The Final Judgment: Revelation 20:11-15

 [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. (Revelation 20:11-15 ESV)

Let me start by saying that when it comes to the millennium and the final judgment, several things are not clear.  For example, does this final judgment deal only with the lost or with both believers and unbelievers?  If it is only the lost, then are believers judged before the millennium?  When believers are judged, are all of their sins brought up?  If there is a millennium, do any people become believers during the millennium?  There simply aren’t clear answers to these questions.  As with last week’s passage though, what is most important about this passage is clear and should be our primary focus. This passage calls us to live in light of the final judgment.  So, how do we do so?  

I.              Live Fearing the Judge of All the Universe (11)

After the final defeat of Satan, John then sees a “great white throne” and one seated upon it (11).  Although we are not told here who is sitting upon this throne, we can be almost certain that it is God.  The only other time we have seen such a distinguished throne in Revelation, God was sitting on it (4:2,5:7).  Also, the major Old Testament passage behind this vision is Daniel 7:9-10, where it is the “Ancient of Days” who is seated in judgment: [9] “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. [10] A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.”  This seems to be the same scene that John is seeing. 

Another indicator that God is the one seated upon this throne is the fact that “earth and sky fled away” from His presence (11b).  This same thing happened in Revelation 6:14 and 16:20 when the great day of God’s wrath had come (6:12-17, 16:17-21).  This probably signifies the removal of the first heaven and earth in preparation for the new heaven and earth in Revelation 21:1.  How dreadful is this picture: creation fears and flees from the presence of God when judgment day arrives. 

This awesome scene of God on His throne is meant to remind us that as created beings, we will all stand before our Creator and give an account of our lives to Him on the Day of Judgment.  Our Creator is also our Judge.  This understanding should cause us to live in the “fear of the Lord.”  That was the conclusion of the wisest man in the Old Testament: [9] Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9 ESV) [13] The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. [14] For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ESV)  Every human being will answer to God for how they have lived their lives.  It does not matter whether they have believed in Him or not, they will still answer to Him.  This is one of the main reasons that the Bible teaches us that the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (Job 28:28, Proverbs 1:7, 9:10).  When I live by faith in the truth that I will give an account of ever decision to the Lord on judgment day, it greatly affects the decisions I make.  That’s living in the fear of the Lord. 

II.            Live Understanding the Nature of the Final Judgment (12-13)

John also sees “the dead, great and small,” standing before the throne and “books” were opened.  One of these books is set apart from the others, the “book of life” (12).  According to this passage, the “books” are a record of everything every person has ever done and “the book of life” seems to be a register of God’s people (see 21:27).  The “dead” who are standing (12) and “the dead” that “the sea” and “Death and Hades” give up (13) are “judged” by what is written in these books.  As I said earlier, I’m not clear whether “the dead” here is referring to only unbelievers or both believers and unbelievers.  In Revelation as a whole, “the dead” simply refers to anyone who has died.  For example, Jesus is the firstborn of “the dead” (1:5).  In Revelation 11:18, it says the judgment of “the dead” includes both the “rewarding” God’s servants and the “destroying” the destroyers of the earth.  It also seems strange for “the book of life” to be pulled out here if no one being judged is going to be found in it.  In Revelation 20:5-6, however, we see that a portion of “the dead” (believers) comes to life in the “first resurrection” before the millennium, but that “the rest of the dead” do not come to life until after the millennium.  So again, it’s not that clear exactly who is included among ‘the dead” here. 

What does seem to be clear here is the nature of the final judgment.  God has an accurate record of the deeds of every person who has ever lived and on judgment day, every single person who has ever lived will be “judged…according to what they had done” (12,13).  So the final judgment will be a judgment based upon one’s deeds.  Several passages of Scripture confirm this. 

Jeremiah 17:10: “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”  Matthew 12:36-37: [36] I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, [37] for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.  Matthew 16:27: [27] For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Matthew 25:31-46: [31] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. [32] Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, [36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ [37] Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? [38] And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? [39] And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

[41] “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ [44] Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ [45] Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ [46] And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

John 5:28-29: [28] Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice [29] and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Romans 2:5-11: [5] But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. [6] He will render to each one according to his works: [7] to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; [8] but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. [9] There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality.  1 Corinthians 3:12-15: [12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—[13] each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. [14] If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. [15] If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 2 Corinthians 5:10: [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

So how are we supposed to think about the fact that we are saved by grace but will be judged by our works?  This does not mean that our works in any way merit our salvation; I think it means that our deeds will be the confirmation that we were in fact saved or will expose the fact that we were not.  So your works, while they do not save you, are not irrelevant. 

