Skip HeitzigSkip Heitzig

Skip's Teachings > From the Edge of Eternity > Heaven on Earth - Part 3: When Politics are Perfect

Message:

BUY: Buy CD
Player will resume where you were momentarily. Please wait...

Cancel
Loading player...
Enter your Email Address:

or cancel

Heaven on Earth - Part 3: When Politics are Perfect
Revelation 20:4-6
Skip Heitzig

Revelation 20 (NKJV™)
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Previous | Next Cookies must be enabled to support these options.
From the Edge of Eternity

It's the political season in our country and both sides are ramping up their platform to get as many votes as possible. The country is sharply divided on the two candidates but one thing is certain according to a recent poll: Americans consider both candidates to be risky if elected president. In Christ's Kingdom on earth, Christ will reign and all those who help Him administer will be in a glorified state, thereby minimizing any risk for shady politics. Get ready--you’re going to be part of the future political agenda of the King of Kings.

What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? What about infants and children who die? When do our bodies get resurrected? What will they be like? These questions and more occupy our thoughts from time to time. In this new series, From the Edge of Eternity, we will follow a believer from death into the different stages of eternity: the Intermediate State, the resurrection of the body, the Kingdom Age and the Eternal State. Since forever is a long time, it only makes sense that we both understand and prepare for this "ultimate journey".

FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help) | Buy series | Buy audiobook

