Originally posted by sonshipI know you wrote this in reply to divegeester, but I frankly don't get it either.
Divegeester,
Question:
1.) After 1,000 years of Christ restoring a paradise like situation of plenty, peace, harmony and bountiful blessing in the millennial age (as many OT prophecies indicate) HOW is it that people being witnesses of this overflowing benefit will STILL be able to turn and HATE Christ and God ?
[quote] [b] "And whe ...[text shortened]... , with Satan bound up in a prison, has not given rise to gratitude to a huge number of humans ?
I would think that mankind, especially a mankind who has been melded with God into 'Godmen', and free of the corrupting influence of Satan for 1,000 years, would not be susceptible to Satan's old tricks. So this description of what Satan tries to accomplish after the 1,000 years seems baffling to me. Even more baffling is that he actually succeeds in deceiving men to follow him yet again.
Originally posted by SuzianneSuzianne I am too limited in time to discuss this right now. But briefly I would say that these ones who are deceived are NOT, I repeat are NOT regenerated people being sanctified into Godmen.
I know you wrote this in reply to divegeester, but I frankly don't get it either.
I would think that mankind, especially a mankind who has been melded with God into 'Godmen', and free of the corrupting influence of Satan for 1,000 years, would not be susceptible to Satan's old tricks. So this description of what Satan tries to accomplish after the 1,000 ...[text shortened]... o me. Even more baffling is that he actually succeeds in deceiving men to follow him yet again.
No these are the nations of people either transferred from the previous age into the millennial kingdom or people born during that time.
The removes some of the bafflement from the issue.
They are restored nations but unregenerated.
They are restored to be as the natural Adam and Eve were before they fell.
And not all of these unregenerated yet restored nations will follow that last rebellion. But evidently a very large number do.
Originally posted by sonshipSo these people supposedly in "revolt" are Christians?
God's kindness and mercy so continuously and prolongingly demonstrated (as if punishment were the furthest thing from His desire,) is met with mass revolt.
Any thoughts on that ?
Surely you are not suggesting that people who do not have the same beliefs as you are in "revolt" against the things you believe in?
Originally posted by sonshipNo and no? So the people you say are in "revolt" are neither believers nor non-believers, is that it?. This is incoherent. If you accept that people cannot be in "revolt" against a God figure they simply do not believe in, then who is it you reckon is in "revolt"?
No.
No.
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-Removed-What you find "acceptable" cannot be forced on to God.
He did not consult with you when He created the heavens and the earth Gen. 1:1. Neither will He consult with you when those whose names are not recorded in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
We may pray.
We may petition God for men's salvation.
We may share the Gospel with them.
And above all we may live out Christ for them to see.
This is influence enough.
But to dictate to God to only do what we find "acceptable" is not always in our ability to do.
And the passage indicates that there is a state in which men are beyond reconciliation and remedy concerning their God.
It is interesting.
RJHinds rants about billions of years to make his objections.
And you rant about billions of people to make yours.
What we know is this -
"And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:15)
And of course we know the positive aspects of the Gospel - "eternal life".
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Originally posted by SuzianneIt may be baffling (I've wondered about this too) but that is what the passage from Revelations is saying.
I know you wrote this in reply to divegeester, but I frankly don't get it either.
I would think that mankind, especially a mankind who has been melded with God into 'Godmen', and free of the corrupting influence of Satan for 1,000 years, would not be susceptible to Satan's old tricks. So this description of what Satan tries to accomplish after the 1,000 ...[text shortened]... o me. Even more baffling is that he actually succeeds in deceiving men to follow him yet again.
We've never had a thousand years of peace (without war) so it obviously isn't a reference to anytime in our past history. And if I'm not mistaken there are passages from the OT that describe a long stretch of time where lifespans will significantly increase... I don't remember the exact quote or where to find it, but one passage says something like 'it will be said that anyone who dies when he is 100 years old will have died young'.
I also recall seeing a passage that says every man will live in the house he builds (or builds the house he lives in). The idea being no one will be a servant, or dependent on someone else to take care of their business.
edits: Isaiah 65:20 (specific reference to lifespans)
[found within context of Isaiah 65: 17-25]
Originally posted by lemon limeGood succinct post.
It may be baffling (I've wondered about this too) but that is what the passage from Revelations is saying.
We've never had a thousand years of peace (without war) so it obviously isn't a reference to anytime in our past history. And if I'm not mistaken there are passages from the OT that describe a long stretch of time where lifespans will significantl ...[text shortened]... : Isaiah 65:20 (specific reference to lifespans)
[found within context of Isaiah 65: 17-25][/b]
I may learn to be so brief yet.
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When Christ returns to earth just before the millennial kingdom, some people who didn't know Him, will be transferred into the millennial kingdom of 1,000 years.
These are "sheep" of Matthew 25:31-46 who "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (v.34).
That means the blessed created earth that God prepared for Adam is restored. And they too are restored to be like Adam.
Now this is a brief post instead of my infamous "wall of text" which many whine about. But the reason this concept is difficult for many evangelical Christians is because they are so use to thinking only in a binary manner - either people are born again and saved or not born again and lost.
The saints reign for 1,000 years. And they also reign forever. It should not mean that they reign over each other. There has to be some people over whom to reign.
These are nations transferred into the millennial kingdom from the present age who will also continue to have children. These are not born again. But they are healed and restored to be as Adam was from the foundation of the world.
And the more I would like to explain, the LONGER this post gets. So some important things will just have to go unsaid right now.
PS. Just have to add one thing.
The healed nations enjoy what was prepared for them "FROM the foundation of the world." (Matt. 25:34). But the sons of God, the regenerated were chosen "BEFORE the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4)
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How many people imagine that this passage means that the reborn sons of God saved will reign over each other forever and ever ?
"And they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
And night will be no more; and they have no need of the light of a lamp and of the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine upon them; and they will reign forever and ever." (Rev. 22:4,5)
Both in the millennial kingdom and in the eternal age there should be some people for the sons of God to reign over. It should not mean that the sons of God reign over the sons of God - ie. over each other.
Understanding this helps to understand how some reigned over nations after the 1,000 years could be deceived after such a period of blessing to revolt and join Satan's last rebellion.