Where is the world headed?

[Scott Downey]

Many people do not believe what Christ said and what Peter and Paul taught, they distort the timeline of the end of the world.

Did you forget there is only the second coming? No 3rd coming.
Did you forget 2 Peter 3 already?
Nothing there about looking forward to an of this earthly reign on Christ, but a new earth we do look forward to that, or at least you ought to cause this what the apostles teach
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless

And of course Peters very same warning about the distorted teaching that the unlearned and unstable wrest the scriptures leading to their destruction. Peter says they are wicked who do that.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Peter 3 - 21st Century King James Version

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both of which I stir up your purity of mind by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first...

classic.biblegateway.com

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both of which I stir up your purity of mind by way of remembrance,

2 that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

3 knowing this first: that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

5 For of this they are willfully ignorant: that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water,

6 whereby the world as it then was, being overflowed with water, perished.

7 But the heavens and the earth which now are, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing: that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy manner of living and godliness,

12 looking for and hastening unto the coming of the Day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you,

16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things. Therein are some things hard to understand, which those who are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing that ye know these things beforehand, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

 

[A Watchman]

After the second coming of Christ this, THE END!

Meaning the END, the end of this world, and the new earth and new heavens in which dwells righteousness. there will be no evil there, no unbelief, and no more rebellions to come.

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 15 - New King James Version

The Risen Christ, Faith’s Reality - Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first...

classic.biblegateway.com

The Last Enemy Destroyed​

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have [d]fallen asleep.

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.

28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
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And what is "the end"? You seem to look over the words that immediately follow the declaration of that end coming.

1 Corinthians 15:24 – "Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power."

What does it look like for the kingdom to be delivered to the Father?

Matthew 13:40-43 – "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Luke 11:2 – "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."

Daniel 7:13-14 – "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed."

The kingdom is the Father's, given to the Son to reign, whose reign is shared with His faithful subjects.

Luke 22:29-30 – "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

The kingdom delivered to the Father is in line with putting down all rule, authority, and power.

What does it look like for all rule, authority, and power on the earth to be put down?

Revelation 13:2, 11-12 – "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ... And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed."

Revelation 19:20-21 – "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."

 

[A Watchman]

No 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth that fails with another satanic rebellion.
People that claim a 1000 yr reign on this evil earth distort the scriptures.

That 1000 years is real today in heaven...not in some distant future.

You claim that I create an entire timeline that Jesus never did, that I go beyond His words adding in other stuff. Yet you seem to allegorize away any meaning of what is actually written yourself. The following takes place after the Beast and false prophet are cast into the lake of fire and their armies slain by Yeshua returning from heaven at Armageddon.

What does it look like for him to reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet?

Revelation 20:1-13 – "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

To say that there is "no 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth that fails with another satanic rebellion" and that "people that claim a 1000 yr reign on this evil earth distort the scriptures" is to take all meaning out of what John saw and make it say something else completely based on your contortion of the plain text to fit a pre-conceived paradigm. There is a flow through time that fits with the order given in 1 Corinthians 15 and everywhere else that is focused on the ultimate end. I simply take God at His Word.

After Yeshua defeats the Beast and false prophet and their armies and binds Satan in the heart of the earth, His kingdom will be established for 1,000 years and the dead in Christ who were shut out of the marriage in Matthew 25:1-13 and came to the Lord during the time after His parousia at the sixth seal will be resurrected and reign with Him for 1,000 years. When that 1,000 years are completed, the Dragon will be allowed to deceive the nations again and finally be destroyed, but he's not the last enemy to be destroyed.

What does it look like for the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death?

Revelation 20:14-15 – "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

If you want to discard the clear and plain meaning of the vision given to John for our understanding and replace it with one more compatible to your paradigm that is certainly your prerogative, but I can't leave the plain reading that fits with all the other prophecies I've studied for private interpretation of scripture. The Bible interprets itself and when something is stated plainly, it's best to take it plainly imo.

2 Peter 1:19-21 – "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost."

 

[A Watchman]

1000 years is symbolic of our reign with Christ in Heaven, and where do you suppose your spirit goes when you physically perish, it goes back to God who made it, and you are with Him forever, both now in this life, and the life to come.

Where did Yeshua spend His time in the grave?

