God`s Eternal Purposes.

Restoring Rulership over Israel.

Judgment of the Nations.

After the Lord and His angel army have dealt with the world`s armies, and the anti-Christ and false prophet, He judges the peoples of the nations. Those people who did not look after the Jews during the tribulation will be taken away in judgment. (Matt. 25: 44 & 45 Luke 17: 34 - 37)

`When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another...` (Matt. 25: 31 & 32)


Israel, the restored `wife.`

The Lord then sends His angels to the four corners of the earth to bring the Jews back to their own land, Israel. (Isa. 66: 20) While these are coming, the Lord goes into Jerusalem to reveal Himself to the people there. He goes first to the house of Judah, the ruling tribe then to the people of Jerusalem. (Zech. 12: 7 & 10)

There will be great celebrations in Jerusalem as their mourning will turn to joy; the Messiah has come, their `sons and daughters` are coming from afar, and the Gentiles are blessed to see the glory of God over Jerusalem.(Isa. 60)

Finally Israel the forsaken `wife` is reunited with her master/husband, God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The joyful celebrations are the `wedding feast` proclaiming that God is with them. (Isa. 54: 4 - 8 Rev. 19: 7 - 9)


Israel`s Rulership.

The Lord then appoints those who will rule under Him, in Israel. Firstly, a man called David will be delegated authority to be a Prince, a king over Israel and the nations of the earth. `(Ez. 37: 24 & 25) Then there will be Levites and priests chosen to teach and judge over the peoples. (Isa. 66: 21) The martyrs will come to life and also rule. (Rev. 20: 4)

The people of the nations will be required to go up to Jerusalem to learn of the ways of the Lord and especially for the Feast of Tabernacles - to worship the King. (Zech. 14: 16)


Christ and His Angelic Army Return to Heaven.

Finally the Lord and His angelic army will return to the third heaven, the seat of the Lord`s authority and power.

`Oh, clap your hands all you peoples! Shout unto God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and all the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us....

God has GONE UP with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.` (Ps. 47: 1 - 5)

Restoring Rulership over Israel.


Christ brings all Rule under His Authority in the Millennium.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the supreme Ruler of all God`s great kingdom will put down all rule and authority in the tribulation and then on into the millennium. This period of time is for Israel to learn rulership under the Lord and to show that mankind is still rebellious even after Satan is locked up.

`For He (Christ) must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.` (1 Cor. 15: 25)



God`s Glory on Israel.

God`s glory will be upon Israel, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. It is from here that God`s righteous rulership goes forth to the nations of the world.

`For Zion`s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem`s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.

You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.` (Isa. 62: 1 - 3)

God sets His glory upon Israel in the midst of the nations so that they can learn to walk in His ways and come to worship Him. (Micah 4: 1 - 3)

A new temple will be built upon the site of Solomon`s Temple. The Lord has laid down the exact dimensions and requirements for this holy place in His word. (Ezekiel) Then God`s glory will fill the sanctuary in this new Temple. The Prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of this. (Ez. 44: 4)



The Nations Learning of God`s Ways during the Millennium.

The nations will not learn war any more, and people will live longer. Fresh living water will flow out from under the temple in Jerusalem which will cleanse the rivers and seas that were contaminated by blood in the tribulation. Fruit trees will grow along this river flowing out and their fruit will be good for food, plus their leaves for medicine. (Ez. 47: 12)

Amid such blessings from God to the nations, however, there will still be those who rebel and disobey. They will be dealt with by the Lord with His `rod of iron.`

`And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain....they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not go up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.` (Zech. 14: 17 & 18)

Finally after Satan is released for a short time at the end of the millennium, he gathers the rebellious against Jerusalem. God sends fire down from heaven which devours them. (Rev. 20: 7 - 9) Everyone then goes to the Great White Throne judgment.

JUDGMENT - The Great White Throne.



Universal Heaven and Earth are No More.

`But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.` (2 Peter 3: 10)

The Day of the Lord starts with the tribulation and continues through the millennium. Finally after Satan`s last battle he is cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20: 10) God then does away with the unclean universal heavens and the earth, burning them with a great heat.

`Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.` (Rev. 20: 11)

It is then time for God`s final judgment upon the dead at His Great White Throne.



The Books are Opened.

`And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.` (Rev. 20: 12)

`The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each according to his works. ` (Rev. 20: 13)



All who are in the graves will come forth as spirits and receive their judgment. Those who were rebellious and those who turned away from Jesus will receive their due punishment, banished into the lake of fire.

Then there are those who died who had never heard of Jesus, but lived rightly according to their conscience. They demonstrated that they believed God would judge them and thus their works, their behaviour showed this. They will have had their names in the Book of Life, and will be given new bodies to go on to the New Earth.

People from the millennium who walked in God`s ways (Jews and Gentiles) will also have their names in the Book of Life and go on to the New Earth.



The Lake of Fire.

`Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.` (Rev. 20: 15)

The Lake of Fire is not part of God`s Great Kingdom but in a place of great darkness. (Matt. 25: 30)

Rulership in the Universe.

After the Great White Throne judgment, God makes all things new - the New Heavens and New Earth. The earth is made New, perfect, and the Universal heavens are also made New, perfect. Each of these realms will have God`s righteous rulership under Christ.

The government of the Universal realm has been prepared in the general assembly awaiting its place in God`s great kingdom, the city, the New Jerusalem. (Heb. 12: 22)



The City - the Bride.

Thus in God`s appointed time the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven from God. It`s glory, of the Lord, is compared to a bride.

