The Second Coming of Christ Week 7

but we will put it on later. And so those that are watching on live live, you're not. And I'll say hi to you now. But we'll get it on in a couple hours and get upgraded. We apologize. We ordered a new piece of equipment. They sent it to us and it didn't work. And so we had to send it back and get another one. So we'll hopefully have it by Friday and be up full on air again on Sunday. But we do put them on later on Facebook and on they're always on YouTube as well. And so you can get them in a couple hours there and we apologize for that. Also, uh, if you weren't here on Sunday, let me encourage you to go and watch that message.

It began a series on 1 Corinthians chapter 13 titled A Symphony of Love. And um this is a I believe it's a life-changing series. I really do. And uh I hope that if you were not here that you will take time to watch it and this would be a great series to share with your friends. The illustrations are something that will attract them and and get their attention, but the uh message will change their life. So I I'd really encourage if you weren't here Sunday to watch that. It is available on YouTube and on our Facebook page now. and you can go download them and watch them. Um, couple of announcements we have coming up.

Uh, our mission Sunday on the 18th. We'll have be Charlie Nichols and his family here from Brazil. Looking forward to it. They're a great family with a great ministry and and a generational ministry. His dad went there before him and now he's back there as well and his I think his brother as well. And so, uh, you'll really enjoy them. They'll be with us all day that Sunday. Then on Wednesday night of that week, which is I think a couple weeks from now, but on Wednesday night, uh they he will do the preaching on that night, and we'll be together. All of our Bible studies will come together that night.

So, we want to encourage others to join us. And then, um and then on Friday night, we'll have our Brazilian coffee and cocoa night. And uh going to get some special treats there. And along with that, we'll have another service. So, there'll be three different one days. And so, get that on your calendar. And then of course we have the Valentine's banquet coming up and that's on the 7th and they will be he will be preaching for that uh sharing the message at our banquet and then there his two older daughters along with one of our members who's got chef experience is going to put together a Brazilian steak meal and uh it's going to be amazing.

I I've seen the menu and you'll want to be a part of that. Our theme is building a better marriage and so we're looking forward to that as well. And then um and so those are things are coming up. And then also we want to mention that we have a couple prayer requests. Uh it was uh good to talk to brother Peter beforehand there. The Kilon's baby the with the the two had the two openings in her heart when she was born is home doing great and uh that's a real praise from God. We were able to give her a check give the family a check to help them with some of their expenses and they really appreciated that.

So continue to pray for them. And then do you know Frank's two boys are home? Uh they're they're still at the hospital yet. So continue to pray for them uh from Kasry. And then um for Edna uh Map Mapson uh family is one of our Filipino ladies uh passed away uh and she left a husband and two daughters. So pray for that family as they go through a difficult time. And then Ethan Whitmer's grandfather is recovering from surgery. So pray for him as well. Uh just so because people keep giving me that look, but they're they don't want to ask. I have this band-aid on the side because I had some cancer removed, but it's uh the kind of cancer is more like rust than dangerous.

Okay, so I'm not not going to die from it. Uh I'm just rusting and so pray for me because I'm rusting. And uh so let's go ahead and have a word of prayer and then we'll get into our Bible study. Father, we thank you for the opportunity we have to be here tonight, enjoy the word, and just spend time together with other Christians in midweek. We uh pray that you would help us as we continue to try to understand what we can about what's to come. But we thank you that we don't have to worry about it because you're in control. Father, we pray for the Keion family that you be with this baby. Thank you for the good report.

Pray for Frank's two boys that they can get this figured out, get them out of the hospital and get them back home as soon as possible. And then we also pray for um this Filipino family uh in their loss and pray that you just give them grace and Pastor Andy can be an encouragement to them. And then we also pray for Ethan's dad, grandfather, and pray that you continue to heal him. Lord, we again thank you for your blessings. We're looking forward to what you're going to do in Jesus name. Amen. All right, we are studying esquetology. And by the way, let me say this. We had a week off last week because of New Year's, but some of you guys are a little late getting in here.

