"But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them." -- (Isaiah 11:14)

Background Reading:
The Obedience of Faith

"they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them" -- During the Millennial Kingdom, the Lord Jesus Christ will rule from Israel, and all the nations will submit to His authority. If they do not obey Him, they will be punished. The people of Israel at that time will rule over the peoples of the nations that previously oppressed them, as it is written:

For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. (Isaiah 14:1-2)

The mention of Edom, Moab, and the children of Ammon in Isaiah 11:14 is similar to a statement in Daniel, chapter 11:

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. (Daniel 11:41)

The passage in Daniel, chapter 11 does not refer to the time of the Millennial Kingdom, but rather to the time of the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist invades the glorious land (Israel), but Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon escape out of the hand of the Antichrist. At the mid-point of the Great Tribulation (3 1/2 years), the Antichrist defiles the temple, at which point the Jews are warned to flee into the mountains:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains (Matthew 24:15-16)

In the MacArthur Study Bible, the following note appears for Matt. 24:16:

the mountains. Probably a reference to the region SE of Jerusalem, particularly the Dead Sea area, where there are many caves and places of refuge. David hid from Saul in this area (1 Sam. 23:29). This would also include the hills of Moab and Edom. (MacArthur Study Bible fn. Matt. 24:16)

Thus, during the time of the Great Tribulation, once the Antichrist invades the land of Israel, it is possible that the Jews flee to the land of Moab and Edom and are there protected from the Antichrist. This view is further supported by the account in Revelation, chapter 12:

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)

Here again we see Israel (the woman) flee into the wilderness during the time of the Great Tribulation where the people of Israel are protected from the acts of Satan. The MacArthur Study Bible makes the following comment:

wilderness. God will protect Israel from Satan by hiding her in the wilderness, perhaps in the region of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, east of Palestine. Interestingly, those countries will be specifically spared from the Antichrist's attack against the Holy Land (cf. Dan. 11:41). (MacArthur Study Bible fn. Rev. 12:6)

Thus, the land where perhaps the Jews seek refuge during the time of the Great Tribulation, they will rule over during the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

"The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." -- (Isaiah 11:13)

Background Reading:
This Thing Is from Me

"Ephraim shall not envy Judah" -- In 1 Kings, chapter 12, we read about the division of the Kingdom of Israel into a northern kingdom (Israel / Ephraim) and a southern kingdom (Judah). The division came about after the death of Solomon. In the future Millennial Kingdom, there will be no division among the tribes of Israel and they will be a united nation once again.

In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. (Jeremiah 3:18)

One of the most descriptive passages about the future unification of Ephraim and Judah appears in Ezekiel, chapter 37:

The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. (Ezekiel 37:15-19)

Ezekiel then goes on to state:

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. (Ezekiel 37:21-22)

Thus, once joined during the Millennial Kingdom, Ephraim and Judah will never be divided again. One King shall be King to them all and that King will be the Lord Jesus Christ.

"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." -- (Isaiah 11:12)

Background Reading:
Living In Anticipation of Christ's Return - Part 1

"and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel" -- When studying about future events, such as the return of the Jews to Israel during the time of the Millennial Kingdom, it is important to reflect on how those truths affect how we live our lives today. In the book of 2 Peter, chapter 3, Peter writes about future events in which the entire universe is dissolved at the end of the Millennial Kingdom and Peter also makes the following statement:

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (2 Peter 3:11)

Peter makes the point that knowing about future events should affect the way that we live our lives today. For our present purposes, the question is, "How does knowing that God has a future plan for the Jews influence our attitude toward Jews at the present time?" Paul answers that question in Romans, chapter 11, where he begins by asking and answering the following question:

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:1-5)

God has not cast away the Jews, but will gather them back to Israel during the time of the Millennial Kingdom. Paul goes on in his discourse to state:

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (Romans 11:11-12)

Paul reasons that the Jews have not stumbled so as to fall, but that their future salvation will mean even more riches for the world. The Gentiles have been saved in order to provoke the Jews to jealousy so that they might also accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah, Lord, and Savior. This means that as Gentile believers, we should not boast against the Jews, but should seek to bring them also to salvation. Paul gives the following admonition to the Gentiles:

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. (Romans 11:17-21)

The Gentiles who were formerly alienated from God were saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Some of the Jews do not now currently believe in Jesus. All of the Jews living at the end of the Great Tribulation will place their faith in Jesus, will be saved, and will return to Israel during the time of the Millennial Kingdom. The Jews that believe in Jesus will be 'natural branches' that are 'grafted back' into their 'own olive tree' as it is written:

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:24-26)

Thus, as Gentiles knowing that God has a future plan for the Jews, we should not be wise in our own conceits, but should be humble and thank God for saving us. Pastor John MacArthur writes that the statement in Romans 11:25 is, "[a]nother warning to the Gentiles against spiritual pride and arrogance" (MacArthur Study Bible fn. Rom. 11:25). During the time of the Millennial Kingdom, the Jews will be held in high esteem by the rest of the nations as is written by Isaiah:

And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (Isaiah 49:23)

The kings and queens of the Gentile nations will bow down to the Jews with their face toward the earth and lick up the dust at their feet. This demonstrates the high regard that will be lavished on the Jews by the nations of the world during the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea." -- (Isaiah 11:11)

Background Reading:
What is dispensationalism?