Matthew 12:40 – "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

A bottomless pit in a spheroid is the center of it, no matter which way you go, it's up. This word, abyssos, is used in several interesting places. It's where the Dragon spends a millennium and where the locusts of the fifth trumpet come up from. It's even used in reference to resurrection.

Revelation 17:8 – "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,[G12 abyssos] and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Romans 10:5-7 KJV – "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep[G12 abyssos]? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)"

So when Christ was dead, He was in the heart of the earth, the bottomless pit, hades, the place of the dead. And to be resurrected from that place means one's spirit has to ascend from it to the surface of the earth. This is why they are "raised from the dead" and not "descended from the dead".

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Note that the dead in Christ rise first, before the living are changed. Shall rise is anistemi, stand up, arise, lift up, raise up, etc. The direction is from below to above. That's why we don't precede the dead in Christ, they come up to us and we then together go up after both changing to meet the Lord in the air.

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 speaks to the dead being in the same place, separated by an impassable gulf. On one side is torment and the other not. The dead are all together, but the faithful dead are in "Abraham's bosom."

Now many read that those who sleep in Yeshua will God bring with Him as Yeshua bringing the dead in Christ from heaven with Him at His coming. But that doesn't fit any of the other scriptures. How can the dead in Christ rise first if they're descending from heaven with Yeshua? They would have to descend from heaven to sheol, rise from the dead, be caught up with the changed living back to where they came from?

Rather, it can be read in the context of 1 Thessalonians 4 and the concern of the living that the dead in Christ would not depart with them to heaven when Christ came. Yeshua is going to take both the living and the dead together with Him to the Father's house before the throne in heaven. Revelation 7:9 God will bring those that sleep with Yeshua up from sheol to heaven.

Certainly the dead in Christ are with Him in at least Spirit in sheol in the earth as we are with Him in Spirit alive on the earth. But just as we do not precede the dead in Christ, they do not precede the living in standing before the throne. I think we can see this in Revelation, where Revelation 4:6 sees a sea of glass like crystal before it, empty except for the 24 elders and four beasts. But in Revelation 7:9, after the sixth seal and Christ's coming, we see no sea of glass but instead a sea of people innumerable before the throne.

Ephesians 2
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

I would note that the sitting together in heavenly places in Christ is tied to being raised up together, in other words after the resurrection at His coming to take the dead and living together to the Father's house.

John 14:1-3 – "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also."

Yeshua is preparing New Jerusalem for us to be there with Him, we're not there yet. He said it Himself right here. We get to go there when He comes back to get us before He treads the winepress of the wrath of God.

Isaiah 26:19-21 – "Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."

The coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him at the sixth seal is tied to the judgement of the wrath of God after the sixth seal which He alone is worthy to command as given by the Father. The coming of the Lord to save His people and vengeance of God are the same time at the sixth seal.

Isaiah 63:3-4 – "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance [is] in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."

 

[A Watchman]

Many people do not believe what Christ said and what Peter and Paul taught, they distort the timeline of the end of the world.

Did you forget there is only the second coming? No 3rd coming.
Did you forget 2 Peter 3 already?
Nothing there about looking forward to an of this earthly reign on Christ, but a new earth we do look forward to that, or at least you ought to cause this what the apostles teach
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless

I didn't say there was a third coming, I said the second coming (parousia) is an extended period of time that has a beginning at the sixth seal and has no end because Yeshua will establish His kingdom on earth until it's replaced by the new earth and then it will continue there for time without end. That's only one second parousia, not three.

A day to the Lord is as a thousand years. The day of the Lord is that extended period of time the Lord is present on earth, from His judgement in wrath, destruction of his enemies, establishment of His kingdom in the land promised to Abraham's Seed, Him, the final deception, the great white throne judgement, death of death, destruction of this heaven and earth, and creation of the new heaven and earth. That all happens in the day of the Lord, which is like a thousand years in God's perspective. I haven't forgotten 2 Peter 3, it's a central part of the logical reasoning of scripture that forms my interpretation from scripture.

I'm just looking forward to being with Yeshua wherever He is, whether it's in His kingdom on this earth for 1,000 years or in New Jerusalem or the next heaven and earth. I trust God's Word to give me a clue as to when each place will be a part of my future and take Him at His Word on that.

