Transcript
By: Pastor Ebenezer T. NacitaSenior Pastor / FBCM
REMARKSREMARKS 1. THE WORLD IS CONFUSED ON WHAT TO BELIEVE
– NOT MAINLY BECAUSE OF MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSING MESSAGES, TEACHINGS AND EMPHASIS OF CHRISTIANITY.
2. OUR THEOLOGY APPEARS CONFUSING EVEN TO THE BELIEVERS BECAUSE WE HAVE SYSTEMATZED OUR THEOLOGY BY COLLECTING AND COLLATING THE VIEWS OF ALL THEOLOGIANS AND PUT THEM TOGETHER IN ONE PUBLICATION
WE NEED “SYSTEMATIC CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY” TO RENFORCE OUR COMMITMENT FOR MISSION – THE SALVATION OF THE LOST, THE GROWTH IN THE FAITH OF THE BELIEVER, AND HIS STEDFAST AND FAITHFUL SERVICE TO GOD.
IN OUR PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL, HAVE EVER TRIED TO ASK – “WHERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE MADE DECISIONS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST? ARE THEY THEY GROWING IN FAITH? ARE THEY FOUND STEDFAST AND FAITHFUL IN SERVING GOD?”
ONE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS “WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF OUR MESSAGE WITH OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUPS?”
THE GREATEST QUESTION IS “DID WE PREACH THE TRUE CHRIST?”
To understand SYSTEMATIC SYSTEMATIC CHRISTIAN THEOLOGYCHRISTIAN THEOLOGY, it is necessary to have a good working definition on
“BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY“BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY.” BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY is – [1 – WHAT] The dynamic missionary movement: [2 – OBJECT OF BELIEF] That dogmatically and vigilantly affirms
that there is ONLY ONE GOD in whom all things have their source, support and destiny,
Who revealed Himself through the HOLY SCRIPTURES in three distinct persons [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] but belonging to ONLY ONE Divine essence;
[3 – PURPOSE] For the purpose of redeeming man
from sin by GRACE ALONE, through FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE;
[4 - MOTIVATON] Motivated by love for God, for His
Word, for His work and for His people;
[5 - MEANS] Utilizing ways and means that do
not contradict Scriptures;
[6 – POWER] Empowered by the Holy Spirit through
faithful preaching of the Word, [2 Tim. 3:16-17] “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may become mature and prepared”
[7 – GOAL] For Christian ministry in the local
church according to the gifts he receives from the Holy Spirit.
Introduction to Christian Systematic
Theology Christianity is CHRIST: Who He was, who He is, and who
He will be; What He has done, what He is
now doing and what He will be doing in the future and through all eternity.
Christian Theology Christian Theology therefore, must be therefore, must be
viewed and viewed and interpreted in the interpreted in the light of the person light of the person
and work of the Lord and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.
When Bible doctrines are isolated from Christology, there is a great danger that Christ may not be made pre-eminent.
And when He is not given the prominent role in our Systematic Christian Theology, our Theology may not be truly Christian and therefore, may not have God’s power to save, [Rom 1:16].
When Jesus prophesied in Matt When Jesus prophesied in Matt 16:18 that 16:18 that He will build his church will build his church [The Christian movement][The Christian movement], ,
““Biblical TheologyBiblical Theology”, which was ”, which was primarily Old Testament, became primarily Old Testament, became “CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY”“CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY” with the with the completion of the 27 books of the completion of the 27 books of the New Testament. New Testament.
From the focus on the Father in the From the focus on the Father in the Old Testament, the focus now is on Old Testament, the focus now is on the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every Christian doctrine must be viewed through the “prism” of the Gospel of Christ.
True Christianity is Trinitarian and Monotheistic.
Christ must be the center of Biblical Christian Theology.
As such, all Bible doctrines must be viewed through his nature, character and ministry.
God’s power to save, [Rom. 1:16] is in the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ stated as follows:
The Lord Jesus Christ is The SON, identified as the “LOGOS” the second person of the Trinity, the “Kinsman Redeemer”, the Lamb of God which taketh away the SIN of the world.
