The Thousand Years of Peace
Revelation 20: 1-6 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand.2 He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years.3 The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.4 Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.
Table of the Lord preaches the thousand of years of peace spoken of in the Book of Revelation chapter 20 as being real; it is not allegory, metaphor or symbolism for the church age experiencing a prosperous blessed time.
Chiliasm - (from the Greek for 'thousand, ' chilioi) The belief in a literal future Millennium is called 'Chiliasm', derived from the Greek word for one thousand years in Revelation 20: 1-6 mentioned 6 times in these verses.
Amillennialism - (Latin - 'no' + millennialism) is the view in Christian eschatology which states that Christ is presently reigning through the Church, and that the '1000 years' of Revelation 20: 1-6 is a metaphorical reference to the present church age which will culminate in Christ's return. It stands in contrast to
Premillennialism - States that Christ will return prior to a literal 1000-year earthly reign.
Postmillennialism - Postmillennialists hold to the view that the second coming of Christ will happen after the millennium.
Preterism - The term preterism comes from the Latin praeter, meaning “past.” Thus, preterism is the view that the biblical prophecies concerning the “end times” have already been fulfilled—in the past. Preterism is directly opposed to futurism, which sees the end-times prophecies as having a still-future fulfillment.
Preterism is a view in Christian eschatology which holds that some or all of the biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days refer to events which took place in the first century after Christ's birth, especially associated with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. According to preterism, all prophecy in the Bible is really history. The preterist interpretation of Scripture regards the book of Revelation as a symbolic picture of first-century conflicts, not a description of what will occur in the end times. Preterism is divided into two types: full (or consistent) preterism and partial preterism. Partial being some things in prophesy and The Book of Revelation are still to come. Preterism teaches that every event normally associated with the end times—Christ’s second coming, the tribulation, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment—has already happened.
Hebrew Hermeneutic - The Hebrew Hermeneutic simply means in Scripture and prophecy that which is stated or prophesied is true and straightforward; not spiritualized in allegory and metaphor. Eschatological statements come to pass as written thus things not yet coming to pass but prophesied about can be seen in the light of things once prophesized about and fulfilled. Though figurative language can be used, prophecy is literal, at times we need other Scriptures in different books to piece it together correctly contextually; but it is self-explanatory and not couched in vague mystery with over the top meanings.
Greek Hermeneutic – The process of spiritualizing Scripture and prophecy into allegory or metaphor. Giving Platonic meaning with philosophy and theology. Taking prophecy and Scripture meant for Israel in the Hebrew Scriptures and say they are fulfilled in the church age.
CE refers to the Common Era and will be the same as AD… The year 23 AD is exactly the same as the year 23 CE, and 4004 BC is also 4004 BCE. References to historical dates under either classification shouldn't create confusion in a researcher's mind. Major historical dates such as 1492 AD,1776 AD or 1941 AD would still be rendered as 1492 CE,1776 CE and 1941 CE.
We understand Augustine (354 AD – 430 AD) and other theologians would bring in the Greek Hermeneutic of allegorizing Scripture with hidden meanings and that the thousand years of peace would be come looked at like a metaphor for the church age itself. We know this perspective would become accepted and systemized and by the 5th and 6th centuries, “Chiliasm” or the thousand years of peace after the church age would not be taught for centuries. The “Reformation” accepted this doctrinal perspective in the 16th century.
Luther and Calvin both rejected the 1000 years of peace in their writings concerning a Jewish State under God. They fought the Anabaptists and theology of a Great Tribulation then a millennial period with Israel leading the world in the Kingdom of God on earth. They were “Preterists” in many ways. Having the belief that the Book of Revelation was written before 70 AD close to the destruction of the second temple and the dispersion of the Jews. They believed Revelation 13 concerning the antichrist and 666 was Nero. Luther and Calvin both read and quoted Augustine extensively. They were amillennialists in their theology. We will see that this carrying on of false doctrine would have grave effect in the age of nationalism and the so called, New World” of America. Now lets look at what the Apostolic Fathers believed concerning the 1000 years of peace and when the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation.
The Apostolic Fathers were those who lived immediately after the apostles and wrote. They believed in the 1000 years of peace being a time after the church age and stemming from Israel and Jerusalem. They lived after the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70ad or the common era.
Many also wrote of the Apostle John, even knew John, and said he lived until the time of the Emperor Trajan. The Apostle John was banished under the Emperor Domitian who was assassinated in 96ad and started his reign in 81ad. Irenaeus wrote, it was during the latter time of Domitian’s reign John was banished to the Greek Island of Patmos where he wrote the Book of Revelation and brought it back to the church of Ephesus. Domitian became emperor when his brother Titus died of a fever on September 13,81 AD. And because of the dynasty, (a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family) Domitian was next in line after Titus (Titus was the General who attacked and destroyed Jerusalem in 70ce) . Domitian banished John to Patmos and he was assassinated in the summer of 96 AD and John was freed and went back to the church of Ephesus where he left the book of Revelation.
Saint Clement of Rome, is listed by Irenaeus and Tertullian as Bishop of Rome, holding office from 92 to his death in 99.2 He is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church. He has one existing writing an Epistle to the Corinthians dealing with church authority. He stated Peter and Paul were both martyred in Rome and many feel he was ordained by Peter as a minister. He was killed under Trajan drowned to death with an anchor tied to him.
The passage by Irenaeus (Against Heresies III.3.3) reads:
“After the Holy Apostles (Peter and Paul) had founded and set the Church in order (in Rome) they gave over the exercise of the episcopal office to Linus. The same Linus is mentioned by St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy. His successor was Anacletus.”
2 Timothy 4: 21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.
Pastors at Rome
St. Peter (died in Rome approximately 67 AD) . He was succeeded by St. Linus (67-79 AD) then comes St. Anacletus (79-90 AD) then St. Clement I (90-99) who is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church.
Ignatius of Antioch (50ad -108ad) , known to his friends as Theophorus ('God-bearer.
The apostle John himself appointed 'Theophorus' as a bishop the rough equivalent of a head pastor in the late first century. His church was Antioch—the apostle Paul's home church.
Ignatius capped his testimony with a glorious martyrdom in Rome in A.D.110. His boldness and bravery are legendary and have inspired Christians for 1900 years.
We can be excited that he left us seven letters on his way to being martyred. They were addressed to the churches in: Rome, Ephesus, Trailia, Magnesia, Philadelphia, Smyrna and one to his friend Polycarp (Bishop of Symrna) .