III.         Live Rejoicing Over the Defeat of the Last Enemy (14)

One of the most remarkable things about this passage is that it forever closes the chapter on sin and evil.  “Death and Hades” themselves are “thrown” (19:20, 21:20) into the lake of fire.  What exactly does this mean?  “Death and Hades” are references to the realm of the dead (1:18), but also are personifications (6:8) of the power of death and hell (perhaps even demonic powers).  Ultimately, this passage is reminding us that one day death and everything that has to do with death will be no more.  I believe Paul was referring to this event when He said that “death” would be the “last enemy to be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 15:26). 

One of the toughest things for me to think about is the prospect of the death of a loved one.  I don’t think about it often, but every now and again, I will remember that one day my parents are going to die.  One day my wife is going to die.  One day my children are going to die.  One day I am going to die.  As much of a joy as each one of them is to my life, they will all face death one day and I will not be able to save them from it.  I take heart in the fact that as great an enemy as death is, it will be defeated at the final judgment. 

IV.          Live Trusting the One Who has Borne Our Judgment (15)

One final thing that this passage seems to make clear is that the only hope of escaping eternal torment is if one’s name is written in the Lamb’s book of life.  This passage says that everyone is going to be judged according to what they have done, but it doesn’t say that anyone escapes the “the second death,” which is “the lake of fire,” a place of eternal torment (20:10), based upon what they have done.  Only those whose names are found in the book of life escape the lake of fire (15) and enter New Jerusalem (21:27).  Anyone whose name is not found in “the book of life” is “thrown” into the lake of fire. 

So how can we have assurance that our name is written in the Lamb’s book of life?  Because both Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 clearly state that the names in the Lamb’s book of life were written there “before the foundation of the world,” our task is not so much to get it written there but to find assurance that it is written there.  A clue to answering this question comes when we consider the full name of this book give in 13:8.  It’s called “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”  From that title we see that there was something about the Lamb being slain that gave the people in this book life.  Revelation 5:9 tells us what it was: when He was slain, His blood paid the “ransom” for His people.  The cross of Jesus Christ, where the blood of the Lamb was shed, was God’s way of judging the sins of His people without destroying them in the process.  So to have assurance that you are in the book of life, you have to be a person who is trusting Jesus’ being slain to have ransomed you. 

 We see this same reality in Jesus’ words to the church at Sardis in Revelation 3:5: The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.  It seems that to have assurance of being the Lamb’s book of life, you have to be someone who “conquers.”  Well, how does one “conquer” in Revelation?  Revelation 12:11 gives us the answer: one conquers by “blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.”  To be a conqueror, one has to be covered by faith in the blood of the Lamb, a faith that produces a testimony.  This testimony will be the evidence of their conversion at the final judgment.  In the end, this is the only reason that any of us should have assurance of our salvation: that we are trusting in the finished work of Jesus to save us and we are still following Him.  How do you measure up to this assessment?  In the end, Jesus is our only hope on the day of judgment because He has borne our judgment upon His cross. 

Disciple Making Disciples: Matthew 28:16-20

Greetings!  It's good to be back in Dry Creek.  One thing a mission trip always does is bring to my attention things that I ought to already be doing here where I live.  So I thought I would take this opportunity to not only recap our trip but also remind our church of what we are supposed to be doing, not only among the K. people in Africa, but also here in Dry Creek, LA.  The mission of Dry Creek Baptist Church is to bring glory to God by making disciples of who will treasure Jesus Christ and carry Him to the ends of the earth.  Our passage this morning is one of the places this mission statement comes from: 

[16] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 ESV)

I.              What it Means to BE a DISCIPLE of Jesus

A “disciple” is a learner, or follower, of Jesus.  From the text we also see that a disciple of Jesus is someone who WORSHIPS and OBEYS Jesus (16-17).  Since a disciple is someone who obeys Jesus, a disciple is also someone who MAKES DISCIPLES (19).  A disciple of Jesus makes disciples of Jesus or they are not a faithful disciple of Jesus.  There is no such thing as a Christian who is not a disciple, and there should be no such thing as a disciple who isn’t making disciples.

In Mark 1:17, we see that to be a disciple is to be a fisher of men.  Can someone who never fishes call themselves a fisherman?  Are you fishing for men?  Are you learning and following?  Are you worshipping and obeying?  Can you call yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ?

II.            What it Means to MAKE DISCIPLES of Jesus

If you were to grammatically diagram this sentence, there is really only one command given, and that is to "Go...make disciples" (18).  This is the one thing that Jesus has left us to do.  But what does it mean to make disciples?  First of all notice that it says to make disciples, not just converts.  There is a difference, just like there is a difference between having a baby and raising a baby!  This passage unpacks what this command entails.  It entails two things: (1) baptizing and (2) teaching.

