The Lord Reigns!

Greetings, brethren! Here we are past the halfway point and if you want to look at it in terms of the Millennium, we're halfway through the Millennium. We're into year 500—just think of that! Of course, being spirit beings and ruling and reigning with Christ as kings and priests, we're certainly going to have an awful lot to do. But what most people need to realize today is why we have the Feast of Tabernacles: so that we know we are preparing to rule and reign with Christ!

Let's see the promise of this back in Rev. 2 & 3. We've already seen in Rev. 20, that we will rule with Christ a thousand years. Let's see how we're going to rule as it said here in Rev. 2 & 3. We covered these leading up to the day of Pentecost, but let's look at just a couple of Scriptures here so that we will know exactly what we are being told, and this will help us to be able to prepare

• by using the Word of God
• by living our lives the way God wants us to
• by being led of the Holy Spirit of God
• by keeping our mind and our heart on the plan and purpose of God
  • why we're here
  • why we're called
  • what we are to do

Remember that all of these are messages to the seven churches—each one in particular, and all of it combined:

Revelation 2:26: "And to the one who overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end…" We will see the works that we need to do today:

• to prepare to be a king
• to prepare to be a priest
• to prepare to be a ruler
• to prepare to help solve all the problems of this world

Here's the promise:

"…I will give authority over the nations" (v 26). Tie that in Matt. 25, Jesus said to the one who gained five pounds, 'have authority over five cities'; and the one who gained two, 'have authority over two cities.'

Verse 27: "And he shall shepherd them with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces…"

We're not going to see any of the nonsense we see today; the only way that there can be peace! This is why we need to realize this: This is why Satan the devil is put away before the Millennium begins. Also, when we come to the end of the Millennium and we see what he does then, we're going to understand there can be no peace, no freedom from sin, as long as Satan the devil is still around!

"…as I have also received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star" (vs 27-28)—eternal life, because we're to shine as the stars of heaven!

As Jesus said, 'shine as the sun in its full strength.' For us to really visualize and conceive of that glory that that will be inherent in us is quite a thing to contemplate, but it will be.

Verse 29: "The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Now, let's come to the Church of Laodicea, and let's read the last part of it here so that we understand how we get that authority and what we are going to do to rule. Remember back in Rev. 20 it says, 'and I saw thrones and they that sat on them and judgment was given to them'—that's us!

So, when Jesus says here in Rev. 3:21 that we're going to sit with Him in His Throne, that means:

• He's going to give us authority
• He's going to give us a separate throne, subordinate and subject to His

so we can rule wherever He sends us!

Revelation 3:21: "To the one who overcomes will I give authority to sit with Me in My Throne… [Ruling with Christ! By His name! By His authority!] …even as I also overcame, and sat down with My Father in His Throne. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (vs 21-22).

Now, during this time of the Feast of Tabernacles, we're concentrating on: What do we need to do to qualify? I don't mean that we qualify ourselves. God the Father is the One Who qualifies us (Col. 1:10):

• through His Spirit
• through His Word
• through the experiences we go through

Nevertheless, we have to put forth the effort. We have to put forth the work. We're going to spend a little time in the book of Proverbs, because the book of Proverbs talks about:

• righteous reigning
• righteous kings
• what's going to happen

Here are some of the qualities that we need. As we saw previously, we need the spiritual character and qualities that we find in 2-Peter 1, and we also need the 'fruits of the Spirit' as described by Paul in Gal. 5—which is love, faith, hope, joy, longsuffering, temperance, goodness, kindness and meekness, 'against such there is no law.'

What is this to develop in us? Let's see what we're told which will help us to understand how the Millennium is going to work:

• with peace
• with harmony
• we'll be teaching the people
• they will see us
• we'll be able to come and go, appear and disappear

Remember what it says, 'you shall see your teachers.' If you start to go to the right hand or to the left hand you're going to hear a voice behind you saying, 'this is the way, walk in it.'

Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice…"

Quite different from what we have today. We read in Dan. 4 that 'God sets up over the nations the basest of men.' Here it's described:

"…but when the wicked rule, the people mourn" (v 2). Sound a little bit like what we're going through? Yes, indeed!

Let's use all of these things for us to learn what we need to do and not do, and the character we need to develop and what we need to be aiming for in growing and overcoming.

Unfortunately, the Protestants get people started: 'Believe in Jesus, He'll forgive your sins, hallelujah! Everything's over and done!' God wants us 'to grow to the fullness of the stature of the measure of Christ'! The only way we're going to do that is with the Word of God.