"recover the remnant of his people" -- The following verses support the fact that Jews will return to Israel from all over the world when the Millennial Kingdom is established:

They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD. (Hosea 11:10-11)

And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. (Zechariah 10:9-11)

Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (Isaiah 49:22-23)

And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. (Isaiah 60:3-5)

For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. (Jeremiah 30:3)

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. (Jeremiah 30:18)

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. (Ezekiel 39:25-28)

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. (Amos 9:14-15)

Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. (Zephaniah 3:19-20)

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. (Jeremiah 23:7-8)

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. (Ezekiel 34:12-14)

Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. (Jeremiah 31:10-11)

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. (Micah 2:12)

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (Ezekiel 36:24)

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. (Ezekiel 37:21-22)

And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. (Ezekiel 20:34)

And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. (Ezekiel 20:42)

With all of these promises, how is it that some people try to deny that the Jews will one day be gathered together to Israel during what is known as the Millennial Kingdom?

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." -- (Isaiah 11:10)

Link to Previous Post:
Stem of Jesse

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse" -- The 'root of Jesse' refers to Jesus Christ. Jesse was the father of David and Jesus is known as the Root of David:

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5:5)

Now, David wrote in Psalm, chapter 110, concerning the Messiah:

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)

In that verse, David calls the Messiah 'Lord'. Thus, Christ is descended from David in terms of His humanity, but He is also the Lord of David, which means that Jesus is God.

"to it shall the Gentiles seek" -- Here is the great truth that God also purposed to save people from the Gentile nations. Paul used this verse in Romans, chapter 15, to highlight the fact that it was always the plan of God to save Gentiles as well as Jews:

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. (Romans 15:9-12)

Thus, Paul clearly affirms that Isaiah 11:10 refers to Christ when it speaks of the 'Root of Jesse'. The verse has some application now, during the church age, and will have complete fulfillment 'in that day', which refers to the time of the Millennial Kingdom. God the Father says to Jesus:

And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)

Jesus is a light to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles. During the time of the Millennial Kingdom, the Gentiles will ask the Jews to take them to see the Messiah:

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' " (Zechariah 8:23)

Peter made the following statement about the salvation of the Gentiles through faith in Christ:

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." (Acts 10:34-35)

I have mentioned in a previous post how nations such as Egypt and Assyria will worship Jesus during the Millennial Kingdom. All nations at that time will come to worship the King.

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." -- (Isaiah 11:9)

Background Reading:
God in the Covenant

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain" -- Who or what does "they" refer to in this verse. In the immediate context, "they" seems to refer to the animals described previously in verses 6-8. Certainly, the animals will no longer hurt the inhabitants of the land during the Millennial Kingdom. The reference to "they" could also be seen as refering to other nations on the earth so that the verse provides the truth that the people of Israel will live in safety and will not fear attacks by other people groups. Both safety from other nations and safety from animals is shown in the following verse from Ezekiel:

And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. (Ezekiel 34:28)

The verse from Ezekiel is even more beautiful when read with the entire passage in which it is contained. The passage speaks of the servant David (Jesus Christ) who will be a shepherd on earth over the people of Israel and will establish peace in the land:

And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. (Ezekiel 34:23-28)

"for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" -- The waters completely cover the sea, so in the same manner will the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom. In Hebrews, we read about the New Covenant that now applies to the people in the church and will apply to the nation of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom:

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:10-12)

At the end of the Great Tribulation, all Jewish people that are alive will place their faith in Jesus Christ and will be saved. Such a truth is written in the book of Romans, chapter 11:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:25-27)

And in Zechariah, we find the following truth concering the Jews that are alive when Christ returns to earth:

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

The dominion of the Kingdom of Christ on earth will extend over the entire earth, and all the Gentile nations will seek the Lord. Thus, the earth truely will be full of the knowledge of the Lord with the people of Israel bearing witness about their King:

Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:22-23)

More information concerning the hope of the Gentiles in Christ during the Millennial Kingdom will be seen in the next few verses of Isaiah, chapter 11.

"The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest." -- (Isaiah 11:8)

Background Reading:
What happens to children during and after the rapture?

"The infant will play near the hole of the cobra" -- This is the third verse in a row that affirms the fact that animals will be peaceful during the Millennial Kingdom. The repetition of such a truth should caution the reader against trying to spiritualize the passage. The verse should be read for its literal truth.

It would be considered child endangerment to allow an infant to play near the hole of a cobra during the present age. This tells us that we are not currently living in the Millennial Kingdom. The verse refers to a time yet future when the conditions on earth will be changed. Animals will not pose a danger for men during the Millennial Kingdom.

