Sermon

The Rapture & 1000 Year Reign - Frank Brancato 10/27/19

Church of Christ - Bakersfield, Ca

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  1. I know that if you look at the title of, it's on the screen,

  2. these are two concepts that you have heard about in your life.

  3. In fact, they're two of the most prominent Concepts that are

  4. found in some religious affiliations and they are these,

  5. what about the Rapture? And number two, what about the

  6. thousand year reign of Jesus Christ?

  7. May I say, before we begin though, that if Jesus Christ was

  8. not raised from the dead, we have absolutely no hope if Jesus

  9. wasn't raised. The Bible says we are of all men

  10. most miserable because we only have hope in this life.

  11. And if that is the case, we are of all men, most miserable or

  12. pitiable as the new King James renders it.

  13. So we believe in the resurrection.

  14. Absolutely. And we are so thankful that

  15. Jesus was the firstfruits of them that slept and Jesus was

  16. the first resurrected. And we're so thankful that one

  17. day, there will be a resurrection of the Dead if

  18. there were no Not the nothing in the world matters.

  19. The Book of Revelation also speaks in a very figurative, way

  20. about the Eternal relationship of Jesus Christ and his church.

  21. That's often times misunderstood people today in their Zeal, to

  22. understand, all the details of the Book of Revelation have

  23. created a doctrine of the second coming.

  24. That is wrong, and really quite Blasphemous.

  25. And this is known as the doctrine of Premillennialism.

  26. Now this is a huge subject and there's obvious things that I

  27. can't touch on in one sermon, but I want to talk about it from

  28. the aspect of the Rapture and the Thousand-Year Reign.

  29. Have you ever seen those bumper stickers, that you're traveling

  30. behind somebody in a car and there's a bumper sticker and it

  31. said, in the case of the Rapture, this car will be

  32. unoccupied. And really, that's because of

  33. the false teaching, or the false concept of what the Rapture is

  34. going to be. I'm going to talk about what the

  35. Rapture actually is in. Just a minute, in terms of what

  36. is believed today, but this illustration is very false.

  37. It's the false doctrine of premillennialism.

  38. In fact, there are five doctrines of premillennialism

  39. and they are as follows. Number one that there are

  40. prophecies in the Bible that have never been fulfilled.

  41. Number two, the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews.

  42. Number three, the imperfection of the church.

  43. Number four, only the Saints will be raised in the Rapture.

  44. And number 5, the reign of Christ on the earth for a

  45. literal thousand years, I can't touch on every single aspect of

  46. this, but in this lesson, we're going to notice the last two.

  47. We're going to notice this concept of only the Saints being

  48. raised. In the Rapture and we're going

  49. to talk about the reign of Christ for a thousand years.

  50. Now, let me just say, There are four questions I want to ask.

  51. And they really matter. And my goal is at the end of

  52. this lesson, that will be able to in fatica least eight.

  53. With the answers to these questions are based on the word

  54. of God for questions, we want to notice.

  55. Number one, will there be a rapture?

  56. Number two, will there be seven years of tribulation?

  57. Number three will Jesus, establish an Earthly Kingdom

  58. someday when he comes back. And finally number four, will he

  59. Reign on Earth for a literal thousand years?

  60. Before we go into these? Please notice the following

  61. though, premillennialists today misunderstand.

  62. The promise of David's, Throne very much misunderstood in fact

  63. premillennialists, hold that. It's Throne would be literally

  64. established upon the Earth forever the scriptures though

  65. teach otherwise what was the promise regarding David's

  66. Throne? Let's begin in the Old Testament

  67. in second. Samuel chapter 7 beginning there

    2 Samuel 7 chapter mention

  68. in verse 12 when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your

  69. father's, I will set up your seed after you who will come

  70. from your body and I will establish his kingdom.

  71. He shall build a house for my name.

  72. Mm. And I will establish the Throne

  73. of his kingdom forever. Now, who's going to be on the

  74. throne? This sound familiar.

  75. We go to Isaiah chapter, 9 and beginning in verse 6.

  76. Who is this for unto us? A child is born.

  77. Unto us a son is given. Now, we understand that is the

  78. prophetic words of verbal prediction that.

  79. Jesus Christ would come into the world for unto us.

  80. A child is born For unto us. A son is given Let's go further

  81. and the government will be upon his shoulder.

