Revelation 20

Good morning my friends! If you are able, would you stand for the reading of God’s word - Revelation 20, 1 - 15

Revelation 20:1–15 CSB

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He 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. Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the 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 completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 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 thrown into the lake of fire.

Pray with me: Oh God, great and mighty - would you have mercy on me, on us. As we enter into this passage which has been fraught with division, would you speak clearly how you would have us live. Reveal yourself to us, Lord. And be glorified as our king of kings and lord of lords. We praise you, and acclaim your great name - Amen.

Go ahead and be seated.

speak slowly, take a breath

It is with a great and holy fear that I step into this passage this morning. Why? Because even though we have gone through some contested passages in Revelation already, I don’t it’s controversial to say that Revelation 20 is the most hotly contested and debated passage in the whole work. Perhaps one of the most hotly contested chapters in all of Scripture.

And so I come before you, and God, here this morning with great humility. I want to help us all understand the territory - understand the debate, but also not losing sight on the original context and how this would have perhaps sounded to the original audience, which sadly get’s neglected all too often in these conversations, but the original context is essential to understand what God is trying to communicate to us.

There is a well known adage when it comes to understanding (or misunderstanding) passages slide

“A text without a context is just a pretext for it to mean whatever I want it to mean.”

Without the context, or what’s around the passage, informed it, what the culture was, means that we can twist things and can twist things into all sorts of distorted images.

And sadly what happens - especially in passages like this - is Christ-loving believers come to conclusions about the text (whether through good methods or bad methods) and find everyone else who believes the same way - and then they make Camps. This is our camp. And everyone outside it is wrong, or an outsider, who we hold in contempt.

But we need to have a whole lot of charity here - this is a secondary issue, namely the issue of the millennium. We need grace for each other -

And at the same time, this passage, and how we understand it actually has serious implications for how we shall live!

So my task this morning is to help us become familiar with the text, with the various views on it, but also to preach, not teach, to preach what I believe God is calling us out of this text.

Again, I come to you in holy fear - because I want to help us have understanding - but I don’t want us to miss the forest for the trees! I don’t want to spend a whole sunday just surveying different theological systems - I want to worship Christ, and be transformed by him and focus on him, so that we can work with him this week!

Usually we start by walking section through section of a passage - but this time, I believe it best to start by identifying the three main “camps” of reading Revelation 20, as then we can understand what’s being debated so hotly here.

The questions that drive these different camps are many, but some of the main ones are: “What is the relation of Chapter 19 and 20 - how linked are they historically speaking. When does the return of Christ happen in relation to the millennial kingdom” another is: “Who are those who are raised during the first resurrection.” another “How literally do we take certain elements in a book that is designed to be full of imagery and symbolism?” and “How does recapitulation fit into this?”

There are dozens more.

So let’s get started here, There are three main views of this passage - and please know each of the camps actually have fairly active debates within themselves.

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The Three Views of Revelation are Post-Millennialism, Amillennialism, and Premillennialism.

Let’s take them one at a time,

first: Post-Millennialism

Post-Millennialism believes that Jesus’ second coming will be AFTER the millennial kingdom is established. They teach that Christians over time will actually triumph, and evangelize the world bringing in a golden age of gospel proclamation and blessing, and THEN Christ will come, and then the general resurrection, judgement, and finally will install the eternal state.

These are the optimists of eschatology. And that makes sense - it was most popular in the late 1700s - early 1900’s amidst great technological advancement and the birth of globalization. There was a general thought that life was getting better for the average person over all. And that the gospel would actually win out over all the nations!

Proponents of this view historically were Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley. More recently there has been a resurgence of this view, though more nuanced and controversial in the form of Theonomy with proponents such as Doug Wilson.

second: Amillennialism

A millennial would be a way of saying “no millennial” - though some prefer the idea of inaugurated millennium or spiritual millennium. this view believes that there will be no literal thousand year reign of Christ before or after his return - and instead that the millennium is a spiritual concept of perfection that refers to the period of time between the ascension of Christ and the end of the age.

Some amillennial proponents think that Revelation 20:4-5 are talking about the reign of believers in heaven right now, thus why it’s the hope for martyrs, while others view it in light of Ephesians and Paul saying that in a very real sense, we are ruling with Christ in heaven right now.

This view became popular after Constantine in the late 300’s. Augustine was a staunch amillennialist. Martin Luther and a lot of the reformers too, were amillennial. More recently there was JI Packer, RC Sproul, and even now, Matt Chandler and many others. It is a very common and compelling view.

third: Premillennialism

Premillennialism teaches that Christ will return (Rev 19) and then there will be a literal rule and reign on earth for the millennium (though it being for a thousand years or that number being symbolic are both in the camp) and then the end shall come.

