Participants: Charles Byrd (Host), Levi Longoria, Andrea Endries, Carl Preval
Series Code: THL
Program Code: THL000025
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00:01 We all like comeback stories of people
00:03 on the brink of defeat at some level, 00:05 but against all odds, naysayers 00:08 and in the face of all their fears they press through. 00:12 The annals of history have recorded many such stories 00:16 in war, in sports, and in politics. 00:20 There are also some examples in sacred history 00:24 like that of Moses or a personal favorite Joseph. 00:29 These comeback stories inspire us 00:31 to dig deeper in the face of our own setbacks. 00:36 But no comeback story has ever had a more profound 00:38 and long-term impact on society 00:41 than one that hasn't even happened yet. 00:44 I can hear some of you saying, 00:46 "Charles, you have to have a come back 00:48 to have a comeback story." 00:50 And I know that is usually the case, 00:53 but in this instance, it is one prophesied by Jesus 00:56 while staring right into the face of apparent defeat. 01:01 Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin. 01:04 And the high priest asked Jesus, 01:06 "If He was the Son of God?" 01:09 Jesus said to him, "You have said so. 01:13 But I tell you, hereafter you will see 01:15 the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, 01:19 and coming on the clouds of heaven." 01:22 Before nightfall Jesus, the one who claim to be the Son of God, 01:28 the one many recognized as a prophet, 01:31 great in word indeed would be dead from crucifixion. 01:35 Did somebody say comeback? 02:30 By all appearances Jesus ended as a failure. 02:34 His own people put Him through a shame trial 02:37 and insisted the Romans crucify Him. 02:40 He died a humiliating death 02:43 and was placed in a borrowed tomb. 02:45 It was over. 02:47 His own disciples were so afraid of the Jewish leaders. 02:50 They were hiding out in a borrowed room 02:52 on some narrow street in Jerusalem. 02:56 But the crucifixion and its aftermath 02:58 just puts this prophecy of Jesus 03:01 in Matthew 26:64 in a starker context. 03:05 "I tell you, hereafter you will see 03:08 the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, 03:12 and coming on the clouds of heaven." 03:16 That prophecy which caused so much Thunder in the Holy Land 03:20 is still changing the course of history. 03:23 It's changing how people live their lives, 03:25 how they spend their time and their money 03:28 even in the face of defeat or certain death. 03:32 Today we're going to look carefully 03:34 at the teachings of Jesus 03:35 regarding His great comeback or the second coming. 03:39 The thousand years or the millennium 03:41 and His final plans for planet earth. 03:45 Join us as we examine the prophecies 03:47 and promises of Jesus' second coming in the thousand years. 03:53 Thanks, Charles. 03:54 I love this topic because it truly parks our minds 03:58 in the right place on the sure word of prophecy. 04:02 Peter, an ardent disciple and follower of Jesus said 04:06 that prophecy is better, 04:07 is more reliable than an eyewitness account. 04:12 So here is one of the reliable prophecies of Jesus 04:15 in John 14:2-3 regarding the second coming. 04:19 "In my Father's house are many mansions, 04:23 if it were not so, I would have told you. 04:26 I go to prepare a place for you. 04:29 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 04:31 I will come again, and receive you unto myself, 04:35 that where I am, there ye may be also." 04:40 There you have it. 04:42 And Jesus said He is coming again. 04:45 But it senses as a prophetic and still in the future. 04:49 How can I be sure this prophecy, 04:51 this promise of Jesus is true? 04:55 Because of two reasons. 04:56 First, He made other promises that have been proven true. 05:01 For example, consider John 8:32, 05:05 "You will know the truth, 05:07 and the truth shall make you free." 05:11 And what was he talking about? 05:13 And Jesus knew that the word, the Bible was truth. 05:17 And the word of truth shows us the path to freedom. 05:21 And since the word is living and powerful, 05:23 it can change our lives now for the better. 05:27 He is delivering me from temptations, 05:29 from my lust and pride that lead me away from Jesus. 05:34 And He'll do it for you too. 05:36 I'm just like any other person. 05:38 I also have hard temptations, 05:40 but through the promises of His word 05:43 I'm gaining victories 05:44 and embracing the freedom from my own self. 05:49 Sin is loosing its dominating power in my experience. 05:53 The second reason I can believe 05:55 the prophecy of Jesus' second coming 05:57 is because of confirmed prophecy. 06:00 Jesus first coming was predicted thousands of years in advance. 06:04 Since these prophecies came true, 06:06 I can rest with confidence on the prophecies 06:09 that predict the second coming like, the one in Daniel 2. 