Saturday, May 9, 2015

Revelation 20 - The Millennium


Above image from https://duaineallensblogs.wordpress.com/2014/03/

This is going to be a LONG study because there are so many major topics:

  • Bottomless pit
  • Satan
  • The Millennium
  • The first resurrection
  • The second death
  • Gog and Magog
  • Lake of fire
  • White throne judgment
  • Judgment of the dead
  • The books
  • Book of Life
  • Death and the grave

(1) THEN I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand.

  • Then:
    • After the following events which we saw in chapter 19:
      1. Praise in heaven for the punishment of the prostitute (harlot),
      2. The wedding feast of the Lamb,
      3. The bride,
      4. heaven opened,
      5. Jesus on a white horse with the armies of heaven defeating the beast,
      6. The kings of the earth and their armies,
      7. Capturing the beast and the false prophet,
      8. Throwing the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire,
      9. Entire army killed and
      10. Vultures eat the dead bodies.
  • Key to the bottomless pit:
    • In Revelation 9, John saw a “star” which fell from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit. The star or angel opened the pit to loose the demonic locusts at the fifth trumpet judgment. Here, an angel will perform the opposite action with his key: locking or sealing the bottomless pit.
    • Revelation 1:17-18: I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
    • Revelation 9:1-3: Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air were darkened by the smoke. Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions.
  • Bottomless pit (abyss):
      • The Greek is phear tes abussou, literally, "pit of the abyss" or as in the NIV, "shaft of the Abyss." The Greek word abyssos is found seven times in Revelation (9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3).
      • The "bottomless pit" is a preliminary prison, but their final destination is the lake of fire.
      • Many Bible expositors, including Chuck Missler, argue it is the center of the earth, but that doesn't seem realistic. Most scholars instead see this as an extra dimension.
      • The demons of the Gerasene demoniac pleaded with Christ that He not send them to the abyss (Luke 8:31. In Jude 1:6, we are told that some of the fallen angels are being kept in tartarus until judgment day (2 Peter 2:4).
      • Isaiah 14:12-15: "How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' But instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.
      • Luke 8:31: The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the Bottomless Pit.
      • 1 Peter 3:19-20: So he went and preached to the spirits in prison --  those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat...
      • 2 Peter 2:4: For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day.
        • Hell in 2 Peter 2:4 is tartarus, used nowhere else in the Bible. In Greek mythology, tartarus is described as a place lower than Hades where most of the Titans have been imprisoned after Zeus came to power. Tartarus was the place where, according to Plato, souls were judged after death and where the wicked received divine punishment. If you are acquainted with the myth of Zeus defeating his father Kronos, head of the Titans, in battle and freeing his imprisoned relatives, you might realize that this is what Satan wanted for himself - to overthrow God just as Zeus overthrew the Titans and replace God on His throne.
      • Jude 1:6: And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment.
      • Revelation 9:1-2: Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air were darkened by the smoke.
      • Revelation 9:11: Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon -- the Destroyer.
      • Revelation 11:7: When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them. He will conquer them and kill them.
      • Revelation 17:8: The beast you saw was alive but isn't now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from before the world began, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died."
  • Come DOWN:
    • The angel with the "key" and "heavy chain" had to COME DOWN to earth because Satan was no longer in heaven - Revelation 12:9: This great dragon -- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world -- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

(2) He seized the dragon -- that old serpent, the Devil, Satan -- and bound him in chains for a thousand years.