Polycarp was around 40 years old when he got Ignatius' letter.
Polycarp knew John and Irenaeus wrote about this. After Domitian was assassinated Nervan ruled and he was assassinated in late January of 98 then Trajan came to power. Irenaeus writes that John lived in the early part of Trajan’s rule.
Polycarp - (69 and 155 A.D) Polycarp, (an Apostolic Father) is another important link between the Apostles and the second century Apologists who properly identified the canon of the New Testament. In his letter to Florinus, Irenaeus states that he had personally met Polycarp and heard him preach in lower Asia. Irenaeus reports that Polycarp was converted to Christianity by the Apostles, was consecrated a bishop by John, and communicated with many who had seen Jesus. He repeatedly emphasizes the very old age of Polycarp. The Martyrdom of Polycarp gives his age as 86 years.
Polycarp occupies an important place in the history of the Christian Church. He is among the earliest Christians whose writings survive. Polycarp occupies an important place in the history of the Christian Church. He is among the earliest Christians whose writings survive. From several accounts, he personally knew the Apostle John. He was bishop of an important church in an area where the Apostles labored. Polycarp was a great transmitter and authenticator of Christian revelation in a period when the Gospels and the Epistles were being defended by the orthodox against heretics. His role was to authenticate the orthodox teachings through his connection with the Apostles. Surviving accounts of the bravery of this old man in the face of death by burning at the stake add credence to his words.
It is recorded by Irenaeus, who heard him speak in his youth, and by Tertullian, that he had been a disciple of John the Apostle Saint Jerome (347ad-420ad) , who translated the Bible into Latin (The Vulgate) , wrote that Polycarp was a disciple of The Apostle John and that John had ordained him bishop of Smyrna.
Eusebius of Caesarea (/juːˈsiːbiəs/; Greek: Εὐσέβιος, Eusébios; ad 260/265 – 339/340) , also known as Eusebius Pamphili, was a Roman historian, exegete, and Christian polemicist of Greek descent. He became the bishop of Caesarea about 314. Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the Biblical canon and a great historian. Eusebius, also tells us the Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John and Polycarp was ordained Bishop of Smyrna by him. With Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp is regarded as one of three chief Apostolic Fathers.
Part of the importance of these main Apostolic Fathers is how many Scriptures they quoted in their writings from the yet canonized 27 Books of the New Testament. They also wrote in Koine Greek, the same language the New Testament was written in.
It is easy to redact history, change it and comply it to a perspective; this is what the preterists and amillennialists have done with the Apostle John. The truth is John wrote after Nero, he was the writer of the Book of Revelation and he lived and ordained Polycarp and others.
We must always be weary of the procrustean bed of snip and stretch. We also see how easy it is to become a modernist and separate Scripture from our so-called faith. So much of the Greek theology coming in after the Apostolic era resembles todays higher criticism. The easter bunny Jesus of projection and philosophy coming in by the name of theology was developing even then. Making up a Jesus for our times is as old as the hills. Creating a Hellenistic, existential Hegelian Jesus not based on sound biblical doctrine is a major sin or our times. Anyone can rub a rabbits foot. The subjective leap of faith Jesus goes way back and isn’t anything new under the sun.
The early church Fathers wrote about the thousand years of peace. They believed the 666 and antichrist was to come and that Israel and Jerusalem would again play apart after the church age ended. We continue:
Papias (Greek: Παπίας) was an Apostolic Father, Bishop of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale, Turkey) , and author who lived circa 70-163 AD. It was Papias who wrote the Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Greek: Λογίων Κυριακῶν Ἐξήγησις) in five books. This work, which is lost apart from brief excerpts in later writings, is an important early source on Christian oral tradition and especially on the origins of the canonical Gospels. He was associated with Polycarp and John the apostle. Irenaeus said, “And these things a futuristic, restored, Jewish kingdom are borne witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John, and companion of Polycarp, in his fourth book.” Larry Crutchfield provides a thorough discussion of Papias' millennial view and his possible association with John and concludes: “When all of the evidence is weighed in the balance it seems that the scales must be tipped in favor of Papias' discipleship under the aged author of the Apocalypse.” 3 Papias was born anywhere from 61 to 71 AD4 so could very well have known John. Since Eusebius who disagreed with Papias’ millennial view and Irenaeus who agreed with Papias both considered him a proponent of a literal millennium, it is quite certain that he was. Eschatological.
Eusebius concludes from the writings of Papias that he was a chiliast, understanding the Millennium as a literal period in which Christ will reign on Earth, and chastises Papias for his literal interpretation of figurative passages, calling him a man of 'little intelligence' whose misunderstanding misled Irenaeus and others.31
Irenaeus indeed quotes the fourth book of Papias for an otherwise-unknown saying of Jesus, recounted by John the Evangelist, which Eusebius doubtless has in mind
Justin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin (100 – 165 AD) , was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century.2 He was martyred, beheaded along with some of his students. He is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church,3 the Anglican Church,4 and the Eastern Orthodox Church.5 in his Dialogue with Trypho (written cir.155) describes the belief in a literal millennium as the orthodox doctrine, though admitting that some denied it. He sees the millennium centered in Jerusalem and predicted by Old Testament prophets. Justin wrote, “But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare.”
Irenaeus (115as-202) Irenaeus discusses Biblical prophecy in Against Heresies (written from 180 to 199 AD) . Irenaeus mentions the “seventh day” in regard to eschatological promises. He wrote, “These promises given by Christ are to take place in the times of the kingdom, that is, upon the seventh day, which has been sanctified, in which God rested from all the works which He created, which is the true Sabbath of the righteous, which they shall not be engaged in any earthly occupation; but shall have a table at hand prepared for them by God, supplying them with all sorts of dishes.”13 Irenaeus considered the promise that Jesus made to His disciples at the last supper to one day drink the fruit of the vine again with them “in my Father's kingdom” to be proof of a future, earthly kingdom to be established after the resurrection.