We'll look through different Proverbs and see the qualities and characteristics

• that we need to grow
• what we need to develop
• what we need to work on
• what we need to think about
• how we need to govern our lives

Let's learn some principles here. These things we see happening in the world around us.

Proverbs 3:29: "Do not plan evil against your neighbor since he dwells trustingly by you. Do not strive with a man without cause if he has done you no harm. Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways" (vs 29-31).

We're not going to oppress the people, we're going to teach them. We're going to lead them to repentance so they can change. We're going to help prepare all of those people to receive eternal life and enter into the Kingdom of God.

• How's that for a job?
• How's that for a job description
• How's that for work to do and plan to do?

The secret is, everything is in the Bible that we need to know.

Verse 32: "For the crooked man is an abomination to the LORD, but His secret is with the righteous."

What did Jesus say? 'It is given to us to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God.' Isn't that something? God has called us into His confidence and He has said, 'Behold, My Word! And in it is the secret of what I'm doing.' An amazing thing is true:

The world, even though they have the Bible, they can't understand it. Why? Because they

• won't believe it
• won't obey it
• won't repent
• won't submit to God

So, we have all of this that God is doing for us!

I love the Proverbs, because you go back and forth and it's clear-cut:

• it's right/wrong
• it's good/evil
• it's righteous/wicked

It shows all the difference there. Here's what we are to do! This is why we are to apply ourselves. Think about the Scripture:

2-Timothy 2:15—Paul told Timothy: 'Study to show yourself approved, a workman rightly dividing the Word of Truth.'

If you wrongly divide it you can say you're teaching out of the Bible, but you can end up teaching a lie or a wrong application. So, here's the principle that we need to do. How many times since you've been in the Church and I've been preaching since I've been a minister, you always hear two things: prayer and study, That is the key!

Proverbs 15:28: "The heart of the righteous studies to answer…"

That's what we are to do. Study the Word of God so that we can know the character that we need to have. Notice the contrast of this:

"…but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things" (v 28).

Sounds a little bit like Washington, DLC [District of Liars and Corruption], today, doesn't it? United Nations, all of the pronouncements of the elite? Yes, indeed!

Verse 29: "The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous."

In having your prayers answered, remember He hears your prayer. Look at some of the Psalms. Is there any doubt that is God hearing? What did David say? He starts out some of the Psalms, 'Hear me, O God…' Well, if that's what you need to reach God, do it! He'll hear you!

Now, there's quite a bit here in Prov. 10, and it's going to show us:

• many good things that the righteous do
• what we say
• how we behave
• how we live our lives

and through living and growing in grace and knowledge

• how we are preparing to be rulers and kings and priests, to reign with Christ.

It's not going to be just a thousand years, that's the start! It's going to be in all the ages of eternity.

Proverbs 10:16—this means we have to work at it: "The labor of the righteous tends to life…" That's what it is:

• to up-build
• to strengthen
• to show
• to teach

What is important is this—just like we try and do—the best way to learn how to overcome and solve your problems is to be taught from the Word of God how to do it!

This is what we're going to do with the people when we rule over them. Yes, we have authority. Yes, if we need to, we can 'crack the whip.' But God wants it, first, to teach them so that they know, so that they will understand and know what they should do!

Verse 17: "He who keeps instruction is in the way of life…" Notice how that ties in with:

John 14:6: "Jesus said to him… [Thomas] …'I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life…'"

There it is right here in the book of Proverbs!. But it also says here:

Proverbs 10:17: "…but he who refuses reproof goes astray"

So, God wants us to help people, to teach them, to encourage them! Let them see their own mistakes and desire to overcome. Let them see the problems that they have and then let them work on overcoming it. We're there to help and to teach.

Verse 20: "The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver…. [we will teach them righteous character] …The lips of the righteous feed many…. The blessing of the LORD itself makes rich" (vs 20-22). All of that!

These are all attributes of the things that we're going to be doing. What we're doing in going through this is really finding the Bible job description on what we're going to be doing. We're not going to be floating around somewhere in the universe with little harps and little wings. We are going to be bringing millions and millions—and eventually through the whole thousand years—billions of people into the Kingdom of God.

Let's ask this: Has God made anything in vain? Of course not! He says, 'I didn't make it in vain—or 'tohu' or 'bohu'—NO! Think about all the fantastic pictures of the universe that we are now able to have and to see what is out there. God has made that for His expanded Family. Think of that! It's an amazing thing to understand. So, we're preparing people for that.

Verse 24: "The fears of the wicked shall come upon him… [just like Job] …but the desire of the righteous shall be granted."

