Doctrine of Operation Footstool

Doctrine of Operation Footstool

1. Definition: Operation Footstool is the termination of the strategic victory of the angelic conflict by which the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth to establish His kingdom and to remove Satan and all fallen angels. Operation Footstool constitutes a coup d'etat whereby Satan loses the rulership of the world to the Lord Jesus Christ (Ps. 110:1; Heb. 1:13; 10:13).
2. Israel, under the fifth cycle of discipline (that is, the destruction of a nation due to maximum rejection of biblical principles, Lev. 26:27–39), no longer represents Christ on earth during the Church Age.
   1. Israel is replaced by the Church in the Church Age (Eph. 1:22–23; 4:4–5; 5:23–24, 30–32; Col. 1:18, 24; 2:19) and by the 144,000 Jews in the Tribulation (Rev. 7:4).
   2. Because of the session of Christ, the angelic conflict has intensified during the Church Age (Eph. 6:11–13).
3. The Body of Christ, the Church, is being prepared on earth by means of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in which every believer is entered into union with Christ (1 Cor. 12:12–14; Col. 2:10–12).
4. When the Body is completed, it is removed from the devil’s world by means of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51–57; 1 Thess. 4:16–18).
5. After the Rapture, the Church becomes the Bride of Christ (Rev. 19:7).
6. Once in heaven, the Bride is prepared for the wedding supper which will occur at the Second Advent (Rev. 19:8–9).
   1. The Bride enters into ultimate sanctification by receiving a resurrection body like Christ’s (1 Cor. 15:51–57; Phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:1–2).
   2. The Bride, in receiving a body like Christ’s body, no longer possesses a sin nature (Phil. 3:21; 1 Thess. 5:23).
   3. The Bride is cleansed from all human good (1 Cor. 3:12–15).
7. The Bride returns with Christ at the Second Advent (1 Thess. 3:13; Rev. 19:11–16).
8. Then follows Operation Footstool.
   1. First is the triumphal procession in which all fallen angels are disarmed by Jesus Christ and publicly displayed (Col. 2:15).
   2. Satan is imprisoned for one thousand years (Rev. 20:1–3).
   3. Church Age believers cast fallen angels into prison (Zech. 13:2; 1 Cor. 15:24–25; Col. 2:15).
9. The removal of Satan and all fallen angels plus the rulership of Christ changes the environment of the earth.
   1. Religion is eradicated (1 Cor. 10:20–21).
   2. False doctrine is removed (1 Tim. 4:1).
   3. Spirituality changes to include ecstatics, since Christ is personally on earth (Joel 2:28–29).⁶
   4. Perfect environment will exist on earth until Satan is released to foment the Gog Revolution (Rev. 20:7–10).