The Millennial Reign of Christ and The Great White Throne Judgment
Notes
Transcript
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
After Satan’s henchmen are dealt with at the Battle of Armageddon, it is time to deal with Satan himself. John sees an angel coming down from heaven. We are not told who this angel is, but whoever it is, he is most definitely a mighty angel, one of great power. He has been sent by God with one purpose, to capture the evil one and throw him in prison.
He is seen having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. This chain is great because his adversary is great. The chain must be strong enough to hold the greatest evil in existence. The fact that he has the key to the bottomless pit shows that he has been sent by God with authority. He will open the abyss, cast him into the bottomless pit, shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.
Satan is referred to here by four distinct titles, each of which speaks to his nature:
The Dragon
This title is given to him 12 times throughout the Book of Revelation. It speaks to his power and might, as the dragon was the most feared of all creatures. It speaks to his ferocious nature, one that is brutal, unforgiving, and merciless. It speaks to his proneness to adversity, as he is consistently waging war with someone in some way. He knows no peace and seeks only to destroy all that is good.
That Serpent of Old
This title relates back to the Garden of Eden and his first encounter with mankind. It speaks of his desire to overthrow God and his hatred to whatever God loves and calls good.
The Devil
“Diabolos” means “slanderer”. This is a fitting title for the one who is known as the “Father of lies” (John 8:44). We are also told that Satan repeatedly goes before God “accusing” the brethren (Job 1:9; Zech 3:1)
Satan
Satan means “adversary”, and he is just that. Satan stands opposed to God and anything that is godly, including all believers.
This Dragon...this serpent...this liar...this enemy of God will be bound for a thousand years. During this time, there will be no evil influence, no temptation from Satan or demons, no demonic possessions, or any other spiritual evil thing. The only spiritual presence will be that of Christ, ruling and reigning from His throne.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
John then sees that during this millennial reign of Christ, there will be thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. This means that those who are with Christ during this millennial reign will reign with Him. They will be given authority to judge matters and deal with sin. This means there will still be sin upon the earth during this time, but it will not come from the trickery or temptation of Satan, but rather from the impureness of man’s own heart. These reigning saints of God will rule with Christ during this time and deal with sin accordingly.
The question of who these people are is debated. Here in this Scripture alone, John says that those who reign with Christ are those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. This seems to indicate that those who live with Christ for this one thousand years, are those who died for their faith during the Tribulation Period.
John goes on to say that the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. Those who believe that only the tribulation saints will reign with Christ, will point to this seemingly clear Scripture to support that. They say that all of the rest of the dead will be brought before Christ during the “White Throne Judgment”, which we see at the end of this Chapter.
But then there other verses throughout Scripture that seem to say otherwise.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
All of these Scriptures seem to indicate that the Old Testament saints, the 12 disciples of Jesus, those who constitute the church, and the tribulation saints will take part in this “reigning with Christ”.
What do you think?
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison
8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Once the one thousand year period has finished, Satan will be loosed once more upon the earth. He will gather all of those who still refuse to surrender to Jesus. There will be so many, still at this time, after all that has happened, that their number is as the sand of the sea.
Though their number is many, their end is swift. They will surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city to make war with them, but fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them.
At this point, the devil will be captured yet again, and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Once this has been completed, it will be time for the great white throne judgment to take place. John sees a white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. God will appear on His great white throne and the judgment of everyone will commence.
John says that he saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. This includes every single person who has ever lived upon this earth. It says that even the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. Every single person will stand before God at judgment and give account for the life they lived.
Notice that it says the books were opened. This is plural. These are the books that contain every action we have ever committed, every word that has been spoken, and every thought that we have had. Nothing will be hidden on judgment day… nothing. These books contain their works. But then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. It tells us that anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
This seems to imply that there will be some present during the white throne judgment who will have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But if all those who are believers reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom, who are these people? Other’s argue that the Lamb’s Book of Life is present at this time to show all of those who will be condemned what really mattered, believing in Jesus, the Christ, and having a relationship with God the Father. Jesus is the only way to heaven, regardless of the life that one has lived. Placing your faith in Him is the only way to get your name in His Book.
Is your name there?