He is Co-eternal, Co-Divine and Co-redemptive [also equal in His Pre-incarnate state, Phil. 2:5-8 and His Post-redemptive work, 1 Cor. 15:24-28] with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
His identity is seen in the following fundamental
TRUTHS about Him: 1. JESUS CHRIST IS THE
CREATOR OF ALL THINGS - ONE WITH THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT –
in creation, in the maintenance and in determining the future of all things, visible and invisible.
[John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17].
2. JESUS CHRIST BECAME INCARNATE THROUGH THE MIRACLE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH.
[John 1:14; Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14 Matt 1: 18-25; John 3:16].
3. JESUS CHRIST, AS GOD IN FLESH, WAS ABSOLUTELY SINLESS AND HOLY IN THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED.
He was the Lamb without blemish and without spot typified by the OT Offerings and sacrifices.
[John 1:29; 1 Pet. 2:22-25]
4. JESUS CHRIST AS THE RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY GOD IN FLESH, TOOK ON HIMSELF THE PENALTY OF THE SIN OF THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE –
so that by his death, God’s wrath for man’s sin was appeased and Divine justice carried out for sin.
Only by the death of the righteous Savior can forgiveness be granted to all who come to Christ as their Redeemer from sin, (I Pet 1:18,19; Lev 16:30,34; Heb. 9:8-28; I Pet 3:l8).
5. JESUS CHRIST WAS BURIED AND AFTER THREE DAYS ROSE AGAIN –
proving that his sacrifice was accepted by the Father.
If he did not rise as he said, our faith is in vain and we would still be in our unsaved condition - still sinners condemned
[I Cor. 15:13-17; Acts 2:24 - Father; Rom 8:11 - Holy Spirit; John 10:l8 – Son].
6. JESUS CHRIST, THE RISEN LORD, ASCENDED TO HEAVEN AFTER FORTY DAYS OF POST-RESURRECTION MINISTRY –
to become the Only High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator for man.
[John 14:6; 1 Tim.2: 5; Hebrews 8,9]
7. JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN FOR THE CHURCH [his body and bride] AT THE RAPTURE; 1 Thess. 4:13-17;
AND FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL [after the Battle of Armageddon] WITH ALL THE SAINTS [OT saints, Church or NT saints, and Tribulation saints] TO BECOME THE KING OF THE THRONE OF DAVID [Israeli Empire] of the last millennium.
Christ as the SECOND ADAM, (the first Adam is the head of the human race in the first millennium) will complete His ministry as “CHRISTOS”, THE ANOINTED PROPHET, PRIEST AND KING.
Acts 1: 8-11; John 14:6; Titus 2:13; Matt 24:42-51; Revelation chapters 4-22
These seven above-mentioned truths must be the primary bases for interpreting all Bible doctrines.
In this approach we will discuss all doctrines in the light of seven [7] fundamental truths in the Gospel of Christ.
SAMPLE LESSON - DOCTRINE OF MAN
REMARKS: GOD directly and immediately created
man in His own image and likeness, image of holiness and righteousness which man lost at his fall.
He did not came into existence by evoluton.
Man was created free from sin but with intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to GOD [Gen. 1:26-28; James 3:9]; and with body, soul and spirit [1 Thess. 5:23].
Man was created to glorify GOD, to live his life in the will of GOD and to enjoy His fellowship, so that by so doing he may fulfill his role as the steward of GOD’S creation, [Genesis 1:26-30; Revelation 4:11; Isaiah 43:7; Colossians1:18].
Because of Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God,
> man lost his holiness, > incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, > became subject to the wrath of God, > became inherently corrupt, > and utterly incapable of pleasing God in his
thoughts, words and deeds apart from God's Grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
[Isa. 64:6; Matt. 5:20; Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Rom. 3: 23; 6:23; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1-9; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8].
All of mankind issued from the loins of Adam, and that the consequence of his sin was transmitted and imputed to all men except the LORD JESSUS CHRIST.
All men thus, are sinners by divine declaration, by nature, and by choice,
[Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18,23; 5:12-20; Js. 2:10].
The origin of tribes/people’s groups and languages was God’s divine intervention at the Tower of Babel [Genesis 11].
