Revelation 20

Now, after Revelation 18 & 19, where we see the the destruction of Babylon, the world system that rebels against God and rejects Christ and is structured and fueled by Satan, and after the invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb and the return of Christ with heaven’s armies...

Comes Revelation 20, the most debated of all the chapters of this Book of Revelation. And the answer to 2 great questions determine how we interpret this chapter:

1. Does Rev 20 continue directly from the action in Revelation 19, or start a new, final section of the Book, and

2. What does the 1,000 years (Millennium) speak of?

Obviously, in this 20 minutes we will only begin to answer these questions and look at this chapter, but this is what we have. I hope, though, that what we do look at will whet your appetite to dig in further, just as I hope our earlier studies together have done.

So let’s answer these 2 questions and then look at the chapter for a few minutes...

1. Does Rev 20 continue directly from the action in Revelation 19, or start a new, final section of the Book?

Answer: I believe this begins a new section, just as Revelation has again and again recapitulated or returned to the same scenario of the church age from the ascension of Christ to the return of Christ...

2. What does the 1,000 years (Millennium) speak of? 

Here, I believe, the 1,000 years is not 1,000 literal years but a number indicating a long period of time (all numbers in Revelation are symbolic, like 1260 days, 3 1/2 years, 7 spirits, 7 churches, 144,000, etc)...

A very long time period, in fact, the time from the ascension of Christ to the return of Christ...others, eg Historic Premillennialists, see the 1,000 as a literal # of years when Christ sets up a literal kingdom on earth to fulfill all of God’s promises to the Jews...

We are again seeing this time period, the church age, but with some additional details over previous pictures of this time...

Revelation 20...let’s read...

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 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.

Note the symbolism: key, chain, a pit that is shut & sealed, etc.

If this 1,000 years is the church age, in what way is Satan bound? People will say: he is NOT bound, look at all he has been doing and IS doing! Satan is alive and well on planet earth...but...

But...we believe Satan was bound when Jesus died on the cross...Matt 12:29

Colossians 2:14-15

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

NOTE: before the cross...basically only in Israel were there redeemed people...after the cross...the gospel spreads rapidly across the known world (Book of Acts: from Jerusalem to Rome! In less than 30 years) and in centuries following...beyond that.

4 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. 

In heaven, thrones and believers seated on them; Daniel 7:9,22

1 Corinthians 6:2

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

Saints reigning with Christ during this church age...includes martyrs and those faithful to Christ who overcame and died...all with Him in heaven, and enthroned, reigning...

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 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.

Here is the First Resurrection...ie, those who die and go to be with Christ and reign with Him during this time until He returns...they reign!

...but the rest of the dead, ie unbelievers do not have their final destiny revealed until Christ returns in judgment...(v11ff below)

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 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. 9 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, 10 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.

At the end of church age, just before Christ returns, Satan is released for a short period to gather an army to fight and seek to destroy the church, (God & Magog, Ezekiel 38-39) the camp of the saints, and the beloved city, but the end for them is quick as fire comes down from heaven and consumes them...

And Satan meets his final judgment...he is THROWN into the lake of fire and sulfur...hell and torment forever

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

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. 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. 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. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The final judgment, great white throne & him who was seated on it: God the Father judging through His Son...John 5:22, 27...the One with eyes like a flame of fire, Revelation 1:14

Earth and sky fled away: ESVSB: earth and sky fled away. This removal of the first heaven and earth (foretold in Hag. 2:6; Heb. 12:26–28; and previewed in Rev. 6:12–14; 16:18–21) prepares for the new heaven and earth (21:1, 4-5; Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:10–13).

At this judgement stands all mankind from Adam on...before the throne: accountable and facing judgment (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

All are raised from the dead in a bodily state...

Books opened: not literally, but to say there is a full, inerrant record held by this omniscient One on the throne...NOTHING will be missing: actions, words, thoughts, attitudes, omission, Commission, it will ALL be there...OPENED: made known

Matthew 12:36-37

Another book: the book of life

Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Phil. 4:3