Participants: Steve Wohlberg
Series Code: HVT
Program Code: HVT000035A
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00:09 Have you heard of the millennium?
00:10 It's a future period of one thousand years 00:13 described in the Book of Revelation. 00:15 What's it all about? 00:16 You are about to learn a lot on His Voice Today. 00:23 Welcome to another His Voice Today 00:26 with Steve Wohlbreg. 00:31 Millennial Madness, Part 1, that's our topic. 00:34 We are gonna explore 00:35 the subject of one thousand years 00:37 described in the Book of Revelation 20. 00:41 And there certainly a lot of different views on this topic, 00:43 that's why I'm calling this Millennial Madness. 00:47 Lot of people believe that there will be 00:48 thousand years of peace on earth. 00:50 Others believe that the whole world will be converted 00:53 during this period of the millennium. 00:56 But what we want to do, 00:57 as we always do on His Voice Today 00:59 is to try to find what God has to say 01:02 instead of what man's opinion is. 01:05 So, let's start with Revelation 20. 01:08 Revelation 20 is the only chapter 01:10 in the whole Bible that specifically 01:13 mentions this one thousand year period. 01:15 So let's dig in. 01:17 Revelation 20:1, the Bible says, 01:55 Well, it's obvious just a start out 01:57 that this passage describing a time 01:59 when the devil is not going be able to deceive anyone 02:03 during this millennial period. 02:05 We might say that he's going on a long vacation. 02:10 Now, obviously, he's not on vacation yet. 02:13 In fact, when you look closely at verse 3, 02:15 it says that he will deceive the nations no more, 02:18 during the millennium. 02:20 But we're not in the millennium yet 02:21 and Satan is not his vacation. 02:23 So what's he doing? 02:25 He is deceiving the nations. 02:27 That's what's he doing right now. 02:29 And I'm positive that Satan knows, 02:30 this chapter is in the Bible. 02:32 And he would love to deceive us 02:34 about this period of the millennium. 02:37 And so we need to really take a close look 02:40 and find out what the Bible actually says. 02:43 That would make sense 02:44 that we would zero in on what happens 02:46 at the beginning of the millennium, 02:49 what happens during the millennium, 02:51 and then, what happens at the end of the millennium. 02:55 So, where do you think is the best place to start? 02:58 I think the answer is obvious, let's start at the beginning. 03:01 What happens at the beginning of the millennium 03:03 according to the Bible? 03:05 If you go down to verse 6, 03:08 verse 6 says, 03:28 So, this verse is plain that 03:30 there is going to be a resurrection. 03:33 This is the good resurrection. 03:35 Blessed in Holy are those who are part, 03:38 those who have a part in this resurrection, 03:39 this would the resurrection of God's people, 03:41 it's called the first resurrection. 03:44 So here we have the first resurrection 03:45 and then it says on this group of people 03:47 the second death has no power 03:50 and they shall be priests of Garden of Christ 03:52 and shall reign with Him, for thousand years. 03:54 So they come up in the first resurrection 03:57 and then there's a thousand year period. 03:59 Now if there's a first resurrection, 04:01 what is that imply? 04:03 It implies that there will be second resurrection. 04:06 And I will establish, 04:08 make it very clear from the Bible 04:10 that the millennium period is really a period of time 04:14 in between two book ends, two resurrections. 04:19 There is the good resurrection, 04:21 the first resurrection of the righteous, 04:23 and the holy, and the blessed 04:24 who come up and then they live with Jesus for thousand years. 04:27 And then there's a second resurrection 04:31 that happens at the end of the thousand years. 04:34 So, will explore all this as we go deeper. 04:37 Now the next obvious question is, okay, 04:41 if the first resurrection is a book end 04:44 that begins the thousand year period 04:46 then what event brings about the first resurrection? 04:51 The answer to that is in 1 Thessalonians 4. 04:57 1 Thessalonians 4, we've read this first verse 04:59 number of times in passed His Voice Today programs. 05:03 Verse 16, 05:04 Paul wrote that: 05:19 So here again, is the believers, 05:20 this is the good resurrection, their rising first. 05:23 Revelation 20:6 talks about the first resurrection, 05:26 beginning the thousand year period. 