An article appeared in Science Daily entitled “New research maps 14 potential evolutionary dead ends for humanity and ways to avoid them.” What are these “dead ends” we must avoid?
Well, these “dead ends” are defined as “evolutionary traps” humanity can get stuck in that initially began with innovation but can if we don’t escape them, lead to the end of the Anthropocene (the supposed current geological age) as we know it.
Summary: Humankind risks getting stuck in 14 evolutionary dead ends, ranging from global climate tipping points to misaligned artificial intelligence, chemical pollution, and accelerating infectious diseases, finds a new major assessment by scientists from multiple different disciplines. To break these trends, humans must become self-aware of our common futures.
BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING
Now, how should Christians understand this? We need to practice dominion with our Bibles open and our hearts attuned to the Holy Spirit, seeking godly counsel. We should want what is best—not just for creation but ultimately for mankind because we’re the only creatures made in God’s image. So we care for everything God made, making it our goal to honor the Creator in everything we do.
Is humanity doomed to an “evolutionary dead end”? Not at all. While we can certainly make decisions that negatively (or positively) impact mankind, our future has already been decided by God, and He has told us in advance. This Earth and mankind won’t end until Jesus returns first to rule and reign with the glorified Saints for 1,000 years. Jesus needs to fulfill the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenant before God destroys this Earth with fire. The final judgment of mankind then takes place after the second resurrection with the White Throne Judgment. It is only after the White Throne Judgement that John sees a new Jerusalem descending from the new Heaven onto a new Earth where only the righteous dwell.
MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34
“Also I (John) 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
This Earth still has 1,000 years before it is destroyed by fire. Jesus and the glorified Saints will rule and reign with a rod of iron even though Satan is bound in the Abyss. Much detail was given to the O.T. prophets about Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom, check out http://www.millennialkingdom.net.
For 6,000 years Satan has ruled much of Earth, and now Jesus will fulfill Israel’s destiny with its Messiah ruling the nations for 1,000 years. At the end of Jesus’ 1,000 reign, God releases Satan one more time and he is able to raise an army like the sand of the sea of rebellious people. How wicked is unregenerate mankind? Only then will this Earth’s destiny be complete.
“When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They came up over the surface of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them.” Revelation 20:7-9
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Revelation 21:1-3
Jonathan Cahn preaches on the many end-times prophecies, starting with the rebirth of Israel and the great falling away in denominational institutional churches and ending with the coming Millennial reign of Jesus from a restructured/rebuilt Jerusalem.
Jonathan like many born-again leaders knows we are in the last days before Jesus returns and is preparing his congregation for what is ahead. My only concern is that he does not address the timing of The Rapture and the fact Christians need to prepare for the coming tribulation, even great tribulation. As Jesus and Paul told the disciples that they would see the Abomination of Desolation (Antichrist) (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) seated in the Temple declaring himself to be God. This takes place midway through the last seven years before Jesus returns to Earth with the Saints. The Rapture timing is at the end of the sixth year, the sixth seal, and the sixth church (church of Philadelphia).
SIXTH SEAL (Celestial signs that precede Jesus coming to rapture the Saints and signals the great day of God’s wrath has come): “When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”Revelation 6:12-17
CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA: “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:8,10
Moreover, the Church of Laodicea is the church that is left behind to face the wrath of God which hopefully leads to repentance and saving faith.
Biblical prophecy tells us that prior to Jesus setting up His one-world government God allows Satan to set up a one-world government with the Antichrist and False Prophet ruling the nations for 3 1/2 years. During this time the Antichrist institutes the Mark of the Beast so that anyone who does not take the mark cannot buy or sell. It is time when many Christians will be martyred. God eventually steps in to rescue His Saints by taking them to heaven prior to Him pouring out His wrath upon an unrepentant world with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements.
After the Trumpet and Bowl judgements Jesus returns to the earth with the glorified Saints to destroy the Antichrist’s army, cast the Antichrist and False Prophet into the Lake of Fire, and liberate Israel.
Jesus then sets up His Millennial Kingdom where Jesus and the Saints rule with a rod of iron over this world for 1000 years prior to its destruction, the second resurrection, the White Throne judgement, and God establishes a new heaven and new earth where only the righteous dwell.
