This Bible Study is is provided by http://www.theseason.org/ and shared with permission from it's author R. Christopherson

This Psalm 97 is the new Psalm, and is the answer to the Psalm 96. This Psalm is prophecy.

Psalms 97:1 "The Lord reigneth; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof."

When does the Lord reign in person here on the earth? Our Lord Jesus Christ's reign on earth starts at the sounding of the seventh and final trump. When that trump sounds, the evil rudiments or things of this age will all be gone, over and done with. The things dealing with flesh and blood simply cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, in the Millennium age. When our Lord Jesus Christ comes to this earth at the seventh trumpet, then the entire earth will be His kingdom or domain. Flesh man cannot exist in that kingdom here on this earth at that time, as Paul discusses in I Corinthians 15:50-54.

I Corinthians 15:50 "Now this I say, Brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

Keep in mind that this entire earth will be Jesus Christ's kingdom, and every knee will bow to him on the first day of the Millennium age. The "corruption" stated here is "flesh bodies", and "incorruption" is when the soul is in the Spiritual body that is eternal.

I Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"

This "mystery" is something that has not been revealed prior to this time, and Paul is making it know to all that have spiritual eyes to see. Paul is going to show us now a mystery that deals with our generation, and the details of this mystery will no longer be a mystery once you understand it. This Mystery deals with a time when something is going to happen all over the earth, to every flesh body that is living at a certain point in time. "Sleep" as stated in this verse is number # 2838 in the Greek Strong's dictionary, and comes from 2837. #2837; "Koimao, to be put to sleep, to be dead."

For a flesh body to be alive, there must be a soul residing with that body, and when the ghost of the soul is gone, that body is dead, finished. There is a time coming when all the people alive in their flesh bodies will not see death, but all flesh bodies, that have souls within them will be changed. They will put off their "corruptible" flesh bodies, and be changed into their spiritual or "incorruptible" bodies that shall not age, or get sick for the next thousand years of our Lord Jesus' kingdom here on earth. What a time of rejoicing, for many are suffering great pain in these flesh bodies that can grow old and get very sick.

I Corinthians 15:52 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed."

The time that it will take to move from your flesh body into your spiritual incorruptible body will be faster than you can wink your eye, "in the twinkling of an eye". It will be instant. There is no secret to this mystery as to when this shall happen; "At the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised [changed] incorruptible,...". The trumpets as given in the book of Revelation are given in order, and the last is the seventh trump. At the seventh trumpet Jesus returns and His kingdom is here on earth, and no flesh and blood will be on this earth at that same time. This can't be that hard to understand, for all the other trumps will be over and history at that moment in time. Satan's time in his role as the Antichrist will be finished, over, and his fallen angels will be removed from off the earth. If you were looking for a rapture, it means that the Christ that you worshipped was the wrong christ, and you had been taken by Satan, and are part of his system.

So now for the last point to this verse; "and we shall all be changed." Once our Lord is here on earth, all souls will have been changed into their soul bodies, and appear to be at the same age, for there will not be old or young, but souls in their prime appearance. They will have no illness, and grandma and the grandchild will appear to be the same age for the Millennium age. So if someone comes and tells you that he is "the Christ", look around you and if there is an age difference, or Grandma is still in the nursing home, then that person [Satan] is a fraud. Get it" If any part of your flesh life is in existence than that man claiming to be Jesus Christ is a fake. If the evil rudiments of this flesh age are present, than you not in the Millennium and the man presenting himself to be God is deceiving you.

Remember that the "dead" are the "spiritually dead" in Christ. "Raised" again means to "become awakened", to become active from another existence. All souls will shed their flesh and blood bodies to take on their new spiritual bodies, which is the incorruptible body. You may be spiritually dead, but you will also take on your new incorruptible body, which you will live in for the Millennium age kingdom of Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:53 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

The word "mortal" means "liable to die". The object of this verse is "the body", and the physical mortal body, must be changed or put into a body that can live for the next thousand years. For you have moved away from the things dealing with flesh and all its rudiments, and into a time or kingdom that flesh bodies can't exist in, for what ever the reason.

I Corinthians 15:54 "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory."

