Feast of Tabernacles 2014—Day 7

The End of the Millennium

Fred R. Coulter—October 15, 2014

- Video- | - PDF | Audio | [Up]

Track 1: or Download

Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles!

Jesus said in Rev. 1 that He was 'the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.' In order to understand the thousand year period to the end—which this is the seventh day, and it is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles—there's one more day to come, and that's the Last Great Day.

We will come to Rev. 20 and look at the verses where we started when the Millennium began. We've covered many things concerning how the Millennium will be. We've covered also the cycle of human behavior. As we will see, at the end of the Millennium, there will be a fulfillment again of the cycle of human behavior, which you will recall is:

• revival
• education
• culture
• apostasy

All of these things, though it goes in cycles within the society, depends on the choice of each individual.

Revelation 20:4: "And I saw thrones… [represent judgment] …and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and those who did not worship the beast, or his image, and did not receive the mark in their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

Then, here is a parenthetical statement put in here by the Apostle John in the final canonizing of the book of Revelation.:

Verse 5: "(But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed.)…." It tells you that there is a first death. And those who died—we'll cover tomorrow—will be raised for their first opportunity for salvation.

Then John says (concerning v 4), "…This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power…." (vs 5-6). This tells you that when the rest of the dead are resurrected, then there will be conditions so that they could die the second death.

• we have the first death
• we have the second death

We know that the second death is for the unpardonable sin.

"…But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (v 6). We will be priests and kings, which means that there will be also, what we call today, the civil government as well as the theological government. This means that we will have the power of judgment and authority.

• we will be the ones who will be teaching them
• we will be the ones who will be bringing the understanding that they need to obtain eternal life

And, of course, there will be the great harvest during the Millennium.

Let's see something very interesting in Isa. 30; let's see what it is we will be doing as teachers. We know that the civil government will be the authority over cities, regions and those aspects of it, as well as priests. That means we will be carrying out the functions of helping them come to Christ and come to conversion.

Isaiah 30:18: "And, therefore, will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you…." That includes the return of Israel—all the tribes, and the Jews, as well.

"…And, therefore, He will be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you, for the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him. For, O people, who dwell in Zion at Jerusalem, you shall weep no more; He will be very gracious to you at the voice of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you" (vs 18-19). This is going to be a time when Satan is removed, yet, there is still going to be human nature. Not as hard-hearted as it is today, but nevertheless, with human nature and with choice. God is not going to take away free choice.

We see that right here in v 20: "And though the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction… [what He gave them before] …yet, your teachers… [at this time] …shall not be removed into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers." This is going to be an entirely different society than what we're looking at today.

Verse 21: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left." This is going to be an entirely different kind of situation.

Yet, what's going on in the mind will be the very important thing, because we're going to see that the reason that Satan the devil is loosed at the end of the thousand years is because of personal choice.

Let's see what it's going be like. Yes, there will be the Sabbath. Yes, there will be the Holy Days. Yes, there will be all kinds of activities. Yes, there will be many, many things. Human beings are going to be raised to their highest level possible; more than what we have today.

It's going to be a joy to work with those who learn to love God. And, of course, they're going to have to repent of their sins. They won't be quite as evil as the human nature that we have today, but that's going to present some stumbling blocks in their choices.

But nevertheless, here is what the culture will be all during the Millennium. We've read all the verses that the knowledge of the Lord is going to 'cover the earth as the seas cover the earth.' We know that the nature of animals and the nature of human beings is going to be changed. However, the culture will set in, and here is what the culture will be:

Isaiah 66:22: "For as the new heavens and the new earth…" After the shaking of the heavens and the earth and the restructuring at the beginning of the Millennium it will be a new heaven and a new earth. That's not talking about the new heaven and new earth that is going to occur (Rev. 21 & 22); that's an entirely different story. Just like at the beginning, God renewed the surface of the earth, set everything in motion, created everything in seven days, and that was a new heaven and new earth. That was done to repair the damage after the angels had sinned.

