. Notice first of all this if you
take part in the first resurrection, how do you do
that? First of all, we already said
it. Who's the 1st resurrected Jesus,
the first one resurrected never to die again.
That's the first resurrection. How do you have part in the
first resurrection when you're baptized for the remission of
your sins? Romans chapter 6 beginning in
verse 3. Know ye not that so many of us
as were baptized in the Jesus Christ were baptized into his
death, therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death.
That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, Even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we've been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we should also be in the likeness of his resurrection.
That's how you take part in the first resurrection.
And guess what? The second death, that's the
death of the lake of fire has no power.
Wow, isn't that great? But then people get messed up
about this one. Let's look at that last phrase,
please. First of all, the word rain here
is not literal. This word went rain.
I'll say it again, is not literal.
The word rain here we know cannot be literal because
there's one throne, and Jesus is occupying that throne as our
King of Kings and Lord of Lords by himself.
That means that the word rain has to be figurative.
And if the word rain is figurative, then the 1000 here,
this number 1000 also has to be figurative.
Now what I'm going to do is I'm going to put Thayer's
explanation on the screen, and if it sounds a little confusing,
I wrote one run under it. Simple, Thayer says this way.
John transfers the word to denote the supreme moral
dignity, liberally, liberty, blessedness, which is to be
enjoyed by Christ's redeemed ones.
OK, in other words, these are my words.
Under that reigning with Him means sharing and enjoying His
blessings. That's what that means.
If you take part in the first resurrection at baptism and you
live a faithful life, what have we already noticed?
You got to live, you got to believe, you got to do both.
You got to live it. And when you do, guess what?
That second death has no power. The death of the lake of fire
has no power. Isn't that great?
And when Jesus is reigning on that throne, which He is right
now, and we are alive as members of the body of Christ, guess
what? We are enjoying His blessings,
all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
So the number don't get limited to the number.
The number is not literal in the Bible.
The Bible does not limit itself to mathematics.
These are symbols here. So all statements about a
resurrection that is to occur before the 2nd coming of Christ
must also be declared as figurative.
How do you know, by the way, if you should interpret a Bible
passage literally or figuratively?
It's very simple. This came up in a in a private
Bible study just the other day. When you interpret scripture,
the Bible must be interpreted literally.
Until a literal interpretation is impossible, then it must be
figurative. For example, in the Old
Testament talks about 300 foxes. There were literal foxes.
Then another man was called a fox.
Even a literal fox. It was it was a figurative
phrase recalling him a fox. So when something is impossible
to be interpreted literally, then it must be figurative.
That's how we know, all right? Nowhere in plain teaching of
Scripture does it ever say that Jesus Christ will ever set foot
on this earth ever again. In fact, the opposite is true.
Now let's talk about what I believe in, what we all believe
in, and that's the resurrection. First Thessalonians chapter 4
and verse 17. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be what? Caught up together with Him in
the clouds to meet the Lord? Where to meet the Lord in the
air. That sounds like the Lord's
coming back to the earth. Sounds to me.
When he comes back, we're going to meet Him in the air, because
that's what it says. We're going to meet Him in the
air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
How about this second Peter chapter 3, beginning in verse
10? But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens will pass
away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent
heat, Both the earth and the works that are in it will be
burned up. Therefore, since all these
things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to
be in all holy conduct and godliness, looking for and
hastening the coming of the day of God?
Because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on
fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.
Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth in which dwells righteousness.
First of all, let's notice what's going to happen to the
earth. Jesus will not be back on this
earth ever again. What's going to happen to it?
Notice, first of all, the heavens.
What's the heavens? I preached on this recently.
I'll be very brief. There are three heavens.
There is the aerial expanse of the sky.
That's where the rain is produced.
That's where the clouds are. You look up, that's it.
Above that is the Siberia or starry heavens.
That's where the planets are. And above that is the 3rd heaven
and that's where God is. What this is talking about is
Peter says the heavens, meaning the aerial expanse of the sky
and the stars and all that place it's going to what?
Pass away? What else?
The elements. What's that?
That's the elements that even made-up the universe.
What's going to happen to that? It's going to melt with fervent
heat. What about the earth?
The earth is going to be burned up and dissolved.
Gone, burned up and dissolved. Pass away, melt, burned up,
dissolved. But what?
Let's look at verse 13 though. What about this phrase here?
Nevertheless, we that's faithful Christians, according to his
promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which
righteousness dwells. OK, first of all, the word new
means uninhabited. It doesn't mean refurbished.
It doesn't mean restored. It doesn't mean redeemed.