  • Dragon ... serpent ... Devil ... Satan: Refer to the chart "The Career of the Devil" from www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/chtsatn.pdf in your pass-out.
  • Old serpent:
    • "Old serpent" is ton ophin ton arxaion: the serpent, the ancient [one], going back to the serpent in the garden of Eden, which Satan used to deceive Eve (Genesis 3:1-6).
  • Bound him:
    • Yet Michael didn't dare accuse Satan: Jude 1:9: But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." (This took place when Michael was arguing with Satan about Moses' body.)
    • The Jewish priests, the Jewish ruling class, Rome and Satan couldn't keep Jesus bound in the tomb, but an angel can keep Satan bound in what is called the bottomless pit.
  • Chains:
    • It goes without saying that chains as we know them could not hold a spiritual being like Satan. But, it is as close a description that the Bible could give us - perhaps the "chain" is some type of force field.
  • A thousand years (the millennial kingdom):
    • This chapter says six times that the time period of the Lord's Kingdom on earth is a thousand years. The expression "thousand years" is used six times in the first seven verses, yet many Christians (amillennialists) insist that this passage is figurative and that we cannot accept it literally.
    • If you are a member of the Body of Christ, is your home going to be on earth during the Millennium? Think about John 14:2-3 that I've listed below. Many scholars think members of the Body of Christ during this thousand-year period will not live on earth but will actually live in the Holy City that is in heaven. Like the angels of Jacob’s ladder, they may be ascending and descending from the Holy City to carry out any assignments (Genesis 28:12).
      • John 14:2-3: There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
        • Of course, you're going to ask how Jesus could possibly be in heaven with his Body and earth on the throne at the same time!
    • I recommend the excellent study of the Millennium by Dr. Reagan called Why a Millennium-Does Jesus really need to return to earth to reign? at http://lamblion.com/articles/articles_millennium2.php.
    • Part of God’s plan in locking Satan away for the duration of the Millennial Kingdom is to show man his utter incapability of obedience to God, even in the midst of ideal conditions and in the absence of the influence of the serpent of old.
    • John MacArthur, Revelation 12-22: "Imagine a world dominated by righteousness and goodness, a world where there is no injustice, where no court ever renders an unjust verdict, and where everyone is treated fairly. Imagine a world where what is true, right and noble marks every aspect of life, including interpersonal relations, commerce, education and government. Imagine a world where there is complete, total, enforced and permanent peace, where joy abounds and good health prevails, so much so that people live for hundreds of years. Imagine a world where the curse is removed, where the environment is restored to the pristine purity of the Garden of Eden, where peace reigns even in the animal kingdom, so that “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard and the goat will be at peace. Calves and yearlings will be safe among lions, and a little child will lead them all.” (Isaiah 11:6). Imagine a world ruled by a perfect, glorious Ruler, who instantly and firmly deals with sin. Humanly speaking, that description may seem far-fetched, a utopian fantasy that could never be reality. Yet it accurately describes conditions during the future earthly kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ."
    • One estimate is that there are over 400 verses in the Bible that talk about this 1,000 years. Below are just a few points about the millennium from elsewhere in the Bible. I suggest reading The Millennium in the Old Testament by Dr. David R. Reagan at http://lamblion.com/articles/articles_millennium8.php for a more expanded study:
      1. It is a time of peace for 1,000 years. (Isaiah 9:7, 32:17, Ezekiel 37:26)
      2. Predator animals will no longer predators. (Isaiah 65:25).
      3. People will live a long time, like they did before the flood (Isaiah 65:20). Therefore, by the end of the Millennium, the population of the earth could easily exceed the current seven billion. The life span of men will be so long that a person who dies at a hundred years old will be thought of a being a mere child. The person who dies being only a hundred years old will be thought of as a "sinner" who experiences the wrath of God. This verse shows that there will be death in the Millennium and men will be sinners and can rebel against God.
      4. There is a new temple built for animal sacrifices (Ezekiel 40-44). The same way the Old Testament pointed forward to Jesus' sacrifice, there are new animal sacrifices that memorialize what Jesus did on the cross.
      5. The land of Israel is once again, divided up by the 12 tribes. (Ezekiel 47-48). God tells them what tribe they came from, and the land is theirs-including the land claimed and occupied by others today.
      6. The land of Israel will be so radically transformed that visitors will proclaim in amazement: "This godforsaken land is now like Eden's garden!" (Ezekiel 36:35). “The LORD will comfort Israel again and make her deserts blossom. Her barren wilderness will become as beautiful as Eden -- the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found there. Lovely songs of thanksgiving will fill the air.” (Isaiah 51:3).
      7. God has promised that He will gather to the land of Israel the remnant of Jews who accept Jesus as their Messiah at the end of the Tribulation (Ezekiel 36:22-28 and Zechariah 10:6-9). He will pour out His Spirit upon this remnant (Isaiah 32:15; 44:3), greatly expand their numbers and their land (Ezekiel 36:10-11; 48:1-29), and make them the prime nation in all the world (Isaiah 60-62).
      8. It will not be dark at night. (Zechariah 14:6-7) The statement that "the sources of light will no longer shine'" seems to indicate that light will be changed and in some way diminished. (Zechariah 14:6
      9. It will be a time of great prosperity and no one will be stealing or living off the work of someone else. (Isaiah 65:21-24)
      10. All war materials and weapons will be destroyed as well. “In the last days, the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him." For in those days the LORD's teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end.” (Isaiah 2:2-4)
      11. Christ Jesus will reign and rule as king of the world from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3-4, Isaiah 24:23, Zechariah 14:9) God told Mary that Jesus would one day sit on King David's throne. (Luke 1:32).
      12. God has promised that He will flood the earth with peace, righteousness, justice, and holiness: "Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. And as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD." (Isaiah 11:9). Even the bells on the horses bridles and the pots in the kitchens will bear the inscription "SET APART AS HOLY TO THE LORD" (Zechariah 14:20-21).

(3) The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he THEN shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. AFTERWARD he would be released again for a little while.

  • Deceive:
    • Satan is an expert at deception. He deceived Eve in the beginning. So, what deceptions is he using today - how about getting people to believe that those who "cling to their guns and Bibles" are ignorant, backward people who need to be put in their place by the more intelligent ones in DC and the left coast(s)? How about redefining marriage? How about saying the killing babies in the womb is just like removing a tumor? How about saying the Constitution is old-fashioned and should be ignored? How about convincing Muslims that Mohamed was a great prophet from God and that all Jews and Christians need to be converted or killed? I could go on and on.
    • But, will his demons still be free to wreak havoc or will they be locked up too? Isaiah answers that question: Isaiah 24:21-23: "In that day the LORD will punish the fallen angels in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations on earth. They will be rounded up and put in prison until they are tried and condemned. Then the LORD Almighty will mount his throne on Mount Zion. He will rule gloriously in Jerusalem, in the sight of all the leaders of his people. There will be such glory that the brightness of the sun and moon will seem to fade away."

