Revelation Study 26. Revelation 20:1-15 (pg. 160-167)

 1. List the order of things that happen in 20:1-15.

• An angel with a key and chain captures the dragon/ancient serpent/Devil/Satan and binds him (v.1-2). cf. 9:1
• Satan is bound for 1000 years; he cannot deceive the nations (v.2-3)
• There are thrones with judges on them (v.4a).
• The martyrs come to life and reign with Christ for 1000 years (v.4b): the first resurrection (v.5)
• The rest of the dead only get resurrected after the 1000 years (v.5)
• Satan is released after 1000 years (v.7). A parody of Christ's second coming
• Satan deceives the nations to gather thema for battle (v.8).  In Ezekiel 38, Gog appears to be the ruler of the country of Magog, but here Gog and Magog as a pair represent all the nations ranged against the people of God
• They are defeated (v.9) cf. 11:5; 1 Kgs 18:38, Gen. 19:24. "As with the fire from the mouths of the two witnesses (11:5), this must be a symbolic destruction, since the nations will in the end bring their glory into the holy city in 21:24–26." (Ian Paul, Tyndale NT Commentaries)
• Satan is thrown into the lake of fire to join the beast and the false prophet (v.10). This destiny is shared by all who worship them (20:14 and 21:8)
  The great white throne judgment takes place for all the dead (v.11-12)
• Books and the book of life are opened and are the basis for judgment (v.12-13) 
• Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire. Those whose names are not in the book of life are thrown into the lake of fire: the second death (v.14-15) 

2. What are the four chief traits of the thousand year period?

20:2-3 Satan is bound and cannot deceive the nations

20:4 The martyrs come to life. 

20:4 The martyrs reign with Christ

20:5 The rest of the dead are not yet resurrected. The martyrs experience the first resurrection.

 

1. Premillennialism. 

Christians experience both the Kingdom of God and tribulation today in a partial sense. However, at some point in the future the persecution and temptation will intensify into a Great Tribulation in which the beasts will arise, the two witnesses will testify, and the judgments of seals, trumpets, and bowls will occur. At the end of the Great Tribulation, Christ will return and defeat the enemy army at Armageddon. Then the faithful martyrs of the Tribulation (and/or the believers still alive, and/or all Christians) will be raised in the first resurrection. They will reign with Christ in "a literal, visible reign of peace and  righteousness on the earth in space-time history."" That is the millennium. Afterward, the rest of the dead will be raised and judged. Finally, the old order will be replaced by a new heaven and earth, and the
temporal Kingdom will be merged into the eternal Kingdom. This view is called premillennial because the Antichrist and the Tribulation come before (pre-) Christ's return and that occurs before the millennium.
Premillennialists tend to take Revelation more literally, and its sequence more chronologically, than either postmillennialists or amillennialists. However, premillennialists cover a spectrum when interpreting the symbolism/plain meaning of particular verses and even whole chapters.
 

2. Postmillennialism.  

Our present experience of the Kingdom will grow and spread through evangelism and moral reform until eventually the whole world will be Christianized. Thus will come a long period of peace and prosperity, the millennium. Christ will return after (post-) the millennium and usher in the resurrection, the last judgment, and the eternal Kingdom.

3. Amillennialism. 

A- means "not." That is, there will not be a special section of history called the millennium in the sense that pre- and postmillennialists believe. There are two slightly different approaches to amillennialism:
a. The events of 20:1-6 do not follow 19:11-21 (Christ's return) chronologically. They are a flashback. "The binding of Satan, the first resurrection, and the millennium are all metaphors for the present situation
in this world, covering the period between the first and second comings of Christ. There is still to come the last revolt of evil, which is held to be the setting for such other predicted events as the great tribulation and the appearing of the man of lawlessness. It will be ended by Satan's overthrow and the judgment, which are described not only in 20:9-15 but also in 19:11-21. The first resurrection is the believer's new birth, his rising to life after being dead in sin. (i.e. We presently reign with Christ on earth)
b. "The millennium describes the present reign of the souls of deceased believers with Christ in heaven. The present form of God's kingdom will be followed by Christ's return, the general resurrection, the final judgment and Christ's continuing reign over the perfect kingdom on the new earth in the eternal state."

 

 

For Thought and Discussion: 

What are the merits of each of the three views (pg 76 in our PDF, premilleniumism, postmilleniumism, amillenilism) on the millennium described? What insights for personal growth and application does each offer? What are the difficulties and flaws in each interpretation?

 

Premilleniumism seems pointless - why have a 2-stage end-times? To weed out the persistently rebellious? It also makes us look forward to earthly reward of a sort. It encourages God's people to endure through persecution.

Postmilleniumism seems too optimistic. There is no indication in Scripture that the world will get better and better in the last days. But it does encourage God's people to strive for a better world.

Amilleniumism can be too  passive. Yet it encourages us to recognize our present exalted status in Christ. "But God...raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6)

 

3. In what sense are the following true now, and in what sense are they not yet fulfilled?
a. Satan bound (See, for example, Matthew 12:29; Luke 10:17-19, 11:20-22, 22:3; John 12:31; Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 11:14; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Peter 5:8.) 

