App
Fred Coulter - October 20, 2000
or Download
And greetings, brethren. This is the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, 2000. And for you tie watchers, there’s another one. It’s not a new one but there’s another one. [Laughter] I’m going to have to do something about this tie situation, aren’t I? Anyway, I appreciate your endurance with the tie thing, and so forth. Got to have a little fun once in a while.
So anyway, today is the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is technically the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. But there is the Last Great Day, as we will see, that has separate meaning, and it is a great and marvelous feast in it’s own. So let’s understand that through the whole thousand years there has been blessing for all peoples. There has been knowledge of the Lord, many brought into the Kingdom of God through the operation of Christ and the Church and the bride, and those of us being kings and priests. And so there is a fullness in this harvest that is just going to be absolutely marvelous. And when we come to the end of it we’re reminded once again where Christ said, “I’m the beginning, I’m the ending. I’m the first and the last.” And so that which has begun is going to come to an end. And so the thousand years is going to come to an end and there are special things that will happen at the end of the thousand years. When we understand that and realize that then we will see that this day has to be completed before we can come to the Last Great Day. Because this day not only finishes the one thousand year millennial reign of the Kingdom of God on earth, which will then continue after that, but also it brings a finality and a conclusion to the millennium. But also sets the stage for the Last Great Day. And so both things need to be done.
Now let’s go to the book of Ecclesiastes, as we spent quite a bit of time there before seeing what it’s going to be like all during the millennium. And the hardest thing that’s going to be for people to overcome is to have everything with the society of the millennium where there is peace, there is prosperity, there is work, there is plenty, there is joy, there is happiness, there is inventiveness, there is making and producing of everything that there can be.
Now here, let’s come to Ecclesiastes 8:6. Now one thing that is going to be learned during the millennium is this, “Because to every purpose there is [a] time and [a] judgment…” And there is a time, and there is a judgment. The millennium is a time, and it is also a time of judgment. The judgment will then be on all people all during the millennium, whether they will enter into the Kingdom of God or whether they will die as sinners and be buried and wait for the resurrection of the wicked to face the lake of fire. So there’s every purpose there’s a time and judgment, “…therefore the misery of man is great upon him” (Ecc. 8:6). Well, that’s obviously before the millennium.
“For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power of the spirit to retain the spirit…” And this is one thing that we are going to learn all during the millennium, which is this: that which is flesh is flesh, and you have no power over your life. Only God does. Physical life, or the spiritual life that He’s going to give you, God alone has the power over it. “…Neither hath he power in the day of death…” Well, that’s going to be absolutely true during the millennium too, because those who die will die as sinners. “…And there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt” (vs. 7-9). And then it goes on talking about things of this world.
Now all during the millennium there is going to be so much there’s going to be plenty of everything. And it’s going to be very hard. Now you stop and think about it today. Today with all the prosperity and everything that is going on people are really not alert to things spiritually. But when you have, like during the millennium, when you have now say 900 years of prosperity and growth and increase of wonderful things. You have all the cities built up, you have all the countries built up, you have everything where it is perfect and great. The physical creation, the sons of God then are ruling over the earth. You have kings and priests right there, you can talk to the one you need to. You can talk to those who are in the Kingdom of God. We can see children grow up, and children’s children, and children’s children all the way down through the millennium. It’s going to be a wonderful thing.
Here, since we’re in Ecclesiastes, let’s go back to chapter 5, verse 18. “Behold, that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.” And that’s what’s going to happen, as we saw, every man under his fig tree and under his vine. There will be no more war. No one’s going to learn war. And there is not going to be any hurting or destroying in all the Kingdom of God for all the thousand years. So it’s going to be something. But what I foresee in this, and I’m sure God does, that’s why it comes to an end. And we will see that’s why God has a purpose for the seventh day. And we can foresee, from what the Bible says, is that there’s going to be a richness and a wealth and a greatness of physical things that they’re going to have a gigantic Laodicean problem at the end of the thousand years.
Now here, verse 19. “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.” And what happens when complacency sets in? What happens when everything has been the same and people look around and then their carnality begins to take hold. And we’re going to see that carnality is going to begin to take hold and they want something different. That is because that they forget that all of this is the gift of God. Everything that is going to be all through the millennium is a gift of God, as well as the gift of salvation and all the things that go with that.
