Inhabitants of the Millennial Kingdom

In my previous post I wrote of certain Bible scholars who have falsely stated that during the great tribulation people “…can take the mark of the beast and still be saved…” Listen to the interview here to understand why I say falsely... because it goes directly against what scripture says.

Starting in Revelation 14:9
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

I don't know about you but it seems pretty clear to me that if you "...receiveth the mark of his name...the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb!"

The question then is, how did these learned scholars come to this point of absolute false teaching?

Let me preface the answer with this: Everyone, yes everyone, is subject to biases or mindsets. These biases can cause us to approach certain topics with deeply ingrained presuppositions which may not necessarily be true. The topic of the rapture is one of those particular topics that is very difficult to discuss without each individual involved entering into the discussion with a set mind as to what they think they already know is true. Presupposition makes it very difficult for us to see outside our pre-existing mindset. In other words, we've already decided what we will believe, true or not.

If we will, however, seek God with a heart to know the truth rather than looking to have our own opinion reinforced we can indeed have our minds changed by the Holy Spirit in truth. The interesting thing is, on the topic of the rapture very few of us actually hold our own opinion. We hold an opinion that was fed to us. Now, before you get upset with me, answer for yourself this question, "How many hours have you spent actually studying scriptures about the rapture?" Reading about what others have said about it or listening to preachers talk about it does not count. Preachers, teachers and authors are where we got our presuppositions from. Let's do a little honest study of the scriptures on one presupposition that has been established by the pretribulation rapture teaching.

Only those who are saved shall enter the Millennial Kingdom? Well, yes and no.

This particular presupposition states that only those who are saved will enter the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. Here are a few scriptures that I believe teach that this group of people are not particularly "Christians":

Zech 14:16 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.

This verse tells us that the millennial kingdom consists of "every one" that is left, but if we take this verse in context with these verses from Matt 25:31-46, which speaks specifically about what will occur when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom on earth, we see a dividing of "every one" that is left:

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
...
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
...
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

So, if we take all of these verses in context with each other we find that the survivors of all the nations which came against Jerusalem will be divided as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. The sheep will then be declared "righteous" and told, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Nowhere in these scriptures, nor anywhere else in scripture are we told that Christians will enter the millennial kingdom in physical, terrestrial bodies. In fact, aren't we (Saints, Christians, Believers) told in other scriptures that we will either be raised from the dead or be caught up to meet the LORD in the air? (1 Thess 4:16,17, 1 Cor 15:51,52) And that "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor 5:17) And "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Col 3:1-4) And "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Eph 2:5,6)
Will we Saints, having been raised and/or changed to receive our resurrection bodies be divided as sheep from goats? No. We will rule and reign with Him for 1000 years.

Those who enter the millennial kingdom in physical, terrestrial bodies are a peculiar group of people. They were not Christians who were resurrected nor changed to their glorified bodies, nor did they take the mark of the beast and become condemned to eternal damnation, but were, as these scriptures say, "left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem." The saints never come against Jerusalem. They are judged righteous based upon their treatment of brethren of Jesus Christ:

Matt 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The coming of the Lord and the transition and setting up of His government for the millennial kingdom is very different than any other time in the history of man:

"And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light." (Zech 14:5-7)

Have not the Saints been judged already at the Cross?

2 Cor 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Where did we get the idea that only Christians will enter the millennial kingdom? We were taught it, but we didn't study it out and find it in scripture. It has become one of our presuppositions, it's what we automatically assume is true when this topic comes up, but it's not based on the truth of scripture. So, let's change our mind about it.

In Conclusion... Do NOT take the mark of the beast so that you may later repent in order to enter the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ (see Apostasy Beginning Among Leadership)...that is NOT for the Saints! If you are a true Believer in Jesus Christ and have put your trust and confidence in Him through His shed blood which he gave for your sins, you already are no longer an "inhabitant of the earth". You have already been raised in the Spirit to newness of life and ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ Jesus in the Father. Persecution will touch you in completion of the sufferings of Christ but the "tribulation that is to come upon the whole earth..." will not touch you.