 Matthew 12:29; Luke 11:20-22 Jesus has bound the 'strong man' and plundered his house

Luke 10:17-19, 22:3  Satan falls from heaven. Satan entered Judas

John 12:31 Satan is decisively defeated and 'cast out' of the world in Christ's death, resurrection and ascension.

Acts 5:3 Satan filled Ananias' heart

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 11:14 Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers. He disguises himself as an angel of light

Ephesians 2:2  He is still prince of the power of the air, working in the sons of disobedience

Colossians 2:15 Satan is disarmed and defeated

1 Thessalonians 2:18 Satan hinders Paul in his ministry

1 Peter 5:8 Satan prowls around and seeks to destroy believers

 

 Satan is defeated by Christ's work. His power is strictly limited but he remains active.

Premilleniumism requires Christ to return before a period of complete binding. Postmilleniumism and amilleniumism require an incomplete binding.

 

4. What do the following passages suggest to you about the identity of those who sit on the thrones to judge and/or those who are raised to life and reign: Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:3; Revelation 5:10, 20:4?

Matthew 19:28: Jesus's 12 disciples will judge, sitting on 12 thrones 

Luke 22:30 The disciples will judge the 12 tribes of Israel

1 Corinthians 6:3 Believers are to judge angels.

Revelation 5:10, 20:4  We are kings and priests. But those who sit on thrones and rule are also those who judge in 20:4.

 

Judgment is an indication of power, authority, vengeance, vindication.

Amilleniumists think the thrones are in heaven/spiritual (cf. Dan 7:9, 22). The 'first resurrection' is the second birth. 

Premilleniumists think the thrones are on earth during Christ's millenial reign (the angel 'comes down from heaven', v.1; the 'nations' are deceived, v.3)

Postmilleniumists think the thrones are on earth and represent the triumph of Christianity in the world. 

For Thought and Discussion: Do you think John's words In 20:4 Imply that those who reign are only the martyrs or also the rest of the redeemed? Why?
(You might want to compare several translations: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Revelation%2020%3A4)

Some translations mention 'people' sitting on the thrones, while others are less specific. But it is not certain that those on the thrones are also the martyrs who come to life and reign.

 

"Those who follow an ‘amillennialist’ approach and interpret the thousand years as another description of the time between Jesus’ first coming and his return see the ‘first resurrection’ as a reference to the spiritual reign with Christ of those who died in faith. But that cannot be the case, since this first resurrection is the preserve of the martyrs alone, and not of the whole people of God; and their reign appears to take place ‘on the earth’ (5:10), since it happens once Satan can no longer deceive the nations, and it comes to a temporary end on his release before its restoration in the holy city in 22:5" (Paul)

But

• 5:10 may not refer to the same reality as Rev 20:4. 5:10 may be for eternity, while 20:4 may be for the present day.
• 20:4 may not be for martyrs alone. The 'martyrs' are not generally those who are distinguished from the rest of the faithful saints in Revelation (but note those under the altar in 6:9-11) . All are seen as those who are willing to die for their faith (12:11), though only a proportion of the faithful actually die. So 20:4 can refer to the people of God as a whole.

But who are the "rest of the dead"? In the Amilleniumist view, these are the deceased who are not yet resurrected bodily.

 
For Further Study: 

a. Read about Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39. Observe what happens before their battle (chapters 36-37) and after It (chapters 40- 48).

The people are cleansed and restored to life. 

Then comes the battle

The Temple is measured and the glory of God returns to it. Then the new land and new city are described.

This parallels Revelation, where the redeemed people of God, His new temple are sealed (7:2-8) and measured (11:1-2) before the new Jerusalem is described (21-22)

b. What evidence is there that any of the battles In Revelation are the same (16:14-16, 17:12-14, 19:17-21, 20:7-10)? What evidence Is there that they are different? Even if they are different, what do they have in common?

16:14-16. The 6th bowl. The way is opened for the kings of the east, and the kings of the whole world are assembled for battle at Armageddon. The kings are deceived by demonic spirits.

17:12-14 The beast the whore rides on and its horns make war against the Lamb.

19:17-21 The beast and the kings of the earth are gathered against the Rider and His army.

20:7-10 After the 1000 years Satan deceives all the nations and surround the people and city of God. Consumed by fire from heaven

 

Different:

Rev 16 possibly speaks partially of ongoing conflict of Satanic forces against the people of God, whereas the other 3 battles speak of a final climactic battle (or battles).

Same: 

Satan initiates the battles against God and His people.

He deceives and enlists the help of the kings of the whole world.

Satan loses.

  
c. What evidence is there that the battle in Revelation 20:7-10 is the same as or different from the one described In Ezekiel?

The opponents (Gog and Magog) are the same.

But in Ezekiel 38 it is God who calls the nations to battle

In Ezekiel God's enemies are met with a great earthquake, torrential rain, hail and fire from heaven.

The nations will see that God is the LORD and the nation of Israel will see that God is holy.

The enemies of God will need to be buried: a physical death and a physical action after death by the nation of Israel. Perhaps a prophetic shadowing of the final battle.