And of course Peters very same warning about the distorted teaching that the unlearned and unstable wrest the scriptures leading to their destruction. Peter says they are wicked who do that.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Peter 3 - 21st Century King James Version

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both of which I stir up your purity of mind by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first...

classic.biblegateway.com

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both of which I stir up your purity of mind by way of remembrance,

2 that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

3 knowing this first: that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

5 For of this they are willfully ignorant: that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water,

6 whereby the world as it then was, being overflowed with water, perished.

7 But the heavens and the earth which now are, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing: that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy manner of living and godliness,

12 looking for and hastening unto the coming of the Day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you,

16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things. Therein are some things hard to understand, which those who are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing that ye know these things beforehand, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Let's look at the context of these unlearned led away by error of the wicked.

2 Peter 3:3-7 – "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

I don't deny the coming of the Lord and judgement that comes with Him, I'm stating it outright agreeing with all the scriptures you're posting, just not all your interpretation of them.

I prefer the scripture's interpretations as they always seem to fit with themselves better, as though they were written across 66 books and 40 authors yet by one Spirit expressing a purpose in their meaning. This is what I've found to be the case in my personal study of scripture and so far it makes complete sense with itself as written.

There are things that are hard to understand and I don't have all the answers, I continue to search the scriptures daily to see what fits with that plumb line and what does not. Sticking with the scriptures in obedience prevents being led away by error of the wicked. When you know the original, a deceitful copy is obvious.

I'm sorry you view your brothers and sisters in Christ that don't agree with you as such wicked people. I understand your zeal for God's Word, but not everyone who doesn't see eye to eye with you on the meaning of it is wicked. There are a lot of wolves in sheep's clothing out there though so I get being suspicious. Just keep watching for the fruits of the Spirit as those spots of light in a dark world.

Galatians 5:22-26 – "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

 

[Scott Downey]

I didn't say there was a third coming, I said the second coming (parousia) is an extended period of time that has a beginning at the sixth seal and has no end because Yeshua will establish His kingdom on earth until it's replaced by the new earth and then it will continue there for time without end. That's only one second parousia, not three.

A day to the Lord is as a thousand years. The day of the Lord is that extended period of time the Lord is present on earth, from His judgement in wrath, destruction of his enemies, establishment of His kingdom in the land promised to Abraham's Seed, Him, the final deception, the great white throne judgement, death of death, destruction of this heaven and earth, and creation of the new heaven and earth. That all happens in the day of the Lord, which is like a thousand years in God's perspective. I haven't forgotten 2 Peter 3, it's a central part of the logical reasoning of scripture that forms my interpretation from scripture.

I'm just looking forward to being with Yeshua wherever He is, whether it's in His kingdom on this earth for 1,000 years or in New Jerusalem or the next heaven and earth. I trust God's Word to give me a clue as to when each place will be a part of my future and take Him at His Word on that.



Let's look at the context of these unlearned led away by error of the wicked.

2 Peter 3:3-7 – "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

I don't deny the coming of the Lord and judgement that comes with Him, I'm stating it outright agreeing with all the scriptures you're posting, just not all your interpretation of them.

I prefer the scripture's interpretations as they always seem to fit with themselves better, as though they were written across 66 books and 40 authors yet by one Spirit expressing a purpose in their meaning. This is what I've found to be the case in my personal study of scripture and so far it makes complete sense with itself as written.

There are things that are hard to understand and I don't have all the answers, I continue to search the scriptures daily to see what fits with that plumb line and what does not. Sticking with the scriptures in obedience prevents being led away by error of the wicked. When you know the original, a deceitful copy is obvious.

I'm sorry you view your brothers and sisters in Christ that don't agree with you as such wicked people. I understand your zeal for God's Word, but not everyone who doesn't see eye to eye with you on the meaning of it is wicked. There are a lot of wolves in sheep's clothing out there though so I get being suspicious. Just keep watching for the fruits of the Spirit as those spots of light in a dark world.

Galatians 5:22-26 – "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

2 Peter 3 is very specific and is about the END of this world, and the Day of Christ's return

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

As is Christ's teaching, and there is never in any apostolic or Christ's teaching mention of a 1000 year of this earthly reign of Christ and His people on a mixed earth with the unbelieving and wicked left alive and the just together after the return of Christ.

