The Way It Is Supposed to Be

We have all heard how life used to be in the days of long ago. You may remember the story of how difficult life used to be, as told from the father to the child. When I was your age, I walked to school and back every day through blinding snowstorms, uphill both ways.

Usually, when someone refers back to a better time, it is to the good ole days. Life was simpler. Music was better. People had more time for each other. Of course, when we do look back, we usually have a perspective that has forgotten the difficult times and just focused on the good times.

From our passage today, Revelation 20.1-10, we are going to be brought back to the way it used to be and was meant to be. However, there’s no vivid imagination involved, like the earlier quotes. We will see that as Christ ushers in His millennial reign, He is going to present a picture of what His rule over this world was supposed to be.

The Christian needs to understand that one day Christ will make certain that everything is the way it is supposed to be.

Today, we are going to look at three different aspects of the ways things are supposed to be from these first ten verses of chapter 20.

First, Satan Is Supposed to Be In Chains.

Secondly, The Saints Are Supposed to Be In Charge.

Finally, The Savior is Supposed to Be In Control.

Satan Is Supposed to Be In Chains.

Revelation 20:1–3 (NASB95)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

John sees an angel coming out of heaven, holding two items that would arouse most peoples curiosity. First, John sees that the angel has the key to the abyss. Secondly, the angel is holding a great chain.

Let's look first of all at the abyss. The abyss is known as the bottomless pit that was described earlier. We recall from chapter 19, that this was the temporary place of residence for the demonic world. This is not yet the Lake of Fire. Even though it seemed as if that was where Satan orchestrated his leadership, he will now be quite powerless once he is cast into it.

But what about that huge chain? This seems to provide a picture of the complete immobilization that Satan will experience. The key shows that has the absolute authority and has delegated that authority and power to this angel.

Now, the angel seizes Satan and binds him for 1000 years. Yet what can keep him bound and away from God's people? Only God is able to do that. Satan is cast into the abyss. It is locked and sealed so that he is no longer free to do what he has done since the temptation in the garden, or even further back when he brought along with him a third of the angels in rebellion against God. He will no longer be able to deceive and mislead the nations during the thousand year period of time. Also, during this time period, the saints are going to reign with Christ upon the earth. For all practical purposes, we should understand that the thousand years will be exactly 1000 years. This time frame is repeated six times, showing the preciseness. After this thousand year period, Satan will be set free again.

For the Christian, today we have the daily battle of recognizing that Satan has no power over takes place when we find ourselves being attacked by Satan over and over again. We often times wonder why this battle must exist, since we belong to Christ. The reality is that Satan will not bother those who are settling for mediocre Christianity. He will attack those who are on the front lines of the Bible, wearing their armor provided by Christ. This truth seems to be seen by experience end by different individuals throughout the scripture.

Still, when we face this ongoing battle today, we must recognize that this is not the way it is supposed to be. There will come a day when things will be the way they are supposed to be. That explains why Satan will be in chains. The Christian needs to understand that one day Christ will make certain that everything is the way it is supposed to be.

The Saints Are Supposed to Be In Charge.

Revelation 20:4–6 (NASB95)

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

John's view changes as he sees the thrones of those whom Christ has given authority to judge and rule. We really do not know exactly what life is going to be like during this time. However, John has given us a glimpse to the participants within this time.

In addition, John sees those who were murdered because of their living for Christ. It seems quite logical for these souls as being those who had gone through the tribulation. We assume this since they had specifically been mentioned as those who have not worshiped the beast or receive the mark of the beast. Thus, this would not refer to those in the church age, since the issue of the mark of the beast is not even a part of the temptation of the church.

Those who have been murdered during the tribulation period, will be resurrected and will reign with Christ during the millennial period. In addition, those who belong to Christ will be participants in the millennium. We can gather this from other portions of Scripture that describe the saints as ruling during the reign of God on this earth.