So, got to work on you on that. Uh, but we're on page um right, we just finished off the bottom of page uh 10 of your notes. And so, we're on pages 11 and 12. For those watching online online, you can download them at ohana.urchlive is where you can download the notes at. And um and if you're here locally, just ask Ricky, raise your hand, Ricky will bring you the notes as well. But we're talking about esquetology, things to come, what's going to happen in the future. You know, as you watch the news, you got to wonder, man, what is coming? What's the world coming to? uh everything is just all these things are happening all over the world and and uh it's scary sometimes because you think how

bad can it get where how much worse can it get there's wars in Ukraine what happened down in Venezuela there's of course the Middle East and then China's threaten to invade Taiwan and then you see all the the destruction from hurricanes or tidal waves and all the rest of it and and then you see all the other wickedness is happening you wonder what is going on and and God has given us enough information to say, you know what, I got this covered, but he's not given us enough information that we can really understand every little detail. And uh so we study esquetology. We're trying to balance those two out and get our best overall picture we can so we can have some confidence and just, you know, the the main thing is we just got to have faith in the Lord and trust him.

He's got the future. But it also helps us to have a little bit idea what's going on, what may happen, and to be able to look at those things. And so as we looked at our notes here, we've been talking about uh just up till now the antichrist and uh the little horn and and all the things that you know you read about in Daniel and Revelation and uh comparing to Christ and Antichrist and then we want to look at the the you know the that information. So, where we're at now is we're talking about uh just finishing up talking about the chronology of the career of the antichrist. And we're on number nine there, I believe, which is the top of the page of your notes on page 11.

Uh that judged by Christ in two phases. Um is what we have. So, when he's judged, the first one is what we call the fifth vial. You know, we talked about there's different vials that are opened up and and uh and the fifth vial is soarses on the Antichrist. Uh go over to Daniel chapter 10, chapter 7, I'm sorry. Daniel chapter 7 and uh look at our notes there. Daniel chapter 7 and uh verse number 25 and 26. Daniel chapter 7 verses 25 and 26. And he shall speak great words against the most high and shall wear out the saints of the most high which basically through persecution and all the rest of it.

and to think change times and laws and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end. And then turn over to Revelation chapter 16. Revelation chapter 16. And again, the challenge with esquetology is it's it's it's all over the scriptures. A little bit here and a little bit there. It's like it's like taking a a a puzzle and taking all those pieces and trying to put them together and and and we're missing some pieces and and so that my wife was doing a puzzle.

She loves puzzles and uh she was doing she I think she's done three or four since Christmas because she got for for her birthday for Christmas and and the last one she was having a tough time with cuz all the pieces the the puzzle was so the picture was so similar that this piece could fit here or could fit over there or could fit over here and and so she would put pieces in place and then she'd have to take them back out and move them over here. And that's the way it is with studying esquetology. you're taking a little bit from Daniel, taking some Revelation, taking some from the Gospels and trying to put all those pieces together to get as complete as picture as we can.

One of the puzzles you can put together uh it was actually missing some pieces and it wasn't quite a complete picture and uh and that's that happens too. But um in Revelation 16 10- 11 it says, "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seed of the beast and his kingdom was full of darkness and they nawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds." And so we, you know, as as you remember, we have the the seven trumpets, the seven vials. It it's like there's a a a cycle of judgments going on during the tribulation.

it it happens and it happens again and each time it's a little bit worse. And so right about the the middle time period uh or so about you know the fifth vial so not quite the exact middle but uh the these judgments come out and including on the antichrist and he's got all these sores and everything. So, he's going to feel some pain, in other words, but the main judgment is going to happen at the battle of Armageddon. And that's when the antichrist is going to be cast into the lake of fire at that point. And uh just kind of, you know, as we talked about when we started the study, the problem with esquetology is if you're going to talk about this, you got to talk about this.

But we're not going to talk about that until later on. But the lake of fire is not the end. They're cast in the lake of fire. And then at the final judgment after the thousand-year reign, then that they will all be brought up and cast into hell for all eternity. And and so we have the the judgment of the Antichrist uh but judged by Christ. And and so that kind of finishes up a section. So those that weren't here, you have to go back and look at that. But during the tribulation, there's going to be religion, but the religion is going to be an apostate church. Uh a church that has turned away from God.

