The final Feast of Booths is described in Leviticus 23:33-44. The Feast begins 5 days after the Day of Atonement on the 15th day and was to be celebrated for 7 days. The feast is in the seventh month and was to continue for seven days of solemn rest; and seven is the number of completion or perfection and this gives us a beautiful and prophetic picture of the millennium reign of Christ.
The Antichrist and the False Prophet are judged and cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be justly tormented for eternity. Individuals and nations who embraced the Antichrist will be destroyed by Christ at His second coming and their flesh will provide a great feast for the scavenger birds. Rev. 19: 11-21. Jesus will enter Jerusalem as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and establish His 1000-year reign on the earth. We will go into more detail shortly in the blog.
We are told that Satan himself is captured by a mighty Angel from Heaven and bound by a chain and cast into the bottomless pit for the entire Millennium rule where he is imprisoned so he cannot influence mankind with his wickedness and deception. Rev. 20: 1-3. Jesus also reveals to us that Satan will be released at the end of the 1000 years for a little while; and I will discuss this in detail when I do the short series on the coming prophetic wars.
Again, I need to remind you that we must take all Scripture literally which includes Christ 1000-year reign. Revelation 20 affirms the 1000-year reign 6 times. I hold to a premillennial view where Christ returns as the Righteous King overthrowing the evil of this world. Jesus will create a world of peace and order with His resurrected saints from both the OT and NT era’s and a remnant of those who did not receive the mark of the Beast and those born during this 1000-year period.
Whenever you go to figurative view like the amillennialism (meaning no literal millennium) or the post-millennial view (which believes we the Church are going to make the world a righteous and peaceful place and then Jesus returns after the 1000 years). Both views are completely contrary to what Jesus and the prophets taught concerning the last days. When we go to hermeneutics that takes Scripture out of context, symbolic, non-literal and or worse yet fully distorts God intended meaning we create many false and twisted doctrines which have sadly persisted for over 2000 years. Remember Jesus constant battle with the teachers of the Law in His day; He harshly rebuked them for misleading the people and corrected their false interpretations of the Bible. We must become serious students of God's Word as Paul instructed Timothy (2 Tim. 2:15) and look at the whole of Scripture to come to conclusions with the help of the Holy Spirit and remain humble. No one including me can say they are 100% right, but let us study His word together on these important prophetic topics with a humble and discerning heart. The Holy Spirit was given to each of us as Christians to clarify His Word and help us understand God's heart on all important matters.
So what will the Millennium Kingdom look like? We will start in the OT and gain many insights and then finish in the Book of Revelation.
• Daniel 7:9-14, 25-27, Daniel see’s the Ancient of Days, God Holy Throne, Myriads of Angels, the Courts of Heaven and God declares judgement on the boastful little horn (Antichrist) and sends His Son King Jesus to destroy him and his kingdom. Jesus is given Everlasting Dominion, Glory and a Kingdom consisting of all peoples, nations and languages which will serve Him. During the Millennial Reign of Christ, the earth will consist of nationalities and people groups who will reproduce and bear children; and we the Saints will be given responsibility from Christ to oversee and govern the nations of the world to honor and serve Christ. We will also serve as a priesthood to teach the people God's ways.
• I have long believed the incredible visions that Ezekiel saw in chapters 40-48, describes in precise details a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem where God’s Shekinah Glory will once again will dwell. The Prince who will rule from it (Jesus) and the priesthood of Zadok will be re-established during the 1000 years.
• Key verses: Ezek. 40:1-4 Ezekiel also called the son of man is taken to Jerusalem in a grand vision, and he is told to declare all that he sees to Israel who are still in exile in Babylon to give them hope. The Beautiful Temple is filled with God’s Glory Ezek. 43:1-4. The Prince (Jesus) who is a direct descendant of King David, shall be the only one to enter the East Gate of the Temple. Ezek. 34: 23-24; 37: 24-25 and 44:1-3.
• The Levitical Priesthood will be established and play a significant role in the Temple worship. Ezek. 44: 16. Some theologians have greatly struggled as to why we need a Mosaic sacrificial system during the Millennium. It is a fair question, since Christ has paid for our sins once and for all. However Redeemed Israel (those who are born again), the resurrected saints, and a revived Priesthood will play a major roles in the worship of God which will include sacrifices and teaching the nations the statues of God. Those born in Israel and the Nations during the 1000-year reign will need to be taught God’s ways as they are not perfect and can sin (Ezek. 45: 20). The Lord showed Ezekiel that the sabbath rest will be honored, sacrifices will regularly occur and there will be required feasts to be observed. Ezek. 45: 16-17.
