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Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. Hi, this is Robert Jeffers and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition, a Pathway to Victory, a millennium is a thousand years. And when we come to Bible prophecy, jot down this definition: the millennium is the thousand-year period of time during which Christ will reign on the earth. Fulfilling God's promises to Abraham and his believing descendants.
Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffers.
Next to the rapture, you know, no topic has caused more controversy among Bible scholars than the subject of the millennium. Will Christ actually rule over a renovated earth for a thousand years? Today on Pathway to Victory. Dr. Robert Jeffers answers that important question It explains what difference the future millennium should make in our lives today.
But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. People sometimes ask me why Pathway to Victory has devoted so much time over the years to the subject of Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy, at its very core, is the unveiling of Jesus Christ in all his glory. That's what draws people to this subject.
You see, nothing stirs the human soul quite like catching a fresh glimpse of who Jesus is. and the breathtaking promise of his return. In that spirit, I've written a brand new book for you that's thoughtfully designed to answer 20 of the most common questions about God's timeline for the future, and more importantly, to celebrate the centerpiece of Bible prophecy: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My book, Ask Dr. Jeffers About the End Times, is really a book about him.
And I want you to own a copy. It's yours when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Plus, I'm going to send you my Bible prophecy chart. This is a large one-page reference tool that folds out and clearly illustrates God's timeline for the future.
Well, next to the rapture, no topic has caused more debate among Bible scholars than the subject of the millennium. Is Christ going to literally rule over a renovated earth for a thousand years? If so, what difference does this future event called the Millennium make in my life today? I'm going to answer those questions and more in today's message titled, Heaven on Earth. A mother wrote a letter to an advice columnist in the newspaper.
Questioning the goodness of God after she had lost her beautiful 22-year-old daughter to a drunk driver. The mother said in the letter that she, after her daughter died, got on her knees and pleaded with God to bring her daughter back to life. You can do anything, God. You can perform miracles. Please, God, let me trade places with her.
Please let me lie in that coffin and let her live out her life in peace. But God refused to answer the mother's request. At times, the mother said in her letter she thought about suicide, but. She lacked the courage to pull the trigger.
Meanwhile, the drunk driver that had killed her daughter spent less than six months behind bars. Today, the mother wrote, he walks in the sun. While my little girl is in a dark grave. The mother closed her letter to the advice columnist. By saying God didn't answer my prayers.
And I resent being told that I have no right to question God. If there is a God, and if I ever get to meet him face to face, you can bet your life I will have plenty of whys for him to answer. I want to know why my little girl died, and that drunk was allowed to go on living. I loved her more than my life. And I miss her so.
I am mad that I'm having to live in a world where she no longer lives. I want to know why. I don't fear God and I don't fear hell either. I know what hell is like. I've already been there since the day my precious daughter was killed.
Even though we might wince at that mother's defiant attitude toward God. We can empathize with her questions. About the goodness of God. I mean, if there is a God, why does He allow a world like the world in which we live? A world where Babies are sexually abused.
Where millions of people go to bed hungry every night around the world. Why is it God doesn't create a world where peace and freedom from conflict? And perfect righteousness reign. We know from reading Genesis 1 and 2 that at one time such a world did exist. But sin destroyed that world.
Sin caused that paradise to be lost. But it hasn't been lost forever. The Bible says that one day Jesus Christ is coming back to this world and he is going to establish a new world order. in which peace and justice and righteousness reign. And it's that period of time when Christ comes back.
And establishes that brand new world order that he promised. that is the focus of our study today. If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 19 as we talk about what is going to be, in a sense, a type of heaven on earth. It's a period of time we call in Bible prophecy the millennium. I would suppose that outside of the rapture, no topic causes more debate in Bible prophecy than the subject of the millennium.
You may have heard that term before, millennium. What does the word millennium mean? The English word comes from two Latin words, milli, which means a thousand, and annum, which means a year. A millennium is a thousand years. And when we come to Bible prophecy, jot down this definition: the millennium is the thousand-year period of time during which Christ will reign on the earth.
Fulfilling God's promises to Abraham and his believing descendants. The thousand-year period of time when Christ will rule on the earth, fulfilling his promises to Abraham and the believing descendants.
Now, even though the word millennium is not found in the Bible, just like the word Trinity is not found in the Bible, the concept of the thousand-year reign of Christ is found throughout the Bible and especially in the passage we're going to look at today. Let me remind you where we are in our study of Bible prophecy. Last time, we looked at the final climactic battle of the seven-year tribulation, the battle or war of Armageddon, when all the world forces have met on the plain of Megiddo to do battle against Antichrist. And as they wage war against that world dictator, remember the heavens part. The Lord Jesus appears.
We who have been raptured with him appear with him as well, and we return to earth. And Jesus slays all of his enemies at that point. That is the battle of Armageddon and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, look what happens when Christ returns at the climax of Armageddon. Revelation 19, verse 20. And the beast, that's the Antichrist, was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by whom he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. And these two, the beast and the false prophet, they were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone.