"and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest" -- The appearance of infants and young children in the Millennial Kingdom demonstrates that humans will be alive during the time of the Millennial Kingdom and will still be having children. The believers that are currently in the church will be raptured before the tribulation and will return to earth during the Millennial Kingdom in their glorified bodies. The people that come to believe during the time of the Great Tribulation and remain alive through the Great Tribulation and will populate the Millennial Kingdom with humans by having children. In Zechariah, chapter 8, we read the following about the Millennial Kingdom:

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." (Zech. 8:4-5)

Thus, there will be children born during the time of the Millennial Kingdom and the people living at that time will grow old. Boys and girls will play in the streets of Jerusalem.

"And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." -- (Isaiah 11:7)

Background Reading:
Creation's Groans and the Saints' Sighs

"And the cow and the bear shall feed" -- The picture that is painted by the words of scripture in this verse is so vivid that it scarcely needs explanation. Anyone who thinks that we are currently living during the time of the Millennial Kingdom has not considered the words of this verse. We do not yet see the cow and the bear feeding together or the lion eating straw like the ox. No, but we await the fulfillment of this promise in the future. Some say there will be no Millennial Kingdom. Have they not read this verse? Do they not think that scripture will be fulfilled? Do they think it is too difficult for God to subdue His creation? Consider what God says about the Millennial Kingdom:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. (Zech. 8:6)

"and the lion shall eat straw like the ox" -- As proof that God can pacify even the lion, consider the account recorded in 1 Kings, chapter 13. After the man of God disobeyed the Lord, he was riding on his donkey, and a lion met him on the road and killed him. Did the donkey run away from the lion? Did the lion attack the donkey? Did the lion harm the corpse of the man of God? When the prophet who had deceived the man of God went to see the dead body of the man of God, consider what he witnessed:

Then he went out and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey. (1 Kings 13:28)

In the MacArthur Study Bible, for 1 Kings 13:24, the following note is provided:

donkey...lion. Both the donkey and the lion acted unnaturally: The donkey did not run and the lion did not attack the donkey or disturb the man's body. Unlike the disobedient prophet, the beasts bent their wills to God's sovereignty. (MacArthur Study Bible, fn. 1 Kings 13:24)

Though it was unnatural for the donkey and the lion to remain peacefully by each other at that time, during the Millennial Kingdom, their young ones shall lie down together. We are still waiting for the fulfillment of this prophecy. It is not yet the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." -- (Isaiah 11:6)

Background Reading:
Creation Day 6

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb" -- During the Millennial Kingdom, the animals of the earth will be at peace with each other and with the people living during that time. Since the fall of man, there has never been a time on earth when the wolf has been at peace with the lamb and the calf and the young lion have dwealt peacefully together. Thus, this passage must refer to the future Millennial Kingdom when the conditions on earth are changed. There will still be sin in the world, but apparently the creation will be more subdued than it is in its current condition.

Other passages in the Bible also point to the promise of a future Kingdom in which animals live peacefully with each other and with humans. Consider the following passages:

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 65:25)

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. (Hosea 2:18)

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. (Ezekiel 34:25)

"and a little child shall lead them" -- Here is an amazing description of the future conditions during the Millennial Kingdom. Little children shall lead wild animals such as the lion and the wolf and will not be afraid of such animals. There has never been such a scene on earth since the fall of man.

"And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." -- (Isaiah 11:5)

Background Reading:
Christ: The Good Shepherd

Link to Previous Post:
Faithful and True

"faithfulness the girdle of his reins" -- The Messiah is characterized by righteousness and faithfulness. It is a great comfort to know that God is faithful and that He will remain faithful to His word. We have this promise from God:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

We base our faith on the promises made by God and, thus, rely on the fact that He is faithful. How then should we act? What about worry, fear, and unbelief? If we know that Jesus is faithful then we should never have occasion to worry. Consider the following admonition:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4:6)

Jesus is the righteous King who cares for the needs of all His people. He has promised them food and clothing. We know that He is faithful to His promises because He already endured death, even death on a cross, to save the lives of His people. In John, chapter 10, Jesus says:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Righteous Judge, the Faithful King. We are told that, in the last days, scoffers will come that will question the faithfulness of Christ and deny His promises. They will question His second coming, saying:

Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:4)

Such unbelievers do not acknowledge the faithfulness of God. The Bible says that Christ will return to earth to establish His Kingdom. We can be sure that Christ will be faithful to that promise. It is important to remember that:

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. (2 Peter 3:9)

Every promise of God will be fulfilled. Christ is faithful to His word.

