The Hardest Chapter

Read and pray.

First, some ground rules…

This is the hardest chapter of study I’ve ever done, only to maybe feel a little more confused than when I started…

People who are far more godly than I will ever be have held to all three of the positions I’m going to give you…

No, I won’t be able to answer all of your questions, nor am I willing draw a line in the sand and say, “Believe it this way.”

As with all things in Scripture where godly saints have held to differing views, and given the fact that the millennium is third-level issue, we will purpose to operate with grace and kindness toward those that may hold a different view.

Because, at the end of the day, we all agree on this: JESUS WINS!!!

With that said, we’ll handle things slightly different this morning. I’m going to draw our attention to the major interpretational difficulties and give the popular interpretations of those views. Then, we’ll hopefully draw some encouragement from those passages regardless of theological persuasion before finishing out the chapter. Ready to dive in?

Four Questions, Three Views

Revelation 20:1–3 “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.”

How do we understand the binding?

Amillennial: Satan, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has been bound in his ability to stop the spread of the kingdom of God. Key passages in this understanding are Matt.12:29 (binding the strong man to plunder his house) and Matt.16:18-19 (the promise that the gospel will spread unhindered even by the gates of hell). He will be set free for a period before final judgment which seems to be the return of Christ.

Premillennial: Satan is locked away for a 1,000 year period where the saint reign free from Satan's threat altogether. Because the enemy is locked away, "social righteousness, international peace, and physical well-being" mark Christ's reign. The ideas of shut and sealed seem far-too absolute to refer to the present age.

Postmillennial: There is an aspect of the millennium that is current as Christ's kingdom progressively spreads throughout the earth. The effectiveness of the gospel will continually spread until Satan's influence is effectively rendered nothing. After the millennial period, Satan makes a last-ditch effort at rebellion before Christ returns to bring eternal judgments.

[STEP DOWN] I think amillennial makes a good point here about Matthew 12:29. And, their use of Matthew 16:18–19 seems appropriate. There is a sense in which Satan’s ability to deceive is hindered because of the proclamation of the gospel, and there is absolutely nothing Satan can do to stop its spread. Conversely, the postmil view portrays a continual, gradual binding of the dragon, but the text doesn’t read as a progressive binding. At the end of the day, what is sure is that Satan’s ability is limited — he cannot deceive the nations during this time period.

How do we understand the resurrection?

Revelation 20:4–5 “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.”

Amillennial: This is a spiritual event that takes place in the believer's life. Amillennials will argue that Scripture elsewhere only teaches one resurrection, pointing to passages like John 5:28–29 (“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”) They also note that the Christian experience is often spoken of in terms of being raised from death to life (John 5:24; 11:34-35; Eph.2:5-6; Rom.6:4-5; etc.)

Premillennial: This event is the same one spoken of by Paul in 1 Thes.4:13-18 where dead followers of Jesus are resurrected to usher in the millennial reign of Christ, along with all those who are left alive at His return. The strength of this view is that it takes the most literal and plain meaning of the Greek word anastasis ("resurrection"). However, taking a strictly literal interpretation of anastasis may not be a necessary here given the fact that the vast majority of Revelation is symbolic. Remember that it IS apocalyptic literature which relies on signs and symbolic language.

Postmillennial: While many postmillennialists differ in their understanding of the resurrection, all tend to view the matter spiritually in some regard. Many even hold views similar to that of the amillennials, that the resurrection is a figurative way of explaining regeneration or entrance into heavenly joys. One commentator, Chilton, offers the idea that Christ is the first resurrection and is the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor.15:20) and the "firstborn from the dead" (Col.1:18).

[STEP DOWN] Again, no view is perfect. Here, it’s hard to get away from the premillennial view that this somehow relates to the resurrection spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. And, there could be some merit to the postmil association of Christ with 1 Corinthians 15:20 and Colossians 1:18.

How do we understand the millennium?

Same verses…they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Amillennialism: The millennium does not refer to a literal 1,000 years but a lengthy time in which the church rules with the Messiah. The understanding is that this rule happens with Christ in heaven and coming to life either refers to death and entrance into eternal life -or- that they came to life through faith and continue to live after their physical death.

Premillennial: The millennial reign happens after Christ descends to earth in His second coming. The saints will live again, the first resurrection, and will share in the reign of Christ on earth.

Postmillennial: The reign of the saints takes place both in heaven and on earth. Believers are raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Eph.2:6) while also exercising rule and dominion on earth (Rev.2:26-27; 5:10; 11:15).

[STEP DOWN] Postmil makes a good point that there is a dual nature to the reign of the saints…we are both seated in heavenly places, but there is an actual reign on earth that will happen. This earthly reign, however, seems to be an eschatological reign…and end of time reign, not one that occurs prior to Christ’s return.

How do we understand the loosing?

Amillennial: Satan's release is short-lived (see v.3). Once he is released, he resumes his former ways, seeking to deceive the nations. This may be more intense since those he rallies to himself number...like the sand of the sea. This happens in a brief period at the end of the church age, possibly corresponding with the rise of the man of sin (2 Thes.2:6-12). He will gather Gog and Magog for battle, looking back to Ezk.38-39, a war that happens at the end of the Millennium.