Outline

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

I. Eyewitness Chronology


II. Administrative Authority

They Sat

They Judged

They Suffered

They Reigned


III. Social Stability

A. Unbelievers Await Second Resurrection

B. Believers Enjoy First Resurrection


IV. Spiritual Invincibility

Never See Eternal Judgment

Ever Serve and Rule

Transcript

Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

We're continuing now in a series called "from the edge of eternity," and this is the thirteenth week that we've been in this. I'll tell you, on a personal level I've really enjoyed this study, I've gleaned a lot, it's really helped me to refocus what it's gong to be like in heaven and what the phases and stages are like. So in the last several weeks and we're not anywhere close to being done, we've followed what happens to a believer at the moment of death, going into the throneroom of God, awaiting the bodily resurrection, what the resurrection body's going to be like, what'll be like to come back to the earth. And now we're dealing with and this is the third and final week that we deal with, the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth or the millennial kingdom. And we've laid some theological groundwork for that in the first week. We discussed what it's like to have Satan bound in the second week, and now we're into the third, and really we're only doing three weeks. You know we're going to be doing this literally for a thousand years, so three weeks studying it, or probably by the time you get there you'll have forgotten all these messages, so you'll learn it all over again in real life.
Let's open our Bible to Revelation chapter 20 and have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we've already cast our vote for Jesus Christ, we've asked him to rule and reign over our lives. We frequently pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is heaven." And tonight and in the last few weeks we have looked in part at what this world is going to be like when that prayer is ultimately and finally answered. Lord, I pray you'd once again give us grace as we seek to grasp, to understand, to have the hope because of, and to rejoice in the truths that speak of this future time period that we are one day going to experience. Father, you know the trials that we are facing and the issues and the decisions that are already now on our plate and we pray that even this message on the millennial kingdom would help, would bring hope, and joy, that as that old song says, "The things of earth would grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." In Jesus' name. Amen. 
Well there was a humorist and a columnist who wrote for a newspaper in West Virginia called The Gazette, The West Virginia Gazette, in Charleston, West Virginia. And this is the little article that he wrote. He said, "A guy heard about an operation that would enable him to get a new brain. He went to the hospital where the surgery had been perfected and he asked the doctors what was in stock. Well, the doctor said, "Here's an excellent engineer's brain. This is a finely honed precise bit of gray matter. It will cost you five hundred dollars an ounce." The man thought about it and he said, "Well, what else you got?" The man wanted to know more. So the doctor said, "Well here's a lawyer's brain, it's a collection of shrewd tricky little gray cells. Now this is a thousand dollars an ounce." "Is that all you have?" asked the man. "No," said the doctor, "Here's a doctor's brain packed full of anatomical knowledge, it's five thousand dollars an ounce." "Well, I just don't know," said the man, "do you have anything else?" The doctors looked at one another and then motioned for the man to step over to a covered container. "This," said the doctors in hushed tones, "is a politician's brain but it costs two hundred and fifty thousand dollars an ounce." "Wow!" exclaimed the fellow, "Why so expensive?" "Well, in the first place," the doctors told him, "it's hardly used. In the second place, do you realize how many politicians you need to get an ounce of brains?" I couldn't resist pulling that out for this message and during this election time. 
And here's why, we all know it, every time there's an election year, the politicians are always the scapegoats. The get blamed for everything wrong and we expect them to fix every problem in the world which is impossible to do. There is in this modern era, more than ever before, and it's been on the increase, a declining trust in politics. A 2008 Harris poll asked the American public, "How much do you trust leaders?" And they listed sixteen American institutions. The least group of all that was trusted or the group that was trusted the least by Americans was the United States Congress. We don't have a lot of confidence in politicians. 
True story, I read it just two months ago or a few months ago in June, there was a village in Romania where they recently voted in a mayor who had been dead. They knew he was dead, they did it knowingly. They just didn't like the other guy. Seriously, this previous mayor by the name of Nicolai Evasku for two decades was a mayor of this village but he won the election by twenty-three votes. And they asked one person why and the guys said, "Look, I know he's dead but he's a whole lot better than the other guy."
