Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 38:21–22 (ESV)

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

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 worshipped 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 sulphur 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.

Introduction

A proper understanding of Revelation 20 is vital if we are to be clear on what the Bible teaches about the ‘last things’, the doctrine of eschatology.

This is not going to be a detailed study but an overview of what is meant by the Millennium.

A Millennium is 1000 years and there are different views as to how we understand the 1000 years.

God willing I will be looking at these in future studies.

At the outset we must understand that the number 1000 is, like other numbers in Revelation, is symbolic.

We are not looking at an actual 1000 years but a symbolic representation of a long period of time, 10*10*10.

The chapter divides into four sections, two on earth and two in heaven.

The Binding of Satan v1-3

The Reign of the Saints v4-6

The Final Conflict v7-10

The Great White Throne v11-15

1.

The Binding of Satan v1-3

Satan is bound and cast into the abyss; his power over the nations is curbed.

Instead of the nations conquering the Church, the Church begins to conquer (evangelize) the nations.

2. The Reign of the Saints v4-6

A long period of power for the Church, Satan having been bound.

He remains bound for a thousand years, that is, during this entire gospel age.

3. The Final Conflict v7-10

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (I.

From the Binding of Satan to the Final Judgment)

A very brief period of most severe persecution: Satan marshals the army of Gog and Magog against the Church.

This is the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16).

4. The Great White Throne v11-15

The one and only second coming of Christ in judgment.

Once this ‘order of events’ or ‘programme of history’ is seen, Revelation 20 is not difficult to understand.

All one needs to do is to remember the sequence: Christ’s first coming is followed by a long period during which Satan is bound; this, in turn, is followed by Satan’s little season; and that is followed by Christ’s second coming, i.e.

His coming in judgement.

It should be clear immediately to anyone who carefully reads Revelation 20 that the ‘thousand years’ precede the second coming of our Lord in judgement.

This second coming in judgement is not described until we reach the eleventh verse.

It is clear that the theory of the premillennialists is at variance with the facts here.

Hendriksen, W. (1967).

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (p.

185).

Baker Books.

In this connection, let us remember the main theme of the entire book.

It is the victory of Christ and of His Church over every enemy.

When Satan also is hurled into the lake of fire and brimstone (20:10) not a single enemy is left to vex the Church.

We are conquerors; indeed, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us, for not only do we triumph over every foe but we also live and reign with Christ.

And in this supreme joy many of those who formerly opposed us will participate (cf.

3:9).

Truly, more than conquerors are we!

Hendriksen, W. (1967).

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (p.

185).

Baker Books.

1 - The Binding of Satan v1-3

Let us ‘transplant’ ourselves to the world of John the apostle.

What a picture of spiritual darkness and desolation!

Try to count the many idols that disgrace the streets and sanctuaries of imperial Rome.

The abominations, the filth and corruption attendant upon the celebration of pagan festivals, the superstitions, vices, and so on, are truly staggering.

Hendriksen, W. (1967).

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (p.

186).

Baker Books.

Slide

a. Satan Bound v1-2

Slide

This work of binding the devil was begun when our Lord triumphed over him in the temptations in the wilderness (Mt.

4:1–11).

As a result, Christ begins to ‘cast out’ demons.

The power and influence of Satan over the deluded masses was beginning to be curtailed.

Hendriksen, W. (1967).

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (p.

187).

Baker Books.

Slide

Luke 10:17–18 (ESV)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

John 12:27–29 (ESV)

27 “Now is my soul troubled.

And what shall I say?

‘Father, save me from this hour’?

But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

28 Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered.

Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Slide

John 12:30–33 (ESV)

30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.

31 Now is the judgement 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.”