(4) THEN I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. AND I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God. AND I saw the souls of those who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

  • People:
    • We know that 1/3 of Israel will be preserved through the tribulation and will enter the Millennium. (Zechariah 13:8-9: Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, says the LORD. But a third will be left in the land. I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'")
    • Monty S. Mills, Revelations: An Exegetical Study of the Revelation to John: John describes three groups of resurrected believers ("they came to life again") in Revelation 20:4:
      1. First, the thrones represent believers of the pre-tribulation era (as the twenty-four elders sat on their thrones before the tribulation began—Revelation 4:4);
      2. Second, the souls of those who will be martyred in the first half of the tribulation;
      3. Third, those who will refuse to worship the Beast in the second half of the tribulation.
  • Thrones ... people ... judge:
    • The only persons who appear on thrones elsewhere in the book are the twenty­-four elders of 4:4 and 11:16. And since the judges of chapter 20:4 are brought before us unnamed, as if readers were expected to know who they are, they must be the 24 elders. As previously discussed in our studies on Revelation chapter 4 and Revelation chapter 11, these elders represent the Church of the present age, the Body Christ.
    • Matthew 19:28-29: And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life.
    • Luke 22:28-30: You have remained true to me in my time of trial. And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in that Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
      • It appears that the 12 resurrected Jewish apostles will judge over the twelve tribes, the nation of Israel. This is another verse that confirms that there are no "missing ten tribes"!
    • 1 Corinthians 6:2-3: Don't you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide these little things among yourselves? Don't you realize that we Christians will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disagreements here on earth.
  • Beheaded:
    • They were martyred and are now identified as having been "faithful even when facing death" (Revelation 2:10). At the opening of the fifth seal, John saw those who had been “martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their witness” (Revelation 6:9). In Revelation 7:13-14, John was shown a great multitude who came out of the Great Tribulation, most of whom were probably martyrs: Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, "Who are these who are clothed in white? Where do they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you are the one who knows." Then he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

(5) This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)

  • First resurrection:
    • The first resurrection is a resurrection to life (John 5:28-29), whereas the second resurrection is a resurrection to death.  The second death is being cast into the lake of fire (see verses 14 & 15).
    • The "resurrection of the godly" is mentioned in Luke 14:13-14 and the resurrection of "life" distinguished from those who "have continued in evil will rise to judgment" in John 5:29. We here learn for the first time what interval of time separates these two resurrections.
    • Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom, 278-279: "According to 1 Corinthians 15:20, Christ is “the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again”. Likewise, the evidence that the translation of the church takes place before the tribulation would point to a large segment of the righteous dead being raised before the tribulation. These also would qualify as taking part in the first resurrection. In contrast to the first resurrection of Revelation 20, is the resurrection of the wicked dead portrayed in the latter part of the chapter. The first resurrection therefore becomes the resurrection of all the righteous in contrast to the final resurrection which is the resurrection of the wicked".
    • This is the first of two resurrections subsequent to Christ’s Second Coming, one prior to the Millennial Kingdom and the other afterward., separated by one thousand years.
    • George H. N. Peters, The Theocratic Kingdom: "We now come to Revelation 20:1-6+ which was so universally held by the early Church to teach a literal resurrection . . . Popery . . . almost crushed the early interpretation of the passage; but others held fast to it, as e.g. Paulikians, Waldenses and Albigenses."
  • Resurrection:
    • Resurrection in the Old Testament referring to the resurrection in the last days:
      • Isaiah 25:6-9: In Jerusalem, the LORD Almighty will spread a wonderful feast for everyone around the world. It will be a delicious feast of good food, with clear, well-aged wine and choice beef. In that day he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God. We trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!"
      • Isaiah 26:19: Yet we have this assurance: Those who belong to God will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For God's light of life will fall like dew on his people in the place of the dead!
      • Job 19:25-27: "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!"
      • Daniel 12:1-3: "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever.
  • Resurrection in the New Testament:
    • Matthew 27:51-53: At that moment the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead after Jesus' resurrection. They left the cemetery, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
    • John 5:25-29: "And I assure you that the time is coming, in fact it is here, when the dead will hear my voice -- the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted his Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge all mankind because he is the Son of Man. Don't be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son," and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment.
      • In John 5:28-29, Jesus described two resurrections. The two events are separated by this 1,000 year period because the rest of the dead are not given their resurrection bodies until the thousand years were finished.
    • John 11:23-25,43-44: Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "when everyone else rises, on resurrection day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. ... Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"
      • Of course, Lazarus and those raised in Matthew 27 died again later and will be resurrected in the last days.
    • Acts 24:14-15: "But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a sect. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the books of prophecy. I have hope in God, just as these men do, that he will raise both the righteous and the ungodly.
    • 1 Corinthians 15:20-24: But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will be raised. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having put down all enemies of every kind.
      • Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum The Seventy-Day Interval: The Progression:  I Corinthians 15:20‑23:
        "After declaring that a resurrection of the righteous will occur in verses 20‑22, Paul states in verse 23 that the righteous will be resurrected each in his own order. The word translated order is a military term used for a sequence of troops of soldiers marching in a procession or into battle. There is one troop division, followed by another troop division, and so on.
        "The first resurrection is not a general, one‑time resurrection of righteous ones, it comes in an orderly progression of five stages. First, the Resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah in verse 23—He is the firstfruits of the first resurrection. Secondly, the resurrection of the church saints at the Rapture of the Church, prior to the Great Tribulation (I Thessalonians 4:16). Thirdly, the resurrection of the Two Witnesses in the middle of the Tribulation (Revelation 11:11‑13). Fourthly, the resurrection of the Old Testament saints (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2) during the Seventy‑five Day Interval after the Tribulation. And fifth, the resurrection of the Tribulation saints (Revelation 20:4). The resurrection of the Tribulation saints completes the first resurrection. There will be no such thing as a resurrection of Millennial saints.
        "The next resurrection that occurs will be that of the unbelievers one thousand years later for the Great White Throne Judgment and before the Lake of Fire.
        "These are the events of the Seventy‑five Day Interval leading up toward that long, special period of history that the faithful look forward to: the Millennium or the Messianic Age."
    • 1 Corinthians 15:50-­55: What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever. But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. When this happens -- when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die -- then at last the Scriptures will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
    • Philippians 3:21: He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere.
    • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words.
    • Hebrews 11:35: Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life.
  • Rest of the dead:
    • The Greek word for “rest” is loipoi. It means “that which is left after an action is taken.” This means that after the events of verse 4, there were some who were still dead. Those “remaining” men and women will not come to life until the 1,000 years is finished. The first resurrection has occurred and there is one more to come.
    • “The rest of the dead” refers to the wicked who are physically dead that God will raise at the end of the millennium (20:12). This second resurrection will be to judgment (see John 5:28-29). This will be developed further in 20:11-15.
    • One question - will anyone be saved during the millennium and, therefore, be resurrected if they die during the millennium?