  82. And his name will be called, wonderful, counselor, Mighty

  83. God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace of the increase of his

  84. government and peace. There will be no end upon the

  85. throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and to

  86. establish it with judgment and Justice from that time forward,

  87. even forever. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts

  88. will perform This that is Jesus. Let's go to the New Testament in

  89. Luke chapter 1 and beginning. There in verse 32, he will be

    Luke 1 chapter mention

  90. great and he will be called the son of the highest and the Lord

  91. God will give him the Throne of his father David.

  92. The first of all, we have to establish the premise.

  93. This is Jesus. And the word of God is

  94. describing Jesus to have a throne, Jesus to have a

  95. government in which he would be over.

  96. Jesus would have a kingdom that he would Reign Over.

  97. All of that is what's being stated when it says, in

  98. figurative language, the Lord, God will give him the Throne of

  99. his father David. Now, the question is this was

  100. this intended to be a promise regarding a literal Throne on

  101. Earth, Was it something that was to be in the future?

  102. In fact, we have concerning the reign of Christ.

  103. The following in Hebrews, chapter 1 and verses 3 & 8, who

    Hebrews 1 chapter mention

  104. being the brightness of his glory and the express image of

  105. his person and upholding All Things by the word of his power.

  106. When he by himself purged, our sins, notice what he did.

  107. He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

  108. Sat down, does that sound like something?

  109. It's going to happen in the future on this Earth.

  110. Notice what happens when he had purged our sins, he sat down

  111. we're at the right hand of the Majesty on high but to the Sonny

  112. says your throne o God is for ever and ever.

  113. Let's go to the book of Acts. In Acts chapter 2, beginning in,

    Acts 2 chapter mention

  114. verse 30, therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had

  115. sworn with an oath then of the fruit of his body.

  116. According to the flesh, he would do what he would raise up Christ

  117. to sit on his throne. Now raised up Christ.

  118. What does that mean? Raised him from the dead?

  119. God would raise up. Jesus Christ from the dead to

  120. do. What to sit on his throne?

  121. Where's the throne? It's at the right hand of God.

  122. Hebrews 12 and 2 says looking unto Jesus, the author and

  123. finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set

  124. before him, endured the cross despising, the shame and is set

  125. down at the right hand of the Throne of God.

  126. He's on that Throne right now. Another passage though,

  127. Revelation 3:21 notice, what happened behold, I stand at the

    Revelation 3:21

  128. door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and

  129. opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him.

  130. Him and he with me and him who overcomes I will grant to sit

  131. with me on my Throne as I overcame and sat down with my

  132. father on his throne past tense. Jesus set down, you know there's

  133. many other prophecies that premillennialists complaint

  134. claim that are yet to be fulfilled. and part of this is

  135. because of their misinterpretation of the Book of

  136. Revelation, I don't know why it is but if you talk to people

  137. today, you know, what they want to talk about, let's talk about

  138. Revelation, let's get the book out.

  139. I'm really about Jesus raining, but let's get the book out and

  140. talk about revelation. You know, when people come to me

  141. that I study with, for example, and I'm trying to and they're

  142. not members of the Lord's Church, they're not Christians

  143. yet. They need to learn about Jesus.

  144. They need to learn about the savior.

  145. They need to be, they need to come to Jesus and oftentimes

  146. they want to study the Book of Revelation, and I will say, wait

  147. a minute, we'll do that. But first, we're going to begin

  148. with Jesus. We're going to begin with all

  149. this other stuff and then someday, we'll get to the Book

  150. of Revelation. One of the most misunderstood

  151. Concepts that is found in the religious world.

  152. Old is based upon a misunderstanding of the Book of

  153. Revelation. And by the way, I heard a

  154. preacher say not long ago, he said this he said, you know, the

  155. reason that people sometimes don't understand the Book of

  156. Revelation is because they don't understand the Old Testament.

  157. And many times people look at events that are described in the

  158. Book of Revelation as events that have not happened yet.

  159. But they're going to happen some day in the future.

  160. So what do they do? Oh, look at the signs.

  161. Look at all the things that are happening.

  162. See, even Revelation talked about it, when they're specific

  163. to things that have happened. Happened and have been

  164. fulfilled. Misunderstandings.

  165. One of which, by the way, though, is about the kingdom of

  166. Christ, The Kingdom in John 18:36, Jesus said my kingdom is

    John 18:36

  167. not of this world. Now I put this in red and

  168. underlined it and make it bold here for our learning.

  169. My kingdom is not of this world. Now does that sound like

  170. somebody that is going to say that?

  171. I'm going to have a kingdom one day on the earth and I'm going

  172. to be on a literal Earthly Throne.

