God's Purpose For The Millennium – Part 1

Ron Weinland

5th Feast of Tabernacles Sermon - 2009

This year, in anticipation of His Son's Millennial reign on earth, God is going to give us a clearer picture of what is coming and what is about to be established.  This sermon’s entitled: God's Purpose For The Millennium, and this is part one.  God's Purpose For The Millennium – Part 1.  In this sermon God is going to give the Church some things that have not yet been revealed until now and some things that will be made much clearer.  And the reason for that is because we’re almost there – we are so close to that long-anticipated time for God's Kingdom to come to this earth.

So, different questions that can be asked: What will it be like?  What will that new world be like in the next one thousand years of God's rule on earth once the Kingdom of God is established?  What will change?  And what will remain the same?  There have been a lot of ideas that people have had in God's Church about this over time and we have heard varied sermons on the subject; including many things that have been written about that particular period of time that are not fully accurate.  And God has allowed for that to exist for those varying opinions because we had to go through a maturing process in the Church through time. And when it comes to a particular time that we have matured, to be able to build upon certain things, then God gives us more.  And that’s what He is doing now, especially because of where we are; a lot of what we’ve been given in the last many years here is because God has been moulding and fashioning us; bringing us to this point in time.  And as He does, He continues to give us more and more.

We’re going to begin this sermon by focussing upon one of the most basic ideas or questions that is very much at the focal point of addressing this sermon and this title of this sermon – God's Purpose For The Millennium. By more clearly understanding that purpose, one can come to have answers concerning questions about life and death during the Millennium.  Often times there are questions that people have concerning death during the Millennium:  Like, “Will people die during this period of time?  How long will people live during this period of time?  And is it possible for people not to die and simply be changed from mortal to immortal?”  It's like the concept of baptism.  Different people come to maturity at various stages of life and the age of accountability is around 20 – 21, in through there.  And so people begin perhaps to be baptised at 18, 19 - generally some of the earliest stages, I don't like to baptise anyone before that.  19, 20, 21 - in through there is the earliest as a whole, that someone would come to the point of baptism.  And then the question is, during the Millennium when someone is baptised and they live for 40, 50 years and beyond that, whatever it is that people might live.  Perhaps there comes a time that... similar to baptism; that a person would have matured to the point of what one would consider being sealed.  And perhaps at that time someone could be changed from mortal to immortal, to enter into the God Family.  So those things have been out there in sermons and different ideas that people have had.

There are many questions about this particular subject and it certainly has to be on the mind, I've heard it asked many a time now; it has to be on the mind of new people who are being called at various ages, that are going to live into the Millennial period.  They want to know, “What is it going to be like?  Will there be death? What is it going to be like during that period of time?  How long will people live?”  All kinds of questions that come up.

Let's turn over to Revelation 21 because this is a place that we can begin to look to answer some of this. Verse 9: And there came unto me one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, so again the question was the timing.  As with so many things in the book of Revelation, you really have to understand God's plan, there's certain things that should jump out, especially at us.  Striving to understand that this is going back and forth a little bit; chapter 20, you know, there’s a period of time that covers several periods of time in chapter 20.  But this is very specific; we know that it is on the day of Pentecost in 2012: it's when the 7 last Plagues, the 7th Trumpet is blown.  And it says here that one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, talked with me, saying, Come here, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.  It's at the beginning of the day.  As soon as the Sabbath is over and the beginning of the new day, which in this case is Pentecost of 2012.  At that moment in time then, the 144,000 as Jesus Christ begins to return, begins to appear and what appears in the heavens that God allows to be seen even on the earth.  Here we have 144,000 who are resurrected and then of course, as that 7th Trumpet it blown, the 7 last Plagues begin to be poured out on the earth.  And it says, And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, again those things that are prophetic in scripture.  A 'high mountain' in this case is about God's Kingdom, God's Kingdom that is going to be established; so it's a closer look at this Kingdom and of the Lamb's wife, different descriptions here given of the same thing.  And certainly in scripture then, understanding that there are those things that are referred to as 'mountains' or 'hills' – large kingdoms, small kingdoms, nations and so forth and that's what's being used here; this analogy of a 'high mountain', symbolic of God's Government coming to the earth. And he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, talking about different descriptions; whether it be the 'holy city' or 'Zion.'  When you read about 'Zion' – 'Zion Stands Most Beautiful' the song we used to sing so much in the Church and the Psalms that talk about 'Mount Zion,' it's a beautiful thing when you understand what it is about the Kingdom of God, it is about those who have entered into Elohim.  And so is the expression here – 'holy Jerusalem'.  And again, Jerusalem today is not holy.  There was only one period of time when there was a temple there, when God made His presence known within the temple; that any part of that could be considered holy because of God's presence.  And really Jerusalem itself and the city never was in that respect and there is nothing holy about it.

Going on, talking about this holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God; Having the glory of God, something that’s manifested both spiritually and physically.  In the spiritual world, the angelic realm can see what is there; those that have been changed to the 144,000, something they can see above and beyond that which is even physical.  But even that which is physical, God is going to show a glory in the heavens of something that mankind has never seen, that's going to be dumbfounding in that respect.  Having the glory of God: and her light was like a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; it talks about some of these different things that are being seen.  It's hard to understand what it will be like because it's more than just seeing a light in the sky; there’s going to be that which is almost like diamonds or jewels; and the colours and the brilliance and the beauty coming from it is going to be a dazzling display in some sort of manner that has never been seen on earth before.  Because God is going to show a majesty and a beauty that people are going to be able to see that they don't grasp and comprehend.  And as I mentioned earlier, what an amazing thing that so much of the world, especially in Asia and some of those places over there, and Russia, far more easy for them...but even for Europe because you know what happens on that last day?  It talks about all those people that have come together to battle, those ten nations in Europe that are coming to battle, that are going to battle against Russia and China and that alignment of people in a final battle called Armageddon.  They are going to come together to do battle, but it says at the very end they actually unite: they are scared spit-less.  It's hard for us to comprehend that.  They are scared spit-less because of what they see in the heavens; this is going to be such a brilliant thing, such an awesome thing that they behold, that they truly are going to believe  and there is no other explanation or answer – that the planet is being invaded.  And what begins to happen with those 7 last Plagues in their nations as they receive reports and they are going to turn and strive to fight against, to destroy what they see coming because they think it’s something that is coming to destroy them and it is.  It is going to put an end to their governments: but incredible here, what is going to come together on that particular day.

And it says, And had a wall great and high, it had twelve gates, and the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: What an incredible thing to think about the organisation here, it's talking about the organisation.  It's not just a matter of something that is seen and that is symbolic but that it is also of certain things that are going to exist as well that are going to be there.  But more than that, it reflects, it pictures that which is a matter of God's Government and how it's organised.  And so there is going to be that which is physical that can be seen in part in time, but there is that which is going to be reflective of everything that's organised spiritually; just like the twelve times the twelve thousand, God's Government is very meticulously organised, it truly is and so it shows a division of these things.  And it goes on to say, and at the east three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them/in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  So those names that are going to be carried on through time, that we are going to become a part of as a part of God's Family and certain things bear the names of those families and those peoples and so forth.