Now, let’s come here since we’re in the book of Ecclesiastes, let’s continue on. Let’s come to chapter 11, verse 9. And this is the thing that we’re going to be teaching so they can enjoy these things. So they can use them properly. So they can understand that there is a benefit and there is a purpose for all of these things. And after all, isn’t that what mankind wants today? He doesn’t want to have evil. He doesn’t want to have war. He doesn’t want to have famine. He doesn’t want to have pestilence. He doesn’t want earthquakes and floods and famine and all of those things, does he? No. But when you have 900 years of it, 1000 years of it, then people tend to get a little bored. Because being bored is this: is that they become used to it, they become complacent to it. And so then they are not able to put their whole selves into it like they ought to. That’s why many times when people are under distress they are able to do a lot more. That’s why in this life it is good for us to have trials and things like that. Oh, they’ll have their little trials and difficulties during the millennium, but it will be an entirely different proposition than what we’re going through today.
But here’s what we’ll be teaching, “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart…” Now we’re going to teach them how to walk in the ways of the heart, how to have the right heart. Just like we’re going through in a series that we have been, which is the heart of David and the mind of Christ. That’s the ultimate of what we’re going to be teaching all the people during the millennium. “…And in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment” (Ecc. 11:9). And of course there again, it’s going to be a judgments going to take place.
Now let’s go to Isaiah 65. And this tells us about the millennium as well as the great white throne judgment, and we can apply it to both of them. Because in both instances when Christ returns He’s going to create a new heaven and a new earth and make it right. And when the Last Great Day is fulfilled there’s going to be a new heaven and a new earth for those people who are raised and come back to life.
Isaiah 65:17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Now just project this out for 900 years. The reason I keep using 900 years is because we’re talking about 100 years here. And that we could also apply this to the whole millennium that people will live approximately 100 years.
Now let’s continue. “But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, an her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people…” And at that time all the people of the world will be the people of God. “…and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying” (vs. 18-19). So we are going to have absolutely ideal conditions all down through the millennium.
Now notice, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days…” Now that means an infant of days, which has not been fulfilled. And as we saw, that this means there will no more an infant of day which shall not fulfill it’s life. In other words, they’re not going to be premature deaths. There obviously is going to be no abortion. There is not going to be sickness and disease, which will bring premature death to children or to grown ups at all. Because there will be plenty of everything, and healing and answered prayer, and instruction. Just think of teaching - how much we’re going to learn, how much we need to learn to teach all the people during the millennium how to take care of their bodies. How to take care of their minds. How to live their lives in a right way. We are going to know all the physical things, and all the spiritual things. You know it’s going to be different from the way it is today. Lots of time with our health, with what we’re doing today, we’re just sort of experimenting. But then they’ll know for sure. That’s why an infant will live a full life, become an adult and live to a ripe old age. And if they accept the salvation of God, and if they love God with all their heart, and mind, and soul, and being, then when it comes to the end of their life, because all have to die in Adam, be an instantaneous death, instantaneous change into the Kingdom of God, and they will enter in as the sons of God into the Kingdom of God. So that will be a wonderful time indeed. There won’t be any purpose for death except the following here as we will see in just a minute. “…Nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (vs. 20). And those who die and are buried they are the ones who are cursed because they have committed the unpardonable sin.
Now all during the millennium there is going to be this judgment going on all the time. And the judgment, we have to understand, is going to be judging on the way that the people grow and overcome. The way we teach them and help them, and all that’s going to have a part of it, you see. But let’s understand one thing, there is still going to be human nature. Because human nature, though it’s going to be modified because Satan will have been removed. Remember Satan is still in the abyss waiting for the end of the millennium. And there is a purpose for him to be released at the end of the millennium.
Now, let’s just a minute go to Ephesians 2. And once Satan is removed, of course as we know, then his power as the prince of the power of the air will no longer be there. He won’t be able to influence people the way he does today. And people are really influenced today by everything that goes on. He, being bound, and the sons of God in charge of everything, we are going to be in charge of education. We’re going to be in charge of teaching the way of God. We’re going to be in charge of showing people how to have a happy marriage. We’re going to be in charge in showing them how to live their lives, what to eat, how to take care of their bodies, how to develop their minds, how to grow in grace and knowledge. But you see they are still go have human nature, but not exacerbated the way that we see it here today.
Now here’s the way it is today. “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Eph. 2:1) Now then they will not be dead in sin and trespasses. They will be able to sin because God is not going to take away free moral agency. But also there is going to be the instruction, as we saw, that when they turn to the right hand, when they turn to the left hand they are going to be told, “This is the way, walk in it.” So it won’t be allowed to come to this point as we find in Ephesians 2 as it is today.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world…” And all during the millennium the world is going to be God’s world. It’s going to be God’s kingdom. Satan is going to be bound. “…According to the prince of the power of the air...” So there will no longer be all during the millennium, no longer be any wavelengths from Satan the devil coming out to influence people, to put thoughts into their minds, to put evil into their hearts beyond just the carnality of human nature. “..The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our [conduct] conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others” (vs. 2-3) So it won’t be quite as powerful but human nature is still going be there.
