Day 7—Feast of Tabernacles 2018

The Final Days of the Millennium

Those at the end of the thousand years will be warned to take heed, for the major sin will be vanity!
But Satan will face his final judgment by God

Fred R. Coulter—September 30, 2018

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to Day 7 of the Feast of Tabernacles, actually the last day of the Feast. But since, if you compare it to a scale—do re me fa so la te—it's not complete until you come back to do again. So, you have seven plus one is eight.

The Feast of Tabernacles is going to be one of the greatest times on the face of the earth up to that point. Let's just rehearse a little bit so that we can get everything lined up correctly to understand this day of the Feast.

When Christ returns and the Millennium is set up, before it's set up Satan is bound. He is put into the abyss, locked up with a spiritual chain that will keep him from affecting any people on earth.

Revelation 20:2[transcriber's correction]: "And he took hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Then he cast him into the abyss, and locked him up, and sealed the abyss over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were fulfilled" (vs 2-3).

Here we are at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, and this is coming up to the fulfilling of the thousand-year period.

"…and after that it is ordained that he be loosed for a short time" (v 3). Why is that? That the whole meaning of the seventh day! We also know that:

• we're going to be on thrones
• we're going to have judgment given to us
• we're going to be kings and priests
• we're going to reign with Christ a thousand years

Verse 6: "Blessed and Holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection…"—when Christ returns on Pentecost! Before everything takes place on the Sea of Glass, we're raised to be with Christ there and then we spend that time from Pentecost until Trumpets understanding everything we're going to do when we come back to the earth and how we're going to run it. We'll start that.

"…But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (v 6).

Rev. 5 shows that we are going to reign on the earth! Every single misinterpretation and false doctrine concerning the plan of Christ, the plan of God, the salvation for mankind is going to come under great attack again. Even those who supposedly understand some of the Truth are getting way off on these things.

Revelation 5:10: "And did make us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." Not up in heaven! The Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) say, 'We're going to be in heaven, the earth is going to a cindering hulk for a thousand years, and we're going to pour through the judgment books.' False doctrine!

Everything in the Bible concerning what the Millennium is going to be like:

• peace
• no war
• no one is going to make anyone afraid
• there will be salvation for all

Does that mean that all will want salvation? That may seem like a difficult question, but we have to understand that that may be the case. Why? Because God is not going to take away independent free moral agency (IFMA).

That's surrounding all the IFs that you find in the Bible. All of these things are there. That's why you have to properly search it out, put it together and rightly divide the Word of God so that we come up with the right conclusion, the right understanding of what's going to happen.

Isa. 65 has been applied to the Great White Throne Judgment, which will be true for them as well. Think about the what the world is like when we began. Everything thing is upside down, the earthquakes, wars, everything. What God is going to do is create new heavens and a new earth. The heaven around the earth is all upset, the earth is all a mess.

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."

It's not going to be like it was before the beginning of the Millennium, and as we get further into the Millennium, people will have no remembrance of what it was like before Christ and the saints took over the earth.
As we know, ruling for a thousand years, you go down two, three, five hundred years and so forth, everything has been just this way as along as anyone could remember. All children born into this world, everything that's going to be, the way it's run and done, they will think that's the way it always has been. But that won't be the case.

Let's find out what the rest of Isa, 65 tells us, because we have to read into it with other Scriptures for understanding so we can get the complete picture.

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…" (vs 18-19)—because of suffering, dying, wars, lying, cheating and stealing the way it is today.

Satan is bound! He's not there! For us, that's pretty hard to think of a time when Satan is not there. Today he's affecting everything. The closer we get to the return of Christ, the more active he's going to be.

"…nor the voice of crying. There will not be an infant who lives but a few days… [or an infant conceived that will be aborted] …nor an old man that has not filled his days for the child will die a hundred years old; but the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed" (vs 19-20). How is this going to be?

Verse 21: "And they will build houses and live in them…" We saw that all through the messages for the Feast of Tabernacles.