Interestingly, Irenaeus also mentioned the promise of land that God gave to Abraham in this connection: “If, then, God promised him the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be, that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the resurrection of the just.”14Irenaeus firmly believed that Jesus would literally reign in a rebuilt Jerusalem.15 He also anticipated the allegorizing of Biblical prophecy: “If, however, any shall endeavor to allegorize prophecies of this kind, they shall not be found consistent with themselves in all points.” 16
Shirley Jackson Case summarizes Irenaeus' millennial view:
This period of millennial bliss corresponds to the seventh day of rest following the six days of creation described in Genesis. During this time the earth is marvelously fruitful. Jerusalem is magnificently rebuilt, and the righteous joyfully become accustomed to the new life of incorruption. After this preliminary regime of bliss has passed, a final judgment of all the world is instituted, and the new heaven and the new earth are revealed. In this final state of blessedness the redeemed shall live in the presence of God, world without end.17
It is notable how closely Irenaeus' understanding is to that of many pre-millennialists today.
In his Against Heresies Book III, at the end of chapter 3, Irenaeus says, “Then, again, the Church in Ephesus, founded by Paul, and having John remaining among them permanently until the times of Trajan, is a true witness of the tradition of the apostles.” Trajan began to rule in A.D.98, and John was alive among the people of Ephesus till that time and perhaps a little while after.
In Against Heresies Book V.30.3, Irenaeus writes (declining to try to identify what the number of the beast signifies) , “for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, toward the end of Domitian’s reign.” Domitian died in A.D.96. then Nerva for a couple of years then Trajan
Hippolytus (170ad-235ad) Hippolytus predicted the Antichrist to rule for three and one-half 'times', i.e.1260 days, during the last half of the 70th week. He separated the 70th week from the first 69 by a chronological gap. Hippolytus follows the long-established usage in interpreting Daniel's seventy prophetic weeks to be weeks of literal years. Hippolytus gave an explanation of Daniel's paralleling prophecies of chapters 2,7, and 8, which he, as with the other fathers, specifically relates to the Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Greeks, and Romans. He stated that Rome existed at the time of his writing, pending partitioning into the predicted ten kingdoms - these in turn to be followed by the rising of the dread Antichrist, who would dreadfully oppress the saints. All this would be ended by Christ's Second Advent, accompanied with the first resurrection of the righteous and the Antichrist being destroyed. He believed and preached a literal 1000 years of peace…. This information came from Wikipedia not some fundamentalist pamphlet. Hippolytus was considered a martyr. Many consider him a disciple of Irenaeus the disciple of Polycarp and Polycarp the disciple of the Apostle John.
Lactantius (250ad-325ad) Lactantius wrote about the 1000 years. He is explicit in connecting his chiliastic views to the Sibylline Oracles, as well as a number of other sources. Lactantius writes: “And as God laboured during those six days in creating such great works, so His religion and truth must labour during these six thousand years while wickedness prevails and bears rule. And again, since God, having finished His works, rested the seventh day and blessed it, at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years; and there must be tranquility and rest from the labors which the world now has long endured.
We see a great cloud of witnesses standing for the thousand years of peace and against preterism. We see the early church felt John’s prophecy of the antichrist was literal and in the future. We see John lived after the destruction of the temple in 70ad and after Nero. Before we give a doctrinal perspective on Israel coming back to their land and going into the Great Tribulation and being used by God for the 1000 years of peace, we have one more powerful witness. Ephraem the Syrian
Ephraem the Syrian (306-373ad) Ephraem was a major theologian of the early Byzantine Eastern Church. He was born near Nisbis, in the Roman province of Syria, near present day Edessa, Turkey. Ephraem displayed a profound love of the Scriptures in his writings as illustrated by several of his written comments quoted in the Works of Nathaniel Lardner, Vol.4,1788. 'I esteem no man more happy than him, who diligently reads the Scriptures delivered to us by the Spirit of God, and thinks how he may order his conversation by the precepts of them.' To this day, his hymns and homilies are used in the liturgy of the Greek Orthodox and Middle Eastern Nestorian Church. While the sixteen-volume Post-Nicene Library includes a number of homilies and psalms by Ephraem the Syrian, the editors noted that he also wrote a large number of commentaries that have never been translated into English He wrote: 'For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the Tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins' (On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World, by Ephraem the Syrian, A.D.373) .
Ephraem's fascinating teaching on the Antichrist has never been published in English until now. This critically important prophecy manuscript from the fourth century of the Church era reveals a literal method of interpretation and a teaching of the Pre-Millennial return of Christ. More importantly, Ephraem's text revealed a very clear statement about the Pre-Tribulational return of Christ to take His elect saints home to heaven to escape the coming Tribulation. In addition, Ephraem declares his belief in a personal, Jewish Antichrist, who will rule the Roman Empire during the last days, a rebuilt temple, the two witnesses and a literal Great Tribulation lasting 1,260 days. It is also fascinating to note that he taught that the War of God and Magog would precede the Tribulation period. I discovered another text by Ephraem, called The Book of the Cave of Treasure, that revealed he taught that Daniel's Seventieth Week will be fulfilled in the final seven years at the end of this age that will conclude with Christ's return at the Battle of Armageddon to establish His kingdom.
The following section includes key passages from Ephraem's important text, written about A.D.373, and translated by Professor Cameron Rhoades, of Tyndale Theological Seminary, at my request.
Quotes
1 -When therefore the end of the world comes, that abominable, lying and murderous one is born from the tribe of Dan. He is conceived from the seed of a man and from a most vile virgin, mixed with an evil or worthless spirit...
2 - But when the time of the abomination of his desolation begins to approach, having been made legal, he takes the empire.... Therefore, when he receives the kingdom, he orders the temple of God to be rebuilt for himself, which is in Jerusalem; who, after coming into it, he shall sit as God and order that he be adored by all nations.... then all people from everywhere shall flock together to him at the city of Jerusalem, and the holy city shall be trampled on by the nations for forty-two months just as the holy apostle says in the Apocalypse, which becomes three and a half years,1260 days”. Notice he uses Apostle showing John
3 - And when the three and a half years have been completed, the time of the Antichrist, through which he will have seduced the world, after the resurrection of the two prophets, in the hour which the world does not know, and on the day which the enemy or son of perdition does not know, will come the sign of the Son of Man, and coming forward the Lord shall appear with great power and much majesty, with the sign of the word of salvation going before him, and also even with all the powers of the heavens with the whole chorus of the saints.... Then Christ shall come and the enemy shall be thrown into confusion, and the Lord shall destroy him by the Spirit of his mouth. And he shall be bound and shall be plunged into the abyss of everlasting fire
4 - In these three years and a half the heaven shall suspend its dew; because there will be no rain upon the earth.... and there will be a Great Tribulation, as there has not been, since people began to be upon the earth.... and no one is able to sell or to buy of the grain of the fall harvest, unless he is one who has the serpentine sign on the forehead or the hand
Dr. Paul Alexander, perhaps the most authoritative scholar on the writing of the early Byzantine Church, concluded that Ephraem's text on the Antichrist taught that the Lord would supernaturally remove the saints of the Church from the earth 'prior to the tribulations that is to come.' Ephraem wrote that the saints will be 'taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins.' Other scholars, including the German editor Professor Caspari who wrote a German commentary on this Latin manuscript in 1890, believed that Ephraem's manuscript was written by the genuine Ephraem in A.D.373. Professor Cameron Rhodes, professor of Latin at Tyndale Theological Seminary, translated Ephraem's Latin text into English at the request of my friend Dr. Thomas Ice and myself.