Now let’s come to Mark 7, because they’re going to have to overcome a sinful nature too. But it will not be magnified as it is today. But nevertheless the wages of sin is still going to be death, isn’t it? Yes. Now, they will still have to deal with this, Mark 7:21, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders…” Now there are going to be temptations because of lust. There is going to be sin, and there will be as we will see, two kinds of sin. A sin not unto death, and a sin unto death. And a sin unto death means that the person who has sinned unto death is cursed and will die and will be buried all during the millennium. So you see there still has to be this kind of pulls of the flesh, otherwise there will be nothing to repent of. Otherwise there will be nothing to overcome. “…Fornications, murders, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride foolisheness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23).
Now, there’s going to be a preponderance of good to choose from. But there are still going to be those who will choose evil, see because the wages of sin is death. And the gift of God is eternal life. Now, let’s come back here to Deuteronomy 30. Now, granted there is going to be more good than there is going to be evil, but nevertheless, all those who are born of the flesh and live on through the millennium for the 100 years that it’s going to be for them, they’re going to constantly have to be choosing God’s way. There is going to be blessings. There is going to be cursings. And cursing is, as we saw, the sinner dies at 100. That is a curse. See now the reason the sinners dies and is buried is because God has ordained that all those who commit the unpardonable sin will have to die twice. Because God is going to show His great judgment, as we will see tomorrow, upon all the wicked all at the same time.
Now here, Deuteronomy 30:15, and this is what we’re going to be setting before the people all during the millennium. “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” That will still be there, but to the preponderance is going to be for life, and for good, and for righteousness, and for peace, and for harmony, and for building. And of course because of that then, little sins will become magnified greatly because major sins are going to be something quite different indeed. So in each person’s life they’re going to have to choose whether they are going to go God’s way or not. But everything is going to be open for them to go God’s way. And the vast majority of people all during the millennium will choose that.
So here’s what we’ll teach them. “In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God…” And that’s what we will teach. To love God. God’s love and God’s Spirit, and all about life, physical life and eternal life will be laid right out there before them. They will be able to see spirit beings. They will be able to see us, be able to talk to us. It’s going to be much like it was in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were talking with God. They saw God. Apparently they ate with God. Now we don’t know how long it was until Satan was introduced. We’ll go back and look at a little bit of that since we’ve covered some of it already. But nevertheless, this is going to be their choice. They’re going to have to choose.
“…To love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that thou mayest live…” (vs. 16). And in this case we’ll say, “That you may live and enter into the Kingdom of God.” When you come to the end of your life, it’ll be instantaneous death and instantaneous change, because in Adam all die. And since all those in the millennium will still have the law of sin and death in them, they’re going to have to overcome that. So there will be the pulls. There will be the temptations but not in the same magnitude that it is today. When we get to the end of the millennium, then, this thing is going to be a little different, because as we will see, something has to happen to bring it to a conclusion. And in doing that then there has to be another way to handle sinners who don’t repent. And we’ll see what that is.
Now, let’s continue on here, verse 17, “But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt no hear [and there will be some who will do that during the millennium], but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods…” Now there won’t be allowance of worshiping other gods then. Now maybe right at the beginning of the millennium some might try to introduce that again. So God will also give the message to them, we’ll give the message to them. Because you see there’s free moral agency and God is not going to stop the free moral agency. People are going to have to choose. But the contrast will be right before their eyes. It’s not going to be that God is going to be way off someplace. God is going to be close. So they will know. So those who sin and do not repent then they will look forward to death, burial, and then the lake of fire.
Now, let’s come to 1 John 5 because there is a sin not unto death, and there is a sin unto death. Now there will be those people during the millennium who will commit the unpardonable sin. Very few, very rare, but when we come to the last generation those who have inherited all the blessings of 900 years and have had it all given to them on what we would call a golden platter. Then it’s going to be a different situation. We need to find out what is going to happen to those that sin. Because there’s something that takes place at the end of the millennium that we’ll look at here in just a little bit, that has created difficulties in the minds of people cause they don’t understand it. But hopefully we’ll understand it.
Now, let’s pick it up here in verse 16, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death…” Now what is a sin not unto death? A sin not unto death is a sin that can be repented of. It says, “…he shall ask…” In other words even today, if you see someone sin, not a sin unto death, you pray for them. Ask God to grant them repentance. Ask God to open their hearts and minds to see where they have sinned. And lots of times that works a whole lot better than just running up and trying to correct them. Because once a person comes to himself, as we saw in the parable of the prodigal son many times, he went out there and suffered but he came to himself. So if there’s a sin that’s not a sin unto death a person is able to come to himself, come to repentance. Repentance also is a gift of God. Repentance also is something that God leads us to if we are willing to yield to God. But you see we have to be willing. Same way with the people during the millennium. They will have to be willing.
