Jerusalem was now a harlot, not a beloved city. “THE WHORE…she shall be BURNT WITH FIRE.” (Lev.21:9) In the parable of the Marriage Feast, Jesus for told what would become of their city. “But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth HIS ARMIES, and DESTROYED those murderers, and BURNED UP THEIR CITY.” (Matthew 22:7) The Roman Armies were used by God's sovereign rule over the kingdoms of men. (Dan.4:17) The tares were separated from the wheat, “gathered and BURNED IN THE FIRE, so shall it be in the end of this age.” (Mt.13:40) The goats were these same tares, who were commanded to “Depart from me, ye cursed, INTO EVERLASTING FIRE.” (Matthew 25:41)
Revelation 20:10 “ 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.”
The unholy trinity consists of Satan, Caesar, and the Circumcision. The devil is of course, Satan. The beast is Caesar, and Rome's authority. The false prophet is that corrupt religious system of Old Covenant Judaism and the law. The devil had joined Caesar and Rome's authority, along with Jerusalem's authority, using both Rome's and Jerusalem's law to bring about much death. (2 Cor. 3:7) The accuser was then most empowered. “The power of sin is the law.” (1 Cor. 15:56) Satan now would join his puppets in the lake of fire. (Rev.19:20)
The lake of fire and brimstone is metaphorical language for judgment, not for annihilation. The devil faced this fiery judgment, and is now in torment, and regret. (1 Cor.2:8) His head has been crushed. (Gen.3:15, Mt.27:33 ) Did not Jesus stand on the place of the skull. (Rom.16:20) Satan's authority has been stripped (Lk.10:18), and he's been ousted from ruling the world. (Jn.12:31) Satan has been judged, dethroned, and defeated, but not exterminated. There has not been a destruction of his being, but of his wellbeing. “NOW is the judgment of this world: NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) It was a forty year “mop up” period, from 30 A.D. to 70 A.D.. At this time (70 A.D.) the title deed to the earth was established in the New Covenant, in the New Man, the last Adam. (Revelation 5, 1 Cor.15:45)
He is the accuser and slanderer, who is most empowered through the administration and manipulation of law. First century Jerusalem and Rome, were the most corrupt, brutal, and deadly cities in the world. They used law to bring about this death. It was through an iron fist, with the ministry of death, through the manipulation and condemnation of law, that the most crafty within these cities maintained their position of power. Satan, who was more crafty than even the beast (Gen.3:1), was the ruler of these most influential of cities. City's who's influence truly ruled the world. They were, as history makes clear, also filled with much corruption and immorality. Rome's immorality was external and paraded, while Jerusalem's was worse, in that it was hidden within the heart and craftily disguised. The reality of why, and how these systems operated is found in 1 Cor.15:56, “The sting of DEATH is sin; and THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW.” Satan has full power to accuse, using law. He then brings forth death thru administering law. Without the law, and it's most detailed enforcer overseeing Judaism in the temple, Satan is dethroned from his place of authority and rule.
At a certain point in World War Two, it was academic, that the war had been won. The rest of the time would be spent on “Mop up.” There would be a final dethroning of Japanese, and Nazi authority, yet rulers of these defeated systems would continue to exist, but not empowered so as to oppose the victors. Christ in His Church, and over the kingdom's of men is the victor! The gates/strategies of hell, cannot prevail against Him in His Church! (Eph.3:10)
In the World War Two analogy, Japan and Germany faced a fiery judgment, yet did not cease from functioning as nations. They became very limited in what they could and couldn't do, all under the authority of the victors. Satan can still function, but is a defeated foe. He is literally powerless before Jesus' authority in His Church. His rights have been stripped away from ruling the world. He is not the god of this “age.” Only those nations who honor Jesus, the ruler of all nations, will be exalted as the most powerful amongst nations. In every way, economically, militarily, politically, and morally, those nations who remain the most faithful to the gospel/word of God will be exalted in all these arenas. This exaltation, involves ruling over the nations who become unfaithful to Christ, or over those who reject His grace altogether. “(His) Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov.14:34,) Without Jesus there is no sin remedy, therefore there is no righteousness for the nation which rejects Him. Any nation opposing this rule, shaking their collective fist at Christ, will experience a very limited, cursed ,or short lived kingdom. “Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against HIS ANOINTED/CHRIST, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set MY KING upon my holy hill of ZION. (Heb.12:22) I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE. (John 3:16) Ask of me, and I shall give thee THE NATIONS for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Mt.13:44, The real land promise.) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Rev.2:26. 27 says that Jesus would accomplish this ruling with a rod of iron, which is spiritual authority, through His church in the first century.) 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) This Psalm and Psalm 110, are the most quoted passages in the New Testament taken from the Old Testament. Perhaps they are of importance to God, in his revelation of the New Covenant within the New Testament Scriptures. In Jesus' rule over all nations (Rev.11:15), adjustments of grace, mercy and judgment, are going on constantly to bring about repentance, rewarding righteousness with blessing, and unrighteousness with cursing. Keep in mind that when dealing with corporate nations, we must think of each nation as a whole, not what factions, or groups within are doing and saying. This empowerment and blessing comes outwardly, only after the first place priority of seeking the spiritual kingdom takes place inwardly. Then the blessings follow. (Mt.6:33, Psalm 35:27, 3 John 2)
