The Return of Messiah & The Millennial Kingdom

To be sure, there is no shortage of theories regarding the Millennial Kingdom. One-thousand years of peace on earth, some say. One-thousand years reigning in heaven, say others. One-thousand years of judging the deeds of the unsaved, say others still. With many theories in between, it is easy to see how the issue can be difficult to understand. To be sure, theories and beliefs are wonderful. However, one must always test said theories, and examine them, to see if they hold water. In our case, that water is Scriptural Water. The purpose of this writing is to expound on my belief on what the Millennial Kingdom is, as well as where it will be. This belief has come about in my own studies, so I must urge you (the reader) to search it out for yourself.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test (prove) all things, and hold fast that which is good.” Couple that with 1 John 4:1, “Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but test (prove) the spirits, whether they are from Elohim; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The word in Greek for test or prove here is the same word used for both passages. The word is Strong’s G1381: “δοκιμάζετε” or dokimazete (dok-im-ad-zeh-teh). It means to test, prove, examine, as it is normally translated. However, its fullest meaning is to distinguish by testing, to approve AFTER testing, and to ensure it is “fit.” This means not only to look up a few words or a few verses to decide whether you think a certain theory or doctrine is correct, but rather to distinguish it, to approve it only AFTER it has been fully tested. A good example of this is found it Acts 17:11. Paul states that the Jews of Berea were nobler than those in Thessalonica, because they “searched the Scriptures daily, to see if these things were so.”

The Greek word for searched is Strong’s G350: “ἀνακρίνω” or anakrino (an-ak-ree-noh) meaning to investigate, examine or question. They were praised because they didn’t simply take Paul’s word for it, they QUESTIONED it. They “tested” it, as John and Paul both urge us to do.

This article is by no means meant to be an exhaustive, authoritative doctrine. But it is meant to provoke YOU the reader to do your own study, to “test” these words.

So what, then, does Scripture say regarding the Millennium? Quite a lot. And many verses can be not only confusing to most believers, but can almost seem to contradict each other. However, we know that “All Scripture is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

By this verse we can safely believe that if we see a contradiction, then either it is a translational error or we are seeing it wrong. The Word of Yahweh is never wrong. Yeshua said in John 10:35 that it is impossible for Scripture to be broken. It is possible, however, for men to translate it wrong. Remember, Yahweh didn’t give the Torah (or even speak to ANYONE in Scripture) in English. The language didn’t exist yet. Some ideas, idioms, concepts and figures of speech in Hebrew cannot be fully expressed in English. Same with Greek (though it is closer than Hebrew or Aramaic). However, in this day and age we have access to a lot more truth than previous generations. I believe this to be part of the separation process that happens before the end of time. The separation of the people of Yahweh versus the people of the world. That separation comes to climax at the point of the return of Yeshua our Messiah, and the start of the Millennial Reign.

The first thing to understand is that there are different “resurrections of the dead” and that Messiah Yeshua will return soon.

Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” The keys within this verse are: those of the first resurrection shall never see the second death, and they shall “reign” with Messiah for one-thousand years.

The facts of the resurrection and the Second Coming of Messiah are plainly expressed in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. The dead in Messiah are resurrected and the living in Messiah are changed, and all are caught up to MEET the Master in the clouds. The “second resurrection” is not called second in Scripture, it is merely second in number. That will be when the dead are raised at the end of the Millennium that were not True Followers of Messiah Yeshua. Those that openly rejected Him during their life are “raised to a resurrection of judgment” as Yeshua says in John 5:29. But the next logical question should be, “where do we go from here?”

Before answering that question, I’ll take a moment to explain a little bit about 1 Thessalonians 4. It states that we who are alive at Messiah’s return will rise to meet Him in the clouds, along with those that are “asleep” (dead) that rise first. This is not a picture of the rapture. Yeshua is not coming down from heaven to meet us half way and take us back up. He is headed to the Mount of Olives, and when we rise into the air, we follow Him there (as proven by the statement “thus we shall always be with the Master” meaning where He goes, we go). This is proven later in this writing, but for now bear in mind that when Yeshua comes down, we go with Him. Notice that this verse in 1 Thessalonians NEVER says we go to heaven with Him. Why? Because HE isn’t going to heaven. He’s going to battle. (See article “The True Rapture” for more information regarding this doctrine).