With that event came the human races [colors, sizes, and other physical features] through the wonder of genetics.
It was there where they started to move out into the uttermost parts of the earth and developed their unique and distinct cultures, governments and religions [Genesis 11:28-30].
1. MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THEDEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
In most of Christendom, the creation and origin of man is not attributed to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
It is always God the Father who is declared as the creator of all things.
But based on revelations in the New Testament, the LORD JESUS CHRIST too, is the creator of man,
John 1:3; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16].
The four [4] Gospels record his earthly ministry as God in flesh.
This is re-enforced in the Pauline Epistles and in the book of Revelation where He is introduced as Divine and pre-eminent in creation and pre-eminent at the end of times, particularly through all eternity,
[Philippians 2:5-11, Revelation 21-22].
Sadly, the roles of the LORD JESUS CHRIST in the CREATION, redemption, sanctification and the glorification of man had not been given emphasis in many churches of the previous generations.
All cults [distortions of Christianity] have thrived and grown in overwhelming proportion today because Evangelical Christianity may have weakened this truth by default - not giving it due emphasis.
2. MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THEINCARNATION OF THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST
The Incarnation [God manifest in the flesh] clearly teaches that the special recipient of God’s eternal salvation is man.
The LORD JESUS CHRIST did not bacame an angel [“angelize”] to save angels, nor did He became an animal [“animalize”] to save animals.
Man therefore is of great eternal value because God made him so. [Gen. 1:26-27; Mark 8:36].
But Man is truly unworthy of God’s salvation as the psalmist humbly inquires, “What is man that thou are mindful of him?” [Psalm 8:4]. His greatest problem was his fall into sin.
He became totally depraved. He needs to be redeemed, [1 Peter 1:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:17].
Man everywhere must be taught that in the fullness of time, the Father sent the Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST so that man may be reconciled to the God.
Then after salvation, man becomes a masterpiece so unique and most privilege but most accountable to God among God’s creatures, [Ephesians 2:8-9].
The whole process of redemption was all figured out by God. All barriers had been removed through the INCARNATION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, [Romans 10:9-17].
There is only one miracle and one mystery of the incarnation – God becoming man through the virgin birth.
No other incarnation is taught in Scriptures. The reverse [man becoming God] is not only unscriptural but strictly forbidden, [Exodus 20: 1-2].
The term “after its kind” in Genesis 1 is a Biblical principle that negates the evolutionary theory [Theistic or Darwinian].
Angels will always be angels, man will always be man. Man reincarnating [living again in human form] or transmigrating [living again in other forms of life] after death are teachings that will surely lead man away from the Gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST which is God’s power to save, [Romans1:16].
These are anti-Biblical and anti-Christian ideas propagated by paganism.
3. MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THERIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST The LORD JESUS CHRIST alone should be
man’s righteousness and holiness before God. Without identifying with him through faith, there
can be no salvation. Man’s good works must only be the result of
God’s mercy and pardon.
It must be done as part of his spiritual growth because he is already saved, not a requirement to be saved.
Man’s capacity to do good works after he is in the LORD JESUS CHRIST is great, [John 14:12].
It is one of the secrets for a victorious, abundant and joyful life. Man must not be hearers of the word only but doers of the word, [James 2:19-27].
Adam and Eve were created in God’s image. They had personality [intellect emotion and will] that had to be tested so that holiness of character could develop by overcoming the temptation.
This TEST is also for the purpose of man being able to exercise his will by his choice.
However, when tested, they failed and became sinners affecting all humans up the present time. But God was prepared to redeem them by his grace and mercy. So, God sent His Son so that he can “retake” the test of obedience for righteousness [redeeming man from the test he failed to pass].
God had announced his solution a long time ago - “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him,” [Matthew 17:5].
In essence, God the Father was saying, “You have failed and had become sinners. Here is my worthy, faithful and righteous Son. From eternity to time on earth, My Son had been righteous.
From the time of His incarnation to His death at Calvary, My Son had been righteous. From His resurrection to the culmination of the work of redemption, My Son had been and will be righteous.
No other else can take His place in my work of redemption.