So let's go back now and notice the verses at the beginning of the chapter that have led up to this point, to get some of the context of what we have just read because part of the description of the Millennium is contained here and even the period of the Great White Throne.  We need to discuss, back-up here and catch a greater context.  Verse 1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  The chapter begins by jumping ahead to a period of time that's finally fulfilled through the work of what God will be doing in the previous one thousand one hundred years.  So at the beginning of the chapter we are jumping all the way ahead to a period where it's finally all been accomplished – God's Kingdom, the fullness of God's Kingdom, the fullness of God's family; and a change that's going to take place when there will be no more human life – it will all be God life, the family of God.  And so it's talking about a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; it's not talking about a literal passing away, that they don't exist anymore; but that which has been made new, everything is being made new.  It has finally been accomplished that God has been working toward for so long and so it's talking about this new period of time.  And some of these things are fully symbolic of other things that are being described here.  You have to understand, when you get to a certain point in time and everything that is spiritual, everything in that respect that God has given...It's just like when certain things begin to be done from the very beginning of time, and God created the angels and the physical universe and created the earth and things on here as well, and everything that existed, some of the things that were brought into being; there was a time when none of that existed.  Only the angelic realm existed and it's hard for us to understand that.  And so God created the angels first, the angelic realm and something in a spirit realm of things that could be seen; some things are described in physical terms but there are those things that they saw, they were created differently.  Some of them had different appearances, but it was all spiritual; something which can be seen spiritually.  We can't understand that because we’re physical and we can't see spirit and then God created that which is physical and it says, ‘the angels shouted for joy’; something was added to, enhanced...An enhancement of something that existed and that which is greater and beyond that which was spiritual even in the sense of broadening that and things we have a difficult time comprehending.  Something to be enjoyed, a beauty that was different in that respect and for a great purpose and they rejoiced in all of that.  So there's much out there and it's not for the purpose of just being here for a little while and all of a sudden it's all going to disappear.  There are things that are going to continue on, we've understood that for a long time.  That everything which was created is out there for a purpose; of things that God hasn't revealed to us yet. He hasn't shown us why, or what is going to be done, or how it’s going to be done, but it's all out there for a great purpose into the future, truly.  Of things that are difficult for us to comprehend because it hasn't been shown to us yet.

And so it goes on to say here, And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.   So again here, that which leads to the creation of a new heaven and a new earth begins by God's purpose, of what He will perform through what is finally being established on earth at the beginning of the Millennium.  So there’s that which begins there, it's not the fullness of it yet, but a part of it begins when we get up to the verses where it talks about the very first of it when that seventh angel said 'Let's go and look.'  And this is what they looked at, they saw the 144,000, the beginning of 'new Jerusalem,' the beginning of 'Mount Zion' being established in a greater way, as far as that which is born of man and woman on this earth, mankind, and the first two as well. The first one I should say because that was from the dust of the earth – Adam that was created and then that which was taken from his body and God then formed Eve as well.  So again, the two of them that didn't have a physical birth as it were but God creating them and making them and all life that has come since then.  So again here, backing up a little bit of the story, it's looking ahead and it's talking about what we’re leading up to – a new heaven and a new earth.  Everything new and as far as what God is establishing, preparing, creating and making and what's it's all about; and it's about His Family, it always has been.

Verse 3:  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. How? Well, we understand that: through His government and spirit-born Family that's now being set up on the earth, that's starting in a process here at the very beginning of the Millennium and that becomes greater at the Great White Throne period and finally it’s all complete.  It says, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.  So, when does that happen?  Is that something that happens at the beginning of the Millennium?  Is that something that happens at the beginning of the Great White Throne?  When is it that all tears are finally wiped away? Not until it’s finished.  It's a process, it's talking about a process that leads up to a new heaven and a new earth; it's language that is being used here to show what God is creating, what God is making.   Human beings are able to cry as long as they are human beings.  In the Great White Throne, people are able to cry... You ever thought about that?  You think there will be crying during the Great White Throne?  You think there will ever be an occasion where there is crying?  Someone has their feelings hurt?  You’re not in the God Family until you are in the God Family; until you have conquered human flesh.  And all the people who have lived through the thousands of years, when they are resurrected, there are still going to be times when people hurt each other, there is still going to be times when something is said.  Can you imagine the kinds of lives that people are going to come out of?  It's just like any one when they are first called...when you're resurrected back into a physical body it talks of how there's going to be great emotion.  It says there’s going to be 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' for a lot of people and that expression is used at different times in different places too, towards the very end as well, a different kind of weeping and gnashing.  But even at the very beginning, the regret; the feelings, the emotions that people are going to experience and so there are going to be things that are going to happen during the Great White Throne.  People are people – human beings are human beings and are we perfect yet?  Have any of you ever cried recently, had tears in your eyes?  So, just because it’s a different world where everybody is resurrected and brought into the Church, does that mean that there won't be any crying, there won't be any tears?  Obviously not, there will be tears.  The tears aren't gone until we’re gone, until there is no more human life; only then can this be fulfilled.  So it's a process that God is working toward being fulfilled and that's what it's discussing here.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death: when can you say that?  ...that there will be no more death?  1st Corinthians 15 tells you when there will be no more death – 'the last enemy to be destroyed is death.'  And so when there is no more death, everything’s pretty well over with: a new heaven and a new earth; that which God is working toward – see?  Where only that which is spiritual remains as far as life that exists within the God Family; as far as human life, there is no more human life – only that which is eternal life in the God Family.  And so again, it says, and there shall be no more death,  once God's purpose and His work during the 1100 years is accomplished.

...neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  The only time you can say that is when it is finished and completed – accomplished, work done!  1100 years over!  Before that mankind has always been able to experience pain.  You can stub your toe against the door – nothing’s going to prevent that.  Different things that happen – hit your finger with a hammer you know.  So there will be pain.  This is talking about a deeper pain obviously.  For the former things are passed away.  The old things, old earth, mankind, the ways of mankind, the life of mankind – no more, it's all passed away.  We’ve come to a time of a new heaven and a new earth – beautiful.

We'll come back to some of this later, let's go on in verse 5:  And He who sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.  That doesn't mean that everything that’s physical in the universe all of a sudden is going to be made different or all of a sudden is going to disappear and come back as something different.  What's the purpose of that?  It still exists, man hasn't polluted it.  So what is it that God's talking about here?  Mankind being changed to the Godkind, that's the context of everything being discussed; what God's purpose is – no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain.  The former things are passed away: everything is to become new, everything that God has worked toward for 7100 years; when it's over, it's over and that which remains is His Family.

And He said, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  And He said, unto me, It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, 'it's done,' what's done? Everything that God has been working toward.  It doesn't mean that there is nothing that the Family’s ever going to do any more and everything’s over with and let's shut the book.  What's the purpose of life then?  No, eternal life – it’s a great beginning!  ...it truly is: in the God Family and what He has not yet revealed that's going to take place in the universe that we don't understand;  that we have no idea of yet.  I've heard a lot of sermons like that, ideas that people have; some of those are off-the-wall but there are things that are going to be accomplished that are going to be exciting and inspiring in the God Family.  So He says, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give unto him who is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.  Again, a new purpose, incredible, in what God is going to be doing here of...even during the 1100 years really, it's a type; but it leads up to the very end when everything is accomplished and when there will be no more need from that point on.  But it's an exciting time to realise that starting with the Millennium; everyone who has a desire can receive this way of life and that’s what God is revealing.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things; so it's a process.  So beginning with the Millennium and on into the last 100 years; that's when the final phases of God's plan are going to be accomplished.  That's when these things are going to be accomplished: in verse 1 finally the wiping away of all tears, finally the doing away with all pain; but it's going to take 1100 years.  But at least everyone now has that opportunity and that ability to receive this and that's what it's discussing. He who overcomes shall inherit all things; those who overcome during the Millennium, those who overcome, because they have to overcome!  They have to overcome carnal, human nature, selfishness: they have to fight against it; they have to work at that – it's not a cake-walk! It’s a beautiful world! God's Government established on the earth, one government on the earth, one religion on the earth; not the massive confusion we have today – a beautiful earth.  But mankind is still mankind, human nature is still human nature and they’re not in the God Family yet.  It's just a far better world, night and day compared to what we have now, but human beings are still human beings and we still have selfish, carnal, human nature – period.  Those resurrected during the Great White Throne, a hundred years, they have much human nature.  Just like every one of us but they don't even have God's spirit yet, now there will be a few that have had God's spirit and will be awakened spiritually as well as physically at that time and that is an awesome thing to understand.  And they will be able to continue on, just like those of us when God awakened us at different stages, at different times; who had His spirit, who were impregnated with His spirit, begotten of His spirit but fell asleep.  And that supply of spirit, or that continuing flow of spirit was cut off and until God starts that flow again, which is an awakening spiritually, there is no growth, there’s no development beyond that point in time.  And so the same is true for so many people who are going to be resurrected.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, the murderers, the whoremongers, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.  So it's very specific here, showing that there’s coming a time of judgement upon all the earth, upon all mankind; that eventually everyone is going to have a choice and we recognise that's at the beginning of the Millennium: everyone has a choice from that point forward and then all who have ever lived before who have had that choice and some who didn't use that choice well, but died; they are going to be resurrected and continue on and have the opportunity in a different world, to be able to change and to choose and to make the right choices.  But if they don't… and please understand, there are many who won't choose God; that's the thing about free moral agents.  And it's hard for us to grasp and comprehend what happened in the angelic realm, but the same thing is going to happen in the physical realm before the spirit realm becomes a possibility; before people can be a part of the God Family.  They have to make their choices.  And so there are people who just make choices of a certain way of life and they do not want, they do not desire under any circumstances, God's way.  Choice – it's hard to understand some of that at times but that is a reality.  I fully believe with all my being that there are people who have lived and have been judged; I fully believe that there are people physically who have never been allowed to, who have never had the opportunity yet for God's spirit to be given/granted to them that have already done things to a point, to a degree, that their minds are so warped and so distorted that they have no choice and desire for God.  And God already knows that about their minds because He knows the mind inside and out.

