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Welcome
“Some flowers spread a beautiful fragrance while others are just lovely and colourful. We the people of God can display the beauty and fragrance of Christ. So look to Jesus and be radiant.”
Stella
Worship
Word
When will Jesus return?
One of the most difficult passages to deal with on this subject is
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Revelation 20:1-10
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Where and how does this passage fit in to what we believe about the Second Coming of Christ? From this chapter in particular is derived the teaching about the Millennium (from Latin words ‘mille’ – a thousand; ‘annus’ – year) . There are six reference to “one thousand years” in this passage. There are three main views regarding the Millenium:
- Premillennialists believe that the millennium will occur after the second coming of Christ; ‘pre’ – Christ will return ‘before’ the millennium.
- Postmillennialists believe that Christ’s second coming occurs at the end of the millennium; ‘post’ – Christ will return after the millennium.
- Amillennialists believe that the millennium started at Christ’s resurrection and will be concluded at His second coming.
We will look at these subjects in the next few weeks.
Quote of the week
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
Corrie ten Boom
Verse of the week
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Let’s Pray
Father God, there are many things we don’t know or understand about the Second Coming of Your Son, but Lord help us to trust You in all things, in Jesus Christ, Amen.