Now, technically speaking, is it possible to reign, if there is no one to reign over? If the Saints (lit. set-apart ones) are to reign with Messiah for a thousand years, then wouldn’t it follow that they have someone to reign over? Look at the Greek word for reign here. Strong’s G936: “βασιλεύω” basileuo (bas-ill-yoo-oh). It means to rule or to reign over. In 1 Corinthians 4:8, it is used to mean “become kings.” So this word does not simply mean that the Saints will live as rulers, but rather that they will become Kings and will reign in the Kingdom of Messiah.

Notice Revelation 3:21. Yeshua said, “To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with My Father on His throne.” So in the way that Yeshua sat down at His Father’s throne, that’s the way that the overcomer will sit with Yeshua on His own throne. Now see how Yeshua says He is with the Father at the Father’s throne. Where is the Father’s throne? Isaiah 66:1 says “Thus says Yahweh; the heavens are my throne…” Also see Revelation 4:1,2 as they detail some of what John saw regarding the throne in heaven. Point being, that we know Yahweh’s throne is in heaven. But how long will Yeshua remain there? 


Acts 3:21 says that the heavens received Yeshua UNTIL the time of the restoration of all things. The next question is, if Yeshua is in heaven UNTIL the time of the restoration of all things, then where will His throne be that He will sit on? Where is the one that the Saints (overcomers) sit with Him on? He never says they reign from the Father’s throne, but rather from Yeshua’s own throne. And where is Yeshua’s throne? 


Luke 1:32, “He [Yeshua] shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And Yahweh Elohim shall give Him the throne of His father David.”

Aha! Yeshua’s throne is David’s throne! But is there more evidence of this? Isaiah 9 lists a number of Messianic prophecies that have not yet come to pass. We know that Isaiah spoke the words of Yahweh, and therefor he didn’t lie. As such, we can expect that Messiah Yeshua will fulfil these prophecies, and the other unfulfilled ones, at His second coming. Isaiah 9:7 states that the throne Messiah sits on is the throne of David. There are other prophecies to consider as well, including Ezekiel 21:27 and Jeremiah 23:5 that agree with this.

So Yeshua sits on the throne of David. And where is the throne of David? In Jerusalem! Notice, this is something that has not happened yet. Meaning it must happen in the future.

Revelation 2:26,27 “And he who overcomes, and guards My works until the end, to him I shall give authority over the nations, and he shall shepherd them with a rod of iron, as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces, as I also have received from My Father.”

This is Yeshua speaking. He says He will give to the overcomers, those who guard His works until the end, authority over the nations, to shepherd them with a rod of iron. So these same overcomers, who reign with Yeshua on Yeshua’s own throne, have authority (some translations read ‘power’) OVER the nations. They reign, as kings, over the nations, from Yeshua’s throne. If the Millennium was spent in heaven, who would be ruled over with a rod of iron except the nations (or those that are not part of Yahweh’s people)? And who would rule them if the overcomers/Saints are in heaven? Revelation 5:9,10 says that Yeshua makes us “kings and priests” and that “we shall reign over all the earth.” It doesn’t say we reign over the earth from heaven. It doesn’t say we reign over the earth AFTER the one-thousand years. It says simply that “we shall rule over the earth.”

So let’s look at HOW Yeshua will return. 


Acts 1:9-11 reveals a key to Messiah’s return.


“And having said this, while they were looking on, He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. And as they were gazing into the heaven as He went up, see, two men stood by them dressed in white, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into the heaven? This same Yeshua, who was taken up from you into the heaven, shall come in the same way as you saw Him go into the heaven.” 


Revelation 16:14 says that the beast causes the nations to gather together for battle on the great day of Yahweh Almighty. Zechariah also describes this day, stating in Zechariah 14:2 that all gentiles (that is, nations other than Israel) are gathered against Jerusalem. Notice that verse 4 says His feet shall “stand upon the mount of Olives.” And when do His feet stand on the Mount of Olives? IN THAT DAY. In the same day that the battle takes place. Go back to Acts 1. The account in Acts 1 says Yeshua will return in the same way He went up. Read verses 9-11 again. Now read verse 12. WHERE were they coming BACK FROM? The Mount of Olives! So they had been at the Mount of Olives, and had watched Yeshua ascend from there up to heaven! And where will He return? The Mount of Olives! 