And so it talks about those who will have a part in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone: which is the second death.  So clearly, as we have read earlier in verse 4, God ‘shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death’.  So when it finally comes to this point in time, this is when it is over with.  Either someone is in the second death at the very end, or they’re in God's Family and then – mission complete.  It's done.  It's finished.  Exciting! Inspiring!  Death does not cease until the very end of the 1100 years.

During the Millennium it is not God's purpose that the lifespan of man become greater than what it currently is.  Will people live longer?  With the enrichment of life, the betterment of life, there are going to be things where there’s going to be that which is longer, but not like what there was before the Flood, not like that which was directly after the Flood.  What is the purpose?  So again, those who are going to become a part of the 144,000... even... we talk about a period of time in Satan's world; we're not given longer life spans, although some did have longer life spans.  There were those who lived much longer.  Noah, was it 950 years he lived?  Incredible to understand a lifespan like that, but as a whole, thankfully, human beings don't have to live that long.  There was that which was different that God was working out at that particular time and so there were others in between that time, the time leading up to there.  Even in the very beginning there from a period of time...we'll get to that in a moment here: but different people lived different time periods.  Mankind was basically given three-score and ten - 70 years to live.  People can live longer than that obviously.  We had a gentleman in the Church not too long ago that died almost 100, he was almost there, just a few months away from that.  He knew Mr. Armstrong fairly well, was at the Big Sandy Campus at different times at the very beginning and in the Church there before there ever was a campus, and then in California in Pasadena at the campus and worked there for a period of time after he had already retired.  He started a second career and lived all the way up to that particular age in time; saw a lot of things, saw a lot of things that took place, fell asleep spiritually and God re-awakened him.  Fell asleep at a time clear back in 1974, was asleep for a long time spiritually, until God awoke him at a particular moment in time later on when he read one of the books.  And then he was with us for six years, seven years?  Something like that and moved back to the area of the country Mr. Armstrong got  a start in – Eugene, Oregon area.  Incredible some of the history of some people, but you think all those years asleep...and his was because of Pentecost.  He left during the time because of Pentecost being on a Monday, he couldn't accept that Mr. Armstrong made a change and so he fell asleep and just couldn't see it...and followed some people, some other ministers – incredible, things that have happened to God's people through time. But showing the power and the mercy of God to heal and to awaken people out of those conditions and to bring them to repentance.  Not everyone can be brought to repentance, but that example exists there to teach something – the power of God to bring to repentance, truly...awesome thing.

Yes, life is going to be improved on earth.  We look at food, we look at health, the mind, things that are going to exist; we know that, we understand that but much longer periods of time – there is no purpose in it.  Many people are going to live longer, but not much longer; there is much to be learned from death, not to prevent it, not as prevention.  The point being is God is showing this very clearly, there is going to be death throughout the Millennium.  There is no purpose in people living a thousand years; there is no purpose for those of you being called right now to live a full thousand years, for God to sustain your life: or for those who are born during the Millennium, at the beginning of the Millennium to be able to live a thousand years.  No, on the contrary as we go forward and as we go through some of  these sermons here, as we talk about some of these things in the beginning of this, and more will come out later on; there is great purpose and so much that is learned by death.  If you take that away, there is much that could not be learned during the Millennium that God wants man to learn; that death, the ability to see it, the ability to experience it: it is something that man has had for six thousand years that is a very powerful tool to teach us, to humble us, to give us understanding, to give us appreciation of God's plan and God's purpose; it's a very powerful thing, that which God allows as a part of His plan.  After the time of Noah and the flood life spans began to be shortened until they levelled out at a basic seventy years allotted to mankind.

About ten generations after Noah we find Abraham, as my wife just held the sign up back there, lived to be 175 years – he was 175 years old when he died.  Isaac – Isaac lived longer, he lived 180 years!  Amazing, some of the life spans of some of the people back then that God gave.  And Jacob, his name was changed to Israel, lived for 147 years.  It began to drop, God began to take away the longer life spans.  Joseph lived 110 years, Moses was 120 years old when he died, Joshua died at 110 years old.  And then you come up to the times of Israel and the kings and so forth and David lived to be seventy, three-score and ten.  Amazing, the things that began to change and things began to level out and God revealed that that was to be the lifespan of man: that basically we’re given three-score and ten and some people live longer – 100 years, 80 years and we can do a lot of things.  You know, it's amazing sometimes to see people. There are some people who never eat clean foods; can smoke cigars all their life and live to be 100 years old - abuse the body, abuse the lungs and they live that long.  There are other people who take such good care of their life, watch the food they eat, very close to the trunk of the tree when it comes to getting everything that they can that is natural from a very young age and work out and they die at thirty.  Amazing, you can do everything you can and take care of the body the best you can and there are just differences in life spans that people have.  The life spans of man have become better recently when compared to the near past.  I think of the old west, the cowboys and people who went west and the lifespan wasn't too long.  If you made it to forty you were doing quite well.  Amazing to think back in time, we see different ancestors that went through hard stages of life at different times and because of certain conditions and such; that there are peoples who were considered in their prime at thirty eight?  And then died. Incredible lives that people have lived at different times and different stages and so we've seen a lot of things that happened in different ways at different times in life.

There's a simple statement in the book of Hebrews that shows God's primary purpose for mankind when it comes to life and death.  Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, that is God's purpose for mankind; as a whole, there are very few that aren't going to have to experience those things because it goes on to say and adds to that, but after this the judgement.  ...the judgement.  Everyone as a whole is going to die once but there are very few that are going to have the opportunity of an instant change when Jesus Christ returns, from mortal to immortal – not very many can be in that category.  There are going to be a few that when Jesus Christ returns, they are never going to have to experience death.  Of course, a lot of times for death it's close  to the same thing anyway because people die in their sleep, or certain things happen and instantly a person dies.  And when you are resurrected, it doesn't matter if it's a split second right there at that very moment that those are changed from mortal to immortal or it be some time in the future.  You know, as far as time is concerned it really doesn't matter.  When you're dead, you're dead.  When the change comes, the change comes and so that moment is just a matter of timing.  In this case here, you don't have to be dead very long but the body is gone, it's dead.  There comes a point in time when your physical body is gone, those who are changed from mortal to immortal, it just disappears; evidently it just disappears.  It doesn’t seem as if you even have any indication that it's left the ground… and somebody has to bury it – we don't know yet, but it's going to be gone.  But nobody, once changed, is going to be living there, they are going to be in a spirit body.

So this is God's main purpose for the vast majority of mankind: I am in awe of this so often; only the timing of events in God's plan can or will alter this overall purpose of life and death.  What timing would alter such a purpose?  What would alter such a thing?  We know of one that is certain and that's the time of the resurrection of the 144,000; that there's no resurrection to a time of judgement.  They have been judged already, they have been judged in this life.  Those who are going to be resurrected as part of the 144,000; they don't fit in the same category.  But after this the judgement.  No, they are not going to be resurrected again for a period of judgement, they've already been judged.  'Judgement now is upon the house of God,' as Peter said – unique group of people, unique situation.  And so they don't have to be resurrected later on in the Great White Throne in the time of judgement but overall God's purpose has been for all of mankind to die once, then to be resurrected to a time of judgement  where they are going to be given the truth and be able to see the truth and to be able to grow spiritually like the 144,000 did through the previous six thousand years.