There are actually two huge subsets in Premillennialism, historic premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism that are worth differentiating.

Historic premillennialism seems to be the most ancient view of the Church, with voices like Justin Marty and Iraneus seeming to hold to this view. This is where the rapture is after the tribulation, or after the tribulation time period, directly proceeding Christ’s return. Then Revelation 20 directly following. But it allows for a lot of flexibility in terms of interpreting prophecy and the symbolism in Revelation. For example, they hold to a literal future kingdom with Christ - but are fine with the 1000 years to be a highly symbolic number (full disclosure, this is the camp at which I find myself most at home.) Early Christians seemed to hold this view - and George E Ladd was a recent theologian that was a great proponent of this view.

Dispensational Premillennialism came onto the scene in the 1800s with JN Darby and was popularized through the Scofield Reference Bible. But it didn’t take to most believers till after world war 2, and was popularized with Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey and the like. It then became the most prolific view in American Evangelicalism as it gained a foothold in major seminaries, so now John MacArthur, David Jeremiah and others are also dispensational and have huge reach!

This view will hold to a rapture of the Church before a literal seven year tribulation. In which the jewish people will be saved, and a remnant will form. Then Jesus will return in chapter 19 before a literal 1000 year reign, before the end.

Dispensational Premillennialism isn’t just about Rev 20, but a whole Biblical interpretive method - that sees specific dispensations throughout history. It’s got 2 main distinctives - the first being the distinction between Israel and the Church. They say Israel is God’s people forever will inherit the land of Palestine forever, and they will form God’s kingdom forever - and this will be fulfilled in the millennium.

They also hold to what they would say is a “plain and literal” interpretive method, particularly when it comes to prophecy, and they get uncomfortable around “spiritual” fulfillment.

Slide

It’s important to remember that there is diversity in all of these views - and these views actually agree on a lot. Think about it - in each Jesus is victorious, he Returns, the beasts & Satan are thrown into hell, and there is a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrepentant unto life and damnation respectively - and creation is remade.

AND at the same time - how we interpret this passage will have ramifications for how we live. And so I want to respectfully out myself - as to where I Fall on the spectrum here - and then in humility work through this passage with emphasis on the original audience.

I would find myself as a historic premillennial (post-trib, meaning I think we are in the tribulation which will escalate until all nations are reached, then Christ shall return, with us meeting him in the air. I am most sympathetic next to the amillennial position.

Following those two by a quite a distance would then perhaps be dispensational and finally quite a way after that would postmillennialism. That said - some of my heroes in the faith have been dispensational and post-mill.

Slide

Now we will start working in this passage, and I know some of you are perhaps asking - Jimmy, why did we spend so much time in the weeds here? Well partly because some others would have rather been in the weeds much more over the last 14 months of studying this book! You’ve been waiting for the weeds! You want more information! I hear you. I’ve done my best to preach revelation - with the “how then shall we live” being the primary goal. I’ve avoided speculation and information overload as much as I can, again some of you appreciate that, some want more. And I am always willing to give you some more resources and talk about this more with you. What I really desire for our church though - isn’t endless debates about the details - but to honor and rejoice in Christ, and to motivated to overcome sin, and the devil - and to tell everyone else about the glorious hope we have in Jesus! I want to be transparent with you - and to honor you and the Lord.

Friend - I’m so worn out with the ways of the world - there are so many moments even in our own community I get the sense of just exhaustion and almost a exhausted apathy. But we of all people ought to have great hope - these passages - this living and reigning and coming Christ, should help us reorient our lives into one of life and abundant life. That’s what I want.

So thank you for your grace in this whole journey. I hope that, though we may not all agree 100% on everything, I hope that Christ is made great, and you are encouraged to live in faith the Life Christ has won for you.

Now - let’s look at Revelation 20:1-3

Revelation 20:1–3 CSB

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He 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.

John now sees an angel who holds the keys to the abyss - and throws satan into it. This Abyss seems to be different from the lake of fire, or hell.

IT seems to be the equivalent of the Old Testament of Hades, or the place of the dead. at the end of chapter 19, the beast and the false prophet were thrown into hell, but Satan isn’t yet - he was bound in the abyss. Hell will come for him soon enough.

