THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM REV. 20 THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE TODAY WHO DENY THE LITERAL 1,000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST ON THIS EARTH: Chief among them is the Ammillennial view: A meaning NO Millie meaning 1,000 so no literal Millennium held by the Reformed Church. Yet in REVELATION CHAPTER 20 we see the literal number 1,000 spoken of 6 times in just 15 verses or once every 2½ verses! This is literal: the millennial reign of Christ is the fulfillment of what the Old Testament prophets said would take place. 2 SAMUEL 7:12-16
2. THE ABYSS v. 1-3 The Abyss, or bottomless pit, has been empty. But not any longer. It has one guest Satan! Some Christians today feel that Satan is bound, defeated by the Lord at the cross of Calvary. IN A FINAL SENSE THIS IS TRUE: THE VICTORY IS ASSURED, BUT THE LORD HAS NOT YET CLAIMED THE TITLE DEED TO THE EARTH It is true he was defeated at the cross, but Satan is not bound yet. Yes, he can do nothing unless the Lord allows it; Job even spoke of that. Peter warns us in 1 PETER 5:8-9 the Lion is still devouring
3. WE NEED TO BE ON GUARD So we still need to be wise, be on guard... He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 JOHN 4:4 SATAN, THAT OLD SERPENT, WAS DEFEATED AT CALVARY. His head was cut off but it can still bite! HEBREWS 2 says that our High Priest, by His death, destroyed him who holds the power of death. BUT FOR A SEASON HE CAN STILL STRIKE AND WOUND US hurt and poison our relationships and spread his deadly venom into our lives. That time will end as he is locked in the bottomless pit, and it is too bad God doesn t throw away the key right away!
4. RIGHTEOUS REWARD v. 4 We read of this group of saints in REV. 6, those souls under the altar who have come to Christ during the tribulation period and were martyred beheaded for their faith in Christ. They refused to worship anyone or anything except the Lord, and they paid the penalty for their faith in Christ. It is as Paul told Timothy, 2 TIMOTHY 3:12. Here they will be rewarded for their faith as they live with Christ during the kingdom age.
5. THE FIRST RESURRECTION v. 5-6 Right now those who have died not knowing the Lord are in Hades or Sheol THE FIRST RESURRECTION IS A RESURRECTION THAT BEGAN ALMOST 2,000 YEARS AGO AND WILL OCCUR IN FOUR PHASES Phase 1 The resurrection of Christ and Old Testament Saints Phase 2 The resurrection of the Church at the Rapture Phase 3 The resurrection of the Two Witnesses Phase 4 The resurrection of the Tribulation Saints (MATTHEW 27:52-53; DANIEL 12:1-3) at the end of the Tribulation Period Second Resurrection the unbelievers at the end of the Millennium
6. SATAN RELEASED AGAIN v. 7-9 NOTICE THAT 1,000 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT DID NOT CHANGE SATAN AT ALL! Keep in mind that during the kingdom age, those who enter into this period of time, will marry and have children. THEY DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE they have only known the Lord. Satan attempts to deceive these as he is released. I believe it speaks in a symbolic manner, speaking of man s rebellion against God as seen in what Gog and Magog did before A TYPE OF GOG AND MAGOG Can you imagine living with the Lord for 1,000 years, seeing only His goodness, and then turning against Him?
7. HELL IS REAL v. 10 For 1,000 years the Antichrist and the False Prophet have been cast into the lake of fire, and now Satan is sent there as well. Soon they will be joined by all those who have rejected Christ, at the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. In MARK 9 Jesus is warning those who are heading down the path to hell, or gehenna, to outer darkness. Jesus says it is a place where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. MARK 9:44. HELL IS REAL. THAT S THE POINT JESUS WAS MAKING. DON T GO THERE!
8. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE v. 11 FINALLY ALL THE WICKED OF ALL TIME WILL BE JUDGED. They become a people without a home, so God gives them what they have asked for a place with Satan! They chose the highway to hell This seems to indicate that what Peter spoke of has now come to pass. 2 PETER 3:10 EVERYONE WHO HAS REJECTED JESUS FINALLY RECEIVES THE PENALTY OF THEIR CHOICE
9. THE BOOKS ARE OPENED v. 12-15 1. The BOOK OF LIFE REV. 20:12-15, is a list of all who are born once; every person who ever lived. 2. The LAMB S BOOK OF LIFE REV. 21:27 is a list of all who are born twice; in other words, all who truly accept Jesus. In EXODUS 32:33 God said it is possible to have one s name blotted out of the Book of Life for sinning against God by denying Jesus, and for taking away from the words in Revelation. TWO BIRTHS, TWO BOOKS ONE BIRTH, ONE BOOK and you will be erased blotted out from that one at the second death! REV. 3:4-5
10. ROLL CALL JESUS PROMISED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NAMES OF ALL BELIEVERS BEFORE GOD MATT. 10:32-33. How great will it be to hear your name called out in heaven? Notice what Jesus says as He speaks of judgment JOHN 3:18, JOHN 16:9, MATT. 25:41 It is as ECCLESIASTES 12:14 says, For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHERE YOU STAND TONIGHT WHEN GOD TAKES THAT ROLL CALL, THEN COME TO JESUS. Receive, believe and be saved TWO BIRTHS, TWO BOOKS