Incredible to understand some of these things; the only other possibility is at the time when the Millennium ends: when it's time for the great resurrection and the final hundred years for a second life given to mankind.  By that time, as you go through the thousand years and you have life and death; only then at that moment in time in God's plan can there be people who can be added to the God Family.  Not before, not changed at some point in time along the way; not at some point of being sealed.  No, everyone during the thousand years will die and they'll have to wait just like King David has been waiting for a long time – he doesn't know it.  Moses has been waiting for a long time – he doesn't know it.  Mr. Armstrong has been waiting quite a while – but he doesn't know it.  Different ones that are going to be resurrected.  And so as people live and as they die even during the Millennial period there will come a time for a great resurrection.  And the great resurrection that so many think about at a particular point in time is a moment in time when everyone is going to have an opportunity who has ever lived to live again; a second life in a time of judgement.  But then there’s an opportunity to add to the God Family and I am going to add some more scriptures here to show what God is revealing and what God is giving as we go along here.  Everything is very orderly with God and if we understand the purpose of what God is doing during the Millennium and doing during the Great White Throne; these things are very simple and very basic for everyone, they truly are.

Let’s go back to Revelation 5 and then we'll come back to some of these thoughts and some of these matters to be explained more fully. Changing part of our focus right now in order to bring some more material in here, so that we can bring this all together a little bit more in this particular sermon and in the two sermons to follow.  Let’s consider what God's purpose is in the Millennium for His Government – the 144,000.  Revelation 5:9 - And they, speaking of the twenty four elders, sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us, or 'them', speaking not to the twenty four angels, but it's referring to a specific group of people here that are going to be redeemed.  It’s a sloppy translation because it doesn't refer back to the ones in context that are being discussed here because people haven't understood God's plan.  They don't think about these things, they don't understand, they don't comprehend.  It's speaking about Jesus Christ who is worthy to open the seals and the things that are going to happen and have been happening over a period of time – all 7 Seals now having been opened by Jesus Christ.  So it says, for you were slain, and have redeemed as it should be them speaking of the saints mentioned in the previous verse, when it speaks of the incense that represented the prayers of all the saints, that which was offered up before God, that came up before God.  So again, You have redeemed them to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people; and nation.  So those that are going to be a part of the 144,000; they make up peoples all over the earth, different peoples; not just Jews, not just Israelites, but peoples from all over the earth that God has worked with through time.  You have to consider too and understand that before Abraham and before Isaac, there were no Israelites and all those individuals are going to be resurrected, so what were they?  Well, they were part of God's Family; they are going to be a part of God's Family, but not of any specific group that we are accustomed to thinking about when we think about Israel and Gentiles.  There was no nation at that time that God was specifically working with.

And so it goes on to say in verse 10 - And have made them unto our God kings and priests:  speaking of that six thousand years and all of those whom God has been working with.  This is what the focus is here of the prayers of all the saints through time.  ...and they shall reign on the earth.  Beautiful verses here.  So again, there is no purpose in God’s plan for others to enter into this government during the thousand years, that's what we’re talking about here.  They are going to reign on the earth.  Is there any place in scripture that talks about others who are going to reign on the earth?  Is there a specific reign of time that is discussed at different places that makes it very clear it's only for these?  These are the ones who are going to reign with Christ.  No where else is there any mention about more who are going to be added to those that are going to reign, but these are the ones who are going to reign in a specific government on the earth; for a specific purpose, for a specific time.  So again, only Jesus Christ, along with the 144,000, are mentioned as having such purpose during the Millennium in scripture all the way through.  You can read those verses again, it makes it very clear.  ...You have made them unto our God kings and priests: and they shall reign on the earth.  Jesus Christ has been going through a kind of preparation, if you will, of training His Church over the past two thousand years along with His Father and they have been moulding and fashioning, especially within the Church because the majority of the 144,000 are coming out of the past two thousand years.  There aren't many that really go back before that in the previous four thousand years and that's the reason God established the Church for the past two thousand years and the work of Christ because He worked with and moulded and fashioned various ones through time, God did; you can just pretty much read about them from the beginning to the end.  And then, we don't know all the ones in the past two thousand years, except a few mentioned in the Book of Acts and a few mentioned from time on, when Paul addresses certain ones and so forth, and mentions certain people names.  But after that, the period of Ephesus, Thyatira especially, some of those eras; the thousands of people that have come out of the past two thousand years.  That's when the majority of people have been trained, moulded and fashioned; that's been the work of Jesus Christ for the past two thousand years.  Moulding and fashioning the vast majority of the Government of God – preparing for what's getting ready to take place for the one thousand years and really the one thousand one hundred years that follow.

During the Millennium the 144,000 will be going through very unique training preparing for the last hundred years – incredible – and the Great White Throne period that is beyond that.  So, the training doesn't end, there are things that just don't end in time and 144,000 are going to go through some unique training during that Millennial period, in preparation for the hundred years and the Great White Throne that's going to follow because that‘s what God is preparing for.  The last two thousand years if we can understand it, Jesus Christ and God the Father have been working with more to prepare them for this great resurrection that's coming.  Then during the Millennium there is going to be training with 144,000 preparing for the hundred years because that period of time is about the hundred years.  The thousand years is very much about the hundred years to follow and all those who are going to be able to be trained and moulded and fashioned by God's Government during that period of time who are going to have opportunity to work with billions when they’re resurrected.  It's amazing to think back in times past that we couldn't see and grasp and understand how God has all this organised – how billions can be resurrected and how they can be worked with.  All of a sudden you have a massive resurrection and how can you work with so many in such a profound way?  Well, if you have millions in the God Family, you can work with them.  Millions and millions in the God family, you can work with billions of people.  God is very orderly, very organised in the process of salvation and what He's doing and it's an awesome thing, it truly is.

God's primary foundation and structure for His government, for His family is built upon Jesus Christ and the 144,000 who indeed are those who comprise the foundational structure of that government all the way through the thousand years.  There is no one else that is going to be added to the government, just to make it real clear; there is no one going to be added to the Kingdom of God, to God's Government during the Millennium.  Everyone lives and dies and they wait till the end of the thousand years.  Then there will be massive resurrection; some to eternal life and others back to physical life once again – that's God's purpose.  Because it’s about the preparation for the last hundred years and the ability to deal with that.  God is going to give the ability by what He's going to do here at the end in whittling down the nations of the world and the sizes of peoples on this earth; that 144,000 and Jesus Christ are going to be able to govern this earth for a thousand years very powerfully so.  But to be able to work with all the billions that are all of a sudden going to be resurrected at the very end...ah, interesting.  If you can begin to understand that, this brings up a lot of interesting and exciting things.  It should be easier to understand things concerning the Millennial period as we continue to go through this series of sermons.

God wants us to understand that there are misconceptions about the Millennium that we have had in times past that we need to get out of our minds and we need to make sure that all of us are of a right mind and of a right spirit as we enter into the Millennial period.  For those of you who are alive, that you enter that period of time, without wrong expectations so that you don’t begin to blame God for not receiving what you think you should receive because that would be the case if God did not give this series of sermons at this Feast of Tabernacles.  We would have people entering the Millennial period who, if not careful, could very easily become very angry with God because they’re expecting something different – a type of utopia that's not going to be there.  We need to enter that period of time wisely, sound-mindedly, understanding what God's purpose is for the Millennium.  There is a great purpose for the Millennium and what God is doing and how He is going to do it.  And when we understand that then everything else fits into place but people have to be careful how they think – nothing is owed to us.  Nothing is owed to anyone who lives in the Millennium, on the contrary, if you are so blessed, you are exceedingly blessed above the vast majority of people on the earth because they don't get to have that opportunity.  They have to die and they have to wait a thousand years.  The vast majority of this earth has to wait a thousand years.  And so if you have opportunity to live in a new world, be ever so thankful, be ever so thankful for what God offers you and gives to you.