Now here he says something else. “…And He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death” (vs. 16). Because they haven’t committed the unpardonable sin. “There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” No. That is the incorrigible. There is no prayer for the incorrigible who has committed the unpardonable sin. Now we’ll go through and we will see all the things concerning the unpardonable sin, here in just a minute.
“All unrighteousness is sin. There is a sin not unto death” (vs. 17). Now that can be repented of. All during the millennium when people have the things that they are going to choose, there will be many different sins. There will be many things that people will go through but there will be repentance, there will be amends, there will be changes, there will be conversion, you see. Now occasionally we’re going to come across people who will reject God’s way.
Now, let’s see how the unpardonable sin is defined here in Hebrews 6 so that we know what we’re dealing with. So that we realize that God is going to be completely fair, completely open with everyone so that they will know. Now, let’s pick it up here in verse 4. And there comes a time… Now we have seen some people, at least as far as we’re able to determine right now. We can’t judge their hearts, and we don’t know their minds, but we can know them by their fruits. And there have been some people who we have known who’ve been in the Church of God who have given up on God’s way, who because of all of the things that came along, you see, determined to go against God. And we’ve seen how that something happens to them.
I’ve had many people report to me that…or just comment to me…not just report because we don’t take reports. So it’s not a reporting situation in that sense. But say to me that they have met brethren that they’ve known in the past who were in the Church and something has happened to them. You look in their eyes and it’s like looking into a blank wall. And when you talk about God it is meaningless. Or if they talk about God it is an emotional thing with them and a justification of their sins. And God has removed something from them. And let’s hope that there is still a chance for them to repent, if they can, but if not it is the unpardonable sin.
Now let’s read it here, Hebrews 6:4, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…” That is to know and understand the truth. To know what human nature is about. To know right and wrong. To know the commandments of God. “…And have tasted of the heavenly gift…” Now the heavenly gift in this case then is the imputed righteousness, which God gives to us. While we’re under grace we have the imputed righteousness that God gives to us as the same as the righteousness of Christ. And this is what’s going to be given to the people as they receive the Holy Spirit all during the millennium. And so once you have tasted of that heavenly gift, that you’re in right standing with God, you have the joy of the Lord, and continuing, “…and were made partakers of the Holy [Spirit] Ghost…”, that God the Father actually begat the very spirit of your mind with HIS Spirit and you became a son of God. You became a daughter of God.
Now there’s such a thing, and we will liken the unpardonable sin to what we would say…a spontaneous abortion. Because when the unpardonable sin has taken place then it becomes impossible, as it says here, impossible because something changes. They reject the Spirit of God.
Now notice, “…and have tasted the good word of God…”, knowing about the truth of God, the Sabbath, the holy days, the love of God, the purpose of mankind, the purpose of God’s plan. “…And the powers of the world to come…” (vs. 5). Now then they will be living in the world which is to come. And those powers will be there all the time.
Now notice it’s really a very profound thing, and the steps that take place to come to the unpardonable sin. Now notice, “…if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance…” Now there will be those, during the millennium, who will do that. And it will be impossible to bring them to repentance. So there are some people who’ll be impossible to renew to repentance because “…seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame” (vs. 6). And a lot of people will say, “Well how could that happen, how could that be?” Remember, Satan fell and a third of the angels with him when they were in the perfect condition of being created by God and knowing God. See, but something happens in the heart where there’s always choice, there is always a question as to whether the person will really do right.
Now let’s come back here to 2 Chronicles 26 and let’s see something that’s very important because this shows us that these things can occur. 2 Chronicles 26:16, now this is talking about Uzziah. Now Uzziah was righteous and he lived a righteous life. Now notice verse 5, “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” Now that’s going to be the same way all during the millennium. People are going to have to constantly seek God, every day, every day, every week, every month, every year. God will be right there. But remember that human nature gets callused. Human nature gets used to things the way that they are. Now just picture today. How many little children you see growing up are nothing but spoiled, rotten brats, because they have everything. And everything is available to them. So it will be during the millennium. There will be those few who will just set their hearts and minds and just be stubborn and refuse.
Now let’s go over here to verse 16. “But when he was strong…” You see that’s why they have to live 100 years, to see how they’re going to be. “But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and he went into the temple…” I’m just drawing the principle here…but when he was strong then his heart hardened.
