Eschatology: When Is Jesus Coming Back?

Sermon Title: Reigning Hope: Understanding the Millennium and the Return of Christ Text: Revelation 19:11–20:10 Theme: Jesus will return, Satan will be defeated, and Christ will reign on earth. The core difference between millennial views isn’t if Christ wins — it’s when and how.

Big Idea: Christ will return, Satan will be defeated, and believers will reign with Him. The heart of eschatology isn’t speculation — it’s hope in the coming King.

Why Does Eschatology Matter?

You’re probably asking yourself why Eschatology even matters… better yet, you are asking yourself, what this fancy word even means.

Eschatology:

Eschatology comes from the Greek eschatos (ἔσχατος), meaning “last” or “final.” It’s the study of last things — but it’s more than timelines. It’s about our hope, our endurance, and the end of the story we’re living in now.

Walk into any Christian bookstore, and you’ll find charts, timelines, and novels — all trying to decode what’s next. But the real point of eschatology isn’t speculation — it’s preparation.

Every Christian agrees that Jesus wins. But the question is: When does He return in relation to the reign? That’s the core difference between these views.

Why Eschatology Matters

If your view of the end lacks Jesus, it’s not eschatology, it’s escapism.

Eschatology teaches us to live with urgency, integrity, and eyes fixed on the throne.

The Three Major Views (Brief Overview)

Postmillennialism – Jesus returns after a golden age.

Jesus returns after a golden age of Christian influence. Historically optimistic.

Amillennialism – We’re in the millennium now, spiritually.

The millennium is now. Christ reigns from heaven. Satan is bound in a limited sense.

Premillennialism – Jesus returns before the millennium and reigns bodily on earth.

Jesus returns before the millennium to reign bodily on earth.

Historic Premillennialism

No secret rapture

One people of God (Jew and Gentile alike)

A literal 1000-year reign on earth after Christ’s return

Israel has a future, but all are saved through Christ

“Historic Premillennialism isn’t new. It’s ancient. It’s what the disciples of the disciples believed.” – Michael Shultz

Why This View Resonates:

Honors both biblical prophecy and church history

Grounds our hope in Christ’s physical return, not in human progress or abstract symbols

The End Isn’t Unclear, It’s Unfolding

1. The King Returns and Reigns (Rev:19-20:1)

Revelation 19:11–20:6 NIV

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They 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 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 are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Kai Eidon // Καὶ εἶδον = “Then I Saw”

The Greek phrase Καὶ εἶδον (“then I saw”) appears over 30 times in Revelation and is consistently used to mark forward progression, never to rewind or recap.

According to the NIV Study Bible note on Revelation 20:1, this phrase introduces a new, connected scene rather than a symbolic flashback, strengthening the argument that chapters 19 and 20 form a single chronological progression.

In Revelation 19 and 20, John uses καὶ εἶδον without breaking tone, language, or vision. This is a continuous sequence.

In Greek literature, repetition of καὶ εἶδον is a device to show unbroken narrative movement.

The use of Καὶ εἶδον occurs frequently throughout the book to signify sequential vision progression (e.g., Rev 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:2, etc.).

As Shultz points out, this literary pattern undercuts the amillennial view that Revelation 20 rewinds the timeline.

Instead, the grammar supports the premillennial interpretation: Christ returns, then Satan is bound.

The 'key' and 'great chain' from Rev 20:1, as the NIV commentary notes, symbolize divine authority and power to restrain — not figurative imagery, but real narrative consequence.

All of this supports the view that John's vision unfolds as a coherent, forward-moving story. and is consistently used to mark forward progression — never to rewind or recap.

In Revelation 19 and 20, John uses καὶ εἶδον without breaking tone, language, or vision. This is a continuous sequence.

Revelation 20 isn’t a poetic flashback. It’s the next scene.

One Story, One Movement

Revelation 19 —> Christ returns, defeats the beast.

Revelation 20 —> Satan is bound. It’s one movement, not multiple timelines.

This gives us hope:

History isn’t spiraling, it’s moving toward resolution.

Jesus isn’t delayed, He’s on schedule. Evil will not have the final word.

Like chapters in a book, Revelation 19–20 move from war to rule, from chaos to coronation.

You’re not living in chaos, you’re living between verses.

Christ is coming. Keep turning the page with heavenly hope

2. Satan Is Bound For Millenium (vv. 1-3)

Revelation 20:1–3 NIV

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

The angel binds Satan with a chain, throws him into the abyss, shuts and seals it: a comprehensive, visible removal of power.

As the NIV Study Bible notes, it completely seals him in.

The text emphasizes a full removal: the abyss is shut and sealed to keep Satan from deceiving the nations.

This is not partial restraint; it is total, judicial containment.

The imagery is not metaphorical—it reflects divine authority exercising sovereign judgment, reinforcing the premillennial view that this is a future, not present, event. shuts and seals it — a comprehensive, visible removal of power.