"…and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit" (v 21). They'll sit under their vine tree and their fig tree, and their big shade tree, whatever it may be. No one is going to make them afraid. There are going to be no weapons, no killing, no guns. It's going to be an entirely different society.

You would think that with everything laid out that way, people would want that, because down deep inside that's what they desire. But will they really, really want it? Because a strange thing happens—we'll read it in a little bit—at the end of the Millennium when Satan is removed from his prison, there are going to be a whole lot of people who have disagreed with God. God is going to let them loose to gather them together to come to battle against Jerusalem.

How is that going to take place? We'll get this all in proper sequence.

Verse 22: "They will not build, and another live in them; they will not plant, and another eat; for like the days of a tree are so will be the days of My people, and My elect will long enjoy the work of their hands." God's elect is everyone who repents and accepts salvation!

Verse 24: "'And it shall come to pass… [we'll be there; it will include us] …before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the food of the serpent. They will not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy mountain,' says the LORD" (vs 24-25). Completely different than today!

Let's look at v 20, because we have to think this through: "…but the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed." God tells us with this verse that everybody is going to live a hundred years. Everyone is going to be given an opportunity for salvation. All of those who accept salvation, their death will be a very instantaneous thing when their change comes.

Hebrews 9:27: "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die…"—because they will still have the law of sin and death in them, though not as severe as it is today, In Ezek. 36 God says He's going to 'give them a heart of flesh,' not a heart of rebellion. But He's still not going to take away independent free moral agency.

That's why it says "…the sinner who is a hundred years old shall be accursed." That means that he has rejected salvation! That's going to be hard to figure, that there will be those who will reject salvation. But it's all based upon independent free moral agency!

Before we get into how God is going to handle sin, let's see what's going to happen to people who live their lives the way that they should. They love God and everything like that. Then we will see what's going to happen to them.

Let's put Deut. 11 in the context of what it will be like during the Millennium. Everybody is going to live in the 'promised land' because the whole world is going to be the 'promised land.' Everyone is going to be given a choice, and God has determined that He's not going to take away free moral agency from anyone, because God is no respecter of persons. Let's think about this as we read through it, that we apply it to those who are in the Millennium. We're teaching them:

• the way of God
• the Truth
• what they need to do

They live their lives the way that they should, blessing upon blessing will come upon them, even before they ask about it, it's on its way. Before they pray for something, God is ready to answer it right away. That's going to be quite different from what it is today. That's why those in the first resurrection are ones who are going to be kings and priests, teachers and rulers.

Deuteronomy 11:1: "Therefore, you shall love the LORD your God…" Everything is going to be based on loving God. That's what it was all the way through the Bible, starting out with Adam and Eve.

We're to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and being! We're to love our neighbors as ourselves. Then we're going to have all the saints as rulers, administrators, mayors running cities and towns, and taking care of things the way that they should:

• we will administer all justice
• we will be doing all the teaching

There is set before them!

"…and keep His charge and His statutes and His judgments and His commandments always" (v 1).

• Remember what was said of Abraham?
• Why did the blessing come to Isaac, and later on to Jacob?
• Then down to the children of Israel?

Because Abraham obeyed My voice! That will be the whole mantra of the Millennium:

• Do you obey the voice of God?
• Do you love God?
• Do you love your neighbor?

"…and His judgments and His commandments always" (v 1).

Then Moses talks about bringing them out of Egypt and so forth. We'll talk about how God has set up the Millennium and made everything so that there is no Satan around. You won't have to put up with all of his devious things, all of his lies. You'll just have to put up with your human nature and the human nature of other people.

Verse 7: "But your eyes have seen all the great deeds of the LORD which He did." During the Millennium, won't they see all the great deeds that God has done? The knowledge of God is going to cover the earth as the oceans cover the earth. There's going to be grace, mercy and forgiveness!

Verse 8: "Therefore, you shall keep all the commandments which I command you this day, so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land where you go to possess it." During the Millennium it will be that you will do this so that you may enter into the spiritual Kingdom of God, to be His spirit son or daughter.