06:13 The promise of His second coming 06:15 was also predicted over five thousand years ago 06:18 by the antediluvian prophet Enoch. 06:21 And this second coming is the blessed hope 06:24 that keeps His followers pressing on with confidence. 06:29 Well, that makes things clear, Levi. 06:31 Prophecy and personal experience can assure us 06:34 that the promise of Jesus to come again will happen. 06:38 Of course, anytime you believe in something 06:40 that hasn't happened yet, there must be some faith, 06:44 but again this is not blind faith, 06:47 it is a faith based on a large body of evidence. 06:51 So standing on the evidence of fulfilled prophecy, 06:53 we look into the future and ask how will Jesus return? 06:58 What does prophecy and the words of Jesus 07:00 teach about His second coming? 07:03 Let's start with a prophecy given by two angles 07:05 who appeared as men to the disciples of Jesus 07:08 as they watched Jesus go back into heaven. 07:11 The angles said, "Ye men of Galilee, 07:14 why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 07:17 This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 07:21 shall so come in like manner 07:23 as ye have seen him go into heaven." 07:26 Standing there on the backside of the Mount of Olives, 07:28 a literal physical Jesus went into heaven, 07:32 so we can be assured that the second coming of Jesus 07:35 will be a literal, personal return. 07:38 That is what the angels said. 07:40 Now we're going to look directly 07:42 at the teachings of Jesus Himself 07:44 regarding His imminent return. 07:46 First, we'll turn to Matthew 24:27 07:49 in describing His return Jesus said, 07:52 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, 07:55 and shineth even unto the west, 07:57 so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." 08:01 If you've ever driven across the great plain states 08:04 and follow the thunder storm for several hours 08:06 where the lightening is going across the sky 08:09 then there is one thing, you know, 08:11 the second coming of Jesus will definitely be visible. 08:15 In fact, Revelation 1:7 08:17 further refines our understanding when it says, 08:20 "Behold, he cometh with clouds, 08:23 and every eye shall see him." 08:25 It will indeed be very visible for everyone. 08:30 Now let's look at Matthew 24:31, 08:33 "And he shall send his angels 08:35 with a great sound of a trumpet." 08:37 And the Apostle Paul adds. 08:39 "For the Lord Himself 08:41 shall descend from heaven with a shout, 08:43 with the voice of the archangel, 08:45 and with the trump of God." 08:48 Shouting and loud trumpets 08:50 don't make us think of some quiet secret event, do they? 08:55 The doctrine of Jesus 08:56 makes it clear that the second coming 08:58 will be audible and it will be loud. 09:02 Loud enough to wake the dead, literally. 09:06 Though we could look at many more verses 09:08 regarding how Jesus will return. 09:10 Let's consider just one more. 09:12 It's found in Matthew 16:27. 09:15 "For the Son of man 09:17 shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels 09:20 and then he shall reward every man according to his works." 09:25 Now we can use the word glory 09:27 and we can talk about lightening, 09:30 but I want you to really grasp this. 09:32 When an angel came to call Christ from the grave, 09:35 Matthew records that, 09:37 "His countenance was like lightning, 09:39 and his raiment white as snow." 09:42 And just from the glory of this born angel, 09:45 what happened to the whole platoon of Roman guards 09:48 who were supposed to be guarding a dead man. 09:50 "And for fear of him the keepers did shake, 09:54 and became as dead men." 09:57 Now imagine Jesus coming with the glory of the father 10:00 and add to that His own glory. 10:03 And then add to that 10:04 the glory of the countless throng of angels 10:06 who are attending Him. 10:08 So be assured, 10:09 the second coming of Christ will be glorious, 10:12 beyond any words we could use to describe it. 10:17 Thanks, Andria. 10:18 We now understand clearly from God's word 10:20 and the teaching of Jesus, how He will return. 10:24 It will be a literal, visible, audible, and glorious return. 10:29 But do you know why He is going to return? 10:32 Because He wants to be with His children, 10:35 He wants to be with you and me. 10:38 In fact, what Jesus taught in John 5 10:41 reveals the defining act of the second coming. 10:45 "Marvel not at this for the hour is coming, 10:48 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 10:52 and shall come forth, they that have done good, 10:55 unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil, 10:59 unto the resurrection of damnation." 11:02 This is the teaching of Jesus. 