Well the ultimate form of government is going to be a benevolent dictatorship. A benevolent dictatorship in the form of Jesus Christ ruling and reigning over this earth. Now it has always been the hope of humanity for such a leader. Today over the doors over the United Nations is that famous verse out of Isaiah chapter 2, "They will beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they study or learn war any more." But in all of the years that the United Nations has been around, they haven't fixed things, no politicians have ended the wars and the problems. Even the people who visualize world peace, they haven't been able to figure it all out. After years and years of failed government, failed autocracy, failed democracy; we still want world peace and we still yearn for it. It's going to happen when the one who owns and made the universe comes back to repossess it and effectively hangs up a sign over the millennium, "Under new management." And that's the millennial reign of Christ. In the millennium, it's God's turn. So in chapter 20, we've been studying now, this is the third week that we cover it, we get a glimpse into what the perfect politics of this era will be like. 
Let's go over our verses once again and we're going to look at verse 4 through 6 but let's take it up from the beginning. "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand, he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old who is the devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years, and 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 until the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be release for a little while. And I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus, for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, had not received the mark on their foreheads or on their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priest of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years."
Now tonight I want to look with you at four conditions that make up the political framework of this millennial kingdom, this thousand year reign of Christ on the earth. The first thing I want you to notice, to me it's foundational, is this eyewitness chronology. Notice it begins, "Then I saw," in verse 1. And in verse 4, "And I saw." I know it looks obvious but we have to underscore this: John didn't make this stuff up. What he is writing is what he has seen and what he had heard directly from God himself. Just so we don't make any mistake about that, go to Revelation chapter 1 and look at the first two verses of the book. Here's the whole book of Revelation now in its prologue. "The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly place and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John." So the Father gave it to Jesus, Jesus gave it to one of his angels, and one of these angels gave it to John, who bore witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw. So understand then, the book of Revelation including chapter 20 is not some near-death experience that John has, this is not some late-night burrito with onions induced dream that he has. This is something that he sees and hears directly from God himself. And just so we don't miss it here, we have that common phrase used throughout the book of Revelation, "And I saw, and I saw, and I saw," it's a phrase that denotes chronological progression. After he sees this, he sees that, and he writes about it. After that he sees something else and he writes about it. Chronological progression, this is John's account and it's in chronological order. And if you just now turn over to Revelation, same chapter, chapter 1 verse 19, it's a key verse, it gives us the whole outline of the book of Revelation. The Lord says, "Write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which shall take place after this" (or metatouta in the Greek, after these things). So the book of Revelation is really not difficult to understand, there's three basic divisions, and John follows the suit as given to him.
First of all, the things that he sees, he writes them down, it's the vision of Christ in chapter 1. The glorified resurrected Christ in all of his splendor, all of his glory. He sees it and he writes the things which he sees. Then he writes the things which are, chapters 2 and 3, he writes about seven churches in Asia Minor, literal churches , literal congregations. But also, they seem to speak and represent all of church history in its entirety and chronologically. And then we get to chapter 4 and chapter 4 opens up with a phrase, "After these things," same Greek construction. Write the things which you see, the things which are, and the things which will be after these things, metatouta. So chapter 4 opens, "After these things." What things? Things of chapters 2 and 3, the things of the church. Now the church age is over, now John is immediately translated into heaven where he sees heaven and all of its glory, the throneroom etcetera for chapters 4 and 5, then after this he describes in heaven the tribulation period. For seven years, Daniel's seventieth week, from chapter 6 through chapter 19, it's all unfolding in chronological order. Then after the second coming in chapter 19, then the millennium, then the eternal state. Naturally it's probably helpful to understand that all of this is patterned after ancient Jewish weddings. In ancient times a groom would come to the bride's house unannounced. He would show up, they would sort of know when he's coming but they'd be ready for him. He'd show up. Then he would take the bride from her house to his house where they would have the ceremony. After the ceremony they would consummate their marriage that night. And then for the next seven days was a feast and people hung around if they could and enjoyed the feast for seven days. During that seven days, the bride and the groom were in seclusion. And after the seventh day, then the groom would bring out his bride and present her to his audience, to those in attendance. So the church, taken to heaven, seven years in heaven, marriage supper of the Lamb takes place, then Christ the groom and his church return together.