Verse 9: "And so that you may prolong your days…" Then it won't be prolong your days in the land that God has given you, but that you may live forever! Quite a difference!

Verse 13: "And it will be, if…" There is that little two-letter word. Everyone is going to be given the choice:

• Are they going to love God?
• Are they going to obey God?
• Are they going to keep His commandments?

"…if you will hearken diligently to My commandments…" (v 13). We're going to see that that's one of the hardest things for people to do. Because when everything is laid out for people to do, they tend to get bored, centered on self. We will see that that is great sin that's going to take place.

"…which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (v 13).

Verse 16: "Take heed to yourselves…" That's the key word, that's the key focal point.

Everyone who is living during the Millennium is going to have to take heed to themselves—their thoughts and their attitudes—because everything is going to be there for them. They will become very complacent, and it's going to be like we've seen in the past with those who take everything for granted.

What happens to those who sin? It says in Isa. 65 that the sinner will die accursed at a hundred years. That shows that there's free choice and there is sin. Since God is 'the same yesterday, today and forever,' God is going to handle sin very much the same way. Look at Adam and Eve when they were created. They had everything there; they were right in the Garden of Eden. The whole world is going to become like a Garden of Eden during the Millennium. Everything is going to be peaceful, wonderful, uplifting and fantastic.

• Can people get bored with that?
• Can people think they want to do something else?
• Yes, indeed! Simply because there's free moral agency!

Granted, Satan is going to be removed. However, when there is sin, there's still going to be judgment. Just like when Adam and Eve took of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. How long that was from the time they were created, we don't know. But they decided that they had all of these things, 'let's try something new. Look, we go by this tree every day and it's really a great looking tree.'

God said not to eat the fruit! Then when something comes along, like the serpent in the case of Adam and Eve, and says, 'Did God really tell you not to eat of the trees of the garden?' Of course, no, just this one. 'This one tree is going to make you like God. Don't you want to be like God?' So, they took it and ate it, and then God gave the judgment! God gave the first prophecy of the coming Messiah for the forgiveness of their sins.

Likewise, all during the Millennium, Christ will be the sacrifice for the sins of those who repent! That's a key word, repentance!

Let's see what happened to Adam and Eve after they had the judgment given to them; Genesis 3:23: " Therefore, the LORD God sent him [Adam, and Eve with him] …out from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken." They were removed from the presence of God!

What are you going to do when there is sin and no repentance? Let's see what God said to Cain, because that's very instructive for us.

Gen. 4—Abel brought an offering unto God from the firstlings of the flock, and it was pleasing offering to God. Why? Because it was what God commanded!

Then Cain came along and he's going to make an offering according to his own determination instead of what God has said. That's something we really need to understand. How can a man who is made by God—though made in the image of God with a great many attributes and abilities that all humanity has—come to God, Who is perfect and the Creator, and tell Him, 'Look, I've got a better idea and You need to accept it.'

That's what Cain did. God did not have respect to the offering of Cain. Notice what God says to him when he was taken aback that God did not accept his offering. After all, he thought of it, he gave it, he thought it was good.

Genesis 4:7: "If you do well, shall you not be accepted?…" That's what it's going to be all during the Millennium. "…shall you not be accepted?…" Will you not be in favor with God and blessed and receive the blessings? Yes, indeed!

"…But if you do not do well, sin lies at the door…." (v 7). What's going to happen with sin? We saw that with Adam and Eve when they sinned, they were removed from the garden; they weren't allowed to come back into the garden! As a matter of fact, the garden stayed there and was guarded by the cherubim until the Flood and then it was destroyed.

"…Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it!" (v 7). That's going to be the whole lesson during the Millennium. You've got to rule over human nature! God is going to give you His Spirit so you can. But what if people choose not to?

As you know, Cain got angry and killed Abel, his brother, because he was jealous. What happened to Cain? Remember that murder is worthy of death! But did God kill Cain? No, He didn't! What did God do with Cain? He removed him to the land of wandering! Further removed from God!