Revelation 20 is devoted to Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. The key features ofthis transition period are:
Satan is bound for most of the thousand years. What is shocking and revealing about mankind, is that when Satan is released, he is still able to gather an army of people whose number is like the sand of the sea to come against Jesus and the Saints. We are not told, but I assume that demons are also bound during Jesus’ Millennial reign.
Jesus and the Saints rule with a rod of iron during Jesus’ Millennial reign. Jesus rules from a new Jerusalem and Israel will be the lead nation of the world. The Saints will govern the nations and most of the rules and commandments that God established for His nation Israel will apply. The Sabbath, Shemitah, Jubilee, and most Feast days will be law. Nations that do not come up to Jerusalem to honour Jesus will suffer the consequences: there will be no rain on their land.
In the absence of Satan, is millennial life perfect? No. The millennium is still a time of sin, death, rebellion, and harsh judgment. Its true character seems to fall between the present age (the “church age”) and the future sinless coexistence of the redeemed in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21). With reference to death in the millennial age, we read: “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.Isaiah 65:20
“You (Jesus’ Disciples) are those who have stayed with Me in My trials, and I assign to you, as My Father assigned to Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28-30
There will be no more wars, and disputes will be quickly resolved. Jesus and the Saints rule with a rod of iron. The wicked will be killed.
“For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;” Micah 4:2-3
“He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness, He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked.” Isaiah 11:3-4
“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron,” Revelation 12:5
“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 19:15a
“And Jesus said to them,The sons of this age (Millennials) marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that ageand in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection.”Luke 20:34-36
“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 20:6
“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,“Revelation 2:26
“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.” Isaiah 32:1
“Even the hotheads will be full of sense and understanding. Those who stammer will speak out plainly. In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected.” Isaiah 32:4-5 (NLT)
The offices of judge and counsellor will be reinstituted
“I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” Isaiah 1:26
“I will also make your officer’s peace and your magistrate’s righteousness.Isaiah 60:17
Jesus Millennial Kingdom is what is next on God’s agenda for this earth. We have had 6ooo years of man’s reign. Next is 1000 years with Jesus and the Saints ruling prior to God ending this world with fire. The start of 8000 years will be on the new earth where only the righteous dwell.
After Jesus Millennial Kingdom will be the second resurrection followed by the White Throne judgement. All unrepentant sinners are thrown into the Lake of Fire for punishment and the second death.
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’” Revelation 2:10-11
“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.”
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8
The chart below shows the generations from Shem to the establishment of God’s nation Israel with the covenant God made with Abraham down to Jesus entering history 64 generations from the time God judged the world with the flood of Noah’s day. The new name God gave to Jacob, Israel, expresses the concept of wrestling, clinging firmly to God, and overcoming. God confirmed his covenant with Jacob, indicating that Israel is to be understood as Jacob’s covenant name. After all his original name was hardly appropriate. When born, Jacob is given the name “Jacob” meaning, “trickster, supplanter, heel grabber.”
What
Who
Generations from Shem
Semites
Shem
0
Hebrews
Eber
3
Father of the faith
Abraham (down through Isaac)
9
Israelites
Jacob renamed Israel
11
Jews (Judaism)
Judah
12
Christians (including Messianic Jews)
Jesus
64
These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these, the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.
Shem was still alive at the time of the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel and its aftermath. No longer was there just one speech, but multiple complex languages miraculously arose according to families (Genesis 11:1, 9), whose members would be fluent in their own (new) language (Genesis 10:5, 20, 31).
Languages are grouped into families; linguists recognize about 20 main ones. Germanic languages (e.g. English, Dutch, German, and Swedish) are part of the Indo-European (traditionally Japhetic) language family. Semitic languages are part of the Afro-Asiatic family (previously called Hamito-Semitic).
If evolution were true, we would expect all language families to be related. However, linguist Dr Paul Lawrence states, “languages within a language family have many common features, surprisingly few of these features are shared with languages from another language family, suggesting that the protolanguages and progenitors of modern isolates arose at the original confusion of languages.”
Semitic languages (74) include Arabic (South Semitic) and Hebrew (together with Aramaic, Canaanite, and others categorized as West Semitic languages).
Both are written from right to left, with the Arabic alphabet having six more letters than Hebrew’s 22. The consonants common to both are often named similarly. Neither alphabet has symbols for vowels. Many words are made of a root of three consonants which can be modified to form variations on that word. Around 60% of the vocabulary is related.