05:29 And so, then Paul continues and says, 05:32 "Then, we who are alive and remain, 05:35 shall be caught up together with him in the clouds 05:37 to meet the lord in this air 05:39 and so, we shall ever be with the Lord." 05:43 And then verse 18 says, 05:44 "Comfort one another with these words. 05:48 So God has given these words in his word, 05:52 and his word tells us that Jesus 05:54 will come down from Heaven, 05:56 the dead in Christ will rise first, 05:58 and then we are gonna be caught up. 06:00 Now, notice, Paul says, we will be caught up. 06:03 At the beginning of the millennium, 06:05 Jesus doesn't come down from heaven 06:08 and then down to the earth. 06:11 The Bible says that when Jesus comes down, 06:13 He raises the dead in the first resurrection 06:17 and then the living and the dead 06:19 who are raised are both caught up, up, up, 06:23 to meet Jesus in the air. 06:26 So, Jesus isn't coming down to the earth, 06:28 He's getting us, to take up there. 06:33 Now, when we meet Him in the air, 06:35 where are we going? 06:37 Where does He take us? 06:38 The answer to that is in John 14. 06:42 And I've read this verse before, 06:43 I love this passage, 06:45 so encouraging and comforting. 06:47 John 14:2, Jesus said, 07:10 So, here Jesus says he's up there now 07:11 in heaven preparing a special place for us, 07:14 mansions for us, beautiful houses or rooms 07:18 or whatever he's got up there, it's gonna be awesome. 07:21 And then he says, he's coming back again 07:23 to get us just like it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 07:27 and then it says, 07:28 he's going to take us to be with him, where he is. 07:32 And where's he right now. 07:35 Revelation 21 describes the beauties 07:38 of a place called the New Jerusalem. 07:40 You can read in your Bible, 07:42 its just inspiring and it's beautiful 07:44 that Jesus is preparing a gorgeous city for us. 07:47 I grew up in Studio City, Southern California, 07:50 in the Hollywood area 07:51 and I can't wait to see the New Jerusalem, 07:56 which is up there in Heaven 07:57 where Jesus says, and He's gonna come down, 08:00 He is gonna get us and take us up there 08:03 according to John 14:1-3. 08:06 So, if we go back to 08:10 1 Thessalonians 4:17 then, 08:28 His words tell us that Jesus is gonna come down, 08:30 get us and take us up to glory. 08:33 And I'm positive that Jesus wants to say 08:36 every single human being in this world 08:41 to go up when he comes down. 08:44 I know that the lord loves the whole world, 08:46 John 3:16, says, 08:47 "For God so loved the world that He gave, 08:50 His only begotten son." 08:52 Jesus loves everybody, every man, woman, and child, 08:55 and He wants us all to be up there. 08:58 But if you read your Bible, it's pretty obvious. 09:02 At least, if you look at the Bible objectively 09:05 that not everybody is going to heaven. 09:07 Remember, it's the only the dead in Christ 09:10 that are resurrected when Jesus comes. 09:12 There's a whole lot of other people that have died 09:14 that are not the dead in Christ. 09:16 And it's only the living who are prepared 09:19 for the coming of Jesus, 09:21 who are caught up to meet the dead in Christ 09:24 and then to meet Jesus in the air 09:26 and then to be taken up to the New Jerusalem. 09:28 So the next logical question is, 09:31 what about everybody else? 09:33 What about the dead who are not in Christ, 09:36 and what about those who are alive, 09:37 when Jesus comes who aren't ready? 09:40 And we have to look at these verses. 09:41 When you keep on reading in 1 Thessalonians 4, 09:45 then you go right on to Chapter 5, 09:47 Paul gives us the answer. 09:49 Verse 1, Chapter 5, Paul says, 10:19 Which means it will be very unexpected 10:22 for the majority of the world. 10:24 And then in verse 3, Paul says, 10:41 So here, Paul tells us in Chapter 4, verse 16, 17 10:45 that the dead in Christ rise 10:46 and the believers are caught up to be 10:49 taken in to the New Jerusalem. 10:51 But those who are not caught up, 10:53 those who are alive down here, 10:54 who are not ready for Jesus to come, 10:57 in Chapter 5:3, he says 10:58 they will experience sudden destruction 11:03 and they will not escape. 11:06 Now, the next question is, 11:08 how wide spread will that destruction is be? 11:12 Let's take a look at a few Bible verses. 11:16 Luke 17. 11:20 Luke 17 contains a very solemn passage 11:24 where Jesus was talking about the end times 11:27 and what would happen to those 11:28 who are not prepared for the coming of the Lord. 11:32 Luke 17:26, Jesus said, 11:53 In 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Paul said sudden destruction 11:57 and here Jesus talked about the flood, 11:59 and He said the flood destroyed them all. 12:02 And then he said, going on in verse 28, 12:21 Every one that was left in Sodom 12:23 and didn't get out was destroyed. 