(6) Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.

  • Reign ... thousand years (the millennium):
    • Many questions about the millennium come to mind, such as:
      • Are there unbelievers among the inhabitants?
      • What kind of government is in existence?
      • Does life function pretty much like it does now?
      • How can immortal beings coexist with mere mortals?
      • What relation is there between Israel and the Gentiles?
      • Those who are born during this time - will some be saved and some not; and some resurrected to life and some to death?
    • No one will enter into the 1000 year millennium unless they are a believer. Most will live for the entire one thousand years and will procreate and have children. But human nature is what it is. The children of those Saints will still have to be taught about Jesus, even though He will be with them constantly. Many will not accept Him. Remember, the heart is very wicked and unfortunately, that is the nature of man. Many of those children will be rebels and with a tremendous population explosion during those one thousand years, there will be probably billions of people at the end much like it is now. However the unbelievers at that point will be as "numberless as sand along the shore", verse 8.
    • There are many indications in the Scripture that Christ will personally reign over this world in a perfect government, participated in by His resurrected saints, but in a world in which absolute perfection has not yet been completely restored. Paul describes the Millennial reign of Christ when he says, "For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).
    • J. Oliver Buswell, Systematic Theology: "When Christ predicted that His apostles would judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30) and when Paul declared that we are to judge the world, and therefore we ought now to be able to judge affairs of this life (I Corinthians 6:1­4), the implication clearly is that there will be matters to be judged, and there will be problems to be administered. The Scripture indicates that in the resurrection our bodily nature will be like the bodily nature of Christ on earth during the forty days subsequent to His resurrection (Philippians 3:21). We have, in Christ's intimate association with His disciples during that period of forty days, a definite illustration of the possibilities of the association of immortals with mortals."
  • Second death:
    • The second death is basically God granting people their earthly wish: to be apart from God. People who live their lives wanting nothing to do with God will spend eternity that way.
    • Christ promised the overcomer of the church at Smyrna, the persecuted church which experienced martyrdom, that they would not be hurt by the second death (Revelation 2:11+). They would be part of the first resurrection (at the Rapture of the Church) and the second death would have no power over them. The second death is the destiny of those who are not written in the Book of Life:
      • Revelation 20:14-15: “And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death -- the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
      • Revelation 21:8: But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars -- their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.

(7) WHEN the thousand years end, Satan will be let out of his prison.

  • For 1000 years, the word will have enjoyed peace and prosperity with perfect environment and rule under Christ with Satan locked up during this period. Now, for a unspecified period of time, Satan will be released from his solitary confinement to once again deceive the nations and rebel against God. While his time of release is not specified, it is brief. It proves the incorrigible nature of Satan’s negative volition and hostility to God. That this millennial period of peace on earth is now interrupted through his release further points to the fact that he is the reason why conflict exists in God’s creation. It denotes that Satan is the primary cause underwriting all suffering, pain, misery and cursing brought about upon mankind. While we are not told why he is released to attempt this one final attempt to overcome God, we can safely assume it is part of God's plan.