Here's the culture, v 22: "'For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me,' says the LORD, 'so will your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one month to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me,' says the LORD" (vs 22-23). Isn't that something? Yes, indeed! That will be the culture!

Let's see it defined a little more in the book of Micah. We will find how this is going to be. It starts out, and remember the finish, the ending:

Micah 4:1: "But it shall be in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come and say, 'Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us of His ways… [revival, education, culture, apostasy] …and we will walk in His paths'—for the Law shall go forth out of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people… [we'll be the ones doing the judging, carrying out the way God wants] …and will rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (vs 1-3).

• But remember, at the end of the Millennium when Satan is loosed, what happens? War!
• How will it come to that at the end of the Millennium?

We'll see; we've covered part of that already. But here's how it starts out, everything that man wants—because as we read in Ecc. 3 God has put in men to have eternity. They think in terms beyond themselves. This is important for us to realize. Yet, there will be the pull of human nature. There will be the free choice that everyone has. Even though we have it this way.

Notice what will happen here, v 4: "But they shall sit each one under his own vine and under his own fig tree; and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken, for all people will walk, each one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever" (vs 4-5). This could relate to us that we, as the sons of God, will be referred to here. And this shows that we have a responsibility and jurisdiction of work, as well.

When the Millennium begins, God is going to gather all, heal all, strengthen all. Let's see what it's going to be like. We apply this to the 100-year period after the Millennium, but let's do this: Let's understand that this could also apply to every generation during the Millennium. Then we will examine what's going to happen concerning the things that we will be doing. Remember, we will have civil and religious authority. What does that mean? We will look at it in just a bit!

Isaiah 65:17: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things will not be remembered, nor come to mind." That's at the beginning of the Millennium.

Verse 18: "But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and I will joy in My people; and the voice of weeping will no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying" (vs 18-19). It's not going to be like it is today. We are the ones that are going to bring that peace, joy and education. It's going to be a marvelous time, indeed.

Verse 20: "There will not be an infant who lives but a few days, nor an old man that has not filled his days, for the child will die a hundred years old…" That means that those during the Millennium will live 100 years.

"…but the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed" (v 20).

• What does that mean? That means cutoff from God!
• How is that going to happen?
• What is going to be the result of that?

This shows that there will be people who will be sinning, in spite of the fact that we'll be there to say, 'No, don't go this way; no, don't go that way.'

• We'll be teaching every Sabbath
• We'll be teaching all the time
• Every activity will be under the auspices of the children of God, the sons and daughters of God who are:
  • kings
  • priests
  • judges
  • mayors
  • administrators

to help the people obtain eternal life!

Let's see if we can understand this even a little more. Let's talk about, first of all, therighteous! How are we going to understand how that's going to work in the Millennium, because we know in Heb. 9 it says, 'It's given unto men once to die!' As in Adam we all die! So, those who come into the Millennium, survive all the Tribulation and everything that has been going on there, what is going to happen to them?

• For those who are righteous at the end of 100 years, is there any need for them to be buried?
• If they die, what kind of death will it be?

1-Thessalonians 4:14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again… [which we do] …in exactly the same way also, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." That is all the saints who have died, and all so far, everyone who is a saint of God, has died. We can look for a continuation of it as we have seen spurts of it here recently, that the righteous God takes from the trouble in the time ahead.

Verse 15: "For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall in no wise precede those who have fallen asleep." The dead in Christ shall rise first, just like Paul says here.

Here's what's going to happen at the first resurrection, and we can take a principle and apply this to what is going to happen during the Millennium. What happens when a person who lives a hundred years and is righteous, and is ready to enter into the Kingdom of God? Let's look at it here; this is at the coming of Jesus:

Verse 16: "Because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God… [not trumpets; that's the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11)] …and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting with the Lord in the air; and so shall we always be with the Lord" (vs 16-17).

• What is this?
• For those who are alive, what happens to them when it's ready for them to be changed?

Let's see what the Apostle Paul says about this, and we can apply this to those during the Millennium, and we can see a principle here and apply it to the lives of those during the Millennium who lived their lives so that they will be ready to enter into the Kingdom of God as spirit beings.

