Summary: This is a study of chapter 20 in the book of Revelation. This is a controversial subject but takes a conservative approach to understanding the book.

Note: I used many sources to study this book, one of my favorites is Revelation: God’s Word for the Biblically-Inept by Daymond Duck and some out of different study bibles.

Title: The Millennium

Theme: To show the coming of Christ and the 1000 yr. reign.

Text: Revelation 20

Opening Verse:

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31 1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Who was the angel? probably Christ or ?

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (millennium –mille thousand annus years)

Dragon-indicated cruelty Serpent-speaks of guile Devil-indicates him as the tempter of man Satan-indicates he is the adversary of Christ and His people

Satan's characteristic work is to deceive. Gen 3:13; Mat 24:24; 2 Thes. 2:9-10

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Cor 4:3-4

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Nations that are formed are those who are believers at the end of the great tribulation Rev 19:21

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10 AV)

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

who sat on the throne:

1) Christ 2) the NT saints 1 Cor 6:2 3) OT saints (Deut 28:1,13; Mt 19:28)

4) martyred in tribulation

Why is the church not mentioned here?

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Stages of resurrection: 1 Cor 15:23-24; Rev 20:4-6; Dan 12:1-3; Lk 20:34-36

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:23-24 AV)

And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:34-36

Resurrections:

Phase 1 the resurrection of Christ and some OT saints

Phase 2 the resurrection of the church at the rapture

Phase 3 the resurrection of the Tribulation Saints and the remainder of the Old Testament Saints at the end of the tribulation Period

Second Resurrection the unbelievers at the end of the millennium

Thousand year: Millennium It was predicted in the OT (Is 9:6; 65:19-25; Dan 7:13-14; Mic 4:1-8; Zech

14:1-9; cf. 2:25-28) Satan will be bound (vs. 2-3)Christ's reign will be shared by the faithful of his church (2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4) The people ruled by Christ will consist of those on earth who were faithful

to Christ during the millennium (14:12; 18:4; Is 65:20-23; Mat 25:1)

No unsaved will enter the kingdom (19:21)

those reigning with Christ stand far above all the nations, for they will

minister to and rule both Israel and the other nations (3:21; 5:10; 20:6; Mat

19:28; see Zeph 3:9-20)

There will be peace, safety, prosperity, and righteousness throughout the earth (Is 2:2-4; Mic 4:4; Zech 9:10; see Zech 2:5; 9:8)

Nature will be restored to its original order, perfection and beauty (Ps

96:11-13; 98:7-9; Is 14:7-8; 35:1-2,6-7;51:3; 55:12-13; 65:25; Ezek 34:25;

Rom 8:18-23; Is 65:17-25; Ezek 36:8-15; Zech 14:8) 5) The nations during this reign are obliged to continue in faith and in

obedience to Christ and His rule. However, some will choose the way of the

lion and disobedience and will be punished (7-10)

At the end of the thousand years, the kingdom will be delivered up by

Jesus to the Father (1 Cor 15;24); then will begin the final and

everlasting kingdom of God and the Lamb (21:1-22:5)

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him a thousand years.

priests and kings: 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5

The first resurrection is the resurrection of Christ and all his people which is in contrast to the resurrection of the wicked the second resurrection. (12-13; Is 26:19-21; Dan 12:2,13; Mat 27:52-53; John 11:25-26; 14:19; 1 Cor 15:20,52;

If you are part of this you are:

blessed-happy in your eternal state

Holy separated or identified as God’s special people

Priests will minister to, and serve in the presence of God

Reign will be both a royal and political priesthood

Thousand years will be the length of their earthly reign

Second death over you will never suffer the consequences of sin by being cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20,20:10) because you have been redeemed

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Satan will be loosed again for deception and the gathering of followers for the final battle of "Gog and Magog (vs. 8; Ezek 38-39)

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

there will be procreation in the Millennium: Mt 25:31-46 for those in the unresurrected bodies and the ones born need salvation

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Even after a millennial reign with Christ it seems there will be a great multitude that will be deceived by Satan and reject Christ.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Is 14:9-17 Thy kingdom come . . . in earth as it is in heaven

Postmillennialism assumed that Christ would come at the conclusion of one thousand years. Man would bring in the kingdom by preaching the gospel. Come about at the turn of the century when the great revivals began but changed when the wars began

Amillennialists doesn’t take this age literal but spiritual and applies to our history.