So back to that phrase "and I saw." It's a frequent one as I mentioned and if you just look at chapter 19 for a moment, in verse 11, "Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse." Here's the second coming. Go over to verse 17, "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, he cried with a loud voice." In chapter 20, verse 1, "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven." Then verse 4, "And I saw thrones." So we're following in chronological order what he saw. He saw Christ, he saw the church, he saw what happens after that in heaven, from heaven's viewpoint during judgment. He saw Jesus come back, he sees a thousand years transpire. And now he sees thrones set up for this millennial kingdom.
So here's the point I want to make: your future eternal life has stages to it, phases to it. I hope by now you've lost the misconception that you die and you sort of float around in wispy existence and you just do that forever and ever. You sit on a cloud and you play a harp and you do a whole lot of nothing. I hope you understand by now there's a whole lot of something to do, that your eternal life has phases to it. You die, if you die before the Lord returns, you're at the throneroom, you see God in splendor and glory, you wait for your resurrected body which will happen at the rapture of the church, you're raised to newness of life. And then you return with Christ to the earth and spend a thousand years here and then after that you go into the eternal state, the new heaven, the new earth and the new Jerusalem. So it's sort of like our temporal life, it has different phases to it, it's the same you, continuation but in different phases. So you have the gestation phase, nine months in a womb. Then you're birthed into the air, and then you live here as a baby and then a toddler and then adolescent. And then if you keep hanging on, you'll be a geriatric. You have all of these different phases, same you but very very distinct phases in life.
In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 7, listen to this, I love this verse, "In the ages to come where that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." There's going to be an ongoing revelation of cool things forever. Forever, an endless discovery and adventure. It's going to take God all of eternity to unfold what he has planned for us, that he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us.
So that's the chronology, we sort of looked at that in the past, I wanted to underscore it tonight, eyewitness chronology, "and I saw." The second thing that marks the poltical structure is administrative authority. Notice the word that's mentioned in verse 4, "and I saw thrones." Thrones. Now we see that mentioned a couple of times here and notice it's in the plural, not a throne but thrones plural. And it refers to the they and to them. So clearly in the millennial kingdom there's going to be a plurality of administrative duty and administrative authority. By the way, throne or thrones is always a symbol of authority. There's going to be authority but it's in the plural. Now, we know that Jesus Christ is going to be the ultimate ruler, the central ruler, because he's the only one that is the Lord of Lords and the king of kings. That's the title he comes back with in Revelation chapter 19. In verse 16, "he had on his robe and on his thigh a name written ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.' So he is the ultimate governmental caller of all shots for a thousand years on this earth. And scripture is replete with promise after promise that the Messiah will rule over the earth from the throne of David. 
Here's a familiar one, Isaiah chapter 9, "And the government will be upon his shoulder, and of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end, upon the throne of David and his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward." Another one is Luke chapter 1, that's what the angel spoke to Mary and she got the announcement that she was pregnant, "You will call his name Jesus." Remember the angel said that? "And he will be great and be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David." So he's going to rule as the king of kings and lord of lords for a thousand years and that in essence is the governmental structure. But he's not going it alone. He's going to have help, not that he needs any help. And I sort of liken this to a father who lets his son or daughter help him do something around the house, fix something in the garage, when the father knows a whole lot better than the child, not going to really do a whole lot here but I'm going to bring them in and make them a part of this. It has please him to make ruling the earth a family business. 
Okay, who are they and who are them in this verse? It's a question I got on a little sheet of paper a couple weeks ago. Well, we know who part of them is just from this verse. They sat on the thrones, to them was given authority. Notice it says, there's a second sentence, verse 4, "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God who had not worshipped the beast or his image, who had not received the mark on their foreheads or ont heir hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Okay, let's back way up and let's ask ourselves this question: who did God make promises to in the Bible that would rule and reign with him? Let's start there. Well number one, he promised Old Testament believers that they would rule and reign with him. In the book of Daniel chapter 7 verse 18, we read, "The saints (and whenever you read saints in the Bible it's not people with halos on and holy cards, these are real living people devoted to God at the time) the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and forever." Same chapter, Daniel 7 verse 27, "Kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High." Daniel wrote about them and part of them are Old Testament believers, including himself. It would be kind of fun to share ruling and reigning with Daniel, wouldn't it?