• Do you desire to be in the Kingdom of God?
• Do you love God with all your 'heart, mind, soul and being'?
• Are you desirous to serve God in the way that He wants?

That desire will be granted!

Proverbs 11:30: "The fruit of the righteous is a Tree of Life…

• it produces life
• it produces love
• it produces faith

What you can say is all of this is part of the Tree of Life and all of these things are part of the character of God. We're going to have an opportunity to teach the people in the Millennium. Think about that!

"…and he who wins souls is wise. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth…" (vs 30-31).

That's something! That's a promise! God is going to recompense us:

• with His Truth
• with love
• with ruling
• with proper power
• with eternal life
• with eternal glory

As we are entering into difficult times, and as we have seen this past summer all the difficulties that have come upon us: the oil leak there in the Gulf of Mexico, the volcano in Iceland, the troubles around the world that are going on.

 We need to understand when we take over the world, it's going to be in a far worse mess! Christ is the One Who is going to lead the way on how to make it right; lead the way in how to establish the Kingdom of God. He's counting on us!

• that's why He selected us
• that's why He has called us
• that's why He's given us His Holy Spirit

Let's see a tremendous thing that the Apostle Paul wrote. Let's see why this is such a fantastic thing for us to grasp and realize. We're going to have that inheritance to do it.

 Rom. 8 lays it out for us. What I want you to do is see how the Old and New Testaments work together. There are some people who say, 'Just the New Testament.' There are other people who say—and I just got an e-mail on this the other day—'We learn salvation from the Old Testament. That's what Paul told Timothy.' He forgot the one Scripture which says, 'ALL Scripture is given by the inspiration of God.' OR 'ALL Scripture is God-breathed.' That means the Old and the New Testaments. So it's not one against the other.

The first error that people come into in trying to understand the Bible is this—#1 error!—They fight Scripture against Scripturerather than realizing the Scriptures harmonize; they do not contradict. There is a proper and right answer to what appears to be a contradiction.

I want you to notice how this agrees so much with the rest of the Bible, what we're reading in the book of Proverbs, and what we'll see later in the book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah is really a fantastic thing, which, by the way, might be a good thing to remember if you're talking to someone who says the Old Testament is done away. Turn to some of the Scriptures that show the Millennium. Ask them:

 If it's all been fulfilled, has this been done? And then point to another chapter and ask, 'Has this been done?' Point to Zech. 14 where Christ puts His feet on the earth and ask, 'Has this been done?'

 They will have to admit it hasn't been done. Then 'Why do you say the Old Testament has been fulfilled and the law has been done away?' You really need to understand something very important concerning that. That is near insanity to actually believe, because they are rejecting the reality of the Word of God.

Romans 8:14: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Now you have not received a spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we call out, 'Abba, Father'" (vs 14-15).

Likewise, when we're ruling and reigning, we're not going to bring them the spirit of fear. We're going to bring them:

• the Spirit of love
• the Spirit of Truth
• the Spirit of righteousness

And the whole world is going to be in harmony!

God shows that all the environment is going to be all revived and—as we've seen in some of the Scriptures—'singing for joy!' The deserts are going to blossom. All the hills will be make low and the valleys will be exalted. Everything will be made new.

Verse 16: "The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own spirit, testifying that we are the children of God." We are going to rule and reign with Christ!

Verse 17: "Now if we are children, we are also heirs…

I want you to understand this. Brethren, please grasp this: We are going to inherit the Kingdom of God! That means we're going to have part ownership in it. Think of that! So, when we see everything in this world, confronted with whatever problems we are confronted with, realize we're the ones—and all of the saints past, present and future until the return of Christ—are going to solve the world's problems. We see it right here.

"…truly, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer together with Him, so that we may also be glorified together with Him" (v 17).

Look at those promises. I want you to see what the Word of God tells us. Yes, there's going to be suffering! Did Jesus suffer to accomplish it? Yes, He did!

But notice how Paul looked at these things. This is what we need to do, because we're going to see plenty of suffering. We're going to see plenty of difficulties as we go down toward the time leading up to the Great Tribulation. We're not told how long the times of sorrows or the times of lawlessness will be. So we're going to see plenty of it.

Verse 18: "For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."

What I want us to do with these Scriptures and what we're covering during this Feast of Tabernacles, we want it to have like Jesus told the apostles one time, 'Let this sink deep into your ears.' Here's the hope:

Verse 19: "For the earnest expectation of the creation itself is awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God."

Have you ever thought on that Scripture? The world is waiting for us! Think of that!

