The Millennial Kingdom

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have a Bible, open it up with me to Revelation chapter 20. We’re almost finished with this series, just a couple of chapters left…but of course, this morning, we get to talk about the chapter a lot of you guys have been waiting for. Several of you, you’ve asked me what it means, how I interpret it…and listen, today, I’m gonna try my very best to answer those questions for you.

Now, before I do that, I just wanna say this…this chapter, it’s the most controversial chapter in Revelation…if not the entire Bible. And guys, it’s been debated for centuries at this point. I mean we have records of differences in theology concerning Revelation 20, dating all the way back to the second century. And so, while I feel pretty confident in how I interpret this book, what I believe it’s saying to us…I just wanna speak with hesitancy this morning about things I can say with all certainty, I don’t know. One of the reasons this passage is so disputed, its because there’s just so many questions here that we don’t and won’t and can’t have answers for in this present day and time. And as I do my best to teach this to you…you have to understand that no matter how you interpret it, no matter where you fall in your theology of this chapter, there’s holes in every single view…including the one I’m about to give you.

If there’s ever been a time for humility and meekness in preaching, its certainly this morning. So please, don’t take anything I say as arrogance or sarcasm. The things I preach to you…its come at the expense of hours of study and prayer…and I hope you know that my only goal this morning, it’s to first and foremost make much of Jesus…and secondly, it’s to shepherd you faithfully through properly expounding the Word of God. I wanna stand before Jesus one day and be able to say I’ve done that faithfully.

But listen, as I preference that for you, at the same time, I wanna say this…there’s truths here that are absolutely certain…truths that affect every single person’s life in this room…truths that will effect you for all eternity. And guys, concerning these truths, I wanna speak as clearly and as compellingly and as boldly as I possibly can this morning. I wanna urge you to bank your life on these truths and I wanna urge you to speak with conviction to others about these truths wherever it is God may call you.

And so hopefully, you’ve had time to turn with me to Revelation 20. Let’s read it together and then we’ll spend some time digging into. Would you stand with me?

It says this:

Revelation 20 (ESV)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. 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 ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Thank you, you can be seated. [Prayer]

And so, the main thing here, its concerning this millennium kingdom…which is simply the period of time where Jesus establishes His kingdom and believers experience a time of peace and prosperity prior to the ultimate defeat of satan and all those that followed him. The major debates with this, its when this period of time happens, how long it happens, and where it happens.

I mentioned this in my first sermon as we began this series, but there’s actually three theological views here: Premillennialism, which simply means that Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom and reign on earth prior to the millennial period, and most of what we’re gonna dig into this morning, its taken literal…so there’s a literal binding of satan, a literal 1,000 year period of time, a literal time where believers’ll reign on earth alongside of Christ…Secondly, there’s postmillennialism, which means the church enjoys a period of peace and prosperity prior to the second coming of Christ, and during this time, the church expands until the entire world’s been reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ…And then finally, the third view, its amillennialism, which sees much of the details in this chapter symbolically happening between the first coming and the second coming of Christ. If you’ve been with us over the past many weeks, I think you know where it is I fall with this…I’m an amillennialist.

But listen, here’s the main idea of this text…guys don’t miss this…its not a future oriented thing…Jesus is victorious now…and listen guys, He reigns over all creation now! And because of that, as believers, regardless of your view here, you can live in that power and freedom today. That’s what’s being shown here.

And so listen, to help us dig into the text here…I have three main areas I wanna us to cover…foundational truths…exegesis…and then application.

I. Foundational Truths: What Must We Remember?

And so, what do I mean by foundational truths? I mean what is it that we must remember when we come to this text?

If you have a bulletin or you’re using the church app, you’ll see there’s three foundational truths.

First, we have to understand that healthy disagreements can actually sanctify us. What I’m saying here…its that I think it’s actually sanctifying for us to disagree about the millennium kingdom. I think its good to remember that none of of us in this room, none of us have it totally figured out, right? It’s impossible for our finite minds to completely comprehend an infinite God and His plans. He actually speaks about this in other parts of Scripture. And listen, healthy disagreements, they can actually keep us grounded in those truths…none of us are God…and none of us can say with certainty what’s actually gonna happen.

Throughout history, giants of the Christian faith they’ve disagreed over the passage we’re studying today. Augustine, Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham, John Piper, David Jeremiah, John MacArthur, the list goes on and on…but they’ve all disagreed about the millennium. And listen, as a result, we should approach this issue with a clear air of humility, knowing that none of us (including myself) is gonna come on the scene of Christian history and solve this chapter for everyone else.

