READ THE FIG LEAVES

Signs of the Times

STUDY 9

TOPIC 44—THE BINDING OF SATAN

Satan is Bound 1,000 Years

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. REVELATION 20:1-3

Jesus has returned to earth! He has defeated the armies of the whole world. They have been annihilated by the sword from his mouth! None are left living. The Antichrist and the false prophet have been captured and thrown into the lake of fire. Now it is the devil’s turn to be punished. “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.” REVELATION 20:1 God summons one of his regular angels, the angel is not named, to bind Satan. An arch angel is needed only when it is a mission of great importance or it is total war against Satan and all of his forces. “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:2 Chain in one hand and the devil in the other—an awesome display of the power that God gives to an angel!

John’s description of who is being bound takes away any doubt one might have as to the identity of the one being bound. All of the devil’s names used in Revelation are recounted here—the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan. He is thrown “… into the pit, and [the angel will] shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended…” REVELATION 20:3 Evil on the earth has now been totally removed and sealed away from the nations on earth. Satan will be gone for a thousand years. Now the thousand year kingdom of our Lord and his Christ will begin.

PART 6 THE END HAS COME

Prologue

The end of evil has come to earth. The Antichrist and the false prophet are in the lake of fire and the devil is sealed away in the bottomless pit. The seventh trumpet has sounded. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. And He will rule the earth righteously for one-thousand years with a rod of iron. At the starting of the millennium is the “sheep and goat” judgment. Then the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place.

After the one-thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison and will lead a short rebellion. All evil will then finally be destroyed and the devil moved to his eternal place in the lake of fire with the Antichrist, the false prophet, and all those that are evil. The great white throne judgment will be the last judgment. Then these heavens and this earth will pass away and new heavens and a new earth will be created. The new Jerusalem will descend to the new earth. Eternity continues!

TOPIC 45—THE END HAS COME—The Seventh Trumpet Sounds

The Seventh Trumpet Ends The Third Woe

The second woe ends with the two witnesses being killed then resurrected. The third woe began as soon as the second woe had passed. The third woe includes all of the things that happen in the last three and one-half years of Tribulation. In the first and second woes a trumpet was sounded at the start of each woe; but the third woe ends with the sound of the seventh trumpet. All evil has been destroyed or imprisoned. Either way evil has been removed from the earth. “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ…” The end has come—Not yet of the earth but of evil on earth.

The Seventh Trumpet—The End Has Come

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” REVELATION 11:15

“And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, [that there should be time no longer— KJV] but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” REVELATION 10:5-7

The angel swears by God that it is over! The mystery of God has been fulfilled. He never totally revealed his mystery to man; but now, no more secrets! No more trying to define the symbolism or seeking the spiritual. It is over! “‘Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.’” REVELATION 11:15 There is no more evil on the earth nor in the heavens. Now the King of kings and Lord of lords will reign righteously forever.

The twenty-four elders worship him and give him praise—recounting what has just happened! “And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, [note who is to come is omitted for he has come!] for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.’” REVELATION 11:16-18 “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.” PSALM 46:6

Now once more God displays the ark of his covenant and his power. Just as in Old Testament times the only thing needed to win the battle was to put God’s ark [his presence] on the battle front! “Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” REVELATION 11:19 This is the only time the ark of His covenant is mentioned in Revelation. In the new heavens, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem it is not again needed for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of the New Jerusalem. REVELATION 21:22

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. HEBREWS 2:7-9

Everything is in His control. Now we see everything in subjection to Him. He is crowned with glory and honor. HEBREWS 2:7-9 It is finished! JOHN 19:30 Our prayers have been answered! “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” MATTHEW 6:10 He has rewarded his servants, prophets and saints, he has poured out his wrath on evil, and he has destroyed the destroyers of this earth. REVELATION 11:18 The end of evil has come. The kingdom of the world has truly become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever. REVELATION 11:15

Rejoicing in Heaven

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. REVELATION 15:2-4

TOPIC 46—KINGDOM OF GOD

Kingdom of God

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” REVELATION 11:15

After Armageddon the seventh trumpet will sound. “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” REVELATION 11:15 The sound of that trumpet will be followed by one thousand years of tranquility as the reign of Jesus results in the world being filled with righteousness and justice; The millennium will be a time of peace. For Satan will be bound a thousand years! The millennium will be on the earth, a renewed and restored earth with a new government and an infinite ruler!