1-Corinthians 15:49: "And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly One [Christ]. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God… [What happens to the flesh?] …nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep…" (vs 49-51)—still being alive at the return of Christ. How about if you're righteous and living a hundred years during the Millennium, what will happen then? It says that the sinner shall die accursed!

"…but we shall all be changed…. [What happens with that change?]: …in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (vs 51-52).

What's going to happen to those who are ready to be changed? Could we apply this? I think we can! That there would be, at Sabbath services, some sort of transformation ceremony for those who have been faithful. Remember, this will become part of the culture. It's very possible that they, at that change, actually will be an instantaneous death and change likened to a resurrection. They were righteous, so there is no reason for them to die and be buried, but have an instantaneous death and transformation and enter into the Kingdom of God that way.

Let's see what's going to happen at the first resurrection to those of us who are alive. I know that we have to take what we know and apply it to what we don't know, but to try and figure out how it's going to work. Then we will talk about what will happen to those who choose to sin. This will not be where they're led away to sin because of Satan the devil, but it will be by their own choice!

What will happen to them when they are ready for the change? Picture this within the setting of the congregation: Those who are ready, their names are called out. Whatever the ceremony will be, they will come forward, and Christ—Who is the Author of life for us—will be the One Who will supernaturally transform them from flesh to Spirit. With that happening, that transformation is a death of the flesh. It is true, 'as in Adam it's given to all men once to die.' So, they will; but very quickly!

Philippians 3:20: "But for us, the commonwealth of God exists in the heavens, from where also we are waiting for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our vile bodies, that they may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the inner working of His own power, wherebyHe is able to subdue all things to Himself" (vs 20-21).

Notice that it says, "…will transform our vile bodies…"—all human bodies in the flesh are vile! All human beings will still have:

• the law of sin and death
• the freedom of choice: whether they will walk in God's ways or not

This becomes important for us to understand. So, just think of this: 100 years, 200 years, 300 years, 400 years, 500 years—on up to 900 years and getting in toward the end of the Millennium—that will be the culture of things. Remember, when children are born into the world and they see the culture that is there, in their own minds that's how it's always been.

Sidebar: If you have pictures showing your relatives, going back to the late 1800s—they had photographs at that time… I had a man just send me a picture of his family that traces it back to the Scotch/Irish that came to Appalachia; here is his whole family. Without those pictures it would be hard to even conceive of them and what their life was like.

Likewise, if they were living today, resurrected in the flesh, they would be startled to see what we have. But all of these things we take for granted. As far as our lives are concerned, especially here in America, that's the way it's always been growing up in this society.

Let's read Isa. 65 again, and let's talk about those who sin, those who choose to sin, those who desire not to repent, not go God's way. It does say that there will be sinners.

Isaiah 65:20: "There will not be an infant who lives but a few days, nor an old man that has not filled his days…" We're going to be born, we're going to live, we're going to fulfill our days if we're human beings during the Millennium.

"…for the child will die a hundred years old… [that's a full life] …but the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed" (v 20).

• What happens when people sin, and yet, have not committed the unpardonable sin?
• Yet, they have not repented of the sins that they have committed?
• What is going to happen to them?
• How is God going to take care of this?
• Can we have a lot of sinners within society that will be influencing other people to sin?

Verse 20: "There will not be an infant who lives but a few days, nor an old man that has not filled his days…" That means filled them with righteousness.

"…for the child will die a hundred years old…" (v 20). So, there's going to be a hundred-year limit on physical life.

"…but… [because there's always the] …the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed" (v 20).

• What's going to happen?
• How is that going to be taken care of?
• Can we have it so that there will be sinners in society and leading other people astray?
• What do you suppose will be the solution?

I think we can find it in the Bible! We can find it in the beginning, and we can apply it likewise to the end.

Now, it's going to be pretty much like this with children being born during the Millennium. They're going to have free choice. Satan will not be around to tempt them. As we will see, God will have a method of not letting the sinners—though they have not committed the unpardonable sin, but have not yet repented…

• What happens if they live to be 100-years-old and don't repent?
• How is that going to be taken care of?
• What did God do after Adam and Eve had sinned?