Verse 20: "Because the creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who subjected it in hope."

We are the hope of the world! All of those who have been faithful and loving and obedient to God from Abel right on down to the last two witnesses! That's the hope, right there! Look at what we are going to do. Here this tells us even more. And we'll see some Scriptures back in the book of Isaiah and this tells us exactly the same thing, only with more details.

Verse 21: "In order that the creation itself might be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God…. [That's us, and all whom God will call] …For we know that all the creation is groaning together and travailing together until now" (vs 21-22). They're waiting for us!

Prov. 12:1 has quite a bit of instruction for the righteous and what we will do, how our behavior will be. So, this is something we need to really understand and just make a part of us.

Proverbs 12:1: "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." We all get correction!

• God corrects us directly
• He corrects us from His Word
• we're corrected by other people
• we're corrected by those who we work for
• a friend who comes along and says, 'Hey, I have something to say to you.' Listen!

Verse 2: "The good man receives grace from the LORD… [that's what we're going to give to the world. That's what we're receiving now] …but He will condemn a man of wicked devices. A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved" (vs 2-3).

That's quite a promise for us to have and understand! Isn't that something to really realize? We're not going to be moved! That's why we have to build on Christ. That's why we are those in whom the good seed was planted into good ground and we bring forth a hundredfold, sixty-fold and thirty-fold. All of these things show what we need to be working on and doing.

Verse 5: "The thoughts of the righteous are right; the counsels of the wicked are deceit."

Amazing! Righteous and wicked! Don't we see that? It sounds like someone running for political office. Can they tell the truth ever? NO! That's why we're here to replace them!

Verse 6: "The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood… [sounds like some policies of Washington, LDC] …but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown and are gone…." (vs 6-7).

That's what's going to happen when the Kingdom of God is set up!

"…but the house of the righteous shall stand" (v 7).

Remember what Jesus said concerning the Father's house: 'In My Father's house are many abodes, offices or positions, and I go to prepare a place for you.' The righteous will stand!

Verse 12: "The wicked desires the spoils of evil men, but the root of the righteous yields fruit." That's what we're going to do! We're going to yield the fruit that comes from serving and loving God!

Proverbs 13:5: "The righteous hates lying…"

Never be a politician today. How are you going to please everyone? You've got to lie a little to this one, lie a little to that one! That's why we are not to be active in the political things of this world.

Verse 6: "Righteousness guards the one who is upright in the way…" In the way of God!

Verse 9: "The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out."

All the way through you find the righteous vsthe wicked, the evil.

Now let's look at something else we are to do as priests. This applies to us; we can take this in type. Malachi was written to the priests who were Levites. But the same principles apply to us. Mal. 2 is where he talks about it and let's see how we can apply this to our work that we're going to be doing during the Millennium.

Remember that we are to have perfect righteous and Holy character, which will be given to us because we're growing, we're overcoming, we are doing these things in our lives now. At the return of Christ and the resurrection then that shall be firmly all a part of our character plus whatever the spirit being part of it that we receive adds to it. Just think how all of that is going to be multiplied.

There's some correction against the priests, but I want to focus on the other part, the positive part of the covenant, because there's going to be a covenant made after we are resurrected as spirit beings and the marriage of the Lamb and the wife takes place, and then the covenant for ruling this world. There will be a New Covenant for rulers and kings and priests, and we'll all be part of that.

Malachi 2:4: "'And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, so that My covenant might be with Levi'… [put your name there] …says the LORD of hosts. 'My covenant with him was one of life and peace…'" (vs 4-5).

That's what we're to bring to the whole world, because of the increase of His government there shall be no end!'

"…and I gave them to him for fear; that he might fear Me, and he was in awe before My name. The Law of Truth was in his mouth…" (vs 5-6). That's what has to be with us:

• the Truth
• the love
• the knowledge
• the character

Verse 6: "The Law of Truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned away many from iniquity." That's going to be our job:

• turn them from sin
• show them the right way
• bring them peace
• bring them knowledge
• bring them understanding

Here is the summary of it:

Verse 7: "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and the people should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." Brethren, that's what we should be!

In Mal. 3 it talks about sending the messenger before the face of the Lord. Who was John the Baptist? He was called 'the messenger who was sent.'

• Was the Law of God in His mouth?
• Was he teaching people? Yes!
• Was he bringing them to repentance? Yes!
• Was he preparing the way for the first coming of Christ? No question about it!

Likewise with us during the Millennium, going to be something!