Now, remember, I said there are three parts of that satanic trinity: the beast, that is Antichrist, the false prophet, his lieutenant, but also Satan. Who is the power behind the beast and the Antichrist? What happens to Satan?
Well, he's not cast into the lake of fire, not at this point, anyway. It continues in Revelation 20, verses 1 and 6. Here's what happened to Satan. John says, and I saw an angel coming down from heaven. Having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold of the dragon, that is, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and he bound him for a thousand years. Underline that phrase, a thousand years in your Bible. Verse 3, and he threw him into the abyss, and he shut it, and he sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer until the, underline it again, thousand years were completed. After these things, he must be released for a short time. And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them.
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God. And those who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for how long? Underline it again: a thousand years. Verse 5: The rest of the dead did not come to life until the Underline it again, thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for one more time, a thousand years.
Now, we're going to talk about the characteristics of this thousand-year period of time on the earth in just a moment. But here's the point I want to make right now. John could not be any clearer about how long this period of time is. Five times in just six verses, he says a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years. And yet, today there are people, Christians, who study the Bible and say, well, I'm not sure how long the millennium really is.
I'm not sure.
Well, it says it. How could John have said it any more clearly than he says it right here? He says it's going to last for a thousand years, six different times in these five verses. Nevertheless, even though the teaching of the return of Christ after the tribulation for a thousand years, even though it's clear in Scripture, many people debate this subject for the millennium.
Now, you have probably heard the terms before: pre-millennial. Postmillennial, amillennial, and you wondered what in the world do those terms mean. The whole question of pre- and post-anomillinealism is a question of. When does Jesus Christ return in relationship to the millennium? The premillennial position is Jesus' second coming is before the thousand-year reign of his on the earth.
It comes before his thousand-year reign. He comes first, and then he establishes his kingdom. That is the pre-millennial position. But the premillennial position, the one I hold to, Is one that is much more than just simply a question of timing about the return of Christ. It has to do with what you believe about God's promise to believing Israel.
You see, the premillennialist believes that one day Jesus is coming to earth and will literally rule on the throne of David in Jerusalem in order to fulfill his promises to believing Israel. Premillennialists believe that God made an unconditional promise to Abraham and to Abraham's believing descendants back in Genesis 12. And even though you and I, who are part of the church of Jesus Christ, Those saved from Pentecost until the rapture, even though we benefit. From some of those promises, God has some unique promises to believing Israel, such as they're going to dwell finally in the land that God promised them. One of their descendants, the Messiah, will literally sit on the throne of David and rule from Jerusalem.
Premillennialists believe that God will fulfill his promise to Israel. Premillennialists see a distinction between the church. Those saved from Pentecost to the rapture, and the believing descendants of Abraham. That's the premillennial position. There's a second position, the post-millennial position.
Post is a prefix that means what? It means after. And that is the post-millennial position: is that Jesus Christ comes to earth. after this thousand year time. You say, well, how could that be?
Well, the post-millennialist believes that if Christians work hard enough, Things will get better and better and better on earth. And finally, we'll create kind of a utopia, a heaven on earth, and the world will be such a perfect place that it will be prepared for Christ's arrival.
Now postmillennialism Was popular beginning in the 17th century all the way to about the midpoint of the 20th century. But once we got into the 20th century and the world had gone through two world wars, the idea of the world getting better has been pretty much extinguished. And so postmillennialism, by and large, is a dead view. Many people don't hold to postmillennialism. But that's the postmillennial position.
Now, even though. Postmillennialism is dead by and large. It has been resurrected with a new name, and it's called Christian Reconstructionism. And you hear it all the time. The idea of Christian Reconstructionism is if we can just elect Christian legislators.
And if we can just enact God's laws in the world today, we can create the millennium. We can create a perfect society that will prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. That's Christian Reconstructionism, which is just post-millennialism with a new name. And he said, wait a minute, Pastor, that sounds a lot like what you've been saying to us. We need to get involved in the political process.
We need to vote for godly leaders. We need to follow God's laws.
Well, I believe we need to do things, but not because we're going to usher in the millennium. We are not going to Christianize America ever. But I do believe to the extent that our nation reverences God and respects His law, we can postpone God's judgment upon our country so that we have time to preach the gospel to as many people as possible. But I'm under no illusion that we are going to usher in the second coming of Christ by creating a utopia here. That's the difference from what we believe that we're to be salt and light and what the post-millennialist believes about creating utopia here on earth.
The third position about the millennium is the a millennial position.
Now that letter A before millennial in Greek is an alpha primative. It means no or without. When you put that letter before millennium, a millennial, a millennial, it means no millennium.
Now, historically, there are many Christians who have been amillennials. And in all fairness, we have some of our church members who adopt an amillennial position. And to be fair to them, it's not that they don't believe in a rule of Christ, but it's a spiritual rather than a physical rule of Christ. The amillennialist believes that the rule of Christ described in Revelation 20 is his rule in our own hearts after we accept Christ as our Savior. They do not believe that there is a literal thousand-year period when Christ will rule on the earth.
