13. The Events of the Seventh Millenium

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Preached by John Thiel

This study continues on from the previous study on the second coming of Jesus. As we have studied the three angel’s messages, as they apply to the time of the end, we have come to an appreciation of the meaning;

2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Did you notice the comprehension of the painstaking work of the three angel’s messages that bring us to the final point of the second coming of Christ?

Ultimately after the first and second angel the third comes into function and the coming of Jesus takes place. We know that 1000 years is as a day with the lord. The end time can be a period of time that is much longer than we expect. We see the events chronicled for the end of the world, the loud cry, the wrath of God in the plagues, the second coming, all these in the harvest comprehension. These were actual events in seasons of time. It is a season of time in which God is patiently working not willing that any should perish but that all may have eternal life.

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Here is a time when the book of Daniel would be open to the understanding of the people. From the time that the book of Daniel was open until 1833 was a long time ago. From that time onwards there was an increase of travel and knowledge till this point in time.

Daniel 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Season of time.

Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.

The book of Daniel was allotted for the time of the end, a season of time.

Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].

The time appointed according to this prophecy was Daniel 8:14 the 2300 day prophecy. We look back and see it started in 1844 and it still hasn’t finished yet.

Daniel 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.

7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Here is a systematic process of consuming and destroying the papacy. We are not talking about a one day event but a series of centuries.

The saints receive that kingdom. As they receive the kingdom, that in itself is a process of time. As we reflect on the third angels message in revelation 14. This drawn out procedure is contained in the third angel’s message.

Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Can you see in this preaching the proclamation of this angel having identified the beast and his image, identifying that the people must not receive his image is a period of time in itself. The warning is when the time will come when they will be tormented with fire and brimstone and the wrath of God will be poured out upon them. We studied Armageddon which takes place just prior to his physical coming in the clouds. This is all part of a period of activity which calls forth verse 12 the patience of the saints.

14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The preaching of the third angel involves a period of time in which people die.

This series of events surround the burning of the wicked.

The preaching of the third angel’s message is everything that leads up to, the burning and the conclusion of it all.

In our last study on the second coming of Jesus, the coming of Jesus included the plagues and it was a period of one year. His coming encompassed a period of one year.

If we identify the fire that comes into this scene, we see a fire that is being dealt out to the papacy. The ten horns are the ten tribes of Europe.

Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Here is a burning that has to do with the third angel’s message.

Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her.

Here is the fire that the third angel’s message was talking about that was to take place during the plagues that the papacy would be burnt by fire.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

That was the warning, those that receive the mark of the beast.

19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

This is all over that period that leads to the physical and visible coming of Jesus. There we saw the fire that the third angel’s message was talking about. The question is now, when that takes place, and Jesus comes in the clouds, is that the end. Is that the end that everything the third angel is talking about?

The bible speaks of multiple ends. Apostle Paul helps us to understand we are to look to the children of Israel in the desert as for us.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

When Jesus comes his brightness is of such a nature that it kills him.

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.

20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

In verse 21 we read Jesus had come and the wicked who were not destroyed by the fire were destroyed by the brightness of his coming.

Satan was put in a bottomless pit for a thousand years. After the thousand years he shall be loosed a little season. Not only a thousand years but a little season as well. This is a process of time of the ends. To understand the events plural of the seventh millennium we read;

Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was] without form, and void; and the heavens, and they [had] no light.

4:24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

4:25 I beheld, and, lo, [there was] no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

4:26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place [was] a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, [and] by his fierce anger.

Here we pick it up from the wrath of God and a description of the planet. The earth was void and without form. We will understand in a moment what this is in relation to revelation 20.

Jeremiah 4:27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

This is still the periods of the ends. As the earth is going to be left at the wrath of God like that, it is going to be a bottomless pit which comes from the Greek word void and empty. That is what the earth was like before God created life on it, and it’s like that again and this is the pit into which Satan is bound.

This earth is going to be lying waste like that with all the cities crushed down as a bottomless pit which Satan is bound in. 1000 years and after that another event. Let us explore the 1000 years first.

Revelation 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Isaiah 24:17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

24:18 And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

24:22 And they shall be gathered together, [as] prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Is this exactly the descriptions? The high ones? Satan and his kingship? He is going to be bound here on earth. What we read in revelation is here, this is the bottomless pit and after 1000 years they will be visited again. He will be released out of his prison house.

Isaiah 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

14:17 [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners?

14:18 All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, [and as] the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

14:20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, [and] slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

This is talking of Lucifer and what is he going to be suffering? He won’t be dying there, he will be there alive. He is going to be ridiculed in the minds of the onlookers. They will narrowly look upon thee and consider and say is this the one that made the world a wilderness? In this bottomless pit Lucifer and his angels are going to wander around and see the condition of the earth they have created.

