It is apparent that there seems to be a widespread misunderstanding of the events occurring after Yahushua the messiah’s death that lead up to the earthly arrival of father Yahweh.
The sequence of events expounded by many goes something like this:
• Just before the return of Yahushua the messiah there will take place a period of time called the Great Tribulation.
• At the end of the Great Tribulation Yahushua will return to the earth and he will resurrect his saints from the dead during the event called the First Resurrection. The saints are the men and women who died in the faith during the period leading up to the First Resurrection.
They will share rulership with the messiah upon the earth for a thousand years, a time period labeled “The Millennium” and “Millennial Rule.” Also, at this time Satan will be imprisoned.
• At the end of this Millennium, Satan is released to gather the nations to attack Jerusalem. Satan and the attacking nations are subsequently destroyed by father Yahweh with heavenly fire.
• After this destruction of Satan and the nations the Second Resurrection takes place. The Second Resurrection consists of all people who have lived and died who did not take part in the First Resurrection. This period of time has been labeled the “Great White Throne Judgment.”
The Great White Throne Judgment is a time for all people to have a chance to repent and accept Yahweh and obey him. They say the Scriptures indicate that the time allotted to get one’s act together, so to speak, is 100 years.
• At the end of this time period all those who have not met Yahweh’s requirements for salvation and eternal life will be eternally destroyed by fire from father Yahweh. All the rest of mankind are saved and receive eternal life.
Sorry to say, but this just isn’t quite the scenario that Scriptures lay out. Let’s say we investigate Scriptures to find out the truth of the matter.
The First Resurrection
To begin, at the end of the Great Tribulation, Yahushua the messiah returns to the earth and resurrects his saints from the dead, an event called the First Resurrection. This much we can agree on.
At this point, it is important to note that a different story begins to unfold. According to Scriptures those who take part in the First Resurrection are only the 24 elders (Revelation 4:4) and 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel (the tribe of Dan being excluded). In regard to the 144,000:
Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our deity in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 7:3-4)
Regarding both groups, elders and 144,000, taking part in the First Resurrection:
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the ELDERS: and no man could learn that song but the HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND, which were redeemed from the earth. THESE ARE THEY WHICH WERE NOT DEFILED WITH WOMEN; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth. THESE WERE REDEEMED FROM AMONG MEN, BEING THE FIRSTFRUITS unto the deity and to the lamb. (Revelation 14:3-4)
Also notice that those redeemed are not defiled with women thereby identifying them as men only.
Yahushua the messiah not only raises his elect but gathers them and brings them with him to Jerusalem.
And he (Yahushua) will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:31)
And Yahweh eloahi will come, all of the saints will be with you. . . . And they will live in it (Jerusalem). And a shutting in (of the city) will not happen again, but Jerusalem will dwell safely. (Zechariah 14:5, 11)
After the elect are gathered and brought to Jerusalem, Scriptures inform us:
And I saw the lives of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahushua, and for the word of the deity, 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 messiah a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
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 the deity and of messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)
Satan Released
The next sequence of events is crucial to understanding the concept of the Millennial Judgment Day (8th millennial day).
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 20:5)
Also at the end of the 7th-Millennial Sabbath rule of Yahushua with his elect and before the Second Resurrection, Satan is released from his prison.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. 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. 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 the deity out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:7-9)
All Mankind Dies
Sometime after this event all mankind (men and women) who are still alive must suffer their fate of death. For without dying they cannot take part in the Second Resurrection which takes place during the Millennial Judgment Day.
And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)
At this point as we proceed, we should recognize that an extremely important scriptural and doctrinal precept has been missed by most of those teaching the matters of the First Resurrection and Second Resurrection. What most have missed is the doctrinal issue of the Millennial Judgment Day, also called the Judgment Day!
The Millennial Judgment Day (8th Millennial Day)
The Millennial Judgment Day is a period of time that lasts approximately a thousand years in addition to the previous 1000-year rule of Yahushua together with the 24 elders and the 144,000 saints of the First Resurrection. This previous 1000-year rule is also referred to as the 7th Millennium or 7th-Millennial Sabbath rule of Yahushua and his saints.