It means something brand new that we have never been to ever
before. Where's that?
Jesus says in my Father's house are many mansions.
If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a
place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will
bring you into myself that where I am, where is he?
He's up there. There you may be also.
So that's what the word new means.
What about this place right here?
Now notice please, this is very important.
I'm wrapped. I'm getting close to being dumb,
but you got to stay with me. This place, when Jesus comes
back is going to be a place where righteousness dwells.
Very important, where righteousness dwells.
There's no wickedness there at all at all.
Yet premillennialism teaches that the wicked will remain
during the 1000 year reign. Notice also about all the people
that say, see, man, it's coming. Heard some kids say the same
thing the other day. Oh yeah, it's coming Signs.
Look what's going on, You know, it's going to thief, thief.
It's going to come as a thief in the night.
People are going to be saying peace and safety and then the
end. We can't see it because there
are no signs. It's going to be as a thief in
the night, and many people misunderstand Matthew 24 when
the destruction of Jerusalem and try to bind that to the end of
time, and that's when they get all out of whack.
That's happened a long time ago. It's going to be as a thief in
the night. Little side note here.
You know why? I believe that God is the only
one, and I believe that God is the only one.
I have a reason for believing that Jesus says the only one
that knows when the Father's coming, when the Father puts an
end to everything and sends Jesus back, the only one that
knows that is God. He said my Father only.
He said not even the angels in heaven, but my Father only.
Now the Bible doesn't say why God is the only one that knows
that. So take it for what it's worth.
This is me. I believe that perhaps, and it
makes sense, that the only reason that God is the only one
that knows when that'll be is because God hasn't decided when
that will be yet. Because God is still waiting for
people that are lost with good honest hearts to come to Jesus.
Maybe you know why. Going to throw some Bible on
that the long-suffering of God is salvation, not willing that
any should perish, but that what all should come to repentance.
So just maybe God hasn't determined that day yet and
therefore nobody else knows. And by the way, if you look at
Bible history, when God got a, when he got AI don't know when
he had enough, he had enough. When he had enough, he destroyed
it in the Old Testament. Guess what?
He doesn't have enough yet. He's still patient and loving
and waiting and long-suffering because there's still people
with good, honest hearts that are left.
Don't ever think that there's not people any good anymore.
That's not true. Don't think it's more wicked
than it's ever been. That is not true.
Genesis 6 was as bad as it'll ever get.
The thoughts of man's heart were ever evil continually.
That was Genesis 6. So what did God do?
He destroyed the world with the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah.
They couldn't even find 10 righteous.
God destroyed it. Guess what?
God hasn't destroyed anything here.
You know why? They're still good and they're
still good and honest hearts that want the gospel.
But when it comes and God puts an end to it, it will be as a
thief in the night. There's not going to be
righteous people disappearing in the in the seven-year in the
rapture and then, you know, for seven years of tribulation and
then come back and reign on the earth.
All right, let's look at verse 14.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be
diligent to be found by him in peace without spot and
blameless. OK, if there's going to be a
period of tribulation which some people believe for a second
chance, why in this passage does it say make sure that we live
our life without spot and blameless?
Why would it matter if we're going to get another shot during
the period of tribulation? There is no other shot.
There is no second chance. You know what I love?
I'm just going to add this. I love this.
While you're living, you can change your life an A number
amount of times. You can fix it, you can change
it, you can repent, you can get up from your mistakes, and you
can get it right while you're still living.
When you're gone, it's too late and there is no second chance.
That's why the whole thing is be diligent that we live our life
without spot and blameless. And by the way, blameless
doesn't mean I've never done anything wrong.
Blameless means no sustainable charge.
In other words, if you've got a sustainable charge against you
from God, get rid of it, ask for forgiveness and make it right.
That's it. All right, let's look at verse
16, say Peter 316, as also in all of your epistles, speaking
in them of these things in which are some things hard to
understand, which untaught and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
You know what this verse means? This verse is a warning.
People are going to twist the Scriptures with reference to the
second Coming, just like they do with reference to the other
Scriptures. That's what the Bible says, and
that happens even today. First Corinthians chapter 1523
and 24. What's going to happen at the
resurrection? But each one in his own order.
Christ the first fruits afterward, those that are Christ
at his coming. You know this is beautiful when
I said that Jesus Christ was the first one to be resurrected or
raised from the dead, never to die again.
That's why he is the first fruits of them that slept.
But guess what, in the resurrection afterward, those
that are Christ, those that are his at his coming.