12:25 Every one who didn't go in to the arch with Noah 12:27 and his family they were destroyed. 12:30 And then verse 30, Jesus said, 12:39 So, if we take Jesus Christ words literally, 12:42 he said on the day when he's revealed, 12:43 on the day He comes, 12:44 it will be just like Noah's day, 12:46 and it will be just like Lot's day. 12:48 Those that are not among the group 12:50 that's resurrected and caught up, 12:54 the living caught up to be with Jesus 12:56 on that great day when He is revealed. 13:00 Jesus said that it will be just like Noah's day, 13:03 it will be just like a Lot's day 13:05 and they will be destroyed. 13:08 In Noah's day, the whole world was drowned. 13:11 And when Jesus comes, those who are not ready, 13:15 sudden destruction will be all over planet earth. 13:20 Now let's look at another passage, 13:22 if you go back to chapter to Revelation, 13:25 look at Chapter 19. 13:29 Revelation 19 describes 13:31 what happens right before the millennium. 13:34 Chapter 19:17-18, 13:43 verses 11 to 16 describe the coming of Jesus. 13:46 And then in verse 17, John wrote, 14:17 " So, here, these verses describe 14:20 in Chapter 19:11-16, 14:22 the return of Jesus, which parallels 14:24 1 Thessalonians 4:16- 17. 14:27 And then in Chapter 19:17,18, which parallels 14:33 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 14:36 where Paul takes about sudden destruction. 14:38 These verses say that 14:39 they will be a big supper of birds, 14:41 the big supper of the birds. 14:43 The birds will come and they'll eat the flesh of all men, 14:47 whose bodies are scattered all around the world. 14:54 Another passage is in Jeremiah 4 14:59 that describes the extent of the destruction that occurs 15:02 when Jesus Christ returns again. 15:06 Jeremiah 4:23-26. 15:12 This is a very solemn passage. 15:16 In prediction, verse 23, 15:17 Jeremiah looked ahead in to the future 15:19 and he said: 15:26 The earth was being brought back 15:30 to sort of chaotic state 15:32 like it was at the very beginning, 15:34 when the bible says that there was darkness 15:36 before God said that there be light and there's light. 15:40 And at this point there is no light. 15:42 Verse 24 says:, 15:49 The mountains were shaking and all the hills were shaking. 15:52 Revelation 16, it describes 15:54 when the Lord comes there will be great earthquake 15:56 such as was not since men were upon the earth, 15:59 so mighty and so great. 16:01 And I believe these are, 16:02 this is describing like the after shocks 16:04 of the planets still convulsing and trembling. 16:09 Verse 25 says: 16:19 And this would be after the supper of the birds. 16:20 When Jesus comes, those who don't go up, 16:22 their bodies are scattered around the world 16:24 and they, the birds come and eat their flesh. 16:27 This is the supper of the birds, 16:29 which is actually in contrast 16:31 to Chapter 19:7-8, 16:33 where Jesus describes 16:34 the marriage supper of the lamb. 16:36 In Chapter 19 it describes 16:37 one group that's enjoying the marriage supper 16:40 and then in verses 17 and 18, 16:42 he describes another group 16:44 that is the supper for the birds, 16:46 which basically tells us that everybody 16:48 at the end of the world is going be in 16:51 one or two, one of two suppers. 16:54 One group is going to be eating the supper 16:57 with Jesus in heaven 16:59 and the other group is going to be 17:01 the supper down here for the birds. 17:05 So you know, if you think about it like that, 17:07 hopefully we are all impressed 17:09 that we wanna be with Jesus, eating the supper, 17:12 we don't wanna be down here as the supper. 17:16 And as Jeremiah continues, he says, 17:30 You read that also in Revelation 16, 17:32 it says that after the great earthquake, 17:33 it says the cities of the nations crumble 17:36 when the lord comes. 17:44 It's gonna be solemn day 17:45 when Jesus Christ comes down from Heaven. 17:48 Those who are caught up are going to be with him, 17:51 and to eat the delicious food 17:55 up in the New Jerusalem. 17:56 But those who are not ready will be left down here, 18:00 they will experience sudden destruction 18:02 just like Noah's day, just like Lot's day. 18:05 Jeremiah said there was no man left 18:08 and Revelation 19 says 18:10 that the birds come and eat the flesh of all men, 18:13 small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. 