Revelation Chapter 20:1-10 Lesson 27 Christ Independent Methodist Church 4078 Silver Lake Drive, Palatka, FL 32177 July 27, 2011 Michael K. Hudson Sr. Senior Pastor Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Figure 4 shows the Temple Mount in the foreground with the Old City in the background. Jerusalem; also Salem, Jebus, Zion, and Ariel, The Accordance Bible Lands PhotoGuide, n.p. Whenever anyone is getting ready for a huge celebration, there are two main things that will be done: preparation and removal. They will prepare for the celebration to begin by making sure everything is just right, the food is prepared, guest are invited, and so forth. The other part of getting ready for a celebration is removing anything that would hinder the celebration from happening or destroy the spirit of the celebration as it goes on. Before the Lord begins His millennial reign, He has already prepared His bride for the wedding and invited the friends of the bridegroom to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He will remove two things that would prevent or hinder the celebration. The first thing that is removed is the devil. In chapter twenty, the Lord removes the devil from tempting and deceiving individuals during this thousand-year reign. I. Removal of Satan Revelation 20:1 3 KJV And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. At the end of chapter nineteen, Christ has returned on the white horse. In His return, He destroys the armies of the Beast and cast the Beast and False Prophet into the Lake of Fire. With the armies of the Beast destroyed, the Lord sends an angel to bind and imprison Satan. Lucifer is one of the most powerful created beings. He was the number one heavenly created being. But, in his pride, he fell from that position and became Satan, the chief enemy of Christ and the church. Even Michael the Archangel does not argue with Satan but leaves it up to the Lord. Jude 1:9 KJV Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
However, Satan is not more powerful than the Lord. When the appointed time comes, God will send an angel who will bind Satan and cast him into the abyss. In verse one, God sends forth an angel with a key to the bottomless pit, or the abyss, and a great chain in his hand. The key was to open the place of Satan s imprisonment and the chain was to bind him fast. The angel grabs hold of Satan and binds him. It is interesting to note that in verse two, four names are given to describe who is being bound. The first name is dragon, which shows his cruelty. The second name is old serpent, which shows his cunning treachery. The third name is devil, which shows his deception. The fourth name is Satan, which shows he is the chief enemy of Christ and the church. Satan is bound in the abyss and the angel places a seal on the opening so no one will let him out until the time that God determines which will be after the thousand-years have been fulfilled. These thousand years will be one of great celebration and joy because the world will be at peace because the devil has been removed. Can one imagine a world without the great deceiver going out trying to destroy, bring strife, bring hatred, and everything else that goes with it? Can one imagine a world without the enemy of God roaming the skies looking to destroy the lives and families of others? What a fabulous time this will be! The thousand years are mentioned six times in seven verses. It is mentioned in verses two, three, four, five, six, and seven. There is no reason not to take this thousand years as a literal thousand years. It will be a period of blessing that will last for a literal thousand years. 2 Peter 3:8 KJV But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Some Bible scholars believe that God has given man six thousand years to work upon this earth and He will use the last thousand years as a Sabbath rest. In Second Peter chapter three, it describes time with the Lord as a thousand years being a day with the Lord. The Lord ordained a seven-day week back in the Garden of Eden. He worked for six days and rested on the seventh day. Hebrews 4:9 KJV There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. The Greek word translated rest is a Sabbath rest. There is coming a day of rest for God s people. The Sabbath day of rest will be a thousand-year reign of Christ where the world will be at rest. In order for this to happen, for the world to be at rest, Satan is removed. II. Removal of the unrighteous Between verse three and four is another event that happens that is not mentioned in Revelation. This is the removal of the tares from the wheat or the removal of the unrighteous from the righteous; it is the judgment of the nations. Before the millennial reign of Christ can begin, all those who are not saved must be removed. They cannot enter into the reign of Christ because it is a righteous time and no one will enter that is unrighteous. Matthew chapter twenty-four and twentyfive deal with what is going to happen when Christ returns, Israel, and the end of the world. In chapter twenty-five, it describes a separation and removal that will happen after the return of Christ. Matthew 25:31 46 KJV When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me 2
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. In verse thirty-one, Christ has returned and is sitting on the throne of His glory, the throne of David. When He is there, there will be the judgment of the nations before the millennial reign begins. In this judgment, Christ will judge all those who have survived the Tribulation period. He will divide them into two groups. The first group is those who have been saved, including out of the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. Even though, the majority of the saved in the Tribulation period will be martyred for their faith, a remnant of the saved will survive this seven-year period. They will enter into the millennial reign of Christ. The second group is the lost, those who have rejected Christ. This group will be separated apart to go into eternal punishment. They will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom because they are unrighteous. This is the same picture given in the parable of the wheat and tares. Matthew 13:24 30 KJV Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. The tares are gathered together at this time and burned. The wheat are gathered into His barn. This is the judgment of the nations when the Lord will divide out all the unrighteous, those who have not accepted Christ as their Saviour. They will be removed so only the righteous or saved will enter into the kingdom of God, the millennial reign of Christ. III. Reign of Christ Revelation 20:4 6 KJV And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped 3