But that's not the only group. Jesus Christ promised his twelve apostles that they would have a special role in that kingdom. Matthew 19 verse 28, Jesus said, "Assuredly I say to you that in the regeneration (or the second genesis would be a better translation where the earth is recreated, remade) When the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." That's a special role during the thousand year reign.
Then the New Testament says that New Testament believers, New Testament saints will also rule and reign. Paul wrote to the Corinthians these words: "Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world?" He goes on, "Don't you realize that we will even judge angels?" Now I don't know how crazy the angels are about this prospect of you and I ruling over them. Paul says, "You're going to rule the world, judge the world and rule and judge even angels." In II Timothy chapter 2 verse 12, Paul writes to Timothy, "If we endure we shall also reign with him." You know, "Keep plugging away Timothy, keep telling the church to endure because in the end you're going to reign with them." And then what is the song of the church in the book of Revelation chapter 5? This is what they sing: "You have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth." So it couldn't be more clear than that. Old Testament saints, the twelve apostles in a special and unique role over the twelve tribes of Israel, and also New Testament saints.
And then, fourth, the group that's mentioned here, tribulation believers who were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. Now skip down to verse 6, kind of puts it all together. Revelation 20, verse 6, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection, over such the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years." So all the resurrected saints of all the ages are going to rule, reign with Christ and serve him for a thousand years. It means all Old Testament saints in their glorified bodies, the apostles in their glorified bodies, New Testament saints in their glorified bodies, tribulation martyrs in their glorified bodies, are going to rule and reign with him. 
Now some of you are listening to all this and you might be thinking, "Man, it sounds like al ot of work. That's not how I pictured heaven, you know I just sort of thought like an eternal retirement. You know I worked hard all my life so I don't have to work. So now you're telling us we're going to get to heaven and work? That's not my idea of heaven." Well guess what, it's God's idea of heaven, and understand you're going to be in a glorified body, you're going to have a sharp mind, it's not going to diminish, you're going to have renewed youthful strength, and tireless joy, you're going to have so much fun doing it. And here's an insight perhaps, Jesus said in Luke chapter 19, "He will say, ‘Well done good and faithful servant because you've been trustworthy in a very small matter, now take charge of ten cities. And to another, you've been faithful and trustworthy in a few things, now take charge of five cities." I wonder if that has any reference at all to literal cities during the kingdom age? Now you're thinking, "You know what? I really don't want to rule anything, I'm not really good at being in charge of stuff." Well you would be a minority because most people frankly are control freaks and they go, "Yeah." But if you're thinking, "I'm really not good at being in charge." Just think of the apostles. You know, they weren't like the brightest group around and they're going to be over the twelve tribes of Israel. I don't know which tribes Peter is going to get but even Peter is going to rule over some of those tribes, one of those tribes.
Dallas Willard said in a great book of his, "Perhaps it would be a good exercise for each of us to ask ourselves, ‘Really, how many cities could I govern under God? If for example Baltimore or Liverpool were turned over to me with power to do what I want to do with it, how would things turn out?" (We're always talking about politics this time of year, ‘Well they should do this and they should do that.' Okay now you're in charge, you get some cities.) He continues, "An honest answer to this question might do much to prepare us for our eternal future in the universe." Let me just say right now, I get dibs on Maui, okay? Just, I'll state that and if you get Maui and I get Kuaui I'll swap you or we'll figure something out but I want that part.
Let's look at verse 5 for a moment. Not only eyewitness chronology, not only administrative authority; one of the foundation hallmarks of government during this time will be social stability. Social stability. It says, "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. All of the unbelieving dead of all the ages are not going to be resurrected until after the millennium. Now this is sort of a little parenthetical footnote, that is verse 5, to let us know who's going to be doing the reigning. All the unbelievers, those who have died as unbelievers are not going to be resurrected until after the millennium and when they're resurrected and yes they will also have a resurrection and live forever and ever and ever. It will be a resurrection, an eternal one, to condemnation and eternal damnation. Look at verse 11, same chapter, chapter 20, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great standing before God. The books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead who were in them and they were judged each one according to his works. And then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire (notice) this is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." So John the apostle (notice) calls the believer's resurrection the first resurrection. The first resurrection, it's a resurrection to life which would mean the second resurrection, it's going to take place a thousand years later after the millennium is the second resurrection, the unbelievers.