  173. Not to me. This sounds what it says, the

  174. kingdom is not of this world. Then he said, if my kingdom were

  175. of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be

  176. delivered to the Jews, but now my kingdom is not from here.

  177. Another one in, Luke chapter, 17 verses 20 and 21.

  178. Now when he was asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of

  179. God would come, he answered them.

  180. And said the kingdom of God does not come with observation nor

  181. will they say, see hear or see their nose?

  182. What Jesus says, for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.

  183. It's a spiritual Kingdom. Now, I don't have time to go

  184. into all these passages. So I'm going to do this really

  185. quickly. Stay with me.

  186. I'll put them on the screen when another several points did Jesus

  187. failed to set up his kingdom. Let's notice what the Bible

  188. says, first of all, Daniel prophesied it would be in the

  189. days of the Roman Empire. Daniel chapter 2.

    Daniel 2 chapter mention

  190. And verse 44, John the Baptist. The Forerunner to Jesus said

  191. that the kingdom was at hand and by the way that simply means

  192. this, it was so close. They could see it.

  193. They could touch it. In other words, it was something

  194. that was so close. That the senses could perceive

  195. it something coming really soon. What else?

  196. Jesus, then preach. The kingdom of heaven, was at

  197. hand Matthew 4:17. What else he told?

    Matthew 4:17

  198. His disciples to go out and preach that the kingdom was at

  199. hand. Now, we're going back thousands

  200. of years ago and what we find is we find this in the days of the

  201. Roman Empire, John the Baptist said it was at hand.

  202. Jesus said it was at hand. Jesus told the disciples to

  203. preach. It was at hand.

  204. It was coming, it was something that was very close.

  205. Next Jesus said also that the kingdom would come before some

  206. standing around him died. I'm going to tell you if this

  207. promise is not fulfilled, then there's still people living that

  208. were standing there in the very midst of Jesus in the long ago

  209. and it would come with power. What else in Acts chapter 1 and

    Acts 1 chapter mention

  210. verse 8. Jesus said that the power would

  211. come when the Holy Spirit came one more and we're going to put

  212. it all together. We find that the Holy Spirit

  213. came and Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost.

    Acts 2 chapter mention

  214. Now put it all together in Acts chapter 2 on the day of

    Acts 2 chapter mention

  215. Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit came to the

  216. apostles. Jesus said it would all happen.

  217. When the Holy Spirit came the Holy Spirit came there for power

  218. came and when power came the kingdom would come.

  219. That sounds to me like it already happened, don't you?

  220. When power came, the kingdom came.

  221. So did Jesus fail to set up his kingdom, know it is in existence

  222. today and Jesus is the king. Now in Colossians 1:13, what is

    Colossians 1:13

  223. the kingdom? Here it is.

  224. We are translated into the kingdom of God's dear son,

  225. that's the church. On the day of Pentecost when the

  226. Holy Spirit came, when power came, the kingdom did come to

  227. and it was established, and Jesus Christ right now is

  228. raining over that Kingdom. So let's talk about this then.

  229. What about the doctrine of the Rapture premillennialists.

  230. Hold that only the Saints would be raised during the Rapture.

  231. Now, what is the rapture? What is it?

  232. What does it actually mean? What are people talking about?

  233. When they say the Rapture, the Rapture.

  234. That's what they're saying. Jesus will come and take the

  235. saved to heaven. Now, I saw a deal.

  236. I think it was on YouTube years ago and it was a picture of what

  237. is believed about the rapture And it showed this Auditorium of

  238. people, I don't know how many people lot of people and then

  239. all of a sudden there was this great big noise.

  240. This great big exploding noise. And the next thing you saw is,

  241. you saw about three quarters of those people.

  242. They were gone from that scene and there was a few that were

  243. left. Do you know why?

  244. Because that is a depict meant of what they believe is going to

  245. happen. The Rapture in other words,

  246. Jesus in his time is going to come Back and bring those to

  247. Heaven that are saved while other people are still living on

  248. the earth. That is the rapture.

  249. What else? It is also believed that there

  250. will be a Great Tribulation for 7 years and by the way, none of

  251. this is in the Bible. The Rapture will happen when

  252. Jesus comes and takes to save to Heaven.

  253. While all others are still here. Number two, there's going to be

  254. a period of seven years of tribulation after that seven

  255. year period. Jesus Christ is going to come

  256. back and he's going to sit on an Earthly throne and Reign on

  257. Earth. And what else, the wicked will

  258. be raised and will not be raised until another time.