While Lucifer and his host are so imprisoned, we look to a different scene. We look at this earth with its condition and we look to see where Jesus has taken his people.

There are doctrines going about that Jesus is going to dwell on the earth with his people for 1000 people but we read that Jesus and his people will be taken away from this planet.

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

One scene was the destruction and the other was living and reigning with Christ 1000 years. What were they doing?

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.

20:6 Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

What will they do? They sit upon thrones and judgement is given them. That is the scene in a different place during the one thousand years, not here on earth but in heaven. Let us qualify that where this is going to take place.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.

Where is this going to take place? Not here on earth where he is, he is going to take them;

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What is the description? I will take you to be where I am. We will meet the lord in the air and he takes us away from this planet.

Psalms 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

24:6 This [is] the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:8 Who [is] this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift [them] up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he [is] the King of glory. Selah.

When Jesus returns with his saints, it will be the everlasting gates o the heavenly Jerusalem that will open up and he will come in with the train of his saved people as king over them and they shall reign with him 1000 years.

When the king of glory comes in, who comes in with him?

Isaiah 26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

By reading here a little and there a little you get the correct picture. The place they will be reigning with Christ is where the gates are opening.

1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Here he portrays what we have just been reading. We will reign and judge for a thousand years. Where? Through those everlasting gates where the righteous nation will reign with Christ.

During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. The apostle Paul points to this judgment as an event that follows the second advent. "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." 1 Corinthians 4:5. Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days came, "judgment was given to the saints of the Most High." Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them." "They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, "the saints shall judge the world." 1 Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death. {GC 660.4}

Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His people. Says Paul: "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" Verse 3. And Jude declares that "the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. {GC 661.1}

There is the picture in summary. All the texts we have been reading are summarised there.

When the 1000 years has expired, chaos on earth, no humans alive, Lucifer has been wandering around on the earth 1000 years, Gods people have been in heaven judging, when the 1000 years have finished, what happens now?

When the 1000 years are expired there is a loosening of Satan for a little season.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.

Satan is released out of his prison in other words, the planet earth with all its heaving and rocking will now be inhabited again. He is going to gather the wicked to battle.

Why are the nations there? How can they be there? \

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.

Here is the suggestion that there is a second death. The people who have died who have been destroyed, there is no man on earth, now all of a sudden there is going to be another resurrection which is going to be the second death. Satan goes to the four corners of the earth to bring them to battle.

Jesus now refers to this resurrection;

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The good and the bad are going to be resurrected. The first resurrection are for the blessed and the holy. T his is the resurrection of life. After the 1000 years there is going to be a resurrection of damnation because even the wicked are going to hear his voice and come out.

Now the wicked come up. The resurrection of damnation leads to the second death.

Here is a prophecy that points directly to this scene;

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

The saints with Jesus are going to come down. W hat are they going to come to do?

1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard [speeches] which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

When Jesus comes, this time back to this planet he is going to come with the ten thousands of his saints. He is going to come back to this earth to execute judgement. That is what they were doing in heaven they were recording in books what punishment the wicked deserved. Now he comes to execute the judgement.

At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death. {GC 662.1}

This is the resurrection of damnation. There they are countless as the sands of the sea, all the wicked that have ever lived. Now observe this scene of Jesus coming and what is the coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the wicked and all that is transpired.

Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Here is a great earth movement. He is going to make a flat plain by touching his foot on the mount of olives and it will split east and west and north and south. I often look at nature when man does his bulldozing everything is destroyed in its path.

14:5 And ye shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee.

This is a direct representation of the saints coming with Jesus. Jesus touches the mount of olives and it becomes a plain. But the earth takes such a course that the people are running for their lives and God doesn’t destroy them, but allows them to run for their lives. They are going to see something phenomenal. They are going to see Christ coming with his saints. First they see this great earth movement.

Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

That is what they are going to be looking at.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.

21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Here we are heading into the very last scene. We are looking at the times of the end and the millennium is the scene of that time and the resurrection and then there is a little season. Then Jesus comes down on the mount of olives.

Ezekiel 37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

37:28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

They will see the new Jerusalem coming down and the heath shall know. These wicked people will see the tabernacle of God in the heavenly Jerusalem there on the earth. They will see Christ and his faithful people go into the city. As they behold this, how will they react?

Psalms 66:3 Say unto God, How terrible [art thou in] thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing [to] thy name. Selah.

All the earth through his greatness and of his power, even his enemies will submit themselves unto him. They are overwhelmed now. The wickedness will now recognise the power of glory. first comes the city and all its glory, and they have no words.

Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;

2:11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This is where that happens. Where everybody will bow down and acknowledge by his great power. Do they now submit to him? Never trust the words of the wicked. King Saul said to David, you are righteous, I am wrong but what happened? He came back to attack him.