Prelude to the Millennium

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. REVELATION 20:4-6

At the beginning of the millennium there will be a judgment and a resurrection. “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed…” REVELATION 20:4 Those who are resurrected will be the “…souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands…” REVELATION 20:4 “…They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:4 “…This is the first resurrection.” REVELATION 20:5 They “…will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:6 Each of three verses REVELATION 20:4-6 mentions a thousand years. These three references and the context of each are proof of a pre-millennium first resurrection. I believe that there will be others that are resurrected in the first resurrection; but scripture witness to support the many views of who will be resurrected at the beginning of the millennium is lacking.

I believe the Old Testament Saints will be resurrected in the first resurrection. REVELATION 20:4-5 “…many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life…” DANIEL 7:2 “… I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land…” EZEKIEL 37:12-14 I believe that those Jewish Old Testament Saints that are resurrected will inhabit the land given to them in the Old Testament.

The “sheep and goat” judgment will take place at the beginning of the millennium. There is no mention in the Bible that those who are judged to be “sheep” will be changed to immortality or that they will rule with Christ. Some scholars believe these will be some of the mortal people on the earth and that they will live as described in Isaiah in the millennium. ISAIAH 65:20-25 It is believed by some that in addition to the life described in Isaiah, that as long as these mortals live righteously they will not die. PROVERBS 12:28 Life will be different in the millennium; but it some ways, at least for the mortals, life will be the same.

Although I believe there will be three distinct groups of people on earth during the millennium, immortal resurrected martyrs and immortal resurrected Old Testament Saints, and mortals from the “sheep and goat” judgment, there is not a lot of scripture witness to help identify them and their roles. Revelation chapter twenty validates the belief that those martyred in the Tribulation will be on earth during the millennium and scripture from Daniel and Ezekiel speak to a resurrection of Old Testament Saints at the end of time. We do know when the devil is released at the end of the millennium there will be those who are deceived by him and destroyed with him. No immortal would ever do that! This confirms, for me, that mortal people will live on the restored earth during the millennium.

Sheep and Goat Judgment

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. MATTHEW 25:31-34

This is the only scripture in the Bible where a “sheep and goat” judgment is mentioned; but I believe the Sheep and Goat Judgment will take place at the beginning of the Millennium. Not all of the people on earth will be killed at Armageddon—just the armies of the world. And in all nations not all have taken the mark of the beast. Further, God has protected those who fled to the wilderness during the abomination of desolation. REVELATION 12:6 So those who are still living on earth will be judged. No resurrected people will be at this judgment. Those to be judged will include all who are left on earth after the battle of Armageddon. To those He judges to be sheep He will say, “…Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” MATTHEW 25:34 I cannot find scripture that says those judged to be sheep in this judgment will be given immortal bodies. To those he judges to be goats—they will be reserved in punishment until the Great White Throne Judgment.

Scripture Witness for the First Resurrection

This is the first resurrection. It is scripture witness that it is the first resurrection and that it will be before the beginning of the Millennium.

Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” JOHN 11:24

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. ACTS 24:14-15

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. JOHN 5:25

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. JOHN 5:28-29

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. DANIEL 12:1-2

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord. EZEKIEL 37:12-14

The Martyrs are in the First Resurrection

“…I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:4 Many in the Bible believed there would be a resurrection at the “last day.” Martha expressed this hope to Jesus. JOHN 11:24 Paul expressed his beliefs in a resurrection when he defended himself before Felix. He said he had “…hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.” ACTS 24:15 This is that resurrection.

Old Testament Saints are in the First Resurrection

Jesus declared “…an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God…” John 5:25 Then he said, “… an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John 5:28-29 Although this scripture seems to imply that both the good and the evil will be resurrected at the same time, a close reading reveals, at least to me, that these are two different times. The good will resurrected to life—in the first resurrection. And those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement—the great White Throne Judgment—where the “dead” are judged.

Again, only the good will be resurrected in the First Resurrection. Those that are evil will appear later at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Daniel places this resurrection [the First Resurrection] after the Tribulation through his prophecy; DANIEL 12:1-2 Ezekiel prophesied about a resurrection of Old Testament Saints. “…Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.” EZEKIEL 37:12 Daniel’s and Ezekiel’s prophecies are about Old Testament Saints and their resurrection.

In verse twelve it says, “…I will bring you into the land of Israel.” And then in verse fourteen it says, “…I will place you in your own land…” There is no doubt that when he “…open your graves and raise you from your graves…” that the Old Testament saints will be resurrected and that he will place them in Israel—their own land—the promised land.