While Ephraem correctly describes the 'Great Tribulation' as three and a half years his other writings revealed that he believed the whole Tribulation Period, 'that sore affliction, ' would last 'one week' of seven years. Ephraem's book, The Book of the Cave of Treasures, written about A. D.373, taught about the genealogy of Christ. He wrote the sixty-ninth week of Daniel 9: 24-27 ended with the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. He stated, 'The Jews have no longer among them a king, or a priest, or a prophet, or a Passover, he writes: “Then will the son of perdition appear, of the seed and of the tribe of Dan.... He will go into Jerusalem and will sit upon a throne in the Temple saying, 'I am the Christ, ' and he will be borne aloft by legions of devils like a king and a lawgiver, naming himself God….
Ephraem believed that the seventieth final week of Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks will finally be fulfilled during the final seven years of this age when the Antichrist will appear. This evidence of a belief in a 'gap' or 'parenthesis' between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week of Daniel 9: 24-27 from the fourth century of the Christian era is significant. It is worthwhile to note that this teaching that there would be a 'gap' or 'parenthesis' between Daniel's 69th week and the 70th week of years was also taught by others in the early church including the Epistle of Barnabas (A.D.110) and the writings of Hippolytus (A.D.220) .
So the early church, after the apostolic era and destruction of the second Temple in 70 A.D, still embraced the thousand years of peace. We see the Apostle John was alive after the invasion by Titus and the death of Nero and wrote the Book of Revelation afterwards. Now let’s look at what the Bible has to say and show the Hebrew Hermeneutic at work. We start with a brief historical over view of Israel in the Hebrew Scriptures along with some prophecies fulfilled long before the birth of Christ.
Genesis 32: 28 Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'
Genesis 35: 10 God said to him, 'Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.' So he named him Israel.
Genesis 32: 28 Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'
Genesis 35: 10 God said to him, 'Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.' So he named him Israel. The land of Israel was named after Jacob (Isaacs son) . He wrestled with God and God renamed him Israel. Jacob’s sons would become the tribes of Israel. They would go to Egypt and then in Exodus 12 be let go by the mighty hand of God. They would journey in the wilderness for 40 years then under Joshua start to take their allotted land in the land of Canaan… “The Promised Land.”
The story started before this when Abraham and Sara (Jacob’s Grandparents) were told to leave their homeland. Genesis 21: 1 “The LORD had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.”
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” Genesis 12: 7
“All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.” Genesis 13: 15
“Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” Genesis 13: 17
He also said to him: “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” Genesis 15: 7
Scripture has at least 170 references to the land that God gave to the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God promised the land of Canaan to the Jews as an unconditional covenant – 55 times the Bible records that God confirmed the gift with an oath. Twelve of those times He stated that the covenant was everlasting. Latter we see the prophecies given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob coming to pass showing the Hebrew Hermeneutic with it’s straight forward meaning happening. Exodus 33: 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
The Hebrew Scriptures deal with this story and go right into to the Greek Scriptures and New Testament. God is always bringing his Word to pass threw our time, space and history. This whole story is heading for the thousand years of peace.
After Moses death the Book of Joshua tells us of Israel coming out of the wilderness into the Promised Land of Canaan. The twelve tribes and the priest tribe “Levi” are given their allotted land.
When Moses was alive we see Numbers 32 happen where 3 tribes get their land east of the Jordon River. Numbers 32: 28-33 28 Then Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.29 He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you, you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.”
31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.32 We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed, but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.”
33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.
Manasseh received half of his land here, so many will say 2 and 1/2 tribes.
In Genesis 48 Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph in Egypt, so they become inheritors of the land and became tribes. Levi was the priestly tribe and received land in Israel’s twelve tribes.
We see promises as prophecy in Genesis coming to pass concerning the nation of Israel. After Joshua comes Judges then kings. Saul, the first King from Benjamin falls from Grace and now King David comes to power and all 12 tribes are united under him. We see “Judah” The House of David” the Messianic line comes into history. The promised “King of Kings” will come from David. The promise of Israel and the land is forever linked with the House of David.
• About 1400 BC Israel is ruled by judges - not kings
• About 1050 BC Saul becomes Israel's first king
• About 1010 BC David becomes King of Israel
• About 970 BC Solomon becomes king; builds Temple
• About 926 BC Israel becomes a divided kingdom
• 721 BC Assyrians conquer northern kingdom of Israel
• 612 BC Babylon conquers Nineveh (Assyrian Empire)
• 605 BC Babylon exerts influence over Judah
• 597 BC Babylon attacks Judah
586 BC Babylon destroys Jerusalem and Temple
2 Samuel 5: 1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
1 Chronicles 17: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”
15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation”
David had Solomon who built the first temple but then he fell from grace and the kingdom was rent temporarily from the House of David.
1 KINGS 11: 9-13 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
This prophecy comes to pass shortly under Solomon’s son Rehoboam: Ten tribes rebel against the house of David
1 KINGS 12: 20-23 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.
21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.
Next we see the ten tribes of the northern kingdom now called, “Israel or at times Ephraim” embrace gross idolatry and are take to Assyria starting with the trans Jordan tribes east of the Jordan River in todays modern Jordan.
Trans Jordan tribes gone around 20 years before Samaria falls.
1 Chronicles 5: 26 26 So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
Next we see the Sea of Galilee area and region taken.
2 KINGS 15: 29 During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.
Finally Samaria and the Northern Kingdom gone.
2 KINGS 17: 5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.6 Finally, in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign, Samaria fell, and the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria. They were settled in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
We must not forget for future prophecy - the Hebrew Hermeneutic concerning the house of David is the unity again of all 12 tribes…This is a major theme in the Hebrew Scriptures and another aspect of the Hebrew Hermeneutic. The Hebrew Hermeneutic is always working for the total fulfillment of Gods plan. We understand the house of David rules forever through Christ but other prophecies are given and will come to pass over the unification of the 12 tribes in their own land the land of Israel.