God is the One Who decides good and evil! That will be taught all during the Millennium. There will be no question about that. But there still will be people who will not want to accept it, and that's their free choice!

Adam and Eve Exiled

Genesis 3:22: "And the LORD God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to decide good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever—'"

• Will the Tree of Life—the way of God—be offered to all people during the Millennium? Yes, indeed, it will be!
• What happens when these people sin, and they do not go God's way?
• They do not repent?
• They are not baptized?
• They do not receive the Holy Spirit?

But there they are with their own free will!

• What will be done with them?

Because—using the Laws of God—we're going to apply all the laws of God:

• What do you do when someone steals?
• What do you do when there's an accidental death?
• What do you do when these things take place?

That's why we're going to be judges! Priests! Kings! Let's see what God did with Adam and Eve.

Verse 23: "Therefore, the LORD God sent him… [and also Eve] …out from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken. And He drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword, which turned every way to guard the way to the Tree of Life" (vs 23-24). They were exiled!

Cain Exiled

Let's look at another case. Let's look at Cain. Now this brings in what you would call the unpardonable sin. Adam and Eve were cutoff from the Tree of Life. During the Millennium the Tree of Life will be available for conversion for coming into the Kingdom of God for all of those who choose to live God's way, repent and be baptized, and all of that.

Those who sin are then removed. Where? What happens? Let's come back to this, but let's look at what happened to Cain after he sinned. He refused by choice to bring an offering that God commanded. Notice what happened when his offering was not accepted:

Genesis 4:5: "But He [God] did not have regard unto Cain and his offering. And Cain was extremely angry and his countenance fell. And the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you so angry? And why has your countenance fallen?'"

Notice that he was given an opportunity to repent, and he was part of the area of exile with Adam and Eve, and, of course, there were other children that came along, as well. They still had access to God, to come to the east of the Garden of Eden. But notice what happened because he refused to repent:

God says, v 7: "If you do well, shall you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it!" Likewise during the Millennium. Even with human nature, people are going to have to rule over their human nature.

Cain did not repent! That lack of repentance led to the further sin of killing his brother. God judged him, and what did God do to Him? He removed him even further and sentenced him to wander in the land of Nod, which means the land of wandering!Cain was completely cutoff from God!

Is this what God is going to do during the Millennium?

The Children of Israel Exiled

Let's see what happen when the children of Israel sinned. They refused to repent; likewise with Judah. What did God do to them? They sinned against God; they refused to go God's way. He sent them off into captivity! Did they repent? No, they did not! Again, when there is persistent sin, there is exile! They have to go somewhere; they can't live within the society. In this case, the whole nation was exiled, because they did not serve God!

Even though they were told and warned and told and warned, and God said, 'If you keep doing this thing, I'm going to punish you.' But they didn't repent, and that becomes the key.

2-Kings 17:9: "Now, the children of Israel secretly did things that were not right against the LORD their God…." During the Millennium, there is no way they are going to keep a secret, because God can read their minds, we can read their minds, and we will know what their choices are.

"…And they built high places…. [v 10]: …And they set up images…. [v 11]: And they burned incense in all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD had removed from before them, and they practiced evil things to provoke the LORD to anger" (vs 9-11). Then He sent them away. Did the same thing with the house of Judah.

Judah Exiled

They refused God's correction! He sent them to Babylon, and then He brought them back. That's an interesting thing—isn't it? Bringing them back out of exile! Those who came back were those of a willing heart. Those who learned the lesson of the exile while they were in Babylon! They came back to the land!

Removal from the Congregation of God

Let's look at this principle again in the New Testament. Let's see that in the New Testament the same thing happens to someone who sins, who has not yet repented, but has not yet committed the unpardonable sin. That individual is removed from the congregation of God!

Let's see what happens. This may be something very similar to what we would be confronted with during the Millennium. How do we handle that? What happens? Here again we have the same principle!