The Heavens and Earth During the Millennium

The views of the Heavens and the Earth of the end-times, during the millennium, and in eternity vary greatly among scholars. My study of the Bible, in particular, and my readings of the views of others has caused me to believe that after all the devastation of the Tribulation these heavens and this earth will need to be restored or renewed. The earth has undergone many transformations in the Tribulation. Many things will happen to this earth in the end-time. “The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” REVELATION 6:14 Although all evil will be purged from these heavens and this earth, “…according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” II PETER 3:13

Before God makes a full end of the heavens and earth, Jeremiah says they will be much as they were in the beginning—before God puts his creative powers to work. The heavens and earth will have some major renovation before the millennium.

I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. For thus says the Lord, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. “For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” JEREMIAH 4:23-28

These new heavens and new earth will never experience any unrighteousness; but this existing earth will at the end of the millennium once again experience rebellion by Satan and unrighteousness. “But by the same word [the Word of God] the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” II PETER 3:7 The day of judgment and the final destruction of the ungodly happens at the Great White Throne Judgment. “…Then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” II PETER 3:10 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” MATTHEW 24:35 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” REVELATION 21:1

In summary, the heavens and the earth, will have been renovated and purged of all evil. They will not cease to exist; but they will have been radically changed. The judgments of God and the bowls of his wrath will have not only affected mankind, they will also have a devastating effect on the heavens and the earth. The end result of all of this devastation was to prepare the heavens and the earth for a renewal of them to make them suitable for the millennium and the one thousand year rule of Jesus Christ.

The positions and views of the heavens and earth during the millennium are many; but I believe it will be a return to type of a Garden of Eden with the earth and the heavens as they were before the fall of man. Absent will be the devil and his angels. New heavens and a new earth come after the millennium.

The Heavens—Not only have the heavens been purged of evil. The heavens have been restored to their original condition and beauty as they were when they were created. The air is clean. The climate will be perfectly suited for mankind. The weather forecast will be the same for every day. We will need nothing to protect us from the sun, the atmosphere or the weather. Everything about the heavens will be perfect.

The Earth—The earth will be as planned by God. It will be a beautiful and fertile place. It will have a large variety of useful trees and plants. It will have abundant resources. Everything mankind needs in materials and natural resources will be readily available. It will be a pastoral place—rugged and unfriendly terrain will be gone. All of the damage done by the flood will be restored. It will be a return to Garden of Eden qualities.

Those Who Will Rule —Jesus Christ Rules

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. MATTHEW 6:10

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” REVELATION 17:14

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. REVELATION 19:15

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ISAIAH 9:6

For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us. ISAIAH 33:22

Jesus Christ Rules—His kingdom has come. His will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven. MATTHEW 6:10 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings…” REVELATION 17:14 At His second coming He will at first be warrior King; for “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron…” REVELATION 19:15 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” JEREMIAH 23:5“But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. HEBREWS 1:8

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.” MATTHEW 25:31 “…the government shall be upon his shoulder…” ISAIAH 9:6 “For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king…” ISAIAH 33:22

God will show those who live on the earth how he had intended that all nations should have been ruled. The earth has been drastically changed by His judgments and wrath. Now the government will change too. He will rule with a “rod of iron.” REVELATION 19:15 It will be different from any rule of man.

It will be a theocracy. He will be the absolute ruler over every person and creature and over all aspects of all things. There will be no parliaments or congresses. While He is King of kings and Lord of lords and does not need any help, He has promised that some will be judges and others will reign with Him. Still others will be priests unto God.

The Disciples Will Sit on Twelve Thrones—Justice will not be blind as some statues at Federal Courthouses may suggest; for he sees the hearts of all mankind. I KINGS 8:39 “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed…” REVELATION 20:4 And the twelve Apostles will sit on thrones to judge and they will be assigned a kingdom to rule. MATTHEW 19:28 & LUKE 22:29-30 There will be no corrupt or dishonest judges. Only the righteous will be judges. They will judge by the authority given to them by Jesus Christ. It will be a strict kingdom; but it will have a righteous ruler. There will be no “ten horn kings over ten nations.” Nor will there be any Old Testament kings or kingdoms; but rather twelve Apostles over twelve kingdoms as judges!

Saints Will Judge the World and Reign With Christ 1,000 Years—“Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world…” I CORINTHIANS 6:2 “if we endure, we will also reign with him…” II TIMOTHY 2:12 And “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.” REVELATION 2:26-27 “And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” DANIEL 7:27

Martys Shall Reign as Priests—“… Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:4 After they are resurrected, “… they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:6

Those Who Populate Earth During the Millennium

The Martyrs in the First Resurrection—will populate the earth during the Millennium. “…I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” REVELATION 20:4 They will be immortal.