  259. Well, First of all, we already established Jesus already on his

  260. throne. He is reigning over his kingdom.

  261. His kingdom has been established.

  262. The kingdom is the church, and if you're a member of the

  263. church, you are in the Kingdom. So what am I saying about the

  264. doctrine of the Rapture? I'm saying the doctrine of the

  265. Rapture is unscriptural. None of this is found in the

  266. Bible. Let's notice.

  267. What did Jesus say about this? What did Jesus say when it's

  268. time? Shall be no more.

  269. And Jesus comes back, Jesus said the following in John 5:28-29.

    John 5:28–29

  270. Jesus says, do not Marvel at this for the hour is coming in

  271. the, which all that are in the graves.

  272. Will hear his voice and come forth those that have done good

  273. unto the resurrection of life and those that have done evil to

  274. the resurrection of damnation, what's going to happen in that

  275. time, when Jesus is going to come back, everybody is

  276. included. All that are in the graves.

  277. Will hear his voice, what's going to happen?

  278. Those that have done, good will be. resurrected to the

  279. resurrection of life and those that have done evil to the

  280. resurrection of damnation, not going to be a separate time.

  281. When the wicked are resurrected. In fact, in Acts 24:15, listen

    Acts 24:15

  282. to this. I have hope in God, which they

  283. themselves. Also, accept that there will be

  284. a resurrection of the Dead, both of the just and the unjust

  285. notice, there's only going to be one.

  286. One Resurrection from the dead, both the just and the unjust.

  287. And in the plain teaching of scripture, there's only one

  288. Resurrection for both the good and the bad.

  289. So then all of a sudden we look at this idea then what about the

  290. idea of the period of seven years of tribulation?

  291. And what about this thousand year reign on earth?

  292. Now, I got to say this before we go any further.

  293. You cannot take things that are written, figuratively in the

  294. Bible, and apply them literally in the Bible.

  295. And the Bible says, in the Book of Revelation, there's all

  296. manner of things that are pictures or are figures and not

  297. to be taken. Literally, for example, you

  298. remember, John the Revelator when he got the vision up into

  299. heaven and he gave a picture and he used beautiful words to

  300. describe the picture of Heaven, that he saw.

  301. Do you remember? He talked about, he talked about

  302. glass, he talked about all these other things, he talked about

  303. horses. I don't think there's literal

  304. horses in heaven, do you? That's something of a physical

  305. nature of Physical Realm. I love horses, but I don't think

  306. they're going to be in heaven at the spiritual place.

  307. All of a sudden to we find the people sometimes say, you see,

  308. there's even instrumental music in heaven.

  309. No, it says that the voices of them sounded like Harper's

  310. harping on their harps. Pictures figures symbols to

  311. describe what he saw. We had to be very careful about

  312. pictures, and symbols and figurative language.

  313. Premillennialism teaches, that Jesus Christ will come back to

  314. the Earth after the period of seven years of tribulation and

  315. rain on an Earthly, throne in Jerusalem, with all the consent

  316. of the Jews. He will during this period rule

  317. over the kingdom. Terms of the earth and bring

  318. them under subjection for 1,000 years.

  319. Those that are part of the Rapture that we talked about,

  320. they will be given special privileges and governorships to

  321. rule with Christ on the Earth. Where do they get it?

  322. Impart. For misunderstanding Revelation

  323. 20. and beginning in verse 5, misunderstanding.

  324. But the rest of the Dead did not live, again until the thousand

  325. years were finished. Then it says this, this is the

  326. first resurrection, I got to make this point.

  327. This is how most people interpret this when they talk

  328. about the thousand year reign and all that, and they talk

  329. about the first resurrected and all that.

  330. Okay, this is how they read it. But the rest of the Dead did not

  331. live until the thousand years were finished.

  332. This is the first resurrection. No, it's not what it says period

  333. period. Then he says this is the first

  334. resurrection. In other words when Jesus said

  335. when the Bible says, this is the first resurrection, it's not

  336. talking about what he already said.

  337. It's talking about what he is going to say, the entire subject

  338. matter. How do I know that we look at

  339. other passages of scripture? In fact, if we're going to

  340. understand what this means, we have to also understand it in

  341. conjunction with John Chapter 11.

    John 11 chapter mention

  342. Remember when Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead

  343. member that got to consider this together?

  344. Now here we have this is the first resurrection and then just

  345. a minute to say blessed and holy is he who has part in the first

  346. resurrection? What's this talking about?