Revelation 20:1 - 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, who is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.  Finally!  Thank God he’s finally restrained, kept away from all mankind and from the God Family for a thousand years; him and his demons.  And cast him into a bottomless pit, it's a word that simply means 'a place of restraint,' he's going to be restrained; no power, no ability to exert power, no ability to broadcast as he’s doing today to people, to mankind or to the demons who made their choices.  And cast him in the place of restraint , and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be fulfilled:  and after this he must be let loose a little season.  And so Satan is going to be put away for a thousand years and then at the end, he's going to be let loose for a little while and it's going to be something that’s going to try the world.  And it's something that is a little bit astounding and mind-boggling what's going to take place, but I think all of us can understand it far better now because we see what happened to Laodicea, to the Church of God at the end time.  We see what human beings can do when they have the begettal of God's spirit and we’re going to see one final great lesson on the earth that must be taught, that must be learned before the great resurrection takes place of the last hundred years.  And that is what human beings can do when they’re not only begotten of God's spirit, but have the God Family ruling over them on the earth and they begin to take that for granted; that is their norm.  Generation after generation that becomes their norm and they sin great sins, many of them do.  Incredible!

Verse 4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given to them: and I saw the souls of them who were, and it's an unfortunate translation, it says beheaded in the King James, it doesn't mean everyone who has ever followed God has been beheaded or that everyone who is going to be a part of the 144,000 had to be beheaded – No, it means 'cut off.'  When you are called you’re cut off from the rest of the world.  You live this way of life; you are persecuted for what you believe, you go through suffering because of what you believe.  And the world literally, in that respect even, cuts you off from them, you are not a part with them anymore and we make those choices to be cut off from it as well.  We don’t want to be a part of it and so that’s how the word is being used here.  ...for the witness of Jesus, because if you begin in your life, Jesus Christ begins to live in you, that's what that means 'the witness of Jesus Christ,' it means that He lives in you; your life is witness of the truth, of God living and dwelling within you; of what the world is like, of what mankind is like.  What ideaCity was like!  It doesn't matter - see?  They don't have that ability to receive it, what do they do?  They can't wait to mock God; they can't wait to laugh at Christ, no matter what they’re told – incredible!  And so that's what it's showing here – see?  We’re not a part of this world, thank God, but we suffer because of it and because of the world.

And so it goes on to say, and have the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and have not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither have received the mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  They did, no one else does, only they do; it's God's purpose that only the 144,000 live and reign with Christ for the thousand years.  Nothing about anyone else being added to that family.  So that government has unique purpose and structure that is being fulfilled during that thousand years and there is no purpose that anything else be added to it, there really isn't.  On the contrary, that would work against what God is doing.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.  Again, speaking back toward the 144,000, speaking of those who are going to live and reign with Christ a thousand years, they are of the first resurrection.  But it says here, the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  God is also now revealing that this verse not only applies to those who live during and die during the first six thousand years; but those also who live and die in the next one thousand years: for no one else will be resurrected until the thousand years are fulfilled.

So let’s read those verses again.  It talks about ...they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  Everyone lives and dies during the thousand years; no one is intended to live for 999 years, or 980 years, or 900 years, or 800 years in order to live all the way till the end.  People are going to live life and they’re going to die.  There are those today who are going to see their own children die, in the God Family; that's the way it is.  Life and death – people get old and they die.  We are going to see that which God has lived through, that God has experienced with human beings for the past six thousand years.  His Family – people who have lived, people who have conquered and overcome who are going to be a part of the first resurrection, who’ve died.  But time is nothing with God.  (Snap), they are going to be resurrected - see?  In our human form we think of that in different ways, but in the God Family there are interesting things, sobering things sometimes to think about in the plan of God and what God is doing and realities of physical life that exist.  And one of the great realities of life that God has given for mankind is death; it's an important part of life for human beings.  That's an awesome thing to understand.  To get from here to there; to get from being mankind to the God Family: it's an essential part of our learning, of our humbling, of being humbled, of appreciation, gratitude, thankfulness to God, of learning and going above and beyond in that sense of grasping God, and grasping the mercy and the plan and the excitement that we have for His plan and purpose and how He is going to bring everything to pass.  It really helps to stir up a greater appreciation for what God offers us that we don't deserve: eternal life.  It's an awesome thing to understand how God works with us as human beings; the mercy, the patience and the love, always the love, very powerfully so.

Verse 6 - Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.  So again, very explicit, the reign of the 144,000 is for a thousand years and no more are mentioned as a part of that government, it isn't a part of God's purpose.  Just as for the past two thousand years there has been one added in the God Family; Jesus Christ, who has been working to prepare for a government that's coming and the vast majority of those who are going to be a part of it were worked with during that period of time – the last two thousand years.  Always looking forward, always a matter of salvation, always a matter of what God is, and how He’s working with mankind to bring about His family; that which He loves so deeply, so dearly.  So what else does this verse reveal?  Again, the point is made that the 144,000 will be priests of God and of Christ in a reign that will last for a thousand years, but the first part of the verse makes a distinction in those who are part of this first resurrection, whose reign will last for a thousand years.  That they are blessed and holy and on these the second death has no power.

So why such a distinction here?  Why is it important to understand that that's being made here in this manner?  Why is this being inserted here?  Something that we can look at and say, 'Oh yeah, that's easy to understand.'  Why is that distinction being made in this verse?

Let’s turn over to Luke 11.  It's good to look at a couple of scriptures first to answer that.  Luke 11:42 - A simple statement where Jesus Christ said here, just to see how the word is used:  But woe unto you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgement and the love of God: these ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone.  We’ve had sermons on this recently, about Judgement, Mercy and Faith that goes into this far more deeply; but here again, this matter of judgement and to notice the word again, that it means fully that; because we’re going to look at a place where the same Greek word is used and translated as 'damnation.'  It means 'judgement,' it does mean that there is a judgement and what judgement means.  So there is that which we learn of how to judge on a personal scale in life and what we’re to do, but again, this verse here is what that’s talking about.  We in God's Church, we understand that period of judgement and what it's all about – The Great White Throne judgement; that has great meaning to us.  We understand what that means.  Sometimes it can mean 'damnation,' depending on the context because of final judgement.  Just like with any judgement, there is a period of time where, for us, we enter into a time of being judged when it talks about the books of life being opened up and that people are given life in the Great White Throne and they begin a process of judgement.  Just like the scripture I mentioned earlier that Peter gave – 'Judgement now is upon the house of God.'  We are in judgement, and so how we live our lives, the choices we make depends on the outcome then of final judgement.  And so sometimes it's only by the context that you can know whether it’s speaking of that process of judgement and being judged, or whether it finally comes to a point of time of final judgement.  Just like the 144,000, obvious there what that one is; the judgement that was given to all those of eternal life and what they came to; but there is other judgement as well we know that's going to come toward the end, when it's going to be final for them.

Another example is in Hebrews 9:27 where it says, It is appointed unto men once to die, in other words 'to die once,' but after this the judgement.  We understand this, that people die and then they are resurrected to a period of time of judgement.  And finally let’s look at John 5 and the usage here, showing how the words are used.  John 5:26 - For as the Father has life in Himself; so has He given to the Son in order to have life in Himself; and has given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of man.  You know that which has been given very righteously and powerfully so to His Son to execute judgement on the earth over the periods of time that follow.  Verse 28 - Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which/in the which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice.  And shall come forth.  So something is going to happen to all human beings even at different stages.   And shall come forth: they who have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they who have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.  This is a little awkward because...to resurrection of damnation, as we have read this in times past we basically take it as being, “then there's going to be that resurrection at the very end of the hundred years and they're going to be resurrected just to be put to death and so forth,” that's not what's being said here.  A resurrection of life and a resurrection of judgement; all who hear His voice will be brought to these in time, so literally, even as you look at a point in time when all are going to hear His voice, who were in the graves.  There is going to come a point in time when everyone is going to have one or the other take place in their life, literally at a specific moment in time and this is that moment in time.

