You Will Eat Your Dispensations and You Will Like Them!

[Covenanter]

Much of the Old Testament is speaking of a literal, physical, visible kingdom on Earth prophesied for a saved ethnic nation of Israel. I understand that you spiritualize these passages, as you do most of Revelation, I apply Revelation to the people to who it was written, who as Paul shows us, were very mindful of the Jerusalem church. and designate them only to the church, but they are there nonetheless and they are to be taken as they are written as is the model for fulfilled prophecy.

The Gospels are full of fulfilled OT prophecy & the epistles are full of prophecy applied directly to the church. The NT is the model for fulfilled prophecy. The fact that some prophecies are not quoted as fulfilled does not mean that they were not fulfilled in the life & saving work of the Lord, & in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.

[Covenanter]

However, in answer to your question, here are some references to the Millennium in the epistles. Some references demonstrate that this is a future kingdom, and as such, it is not the spiritual kingdom that you and I are a part of. Other passages just point out things about the kingdom that are ridiculous to spiritualize to today:

Matthew 8:11, "And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and JacOB, in the kingdom of heaven."

That is OBviously in the resurrection - the NH&NE.

Luke 11:2, "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."

We are praying that the Kingdom will come in all its fulness, & that will be when Jesus returns for resurrection & the NH&NE.

I Cor. 15:24-25, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet."

Jesus is King of kings & Lord of Lords. Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,

He is reigning now. See e.g. Rev. 1 for that status. 1 Cor. 15 is all about the resurrection. Your prOBlem is that words are sequential, but the events described are not. They are aspects of the same occasion. The resurrection is the victory over death. He must reign does not mean his reign will begin with the resurrection, but that he is reigning & at his resurrection all his enemies will be under his feet - including the last enemy ... death. Paul nowhere hints at a future 1,000 reign of warfare against earthly enemies. The present millennium is that warfare - against spiritual forces.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

That warfare will be completed at the resurrection.

Edited October 16, 2010 by Covenanter

[Covenanter]

Matt. 25:31-34, "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:
32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats:
33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

That is judgement day. You can't read an earthly reign into that passage.

Note: Jhn 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.


John 18:36, "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."

That certainly does not support the idea of a future Jewish kingdom.

II Tim. 2:12-13, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:
13) If we believe not, [yet] he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."

The saints in glory lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. We have the status on kings & priests.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

[Covenanter]

Rev. 20:2-7, "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3) 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 years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4) 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.
5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.
6) 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.
7) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,"

The passages in Revelation 20 and I Cor. 15 seal the deal and show that there is a clear difference between the Everlasting Kingdom (New Heavens and New Earth) and the Millennial Kingdom.

I agree - there is a clear difference. The NH&NE is future - at the resurrection, while the millennium is now.

Note that in the millennium Satan is bound - Jesus frees his captives from the nations by the Gospel; Saints are still being beheaded & otherwise persecuted; the souls of dead believers live & reign with Christ; they have part in the first resurrection (as we have) as Jesus taught in John 5:
Jhn 5:24 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

And the final rebellion ends with fire from heaven - when Jesus comes for resurrection & judgement:
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

[Invicta]

John 18:36, "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."


Rick,

I think that verse answers your question.

[Wilchbla]

John 18:36, "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."


Rick,

I think that verse answers your question.

"...but NOW is my kingdom not from hence."

Maybe not now because the kingdoms of this world are Satan's. But Christ's kingdom will come eventually and his servants will fight (Rev. 19). Edited October 17, 2010 by Wilchbla

[Covenanter]

"...but NOW is my kingdom not from hence."

Maybe not now because the kingdoms of this world are Satan's. But Christ's kingdom will come eventually and his servants will fight (Rev. 19).

Wilchbla - your ideas are totally carnal. The hope of Israel is not 1,000 years of bloody war, but eternal peace, led by the Prince of peace. When Jesus returns for resurrection & judgement there will NOT be a long drawn out physical war. The angels are the armies [which were] in heaven who execute God's judgment. As Jesus taught:

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: is of course the word of God, by which word all stand condemned, except they repent before the judgment day.

Pottery does not survive a rod of iron. That is terminal - final, NOT a strong 1,000 rule keeping the ungodly alive & under control.

Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

The present "dispensation" will end with CHrist's return for resurrection & judgment. Then follows the dispensation of the fulness of times aka the NH&NE. Amen! Hallelujah!

[Brother Rick]

Nowhere is there any suggestion in the NT that here will again be an ethnic Israeli kingdom on earth, in the promised land. Those promised were fulfilled, & sadly, forfeited.

Thanks for clarifying your position. I believe this quote really sums up the difference between what you believe and what I believe. You believe the literal, earthly, physical, kingdom promises to Abraham and the prophets were conditional, and I believe they were unconditional.

By the way, if we are in 1,000 year reign of Christ (which ironically has lasted for around 2,000 years), and during this reign Satan is bound in the Bottomless Pit and no longer deceiving the nations (according to Rev. 20:3) - then he certainly has a very long chain, doesn't he?

