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The afterlife is a lot more than just Heaven & Hell.
This world is a mess, and it just seems to get worse. And then there is a 7-year tribulation that makes it even worse! What is it going to take to fix this world?
The world will be so bad that only one thing could make things better.
Only one event could be powerful enough to stop this onslaught of evil.
Only ONE PERSON could show up to save the day. Jesus Christ!
Jesus is coming back a 2nd time and when He does, He will set up a 1000 year reign. When Jesus shows up, the world will realize that He is the King that they had always been searching for.
Chris Fluitt
Welcome back for the 3rd week of the afterlife series. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am blessed to be the lead pastor here at Redemption Church in the great city of Plano, Tx.
The Afterlife is a lot more than just Heaven & Hell
As we build this afterlife timeline we notice that there is a lot more to the afterlife than eternity in heaven or hell.
In 2 weeks we have talked about a rapture and a tribulation. If you missed those weeks or would like to re-watch them, I invite you to check our video & full sermon notes at redemptionplano.com.
Afterlife timeline 1
Here is what our afterlife timeline looks like so far.
- We have a rapture. It happens either pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post tribulation.
- The tribulation is a 7 year period of time designed to get Israel ready for their messiah, Jesus Christ.
Today, in this 3rd week of the series were we are going to talk about the 2nd coming & the millennial reign of Jesus Christ
Last week we made it clear that the world is getting worse. This world will continue to get worse and, as it enters the 7 year tribulation it will get a lot worse. Judgment & wrath like no one has ever seen will be poured out upon this earth. It will be so terrible that people will beg to die… Jesus says this in Luke 23:30 (Rev 6:16)
Luke 23:30 (NIV) Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
The world will be so bad that only one thing could make things better.
Only one event could be powerful enough to stop this onslaught of evil.
Only ONE PERSON could show up to save the day.
WHEN JESUS ARRIVES THINGS GET BETTER!
Church who am I talking about? JESUS! This is our message! When Jesus arrives everything gets better!
Jesus Christ is coming back to Earth. We call this the 2nd coming of Christ.
The 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ
Jesus came the first time and was born in a manger to bear the sin of the world. When Jesus comes the 2nd time it will be to save the world.
Hebrews 9:28 (NIV) so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Christ will come a 2nd time! The prophet Zechariah tells us what that will be like.
Zechariah 14:3-5 (NIV) Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. …my God will come, and all the holy ones (saints) with him.
This is at the end of the tribulation when Jesus goes out to fight against the nations of the anti-christ at the battle at Armageddon. It says “on that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. This is the site of the “sermon on the mount” and later the site of His ascension. Jesus is going to return at the exact place he left us, just as the Angels said “He will return in like manner.” (Acts 1:11)
When His feet touch down at the Mount of Olives, that mountain will become a valley. That Mount of Olives will be split in half at his return.
Afterlife timeline 2
Here is what this looks like on our afterlife timeline.
Jesus returns with his angels & saints. (1 Thess 3:13, Jude 14, Zechariah 14:5)
Jesus conquers! We are told in Revelation 19 that the Anti-Christ/the beast & the False Prophet are captured thrown into the lake of fire. The rest of the armies who were gathered together to destroy Israel where destroyed by a sword that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus. The sword represents the Truth. The Truth, the Word of God, always defeats the enemy.
This ends the darkness of the tribulation. This ending of the tribulation becomes the beginning of something vastly better. When Jesus arrives, things get better! This is the beginning of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ
The first moments of the reign of Jesus are when He takes our adversary, the devil and does this…
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.(NIV)
Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.(NIV)
Revelation 20:3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.(NIV)
Satan on a chain is Satan bound; Satan sealed away in an unescapable prison called the abyss.
Just an un-named nondescript angel is all it takes to subdue the devil. This is the same sight that the prophet Isaiah saw.
Isaiah 14:15-16 (NIV) But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
Afterlife Timeline 3
Satan is called the god of this world in 2 Cor. 4:4
The true GOD OF THIS WORLD, JESUS CHRIST, has come to Earth. He has chained up the fraud, Lucifer and chained him up in the abyss. This is what happens at the start of the Millennial Reign.
I want you notice that Christ came to earth to fight the battle of Armageddon: never does it say that Jesus ascends back to heaven. When Jesus comes back to Earth HE NEVER LEAVES AGAIN!
Let’s describe the Millennial Reign further.
Christ will reign over the earth for 1000 years during the millennial reign. This happens before heaven & hell. This reign happens after the rapture & tribulation. (Some have a different viewpoint on when the millennium reign starts)
1000 years?
Where do we get this 1000 years from? Is this literal or symbolic?
Revelation 20 describes events in the Millennial Reign (millennium means 1000 years) and in the 1st 7 verses of the chapter it mentions 1000 years 6 times. If you remember, your bible doesn’t repeat things unless it is really important information. The repeating of 1000 years leads me to think it will actually be 1000 years.
Also we believe that Satan will literally be chained. We believe that Satan is going to be sealed in a deep abyss. We believe Jesus will literally rule and reign on Earth.
