Bible Studies

The 1000 Years part 1 of 3

by Paul Taylor
11/01/14
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The 1000 Years

Part 1 of 3

In the book of Revelation, John the Apostle, imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, is shown a vision by Jesus Christ of end time’s events that would take place at the end of Earth’s history. In this vision John is shown things that would come to pass beginning in his time era, and proceeding through the end of time.

Among the visions, he was shown a 1000 year period of time, which will occur following the second coming of Jesus. There are a number of theories and various interpretations of just what this 1000 year period is, and what it entails, but  with a careful study of the Bible and especially the book of Revelation, you begin to see that a lot of teachings over the years have not been true or kind to the actual events which are prophesied to occur, beginning with the seven last plagues, and progressing to the rapture of the saved, the destruction of the earth, Satan’s 1000 year imprisonment, and culminating with the release of Satan, the resurrection of the lost and the final battle between God and Satan, where Satan, the false prophet, and the beast are cast into the lake of fire alive, to be consumed forever, never to raise their heads again, and finally the judgment of, and Gods final dealings with the wicked/unsaved humans of planet earth.

Not only is this period of a thousand years referenced in the book of Revelation, but is also referenced in the book of Jeremiah, so it must play an important role in God’s plan for the complete redemption of man in reconciling with His creation, as was, in the original Garden of Eden.

Some interpretations place the resurrected Christians in Jerusalem for a 1000 year period of time; some allude to a 1000 year period of peace for Israel prior to the second coming of Christ. But, are any of these theories correct?

Still others say the plagues which occur prior to the rapture and beginning of this one thousand year period have already taken place in the past, but I beg to differ on these interpretations as they hold no light in factuality. My question would be as follows; when in the past did a noisome and grievous sore fall upon mankind and no one recorded such an event, or when did the oceans become as blood and every living thing, including man, died from the effect, or where is it recorded that all the fountains, rivers and streams were turned to blood and man died from drinking the blood, or the sun was of such severity it burned and scorched man and the environment so relentlessly that men cursed the God of Heaven for the wrath He was sending upon them, or hailstones weighing as much as 50 to 75 lbs?

Had these events taken place I am sure there would be some type of evidence in writing or other means to substantiate the events, but no such substantiation has been uncovered to show these events had taken place. Therefore these seven events listed in the Bible are for a future time when the righteous are protected, the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn and the seven plagues are poured out on man in rapid succession over a period of not more than 45 to 60 days, not a seven year period as most Christian denominations adhere to.

The Bible will interpret its self if we look closely and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in our studies of the scriptures. We are presently at a junction in history where the coming of Jesus is so close we can almost feel the breath on our collars, and therefore must daily search the scriptures for the truth, prepare ourselves, and warn others of the impending judgments and the return of Jesus for His Church.

Jesus said in John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. We have an obligation as Christians to work for the salvation of the lost, just as Jesus did. Jesus set for us an example we are to follow, to be Christ-like in our lives as we interact with others, showing compassion and radiating the love of Jesus, so others might see, through us, His love for man.

There is coming a time of troubles when the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn, the remnant Christians are being protected, and will therefore not be working to appeal to the lost;  the night cometh, when no man can work.  The close of probation has occurred and the lost are forever lost as stated in Rev.22:11; He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

The  prophesy  for this time of troubles is also foretold by Daniel in the 12^th chapter as the closing of probation commences and the seven Angels have been given the signal to begin the pouring out of the seven vials of wrath upon mankind.

 Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Matt 24:21 Mark 13:19)

Here we see the closing of probation as Michael stands up and the seven Angels begin pouring out their vials of wrath on the inhabitants of the Earth.

Probation has closed at this point, and the seven plaques of Revelation 16 begin falling, and if we look at Amos 8:11-12 we see this, as the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn, and the seven last plaques are beginning to take its toll on this world.  11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:  12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12) 

 Noah preached and warned the people for 120 years of the coming judgment and destruction, and when Noah entered the Ark with his family, God himself shut the door, thereby shutting out all remaining humanity forever. The close of probation was upon the inhabitants of that era and they were lost forever.

Just as today, the people of that era did not heed the warnings, instead seeking after their earthly and fleshly lusts, mocking an old man building a boat on dry land as he attempted to warn them of an impending destructive flood, which when it arrives, will destroy every living thing on earth except those whom sought protection in the ark, and sadly only Noah and his family,along with the animals God had placed on the ark would survive the destruction. Those not heeding the warnings to repent and enter the safety of the ark were forever lost.