Verse five states that the rest of the dead are resurrected after the thousand year reign. This is presented as a parenthetical comment. This refers to those who are the wicked dead. They will be resurrected later to undergo the great white throne judgment, described a bit later in this chapter.

There is a reminder that those who experience this first resurrection will be to the praise of God and of Christ, and will be reigning with Christ for the thousand year period.

We need to take a bit of time and deal with the issue of resurrection from other passages of scripture. We understand that there are two resurrections. The first resurrection is what we understand as the resurrection of life. John speaks of this as he quotes Jesus in John 5.28-29: ““Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

We understand that this takes place in several stages, according to 1 Corinthians 15:23: “But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,”

So, Christ is the first fruits, then the church will be raised when the rapture occurs. First Thessalonians 4:16 states; “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Then the Old Testament saints, before Pentecost and the church, along with the tribulation saints are resurrected. This occurs after Christ comes back and sets up his kingdom. We read about this in Daniel 12.1-2 ““Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” We see it also in Revelation 20:4: “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

The second resurrection, however, is not a pleasant resurrection. We often call it the resurrection of damnation. This involves the wicked dead of all time. According to Revelation 20.13, it is at the end of the millennium, before the great white throne judgment. “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.”

Praise God for the Lord Jesus Christ! He enables us to be participants in the first resurrection to spend eternity with him. Sometimes, for the Christian in this world, there is still a temptation to buy into the world's philosophy of eat drink and be merry; for today we live, tomorrow we may die. This philosophy is denying the reality that there will be a resurrection. It will be for all people of all time. Everyone will experience one of the two resurrections.

We can also become quite discouraged when it seems as if those bent on evil seem to be in charge of this planet. There is no need for us to feel that way. Things are not the way they should be at this point in time. After Satan has been bound in chains, the Saints are supposed to be in charge. That is God's plan. The Christian needs to understand that one day Christ will make certain that everything is the way it is supposed to be.

The Savior Is Supposed to Be In Control.

Revelation 20:7–10 (NASB95)

When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

In these verses, we find that Satan is released from the abyss. The timeframe is not given. Now many of us would only hope that Satan would have changed his mind about all he has done over the centuries. Obviously, he will not. So what does he do at this point?

He goes out to deceive and set others against Christ. We are reminded that even in a perfect world, humanity will often choose to follow Satan. Those who’ve entered into the Millennium who are among the Jewish and Gentile survivors of the Tribulation will go into it with their normal bodies, allowing them to have children. Sadly, they will have that sin nature passed to them and still need a Savior. Again, without any goading by Satan and his minions, and with a perfect society, there will be those who will reject Jesus. Sounds a bit like the Garden of Eden with its first two inhabitants, Adam and Eve.

We then are introduced to Gog and Magog, a symbolic title. We know Gog and Magog throughout history as people who are rebellious and defiant toward God. This battle is not the same one referred to in the Zachariah 38. It is rather the battle of Satan at the end of the millennium. Again, we do not know just how long Satan will be free to deceive. But it appears that it will not be for very long.

In this battle that Satan orchestrates, God will destroy the Satan followers with fire from heaven. This battle could more appropriately be named an execution. Satan himself will finally be cast into the lake of fire, along with the beast, who is the antichrist, as well as the false prophet. This is not annihilation, but their torment will be day and night forever and ever.

Brothers and sisters, we must do all that we are called to do for the Savior. However, we must remember that we cannot do the work that only He can do. We understand that it may not appear that things are the way they are supposed to be at this particular time. But we do know that the Savior is supposed to be in control. The incredible reality is that He is in control, even if it doesn't always seem that way today. The Christian needs to understand that one day Christ will make certain that everything is the way it is supposed to be.

Conclusion

Friends, be encouraged. Don't let circumstances and present situations convince you that this is the way life is really going to be. Don't become disheartened when you give your all for Christ and it seems as if the world is going against you. We know from Jesus own words: in this world you will have trouble. However do not forget the last part of this promise from our Savior’s lips: Take heart. I have overcome the world. That is the way it is supposed to be.