But, I thought after Satan is thrown into the lake of fire, there would be no more evil in the world. If that were the case, then we cannot explain why people are still dying after the “New Heavens and New Earth” of The Book of Revelation, chapter 21. Revelation is quoting from Isaiah 65:17-20, when after the New Heavens and Earth in 65:17, “a child shall die at an hundred years old, but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” Both die at one hundred, the one as a child, blessed and happy, while the other is cursed and miserable. (65:20)
Nevertheless, people are dying after the New Heavens and New Earth. How's that wrench? Thank Terry Kashian for this point. By the way, the New Heavens and Earth supposedly brought in after nuclear war takes place in 2 Peter 3, coinciding with Rev.21's New Heaven and Earth, transpires AFTER the millennium. Another wrench for doomsday prognosticators.
No physical utopia is seen further after the “New Heavens and Earth” , as there are “nations” in Revelation 21:21,25, who are walking in the light of the New Jerusalem. In heaven, there are no nations, but only one nation. (1 Pet.2:9) If there was a physical utopia, why then is there a need for healing of these nations? (Rev.22:2) If this is a physical utopia, then what nations, and what healing would be needed?
Finally, if all evil has been removed, then where did the dog's, sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and those that love and make a lie, come from? (Rev.22:15) These are WITHOUT the city. They are not in the New Jerusalem, New Covenant (Gal.4:22-31, Heb.12:22, Mt.5:14, City of light), but outside in darkness. That is why the gates of the city are always open to those outside in the darkness. Open for them to come into the city with constant light and no night. (Rev.21:25) “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev.22:17) There was darkness and light spiritually before the creation of the physical light in Genesis. (Gen.1:2,3,14) This dividing of the darkness and light was from the beginning, so as allow for an antithesis to God's way's. This also allows for the opportunity to choose love. “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7) He will not take away our ability to choose. Therefore, whosoever will let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17) Also note, that AFTER the NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH in Isaiah 65:17-20, which is quoted in Revelation 21:1, there are people dying (Isaiah 65:20). No physical utopia here. Also note, that the New Heavens and New Earth are the bride, the Lamb's wife (Revelation 21:1,2,9)
This concept of a carnal kingdom (Luke 17:20), or physical utopia, is rooted in the misunderstanding of Adam's sin and death in the Garden. Would Adam have lived physically forever, if he had not sinned? The answer is very clearly inferred. He chose between “every tree of the garden” (Gen.2:16), and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the day that he chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he surely died. (Gen.2:17) Did he die physically? No, because that's not the kind of death God was talking about. Amongst every tree of the garden was “The tree of life.” (2:22) It was of this uneaten tree, that if he had eaten from it, Adam would have lived forever. After sinning, he could not eat of this tree, because things would have to unfold in the redemptive plan of God. That is, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world/kosmos” (Revelation 13:8). This was the plan all along laid out by Jehovah sneaky. It was always His plan to bring mankind out of Adam and into Christ. Adam had to fail, because he was of a corruptible nature not able to resist sin. Christ is of a nature that cannot sin! This is how the inspired Apostles handled the Genesis account of Adam! Now, we who are born into Adam can partake of this tree, and be transformed from Adam into Christ. The tree of life is Christ. (Rev.2:2) It was Calvary's tree of death, that brought about the New resurrection life of Christ that we all can partake of! “Cursed is he that hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” (Gal.3:13)
We must ask ourselves, does the word of God change? When it says, “…the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor.4:18) , was this truth different back in the garden? Was Adam seen physically before the fall? Yes, therefore, he being a natural man, and not a spiritual man, was temporal. (1 Cor.15:45,46, 1 Cor.2:14)) Has this truth changed in the current “state of things” to mean that physically seen things now are temporal, but physically seen things “in the future utopia” will be eternal? How many time does God's word change? Never! Man did live a shorter and shorter lifespan after sin, because his body was not designed for sin. We now have eternal life through Christ. Eternal, invisible to the natural eye, that is Adam's eye's, but this life can be seen by us who are born of the Spirit. (John 3:3, 1 Cor.2:13-16)
Remember, that John is instructed to “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Rev.22:10) The time was at hand for all of the sayings of the prophecy of this book, not for some of the sayings of the prophecy of this book to unfold.