Today’s Christian are also receiving this same treatment  as they attempt to warn of impending wrath and judgment from God, but as in the days of Noah, they too are being mocked, ridiculed, some being arrested and taken to jail for proclaiming the gospel, Christian Pastors sermons being subpeoned for possible hate speech because they dared speak out against the immorality that was being legislated and glorified by the city and its mayor for the sinful gay lifestyle; (they had the fortitude and courage which Peter and the Apostles had as they proclaimed in Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.)  but this is only a foretaste of what is to come and what the true and faithful Christian will face as the forces of evil ramp up the attack on the Christian morals of society, forcing all references to God or Christianity out of public view, and viewing Christians and the Holy Bible as hatemongers quoting from a hate inspired book of a mythical God in the sky, relegating them to the status of domestic terrorists, cults, and whatever other negative labels that are convenient at the time.

As Christianity is being relegated to the status of cult worship, hate mongering, and homophobic inspiring rhetoric, the morals and the degradation of society continues to gain momentum in its plunging descent into the gutter level activity of moral bankruptcy, not seen since the anti-deluvian period before the flood and the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah with their utter disregard for human morality. Jesus said in Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Just in the past 20 years we have seen the increasingly downhill slide into disgustingly vile immorality in way of violence, sexual perversion, the decimated family core, and with mass media, including movies, television, games, and the educational system glorifying these actions as they continually lambast, mock, and push to eradicate the morals of the Christian culture and anything associated with it.

In the days of Noah, people were much as today, doing what-ever felt good, putting self and fleshly satisfaction first and ignoring the God of the universe. Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with so much sexual deviation and activity that not even five righteous people could be found. Lot and his wife were so in-tuned to the materialistic and worldly aspects of that era, that the Angels had to forcibly escort him, his wife, and daughters out to save them from the destruction, but Lot’s wife, still infatuated, and longing for that lifestyle, with its fleshly satisfaction, could not let go, and looking back for the things she longed for, forfeited her life.

Probation had closed when Noah and his family entered the ark and God had shut the door. Noah’s work was over and the night was upon them as he and his family sat in the ark for seven days before the rains began and the fountains of the deep erupted, bringing about the destruction and judgment he had preached and warned about for 120 years. The door had been shut to probation, the night was upon them and the unrepentant were lost forever.

We need to study God’s word, paying attention to the warnings, being obedient to His will, and preparing ourselves for the trials which are to commence just prior to Jesus’s appearing for the redeemed Christians. Unless we are truly repentant and prepared for these trials and tribulations, which will take place just prior to His coming, we will not have the strength, faith and fortitude to stand in the face of these troubles, instead succumbing to the pressure and worldly ways, thereby missing out on the promise of eternal peace and happiness in a place our finite minds cannot comprehend. This period of troubles will separate the true Christian from the counterfeit Christian as the parable of the wheat and tares emphasizes in the 13^th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus tells his followers what will happen to those not being diligent and obedient. Matthew 10:38,39    38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

We are to prepare for these time’s, taking up our cross by being obedient in following the will of God, because once these times of  Jacobs Troubles start, it will be too late. There will not be a second chance as some teach. Once the door of probation is closed, ( when Michael stands up; Daniel 12:1, which will be the beginning of the seven last plagues of Rev.16) the unrepentant are lost forever.

We don’t wait until we have an accident to purchase insurance, do we? Jesus is saying unless we follow Him in full obedience to His word and endure the persecutions and trials which we will face, then we are not worthy of His redemption. Rev.14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus

Some misinterpret this verse to mean saints are such as the apostles, but all saved Christians are saints and this verse is alluding to all Christians which have the testimony of Jesus in their hearts and His seal in their foreheads. Look at the following verses from Corinthians and Ephesians, and you see Paul is saying that we as saved Christians are as the saints and are considered the same.

 1 Cor.6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God ( emphasis added)

We are not to fear what man can do to us, for man can only kill the body, Satan after killing the body, can then cast you into everlasting death with him, as Jesus said in Luke 12:4-5 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

God will protect His people through these tribulations and trials of these times.                                           He protected the Hebrews in Egypt;                                                                                                                                           He protected Daniel from the Lions;                                                                                                                                           He protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the flames in the fiery furnace; In each case, God protected His people through the trials, rather than removing them from the trials.  

 Psalm 9:6-7  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. These verses tell us that God will erect a wall of protection around His people during these times of troubles.

Copyright 2014-19 by Paul L.Taylor all rights reserved worldwide

All scripture is from the KJV unless noted otherwise