This chapter deals with the issue of the Millennium (1000 year rule of Christ on the Earth). The views on this subject basically divides the study of end times into it’s two basic divisions.
Those who take this chapter literally are called Premillennialists, those who treat this chapter as symbolic are called Amillennialists.
The Pre-Millennial View
This view takes the “1000-year reign” literally, as the fulfillment of the numerous promises, in both the Old and New Testaments. The prophetic destiny of Israel is also the issue. The Bible indicates that the entire world is going to go to war over this issue (Zech 12; Ps 2; etc)
The Amillennial View
Amillennialism is usually accompanied by a post-tribulational view. Amillennialism makes God guilty of not keeping His unconditional covenants to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: The Jews.
● Promise of the Land (Gen 12:7; 13:15-16; 17:7-8)
● Promise of the land, a kingdom, and a greater Son of David (Messiah) as King (Ps 89:27-37)
● Promise of restoration to the land of Israel from worldwide dispersion and the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom (Jer 31:37; Ezek 36,37,38,39, etc)
● Promise that a remnant of the Israelites will be saved (Rom 11:25-29; Zech 13:8,9; Isa 10:20-22).
History of Amillennial View
Amillennialism began with Augustine (A.D. 345-430), leaning upon the allegorizations of Origen. Upon the conversion of Constantine, the Edict of Toleration made the Christian Church legal throughout the Roman Empire. Constantine’s successors later made it the official state religion. However, the “premillennial” view- that the Lord Jesus Christ was going to return to rid the world of its evil - became unpopular with the then current Roman leadership!
Allegorical methods, adopted by 3rd century theologian Origen, led to Augustine developing the dominant view of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Reformation, while dealing with many doctrines in its “ back to the Bible” emphasis, failed to re-examine the eschatology of the Medieval church, and thus amillennialism became the view assumed by most mainline Protestant denominations.
Literal interpretation, however, was favoured by Irenaeus, Sir Isaac Newton, etc. Throughout the centuries, a minority of scholars have held to a literal approach to the Scriptures.
There is more prophecy about this period of time, than about any other period of time in the Bible. Most of what we know about the Millennium does not come from this chapter, but from other passages spread throughout the Bible.
● Promised to David (2 Sam 7:12-17;23:5) under oath (PS 89:34-37).
● Predicted in the Psalms and the Prophets (ps2;45;110; Isa 2:1-5; 4:1-6; 11:1-9; 12:1-6; 30:18-26; 35:1-10; 60, 61:3-62; 66; Jer 23:3-8; 32:37-44; Ezek 40-48; Dan 2:44-45; 7:13-14; 12:2-3; Mic 4:1-8; Zech 12:10-14:21)
● Promised to Mary (Lk 1:32; Mic 5:2; Isa 9:6,7; Dan 2:44); reaffirmed to apostles (Lk 22:29-30).
● Lord’s Prayer:“Thy Kingdom come”;“For thine is the kingdom”(Mt 6:10,013;Acts 1:6;Ps 45, 46, 47; 48).
● Rule (Ps 2; 110) with a “Rod of Iron” (Rev 12:5; 19:15).
● Every knee must bow (Phil 2:6-11).
● Preview of this in Mt 17.
● Melchizedek = type - King and Priest (Zech 6:13).
● At Millennial Temple (Isa 3:17, 22; Ezek 43:7; 44:2; 46:1-3).
● In Zion (Isa 2:2-4; Jer 23:3-6).
● David? (Ezek 37:24. 25; 34:23,24; Jer 30:9; Hos 3:5).
● [Walk of Prince? Ezek 46:4-12.]
During this period the entire creation will be changed:
● Physical change (Zech 4:9,10; Isa 35:1-10)
● Curse lifted (Isa 11:6-9)
● Creation redeemed (Gen 3; Rom 8:20-22)
● Earth full of knowledge of the Lord (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:4)
Although Christ will rule on the Earth and creation will be changed, we must note that this is not eternity, there will still be death and sin (Isa 65:20)
Verse 1
“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.”
This is a continuation of chapter 19.
The bottomless pit is translated from the Greek word “abussos” which appears 7 times in Revelation.
Verse 2
“And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,”
Satan is bound, in Rev 12:9 we say Satan thrown out of Heaven and here we see him cast out of the earth.
In Ps 90:4 and Pet 3:8 we see the saying that 1000 years is as a day and a day is as a thousand years, this is used by many to back there amillennial viewpoint, but we must remember that these passages were talking about from the Lord’s viewpoint, not ours. In this chapter the duration of 1000 years is mentioned six times.
How many times does God have to say it before we believe it is true?
Verse 3
“And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal 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.”
Notice that Satan is not only cast into the pit, but he is shut up, or sealed in. He is not bound alone (Isa 24:21-23) he is bound with his demons.
Verse 4
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Here we have again a reference to the people who took upon themselves the mark of the beast. It keeps warning us that the thing you do not do is take this mark on you, it results in being excluded from salvation.
Those that did not take on the mark get to live and reign with Christ through the 1000 years.
There are 4 groups of participants during this period.