And and we even see that now. You look at most religions today, they they've turned away from the truth of the Bible. They no longer, you know, second Timothy on Sunday night, we'll be talking about chapter 4, preach the word be instant is season. They're no longer preaching the word. Uh there's a lot of compromise going on. As long as you believe in a higher power, you're okay. And and all the rest of that. So it's an apostate church, a church that's turned away from God. And number one is ecumenical. And and ecumenical just means that all these churches come together on the the lowest common denomination.

And and some groups are based upon well we all believe in salvation. You'll see that a lot of times with u citywide campaigns for um like at the stadium or at Blazedell Center or something like that and they say let's just get all the church together. We'll preach the gospel. And that's a great thing. But all those churches, that's basically all they believe in common. And and sometimes with those campaigns, they don't even believe that. Um, you know, sometimes there's Catholics there and other religions as well. But but basically, they believe in Christ. They might believe in salvation by faith, at least some form of that, but they don't believe the rest of the things together.

And and and it's it sounds great, man. Let's get together and preach the gospel. But the Bible says to preach the whole word of God. And and so when we come together with other churches, we want to come together and like faith and practice. We may have some minor disagreements about this or that thing or some different ways we do things, but overall we want to believe in the whole council of God and and preach and teach that. And then other ecumenical groups come together based upon the fact that they believe in God. So it doesn't matter if you're Muslim or if you're Buddhist or if you're Christian or Catholic or Mormon.

It doesn't matter. As long as you believe in God, that's our common denominator and or believe in a higher power. And and that's especially going to come true during the tribulation. There's going to be a religious church, especially during the first half. Um but they are not going to believe what the Bible teaches. And then secondly, it will be controlled by the antichrist. And uh and so he's going to be the one in charge of it. And so have nothing really to do with God. But we see that already happening today. Then you have the tribulation saints. This is 144,000 Jews who are not the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Okay? Uh but there are 14,000 actual Jews that get saved. And that's taught in Revelation 17 or chapter 7:es 1-8. And then after that um verse number nine if you look at revelation chapter 7 verse number nine it says after this I behold beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stood before the throne before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and it goes on from there. you know, a lot of people are these this 144,000 are going to get saved right away. And then they're going to be the the foundation of all these others getting saved, both Jews and Gentiles.

And it's going to be amazing the number will get saved during the tribulation period. And um you think, well, how's that going to happen with all things going on? Well, you you look at a country like China, you'd be amazed at how many people get saved over there. a even despite the persecution. In fact, because of the persecution, there's more people maybe more gospel being preached in some ways than other places. And and so during this time of persecution, there will be people getting saved. And and there's a key questions a lot of people ask about the concerning the tribulation saints. Number one, if the true church is taken out of the at the rapture, how will anyone hear the gospel?

And I believe there's a number of ways. One is there'll still be Bibles around and people can pick up a Bible. Faith come by hearing. hear him by the word of God. Uh there'll still be tracks around. You might want to hide tracks all over the place so when the re when the rapture happens, people can find your hidden tracks. Uh but there'll still there'll be recorded messages. I do think they'll do everything they can to get rid of the Bibles, to get rid of tracks, get rid of, you know, like on the internet. I think most uh Bible teaching messages will be deleted, but they'll still be around. But primarily, it's going to be the 144,000 that are going to um be used by God to bring people to Christ and uh and doing that.

And it it they may do it through some, you know, the internet or some place like that, but I think it's really just going to be of the Lord and uh the gospels be heard. In Revelation chapter 14 and verse number six, it says, "I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel preach unto them, dwell on the earth, and every nation and kindred and tongue and people." So the angels, it's not their job, at least right now, to tell the world about Christ. That's our job. Now, the angels sit up in heaven said, "Why aren't you doing what you're supposed to be doing, man? If I had the if I could do it, I'd be out there telling everybody."

and they just shake their heads at us for being so unfaithful to do what we're left here for. People ask me often, "Well, why doesn't God just take us to heaven? We get saved." Well, there's a number of reasons, but I think one of the big reasons is he left us here to be a witness for him. And we're doing a lousy job at that. And so, it seems that from this verse and some other things in the Bible that during the tribulation period, there there will be at least one angel that's going to proclaim the gospel. And how that works, we don't know. Again, the Bible says that that the gospel is going to be heard all over the world.