Notice:


Zechariah 14:8, “In THAT DAY, living waters shall flow from Jerusalem.” 


We know from John 7:37-39 that Yeshua refers to the Spirit when He speaks of living water. And when do they flow? THAT DAY! The day He returns, which is the day of the battle when all nations are gathered against Jerusalem. Another key here is verse 16. It says that those of the gentiles who gathered against Jerusalem, who were not killed in the battle, will be required to go up to Jerusalem to bow to the King, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This can only be during the Millennium, before sin and Satan are utterly destroyed. During this period of time, those gentiles still have the opportunity to disobey Yahweh, as seen by the punishment laid out in verses 16-19. Because remember, Revelation 20:2 says that Satan is bound for those thousand years, but is not yet destroyed. During these thousand years, he can no longer deceive the nations (Rev. 20:3) but will be released for a time AFTER the thousand years are completed.

Now this battle, some say, is the battle mentioned in Revelation 20 that is clearly AFTER the thousand years. However, if the Saints are in heaven, then why does Revelation 20:9 say they are in the “beloved city?” Perhaps it’s a heavenly Jerusalem? No. Reading all of verses 8 and 9 together we see that Satan is released, gathers an army against the Saints in the “beloved city,” and they come “over the breadth of the EARTH.” The city is being attacked on earth (because Satan is obviously not gathering an army in heaven). The Saints are in the city. Therefore, the Saints MUST be on earth.

What will the Millennium look like? Isaiah 11 paints a beautiful picture of the return of Yeshua, referred to as the “root of Jesse.” But many of the things listed in this verse can only exist on earth. For instance, animals still exist. Granted, they are changed, but they still exist. Will there be animals in heaven? They are not Spiritual beings. Also, it speaks of “nursing child” and “weaned child.” Will babies be born and nursed in heaven? Sure, it’s possible. But how much MORE likely that’s on earth? And now notice, in THAT DAY — the very same day when wild animals are tamed — when children are still being born — and when the EARTH is full of the knowledge of the Yahweh, and when He is reigning and ruling with a rod of iron — verse 11 says that in THAT DAY He shall set His hand again the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of His people, Israel! Will he be doing that while all the believers/overcomers are in heaven? Will He be doing that AFTER the thousand years? It must be before. (See articles “The People of Yahweh” and "Who is Israel?" for more information.)

Verse 10 says that “in that day, gentiles shall seek unto Him.” So there are gentiles, then, that are still seeking Him. So this CANNOT be in heaven. Verse 14 shows His people plundering the people of the east, and stretching their hand forth on Edom and Moab. Could that be done during the Millennium, if it were in heaven? Could that be done AFTER the Millennium, when sin and death are no more? Daniel 7:27 also agrees with this, when it says that the reign will be given to the Saints, and they shall rule “under all the heavens.” Not IN all the heavens, but UNDER them. Verses 21 and 22 say that the enemy fights against the Saints, prevailing until the Ancient of Days comes, and restores the reign to the Saints.

A point brought to my attention once was that the thousand years MUST be in heaven, because the earth is going to be uninhabitable and will revert back to its “tohu wabohu” state. וּהבֹ֔וָ וּ֙התֹ֙ (toe-hoo wah-boe-hoo) is the term in Genesis used to describe the earth as “formless and void.” This same phrase is seen also in Jeremiah. 


Jeremiah 4:23, “I looked at the earth, and saw it was formless and empty. And the heavens, they had no light.” 


Same Hebrew phrase. So the first logical question is, what is Jeremiah 4:23 describing? The Millennium? Some post-Kingdom wasteland? What Jeremiah is writing throughout the first few chapters of his book is the relationship Yahweh has with His people, Israel. Yahweh continually says that Israel and Judah have rebelled against Him, and that He would send them away in the manner of a husband divorcing a wife. Coming into chapter 4, Yahweh says He will accept them back again if they will “remove your abominations from My presence, and cease straying, and shall swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ in truth, in right-ruling, and in righteousness.” We see this same type of attitude towards us even today. 