All of that is a false interpreting of a chapter in Revelation a highly symbolic book. That chapter never says the 1000 years is on this earth, that idea has been added on by people, not God.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Thessalonians 1 - New King James Version

Greeting - Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Final Judgment and Glory - We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting...

www.biblegateway.com

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Final Judgment and Glory​

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and [a]tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest[b] evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with [c]tribulation those who trouble you,

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who [d]believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Scott Downey]

Luke 9:26
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

​

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - New King James Version

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins - “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise...

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The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations​

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [c]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

[Scott Downey]

1. Matthew 24:30
   Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
2. Matthew 26:64
   Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
3. Mark 13:26
   Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
4. Mark 14:62
   Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
5. Luke 21:27
   Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
6. Revelation 1:7
   Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
   
   
   

 

[Scott Downey]

The Rapture happens at the second coming as does the everlasting destruction of all wicked and unbelieving, including Satan's workings as also shown in 2 Thess 2, which is a continuance of 2 Thess 1

Compare v22 of Christ's teaching and v9 of Paul that occur before the glorious return of Christ.

These chapters teach us what happens when God sends Christ who remains at God's right hand in heaven, whom heaven must receive,
until....so Christ is not leaving Heaven until time of the restoration of all things , and the total annihilation of all that is evil. There is never any more comings than the second bodily coming of Christ, first time as a sacrifice for sin, second time glorified in judgment of the entire world. He remains in Heaven with God the Father until God's appointed Day of Judgment the LAST DAY, and then comes the END of this world and a New Earth and New Heaven in which dwelleth righteousness, no 1000 year delay, temporary earthly reign in which Christ fails in a disastrous second satanic rebellion.

Revelation 21:5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said [b]to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Acts 3
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send [c]Jesus Christ, who was [d]preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since [e]the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

Bible Gateway passage: Mark 13 - New King James Version

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple - Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another...

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The Great Tribulation​

14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ [f]spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the [g]elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man​

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His [h]elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Thessalonians 2 - New King James Version

The Great Apostasy - Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by...

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The Great Apostasy​

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of [b]sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits [c]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the [d]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [e]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Fast​

13 But we are [f]bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through [g]sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our [h]epistle.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and [i]establish you in every good word and work.

 

[Scott Downey]

Where did Yeshua spend His time in the grave?

Matthew 12:40 – "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

A bottomless pit in a spheroid is the center of it, no matter which way you go, it's up. This word, abyssos, is used in several interesting places. It's where the Dragon spends a millennium and where the locusts of the fifth trumpet come up from. It's even used in reference to resurrection.

Revelation 17:8 – "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,[G12 abyssos] and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Romans 10:5-7 KJV – "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep[G12 abyssos]? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)"

So when Christ was dead, He was in the heart of the earth, the bottomless pit, hades, the place of the dead. And to be resurrected from that place means one's spirit has to ascend from it to the surface of the earth. This is why they are "raised from the dead" and not "descended from the dead".

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Note that the dead in Christ rise first, before the living are changed. Shall rise is anistemi, stand up, arise, lift up, raise up, etc. The direction is from below to above. That's why we don't precede the dead in Christ, they come up to us and we then together go up after both changing to meet the Lord in the air.

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 speaks to the dead being in the same place, separated by an impassable gulf. On one side is torment and the other not. The dead are all together, but the faithful dead are in "Abraham's bosom."

Now many read that those who sleep in Yeshua will God bring with Him as Yeshua bringing the dead in Christ from heaven with Him at His coming. But that doesn't fit any of the other scriptures. How can the dead in Christ rise first if they're descending from heaven with Yeshua? They would have to descend from heaven to sheol, rise from the dead, be caught up with the changed living back to where they came from?

Rather, it can be read in the context of 1 Thessalonians 4 and the concern of the living that the dead in Christ would not depart with them to heaven when Christ came. Yeshua is going to take both the living and the dead together with Him to the Father's house before the throne in heaven. Revelation 7:9 God will bring those that sleep with Yeshua up from sheol to heaven.