And for a long time, it was hard to understand how that's going to happen. But now with the internet and all the rest of it, it's easier to see. But God's not limited to man's means. He can do whatever he wants. So th this is how the gospel will get out. Number two, if the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, how will anybody want to be regenerated? You know, remember we read in Thessalonians that when when the rapture happens, the he that now litth is is gone. And that's the Holy Spirit. And where is the Holy Spirit right now? Is he floating around in this room? No. What? Know you not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you.

And so he dwells within us when we leave the Holy Spirit goes with us. So how you know it it salvation comes from two things. It's like conception. There's two things that have to come together and that's the word of God and the and the spirit of God, you know, conviction and uh has to happen in the heart of a of a person for them to be saved. And what is the Holy Spirit? He's the one that, you know, causes us to see our sin and to see the need for Christ and to get saved. And the regeneration of the Holy Ghost, it says in Titus chapter 3 verse 5. So if he's gone, how do people get regenerated?

And so the answer to this is number one, the Holy Spirit is still active. He did not dwell in all the believers in the Old Testament, but he was very active in the world. He did indwell individuals. And so, um, I assume that those 144,000 get saved, the Holy Spirit will indwell them. Um, but that that's the assumption. But it's just not the same as it is today because all the Christians will be gone. But he will still be active and he will still be regenerating people. Uh they cannot be saved without the Holy Spirit, regeneration of the Holy Ghost. And then number three, how will so many people be saved in the midst of such wickedness and judgmental wrath?

I think one it may be the impact of the rapture. Um there I mentioned before there was a film done back I believe in the 70s and 80s called um Left Behind and there was a book written by that name as well and a lot of people in the rapture happened they said oh something happened and they they went started reading their Bible and stuff and I think there's going to be a reaction to that and and maybe people are going to you know because of that are going to turn to God. Um I think most of them will believe a lie. The Bible says that that the Antichrist will perpetuate a lie and uh and this is why all these people disappeared and and they're going to come up with some excuse, some reason for that.

But I do believe there's a lot of people that will uh because the impact of rapture and in persecution we see more people saved. Generally, you don't see it as much because it's underground, but there is a a truring persecution a lot of people turn to Christ. and even in places you wouldn't think that likely or times you wouldn't think that likely. And so I think when tribulation comes, people are going to say, "Where is God?" And they're going to start looking for him. Number four, if you hear the gospel today, will you be able to believe during the tribulation? Turn over to Second Thessalonians chapter 2.

This is a big question, and I'm not going to say I know the absolute answer on that. That's really God's business, not mine. But from a personal perspective, I don't think somebody who's clearly heard the gospel is going to have the opportunity to get saved afterwards. They're the ones that primarily are going to believe the lie. It's kind of like when the Bible talks about that God will turn them over to a reprobate mind and have the and the unforgivable sin. People of many times Christians ask me and say, "Pastor, I I think I committed the unforgivable sin." Well, the unforgivable sin means you can't go to heaven.

So, if you're saved, you cannot commit the unforgivable sin because God has already forgiven you. Okay? It's it the unforgivable sin. Remember, he said it was talk he was talking to the religious people and basically what he said is this. You've heard the truth and you've rejected it knowing what the truth was. You rejected it and God's not going to give you another chance now. you're you you you've you've lost your opportunity. Okay, that's kind of the unforgivable sin. And there's a lot more to it than that. But if you look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verses 101, and with all deceivleness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

And for this cause cause God shall send them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie. And so I think really the people we're talking about here is maybe those that have heard the gospel, understood the gospel, rejected the gospel. It's not like I I remember watching Left Behind. There was a guy that said, you know, oh, I remember my mom telling me about this and I remember hearing this in church and he had you the movie shown how he rejected Christ over and over and over again, but after the the rapture, he accepted him. I think people that have already believed the lie are not going to change at the tribulation.