So, there we have a two-stage removal, first from the garden. When they were put out of the garden they could come to east gate where God would meet with them. So, they weren't totally cutoff from God. But because of their sin they couldn't live in the Garden of Eden. And because of God's judgment of making their human nature much more intense, called the law of sin and death.

So, here's Cain. He sinned and God desires not to carry out the death penalty against him. So, God removes him even further, exile! Now we're going to see this again. It's important to understand that that's probably the principle that's going to happen during the Millennium when some sins and decides not to repent because of IFMA: independent free moral agency!

Let's see what happened to the children of Israel. When they sinned and wouldn't repent, God sent Elijah to them. It happened again with the Jews a little later on. Let's see what God says about that.

Let's discuss just little bit about Solomon. Remember how Solomon started out. He was giving conditions that if you love God, keep His commandments and rule over the people the way that you should that God would bless him. Well, he didn't do that. He virtually did everything that God said a king should not do:

• he took to himself many wives
• went down to Egypt
• he oppressed the people

He sinned! So, what did God do?

When Solomon died he had his son Rehoboam take over the kingdom, but split it in half and sent ten tribes to be with Jeroboam, one of the generals of Solomon who became king over the ten tribes of Israel. God gave to Jeroboam the same proposition: if you will love Me and keep My commandments, I will give you a dynasty like David! But Jeroboam didn't do that. He set up the two calves: one in Dan and one in Bethel.

All through the 232-year history of the children of Israel living in the northern part of the kingdom, they never had one righteous king, in spite of sending Elijah and Elisha. Not one righteous king! They sinned and God gave them many opportunities during that 232 years.

2-Kings 17:7 "Now, it came to pass because…" Here is the cause of their going into captivity or exile, or being removed from the land.

"…the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, Who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods" (v 7).

There won't be other gods allowed during the Millennium, so what's going to be the sin? There will be sins! What's going to be the major sin? We'll be there to teach them. If they get too far out of line, we say, 'Whoa! Wait a minute!' As we learned in Isa. 30, 'Don't go to the left hand or the right hand, here's the way, walk in it.' What's going to happen to them when they still refuse! It's going to be just like this, they're going to have to be removed because of their sin.

Verse 8: "And walked in the statutes of the nations whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which the nations had made. Now, the children of Israel secretly did things…" (vs 8-9).

We're going to know the secrets! Is God going to let them get away with their secrets for a while? Of course!

"…that were not right against the LORD their God. And they built high places… [v 10]: And they set up images…. [v 11]: And they burned incense… [v 12]: for they served the idols… [v 13]: And the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all the prophets, by all the seers, saying, 'Turn from your evil ways…" (vs 9-13).

That's what we will teach when they sin! Turn, or repent! God always honors true repentance! God is not going to exterminate them, so we're going to see that God is going to exile them. We will be able to understand what they're thinking, so we will know when these things are coming up.

Verse 14: "Nevertheless, they would not hear… [v 15]: …And they rejected His statutes and His covenant, which He made with their fathers, and His warnings that He testified against them. And they went after vanity, and became vain…" That's going to be the sin! And God sent them into captivity!

Ezek. 14—here the children of Israel were in captivity by the River Kebar. Everyone is going to be living under the Kingdom of God during the Millennium. There aren't going to be any real overt sins. There may be some, and those will be handled and taken care of. But:

• How are we going to know when they sin?
• How are we going to know when they refuse to obey?

They will be given the chance to obey, given the choice to repent or not. If not, they will have the choice to be removed forcefully if necessary. Ezek. 14 can give us really good clue as to how we know that they are sinning. They can't have another religion. They can't set up idols.

I don't know if some may make secret of idols of some kind for something, but Satan won't be there. However, will there be things in their minds that will constitute sin? Yes, indeed!

Look at Job. Even though he was 'blameless' he was still sinning. Why? Because he wasn't giving God credit for everything that He did! Job thought that he was as righteous, or more righteous than God. Let's look at those thoughts as we find in:

Ezekiel 14:1: "And some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts…'" (vs 1-3).