After the 10 tribes of the North are taken captive only Judah and Benjamin are left for around another 120 years and from 606 to 586 B.C. are taken captive by Babylon and the temple destroyed in 586 B.C. The temple would be rebuilt in 536 B.C. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah deal with the temple and the walls and city rebuilt. This second temple period would go all the way up to 70 A.D. This temple was greatly embellished by Herod the Great and was the temple Jesus Christ was in. The Roman General Titus leveled it in 70 A.D.
Israel became a nation again in 1948 and took back the city of Jerusalem in 1967. Many prophecies await her but first the Church age must end.
Many people from the 10 tribes did flee to Judea along with many Levites. The blood of all twelve tribes is alive. We are still in the “Times of the Gentiles.” The great gentile powers rule but soon Israel will rule in the 1000 years of peace and the devil hates it and knows it’s true
When the Jews came back from Babylon it is not the 12 tribes in the old land area and even in the time of Christ the land was broken up.
John 4: 1 Jesus[ knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did) .3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.4 He had to go through Samaria on the way.5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.b She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink? ”
We see here the Samarian area was not under Israel and everything was under Rome in the Gospel era.
• 586 BC Babylon destroys Jerusalem and Temple
• 586-573 BC Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar attacks Tyre
• 539 BC Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
• 538 BC Cyrus releases the Israelites from Babylonian Captivity
• 536 BC Work begins to rebuild Temple
• 516 BC Second Temple is dedicated
• 333 BC Greeks begin rule over the land of Israel
• 331 BC Alexander conquers Tyre (Phoenician Empire)
• 250 BC The Old Testament is translated into Greek
• 175 BC Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes torments the Israelites
• 164-63 BC Israelites have independence during Mattathias Hasmonean the Maccabean Rule Period
• 63 BC Romans take over the land of Israel
• 73-4 BC Herod The Great
• About 5 BC Jesus is born in Bethlehem
• About 20 CE Herod renovates 2nd Temple and enlarges Temple Mount
• About 26 CE Jesus begins his ministry
• About 27 CE Jesus talks of his Fathers Laws and Commandments
• About 30 CE Jesus is crucified, buried and resurrected
• 70 CE Romans destroy Jerusalem and Temple
135 CE Romans destroy and plow Jerusalem (General Hadrian kills 580,000 Israelites to suppress Bar Kochba revolt banning them never to live in Israel.)
Look at Israel today with the Gaza etc.…. they are not healed yet and will not be until the millennial. Part of the Hebrew Hermeneutic is bringing this fulfillment into being…we’ll look at some prophecies soon to be fulfilled though they were written thousands of years ago concerning the 12 tribes healed and Israel having 1 king under the Davidic Kingship.
First we must see Christ came the first time and fulfilled many prophecies written in the Hebrew Scriptures. There are well over 300 specific prophecies written about his life, death and resurrection. For times sake we will only deal with a few but you can look anywhere on the Internet to see this information and common knowledge. All of these prophecies follow in line with the Hebrew Hermeneutic.
Isaiah 53 3-6: 'He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.' Written: 712 BC (Before Christ)
Zechariah 13: 6 written: 487 BC (Before Christ)
'And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'
The forsaking of the disciples through being offended at him...Psalm 31: 11 written: 1042 BC (Before Christ) - 'I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to
mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me'
Zecheriah 13: 7 - 'Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion, ' says the LORD of hosts. 'Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Matthew 26: 31 - Then Jesus said to them, 'All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: `I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
FIRST HE WAS BEATEN
Isaiah 50: 6 - I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
Matt 26: 67 - Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,
His name in Greek is Jesus, and His Hebrew name is Yehoshua. In Aramaic it's: 'Yeshua'. I will show the verses but not do full quotes.
He bore the sins of many-Isaiah 53: 10-12-Mark 10: 45
Cried, 'My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? ” Psalm 22: 1-Matthew 27: 46
No bones broken-Psalm 34: 20-Numbers 9: 12 -John 19: 33-36
Side pierced-Zechariah 12: 10-John 19: 34
Psa.22: 14,15...Suffered agony on Calvary...Mk.15: 34-37
Psa.22: 15...He thirsted...Jn.19: 28
Psa.22: 16...They pierced His hands and His feet.... Jn.19: 34
Psa.22: 17,18...Stripped Him before the stares of men...Lu.23: 34,35
Psa.22: 18...They parted His garments...Jn.19: 23,24
Psa.22: 31...& quote It is finished'...Jn.19: 30
Mic.5: 2a...Born in Bethlehem... Mt.2: 1-2
Zech.9: 9a...Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem... Mt.21: 8-10
Zech.9: 9b...Beheld as King... Jn.12: 12-13
Preceded by a messenger to prepare His way-Malachi 3: 1-Matthew 11: 7-11
Messenger crying 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord'-Isaiah 40: 3 - Matthew 3: 3
Riding on a donkey - Zechariah 9: 9 - Matthew 21: 5
Betrayed by a friend Psalms 41: 9 - John 13: 21
Sold for 30 pieces of silver-Zechariah 11: 12 - Matthew 26: 15; - Luke 22: 5
30 pieces of silver given for the potter's field - Zechariah 11: 12 - Matthew 27: 9-10
The 30 pieces of silver thrown in the temple - Zechariah 11: 13 - Matthew 27: 5
Forsaken by His disciples-Zechariah 13: 7 - Matthew 26: 56
Wounded for our sins - Isaiah 53: 5-John 6: 51
Jeremiah 23: 5-6 - 'Behold, the days are coming, ' says the LORD, 'That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
God wrote concerning the New Covenant:
Jeremiah 31: 31-33 'Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah- 'not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 'But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Jesus Christ brought us the New Covenant:
Isaiah 35: 5-6 written: 712 BC (Before Christ) - Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah 9: 6 written: 712 BC (Before Christ) - For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 42: 1 written: 712 BC (Before Christ) - 'Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 11: 10 written: 712 BC (Before Christ) 'And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.'
John 8: 24 'Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.'
John 8: 58 Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'
Numbers 24: 17 'I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.'
Luke 3: 34 'The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor.' The genealogy of our Lord Jesus
All these prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures were fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s first coming. The Greek New Testament Scriptures quote them clearly. The Greek Scriptures show the Hebrew Hermeneutic. What God says in prophecy comes to pass.