Certainly the dead in Christ are with Him in at least Spirit in sheol in the earth as we are with Him in Spirit alive on the earth. But just as we do not precede the dead in Christ, they do not precede the living in standing before the throne. I think we can see this in Revelation, where Revelation 4:6 sees a sea of glass like crystal before it, empty except for the 24 elders and four beasts. But in Revelation 7:9, after the sixth seal and Christ's coming, we see no sea of glass but instead a sea of people innumerable before the throne.



I would note that the sitting together in heavenly places in Christ is tied to being raised up together, in other words after the resurrection at His coming to take the dead and living together to the Father's house.

John 14:1-3 – "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also."

Yeshua is preparing New Jerusalem for us to be there with Him, we're not there yet. He said it Himself right here. We get to go there when He comes back to get us before He treads the winepress of the wrath of God.

Isaiah 26:19-21 – "Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."

This is not future, it is current in our time.
If you claim otherwise where does scripture tell us is our citizenship?

Bible Gateway passage: Philippians 3 - New King James Version

All for Christ - Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and...

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Our Citizenship in Heaven​

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Confirmation of no of this old earth earthly 1000 years reign, for you died and your life is hidden in Christ, you are no longer of this world.
But the proponents of a 1000 years earthly reign on this earth seek and desire it, they actually crave that, ruling over the wicked and unbelieving. However when Christ returns all those who do not know Him or obey the gospel of the Great God are eternally destroyed by Christ.

God did not raise us up together with Him to rule on this earth, but did so for ruling with Him in heaven now, and on the new earth at the time of the restoration of all things which all the prophets spoke of from when the world began. That is when God and only HIS people dwell together in the new heavenly city on the new earth.

We though are of God and heaven, and ruling with Him now, where He is, we shall also be, that is one of His precious promises.
Are you someone who believes in soul sleep until the return of Christ?

Collosians 3
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 2
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body [h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

Ephesians 2
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 

[Scott Downey]

The Order of Resurrection

Ligonier Ministries, founded by R.C. Sproul, exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

learn.ligonier.org

“Then comes the end,” the Apostle tells us, when Jesus hands over the kingdom to the “Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24).

Is tightly linked in time to the order of resurrection and the return of Christ, meaning with return of Christ and the resurrection the saints inherit the kingdom of God as Daniel 7:24 states and Christ teaches.​

1 corinthians 15:23–26
“Each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
Christ, in fact, has been raised from the dead, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:20, and He is the firstfruits of the greater harvest to come. That is, our Lord’s resurrection is the confirmation that we who believe in Him will likewise be raised bodily. He is the first of the crop to be harvested, so to speak, and we are the remainder who will one day receive resurrected bodies. This implies a proper chronological order with respect to those who will be raised, an order that Paul gives in today’s passage while looking beyond the full resurrection harvest.
First, Jesus was resurrected, and second, His people will be raised, with the latter event occurring at the return of Christ (v. 22). Our Lord’s resurrection is the firstfruits, so it happens first. Our resurrection at the end of history is the fullness of the harvest, so it happens later. Paul locates our resurrection at the return of Jesus to consummate the kingdom, which means that any claim that the resurrection has already occurred or will occur before Jesus’ coming in glory must be rejected. This was an important point for the Corinthians, some of whom were likely teaching that the final resurrection of believers is purely spiritual and had already happened. It remains a vital piece of instruction for others throughout history who have claimed that the resurrection is entirely spiritual and has already taken place.
After the resurrection of believers (texts such as Dan. 12:1–2 reveal that unbelievers will be raised as well, but that is not Paul’s concern here), something else will occur. “Then comes the end,” the Apostle tells us, when Jesus hands over the kingdom to the “Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24). Paul does not mean that Christ will at that point no longer reign in glory. He is, after all, God incarnate (John 1:1–18) and therefore must reign forever. Instead, the Apostle is speaking of the cessation of what Reformed thinkers have called Jesus’ mediatorial kingdom. At present, Jesus’ work as Mediator includes saving people from God’s wrath by conquering their enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. One day, however, the full number of the elect will be in a state of salvation, and that aspect of Christ’s mediatorial work will end. Matthew Henry comments, “This mediatorial kingdom is to have an end, at least as far as it is concerned in bringing his people safely to glory, and subduing all his and their enemies.” At that moment, death itself will be destroyed (1 Cor. 15:25–26).