• idolizing your own thoughts
• rebelling against God in your heart and mind
• refusing to keep the commandments of God
• secretly doing things that you think know one knows

That's what they will be doing, but we will know!

"…and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I at all be inquired of by them?" (v 3).

Here is the judgment, and this will be our judgment against the unrepentant sinners:

Verse 4: "Therefore, speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Every man of the house of Israel… [or every man living during the Millennium] …who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet… [we'll all be teachers, comes to the teacher] …I the LORD will answer him according to the multitude of his idols, so that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart because they have deserted Me for their idols—all of them"'" (vs 4-5).

Here's going to be the message, v 6: "Therefore, say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Repent and turn yourselves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations."'"

Free moral agency can bring those up secretly, but we will know! Won't they try to affect other people? Yes, indeed! So, they will be removed from the community of the people that they are living in.

Speculation: Do you suppose that there would be 'repentance centers'? If they haven't committed the unpardonable sin, they are sent there first. Then they are taught the way of God again. We will be able to know their hearts and minds. If they repent, they can come back into the community. God always honors repentance!

We will know if it's true and sincere or not! During the Millennium there isn't going to be any fooling anybody at anytime anywhere! They can come back. Let's keep that in mind.

• What's going to happen to the righteous ones?
• How will they enter into the Kingdom of God?

(go to the next track)

Let's read Isa. 65 again so we can gain a little more understanding of:

• What's going to happen to a person in his or her lifetime?
• How long will they live? We've already seen that they will live a hundred years!
• What's going to happen to those who are righteous?

We can't break the Scripture that says, 'It's given to everyone once to die, and after that the judgment.' Their judgment is during their lifetime now, and the final judgment will either be eternal life or exile! But what's going to happen to all the righteous people?

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, for the child will die a hundred years old…" Everyone is going to live to be a hundred. It says they will die. But how quickly will they be resurrected?

1-Thess. 4—we can get a view of what happens when Christ returns. There are those who are still alive. All the saints so far have been living their lives and dying and being put into the grave awaiting the resurrection. Paul talks about the time when the return of Christ comes, but there will still be some who will be alive. They won't have time to live out their lives completely. So, here's what Paul says:

1-Thessalonians 4:14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in exactly the same way also, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."

That's because they're resurrected and meet Christ in the air on the Sea of Glass, so when He returns to the earth He's going to bring them with Him.

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." That's how God views the death of a saint!

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; 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's going to happen? If you were changed from flesh to spirit, is that not an instant death and change? Yes! Would have to be, because it's given to everyone once to die!

It will be so quick that it will appear that there is no death involved. Still, the Scripture has to be fulfilled that everyone is given once to die. But the change will be an instantaneous change and transformation or resurrection without being in the grave. You are changed, raised!

Let's see what Paul says concerning the Kingdom of God. No one can enter into the true Kingdom of God… Now, the Kingdom of God coming on the earth, people will be living in it. But they will not be a spiritual part of it. This is what Paul is talking about here, because when Christ returns and the first resurrection takes place, we will be spirit beings and part of and in the Kingdom of God to rule and reign with Christ.

1-Corinthians 15:49: "And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust…" That's what they will be if they're still alive when Christ returns; still made of dust.

"…we shall also bear the image of the heavenly One" (v 49). There's got to be that change from flesh to spirit, but it's got to be so quick that the body is going to be an instant death and an instant change.

Verse 50: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God…"

So, the flesh and blood has got to be changed, and that change has got to be likened unto an instantaneous death. Of course, that will be different than being raised out of the grave, but in either case the change has to be, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.

"…nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed" (vs 50-51).

At this point, Paul did not understand how long it was going to be until the return of Christ. So, he thought he would still be alive, and most of the brethren.

Verse 52: "In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…"

The only place where there are shown to be in Scripture a sequence of trumpets is in Rev. 8 forward through all seven of the trumps and the resurrection takes place at the seventh trump, which is the last trumpet!