  347. What did Jesus say? What did Jesus say to Martha on

  348. that day in John chapter 11? He said I am the resurrection

    John 11 chapter mention

  349. and the life. Who's the resurrection?

  350. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

  351. So when Revelation chapter 20 says, and blessed and holy, is

    Revelation 20 chapter mention

  352. he that has part in the first resurrection.

  353. It's talking about having part in Jesus Christ, because he is

  354. the resurrection and the life now stay with me.

  355. Also, it says that those that do will never die in Acts chapter

    Acts 13 chapter mention

  356. 13 and verse 34. You know, there were people that

  357. died before Jesus died and there were people that were raised

  358. from the dead before. Jesus was raised from the dead.

  359. We know that. Okay.

  360. Jesus even raised from the dead before he died.

  361. So, when we talk about Jesus being the first resurrected,

  362. we're not talking about the first person that ever died and

  363. was raised. We are talking about the first

  364. one that has died and was raised never to die again.

  365. That's the first resurrection. That's Jesus Christ.

  366. Jesus said, I am the resurrection, I am the life to

  367. have part in the first. Resurrection means to have part

  368. in Christ to get the spiritual blessings of the Resurrection.

  369. It is necessary to be faithful after coming to him, when you

  370. come to him, when you've been translated into the kingdom of

  371. God's dear son, when you put on Christ at baptism.

  372. And if you want the benefits of the Resurrection, Jesus Christ.

  373. Jesus said I am that Resurrection.

  374. We have to stay faithful in fact.

  375. Here it says he lives and abides in me shall never die.

  376. You know, this is a current relationship.

  377. It doesn't say lived. And it doesn't say abide in a or

  378. believe in a past tense, didn't say, believed, it says lives and

  379. beliefs and that belief is the forced to obey if we want to

  380. have the blessings of Jesus Christ.

  381. Going, now, back to Revelation chapter 20, That's what it

    Revelation 20 chapter mention

  382. means. When it says over such the

  383. second, death has no power. So what did it, what does it say

  384. here? First of all, Jesus is the

  385. resurrection and the life. He is the first blessed and holy

  386. is. He who has part in the first

  387. resurrection? Meaning got to have a part in

  388. Christ. Got to be a Christian, got to

  389. come to Jesus and if you do and you're faithful unto death, the

  390. second death has no power. That's the judgment.

  391. That's the judgment. now, if you look at the end though, this is

  392. where people get messed up. Look at this here.

  393. Shall reign with him a thousand years.

  394. First of all, this has to be figurative.

  395. Without me, going any farther. It makes no sense.

  396. If this is, literally, you know why?

  397. Because there's only one king and that one king is raining

  398. over the throne right now on the throne right now.

  399. So it's impossible to literally rain like the king Reigns

  400. together with him. So we know that that is

  401. figurative language. The word rain has to be

  402. figurative. Is what their says, by the way.

  403. They are said this. His here's his explanation.

  404. He said John transfers the word to denote the Supreme moral

  405. dignity liberally, Liberty blessedness, which is to be

  406. enjoyed by Christ redeemed ones. So in other words, to reign with

  407. him I'll get to the Thousand Years in a minute, to reign with

  408. him means to enjoy the blessings in him for all eternity, to

  409. enjoy the blessings in heaven, for all eternity, that's what

  410. that means. That's what rain means.

  411. What is the Thousand Years mean though?

  412. Because People want to do is they want to say this when you

  413. get down to the Thousand-Year Reign, it has to be literal,

  414. it's got to be on this Earth. And Jesus is going to do that.

  415. But understand this, it's also figurative and it's not bound as

  416. one scholar said, by the calendar.

  417. When you look at words like a thousand years, we're talking

  418. about symbolic language. The Bible does not restrict

  419. itself to exact mathematical values of the numbers that are

  420. men. Second me give you an example.

  421. OK, give you an example. In Daniel chapter 9 and verse

    Daniel 9 chapter mention

  422. 24, you know, it says, it says 70 weeks.

  423. Now, 70 weeks, is it literal weeks?

  424. We can figure out how many days that is right, but 70 weeks is

  425. 490 years. Do you know why?

  426. Because weeks in that passage was not used.

  427. Literally, it is talking about units of seven.

  428. How many days are in a week, seven, seven units of seven

  429. become 490 years. Symbolism figurative, not

  430. literal. So the reign of the reign of a

  431. thousand years is a completeness, it is not a

  432. literal thousand years. So all statements of the

  433. Resurrection that is to incur occur before the second coming

  434. of Christ. All of those are figurative only

  435. nowhere in the plain teaching of scripture.