18:17 So, when you put the pieces together 18:18 it's pretty clear, 18:20 how widespread the destruction is. 18:23 The destruction is all around the world. 18:25 When the Jesus comes to raise the dead, 18:28 his people are being resurrected 18:29 from all around the world. 18:31 Now those who are at caught up to meet him in the air, 18:34 they are being caught up from all around the world. 18:37 And when Paul says those that are not ready 18:41 they will experience sudden destruction, 18:43 obviously this would be all around the world. 18:48 In other words, 18:49 when you put the piece together, 18:51 as Jeremiah said there was no men left. 18:54 The Biblical facts are that 18:56 there will not be any human survivors 19:00 when Jesus Christ comes again, 19:03 who are not prepared to go up to be with him 19:08 in the New Jerusalem. 19:09 Solemn thought. 19:11 And let's go back to Revelation 19, 19:13 and this leads us in to the millennial period. 19:17 Chapter 19, we read verse 17 and 18 19:20 about the supper of the birds, 19:22 and the verse 21, 19:24 at the end of the verse it says, 19:26 "All the fowls was filled with their flesh." 19:30 Here's again the supper of the birds 19:32 of all the people that are left on the earth. 19:34 Picking their bones dry 19:36 from what ever is left on them. 19:39 Gruesome thought, but it what the Bible says. 19:42 Now, look at Chapter 20:1, 19:46 Chapter 20:1 continues and then says, 20:14 Now, when you put the pieces together, 20:17 the question is, 20:18 why can Satan not deceive nations 20:24 during the millennium based on the context? 20:28 Well, the obvious answer is, 20:30 because the nations are all dead. 20:33 And so, Satan is bound, 20:35 he's stuck here on planet earth 20:38 with nobody to deceive. 20:41 Now I realize that, that is, 20:44 that may be a new idea to you 20:46 and maybe different from what you have heard. 20:48 I know that most people believe 20:50 that the devil's be gone somewhere, 20:51 that Jesus comes down, 20:53 and there's a thousand years of piece on earth 20:55 during the millennium. 20:58 Now let's explore that, 20:59 let's see that if it's really right. 21:01 If you keep on going to verse 7, 21:04 verse 7 says: 21:21 And people look at this verse 21:23 in a superficial way and they say, 21:24 Look, Steve, the nations are gonna be, 21:26 they're all around the world 21:28 at the end of the thousand years, 21:29 therefore, they must be on earth 21:30 during the thousand years. 21:34 But that's not exactly what the bible says. 21:37 The bible doesn't say that they will be on earth 21:41 during the thousand years, it says they will be there 21:44 at the end of the thousand years. 21:47 And I'm gonna prove to you in the next program 21:50 that the reason why they are there 21:52 at the end of the thousand years 21:54 and the reason why devil has a chance again to go in 21:57 and to deceive them is because all the nations 22:01 have been resurrected at the end of millennium. 22:05 All of the laws, 22:06 these are all the devil's nation. 22:08 In fact, if you look closely at verse 3 22:12 and put the piece together, notice what it says. 22:16 Verse 3 says that during the millennium, 22:18 Satan will be able to deceive the nations no more 22:23 until the thousand years should be fulfilled. 22:26 And after that he's loosed a little season. 22:28 I just analyze that text. 22:31 During the millennium 22:32 he deceives the nations no more, 22:34 which would mean prior to the millennium 22:37 he's deceiving the nations, they are his nations. 22:40 During the millennium, 22:41 he can't deceive them, his own nations. 22:44 And then, at the end of the millennium, 22:46 then he goes in to deceive them again 22:50 and the reason is because they have been resurrected. 22:55 Verse 8 says that they are their 22:57 at the end of the millennium. 22:59 It doesn't say they are their during the millennium. 23:02 And if you go back and look at verse 5. 23:06 Verse 5 says: 23:16 So, verse 6 says that 23:21 there is a first resurrection of the good 23:25 and they live with Jesus for thousand years. 23:28 And then verse 5 backs up and tells us the rest of dead, 23:33 which are those that are not followers of Jesus, 23:36 they do not live again 23:38 until the thousand years were finished. 23:40 So one group is resurrected at the beginning 23:43 and one group is resurrected at the end, 23:45 and during the time, the millennium, 23:47 it says that devil is bound with the chain. 