Now let’s look in Psalm 10 and let’s see what the unpardonable sin is going to be as described here. And we can pick this out as a principle, and we can apply it to people who, during the millennium commit the sin unto death. Now we’re going to see in a little bit that God has to do something toward the end of the millennium that will be different than He did all during the millennium. Because those who commit the unpardonable sin, you know, they’re going to die and be buried. Toward the end of the millennium now you’ve got say, 100 years in which they aren’t going to have time to die. Because if God says they’re going to live to be 100 years old, and the sinner dies accursed at 100, well what if this person is born and you’re 910, maybe 950. We don’t know exactly how God is going to do it. So in some of these things we have to kind of project forward to see how it may be, but we may get some principles out of the Bible to understand it.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 2. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” So God is still going to allow that. But He’s not going to allow it to hurt other people. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek afterGod: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psa. 10:2-4). And that’s exactly what’s going to happen to the wicked then.
Now let’s come back to the book of Revelation 20, and let’s look at something here. And let’s see if we can understand what it is that is going on. Now remember at the beginning of the millennium something very profound took place, and let’s read that again. Let’s pick it up here in Revelation 20:1. And we know that when Satan is around he causes sin. So that’s why he has to be removed, so that during the millennium there’s going to be the great righteousness, the great end-time harvest. Most of the people, the majority, vast majority of all people that live in the millennium will enter into the Kingdom of God. They will accept the salvation of God.
Now Revelation 20:1, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [the abyss] and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:1-2). Now why bind him a thousand years? Why not just immediately cast him into the lake of fire, which we will see is his ultimate fate? Why bind him a thousand years? Is there a purpose to it. Is God going to use him again, and if He does, why? Let’s understand something here very clearly. All during the millennium Satan is bound. He is not allowed to be loosed on the civilization of people during the millennium in the Kingdom of God.
Now notice, “And cast him into the [abyss] bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season” (vs. 3). Now why is he going to be loosed a little season, right at the end? Now that’s the end part of the 1000 years.
Well, let’s come down here to verse 7 and see. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog…” Now remember we went through that on the first holy day. The wars that Gog and Magog bring right at the beginning of the millennium and how God intervenes to stop that and to glorify Himself through the destruction of Gog and Magog. Now Gog and Magog here, is this the people or is this a geographical area? Well, we’ll answer that question in just a little bit. Let’s read a little bit more here and then we’ll come back and we will see why God does this. “…Four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is the sand of the sea.”
Now the sand of the sea tells you that it is a number sufficiently high enough that you cannot just give a definitive number. And the reason that it’s given this way is also because we don’t know who are those who will commit the unpardonable sin. Now we have to understand what is going to happen to them. We have to understand how and why Satan is loosed upon them.
Now let’s come back and let’s begin to ask the question here. Number one, if this were the people of Gog and Magog and they were doomed to this destruction then God is a respecter of persons. Now we know that is not a respecter of persons. Here, let’s come back to Acts 10. Let’s see one of the first lesson the apostle Peter had to learn concerning Gentiles. Acts 10:34, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” So if Gog and Magog, back there as we see, if that is the people of Gog and Magog then God would be a respecter of persons, because He would say, “You can’t have salvation. You are destined to be destroyed.”
Now on the other hand if Gog and Magog referred to back there in Genesis 20, is the geographical area of Gog and Magog, then we have a different situation. God is not respecting persons, see. Because God has said that He wants to give salvation to every one. Every one’s going to have an opportunity for salvation, we know that, all during the millennium. So at the end of the millennium we have this phenomena that Satan is loosed and sent against those who are in Gog and Magog of whom the number is the sand of the sea. So we’ll see exactly how they get there.
Part 2
In Acts 10, that God is no respecter of persons. “But in every nation [which then includes Gog and Magog the people], he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness…” Now all of those who are fighting against the thing of works of righteousness that you have nothing to do, here Peter says, “that works righteousness”. So there are works to righteousness. Let’s understand that. “…Is accepted with Him” (vs. 35). And so all during the millennium this is what is going to happen. But since it’s going to be the restitution of all things let’s go back to Genesis 3 for just a minute here and let’s see what happens when God does not give the death penalty immediately.
We know the wages of sin is death. And we know God told Adam and Eve that in the day that they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that they would die. And Hebrew there is “in dying you shall die.” But He didn’t state exactly when they would. But on that day that they ate thereof they received the death sentence within their very beings. And that was God’s judgment. Because He said to Adam, “dust you are and unto dust you shall return.” See now if they would have chosen God’s way and eaten of the tree of life, instead of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, I am sure that we would have entered into a time that would have been just like the millennium all the way through the whole history of mankind. But they didn’t do it. They sinned.