The end of the world's kingdoms and full on kingdom of God on the new earth follows
We still have world kingdoms, principalities and powers on this earth.

 

[Scott Downey]

Daniel 2
36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly [m]fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall [n]break in pieces and [o]consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Daniel 7

Vision of the Four Beasts​

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel [a]had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling [b]the main facts.

2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking [c]pompous words.

Vision of the Ancient of Days​

9 “I watched till thrones were [d]put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The [e]court was seated,
And the books were opened.
11 “I watched then because of the sound of the [f]pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 “I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted​

15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit [g]within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four [h]kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke [i]pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said:

‘The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute[j] the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

28 “This is the end of the [k]account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”

 

[Scott Downey]

Our inheriting of the kingdom, please note when the time is and when is not the time,
The time for our coming into our inheritance, Christ tells us at the final judgment of the nations

Matthew 25 is very apropos to this, and is in full on agreement with Daniel 7 with the return of Christ, and the end of this world
All have been raised up both the wicked and good, just and unjust to face their judgment and reckoning with God.
ALL are there, and the cursed go into the eternal fire, and the just inherit the kingdom of God.
If they are going into the fire, then they can not remain on the earth can they!

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [c]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1. Matthew 25:34
   Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
2. 1 Corinthians 6:9
   Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
3. 1 Corinthians 6:10
   nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
4. 1 Corinthians 15:50
   

   Our Final Victory​

   Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
5. Galatians 5:21
   envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
6. Ephesians 5:5
   For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
7. Hebrews 6:12
   that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
   In Context|Full Chapter|Other Translations
8. Hebrews 9:15
   And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
9. Hebrews 1:14
   Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

 

[A Watchman]

2 Peter 3 is very specific and is about the END of this world, and the Day of Christ's return

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

As is Christ's teaching, and there is never in any apostolic or Christ's teaching mention of a 1000 year of this earthly reign of Christ and His people on a mixed earth with the unbelieving and wicked left alive and the just together after the return of Christ.

All of that is a false interpreting of a chapter in Revelation a highly symbolic book. That chapter never says the 1000 years is on this earth, that idea has been added on by people, not God.

Yes, one day is as a thousand years, the day of Christ's return is the beginning of a day as viewed from the Lord's perspective, as a thousand years. Within that "day" Yeshua will return at the sixth seal, open the seventh seal, tread the winepress of the wrath of God, defeat the armies gathered at Armageddon, reign for 1,000 years, destroy the armies gathered by the Dragon, the great white throne judgement, death and hell cast into the lake of fire, and this heavens and earth destroyed.

The promise of His coming is the catalyst for all these things happening in His "day." Things will not continue as they were once He arrives. His arrival and continued presence will change the face of the earth and the rule of man and destroy the wicked's control over the world. There will be a theocratic monarchy established in Jerusalem that will reign over the earth for the Lord's day and enforce peace and security.

Zechariah 14:6-11, 16-21 – "And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the light shall not be clear, [nor] dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, [that] at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and [from] the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. And [men] shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. ... And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, [that] whoso will not come up of [all] the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that [have] no [rain]; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 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."

Psalm 2:7-9 – "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

Revelation 12:5 – "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne."

Revelation 19:15 – "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."

Yeshua has not ruled the heathen nations of the world from Jerusalem yet, but He will reign on this earth. Note that existing gates are referenced for the terraforming of existing Jerusalem to build His new city over the ashes of what was destroyed in His wrath. Jerusalem will be safely inhabited and then what is left of the nations after His wrath will come to Jerusalem to worship Him, all the families of the earth. This is in Jerusalem and Judea.

Note that Yeshua will rule all nations with a rod of iron. What nations? If we're in eternity there is only one kingdom, that of Yeshua and the Father. To rule over other nations, it must be other than your own nation. These are the nations that get no rain unless they go to Jerusalem to worship him.

If you're only going to accept somewhere besides Revelation to define a 1,000 year period then you won't find it. You don't have to interpret, symbolize, or allegorize a statement of 1,000 years, especially when it's stated so many times in reference to events that happen within it. It is what it says it is and I accept that. Revelation isn't the only place where an earthly reign of the Messiah is stated, are they all just highly symbolic books we should add our own interpretations to because God doesn't say what He means and mean what He says?