The Semitic group shows generally a loss of complexity over time while remaining more complex than English. One example is Akkadian (extinct East Semitic).
Based on evolution, it would be expected that going back in time, languages would be found to be simpler. The opposite is the case. For example, nouns in English and Dutch—both Germanic languages—had several cases in the past, but these are now almost entirely gone. New High German still possesses cases, but not as many as Old High German, for example.
Biblical history provides answers for all the reasons the world is as it is today. The many fulfilled Biblical prophecies also provide ample evidence Biblical history is true. They are also the reason why we can expect the many prophecies of Jesus’ second coming to be fulfilled exactly as outlined in both the O.T. and N.T., particularly in Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy, Jesus Olivet Discourse, and Revelation. The following Scriptures are to whet your appetite for all the gems that are in the Bible concerning Jesus’ second coming and the end of Satan’s rule on this earth. Next is Jesus and the Saints ruling on this earth for 1000 years – Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. Go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net for more information on what comes next on God’s agenda.
DANIEL’S 70 WEEKS
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophetand to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks, it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end, there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week, he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”Daniel 9:24-27
OLIVET DISCOURSE
“As he (Jesus) sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come... “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:3-14,29-31
REVELATION: SAINTS RAPTURED – STANDING IN TRANSFIGURED BODIES BEFORE GOD’S THRONE
“After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-14
“For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall shatter them like earthenware. Psalm 2:8–9 NASB
“But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” Isaiah 11:14
“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” Isaiah 60:12
“Thus says the Lord, “I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.” (Zechariah 8:3 NASB)
In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells the faithful slaves who have doubled their wealth that they will rule cities. I believe by our faithfulness we will have proved ourselves capable of ruling cities in the Millennium.
“Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.” Daniel 7:27 NASB
“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” 1 Corinthians 6:2
In the Millennium the law and order that God set up for Israel will apply, particularly the Sabbath, Shemitah, and the Jubileefordebt forgiveness and restoration of the land. As well, most of the Feast Days will apply. It will not be enough for people to say that “I love my neighbor”; They must actually invest in their material well-being.
No doubt the death penalty will be reintroduced and is part of Jesus and the Saints ruling with a rod of iron during the Millennium. Moreover, evil deeds will be judged and dealt with speedily.
“Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.” Ecclesiastes 8:11
We know that when Satan is released at the end of the Millennium he is still able to raise an army like the sand of the sea to come against Jesus and the Saints. Just as Satan in the presence of God and the angels in heaven, he was able to convince one-third of the angels to rebel against God, on earth, at the end of the Millennium, Satan is able to convince many people who were born during the Millennium to rebel against Jesus and the Saints.
“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10
It must be remembered what the Lord said about the wickedness of man at the time of Noah.
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5
“For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”Mark 7:21-23
How is your heart are you in rebellion against God and His Kingdom? If you are, you will shortly face the wrath of God that is poured out with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements. At the end of Jesus’ Millennial reign is the second resurrection when you will be judged at the White Throne and then thrown into the Lake of Fire where you face a second death.
“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 20:6
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8
For more on the Millennial Kingdom please go to my new website which is in development http://www.millennialkingdom.net and please click on the link on the Home Page to get the Newsletter advising you of new resources being made available on the website.
Click on RESOURCES to Download the FREE six Powerpoint Presentations on Israel:
God and Israel – Nations are God’s idea – As we approach the time when Jesus will set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth from a renewed Jerusalem. It is helpful to look at why and how God initially set up His nation Israel. God initially set up nations at the Tower of Babel when He confused the languages. Nations are God’s idea and they were made for His purposes. Even before the Israelites entered the Propmise Land, Moses told the people prophetically all that would happen to them including their being cast out of the land and being dispersed all over the world but God would gather them back to the land and eventually their promised Messiah will rule the nations from new Jerusalem.
Israel: History & Purpose – Israel is God’s vehicle to bring salvation to all the world. God created Israel to be His “Kingdom” on earth. Nine times, He described the Land of Israel as His “Land”—“the place He has chosen as the dwelling place for His Name.” The covenant with Abraham is described as “everlasting” or “forever”. Israel’s rebirth in 1948 after almost 1900 years was a miracle, a miracle which Jesus prophesied in the Olivet Discourse (parable of the fig tree) as the first major sign prior to His return.