"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." -- (Isaiah 11:4)

Background Reading:
The Third Beatitude

"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor" -- During the Millennial Kingdom, Christ will provide justice even for the poor people living in the land. It has always been a command of God that those who seek to follow Him should make a special effort to care for the poor and needy among their people. God displays anger toward those earthly kings who oppress the poor and sick in their land. Listen to the accusation that God brings against the neglectful rulers:

The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. (Ezekiel 34:4)

In contrast to those oppressive rulers, Christ has always demonstrated a compassion for the sick and lost among His sheep. Christ read the following prophecy concerning His mininstry:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

"and he shall smite the earth" -- Christ will rule over the earth during the Millennial Kingdom, and He will punish those people who do not obey His commandments. In Psalm, chapter 2, we read the following concerning Christ:

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:8-12)

"with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked" -- God has power in His word. With His word He spoke the earth into existence. With His word, Christ is able to punish the wicked. Remember the plague that will fall upon all the people who come to fight against Israel in the Battle of Armageddon:

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. (Zech. 14:12)

Christ will similarly send other plagues on disobedient people during the time of the Millennial Kingdom. For an example of such a plague, see Zechariah, Chapter 14, verses 16-19.

"And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears" -- (Isaiah 11:3)

Background Reading:
Jesus Angry with Hard Hearts

The kings and rulers of this world, since they cannot know the hearts of men, must judge by what they see (the sight of their eyes) and by what they hear (the hearing of their ears). When Christ comes to rule on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, since He is God, He will be able to judge men by what is in their heart. Such righteous judgment cuts through all deceit and all hypocrisy of men who would try to appear blameless, but are actually guilty. The Bible expresses the fact that Jesus knows what is in the heart of man:

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25)

God is able to judge men by what is in their heart. He knows every secret thought and He records every concealed sin, and, thus, has perfect judgment. The Bible tells us that:

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)

and that:

the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' (Isaiah 29:15)

God sees you, God will know. When God reigns on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, justice will be swift and the judgment sure. The King will know of every action, even those concealed from the sight and hearing of men.

"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" -- (Isa. 11:2)

Background Reading:
Back to the Future -- Part 2

"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him" -- In this verse we have an affirmation of the Trinity. The Spirit (Holy Spirit) of the LORD (God the Father) shall rest upon Him (Jesus). When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus, he made the following statements:

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

Jesus is the Son of the Highest. Just as promised in the Old Testament, Gabriel told Mary that the Messiah would be given the throne of his father David, reign over the house of Jacob forever, and that of His kingdom there shall be no end. In the future Millennial Kingdom, Christ will reign on earth from Israel, and then after the 1000 years will reign forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Isaiah 11:2 goes on to list the attributes of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is: (1) the spirit of the LORD; (2) the spirit of wisdom; (3) the spirit of understanding; (4) the spirit of counsel; (5) the spirit of might; (6) the spirit of knowledge; and (7) the spirit of the fear of the LORD. In Revelation, chapter 1, John makes the following statement:

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne (Rev. 1:4)

Some commentators view the seven Spirits as being a reference to Isaiah's prophecy concerning the seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit as given in Isaiah 11:2. (cf. MacArthur Study Bible fn. Rev. 1:4).

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" -- (Isa. 11:1)

Background Reading:
The Child Who Was God

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse" -- The Messiah was to come from the line of Abraham, through the line of Judah, through the line of Jesse, and through the line of David. Jesus fulfilled all these requirements as demonstrated by the records in Matthew, chapter 1 and Luke, chapter 3. Jesse was the father of David. (Ruth 4:22). God made the following promise to David:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (2 Sam. 7:8-14)

The promise to David has been fulfilled in Christ. Jesus will reign on earth from Israel during the future Millennial Kingdom.

"and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" -- The name 'Branch' is another name for the Messiah, which is Jesus. Other Old Testament references to the 'Branch' are as follows:

In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. (Isa. 4:2)

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (Jer. 23:5)

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. (Jer. 33:15)

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. (Zech. 3:8)

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD (Zech. 6:12)

From these passages, we learn that the Branch will be a King that shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the land. These Old Testament verses refer to Christ and His reign on earth during the Millennial Kingdom.

"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." -- (Rev. 20:10)

Background Reading:
The Destroyer Destroyed

"tormented day and night for ever and ever" -- Here is the final state of the devil. Take heed all you who would follow his lead into sin, who know well the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. For such is not from the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away. The final state of the devil and all humans who do not put their faith in Jesus for their salvation is eternal torment in the lake of fire.

Some people would like to comfort themselves by thinking that punishment for unbelief is not eternal. The unbeliever will find no such comfort in the Bible. No, if you turn your back on Jesus in this life, then you shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Some people think that eternity in the lake of fire will be fun because all of their friends will be there. Possibly they skip over the word "tormented", because there is no fun in torment. And it will not just be for a time. You will not be able to comfort yourself thinking, "I will endure it this little while and then it will be over." No, but what does the scripture say, "day and night for ever and ever", that is all day and for eternity. There is no rest from the torment.

"where the beast and the false prophet are" -- Here are two individuals that know well the torment found in the lake of fire. At the time the devil joins them in that place, they have already been there for 1000 years. We remember well that they were cast alive into the lake of fire at the end of the Great Tribulation when they came to battle against the Lord in the Battle of Armageddon. Here they are found 1000 years later still enduring torment in the lake of fire. Though they have been tormented for 1000 years, they are no closer to the end of their eternal torment than when it first began. Indeed, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?