Some, particularly in the AMill persuaion, are going to look at this as see this potentially to Jesus binding the strong man of Satan. That because of the atonement, resureccetion and ascension - Satan has been bound. He is powerless! In the words of Paul in Colossians- Christ has disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly He triumphed over him!

And it’s true, I agree that Satan has been made powerless in Christ - but it seems like there is a new special binding in view here - that is sealed! That he is no longer wandering the earth like a roaring lion. Then we see the first resurrection: verses 4-6

Revelation 20:4–6 CSB

Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the 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 completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Where A mill proponents would interpret this first resurrection as a spiritual resurrection - I view this as the bodily resurrection of all the saints of God. Yes - John uses the image of those who are beheaded, because his original audience was one that was persecuted. And time and time again John is calling the believers who read the work to be willing to follow the lamb of God wherever he goes - even if it’s through pain and suffering. They didn’t compromise and fall into idolatry - they didn’t worship the beast.

They came with Christ in Revelation 19, and now their bodies are raised.

They will have no death - they are priests of God and Christ.

Oh how amazing it is, friends!

Why is there a thousand years here? Are they literal thousand years?

Dispensational readers are going to be adamant that the 1000 years are literal, and are distinctly jewish - and that babies are still going to be born, and the earth will be repopulated again over a millennia! Which plays into how they interpret the later passages.

As a historic premill reader: I don’t think the number is literal - as thousand has been used symbolically in Revelation other times (i would argue every time)- but there seems to be, in God’s wisdom a Complete and perfect Time when JEsus comes, resurrects everyone - and perhaps gathers them - then defeats Satan (in the next verses) and the believers are with him over this triumph of Satan!

Keener writes that premillennialist have suggested that the thousand years represents not so much the length of the intermediate kingdom as its character: a period of Rest. Remember - the original audience is feeling beat down, compromised, exhausted. And JEsus is saying that rest is coming. Realized, bodily, rest and victory.

Let’s look at 7-10

Revelation 20:7–10 CSB

When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

In chapter 19 the beast gathered for war - and here when Satan is released - he went out and, using imagery from Ezekiel (Gog and Magog served almost a baylon like function in jewish texts of the end times) Satan himself now goes out and seeks to deceive the world. It seems to almost be a mock second coming - Where Jesus had just arrived with ALL the saints, Now satan gathers innumarable people.

Dispensational thinkers are saying that these people came from the decendents of those in the millennial kingdom, who are then lead astray again.And then they surround the place where God and his people are - and then they are consumed by fire.

I would look at this as almost recapitulating 19 - trying to indicate that sin and Satan will keep fighting to the end - but all evil will be found, and snuffed out, and completely impotent!

Satan is then thrown into hell, joining the breast and the false prophet.

Sin was destroyed at the atonement and resurrection. Now Satan is defeated. Next is death itself.

We finally get to the great white throne judgement: Verses 11 - 15

Revelation 20:11–15 CSB

Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 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 thrown into the lake of fire.

God now comes onto the scene in all his glory - and due to the brokenness of creation through sin - creation is banished before it can be remade in glory.

And ALL the dead - now are before the throne - and there are books opened - books of all the works of all people, and also the book of life. And people are judged according to their works.

Now Death and hades are thrown into hell - they have passed away - and anyone who is not written in the book of life, after the resurrection are thrown into the lake of fire, with death, satan, and the beast. The unrepentant, those who are not in Christ, are given the just punishment for their sin.

Okay - let’s step back,

So What?

Spiritual War is real.

The beast decieves - Satan Deceives - and MANY are said to follow him. As the audience was originally belivers - the encouragment is for us to be faithful. To resist the devil. To not fall asleep. To overcome. Flee sin. Confess to each other. etc.

We need to endure to the end!

BUT

Jesus Wins. Eternal Life. Death will be defeated. Sin will be defeated.

Great Hope - Life has Come - TELL EACH OTHER AND TELL OTHERS

Listen to this, Hebrews 10:23-25

Hebrews 10:23–25 CSB

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

We need to have hope - and we need to celebrate how good God is.

2 missions for you:

1- Get a group of people together and take time to share your testimonies of how God saved you. Do it over a meal - set a timer - let oyur kids see. Encourage one another with the victory of God!

2 - We gotta be desperate for the lost. We have to tell everyone that satan is a liar and Jesus is king. Would you start praying specifically for your friends hwo dont know Jesus?

That’s how I want to end today. With prayer.

Let’s take a few moments - corporatley and pray for our lives - that we owuld be marked by hope - and that the lost and decieved would be delievered and found by Jesus.

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