"…for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility…" (vs 52-53)—whether you're dead in the grave, or whether you're alive, you're still corruptible in the flesh. So, you "…must put on incorruptibility…"

"…and this mortal must put on immortality. Now, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" (vs 53-54).

Will that not be for all of those during the Millennium? Think about this, I've often thought this… Speculation: those who are alive in the flesh will be changed instantaneously when they have lived a hundred years and they are ready for the Kingdom.

Picture this: we're all here for the Feast of Tabernacles and there will be churches everywhere. No synagogues! No cathedrals! No mosques for Muslims! No temples for Buddhists or Hindus! All to God in churches everywhere in the world!

I don't know how it's going to take place, but since the first resurrection is going to take place on Pentecost, would that not also be the day when we all come to observe Pentecost. Everyone who is ready to enter the Kingdom of God because they've been faithful and love God and kept His commandments? Lived the way that they should, growing in grace and knowledge and ready to enter the Kingdom of God as spirit beings?

When Pentecost comes around and we have 100-year-olds who have lived their lives the way they should be, we're going to have a 'going out' and 'coming in' party, a celebration, a rejoicing. Everyone is going to see this. Could it be like the vision of the Transfiguration on the mount where Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him and was transfigured in a vision before them? Could this not be a type of what's going to happen to those who are faithful all during the Millennium? And they are changed from flesh to spirit and enter into the Kingdom of God on that day? That will be a wonderful and tremendous thing—won't it? Yes, indeed! It's going to be a great inspiration for everyone!

That's how it appears that it will probably be. I don't know of any other way to look at it from the vantage point of what we have today.

Let's talk about the sinners. What about those who sin and are exiled? and they don't repent? Back to the 'repentance centers': the first exile will be just removal from the community to come to repentance and to be restored, like we find that happened in 1-Cor. with the man who sinned and it showed how he came back in 2-Cor. Welcomed back, forgiven, understand what he or she needs to do and we move on.

• What happens if, after a set period of time in the local 'repentance center' they refuse to repent?
• What are you going to do with them? It says that the sinner is going to die accursed (Isa. 65)!
• Where will the sinners be?

Down toward the end of the Millennium there are going to be more people rejecting salvation (Rev. 20). Let's analyze these verses and see if we can understand what it's telling us with the wicked, and what's going to happen to them. Remember that those who commit the unpardonable sin God has decreed must die twice! So, here we are a thousand years with this going on. Those who don't repent have to be removed somewhere that's far away, and there they will die accursed, cutoff from God!

• Where will that be?
• Will that be set up right at the beginning of the Millennium?
• Who knows when it will be set up?

Revelation 20:7: "Now, when the thousand years have been completed… [it ends with the seventh day] …Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…. [Why?] …and he shall go out to deceive the nations…" (vs 7-8).

• Can that be all the nations?
• Why is he sent out to deceive those of the nations unless those who refuse to repent are exiled from the different nations to a certain place on the earth?

Because they refused to repent and go God's way!

"…that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog…" (v 8).

We find that in Ezek. 38 & 39 that Gog and Magog are the last ones to enter in under the rule of the Millennium with the saints and Christ. But it says there that 'they shall know that I am the Lord their God.'

Let's think about this and analyze it. Is this talking about the people of Gog and Magog? or A geographical territory within Gog and Magog separated out on the side of Gog and Magog?

If it's the people, then God is a respecter of persons and had deemed that He has created them and will never give them a chance for repentance or salvation. If that is so, then that contradicts everything that God has said.

• In the Bible, does it talk about Israel as the people? Yes!
• Does it also talk about Israel as the geographical land? Yes!

Therefore, we can conclude with a good amount of certainty that this part of Gog and Magog is for the unrepentant sinners; not the people of Gog and Magog. It's just designating a geographical area! That's why it says "…the nations…" because there may be people from every nation on earth who reject salvation. There's still IFMA, there's still moral agency. They can still have idols in their mind and think that they're just as good or better than the rest of the people. If they're sent out there:

• How many are going to be there?
• How long will they be there?