The key to understanding the Millennial Judgment Day or the approximate 1000-year Judgment day is contained in the book of 2 Peter:
Yet the present heavens and earth are treasured up by his word, fire being kept for a DAY OF JUDGMENT and destruction of wicked men. Yet do not let this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that ONE DAY IS WITH YAHWEH AS A THOUSAND YEARS, AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY.Yahweh does not delay the promise, as some esteem delay, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:7-9)
Besides the fact that Peter spoke directly to Yahushua, he also had scriptures to back up this interpretation.
A thousand years is as yesterday when it has passed. (Psalms 90:4)
Again from Psalms:
For a day in your (Yahweh’s) court is better than a thousand years. (Psalms 84:10)
An approximate 1000-year day is also indicated in the Garden of Eden.
Yet of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will not eat from it, because IN THE DAY of your eating from it you will surely die. (Genesis 2:17)
Adam eventually ate the forbidden fruit and, in fact, did die in that DAY at the age of 930, not reaching a thousand years of age.
Also, one must be careful to distinguish between the approximate 1000-year Judgment Day (Millennial Judgment Day) and the specific 24-hour day when the Final Judgment takes place occurring at the end of the Millennial Judgment Day.
The key is that if Scriptures indicate a separate Judgment Day lasting about 1000 years in addition to the 7th-Millennial Sabbath rule of the messiah and his saints then one cannot miss the fact of the scriptural doctrine of 8 millennial days (approximately 8000 years) appointed to mankind for the completion of their judgment.
Reason for the Millennial Judgment Day
The Millennial Judgment Day is in fact the time for all peoples from the Second Resurrection to know Yahweh and accept him. Instead of 100 years as incorrectly determined by others, mankind will have approximately 1000 years to attain the inheritance of salvation and eternal life.
The reason for an approximate 1000-year time period is given in 2 Peter:
Yahweh is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Because of the Judgment Day lasting for approximately 1000 years, there will be those who will not recognize the importance of Yahweh’s patience as it pertains to one’s quest for eternal life.
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And 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 . . . But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of wicked men. (2 Peter 3:3-4, 7)
Allegories
The Millennial Judgment Day is also revealed in several scriptural allegories.
For example, all males in the household of Abraham and, later, among the Israelites living under the Torah of Moses were circumcised on the 8th day, the infant being designated as unclean for the first seven days (Gen. 17:11-14; Lev. 12:1-3). Those not circumcised on the 8th day were cut off from the covenant people (Gen. 17:14). In the days of the messiah, it was on the 8th day that the infant also received his name (Luke 1:59-63, 2:21).
Circumcision of the flesh is an allegory for being circumcised of the heart, a reference to the removal of sin from one’s inner self, baptism in the sacred ruach , and the receiving of eternal life (Col. 2:11). The granting of a name on the 8th day is a reference to father Yahweh’s name being placed upon the saved (Rev. 2:17, 3:12, 14:1, 22:4).
Further, we have the words of Jeremiah, directly connecting the gehenna fire at the end of the Judgment Day with circumcision of the heart (inner self):
For thus said Yahweh to the males of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up your fallow ground and do not sow to the thorns. Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh and males of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem remove the foreskin of your heart (inner self), lest my wrath will go forth AS FIRE AND BURN SO THAT NONE CAN QUENCH IT because of the evil of your doings. (Jeremiah 4:3-4)
Prophetic Nature of 7th Month
Of course, the very sacred days of the 7th month prophetically demonstrate Yahweh’s Judgment Day for all of mankind whereby everyone who chooses can attain the inheritance of salvation and eternal life.
For instance, the Day of Trumpets sounds the alarm that the 7th-Millennial Sabbath Day is about to end meaning that all mankind will have to experience death before the Second Resurrection. During this period Satan is released and subsequently destroyed.
