Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Here at Revelation 20 we are catapulted into the Millennial Reign of Christ.

Which after studying history of the rule of men and living through even what is considered one of the best forms and flavors of government - Christ on the throne reigning is a breath of fresh air.

The Bible as we are gonna see this evening teaches that Christ will rule and reign over those who make it through the tribulation period with their heads still on.

Christ will rule for 1000 literal years known as the Millennium and its known as the Millennial reign of Christ.

This view that I and CCRG have, teach, and hold to - that there is a literal thousand year reign of Christ - is as everything not without its controversies.

There is a bewildering array of diverse interpretations and views on this.

We do not have the time to deep dive into all of them and their different nuances so I will talk about the main ones - PreMillennial, PostMillennial and Amillennial.

The term millennium comes from Latin and it simply means one thousand years.

It is the term that is commonly used of the thousand year period spoken of in this passage.

Postmillenialism - this is the most recent view and according to this view the thousand years represent the triumph of the gospel in the period leading up to the second coming of Christ.

The return of Christ would follow the millennium.

It takes an extreme optimistic point of view that Christ will reign spiritually on earth through the work of the church and the preaching of the Gospel.

Largely discarded in the 20th century due to the world not progressing spiritually.

The world wars and continuation of global strife demonstrate the error of this view along with such passages as Matthew 24:4f; 2 Timothy 3:1, 13; 4:3; and 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3.

This view originated in the writings of a Unitarian by the name of Daniel Whitby (1628-1725).

Prominent holders of this view Charles Hodge, A.H. Strong, and Lorraine Boettner.

Next you have Amillennialism- this view denies that there will be any literal reign of Christ on earth or that there is a Millennium.

Satan is conceived as bound at the first coming of Christ and the present age between the first and second comings of Christ is seen as the fulfillment of the Millennium.

Its adherents are divided.

Some believe the Millennium is being fulfilled now on earth, and is equivalent to the kingdom of God in you.

Others believe it is being fulfilled by the saints in heaven.

It may be summed up in the idea that there will be no more Millennium than there is now, and that Christ’s second coming is immediately followed by the eternal state.

It must be noted that both these views we have looked at must interpret Revelation 20 in a non literal sense.

Amillennialism has its nuances and difference of interpretations.

This Amillennial view has a great impact on a vast amount of Scripture.

For instance, all the kingdom prophecies to Israel are spiritualized.

Either they are spiritualized to apply to the church today, or they have been abrogated entirely and have no fulfillment at all, or they must be spiritualized to apply to the future or eternal state.

As an illustration, rather than pointing to a literal reign of Christ on earth, Isaiah 11:4-10 refers to the peace and tranquillity of mind of the believer, or it speaks in a spiritual way of heaven or eternity.

Historically its first advocate was Augustine from the 4th and 5th century.

Prior to Augustine it is very difficult to find an orthodox amillennial view.

Modern advocates Louis Berkhof, Abraham Kuyper, and R.C.H. Lenski.

The third view and in my honest and humble opinion the correct view is premillennialism.

It is so named because it interprets Revelation 20 as referring to a literal thousand year reign of Christ following His second coming.

The second coming occurs before the Millennium and therefore is PreMillennial.

Lewis Sperry Chafer, H.A. Ironside, Charles C. Ryrie, C.I. Scofield are some of the 20th century advocates but other premillenarians can be found in the 1st century and on - Papias, Justin Martyr and other early church fathers.

The arguments for this view are based on the natural sequence of events in Chapter 20 following Chapter 19 - they are sequential and they stem from the Second Coming of Christ.

Many passages speak of the Second Coming being followed by a reign of righteousness - ON EARTH - Psalm 2, 24, 72, and 96 as well as Isaiah chapter 2

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Zephaniah, Zechariah, and Micah all prophesy about it.

The interpretation of Revelation 20 is important and has many implications for approaches to prophetic scriptures.

This view allows for the prophesies to yet be fulfilled for Israel (instead of the church replacing Israel) and follows with a literal interpretation and a natural sequence of events from Revelation 19-22.

The key factor here is one’s method of interpretation.