Notice what James says in James 4:8 “Draw near to Elohim and He shall draw near to you. Cleanse hands, sinners. And cleanse the hearts, you double-minded!” 


We are told to cleanse hands (which symbolize actions and works) and cleanse hearts (which symbolize thoughts, motives and intentions). In doing so, we can be clean enough to approach the Father.

Now then, back to Jeremiah. The first thing that should be noticed is that nowhere in the entire chapter is the Millennial reign mentioned. True, Jeremiah says he saw the earth “formless and void” and “there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled.” But this is not the picture we see for the Millennium. As pointed out above, animals are seen during the Millennium, and so are a LOT of people. Verse 29 says that there are people that are fleeing from horsemen and bowmen. So is Jeremiah confused? Did he see people, or not? My belief is that he wasn’t describing the “whole earth” but was rather describing a certain area in or near a city. Notice again verse 29 he says “all the city,” meaning there are people in it. We see what may be the fulfilment of this later in Jeremiah. Jeremiah 44 says that Yahweh “brought evil on Jerusalem. It is in ruins, and no one dwells in it.” (verse 2). However, we know that in this current day, at this very moment, there are people dwelling in Jerusalem. It is my belief that the specific prophecy of the land being “void and formless” was in regard to that specific time, not in regard to the future Millennium. Jerusalem has many times been overrun, besieged and destroyed. (Kind of ironic for a city name “City of Peace” don’t you think?).

The next point that was also made to me, in defense of a heavenly reign, is that once we believers are “changed in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52) into the “incorruptible and immortal” (verse 53), we will never be around sin again. This theory is mixed up with the post-Millennial kingdom, however. 


Revelation 21:4, “And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying. And there shall be no more pain, for the former matters have passed away.” 


True, it DOES say that there will be no death. Meaning, by extension, no sin because if there is sin there is death, Romans 6:23. However, this is clearly AFTER the thousand years. The previous chapter, Revelation 20, details the end of the Millennium. Satan gathers an army as mentioned above and goes to war against the Saints one last time, only to be consumed by the “fire from Elohim.” (verse 9)

There is no reason to believe sin cannot still exist during the Millennium. As stated above, Zechariah recorded that the nations will STILL have the opportunity to disobey Yahweh, thereby sinning. So it is perfectly possible for those that were not resurrected in the first resurrection to still be able to sin. However, without the devil roaming about to tempt them, they will have a much clearer choice of right and wrong than even we do today. During that time, the people of the nations will serve a purpose, too. Some will choose Yeshua, some will reject Him, as happens even now. Isaiah chapter 2 says that during that time, people of all nations will come to Zion to be taught the ways of Yahweh. And what goes forth from Zion? His Torah.

Isaiah 2:2-5 “And it shall be in the latter days that the mountain of the House of Yahweh is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it. And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the House of the Elohim of Jacob, and let Him teach us His ways, and let us walk in His paths, for out of Zion comes forth the Torah, and the Word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.” And He shall judge between the nations, and shall reprove many peoples. And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither teach battle any more. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.”

This is something we have not yet seen. Meaning it must yet be fulfilled. AFTER the Millennium, as pictured in Revelation 21, there is no more sin. No need for nations to be judged. So this must happen during the Millennium. If this is during the Millennium, then it will be Messiah Yeshua teaching the Torah from Mount Zion. Remember, according to 1 Thessalonians 4, we will “forever be with the Master,” so if He is teaching Torah on EARTH, then we must be on earth as well.

Some more things we need to consider are the numerous prophesies in Ezekiel that have not yet been fulfilled either. Ezekiel gives a very detailed vision of a Third Temple. Now, this is a controversial topic for many. Some believe that Ezekiel was shown the Temple that SHOULD have been built by the Israelites who instead built the inferior Second Temple, known by some as Zerubbabel’s Temple. Some believe that because Israel disobeyed Yahweh again, they never built Ezekiel’s Temple, and that those prophecies are, therefore, not coming to pass.