So your soul must put off the physical body, and this soul will be changed from a state of possible destruction by sin, and put on an immortality through the shed blood of Christ before this saying can be true. "Death is swallowed up in Victory," when your sins are blotted out and made as if they had never been committed. Then we have eternal life in Jesus Christ. There is still spiritual death to those whose souls were not saved at the coming of Jesus Christ, but that death will not be until after the Millennium age. Then at the end of the Millennium age, those spiritually dead will be judged by their works only during the millennium age, as recorded in Revelation 20:11-15.

I reviewed First Corinthians 15 because Psalms 97 is a view to Millennium age, and it is important to know that at this time: "The Lord reigneth; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof." This is on the first day of the Millennium age and it follows that time of this flesh and blood age. Jesus will not reign on this earth until after He returns as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and Satan has had his time in his role as the Antichrist. Sure Our heavenly Father is in control today, but this is still the flesh age, and flesh and blood cannot enter or inherit the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ here on this planet earth.

Psalms 97:2 "Clouds and darkness are round about Him: Righteousness And judgment are the habitation of His throne."

At Our Lord's return, He is all business, and there are many things that have to be corrected at once. This earth will have just gone through a real shaking at this time, and our Lord will put order back into it. As we read in Ezekiel 38, and 39, Russia and her allies will have been completely destroyed by our Lord bringing judgment down on its army and her allies armies with natural causes. It will not be business as usual, but business to get the job of cleansing this earth over and done.

Ezekiel 38:21, 22 "And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother." [21] "And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." [22]

This is the time that Christians that know the Word and wait patiently for His return have long waited for. God's children will not receive God's wrath, but those that refuse to stand fast in Christ's way and took Satan's name and number will receive all of God's wrath.

Psalms 97:3 "A fire goeth before Him, And burneth up His enemies round about."

This is why there are great clouds, because the evil rudiments of this world age are going to burn up in our Lord's wrath. This even takes us all the way to the end, when the full Godhead defacto will rest in the New Jerusalem. However, remember that the elect, the Zadok will reign for the thousand year period with Christ. However at the end of the Millennium, Satan will be released again to go out and test those spiritually dead that have lived for that thousand years in their incorruptible bodies in Christ's kingdom here on earth. At the close of the Millennium age, Satan and all his followers will come up against the city of Jerusalem and there they will all be destroy once and for all. Satan will never give up, because he is is burning with this self thing within him.

Revelation 20:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."

Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Psalms 97:4 "His lightnings enlightened the world: The earth saw and trembled."

Go to Strong's Hebrew Dictionary under "lightnings"; # 1300. "; Baraq; a gleem, a gleam; a flashing sword, bright glitter (ing, sword) sword, shining. " Go to Revelation 19 and review the entire chapter, for how it shall be at the close of this earth age of flesh man.

Revelation 19:19 "And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him That sat on the horse, and against His army."

Revelation 19:20 "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

This marks the end of this age of the flesh, of Satan, and his religious beast system that the entire world has become part of. If you are not sealed with the truth in your mind prior to Satan's coming, you will be part of that religious beast system. You will have worshipped Satan's image and bowed to him.

Revelation 19:21 "And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him That sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."

Here again is that sword of the Lord. Though their flesh and ways will no longer exist; but they will be taught in the Millennium the ways of the Lord.

Psalms 97:5 "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of The Lord of the whole earth."

Our Lord rules this entire earth at this time. This earth will have a new face, and the element or rudiments that go to make up our world of flesh and blood man will be over, for the seventh trumpet will have sounded.

When "hills and mountains" are given, there is a two fold meaning. Hills and Mountains are symbolic of small nation and large nations of this earth age. All nations will melt at Jesus return because there is only going to be one nation on the face of the earth, one kingdom and it will be the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. There will be no republic or democracy, but a kingdom, with Christ the King, and his servants. God's ways will be the only rule of law, and all the corrupt judges of today will be gone to their rewards.

Psalms 97:6 "The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people see His glory."

"The heavens", all those souls, of angels and cherubs of the heavenlies will declare our Lord Jesus Christ's righteousness. All the people of this earth that were changed into their spiritual incorruptible will see the full glory of our Lord Jesus. There are no classifications to this verse, for every knee shall bow and praise our Lord on the first day of that Millennium age of our Lord's kingdom.