Now what was their punishment? When God does not choose to bring instantaneous death to sinners, which He can do, then what does God do with them. And I think this will help answer the question, that Gog and Magog back in Genesis 20 is a geographical area, and we will see that God does something with that geographical area based upon the principle that we find here in Genesis 3.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 22, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil…” Now that is not just to know, but to decide for himself good and evil. Now you see, human nature cannot rightly decide good and evil on it’s own. Now God can, but human beings can’t. So in a sense that they took to themselves to choose, not only good and evil, but also to lay out what they figured what was good and evil. In that sense they became as God. They didn’t become as God in any other sense, just in that sense alone. “…Now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:” Now here is a good lesson. God does not want you to life eternity in a state of sin. Nor does He want you to have sinfulness in your nature for all eternity. Can you imagine what that would be like. Overcoming sin for all eternity. Look at what has happened to Satan the devil. That ought to be a good enough lesson for us. He is going to suffer the wages of his sin forever, as we will see right at the end of this sermon.
So what did God do to Adam and Eve? He sent them forth from the garden. Verse 23. “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the round from whence he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (vs. 23-24). So Adam and Ever were removed. Now what is removal? Removal is exile, is it not? Now I believe, and I think that we will see the principle here based upon this, that the last generation of the millennium, those that commit the sin unto death, the unpardonable sin, will be exiled to the geographical area of Gog and Magog for a purpose.
Now again, let’s examine this exile here. What happened when Cain killed Able? He was exiled even more. Wasn’t he? He was further removed. Yes, further removed from God. Genesis 4:16. Cain was absolutely cut off from God. “And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” So he was moved even further away. Now the land of Nod is the land of wandering. And so God removed him.
Now then there comes a time when there is judgment against wickedness, isn’t there? And we have the flood of Noah, don’t we, where God killed all of the civilization at that time except Noah and his family. So God’s judgment came. God’s judgment is going to come at the end of the millennium. And it’s going to come on people who have been exiled to Gog and Magog.
Now let’s go to 2 Kings 17. Let’s see how that God exiled and drove into captivity the children of Israel as He also did the children of Judah and Levi who remained there in Jerusalem. And here’s what they did. Let’s pick it up here in verse 7, concerning the children of Israel. Now remember the end of the millennium, these people are not going to be allowed to live with the righteous. They’re going to be exiled. Now some have even asked the question, “Is there going to be a place of exile all during the millennium?” I don’t know. I can’t answer that question because I think the circumstances at the end of the millennium are so different and so special that it’s going to require this. Whereas during the millennium I don’t think that it will be required. Now it’s a possibility but I think we may stretch it a little bit too far if we say it’s going to be all during the millennium, because it says that the earth is going to be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the seas cover the earth. Now at the end of the millennium, now we have a little bit different story here.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 7. “For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt…” Now we can say this, that the people at the end of the millennium sinned against the Lord their God Who had them born into the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God, and living in the flesh they rejected God’s way.
And it says here of the children of Israel, “And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel…”, and so forth. “And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right…” (vs. 8-9). Now will there be people who will attempt to do things secretly during this last generation that are not right? That God is going to allow them to do so? I believe there will be.
Now, just as Adam and Eve and just as Cain the children of Israel were exiled. Now let’s pick it up here and we will see. Let’s come down here to verse 13. Now they are going to be witnessed to. They are going to be warned. We are going to teach them. We are going to try and persuade them to repentance. But remember, when a person comes to the point of committing the unpardonable sin it’s impossible to renew them to repentance. So they will have warnings just like this. “Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets…” And in this case it will be by all the sons and daughters of God, who are kings and priests. “…And by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded you by My servants the prophets.” And boy, during the millennium isn’t that going to be so? There are going to be millions of servants of God being able to make this known to everyone.
“Notwithstanding they would not hear…” And that’s going to be the key. “…But hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.” And so that’s exactly what’s going to happen for those who commit the unpardonable sin. “And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers…” And whatever covenant we make with all the people during the millennium, that’s what it’s going to be. “…And His testimonies which He testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them”(vs. 14-15). Now then, we are not going to allow false gods during the millennium to be in the Kingdom of God. But when they come to the point of committing the unpardonable sin they’re going to be exiled to Gog and Magog.
Now let’s read it here, the last part of verse 17, “…And sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out of His sight” (vs. 17-20).
Now, at the end of the millennium God is going to remove them to Gog and Magog. Now once they get over there, they’re going to be given over to their own human nature. They’re going to set up their own civilization, which will be contrary to the Kingdom of God. God is going to let them do that. God is probably going to send them prophets. God is going to send them messages. God is going to plead with them. God is going to warn them. But they are going to harden their hearts and they are not going to change. So rather than coming to live to be 100 years and die, and then be buried to wait the resurrection of the wicked to be cast into the lake of fire, I believe that God is going to exile them to Gog and Magog. So they’re going to be out there sinning. They’re going to be out there doing those things.