  436. Does it ever say that Christ will return and set foot on the

  437. earth? In fact it says just the

  438. opposite it says just the opposite and what's going to

  439. happen? In 1st Thessalonians chapter 4

  440. in verse 17. It says then we which are alive

  441. and remain shall be caught up together with them in the

  442. clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.

  443. He's never going to set foot on this Earth ever again.

  444. When the Lord comes back, guess what we're going to do?

  445. We're going to meet him in the air.

  446. We're going to meet him in there in that great.

  447. Here's another passage second Peter 3, 10, and 10 through 13,

  448. bear with me as we read. This passage is very, very

  449. important. But the day of the Lord will

  450. come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away

  451. with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent

  452. heat both the earth and the works that are in, it will be

  453. burned up. Therefore since all these things

  454. will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in,

  455. holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the

  456. coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens

  457. will be dissolved being on fire. Fire and the elements will melt

  458. with fervent heat. Nevertheless.

  459. We according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new

  460. Earth in which righteousness. Dwells.

  461. So, what's going to happen to the Earth?

  462. Here it is. The first thing is the heavens

  463. are going to pass away. What's that?

  464. By the way, we're not talking about the third heaven, where

  465. God Is Now, by the way, we talk about Heavens, we're talking

  466. about the first to heaven to what are they?

  467. It is the are expanse of the sky.

  468. And that's the first Heaven, look up into the sky.

  469. You see the sky, the air, expanse of the of the sky.

  470. One scholar said, where the clouds live?

  471. That's the first Heaven. The second heaven is where the

  472. stars are the planets are all of that.

  473. The third heaven is where God Is.

  474. So when it says Heavens, plural will pass away.

  475. It's talking about the sky and is talking about the planets.

  476. What's going to happen? Is it going to just get a

  477. Rejuvenation? No, it's going to pass away with

  478. a great noise. What else?

  479. I love this. The elements will melt with

  480. fervent heat. That means this Even the

  481. elements that made up the universe will also melt with

  482. fervent Heat. So not only are the heavens that

  483. we know about. We look up and see will pass

  484. away but even the elements that made them will melt.

  485. Here's another one, the earth and the works that are in, it

  486. will be burned up. Now, I got to ask you.

  487. How is Jesus going to come back to this earth?

  488. And Reign for a thousand years when this Earth is going to be

  489. burned up. In fact he sums it all up he

  490. sums up what he just said about the heavens and the elements and

  491. the Earth, he said all these things would be dissolved.

  492. Dissolved. Okay, they're going to pass away

  493. melt burn up and be dissolved but look at verse 13.

  494. This is where people get a little confused.

  495. Nevertheless, we according to his promise, look for new

  496. heavens. And a new Earth in which

  497. righteousness, dwells. And some of our religious

  498. friends would say what that means is this Earth is going to

  499. get fixed up. The problem with that is the

  500. definition of this word, right here, new Heaven and new earth,

  501. the word new literally means that which has never been

  502. inhabited. In other words, it's not a

  503. fixer-upper, it's brand new. What did Jesus say?

  504. Jesus said in my father's house are many mansions.

  505. If it were not. So I would have told you I go to

  506. prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you,

  507. I will come again and bring you unto myself that where I am,

  508. there you may be also What's he talking about new Heavens, new

  509. earth? That is a figurative word, their

  510. Earth. Meaning heaven couldn't go to

  511. heaven. Not this Earth.

  512. Had a couple fellas. Knock on my door, one time.

  513. And of a particular affiliation. And I know that they believe

  514. that heaven is already inhabited, and this Earth is

  515. what it's going to be about and they take this passage out of

  516. context. And I said, let's just hold off.

  517. Let me just say this in advance will study the Bible all you

  518. want, but I want to say this in advance, I know what you

  519. believe, and I'm going to tell you what, I believe.

  520. I believe what the Bible says, I believe in a place of Heaven, I

  521. believe in the resurrection. And I want to go to heaven.

  522. Do you know what this person said to me?

  523. I don't I don't, I don't want to go to heaven at all.

  524. You can go to heaven, you can want to go to heaven, but that's

  525. nothing. I want to be on this new Earth.

  526. This Earth refurbished. No, it's going to melt, it'll be

  527. dissolved. It'll be done away with and the

  528. new one will be uninhabited. That's Heaven one day.