Instead, we’re gonna learn from one another and respect one another in the body of Christ as we talk together about things that do matter pertaining to the end of the world.

Now there are many things—essential things—on which God has been absolutely clear. God has so loved a sinful world that He sent His Son, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection, so that all who repent of sin and believe in Him will be redeemed and reconciled to God forever. Of this we can be sure. As Christians, we don’t disagree about any of that. To be a Christian is to believe that.

And so, as I’ve been saying over and over again through this series…regardless of where you fall with these things…make it about Jesus, what He’s done…and what He’s gonna do. Amen?

Second, we have to remember that it’s sin to divide over the millennium. If disagreements over non-essential doctrines create division, its dishonoring to God.

While it’s healthy for us to have conversations and discussions revolving around Revelation 20…it’s absolutely wrong for us to divide over our disagreements here. During my years in ministry, I’ve meant many that are extremely dogmatic over things like the millennial kingdom…so much so, that they’d love to see it in our doctrinal statement or like the Jewish Christians in the early church concerning things like circumcision, they’d love to make it a requirement for coming to Christ or fellowshipping together in the body of Christ. And listen, I just wanna say this as clearly as I possibly can this morning…if that’s you…if that’s someone you know…its sinful.

It’s sinful, its dishonoring to God when we divide over issues like this…if it causes us to break fellowship over issues like this, things not as essential to our faith or our mission as believers…if it causes you to question whether or not you can worship alongside us moving forward…its not good and its not right. It’s sinful.

Remember, keep the main things the main things…elevate the person and work of Christ and let’s hinge who we are as believers and as a church on those core, essential truths and let’s allow our disagreements in other more nontrivial matters grow us and sanctify us.

And then, finally…you have to understand…all interpretations lead to the same place…it all leads to Jesus’s return, satan’s binding, our resurrection, and to the judgement of all mankind. Its vital to know, that no matter how you see this chapter…even if you disagree with me this morning…its vital to understand that Jesus will come back and that all of mankind will be judged in the end based on who they lived for. Just as we’ve been talking about…either you’ll live for Jesus and His kingdom…or you’ll live for the woman (sin) and her kingdom. And the two outcomes of those choices couldn’t be more radically different. That’s what this chapter’s showing us here. Don’t lose sight of that.

II. Exegesis: What Does This Chapter Mean?

And so listen, with all that being said…here’s what I think I know about this chapter…and notice I say I think…so let’s do a little exegesis and then we’ll wrap it all up in the end by looking at the application.

Revelation 20, it can be broken up into three main sections…before the kingdom, during the kingdom, and after the kingdom…sorta like the different theological views we have, right?

Now, just a reminder, if you’ve not been with us…I do believe that most of Revelation, its meant to be taken symbolically…I think its mostly imagery we’re seeing throughout this letter…and so, I don’t see much in this book literally and I don’t see much here chronological. I explained a lot of that in the first sermon.

But with that, let’s look at the first three verses here…what’s this passage saying happens before the millennial kingdom? Well, the main thing here…it’s Jesus’s binding of satan. This chapter, it opens…John sees “an angel coming down from heaven.” Now, we have to remember this isn’t the first time John’s seen an angel descending from heaven. On at least two occasions (Revelation 10:1 and 18:1) the angel coming down…the one holding the little scroll and the one that made the earth bright with His glory…it had to be no other than Jesus Himself. And so, with that, I’d assume, the angel seen in this chapter, its none other than Jesus again. Oftentimes, in the Old Testament, we see these Christophany’s where Jesus appears before the incarnation and it calls Him the angel of the Lord.

And notice, what’s this angel doing, He’s seen “holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit.” Which if you remember, it should catch your attention. Who in chapter 1 is said to hold the keys of death and hades? Jesus, right? But also in Revelation 9:1, the dragon…or satan, he was given the key…whereas Christ now has the key. And listen, “The bottomless pit” here, its the home of the demonic beings. In Revelation 9, satan’s seen releasing many of these demons from that “bottomless pit.” And if you remember, during Jesus’s ministry, some of the demons pleaded with Him not to cast them back “into the deep” (that’s Luke 8:31). The word in that verse, its the same used here…which means “the bottomless pit.”