Only His perfect righteousness is pleasing in my sight. Trust Him now and have PEACE WITH ME. Reject Him and you will suffer eternity in the Lake of Fire.”
The very best that man can do by himself falls absolutely short of the glory of God, [Romans 3:23; Matthew 5:20].
Even the righteousness of the nation of Israel is compared to filthy rags, [Isaiah 64:6].
In Biblical Christianity, there is no room for any human good works to save him, [Ephesians 2:8-9].
One reason why counterfeits of Christianity insist that good works may save is their lack of understanding of the purpose of the incarnation of God in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
No denomination nor church can attain enough righteousness to save those in their membership rolls.
The truth of the matter is, churches and denominations because of their human leaders and constituents have been accumulating corporate sins more than the personal sins of their individual members.
So, why should man entrust his soul to an institution more sinful than he is?
We are responsible for proclaiming that the good works and perfect righteousness of the LORD JESUS CHRIST are man’s only hope to please God.
4. MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THECRUCIFIXION OF THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST When a man dies in the LORD JESUS
CHRIST, [faith in Him as Savior] his death will usher him into the presence of God for eternity [1 Thessalonians 4: 13-17; Revelation 14:13].
The death of the LORD JESUS CHRIST at the cross to redeem man is the ultimate proof that no human goodness can appease God’s wrath for sin.
Man must now and forever settle this issue of how sin could be forgiven and righteousness imputed.
It must be settled in the LORD JESUS CHRIST alone by grace through faith. [Ephesians 2:8, 9].
The Old Testament practice of sacrificing animals in the place of the worshipper is not really too strange or mysterious. God has already set up his redemption plan and revealed it to Israel and through Israel – that man because of his total depravity must be redeemed – not by any man from Adam but by the LORD JESUS CHRIST, [God incarnate] - the absolutely perfect and blameless one. Even though the LORD JESUS CHRIST died for man’s sin, man will still die physically, [Romans 5: 14 ,17; Psalm .90:9-10].
MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THE
RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST The Resurrection of the LORD JESUS
CHRIST demonstrates also the design of God for man. After death, he will rise again as the LORD JESUS CHRIST rose again, [1 Corinthians 15].
“RESURRECTION” INVOLVES: The spirit and soul leave the body and the
body returns to dust [decays- Genesis 3:19, Ecclesiastes 12:7]
The miraculous rising from the dead in the Old Testament times were not really “resurrections” because those “resurrected” died again. The same was true with the “resurrections from the dead” done by the LORD JESUS CHRIST and the Apostles in the New Testament. There was no change yet from corruptible to incorruptible.
After physical death, the souls of the saved and the souls of the unsaved do not go to the same place. God has a specific place where each group will remain until their scheduled time to resurrect takes place.
a. While still alive, the unsaved and the saved are already separated in the sight of God.
[John 3:18, 36; Romans 8:9, 10; 2 Timothy 2:19].
b. After death during the Old Testament times, [Luke 16] the soul of the unsaved is kept in hell – [“Hades”- the place of torment] but the soul of the saved is taken by angels to Abraham’s Bosom or “Paradise”- the portion on the other side of “Hades”.
All [saved and unsaved] their bodies decay in the graves.
After the death and resurrection of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, atonement for sin fully satisfied therefore, the souls of the saved in “paradise” were brought to the 3rd heaven.
Paradise and the 3rd heaven became one during the New Testament time, [2 Corinthians 12:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Philippians 1:21-26].
However, the souls of the unsaved before and after Calvary remain in place of torment in “Hades”, [Revelation 20:4-5].
c. During the “70th Week” the souls of the saved beheaded by the Antichrist are kept under the altar in heaven, [Revelation 6: 9-11]
But the souls of the unsaved dead continue to go and remain in the place of torment.
d. During the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, the souls of those executed for open rebellion against the laws of the Kingdom [rule with “rod of iron”] and those killed by the fire that comes out of the mouth of God [“cremated”] because they will be deceived by Satan, [Revelation 20: 7-10] will still go to the same place of torment in “Hades.
But almost immediately they will join their fellow unsaved in their resurrection to appear at the Great White Throne Judgment.
