Chapters 10-14 in the book of Zechariah are an absolute treasure trove of information for the student of Bible prophecy for detailed information on the Second Coming and earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ.
"And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one." Zechariah 14:9 (KJV)
The Bible has much to say about the coming time when Jesus Christ will return to this earth as a conquering King, and claim His Throne in Jerusalem. Not in metaphor, simile or parable, but literally, visibly and physically. His reign as King over all the Earth will last for one thousand literal years, in a day period known as the Day of the Lord. Remember how Peter said that a "thousand years is as one day"? This is what he was referring to.
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 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 yearsshould be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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 God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 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." Revelation 20:2-8 (KJV)
Read those verses and study what they are saying. This is not a metaphor for some cosmic happening, John is showing us that the Devil will literally bound for one thousand years while Jesus rules the Earth. This is not parabolic language, this is a listing of upcoming literal events and the order in which they will occur. The prophet Zechariah has more to tell us on the thousand year reign of Jesus.
Zechariah repeatedly uses the expression 'that day' when discussing the Second Coming and rule of Jesus
Chapters 10-14 in the book of Zechariah are an absolute treasure trove of information for the student of Bible prophecy for detailed information on the Second Coming and earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ.
- THE LORD RETURNS TO FIGHT FOR HIS CITY JERUSALEM: Jesus in Matthew 24, talking about the persecution of the Jews in Israel in the time of Jacob's trouble, warns the Jews to "flee to the mountains" for safety. Three and one half years later Jesus returns as a conquering King to defend Jerusalem and rescue the remnant of His People the Jews. "In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." Zechariah 12:8,9 (KJV)
- ISRAEL WILL SEE 66% OF ITS POPULATION DIE IN THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE: Israel will pay a whoppingly high price for their refusal to accept Jesus as the Messiah in the Church Age. Yes, Jesus comes to open their eyes and restore them, but only after two thirds have died under Antichrist. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13:8,9 (KJV)
- JESUS RETURNS AS KING IN JERUSALEM: Zechariah shows us Jesus setting up His Kingdom in Jerusalem. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one." Zechariah 14:6-9 (KJV)
- PHYSICAL JERUSALEM IS RESTORED: Many Christians who study the Bible, when they don't rightly divide, often mistake the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 for the restored earthly Jerusalem in Zechariah. But according the the Revelation timeline, the heavenly New Jerusalem which will be the 'many mansions' of John 14 does not appear until after the Great White Throne Judgment that takes places after the thousand year reign of Jesus has concluded. The Church is not Israel and Israel is not the Church. Zechariah 14 references the same period of time as Revelation 20. "All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited." Zechariah 14:10,11 (KJV)
- THE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: When Jesus sets up His thousand year kingdom, He does a funny thing. He restores the Temple, the Throne of David, and He institutes Old Testament feast days and worship. Remember in Acts 1:6 when the apostles ask when Jesus is going to 'restore the kingdom to Israel'? They asked that because that's what all the Old Testament prophesied would be for the Jews, the kingdom of heaven which is the literal, physical and visible earthly rule of King Jesus from Jerusalem. Here Zechariah sees the kingdom of heaven finally given to the Jews, as promised, with Jesus as the King. "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles." Zechariah 14:16-18 (KJV)
Zechariah 13 and 14 follow Revelation 19 and 20 nearly blow for blow. Everything that Zechariah saw coming in the future, John in Heaven sees fulfilled before his very eyes! Now you may well ask, where is the Church during the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ? We are right here.
- THE RAPTURED CHURCH WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH KING JESUS: In Revelation 4:1,2 we see the rapture of the Church, and in chapter 5 we see that the raptured redeemed are now as 'kings and priests' before the Lord, and will rule with Him during the thousand years. In Revelation 19:14, we saddle our horses to leave Heaven and follow Jesus into battle. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9,19 (KJV)
The Church is the Body of Christ, and for one thousand years we shall rule and reign with Him as His Will and judgements are administered and carried out. This will be our role in the Kingdom of Heaven on this earth for one thousand years.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Romans 14:17 (KJV)
The only kingdom that exists right now is called the Kingdom of God, which is a spiritual kingdom that ever born again believer has entered into at the moment of their salvation. Christians are not "working to bring in the kingdom" as that can only be done by the literal, physical and visible appearance of the King at the Second Coming. We are not "reigning now" as some would falsely assert. John says that we
will reign but only after the rapture. Beware of anyone trying to bamboozle you with a "
kingdom now" false teaching.
The next king that this world will see is Antichrist, so if you're saved you better thank God for the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church. But that false king who pretends to be Jesus, as the 'vicar of christ', will face utter ruin when the real King shows up.
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20 (KJV)
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