This was a pretty grievous sin. I don't know what kinds of sins there will be in the Millennium, but it says, 'The sinner who is a hundred shall be accursed.' That means that his first death is a total cutoff from God. They only thing remaining is—because he will die accursed—will be the second death!

1-Corinthians 5:1: "It is commonly reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—allowing one to have hisown father's wife. You are puffed up…" (vs 1-2). They weren't being led by the Spirit of God.

• they were choosing the vanity
• they were choosing to accept it
• they were choosing to go along with it

What happened by having sin within the congregation?

"…and did not grieve instead, so that he who did this deed might be taken out of your midst" (v 2)—removed! In exile, but not exiled out of the land into another nation, but exiled out of the congregation! This was in hopes that he would repent.

Verse 3: "For I indeed, being absent in body but present in spirit…" That's certainly what's going to happen with us. We're going to be present in a spirit body, and present there to know what's going on.

Here is the judgment that we will do, "…have already judged concerning him who has so shamelessly committed this evil deed as if I were present: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, together with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus" (vs 3-5). Satan will be removed for the thousand years. So, he won't be delivered to Satan, but:

• What will be the remedy?
• How will this happen?
• How will they be removed from the righteous congregations?

We will see how that will be done!

Track 2: or Download

Let's investigate:

• How do we handle and judge evil?
• Will there be repentance?
• What happens when there is not repentance?
• What happens to these people?

They're going to live to be a hundred and die a sinner if they don't repent.

Now we're looking at the example in 1-Cor. 5 with the man who committed sexual immorality with his step-mother. What was the judgment? Remove him! Because Satan is still here in the world, he was turned over to Satan to save him. In other words, to bring him to repentance. Help him to see his need of repentance.

Jesus also gave a parable to the scribes and Pharisees. He said that a man had two sons, and he told the first one to go work in his field. He said, 'I will.' But he didn't! He told the second one to go, and he said, 'I won't.' But he repented and went and worked.

What is this? Whenever there is repentance God honors repentance from the heart!

The same way when there are difficulties between people and they resolve them and there is repentance, they are restored. They're restored to God, and they're restored to the Church or community.

In this case (in 1-Cor. 5), the man who committed this sin was exiled, or as we call it today: disfellowshiped from the congregation! He apparently repented and learned his lesson.

Let's see what the Apostle Paul did, which shows that God always honors repentance! In this case, he didn't have to be removed to another country.

2-Corinthians 2:1: "Now I am resolved within myself not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, who is it that makes me glad, if it is not the one who has been made sorrowful by me?" (vs 1-2). In other words, Paul was glad because now, even though he brought this upon the man, he repented.

Verse 3: "And I wrote this same thing to you, lest when I come, I might have sorrow from those in whom I ought to rejoice; for I have confidence in all of you, that my joy is the joy of you all." Whenever there is repentance, there is joy—as Jesus said—even with the angels in heaven.

Verse 4: "For out of much distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears—not that you might be sorrowful, but that you might know the overflowing love which I have for you."

Here is the same principle: If they sin, but not a sin unto death, and they are removed from the community, where will they go? I think we can answer that.

Remember what God setup with the children of Israel. He setup certain refuge cities where that if someone sinned, in this case of accidental murder—or whatever case it may be—manslaughter, then the one could committed this could flee to that city and no one could come and bring vengeance against him, because the judges in that city were to judge the case. So, could it be that there will be cities of temporary exile?

• Places where they can go?
• Places where they'll have an opportunity to repent?
• Places where they'll have an opportunity to be re-educated?

Very possible!

Just like here, he was sent out of the congregation (1-Cor.), but upon repentance (2-Cor.) was brought back. Let's see what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning this. All of this is done out of love, because as long as there is repentance—true deep repentance—God will acknowledge that and forgive.

Verse 5: "But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not grieved me, but you all, at least in part (in order that I may not overcharge him)…. [give too strict of a sentence against him] …To such a one this punishment, which was inflicted by the majority of you, is sufficient…. [he repented] …So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive and encourage him…" (vs 5-7).