Now, does that mean your loved ones can't be saved after the tribulation? I I I I cannot say that and I would not say that and I don't necessarily think that's true. I I have hope that they can. But based upon this, they received the love of the truth. They and but they rejected it. It's it's those that clearly heard it and said, "No, I don't want this." That they may not get another chance. And and I think that's a good warning for all of us. You know what? you you better believe it when you hear it because you may not get that next chance. We don't know. Um God hardened Pharaoh's heart and I do believe there can come a point where God says, "You know what?

If you don't want it, I'll leave you alone. I won't ask again. And if God doesn't ask you again, you're not going to get saved." And so that can happen. And so and and so similar to the unpardonable sin, if you want, write down Matthew 12:31 and 32, you can look that up a little more detail. But again, if you're a Christian, you cannot commit the unpardonable sin. Um, this is somebody who is is refused to believe. Okay. Number 10 there, the second coming of Christ. Okay, this is where we want to kind of focus. You you may have noticed I kind of there's certain areas that I kind of move through quickly.

uh studying about the antichrist and the beast and all that is interesting especially when you get into Daniel and you got the description of the of the you know of how he looks and everything and all that's interesting but it's really it's not the most important thing and and and sometimes we can you know how we interpret is is a lot of factors involved in that and we got to be careful of that God gives us enough description of him it's like uh I I've never seen, for example, I've never seen a um a snake. What what's the what the mama snake? One of the ones that are really deadly, but I've heard enough descriptions about I don't want to see them, especially up close, you know, I know enough about them.

I don't want to be there. You know, I don't want to go through that. And so, it just that's where we look at with that. But the second coming of Christ, that's what we're looking forward to. Now, remember, there's two different things in the timeline. If you're looking at the timeline, if we're over here, this is us in the church age right now. The next thing that's going to happen, that's the the next big thing is the rapture. We go up to be with him. Then seven years of tribulation, seven years of us up in heaven, we have the judgment seat of Christ. And then seven years after the rapture, that's the second coming.

So, we're not looking for the second coming of Christ. We're looking for the rapture. And those two things get mixed up a lot of times. And and and you this will happen in songs. A lot of very popular songs. Their their theology is terrible because they're talking about they got the second coming, the rapture mixed up. And a lot of teaching is wrong on that as well. I I'm looking for the rapture, not the second coming of Christ, because that's when I'm going to go up to be with him. Now, the unsaved, they need to hear about the second coming of Christ. That's the f focus there. So, the second coming of Christ, when he comes, he will come in power.

Uh my wife and I are reading through the book of Psalms together, our chapter every morning. And um I'll confess to you, we're a little behind because I've forgotten this morning. I got up early for my surgery, but a couple days I I'm not a good morning person at all. And so, uh in the mornings, I've got to stop and think, oh, we're supposed to do this. So, we're we're trying to catch up. But in Psalms chapter 2, it's not a very long chapter, but it talks about in chapter two of Psalms, like in verse number four, verse three, let us break their bands of sunder, cast away their cords from us. He that sitth in, you know, the the people are saying, we're not going to let God tell us what to do.

And verse number four says, he that sitth in heaven shall laugh. Somebody asked me the other day, do you think God has a sense of humor? And I know that for sure by looking at some of you and how he made you, you know, that shows God has a sense of you. Uh but more so, the Bible says he laughs. He's gonna laugh at us. You know, he's looking down here. You think you can break bands from me? You think you can control me and tell me what I'm going to do? And then it goes on to tell and in verse five, then shall he speak unto them his wrath and vex to him his sword is flesher. Uh he I've set my king upon the holy hill of Zion.

That's Christ. But that's not his first coming. That's his second coming. And um I will declare decree. And it goes on there. It talks about the son is going to be the he's going to be given his inheritance and and uttermost parts of the earth to his possession. He's coming back not as the the the merciful savior. He's coming back as a conquering king. He's going to come back in power. He will return to defeat the armies of Armageddon. Uh, Zechariah chapter 14. I always have trouble finding Zechariah. I've got to stop and think. There's Zephaniah and then then Zechariah is the next one after I believe I remember right.

Uh, Zechariah chapter 14 just towards the back of your Old Testament and verses 1-5. It says, "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh and th and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half the city shall go forth in captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle, and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is between Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and towards the west.