  529. Not a refurbishing of this something else though.

  530. Look at this. In this place, it'll be a place

  531. where righteousness dwells. Okay.

  532. Now stay with me on this. Do you remember when I said

  533. about the seven years of tribulation and then I said

  534. about the thousand year reign that is often believed during

  535. that period of time. Their belief is that the wicked

  536. still exist on the Earth but not this one.

  537. This is where righteousness dwells in fact.

  538. That's what the Book of Revelation is talking about when

  539. it It says the righteous will be righteous still.

  540. And the wicked will be Wicked. Still meaning this if I make it

  541. to heaven, I'm never getting kicked out.

  542. If I miss heaven. I'm never getting in.

  543. At the end of time, we're going to talk about that in a minute.

  544. How that works. At the end of time.

  545. Premillennialism premillennialism teaches that

  546. wickedness will remain during the Thousand Year Reign on the

  547. earth. That's not what the Bible says.

  548. Not at all. It's where righteousness.

  549. Dwells? What else?

  550. It'll come as a thief in the night.

  551. Unannounced. A thief in the night.

  552. There's not going to be righteous people disappearing in

  553. the Rapture 7 years before, there will not be an Earthly

  554. King sitting on a throne, and there will be no signs of the

  555. second coming notice Peters. Admonition, in verse 14 about

  556. being faithful. Therefore, beloved looking

  557. forward to these things, be diligent to be found by him and

  558. peace without spot and blameless.

  559. Let me ask you, why would he tell him to be found without

  560. spot and blameless? If they got a second chance

  561. during the seven years? Years of tribulation.

  562. Makes no sense. There's no such thing as the

  563. seven years to repent in Tribulation.

  564. What about this warning to? And I'll tell you something,

  565. folks, the word of God is so plain The word God just says it.

  566. Like it is. And this is what the word of God

  567. says, in verse 16 of 2nd, Peter chapter 3.

  568. And also in all his Epistles, speaking to them of these things

  569. in which are some things hard to understand, what's he talking

  570. about, he's talking about the end of time, he's talking about

  571. the resurrection. He said in some of these things,

  572. they're hard to understand what's going to happen.

  573. Though. There are those that are taught

  574. in there. Unstable people, untaught and

  575. unstable people, twist to their own destruction.

  576. The King James says, wrist WR, e, St.

  577. Ra Sting the scriptures. People are going to do that.

  578. The word of God says that. That's exactly what's going to

  579. happen. So what's going to happen at the

  580. resurrection? And I got to say it again, let's

  581. put all the emphasis on the great things that are going to

  582. happen in the resurrection. Do you remember when David?

  583. Sent from a famous chef and he was going to invite him in and

  584. you can invite him in to eat at his table for the rest of his

  585. life. That's a wonderful picture

  586. there, okay? And mephibosheth was scared to

  587. death, he did want to see the king as he thought he was going

  588. to kill him because that's what they did, that's what

  589. customarily they did. When the new king came in he

  590. took all the people from the other regime and family members

  591. and killed them all. Mephibosheth was scared out of

  592. his mind. The last thing he wanted was to

  593. see the king But the king showed, great, kindness and

  594. King. David said, I'm going to restore

  595. all the land of your father's house.

  596. Meaning your grandfather, King Saul.

  597. I'm going to give it all back to you.

  598. I'm going to give you people that are going to run everything

  599. and take care of everything. And then he said this and you

  600. will eat at my table for the rest of your life.

  601. Wonderful blessings, okay. Undeserved kind of like a child

  602. of God but for Christ's sake were forgiven.

  603. Okay? If Jesus comes back and I'm not

  604. living right then, Jesus is the last one.

  605. I want to see the king is the last one.

  606. I want to see. But if I am living right, and

  607. I'm living in accordance with the word of God and I'm a

  608. Christian faithful unto death. You know what, I can't wait to

  609. see the king. Remember Phil Kelly, we would

  610. sit right here and we'd have a singing and he would stand up

  611. and turn around to all of us and say you know, wouldn't be great

  612. if the Lord were just come back right now.

  613. Put an end to the whole thing. You know why?

  614. Because if you're ready, if you're prepared, you want to see

  615. the king, can't wait to see the king.

  616. Here's the world. Here's the world's perception,

  617. though. I want to go to heaven, I still

  618. want to go now not today. Got stuff to do.

  619. If you're ready, you'll want to see the king, what's going to

  620. happen in the end? Okay?