Imagine what it's going to be like working with people to help them to really, really understand the truth of what human life should be. They're going to experience that in a way that we were never able to do, because we live a world, in the flesh, that was ruled by Satan the devil and God had to call us out of it.

 We will be looking back at our physical life, when we're spirit beings, and we will see that we had trials, we had difficulties, we had sins to overcome, we had so many things to work on, and it seemed like everything was against us, but Christ was for us!

 Think what it's going to be like to see all the human beings under our care, under our charge, under the Kingdom of God and our rule:

• to blossom
• to grow
• to understand
• to have marriages
• to have families
• to have abundance
• to have freedom from fear
• to have your own property

Like it says in the book of Amos, it's going to be when harvest time is happening, there's going to be a voice heard behind him, 'Get out of the way, we're planting the next crop.' There's going to be such and abundance that has never been seen. There is going to be the greatest civilization that ever will be in the history of the world. And we are going to bring it!

(break)

The Scriptures, when you put them all together—rightly dividing the Scriptures—really paints us a tremendous picture as to what God has for us and what we're going to be doing. I tell you, this becomes more exciting as we see the world around us deteriorating. But always remember, God is going to let the world have its own one-world government! That's why all the trouble we're going through now is to prepare the way for that to come.

Let's see the connection between Jerusalem being the capital city for the Kingdom of God, and David who is going to be resurrected and sit on his throne, and that's going to be an interesting thing. It looks like all the twelve apostles will be ruling over the twelve tribes along with David being the king over all the twelve tribes. So we can see some things that are clear, but we don't know exactly what all of our appointments or assignments are going to be. Think of this! Think of what is told to us when it's time to go to Jerusalem. As we've pointed out, it's going to be that great canopy of light that hangs over Jerusalem.

Psalm 132:7: "Let us go unto His Tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool. Arise, O LORD, into Your rest… [Millennium] …You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy…. [there's a prophecy concerning us] (notice how this fits in with David): …For Your servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Your anointed" (vs 7-10).

Verse 13: "The LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation."

Of course, that Zion is going to be a whole lot different than it is today. Remember what we read in Zech. 14, when the Lord puts His feet on the Mt. of Olives it's going to rise and split in two. That Zion is going to be far different from what we think of today.

Verse 14: "This is My resting place forever… [Guess where New Jerusalem is going to be centered on? Right on that one place!] …here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I also will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy'" (vs 14-16).

What a tremendous thing this is going to be! Imagine what it's going to be like when we have the opportunity to go to Jerusalem to keep a Sabbath, go to Jerusalem to keep any of the Feasts! That's going to be something, because we're going to keep them forever, brethren. Think of it!

That also will have another meaning and expression for the Feasts of God as it goes out into all eternity. That's something! I mean, when we start thinking about these things, when we start getting our mind into it and looking at the Scriptures—what God has for us—we can be just exactly like Paul wrote of: It doesn't matter what the things are; it doesn't matter what is happening:

• there is nothing that can defeat us
• there is nothing that can overcome us

All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose!

Here's another thing we're going to do. Look at what's going to happen to the earth. We saw how in Rom. 8 that the whole creation is 'groaning and travailing in pain until now; waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.' But look at the difference in what the earth is going to be like:

Psalm 100:1 "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth…. [Isn't that going to be something?] …Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God. He has made us, and we are His; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture…." (vs 1-3). That's what all people are going to say during the Millennium!

• we're going to be the shepherds
• we're going to be the priests
• we're going to be the teachers

Can you imagine how fantastic this is going to be? Every human being will reach the epitome of their potential! This will be absolutely the greatest and most fantastic civilization that has ever been. We are going to make it that way!

Verse 4: "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; give thanks unto Him and bless His name… [just think: year after year for a thousand years] …For the LORD is good; His steadfast love is everlasting; and His faithfulness endures to all generations" (vs 4-5).

Now, let's look at some the Psalms that start out—and I love the way that they start out—The Lord reigns! What an announcement that is! Think about that! Think what that's going to be like. Psa. 93 talks about just what it's going to be all during the Kingdom of God.

Psalm 93:1: "The LORD reigns…"

• no Satan around
• no evil men around
• no oppressors around
• no liars
• no cheats
• no thieves

"…He is clothed with majesty… [so will we; we will have glory] …the LORD is clothed with strength…. [so will we] …He clothed Himself and the world also is established; it shall not be moved" (v 1).

• no rebellions
• no insurrections
• no coup d'etat
• no lying
• no cheating
• no thievery

There will be sin to overcome! There will be things that people will have to learn, yes, but not like it is today.