And there shall be a great valley, and half the mountain shall remove to towards the north, and half it towards the south. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountain shall reach unto Ael. Yay, yet you you shall flee like as fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and the Lord my God shall come and all the saints with thee. It it is going to be a time where it's just going to be great destruction. It, you know, you watch what happens in place like Ukraine, you think how terrible. and in the Middle East, what they've done in Gaza when they and when they went to Israel and how that's happened, this is going to be 10 times worse.

It's going to be this is these armies are going to do all these terrible things and just going to say this is it. We're done. And and defeat him completely. And he will come immediately after the tribulation. Look at Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24 and verses 27 through31. Matthew chapter 24 beginning verse number 27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shine I'm sorry, Matthew 24, yeah 27. For the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For whosoever shall wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

And by eagles, I think that's more talking about bustards. uh and immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun uh be darkened and the moon shall uh not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven. The powers of heaven shall be shaken and then shall appear the sign of the son of god a man into heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. They shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the elect from with from the four winds from one end of heaven the other.

And so you've got this this coming at the end of the tribulation where he's going to conquer. And um you know it there's some similarities with the rapture and and again one of the things you have to remember is a lot of times in the Bible it's talk about one is talking about both of them in in the same passage but it's clearly he's coming at the end of the tribulation and he come with his armies. This is the part I like. Go to Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19. A lot of us in our church have been in the either are or have been in the military, but we're not the norm.

I I read a statistic and I I don't remember the exact percentage, but I think it was something like less than 5% of the population of the United States is in or has been in the military currently. About 5 to 7%, something like that. It's really low. Even during World War II, which you think, man, half the country was in the military, it was I think the high was 12%. It It's just amazing. You know, in our circles, everybody's been in the military. You know, everybody's connected with the military, but that's not true of the overall population. And and yet you and I as Christians, every one of us is going to be drafted into God's army.

We're the army. Whether you've been in the military or not, you are going to be the conquering army. Look at um look at Revelation chapter 19 11-16. And I saw heaven open. Behold a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he did to judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire. And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linens white and clean.

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. He treadth the wine presses of fierceness and wrath of almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written king of kings and lord of lords. Now I was in the military at least I was in the air force you know almost the military. And uh I I love being around all the rest of you guys and and uh Air Force is very different than the military. We're the we're the smartest branch. You just got to just acknowledge it right now. And the reason we're the smartest branch is this.

All the other branches send their enlisted into battle. We send our officers because they're more expendable. You know that let them go fight. And and here what's going to happen is we are going to be his army, but we're not going to do the fighting. The one with the sword of flame, the one with the power is going to go before us. And we just we get to we get to be part of the victory parade. We get to be part of all the the the glory of it, if you want to call it that. We get to be part of all that. We're his army, but we're not going to have to do the fighting. He's going to take care of it all.

And that to me is kind of exciting. You know, that's something special. And and so he will defeat the antichrist and the beasts. And we see that in Revelation chapter 19 and verses 17- 21. And again, I'm not going to read all of these ones passages. You can go back and hopefully review the notes and do your Acts 17:11 duty. But uh he'll he'll defeat them uh totally and again by himself. And uh and then Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit pit. Look at Revelation 20:es 1-3. And I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit 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 and cast him to 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. So the bottomless pit is not hell. Later on in Revelation, we'll see that hell will be cast into the lake of fire. And those in the bottomless pit at the end of the thousand-y year reign, they they Satan will be released and he'll deceive and we'll talk about that those that are born during that time period and they'll still rebel against God.

They're going to have a perfect world for a thousand years and still rebel against God. And and that's but for that thousand years, he's locked up. right now he's free and he can go around and cause us all kinds of heartache and damage and in the church in our lives but for that thousand years nothing and yet man's still going to reject God and that's going to be an amazing thing. So this is what happens after the second coming. So as we prepare for the kingdom let's look at a couple things here um in preparation for the kingdom. First of all, in Ezekiel chapter 20 and again verses 32-39, you can look these up.