Old Testament Saints in the First Resurrection—Scripture in John refers to the resurrection of the Old Testament Saints. Daniel places this resurrection after the Tribulation through his prophecy; DANIEL 12:1-2 And those who are resurrected at this time will be the Old Testament Saints. Ezekiel prophesied about a resurrection of Old Testament Saints. “…Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.” EZEKIEL 37:12 They will inhabit the earth and these, too, will be immortal.

Sheep From the Sheep and Goat Judgment—will populate the earth during the Millennium. The Goats will be condemned to Hell and may again appear a second time at the Great White Throne Judgment where they along with the rest of the “dead” will face eternal destruction!

A Remnant of Jews—will be on the earth during the Millennium.

The Jews Who Fled to the Wilderness—will be on the earth during the Millennium.

Saints Reign With Christ 1,000 Years— “And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” DANIEL 7:27 The Saints who will reign with will be the Old Testament Saints and all Saints who are not a part of the Bride of the Lamb.

Life on Earth During the Millennium

1,000 Years is a Long Time—Jesus Christ’s one thousand year rule will be the only kingdom that started with a ruler ruling over the whole earth and it will be the only kingdom where the same ruler ruled for one thousand years. The Holy Roman Empire lasted about one thousand years. It had more than sixty rulers. [In the United States’ first two hundred years there were forty presidents. That would equate to two hundred presidents in one thousand years.] Some believe the one thousand year rule of Jesus Christ is symbolic only. Others believe His rule is fulfillment of all of His Promises to Israel—the Davidic Covenant.

The millennium will be the first time Israel will have occupied all of the lands in the exact borders that have been promised to Abraham. GENESIS 12:1-3, 7 An heir of David will sit on this throne in perpetuity as promised. LUKE 1:32-33 Nations, mankind and creation will be at peace; and that there will be no sicknesses and limited death; and the Garden of Eden will be restored—to a paradise of God.

There will be two kinds of people on the restored earth. Those who are mortal and those resurrected in the First Resurrection who have been transformed to be like Jesus. Life for the mortals who are on earth will continue to some degree as it has always been with marriages and with children still being born and people still dying. [There will still be many graves on earth for the dead have not yet been resurrected for the Great White Throne Judgment.] The rule under the Lord Jesus Christ will be a righteous rule. There will be peace on earth; for these mortals can have a relationship with Jesus Christ. There will still be a temple in Jerusalem; but it will not be a temple for blood sacrifices; but rather a house of prayer.

It will be a paradise. ISAIAH 11:6-12 & ISAIAH 65:17-25 Just as Adam was assigned to tend the garden, there will still be work to be done on earth. GENESIS 2:15 Man’s work will be fruitful for the earth will be fertile. Even though the restored earth will be like the first garden, at the end of the millennium when the devil leads his rebellion, there will be those mortals on earth who are once again deceived and follow the devil. They, too, will be destroyed along with the devil.

Those immortals who are on earth will rule and reign with Jesus Christ at His pleasure. Some will be priests unto God. They will ascend and descend “Jacob’s Latter” as their ruling and priestly duties require. They will not be and cannot be tempted by the devil in his rebellion.

This restored earth and Jesus’ one thousand year rule will bridge the Tribulation and the final destruction of all evil, the devil’s last rebellion and the destruction of this earth. Then this earth will pass away. MATTHEW 24:35 A new earth will be created. This new earth will never know evil. It will be a part of eternity. It will be much different from the old earth—even different from the restored earth. Then New Jerusalem will descend and all of the saved of God’s creation will step into eternity with God who is without beginning or ending!

TOPIC 47—THE MARRIAGE and MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

The Marriage of the Lamb

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. REVELATION 19:7-8

John did not see the “marriage;” but heard the loud proclamation, “…for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready.” REVELATION 19:7 Later he was shown “…the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” REVELATION 21:9 “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” REVELATION 21:10 John was carried away in the spirit to see the Bride; but he was shown the “…the holy city New Jerusalem…”

The residents of the New Jerusalem are the Bride of Christ. It is the place He is preparing for us. In the new Jerusalem there are resident restrictions, “…only those who [whose names] are written in the Lamb’s book of life” REVELATION 21:27 can enter there. [The Church] The Lamb’s book of life only contains the names of those He has redeemed by His blood! Those who are “in” Christ—those who are the “body” of Christ—the Bride of the Lamb. It is a different book from The Book of Life. “And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb…’” REVELATION 19:9 Again, John did not see the marriage or the marriage supper of the Lamb but was told to write about it. Some believe from New Testament writings the marriage of the Lamb of God and the marriage supper will closely follow old Jewish Wedding traditions.