Baptism assumes evangelism and conversion.  It assumes that Jesus’ disciples are out sharing the good news about Jesus with those who haven’t heard.  Making disciples begins with a disciple sharing their faith and winning another person to Christ. 

To make a disciple, we must also teach someone to OBSERVE all that Jesus commanded.  Notice that Jesus does not say to teach them all that He has commanded, but to teach them to “observe” all that He has commanded.  What’s the difference?

Disciple making is aimed at teaching obedience, not merely information, or as Colin Marshall and Tony Payne point out, making disciples involves imparting DOCTRINE and LIFE: teaching, modeling, accountability (relationship & imitation).  The goal is to establish a pattern of Spirit-filled obedience to Christ’s commands. The book of Hebrews tells us that this is how we grow: "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:11-14).

This also shows us what the ultimate material is that we are trying to communicate: the words of Christ.  Here again, I love how Marshall and Payne describe disciple making: “A Christian brings a truth from God’s Word to someone else, praying that God would make that word bear fruit through the inward working of His Spirit.”[1] In other words, disciple making takes place any time that the Word of God is shared across a relationship.  Now this also means I am going to have to know God's word if I am going to make disciples.
Knowing God's Word is critical in using a tool that we use among unreached peoples in Africa.  We use something called a "story cloth," which takes people through 42 Bible stories from creation to Christ.  In order to share these stories, you must be familiar with God's Word.  

This passage in Matthew is so rich.  Not only are we given the specifics of what disciple making is, we are also given the scope of this mission.  We are to make disciples among “all nations” (18).  The Greek word is “ethnos,” or ethic groups of people.  We are to make disciples of ALL PEOPLES in ALL PLACES (See also Acts 1:8).  Also, we are to make disciples “always,” until “the end of the age” (20).  This is something we are to do until Jesus returns. That is the scope of our mission as Christians.
Another helpful illustration of this principle of disciple making is found in 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul tells Timothy to take the things that he has heard from Paul and teach those things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  That is disciple making!  It is reproducing reproducers.  That was the goal of our trip among the K. pastors this past week.

One final thing I want to point out is how the early church carried out this mission.  It takes our description of disciple making a step further.  The way the disciples carried out this mission in the book of Acts was by planting church planting churches where disciple making disciples are made.  One example is Acts 14:21-23: "When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed." The goal of each missionary journey was to leave plant reproducing churches.  Since the goal of missions is the worship of God among the nations, the strategy of missions must be the planting of churches among the nations as outposts of God's coming kingdom.

III.         Why We can BE Disciples Who MAKE Disciples of Jesus

One of the most important words in this passage is the word, "therefore" (18).  It is because all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus that we are to do this work.

Notice how these instructions are wrapped, first by Jesus' position and then by the assurance of Jesus' presence when we do this work.  "Because I have all authority in heaven and on earth, you therefore go am make disciples of all peoples in all places until the end of the world.  Also remember that when you do so, you are no doing so alone.  I am always with you when you do this work."  Church, that is why we call this passage the GREAT CO-MISSION!!!

These statements are supposed to make us feel the way Romans 8:31 makes us feel: that if God is for us, then who can be against us?  It is supposed to make us feel the way that Matthew 16:18 makes us feel: that the gates of Hades cannot stop Jesus from building His church.  Because of the power and presence of Jesus Christ, nothing can stop us from making disciples of all peoples in all places until Jesus returns.

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[1]  Colin Marshall & Tony Payne, The Trellis and the Vine, 39

The Millennium: Revelation 20:1-10

Today we will be dealing with the most controversial and most debated passage in all of Revelation.  The passage itself is pretty straightforward, but what this passage means has been debated for the last 2,000 years of church history.  However, for all that is not clear in this passage, the central truths contained here are very clear.  Satan is once and for all defeated.  God’s people are resurrected, rewarded, and reign with Christ.  In Revelation 20:1-10, John recorded a vision of the millennium to give God’s people hope.  Whatever your millennial position, the central truths of this millennial vision are a source of great hope for God’s people.  My prayer today is that we would find indescribable hope in the certainty of Satan’s defeat and the certainty of the resurrection and reward of God’s people. 