But rebellious Jews will be judged. Remember what we talked about at the when the rapture happens back when Christ first came and was crucified. Before then, the Jews were the center of all of God's work in the world. They were supposed to be the nation that worshiped God. He blessed them and all the world would say, "We want to be like the Jews and have God's blessings." And they failed utterly in that. And so in the gospel time period, basically God took the Jewish nation, put them in a box and put them up on the shelf. And he took the church and put them out in the forefront. And what's supposed to be happening since then is that the church will be so blessed people say, "We want what the church has."

And what have we done? We've utterly failed. And when the rapture happens, we'll be the church will be taken out and God will take the Jewish nation and put them back on the center. And and and rebellious Jews, you know, they there are many Jews have gotten saved, but there are many that have rebelled against God and and even their own faith, so to speak, and uh are secular Jews, and they'll be judged. But Israel will be saved. Look at Romans chapter 11 and verse 26. Romans chap 11 verse 26. It's interesting to watch the news how the Middle East is, you know, for forever has been the powder keg of the world, right?

And and right now it's kind of settled down. you know, that Iran's no longer got the power they used to have and Hezbollah and Gaza taking a backseat and all the rest of it, but during this time during the tribulation and during this time, they're going to be back again the powder cake of the world. And a lot's going to happen with them. And in in Romans 11:26, it says, "And so all Israel shall be saved as written, there shall come out of Zion, the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Now, it doesn't mean every last I don't know that that means every last Jew is going to get saved, but Israel as a nation is going to turn back to God.

Many are going to get saved and and those who are not saved are not going to go into the millennium, but the the again the Jewish nation is going to turn back to the true God. Right now, they give lip service to God as a nation. and uh even Christianity because we support them so much. They they you know, if you've ever watched, you know, there's there's a lot of commercials about Christians helping out the Jews because we've done that because we, you know, God says he'll bless those that bless his people. But overall, Israel is going to turn back to God. And then not only is Jewish, the rebellious will be judged, but Gentiles will be judged.

in Matthew chapter 25 and verses 31- 46. Again, it's a longer passage, so I'm going to let you read it. But there's going to be a judgment on on saved Gentiles. And then during all this, going to have the the resurrection of the Old Testament tribulation saints. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20 and verses 4-6. And I saw thrones and they that sat upon him, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands.

And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection and on such the second death hath no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. So what happens is you have, you know, again, when you read through Revelation early on, we hear about Old Testament saints being being in heaven, but the rapture that happens is we're all brought up at that point. And but but you have these the tribulation saints especially being resurrected this time period at the end the at the end of the the when Armageddon happens and then that's when the millennial kingdom begins.

Now let me just step back a minute. You ever heard the the phrase two will be the field one will be picked one left behind. And then there's other ones like that. And of course that's from the Bible. Most often you'll hear that referred to that's the rapture. One will go and one be left behind. It does describe the rapture through sin. If you're married to a person that's unsaved, you're going to go. They're going to be left behind. If you're on an airplane, and I hope you're not the pilot. Uh if you're on the airplane and the rapture happens, the person sitting next to you, if they're not saved, is going to be left behind.

And and if you're at work or wherever, it's same thing. But that is the description in those passages primarily referring to the second coming. When the when all this ends, the two guys out in the field working, one's going to be left behind and the other one's going to go into the millennium. The people that go into the millennium are those who are saved believers. Nobody will start the millennium that's not saved. Okay? So, letter A there, the kingdom may be broadly defined as the rule of God over his creation. Now, we're talking about the millennial thousand-year kingdom of God. the the the rule of God.

Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15 verses 27 and 28. For he put all things under his feet, but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is expected which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be in all all in all. Jesus is king. He's the king of kings and the lord of lords. He's that today and he will be that when the thousand-y year reign happens as well. But it's kind of like in World War II, there were kings that, you know, Hitler took over their countries.

They were still the king, but they had to take the country back. And and so when you talk about the kingdom of God, sometimes you'll hear preachers talk about, well, the kingdom of God and it comes from you. And it does. He needs to be king in my life. He needs to be king on this throne. But when we're talking about specifically the kingdom of God, we're referring to this thousand-year period when he will literally rule in the world. Okay? So again, there's a little bit of crossover. And so when you're reading your Bible, you really need to understand, is he talking about him being king in your life or is he talking about him being king of all?