Revelation 20:11“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 a great white THRONE…” First off, we must understand that God's throne is a none physical throne. We come to this same throne of grace today. (Heb.4:16) It is from this throne also, that judgment is carried out. It's a throne that seats the highest authority in the universe. On earth ,Moses' seat was a figurative “seat” that was the “place” of authority for Old Covenant leaders. (Mt.23:2) Rome also had a place referred to as a judgment seat, even one for Caesar himself. (Acts 25:6,10) Therefore, we must establish that God, who is Spirit, sit's upon a nonphysical throne.
In Matthew 25:31 we see this same great white throne judgment. “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:” Is he referring to one made of Cherry Wood, perhaps? No, it's the same one that he says of, “I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His THRONE.” His Father, who is Spirit. (Rev.3:21, John 4:23,24) By the way, Jesus is now glorified in heaven, and is therefore not of flesh and blood, because flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50). After His ascension, we see Him appearing as a bright light to Paul in Acts 9:3, and as, “…the Son of man…His head and hairs white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters…in his hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:13-16). Now John is seeing Jesus in the Spirit (Revelation 1:10), recording a vision, “What thou seest, write in a book…” (Revelation 1:11). John is not interacting with the incarnated Jesus, but rather the glorified Jesus after His ascension. He is relating to Jesus in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Think about it, “…though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hence forth know we Him NO MORE.” (2 Corinthians 5:16) The natural man longs to cling to the physical Jesus in His physical state before the ascension (John 20:17, Luke 17:22). This is exactly what Jesus was preparing His disciples for in John 13-17. It is exactly what He was teaching them for 40 days as He weaned them off of the physical relationship to Himself (Acts 1:3). If you're wondering about Acts 1:9-11, just know that His coming “in like manner” (Greek: “Tropos”), is His coming in a figurative manner, that is, figuratively coming in a cloud (of judgment) in verse 9. For one such example of tropos' usage, see it in Matthew 23:37 with “…as a hen.”
Jesus is now in His eternal state, as the eternal Son of the trinity. The one who spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:1, Colossians 1:16), the great I AM. In order to be eternal, one has to be invisible, “…things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). In the incarnation, we see that this was not the eternal state of Jesus, but a temporal one. Jesus, “WHO IN THE DAYS OF HIS FLESH…” (Hebrews 5:7) The clear inference here is that Jesus is not presently in His flesh. There was one reason, and one reason alone, for Him to become flesh (John 1:14), “…a body has thou prepared me”. The clear context of Hebrews 9 and 10 here, is the sacrifice of Jesus fulfilling the types and shadows of the sacrificial system. This was the sole reason for the incarnation. Therefore we must understand that THE THRONE is in the Spirit. Remember, it is the throne of kingdom that comes not by observation (Luke 17:20,21). It's no more physical than the “books” in the next verse (Rev.20:12), or the key and chain in the first verse, or the old serpent in the second verse, which is not an aged slithering reptile! Consider also that, “Thy THRONE, o God…”, is not in the plural, “Thy THRONES o God…” (Psalm 45:6, Hebrews 1:8) That is, He does not have both a spiritual throne, which is invisible, as well as a physical throne (Luke 17:20-22). “The heaven is my THRONE (singular), and the earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1, Acts 7:49,50). These feet are in the body by the way (Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20).