And listen, not only is Jesus holding the keys to this pit…but He’s also seen with “a great chain in his hand.” And with this chain, Jesus seizes the dragon, which of course I believe is the only literal thing in this passage…mainly because John specifies that for us here and that its meant to be taken literal…the dragon, its literally satan here. And so, Jesus, He takes satan and it says He binds him for a 1,000 years. Which if you’ve read this passage before, it raises the question, “If satan’s bound, well then no one’s told him,” right? After all, look at all the evil in the world around us today. Can we honestly say that satan has no influence in the affairs of the world? And listen, this is the biggest reason why many people refuse to hear out the view I hold when it comes to this text. But listen, that mindset, it actually misinterprets the meaning of the word “bound” here. The word “bound”, it means “to restrain.” And listen, using the Bible to interpret the Bible, to be “bound” or “restrained” it didn’t necessarily restrict all movement.

In John 18, we see this word used of Jesus. It says this in verses 12 and 13:

John 18:12–13 (ESV)

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas...

Pay attention to the words here…Jesus was “bound.” But listen, in His binds, was His movement completely restricted? No!

It’s similar to Paul’s desire, before his conversion, to “bring” believers “bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2). Again, their ability to move, it wasn’t completely taken away…they were restricted in what they could do, but they weren’t caged. There’s a difference in meaning here.

And listen, this is important to understand because I think this understanding, it actually changes how we view this millenium period or this 1,000 years. For me, it just makes sense, in light of everything else we see in Revelation, the “binding” of satan, it had to have happened at the cross. Without going into too much detail, I believe Jesus proved that, especially in places like Matthew 12.

He said there in verses 28 and 29:

Matthew 12:28–29 (ESV)

But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

Jesus, He’s talking about Himself “binding the strongman.” He’s saying here that the kingdom of God, it’s come and I’ve bound the strongman. The earth, it’s satan’s domain…its his house…and he’s the strong man. And what Jesus is saying here…He’s bound Him so that He may plunder his house…so that He may save those who once followed the prince of this world. That’s what Paul told the Ephesians in chapter two. Because of our fallen nature, at one point in time, we all belonged to this world…and Jesus’s binding of satan gives Him the ability to save and redeem.

I believe the cross of Christ…it disarmed satan. That’s what Paul meant in Colossians 2:15…its a form of restriction. Hebrews 2:14, it speaks about Jesus rendering satan powerless. All the authority he appeared to have before the cross, its now gone. The resurrection of Christ, it ensured the believers victory over death…which ultimately took away every ounce of power satan had. Not even the grave can hold us down…satan was restrained…and so, I believe he can still tempt us and persecute us…he can still lead people away from the presence of the Lord…but ultimately, he’s powerless because salvation belongs to the Lord…the Lord chooses who to show grace to just as Romans 9 shows us and satan can’t do anything to change that…he’s been bound…he’s been rendered powerless regardless of what it looks like around us.

That’s been the theme of this book, right? To remind suffering saints that you’re not defeated…even amidst persecution…even amidst seduction…stand firm. Christ, He’s conquered sin and He’s conquered satan and in Him, you’re a conqueror.” That’s been the purpose of this book, to remind its reader…believers, that they’re conquerors because of Christ.

And so, again…I believe we’re in the millennium kingdom…I believe this 1,000 years here, its just a symbol like every other number in the book…its meant to show a complete portion of time that’ll take place before the coming of Christ. It’s meant to show the completion of the gospel spreading. Even if you look at all the contextual clues surrounding this passage, there’s nothing in these verses that’s meant to be taken literally, right? There’s not a literal key to a literal pit…and satan’s not a literal dragon…and so, why would the 1,000 years be a literal period of time here? Again, using the Bible to interpret itself…there’s no where in the New Testament to suggest a 1,000 years is ever meant to be taken literally. I think its imagery here, meant to inspire us and remind us.

And so, again…I believe satan’s binding, it happened at the cross…and this 1,000 year millenium period, it started then…and since that time, the church age, believers have reigned (we’ll talk more about that in just a moment)…but notice what else it says about satan during this time…it says, “that he was thrown into the the pit, it was sealed” (sealed throughout Scripture, especially in the New Testament, it means “to have authority over.” Just like we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit as Paul mentions in Ephesians…it means that the Spirit has authority over us now as believers. He’ll persevere us to the end…by His authority and through His power). And so, this sealing of satan, it just means, Jesus has authority over him.

And listen, he was sealed so that he might not deceive the nations any longer. And so, what’s different since the cross? Truth! Regardless of the sin that still enslaves our world, truth still lights up the darkness…and since the cross, the gospel, it’s spread to the ends of the earth despite satan’s attempts to halt it. Nations might still be led by sinful entities and sinful men, but at the same time, truth, its readily available to all through the means of God’s people who’ve been set free by truth. And so, because of the Word of God, while satan still tries to deceive…the Bible gives the world a solid foundation of truth and it points to the person and work of Christ whose overcome sin and death once and for all.