Now then, this is going to solve a problem, because there has to come a time that all sinners die once in order for them to die the second time. Now all down during the millennium those who have sinned and didn’t repent came to the end of their lives of 100 years old and were buried accursed. And whenever there was a funeral everyone knew that that person faced the resurrection to the lake of fire and the second death.
Now here we have all these people over in Gog and Magog. Now I wonder what they’re going to do. I just imagine that they’re human nature will lead them back into doing things of false worship, cause they’re bitter, they’re angry, they’re hostile, and what a crowd for Satan to be loosed upon.
Now, let’s come back to Revelation 20:7 and look at this because this is really quite a profound thing that is going to happen. Let’s read this again. “And when thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog…” So it’s nations. That shows that it’s a geographical area, because it doesn’t say the nations of Gog and Magog, it says goes to the nations that are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog. So now we are talking about a geographical area, not a people. Now here is the mission, “…to gather them together to battle…” (Rev. 20:7-8).
Now when Satan is loosed what is he going to do? Well, we can almost write the script, can’t we? He’s going to be loosed out of the abyss. He’s going to go over to Gog and Magog where all these nations are, where all these people are that have committed the unpardonable sin and he’s going to say, “Boy, I’m glad I finally got out of that prison. Do you know that I am really the true god. You know that I have been bound by this evil one down here in Jerusalem for 1000 years. And now I’m finally out. Now I want to enlighten you as to the true way.” Now here are all these bitter, sour, turned off people. Hardened their hearts, committed the unpardonable sin, and Satan now, and of course the demons too. Because wherever Satan goes the demons go. So they will be there and they will bring great, how shall I say, wickedness of joy. And he is going to set himself up to be worshipped again. He’s going to set up his whole selfsame system there. I wonder, will he set up another pope? Will he set up the same religion that he had, because he’s going to be given enough time. Says loosed for a season.
How long is that season? Is that season 3 ½ years, 5 years, 10 years? We don’t know, we’re not told. But anyway he’s loosed on them. And he’s going to convince them that now if they prepare for the battle, and if they prepare for the war, and if they make these implements of destruction, which will take time to do, that they can go down and look at Jerusalem. There is not one defense around it. There is not one gun, there is not one sword, there is not one bow and arrow. There is no one there that has any armor. “Why look this is just going to be a piece of cake. What we need to do is really build ourselves up.” Now they’ll train them in armies, and they’ll learn the tactics, you know. You can almost write the script, can’t you? Yes. And they’re going to be ready. And they’re going to come down and they are going to be convinced that they can conquer God, that they can conquer the saints, the sons of God, that they can take over Jerusalem, that they can rule the Kingdom of God. Just like Satan tried to convince, and he did convince a third of the angels that yes, if we do it right we can accomplish it. We can do it. And Satan has never given up on that. So they will gather together, boy there’s going to be joy with the wicked sinners if they think they can take it. They think they can show God. They think that they are going to be able to destroy the saints, and destroy the holy city.
Now notice it says, “…the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints…” Now the camp here means tabernacles. So could it be that they come up on the very last day of the Feast of Tabernacles whenever this takes place? The last Feast of Tabernacles and on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles they come up. I just ask that as a question. It’s possible because God does everything on time and in season.
Now notice, “…of the saints about, and the beloved city [so they had it all compassed around with their armies]: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them” And they all died, which means that the purpose of Satan being loosed at the end of the millennium is to gather all of the wicked in that last generation who refuse salvation, who committed the unpardonable sin, who hardened their hearts, who turned their backs on God, who determined to go their own way, and who accepted exile rather than repentance, that he gathers them all together to battle and they die all at once. Now notice the fire devoured them all. They’re all burned up. This is their first death. Now we know that God has decreed that they have to die twice.
Now then let’s continue on. Let’s see what happens to Satan the devil. Now he has finished everything that God is going to use him for. There’s no more need for Satan the devil. Some people have had the misunderstanding that during the 100-year period Satan is going to be there. No, he’s removed first as we will see. Living one life under Satan is quite sufficient, thank you, isn’t it? Yes. So he’s going to be removed. Now here’s the fate of Satan and the demons. Now let’s read it, verse 10. “And the devil that deceived them [that is after all the rebellious were devoured] was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…” (vs. 10). And this should read “were cast”, because you go back here to chapter 19. When were the beast and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire? And when a human being dies there is no remembrance any more. They aren’t tormented forever. They’re just burned up. Now let’s read it.
Revelation 19:20, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” They are dead.