Remember, this is going to be a lot more intense during the Millennium, because those who sin and are sent to a place where they can repent, be rehabilitated, changed, then come back, there will be a lot of sorrow for those who don't repent, because they will know that they will miss out on eternal life. They are doing to know that they have seen the righteous, be changed when they are righteous up to a hundred years and enter into the Kingdom of God. As we brought up, that's probably going to happen as we get on down through the Millennium. Many Sabbaths there are going things where that will take place. There will be joy if they come back.

Verse 7: "So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive and encourage him, lest such a one be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow. For this reason, I exhort you to confirm your love toward him. Now, for this cause I wrote to you, that I might know by testing you whether you are obedient in everything" (vs 7-9). This will be likewise what we will do.

Verse 10: "But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive…" And to whom anyone God forgives, when they are out there removed, their sin is grievous enough. They hadn't yet repented, but then they're removed to this place, probably a city, a place of rehabilitation, where there will be:

• education
• teaching
• encouragement
• love

That would be the first phase of the exile.

Verse 10: "But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; and if I also have forgiven anything, to whomever I have forgiven it, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ."

Sin & Repentance

Now let's see another example of removal—exile—for sin. A place farther away because there were many admonitions given.

2-Chron. 33 is the whole case of King Manasseh. King Manasseh was the most wicked of all, and is held up as an example of sin and repentance! We need to take that into account. There can be some sent to another place of exile, further removed. We'll examine that in just a minute.

Here is Manasseh 2-Chronicles 33:1: "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel, for he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them" (vs 1-3).

During the Millennium it'll never be this intense to happen, because Satan will not be there. But nevertheless, here is the lesson that we are to learn here:

God says, v 8: "Nor will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land, which I have set apart for your fathers—if only they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses." Yes, that's what we will use with spiritual applications all during the Millennium in judging and teaching the people.

Verse 9: "But Manasseh led astray Judah and the people of Jerusalem, and caused them to do worse than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and to His people, but they would not listen" (vs 9-10).

• God spoke through the prophets
• He spoke through Jeremiah
• He spoke through the priests

Verse 11: "Wherefore, the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains and carried him to Babylon." Totally removed out of the country.

Verse 12: And when he was in affliction…" A punishment, just like the one who was removed from the congregation in Corinth. He repented.

"…he sought the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed to Him, and He was entreated of him and heard his prayer, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God" (vs 12-13). When he got back there, notice what he did; a changed man! Remember, God always accepts repentance!

Verse 14: "And after this he built a wall outside the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and went around Ophel and raised it to a very great height. And he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. And he took away the strange gods…" (vs 14-15). He put away what he was doing! He took care of his domain!

"…and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and threw them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the LORD and sacrificed upon it peace offerings and thank offerings. And he commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel" (vs 15-16). Now, all the people did not follow along with that.

His son Amon took over for him, v 21: "Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD as his father Manasseh did, and Amon sacrificed to all the graven images that his father Manasseh had made and served them. And he did not humble himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but Amon trespassed more and more. And his servants conspired against him and killed him in his own house" (vs 21-24).

That's equivalent to what happens with those who refuse to repent. They will receive the death penalty immediately! No repentance! God will judge the heart! That's something for us to consider and to understand.

Let's examine the Scriptures in Rev. 20 and we will understand again why Satan is loosed out of the prison. There is a distinct reason for it. It's going to be something that's going to be necessary to solve the problem. Consider this: We have:

1. exile to an interim area

Maybe cities, in whatever area it will be. They are exiled there for a chance of repentance, rehabilitation, redemption and restoration back into the community.

2. exile farther away

Whether they repent there or not, that will be up to them.

3. there will be sin with the death penalty executed very swiftly after the sin, if there is no repentance

Let's think about what we saw with the cycle of human behavior. We have:

• revival
• education
• culture
• apostasy

Let's keep that in mind, and let's examine some of the things in Rev. 20 and see if we can locate the final place of exile when it is beyond repentance, and for the last generation of the thousand years. Because there will be an apostasy that will occur by choice! When that happens they will be exiled, removed.