[Covenanter]

Thanks for clarifying your position. I believe this quote really sums up the difference between what you believe and what I believe. You believe the literal, earthly, physical, kingdom promises to Abraham and the prophets were conditional, and I believe they were unconditional.

Not at all. They were literal & they were fulfilled, BUT there was an overriding spiritual & eternal, heavenly element that Abraham & the prophets understood. See Heb. 11.

We can see the fulfilment acknowledged in Scripture:

Jos 23:14 ¶ And, behold, this day I [am] going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, [and] not one thing hath failed thereof.

1Ki 8:56 Blessed [be] the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

Act 7:17 ¶ But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, ...

Luke 2:54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
...
68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

In Christ there is a greater fulfilment than the literal. The promises in Christ are now dependent on the OBedience of the Lord Jesus as our guarantor of the covenant.


By the way, if we are in 1,000 year reign of Christ (which ironically has lasted for around 2,000 years), and during this reign Satan is bound in the Bottomless Pit and no longer deceiving the nations (according to Rev. 20:3) - then he certainly has a very long chain, doesn't he?

Peter carefully explains that the 1,000 years is indeterminate.

Jesus declared he would bind Satan & free his captives. that includes the nations, who had no Gospel nor covenant before Christ.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Note that during the millennium, it is the souls of martyrs that are alive: 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. It is a spiritual resurrection (see John 5) not the "rapture" nor bodily resurrection.

Incarcerating Satan does not of itself result in godly behaviour, but the purpose is salvation of the nations. Satan still has his evil influence:

Rev. 17:6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

[Brother Rick]

1. So when John said "a thousand years" no less than six times in Revelation 20 he really didn't mean a thousand years?

2. Satan is bound with a chain in the Bottomless Pit, but his influence is still somehow felt? What's the point then?

3. Was Satan's influence not felt nearly as much during the murderous Roman Catholic Dark Ages and the establishment of Communism as it was before the cross? Assuming, that is, that Satan was bound for 1,000 years almost 2,000 years ago at the resurrection when Jesus began His Millennial reign.

4. If God is done with national Israel, then how have they consistently managed to defy all odds and not only continue to exist as a people but also as a nation once again back in 1948?

5. If Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning over the Earth right now, with a rod of iron, then:

A. Why does half the world go to bed hungry?

Amos 9:13, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt."

Is. 35:1-2, "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2) It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, [and] the excellency of our God."

B. Why is His name is mocked?

Ex. 20:7, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

C. Why are there far more lost people than saved people at a rate of easily 10 to 1?

Jer. 8:23, "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you."

Jer. 31:34, "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Is. 2:2, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."

D. Why is there still war and why isn't God's law established?

Is. 2:1-4, "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2) And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3)walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4) And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

E. Why isn't there a temple for people to worship the Lord? (Ez. 40-44)

F. Why can't I see Jesus in person anywhere, and why aren't the nations annually appearing before Him to worship Him?

Is. 60:14, "The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel."

Zech. 14:16-17, "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.
17) 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.

G. Where is this beloved city that should be attacked pretty soon? Is it a secret?

Rev. 20:7-9, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8) 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.
9) And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

H. Why can't my kids have a pet tiger?

Is. 11:4-10, "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5) And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6) The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7) And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8) And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9) They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."

I. Why do Christians still get sick and die, all the time?

Is. 33:24, "And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein [shall be] forgiven [their] iniquity."

Ps. 103:3, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;"

J. Why, my English friend, do people in the United States get their Social Security benefits at age 67 instead of age 967?

Is. 65:20, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed."

K. Why is SATAN called the god of this world?

II Cor. 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

[Covenanter]

1. So when John said "a thousand years" no less than six times in Revelation 20 he really didn't mean a thousand years?

1,000 years is used in Scripture as an indefinite time that could be long. With God it could be short or long. (Psa. 90, 2 Pet. 3).


2. Satan is bound with a chain in the Bottomless Pit, but his influence is still somehow felt? What's the point then?

The point is that the Gospel should go out to the nations, calling sinners to repentance, & drawing them to Christ out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.


3. Was Satan's influence not felt nearly as much during the murderous Roman Catholic Dark Ages and the establishment of Communism as it was before the cross? Assuming, that is, that Satan was bound for 1,000 years almost 2,000 years ago at the resurrection when Jesus began His Millennial reign.

Notice Rev. 17. Rome is riding the beast that is presently in the abyss 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition:

4. If God is done with national Israel, then how have they consistently managed to defy all odds and not only continue to exist as a people but also as a nation once again back in 1948?

Believing Jews are saved & are numbered with the church. Unbelieving Jews have no place in the kingdom & no relevance in prophecy unless & until they turn to Jesus in repentance & faith.

More to follow.

[Brother Rick]

Yes, a thousand years is as a day to GOD - but not to us. John was very specific - 1,000 years mentioned SIX TIMES. The prophecy of the Jews coming out of Egypt was very specific with 400 years (Gen. 15:13) and was accurate, the prophecy of the Jews being in captivity to Babylon was very specific with 70 years and was dead on (Jer. 25:11), Daniel's 69 weeks of years (483 years - Daniel 9:25) after the decree went forth to rebuild the temple was very specific of when the Messiah would appear and HE DID. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit gives us a specific number of years in prophecy we can count on it to be accurate - not to be off by 1,000 years or more.

2. Satan is bound with a chain in the Bottomless Pit, but his influence is still somehow felt? What's the point then?

The point is that the Gospel should go out to the nations, calling sinners to repentance, & drawing them to Christ out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

That didn't answer the question. All men are draw to Christ because He was lifted up, not because Satan is theoretically bound.

3. Was Satan's influence not felt nearly as much during the murderous Roman Catholic Dark Ages and the establishment of Communism as it was before the cross? Assuming, that is, that Satan was bound for 1,000 years almost 2,000 years ago at the resurrection when Jesus began His Millennial reign.

Notice Rev. 17. Rome is riding the beast that is presently in the abyss 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition:

So is he bound or not right now? How long has Rome been riding the beast from the pit? The RCC started (unofficially) back in 325 AD with the Council of Nicaea, has it been riding the beast since then? If so, than Satan was cast into the pit when Christ rose again, and then he was released in 325 AD - nowhere near 1,000 years. Perhaps the whore was riding the beast during the Dark Ages? You said the purpose of the Dragon being bound was for the nations to evangelized. The greatest period of evangelization followed the Dark Ages - was the beast thrown into the Bottomless Pit twice then?

4. If God is done with national Israel, then how have they consistently managed to defy all odds and not only continue to exist as a people but also as a nation once again back in 1948?

Believing Jews are saved & are numbered with the church. Unbelieving Jews have no place in the kingdom & no relevance in prophecy unless & until they turn to Jesus in repentance & faith.

More to follow.

You didn't answer the question. What are the odds of a race of people the size of New Jersey surviving all these years with the number of enemies they've had? There is no way it's humanly possible. God is not done the ethnic people of Israel; He will keep His promises to them.

Mal. 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of JacOB are not consumed." Edited October 19, 2010 by Rick Schworer

[Covenanter]

Rick, your questions relate to YOUR understanding of dispensations, not mine.

The old covenant disp, concerning the physical descendants of Abraham, effectively ended with the cross, so we are in the NC disp, aka the Gospel disp, or disp of grace. The Gospel goes out to all nations, & all believers become Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Daniel's 70 weeks (490 years) predicts Messiah coming & being anointed after 69 weeks; and his death in the middle of the 70th week. The 70th week ends 3½ years after the resurrection, marked by the stoning of Stephen when the Jews were declared "uncircumcised", & the conversion of Cornelius, opening the Gospel to the Gentiles. Insisting that 1,000 years must be exactly 1,000 years, while extending 490 years to 2,500 years is hopelessly inconsistent.

All that remained to rebellious ethnic Israel was the destruction prophesied by Gabriel in the 70 weeks prophecy, & detailed by Lord Jesus in his Olivet prophecy. Believing Jews are of course Abraham's seed, & have no further interest in their ethnicity. (Phil. 3)

Mankind is still in rebellion against Christ, despite the Gospel of grace, & wars against believers, particularly converts. We are in a relationship of peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ but that puts us in a state of war against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].


continued

Edited October 20, 2010 by Covenanter

[Covenanter]

The OC Scriptures prophesy a perfect future for Israel, & a temple for universal worship.
Isa 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.... mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (56:7)

Christ himself is the true temple, & believers are built into him, as living stones. Acceptable sacrifices must refer to Calvary, & our submission to Christ. (Rom. 12) John makes it clear that there will be no future temple. (John 4, Rev. 21)

That perfect future is the dispensation of the fullness of times - the NH&NE after Jesus' return for resurrection & judgement.

That glorious resurrection future will NOT be your millennium where supposedly resurrected believers & ungodly human sinners coexist on earth, culminating in a world-wide rebellion that surrounds Christ & his followers. It will be the glorious, perfect, future prophesied.

The present disp is preparing the way for that disp. Sinners from the nations are being saved, & made citizens of Christ's kingdom. Whether the rulers of the earth like it or not, Jesus is King of kings & Lord of lords.

Satan's position is like that of Mohamed or Saladin or Osama bin Laden - the great heroes of Islam - now dead but still honoured & followed as if they lived. The enemies of Christ honour Satan & war against Christ & Christians, but are powerless to keep sinners from repentance & faith in Christ.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Believers are citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. (Gal. 4) At the end of this millennial disp of Gospel grace, the followers of Satan will join their leader in persecution of believers - true Israel - wherever they are found. That final rebellion is the prophesied Armageddon, Gog & Magog, & ends with fire from heaven.

That will bring about the NH&NE. Then all the wonderful things you ask about will be ours. Your kids can have their pet tiger- & feed it on hay.

[John81]

Very interesting reading in this thread.