            [20:1] 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. (Revelation 20:1-10 ESV)

I.              Walking Through

This passage describes something called the millennium.  “Millennium” is the Latin word for a thousand years.  This passage mentions a millennium six times (2,3,4,5,6,7).  Historically, there have been 3 views as to what this millennium means.  First, there is the premillennial position.  Premillennialism teaches that when Jesus returns, Satan will literally be bound for a long period of time (possibly a literal 1,000 years) and believers will be resurrected and reign with Christ on earth during this golden age.  This millennium will end in a final rebellion by Satan, the final judgment, and then God will bring about the new creation.  Secondly, Postmillennialism also teaches that a golden age will take place upon the earth, but that the preaching of the gospel to the nations will bring it about and that Jesus will return after this millennium is over.  Finally, Amillennialism teaches that Satan was “bound” in a sense with Jesus’ first coming and can no longer deceive the nations now to keep them from hearing the gospel.  Amillennialism doesn’t teach that there won’t be a millennium; it teaches that we’re in this millennium now.  According to this view, the final battle described here is the same as the battle of Armegeddon (16:12-16, 19:11-21).  After this the final judgment will take place and God will then bring about the new creation.  Sometimes people mention a fourth view, pan-millennialism, which simply says that it will all pan out in the end!  The more I study this subject; I’m tempted to just side with the fourth option! 

Currently, I hold a premillennial view of this passage and how things are going to transpire when Jesus returns.  I’ll share reasons for that as we make our way through this text, but I will also point out items that support an amillennial view where they appear as well.  I do believe that the development of chapter’s 17-20 seems to be sequential.  In other words, in these chapters, God progressively deals with every major enemy: Babylon the Great (17-19:5), the Beast & the False Prophet (19:11-21), Satan (20:1-10), and Death & Hades (20:11-15).  This progression would argue for a premillennial interpretation of this chapter.  During this millennium, basically two things happen:

a.     Satan Bound (20:1-3)

John sees an angel come down from heaven with “the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain” and bind Satan for a thousand years.  This is probably the same angel from Revelation 9:1ff.  Notice how powerful the language is here.  This angel “seized” the dragon (the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan), “bound him for a thousand years,” and “threw him into” the pit.  The pit is then “shut” and “sealed.”  Satan’s incarceration results in him not being able to “deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended.”  This language clearly reveals the limits of Satan’s power.  We certainly err when we underestimate the devil, but we likewise err when we overestimate him.  He is not God’s equal.  He is not God’s opposite.  He is God’s subordinate.  God doesn’t even deal with him directly when it is time to for him to be bound and thrown into the lake of fire.  Also, he doesn’t escape, he is “released” as part of the sovereign plan of God (he “must” be released).

This language also seems to support a premillennial position.  It is not compatible with Satan’s activity in Revelation 12-14 or the rest of the New Testament (2 Cor. 4:4, Eph. 2:2, 2 Tim. 2:26, 1 Peter 5:8).  Also, I think 1,000 years is probably not a literal time period but is more likely symbolic for a long period of time.  It seems inconsistent to demand a literal thousand years and yet take other elements of this vision symbolically. 

b.     God’s People are Resurrected and Rewarded (20:4-6)

John then sees “thrones” and a group seated on thrones “to whom authority to judge was committed.”  I’m not 100% sure who this group is.  It could be referring to believers, but it could also be referring to some other group.  John also sees the souls of the martyrs, “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.”  Remember that those who did not take the mark of the beast were slain (13:15). 

I take this reference to the martyrs to be symbolic for the whole people of God.  The martyrs are but one many pictures of God’s people in Revelation (6:9-11: the martyrs under the altar, 7:1-8, 14:1-5: the 144,000, 7:9-17: the great multiethnic multitude, 11:1-2: the temple, 11:3-13: the two witnesses, 12:1-17: the woman & her offspring, 19:7-8: the bride of the Lamb).  I take all of these groups to be various “snap-shots” of God’s people, highlighting some truth about what it means to be God’s people.  For this reason, I think John is not talking about only martyrs here, but all of God’s people being raised. 

During this millennium, the martyrs “came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years,” presumably the same thousand years that Satan is being bound.  This coming to life seems to communicate a resurrection.  That is how this terminology is used elsewhere in Revelation (2:8, 13:14).  Also, this event (the coming to life of the martyrs) is specifically called “the first resurrection” (5).  The “rest of the dead” will not come to life (be resurrected) until the thousand years are ended.  This second resurrection is a resurrection to judgment in 20:11-15.  The phrase, “the dead,” seems to refer to anyone who has died in Revelation (1:5, 11:18, 14:13, 20:5,12, 13).  Believers make up part of “the dead” that are raised during this thousand years. 