Verse 2: "Your Throne is established of old; You are from everlasting."

Think about that! What is it going to be like to be a spirit being and to realize that even though we came into the world as physical human beings, we were part of a continuum that was part of eternity or everlasting, even though we're going to get old and die and be put in the ground. That's no problem for God! He's going to resurrect us!

Verse 3: "The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voices; the floods lift up their waves. The LORD on high is mightier than the thunders of many waters, yea, mightier than the mighty waves of the sea. Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house forever, O LORD" (vs 3-5).

Isn't that amazing? I can't help but wonder what Moses thought when he went up to the burning bush and he heard the voice say, 'Take off your sandals for the ground you are standing on is Holy ground'?

• think what it's going to be like in New Jerusalem
• Think what it's going to be like when we see the Father face-to-face
• Think what it's going to be like when we are able to reach out and help all the people of the world

Yes! "…Holiness adorns your house forever, O Lord."

There are quite a few Psalms that come along right here that have to do with the Millennium and bringing the peace and rule of God to the earth.

Psalm 96:1: "O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth."

You read all about the kind of singing and things that will be. We're going to see the magnificent ability of so many people. Think what it's going to be like, all of you who can't hold a tune in bucket, when you're a spirit being you're going to have 'perfect pitch'! Isn't that going to be something! Think about all the people, they're going to sing praises to us as they sing praises to God—not to worship us in place of God, but we're going to be the sons and daughters of God—we're going to receive some of that.

Verse 1: "O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth."

I often think of it as if you're on a satellite right above the earth, and the earth is turning, and you could be in that one spot and could look down and see all the people in that particular time-zone keeping the Sabbath, coming before God, singing praises to God. In every town and village there's going to be a church on the corner, which will be a church, a school, a community center. The whole community is going to know one another. Over here will be another community and this will just multiply by itself as growth comes. God always starts with the individual and then builds out from there. Remember when He created Adam and Eve? He created two; He didn't create a whole community! Remember when He called Abraham? It was Abraham and his wife Sarah! Think what it's going to be for the whole world.

Verse 2: "Sing to the LORD, bless His name; proclaim His salvation from day-to-day." That will be our job; that's going to be terrific!

Verse 3: "Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people."

As we saw in Isa. 11—the knowledge of the Lord is going to cover the earth as the seas cover the earth! Look at the change in:

• the environment
• the nature of animals
• in the nature of human beings

It's all going to be there!

Verse 4: "For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods."

• Is that meaning us? That's likely!

Although it's referring to gods in the world today; but we will be the sons of God. What did Jesus say there in John 10? When the scribes and Pharisees said, 'Your saying that You're the Son of God, You make Yourself equal to God';

• What did He refer to? Psa. 82!
• Does it not say 'you are gods, and the Scripture cannot be broken'?

So this gives us a little something to think on!

Verse 5: "For all the gods of the nations are idols; but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O you kindreds of the people; give to the LORD glory and strength…. [know that every good thing comes from God …Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of Holiness…" (vs 5-9).

Think about what that's going to be like, to really worship God—from here to there is God—you and all the saints worshiping God together, then all the nations.

"…tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns, and the world shall be established; it shall not be moved; He shall judge the people with righteousness'" (ca 9-10).

• that's something, brethren
• that's our job
• it's talking about us

Verse 11: "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness of it. Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy" (vs 11-12).

The whole environment, all people, the Family of God all in harmony! Amazing! That's what it's going to be like!

Psalm 97:1—again, it's talking about the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ and the saints: "The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of islands be glad. Clouds and darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His Throne" (vs 1-2).

What did we read at the beginning? That we can sit down in His throne with Him, and judge with Him—righteously!

Verse 3: "A fire goes before Him and burns up His enemies round about…. [that's what He's going to do when He returns] …His lightnings light up the world; the earth saw and trembled. The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people see His glory" (vs 3-6).

What an amazing thing that is going to be! There it is right in the Psalms. Isn't that tremendous, how great and marvelous that the Word of God is? Like we started out, the Word of God is like a sphere. In a sphere you can put an almost infinite number of lines through it, and you have an infinite number of intersections or junctions that all fit together. That's what we're trying to do with this.

Psalm 99:1: "The LORD reigns…" What a message that's going to be!

Just think about it, the first work we're going to do, we're going to have our assignment, we're going to know what we're going to do, and the first thing that we're going to do is go out there and tell the people 'the Lord reigns! Come out of the holes! Come out of the dens! Come out of the caves! Be healed!' We're going to heal them physically, mentally, spiritually—and they're going to understand that the Lord reigns!