Exile to Gog and Magog

Revelation 20:7: "Now, when the thousand years have been completed, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." God has a purpose for him. Why? Because in this last generation there will be people who will not repent. We don't know all the details involved in how that's going to be. But they are going to be exiled far away. Let's see where they will be sent to.

Verse 8: "And he shall go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog…" Those people who are exiled there have not been deceived, except by their own choice! Those who commit the unpardonable sin must die twice. Here there is not enough time for them to live to be 100-years-old and to die and be buried as a sinner after living a hundred years and dying and being accursed.

For during the Millennium, when that happens, that will be their first death. They then, at the end of the 100-year period will be resurrected to the second death, because all who have committed the unpardonable sin must die twice! Those who sin the unpardonable sin and are removed and do not have time to live to be 100-years-old and die, they have to die their first death. God is going to accomplish that all at once.

If it's talking about the people of Gog and Magog, the people, then God is a respecter of persons, because God will not have given them an opportunity for repentance and salvation. So, this has to be talking about the geographical area of Gog and Magog, part of Gog and Magog where they are sent.

Just like when the Bible talks about Israel and Judah, it talks about Israel as the people, and Israel as the land; Judah as the people and Judah as the land or geographical area. Likewise, because God is no respecter of persons, then this has to be part of Gog and Magog where those in the last generation of the Millennium are sent so that they will live there until Satan is released.

They don't repent. They've already missed out on the first part of the exile and the repentance and re-education, rehabilitation, redemption and return. They will have missed out on that. They are exiled out here in the last generation.

"…Gog and Magog, of whom the number is as the sand of the sea…" (v 8). Why does God say that? Because of the free moral agency of these people! They have chosen their own way. God does not know who's going to repent and who will not repent. If they repent then they will come back from the near exile; if they don't repent they will be sent to the far exile.

Once they get to Gog and Magog, there is no repentance there. It will accumulate people who are apostatizing during the last generation of the Millennium. They will be exiled to that part of Gog and Magog, because they can't continue to live within the Kingdom of God. There has to be that area out there for them. They're going to be living their own lives. They're going to be living in sin. There's no telling what kind of society they will have there, because they will be expelled from the Kingdom of God. "…of whom the number is as the sand of the sea…"

What does Satan do? He is released upon them! They are there by their own choice. They have not been deceived. When Satan is released upon them, and he deceives them into the same thing that Satan has always done: to come and see if he can conquer God!

When Satan is released, all the demons are released together with him; think of the supernatural miracles that will be taking place. He will present himself as the savior to them. He will present himself as the one who has the power to overcome God's sentence against them. He will convince them that he is God, and that he has been bound this thousand years by the antichrist. Everything turned upside down and backward! He will convince them and show them how to make implements of war. They will be all stirred up in this frenzy of battle.

So, they will come—God will let them come—and let's see what happens; "…to gather them together for war. Then I saw them go up upon the breadth of the earth and encircle the camp of the saints… [maybe right at the Feast of Tabernacles time] …and the beloved city…" (vs 8-9)—Jerusalem.

They've made their final decision. They rejected God! Now they are deceived into this war, where Satan tells them:

Listen! If you follow me, we'll make all these weapons; I know how to do it; I'll show you how to do it. And they're defenseless down there, they have no weapons at all. It is a not a fenced city; we can conquer it and take the throne of Christ. We can remove Him and we will take over, and all of these people who have been against you:

• because they don't like your choices
• because they don't like your attitude
• because they think you have exercised your choice wrongly
• because you didn't choose to behave like they behave
• we'll go down there
• we'll take the city
• we'll remove them
• we'll set it up the way that we want

You can almost hear the cheers!

Notice what's going to happen, "…and fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them" (v 9). They all die at once their first death, together! That takes care of them until the second part of the second resurrection, for the resurrection to be cast into the Lake of Fire.

As we will see, that will be a great gathering of people all down through history who have rejected God and refused to repent. They will all be raised together. We will examine that on the Eighth Day.