Now I'm going to give you two scriptures that help fit all this together, one is Old Testament, one is New, same truth. Daniel chapter 12 verse 2, the prophet writes, "Many who sleepin the dust of the earth shall awake, (that's resurrection) some to everlasting life (that's the first resurrection) and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (that's the unbelievers or second resurrection). Here's from the lips of Jesus Christ, John chapter 5 verse 28, "The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life (that's the first resurrection) and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation (or damnation, that is the second resurrection or the unbeliever's resurrection). Now it seems as though the only ones that will be at first in the millennial kingdom will be believers. It seems that all unbelievers have died and at the time the millennium starts they are awaiting their final judgment, they have all been destroyed either by the massive cataclysmic judgments of the tribulation or by Jesus Christ coming back the second time, the battle of Armageddon or they're banished by the sheep and goats judgment, remember Matthew chapter 25. It seems that way. Also keep in mind, Satan for a thousand years is bound. He's bound for a thousand years, this means the conditions on the earth socially are going to be very very stable. No bad guys, no bad rulers, no Satan, all bound for a thousand years. As Isaiah put it, "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea." And all of those in political office are going to be resurrected saints, resurrected glorified saints ruling with Jesus Christ. That is a first. That's a first. It'll be ultimate politics.
There were three guys talking, they were arguing about their profession and which was the oldest profession, thus the most noble because it was the oldest profession in history. And the first guy was a surgeon who says, "You know as I read the Bible we read that Eve was taken by carving a rib out of Adam which makes the surgeon's profession the oldest." And engineer was there and he said, "Well you know if you think about it though, God created the world from chaos. He engineered it. It seems that an engineer just because of the creation was the earliest profession. He took chaos and he made something organized out of it." And the third guy standing around was a politician, a big smile on his face by this time, he said, "Aha! But who made chaos?"
Well there will be absolutely no chaos at all and all the kings, all the rulers, all the governors, all the prime ministers, all those in the legal profession, all those in the media will be resurrected glorified believers; governed by saints who have the delegated authority of Jesus Christ. 
Probably like some of you I've been watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics and I've been doing a little reading. Beijing, they say every square inch of Beijing is covered by three hundred thousand cameras, security cameras. And they have face recognition software, all of them. Every square inch of Beijing. Thirty thousand police officers and army folks patrolling the streets. It's secure. Now imagine what it took to secure that city and then think about the security in a perfect world, ruling and reigning with a rod of iron. I was watching the opening ceremony, ninety thousand people in that stadium all looking down on representatives from 203 nations, and there was our President and there was Vladmir Putin on the other side, and there was the head of Japan, and all of these political rulers in that stadium. And I'm looking at that and it seems so peaceful, like it was filled with unity. And I just thought, "This is like a little slice of the millennium." But my illusion was shattered as I read the paper this morning, outside that environment an American was killed and his tour guide was killed by a terrorist in that city. Evidently they didn't have it as secure as they'd like to have it. That's the present world in which we live. In Jesus Christ's kingdom there's going to be social stability, believers are going to inhabit it, but they're going to have children and those children who are going to have grandchildren and great grandchildren, etcetera, for a thousand years, that's a lot of population. At the end of the millennium something's going to happen. Here's just a little insight, look into verse 7 at what it says, "Now when the thousand years had expired, Satan will be released from his prison. (I don't like that, do you? No I don't.) And will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, they're represented by this name Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle whose number is as the sand of the sea and they went out on the breath of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city and fire came down from heaven, out of heaven and devoured them."
Now before we even mention that and I promised that I would do that, three weeks now I promised that I would touch on that. Go back with me to verse 6 and here is the fourth condition of the political framework of the millennial kingdom and that is spiritual invincibility. Don't miss this. Verse 6, "Blessed (or happy) and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection, over such the second death has no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years." If you know Jesus Christ, then you will face a resurrection to life, the first resurrection which means you will never face eternal death. Now this is the answer to those people who ask, "Okay, so like when we're in the millennium is this like a test period? If we like blow it can we like sin and then we're…" No, you can't. Once you're in your glorified resurrected body you can not sin. You can not sin at that point. There's no trial period. There's not like, "Well you kind of blew it over those ten cities I gave you so you're out." No exception for that. At this point you will be spiritually invincible, you'll never be judged for your sins, you'll never face the second death. You will always serve him and always rule with him. I Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10, it says, "You are looking forward to the coming of God's son from heaven, Jesus whom God raised from the dead, he is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment."