"…let the people tremble. He sits between the cherubim; let the earth quake. The LORD is great in Zion, and He is high above all the people" (vs 1-2).

Just like it says there in Isa. 2 and Micah 4, that many nations will come and say, 'Let us go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord. For He will teach us of His way, and He will teach us of His law, for out of Zion shall go forth the law. It's all a part of what we're going to do.

Verse 3: "Let them praise Your name as great and awesome; Holy is He. The strength of the King also loves justice; You established uprightness; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob…. [and in the whole world; look at how great this is: …Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool, for He is Holy…. [notice who else is going to be there]: …Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel among those who called upon His name; they called upon the LORD, and He answered them" (vs 3-6).

That's going to be quite a thing! We're reading our future. We're reading the glory that is waiting for us and for the world!

Now, let's see what the message is going to be that we're going to teach them. Let's see how we're going to teach them the knowledge of salvation right from the beginning. We're also going to see how the Bible reaches back again to Abraham. Isn't that interesting: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Christ and the saints; the preaching of the Truth, the Gospel of God.

Isaiah 55:1: "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…. [the Truth and righteousness of God] …Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And your labor for what never satisfies? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness…. [the spirituality of fullness that comes from God; that's what God wants] …Bow down your ear, and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a Prince and Commander of people. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know… [because the Gentiles are going to be all part of this] …a nation that you do not know; a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you" (vs 1-5). That's all a part of the scene of what's going to take place!

Verse 12: "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break out before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

Notice again how the whole environment is going to be at peace with the ruling of the saints and of God ruling the earth. It's going to be a tremendous thing.

Verse 13: "Instead of the thorn…"

What was the curse after Adam and Eve had sinned? Thorns and thistles shall come up to you!

"…the fir tree shall come up; and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree shall come up; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off'" (v 13).

That's a tremendous thing to really contemplate! Just think what it's going to be to bring this whole environment back to what it ought to be. I tell you, it's something! Again, we are seeing more and more how the Millennium is going to come together.

This is what it's going to be at the beginning of the Millennium:

Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you."

Think what a message that is going to be for the people who have been living in darkness, who have been oppressed, that never knew of God, that never understood any of these things. Brethren, I want you to realize what a great and fantastic blessing it is for us to have the whole Bible, the whole Word of God:

• so we can study it
• so we can know it
• so we can learn from it
• so we can let our lives be molded and formed with the Spirit of God, with the Word of God

God has a great purpose for us!

Verse 2—this is what's going to happen: "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the LORD shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you."

• they're going to realize there is salvation
• they're going to realize there is hope
• they're going to realize that, yes, the Lord reigns

Verse 3: "And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising,"

Isn't that going to be an amazing thing for us to see and to know and to understand and to be a part of it.

Verse 4: "Lift up your eyes all around, and see. All of them gather themselves together; they come to you. Your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall throb and swell for joy; because the abundance of the sea shall turn to you, the wealth of the Gentiles will come to you" (vs 4-5). Those are tremendous words!

Let's see how else this is going to really, really add to the peace that we're going to bring to this world.

Verse 15: "Instead of being forsaken and hated, so that no one passes through, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations."

That's talking about the reward that we will receive as spirit beings. Think of that! For what we do in the Millennium and the Kingdom of God, God is going to recompense us.

Verse 16[transcriber's correction]: "You will also suck the milk of nations, and suck the breast of kings; and you shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob."

You talk about an economic boom! I want you to think about this in relationship to what we're seeing in the world today, and we know for sure that this whole financial system and the whole wealth structure is going to collapse; because it's based upon the lies and deceit of Satan the devil, not the righteousness and Truth of God, not the seven-year cycle and jubilee cycle that God has. Those are given so there won't be the booms and the busts! That's what happens when you have the wrong kind of economics.

But notice what it's going to be, v 17: "For bronze I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver; and for wood I will bring bronze, and for stones, iron. I will also make your overseers… [that's us] …to be peace, and your rulers to be righteousness."

Look at this: You talk about a wonderful society. Think of one with:

• no crime
• no violence
• no gangs
• no lying
• no cheating
• no swindlers
• no murders
• no two-timing of the husbands and wives
• proper education for children

Think of that! All healthy, whole, happy, joyous before God!

Verse 18: "Violence will no more be heard in your land, neither wasting nor ruin within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise."

Then it goes into New Jerusalem right here. Isn't that amazing? New Jerusalem is talked about in Rev. 21 & 22, but here are some prophecies of it.