"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." -- (Rev. 20:9)

Background Reading:
The Carnal Mind Enmity Against God

"the beloved city" -- The beloved city mentioned here is a reference to the city of Jerusalem where Christ will dwell during the Millennial Kingdom. It is clear from scripture that Christ will return to Jerusalem where a new temple shall be built. Consider the following verse from Zechariah:

Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. (Zech. 8:3)

Thus, the beloved city, Jerusalem, will be called a city of truth at that time and Christ will dwell in the midst of the city. The topography of the land in Israel will change at that time, and Jerusalem will be raised up from the surrounding land:

All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. (Zech. 14:10-11)

Another glorious picture of the city of Jerusalem during the Millennial Kingdom is found in the book of Jeremiah. There, the city of Jerusalem is called the Throne of the Lord:

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jer. 3:17)

One interesting Bible study is to note the references to Jerusalem in the Old Testament. There is a mention of Jerusalem as early as Genesis, chapter 14, when Abraham meets Melchizedek as he returns from the slaughter of the kings. Melchizedek is described as the King of Salem:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Gen. 14:18-20)

Now, Melchizedek was both a king and a priest and was king over Jerusalem. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 7, Christ is seen as arising in the likeness of Melchizedek, and there is the Old Testament statement about Christ:

The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)

When David became King in Israel, he purposed to reign from Jerusalem. Thus, we read in 2 Samuel:

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. (2 Sam. 5:6-7)

According to the MacArthur Study Bible, the city of Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible more than any other city. (footnote on 2 Sam. 5:6). During the Millennial Kingdom, it will be the city from which God reigns on earth.

"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." -- (Rev. 20:8)

Background Reading:
The Fall of Man -- Part 1

"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth" -- Satan is released from the bottomless pit and goes right back to deceiving the nations. Satan is the father of lies. He deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden and is here deceiving men at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. Satan has a tremendous hatred against Jesus and he wants to make one final attempt to destroy Jesus and his people.

"Gog, and Magog" -- The mention of Gog and Magog here does not automatically mean that this is the same event as described in Ezekiel 38 where Gog from the land of Magog is mentioned. The events in Ezekiel 38 happen at the end of the 7 year tribulation before the Millennial Kingdom. The events here in Revelation 20 happen at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.

"to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" -- Even with Jesus reigning on earth and the people able to experience His blessings during the Millennial Kingdom, they still gather together to battle against Him. At that time they will have as part of their history all of the events that happened during the Great Tribulation as a warning to those who think they can rebel against God and survive. But, the devil will be successful in deceiving many people at that time. So successful that the number gathered for battle is as the sand of the sea.

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison" -- (Rev. 20:7)

Background Reading:
Will there be mortal believers at the end of the Millennium?

During the time of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be bound and will not be out using his devices to deceive the people living on the earth. Even so, the men living at that time will still sin. This will show that man has a sinful nature and that men cannot blame their sins on the actions of the devil. Consider the following passage from James that gets to the heart of the matter:

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:13-15)

Thus, we see that man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust. And that lust brings forth sin. Now, during the Millennial Kingdom sin will be dealt with swiftly and with adequate punishment. At that time, Christ rules with a "rod of iron." For instance, consider what happens to those people who fail to come to worship Christ at that time:

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zech. 14:16-19)

If they fail to come to Jerusalem to worship the King, they will not receive rain. This is likely a devastating punishment because without rain the people will not be able to grow their crops. As an aside, notice that Egypt is one of the nations that is worshipping the Lord. It is clear from Isaiah that Egypt will turn to the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom:

In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. (Isaiah 19:18-25)

Of course, at the end of the 1000 years, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and go out to gather the nations for one final battle against God. Such an event demonstrates that man will still have a sinful nature even during the Millennial Kingdom.

"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." -- (Rev. 20:6)

Background Reading:
The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ - Part 3

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection" -- An Old Testament passage on the topic of the resurrection of the saints can be found in Daniel, chapter 12:

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Dan 12:1-2)

It should have been clear to the Jews living at the time of the first coming of Jesus that there will be a resurrection of the dead. Daniel goes further in chapter 12 to describe the resurrection of the believing saints. The description fits nicely with the verse for today from Revelation that says blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. Consider how Daniel describes those who take part in the first resurrection:

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Dan 12:3)

Isn't that a great picture of the resurrection of the saints? They shall be wise and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament. We remember what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, and how he described the difference between the natural body that we have now and the spiritual body we will have after the resurrection:

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (1 Cor. 15:42-44)

Paul uses the picture of a seed being sown in the ground and then growing into a plant. From looking at the seed, it is not apparent what type of plant it will become. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. It is not apparent from our natural bodies what we will look like in our resurrected bodies.

"on such the second death hath no power" -- What is the second death? The second death is defined in verses 13-14 of Revelation, chapter 20, where it is written:

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Rev. 20:13-14)

The second death occurs when the unbelievers are judged at the Great White Throne Judgment and are cast into the lake of fire where they will be tormented forever. The second death has no power over those who placed their faith in Jesus for their salvation during their lives on earth.