• Living water flows from the Temple and becomes a great river to nourish the nations and the sea’s and brings abundant life where ever is goes. Ezek. 47: 1, 6-12. It is clear from Ezekiel’s prophetic vision that there will be a great distinction between resurrected saints who are perfected and who will rule and reign with Christ from those born during the millennium who can still sin and need healing. I do not believe the sacrifice system is for the Redeemed Saints, but for the peoples and Nations during this period who are NOT perfected yet. Christ rule will be a time of incredible peace on the earth and righteous rule; but the 100% perfection only comes after the millennium when the heavens and the earth are purified by fire. All conflict and rebellion will cease, the dead are judged at the 2nd resurrection, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire and God’s perfect Heaven and Himself will join a perfected world as He will once again dwell with His children. I will cover this in more detail Lord willing in a future blog.
• (Read Zechariah 14) Zechariah the Prophets sees the Day of the Lord, the great battle of the Nations against Jerusalem (Armageddon). He sees Jesus descending on the Mount of Olives with His Glorified Saints to destroy all His enemies and then set up His Kingdom for 1000 years. The earth will experience tremendous changes in its topography, valleys will be created, mountains flattened, Jerusalem will be elevated and Zachariah is shown the “Living Water” that will flow out of the Temple to bring life to the nations (the same one Ezekiel saw). Jerusalem will finally experience peace and security. The Feast of booths will be a required annual celebration during the 1000-year reign, and there will be serious consequences (drought) to Nations who do not come to worship the Lord at this time.
The several New Testament passages which clarifies our purposes and roles as resurrected believers serving with King Jesus during this glorious period.
• I Thes. 4:16-17 tells us that resurrected/raptured saints will meet the Lord in the air and we will ALWAYS be with Him. We will enjoy Jesus fellowship for all of eternity which includes the millennial reign.
• I Peter 2: 5, 9 We are called a Holy Priesthood to offer spiritual services to honor and glorify God. This is every Christians calling and privilege today, but it will continue in the Millennium Kingdom and for all of eternity. Sorry for those who thought heaven and eternity was a none stop vacation, not so much! We will have incredible purpose and joy in serving our King.
• Rev. 5: 10 affirms our priestly role in His Kingdom on the earth.
• Rev. 20: 4-6 this is an amazing brief description of those who will partake as priests and rulers of God during the 1000-year reign of Christ. This passage affirms several important facts of WHO Partakes in the millennium and debunks the Pre-Trib. Rapture theory. The Saints that are included in the Kingdom service have just endured through the tribulation period, some are beheaded for their faith because they would NOT WORSHIP the Beast or receive the mark of the beast. Now this is REALLY IMPORTANT, it says that they partook in the FIRST RESURRECTION. If the rapture had happened BEFORE the TRIBULATION how could these saints be included? Jesus confirms this by telling us when the Rapture/Resurrection will occur, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days”. Matt. 24: 29-31.
• I have mentioned in a prior blog, there are only 3 resurrections foretold for the future. Jesus is our First Fruits who rose from the dead 2000 years ago and He makes the way for our future resurrection by conquering death and hell. The Apostle Paul affirms this in I Corinthians 15. This passage tells us “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the FIRST RESURRECTION which includes Christian who go through the tribulation period.
• The second resurrection is for the wicked and the dead of all prior generations and happens after the millennium rule; and they will have their bodies physically resurrected and joined to their souls and cast into the Lake of Fire which is the second death.
• The third and final resurrection mentioned in Revelations is the “Two Witnesses” who were murdered by the Antichrist and they are not allowed to be buried Rev. 11: 7-12. There are no other prophetic resurrections in the Bible. So, for you and me to partake in the First Resurrection and partake in the Blessing we may have to go through a very troubling period called the Seven Year Tribulation. But be of good cheer, the Holy Spirit and Jesus will provide us with all we need to live by faith and be a blessing during this very challenging time. Those who reject the Antichrist during the 7 years will desperately need love, truth and hope that is only found in Jesus and our testimonies of His amazing saving grace in our lives.
• In conclusion Jesus will ultimately fulfill the Feast of Booths and He will rule righteously and walk with His people. We will serve and love Him and be with Him forever as Priests and Rulers according to how we served in this life. I encourage you live one day at a time trusting Jesus to lead you daily and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Be faithful with the little things and set your heart to know Him and walk in His ways. Become women and men of the Word and daily spend time with Him. Spend time listening to His voice often, quiet yourself and then do what He says. This is the true road of life!
• These are very challenging days in so many ways and yet exciting at the same time as we see Bible Prophecy unfold before our eyes. I believe we will see things intensify in the coming days, months, and years; God will give you many opportunities to share your faith in Christ with others and be a blessing to your family, friends and community. Draw close to Jesus and He will draw close to you.
Next week Lord willing, I will start a short series on “The Coming Prophetic Wars”. Without question mankind has become very creative at killing one another. The wars that are coming will continue with the extreme insanity of Nations against Nations and Kingdom against Kingdom lusting power, wealth, territory and destroying one another. It literally grieves my heart knowing what is coming and how cruel and wicked mankind can be against one another. God has clearly warned us through His prophets what is coming soon and we must stay awake spiritually, walk daily in His love and power and keep our eyes on Jesus.
From a friend, Bill W…if you have found these studies insightful and encouraging pass them on to a friend! Maranatha…Our Lord, come!