When Jesus comes back, guess what, We too will be raised,
never to die again. Then comes the end, when He
delivers the Kingdom to the. Kingdom to God the Father when
he puts on an end to all rule and all authority and all power.
No rapture, no tribulation. OK, what comes next?
Paul? Notice the end.
What's the end mean? We know what all means, right?
Simple. Don't let somebody explain that
away. End is end, then comes the end,
and what's going to happen? He's going to deliver to God the
Father, the Kingdom. Not going to be a rain on the
earth after that. When he comes back, it'll be at
the end and he'll give the rain back over to God and he'll step
down from his rain. OK, when's that going to happen?
And we're almost finished. It's going to happen when death
is destroyed. King James or Death is
conquered. New King James, First
Corinthians 1554 and 55 S When this corruptible has put on
incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall
be brought to pass the same that is written.
Death is swallowed up in victory.
Oh Death, where's your sting? Oh Hades, where is your victory?
The Kingdom of of Jesus Christ will be delivered back to God.
He'll put down all rule and all authority, and it'll happen at
the same time time that death is destroyed.
You know when that is. We already read it at the end.
And then nothing. And Peter says what's going to
happen to the earth? Nothing is gone, all right?
The last thing that's going to ever happen on the earth is the
resurrection. And Jesus will not set foot on
this earth ever again. Those that have done good to the
resurrection of life, those that have done evil to the
resurrection of damnation. One final more encourage, one
final encouraging passage. What about those that have died
in Christ and those that are still remaining and still
living? What if the Lord came back right
now? The Bible says that those that
have died in Christ will be raised first, then the living
Saints, which would be all of us if the Lord came back right this
minute and we would be changed and then we would ever go be
with the Lord. So those that have died in
Christ, don't think for a minute they're going to miss out.
They're not going to miss out on anything.
They'll be raised before living Saints or change.
So in conclusion, I said we're going to notice these four
questions. Here they are.
Will there be a rapture? That is, will there be something
that happens where only the saved are plucked out of here
and other people stay behind? Answer to that, No.
Number 2. Will there be a seven years of
tribulation after the rapture? No.
So what? Well, let me let me answer all
of them, then I'm back up. Will Jesus then establish an
earthly Kingdom after the seven years of tribulation?
No. And will will he reign a literal
1000 years on the earth? The answer is no.
OK, So what is the seven years of tribulation?
What is tribulation to us today? Tribulation, First of all, the
word 7 is a number of completeness.
It is not a literal number. That's number one.
The period of tribulation is the period of your life when Jesus
in the seven churches of Asia to Smyrna, the persecuted church.
He said you're going to have tribulation as a long time ago.
How long? 10 days.
Literal 10 days. No.
Another figure, Another symbol of what, 1 short lifetime?
You're going to have tribulation. 10 days.
But be faithful and I'll death and I'll give you a crown of
life. The period of tribulation is
right now, not after Jesus comes back.
It's right now. And it also existed all through
the Kingdom, going all the way back to Acts chapter 2.
It is all through the New Testament.
It's the period that you're going through in your life while
you're living. That's the period of
tribulation. All right, what about this then?
What about the thousand year reign Thousand?
As I said, the word rain is figurative.
So the word, the number 1000 is also figurative.
It is a number of completeness. It is describing the period of
time while Jesus is reigning. So when is Jesus reigning?
Right now. So when's the 1000 years?
Right now. It's right now.
Not literal, but figurative. I don't know about you.
I don't want all that stuff that's being taught.
I want to go to heaven. I want to be in the Kingdom now
because I want to go to heaven. And when Jesus comes back and
says he will do it at the end, He will deliver the Kingdom back
over to His Father. That's what I want to do.
So how do you get in the Kingdom as we offer the invitation?
How do you get in the Kingdom? Very simple.
Here's the invitation. You got to hear the word of God.
Romans 10/17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God. After you hear the word of God,
you got a choice to make. Hebrews 11 and six says you got
to believe with all your heart. Without faith it's impossible to
please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and
that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Then what? I got to repent.
I got to repent of my sins. I got to change my life.
Acts 17 and 3rd. And truly these times of
ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere
to repent. What else am I do I need to do?
I need to confess the greatest thing I will ever say and
confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
Acts 837 Then Philip said if you believe with all your heart you
may. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Upon taking those steps of obedience we're now a fit
candidate to go to the point of salvation and that is baptism.
Remember I said that's how you take part, the first
resurrection. Here it is.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does
not believe will be condemned. If you've never taken those
steps of obedience, we would love to assist you in that
today. Just step out in obedience.
We'll take. We'll take care of that today.