Okay, back to that question: Why with all this perfection on earth for a thousand years does God (in verse 7) let him out? Let Satan out? I have a tough time with that one. I've waited now for three weeks to answer it. And I've got to tell you, my answer is not going to be satisfactory. But I love what Louis Sperry Shaffer, theologian said, he said, "Well if you tell me why God let him out in the first place, I'll tell you why God lets him out in the second place." And actually that's a good answer, because the very reason he was given freedom in the first place must somehow be part of the reason he is given freedom like this in the second place. I can think of two reasons. Number one to show, to demonstrate ultimately that even after a thousand years of incarceration the devil's nature never changes. He is always and will ever be until he is ultimately in torment, the same, never changes. And number two, to ultimately demonstrate that even with utopia, even with perfection, the nature of mortal man never changes either, never changes. "Oh if we had a perfect environment." "If that wasn't around." "If we were in this sort of a place." Well we're going to have peace, we're going to have no war, every weapon (talk about gun control) every weapon's going to be made into an implement for agriculture. But still people will have a sin nature and some will accept Christ who are born during that time and some will rebel. And at the end when Satan is let loose there will be a host of people who will also rebel with him. Jeremiah was right, the human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked." 
So I have a suggestion. I ask you to again look at verse 6 since it says, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power. And they shall be priests of God and shall rule with him a thousand years" (or reign with him a thousand years). My suggestion is to make Jesus Christ your Savior today, your Lord now, serve Him now so that you will face the first resurrection and eternal death will have no power over you.
There's a little axiom, I've told it to you before, I'll tell it to you again. If you're born once you'll die twice. If you're born twice you'll die once. You were born once, here you are. But if you're born twice, spiritually born from above, born again, that's the second birth, you'll only die once at best physically, but never spiritually. But if you're only born once and you never are born again by the Spirit of God, you will die physically and eternally, the second death, forever and ever. You were born once, you'll die twice; born twice, you'll die once.
Now you remember in the Old Testament, Nebuchadnezzar had that wild dream one night and couldn't figure out what it was and only Daniel could interpret it. And Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream as he saw this huge image, gold and silver, bronze and iron, and iron and clay; as representative of political empires, right? Political nations. And Daniel said, "I know exactly what you saw and I know exactly what it means." He said, "You're the head of gold, Nebuchdnezzar and then he listed all of these nations that are going to come after. And he saw in his mind's eye some great polticians hit the world scene: Nabopolazar, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus, Alexander the Great, Artaxerxes Longimonus, Cassander, Lusimicus, on and on. And he saw all of that coming. But in the dream he saw a stone not made with human hands, coming down from the heavens smashing all of the kingdoms of men, that great image and forming a mountain that would cover the entire earth. Remember that? That's representative of what we're talking about here tonight. Daniel said, "The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people, it shall break in pieces and consume all of these kingdoms and shall stand forever." God will rule his universe one day. But he wants you to know that ruling the universe is a family business. And if you're part of his family, you're going to be doing it with him in some capacity. You're going to be in the government, you're going to have a government job one day for a thousand years. You say, "Oh I've already got one, I don't want one." You will absolutely love it because it will be the perfect government, run by the Lord of lords and King of kings. The question is: Are you part of the family? Are you in his family? Are you a child of God? If you're part of his family, you've got a whole lot of cool stuff coming your way. If you're not a part of his family, you don't have a whole lot of cool stuff coming your way. You've got a whole lot of bad stuff coming your way. So you're born once, get born twice because of you're born twice you may die but you'll never die the eternal death.
Heavenly Father, I know we've covered a lot of territory, a lot of different scriptures, a lot of different ideas, all directly out of your word. I pray Lord that not only would we understand but that we'd get really excited, and as was advised even by one quoted in this study tonight, we would think, "What would we do if I were in charge of this or that?" In a sense preparing ourselves for the inevitable co-ruling and reigning with Christ over this earth. Lord, it's hard to imagine but certainly because we'll be in resurrected bodies, glorified bodies with a renewed and perfect mind, a will solely and totally devoted to you, without any capacity to sin, no sin nature whatsoever, we will perfectly enact your will around this world. Until then, we say, "Come quickly Lord Jesus. Your kingdom come, your will be done in earth as it is in heaven." In Jesus' name.

