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The Book of Revelation

Chapter 20

The Millennium . . . Revelation 20:1-15

Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [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. [KJV] Then John saw an angel come down from Heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a big chain in his hand. He grabbed the dragon, that old serpent (the Devil, Satan) and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. After the 1000 years he would be released again for a short time.

The 1000 years (Millennium) is mentioned only in this 20th chapter, in the Book of Revelation; but it is mentioned 6 times, 2,3,4,5,6, & 7. An angel of God takes hold of the devil, binds him, and casts him into the “bottomless pit.” Please notice: the Bible plainly states, AN angel! One, single, solitary, lone angel controls this most powerful enemy of God! The Abyss (bottomless pit) represents the place of the demons and of Satan, the king of demons (Rev. 9:11). When the angel throws Satan in, he shuts him up and seals him in! Satan will no longer be in the world to deceive people — not for 1000 years. The people shall have a time of peace and prosperity, but, all her trials are not yet over.

Revelation 20:4-6 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. [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [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. [KJV] Then John sees thrones, and people sitting on them who had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the Word of God, and the souls of those who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They were alive once more, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who are part of the first resurrection. For on them the second death has no power, and they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years.

Who are the “they” sitting on the thrones? Many will die for Christ during the Tribulation. These martyrs would not worship the beast nor his image, would not accept his mark, but stood fast to the Word of God and they witnessed for Jesus — so they were killed! There will be two resurrections: the first will be for God’s people and the second is the resurrection of the damned (Dan.12:1-2). “Blessed and holy” are all those in the “first resurrection.” The reign of these saints will be for the same time period as Satan is bound. The “first resurrection” started with the resurrection of Christ, followed by those who are resurrected at the Rapture, and before the 1000 years begins, those who were faithful to Christ in the Tribulation period will be resurrected also. Those who love, serve and suffer with Christ, shall reign with Him in His Kingdom. The happiness of these servants of God is declared. No one can be blessed unless they are holy; and all that are holy shall be blessed. We know a little of what the first death is, but praise God, saints will never know what the second death is. It is dreadful; it is eternal separation from God. God’s children are saved from the power of the second death.

In the Millennium, Christianity in doctrine, worship, and holiness, will be made known over all the earth. By the all-powerful working of the Holy Spirit, faith and holiness will prevail, just as unbelief and wickedness do now. Pain, diseases, and other calamities will cease. All the evils of the world will cease, and happiness of every kind will be greatly increased.

Revelation 20:7-9 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, [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. [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. [KJV]
When the thousand years end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go back doing what he had been doing, he will deceive the nations from every corner of the Earth, which are called Gog and Magog. He will gather them together for battle, a mighty host, as numberless as sand along the shore. John watched as they went up on the broad plain of the Earth and surrounded God's people and the beloved city. But fire from Heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

John doesn’t say why God sets Satan free again, but it is God’s wise plan for judging the world. Perhaps it is to expose those who rebel against God in their hearts and reveal those who are truly faithful to God. Gog and Magog symbolize all the forces of evil that band together to battle God. Two forces of evil, those of the beast (Rev. 19:19) and of Satan (Rev. 20:8), unite to battle against God. This is no typical battle where the outcome is in doubt. Here, there is no contest. The Bible uses just two verses to describe the battle. Fire from Heaven devours Satan and his attacking armies. For God, it’s just as easy as that. There will be no doubt, no worry, no second thoughts for believers about whether they have chosen the right side. If you are with God, you will experience this tremendous victory with Christ.

Revelation 20:10 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. [KJV] Then the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Satan’s power is not eternal. He shall meet his doom. A lot of people are under the impression that the devil is in Hell today. This is not so! It will be in the future, as this verse states, that God will send him there for eternity. As for today, the devil is enjoying his short-lived power over the world. He began his evil work in mankind at the beginning (Genesis 3:1-6) and relentlessly continues it today, but he will have eternal destruction when he is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur (Hell). The devil will be released from the Abyss (“his prison,” Rev. 20:7), but he will never be released from Hell. He will never ever be a threat again.

The Great White Throne Judgment

Revelation 20:11 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. [KJV] John saw a great white throne, and the One who was sitting on it. The Earth and sky fled from His Presence, but they found no place to hide.

John’s vision of this mighty Throne is so powerful that even Heaven and Earth flee from its presence. All those who stand before this Great White Throne Judgment, are from the second resurrection; that of the wicked or unjust (Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15).

Revelation 20:12-13 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. [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. [KJV] John sees the dead, both great and small, standing before God's Throne. He saw books being opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead in them. They were all judged according to their deeds.

When the wicked (unjust, unbelievers) are resurrected, they will be judged according to their works. This Judgment will be just, you shall get a fair trial! God keeps ‘books’ on everyone! I believe there are different degrees of rewards for believers (in Heaven), and different degrees of punishment for unbelievers (in Hell), see Luke 12: 47-48. Some think that God will weigh the good against the bad; and if the good outweighs the bad, they will go to Heaven. WRONG, as you will see in the next verses! Some ask: “How can God resurrect those who have been dead at sea for long periods? And what about those who have been burned to death?” With God all things are possible! He created the universe and everything in it, He can surely resurrect bodies? The persons to be judged are the wicked dead from all ages, small and great; young and old, lowly beggars and the famous, poor and rich. ALL will have to account for all they have done. Even the sinner’s thoughts (conscience), once secret, will then be opened. Every one will recall all his past actions, though he had long forgotten many of them.

Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [KJV] And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Death, the final enemy of man, is removed; there will be no more death! Hades, translated Hell in the New Testament, is the prison where lost souls are kept until this Judgment. The lost will no longer be in Hades, but the Lake of Fire (Hell). God’s judgment is finished. The Lake of Fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked; Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, Hades, and all those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life. Only faith in Jesus Christ can place your name in this Book. There are NO gray areas in God’s judgment! NO maybes! If you have not confessed Christ as Saviour and Lord, there will be NO hope of Heaven, NO second chance, NO appeals. Is your name in the Book of Life?

Book of Revelation

Ch.1. . Ch.2 . . Ch.3 . . Ch.4 . . Ch.5. . Ch.6 . . Ch.7 . . Ch.8 . . Ch.9 . . Ch.10 . . Ch.11 . . Ch.12 . . Ch.13 . . Ch.14 . . Ch.15 . . Ch.16 . . Ch.`17 . . Ch.18 . . Ch.19 . . Ch.20 . . Ch.21 . . Ch.22 . . Special Comments

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