(8) He will go out to deceive the nations from every corner of the earth, which are called Gog and Magog. He will gather them together for battle -- a mighty host, as numberless as sand along the shore.

  • Deceive the nations:
    • Satan will convince many of the nations that Christ’s ruling rod of iron is oppressive and He needs to be toppled from His throne and replaced by a more understanding and benevolent ruler, such a himself. Satan’s success is overwhelming as the final clause of verse 8 makes clear, “as numberless as sand along the shore”.
    • Buswell, Systematic Theology, pp. 501-503 "If a vast multitude of people from the nations of the world are going to rebel against the rule of Christ at the end of the Millennium, it is then factually implied that the Millennium is not an age of final perfection. It is an age of the perfect rule of Christ, but an age somewhat analogous to the Garden of Eden before the fall of man, in the sense that when God permitted temptation, sin broke forth."
    • Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ: "The golden age of the kingdom will last a thousand years, during which righteousness will reign, and peace, prosperity, and the knowledge of God will be universally enjoyed. But this will not entail universal conversion, and all profession must be tested.... Will not a thousand years under the beneficent sway of Christ and the manifested glory of God suffice to render men immune to his [Satan's] temptations, will they not have radically changed for the better, and become by the altered conditions of life and the absence of Satanic temptations, children of God and lovers of His will? Alas! It will be proved once more that man what­ever his advantages and environment, apart from the grace of God and the new birth, remains at heart only evil and at enmity with God."
    • McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom: "Through the ages of God's dealing with a fallen race, He has tested its members under many different conditions; and in every test, apart from the grace of God, man has always proven to be a failure. But sinful men have never been given an opportunity to "prove" what they will do in an environment from which the great deceiver of souls has been completely banished. The purpose here is not to acquaint God with something which He does not now know, but rather to prove to men themselves how desperately wicked they really are. The complete immobilization of Satan for a thousand years, therefore, will lay the basis for God's final argument against the popular doctrine of the inherent goodness of man when placed in the right kind of environment. It might be thought that all orthodox theologians would recognize the value of such a demonstration of the doctrine of total depravity, but such is not the case."
  • Gog:
    • The name Gog first appears as a descendant of Joel, of the tribe of Reuben - 1 Chronicles 5:4: The descendants of Joel were Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei,
    • The leader of the rebellion which came against Israel more than one thousand years prior to this event was also named Gog: Ezekiel 38:1-16: This is another message that came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, prophesy against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD: Gog, I am your enemy! I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws to lead you out to your destruction. I will mobilize your troops and cavalry and make you a vast and mighty horde, all fully armed. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. Gomer and all its hordes will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north and many others." "Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be lying in peace after her recovery from war and after the return of her people from many lands. You and all your allies -- a vast and awesome horde -- will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud." "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. You will say, 'Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence! I will go to those once-desolate cities that are again filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder and take many slaves, for the people are rich with cattle now, and they think the whole world revolves around them!'  But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, 'Who are you to rob them of silver and gold? Who are you to drive away their cattle and seize their goods and make them poor?'" "Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD: When my people are living in peace in their land, then you will rouse yourself. You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army, and you will cover the land like a cloud. This will happen in the distant future. I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you. Then all the nations will know that I am the LORD."
  • Magog:
    • The name Magog is introduced to us as a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2). In the previous attack against Israel, Gog is said to be “of the land of Magog” (Ezekiel 38:2)
    • The Jewish historian Josephus identified these people as the Scythians, known for their destructive warfare. Magog may be a comprehensive term meaning “northern barbarians.”
  • Gog and Magog:
    • The use of these names here and in Ezekiel 38 - 39 has confused some readers. A thorough reading of the two passages will reveal that the events are not the same. The one thing these events have in common is that both national entities (Gog and Magog) are driven by the spirit of rebellion against God. In these two cases, God uses the same names because of the deceptively satanic spirit that motivates them both.
    • In his commentary, Walvoord explains the contrast between "Gog and Magog" here in this passage and "Gog and Magog" in Ezekiel 38 and 39: "In describing the nations, the term "Gog and Magog" is used without any explanation. From the context it would seem that this is not the same event as that described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 where Gog and Magog are prominent; and the battle which follows is entirely different and separated by at least a thousand years from that of Ezekiel's prophecy." - Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ
    • Although Gog and Magog are both mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39, this rebellion is not the same event as in Ezekiel, as a comparison of several factors reveals:
        1. In Ezekiel, invasion comes from the north; the Revelation invasion comes from all over the world.
        2. "The rebellion of Gog and Magog and their destruction in Revelation 20 marks the ushering in of the eternal state; but in Ezekiel, it is preliminary to the Millennial Kingdom on earth." -  McClain, The Greatness Of The Kingdom
        3. "This earth is done away with soon after the invasion mentioned in Revelation, not allowing any time (or place!) for seven months of burial or seven years of burning." - Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of Messiah
  • Battle:
    • This is not Armageddon which we saw in chapter 19 which takes place BEFORE the Millennium.
    • If all weapons were destroyed at the beginning of the millennium, where did this army get its weapons? Remember how Hitler rebuilt the German military before WWII even though treaties forbid it? Much of the rebuilding was done in secret. During the war, Germany had a large number of huge underground facilities for manufacturing planes, tanks, etc.