There are many prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures that will be fulfilled in the coming Great Tribulation and millennial period concerning Israel. These prophecies work in the same arrangement as the prophecies Christ fulfilled in his first coming; they’re not meant to be obscured in allegory or metaphor. The Scriptures concerning the re-gathering of Israel in our times are not for the church age but a coming time of God fulfilling his Word to Israel. We are to rightly divide the Word of God.
In order for there to be a rebuilt temple and a thousand years of peace there first must be a re-gathered Israel back to their covenant home land.
God is regathering Israel – as He promised, (Aliyah is a Hebrew word that means ‘going up’ and is used to describe Jews returning to the land of Israel.) 1881 - Pogroms in Russia - Jewish communities in Russia were attacked. It prompted a trickle of migration of Jews from eastern Europe to the Promised Land.1888 - Start of the First Aliyah - Jews from Eastern Europe began to move to the Promised Land in significant numbers. Increased anti-Semitism in Europe stirred Theodor Herzl to promote the cause of a Jewish State.1895 - The Dreyfus Affair in France - A scandal involving a Jewish officer in the French army brought out anti-Semitism in Europe. This stirred Theodor Herzl to promote the cause of a Jewish State.1904 - Start of the Second Aliyah - A second wave of Jews, mainly from Russia and Poland, returned to the Promised Land. Persecutions drove them there.
1920 Start of the Third Aliyah - A third wave of Jews, mainly from Russia, returned to the land. They came as impoverished refugees.1924-1932 - Fourth Aliyah - The fourth wave of Jews to return were mainly from Poland.1939-1945 World War II – the HolocaustSix million Jews perished in the Nazi death camps. After the War tens of thousands of Jewish survivors headed for the Holy Land.1948 - The State of Israel was proclaimed -The State of Israel was proclaimed by David Ben Gurion on 14 May The next day Israel was invaded by five Arab armies. The first Arab-Israeli war began. Arrival of 120,000 Jewish immigrants, in spite of the war.
ISAIAH 66: 8 “Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.”
1948-1952 - Mass migration of Jews - With the formation of the State, large numbers of Jews migrated to Israel from Europe and Arab countries. In 1967 during the 6 day War Israel gets back part of the city of Jerusalem.1970 - Start of mass migration of Jews from the USSR -Tens of thousands of Jews took the opportunity to leave but Russia quickly closed the door.1989 -The collapse of Communism in the USSR and Eastern Europe - The door opened a second time for Jews to leave for Israel. One million made aliyah in the next 10 years. They came as economic refugees.1991 -The Gulf War - Jewish migrants from around the world continued to arrive even as Iraq launched scud missiles at Israel. Israel rescued Jews from Ethiopia - In a 36-hour airlift called ‘Operation Solomon’ 14,300 black Jews from Ethiopia were brought to Israel.1993-2015 - Israel staggers through an on-again off-again peace process with the Palestinians - While the USA, the EU and the UN press Israel to give up land for a Palestinian state, efforts to reach this peace accord are continuously derailed by hostilities, including waves of suicide bombings. Throughout this time the economy of Israel grows, as does its military, and there is a steady stream of migrants to the land from all the nations of the world.
The Bible speaks of a coming anti-christ who will make a deal with Israel, the Palestinians, the Arab and Islamic states. This deal will allow Israel to build its temple right next to the Mosque of Omar and resume sacrifice.
How can Israel build this temple and make this deal if she is not back in her land? The Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures and Greek Scriptures tell of these prophecies concerning Israel coming back to her ancestral homeland. Amillennialist’s and preterists refuse to see these prophecies and their interpretation of the Bible simply cannot deal with all the Scriptures in a truly unified way. They are not under the Hebrew Hermeneutic.
Our Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul both mention the anti-christ and the third coming temple that the anti-christ will defile in the tribulation period. Jesus foretells of the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD then speaks of another temple. We know after 70 AD no temple has been built. These prophecies of Jesus were given a few days after before his death on the cross.
MATTHEW 23: 37-39 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Mark 13; 14 14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’a standing where itb does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out.16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter,19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
Matthew 24 NIV) The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.2 “Do you see all these things? ” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us, ” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? ” 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah, ’ and will deceive many.6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation, ’a spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house.18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
The Apostle Paul telling us of the 3rd temple
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
The Scriptures in the New Testament mentioning “temple” implies there has to be a re-gathered Israel and Judea is mentioned as well as the Sabbath. How can you have a temple without the Jews to build it? The temple must be built in a secure setting with Levite order in the priesthood as well. Also, the Lord tells us to watch and see. Showing much of prophecy is observable happening in the now physical world…a Roman Jew in a synagogue would hear of the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD. The Hebrew Hermeneutic brings prophecy in light of world events.
We see that the Greek Scriptures carry out the same Hebrew Hermeneutical perspective including the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation has 404 verses over half of them come directly from the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament. Many more are inferred from it.24 Old Testament books are quoted especially Daniel, Isaiah and Ezekiel. The progressive march of righteousness culminates in the Book of Revelation and Revelation 20 dealing with the thousand years of peace.
We have already seen Israel is gathered. Now we want to show the great temple to be built in the thousand years of peace. This temple is huge compared to any Israeli temple ever built before and will be the last temple built. This is the fourth temple and last temple. The third temple is the tribulation temple mentioned in Matthew 24: 15 - 2 Mark 13: 14 - Thessalonians 2: 2. The first temple was Solomon’s and the second (Ezra and Nehemiah’s temple) some call it Zerubabells. The second temple was built after the Jews were allowed to come back from Babylon. The anti-christ temple will be the third temple and all structures built on the present temple mount will be destroyed in the last great earthquake in Revelation 16: 18-21 and Zechariah 14: 1-11.
Revelation 16: 18-21 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Zechariah 14: 1-11 A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness.7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.
8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.
9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.
10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place.11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
The living water mentioned in Zechariah 14: 8 from the river created by the earthquake is taken up again in Ezekiel 47: 1-12. This water will flow south of the altar in the new temple.
Ezekiel 47: 1-12 1In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side.2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.3 Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles.4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist.5 Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through.6 He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man? ” Then he led me back along the riverbank.7 When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river.8 Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea.b The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.9 There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows.c Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.10 Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.d 11 But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty.12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.”
We certainly know that nothing like this happened in Israel and Jerusalem before. This temple is built after the second coming of Christ as the glorified King of Kings that the Apostle Paul seen on the road to Damascus.