Premillennialism

Children born Isaiah 11:6; Is 65:20 No disease; no labor pains

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

7 Judgements of scripture

1) judgement of the cross

a) man's sins were judged at Calvary (2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; Rom 8:1)

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

b) Satan was judged also (Col. 2:14,15; John 16:11)

Colossians 2:14-15 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

c) judgement of the past and never will be repeated

2) the judgement of the sinning believer (1 Cor 11:30-32)

For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Cor 11:30-32

3) judgement of the believers works (22:12; Rom 14:10; 1Cor 3:10-19; 4:5; 2Cor 5:10) takes place at the Rapture (2Tim 4:8) at the judgement seat of Christ-Bema

(Revelation 22:12 AV And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.)

Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

4) judgment upon Israel (Ezek 20:33-38; Mt 24:9-10) takes place after the tribulation period those who reject their Mesiah will not enter the kingdom; those who have received Him will enter it ( Rom 11:26)

Mat 24:9-10 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

5) judgement of the nations (Joel 3:11-16; Mt 25:31-46). after the tribulation period; on the basis of acceptance or rejection of Christ, manifested in their treatment of the earthly brethren of our Lord. The righteous will enter into the kingdom of eternal life the wicked are excluded from both

6) judgement upon the fallen angels and Satan (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Rev 20:10) time of the angles is unknown but the beast and antichrist will be before the reign of Christ and

Satan after the 1000 yrs. The punishment is eternal fire

2 Pt 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

7) judgement at the great white throne

white-purity and holiness by which it will be conducted

throne-authority by one who can judge

judger is Jesus-John 5:22,27; 2 Tim 4:1

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Earth and sky fled from his presence-this seems to be a statement of the new heaven and new earth that is created just as the next statement of There was no place for them

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

dead John 5:40 " . . . ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

I am the Way, Truth and the Life

book-the book of life, mentioned in Rev 3:5 the one that overcomes will not have his name blotted out of the book of life. To me the book of life and the Lamb’s book of life is the same book that is taken care of by Christ and has been since he died on the Cross.

books-the books containing the works of them Why? to show the gravity of their punishment (Luke 12:47-48)

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:47-48

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

No one can escape this judgment

Death-the grave

hell-the souls of the lost

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Lake of Fire:

1) tribulation and anguish (Rom 2:9)

2) weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt 22:13: 25:30)

3) everlasting destruction (2 Thes 1:9)

4) chains of darkness (2 Peter 2:4)

5) everlasting punishment (Mt 24:46)

6) hell and first that never shall be quenched (Mark 9:43)

7) lake of fire burning with brimstone (19:20)

the smoke of their torment ascendth up for ever and ever: and they have no

rest day or night (14:11)

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Mt 26:24

This was a constant idea in the early New Testament church. It was alive and vibrant. It is sad that we so easily forget the eternal punishment and second death of those who don't believe.

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: Acts 20:19

This should be one of our primary motivations for carrying the gospel to all the world

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5 AV)

A person who receives Christ but later refuses to preserver for the faith and to overcome (2:7) will have his name blotted out. Then they will be condemned to this lake of fire as we have read This is the message of the book of Revelation and the whole Bible is to be an overcomer, to preserver, to continue in the path of Christ. The idea is to get our name written in the book of life and hold on.

Final criteria: Whose name is found in the book of life? Rev 3:5; 13:18; 21:27

1 Cor 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?