FEAST OF TABERNACLES – DAY 7 – 2005

Fred R. Coulter – October 24, 2005

And greetings brethren. This is the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles – 2005. And of course, the seventh day of the feast is the last day of the feast, as we all know, and tomorrow is the Last Great Day. And as you know, this signifies the beginning of the end of the one thousand year rule of the Kingdom of God over human beings on the earth. And we know that all during that time that Christ is going to be King, we are going to be ruling, we are going to be serving, and there will be many, many people added into the Kingdom of God all the way down through the Millennium.

Now let’s come back to where we have been talking about the last couple of days about the cycle from revival to lethargy and apostasy. And let’s restate that just a little bit different. Let’s call it the cycle of life: birth, education, family, society, culture. Then we have lethargy, and also apostasy. Now let’s change the equation just a little bit for those who are righteous: birth, education, family, society, culture, continued faithfulness, change from flesh to spirit, attain to the Kingdom of God. However, we’re still going to be dealing with human beings during the Millennium, aren’t we? And they’re all going to have the power of free moral agency and choice. Now even though the human nature will be modified just a little bit, it’s still going to be something that we’re going to have to contend with. And it is still going to be something that the people will have to exercise, because God does not want anyone to be a robot. And as we have seen, that’s why God is so vehemently against the mark of the beast because it takes away choice. It takes away free moral agency.

Now how is this going to be minimized or overcome during the Millennium? Because there’s going to be the life cycle. And as we see down toward the end of the Millennium, we are going to see the fullness of what the Kingdom of God is going to bring, aren’t we? Let’s just take the last hundred years of the thousand. We are going to have a society that has been built on love, and peace, and joy, the fruits of the Holy Spirit; we are going to be having many people come into the Kingdom of God during that time. And it’s going to be a time where the earth has not had war, nor suffering, nor sorrow, nor any of those things; no poverty, no famine, no earthquakes. Just think about it – a thousand years of that. Now how then are we going to minimize the effects of the life cycle when it comes to lethargy and apostasy? Because you cannot stop it. God does not want to stop it if a person so chooses. But how can we minimize it, and what is God’s plan so that it’s not going to result in disasters all the way down through the Millennium? And then we will see what will happen in that last generation at the end of the Millennium.

First of all, let’s come back to Psalms 47 and let’s see how the main thing that is going to be. Christ is going to be on the earth as King. We are going to be kings and priests. And this is going to be a tremendous and important thing for us. Now here, Psalms 47, this is kind of a depiction of the millennial setting: “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD Most High is terrible [and that means awesome]; He is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.” So here’s the cooperative work then of what Christ is doing, and what we are doing, as we will see here in just a minute. Now let’s come down into verse 7: “For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted” (Psa. 47:1-3, 7-9, KJV). So number one, Christ is King. Now that’s going to help cut down or modify the extremes of the life cycle.

Now let’s come to I Peter 2, because here is what else is needed. Now when you go through and see the reigns of the various kings of Judah, there were the righteous kings – and the same way with the judges – and the people followed them as long as they were righteous. That is true. But the circumstances are going to be entirely different during the Millennium. Yes, there will be choice, and yes, people will make wrong choices. We will see. And yes, there will be some who will apostatize, because they must choose. Now you go back and think about what God did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave them choice, didn’t He? Now all during the Millennium the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not going to be there. Satan is not going to be there. So when we’re dealing with the choices of the people during the Millennium it’s an entirely different proposition; and while there will be those who will choose not to enter into the Kingdom of God, it’s going to be a choice that is going to be a personal one that each one is going to make.

Now we on the other hand are going to help, again, minimize by teaching – teaching God’s way, teaching the truth. Now here in I Peter 2:9 it talks about our calling: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” And so we are going to bring light to all the people during the Millennium. Now just think of the billions of people that there are going to be. This is going to be something. And there are going to be righteous rulers. No more corruption, no more lying, no more cheating, no more stealing as far as the government and as far as the way of the Lord is concerned. No more false prophets around teaching things that they ought not teach.

Let’s come back here to the book of Proverbs and let’s see a principle that is going to apply all the way through the Millennium. Now this is going to be something, to be able to teach them, be able to train them, be able to give them the things that they need to do; and yet at the same time everyone has to choose. So if we have this then it’s going to help minimize the problems. Let’s come here to Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice…” And that’s what’s going to happen. It’s going to be something that will go on all during the Millennium. But you see what happens in human experience is this, when the culture is set, and people are born into it, then the temptation of their own choice is going to be, “Can I do something differently?” Because, as we’re going to see, that even though nature has changed, it is not totally changed. Now verse 4: “The king by judgment establisheth the land...” (Prov. 29:2, 4, KJV). So that’s what we’re going to do – by judgment and by teaching, it’s going to be the right way.

Now as we saw yesterday, the knowledge of God is going to cover the earth as the seas cover the earth. So it’s going to be a tremendous and fantastic thing. So we’re going to be teaching them; we are going to be training them. But free choice is going to continue. There will be people who will sin. There will be people who will not repent, in spite of everything. Now we’ve seen this, haven’t we? Haven’t you known people who have been in the church, who have understood the truth, and who by free moral agency have chosen to just ignore it? And as one man told me recently when he met some people who have apostatized, he said, “Well, do you miss the holy days?” And the answer was, “Well, not really.” So, quite an answer. Now he had no pressure on him that he could not choose to do the right way, but he chose to go that way.

Now let’s come back here to Isaiah 48, and let’s again see how things are going to be during the Millennium, and then we will, as we come toward the end of this day, we’re going to see what is going to happen. Let’s pick it up here, Isaiah 48:16: “Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning...” No, even God’s word has not been in secret from the beginning. But He has written certain things in such a way that we must seek it out today as guided by God’s Holy Spirit. But during the Millennium there is going to be nothing in secret from the beginning. “...From the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath sent Me.” This is speaking of Christ. “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go” (Isa. 48:16-17, KJV). And that’s what we’re going to do. We are going to teach them. But they still have to choose. No question about it. It’s going to be a thing of teaching continually, learning of God’s way. And I’m sure there are going to be some fantastic and tremendous things that people are going to learn and know and understand.

Now let’s come back here to Deuteronomy 6, and let’s see what God told Israel when they were in the wilderness. And let’s see that this is also going to be a message to people continually, because there is still going to be the carnal mind. It’s not going to be as evil and wicked as it was during this age, but they’re still going have to choose. They’re still going to have to be taught. Now most of the time they are going to be willing. Most of the time they will want God’s way. And here’s what’s going to happen. Now let’s see it right here in Deuteronomy 6:3. And when we’re reading this just expand it out through all people, all nations, all time down during the Millennium. “Here therefore, O Israel [or wherever nation it will be], and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee…” Because that’s what God wants it to be – well, good. But you see, the goodness when things are well, when things are rich, when things are overflowing, when there is a tremendous abundance, the hardest thing to be is zealous. And we have seen the cycle through the churches, too. The hardest thing to be when you have everything at your fingertip is to be diligent.

So here’s a reminder. This is what we are going to teach them: “...that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily…” And we know for sure that during the Millennium people are going to increase mightily. It’s going to be a fantastic and tremendous harvest. “...As the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.” Now in this case, the whole world is going to flow with milk and honey. And God is going to fulfill His promises to all people. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all my might.” And this is what we’re going to teach them. And this is the key to overcoming lethargy and apostasy – loving God in this way: “...With all thine heart, [with all your mind,] and with all thy soul, and with all thy might [and with all your strength]. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart...” And that’s what the whole covenant is going to be with Israel when they’re brought that of captivity. God is going to write and inscribe in their hearts and their minds His laws and His way.

Now in order to do that, we have to choose to let it be done. And so will they. They will have to choose to love God, to keep His commandments. Now see, like in any institutional situation, there will be people who will on the surface be doing that. Now at that time, being the sons and daughters of God, and kings and priests and teachers and rulers, we’re going to know that. We’re going to understand who is acting that way. But still they’re going to have to be taught so that they have to choose. Now just like we have to overcome lethargy by choosing to do so, by doing something which is going to help revive us; just like Paul wrote to Timothy, “Stir up the Spirit that is within you.” And the very nature of human beings we need constantly to be stirred up, to be taught. And of course, one of the greatest teachers is repetition. And that’s how the Bible is. The Bible is very repetitious, isn’t it?

Now notice verse 7. Here’s how teaching is going to be: “…And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes” (Deut. 6:3-8, KJV). And yes, it’s going to be that, isn’t it? Now think of the whole world, the whole society like this. It’s going to be the teaching.

Now we can liken all this teaching to the tree of life. And what we’re going to see, that during the Millennium there’s going to be the tree of life, and then we will see in a little bit, the congregation of the dead. And we are going to see how God is going to handle severe sin. Now let’s continue on. Let’s see what we are to do here. Let’s come to Psalms 32, and let’s see again about teaching and learning. And that’s what it’s going to be. Just like with us today, what we are doing today is this – we are being taught of God to develop the character of God so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen all during the Millennium.

Now let’s think about this, how brilliant, how smart that everyone is going to be. Let’s think about this. You take away all the sins, all the cursings that people have had, and then you have 900 years of teaching God’s way continually. Now that’s going to be something, isn’t it? Yes. We’ll get to the last hundred years in a minute. Psalms 32:8: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go...” That’s what we’re going to do. As we saw earlier, if they go to the right hand or to the left hand we’re going to say, “No, here’s the way, walk you in it.” And: “...I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Now notice verse 9: “Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” So that’s what we’re going to teach them. See, here is choice in action. We’re going to set before them the choice. Now it’s going to be a whole lot easier to choose to good. But nevertheless, it has to be conviction of heart, conversion of mind and spirit, and it has to be on a continuous basis. So we’re going to teach them, “No, don’t be stubborn.”

Now verse 10: “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked...” We’re going to teach them that. And they will be able to see that in concrete lessons, as we will see here in just a minute. “...But he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psa. 32:8-11, KJV). And so that’s exactly the way it’s going to be all through the Millennium.

Now look at this thing of teaching again. Let’s come back here to Psalms 25. Quite a tremendous psalm here, showing what’s going to happen. And the teaching is going to be marvelous. And we are going to be doing the teaching, we are going to be doing the training, but we will never be given authority nor does God ever desire to take away free moral agency. Everyone must choose. This is what we need to understand. Because if we don’t, we will not understand some of the difficult Scriptures there in Revelation 20 and what God is going to do.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 4. Now here is David praying to God: “Shew me Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths.” This is what we’re going to do. “Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me...” Notice how much it is, “Teach me; show me.” As a matter fact, we are going to see that five times in this psalm it says, “Teach me.” And we have to know, we have to be taught. Now also there’s a process that when we reach a certain point of learning we can be teaching ourselves too, can’t we? But again, like in everything else, we have to choose what is right in order for things to be right. We have to choose what is good in order for things to be good. “...For Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day [long]. Remember, O LORD, Thy tender mercies and Thy loving kindness is; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth [because there’s going to be mercy and forgiveness], nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” So mercy and forgiveness is always going to be there for those who truly repent. And of course we’re going to know, aren’t we? Without a doubt.

Now verse 8: “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psa. 25:4-10, KJV). And that’s exactly what we’re going to be doing and teaching. And they will know.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 66 and let’s see something else, because we need to ask the question: What is going to happen to those who choose not to follow God’s way? Because there will be those who will do it. Now let’s see this over here in Isaiah 66:22: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the LORD...” Now during the Millennium it’s going to be a new heaven and new earth. After the Millennium and the Great White Throne judgment period of 100 years then there’s going to be heavenly Jerusalem coming to the earth. There is going to be a remaking of the earth, and so that one is going to remain forever.

Now, “...So shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another [and this means from one month to another], and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the LORD.” Now let’s read verse 24, because why would this verse be here? Let’s read it: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me...” So there is going to be the death penalty incurred for sin – “the wages of sin is death,” and that will not change. God has decreed that for human beings. “...For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhoring unto all flesh” (Isa. 66:22-24, KJV).

In other words, the ones who are the sinners and sin and absolutely refuse to repent, what’s going to happen to them? There will be a lake of fire. So what is being viewed here is the congregation of the dead. So let’s understand how this is probably going to work. Let’s come back here to Proverbs 21. Because there are going to be those who choose not to go God’s way, in spite of everything; in spite of the beauty, in spite of the conveniences, in spite of being taught by us. Now think about it for a minute. Was not Adam and Eve taught directly by God? Yes. And they did choose to sin. They had to make the choice to eat of the tree. Now yes, Satan was there to mislead them. That is true. During the Millennium Satan is not there to mislead them. So their choices, if they choose to go against God’s way, are going to be absolutely profound. Of course, they will be given opportunities to repent. They will be called to repentance. But there will be those who will not repent.

Now Proverbs 21:15: “It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.” And that’s just what we read back there is Isaiah 66:24. “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead” (Prov. 22:15-16, KJV). Now this is talking about those who do not repent. So we can say this: all during the Millennium there’s going to be the congregation of the living, who are eating of the tree of life, which then is teaching the love of God, the mercy of God, the faith of God, the truth of God, and so forth. Then you have those who wander out of the way and don’t repent, and they are in the congregation of the dead.

Now let’s come back here to James 2 and let’s see something that’s important to realize, how that even demons, knowing better, chose the wrong way, even in the face of God, like Satan did. Now let’s come back here to James 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils [demons] also believe, and tremble.” Now why? Number one, they don’t obey God. Number two, they know their fate, as we’ll see a little later. They understand what’s going to happen to them. Now those during the Millennium who choose to reject God’s way, they know what’s going to happen to them. But you see, choice is so powerful. And when a person sets his or her mind to choose and not back down from that choice, they will say, “I don’t care.” And just like with the demons here, they know that God exists. They know that disobeying Him is going to lead to their eternal punishment, don’t they? Did not Satan know that when he rebelled? But of course he did. Did not the demons who followed him know that when they followed him? Yes, indeed.

Now how is such a thing going to happen? It’s going to be something, isn’t it? They are going to choose, just like we saw. Now let’s come back here to the book of Proverbs. Now I think that if you go through the book of Proverbs you’re going to see a lot of things that we’re going to be teaching; and all the things of the right and the wrong, the good and the bad, the truth and the lies, and the evil and righteousness, and so forth. Let’s come over here to Proverbs 5:10. So we’re going to get a principle out of here that is true. It says: “…Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors be in the house of a stranger; and thou mourn at the last…” Now remember, as we’re going to see tomorrow, at the lake of fire there’s going to be what? Weeping and gnashing of teeth. “...And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof…”

Now let’s just use an example. Every pack of cigarettes has on it what? A warning: “This may cause cancer, emphysema, sickness, and death.” Do people still buy them? Yes. Do they read the warning? Of course. Do they believe the warning? Yes, as it applies to everybody else, but not to themselves. They think somehow it won’t apply to them. Because there’s still going to be the choice of self-delusion. And God is not going to take that away. Now can that be repented of? Of course. But if they don’t repent then it’s going to be a terrible thing. Now verse 13: “…And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly” (Prov. 5:10-14, KJV). So here is a person who rejected teaching but is coming to his senses and looks like he’s going to repent. So that’s quite something isn’t it? So there is going to be that.

Now let’s continue on and let’s see how things are by choice, and what people do and so forth. Now here is going to be something else that we are going to be teaching all the way through. Now let’s pick it up here in Proverbs 4:18: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Now this is the pattern that we need to have today in order to overcome lethargy and never be caught in apostasy. And this is what we need to be teaching people all the way down through the Millennium. We need to be teaching that. We’re also going to teach them – because if there is sin, wages of sin is death, and if they sin, they are going to die. And we’re going to see that anyone who dies during the Millennium is accursed.

Now verse 19: “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” Prov. 4:18-23, KJV). And of course, there’s going to be the greatest development of human intellect, spiritual intellect, knowledge of God, knowledge of the creation, knowledge of the laws of what we call of science and everything, won’t there? It’s going to be absolutely profound; so much of it that unless they concentrate on the spiritual things then they may make the wrong choices.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 65. And we apply this both to the 100 year period and to the Millennium. Now let’s just think about this for just a minute as we are going through. We know this for sure, when Christ returns the dead in Christ are going to rise first, aren’t they? Yes. Those who are alive and remain – now, there’s no time for them to die and be put in the grave, right? Because Christ is here. The resurrection is taking place. And they are righteous and ready to go, aren’t they? This is the time when God makes the exception that “it’s given to everyone once to die,” and “as in Adam we all die.” Because Paul writes in I Thessalonians 4 that “…We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, we are not going to precede those who have died.” They’re going to be resurrected. “But we who remain and are alive will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (I Thess. 4:15, 17, paraphrased). Then he adds there in I Corinthians 15 – at the last trumpet.

So all during the Millennium – let’s ask the question: if someone is righteous (and we’re going to take the 100 year period and apply it to the time all the way down through the Millennium, that a person’s life will be a hundred years) that if they are faithful and come to 100 years, why would they have to die any more than those who are alive when Christ returns would have to die? What would be the reason for that? There would be no reason whatsoever. So when they come to the end of their lives at 100 years (and just think of this: instead of having a funeral we’ll have a “going out-coming in” party) they will be changed – of course by the command of God – from flesh to spirit in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and enter into the Kingdom of God.

Now I don’t know when this is going to happen. Will this become part of Sabbath services as we go down in time? Will this become part of the holy days coming down in time? Will this be part of the first holy day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that you transfer from living in the world to living in the Kingdom of God? I don’t know. So I’ll ring my cowbell on that [rings bell] so you know we’re just speculating on this. But all of these things are entirely possible. And in this we need to realize that God does expect us to apply our minds and ask for understanding while we do so, so that we can understand it.

Now let’s come here to Isaiah 65:17 and let’s apply this not only to the Last Great Day and the meaning of that, but let’s also apply this to the Millennium: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not fulfilled his days: [so it says next here] for the child shall die an hundred years old...” And that means the child is going to live to be 100 years old. Now whether it dies or whether it enters into the Kingdom of God depends upon the choice of the child. But it is not going to die an untimely death.

“...But the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa. 65:17-20, KJV). So this shows that if anyone dies instead of entering into the Kingdom of God, that person is accursed and their fate is sealed. And everyone knows that this person is going to face the second death because God has decreed that all sinners die twice and that they be burned alive in the lake of fire. Now also all down during the Millennium we know this, that if a person sins a sin unto death that they will be cast into the lake of fire, as we saw there in Isaiah 66. So there’s going to be a lot of incentive for people to really want to be in the Kingdom of God. However, because of human choice some will refuse in spite of everything, in spite of all the warnings, in spite of all the things that come upon them. And they will reject God’s way. They will die accursed. So whenever there is someone who is dead and buried, that is the seal of their ultimate judgment. And they will have to die the second death.