It says, 'the sinner will die at 100, accursed! Some may die sooner, just because of their sins. Out there in this exile, for the rejecters of God, the rejecters of salvation, they will be there. They'll setup their own little whatever they have. It may grow over time, because everyone who is an unrepentant sinner—if they don't repent when they go to the 'repentance center that's close at hand and refuse to change—then there's no alternative but to remove them from the presence of the people who are living God's way!

When we come to the end of the Millennium look at what this says, this is something:

"…Gog and Magog, of whom the number is as the sand of the sea…" (v 8).

That's a lot of people! That's why we need to heed everything that we are learning about being diligent, loving God and staying faithful. Look at what has happened even within the Church that we know of in our time. Have there been those who have refused to repent and go back into the world? Yes!

But during the Millennium they can't be turned loose on society, they must be removed! Let them go live their lives over in the geographical area of Gog and Magog, and let them live out their lives and let the sinners bury the sinners.

When Satan is loosed on those who are still alive out there, "…of whom the number is as the sand of the sea…"

I've often thought about what it's going to be when Satan gets out that prison. That's means the demons are there with him, and they will go, too; wherever Satan goes the demons go. Will Satan still be able to perform miracles to deceive them? Yes! Do you suppose that he might even say:

You know, I'm really the true God. This One down in Jerusalem put me in this place of restraint, in prison, and I'm finally able to get out of it, and I've come to you because we have an opportunity.

If we arm, if we get all ready, because these people down here don't believe in war. So, it will be an easy war for us. All we have to do is go down and take Jerusalem. If we go down there and take Jerusalem, we will rule the world, and you won't have to put up with all of these other people who say that they are the sons and daughter's of God.

We can do this together! We'll be mighty! We'll be powerful! Look at the things that I can do. Now, let's make us some weapons!

Right back to war!

"…to gather them together for war" (v 8). You don't start a war unless you make some weapons. You don't start a war unless you feel that you can win. With everything being so peaceful on earth—the way it will be at that time—they will think that this is 'easy pickings'! Just like Gog and Magog did at the beginning of the Millennium.

They thought that coming up against Israel would be 'easy pickings.' They lost! Is that why God will choose a part of Gog and Magog as a geographical territory for the people who rebel to be exiled during the Millennium? They have to live out their lives in rebellion. Could very well be!

Verse 9: "Then I saw them go up upon the breadth of the earth and encircle the camp of the saints…" Will this be during a time of the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles?

If we get them there in Jerusalem, then we can control the whole world from there.

That's what they will think!

"…and the beloved city…" (v 9). Why did God have them do this? Because all the wicked who are in exile in Gog and Magog, when the Millennium comes to an end, have to be completely, totally removed! That is Satan's mission, to bring them all down thinking that they can capture Jerusalem!

"…and fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them" (v 9). They all died! This is their first death! They will be resurrected for the second death!

God's Word is true! Everyone who commits the unpardonable sin will die twice, called the second death! There's no resurrection out of that! That is it!

Another aspect of this day, which is important for us to understand, is also the day of Satan's judgment and final sentencing, and the beginning of his final punishment!

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; and they, Satan and the demons, shall be tormented day and night into the ages of eternity."

Tormented is interesting. You read of that in the Gospels. There are many occasions where Jesus would come to cast out demons, and the demons would say, 'Oh, I know You! You are Jesus the Son of God!' And Jesus would command them to be still! Or they would say, 'I know You, have You come to torment us before the time?' Because they're going to be tormented with Satan the devil, too!

• Never does it say that they will die!
• Never does it say that God is going to transform them into human beings and then throw them into the Lake of Fire and burn them up!

There are some who preach that! That's not true! The torment continues forever! The first torment will be in Lake of Fire, and then after the 100-year period, that Lake of Fire is going to consume the whole earth and prepare it for the new heaven and the new earth.

• Where will they go then?
• What's going to happen to the demons then?

Let's see! Jude tells us quite a bit, because it also documents the evil that Satan has brought against the Churches down through history. It pinpoints the ones who are responsible for it. Not only the men who give themselves over to Satan the devil, but also the angels that did not 'keep their first estate.'