23:50 Now, I don't believe this is literal chain 23:52 because if you put a chain on a spirit being, 23:54 Satan would just slip out. 23:56 But this is chain of circumstances. 23:58 Have you ever heard the expression, 23:59 'I'd like to help you but I can't 24:01 because my hands are tied' 24:02 When they say, my hands are tied, 24:04 they don't literally mean their hands are tied, 24:05 they mean that their circumstances prevent them 24:07 from helping you. 24:09 I have also heard it said that Satan is best pastor 24:11 who is ever lived because he visits 24:13 his church members' everyday. 24:15 But during the millennium 24:17 he has no church members to visit. 24:19 During the millennium his hands are tied. 24:21 During the millennium there is no man. 24:23 During the millennium the birds flee 24:24 after eating the flesh of all the people 24:27 just like Jesus said and just like Noah's day, 24:29 just like Lot's day, just like Paul said, 24:31 1 Thessalonians 5:3 that those who don't go up 24:34 experience sudden destruction. 24:36 So at the beginning of the millennium Jesus comes, 24:39 the dead in Christ are raised, 24:41 and the livings are caught up to go up with him 24:44 to the New Jerusalem for thousand years. 24:48 During the millennium, 24:49 Satan is stuck here with his angels, 24:53 bound by chain of circumstances with no one to deceive. 24:57 He deceives the nations no more 24:59 until the thousand years are finished. 25:01 At the end of the thousand years, 25:03 it says in verse 5, 25:04 Revelation 20:5, 25:11 All these people are resurrected. 25:13 Verse 7 says, when the thousand years are expired, 25:16 Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. 25:19 Now verse 5 says they are resurrected 25:22 and the verse 7 says that Satan is loosed, 25:25 then what is it that looses the devil? 25:29 It's obvious that it is the resurrection 25:32 of the rest of the dead. 25:34 And the question is, well, 25:37 or the obvious implication is what binds him? 25:40 What bound Satan was the destruction 25:44 of all of his nations. 25:46 And at the end of the millennium, 25:47 what looses him is the resurrection 25:50 of all of his nations. 25:52 And then he will gather them for final battle, 25:54 Revelation 20 says 25:56 there will be final great white thrown judgment 25:59 and then they will be the final fate 26:01 of the wicked in the lake of fire. 26:05 And that's what we'll study about in Part 2. 26:07 We'll look at Revelation 20:15 that says, 26:11 "Who ever was not found written in the book of life 26:13 was cast into the lake of fire." 26:17 I know where I wanna be. 26:19 I don't wanna be supper for birds, 26:22 I wanna be eating supper with Jesus 26:24 who loves me and who gave his life for me. 26:26 And he loves you and gave his life for you, 26:28 and he wants you to be with him 26:30 during the millennium and for ever. 26:32 So I hope you will stick with it for Part 2, 26:34 as we look at Millennium Madness, Part 2, 26:36 and will do it not according to man's opinion 26:38 but right from the Bible on the next edition 26:42 of His Voice Today. 26:44 We hope you've enjoyed this timely message 26:46 from Pastor Steve Wohlbreg, 26:48 and we want you to know that 26:50 White Horse Media is deeply committed 26:52 to bringing you many more simple messages 26:54 straight from the Bible, designed to educate the mind, 26:57 inspire the heart, and helping our viewers, 27:00 and their families closer to God. 27:02 To learn more about White Horse Media 27:04 or to watch more of Pastor's Steve's 27:06 television programs online, 27:07 including his powerful new series of Two Minute Talks, 27:11 visit hisvoicetoday.com. 27:13 That's hisvoicetoday.com. 27:16 If you have any prayer request, you can email them to us 27:19 at prayerrequests @hisvoicetoday.com 27:23 If you would like a free copy of Steve Wohlbreg's audio CD 27:26 Behold The White Horse, 27:27 you can call us at 1800-78-BIBLE. 27:31 That's 1800-78-Bible. 27:34 We hope you will join us next time 27:36 for another inspiring His Voice Today 27:39 presentation with Steve Wohlbreg. 27:41 The millennium, 27:42 will it be a thousand years of peace on earth, 27:45 the Age of Aquarius, or something totally different? 27:48 Find out on amazing facts about this 27:50 often misunderstood topic of the bible 27:52 in today's free offer 27:54 by Steve Wohlbreg- The Millennium. 27:56 Order your free book today by calling 1800-782-4253. 28:02 You can also write to us at White Horse Media, 28:05 Po Box 130 Priest River Idaho 83856, 28:10 or order online at www.whitehorsemedia.com |
Revised 2016-08-17