And shall come forth, it says all who are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth: they who have done good, unto the resurrection of life; so, there is that which can happen and will happen at literally the beginning of the Great White Throne and that which will happen as well towards the end because obviously there’s going to come a time for a great resurrection there when people are going to be able to be changed.  But again, they don't have to be dead do they?  In the grave? Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense?  The Great White Throne period?  No, this is talking about a different period of time in a very powerful way – to a resurrection of judgement, a second life, second physical life once again. There's only one period in time when this happens, it's at the beginning of the Great White Throne.  All those through the Millennial period who have come to a point in time, who have changed, who have conquered, who have overcome, who have entered into judgement, who have gone through a period of judgement, just like we all do in the Church.  Those who live and die during that period of time, just like Mr. Armstrong and different ones who have died during Philadelphia and far beyond that, but I'm just using a more closer period of time here.  And you think of during that period of time, during the thousand years, everyone who has lived and died, there are going to be those who are able to be resurrected and there are going to be millions upon millions who are going to be able to become a part of a resurrection, a spiritual one.

Something else to let you understand and know right away in the beginning before we go much further; that we understand that those in the previous six thousand years who were dead are going to be able to be resurrected and begin a part of a physical life here, a second life again.  But please understand; there are going to be people resurrected who have died during the thousand years who will not receive eternal life.  There are going to be some who are going to be resurrected who are going to have the opportunity for judgement; some as a matter of a continuation of judgement, just like those in the Church who fell asleep.  And situations that take place, that God is going to grant... just like some situations that happen when Satan is let loose for a little season.  There is going to be a lot of death and all those who do what they do, most assuredly, are not going to be a part of a resurrection to eternal life.  Is it over with for them?  For some undoubtedly; just like with what happened during Laodicea; that there are those who have committed the unpardonable sin and there are those who haven't.  There are those who get caught up in deception, those who have begun to drift and fall asleep spiritually, just like every one of us did.  Every one of us did.  There are things that are going to happen when Satan is let loose for a season and there are going to be those who follow, who listen, who are deceived, who are asleep spiritually, but it's not over with for them.  For some it is because they commit the unpardonable sin but others will have the opportunity for a second life again.  That's an awesome thing to understand.  That even during the one thousand years, there are people who can live and die and be resurrected to a time of judgement, final judgement.

Do you think that will sober people up during the thousand years to take seriously their time that is not owed to them?  Just like it hasn't been for any of the eras of God's Church, just like it wasn't for Philadelphia, just like it wasn't for Laodicea – nothing is owed to us that we have to be in the first resurrection, to eternal life.  It's not owed to mankind, you have to fight for it, you have to want it, you have to be convicted of it with all of your being and that will be a message for a thousand years to a world that’s going to tend toward the spirit of Laodicea.  Do you realise that?  That in time that’s going to be one of the primary messages throughout the Millennium – lethargy, complacency; that you can begin to take for granted what you have.  That you can begin to be lifted up with pride of what you have, of all the abundance; here, the God Family that exists on the earth with you and you grow up and that's all you know.  You think human nature is not human nature?  Yes it is.  One government on the earth, one religion on the earth, but mankind is still mankind and people don't always make good decisions.  And the more you can understand why certain things can happen when Satan is released, the wiser you become – human nature is still human nature, falling asleep spiritually is still falling asleep spiritually.  It's not a utopia during the Millennium.  Not everyone’s going to live a righteous life; not everyone’s going to choose to live a righteous life.  The world will be so much better than what it is today, obviously, but human beings still have free choice don't they?  Amazing to understand that.

So there is coming a time when all are going to hear the voice of Christ.  They’re going to be resurrected at a very moment in time when everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone who has ever lived in seven thousand years...Some are going to be changed at that moment to eternal life and some are going to be resurrected to judgement, the Great White Throne judgement – awesome to understand, it truly is.  So there's only one specific moment in time when this is fully true and it’s speaking of a time that concerns all who are in the graves.  There are going to be some obviously who are going to be alive at the end as well, just like there is at the time when Jesus Christ returns.  There are going to be some who are going to be alive at that moment in time who have been sealed, that God has said, 'I know you,' that will be their opportunity.  There is no purpose for some of those to have to continue on to live on into the next hundred years, they have opportunity to be a part; just as some of you do who are going to be able to be alive when Jesus Christ returns and you are going to be able to be changed from mortal to immortal.  And there are going to be people at the end of a thousand years who are going to be in the same situation; where they are going to be changed in an instant, in a moment, ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ from mortal to immortal – beautiful thing.   It’s not for their purpose.  And there are also going to be some who are younger, who are maybe twenty five or thirty or thirty five or forty or fifty who are not there yet, who have not been fully tried and they are going to continue to live on into that age.  There are unique moments in time.  We live at a unique moment in time for us in God's Church and those that God is calling and continues to call.  And there has to be a spiritual maturity and a growth that must be there in life before God will change someone from mortal to immortal and that should make good sense to us.  We should have good understanding of that.  And so we have different people who are younger in that respect who haven't gone through the full process.  Nothing to feel bad about that some aren't going to be changed from mortal to immortal, just because you have been in the Church for two years, three years, five years, whatever it is, whatever time God gives you.  Those are God's judgements and everyone must go through a certain process, but to continue on, to live on into a Millennial period, what an awesome thing!  To be the foundation of the Church of God, what an awesome thing, your opportunities are incredible!  The same thing exists at the end of the thousand years, before the hundred years begins when there is a great resurrection then, when there are going to be millions upon millions, maybe billions who are going to enter the God Family at that time.  Of those who died twenty years into the Millennium, forty years into the Millennium, at two hundred years into the Millennium, at five hundred years into the Millennium and on and on it goes.  What an awesome thing... the plan of God and what He is doing.  All who are in the graves are going to hear His voice.  It's at that time when the Millennium’s over and the time when the Great White Throne is established – incredible to understand that process.

Let’s go to Revelation 20.  We are looking at some of these verses because of the question that was asked about a specific distinction in terms being used in Revelation 20 about judgement and understanding the various times of judgement that God has given to mankind.  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no power.  But they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.  Very explicit, 144,000 that are going to reign with Christ for a thousand years and no one else.  And why such a distinction being made in this manner in some of these verses here as we’ve read through them, as we’ve talked about some of this and in the particular verses here, why is it expressed in some of these ways?   When it talks about, And blessed and holy are they...these that, the second death has no power – you know, awesome what God tells and what He is showing and what He gives.  Again, the point made that the 144,000 will be priests of God and of Christ in a reign that will last a thousand years. But as was stated, the first part of this verse makes a distinction in those who are part of the first resurrection who will reign for a thousand years; that they are blessed and holy.  And again, on these the second death has no power. But the second death does have power over billions who are living during the Millennium; the second death still has power because they can and will die throughout that period of time.   I am just reiterating what has been said, but I wanted to make sure that I cover all this.  And not all who live during the Millennium will be sealed for the resurrection to eternal life at the end of the Millennium, but many will die and have to live a second life during the Great White Throne if they have not committed the unpardonable sin.  Which has happened during Philadelphia, has undoubtedly happened in times of Ephesus, Thyatira, Smyrna, Pergamos, you know, all the other eras....on and on it goes.  People who were called, people who made choices and committed the unpardonable sin and they’re not going to have that opportunity of being resurrected at the beginning of the hundred year judgement period because they have already been judged.

If someone during the Millennium has not committed the unpardonable sin, then if they die and they’re not able to be in that resurrection to eternal life, then they’ll have the opportunity to continue on, to learn finally; to enter into a final phase of judgement that God is going to give to all mankind.