`....prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.` (Rev. 21: 2)

Bride – Heb. `Kallah` meaning as if perfect, from primary root – to make perfect.


The city is a community of people that God has `made perfect.` They believed God`s promise that He would build a city for them.

These are the `just, righteous,` Old Testament men and women who believed that God would take them to this city. They awaited in the General assembly in heaven, (Heb. 12: 23) till God`s appointed time. So when the New Jerusalem descends they are given new bodies and are the residents of this palatial city.

`he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God...God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.` (Heb. 11: 10 & 16)



The City - God dwelling with His people.

The city, the community of Old Testament saints is the place where God dwells by His Spirit and speaks to and through His people out to the nations of the world. (Tabernacle – means to dwell)

Upon the city is God`s glory that shines brighter than the sun, with the city like a crystal reflecting this. Its purpose is to bring forth Christ`s rule through the Old Testament saints, over the earth in eternity.



The City - the Throne.

`...the throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it..` (Rev. 22: 3)

The word, `throne,` represents the rule and authority of God. We know that God`s eternal throne is in the highest heavens whereas this `throne,` in the New Jerusalem is just above the earth in the universal heavens.

The `walls` represent the protection by God`s righteous rulership in the city. The 12 Apostles as kings are foundational to that rulership. (Matt. 19: 28 Rev. 21: 14)

Then the 144,000 Israelis as priests will bring forth God`s wisdom. (Rev. 21: 17) `Cubits,` is God`s measurement for the `walls,` signifying protection through righteous rulership.

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Rulership on the Earth.

Israel ruling over the Nations under Christ`s Authority.

God says to King David - `Your house and your kingdom shall be established for ever before Me. Your throne shall be established forever.` (2 Sam. 7: 16)

Israel was created by God as the nation to rule the other nations of the world. Even though they rebelled against God there would be those who bowed before Him. These are the ones in Israel who will go onto the New Earth and rule under the Lord.

There will be a King from David`s line who will rule in the millennium and on the New Earth as God has promised.

`They (Israel) shall serve the Lord their God and David their King, whom I will raise up for them.` (Jer. 30: 9)


The Nations on the New Earth.

` And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the Kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it.` (Rev. 21: 24)

Here we see that there are people who have been saved from eternal judgment and have been given life upon the earth. They live in the light of the city which is above them. The `light` gives light and life to all.

Some of these people are the great multitude from the great tribulation.

` I saw a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.

These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,....They shall neither hunger any more nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.` (Rev. 7: 9, 14 - 17)



These people have died of hunger, thirst and great heat during the great tribulation, however, they cried out to God and He saved them. They `follow,` obey the Lord, serving Him under His Tabernacle the New Jerusalem.

This is shown by the symbol of the palm branches they have in their hand. Palm branches were used to make makeshift tabernacles looking for the fulfillment. God`s glorious Tabernacle has come down to near the earth, revealing that God, by His Spirit is dwelling, Tabernacling with His people over the New Earth.

The martyrs also are on the New Earth, in rulership positions, as they did in the millennium.

Rulership in the Third Heaven.


The Body of Christ are the Overcomers.

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.` (Rev. 3: 21)

The Lord`s seat of power and authority, His throne has been set up in the third heaven. There He will be visible for us to see and relate to.



The Body of Christ will have New Bodies.

`...we shall be changed - for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality...` (1 Cor. 15: 52 - 54)

Our mortal bodies put on immortality and are incorruptible. They are made for our position in the third heaven, where we can move and go throughout God`s great Kingdom. The Lord was able to go through realms and we will have a similar body also.



The Body of Christ has Great Authority.

`He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. ` (Rev. 3: 12)

Name - in Greek is `onoma,` figuratively meaning authority and character.


Thus we see that the believers will be given authority in every realm.

• The name/authority of God. (overall)
• The name/authority of the city. (in the universe)
• The name/authority of the Lord. (from the third heaven.)

The Body of Christ are Kingpriests.

The overcomers are given different crowns, representing different responsibilities.

• The Crown of Life. (James 1: 12)
• The Crown of Rejoicing. (1 Thess. 2: 19)
• The Crown of Glory. (1 Peter 5: 2 - 4)
• The Crown of Victory. (1 Cor. 9: 24 - 27)
• The Crown of Righteousness. (2 Tim. 4: 8)

SUMMARY

The colossal program of the majestic eternal purposes, which the Lord Jesus Christ brings into effect, surpasses anything else anywhere in the whole realm of knowledge.

Christ`s rulership in every realm is established, as well as the complete restoration and His rightful possession of all things.

Every group have been carefully prepared and are an integral part of God`s overall eternal purposes -



In the 3rd heaven is Jesus Christ`s Throne, (seat of power). With Him is His Body, ruling throughout every realm in God`s great kingdom.

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.` (Rev. 3: 21)



In the Universal realm, the Old Testament saints will be ruling in the New Jerusalem under Christ over the earth.

`...he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.....God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.` (Heb. 11: 10 & 16)



On the earth, Israel will be ruling over the nations under Christ`s authority.

God says to King David - `Your house and your kingdom shall be established for ever before Me. Your throne shall be established forever.` (2 Sam. 7: 16)



The whole panorama of God`s eternal purposes can take our breath away, for the magnitude is beyond our comprehension. However, our hearts rejoice and give praise that our Lord and Saviour will finally be visibly acclaimed as the supreme ruler in all of God`s great kingdom.

`...far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in the one to come. `(Eph. 1: 20 & 21)

Finally, we bow before the Father who purposed in Himself -

`that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might gather together in one all things, (in unity and harmony) in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Christ.` (Eph. 1: 10)