'I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel ...

and seven

months shall the house of Israel be burying of them' (Ezek.

'Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the

Assemble yourselves, and come ... ye shall eat the flesh of

the mighty,

and drink the blood of the princes' (Ezek. 39:17,18).

The parallel of this passage with Revelation 19:17 -21 is Inescapable.

There again we have the call to the fowls to eat the flesh of captains and

kings.  Here the warring hosts are gathered by the Beast who is cast into the

lake of fire.

The 'Millennium' is bounded on each side by an invading army, led

either by the Beast or deceived by Satan, either gathered against 'Him that

sat on the horse' or 'against the beloved city and camp of the saints' and

both end in fire, being destroyed as were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha.

If only a handful of rebels were discovered at the close of the thousand

years, it would cause us to question the idea of universal peace or

righteousness, but this is no 'handful'.  The number is said to be 'as the

sand of the sea', nothing but the overriding desire to hold to a personal pre

-conception could ever lead a child of God to belittle this description.

From the blessing of Abraham in Genesis 22:17 to Hosea 1:10 this figure

is used consistently:

'Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the

sea, which cannot be Measured nor Numbered' (Hos. 1:10).

This unnumbered host with antichristian intent go up 'on the breadth of the

earth' and even though this should be limited to the 'land' of Palestine the

implication is obviously the same as in Isaiah 8:8 and Habakkuk 1:8 where the

overwhelming nature of the invasion is thereby depicted.

No rhapsody, no poetic phrase, no private interpretation, no wishful

thinking can alter the fact, that the 'Millennial Reign' ends, as it began,

with a terrible rebellion.  The Millennium is not the First of a new series,

but the Last of an old one, in which man has been tested under different

forms of government, and in every case been found wanting.  This Millennial

kingdom is the Last of Delegated authority.  David may have reigned on earth

as vice -regent, the twelve apostles may have sat on twelve thrones judging

the twelve tribes of Israel, the overcomers may have reigned as priests of

God and of Christ, but all in vain.  Christ must put down All authority,

whether good or bad, and reign alone and supreme if ever the goal of the ages

is to be reached.

We turn our attention to a fuller series of features that characterize

the Millennium, this closing period of man's probation.

restraining of Satan.

restraining of transgression.

sealing up of sin.

rule of the rod of iron.

willing obedience of Israel.

feigned obedience of many of the nations.