And it doesn't matter because the point of the 1,000 year reign is not so much its length, that's just a detail John was given. The point is that Yeshua will fulfill every jot and tittle, which includes His land given as Abraham's Seed and His kingdom of subjects living with Him in that land who remain faithful and loyal to Him as their King, Priest, and God.

There are a bunch of Messianic Kingdom prophecies about His rule on this earth and coincidentally, these same prophecies will be used by the false messiah who comes first to make Israel believe they are coming to pass and that he is the Messiah. So unoriginal, but so effective.

 

[A Watchman]

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Thessalonians 1 - New King James Version

Greeting - Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Final Judgment and Glory - We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting...

www.biblegateway.com

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Final Judgment and Glory​

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and [a]tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest[b] evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with [c]tribulation those who trouble you,

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who [d]believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our rest comes when Yeshua is seen coming on the clouds of heaven and we are changed to immortality and caught up to meet Him then go with Him to the Father's house where we will enter our chambers while God's wrath is poured out in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who don't know God and those who do not obey the Gospel of Yeshua. He will be glorified in those faithful who believed and obeyed.

The statement that these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord speaks to their death being their ultimate end. You seem to interpret this verse as meaning His revealing from heaven brings eternity at that moment, ignoring all the other prophecies pointing to His reign over the earth and His inheritance.

To say the obvious statements of a 1,000 year period of time should be "interpreted" is exactly what I don't do because they need no interpretation.

Why should I add my own interpretation to make 1,000 years of the Dragon's captivity in the bottomless pit not mean what it says? Or his loosing after the 1,000 years are completed not mean what it says? Or those killed during the Beast's reign not resurrected to live and reign with Christ for 1,000 years? That's the promise, that we will rule with Him with a rod of Iron over the nations, or does that not mean what it says either?

Revelation 2:26-27 – "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."

 

[Dryhn]

Our rest comes when Yeshua is seen coming on the clouds of heaven and we are changed to immortality and caught up to meet Him then go with Him to the Father's house where we will enter our chambers while God's wrath is poured out in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who don't know God and those who do not obey the Gospel of Yeshua. He will be glorified in those faithful who believed and obeyed.

The statement that these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord speaks to their death being their ultimate end. You seem to interpret this verse as meaning His revealing from heaven brings eternity at that moment, ignoring all the other prophecies pointing to His reign over the earth and His inheritance.

To say the obvious statements of a 1,000 year period of time should be "interpreted" is exactly what I don't do because they need no interpretation.

Why should I add my own interpretation to make 1,000 years of the Dragon's captivity in the bottomless pit not mean what it says? Or his loosing after the 1,000 years are completed not mean what it says? Or those killed during the Beast's reign not resurrected to live and reign with Christ for 1,000 years? That's the promise, that we will rule with Him with a rod of Iron over the nations, or does that not mean what it says either?

Revelation 2:26-27 – "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."

""Our rest comes when Yeshua is seen coming on the clouds of heaven and we are changed to immortality and caught up to meet Him""

YES !!! 1 Thess 4:16-17

16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

[A Watchman]

This is not future, it is current in our time.
If you claim otherwise where does scripture tell us is our citizenship?

Bible Gateway passage: Philippians 3 - New King James Version

All for Christ - Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and...

www.biblegateway.com

Our Citizenship in Heaven​

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Confirmation of no of this old earth earthly 1000 years reign, for you died and your life is hidden in Christ, you are no longer of this world.
But the proponents of a 1000 years earthly reign on this earth seek and desire it, they actually crave that, ruling over the wicked and unbelieving. However when Christ returns all those who do not know Him or obey the gospel of the Great God are eternally destroyed by Christ.

God did not raise us up together with Him to rule on this earth, but did so for ruling with Him in heaven now, and on the new earth at the time of the restoration of all things which all the prophets spoke of from when the world began. That is when God and only HIS people dwell together in the new heavenly city on the new earth.

We though are of God and heaven, and ruling with Him now, where He is, we shall also be, that is one of His precious promises.
Are you someone who believes in soul sleep until the return of Christ?