Jewish Wedding Traditions

In ancient Jewish weddings a contract or covenant that included a bride price was presented to the bride and her father. The father of the bride received a dowry for his daughter; but Jesus Christ purchased us with the redemption bought on the cross “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” COLOSSIANS 2:14 A new covenant enacted on better promises HEBREWS 8:6 is given to us today. The promise by faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe. GALATIANS 3:22 If acceptable to the bride, the groom tells her he will go and prepare a place for her and promises to return for her when the place is ready. JOHN 14:3 He did not give her a time for his returning; for only his father can decide when everything is ready. MATTHEW 24:36 Meanwhile the bride Is making herself pure and beautiful and making sure that she is ready and watching MATTHEW 25:13 at all times for his return. The Bride keeps everything nearby, she is ready to go. REVELATION 19:7

If the groom was asked when he would return he would reply, “Only my father knows the day and hour.” MATTHEW 24:36 When the father of the groom determines everything is completed, he will tell the groom, “Son, go get your bride.” [In Revelation He is told everything is ready. REVELATION 14:15] The groom and his friend would then go and get his bride. When they were near they would shout and blow a shofar so she would be ready to go when He arrived. MATTHEW 24:31 & I THESSALONIANS 4:16

The wedding meant the betrothed woman—the bride—accompanied by a colorful procession was bought from her father’s house to the bridal chamber the groom had prepared in his father’s house. When they arrive they go into the bridal chambers for seven days. GENESIS 29:27-28 When the groom tells his friend the marriage had been consummated, his friend informs the others. The friends celebrate for the seven days that couple are in the bridal chambers. The festivities the guests enjoyed during the seven days the bride and groom are in the bridal chambers are not the marriage supper—this happens when the bride and bridegroom come out of the bridal chambers. [1] [2]

The Lamb of God—The Bridegroom

In Genesis Abraham prophesied “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering…” GENESIS 22:8 John the Baptist confirmed God had provided his own sacrifice when he said, “…Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” JOHN 1:29 Then John, the writer of Revelation saw him in heaven. “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…” REVELATION 5:6 John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the bridegroom and to Himself as the friend of the bridegroom. “‘You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.’” JOHN 3:28-29 In a question about fasting Jesus referred to Himself as the bridegroom. “… Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.” MARK 2:19-20 So the Lamb [the Bridegroom] can be none other than Jesus Christ!

Bride of the Lamb

The apostle Paul helps to identify the Bride. He writes to the Corinthians, “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.” II CORINTHIANS 11:2 Further, in his writings to the Ephesians, Paul uses the metaphor of the Church as the Bride of Christ by explaining that the relationship between wives and husbands should be like the relationship between Christ and the Church. “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” EPHESIANS 5:24 “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.’” EPHESIANS 5:31-32 Those who are “in” Christ—those who are the “body” of Christ—the Bride of the Lamb is the Church!

Friend of the Bridegroom

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. JOHN 3:29

John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom!

Those Who Are Invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God.” REVELATION 19:9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. ISAIAH 25:6

The saints from the Old Testament, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and many from east and west MATTHEW 8:11 will be the invited guests at the marriage supper of the Lamb. They will be resurrected in the First Resurrection at the start of the millennium.

Epilogue

So many events surround the mid-point of Tribulation and the end of Tribulation that it is difficult to place them in any concrete position in a timeline. To congeal my beliefs about the marriage of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and His bride and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, I postulate the following positions that have already been stated and proofed in this and other sections of this book:

Jesus Christ will appear in the Heavens at or near the mid-point of Tribulation and those “in Christ,” both dead and alive, will be taken to the place, His Father’s house, that He went to prepare for us. Not all will be taken. Only those whose lamps are burning will go with Him. MATTHEW 25:1-10 The place he has prepared for His bride is the New Jerusalem. Only those “in Christ,” the Church, will be a part of the bride and will live in the New Jerusalem. The “wedding” takes place in the New Jerusalem after we are caught away. In the house of the groom’s Father.

The friend of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, is John the Baptist.

Then the Old Testament Saints will be resurrected in the First Resurrection This will be after Armageddon and after Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit—at the start of the Millennium. These Old Testament Saints will be those guests who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. I believe that the marriage supper will take place during the millennium.

Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.

Over a Period of Two + Years

Finished October 28, 2023

Edited November 12, 2023

Last Edited May 31, 2024

STUDY EIGHT

STUDY TEN COMING MAY 2025