(9) AND I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God's people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

  • "AND" = "THEN".
  • Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ: "As the battle is joined in verse 9, the great host led by Satan and coming from all directions compasses the camp of the saints. The word for "camp" (Greek parembole) refers to those engaged in battle and who are in battle array, hence a "camp," "fortress," or "citadel." Here the term seems to refer to the city of Jerusalem itself which is described as "the beloved city" (cf. Psalm 78:68; 87:2). Apparently Christ permits the army to assemble and encircle the capital city. No sooner has the army of Satan been assembled, however, than fire comes down from God out of heaven, and the besiegers are destroyed, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus is shattered the last vain attempt of Satan to claim a place of prominence and worship in attempted usurpation of the prerogatives of God. Thus ends also the false theory that man under perfect environment will willingly serve the God who created and redeemed him. Even in the ideal situation of the millennial reign of Christ, innumerable hosts immediately respond to the first temptation to rebel. This is the end of the road for the nations who rebel against God as well as for the career of Satan."
  • Fire from heaven:
    • The enemies of God are destroyed directly by His hand, in much the same way as Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24), those who came to arrest Elijah (2 Kings 1:10-15), Gog on the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 38:22), and the land of Magog (Ezekiel 39:6).

(10) THEN the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

  • Satan was previously cast out of heaven to the earth (Revelation 12:9), possibly near the mid-point of the Tribulation. After the Second Coming, he was bound and cast into the bottomless pit (the abyss) - Revelation 20:2+. Now, he is cast into his final destination, the Lake of Fire, which was originally prepared for him and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Since it was prepared for both him and his angels (Revelation 12:4+), we can infer that the fallen angels, who were confined during the Millennial Kingdom, are either cast with him into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 18:2+; Isaiah 34:8-17), or join him shortly thereafter following the Great White Throne Judgment when the earth (including the abyss) is no more.
  • I wonder whether the "Lake of Fire" is a gigantic black hole. Recently, one was found that is 12 billion times the size of our sun!

    Above image from http://imgkid.com/event-horizon-black-hole.shtml

(11) AND I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.

  • "AND" = "THEN".
  • White:
    • White speaks of righteousness; He's a righteous God and will judge with fairness.
  • Great white throne:
    • The white throne is the final judgment seat of God.
    • Most Bible scholars believe that Christians will never appear before this great white throne. It isn't because we can hide from it - no one can. The idea is that we are spared from this awesome throne of judgment because our sins are already judged in Jesus at the cross. We don't escape God's judgment; we satisfy it in Jesus. However, Christians will have to stand before another throne - the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies." At the judgment seat of Christ, what we have done will be judged. Our motives for what we have done will be judged. Paul presents essentially the same idea in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, where he speaks of a coming assessment of each one's work before the Lord. In that passage, he makes it clear that what we have done, and our motive for doing it, will be tested by fire, and the purifying fire of God will burn up everything that was not of Him. We won't be punished for what was not done rightly unto the Lord, it will simply be burned up, and it will be as if we never did those things. We will simply be rewarded for what remains. Sadly, some will get to heaven thinking they have done great things for God, and will find out at the judgment seat of Christ that they really did nothing.
    • Daniel 7:9-10: I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.
  • The one who was sitting on it:
    •  The judge is Jesus, not the Father! Jesus himself said, "And the Father leaves all judgment to his Son, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor the Son, then you are certainly not honoring the Father who sent him." "I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life." "And I assure you that the time is coming, in fact it is here, when the dead will hear my voice -- the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted his Son to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to judge all mankind because he is the Son of Man." (John 5:22-27).
  • Earth and sky fled ... no place to hide:
    • Sky (Greek ouranos) is translated "heaven" in the KJV. There are 3 levels of "heaven" - Paul spoke of the "third heaven." This "heaven" is the "sky" as translated in the NLT.
    • The use for the earth is over. Now God will create a new heaven and a new earth as it states in 2 Peter 3:13: "But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God."
    • Psalm 102:25-27: In ages past you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Even they will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment, and they will fade away. But you are always the same; your years never end.
    • Isaiah 51:6: Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth beneath. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!"
    • Isaiah 65:17: "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth -- so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
    • Isaiah 66:22: "As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear," says the LORD.
    • Matthew 24:35: Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever."
    • Hebrews 1:10-12: And, "Lord, in the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Even they will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will roll them up like an old coat. They will fade away like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will never grow old."
    • 2 Peter 3:7,10: And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. ...  But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment.
    • Revelation 21:1: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.

(12) I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done.

