Rather than fill in the blanks this time, please just continue to look up all the texts and notice the emphasizing below, how the texts answer the questions perfectly! We will be discussing what happens at the beginning of the Millennium, during the Millennium, and after the Millennium according to the Word of God (NWT) and especially the KJV.
1. What happens at the beginning of the Millennium, or the 1,000 years? Let us get a picture from the NWT of what will take place at the beginning of the Millennium, which is at the very end of this present age.
a. Armageddon. The seven last plagues of Revelation 16 are poured out. (They all come in "one day" Revelation 18:8, which in Bible prophecy can mean "a year," the idea being a very short period of time, similar to when the plagues fell on Egypt.) Armageddon is the 6th of those plagues. Christ comes "as a thief" at Armageddon, Revelation 16:14-16. The 7th plague and His Return finishes the battle of Armageddon.
b. Christ's Return. He comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16) with all the holy angels (Matthew 25:31) where He will appear in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory, announced by the voice of the Archangel and God's trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:16). (It is important to see the previous studies on the Second Coming, Lesson 14.)
c. Wicked Destroyed. Luke 17:26-30. As the wicked were all destroyed in the Flood and at Sodom, so they are at Christ's return. Revelation 6:16, 17. They cry for the mountains and rocks to fall on them, but their destruction comes as a result of the intense brightness (Gr. Ephiphaneia -- literally, "outshining") of Christ's parousia, or coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
d. First Resurrection. 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The dead in Christ are raised. These are all those who believed in Him. John 6:40 (NWT) "Everyone that beholds the Son and exercises faith in Him should have everlasting life and I will resurrect him at the last day." Men of old like Abraham and Isaac etc., are included. See Hebrews 11:10, 16, 35, 40.
e. Saved Taken to Heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The saved who are resurrected and those living are together caught away in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Revelation 7:9; 14:13. Both the great crowd and the 144,000 are in heaven "in the sight of the throne." see the Kingdom Interlinear Translation. Revelation 19:1. The great crowd is "in heaven" (NWT).
2. What happens during the 1,000 years? What does the Bible say? Most people reject the Bible on this point, but the Bible always speaks the truth, for it is the Word of God.
a. The Earth is Desolate. Isaiah 24:1 (KJV) "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty." Jeremiah 4:23-27 (KJV) "I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void (empty)...and, lo, there was no man....the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, 'The whole land shall be desolate.'" The above is a picture of what the earth becomes as the result of Armageddon and the presence of Christ at His Coming.
b. Wicked Are Dead on the Earth. When Christ returned: 1.) the wicked living were destroyed. They were destroyed at Christ's Coming or Presence. (See No. 1-c above.) 2.) the wicked dead were not raised. Only the dead in Christ were resurrected. The wicked dead remained in their graves in the sleep of death. So all the wicked are dead on the earth and remain that way after Christ returns. Jeremiah 25:31,33 (NWT) "...He must personally put himself in judgment with ALL flesh... and those slain by Jehovah will certainly come to be in that day from one end of the earth clear to the other end of the earth. They will not be bewailed, neither will they be gathered up or be buried. As manure on the surface of the ground they will become." (Note they are not bewailed, gathered or buried because there was no man alive on the earth during this period to do this.)
c. The Saved in Heaven. (For a discussion on this see under No. 1-e above.)
d. Satan is Bound. Revelation 20:1-3, gives a picture of Satan bound on the earth. He has no human being to tempt and is, therefore, in a solitary prison on the earth for the 1000 years (along with his angels). He is chained by circumstances that heaven brought about (symbolized by the angel from heaven).
3. What happens at the close of the Millennium?
a. Holy City Descends. Revelation 21:2-3 (NWT). "I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...and he will reside with them, and they will be His peoples. And God Himself will be with them." Revelation 3:12 and 21:10 also mention this city descending from heaven. (It has already descended before the events of Revelation 20:10, because the wicked on earth surround it.)
b. Second Resurrection. John 5:28-29 (NWT) "...ALL those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good to a resurrection of life. and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of Judgment. This is now the resurrection of the wicked. Also, notice Revelation 20:5 (NWT) "(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended)." Since all the saved were in the first resurrection of life, "the rest of the dead" are the wicked who are resurrected at the end of the 1000 years. (Note: The Bible never teaches that anyone will be resurrected during the 1000 years as the Watchtower Society does!)
c. Satan Loosed. Since he now has someone to tempt, i.e., the wicked who have been resurrected, Satan is said to be "loosed." He leads them up against the city. Revelation 20:7.
d. City Surrounded. Revelation 20:9 "And they advanced over the breadth of the earth and encircled the ...beloved city."
e. Final Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 gives a picture of the scene of the final judgment. At its close the wicked are burnt.
f. Wicked Destroyed. Revelation 20:9 "...fire came down out of heaven and devoured them." The Bible gives a picture of eternal punishment, not eternal punishing. (See Malachi 4:1-3.)
4. What happens after the Millennium and for all eternity?
a. Paradise restored. God will do this, not man! Revelation 21:5. The one seated on the throne said: (NWT) "Look, I AM making all things new."
b. A literal, real city! Revelation 21:11-21 The city has walls, streets foundations, gates etc....Verse 24, 25 (NWT) "...and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its large gates will not be closed..." (How could this happen unless it was a literal city? The city is certainly not the 144,000 as the WTS says.)
c. The throne of God in it. Revelation 22:3 (NWT) "...But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it [the city]."
d. God will dwell with the saved on earth. Revelation 21:3 "And God Himself will be with them." The Bible is very clear it is not a representative but God Himself!
e. They will see His face. Revelation 22:4 (NWT) "...and they will see his face..."
f. Homes will be built. Isaiah 66:21-25 (NWT) The saved will build homes, etc... on the earth.
g. The Sabbath will be kept. Isaiah 66:23 (NWT) "...And it will certainly occur that ..from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh will come in to bow down before me," Jehovah has said."
5. The plan of Salvation has now been completed. All that was lost in Eden, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has restored! Through Christ the world has now been reconciled to God. In love that can only be measured in terms of Calvary, both Father and Son choose to have their throne and city on the earth to dwell with those that were redeemed by Christ at His Second Coming.
It is important to study the Bible itself, and to know the
real truth, and not be led astray. There are only two sides in
the end-time battle over souls. It is important that we know the
truth, for the truth will set us free! For more information on
how to become a baptised Sabbath-keeping, Bible-believing
Christian who loves the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the
Father, contact the nearest Seventh-day Adventist Church. God has
a world-wide organization, and all may belong who follow Jesus
wholeheartedly. In fact, why not contact the church today?
Location information may be found here: http://www.adventist.org/.
For very informative Bible studies and other good information,
contact: http://www.amazingfacts.org/index.asp.
For 24-hr Seventh-day Adventist radio and tv programming,
contact: http://www.3abn.org/.
God bless!
Shelley Senner
mailto: [email protected]