Jesus in the Millennium
What will Jesus be doing?
Jesus will be Reigning. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). He will rule the world in power, righteousness and glory. His reign will usher in a time of peace and prosperity like nothing the world has ever experienced. His reign will finally bring justice and holiness to the world. (One world government)
Jesus will be Ruling. The Bible tells us that Jesus will “rule the world with a scepter/rod of iron.” (Revelation 19:15) Like a shepherd, Jesus will guide the entire population of the world.
Jesus will be Receiving. In the Millennial kingdom He will receive the glory He has always deserved. All people from every nation will come and bow at His feet and worship the King of Glory! Instead of cursing His name, men will worship Him and shout His praises! What a day that will be!
The world has never had a ruler like this. All human rulers are controlled by their lusts for power, for wealth and for self-glory. Jesus, on the other hand, will reign in perfect righteousness. Jesus will do things “Right! Jesus is the ruler mankind have always looked for!
People in the Millennium
There will be people in the new Millennium. These are people that made it through the tribulation period. They will continue to live. They will populate the earth.
There will be procreation. Children will be born. There will be death, but people will live longer. Isaiah 65:20
There won’t be sickness, disease, or anyone born with deformity. (Isaiah 29:17-19; 35:3-6 & 33:24; Jeremiah 30:17; 33:6)
God will remove the curse placed upon the earth at the fall of man. (Genesis 3:17-19) During the millennium there will be an increase in the productivity of the earth, causing animals to lose any need for their ferocity and venom. (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25)
There will be world-wide peace. There will be no war. (Isaiah 2:4, 9:6-7)
There will be free will. There will be disagreements among people, but Jesus, who sits on the throne of David, will judge and keep the peace. (Isaiah 2:4)
There will be labor, and no laziness, nor any need of welfare. All needs will be provided for by the labor of men under direction of the King of Kings. Isaiah 62:8-9; 65:21-23; Jeremiah 31:5)
No one will steal your stuff! (Isaiah 65:22-23)
There will be no oppression: no more racism or social, political, economic or religious oppression. (Isaiah 14:3-6; 42:6-7; 49:8-9; Zechariah 9:11-12.) THERE WILL BE NO IRS!
Unified Language – All language barriers will be removed. (Zephaniah 3:9)
Unified Worship – The entire world will worship the One True God! (Isaiah 45:23; 66:17-23; Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 14:16; 8:23; Malachi 1:11)
Fellowship with God will be experienced to an unprecedented degree, for everyone will enjoy “open-access” to Jesus Christ. Not only can you see Him face to face, but also everyone will have direct communication with Jesus from wherever they are in the world.
Isaiah 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.(NIV)
This is pretty exciting, right!? We don’t go straight to heaven. There is a Millennial Reign coming and we can see some of the attributes of Heaven in this 1000 year reign of Christ. Christ is showing off His Kingdom!
Remember when Jesus prayed “Your Kingdom come… Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven… THIS IS THAT MOMENT!
The Earth will be populated by those who made it through the tribulation… but there are others…
Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge…
Who are “THOSE?”
There are other people in the Millennium Reign.
The Raptured in the Millennium
Last week we talked about the Rapture – the catching away of the prepared bride of Christ. Those that have been raptured from Earth will return to Earth in the Millennium Reign. Those that have been raptured have it BETTER than everyone else in the 1000 year reign.
You will want to receive the Rapture Reward
There is something better than heaven! The reward for those in the rapture is great. Make up in your mind that you want to be ready when Jesus comes. We will be talking more about this reward in the next weeks.
Why the rapture & why the Millennial Reign? Because… God has so much more to show us.
God gave us Christ Jesus. This gift revealed more about God that we had ever known. The Angel said “You shall call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins…” That was the last time God revealed a name…
In the Millennial Reign God is going to reveal a new name. God is going to reveal more that we know about Him now.
Do you think that you know everything there is to know about God? Think again!
At the END of the millennial reign satan will be released.
Afterlife Timeline 4
At the end of the 1000 years Satan is to be released… He deceives enough people to create an army. He marches that army to surround Jerusalem. It is there that Satan’s army is devoured by fire from heaven. Satan then joins his own anti-christ & false prophet in the lake of fire. This is the end of Satan! (Revelation 20)
Jesus wins. Do you want Him to win in your life today?
Musician:
King Jesus
The first time Jesus came to earth He came as a suffering servant (Isaiah 52:13 & 53)
The 2nd time Jesus comes to earth it will be as a conquering King! (Daniel 2:44)
There are some scriptures you love to quote that won’t be fulfilled until King Jesus shows up and reigns on Earth. Here is one you quote every Christmas.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.(NIV)
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.(NIV)
Jesus is the King the world has always been looking for.
His government is righteous and full of peace.
Our world has a lot of people hungry for a better world… We must tell them that Jesus is the King they are looking for.
You do not have to wait for the Millennial Reign for Him to become your King.
You can let God’s Kingdom come now. You can let Him rule in Peace now.
It’s time each of us allow Christ to rule & reign.