Additional Messages in this Series

Show expand

 
Date Title   Watch Listen Notes Share Save Buy
4/27/2008
completed
resume  
The Ultimate Journey
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? What about infants and children who die? When do our bodies get resurrected? What will they be like? These questions and more occupy our thoughts from time to time. In this series, From the Edge of Eternity, we will follow a believer from death into the different stages of eternity: the Intermediate State, the resurrection of the body, the Kingdom Age and the Eternal State. Since forever is a long time, it only makes sense that we both understand and prepare for this "ultimate journey."
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/4/2008
completed
resume  
View From Death's Door - Part 1
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote, "A grave, wherever found, reaches a short and pithy sermon to the soul." He's right! Cemeteries remind us of our future on this earth--the only real estate we'll hold onto for awhile! But what happens to a believer after death? What about those who have died already? What are they doing now? Today and next week we will look at the experience of the death of the believer and what takes place afterwards.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/11/2008
completed
resume  
View from Death's Door - Part 2
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
How can mortal man penetrate beyond the grave and find assurance and peace for his own heart? Philosophers won't help--they've been for centuries discussing life and death without any resolve. Scientists don't want to tread into the area of wrestling with such questions. Paul solved the problem when he wrote, "For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord." We don’t need to wonder or speculate. Why substitute human speculation when we have divine revelation?
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/18/2008
completed
resume  
Groaning for Glory
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
What sort of existence and experiences are departed believers enjoying right now? Is the heaven we go to when we die our final destination? Paul described it as "far better" (Phil. 1:23) but it's going to get even much better! Paul lightly touches on what happens when a Christian dies and awaits the resurrection, but it's enough to give us confidence. Let's consider today the "intermediate" or temporary transitional heaven before the resurrection of our bodies.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/25/2008
completed
resume  
Rise and Shine!
1 Corinthians 15:3-4;15:20-28
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
My mom used to saunter into my room to wake me up in the morning with a sweet call to "rise and shine!" One day our Savior will give a call for all His children to do the same! This week and next week we will be considering the resurrection of our bodies. Why is resurrection even necessary? What will our resurrected bodies be like? What capabilities will they possess? Will babies always be babies and the elderly always remain elderly when resurrected? As we begin, know this: the idea of resurrection isn't just a New Testament idea; it began long, long ago!
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/1/2008
completed
resume  
Getting the Body You've Always Wanted
1 Corinthians 15:35-50
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
I know I've gotten your attention with the title! This is one of our culture's driving goals--to look trimmer, healthier, younger and stronger than we are. The solution happens to be in the future with the resurrection of our bodies--it will be the body you've always wanted. Scripture gives some wonderful descriptions of the future strength, beauty and permanence of our resurrected body. Let's consider what the Bible says about how you'll look then.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/8/2008
completed
resume  
Jesus, Friend of Children
Matthew 19:13-15
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Today's subject is a tender one. The death of infants and children is the greatest fear of any parent. Does the Bible speak clearly about what happens when they die? It certainly does and it also gives great comfort to many who suffer the horrible loss of a little one. In this series on Eternity we must consider this subject since it affects so many and will also help us understand the fate of those who, like children, have diminished capacities.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/22/2008
completed
resume  
A Sneak-Peek Into What's Up There
Revelation 4:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In the early morning of his last day on earth, Dwight L. Moody, awoke suddenly and said, "Earth recedes; heaven opens before me." Those near him thought he was dreaming. "No, this is no dream, it is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go." After that sneak-peek of heaven, Mr. Moody entered his heavenly home. Today lets begin to consider our future home by glimpsing God’s heavenly Throne Room.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/29/2008
completed
resume  
What on Earth is Going On in Heaven?
Revelation 4-5
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The above title is more than just a play on words. Although there will be many activities going on in heaven, worship is one of the few things that we can do "down here" on earth that we will also do "up there" in heaven. That means that one of the ways you can get closer to heaven is to engage in biblical worship right now. Let's tag along with John for his extended tour of heaven.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/13/2008
completed
resume  
Gold, Silver, or Bronze?
2 Corinthians 5:9-11
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Next month, the eyes of the world will be on the Olympic Games in Beijing. Athletes from all over the world will compete, hoping to win the gold, silver or bronze medals that rank them as being some of the best on earth. This image of receiving an award from a judge on the raised platform of the Olympic Games is what Paul had in mind when he wrote about the future judgment of believers for their works on earth. Let’s see what this means.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/20/2008
completed
resume  
Heaven on Earth - Part 1
Revelation 20:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Mankind long ago gave up on the idea of a future Utopia. The idea of perpetual peace and undisturbed harmony became the stuff of fairy tale books. But that is precisely what God promised He will bring to this earth one day. And even though Satan has exercised a temporary authority over God's creation for several millennia, the story isn't over yet. Jesus Christ, who came two millennia ago as Savior, will return to rule as Sovereign for a thousand years. And no, this won't just be a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of His followers. This will be a literal dominion over a renewed earth. Let's explore this 1000 year phase of your eternal future.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/27/2008
completed
resume  
Heaven on Earth - Part 2: The Bad Guy is Bound
Revelation 20:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
This world has been so tainted and marred with sin and Satanic deception that it's impossible for us to even imagine what it would be like with Him out of the way. Thankfully we have a clear description of what that will be like during the 1000 year reign of Christ in the Kingdom Age. Today we see the drama of Satan's arrest and incarceration, as the ultimate "bad guy" gets put away to make way for this future era of peace, prosperity and righteousness.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/17/2008
completed
resume  
Six Things That Will Surprise You About Heaven
Revelation 21:1-8
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
I began this series talking about all the things I heard people say at funerals about the afterlife, from turning into angels when you die to having to answer Peter's questions at the gates of heaven. I have discovered that most people's (even Christians) ideas about what heaven will be like are vastly different that what Scripture reveals. We turn now to the Eternal State--after our initial experience of the Throne room of heaven, after our bodily resurrection at the Rapture, after the Millennial Reign of Christ. Here's a few things that might surprise you further:
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/24/2008
completed
resume  
Future-Town - Part 1
Revelation 21:9-21
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Our English word town is related to the German word zaun (tuin in Dutch). The original idea behind the meaning referred to a space that a fence or wall would enclose. The town of the future described in this chapter, also enclosed by a wall, will be so magnificent that even John's depiction leaves us scratching our heads. This is God's revelation of the future Eternal dwelling of all believers. Let's do a walk-through today.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/7/2008
completed
resume  
Future-Town - Part 2
Revelation 21:22-22:5
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Today we will conduct a walk-through of your ultimate destination as a believer. We will walk with John as he describes what he saw as he was shown the New Jerusalem. It will be a social environment with such unique features, you'll have to bend and stretch your imagination just a bit. I will sum up this future cityscape by describing five conditions that will exist in God's Town
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/14/2008
completed
resume  
Living Between Two Worlds
Philippians 1:19-26
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
After studying about the believer's death, resurrection and heaven for four months now, maybe you can relate to these words by Puritan author, Thomas Watson, "Spiritual things satisfy; the more of heaven is in us, the less earth will content us." Knowing what we know now about the believer's future world, how can life be different in this present world?
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
There are 16 additional messages in this series.
© Copyright 2024 Connection Communications | 1-800-922-1888