Let's get the whole picture, because Satan is still active today, and when the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day are over, we're headed back into the world, and guess what's still out there? Everything concerning the world! We've got to understand how that came about, and we've got to understand how we can stand against all of it.

Let's take this down as something very important for us to learn, remember and keep in mind. We're still living a world where Satan the devil rules! We've got to fight against him and war against him with the Spirit of God and the Word of God.

Jude 3: "Beloved, when personally exerting all my diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was compelled to write to you, exhorting you to ferventlyfight for the faith, which once for all time has been delivered to the saints. For certain men have stealthily crept in… [and they're still trying to do it] …those who long ago have been written about, condemning them to thisjudgment…. [the Lake of Fire] …They are ungodly men who are perverting the grace of our God, turning it into licentiousness, and are personally denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (vs 3-4).

Now let's see where Jude goes with this, and see the power that is behind us, which will end up with the final judgment of Satan and the demons.

Verse 5: "But I myself want to remind you, though you once understood this, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, the second time destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their own original domain…" (vs 5-6).

They were on the earth first, and that's why the earth in Gen. 1 is covered with water. Because of the flood and their sin!

"…but deserted their habitation…" (v 6). They rebelled! They tried to overthrow the throne of God in heaven above with Satan the devil who said, 'I will become like the Most High.' That's why he's going to be tormented forever! And the demons are going to be tormented forever, because of their rebellion directly against God, in the face of God directly!

"…He is holding in eternal bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the Great Day" (v 6). We just read in Rev. 20.

Then Jude talks about Sodom and Gomorrah, and then about Michael arguing with Satan the devil concerning the body of Moses. Just think what Satan would have done if he could have gotten that body of Moses and encased in a honey casket we could all look at, and he could say, 'There's the body of Moses!'

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. These are subversive stains in your love feasts, feasting in person together with you; fearlessly they are feeding themselves. They are clouds without water, being driven by the winds; trees of late autumn, without any fruit, uprooted, twice dead" (vs 11-12). Those are the human beings who go into the Lake of Fire! We'll cover that tomorrow on the Last Great Day.

Verse 13: "Raging waves of the sea, casting up like foam their own ignominious shame; wandering stars… [rebellious angels] …for whom has been reserved the blackest darkness forever!"

That's why Satan is going to be tormented forever, and all of the demons. Some people have speculated—and may be true—that there may be a black hole out there in the universe and that's where they are going. Once something is in the black hole, it never gets out. But what will that be forever for all who are in the Kingdom of God and the Family of God? That you can never rebel against God, and even though you're sons and daughters of God, you can never be greater than the One Who created you!

That goes all the way back to the book of Job and the whole problem with Job. See how the whole Bible comes together in a great and wonderful picture. This is something for us to know. A warning for us as well, so we can understand this part of God's plan.

We're going to be serving in the Millennium with Jesus Christ and all the saints for a thousand years. When it's over, this cataclysmic end is going to come, and Satan and the demons will be bound. First tormented in the Lake of Fire. Then after the 100-year period the fire is going to consume everything on the earth and Satan and the demons are all going to be put in the "…blackest darkness forever"! All of the wicked will be nothing but just unknown ashes on the earth!

Come back tomorrow for the eighth day! Isn't it interesting that the greatest day is only called the eighth day (Lev. 23).

Scriptural References:

• Revelation 20:2-3, 6
• Revelation 5:10
• Isaiah 65:17-22, 24-25, 20
• Hebrews 9:27
• Deuteronomy 11:1, 7-9, 13, 16
• Genesis 3:23
• Genesis 4:7
• 2 Kings 17:7-18
• Ezekiel 14:1-6
• Isaiah 65:20
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
• 1 Corinthians 15:49-54
• Revelation 20:7-10
• Jude 3-6, 11-13

Scriptures quoted, not referenced:

• Ezekiel 36; 33; 39
• Leviticus 23

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7/30/18