11:06 That is why the Jewish rabbi Paul also taught, 11:09 "For the Lord himself 11:11 shall descend from heaven with a shout, 11:13 with the voice of the archangel, 11:15 and with the trump of God 11:17 and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 11:22 This is a wonderful and powerful truth. 11:25 This doctrine definitely moulds the life of a Christian. 11:29 It modifies his or her thinking. 11:32 At the funeral of the loved one, 11:34 we share tears of sadness, 11:36 we grieve the lost, 11:38 but we don't sorrow as do others who have no hope 11:42 because death is not the end, it's just a sleep 11:46 according to at least 50 passages in the Bible. 11:50 So the dead sleep until that resurrection. 11:55 You know, in the second coming 11:56 each person who is saved will be raised to life 11:59 and will get a new and glorious. What? 12:04 Check it out in Philippians 3:21. 12:07 "Our vile bodies will be changed, 12:10 will receive a new and glorious body." 12:13 No more defects, no more aches or pains, 12:16 no more glasses, stints, 12:19 artificial joints or prosthetics. 12:22 Yes, the defining act of the second coming 12:26 is the resurrection and the restoration. 12:31 Thanks, Carl. 12:33 And praise God for the hope of the resurrection. 12:36 But I want us to go back to John 5 for a moment 12:39 because Jesus said something interesting 12:41 when He talked about the resurrection. 12:44 In verse 28 Jesus taught that, 12:46 "All that are in their graves 12:48 will hear his voice and come out, 12:51 they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, 12:55 and they that have done evil, 12:57 unto the resurrection of damnation." 13:00 Notice here that there are two resurrections. 13:03 The first is the resurrection of life. 13:06 The second is the resurrection of damnation. 13:11 Now if all I had to go on was what Jesus said in John 5, 13:14 I would assume that these two resurrections 13:17 happen at the same time, 13:19 but Jesus gave His disciple, John a revelation of more truth. 13:23 He actually tells us 13:25 there is some time between these two resurrections. 13:28 Would you like to know how much time there is between them? 13:32 Then check out Revelation 20:4-5 13:36 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, 13:39 and judgment was given unto them, 13:41 and I saw the souls of them 13:43 that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, 13:46 and for the word of God, 13:47 and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, 13:51 neither had received his mark 13:53 upon their foreheads, or in their hands 13:56 and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 14:00 But the rest of the dead lived not again 14:03 until the thousand years were finished." 14:06 Here is the thousand years that is talked about quite a bit. 14:10 Unfortunately, it is misunderstood by many, 14:12 but this is not so hard to understand 14:14 if we let the Bible interpret itself. 14:17 From scripture, we can know when the thousand years began, 14:21 what will happen during this millennium, 14:23 and then what happens at the end of the thousand years. 14:27 Levi is standing by to share 14:29 what starts the one thousand years. 14:32 Thanks, Charles. 14:34 God is so good to leave for us His prophetic word 14:37 and I'm convinced that we are living 14:40 in the last days of earth's history. 14:43 But somewhere between the last days and eternity, 14:46 there's--as you just pointed out, a thousand years. 14:51 As we've already learned this millennium 14:53 starts with what the Bible calls the first resurrection 14:57 and ends with another resurrection. 15:00 Now unfortunately in just 30 minutes 15:03 we don't have time to dig deep into this part of our topic, 15:07 but we've made our millennium chart available at a website 15:10 along with one on the rapture 15:12 and on the signs of Jesus' coming. 15:14 These PDF files are free. 15:16 So download yours today at QLP.TV. 15:21 So what starts the millennium? 15:24 The return of Jesus. 15:26 Jesus said, "When He comes 15:28 all the tribes of the earth will mourn 15:30 when they see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven." 15:35 But what's bad news for many 15:37 will be great news for those who love Him. 15:41 When Jesus comes again, 15:42 all the righteous people who died in Christ 15:45 will be raised from the dead. 15:48 Just think of it. 15:49 Every spouse, friend and anything risen 15:52 with immortal bodies never to die again. 15:56 What a joy? 15:58 And when Jesus comes again, 16:00 all the believers who haven't died 16:02 will also be caught up with those who have been resurrected 16:06 to meet Jesus in the air. 16:09 And Jesus said, "He would send His angels 16:12 with a great sound of a trumpet, 16:14 and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, 16:18 from one end of heaven to the other. 16:21 None who loves God will be left behind." 16:25 And Jesus also taught the wicked would be slain 16:29 by the fiery brightness of His coming. 