Jubilee Cycles – Provide Prophetic Milestones in God’s Redemptive Plan – Can we build a reasonable Biblical case for the Jubilee cycles as the prophetic backbone of the Bible? Has God built the entire history of this Cosmos from its beginning to its fiery end based on Jubilee cycles? A straight forward summation of early biblical patriarchal lineages, reveals there were 41 generations which also represent 41 Jubilee cycles between Adam and Abraham and 41 from Abraham to Yeshua. How many Jubilee cycles have there been since Yeshua? Further insight is added when we consider that the book of Revelation associates the New Jerusalem with the number 144 and that the 144th Jubilee begins in the 8th year of the 8th Millennium.
Prophesied Restoration of the Land to Israel – Prior to Jesus’ Second Coming – The prophesied restoration of the land to Israel which began in 1948 is undeniable evidence of Biblical truth and that we are living in the last days. God revealed to all of the Old Testament prophets the future history of His nation. Even before Israel had set foot on the land God told Moses that He would drive the Jews out from the land He was about to give them because they will reject Him and His Messiah, but by God’s grace, all were shown the end of the story with a regathered people in a restored land with a descendant of King David ruling and reigning from Jerusalem. God created Israel to be His nation to show a fallen world, separated from God, His ways, His laws and the consequences of obeying and disobeying those laws. We need to know that the laws concerning the Sabbath, Shemitah and Jubilee are extremely important to God. A major reason for Israel’s 70 year captivity in Babylon was that Israel failed to keep 10 Shemitahs. What about now is God still controlling Israel’s history with regard to the Shemitah and Jubilee? I hope this presentation will convince you that God is controlling history in accordance with His timing, particularly with regard to the Jubilee. As well, I hope to reveal the people and events that God used and is using to achieve His purposes, for His nation Israel, exactly as prophesied.
Israel’s Feast Days – In Type and Prophecy – In the Bible, God set festivals, events, and times according to the lunar calendar of 354 days. God’s timetable meant that these events didn’t line up to MAN’S way, but HIS. Man wants a fixed and predictable timetable. But God says, “Trust Me and My timing”. We will look at Israel’s Feast Days (Moedim –Appointed Times) from a “last days perspective. When God set up Israel as His nation, in Leviticus 23, He established the laws of “acceptable approach” to God which was sacrifice, there is no forgiveness for sin without the shedding of blood. In Numbers, God has Moses institute seven annual feasts. The Lord instituted His Holy Feasts as holy assemblies to remind His chosen people of how to live their lives in a manner acceptable to Him. Moreover, it is also prophetic of God’s plan for His world. Israel’s Holy Days are prophetic, they represent a calendar of His Story of His Cosmos. It demonstrates God’s total control of history. Hopefully, it will strengthen your confidence and hope in our Lord for the future and enable you to endure the coming prophesied tribulation.
Israel Fully Restored – Jesus will rule the nations from Jerusalem – As Jesus told some of the disciples on the road to Emmaus “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27. God’s story from beginning to end is all about Jesus. This presentation seeks to show that right from the beginning God prophesied about Jesus and His battle with Satan and that He will be victorious and rule and reign the nations from Jerusalem in the land He set aside for His nation. The Millennium Kingdom is a transition period prior to the White Throne judgement and God creating a new heaven and new earth where only the righteous dwell. We know that Sarah’s seed was supernaturally produced by God which resulted in Abraham and Sarah producing Isaac. Moreover, we know that God challenged Abraham to sacrifice Isaac which prefigured God sacrificing His own son Jesus. Jesus was of course in Abraham’s lineage. The millennial reign of Jesus fulfills the covenant Jesus made with Abraham and all the prophecies of the O.T. prophets.
This short video is helpful in understanding what the Bible says about what is coming next for this world. Because it is short it does not address some of the big questions. It does answer one of the purposes of the Millennial Kingdom and that is God has not fulfilled all of the promises He made to the nation He established for His purposes. God will have His Messiah ruling and reigning over all the nations from His city, Jerusalem, and His nation Israel. God has unfinished business for Israel and its Messiah on this earth.
However, the main purpose of the Millennium is to prepare the Nations and Saints for the Father coming in the fullness of His glory to a new earth. The millennial Kingdom is a transition period.
Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
Writing about the Millennial Kingdom, Paul stated, “Then comes the end [of the Millennial Kingdom], when He [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power [it will take time to do this]. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet”
1 Corinthians 15:24-25 “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
We know it is a transition period because even with Jesus and the resurrected Saints ruling the nations and Satan and his demons bound in the Abyss when he is released Satan is still able to raise an army of rebellious humans their number like the sand of the sea.
“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10
God’s reasons for the Millennial Kingdom (www.millennialkingdom.net)
The purpose of the thousand-year reign is to allow for the fulfillment of the promises God made with Jesus, Israel, the Saints, and Creation to vindicate His Holy name. These Scriptures make it abundantly evident that God has unfinished business with Israel and this world, His creation.
“Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.“Ezekiel 36:22-24
“So, when they (disciples) had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:6–7
This verse clearly indicates that Jesus is yet to come to restore the Kingdom to Israel. The Millennium is the prophetic climax of God’s overarching redemptive agenda. His completed promises to Israel, found in the unconditional covenants, will be on full display before a world of believers and unbelievers alike.
Soon after the birth of the Body of Christ at Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter spoke these words to his fellow Jews from Solomon’s Portico
“Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you,Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” Acts 3:10-21
“But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:23-25
The Messiah must reign over his kingdom until he has defeated all of his enemies. Once this is accomplished, Jesus will hand over the kingdom to the Father. When the Kingdom of God is handed over to the Father, it will be free of sin and death, identifying it as the Eternal State (Revelation 21:4, 8).
Promises to King Jesus
The Millennium is all about Jesus. He will reign supreme. “Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
In Psalm 110, David records the promises that God (The Father) made to Jesus. God the Father invites Jesus to sit at His right hand until He makes Jesus’ enemies a footstool. Jesus will rule over, judge, and shatter His enemies while His people worship Him freely. This combination of judging enemies and being worshiped by the faithful cannot happen in the eternal heaven, because in heaven there will be no sin or rebellion to judge.
In Daniel 7:11-14, Jesus is given dominion over all the people, nations, and languages before His enemies are permanently destroyed.
JESUS FIRST COMING TO EARTH
JESUS SECOND COMING TO EARTH
Promises to Israel
God’s covenant with Abraham was unilateral (one-sided) it was unconditional and it remains unfulfilled as does the Davidic Covenant and the New Covenant.
The Abrahamic Covenant: Numbers 34:1-12 outlines the exact borders Israel is to possess; the nation of Israel has yet to encompass these specific boundaries.
“On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring, I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-20
“Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” Exodus 19:5-6
The legitimacy and authenticity of Judaism come from the fact that the entire nation was a part of the revelation. God spoke to the entire nation at Mt. Sinai. And these words that He spoke are yet to be fulfilled
Even before they went into the Promised Land Moses told them their entire checkered history, including their being cast out of the land and dispersed throughout the nations but also the end of the story when God would regather them and their Messiah will rule the nations and they will be a people, “holy to the Lord your God”.
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” Deuteronomy 28:1
“And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,” Deuteronomy 28:13
“And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as He has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that He will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that He has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised.” Deuteronomy 26:18-19
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and He will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.” Deuteronomy 30:1-3
“And the Lord yourGod will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:5-6
The Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7 is the promise that God made to David that David’s heir would sit on the throne of Israel. Jesus is that heir, but He has yet to take His physical, political birthright.
The New Covenant: It outlines the promise that Israel as a nation will return to God and worship their Messiah. These covenants will be fulfilled during the 1000-year reign.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke… For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:31-33
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”Isaiah 59:21
The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation
Moses was told on Mt Sinai to speak these words to the people of Israel just before God spoke directly to the entire nation. Israel has yet to be that nation but it will fulfill this prophecy in the Millennium.
Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” Genesis 19:5-6
Paul confirms all of these O.T. prophecies with these two Scriptures.
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”Romans 11:25-27
“Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” Acts 3:19-21
MAP OF ISRAEL TODAY
MAP OF ISRAEL IN MILLENNIUM
Promises to the Saints
Daniel 7:11-14 says that Jesus will be given dominion over all the nations. The whole world will know God.
“for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9
In addition to Jesus’ rule over the nations, His resurrected Saints will be given positions of authority to rule with Him.
“You were slain, and by your blood, you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10
“When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know thatthe saints will judge the world?” 1 Corinthians 6:1-2
Promises to Creation
Jesus’ sovereignty will extend beyond human political systems and into all of creation. The curse will be partially lifted. Animals will live in peace again in Israel.