Notice what happens, because this is part of ending Day Seven of the Feast of Tabernacles:

Verse 10: "And the Devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet had been cast… [that took place just before the beginning of the Millennium] …and they [plural], Satan and the demons, shall be tormented day and night into the ages of eternity." Why? Because Satan never repented! In spite of everything that God has done:

• Satan was always the adversary
• Satan always wanted to be God
• Satan always would lead men and women into sin

Now his final act is to gather all of those out of the geographical area of Gog and Magog and bring them down to be killed by the fire of God and He destroys them! God is going to torment Satan and the demons into the ages of eternity, because they are spirit beings and they are not subject to death. God is going to confine them in the blackest darkness forever! Yes, they'll be tormented in the Lake of Fire, but that Lake of Fire is going to consume the whole earth.

We need to understand something about the book of Jude, and understand something about the Word of God. There are those misguided people who believe doctrines of demons, that God is going to somehow change Satan into a human being and cast him into the Lake of Fire. If that were the case, you would read it right there in Rev. 20. But that is not so! It says clearly that Satan is going to be cast into the Lake of Fire and be tormented day and night forever, into the ages of eternity, and cutoff from God! That is the only way that you can start the Last Great Day: get rid of Satan and sin entirely!

Jude 6: "And the angels who did not keep their own original domain, but deserted their habitation, He is holding in eternal bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." It's going to be enacted just as the Great Day of God for the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Last Great Day, begins. That is the judgment. We already read it:

• no man
• no doctrine
• no 'goody-two-shoism' under the inspiration of Satan the devil

to try and say that God is going to be merciful to Satan. That is utter, utter insanity and blaspheme against God!

Let's notice that all of these things were inspired by Satan the devil. Let's read a summary of it:

Verse 11: "Woe to them! For they have walked in the way of Cain; and for gain, they have wholly given themselves up to Balaam's delusion, and haveperished in the rebellion of Korah." Everyone of these things inspired by Satan the devil.

Verse 12: "These are subversive stains in your love feasts… [they won't be any longer] …feasting in person together with you; fearlessly they are feeding themselves. They are clouds without water…"—not having the Holy Spirit. These men who were deceived and deluded by Satan the devil here.

"…being driven by the winds… [by the spirits of Satan and demons] …trees of late autumn, without any fruit, uprooted, twice dead" (v 12). That's talking about those who followed Satan's way. We have this whole group at the end of the Millennium. We have all of those down through history who will be raised in the second part of the second resurrection to face death with the Lake of Fire.

Verse 13: "Raging waves of the sea, casting up like foam their own ignominious shame; wandering stars…"—angels—now we are getting to the power of Satan the devil and the demons.

Jude writes, "…for whom has been reserved the blackest darkness forever!" (v 13). Wherever that's going to be in the universe, that's where they are going to be. Some have thought that maybe it's a black hole from which they can never get out. Is not a black hole going to be the darkest blackness forever? Yes, indeed!

The end of the Millennium brings the judgment of Satan the devil and those who refuse in the last generation of the Millennium to repent and accept God's salvation!

Tomorrow we come to the Last Great Day! That indeed, is going to undo all the evils that Satan has left throughout all the history of human beings.

Come back tomorrow for the finale!

Scriptural References:

1. Revelation 20:4-6
2. Isaiah 30:18-21
3. Isaiah 66:22-23
4. Micah 4:1-5
5. Isaiah 65:17-20
6. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
7. 1 Corinthians 15:49-52
8. Philippians 3:20-21
9. Isaiah 65:20
10. Genesis 3:22-24
11. Genesis 4:5-7
12. 2 Kings 17:9-11
13. 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
14. 2 Corinthians 2:1-10
15. 2 Chronicles 33:1-3, 8-16, 21-24
16. Revelation 20:7-10
17. Jude 6-13

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 1
• Revelation 21; 22
• Ecclesiastes 3
• Hebrews 9
• Revelation 11

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 8-15-14

Copyright 2014—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.