"but they shall be priests of God and of Christ" -- The resurrected saints will be priests during the Millennial Kingdom and will proclaim the glory of God and Christ to the humans living on the earth during that time. This verse clearly affirms the Deity of Jesus Christ.

"and shall reign with him a thousand years" -- This is the fifth time in Revelation, chapter 20, that the length of the Millennial Kingdom is set at 1000 years. The repetition of the length of time could be seen as placing emphasis on the fact that the 1000 years will be a literal 1000 years.

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." -- (Rev. 20:5)

Background Reading:
The Resurrection of the Dead

It is a sure thing that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. (Acts 24:15). The just shall rise first and reign with Christ for 1000 years during the Millennial Kingdom. The unbelievers will not be resurrected until after the 1000 years have ended, at which time they will receive their body suited for eternal tormet in the lake of fire. The background reading link above links to a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on the subject of the resurrection. I will provide a few good quotes from that sermon for the rest of today's blog entry.

"I. There shall be A RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

The first proof I will offer of this, is, that it has been the constant and unvarying faith of the saints from the earliest periods of time. Abraham believed the resurrection of the dead, for it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11 verse 19, that he 'accounted that God was able to raise up Isaac even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.' I have no doubt that Joseph believed in the resurrection, for he gave commandment concerning his bones; and surely he would not have been so careful of his body if he had not believed that it should be raised from the dead. The Patriarch Job was a firm believer in it, for he said in that oft repeated text, Job. xix. 25, 26: 'For I know that my Redeemer liveth; and that he shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.' David believed it beyond the shadow of a doubt, for he sang of Christ, 'Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.' Daniel believed it, for he said, that 'Many who sleep in the dust shall rise, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt.' Souls do not sleep in the dust; bodies do."

"Yet, further, the resurrections that have already taken place give us hope and confidence that there shall be a resurrection of all saints. Do you not remember that it is written, when Jesus rose from the dead many of the saints that were in their graves arose, and came into the city, and appeared unto many? Have ye not heard that Lazarus, though he had been dead three days, came from the grave at the word of Jesus? Have you never read how the daughter of Jarius awoke from the sleep of death when he said, 'Talitha cumi?' Have you never seen him at the gates of Nain, bidding that widow's son rise from the bier? Have you forgotten that Dorcas who made garments for the poor, sat up and saw Peter after she had been dead? And do you not remember Eutychus who fell from the third loft and was taken up dead, but who, at the prayer of Paul, was raised again? Or, does not your memory roll back to the time when hoary Elijah stretched himself upon the dead child, and the child breathed, and sneezed seven times, and his soul came to him? Or have you not read that when they buried a man, as soon as he touched the prophet's bones he rose again to life? These are pledges of the resurrection; a few specimens, a few chance gems flung into the world to tell us how full God's hand is of resurrection jewels. He hath given us proof that he is able to raise the dead by the resurrection of a few, who afterwards were seen on earth by infallible witnesses."

"As Christ actually rose from the dead—flesh and blood, so shall we. Christ was not a spirit when he rose from the dead; his body could be touched. Did not Thomas put his hand into his side? and did not Christ say, 'Handle me, and see. A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.' And if we are to rise as Christ did—and we are taught so—then we shall rise in our bodies—not spirits, not fine aerial things, made of I know not what—some very refined and elastic substance; but 'as the Lord our Saviour rose, so all his followers must.' We shall rise in our flesh, 'though all flesh is not the same flesh;' we shall rise in our bodies, though all bodies are not the same bodies; and we shall rise in glory, though all glories are not the same glories. 'There is one flesh of man and another of beasts;' and there is one flesh of this body, and another flesh of the heavenly body. There is one body for the soul here, and another body for the spirit up there; and yet it shall be the same body that will rise again from the grave—the same I say in identity, though not in glory or in adaptation."

"But now we come to the RESURRECTION OF THE WICKED. Will the wicked rise too? Here is a point of controversy. I shall have some hard things to say now: I may detain you long, but I beg you, nevertheless, hearken to me. Yea, the wicked shall rise."

"But wherever I go now, I hear it said, 'The ministers in old times were wont to say there was fire in hell for our bodies, but it is not so; it is metaphorical fire, fancied fire.' Ah! it is not so. Ye shall receive the things done in your body. Though your souls shall be punished, your bodies will be punished as well. Ye who are sensual and devilish, do not care about your souls being punished, because you never think about your souls; but if I tell you of bodily punishment you will think of it far more. Christ may have said that the soul should be punished; but he far more frequently described the body in misery in order to impress his hearers, for he knew that they were sensual and devilish, and that nothing that did not affect the body would touch them in the least."