16:32 And next, Jesus said in Revelation 6 16:35 that a great earthquake, 16:36 greater than the Richter scale can measure 16:39 will leave earth desolate. 16:41 And the prophet Jeremiah also describes 16:43 his time with these words. 16:46 "I beheld the earth, it was without form, and void, 16:50 and the heavens had no light, the mountains trembled, 16:54 and all the hills moved lightly. 16:57 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, 17:00 and all the cities were broken down 17:02 at the presence of the Lord, 17:04 and by his fierce anger." 17:07 And the final event that ushers in the thousand years 17:11 is the binding of Satan. 17:14 "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, 17:17 and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, 17:20 which is the Devil, and Satan, 17:23 and bound him a thousand years." 17:26 What will bind Satan is not a literal chain made of iron, 17:31 but a chain of circumstances. 17:33 Here are those links. 17:35 First, none of God's people are here to tempt and harass. 17:41 All the wicked people are dead. 17:43 The earth is left completely desolate. 17:47 And he and his angels that chose to follow him 17:50 will have nothing to do for a thousand years except 17:54 to sit and to think of the consequences 17:56 of their choice to rebel against a God of love. 18:02 Thanks, Levi. 18:03 So now we know the events that start the millennium. 18:07 Let's examine briefly 18:08 what is happening during the thousand years. 18:11 Again, right from the teaching of Jesus. 18:14 We learned first that the righteous 18:16 including those who come up in the first resurrection 18:19 will live and reign with Christ for thousand years. 18:23 According to Revelation 15, 18:26 this privilege of being one of the saved is reserved 18:29 for those who have gotten the victory over the beast, 18:32 over his image and over his mark 18:35 and over the number of his name. 18:38 These are the ones who have said, 18:40 "Yes, to Jesus with all their known choices." 18:45 And what are the righteous doing in heaven 18:48 during the thousand years? 18:50 This to me is perhaps one of the most amazing things. 18:54 They're sitting in judgment. 18:56 They're asking all the hard questions. 18:59 Why isn't my pastor here or why didn't my wife make it 19:04 or why can't Lucifer still be saved? 19:07 They'll be sitting in judgment on all the decisions 19:10 God made during the pre-advent judgment 19:13 or the judgment that is going on right now. 19:16 This is widely important how you see 19:19 when we look at what's coming at the end of the millennium. 19:23 Well, all of this is going on 19:25 the wicked those who were lost remain dead 19:28 and unburied across the planet. 19:32 A planet which is now a black cinder, 19:35 dark and cold, void of all human life. 19:40 This is Satan's minions with nothing to do 19:43 for a thousand years, but sit and think 19:46 since they will not be a lord of the planet. 19:50 I'm sure having nothing to do will be terribly hard 19:54 for one who has worked so hard for thousands of years, 19:58 seeking to destroy all the goodness of God 20:01 in the lives of His creation. 20:05 Neat insights, Carl. 20:06 Now let's see what Jesus taught 20:08 about the end of the one thousand years. 20:10 First, we find Jesus coming back to earth once again, 20:14 only this time it will be with all the saints 20:16 who have been with Him in heaven 20:18 and they watch as the Holy City, 20:20 the new Jerusalem also comes to planet earth 20:23 landing right here on the Mount of Olives. 20:26 At that time, every person 20:28 who has ever lived who joins Satan in rebellion 20:32 will be raised to life by the power of God. 20:36 Just imagine for a moment, every person 20:38 who has ever lived from the days of Adam to the present, 20:42 all alive at the same time. 20:47 Suddenly the chain of circumstances 20:49 that has kept Satan bound is loosed. 20:52 There are people to deceive again, so he goes to work. 20:56 First, I'm sure, he convinces all the people 20:58 that He raised them to life 21:00 then He tells them that they are the majority 21:04 that the Holy City cannot withstand their united attack 21:07 and so the prince of darkness leads 21:09 this massive humanity to attack the new Jerusalem. 21:13 The City of God in His redeemed. 21:16 But this onset is interrupted by God's final judgment. 21:20 Suddenly, every person 21:22 that is in the vast rebellious throng stops. 21:26 Their whole life plays out in review like, 21:29 some giant big screen panorama in the heavens. 21:33 They see their whole life. 21:35 All of the times God tried to lead them to repentance, 21:39 to happiness, to obedience. 