They see things as there'll be a time of tribulation, there'll be the second coming of Christ, and then there'll be a new heaven and new earth. They see no rapture, they see no rapture of the church, and they see no thousand-year reign of Christ here on the earth. What the amillennialist believes is this: He will say, Well, yes, God did make some promises to Israel, no doubt about it in Genesis 12. But when Israel rejected Christ, God transferred those blessings that should have gone to Israel and He made them applicable to the church of Jesus Christ.
So He transferred the blessings from Israel to the church and He transformed those promises from literal physical promises to spiritual promises. Thus, when the Old Testament talks about God's people, the Israelites, inheriting the land one day, well, no longer does that apply to believing Israel. It applies to the church. And no longer is it that piece of real estate in Palestine, it's heaven that the promises have been transformed to.
So the idea of Jews inhabiting the promised land really means Christians going to heaven. The heavenly Jerusalem. And that's why we sing we're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God. They think that means heaven.
And that's how we take it instead of a literal Heaven on earth, a Jerusalem that God is going to create here. The amillennialist sees no distinction between the church and Israel. When you read about Israel, the new Israel, he's talking about the church, not the believing descendants of Abraham.
Now Here's the problem I have with that view. And that is that the promise God made to Abraham and his descendants was not a conditional promise, it was an unconditional promise. Remember in Genesis 12, after God promised Abraham, I'll make you the father of a great nation, a land, a seed, and a blessing? And remember how God ratified that covenant with Abraham? In Genesis 15, it says that God put Abraham to sleep.
And remember, God walked through those animal pieces by himself. Signifying the ratification of that treaty. In the Old Testament times, if there was a conditional treaty between two kings, both kings would walk together, signifying that the covenant depended upon the faithfulness of each king fulfilling his part of the deal. But when God made his promise to Abraham, he put Abraham to sleep. And God went through those animal pieces by Himself, signifying that God's promise to Israel had nothing to do with Israel's faithfulness, but everything to do with the faithfulness of God.
Remember, David reiterated this in Psalm 89, in verses 30 to 36. If his sons, talking about Israel, forsake my law, God said, and do not walk in my judgments, if they violate my statutes and don't keep my commandments, then I will visit their transgressions with a rod and with the iniquity with stripes. That is, I will discipline Israel when they disobey me. But, look at verse 33. But, I will not break off my loving kindness from him, nor deal falsely in my faithfulness.
My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David, his descendants, the Jews, will endure forever as the throne, as the sun before me. The Bible says God's promise to Abraham and his believing descendants was an unconditional promise. And if God doesn't fulfill these promises, literally that he made to believing Israel, how can I know he's going to fulfill his promises to me? When you look in the Old Testament, just about every Old Testament prophet looked forward to the coming rule of Messiah, not in heaven, but here on earth for that thousand-year period of time.
I want you to jot down these scriptures. We don't have time to look at all of them, but Isaiah 2, verse 4, by the way, these words are chiseled on a wall across the street from the United Nations. And he will judge between the nations and will render decisions for many peoples. And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation and they will never learn of war.
That's a period of time known as the millennium, perfect peace on the earth. Isaiah 11, that we read about, the wolf and the lamb lying down together, or Jeremiah 31, verse 33 and 4. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my law within them, and on their heart I will write it, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach again each man his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know the Lord.
For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. He was talking about a time here on earth when everybody will know the Lord. There'll be no need for preachers anymore because everybody will have the Lord. God's law will be written on every human heart, everybody will reverence God. I know someone is listening to today's message and beginning to understand the urgency and relevance of biblical prophecy.
My sincere desire and prayer is that you will place your complete trust in Jesus as your Savior so that your future is entirely secure in Him. We will continue addressing the topic of heaven on earth the millennium.
Next time. But right now, I'm eager to say thank you to the growing family of friends who generously support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. We are living in what the Bible calls the last days. The period of time between Christ's ascension into heaven after his resurrection and the rapture of the church. Until that day, it's our responsibility to share the good news about Jesus with as many people as possible.
And there's no more efficient way to do that than through this broadcast medium. For that reason, I'm inviting you to ramp up your commitment to this cause by giving a generous gift today. And to say thanks for your support, I'll be sure to send you my brand new book, Ask Dr. Jeffress, about the end times. In my book, I answer 20 of the most common questions on this topic.
And people deserve biblical answers. And I'm happy to send you my book when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Thanks so much. Here's David with all the details. Today, when you support the Ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift, we'll say thanks by sending you Dr.
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Box 223-609-Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins, inviting you to join us again next time when Dr.
Jeffress shares more of what the Bible teaches about the Millennial Kingdom. Hear the conclusion of the message called Heaven on Earth. That's Tuesday on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.
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