the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The millennial reign of Christ is spoken about in the Old and New Testament. It will be a great time of peace and prosperity. One of the major verses that describe this time is found in Isaiah chapter nine. Isaiah 9:6 7 KJV For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. A. Resurrection at the Second Coming 1 Corinthians 15:20 24 KJV But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For many years, some Bible scholars have taught that there will be a general resurrection in the last days. They teach that one-day, everyone who has died will be resurrected, some to eternal life and others to eternal death. However, in 1 Corinthians, Paul is teaching that there is a definite order of the resurrection. In this passage, there are two important words: order and afterwards. The word order means a set order. The order is Jesus Christ is the first fruit or the first one to be resurrected. Then after Him, every group will be raised according to God s plan. The order of the resurrection is: Christ John 20:1-10 Church at the Rapture 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Tribulation Saints along with the Old Testament Saints at the return of Christ Daniel 12:1-2, Isaiah 26:19 Unrighteous after the final battle Revelation 20:5, 11-14 B. Rulers in the millennial reign Revelation 20:4 KJV And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. During the millennial reign of Christ, the church along with the Old Testament and Tribulation saints will have jobs to do, ruling over the earth. In what capacity, one does not know but it will seem that his or her responsibilities will be based upon their faithfulness during their life. 1 Corinthians 6:2 3 KJV Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4
Reigning with Christ will be part of the reward for living for Christ now. Isaiah 40:10 KJV Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Matthew 5:12 KJV Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. C. Real life in the millennial reign of Christ Life during the millennial reign of Christ will be so much different than it is now. It will be what so many long to see time of peace, prosperity, and blessing. There will be no violence, no bloodshed, no addictions, no stealing, and no governmental corruption. It will be a time Christians have been longing to see. Several things will characterize this period. Just to list a few: 1. Government will be a blessing a. Time of divine righteousness Jeremiah 30:9 KJV But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Hosea 3:5 KJV Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. These two verses show that David the king of Israel will be resurrected and serve as king over the land underneath the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 11:5 KJV And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Isaiah 32:1 KJV Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. b. Time of prosperity, peace, judgment, justice Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. c. Time of holiness Is 35:8-10 KJV And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. d. Time of full knowledge Isaiah 11:1-2 KJV And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; Isaiah 41:19-20 KJV I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. 2. Life will be a joy Men and women will live long full lives. The life span will go back like it was before the 5
flood when men and women lived hundred of years. a. Men and women will live many years Isaiah 65:20 KJV There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. Notice that the child will be a hundred years old. In other words, a person who is hundred years old will be like a child, just beginning to live. How many times have you looked at a young person and commented, They are just a child. This is the way it will be. Death will be only on the sinner during that time. b. Weak made strong Isaiah 35:3-9 KJV Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: c. Sickness will be removed Isaiah 33:24 KJV And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. Jeremiah 30:17 KJV For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Ezekiel 34:16 KJV I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. d. Healing of the deformed Isaiah 29:17-19 KJV Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 61:1-2 KJV The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; Zephaniah 3:19 KJV Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. 3. Nature will be a peace a. Removal of the curse on the ground Isaiah 11:6-9 KJV The wolf also shall 6
dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. b. Nature will be at peace Isaiah 11:6 KJV The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 35:1-2 KJV The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 4. Israel will be a nation of wealth and prosperity a. Will be a place of peace Isaiah 60:18 KJV Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. b. Will receive all the land promised to Abraham s seed This is from the river Euphrates to the sea. Amos 9:11-15 KJV In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. The millennial reign of Christ will be a period of time like this world has ever seen since the Garden of Eden. It will be a perfect government with no corruption or selfishness. It will be a prosperous economy. It will be a world that flourishes, even in the deserts. It will be a world that nature will be at peace with each other and man. It will be a perfect place to live because God is upon the throne. IV. Rebellion of man Revelation 20:7 10 KJV And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. This passage is one of the most amazing and disturbing passages found in the Word of God. It is disturbing when one realizes the situation 7
these were in when they rebelled against God. When the millennial reign of Christ began, the world was populated by the saved only. Only the saved of Israel and the Gentiles were allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. So every person born in this thousand years came from Christian ancestors. In the beginning of the thousand years, these individuals married and had children. Their children married and had children until by the end of the thousand years, the world will filled with people. These all lived in a time of peace, prosperity, fullness, blessings, and so much more. However, just as in other dispensations, these had to come to the Lord in faith and receive Christ as their savior. Not all of the descendants came to know Christ as their personal saviour. In order to test these, God allows Satan to be set free for a little season to test to see if they would follow the Lord or not. Satan came out and deceived multitudes. They rose up in rebellion against the Lord to try and destroy the Lord and His people. This vast multitude came against the holy city Jerusalem. God sends fire down from heaven to destroy all those who rebelled against Him. It is amazing how man can live in a perfect world and still rebel against God. Man is a depraved creature and only by following the Lord can he be saved. Man left to himself goes into sin. Man without God is a person heading toward destruction. From the Garden of Eden, to the tower of Babel, to the wilderness, to the millennial reign of Christ, man fails God s test of obedience. Without God, man will fail. Only by the grace of God can man be redeemed. V. Lessons A. Depravity of man Man is a depraved creature. Without God, he is heading to destruction. Only by the grace of God can man be restored and redeemed. B. Joy ahead For the Christian today, this is a message of hope and assurance. Even though the Christian might be going through a very difficult time, even a time of suffering, it will be worth it all when the Christian reigns with Christ. Romans 8:18 KJV For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. The Christian cannot imagine what the Lord has in store for him or her that loves Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 8