Psalm 48:1 A Song [and] Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, [in] the mountain of his holiness.

48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, [is] mount Zion, [on] the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

48:3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

48:4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.

48:5 They saw [it, and] so they marvelled; they were troubled, [and] hasted away.

48:6 Fear took hold upon them there, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

They see it, they marvel, but they get scared and they run. First, wow, they submit and then they start to become afraid and they run away from the city. With the glories of God right in front of them and his city, what will do with that now that they run away?

Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments [are] in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

26:10 Let favour be showed to the wicked, [yet] will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

26:11 LORD, [when] thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: [but] they shall see, and be ashamed for [their] envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

Is not a favour that they have been resurrected to see his glory?

Here is what to expect. They will see the glory of God and then turn around in the very land of uprightness. They will deal unjustly, they will not submit in the long run. First of yes. Seeing the city with the glories of God in front of them, having being favoured to behold the glories of god, their character will be revealed. When wicked people see gold and precious stones and all the wealth of a nation. What do they do? Don’t they go and fight for it? That is exactly what is described. When Satan is loosed for a little season, they do what Satan does.

How long is a season? Three months. Ninety days in prophecy. Ninety years? A day for a year?

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever [in that] which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

Here is the joy for Gods people.

Isaiah 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner [being] an hundred years old shall be accursed.

Remember that was the resurrection of damnation? These people that rise, they will be there for a season, a little season. A child being ten will die at 100 years old. Ninety years. Many people have great difficulty with this text. How can the people around the city of God die?

During that season, the small season, it is another period. The wicked will fully learn Gods righteousness. Notice what they will do.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.

They were resurrected, God had done this earth movement and the city of Jerusalem had come down, but the rest of the planet, what does it look like? Broken down. The people who have been resurrected, what will they do? Satan goes to deceive them. He gathers them together for battle. Against what?

Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

This description is split up into several experiences. They have ninety years to establish something. Instead of doing good what do they do? They prepare for battle. That takes a bit of time. Build living quarters, build factories. That has been given them. They will prove they are wicked by Satan and submission to him. They will bring some sort of order about to prepare for war.

Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions. {GC 664.2}

They are preparing for that period of time to take the city. They have to train their army. They have to build instruments of warfare, they have to eat, grow food.

At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on--an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset. {GC 664.3}

What an exciting film is played out. did you notice that the city gates are open but now as they come to take it, the gates are closed and the wicked surround the city. They are just about ready to take the city and what happens next?

Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Recall when they came to take Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and all of a sudden his light flashed through and they all fell flat? Here is the same scene. The throne is lifted high and the dead flee. He stands high on his throne in the city.

Now Christ again appears to the view of His enemies. Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son. The brightness of His presence fills the City of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance. {GC 665.1}

Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan {GC 665.2}

The wicked will see the drama of the ages played out before them. The people will be convinced of all their evil deeds. Why? As it is says in revelation they were ready to take the city but what happens?

A film of their life is played out in front of them in the sky. That is how they are convinced of their wrong. They will see their life story played out.

There are papist priests and prelates, who claimed to be Christ's ambassadors, yet employed the rack, the dungeon, and the stake to control the consciences of his people. There are the proud pontiffs who exalted themselves above God, and presumed to change the law of the Most High{GC88 668.1}

Revelation 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.

20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Can you see why we are studying this? It's part of the third angel’s message. Here is another burning fire. The wicked suffering in the second death.

Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

That fire will burn and burn and burn for a period of time. It won’t burn just for a day because notice the description given in reference to this fire. The wicked are coming to take the city. What we read before about Gods destruction it is the wickeds own fire that will destroy them as well as Gods own fire.

Zechariah 14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

14:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

They will be conscious while they are standing there. There soft tissue will burn first. This is what happens in an atomic fire. Those outside die more slowly but those in the middle die quicker. Those further away die more slowly. It will be a consuming but a punishing fire.

Remember what is written in reference to punishment according to their sins. Those who have done terrible sins will receive many lashes and those who have done less will receive less lashes. They will be conscious while it is consuming.

Isaiah 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

You are going to see carcasses that are still writhing in the flames. Slowly the fire that cannot be quenched, cannot be put out will do its work until all have received their just reward. When it has done its work, what is left?

Malachi 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do [this], saith the LORD of hosts.

Ashes is all that is going to be left behind. Lucifer who burns the slowest will also be laid down to ashes. Lucifer will not be stoking the fires of hell.

Ezekiel 28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

28:19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.

Finally he will be destroyed as well.

Our next study will behold what God will do. The ashes are covering the earth. The wicked have all been burnt and all the corruptions have melted away and now the earth lies there like that. We will study next time what God will do with that.

Amen.