Verse 19: "The sun will no more be your light by day; nor the brightness of the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you for an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun will no more go down, nor your moon withdraw; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended" (vs 19-20).

What does it say of New Jerusalem? It has no need of the sun or the moon for the Lamb and God are the light of it.There's no need of a temple. That's the whole purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles: that God can dwell with His people! Tremendous, brethren! See how all of this fits together.

Verse 21: "Your people also will all be righteous; they will inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified. A smallest will become a thousand, and the least one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in its time" (vs 21-22).

Let's also read how what Jesus gave in Luke 4 will continue on, what He started there.

Isaiah 61:1 "'The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me..."

This is going to be our job, and we are going to develop everything from there for a thousand years. We do have some problems we need to work against, and we do have some things that people need to learn, because that's just the nature of the way things are.

"…because the LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted…" (v 1).

Let me tell you something, at the beginning of the Millennium, there are going to be brokenhearted people everywhere. Every person in the world is going to have a broken heart and a broken spirit. You talk about:

•  being shell-shocked
• having battle fatigue
• gaunt and weary

Remember the pictures of those who were rescued from

• the internment camps from Germany
• from Siberia
• the slaughters in China and Southeast Asia

what they look like. No more!

"…to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to preach the acceptable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn'" (vs 1-2).

Won't that be something! They'll tell us all about the things that they go through and we can reach down and put our arms around them and tell them:

• it's all going to be okay
• it's all going to work out
• God is here
• we are here
• here is the Truth
• Satan has been removed
• no more war
• no more death
• no more sorrow
• God has a purpose for your life

And begin to lift them up.

• that's what we're going to be doing
• that's why we've been called
• that's why we keep the Feast of Tabernacles

I want you to gain the vision of this understanding from the Word of God, and to realize that the whole Bible is centered around this very thing to which we have been called. We're the firstfruits. We are the ones that God is going to use. So let us remain faithful and truthful and yielded to God:

• in joy
• in health
• in strength
• and seeing through all of the difficulties that lie ahead

Because we're going to straighten out this world!

Notice what we're going to do, v 3: "To appoint to those who mourn in Zion, giving to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified."

Once they get everything all straightened out, then they're going to help participate in restoring the physical environment around them.

Verse 4: "And they will build the old wastes, they will raise up the desolations of former times. And they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the stranger will be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you shall be called the priests of the LORD… [that's us] …it will be said of you, 'The ministers of our God;' you will eat the riches of the Gentiles, and you will boast in their glory…. [for all the difficulties that we've had in this life, notice this promise]: …For your shame you will have double; instead of dishonor they will rejoice in their portion; therefore in their own land they will possess double; everlasting joy will be theirs" (vs 4-7).

Verse 8: "For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them."

This is great! We will read the rest of the verses to see the great, wonderful, complete, remaking of the world, because when Christ returns, and we return with Christ, the world is going to be in such a mess that it's going to need to be a new world, a new heaven, a new earth!

Verse 9: "And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people; all who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed the LORD has blessed.'…. [that's us] …I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation, He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels… [Isn't that going to be something? Spectacular!] …for as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes that which is sown to grow; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations" (vs 9-11).

Brethren, keep this in the forefront of your mind:

• What a wonderful destiny!
• What a tremendous job!
• What an absolute marvelous calling that God has for us

that we are to be called the sons of God and to rule and reign with Christ!

Scriptural References:

• Revelation 2:26-29
• Revelation 3:21-22
• Proverbs 29:2
• Proverbs 3:29-32
• 2 Timothy 2:15
• Proverbs 15:28-29
• Proverbs 10:16-17
• John 14:6
• Proverbs 10:20-22, 24
• Proverbs 11:30-31
• Romans 8:14-22
• Proverbs 12:1-2, 5-7, 12
• Proverbs 13:5-6, 9
• Malachi 2:4-7
• Psalm 132:7-10, 13-16
• Psalm 100:1-5
• Psalm 93:1-5
• Psalm 96:1-12
• Psalm 97:1-6
• Psalm 99:1-6
• Isaiah 55:1-5, 12-13
• Isaiah 60:1-5, 15-22
• Isaiah 61:1-11

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 20
• Matthew 25
• Colossians 1:10
• 2 Peter 1
• Galatians 5
• Daniel 4
• Zechariah 14
• Malachi 3
• Isaiah 11
• John 10
• Psalm 82
• Isaiah 2
• Micah 4
• Revelation 21; 22
• Luke 4

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7-5-10
Reformatted: bo—9/2021