Also toward the end of the 7th-Millennial Sabbath Day, when the Day of Atonement arrives, all those living of mankind will have died thereby atoning for their sins.
Second Resurrrection
At the beginning of the Millennial Judgment Day during the 7-day Festival of Tabernacles the Second Resurrection takes place encompassing all of mankind who are dead, asleep in sheol. The 7 days of the Festival symbolizes the Millennial Judgment Day when Yahushua will dwell or tabernacle with mankind. Three previously cited scriptures provide more insight:
And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 20:5)
Yet the present heavens and earth are treasured up by his word, fire being kept for a DAY OF JUDGMENT and destruction of wicked men. Yet do not let this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that ONE DAY IS WITH YAHWEH AS A THOUSAND YEARS, AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY.Yahweh does not delay the promise, as some esteem delay, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:7-9)
The Festival of Ingathering
Therefore the messiah will reign over his kingdom for about 2000 years before the coming of father Yahweh. The 7 days of the Festival of Tabernacles is followed by the 8th day, the Festival of Ingathering, also referred to as “the last day, that great day of the festival,” (John 7:37) which further demonstrates the principle of the Millennial Judgment Day.
The Festival of Ingathering, the 8th day, is a clear reference to the ingathering of the great harvest of all those saved at the great universal gathering to father Yahweh when he arrives at the end of the Millennial Judgment Day.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living deity, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable company of angels, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is deity of all, and to the ruachim of just men made perfect. (Hebrews 12:22-23)
Summary
In conclusion, Scriptures make it clear that in addition to the Millennial Sabbath Day Rule of Yahushua the messiah and his elect, there will also be an 8th-Millennial period of time, which can be referred to as the Millennial Judgment Day, whereby all of the rest of mankind will be resurrected back to life for an opportunity to attain salvation and eternal life.
I have never heard of the 100 year judgement. Who proposes that?
Howdy D,
Don’t want to give out particular names but I can tell you that this is the position of two major assemblies headquartered in Missouri.
Wasn’t the death of Adam a spiritual death? And that happened the day he ate the forbidden fruit. I do believe Yahweh can tell time, and one day is AS a thousand years, and a thousand years AS one day. That was because he was talking about scoffers that were saying, where is this coming that was promised?
He was saying it may seem like it has been a long time to us, but he will fulfill his promises. He was also talking about time that had already passed, not a formula for the future.
Who was Peter writing to? There is a specific audience for what he wrote, and it wasn’t you and I. It was first century christians.
Who was James writing to when he wrote…
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
It seems like a specific statement written to a specific group of people.
You also quoted Revelation. I was wondering what you thought of this verse…
1:1 “1The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what MUST SOON TAKE PLACE. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ”
Soon means soon.
If it doesn’t, should we be also expecting Timothy?
1 Timothy 3:14
“14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that,”
Another verse from Revelation…
1:3 “3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
I believe that this very clear statement is true. The time was near when this was written. It loses all meaning when you carry this out 2000 years. Or more, I am not positive what your stance is.
Hello Gary,
I am quite familiar with your viewpoint which goes by the label of “Preterism.” There are many others who have dealt with this false doctrine. For more insight on “Preterism” I would suggest the reader take a look at the particular article, of which there are many similar ones, located at this link http://bit.ly/Qva047 titled “A Critique of Preterism.”
Have a nice day.
Do you personally agree with that article?
Because there are many false statements about what I believe. I would love to discuss the “reasons”.
Gary,
Here is the bottom line. If you hold to the any of the views related to Preterism, Partial Preterism, or Amillennialism there would be no point in discussing the reasons why you disagree. Don’t mean to be abrupt but I have had discussions with persons who hold to such views and I have used Scriptures to point out the error of their ways to no avail. It is readily apparent that the Preterist view is recognized as a false doctrine by the majority of knowledgeable Christians. There are many articles available on the web that address the larger issues quite well. Since there can be variations of the Preterist doctrine there is no one article that will be able to cover all the points adequately. The Yahu Ranger Report is really not the forum for discussions of Preterism, partial or otherwise.