Let's continue on with the verse that follows, verse 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed out of his prison, And he shall go out to deceive the nations which are on the four corners of the earth;  Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  That is a mind-blowing statement: astounding statement.  To think that something like this could happen at the end of the Millennium.  So we have to be wise and have understanding about the period of time of that thousand years; that human beings are human beings, that human nature is human nature.  That there is selfishness that exists in human beings, no matter when/where we live in time; as long as we are human beings, we have the potential, we have the ability and we do sin!  There will be sin during the Millennium!  Not like there is in the world today, there are certain things that are just not going to be allowed as they are in the world today, because of government that’s going to be there.  But God doesn't go around preventing people from sinning; we're not robots, people aren't going to be robots.  Some have thought 'And you're going to hear a voice behind you, 'Don't do this.’'  It's going to be like the 144,000 are going to be dashing all over this earth, tapping people on the back of the shoulder, 'No, don't do that! Don’t sin!' Like they are not going to allow people to sin, to make free choices.  God allows us to sin!  That's not what that's about, it's a matter of teaching, 'This is the way, walk you in it,' that's been happening to the Church for two thousand years.  And when the Church is made greater because everyone has an opportunity to be a part of the Church, man is going to be taught, 'This is the way, walk you in it,' you know?  That voice that we hear Sabbath by Sabbath, it's not something that's tapping you on your shoulder when you start to sin; it's that which is in your mind because of what you’ve been given and you either respond to what you've heard or you don't respond to it.  An expression like that that's given to us to learn from.  It's almost like some have thought that people aren't going to be allowed to sin because they are going to hear this little voice behind them.  No, that's Protestant!  That's not real! That's not life!  God doesn't work with human beings that way; He's not going to work with people during the last hundred years that way.  That every time you get ready to do something and all of a sudden you're going to hear this voice, 'Oh, you can't do that.  Don't do that, don't go there.'  It doesn't work that way.  Where is the choice?  Can you control life to that extent?  If God controlled every movement that people made and didn't allow for human beings to make their choices and to learn the suffering from sin, what could ever be learned?  We'd be like little robots and we wouldn't be doing things because of conviction; you’d want to do it because you don't want to hear the little voice!  You know?  You’d do it for the wrong reasons.

Anyway, going on, incredible here some of these verses:  And they went out from the breadth of the earth and encompassed the camp of the saints about, the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven and devoured them.  Large numbers of people at the end of the Millennium who are able to be swayed by Satan and the demons one last time?  And they do it by the millions?  Millions?  That's a toughie!  I understand it fully, I truly do because of the way we are and the way mankind is for the whole thousand years; human nature is human nature.  And those people have never experienced that power; they've never had to resist that power.  During the first six thousand years people have, so it's going to be unique in what it teaches as well for those who are going to live on into the next hundred years.  And they are going to be so thankful that they have that opportunity; when they are awakened and they see the stupidity of what choices they made, of how dumb it was to listen, to respond, to do something like that?  And to be resurrected with everybody else, to realise 'I've been dead for a little while,' you know?!

Verse 10 – And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet, as it is, were earlier cast.  There is no physical fire and brimstone that can hurt Satan and the demons, so there is other information here that God is giving.  And shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.  If we understand what that means.  Incredible, some of the things that God gives to us and teaches us and helps us to understand.

So first, some basic things in what's going to be changed in this world.

Government – Big changes, awesome changes, exciting changes.  Righteous government, oh I long for that one.  For mankind to have righteous government?   This world does not have righteous government – anywhere! It doesn't exist!  There is no such thing.  Justice?  Righteous justice and government doesn't exist.  You know, man strives to do in many cases obviously as a whole, in many things in life, strives to do things, but it is so lacking... so lacking; it truly is.  Because he can't fully get rid of his prejudice.  He can't fully get rid of the human nature that’s involved there, of making choices and judgements that are a part of human nature.  So to think that there is going to be government that is righteous, just, truly for the people, you know an expression we have in the United States, 'for the people, by the people, we the people.'  Sorry! People have sin, people have problems, people are not righteous.

No factions, no powerless United Nations.  Now, there are going to be some problems to have to be dealt with, but there is only going to be one government that’s going to have power.  There are going to be governments who are allowed to make their choices and decisions in things that they do on the earth, as they learn to come under one government.  And God’s going to work with them in very specific and very awesome ways.

No fighting in wars between nations – look at the suffering of six thousand years. No fighting and warring, no killing, no mass-murdering, no murdering of any kind like that that people do and nations do toward each other.  Nations trying to send people over into different nations to...anyway, I really get sick when I think about our age and what we are trying to do in the world sometimes; to bring peace to Iraq; to bring peace to Afghanistan; to bring peace to Vietnam... and man can't do it.  Just one worldwide government working in harmony for the betterment of mankind and in preparation for the Great White Throne because that is the thrust of the thousand years.  Everything is going to be geared toward, in a very powerful way, preparation for the final hundred years; that is the work of the Millennium. When you want to talk about a work of the Church?  That's the work of the Church at that time – to prepare for the Great White Throne.  You know, Mr. Armstrong had a commission, different ones have had commissions, we have a commission, a work to do, a thing to be done at a particular age and moment in time; what we are preparing for, it's in our name – 'Preparing For the Kingdom of God; PKG.' Some who see that and they send us a request for 'I want the entire Church package', not knowing what PKG stands for; they want all the information they can receive.  It means a lot to us 'Preparing for the Kingdom of God,' we have a uniqueness because it is at the doorstep for us.  We’re unique of all time, of all seven eras that were in the Church and so God gave us that opportunity.  The Millennium is preparation for a thousand years geared toward...the farther you go into the Millennium, the more it's geared for, focussed upon in a very powerful way, what's getting ready to take place – the resurrection of billions, finally.

The next thing that is so closely associated with government is the very means whereby the government of God is established and strengthened on the earth; it's through education.  Education – what an awesome thing, you don't have to re-educate your children!  You don't have to have them come home and then re-educate them; to get out of their minds things about Darwin, dopey Darwin.  And all the dopey people who have followed him through time who think themselves to be so intellectual; who are nothing but maddened idiots.  Idiots! Morons!  Foolish! No mind! No mind power whatsoever and that's not a politically correct word to use, but you know, it just shows they have no mind, no ability to think and reason, they think themselves to be wise.  So again, it's through education: not education for the sake of knowledge; it's for the purpose to begin to show people how to live.  How to live life.  To be taught that from youth.  Where in the world are people taught to be husbands and wives?  How to raise families?  Some basic things about life even, that's going to be a part of education, along with the knowledge.  So we have a lot of opportunities ahead, we truly do, of things that are going to be able to be changed in this world.  Teaching how to live and this education is coming from a form of the establishment and functioning of one true religion on the earth; that's how it's given as well – the establishment of God's one true Church throughout the world.  It's going to be a vastly different world.  Awesome, beautiful; but mankind still has human nature and mankind will still sin.  And there’ll be men and women who do bad things.  That’ll still be on the earth and have to be dealt with.

Closely following the establishment and focus of one government and one Church on the earth is the focus on the quality of human life that involves the true welfare of mankind. And this is going to come in the form of true, or healthy agriculture if you will.  People are going to learn how to have right agriculture and how to live life in those lines, from the simplest of things of farming, and agriculture and raising of cattle and sheep and so forth.  Right practices that are going to be established, that is going to make a big difference in what people eat, what they are able to have as far as life is concerned and not all this hybrid garbage, where man tries to do one better than God.  No, they’re not trying to do better than God, what they are trying to do is get the most bang for the buck – quantity.  Wheat fields that nowadays that the same...well, the ground is worse but because of certain hybrids and stuff they can grow more and have more to harvest at a certain time, but the value of what the grain is in there; it might be multiplied ten, twenty, forty times over, but the value of it is not fit for human consumption.  It's not fit for human consumption: it isn't what God created that is healthy and good for man, but we think that we are better than God, that we can come up with all these ideas.  Of hybrids, of things on the earth that are better than what God gave.  It's like the roses out here, we've talked about that in times past, out here at this museum area in Rotorua.  Beautiful!  Some of the flowers and things that are out there, but we've talked to different ones...and that's when I first started learning that because of all the hybrids of things that mankind has done, they don't smell like they used to because people have messed around with things.  They don't have the beauty of the smell like they had at one time.  Man just keeps fooling around with things.  Especially with food, what we eat out here and we fill our bodies with junk.  That's why we have so much sickness; all the chemicals that are put in things because you want to keep it on the store shelf as long as you can.  No, we are going to do things a little more like what they do in Europe, where it's fresh – where you go down to the bakery and it's fresh.  And it's not something that lasts on the shelf for two or three weeks before it starts moulding, with no value in it.  It has so many chemicals in it, you pump so many chemicals in your body;  God never created us to have that kind of quantity of chemicals we have in us.  What a beautiful world it's going to be, just from the vantage point of things being cleaned up from that, from chemicals, because people want to make more money because they want to gouge the world.