While it is true that Ezekiel’s Temple has never been built, that in no way provides proof that it WON’T be built. Consider the following prophecies. 


Ezekiel 40 starts off by saying that Ezekiel was shown, in a vision, the new Temple. The dimensions given clearly do not match either of the Israelite Temples. Notice also that in chapter 37, Ezekiel records Yahweh saying He will bring Judah and Ephraim back together. The whole house of Israel will be restored in His hand. WILL BE RESTORED. This has not yet happened, yet we know it WILL in the future. Notice verse 24, “my servant David shall be ruler over them, and shall be their shepherd.” Now is David the one returning to sit on David’s throne? No, it is Yeshua, as we read earlier in Luke. Yeshua says in John 10:11-14 that He is the shepherd. We expect the Houses to be reunited, we expect Yeshua to sit on the Throne of David, so we should also expect that the prophecies of the Third Temple will occur as well.

Many scholars have expressed that although the Tanakh (Old Testament) does not EXPLICITLY state that Messiah will have two comings, it does appear to prophesy of two DIFFERENT Messiahs. Such as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, as opposed to the ruling king in the manner of David in Ezekiel 37 or Isaiah 11. These scholars refer to these as Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David, respectively. (Note: ben is the word for “son of” in Hebrew. For instance, Benjamin is ben-yamin, “son of the right hand.”) Now there are really only two possibilities here. Either there are two separate Messiahs (Suffering Servant and Conquering King) OR the same Messiah that comes twice. Clearly, most would say they believe in the latter. These scholars all seem to agree that when Scripture says that “David” will reign over the people, it is a prophetic metaphor for Messiah ben David, the Branch, Yeshua.

One final thing left to be mentioned is that Yahweh does not break His Word. If He says He will do something, He will do it. In a few places throughout Scripture, the phrase “if you diligently obey” is used. Now this is one of the many, “if then” statements of Scripture. It is conditional. In Zechariah 6, Joshua the high priest is told that he will branch out and build the Temple, and that others will come from far away to help build it. However, it is conditional. He says “if you diligently obey.” We never saw Joshua build the Temple with help of those from far away, and rule from it. So it is safe to assume that he did not diligently obey Yahweh. If he had then Yahweh would have kept His promise, as we know He always does. Now it is possible that this same promise (if you diligently obey, you will be made a king and priest and rebuild the Temple) was offered to Yeshua. If that’s the case, it fits that Yeshua will be made King (which we already know) and Priest (which He is now) and rebuild the Temple (which is needed to fulfill the prophecies of Ezekiel).

So with that, then, we can see that if Yahweh says He will do something, He will do it. If it is dependent upon man needing to do something first, then we may or may not see it happen. However, if He says He WILL do something, then it WILL happen. The prophecies in Ezekiel 37-48 are not dependent upon mankind. In Ezekiel 43, Ezekiel hears a voice coming from inside the Temple. Clearly, given the context, it is the voice of the Spirit of Yahweh. Yahweh says that the Temple WILL BE His dwelling place when He is living among the children of Israel. The indication given throughout Scripture, however, is that it is not Yahweh the Father who dwells among men during that time, but rather Yeshua the Messiah, His son. This makes sense as we know that Yeshua is the One who “comes in the Name of Yahweh.” (Psalm 118, Matthew 23, Mark 11 and Luke 13).

Also it should be noted that in Ezekiel 44 duties are given for the “priests of Zadok,” those that are righteous and that serve the “Prince” from this new Temple. Some of the things these priests will do is bring the blood and fat for the offerings. They will also be teaching the people (who, as shown above, can still sin) the difference between the holy and profane, and will be the judges when there are disputes. 


This matches with Revelation 5:10, which says that the Saints are “kings and priests” and with Isaiah 66:21 when He says He will take “from among them [the children of Israel] for priests – for Levites.” When will He do that? When He comes with fire and His chariots, to “slay” those that “set themselves apart” unto idols and that “eat the flesh of swine, the mouse and the abomination.” That is known as the “Great and terrible day of Yahweh” in places such as Joel 2 and Malachi 4. So there we see multiple Scriptures in agreement that Yahweh will re-establish the priesthood. This time, the Saints shall be priests, and rule with Him as “judges” (Ezekiel 44) and rulers over the nations (Revelation 2). But let’s outline this a little more clearly, and rehash a little bit of it.

