Revelation for Now & Future Part 32

27What happens to an unbeliever immediately following death?

Hades - “the unseen world” —that is, the realm of the dead.

What happens to the believer immediately following death?

Presence of the Lord - current Heaven

2 Corinthians 5:6–8 ESV

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:19–23 ESV

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

But We Must Note That This is Temporary, Until The Judgement.

Why note these things? Because last time I met with you we finished the battle of Armageddon.

Today in the text, John takes us back a bit.

Revelation 20:1–15 ESV

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Pre-Millennialism

Interprets Rev. 20:1-6 as directly following Rev. 19:11-21. The entire basis for this belief start with the Greek word “Καὶ” which is translated in our text as “Then”, but can easily be translated and is more commonly translated “and”.

Often in the book of Revelation this word is used to transitional word to start a new vision and not chronology.

As a matter of fact the word is used in the previous text 35 times and only three times for Chronology.

Post Millennialism

millenium happens at the end of the Church age and Christ climactic return will occur at the close of the millenium.

Post means after the millenium

"Inaugurated” Millennium

The millenium started at the resurrection of Christ and will end just before His final coming.

This view holds that Rev. 20:1-6 give symbolic understanding.

Satan Is and Will Be Defeated

Revelation 20:1–3 ESV

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.

We know this from the previous chapter.

We also can recognize that the amillennial/inaugurated point of view says this binding that happens in these verses already occured.

The premillennial view argues that this cannot be because Satan is still at work on the earth.

But we must go back to Rev. 1:18

Revelation 1:18 ESV

18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Christ one the victory and owned the keys of Death and Hades from the point of victory.

The idea is Satan is under restraint during the church age.

Revelation 3:7 ESV

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

So we have to realize that Christ has the authority which is His post resurrection.

Revelation 6:8 ESV

8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

He also holds the authority of the demonic.

Revelation 9:4 ESV

4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

So if Satan is bound or partially restrained, what do we do with the effects he has upon those today?

The restraint of Satan is a direct result of the resurrection.

Jesus speaks of binding the strong man in Matt. 12:29 and Mark 3:27

Matthew 12:29 ESV

29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

So the Lord binds the enemy to a degree to draw out His own.

He further gives authority to his disciples to trample on Satan’ s powers.

Luke 10:18–19 ESV

18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

So what does it all mean?

Satan no longer has authority over the realm of the dead in the way he did before the resurrection.

He is still active, but must operate under Christ’s authority.

John 12:31–32 ESV

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

As a result, Jesus can draw all men, the saved from all nations to Himself.

The truth of Matthew 24:24

Matthew 24:24 ESV

24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

God’s People Have and Will Have Victory

Revelation 20:4–6 ESV

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. 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.

Notice that these verses speak to the victory to come.

Matthew 27:52 ESV

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,

2 Timothy 2:11–12 ESV

11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

Satan’s fall leads to Christ’s inauguration as king.

Notice the text of vs. 4 speaks of the thousand year reign. This is a figurative statement to compare to the days of trials of the saints.

look at Rev. 2:10

Revelation 2:10 ESV

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

We Compare our Suffering (10 Days)

to Glory with Him (1000 years)

This is further confirmed by vs. 5

Revelation 20:5 ESV

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

Notice those without Christ did not come to life.

This is the vindication of Rev. 6:9-11

Satan is Released

Revelation 20:7–10 ESV

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.

This is a recapitulation of the previous chapter.

Remember

Revelation 19:15 ESV

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

So this is a disillusioning and gathering of nations against Christianity.

White Throne Judgement

Revelation 20:11–15 ESV

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.

Walking Away, But IN...

Judgment is necessary, sin must be punished.

God is righteous in His judgement.