3/3b Christian Foundations and End Time Events
Now we continue with the remaining themes about the end times:
7. The Millennium
We have another time period mentioned in the Bible. This time period is approx. 1000 years of peace under the rule of the Lord Jesus. Three main views are about when this event takes place are:
a) ‘A millennium’ – the thousand years covers the whole church age, ending with the return of the Lord. This means that we are already in the perfect reign of Christ. Note: All we have to do is to read any newspaper to see that this view has some problems to explain.
b) ‘Non millennium’– believing in no millennium at all.
However, many, many Bible scholars and Bible verses point to a 1,000 years of Jesus rule: Isaiah 2:3, 11:6-9, 25:7-9, 65:19-15, Amos 9:13, Joel 3:18, Isaiah 35:1, Zechariah 14:9, 20-21, Jeremiah 25:5, Luke 1:32-33, Psalms 98:6, Micah 4:1-4, Revelation 20:1-6, 2 Timothy 2:11-12.
c) ‘Post millennium’ – the millennium is a separate time period after the church age but ending with the return of the Lord. The problems with this view are the time divisions which would lead into the return of the Lord.
d) ‘Pre millennium’ – a separate time period after the church age. The Lord’s Second Coming begins the 1000 years of the Millennium. (Note: The ‘post trib’ and the ‘pre mill’ view are the same.)
8. Satan is loosed after the thousand years!
Revelation 20:7-9 shows that Creator God released Satan from his prison. Why, oh why? …but perhaps:
a) Procreation continues into the Millennium and so some are born who have not make a choice to follow God,
b) ….Or untested humans enter the Millennium, such as those babies that were aborted or died before making their own choice. These humans as targeted by Satan to lead his final attempt at rebellion against God.
c) ….or some Jewish converts to Jesus may have doubts and turn against Him.
This event fulfils the words of Revelation 20:7-9 when the battle between Gog and Magog occurs. Fire from heaven defeats the Great Deceiver.
7. The Final Great White Throne Judgement of God
Resurrection of the wicked dead and the final record, the Book of Life is opened. Those 
unbelievers not found in the Book of Life follow their master, Satan into eternal judgement outside the presence of God, Revelation 20:15.
Romans 2:12-15 talks about those who have not had the chance to hear about Jesus. They will be judged on their conscience, how obedient they were to what they knew was right from wrong.
8. The literal place called Heaven
Humans will not stop existing when they are dead. Rather, everyone will live forever, because they are spiritual beings. Where they spend eternity is the vital question. Our ultimate reward will be our ‘eternal state’ – either heaven, the dwelling place of the redeemed or hell, the dwelling place of the disobedient, 2 Chr. 6:25, 31, Hebrews. 1:10, 4:14.
The Bible lists at least three heavens, similar to the 3 parts to the tabernacle, 2 Corinthians 22:1-4, Joel 2:10, 30, 2 Peter 3:5-16:
a) Eternity will bring a new heaven and a new Earth, a new Jerusalem, filled with God’s glory, with no shadows due to eternal light, 2 Peter 3:13, Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21:1-2.
b) Heaven will have no more tears, no more death; it will be without sin or unrighteousness, a place of love, worship, joy, service, peace and life, Rev. 1:6, 5:9-10, 22:5.
c) Heaven contains the Tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations, along with a river of life, Revelation 2:7, 22:1 & 7.
d) We shall see His face and His name shall be on our forehead.
9. The Literal place called Hell
There are enough verses in the Bible to show that Hell is an actual place, prepared for the devil and his angels, Matthew 5:22, 29:30, 23:15, 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4. Although Hell is designed to hold Satan and his fallen angels, it will also hold those who have chosen to follow Satan, either knowingly or out of ignorance.
This is because wherever their ‘master’ goes, they will be also. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus accepts Satan by default. I am glad we can trust the God of the Universe to be the just and righteous Judge.
There are various descriptions: ‘Sheol’ or ‘Hades’, ‘the place of the departed spirits’, Deut. 32:22, 2 Samuel 22:6, Psalms. 9:17, 16:10, 55:15, 86:13, Isaiah 14:9, 15. Matthew 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, Acts 2:27, 31, 1 Corinthians 15:55, Revelation 1:18, 6:8, 20:13-14. The Old Testament and the New Testament confirm each other, stating it is ‘down’, having gates.
It was constructed as a dungeon, a jail, the abode of demon spirits, or ‘the bottomless pit’. It is also a place of fire and brimstone, Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 14-15, 21:8, a place of horrible torment, Revelation 14:9-11, eternally on fire, Mark 9:43-49. Hell will eventually to be cast into the Lake of Fire, the final ‘Hell’.
The Antichrist, the Devil himself, fallen angels, the unredeemed and unregenerate of all mankind and finally death and Hell are all cast into the bottomless pit, Revelation 20:14, Hosea 13:14, Isaiah 25:6-9, 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55. Hell is a self-chosen, self-inflicted inevitable outcome of sin. It is the place Jesus came to save us from. It is not God’s will that any human beings find themselves in this place of destruction – it is our choice!
12. The Heavens and Earth are cleansed by Fire
2 Peter 3:7-13 sets the stage for the eternity of eternities. The New Jerusalem arrives and we enter into the eternal ages, beyond our wildest imaginable in our finite minds. His people have been prepared for this. Our loving Creator God will pick up where He planned for Adam and Eve – to have Godly dominion over all the Earth and then the universe.
I sure we won’t be just sitting under a tree somewhere with the angels singing songs to God all the time. The furthest, far out space regions will also be in His presence….and He has plans for us!
I. IN CONCLUSION
We can know from the bible that the Creator God is also the just God of the end times. He will love His creation and His human race no matter how much they turn away from Him. It is never His will to send anyone into the exile of life without His presence. However, free will is such an important ingredient in His plans that He will not violate our choice.
Next week, we look at the challenges of Humanism and Evolution to the Foundation of the Christian faith. These two areas have a vast number of Christians confused and willing to believe the lies of the enemy. We need to see these lies in the light of Scriptures in order to find our firm foundation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Susanne Fengler, Blog Author
www.christianfoundations.jesus-treeoflife.info
Sources used in this study:
Conner, Kevin J. The Foundations of Christian Doctrine, Acacia Press, Blackburn, Vic., Australia, 1980.
Fengler, Daniel & Susan, Christ Centred Living Series, Crossway Baptist Church, Melbourne, Australia, 2000
House, Wayne H. Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine, Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan, USA, 1992.
LaHay, Tim. The Battle for the Mind. Fleming Revell Publishing Company, New Jersey, USA, 1980.
Meath, John. “The Relevance of Origins and the Validity of Genesis”, Life Ministry Bible College Notes, Victoria, Australia, 1988.
Oxley, Pastor Hal. Life Ministry Bible College Notes, “End Time Events”, Chirnside Park, Vic., 1988.
Tags: 2/ end events
Filed under: Challenges to the Christian Faith
Leave a Reply