  • I saw the dead:
    • This means is those who had remained dead in the earth until the end of the Millennium. The dead before this throne are evidently the unsaved of all ages.
    • The raptured saints, the tribulation martyrs, the two witnesses and the 144,000 of Israel are not included here. At the judgment of the great white throne, it is not us. It's the dead; we are alive for eternity. We are alive for ever and for ever. We have our immortal glorified bodies. Death has been swallowed up in life for us.
  • Standing:
    • Because this is a sentencing and not a trial, those who stand before the throne have nothing to say.
    • They are unbelievers of every form, from every land and every time. Unbelievers who were great in that world which has passed away, and those who were of no repute. The names are not found written in the Lamb's book of life or they would not have been among the dead; they are cast into the lake of fire.
  • God's throne:
    • Yet, He stood before Pilate's judgment seat and and patiently endured the mocking, the scourging and the spitting. 
  • Judged:
    • Mounce: "The issue is not salvation by works but works as the irrefutable evidence of a man's actual relationship with God."
    • Remember that the Christian dead have already won their victory. Those who didn't accept Jesus will have to stand or fall on their deeds. Of course, they will all fall if they didn't accept Him, because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Christian's sins have been done away with by the blood of Jesus. The Christians all have their names written in the Lamb's book of life. Christians will not taste of the second death
    • Sauer, The Triumph of the Crucified, pp.112-115: "But the faithful will be specially crowned: the victorious warrior ­­with the crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8); the steadfast racer ­­with the unfading crown (I Corinthians 9:25-­27); the one faithful unto death ­­with the crown of life (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12); the unselfish worker ­­with the crown of honour (I Thessalonians 2:19, Philippians 4:1); the example to the flock ­­with the crown of glory (I Peter 5:3, 4)."
    • Ecclesiastes 12:14: God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
    • John 5:22-23: And the Father leaves all judgment to his Son, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor the Son, then you are certainly not honoring the Father who sent him."
    • Luke 8:17: For everything that is hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light and made plain to all.
    • Luke 12:3: Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!"
    • Acts 17:30-31: God overlooked people's former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."
    • Romans 2:5-6: But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done.
    • Hebrews 9:27: And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment,
  • Books:
    • "Books" is plural here. There are books which contain a person's every thought, word and deed. Nothing will be hidden.
    • The books (excluding the Book of Life) record the deeds of the dead. The phrase "according to what they had done" must refer to the wicked deeds of the dead.
  • Book of Life:
    • The Book of Life (literally Book of the Living), called Sefer Hayyim in Hebrew, contains the name of every person who ever lived along with a record of their life and final disposition. But, the names of people who don’t inherit eternal life (because of their unbelief) are blotted out of this Book. So, then, the only names still on record are the names of all believers.
    • There is an excellent study on the Book of Life by J. Hampton Keathley III at https://bible.org/seriespage/revelation-appendix-6-book-life, which I've included in the pass-out.
    • Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ: "The question has been raised concerning the judgment of those who die in the millennium. It is clear that the unsaved who die in the millennium are included in this judgment. The Scriptures are silent, however, concerning any rapture or translation of saints who survive the millennium and concerning the resurrection of saints who may die in the millennium . . . . Though men are judged according to their works, the book of life is introduced as the deciding factor as to where they will spend eternity . . . . The resurrection of the wicked dead is in sharp contrast to the resurrection of the righteous dead. Although the passage does not state so explicitly, the implication in this judgment is that there are no saved. Nothing is said here of the reward of the righteous."
    • To the Orthodox Jews, the Book of Life is updated every fall in the 10 days between Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur. Zakhrenu Le-Hayyim ("Remember us unto life") is a prayer that is said in the daily service from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It reads, "Remember us unto life, O King who delightest in life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life, for Thine own sake, O God of life." They believe that this is when all those whose lives were judged to be righteous were given another year of life and those whose lives were beyond redemption were blotted out of the book and were scheduled for death. Even today, some Orthodox Jews scurry around in the 10 days between Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur to right the wrongs they’ve done to others in the past year in an effort to be considered righteous before the books are closed. These are called the Days of Awe or days of repentance. Jewish tradition tells how God opens the Book of Life and studies the words, actions and thoughts of every person whose name he has written there. If a person's good deeds outweigh or outnumber their sinful acts, his or her name will remain inscribed in the book for another year. During this time a traditional greeting among them is, “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." On the tenth day, Yom Kippur, the books are closed and their fates are sealed. The meaning is that life is only granted on a year by year basis and is dependent on obedience.
    • This book is singled out from among the other books because of its paramount importance. Unlike the books which record their works, this book records their faith, or lack thereof. The mere appearance of this book in the judgment is proof that access to God is by faith alone. For if salvation could be by works, the books recording their deeds would be sufficient for judgment.
    • Exodus 32:31-33: So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Alas, these people have committed a terrible sin. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, please forgive their sin -- and if not, then blot me out of the record you are keeping." The LORD replied to Moses, "I will blot out whoever has sinned against me.
    • Psalm 56:8: You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
    • Psalm 69:28: Erase their names from the Book of Life; don't let them be counted among the righteous.
    • Psalm 139:16: You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
    • Daniel 12:1: "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.
    • Malachi 3:16: Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him.
    • Luke 10:20: But don't rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven."
    • John 5:24: "I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."
    • Philippians 4:3: And I ask you, my true teammate, to help these women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. And they worked with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names ARE written in the Book of Life.
    • Revelation 3:5: All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
    • Revelation 13:8: And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made.
    • Revelation 17:8: The beast you saw was alive but isn't now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from before the world began, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died."
  • According to what they had done:
    • This has NOTHING to do with salvation: Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV): For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
    • Deeds reveal what the heart is like. They reveal belief. It is all preserved in God's great library. The whole record of every life is made known before all, and judgment will be based upon that. Here we learn that if your name is in the book of life, your deeds will have been righteous. Only those whose names are in the book of life can do righteous deeds.