Ezekiel’s temple and the millennium occupy the last eight long chapters of his book. Todays temple mount in Jerusalem is 37 acres the Millennial temple area of Ezekiel 40-48 is over 172 acres or 41/2 times bigger….161 thousand square ft. compared to 750,000 square ft. He gives 318 precise measurements of the temple using some 37 unique words that are architectural terms, such as 'door-posts, ' 'windows, ' etc. Ezekiel received this great wealth of information on the millennial temple in around the year 573 BC. There is no high priest mentioned. The furniture is never mentioned once showing that the temple is a great teaching center and embassy for the world. No wall of partition to exclude Gentiles (compare Ephesians 2: 14) The Gentiles were previously welcomed in the Outer Courts, but excluded from the inner courts on pain of death. No Court of Women (compare Galatians 3: 28 (Outer Court and Inner Court only) . The temple complex has many eating areas for receiving people. The meat will be used to feed the priests and all the visitors especially on the Feasts but particularly the feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14: 16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.20 On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.
This shows sin is still in the millennial where nations can rebel; this is not the New Jerusalem from above with the Bride of Christ. This is earth with flesh and blood people living under the authority of the Millennial Temple and kingdom of God stemming from Jerusalem and the New Israel. This is the world after the Great tribulation period.
All 12 tribes are healed and have there land given by God again and our under the house of David / the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 11 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearlinga together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, b from Elam, from Babylonia, c from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.
12 He will raise a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
and Judah’s enemiesd will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.
The second half of Ezekiel 47 and all of Ezekiel 48 deals with the new boundaries and final order God puts the 12 tribes in.
Boundaries for the Land of Israel in the millennial time
Ezekiel 47: 13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.e 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.15 “These are the boundaries of the land: The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim, f which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran.17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.18 “The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs south along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Seag and as far south as Tamar.h This will be the eastern border.19 “The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadeshi and then follow the course of the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.21 “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel.22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes.23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
Division of the Land amongst the 12 tribes of Israel and the Holy area and the prince area
Ezekiel 48: 1-35 “Here is the list of the tribes of Israel and the territory each is to receive. The territory of Dan is in the extreme north. Its boundary line follows the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath and then runs on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north. Dan’s territory extends all the way across the land of Israel from east to west.2 “Asher’s territory lies south of Dan’s and also extends from east to west.3 Naphtali’s land lies south of Asher’s, also extending from east to west.4 Then comes Manasseh south of Naphtali, and its territory also extends from east to west.5 South of Manasseh is Ephraim,6 and then Reuben,7 and then Judah, all of whose boundaries extend from east to west.8 “South of Judah is the land set aside for a special purpose. It will be 8 1⁄3 miles wide and will extend as far east and west as the tribal territories, with the Temple at the center.9 “The area set aside for the Lord’s Temple will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide.10 For the priests there will be a strip of land measuring 8 1⁄3 miles long by 3 1⁄3 miles wide, c with the Lord’s Temple at the center.11 This area is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.12 It will be their special portion when the land is distributed, the most sacred land of all. Next to the priests’ territory will lie the land where the other Levites will live.13 “The land allotted to the Levites will be the same size and shape as that belonging to the priests—8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide. Together these portions of land will measure 8 1⁄3 miles long by 6 2⁄3 miles wide.d 14 None of this special land may ever be sold or traded or used by others, for it belongs to the Lord; it is set apart as holy.15 “An additional strip of land 8 1⁄3 miles long by 1 2⁄3 miles wide, e south of the sacred Temple area, will be allotted for public use—homes, pasturelands, and common lands, with a city at the center.16 The city will measure 1 1⁄2 milesf on each side—north, south, east, and west.17 Open lands will surround the city for 150 yards in every direction.18 Outside the city there will be a farming area that stretches 3 1⁄3 miles to the east and 3 1⁄3 miles to the westh along the border of the sacred area. This farmland will produce food for the people working in the city.19 Those who come from the various tribes to work in the city may farm it.20 This entire area—including the sacred lands and the city—is a square that measures 8 1⁄3 miles on each side.21 “The areas that remain, to the east and to the west of the sacred lands and the city, will belong to the prince. Each of these areas will be 8 1⁄3 miles wide, extending in opposite directions to the eastern and western borders of Israel, with the sacred lands and the sanctuary of the Temple in the center.22 So the prince’s land will include everything between the territories allotted to Judah and Benjamin, except for the areas set aside for the sacred lands and the city.23 “These are the territories allotted to the rest of the tribes. Benjamin’s territory lies just south of the prince’s lands, and it extends across the entire land of Israel from east to west.24 South of Benjamin’s territory lies that of Simeon, also extending across the land from east to west.25 Next is the territory of Issachar with the same eastern and western boundaries.26 “Then comes the territory of Zebulun, which also extends across the land from east to west.27 The territory of Gad is just south of Zebulun with the same borders to the east and west.28 The southern border of Gad runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh and then follows the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean.k29 “These are the allotments that will be set aside for each tribe’s exclusive possession. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken! The Gates of the City 30 “These will be the exits to the city: On the north wall, which is 1 1⁄2 miles long,31 there will be three gates, each one named after a tribe of Israel. The first will be named for Reuben, the second for Judah, and the third for Levi.32 On the east wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, the gates will be named for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan.33 The south wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, will have gates named for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun.34 And on the west wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, the gates will be named for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.35 “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’
You can compare the two maps of Israel. The first being where the tribes were located in Joshua 18,19,20,21and 22 and the second being Ezekiel 48 where the tribes will be during the millennial.
God set Israel’s borders in Numbers 34 as a land area they were to occupy under Joshua. Numbers 32 deals with the tribes of Rueben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh. These three tribes chose lands east of the Jordon River in present day Jordon. Moses agreed with it as long as they fought with Joshua to conqueror the land west of the Jordon River, which they did.
We see the difference in the two maps concerning the order of the tribes and the boundaries. The boundaries of Ezekiel, concerning the tribes, are way bigger and starts way up by present day Turkey. Lebanon is gone and the land reaches into Syria and farther south into present day Jordon. This shows the drastic changes that will take place in the Great Tribulation period and also no more Canaanite area. Canaan was cursed in Genesis 9 and he was a son of Ham.
Genesis 9: 24 When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done.25 Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham: “May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.”