Philippians 3:10-14 – "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

We are dead to self that we live for God and others, picking up His cross daily and following His example. We are subjects of His now invisible kingdom, Luke 17:20-21, knit together in faith, born again of water and Spirit. We are in the world but not of the world, instead subjects of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven. As Paul says, we eagerly await His return to experience that kingdom in its fullness, that where He is so we will be. We are the bride, the body of Christ, destined for the marriage in heaven, experiencing personally a relationship as individuals with the God of creation, given a stone with a name only God an you know. How much more intimate a gift can one have, a personal name from a personal God just for each one of us?

But what does this have to do with whether or not we reign with Him for 1,000 years on this earth as promised in "the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John"? Should we just say this message given to the churches so they would know what is to come doesn't really mean what it says, that the warnings and promises are just too confusing to take seriously? Yes there are symbols, most of which are interpreted by scripture itself and usually tied to identities. But the actions taken by these identities are very plain, there's a reason we're given it.

Revelation 1:3 – "Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand."

This statement wasn't just for the few the understand all things, it's for he that reads it, a blessing to hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things written in it, not change what it says because it must not really mean what it says.

I can see where you might assume that all who believe the stated 1,000 year reign of Christ crave some kind of maniacal power trip to rule others, but can you see where I just accept what the Bible says and recognize that those who have that heart will not be given power? Does God not see every thought and imagination of the hearts of men? Can we just trust Him? I don't want to rule over anyone, I'm a follower, a worker bee, but if God's Word says I have a destiny beyond my comfort zone and I am ultimately following His lead and united with His Spirit, then I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and guides me with His wisdom.

I don't think the soul sleeps, I think sleep was used to describe the dead Christian because sleep is something that is awoken from and it's a way of expressing comfort in the loss, understanding that death is not permanent because of what Christ did.

I think the soul experiences disembodied relationship in a place described as being in the earth, beneath the surface, physically, yet also extra-dimensional as for our perception of it in this life. This is based on the bits and pieces we're given from scripture and is certainly just my weak estimation from what I know from that. I think that God's Spirit is in relationship with those in "Abraham's bosom" as He is with us in life in these mortal bodies. Though given the finality of choice I do think the experience of relationship in paradise is much more intense and "real" than we perceive behind the wall of perception in which we live. To be dead in Christ is to be with Him in Spirit until He returns from preparing our place to live with Him and resurrects, raises, the dead in Christ incorruptible in material bodies to be caught up with the changed living. Then the dead and living together go to the Father's house in heaven.

I also believe for those separated from God there, all relationship and experience of love is removed, leaving only the eternal knowledge of what it was without the chance to ever have it again. The despair, rage, hatred, and full experience of what was lost is experienced in a sea of similar souls with no love, just selfishness and hatred. No peace, no joy, constant fear and anger swirling like flames for time without end. They rejected God and God gave them over to their desire and they know it and hate Him yet want what He is but will never attain it. It is their home until the great white throne judgement when it is emptied and cast into the lake of fire.

Collosians 3
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 2
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body [h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

Ephesians 2
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

All of these verses are part of the whole of scripture laying out the Spirit of the Law that drives the subjects of the kingdom of God, focusing on what all the Law and prophets wrote about, selflessly loving God and selflessly loving your neighbor as yourself. Living this and accepting His sacrifice and believing and obeying is being born again, made truly alive, to have your spirit tied eternally to God's and being kept securely in His hands.

All of this is true and none of it negates our souls in incorruptible bodies dwelling with and reigning with Christ on the earth for 1,000 years. There is a reason all the prophesies speak of Him reigning over the nations and John was just given the timing. Just because there is a short time, compared to eternity, where the promised reign of Yeshua over the nations doesn't mean we won't be with Him through that time and into eternity. We're sealed when we believe and continue in that relationship, known by Him before we were born. Whether His kingdom is in operation on this earth and heaven or the next, it's His kingdom and we're a part of it, citizens if you will.

 

[mailmandan]

Twice-Deported Honduran Illegal Alien Storms Cockpit of United Flight, Claims to Have a Bomb * The Gateway Pundit * by Cristina Laila Twice-Deported Honduran Illegal Alien Storms Cockpit of United Flight, Claims to Have a Bomb * The Gateway Pundit * by Cristina Laila

How was he able to get on the flight?