First, as stated above, Revelation 20:5,6 says that those of the first resurrection (which includes those alive at His coming, 1 Thess. 4 & 1 Cor. 15) will be changed. They will be priests to Elohim and The Lamb. The next “witness” to this is Isaiah 66:21. It says that from His own people, Yahweh will choose priests. Ezekiel 44 (basically the entire chapter) states the duties of the priests that serve the Master as He reigns. The priests will bring Him the blood and the fat (verse 15). They are also to serve as judges, hearing out disputes and settling them according to the ordinances of Yahweh’s Torah (verse 24). This is interesting on account of Deuteronomy 17:8-13:

“8If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you shall arise and go up to the place which Yahweh your Elohim chooses. 9″So you shall come to the Levitical priest or the judge who is [in office] in those days, and you shall inquire [of them] and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. 10″You shall do according to the terms of the verdict which they declare to you from that place which Yahweh chooses; and you shall be careful to observe according to all that they teach you. 11″According to the terms of the law which they teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. 12″The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve Yahweh your Elohim, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13″Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.”

The duty to judge between civil disputes belonged to the priests originally. Since Yeshua comes to bring “the restoration of all things,” does this not make perfect sense as well?

Next, let’s look at a few of the words of our Messiah Himself, regarding His Kingdom.

Luke 13:22-31, “22He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. 23One said to Him, “Master, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, 24″Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able. 25When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Master, Master, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I do not know you or where you come from.’ 26Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of lawlessness.’ 28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrown outside. 29They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in the Kingdom of God. 30Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

IF, we must ask, the Kingdom takes place in Heaven, then how are those “outside” able to see IN?

Revelation 22:12-15, “12Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

Let’s think about this. IF Revelation 21 describes the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem, then must Revelation 22 be continued from that? No. Notice Rev. 22 states that Yeshua is “coming quickly” whereas chapter 21 says what happens AFTER He comes. So 22 is sort of backtracking back before chapter 21. We know that Rev. 21:4 says there is no more death. If there is sin, there is death (Rom. 6:23, Ezek. 18). So, since there is no mourning or crying or pain, there is no sin. So how is it in chapter 22, we find people “outside the city” that are filled with all these sins? Indeed, Rev. 21:8 says that these people will have their place in the Lake of fire. So this is yet more proof that Rev. 22 records events that take place BEFORE Rev. 21. Not only that, but if we are all in the “Heavenly Jerusalem,” then how are these evil people “outside” the city? It never says “outside of heaven” but merely “outside.” Are these sinful people outside the New Jerusalem in heaven? Or are they outside the EXISTING Jerusalem, on the EXISTING Earth?

Beyond all this, we also see the example that has been set in the Torah. In Leviticus 14, Numbers 5, Deuteronomy 23 (and others) we find that the phrase “outside the camp” is in reference to being unclean. When a house was torn down because it was leprous, the bricks were taken to an “unclean place outside the camp” (Lev. 14). We find this being carried forward into the Millennial Kingdom of Yeshua. These people who choose to remain in their sins (by not being cleansed on account of their repentance) will remain OUTSIDE the city. That is what Yeshua referenced in His statement about people being “outside” and seeing in. That is also why there are those “outside the city” that are sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, etc. Because that uncleanness must remain OUTSIDE the camp.

Lastly, let’s sum it all up together. Yeshua will return and destroy those gathered against Jerusalem, as He lands on the Mount of Olives. We, the Believers, will be resurrected and/or changed at His coming, rising to meet Him at the Mount of Olives as He arrives there. He then begins to establish His kingdom on Earth. The Saints (resurrected Believers) will be priests and kings, ruling over the nations, judging disputes, and serving with Yeshua from Jerusalem. The Saints will be teaching the Torah, and they will “forever be with the Master.”

I pray this study has blessed you. I realize this is one of the most controversial writings I have put together. I will not definitively say that I have all the answers. I will not say that I am 100% correct. I will say that this is my belief, and give the reasons (proof) for that. At the very least, I hope this has caused you to “prove” your own belief. Shalom.