(13) The sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead in them. They were all judged according to their deeds.

  • Death and the grave gave up the dead in them:
    • There are two ways to view this verse:
      1. All unbelievers throughout history are raised from the grave, judged, found guilty and then in verse 14 tossed into the lake of fire.
      2. The existence of death and the grave themselves are tossed into the lake of fire; i.e., destroyed forever.
  • According to their deeds:
    • There is only 1 good deed or work man can do and that is to place his or her faith in Christ and that determines our eternal destiny - John 6:29: Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent."

(14) AND death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death -- the lake of fire.

  • Death:
    • The notion that death and the grave are thrown into the lake of fire characterizes the lake here not as a place of torment as contrasted to the destiny of Satan in the lake of fire, but as a place of destruction or nonexistence. Death and the grave are not tortured or punished, they simply cease to exist. The message of this vivid scene is a simple one: "there will be no more death" (21:4). In Paul's words, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). The way is cleared for the triumphant visions of chapters 21-22.
    • The last echoes of sin are now eliminated. Death is the result of sin, and it is gone. The grave is the result of death, and it is gone. The last vestiges of sin's unlawful domination are done away with.

(15) AND anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

  • Greek Kai ei tis = "and IF anyone" was found.
  • Not found in the Book of Life:
    • John 3:18: "There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.
    • John 3:36: And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them."
    • 1 John 5:11-12: And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.
    • That this book would be consulted at this point indicates the possibility of some appearing in the book. This argues strongly for the conclusion that saints will die during the millennial reign of Christ.
    • It is so easy to get your name written in the Lamb's book of life. Among so many other verses, Romans chapter 10 tells you how - Romans 10:9-10 "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."
    • Revelation 13:8: And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made.


Above chart from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p2kMIEEBz48/VS1mdN_RDrI/AAAAAAAAIAc/mWg9L_9XVG0/s1600/THE%2B75%2BDAY%2BINTERVAL.jpg
Daniel 12:7,11-12 (NIV): “The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” ... From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days."
    NOTE:
    1,260 days (42 months or time, times and half a time) + 30 days = 1,290 days!
    1,260 days (42 months or time, times and half a time) + 75 days = 1,335 days!

According to Tim LaHaye in his book, Charting the End Times, there is a 75-day interval between the tribulation and the millennium: “The 75-day period is derived as follows: First, we know that Jesus the Messiah will return at the end of the seventieth week of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). The seventieth week is divided into two halves of 1260 days each (Daniel 9:27). In Daniel 12:6, Daniel asked the angel, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” The angel replied, “A time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” (Daniel 12:7b). Earlier in Daniel 12:1-3, the angel set the context of his words as being the second coming of Messiah. Thus we know that “all these things will be completed (Daniel 12:7) with Messiah's coming. Thus, Christ's second coming will occur at the end of the second set of 1260 days.
“Next, notice that Daniel 12:11 speaks of something being accomplished at the end of 1290 days—that's 30 days beyond the second coming. Since Daniel 12:11 is concerned with the Temple sacrifice and the “abomination of desolation,” it is safe to conclude that the [additional] 30-day interval relates to the Temple. We know from Ezekiel 40-48 that the Lord will establish a Temple during the Millennium. Thus the 30-day period will be the time in which the Millennial Temple will be set up and prepared for use.
“In Daniel 12:12 we read about those who reach the point of 1335 days. That means we need to include an additional 45 days beyond the 30-day period, giving us a total of 75 days. The angel said that those who make it through that time will be “blessed.” This connotes a personal or individual blessing, and it indicates that that particular person is qualified to enter the 1,000 year Messianic kingdom. In fact, Matthew 25:34 says, “Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world' (emphasis added).
“Evidently the 75-day interval is a time of preparation for the kingdom. Because so much of the globe will have been destroyed during the judgments of the Tribulation, it is not at all surprising that our Lord will take some time to renovate His creation in preparation for the Millennial kingdom.”

Events of the 75-Day Interval (from Fruchtenbaum’s, Footsteps of the Messiah):

  1. The cleansing of the Abomination of Desolation from the Temple.
  2. Antichrist resurrected to be sentenced with the False Prophet.
  3. The False Prophet and Antichrist sentenced and together thrown alive into the Lake of Fire.
  4. Satan caught, bound, and cast into the Abyss.
  5. The Judgment of the nations/gentiles still living (Sheep and Goats).
  6. The resurrection of the Old Testament Saints.
  7. The resurrection of the Tribulation martyrs.
  8. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Coming up next:

Revelation 21:1-2,9-10,22-27: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. ... Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. ... No temple could be seen in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations of the earth will walk in its light, and the rulers of the world will come and bring their glory to it. Its gates never close at the end of day because there is no night. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter -- no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty -- but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

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