Psalms 97:7 "Confounded be all they that serve graven images, That boast themselves of idols: Worship Him, all ye gods."

On that first day of the Millennium it will not matter what your status among men or the angels, you will worship the true God. There is only one God, for in this earth age many have been confounded and bent their knee to Baal. Those that have worshipped idols will see their error. It is written here in God's Word and it will happen and there is no reason that you have to be confounded or confused, for God has foretold us all that we need to know within His Word.

Psalms 97:8 "Zion heard, and was glad; And the daughters of Judah rejoiced Because of Thy judgments, O Lord."

This is Mount Zion, the very mount of the Temple. These "daughters of Judah" are the cities of Judah that are around Jerusalem and Mount Zion that will rejoice at the coming of our Lord.

Psalms 97:9 "For Thou, Lord, art High above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods."

The word for "High" as given here is "Elyon" in the Hebrew text, for our Lord Jesus Christ is the "Most High" God, and there is none like Him. Friend, there is no other god, but our Lord and Savior. We are living in a generation where the people will see another claiming to be a god, but he will be a fake. Satan is a created being just like you and I are, and because of his self pride and wickedness, God has sentenced him to die in the lake of fire. That sentence shall be carried out at the close of the Millennium age.

Today people are allowing many other things also to become their gods, such as their cars, houses, or anything that comes between you and our Lord. It could even become a close friend that you have come to rely on for comfort and support that you give all your time to. What is taking your time, to keep you from studying His Word? It could even be your favorite past time of hunting, fishing or games of some sort. Satan will use those thing that you love best to draw you away from studying His Word, and preparing yourself for that time of deception when he comes as the false Christ. Satan has many bargains that he will offer you for your soul and worship of him. The Word of God tells of the events that will happen in these end times, and it will happen exactly as it is written. When you try to go against those prophetic events that shall happen in these end time, you are buying into Satan's bargains. Are you going to buy into Satan's bargains? Satan will try to buy your soul with those things that you hold dear to you. Don't let the devil do you in, stay in God's Word and prepare yourself to stand fast against Satan, when he arrives here on earth.

Psalms 97:10 "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."

The more you study and are in the Word, the close you will be to the Lord, for only God will preserveth your soul, and those souls of all the saints to the day of His return. Our God is able to deliver you out of the hand of the wicked one, who is Satan. Notice that it is say, "the souls of His saints" and not their flesh bodies. Sure, we are living in these flesh bodies, and Satan will become the ruler of this earth before the return of our Lord, but Satan cannot claim any part of your soul unless you allow him to. Your soul is eternal, and God will preserve you eternal soul, that is a promise that He shall keep. You are living in the last generation of this earth age of flesh man, and don't be confounded in these end times.

Psalms 97:11 "Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart."

The only way that the "Light" of God's Word can be sown is through His righteous one. Through the saints that are willing to plant the seeds of truth in their hearts and minds and give that light out to this blind dark world. "The upright in heart" are those that try to please our heavenly Father with a good and upright heart, and this gets down to the intentions for why you do those things you do. When you try to please Father, that is what He counts as perfect, and this is why He gives you gladness within your heart. The perfection and righteousness of your heart is the perfection and righteousness of Jesus Christ or Lord and Savior.

Psalms 97:12 "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; And give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness."

When you think of how God our Lord is to us, in all the protection and blessings He gives to us, we can only tank Him. He is Holy and righteous, and He deserves our praise and honor.

Revelation 4:11 "Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."

John's vision, looking into the future in heaven, was given a view of our Lord and the throne in Revelation 5:11-13. I will close this chapter with that view of this time not far away.

Revelation 5:11 "And I beheld, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;"

Revelation 5:12 "Saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb That was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

Revelation 5:13 "And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him That sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

Our Lord created your soul and then He came to this earth to live and die for purchase your soul back to Himself, and given you eternal life. He is worthy of and deserves your honor and praise of Him, and you will give it on the first day of the Millennium age; not in your flesh body, but in your incorruptible body that shall live for that thousand year period of Christ's reign.