So it should read, go back now to Revelation 20:10, “…was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were cast], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Now then, let’s understand something. In the Greek “shall be tormented” is in the plural. Since the beast and the false prophet are already dead they can’t be tormented forever and ever. But remember wherever Satan goes, all the demons go and they are the ones who are going to be tormented forever and ever. So Satan is going to be tormented forever. That is his fate.
Now we have one other thing we need to look to because there are some people who believe that God is going to destroy him. Now we know that nothing is impossible for God to do. But this tells us definitely that they are going to be tormented day and night forever and ever. And the Greek means, “into the ages of eternity”. Now why would God do that? So there would be a perpetual witness for all of those who are in the Kingdom of God never to rebel, never to go against God, never to think that you are going to be greater than God the Father and Jesus Christ, never to let your heart become wicked, ever. That’s why. He will be there as a constant reminder.
Now let’s go to the book of Jude, the last book just before the book of Revelation here in the King James Version of the Bible. Let’s pick it up here in verse 6. Now there are no chapters, so they’re just verses. Jude 6, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” And that, the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles at the very conclusion of it is the judgment of that great day when Satan the devil and the demons are cast into the lake of fire, and tormented day and night forever and ever.
Now, Jude also gives some things here how that we are to learn from this kind of thing, so let’s just read these verses. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (vs. 7). And brethren, there’s something we also need to understand. We need to hear, we need to fear, we need to love God, we need to always yield to Him so that we do not find ourselves in any of these kinds of conditions, brethren. I mean for us to be Laodiceans as long as we were is bad enough. But once we’ve repented of it let’s always be zealous and let’s always love God, and let’s always go forward that these things don’t come upon us.
“Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion [and that’s the lordship of Christ in their lives], and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses…” Boy, I tell you, if Satan the devil had been allowed to have the body of Moses just think of the false religion he could have set up. Oh, my. You know, get the body of Moses and put it in a glass casket, and just preserve him forever and ever in honey, because nothing will rot or spoil if it’s preserved in pure honey. And then everyone could come by and see Moses for thousands of years, and thousands of years. Boy would he have this whole world deceived. So God didn’t allow it. But Michael rebuked him, “…durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee” (vs. 8-9). Now it’s very interesting in the Greek because the Greek is an aris punctilious, one time done in the past. So the rebuke of the Lord once against Satan the devil was good enough for all time, that Michael used that to say “the Lord rebuke you”. He didn’t take it upon himself to do it. Now that’s a good lesson. You’re fighting evil spirits, you’re up against them. It is the Lord who rebuked them. It is God who gets rid of them by the power of Christ.
Now let’s go on, “But these speak evil of those things which they know not…” and that’s what’s going to happen during that last generation for those people who are removed into Gog and Magog. “…But what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain…” Now notice how this ties it all together. We talked about the way of Cain. “…And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of [love] charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear…” And boy did we not have the infiltration in the Church when they did that. Yes. During the millennium there’s not going to be any infiltration. They’re going to be exposed for sinners and repent, or they are going to die, or they are going to be exiled. And at the end of the millennium they will be exiled. They won’t be around. They won’t be allowed to be in the feasts of God, because the feasts of God are to be feasts of love, and feasts of unity, and feasts of joy, and feasts where God is fellowshipping with us. Not where they’re coming in and feeding themselves and taking in advantage and sowing seeds of discord and rebellion. No, never happen.
Says “…feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water…” In other words just empty hollow vanity. “…Carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withered…” Meaning that they have committed the unpardonable sin. No fruit at all whatsoever. “…Without fruit, twice dead…” Now that’s what’s going to happen to wicked human beings. But notice, “…plucked up by the roots…” Now then it blend in to what’s going to happen to Satan the devil. “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars…” That’s Satan and the demons. Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall light lightening from heaven.” Just like a falling star. That’s what we’re talking about here, wandering stars, demons. “…To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (vs. 10-13). So with them being in the lake of fire they are cut off from God forever. There is no light of God’s word. There is no light of God’s truth, and they are going to be tormented day and night forever. Now God has to do this to wipe the slate clean.
Now at the end of the millennium all childbearing must stop. You can’t have new children being born because God has to finish his plan. And we’ll talk a little bit more about that tomorrow on the Last Great Day.
Now then, someone’s going to ask the question, “What about the physical human beings who are still alive at the end of the millennium?” They can live…, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, and who have loved God, and so forth, they can live right on over into the beginning of the 100 year period, and then when they fulfill their lives then it’s going to be an example for all of those who come up in the second resurrection to see what is going to happen to them.
Now just one thing. Satan will not be around during the 100-year period. So you have to come back tomorrow for the Last Great Day, and for the completion of God’s plan and for the rest of the story.
