Originally posted by Rajk999
The millennial reign of Christ is on the earth, and will begin immediately after he returns. nobody knows when or how or even if people will notice any immediate difference.
Why do you say that ?
Revelation 18 shows Christ descending as
"another Angel" illuminating the whole earth.
"After these things I saw another Angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority and the earth was illumined with His glory." (Rev. 18:1)
For the earth to be
"ILLUMINED WITH HIS GLORY" does not indicate something secretive.
Rule means just about everything it takes to run the planet properly.
That I have no problem with. It says that Christ will
SHEPHERD the nations. And this He does with His co-kings with an
"iron rod" which indicates strong governmental power.
And to shepherd is to care for them as a shepherd leads and directs his flock of sheep.
This is also not secretive but open and manifest across the globe.
" And out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it He might smite the nations;
And He will shepherd them with an iron rod, ... " (See Rev. 19:15)
And He is JOINED in this shepherding by the overcoming and rewarded saints from down through the church age - those rewarded to do so.
"And he who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;
And he will shepherd t hem with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also received from My Father." (Rev. 2:26,27)
As the need arises Christ and His co-kings will smack the nations with that iron rod and bust them when needed.
Wolfgang seems to think this is pertaining to heaven. But it is a reigning on the EARTH.
" ... for You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9b-10)
I have contended before with Christians that this heaven going business is not in the bible. {none of them could show me where the Bible says that]. Everybody stays here. In the end after Christ is finished, then the New Jerusalem is the new abode for all of the righteous.
That is right except for the fact that the New Jerusalem is just the enlargement of the church.
The new covenant believers have COME to the heavenly Jerusalem even in the church age.
"But you have come forward to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the universal gathering;
And to the church of the firstborn, who have been enrolled in the heavens; and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men who have been made perfect:
And to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks of something better than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:22-24)
The Christians coming to the New Jerusalem in the church age already mean they are becoming the New Jerusalem.
You call me a false teacher but there is really no comparison to your light weight erroneous treatment of many passages and what I carefully correct here after you.