And he's king today. He's not going to be more king on on when the rapture when the second coming happens and the millennial happens. It's just a different kingdom in in that way. God has always and will always be king. Uh look at Psalms chapter 145. Psalms 145 and uh verse number 13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. So he's king today. He's king tomorrow. He's going to be king in the millennium. He was king before we ever showed up. Uh look at Psalms chapter 29 and verse number 10. The Lord siteth upon the flood. Yay. The Lord sith king forever.

So he is always has been always will be. He's king. Now Jesus presently rules in our heart. You know Romans 12:1 and2 I beseech you therefore by brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to him which is reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove as a good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You and I need to realize that he should be king in our lives. He should be the king on my throne. He should rule in my life because I am a believer. Um Jesus will be acknowledged as king by all at that time in the millennium.

Go to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 and verses 9- 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, given a name which is above every name, the name of Jesus. every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. There's going to be a day everyone's going to bow before him. But that isn't today. The world out there, the unsaved world does not bow to Christ at all. A lot of Christians don't bow to Christ. A lot of people in this church don't bow to Christ. Whether it's physically bowing on their knee or or bowing in their heart that you're the Lord, you have control.

But he's still king. Whether you acknowledge it or not, he's still king. And and one day, everyone will acknowledge him. Everyone will bow whether they they want to or not. Every knee shall bow. You know what? Why not start getting used to that now? When I give the invitation on Sunday, I frankly sometimes I'm surprised at how many Christians I've never seen get down on their knees at the end of a sermon when God's convicted them. I I don't you know we an outward physical manifestation doesn't prove what's going on in the heart. But when you're bound to Christ in your heart, I don't know how you can keep from sometimes bowing to him on your knee.

And whether it's during the invitation or whether it's just during the worship, there's times we sang, I think it was two weeks ago, bow the knee. I have a tough time singing that song and standing up straight. It's like it's like saying stand up, stand up for Jesus while you're still sitting in your chair. That just doesn't work for me. And and we need to bow because we're going to do that. And every knee is going to bow. And I believe the reason why every knee is going to have to bow is because every knee's going to acknowledge you are the king. One of the things about the millennium, it's going to be a thousand years perfect reign and people are still going to rebel against God.

People write I've heard people say, "Well, I'd believe in God if this were a perfect world." They're going to have a perfect world for a thousand years and people are still going to reject him. But after it's all done, he's going to look at him and say, "Listen, I did everything and you still rejected me, but you're going to bow now." And so they're they're they're going to bow. They're going to acknowledge him as king. Then look at Ephesians 1:10. We'll stop there. Ephesians 1:10 that in disposition of fullness time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heavens which are in earth even in him that's when that time comes he's going to gather all together and he's going to rule and and we'll talk more about that again as I told you when we started the eries I apologize if I sometimes I feel like I'm all over the place because with this thing is you got to And sometimes, you know, why doesn't be more clear or more definite on that?

Because in a lot of these areas, I just don't feel like the Bible was meant for us to understand all the details. But we understand enough to say, you know what, God's got this. And and I don't want to be I don't want to be here when the beast is around. I don't want to be here when the Antichrist is around. I want to be here when Jesus comes again. I want to go up in the rapture. I want to come back with a mighty army. That's the important thing. And here's the most important thing. If we're going to rule with him for a thousand years in this world and then go into eternity, why not just start practicing now?

Let him start right here and being the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord right here and controlling my life. And so, we'll continue on next week uh and uh studying through this and we'll get into some other stuff. We'll talk about what we do know about heaven. We'll talk we're going to talk about the great white throne judgment, what's going to happen there. We'll talk about what are our bodies going to look like, you know, for eternity. I be honest with you, I hope it's not going to look like this and I hope the rust will be all gone. Um, you know, and and I hope I won't feel the pain anymore. You know, I believe there's a lot that we can we can understand we can look forward to and uh from that perspective. All right. I appreciate you being out. We'll see you on Sunday. This Saturday, no, it's not. Next Saturday is sign waving. So, um but we'll see you on Sunday and um and looking forward to that. Get signed up for the Valentine's banquet, you couples. All right. Thank you.