Premillennial: Satan is loosed for a brief and fierce deception, but he will be unsuccessful in interrupting the reign of Christ and His saints. Satan is set free to prove the character of those who have been born during the Millennium. Most believe the battle of God and Magog happens early in the Tribulation, prior to Armageddon, meaning this is a different battle.

Postmillennial: Toward the end of the ascension of Christianity to a place of world-wide influence, Satan is released and returns to deceiving the nations, which follow him en masse. Gog ( a ruler) and Magog (Gog's people) are gathered, which may be a way of saying the "prince and his people." This time may refer either to spiritual conflict between truth and error, or it may indicate political persecution. As Satan and his apostates rebel, there is never a doubt about the outcome of history: their rebellion is immediately crushed.

I wish I could point with certainty to one view and say this is it. But, if that were possible, then there would not be debate on the issue. If I had to label the strengths and weaknesses of each view, I’d say:

Amillennial: There is a consistency in their apocalyptic and symbolic understanding of Revelation as a whole, and they tie in the binding of the strong man so that the advancement of the gospel happens. Those points are rather strong. However, while their handling of came to life is solid, in light of 1 Thes.4, do they handle anastasis and the Lord’s return well.

Premillennial: Hands down they give the most plain and simple treatment of anastasis in light of 1 Thes.4. But, again I ask, how can that which has not been made righteous dwell in Christ’s presence during the millennium? After all, all those who oppose Christ were destroyed at the end of chapter 19.

Postmillennial: The most optimistic of all the views, they emphasize the physical and spiritual reign of the saints, believe in a literal return and resurrection, and point to the fact that Christ is the forerunner in the latter. However, their idea of Satan’s progressive binding seems to disregard Babylon’s influence in the world and her ability to draw the nations away from Christ.

Back me into a corner and this is what I’ll say:

The Defeat of the Dragon

Revelation 20:7–10 “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.”

In his last-ditch effort to deceive and conquer the people of God, Satan gathers Gog and Magog for battle — an OT Ezekiel 38-39 symbol of violent opposition to the people of God — but is judged and destroyed the moment they try to move on God’s people. And, Satan finally and forever gets his — thrown eternally into the lake of fire where his minions the beast and false prophet already are.

This is the end of the source of sin altogether. The adversary and deceiver of God’s people is finally, fully, and forever defeated! Which leads us to…

Judgment and the Death of Death

Revelation 20:11 “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.” The Great White throne symbolizes purity and perfection of the One who sits upon it. The earth and sky flee (Hag.2:6) in order to prepare for the new heavens and the new earth (Isa.65:17; 66:22).

Revelation 20:12 “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.” All people, great and small, are gathered for the judgment, both saint and sinner, believer and rebel. Books are opened, looking back to Dan. 7:10, and these books keep the records of the deeds of mankind. There is another distinct book opened as well - the Book of Life.

Revelation 20:13 “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.” The sea, Death, and Hades all refer to the realm of the dead. The dead are judged according to their deeds. Again, there's no question concerning the fairness of Christ's judgment, for an accurate record has been kept in the books.

Revelation 20:14 “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” Death is the last enemy to be destroyed. Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Those whose name's are not written in the book of life are judged by the deeds recorded in the other books. Because of the imparted righteousness of Christ, and the substitutionary death that covers ALL sins, there are no deeds by which to judge the saints.

Take away from this:

I feel there is such a strength to the fact that the strong man is bound and the spread of the gospel cannot be stopped. Both the amil and postmil view emphasize this in some form or fashion. It gives us:

Assurance in the spread of the gospel. Even the premil view takes the understanding that Christ’s return is dependent on the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Satan’s inability to stop the spread of the gospel gives us courage to boldly proclaim this glorious gospel. Sure, we may be persecuted…even martyred for the faith, but the church and its growth cannot be stopped. We don’t say as often as we could, but we believe in taking the gospel from the neighborhoods to the nations. Build those relationships across fence lines. Be a good neighbor. And, always be ready to give an account for the hope that you have. Go on mission trips. Support mission trips and missionaries. The enemy cannot stop the message we proclaim. Even if we are silenced, the book of Acts makes it plain: persecution never hinders the church, it only furthers the gospel.

A reaffirmation of our marching orders. There is a finality of judgment in both chapters 19 and 20. And this we know is what God has decreed: faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Even Ezekiel 37 underscores this truth (more on Ezekiel and the end of Revelation next week). It is both the proclaimed Word and the Spirit of God that brings dead things to life. When we preach, the Spirit of God uses that proclamation to impart spiritual life to new believers. Let us not give up our orders, but faithfully hold the line.

There is a coming a day that inspires hope beyond hope. If you’re tired of this sin-sick world…done with the brokenness, over the sickness, through with sorrow and heartache and pain, there is a day in which all of the hurt of this world is finally done away with, when both sin and the tempter and his weapon of threat are dealt a final blow. The enemy is defeated. Death is put to death. Life forevermore belongs to those who have placed their faith in Christ.