Revelation 20

Major Views of the Millennium

1. Amillennialism

Those who hold this view, reject the notion of a future, physical kingdom on earth for 1,000 years.

Amillennialists believe the millennial kingdom is a spiritual kingdom that refers to Christ’s rule in the hearts of His people during the church age.

Satan is currently bound.

The Tribulation is still to come after which Jesus will judge the living and the dead.

Then there will be a new heaven & earth.

Advocates of this view:

Augustine, Roman Catholic Church, Martin Luther, John Calvin.

2. Postmillennialism

Christ will return after the millenium.

Through Christian influence, society will continue to improve until it reaches a utopian-like state.

Thus it is believers who will bring in the millennial kingdom.

It’s thought to be the time of the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen.

Christ will return after this general period of peace & prosperity has been established.

Advocates of this view:

Jonathan Edwards, Charles Wesley, Charles Hodge, B.H. Carroll.

3. Premillennialism

Christ returns at the end of the 7 years of Tribulation—which marks the beginning of the millennial kingdom.

Thus He returns “premillenium”.

Christ physically returns to earth to establish His kingdom for a literal 1,000 year period.

Believers will rule and reign with Jesus.

Advocates of this view:

Polycarp, Tyndale, John Wesley, Billy Graham, W.A. Criswell, Swindoll, MacArthur, and your pastor :)

The Goat Judgment (Matt. 25:31-46)

This judgment takes place on earth immediately after the Battle of Armageddon—and just before the kingdom is established on earth.

The saved (i.e., sheep) are told to “inherit the kingdom” (Matt. 25:34).

The unsaved/lost (i.e., goats) will go away into “eternal punishment”— “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!”

At this point (between Rev. 19 & 20), God has destroyed all human rebels.

Those who survived the tribulation judgments were executed at The Battle of Armageddon.

All remaining unbelievers on the earth were cast into “the eternal fire” as a result of the goat judgment.

This means...

The 1st generation of the millennial kingdom will be composed entirely of believers.

Also, lets not forget about the ringleaders of the worldwide rebellion—

The Antichrist & the false prophet.

Both were thrown into the lake of fire in Rev. 19:20.

Now, there only remains one final step in preparation for the millennial kingdom...

The Binding of Satan (vv. 1-3)

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.”

This angel (perhaps Michael the Archangel) has been given authority (by the Lord) to capture and cast Satan into the bottomless pit.

“Abyss” (referring to the same place).

Mentioned 7 x in Revelation.

Mentioned 1 x in Luke 8:30–33 “Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.”

Mentioned 1 x in Jude 6 “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—”

The abyss or pit is always a reference to the temporary place of incarceration for certain demons.

The abyss is not their final place of punishment; the lake of fire is (Matt. 25:41).

This angel had a “great chain.”

The huge chain is for a huge prisoner—carries the ideas of binding and confinement.

John wants to make certain that we know who the angel is binding.

The dragon (12 x in Rev.)—terrifying, powerful, cruel, dangerous, and vicious.

The ancient serpent (recalls Genesis 3) and the Garden of Eden.

2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

The devil—the slanderer, the accuser.

Satan—the adversary, the enemy, our opponent.

“Seized...bound him for a thousand years...threw him into the abyss...closed it, and put a seal on it.”

“...so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.”

The Millennial Reign (vv. 4-6)

Revelation 20:4–6 “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.”

John sees two groups of people who are given authority to rule and reign with Christ.

Pre-Tribulation Saints.

Comprised of those who were either: (1.) Risen from the grave (i.e., the dead in Christ) or (2.) Alive and raptured.

Saints martyred during the Tribulation period.

Both groups of people have received their perfected & glorified bodies.

Matt. 19:28 teaches that the 12 apostles will sit as judges over the 12 tribes of Israel.

Revelation 2:26 “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,”

Revelation 5:10 “and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.””

The saints will help administer the nations under Christ!

Who will the saints rule over?

The remaining tribulation survivors & their natural-born offspring.

The righteous survivors have not yet received their glorified bodies...they still have a sin nature.

It’s not like there will be no sin during the millennial kingdom (just because Satan is bound).

At the beginning of the millennial kingdom, there will be two types of believers...

Believers with glorified bodies— unable to sin.

Believers with unglorified bodies— able to sin.

“The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.”

“The unsaved”… “lost souls.” (rejected Christ).

What will life be like during the Millennial Kingdom?

Jesus will rule from Jerusalem; the saints will rule & reign with Him.

A time of peace & joy (Isa. 2:1-5).

Isaiah 2:1–5 “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

A time when animals will be tame (Isa. 11:1-10).

A time of longevity (Isa. 65:19-25).

A time of worshiping Jesus in Jerusalem (Zech. 14:16-21).

The Final Rebellion (vv. 7-10)

Revelation 20:7–8 “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.”

The four corners of the earth— North, South, East, and West.

His deception will have a global impact.

Gog and Magog— reference to Ezekiel 38-39...

But here, the phrase stands for the enemies of God among the nations of the world.

They will gather for battle—their number is like the sand of the sea!

Who are Satan’s targets?

The unsaved descendants of those who entered the millennial kingdom in their physical bodies (all of whom will be redeemed).

Shockingly, these unsaved descendants will love their sin and reject Christ.

Why does God allow this?

(1.) The human heart is deceptive and wicked.

Man is capable of and willing to rebel against a gracious and loving God.

(2.) Satan is powerfully deceptive— he’s luring people away from a utopian society— a near “perfect” world.

(3.) God is just in His judgments.

Revelation 20:9–10 “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.”

Just like the Battle of Armageddon— this battle (in reality) will be an execution.

Fire will come down from heaven and devour them.

Satan’s forces will be physically killed—and their souls will go into the realm of punishment—awaiting their final sentencing to eternal hell, which will take place shortly.

The devil joins the antichrist and the false prophet in the lake of fire.

The Final Judgment (vv. 11-15)

Revelation 20:11–12 “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...”

John MacArthur calls this passage “the most serious, sobering, and tragic passage in the entire Bible.”

Great White Throne Judgment— the place of final, eternal judgment.

In one moment, “from His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.”

This statement describes the “uncreation” of the universe.

Revelation 21:1 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

2 Peter 3:7 “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”

2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne...”

These are unbelievers, both from the millennial kingdom & from all time.

They are standing before the Judge...with no place to hide.

The scene is LIKE a courtroom with a few notable differences...

No debate about guilt or innocence.

Prosecutor, no defense.

Judge, no jury.

Sentencing without appeal.

Punishment without parole.

Jesus was sent to be the Advocate, but they rejected Him.

Revelation 20:12–15 “...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.”

What books will be opened?

The Bible

John 12:48 “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”

The Book of Records

Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

The Book of Remembrance

Psalm 56:8 “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”

Malachi 3:16 “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.”

The Book of Works (Good and Bad)- Rev. 20:12

Jesus is just in His judgments.

Each lost sinner will receive just what they deserve.

No one can argue or question His decision.

There are degrees of punishment in hell (Matt. 11:20-24).

All unsaved individuals receive the same sentence: spiritual death/separation in the lake of fire.

The Lord will then determine the degree of punishment they will receive (based on their works).

The Book of Life (9 x in the Bible)

1 x in Philippians, 1 x in the Psalms

7 x in Revelation

The Lambs Book of Life records the names of all true, born again believers.