Matthew 25:32 “And before him shall be gathered all nations…” Josephus refers to the Nation of the Samaritans, the Nation of the Botanaeans, and the Nation of the Galileans. He says that Judea is a nation with its own king. Peraea, Idumea, Trachonitis, Iturdea, Abilene, are all described as having princes, or a ruler of a nation. That is with the title “Ethnarch.” Again, we must understand that Rev.1:7 says that, “all the TRIBES (of the Jewish nation) of the land shall wail because of him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zech.12:10) In that day shall there be a great mourning IN JERUSALEM! (Zech.12:10, 11) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Where is this all taking place? IN JERUSALEM! (Mt.24:16) “…Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”(Mt.10:23) The “nations,” consist of the nation of Palestine, and those nations throughout the empire where Jews were scattered. The Gospel went out into all the Roman world (Mt.24:15, Col.1:6,23) , every nation under heaven heard (Acts 2:5), nations where Jews had made a decision concerning Christ one way, or the other. With Jesus, or against Him, wheat or chaff, wheat or tares, and in this passage sheep or goats, true Jews, or false Jews (Revelation 2:9, 3:9, Romans 2:28,29). The end of the age would gather the elect, and judge those who were against Christ. ( Mt. 12:30, Mt.3:12, Mt.13:40) He would reveal the wheat (Manifest the true son's of God, Old Covenant Jews, or New Covenant Jews-Rom.8:19) , and “burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The “tares were gathered and burned in the fire.” And to the goats He said, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Mt.25:41) What is the timing for this fiery judgment? At his coming at the end of the age. (Mt.13:40) His coming in judgment upon “that generation”, at the end of the age. (Mt.23:36, 24:34) Not the end of the globe, but the end of the Old Covenant age. It was His coming in judgment upon that Old Covenant system, and it's corrupt leaders!
“All nations” is truly in reference to the Tribes of the Jewish Nation within Palestine, and those who were scattered throughout all the nations. (Acts 2:5, Romans 16:26) “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the land mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30) The “gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ…the mystery…made manifest by the scriptures…(was) MADE KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS for the obedience of faith.” (Rom.16:26) As the gospel went out to the Jew first (Rom.1:16) and into all the “world”, many gentiles were, as we know, converted. (Acts 11:18) Then at the end of the age, “lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before THE THRONE, and before the lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9) All nations and tribes were divided within themselves, having those with him/gathered to him, and those against him. The tribes, most of which were in Jerusalem, at the time of His coming in judgment upon the city, repented and mourned for Jesus, and saw/perceived that He was The Messiah. Even those who were scattered into all the nations, would have mourned their city's' and temples' destruction. They would, for the most part, acknowledge that Jesus' words concerning the city and temple had come to pass. Therefore, His words were true, and He was The Messiah! (Rev.1:7, Mt.26:64, Rom.11:25,26, Jn.3:3) Those who were already believers had heeded his words to get out of the city. “And when YE shall see JERUSALEM compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea (Not Georgia, it's not a global tribulation.) flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter there into. For THESE be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” (Lk.21:20-23) To these sheep he says, “Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you…” (Mt.25:34) To the unrepentant goats facing the second death, He says to, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels.”
There is a visible side, and an invisible side, to Jesus' coming in judgment upon Jerusalem. The throne, as we have established is invisible, the invading army and burning city is not. (Mt.22:7) However, the fire has another aspect here. First the natural fire, then the spiritual fire as those murderers stood before the all-consuming fire after physical death (Hebrews 12:29, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
“HEAVEN AND EARTH fled away.” This is the same OLD HEAVENS AND EARTH to be dissolved in 2 Peter 3. For details on this, read the article, “Are we living in the last days?” It's also the same passing of HEAVEN AND EARTH in (Revelation 21:1-5) For a brief look at HEAVEN AND EARTH, and how these words are used throughout the scriptures, we need first to look to the Old Testament. When Daniel says that, “the HEAVENS DO RULE” (Dan.4:26), he is not referring to anything physical. God, who is spirit, is the HIGHEST AUTHORITY, thus “HEAVENS” is used. Also, the glory of the HEAVENS, speaks of HIS GLORY. (Ps.19:1-6) “His is THE KINGDOM, and the POWER, and the GLORY, forever. Amen.” (Mt.6:13) Therefore, His rule from HEAVEN on EARTH is the plan of God. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done ON EARTH as it is in HEAVEN. This is the covenant relationship between the perfect, infinite, all powerful, holy and pure God of the universe, coming to flawed man upon the EARTH. Old Covenant Israel was in this covenant relationship with God. We see these same terms, HEAVEN and EARTH, used to communicate God's covenant people on earth, in ISAIAH 51:16. “And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant THE HEAVENS, and lay the foundation of the EARTH, AND SAY UNTO ZION, THOU ART MY PEOPLE.” The covenant people would have God's presence with them on EARTH, as a covenant people in relationship with God from HEAVEN.
The HEAVENS are often used in a nonphysical way throughout scripture. They are exclusively used this way in prophetic passages. The HEAVENS BOWED, as God fought on David's behalf, in delivering him from Saul. But, none of this transpired in the physical realm. (Ps.18:9) Rather, ruling authority (THE HEAVENS) was being taken from Saul, and given to David. That is the “HEAVENS BOWED”, and Saul's authority was brought DOWN. We see the same thing with Joseph as the Sun, Moon, and Stars were referring to his family members that ruled over him, and how they would someday BOW to his authority and rule.