If you remember, what actually brought judgement to the things we saw last week? It was the sword that came from the mouth of Jesus, right? It was the Word of God.

And guys, you have to understand that there’s nothing satan can do to stop the spread of the gospel. That’s the point here. There’s nothing…he’s bound. The gospel has and will continue to advance through those that’s experience the grace of Christ…through us, the church.

And so satan’s bound, he can’t keep the gospel from advancing! And the Bible, its saying through these visions to the apostle John, “Press on! Don’t waver amidst the seduction of this world. Don’t be silent amidst the persecution of this world. Take the gospel to the nations, no matter the costs, knowing that even if you die, you will conquer.”

Which moves us into the next thing about the millenium period…what happens during the millenium kingdom?

Pay attention to verses 4 through 6.

Christians who are alive now reign with Christ on earth, and Christians who have died now reign with Christ in heaven. This picture in Chapter 20 of souls who have been beheaded for their testimony to Christ, men and women who didn’t bow to the beast of this world…where are they now? They’re reigning with Christ, seated on thrones in heaven with him where they’re worshiping God as priests while they rule with Christ as judge.

We’ve seen a scene similar to this already in Revelation 6, as saints surround the throne of God and cry out for His justice and vindication. There’s numerous parallels between Revelation 6:9 and Revelation 20:4. Now, there’s many ways these phrases “came to life” and “first resurrection” could be interpreted…but the picture I’m convinced of, its that these phrases painted here, its of men and women who didn’t give in to the ways of this world, who trusted in the Word of God, who proclaimed it at the risk of their lives. They’re now reigning with Christ in heaven, worshiping Him with resurrected lives that testify to His justice as they long for the consummation of redemption to come. That’s the first resurrection, I believe…Christians who’ve died and are now in the presence of Christ reigning. I think verse 5, where it says, “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended,” I believe these are those that rejected Christ and when they’re resurrected back to life, they’ll stand before the throne of Christ in judgement.

Which brings us to the end of the chapter…there will be a day when Jesus physically and literally returns.

Jesus, He’s already come once…and through that coming, satan was bound. And guys, Jesus will come back, and at that second coming satan will be unbound and in the end be defeated once and for all. And all those that followed him…they’ll be thrown, with him, into the lake of fire. Their names, they won’t be found written in the book of life.

Revelation 20, it teaches us that after a final period of satanic revolt, there will be a final point of satanic defeat. Much like we’ve seen in the rest of this book, there will be a time of particular tribulation and seeming defeat among God’s people in the very end. You might remember in Revelation 11 where the witnesses proclaimed the gospel for three-and-a-half years, followed by three-and-a-half days of death and mockery and seeming defeat, a limited time for a little while, just like Revelation chapter 20, verse 3 depicts. And this binding that keeps Satan from deceiving, it’ll be let loose, and it’ll seem like all hell has broken out upon the earth, even to the extinction of the church. Pay attention to what it says in verse 8, the number of those that follow satan, they number like the sand of the sea…its a number way more than the believers present. And so, in the end times, the church, I believe as the millennial comes to an end, it’ll get smaller and smaller. But rest assured, it’ll only be a little while…and it’ll end in satan’s defeat.

Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 24:

He said in verses 21 and 22:

Matthew 24:21–22 (ESV)

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

And so, after that final period of satanic revolt, there will be a final point of satanic defeat.

Christ will return, He’ll enforce the victory He’s already won at the cross, and He’ll destroy satan and those he deceived. The return of Christ, it’ll usher in full and final judgment, once and for all. All men and all women everywhere, along with satan and all of his demons, they’ll all stand before God to give an account.

This ultimate judgment scene, it’ll give way to eternal wrath in hell for all those who’ve turned against Christ…and listen, everlasting life in a new heaven and a new earth, it’ll be granted for all who’ve trusted in Christ.

III. Application: What is This Chapter Showing Us?

And so listen, here’s what I believe we can all take from this, regardless of where we fall. Here’s the eternal truth or the application for us this morning.

First, as believers....in light of everything this chapter shows us…regardless of how we view all this stuff, whether its happening now…whether its gonna happen in the future…we have victory through Jesus. Live like you know that! Live like you believe that! Quit allowing this world to have power over you…quit allowing satan to convince you you’re worthless or you’re defeated or you’re weak. Guys, in Christ, you’re a conqueror…and in Christ, you’re strong…and in Christ, you have victory over all sin and over satan and over death. And listen, it doesn’t matter what you believe this chapter to be saying…as a believer…as someone whose been given new life, you’ve been given the power, right now, to live in victory…you’re empowered by the Holy Spirit Himself.