"But hear me while I again affirm God's truth. I tell thee sinner, that those eyes that now look on lust shall look on miseries that shall vex and torment thee. Those ears which now thou lendest to hear the song of blasphemy, shall hear moans, and groans, and horrid sounds, such as only the damned know. That very throat down which thou pourest drink shall be filled with fire. Those very lips and arms of thine will be tortured all at once. Why, if thou hast a headache thou wilt run to thy physician; but what wilt thou do when thy head, and heart, and hands, and feet ache all at once? If thou hast but a pain in thy reins, thou wilt search out medicines to heal thee; but what wilt thou do when gout, and rheum, and vertigo, and all else that is vile attack thy body at once? How wilt thou bear thyself when thou shalt be loathsome with every kind of disease, leprous, palsied, black, rotten, thy bones aching, thy marrow quivering, every limb thou hast filled with pain; thy body a temple of demons, and a channel of miseries."

"And will ye march blindly on? As the ox goeth to the slaughter, and the sheep licketh the butcher's knife, so is it with many of you. Sirs, you are living without Christ, many of you; you are self-righteous and ungodly. One of you is going out this afternoon to take his day's pleasure; another is a fornicator in secret; another can cheat his neighbour; another can now and then curse God; another comes to this chapel, but in secret he is a drunkard; another prates about godliness, and God wots he is a wretched hypocrite. What will ye do in that day when ye stand before your Maker?"

"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." -- (Rev. 20:4)

Background Reading:
The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ - Part 2

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" -- Who are 'they' that are sitting upon the thrones that are given the responsibility to judge during the Millennial Kingdom? Paul gave some insight into this in the sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians in verses 2-3. There, Paul questions the reader, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?". So, there we have the answer. The saints shall judge the world. They are the ones sitting on the thrones.

The same idea is provided in Daniel, chapter 7, verse 18. There, Daniel describes what happens after the world power headed by the antichrist is defeated. He writes, "the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." Again, we have the truth that the saints shall possess the kingdom. There are also some verses in Revelation that further support the conclusion that saints will sit on the thrones. In Revelation, chapter 3, verse 21, Christ states that to "him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne". That is just an amazing truth and an extraordinary privilege.

Another picture is given in Revelation, chapter 4, where it says that "round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." In Revelation, chapter 5, those elders sing a song to Christ saying, thou "hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9-10).

Pastor John MacArthur had this to say about the subject: "We're not questioning [Christ's] sovereignty here when we say that the saints will reign. The Scripture says we will reign with Christ. Somehow we will be involved in the expression of His will. We will be His agents, carrying out His wishes, carrying out His will in the world. He will, of course, destroy His enemies, as we note at the end of chapter 19, set up His Kingdom. He will become KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, but we will reign along with Him, carrying out His will. He will be in that day the King, no one can gainsay what He says."

"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" -- Here we have a clear description of the Tribulation saints that died during the time of the Great Tribulation. They refused to worship the antichrist and they did not receive the mark of the antichrist. Remember, no one could buy or sell without the mark which is somehow related to the number 666. Thus, the saints were identifying themselves as believers in Christ by not having the mark placed on their body. For their identification with Christ, they were beheaded.

"and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" -- Here is the great promise that is made to the saints -- including the old testament, new testament, and tribulation saints -- that they will reign on earth with Christ for 1000 years. After that time they will be with Christ forever in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

"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."-- (Rev. 20:3)

One question that may be asked at this point is whether the Old Testament ever mentioned the devil and demons being shut up in the bottomless pit for 1000 years. In response, consider these verses from Isaiah, chapter 24:

"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. 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." (Isa. 24:21-22).

Here we have the Old Testament prophesy that the Lord shall shut up in the prison the host of the high ones that are on high. The passage does not mention the length of time as being 1000 years, but uses the term "many days". We now know that "many days" is 1000 years.

Also, in Revelation 20:3, Scripture says that the devil must be loosed for a while after the 1000 years of being in the bottomless pit. The verses from Isaiah give the same idea as they relate the fact that the prisoners in the pit will be "visited" after many days.

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

Background Reading:
The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ - Part 2

"and bound him a thousand years" -- Here is the first reference to the length of the Millennial Kingdom: a thousand years. During the 1000 years, Satan is bound in the bottomless pit. There are some people who try to argue that Satan is bound today. Such a belief is clearly wrong, counter to the weight of scripture, and can be dangerous if someone lives their life with such a belief. The rest of today's blog entry will list scripture to show that the devil is not currently bound and that we must take precaution against his wiles.

1 John 5:19
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."

1 Peter 5:8
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"

Ephesians 6:11
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

2 Corinthians 2:10-11
"To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Matthew 6:13
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

1 Thessalonians 2:18
"Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."

1 Timothy 3:7
"Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

2 Corinthians 4:3-4
"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Ephesians 2:1-2
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"

John 8:44
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

1 John 3:8
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

John 17:15
"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

Galatians 1:4
"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father"

Acts 5:3
"But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?"

Revelation 12:10
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

Revelation 2:10
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

Revelation 2:13
"I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth."

Revelation 2:24
"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

Revelation 3:9
"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."