The binding is not symbolic; it’s judicial.

The verbs are stacked for emphasis: seized… bound… threw… shut… sealed. This is total lockdown — not partial, not symbolic

Greek terms used: ēnoixen (opened), ekballō (thrown), katekleisen (shut), esphragisen (sealed) — compound actions implying real finality.

“If Satan is bound now, who deceived Nazi Germany? Who fueled genocide in Rwanda? Who twists gospel truth today?” - Shultz.

The devil may be active now, but not forever. We serve the King who holds the key.

Discernment is critical. Satan’s defeat is certain, but his activity is real.

Don’t downplay evil — but don’t overestimate it either. It has a time limit.

We live in the now of a broken, satan-filled world, but our day of victory, where Satan is defeated, is acoming

3. The Saints Will Rise And Reign With Christ (vv. 4-6)

Revelation 20:4–6 NIV

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They 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 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 are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Ezēsan // ἔζησαν = “They came To Life”

“They came to life” — Greek ezēsan (ἔζησαν) — the same word used of Jesus’ resurrection in Revelation 2:8.

According to the NIV Study Bible note on Revelation 20:4, those who reign with Christ are martyrs and faithful witnesses who did not worship the beast or receive its mark.

This underscores the reward for endurance in persecution: a literal, physical resurrection to reign with Christ.

It is not a generic group but a faithful, blood-bought people given thrones and authority as priests of God. (ἔζησαν), the same word used of Jesus’ resurrection in Revelation 2:8.

First resurrection = bodily resurrection of believers

If ezēsan in Rev 2:8 is literal, why make it spiritual here?

The grammar and context demand consistency.

Those who reign with Christ are martyrs and faithful witnesses

Not elite, but faithful

Historic Premil Teaching:

Raised believers reign with Christ on earth — not heaven.

The reign is bodily, visible, and redemptive — a foretaste of the eternal state.

Application:

Our future isn’t evacuation — it’s participation.

We are raised to reign, not just rescued to relax.

Connection to Israel:

This reign includes fulfillment of God’s promises (Gen 12, Rev 5) — not replacement, but completion through Christ.

Those who stay faithful now will reign with Christ then

Stay faithful because endurance now is authority then.

Christ doesn’t forget His people

Our hope isn’t to escape the earth — it’s to reign on it with Jesus

You’re not being overlooked. You’re being prepared to reign. Your scars will not be wasted—they’ll be crowned

4. The Final Rebellion Ends And Evil Is Done (vv. 7-10)

Revelation 20:7–10 NIV

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan Will Try To Deceive One More Time (vv. 7-8)

Revelation 20:7–8 NIV

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

After the millennium, Satan is released and deceives again, proving that evil’s root isn’t just the environment but the heart.

Gog and Magog” symbolize the global scope of rebellion — even after 1,000 years of Christ’s reign

Because Satan is released and deceives, he rallies 'Gog and Magog,' whom the NIV Study Bible notes represent a global, symbolic rebellion against God.

This underscores a sobering truth: even after a thousand years of Christ's reign, the heart of man, apart from grace, still resists the King.

Evil is not just around us: it’s rooted within us.

The rebellion shows that the final problem isn’t the environment; it’s the heart. Proving that evil’s root isn’t just the environment but the heart.

The human heart, left unchanged, still rebels — no matter the environment

Satan Is Defeated (vv. 9-10)

Revelation 20:9–10 NIV

They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Fire from heaven consumes the rebels, and Satan is cast into the lake of fire forever.

Exegetical Truth:

Final judgment precedes final glory.

Evil ends, not by evolution, but by execution.

Clarity:

Don’t wait for the world to improve before you trust Christ.

Evil is not manageable; it must be defeated. And it will be.

Don’t put your hope in politics, progress, or peace treaties… Put It In The King

As the NIV Study Bible notes on Revelation 20:10, Satan’s defeat is not temporary or symbolic, it is eternal. He will be 'tormented day and night forever and ever,' underlining the total and final victory of Christ over evil. This is not a delay of justice; it is the triumph of the King forever.

Don’t put your hope in the perfect system. Put it in the perfect Savior

CONCLUSION: Jesus Wins; Therefore, We Wait With Hope

Main Point: Not “What’s your view?” but “Where is your hope?”

Three Eschatological Certainties:

Jesus will return in glory, so live ready.

Satan will be defeated for good, so don’t fear darkness.

Believers will reign forever, so stay faithful today.

“Revelation 20 is not a mystery to decode; it’s a promise to believe.”

Revelation 20 isn’t given to scare us — it’s given to steady us.

Live holy.

Endure faithfully.

Preach confidently.

Wait with hope.

Closing Scripture: Revelation 22:20

Revelation 22:20 NIV

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.