  621. Talk about all the things, that's not going to happen.

  622. What is going to happen? And I'm almost finished 1st

  623. Corinthians chapter 15, The Resurrection verses, 23, and 24.

  624. But each one in his own order Christ, the first fruits after

  625. those who are Christ's at his coming.

  626. Notice that Notice what's going to happen?

  627. Christ was raised from the dead first.

  628. What's next? The resurrection at his second

  629. coming. There's no Rapture.

  630. There's no tribulation. What comes next?

  631. Paul. What's next?

  632. What's going to happen next? I'll tell you what's going to

  633. happen next. It's The End.

  634. That's what's going to happen. It's the end Christ.

  635. The firstfruits of them that slept first one to die, be

  636. raised from the dead, never to die again.

  637. That happened. What's next?

  638. The next thing is. Guess what those that are

  639. Christ's at his coming or going to be raised to when and what's

  640. going to happen after that. It's going to be over.

  641. It'll be the end. What's it going to do two

  642. things? He's going to deliver the

  643. kingdom to God, the father. That's the church.

  644. He's going to hand the church to the father.

  645. Does that sound like a future rain?

  646. Watch this. Then he's going to put down or

  647. put an end to all Rule and all authority, and all power.

  648. So when he comes back, there's no Thousand-Year Reign

  649. physically on a throne and this life not at all.

  650. When he comes back, he's going to deliver the kingdom, the

  651. church to the father, and he's going to put down all Rule and

  652. all authority. And God will be all in all.

  653. One more thing. It's going to also be when death

  654. is conquered. you know, I think about this, I think about people

  655. that we have loved and lost dear people in our life that we have

  656. loved and lost to death. And while the Earth stands

  657. people are going to continue to die.

  658. But there's going to come a day when death will be conquered.

  659. And by the way, it's the it's the same day, it's the same day

  660. at the end and death will be conquered.

  661. How do I know that verses 40 54 and 55 of the same chapter?

  662. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this Mortal

  663. has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass.

  664. The saying that is written. Death is swallowed up in

  665. Victory. Oh death.

  666. Where is your sting? Oh, Hades.

  667. Where is your Victory? When's it going to happen when

  668. this corruptible body puts on incorruption and this Mortal

  669. body puts on immortality. No more rain.

  670. Kingdom handed to the father. Nothing else.

  671. It'll be over. The kingdom being delivered to

  672. God and putting down all rule must happen.

  673. At the same time that death is conquered and that is the and

  674. that is at the resurrection and there will not be a thousand

  675. year reign on the Earth. Folks, plane passages of

  676. scripture teach that the second coming will be the last thing

  677. that ever happens. That's why the word of God tells

  678. us to be ready. you know, Bob Smith used to always pray and I

  679. knew what he meant because the Bible teaches this to be ready

  680. and watching. Now, you can't watch because you

  681. can see it coming because you can't, it'll come as a thief in

  682. the night. But if I'm watching, I'm on

  683. guard. I'm on guard, I'm watching.

  684. So, if in my life, I do that. Very thing.

  685. I'm watching and I'm ready, and I'm prepared and I'm living as I

  686. should, I'm ready. When the Lord comes back, That's

  687. the greatest day of all and I'm going to tell you, I don't know

  688. everything there is to know about what's going to happen on

  689. that day. I know this though, I know this

  690. that if I'm saved, then this corruption will put on

  691. incorruption. And this Mortal put on

  692. immortality, I'm going to get a body like Jesus and I'm going to

  693. go to heaven and I'm going to be with God's people, for all

  694. eternity, better than get you fired up.

  695. I don't know what will Watching. So in conclusion, here are those

  696. four questions? I hope we can all say we know

  697. the answers to these. Number one, will there be a

  698. rapture? I'm not talking about the

  699. Resurrection, The Rapture is this.

  700. Jesus plucks the saves saved out while the other people stay on

  701. the earth for seven more years. No, no, there won't be a

  702. Rapture. Therefore there will not be

  703. seven years of tribulation. Jesus will not establish an

  704. Earthly Kingdom, he is already done that, he's already

  705. established a kingdom, a spiritual Kingdom, and the

  706. church is the Earthly institution of that Heavenly

  707. Kingdom, and he's raining over that church, that Kingdom right

  708. now. Will there be an Earthly

  709. Kingdom? No.

  710. And he will not rain on the Earth.

  711. For another thousand literal years.

  712. We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

  713. Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

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  716. Please email us at info at her Church of Christ

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