In the postmillennial and amillennial positions one must spiritualize a large amount of Scripture.

In the premillennial view Scripture is taken literally, i.e., according to its normal, more obvious meaning.

Figures are taken figuratively, but they are not spiritualized.

So lets read and check out what this Millennial Reign is all about anyways.

Satan Will Be Bound For It

John says then I saw indicating this naturally proceeds the coming of Christ and the putting away in to the Lake of Fire the beast and the false prophet.

An angel is coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand and with this chain Satan - the dragon and the ancient serpent who is also known as the devil is seized.

Hallelujah!

Here we see that Satan is not currently bound - but in the future at the Second Coming he will be bound and he will be bound for 1000 years.

This allows scriptures such as 1 Peter 5:8

Check this out also - the angel that subdues Satan is anonymous - it is not Michael or Gabriel or any other high ranking angel.

Perhaps Satan’s final position of supposed greatness is set in the fact it is not God the Father nor is it Christ who deals with him, but some random and anonymous angel.

Upon binding him the angel threw him into the abyss and closed it and put a seal on it.

This was to keep him from deceiving the nations for the 1000 years.

If Satan and his demons are deceiving nations right now then he is not bound as Amillenarians suppose.

Here Satan will remain until the 1000 years are completed - this wording right here is why we interpret the 1000 years literally.

What catches my eye is that it says after this - he MUST (denotes logical and moral necessity) - M U S T be released - WHY! We will find out as we go on in Revelation 20 but make note so you dont miss the fact that his release is for a short time only.

During the Millennium

Israel will be the super power of the world the leading nation in all the earth.

The center of Israel will be the mountain of the Lord’s house - the temple mount.

This will also be the capital of the government of the Messiah

Everyone will submit to Jesus for a time of perfectly administered righteousness

There will be no more war - there will still be conflicts between nations and people but they will be justly and righteously decided by the Messiah and those who reign with Him.

The relationship with animals will be transformed as well.

In Genesis 9 God gave Noah and all mankind permission to eat meat while putting the dread of man into the animals - now that will be reversed.

Blessing and security for national Israel

a rebuilt temple and restored temple service

Satan’s deceptions have always concerned the word of God and his deceptions always attack the integrity of God and Jesus Christ.

The Millennium will be a time when the whole earth will be in full knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water.

For this to take place Satan must be removed.

The Saints Will Be Present In It

John sees thrones and people seated on them who are given authority to judge.

The saints are present - OT Saints, Church Saints, and the Tribulation saints.

John specifically identifies the tribulation saints to single them out from among the raptured church and specifically identify them as being resurrected and not missing it.

They come to life again and reign with Christ for 1000 years!

This is the first resurrection.

Postribulationalists cling to this to show that the rapture couldnt happen until now - because this is the first resurrection.

The first resurrection is not a single event it is the resurrection of the righteous at various times.

Christ would be the first resurrection right?!

The rapture would be the next time

The resurrection of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:11

and the resurrection of the tribulation saints we see here.

There are two programs of resurrection

The second resurrection program of the dead - the unrighteous will not happen until after 1000 years.

Completed can also mean accomplished - God has purposes to accomplish in the Millennium but more on that in just a moment.

All the righteous will be resurrected before the Millennium and they will reign with Christ for a thousand years - literally.

Second death will have no power over them.

Second death comes to those who have not been born-again.

Two be born once is to die twice and to be born twice is to only die once.

Believers will be given responsibilities of service and worship in the Millennium.

The Millennium, as well as eternity, will be a time of joyous activity and service.

In the Millennium there will be a kingdom inhabited by three groups of people.

Old Testament saints, church age saints (bride of Christ) and Tribulation martyrs

The Tribulation saints who escaped death and were preserved through the tribulation to go into the kingdom of our Lord.

These believers will have mortal bodies like ours today and during the course of the Millennium they will have children.

These children regardless of the glorious presence of Jesus will need to also receive Jesus as their Savior by faith.

Making a third category - unbelievers in mortal bodies men and women susceptible to Satan and his schemes.

There is no mention about resurrection of Millennium saints - those who enter the Millennium having never died.