The fifth of seven beatitudes is pronounced upon those who share in the first resurrection.  They are “Blessed and holy” for three reasons.  First, the “second death” (20:14: the lake of fire) has “no power” over them (6a).  Those who conquered in Smyrna were promised protection from the second death (2:11).  Second, they will be “priests of God and of Christ” (6b).  This is how all believers have been described in Revelation (1:6, 5:10).  Finally, they will reign with Christ for a thousand years (6c).  Again, this is something that has already been promised to the conquerors in Revelation (2:26-27, 3:21).  Daniel prophesied about this time when the saints would reign alongside the Son of Man: [27] And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ (Daniel 7:27)

c.     Satan Defeated (20:7-10)

Once the “thousand years” have ended, Satan will be “released from his prison” to “the nations that are at the four corners of the earth” once more.  Remember that this is something that “must” happen (3).  He deceives them to “gather…for battle” in great numbers, “like the sand of the sea.”  They march over the earth and surround “the camp of the saints and the beloved city,” but they are not successful.  Fire from heaven comes down and consumes them.  Like the battle of Armageddon, this army is suddenly and completely consumed.  These forces identified as “God and Magog” here, a clear allusion to the final battle with the enemies of God’s people in Ezekiel 38-39.  Now this is one portion of this passage that could favor an amillennial view.  Both the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19:11-21 and this battle here allude to the same Old Testament passage (Ezekiel 38-39), meaning that they could be referring to the same battle.  However, it could also be due to the fact that history is repeating itself at this point, as the nations gather again to war against God’s people and lose. 

Either way, at this point, the devil “who had deceived them” will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, “where the beast and the false prophet were.”  Together, they will all be “tormented day and night forever and ever.”  The fact that the false prophet and the beast are already in the lake of fire from 19:11-21 seems to further support a premillennial view. 

At this point, some people pose a legitimate question: why release Satan to deceive the nations once more?  If a premillennial understanding of this passage is correct, some even go a step further and ask why we should have this millennial kingdom anyway.  Why not just go ahead and be done with Satan and usher in the new creation when Jesus returns? 

Let’s consider a few reasons.  The first reason for all of this would simply be because it is the sovereign plan of God (3).  Second, this final release of Satan clearly demonstrates the depravity of the human heart and the necessity of the final judgment (after a millennium of peace, man still proves himself to be a rebel at heart).  “Apparently a thousand years of confinement does not alter Satan’s plans, nor does a thousand years of freedom from the influence of wickedness change people’s basic tendency to rebel against their creator.”[1] A third reason for this millennial kingdom would also be because a millennial kingdom demonstrates the better rule of Christ and the faithfulness of God in keeping His promise to His Son and His people.  God has promised His Son and His people a kingdom over which they will rule with a rod of iron.  He has promised His people that if the suffer for Him, that they will also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).  Here God is keeping those promises. 

II.            Stepping Back

As I said earlier, for all that is not clear in this passage, a few things are certain.  It is those certainties that are meant to give unspeakable hope to the people of God.  We are first meant to find hope in the certainty of Satan’s defeat (1-3, 7-10).  I hope it is encouraging to realize that the fate of our greatest enemy is certain!  This is an epic event.  We’ve been looking forward to the end of Satan since it was promised in Genesis 3:15.  It is interesting that Satan entered the story of the Bible and deceived the first man and woman in the 3^rd chapter of the Bible, and here he is exiting the story of the Bible after deceiving the world in the 3^rd chapter from the end. 

Meditate upon this reality and find hope.  There is coming a day when the deceiver, the accuser of the brothers, the tempter, the liar, the murderer, the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy is vanquished forever!  His fate is not in question, and neither is yours!  “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20 ESV)

Second, find hope in the certainty of the resurrection and reward of God’s people (4-6).  In this passage, both resurrection (coming to life) and reward (reigning with Christ) are seen.  This resurrection is a flip side to the vindication of God’s people.  Not only does God avenge the blood of His people, but He also rewards them with an extended time period upon this earth to reign with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  James Hamilton says, “If you are a believer, 20:4-6 is describing your future.  Satan is gone from the scene.  Christ is reigning on earth.  You will be raised from the dead to sin no more.  No satanic deception.  No satanic temptation.  In the presence of Christ you will do justice and serve as a priest to God.  This is what you were made to do.  You were created to enjoy God as King in God’s land in free obedience to God’s law.  Uncontaminated.  Undefiled.  Unsullied.  No devil prowling about like a roaring lion.  Freedom.  Joy.  Righteousness.”[2]When you compare the time periods given for how long the beast rules with how long God’s people reign with Christ, there is no comparison.  So whether you are weary with trials or temptations, take heart brothers and sisters!  Hold the hope of the kingdom to come before you and remember that it is worth it. 

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[1] Robert Mounce, Revelation, 363

[2] James Hamilton, Preaching the Word: Revelation, 375