2. Waiting for God’s appointed time to rise to immortality and incorruptibility to enjoy God’s presence forever in glory or to be tormented in the Lake of fire forever
STAGES OF THE RESURRECTIONS A. Resurrection and Translation of
the Saints 1. The “Many bodies of the
saints” after the LORD JESUS CHRIST rose from the dead, [Matthew 27:51-52] are the first to resurrect after The Lord Jesus Christ arose.
Since the Jewish Old Testament saints will all be resurrected after the 70th week of Daniel, [Daniel 12:2], together with all the Tribulation saints, [Revelation 20:4], they cannot be these “saints”. These “saints” may be the Old Testament non-Jewish saints from Adam to Calvary like Abel, Seth, Noah, Job, Rahab, Abraham, Isaac, and many others not mentioned in Hebrews 11.
God has no special program for the Old Testament Gentiles saints similar to His program for the Jews which covered 69 weeks [483 years] before Calvary and 1 week [70th week] after the church is raptured. There is no theological reason why the non-Jewish Old Testament saints had to wait to join the Jewish resurrection.
2. The second group that will be resurrected and translated is the Church - “the dead in the LORD JESUS CHRIST” and “they who are alive and remain” at the rapture, [1 Thessalonians 4:13-17].
3. The next group will be the saints beheaded during the 70th Week [Jews and Gentiles] [Revelation 11:7-12; 20:4] - simultaneous with the resurrection and ascension of the Two Witnesses. There will be only one resurrection in the “70th Week” just as there will be only one for the saints of the church age. All Old Testament Jewish saints [From Jacob’s sons [Israelites] including those in the 69 weeks up to Calvary will also be resurrected to join their fellow Jews - “Brethren”, [Revelation 6:11] and their fellow servants [the Gentile saints] of the 70th week.
4. The last group will be the saints of the Millennium who perhaps will not die anymore but may be translated like those who were alive at the rapture of the Church because there is no scheduled resurrection of millennium saints mentioned in the Bible.
B. Resurrection of the Unsaved There is only one scheduled
resurrection for all the unsaved in the Bible. That will be after the Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will all be resurrected and sentenced at the Great White Throne Judgment to be cast into the Lake of Fire, [Revelation 20: 5, 12-15].
Many Christian groups believe that there is only one scheduled resurrection event for all mankind. This idea may have come from the misapplication of passages interpreted as the time of the “resurrection” when the context in these passages refers to the final separation at the Great White Throne when:
1]. All saints from all ages [Old Testament, Church, Tribulation, Millennium] resurrected ahead will appear on the right hand side of the Judge -The Lord Jesus Christ, [Matthew 25:31-46] for the “roll call” from the Book of life, [Revelation 20:15]. They must be there at the roll call.
2]. All unsaved from all ages resurrected from the Place of Torment will appear on the left hand side of the Judge and will not hear their names called. A different set of books will be opened.
These books are records of all their sins and all their human works which were short of the glory of God, [Romans 3:23] because they rejected God’s grace and Mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ who could have thrown away all those books “as far as the East is from the West “ and buried them in the deepest sea of God’s forgiveness. Those who are in the Book of Life will not have those books but those who have those books certainly are not in the Book of Life.
The resurrection of man after physical death is unique to Biblical Christianity. With exception of Judaism and Islam other religions teach annihilation [no more existence whatsoever], reincarnation, transmigration into other creatures or becoming disembodied spirits or ghosts.
MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THEASCENSION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST The ministry of the Trinity during the
church age with the God the Son as Mediator between the God the Father and man with God the Holy Spirit indwelling and interceding also for the believers, once again affirms the unity of the “Three-In One” and the “One –In-Three” “ELOHIM”.
Even after salvation, man still needs an intercessor or mediator to represent him continually in the presence of God in heaven. This process is illustrated by the Old Testament Levitical/Aaronic Priesthood. Man because of his sin cannot have direct communication with God.
From this end on earth, he must approach God through the anointed representatives - the Priests. God on the other end in heaven reaches out to man through his anointed Prophets, [Old Testament Prophets and Old Testament Priests as mediators].