Another one:  Sound and properly planned communities and cities; not some of the things that you sometimes see when you fly into different parts of the world and you see these high-rises and apartment complexes and people squashed in like sardines.  Where the traffic is a huge problem and all of the people problems because you squash them in so close and that doesn't lend itself to people being good neighbours.  The environment – where do the children play?  What do the children do?  How do the children grow up properly and all related things because the people are squashed together.  And they wonder 'Why do we have so many problems with the teens doing the things that they do?'  Incredible – the kind of world we have.  Cramming together.  We're going to get to spread out a little bit in a more orderly way, in a better way.

Medical - if you want to look at medical and healthy living support; so many opportunities for so many there.  Things that are physical are not bad for man, things to help out are not bad.  It won't be like we have today, of all the kinds of chemicals, more chemicals to take care of everything we have.  Pop this, pop that. By the time you're seventy, eighty years old, you have so many things to pop in your mouth that you have to get these little containers to put in each day of the month...you know, to make sure you've got the right ones because the doctor has given you so many to have in order to keep you alive.  You know, that you've got to remember...because some of these are mind-altering and you can't remember, so you've got to have this thing that’s a seven day planner.  You know, we can get so many chemicals out there and what kind of a life is it?  What does it do to us?  So many things that can be changed and made better and right and healthy for human beings.  You think, 'Is there going to be a need for an ambulance, for rescue?'  You think there's ever going to be a fire?  I don't know what's going to make them go away unless the God Family is going to be ‘johnny on the spot’ every time to put one out.  You know, rush somebody off to have something happen when they have a car wreck.  You think God's going to intervene and stop every car wreck?  You think people can't get hurt in car wrecks?  You think people can't die in car wrecks?  You think God is going to intervene and stop all of those things happening to human beings?  What do we think is going to happen in the Millennium?  I'll tell you what, that is going to spur people on to use technology in better ways, to have things that are safer out here.  You lose someone, you lose family, you lose different people; you're going to be spurred on to want to make sure this doesn't happen to others; we’re going to co-operate in great ways to make things better.

God's purpose is not to intervene to save human beings from mistakes because you get careless using a chainsaw.  'Yeah, we're not going to have those in the world tomorrow, let's just go back to cutting back and forth, you know.'  Can we make things better?  Absolutely.  Think about it.  What's the world going to be like?  Will there be accidents? Do people get foolish?  Is it wrong to have a saw that's plugged into an electric outlet and you can cut boards with it, to do things easier and faster?  That's why some people have thought we are going to go back to the horse and buggy age, because it's much safer.  Well, yeah it is...hmmm, but the technology is there for a reason; God is giving it to us now to use, to grow by, to use in right ways: to make it better and better and better for human life.  There’s nothing wrong with that for human life - see?  God isn't going to do everything for us. He’s not going to intervene every time to prevent things from happening to us.  You think that's the way the Millennium is going to be, that there can be no danger happen to any person?  To prevent you from getting sick, to prevent you from being stupid and using...like so often happens with carpenters – to be a little faster, they’ll put the board right by their leg and get the chainsaw there and bzzzzzzt.   We had a guy here working at our house recently, he was cutting a piece of pipe like that, you know, these type of saws that cut right through pipe and it went right across his leg.  But the blade was so hot because it had been going through the pipe like that, that it cauterised the wound immediately – didn't even bleed.  So hot that it cut deep into his leg, but cauterised it.  You know, I think he's learned some lessons the way he talked.

But anyway, simple things of life that sometimes we just don't think about and why God would intervene and why He doesn't intervene; why the God Family would intervene.  The Millennium is not established to prevent bad things.  It’s getting better, far better than what the world is, but it's not something where God is going to intervene every time that someone does something stupid and pulls across a lane of traffic in front of another car.  You think God is just going to step in and stop/prevent those things from happening?  Where do you stop with that kind of thinking?  Where do you stop that God shouldn't intervene and keep us from doing things?  Because of unwise, unsound choices and decisions we make as human beings.  Should we not learn from those things about love toward others?  About concern, about how we use things that are dangerous and how we drive?  And whatever it might be, that we do in a right way because we are thinking of others out of love.

Anyway, I am just barely touching on some things here.  Because we haven't really thought these things through really well in some cases.  There will be the advancement of technology shared for the betterment of all levels of society, to help every phase that we have already addressed here in all these things.  Technology is a beautiful thing when used right and we’re going to be motivated to make things better, to make things safer.  Things could be made a whole lot safer out here in this world, couldn't they?  So a lot of you young people, you have a lot of opportunities ahead for you in those areas of life, you truly do.

Safer travel and getting rid of the careless loss of life from improper use of vehicles through drunkenness, texting, putting on make-up, you think some things aren't going to change right away?  You think human nature isn't human nature and that people have to be taught that there are some things that you just shouldn't ever do?  And if you so them, you're going to pay a penalty and sadly sometimes, you hurt others because of your foolishness.  Carrying on phone conversations while driving and so forth, you think a lot of these things aren't going to change quickly across the board very fast, very rapidly?  Because they cause so many accidents in the world and so much death in the world – that's a beginning.  Cars, aircraft, farm machinery, on and on it goes; a lot of opportunities to make things a whole lot better and that’s what we’re going to be motivated for in the Millennium – doing things better.  Better and better and better, that by the time we get to the end of the thousand years, this world is going to be a kind of world that we can't even begin to comprehend.

But because of selfish human nature, there is an incredible potential to turn against God and to follow a being with an attitude of mind of destroying and taking over and changing everything that’s been built.  That's what happens at the end of the thousand years; the millions who follow him, their desire is to take it over and change it and make it something different from what it is.  It's astounding to think that there could be human beings on the earth in the millions who choose to do that after a thousand years of God's Government on the earth.

Is there going to be some kind of law enforcement?  Do you think there is a need for law enforcement?  That all of a sudden it's going to be done away with?  No need for anybody to write tickets out here, because everybody is going to obey the law?   Well, there are going to be things that are different obviously, but there is still going to be a need for certain things in life and they are there for a purpose because as long as there are human beings there are certain things that’ll always have to be there.

We are going to continue on with this in the series in the two sermons that follow, but mankind will live and die during the Millennium.  Sickness will be allowed.  I think sometimes we think that God’s going to intervene and heal everyone and everything that exists.  What would we learn?  What would we learn on the earth?  What could be written?  What could be kept in memory?  Even after there is fallout and the things of the suffering of this earth; if God came in and just cleaned it all up immediately and healed everyone of everything instantaneously and life went on into a new Millennium?  It's not going to happen that way.  There is going to be suffering that is going to be remembered at the beginning of the Millennium.  We are going to come out of great suffering in this world and there are people that are going to be suffering physically because of what's happened in this world.  The opportunity to live in a new world and a new age, absolutely!  Awesome, beautiful; but God isn't going to come down and take everything away in the form of suffering and hurt and so forth.  We still have to struggle in human life and there is going to be a great struggle at the beginning of the Millennium to get started.  Just the fact of certain things that Mr. Armstrong has mentioned; it will take three or four generations just to weed out some of the things that people are brought out of, before the Millennium even, of attitudes and thinking and so forth and it doesn't end.  Accidents will happen.

You think people are going to be prevented from ever stealing?  You think there would ever be anyone in the Millennium that would ever steal anything?  Hmm...interesting.  You think there’d ever be anyone in the Millennium who might kill someone else?  Human nature is human nature, people do bad things.  You think there will ever be anyone commit adultery in the Millennium?  People do bad things.  God’s not going to intervene, the God Family is not going to step into everybody's bedroom, everybody's closet, everybody's situation in life when they start to sin and say 'Don't do that.'  See?  People learn and people have to learn from the errors of their way and God's purpose for the last six thousand years has not been to prevent man from making mistakes and learning from the errors of his way.

What will be different is a new, single, world government that is going to solve incredibly large portions of problems on this earth for all of mankind.  We will have one Church and one religion all over the earth being taught to mankind.  Those two things in themselves are going to make such a drastic change in human life that it’s going to be so awesomely beautiful, but caution is here for the Church...not to think as we sometimes have in the past, that it's like a utopia with no problems, with no human suffering, with no tears or no death.  Those things still exist.

~~~end

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