Job 1:7
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand."-- (Rev. 20:1)

Background Reading:
The Coming Earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ - Part 1

"bottomless pit" -- The bottomless pit named here in verse 1 is different from the lake of fire named in verse 10. The devil is bound for 1000 years in the bottomless pit, then is released, and then is cast into the lake of fire where he will remain forever being tormented day and night. Pastor John MacArthur has said this about the bottomless pit: "And again I say, the abyss is not the final eternal lake of fire, it is a place of torment, certainly a place of punishment, a place out of the presence of God, a place of incarceration, a temporary place where God sends demons and where, in this case, He binds Satan."

Currently, some of the demons are already bound in this bottomless pit awaiting their final punishment. It is like a prison -- for demons. In Jude, verse 6, we have this statement: "And 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." So, some demons are currently being held in chains. 2 Peter 2:4 uses the following argument to make a point: "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment". Thus, the verse reaffirms the idea that the angels that sinned are being held in chains until the day of judgment.

1 Peter, chaper 3, tells us something more about these demons in the bottomless pit in verses 18-20: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." Thus, these were the demons that were disobedient in the time of Noah. The disobedience is recorded in Genesis, chapter 6, verses 1-8: "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

Finally, we know that demons are afraid of being locked up in the bottomless pit because of the conversation in Luke, chapter 8. In verses 31-33, the demons that Jesus was casting out of a man begged Jesus that they not be cast into the bottomless pit: "And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked."

Thus, some demons that disobeyed are currently being held in the bottomless pit. Other demons are still free at this time, but are afraid of being cast into the bottomless pit. The devil is currently roaming freely, but after the Battle of Armageddon the devil will be bound for 1000 years in the bottomless pit. After the 1000 years have ended, the devil will be cast into the lake of fire where he will be tormented day and night forever.

"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." -- (Rev. 19:21)

Background Reading:
A Preacher from the Dead

"And the remnant" -- I will venture today to give a background on what the "remnant" that rebelled against God knew and how despite all the signs and wonders they had been exposed to, still decided to rebel against God. From Revelation, chapter 6, we see a great earthquake, the sun becomes black, the moon becomes like blood, the stars of heaven fall to the earth, the sky recedes as a scroll, and every island and mountain is moved out of its place. In chapter 8, there are thunderings, lightnings, an earthquake, hail and fire mingled with blood, a third of the trees and all green grass burned up, a third of the sea becomes blood, a great star falls from heaven, a third of the waters become bitter, a third of the stars are darkened, an angel shouts from the sky to the inhabitants on earth, locusts torment men for five months, and a third of mankind is killed.

Then, we have this statement:
"And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." -- (Rev. 9:20-21)

Did you get that? After all those things happen, the men on earth still do not repent, but go right on worshipping their same idols and committing the same sins. In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, God tells us that these men "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved", and thus, "for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thes. 2:10-12).

The people of today who are looking for signs and wonders to validate their message, whether through speaking in tongues or healings or other such means should take note. Remember the story in Luke, chapter 16, about the rich man and lazarus:

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." -- (Luke 16:19-31)

The Scripture is all we need to bring people to a knowledge of the truth. If they will not believe the Scripture, then they would not believe even the most dramatic signs and wonders. Thus, we must be diligent to spread the word of God and to teach others about the grace of God that is clearly presented in the Bible.

"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." -- (Rev. 19:20)

Background Reading:
Hell - the Furnace of Fire

Notice, first, how this verse does not begin. Remember that in verse 19, the beast and his army were gathering together to fight against Jesus. Where is the battle? How was the beast planning on attacking Jesus? All we are told is that the beast is cast into the lake of fire. The battle was so one sided that the result was inevitable. For a description of the actual events between verses 19 and 20, we can turn to Ezekiel chapter 38. There we have a description of what happens to the beast and his army during the battle:

"And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD." -- (Eze. 38:18-23)

In Zephaniah, chapter 1, the great day of the Lord is described in this way:
"The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." -- (Zeph. 1:14-18)

The Book of Joel has much to say about the day of the Lord and the Battle of Armageddon. Near the end of the book, there is this statement:
"Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more." -- (Joel 3:12-17)

"and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him" -- The false prophet mentioned here is the same false prophet mentioned in Revelation, chapter 13, where we learn of the false miracles he performed to deceive the peoples of the nations:

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads" -- (Rev. 13:13-16)

"with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image" -- The mark of the beast is an often talked about subject. In Revelation, chapter 13, we read that the false prophet, "causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev. 13:16-18).

"These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." -- These are the first two people cast into the lake of fire. Later, in Revelation, chapter 20, we learn that 1000 years later, after the time of the Millennial Kingdom, the devil joins them in the lake of fire: "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." (Rev. 20:10). Notice that at that time the beast and the false prophet had been tormented in the lake of fire for 1000 years and yet they were no closer to the end of punishment than when they were first cast in because they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Also joining them after the Millennial Kingdom will be those who have died and did not place their faith in Jesus during their time on earth. This is described in Revelation, chapter 20:

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." -- (Rev. 20:11-15)

Therefore, take care brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God. And, while there remains a promise of entering God's rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Remember, those cast into the lake of fire will be tormented forever and ever.