21:41 They see their rebellious hearts for what they are. 21:46 Link and gratitude in the face of His matchless love. 21:50 Suddenly, over here someone drops their knees 21:55 and then over here another 21:58 and then another until one by one 22:01 every knee bows and every tongue confesses that God was fair. 22:08 They may not love Him, but they are compelled to admit 22:12 He sure did His best to save them. 22:16 Now they realize they are all lost. 22:19 A will of anguish and anger 22:21 is heard across the dome of the heavens 22:23 as God brings to bear the final phase of His judgment. 22:28 Fire comes down from God out of heaven 22:30 just as they did on Sodom and Gomorrah 22:32 and devour that vast rebellious angry and bitter army. 22:38 Now remember when Carl told us that the saints 22:41 would sit in judgment during the millennium, 22:43 that during this time all of the redeemed 22:45 who are allowed to ask all the hard questions 22:48 to essentially put God on trial 22:50 to see of all of his decisions were fair and just. 22:54 Here is why that process is so important. 22:57 When God destroys all sin and every sinner, 23:00 there will not be one person in the ranks of the redeemed 23:04 who will question whether God is fair or just. 23:07 Everyone will be completely satisfied. 23:10 In fact, the prophecy of Jesus tells us 23:13 that we will give God praise for judging righteously. 23:17 The great controversy will be ended. 23:20 Sin and sinners will be no more. 23:23 The entire universe will be cleaned. 23:27 One pose of harmony and gladness will beat through 23:30 the vast creation from Him who created all 23:33 will flow life and light and gladness 23:36 throughout the rounds of illimitable space. 23:39 From the minutes atom to the greatest worlds, all things, 23:44 animate and inanimate in their un-shadowed beauty 23:47 and perfect joy will declare that God is love. 23:53 And then we will watch God recreate the earth 23:57 restoring it to its Edenic beauty. 24:02 Thanks, Andrea. 24:04 I'm convinced that great comeback is not far away. 24:08 Why? 24:09 Again, because of prophecy. 24:12 In Matthew 24, "As Jesus sat up on the Mount of Olives, 24:16 the disciples came unto Him privately saying, 24:19 'Tell us, what shall be the sign of thy coming 24:23 and of the end of the world?' 24:26 In this study we only have time to consider one of the signs 24:29 that is being fulfilled right now. 24:31 You can download a free PDF document 24:34 with a more comprehensive list of the signs at QLP.TV. 24:39 For now Matthew 24:7 tells us, 24:42 "There shall be famines, and pestilences, 24:46 and earthquakes, in divers places." 24:49 Now some might say, "These things have always happened." 24:53 True, very true. 24:55 But Paul reminded the folks in Thessalonica 24:58 that the coming of Jesus would be as travail upon a woman. 25:03 This word travail comes from the Greek word Odin, 25:07 and it means, the pain of childbirth or birth pangs. 25:12 Birth pangs starts small 25:14 and gradually grow in frequency and intensity. 25:18 So let's compare Jesus prophecy regarding famines, 25:21 pestilences, and earthquakes 25:23 with the few statistics regarding natural disasters. 25:27 Each line on this natural disaster chart 25:30 represents one decade of reported disasters. 25:34 Tell me, if what you are looking at. 25:36 Right now does it resemble birth pangs. 25:40 Do you see the changes in frequency? 25:43 Absolutely. And intensity. 25:47 Just listen to the nightly news covering events 25:50 like the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami that swept away 25:53 230,000 people in 14 countries. 25:57 Inundating coastal communities with waves up to 98 feet high. 26:01 Watch the evening news regarding hurricanes like, 26:04 Katrina and Sandy with costs in the hundreds of billions. 26:09 So look at the chart one more time and ask yourself, 26:12 do I see a fulfillment here in the prophecies of Jesus? 26:18 I sure, see it. 26:19 Folks, Jesus is coming back 26:21 and there are many fulfilled prophecies in this book 26:25 should compel us to take seriously 26:27 this great truth taught by Jesus Himself. 26:31 It sure was a focal point for all the disciples of Jesus. 26:35 In fact, the second coming is mentioned over 60 times 26:38 by all nine of the New Testament authors. 26:42 Perhaps this is why over 50% of the earth's inhabitance 26:46 hanged so much of their hope on a comeback, 26:49 but still hasn't happened. 26:51 A comeback that will change everything. 26:55 So let me finish by asking you this question. 26:59 Do you love this good news? 27:01 Do you love the truth of His great comeback? 27:05 If you do then pay special attention 27:08 to this promise that Paul wrote to Timothy. 27:12 "Henceforth there is laid up a crown of righteousness, 27:15 which the Lord shall give me at that day, 27:18 and not to me only, 27:20 but unto all them also that love his appearing." 27:26 You too can embrace this blessed hope. 27:29 You too can choose to love this good news of His soon return 27:34 when all that's wrong will be made right. |
Revised 2014-12-17