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain.” Isaiah 11:6-9
“And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.” Isaiah 33:24
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;” Isaiah 35:5-7
If you have not watched Jesus Second Coming Part 1 which was posted several days ago can I suggest you go and take a look at this video before you watch the one below. Nelson presents four proofs that Jesus second coming to earth is a series of events beginning with the rapture of the Saints to heaven and ending with Him coming to earth with the Saints to defeat the Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon and establish His Millennial Kingdom.
However, a number of Scriptures show Jesus on earth during the year God’s wrath is poured out on an unrepentant world. The fact that Jesus’ white robe is already stained with blood when He leads the Saints to earth should give us cause to see if other Scriptures provide an answer to this puzzling fact. Isaiah 63:1-4 does in fact provide the answer
“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 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 19:13-15
“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples, no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.” Isaiah 63:1-4
There is so much more to Jesus’ Return than just his glorious appearance in the sky. What surprising events happen in the year AFTER Jesus returns? Will a number of these events occur on the 7 Feasts of the Lord? Are these events linked to the Second Exodus from Egypt? And His defeat of the Antichrist? Watch this Nelson Walters video to find the biblical clues to the year after Jesus’ Return and the beginning of his reign.
(Be sure to also watch “Jesus Coming on a White Horse is NOT the Same Event as His Coming on the Clouds https://youtu.be/F2UOfGhWdV4)
Christians do not rule the way the world does as the following verse outlines.
“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” Mark 10:42-44
In Revelation John, in accord with Daniel, describes the kings of the world as hybrid beasts under the control of Satan.
In the coming Millennial Kingdom while Jesus and the Saints are servant leaders sadly in a fallen world we are told they will rule with a rod of iron.
“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,” Revelation 12:5 This prophecy will be fulfilled during Jesus’ Millennial reign on this earth.
“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 19:14
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Paul confirms that the Millennial Kingdom of God will eventually abolish all other empires before this earth is destroyed with fire then the second resurrection and the White Throne judgement when all the unrepentant are cast into the Lake of Fire for punishment and the second death.
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-26
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11
“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 20:6
Prior to Jesus coming Millennial Kingdom, we know from Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) that God allows Satan to empower the Antichrist who will rule the nations for 42 months. John confirms that the final ruler, Antichrist is empowered by Satan (the dragon).
“the dragon (Satan) gave him (Antichrist) his power and his throne and great authority” Revelation 13:2
“And the beast (Antichrist) was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints andconquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” Revelation 13:5-8
In case we think that the book of Revelation is alone in portraying the kingdoms of this world as ultimately under the authority of Satan, we would do well to notice that at the beginning of the gospels Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world if He would worship him,
“the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me” Matthew 4:8-9
Furthermore, Paul affirms Satan’s role as an empowering empire when he states that Satan is the “god of this age”2 Corinthians 4:4
With regard to the coming of the Antichrist and the many scriptures warning the church about the coming tribulation, even great tribulation, “it (Antichrist) was allowed to make war on the saints andconquer them” what churches are making their members aware of the many prophecies of Jesus second coming. As I have said many times before on this website, there are far more prophecies about Jesus second coming (2,000) than there were of His first coming (300) Jesus must want you to know about His second coming and to prepare for it.
In the following Scripture, the apostle Paul wrote on the Millennial Kingdom that will begin after Christ’s return to earth and end when he has defeated all of his enemies, including death. It establishes that even after Jesus returns to reign, there will still be sinners and death in the world, just as the prophets foresaw.
“No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.” Isaiah 65:20
If the kingdom was to only manifest itself in a world free of unbelievers, then Israel could never fulfill her destiny as a light to the nations, showing them the way to the LORD.
”For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-26
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you, I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.” Psalm 105:7-11
Jesus must reign until He has put all of His enemies under His feet. When the Kingdom of God is handed over to the Father it will be free of sin and death, identifying it as the Eternal State (Revelation 21:4, 8). This Scripture is a basic summary of future events, supporting the plain reading of Revelation 20.
”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
There is simply no way that you can read this passage and deny that Jesus reigns with the resurrected Saints for one thousand years on this planet and the Adamic curse is still in effect. We are not in the eternal state with a new heaven and new earth until after the second resurrection and the White Throne judgement.
”I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” Rev. 21:22-25
”Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 