Guys, Christianity, it’s the only religion in the world where their God comes and lives inside of them. There was this Chinese scholar, many, many, many years ago…and he had read the Bible, the Vedas, the Quran…all the religious books of the world. And listen, after reading through all those books…the most amazing thing he read, by his own admission, it was what he read in Ephesians chapter two…that in times past we once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air…and then at the end of that same chapter, it says you’re the habitation of God. This Chinese scholar…he said, “the most amazing thing in any religion, its the dwelling of the Christian God in His people.” Guys, he could’ve said it was the virgin birth…it was the miracles…right? But listen, he read the entirety of the Bible and he was left fascinated at the fact that Christians are empowered by their God.

Guys, live in that…let that define who you are! Understand as you read these things that God, He’s sovereign. Understand that no matter what it’s saying here…satan, he’s subordinate to God. He doesn’t have free reign in this world and he doesn’t have free reign in your life. The Spirit indwells you. Understand that the gospel, it will advance through the church. There’s nothing satan can do to stop it. It will spread. And guys, it’ll spread because of what Jesus did on the cross. Live in that victory. And listen, live in the assurance that Jesus will return to set all things right.

Second, regardless of who you are here this morning…whether you’ve placed your faith in Jesus or not…in light of everything we just looked at, turn from the world. There’s a reason Jesus comes to destroy it and make it all new. Everything worldly…it leads to death and damnation. Go all the way back to the beginning of Revelation…what was the point of the letters to the seven churches? It was exhorting them to walk with Christ…it was exhorting them to engage themselves in the mission of Christ…He was rebuking many of them because of their worldly passions. Nothing worldly is good for you, turn from it!

Even just this week I was talking to someone about this…we have to stop letting the world define everything for us. One of the things I just get really angry over right now…its Christian concerts. When I go to listen to a Christian band or a Christian singer…I expect them to look different…I expect them to exalt Christ…I expect them to model what it is He taught. But instead, what we get…for the most part…it’s a worldly definition of entertainment. If you go to a concert where the guy playing the drums is spinning on a platform and doing all kinds of worldly things (I don’t think I have to name the band)…but what about that looks different? What about that models the Beatitudes where Jesus says, “Blessed are the humble?” And listen, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with entertainment…what I’m saying, its that we have to stop getting our definition of entertainment from everything worldly. When did it stop being entertaining to just come and worship, in a simple and plain way, with the people of God? Isn’t that the picture we got last week as we gathered around the table with Jesus? Isn’t that the picture we get as we reign with Christ in this kingdom? We have to stop allowing the world and the culture around us to define everything for us. There’s a reason we look forward to Christ returning…there’s a reason our hope is in the new earth and the new heaven.

Guys, what these last several chapters have been showing us…its the contrast between God’s people and the people of the world. Church, you have to look different. Quit trying so hard to imitate everyone and everything else that’s seen burning up in these chapters. Live in the victory of Christ…and turn from the things of this world…understand that joy and pleasure and satisfaction, it can all be yours right now, in this current life through the power of the Spirit and through the victory of Jesus.

Closing

And so listen, our praise team…they’re gonna come back up…they’re gonna lead us in worship again…and here’s what I want you to do. I just want you to stand with me to your feet…and I want you to really reflect on your life right now…If you never had the ability to proclaim with your mouth the gospel of Jesus Christ…if you couldn’t use your words to communicate the gospel anymore…would the rest of your life define what you really believe in and what you live for?

And listen, as you do that…I just want you to seek out the Spirit of God and just worship Him…maybe that means you need to repent in some way today…maybe it means you need to recommit in certain areas…but regardless, I just want you to enjoy this moment as we worship together as God’s people. Do you really believe the words to this song? Do you really believe He’s so great and mighty and awesome and pleasing?…Then sing that! Show the people around you that you believe that!

But listen, if you’re here and you’re hearing the gospel for the first time or maybe its the first time its really beginning to make sense to you…then as you stand with us, I just want you to turn from the things of this world and turn toward Christ. I want you, right now, where you’re at, to just confess with your mouth that you believe He’s Lord and that He raised from the dead. Receiving salvation is that simple.

And so listen, would you just do that with me this morning? Would you just stand, and confess, and sing with me?

Let’s sing to the Lord!

[Prayer]