In our last issue we were looking at Revelation 6:1- 6. In these verses were revealed the first three seals. Next we have the fourth seal.
Revelation 6:7-8 7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
What I'd like you to note is that this is very early on in the tribulation period. According to verse 8 a fourth part would be killed either by the sword or starvation or death or by the beasts of the earth. As of May 2009 according to Wikipedia there are 6.77 billion people on planet earth. What is one quarter of this number? A little more than a billion 5...
Much more happens before you get to chapter 20.
Revelation 20:1- 4 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the 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. 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
It's here that we see Christ's millennial reign. Millennial comes from the word mil for 1000, and the wordannus, a year. After Jesus comes down to the earth and fights the battle of Armageddon he does not return to heaven with everyone so we can live happily ever after in heaven. The Bible teaches that Jesus remains here on the earth and sets up the kingdom prophesied throughout the scriptures. It's here in this kingdom that the devastated earth will be restored; and the land will be healed. Jesus Christ will reign from Jerusalem, and rule over the entire earth.
Man and beast will once again live in harmony. The deserts will bloom and there will be plenty of food for everyone. Man will live in peace with his neighbor. The earth will be inhabited by mortals and immortals during this time. The life expectancy of a mortal man will be significantly increased.
Satan and his demons are bound so they can not interfere with Messiah's rule. For the Christian believer this is part of their hope; to be gathered together with Christ, and return to the earth to rule with him. It is here that the Christian will exercise his reward with the authority to rule or govern together with Christ. It is here in this kingdom that the holy spirit of God will be given freely without measure to all who seek as it is given to us today in the church by grace. This is Christ's Millennial Kingdom, and the more we understand the future of this kingdom the better prepared, and committed we can be in the present.
Prophecy is not given to frighten us, but to invite us into the kingdom while the invitation is still free. When we began to look at Christ's Millennial Kingdom we saw this kingdom begins after Christ comes down from heaven and ends the battle of Armageddon. Some believe this is the last battle of the Bible however, this is not the case.
Revelation 20:7-10 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Daniel 7:12-14 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
You see Christ's Millennial Kingdom was the rock that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of.
NIV Daniel 2:1- 22 1In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means." 4Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it." 5The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me." 7Once more they replied, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it." 8Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me." 10The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men." 12This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. 14When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?"
Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.
16At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.
To be continued…ÿ
Note: Note: All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. NIV indicates The New International Version, NLT indicates the New Living Translation, NAS indicates the New American Standard version, NKJV indicates the New King James Version, ASV means the American Standard Version, NJB means the New Jerusalem Bible, BBE means the Bible in Basic English, DBY means the Darby translation, NAU means the American Standard Version, 1995 Edition, and NAB means the New American Bible translation. For more information, go to the Works Cited page.
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