The Sovereignty of God #9
This is our last posting on the Sovereignty of God and the End Times. I had to delete a lot of slides to wrap it up as such. The next topic is TBD, so there may be a couple of weeks’ break before we resume. I realize this topic over the last nine weeks was/is heavy, but in today’s uncertain times, I felt compelled to address it.
I believe a picture is worth 1,000 words. Chart is a snapshot of biblical history from the birth of Christ, His death, resurrection, and return to planet earth to rule and reign for 1,000 years and beyond…
A pre-tribulation rapture offers the assurance that born-again Christians will escape the Tribulation and tyranny of the Antichrist. For anyone who hasn't accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, perhaps it will come across as a personal “wake-up call”. What prompted this study was what I perceived as signs of the End Times: on-going pandemic-lockdowns; accusations of election fraud that literally changed the direction of our Nation; open southern border with little restraint of illegal immigration; increasing racial division and strife; and much more. The America that emerged on January 1, 2021 is very different from the America that existed on January 1, 2020.
Luke 11:17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (NIV)
We’re not here by accident. God has a purpose for each one. As stated by Pastor John MacArthur, it wasn’t by accident, but by “divine assignment.” God sent His Son to pay the price for our sins so He could redeem us. What is God’s plan for your life? And “age is not an issue”.
If God revealed the exact date of the rapture, who would you tell in hopes of saving them from the Tribulation? The Apostle John tells us that the Book of Revelation is to be read (v.1:3) (even if it’s difficult to understand). Was it intended for evangelism? John implies it as such in its opening verses. This study won't make us experts on the topic, but perhaps it will serve as an incentive to read it (v.3), since its full title is "the Revelation of Jesus Christ" to His Church.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (NIV)
The Millennium constitutes a 1,000 years of peace and harmony with perfect justice—with Satan the deceiver, bound and locked away. Some see the Millennium as a literal 1,000 years, while others see it as symbolic. I’ll stick with the text as written...
Rev 20:3 He threw him [Satan] into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (NIV)
Why was Satan released from the Abyss to once again incite rebellion? For 1,000 years the earth will be repopulated with those born at that time. People will still be born with Adam's fallen nature. Just as now, some will accept Jesus and others won’t. The lesson is that man doesn't sin because of Satan's influence or because of their environment. Just as Satan sinned in heaven, and Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, people will still sin but won't be able to make excuses for their behavior.
Chart give a brief overview of the Millennium, most of which seem to be reasonable assumptions.
Satan convinced 1/3 of the angels in heaven to rebel; he convinced Adam and Eve, in a perfect Garden, to disobey God; he persuaded Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' twelve apostles, to betray Jesus. Even during the Millennium people will be prone to sin, and as such, Satan will convince the nations of Gog and Magog to rise in rebellion. Perhaps their motivation was power and financial gain just like today—but the Bible doesn’t tell us.
What compelled them to attack Israel? Was it envy of Israel’s glory? Looking back over history, the same could be asked as to what compelled Germany to attack Poland, Russia and France. They believed their aggression was justified to gain what they believed they deserved—additional land. There are various opinions on who exactly are Gog and Magog, which we will not delve into or it would be another week on this topic. You can Google it for further information. It would take several more slides if I did it, so I won’t.
Rev 20:7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. (NIV)
John MacArthur provides insight as to why so many follow Satan once again. The bottom line is they refuse to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, even in a world free of strife under Jesus’ lordship. Did the Church forget its mission as stated in Matt. 28:19?
Matt 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (NIV)
Jerusalem is once again the focus of Satan’s hatred. Jerusalem had been destroyed at different periods, right up until 70 AD. In 1948 it once again became part of the Jewish state. And once again the forces of evil set out to destroy it. During its long history, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BC, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world.
A pre-tribulation rapture assures us that born-again Christians will escape the Tribulation and tyranny of the Antichrist. Not everyone seeing this study may have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. Perhaps it will come across as a personal invitation and “wake-up call”. What prompted the study was what I perceived as signs of the End Times: pandemic-lockdowns including churches; accusations of election fraud that changed the direction of our Nation; racial strife and division; and much more. The America that emerged on January 1, 2021 is very different from the America that existed on January 1, 2020. Jesus’ words tell us that the stakes are high. Anyone who pays attention to the “news” will know exactly what I mean.
Luke 11:17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall." (NIV)
These verses are the finale of Satan and man rebellion. It says a lot in just a couple of verses including the number that joined him (v.8) (cont’d on next slide).
Deceived nations from the four corners of the world (as numerous as sand on the seashore) of no particular race or ethnic group, but a cross section of mankind willing to follow Satan in rebellion, but for the last time! Of course “the city He loved” is Jerusalem.
Just like it had at Armageddon, Satan’s final attempt to wage war against God failed once again, and for the very last time. It began in heaven, where he was driven out. And now, he is thrown into hell for ever and ever.
Ezek 28:16 Through your widespread trade you [Lucifer] were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you [from heaven], O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones [angels]. (NIV)
We can be certain that all of the angels that followed Satan were also cast into hell, where the Antichrist and False Prophet had already been thrown (Rev. 19:20). But that isn’t the end of the story, because judgment is yet to come for rebellious mankind.
Revelation 20:11 takes us to the Great White Thrown Judgment where unrepentant mankind, going back to the dawn of history, is judged. It will demonstrate God’s perfect justice and man’s willful and deliberate sinful-rebellion.
Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. (NIV)
At the White Throne Judgment, every hidden sins of the unsaved will be revealed and judged.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (NIV)
Saved Christians are not judged here, but will we witness this judgment? Some say “NO”, I think yes, because we would witness God justice firsthand, and we’ll get to see the full significance of His grace and mercy in our own life in comparison to what we would deserve if we were subject to justice without Christ. Thinking perhaps, "Gee I was as bad as them, except Jesus paid the price for my sins".
Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV)
Revelation 21:1 tells us that there will be a new heaven and new earth, which is our final destination. It’s in the Bible because God wants to reassure us that something better lies ahead, even better than heaven itself which will be beyond our expectations and even exceed our ability to imagine it.
Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (NIV)
We will wrap our study up with a 60-minute sermon from Dr. John MacArthur, The kingdom of Light Amidst the Kingdom of Darkness.
https://youtu.be/OEeiFIRrNXg
(copy and paste into your web browser)
Pray for our nation, our church, our pastor and his family. Pray also that the Christian Church will use this time for evangelism, sorely needed here in the USA. That America, with the grace of God, can pull together by the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe God’s plan takes His people’s prayers into consideration, even in regard to the coming of the Antichrist, which God saw from the beginning and planned accordingly. He is a gracious and loving God and will bless His people’s prayers.
If there isn’t sufficient interest in returning to Heritage Lounge on April 4th, we will reevaluate a potential future date. Our Sunday topics will be varied and relevant to our Christian life and walk with the Lord. I am also open to suggestions. Again, feedback is necessary relative to the April 4th return date.
End of the Sovereignty of God #9
End of this Study Topic