The “padrino” system in many cultures around the world is evidence that man has the natural bent to seek for an intercessor or lawyer when he is in trouble with human laws. It would not be hard to understand that Christianity offers the same services but in the more important aspect of his life - his eternal destiny.
MAN IN THE LIGHT OF THERETURN OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST The return of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is promised to man, [1 John 3:2]. Angels too may be involved but the primary object of the return of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is man. At the rapture, the saints of the church age will be removed from the earth after their immortalization by resurrection or by translation, [1 Thessalonians 4:13-17]. Then the Nation of Israel will again come into God’s program [the 70th week of Daniel- Tribulation Period].
After the rapture, the “Man of Sin”, the Antichrist with his partners [the False Prophet and the Dragon] will control the whole world for seven years, [1 Thessalonians 2:1-10]. Man on earth will experience the power of this wicked triumvirate. His rule, however, will end at the Battle of Armageddon when the LORD JESUS CHRIST will cast both the Antichrist and the False Prophet, alive [translated] into the Lake of Fire, [Revelation 19] and the Dragon into the Bottomless Pit, [Revelation 20 1,2].
After the rapture, the “Man of Sin”, the Antichrist with his partners [the False Prophet and the Dragon] will control the whole world for seven years, [1 Thessalonians 2:1-10]. Man on earth will experience the power of this wicked triumvirate. His rule, however, will end at the Battle of Armageddon when the LORD JESUS CHRIST will cast both the Antichrist and the False Prophet, alive [translated] into the Lake of Fire, [Revelation 19] and the Dragon into the Bottomless Pit, [Revelation 20 1,2].
The term millennium is not new. As a matter of fact, we may be making a transition from the 6th to the 7th if we adopt the dating based on the genealogy in Genesis 5. Our openness to the truth of the millennial reign of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is largely conditioned by our acceptance or denial of the historical and scientific records of the Bible. If we believe the records concerning the first millennium in Genesis, we can also believe that the promised millennial kingdom will be “paradise” restored under the rule of the “last Adam”, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
This same Bible which records the rule of Adam over the whole earth for almost a millennium [930 years, Genesis 5:5], prophesies:
1]. The rule of the Antichrist during the “70th Week” [Tribulation Period] [Daniel 9; 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 6; 13] over all the earth
2]. The reign of the LORD JESUS CHRIST [last Adam] as King of the whole earth during the last Millennium of God’s program of redemption.
Biblical Trinitarian Christians generally agree on the following issues concerning the Millennium:
1]. That it is a literal 1000 years after the 70th Week
2]. That the LORD JESUS CHRIST [CHRISTOS: Prophet, Priest and King] who had already fulfilled His role as Prophet and now as Priest will also fulfill His role as king of all the earth with Israel as most favored nation.
3]. That the Devil and his demons will not be active for the whole duration of this kingdom because they will be kept in the Bottomless Pit
4]. That the whole earth will be ruled with the “ROD OF IRON” [very strict, just and righteous] by the LORD JESUS CHRIST
5]. That longevity of life will greatly increase like that in the time of Noah before the flood.
6]. That man, in spite of the absence of the Devil, will still be rebellious and will certainly suffer the consequences of his sins
7]. That nature will be regenerated and the whole earth will again have conditions like those before the flood
8]. That mortals will continue human civilization, marriage, home and family etc.
9]. This reign will be characterized by world-wide peace, prosperity and righteousness
10]. After 1000 years, Satan will be released to deceive the whole world and all who follow him will be consumed by fire from God.
Many Bible teachers interpret the Millennium as only symbolic because science and reason cannot accept it to be probable or possible. Since the first coming of the LORD JESUS CHRIST to become the perfect Prophet and Priest who offered Himself at the cross was supernatural yet historical, and His present ministry from his ascension as Mediator and intercessor at the right hand of the throne of GOD are also truths that the Bible teaches, why cannot we believe in the last aspect of his Incarnation - His being King of the last Millennium on earth?
The Millennial Kingdom has to do more with God’s unconditional promise to Abraham that through him shall all nations of the world will be blessed. Until then, Israel has always been a problem of the whole world. Even today, she is the enemy of the world except for a few nations. But when the LORD JESUS CHRIST comes to reign for a thousand years, Israel will become a world empire.
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