davidbowerkingwood

The Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ

The long-awaited return of the Messiah will likely take place in the not-too-distant future. While the exact time is known only to God, the certainty of the Messiah’s return is absolutely without question! Israel’s last period of 490 years will finally be over and Israel’s Messiah will return to restore Israel to the land God had given to them.

The New Testament revealed the name of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who will return as King of kings and Lord of lords and defeat Satan at the battle of Armageddon. In Revelation 19:11-21 it is written:

“¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. ¹² His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. ¹³ He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. ¹⁵ From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. ¹⁶ On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared. ¹⁸ Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. ²⁰ And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.”

Restoring the Earth

The last three and one-half years of the Tribulation, known as the Great Tribulation, will have devastated the earth so the earth will need extensive repairs. In the Book of Daniel, chapter 12, verses 11 and 12 we find a cryptic reference to 45 days which are not explained; I’m of the opinion this is a reference to the reconstruction period where Jesus Christ restores the earth to a condition similar to the pre-flood earth.

¹¹ “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. ¹² Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

The Beginning of the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know from various scripture verses, that only believers will initially populate the world. There will be a mortal human population comprised of those who received Jesus Christ during the Tribulation, both Gentiles and Jews.

The church will have returned with Jesus Christ at the Second Advent, and Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the Second Advent along with Tribulation saints who had been killed. The world will be totally populated by believers.

Starting with a Celebration!

The 1,000 year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ will begin with a celebration, the marriage supper of the Lamb! While the marriage of the Lamb to the Church has already taken place in heaven, the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place on earth with both Old Testament and Tribulation saints invited. This will be a celebration of Biblical proportions!

Perfect Environment

For 1,000 years the earth will experience perfect environment and perfect government; Satan is bound and sin is held in check. While the mortal human beings, both Jew and Gentile, still have their sin natures, their natures to sin are suppressed by circumstances.

It appears length of life is extended again to the pattern found before the flood; although the Bible does not specify it, I believe the water vapor canopy is restored to the earth.

Children are born to the mortal parents and the population of the earth will grow rapidly. While many of the children receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior, many do not! In spite of environmental and social perfection, the number of those rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior will continue to grow.

Satan Released

During the 1,000 years of the Millennium, Satan will have been bound, in Revelation 20:1-3 it is written:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ² He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; ³ and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.”

When the 1,000 years are over, Satan is released to deceive the nations.

In Revelation 20:7-10 it is written:

“⁷ Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

It is exceedingly difficult for me to imagine how anyone, who had lived their entire lives in perfection, could be so angry with the status quo as to want to attack and kill those who had provided that perfection! To my mind, it conclusively demonstrates that environment has never been the answer to the sin problem.

All of the worlds “isms” have looked to cultural and social change as the answer to man’s problems; changing the external environment has never been the answer; man’s problem has always been a dead spirit and a fallen nature. It is an internal problem, not an external problem!

Next time, the Great White Throne and the New Heaven and the New Earth.