Genesis 10: 15 Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites, f 16 Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,18 Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. The Canaanite clans eventually spread out,19 and the territory of Canaan extended from Sidon in the north to Gerar and Gaza in the south, and east as far as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, near Lasha.
Look at the decedents of Canaan and understand his decedents were the tribes Israel fought when they came into the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 7: 1-4 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you.2 When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroya them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy.3 You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters,4 for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.
Canaan also genetically passed the seed of the nephilim and they were the giants Israel fought when they came into the Promised Land. Goliath was one of the last of them who David slew. When Israel gets her new millennial boundaries no more Canaanites.
Zechariah 14: 21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
God also says all strangers and non-Israel decedents will be equal to the all citizens of Israel.
Ezekiel 47: 21 “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel.22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes.23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
The Ezekiel map also shows you the land allotted to the prince, Levites and priests. The prince will provide animals for sacrifice and festivals for the nations sending embassy from the entire world. The prince is from the tribe of Judah. All this is in Ezekiel 45. The prince will get land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Holy area then east of the Holy area to the Dead Sea. Here is part of what Scripture says there.
Ezekiel 45: 1- 21 “When you divide the land among the tribes of Israel, you must set aside a section for the Lord as his holy portion. This piece of land will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide. The entire area will be holy.2 A section of this land, measuring 875 feet by 875 feet will be set aside for the Temple. An additional strip of land 871⁄2 feet wide is to be left empty all around it.3 Within the larger sacred area, measure out a portion of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide. Within it the sanctuary of the Most Holy Place will be located.4 This area will be holy, set aside for the priests who minister to the Lord in the sanctuary. They will use it for their homes, and my Temple will be located within it.5 The strip of sacred land next to it, also 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide, will be a living area for the Levites who work at the Temple. It will be their possession and a place for their towns.
6 “Adjacent to the larger sacred area will be a section of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 1 2⁄3 miles wide. This will be set aside for a city where anyone in Israel can live.
7 “Two special sections of land will be set apart for the prince. One section will share a border with the east side of the sacred lands and city, and the second section will share a border on the west side. Then the far eastern and western borders of the prince’s lands will line up with the eastern and western boundaries of the tribal areas.8 These sections of land will be the prince’s allotment. Then my princes will no longer oppress and rob my people; they will assign the rest of the land to the people, giving an allotment to each tribe.
Joshua 22 states Israel during that time was to have forty eight cities amongst the tribes as property but In Ezekiel chapters 44-45 they are given land close to the temple in Jerusalem. The millennial time is the final boundaries.
Joshua 22: 41 The total number of towns and pasturelands within Israelite territory given to the Levites came to forty-eight.42 Every one of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.
God has reasons for setting the new boundaries he has chosen for the 1000 years of peace. They go back to the book of Genesis and Jacob with his wives and the sons born.
Genesis 35: 23 The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob’s oldest son) , Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.
Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel’s sons, get preeminence (closer to the Holy place) in the millennial boundaries. Their handmaiden children are now the farthest away. Judah is above where Benjamin used to be and Benjamin is by where his mother died, Bethlehem.
Genesis 35: 16-20 Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his clan moved on toward Ephrath. But Rachel went into labor while they were still some distance away. Her labor pains were intense.17 After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Don’t be afraid—you have another son! ” 18 Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”) . The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”) .19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem) .20 Jacob set up a stone monument over Rachel’s grave, and it can be seen there to this day.
Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh both became tribes and Levi became the priest tribe. When Joseph’s brothers were going to kill him Reuben tried to save him. Reuben is now above Judah and below Ephraim and Manasseh who is north of Ephraim. Judah, a son of Leah is by the Holy area and below the Holy area is Benjamin. God is completely fulfilling his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and doing it in such a beautiful way. The way he puts the tribes in their final places has such feeling and detail to his promises. We can see how Reuben belonged by Joseph and God fulfills all of his will in Genesis.
Genesis 37: 21 But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him, ” he said.22 “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.
The Scriptures tell us the land was to be divided equally with each tribe receiving the same amount of territory.
Ezekiel 47: 13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.e 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.
The Bible tells us In Ezekiel 43 that the Glory of the Lord returns to the millennial temple much like Acts 2 when the Spirit poured out with a rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire starting the Church Age.
Ezekiel 43: 1-4 After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway.2 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.3 This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he camea to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.4 And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.
Acts 2: 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
Ezekiel 43 shows the anointing, power and authority coming into this temple in Jerusalem in the 1000 years of peace and the law will go forth to the whole world out of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2: 1-8 This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of all—
the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
3 People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
his word will go out from Jerusalem.
4 The Lord will mediate between nations
and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
nor train for war anymore.
The Hebrew Hermeneutic ties in Scriptures and various books into one full story. The thousand years of peace has a temple, a seat of authority, a plan and this plan involves Israel as a nation and Jerusalem as a city of world authority under the Messiah Jesus Christ. We know God will be making world topographical and geographical changes in the tribulation period that are judgments but in fact are also preparations for the thousand years of peace. We see men lived longer before the flood. Many think the flood involved our solar system and galaxy. The Bible tells us the millennial period is a new earth of sorts. What these changes will be scientifically on a solar system and galactic level no man knows. Will they involve meteors, a changing of the poles? I don’t know but there are signs in the heavens coming.
We see the Hebrew Hermeneutic and exegeses of Scripture working hand in hand with all the books of the bible. Everything fits in and explains itself into one grand plan and story of God. Revelation 20 fits right into all the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the great Tribulation, the reviving of Israel as a nation and God blessing the world with peace The New Jerusalem is from above for the church and catching away. The millennial temple is for the earth. The stars of heaven and the sands of the sea… We see the great glorious loving plan of God blessing the entire world through Abraham.
The technology of war will turn into plowshares for the technology of peace and agriculture. Think of all the money with defense technologies in today’s world and imagine it being spent on the people of all the earth. The millennial period will have a truly humanized technology and the horrible defense and war budgets gone.
Table of the Lord teaches a literal 1000 years of peace and a united Israel under God. We teach Israel will see him whom they have pierced during The Great Tribulation period, after the church age ends. This united Israel will be chosen to lead the world into a blessed period and age of great peace. Israel will have a millennial temple and be the head of the world under the Messiah Jesus Christ who rules from the New Jerusalem in heaven with his Bride, the Church. The earthly Temple of Ezekiel chapters forty thru 48 will be built and be his great embassy in Jerusalem on earth. Heaven is his throne and earth his footstool will come to pass.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem