Ephesians chapter one, and we will, it's kind of a refresher here, since it's been, since June, since we've been in the book of Ephesians. I'd like to pick up, starting with verse three, and read down to verse 10. Ephesians chapter 1, beginning verse 3, it says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. We started going through the book of Ephesians sometime back, and like I said, I guess it was probably about June, we kinda went off and did some other sermons, other studies, but I didn't forget about Ephesians. In fact, there's so much rich things to mine out of the book that I kept thinking I wanna get back into it, so today, I thought that we'd get back into it with verse 10, a verse that I've never tackled before, never preached on. And the verse there, it says, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. And I thought, wow, what a great verse to consider this morning, especially when we think about some of the things that are going on in this world, to consider that there is a time coming when we'll all be gathered together. All of us, those in heaven and those on the earth. Times not yet. But it is coming. And what a grand time it is. You know, there's a lot of things happening in this world. In fact, we see the things that are going on in this world that are happening right now. with the governments and the things that are going on, it seems like that the world is shaping up for a one world system. Seems like it's shaping up for a one world system under a dictator like the Antichrist, like what we read about in the scriptures. And we would expect that to be true because everything that the Bible has ever prophesied has come to pass. And so it ought not to surprise us that the things that we read about in Bible prophecy are shaping up the way that the Bible says that they will. But there's no need to fear. No need to get worried about that. Because those of us who are saved, we've got the scriptures and I've read the back of the book in UF2 and we win. You know, Whatever happens between now and the time that we die or the time that the rapture takes place or the time, whatever happens, we can be like the three Hebrew children there when they were before the king. You remember that there in Daniel chapter three. Daniel chapter three, and we won't read it all, but the latter part of verse 15, the king said, who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Petty tyrants, they get to feeling pretty good about themselves, don't they? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, verse 16, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O King. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Talk about some faith. But they understood that either way, regardless of what God's will is in their lives, they're winners. They're winners. And you and I, whatever we may have to go through, if they come down hard and say, we've got to lock down the churches, If they come down hard and say, well, you're not allowed to travel unless you've got a paper that says whether you've got a vaccine or not, whatever happens, and look, I'm not against vaccines, but I am against the government forcing them. That's what I'm against. And I'm against people having to show proof of vaccines. And how in the world is that gonna work anyway? If you go into a restaurant, you have to show proof of a vaccine. What about the waiter and the waitress? Do they have to show proof of a vaccine? Are we gonna get proof of a vaccine for the cooks that handle the food? Are we entitled to that? You get pulled over by the police so that they can check your papers. Are they gonna show us the papers that they're looking for? A lot of things like that make my blood boil, but let me tell you, Like the three Hebrews, we've got something to look forward to. And either way, however way this goes down, we're winners. And we've got something better than the three Hebrews because they didn't have the complete Word of God. You and I do. And so we can get in there and we can study it and we can look at things You know, praise the Lord, God inspired Paul to write this right here in this book of Ephesians, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. Right now, even among those who name the name of Christ, we're not gathered in one, are we? There's not one big church in this world. In the mind of a heretic there is, a universal invisible church, but there's not, it's not in the scriptures. And even if there was, they can't agree on anything. You can't even get Baptists to agree on stuff. How in the world? I mean, within this county, and you take Brantley and Glenn together, it'd be interesting to count the number of Baptist churches that there are. And we can't agree on everything. Add to that the Presbyterians, and the Methodists, and the Lutherans, and I have no doubt that there's some within those societies who are saved. try to get us all together to agree on stuff, it's not gonna happen, right? But one of these days, everybody, all those who are saved will be one. Will be one, and what a great day that'll be. And that means everything that they're wrong on will be corrected, and guess what? The things that we're wrong on will be corrected on that too, because I'm sure there's some things we're wrong on. But after 25 years of preaching the Word of God and studying it, I'm convinced that being a Baptist is the right thing to do or else I wouldn't be a Baptist. We learn and we grow and we keep moving on. But we'll never know it all, not until that time comes when we're with the Lord face to face. I believe that time that he's talking about specifically, as I study this out and read and what he's, I believe he's talking about the millennial reign. Now, talk about disagreements. Even when it comes to a topic like the millennial reign amongst God's people, there's a lot of disagreements. So there's pre-mill folks, which I am. Then there's some all-mill, which I'm not. There's post-mill, which I'm not that either. But there are some good brethren that believe that sort of thing. And when we think about the millennial reign of Christ, we often think about Revelation chapter 20, but the Bible speaks of the millennium in far more passages than just Revelation chapter 20. Now that passage is a key passage, no doubt about it, because in that passage, I'm gonna go over there with me in Revelation chapter 20. Verse one, it says, and I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him 1,000 years. Verse two's always intrigued me. It seems like that the Holy Spirit wanted to make sure that there was no question as to the identity of this fellow. the dragon, the serpent, the devil, Satan. Hey, call him who you will, this is who, that's who's being bound. Somebody said, how in the world do you bind a spirit? How in the world do you bind the devil? What kind of chain is powerful enough to bind Satan? Well, the answer is, of course, according to the scriptures is it's a devil chain. That's what binds Satan. And that's what'll be used. He's not bound yet. He's not bound yet, this is future. Verse three, and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a zeal 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. I saw thrones, they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, for the word of God, in which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands. 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. Verse seven says, and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And so within these seven verses, six times, The Bible tells us that it'll be a thousand years. So while Revelation 20 is by far not the only passage that deals with the millennium, it is important because it does tell us the length. The length. Keep in mind that while Jesus is king, he's not reigning in the sense that he will be during the thousand-year reign that we are talking about here. Premillennialism simply means, what we mean by that term is that we believe that the Lord is coming back, coming back before the millennial reign. Post-millennials believe that the Lord's coming back after. So how in the world can that be? Well, those guys are trying to ring in the millennium with the preaching of the gospel. And the all-mill folks, they just don't believe that the millennium is literal at all. They don't believe that this thing exists at all. I believe God's prophetic timeline, and some folks will disagree with me on this, but the way I understand the scriptures to teach is that the next thing that's going to take place is the rapture, as far as God's prophetic timeline. Now, as I said, the world's being set up for a one-world government. The world's being set up for the Antichrist. I'm not looking for the Antichrist. I'm not even looking for the Millennium right yet. I'm looking for the Lord to come back in the air. I believe that's the next thing that's gonna take place. Now, does that mean that God's people won't go through any trouble? No, we'll go through some trouble, I believe, but it's not gonna be the Great Tribulation. You see, God's people have often gone through problems and persecutions, even some blood has been shed and all that sort of thing, but even tribulation we've gone through, God's people have. But there's a period of time coming that's seven years long that's called the Great Tribulation Period, the time of Jacob's trouble. And that'll happen after we're gone. God's people won't be here. At least not those of us who are here now. Now there'll be some folks who will be saved during that time. You say, how in the world can that be? Well, the Lord will send his angels down to preach the gospel. There'll be 144,000 Jewish men that'll go and preach. There'll be the two witnesses and those sorts of things. There'll be some folks who are saved during that time, but there won't be any Baptist Church during that time. We will be gone. We'll be in heaven. And I'll tell you what we'll be doing. We'll be with the Lord, and we'll be rejoicing with Him, and oh, what a time that'll be. But then, at the end of the tribulation period, there's gonna be a great battle called the Battle of Armageddon. And this world, I mean, these people, and you watch, this is the way things are shaping up. Boy, they love to fight, don't they? They love to fight, they love wars. And we read about that coming up. They'll be fighting each other, then they'll join together. to fight Israel and ultimately the God of Israel. Not that Israel's been really a worshiper of the true God of the Bible, but here's the connection. Jesus Christ was a Jew. They know that, the devil knows that. That's why Israel is hated. You look at the map. Even now, that little speck on the map. The nations of the world hate Israel. Well, they'll turn their weapons against Israel. And they'll all bind together, go after her, That's when the Lord comes back. All kinds of white horses. I don't know about animals in heaven, but I do know that there'll be white horses in heaven, because guess what? We'll be riding with them back to the earth. I've never been in a battle before, and I hope I'm never in a battle, but I'm looking forward to that one. As I imagine it, we'll ride up out of heaven, down to the earth and the antichrist and all their great powers and technologies and weaponry ready to crush Israel and all of a sudden we all come riding out of out of heaven it'll be like the scariest thing they ever seen but they'll try to fight they'll try to fight the lord of heaven and heaven's army and they'll lose. Matter of fact, it's gonna be a bloodbath. The Bible talks about blood all the way up to the horse's bridle. You talk about a horrible thing. It's coming. At that time is when the Lord Jesus Christ will stand upon the earth. Scripture tells us about Him standing on the Mount of Olives, the mountain being split in two, Israel being able to seek refuge there. And at that point, be the thousand-year reign of Christ here on this earth. Now listen, I can't set dates. I don't know when all this is gonna start. But, and the one missing piece that I don't have is the day that the Lord returns. I don't know that date. If I knew that, which I don't know, unless the trumpet sounds, and then I'll know, then you'll know and we'll all on out of here if you're saved. But if, if the Lord were to come back today, The thousand year end of Christ is only about seven years from now. That's pretty fantastic. But he may not come back today. But just one thing I do know is he is coming back. And I know this that the Antichrist, the tyrants that wanna try to mess up this world and try to set themselves up as God and all that sort of thing, that's all coming to an end. They'll have their glory days for a little while, but it's all gonna come to an end. It's all gonna come to an end. God's people, You and me, those back there in the grave, over yonder in the other cemeteries, those who have died and gone on before us, those who are alive today, though their bodies are in the ground, they're in heaven, we'll all be gathered together. The folks who were saved during the tribulation period, all of us together. What a time that'll be. Paul called it the dispensation of the fullness of times. Scripture uses other words for it. Over in the book of Luke chapter 19, Luke chapter 19 verse 11, and as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable because he was nigh Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. So sometimes people spoke of it as the kingdom of God, that they thought would immediately appear. In fact, over in Matthew chapter 19, Matthew chapter 19 and verse 28. And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. He called it the regeneration, when they would sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Over in Acts chapter three, Acts chapter three. Begin verse 18. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judging. For we cannot but, oh, I'm sorry, I'm in chapter four, chapter three. Chapter three, verse 18, it says, but those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ should suffer, He has so fulfilled, repent ye therefore, be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses, For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me. Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. It shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. There he calls it the time of restitution, the time of restitution. So we see sometimes it is known by different terms in the scriptures, this period of time. In the text here of our of Ephesians, he said that he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. Studying these things out really, as I said, brings us great hope. In fact, over in the book of Revelation chapter 1, Revelation chapter 1 and verse 3, blessed is he that readeth, They that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. Those who read, hear, keep. There's great blessings to be found within the pages of Bible prophecy, especially when we live in such troublesome times. I love to get into this sort of thing because it does give us great hope. The world's out there, they don't have no hope. All they have is the here and now, and I feel bad for them. All they know about is whatever's on the TV. The skeptic told me one time, he said, hey, I don't trust the Bible, I trust the science. What's the science done for us? Even in the last two years, the science, as it's been thrown out to us, has changed so many times. They're trying to figure out what to do, how to do it, all this. But you know what hasn't changed? The Bible. The Bible. I mean, look, coronavirus is an awful thing, and we ought to pray for those who are sick and those who have died from it. And when we're sick, we ought to consider those things. We ought to be concerned when oil gets dumped out in the sound and that sort of thing, but it's not the end of the world. It's not the end of the world. There's more to life than just the here and now. What are the characteristics of this time that I speak of here? Well, we actually are running out of time. But I just want to point out here, and then maybe we'll pick it up on the second hour, but it's a future event. Go with me to the book of Isaiah chapter two. Isaiah chapter two. The word that Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem 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, shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against the nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." There is coming a time future when this will be fulfilled. We know it hasn't happened in the past. You can't point to any period of time in the past when this has happened. When has it been that the Lord's house was established in the top of the mountains? When has it been that all nations flow into it? When has it been that The nations beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Do that, do that today and you'll get a nation that's taken over, that's plowed under. In fact, as you go through history, thousands and thousands of years, what do we find? War after war after war. No time of peace, but there is coming a time of peace. There is coming a time that the Bible describes. In Luke chapter one, we'll stop with this one. In Luke chapter one, Verses 31 through 33. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, shall be called the Son of the Highest. The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Where did David reign? He reigned on the earth. Where was his throne? It was on the earth. The angel confirmed that Jesus would one day, one day, not yet, he hasn't yet, but one day he would reign. over the house of Jacob, that the Lord would give unto him the throne of his father David. Looking back over 2,000 years, we can't find a time when Jesus sat on David's throne. Not yet, anyway. Not yet. But he will. He will. And I know there's men who'd like to try to take this and try to spiritualize it. I suppose anything can be spiritualized, but over in the book of Acts chapter 1, I know I said I'd stop with Luke, but Acts chapter 1, verses When they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power. When Jesus came the first time, those Jews in that area were expecting that They would be liberated by Jesus from the Roman Empire. They read the Old Testament prophecies. They thought that that's what he's coming to do, and he didn't. And so the apostles, these disciples here, they questioned him on it. Are you going to, at this time, restore again the kingdom to Israel? He didn't say, hey, you've made a mistake. That's not my intention. He told them, it's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power. In other words, they were the same as what we are. We don't know the time or the date. We just know His promises. We know what the Bible teaches, and we look forward to such an event. what a day it'll be when the Lord comes and cleans this world up. Then the Lord will be with him when he does. We'll stop there. Lord willing, we'll pick up some more, perhaps, perhaps even during the message, but we'll see. Brother Barry, would you please pray for us?