1) Old Testament Saints (Dan 12:1-4; Isa 25:8-9)
2) Church (Rev 5:10; 2:26-28; 3:12,21;1 Thess 4:13-18; 2 Tim 2:12)
3) Tribulation Martyrs (Rev 6:9)
4) Tribulation Saints, living, “worshipped not the beast”
Verse 5
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”
There are two resurrections in the Bible. The first resurrection mentioned here is in a category, not a single event. This category includes all mentions of resurrection in the Bible and throughout time, up until this event. This sees the end of that first resurrection. (Dan 12:2; Jn 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Lk 14:14)
The Greek word used here for resurrection is “anastasis” which means ‘to stand up’, it implies a literal bodily resurrection.
Verse 6
“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.”
This verse has the sixth of the seven beatitudes in the Book of Revelation.
Those in Christ have something amazing to look forward to - to reign with Him.
There are two deaths biblically.
First death is the Physical Death - a separation of the soul from the body.
Second death is the Spiritual Death - a separation of the soul from God.
For those who are saved and walk with Christ, they have no dear of the second death, He has already taken care of that at Calvary, we will never be separated from God when that time comes.
Verse 7
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,”
So Satan is bound for 1000 years and then God let’s him loose.
Why does God let him loose again? In fact, why did God let him loose on the earth the first time?
We don’t really know.
Verse 8
“And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”
When Satan is freed he goes straight back into his old business of deception.
This mention of Gog and Magog here is not to be confused with their mention in Eze 38-39, which is from the North, not from the four corners of the earth. That mention of them refers to a time before the second coming of Christ.
So how can Gog and Magog show up again?
They are nations of people and during this 1000 years the nations are still in existence.
Also, we see in Amos 7:1 that Gog is the title of one of the kings of the demons.
The battle involving God and Magog, before the second coming, sets the stage for the battle of Armageddon. Therefore the use of this term will be understood in those days as a reference to an event which will lead to a world wide battle.
This is leading up to the last battle on earth, Armageddon is not the last battle, as many think, but there is another to come.
Verse 9
“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
There must be a camp of saints on Earth. We have some details of this mentioned in the last chapters of Ezekiel where it tells us of the Millennial Temple. Jesus Christ is going to rule the Earth from a specific place Mount Zion.
There will probably be more people on the Earth during this time than ever seen before. Why? Well all conditions on the Earth will be perfect, there will be no more disease or sickness, there will be no shortage of food, the Lord will provide for all in abundance. It will be the ideal living environment. Many imagine that it will be like what Eden was. Therefore people will live longer and have more kids.
Those living at this time will be under the ideal government. Jesus will run things Himself.
The point that God is seemingly trying to prove, is that even after 1000 years of living in a perfect world, the heart of man is still evil. They quick;y fall back into the old ways and follow Satan to destruction. The problem is that we belong to a fallen race of people with the very nature of our hearts being wicked - Jer 17:9 implies that we would not even know this, if it was not for the Scriptures and the revelation of God through the Hold Spirit. The world view is that ‘there is some good in everyone’, but that is not what God tells us. It shows us that a perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart.
Verse 10
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
After 1000 years the beast and false prophet are still in the lake of fire, still alive, still suffering. There is no annihilation, only eternity.
Satan had been held in the pit, which is probably in the centre of the Earth, or Hell as we traditionally know it. He is not in control there, as many pictures and films portray him, but is a captive there, it is his prison. The lake of fire mentioned here is somewhere in outer darkness as stated by Jesus. (Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30)
Verse 11
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”
The 1000 years are past, Satan and his demons are thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Earth is finished.
Verse 12
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
The people will be judged by their works.
Note that it says “books” plural, there are a number of books involved, one of which will be the Bible,
Jn 12:48 says “the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day”
There will be a judge, but no jury, there is a prosecution, but no defence, it is a sentencing procedure.
We have to be careful that we do not confuse this Great White Throne Judgement with the Judgement seat of Christ, where those that are saved receive their rewards for what they have done for Him. This judgement is for the unsaved, not everyone will receive the same sentence, there will be degrees of punishment, but all will last for eternity.
Before God comes to create a new Heaven and a new Earth, He must deal with sin, this He does here.
Verse 13
“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”
They are judged by their own works, they fail even by their own standards. We set our own ideas on wat we think God expects us to do, many introduce them thinking it is their way to get a Heaven, but Christians also introduce rules that are not from the Bible, thinking they are being holier by doing so.
Verse 14
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
So, hell is taken (those that have died before, outside of Christ) and cast into the Lake of Fire to join Satan and his demons. Hell is a temporary place of waiting, but the Lake of Fire is permanent.
Verse 15
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The Book of Life holds the names of those who have been saved, it is not a list of deeds or works.
We must note that God does not send people to Hell and on to the Lake of Fire, people send themselves there by rejecting the Saviour (Jn 3:16-21; Mt 25:41). Hell is a witness to man’s responsibility and the righteousness of God.
We must remember that these eternal destinies are determined by what we do now, not in the future. Have we Christ in our heart’s now, are we saved and heading for Heaven, or will we reject Him and spend eternity in the Lake of Fire in eternal punishment and suffering.
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