Read Textual Sermon from Robert Jeffress
The King Who Reigns Forever
Like many of you, I was one of millions who, a few years ago, was watching the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II.
As I watched that service unfold, I thought about her longevity as queen. During her reign, she had fifteen different prime ministers who served her, beginning with Winston Churchill.
Every United States president from Harry Truman to Joe Biden visited her—with the exception of Lyndon Johnson. She reigned for seventy years and 214 days, making her the longest-reigning monarch in Britain’s history.
But then, she eventually died, and she had to relinquish her kingdom to another.
Ladies and gentlemen, you and I serve a King who also died—but thank God, that’s not the end of the story! He rose again from the dead. And one day, He’s returning to reign over this world. He’s bringing in a new kingdom that we will be a part of.
He is the ruler—the leader that everyone has looked for and longed for, whether they realize it or not. One who rules in compassion, with absolute justice, and with fairness. One who is able to vanquish evil itself.
The Events Before the Millennium
Today, we’re going to talk about an event in the end times that reveals, perhaps more than any other, Jesus as King. It’s an event called the Millennium—the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth.
You know, I was talking to our friend David Jeremiah a week or two ago. He called to check and see how our church was doing, and we were talking about his new book. He said, “There is such an absence of books about the Millennium that I decided to write one.”
He beat me to the punch on it, but he’s got a book coming out about the Millennium. It’s not talked about much at all—and yet, it represents what we’ve all longed for: a perfect kingdom, one over which Jesus Christ has complete authority.
Let’s look at the events that happen right before the Millennium—what happens during that first thirty days after Christ’s return.
One thing that happens is the judgment of the nations. God does judge us individually, but He also judges nations. And remember, only believers can enter into the Millennium. There will be plenty of unbelievers left after Jesus returns—those who survive the Tribulation. So there must be some kind of judgment.
Matthew 25 talks about those judgments that occur when Christ returns before the Millennium—the judgment of nations is one of those.
Next time, we’re going to talk about the different judgments of Jesus Christ—Jesus the Judge. But that’s not the only thing that happens during the first thirty days.
In addition to the judgments, notice that the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be thrown into the Lake of Fire once Jesus returns.
The Defeat of the Antichrist and the Binding of Satan
Immediately at His second coming, the Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 19:20 (KJV) says:
“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.”
What is the Lake of Fire? It is the final destination of every unsaved person who has ever lived. It’s not Hades.
If an unbeliever dies today, Luke 16 says he goes to Hades. He’s conscious—it’s a place of torment, Jesus said—but it’s not the final place of judgment. The final judgment is the Lake of Fire.
And notice—two members of the satanic trinity (Satan, the Beast, and the False Prophet)—the False Prophet and the Beast—are thrown into the Lake of Fire.
But where does Satan go? What happens to him?
That’s the second thing that happens. Satan is bound and imprisoned in the Abyss.
Revelation 20:3 says:
“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.”
The Abyss is a place where especially horrible demons are already imprisoned. Even demons in Jesus’ day begged Him not to send them there (Luke 8:31). They preferred to enter swine rather than be confined in that terrible place.
That’s where the devil will be bound—because unlike the Beast and False Prophet, his work is not finished yet. He will be released again at the end of the Millennium for a short time.
The Resurrection of the Saints
The third event in that first thirty days is the resurrection of the Old Testament and Tribulation saints.
Imagine this like a parade: there’s a leader, and others join the parade at specific points along the route. That’s the picture of the first resurrection.
Who’s in that resurrection parade? It’s led by Jesus Christ—the firstfruits, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15.
Following Jesus is the Church, raised at the Rapture. The dead in Christ will rise—not their spirits, which are already with the Lord—but their bodies. And we who are alive and remain will be transformed.
After that, the Old Testament saints will be raised. Isaiah 26:19 says:
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
Then come the Tribulation martyrs—those who gave their lives for Christ during the Tribulation.
Revelation 20:4 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; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Their bodies will be raised so that they can reign with Jesus Christ in His Millennial Kingdom.
The Government of the Millennium
Daniel 12:12 says:
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
That’s 75 days beyond the end of the Tribulation. I believe this 45-day period following the initial 30 days is when the new government under Jesus Christ is organized. It takes time to set up a real government—and the Kingdom of Christ will be just that: a real, earthly government.
The seat of power will be Jerusalem. The throne will be David’s throne, upon which Messiah will reign. And others will reign with Him—the apostles, the Tribulation saints, and faithful believers.
2 Timothy 2:12 says:
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”
That reign begins in the Millennium.
The Reign of the Perfect King
The Millennium is the fulfillment of prophecies written for thousands of years. Some ask, “Why doesn’t the New Testament say more about it?” John gives us only six short verses in Revelation 20, but the most important thing is the King Himself—Jesus Christ.
From His birth, He was known as King of the Jews. The wise men asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). When He was crucified, the Romans placed a placard over His head: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
During the Millennium, His kingship is fully realized.
Isaiah 11:3–4 says:
“And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.”
Finally—a perfect government. One that never disappoints, one that is fair and righteous.
The Blessings of the Millennium
There will be physical blessings. With Satan bound, much of the curse will be restrained. Isaiah 11:6–8 says:
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid… And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.”
There will be longevity of life. There will still be death, but not like what we experience now.
The Millennium is a renovation of the current earth, while the new heaven and new earth will be a recreation.
I’ve often said: renovation restores what is broken; recreation begins anew. The Millennium is the renovation—the New Heaven and Earth will be the recreation.
And spiritually, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Philippians 2:10–11 says:
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
The Final Rebellion and the Eternal Kingdom
After the thousand years, Satan will be released to lead a final rebellion. Amazingly, some born during the Millennium—despite living under the rule of Christ—will choose to follow him.
A perfect environment is not enough to change the human heart; only the Holy Spirit can do that.
But this rebellion will be short-lived. Fire will come down from heaven and destroy them instantly.
Revelation 20:10 says:
“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 forever and ever.”
Following this comes the resurrection of the unsaved. Those whose names are not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life are cast into the Lake of Fire.
The Question We Must All Answer
Dr. Dave Watson, pastor of Calvary Chapel on Staten Island, told a story about when he was fourteen. He was on the verge of making terrible decisions.
One day, he noticed a magazine his parents received—Decision Magazine by Billy Graham. The cover article read: “Are You Ready for the Last Days?”
He read the article, went to church, and heard the gospel like never before—against the backdrop of the end times. Troubled, he later spoke with a Christian coach at school. That coach shared the truth with him, and Dave Watson said, “I placed my faith and trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of my sins and my eternal destiny.”
I’d like to ask you the same question Billy Graham asked more than fifty years ago:
Are you ready?
Are you prepared for the last days?
Whether it’s the last days of planet earth—or your last days on earth—are you ready?
The best way to prepare is to trust Christ as your Savior. Receive the forgiveness of your sins. Receive the assurance that you will be in heaven one day.
Why is that so important to do now? Because, ladies and gentlemen—the King is coming.
Maranatha—O Lord, come.
Questions This Sermon Answers
- What events will occur immediately before and after the Millennium?
- What is the purpose of the Millennium in God’s prophetic plan?
- How will Christ’s reign differ from earthly governments?
- What happens to Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet?
- How can we prepare for Christ’s return?
