Revelation Chapter Twenty
(Chapter 20 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Let's Study The Revelation)
In our last study we came back with Jesus to the earth. Now, in chapter 20 we are going to help Him establish a kingdom upon the earth that will last one thousand years.
Verse 1-3:
In order to have this kingdom, an angel comes and binds the Devil with a chain. Some make light of this fact, but that does not change it. The Devil will be bound by a chain for one thousand years. This will be during the millennium. The idea that Satan is bound no wise ridiculous and unscriptural. As someone has said, "If he is chained now, he is on a rubber chain."
Now let us look at a little of the history of Satan:
He was originally an angel in Heaven. He rebelled against God and was cast out of Heaven to the earth, bringing other angels with him. Though he is now the prince of the power of the air and the god of this age, he still has access to God to accuse us day and night (Revelation 12:10). In the middle of the tribulation period he will be cast completed from the presence of God and will pour all of his wrath upon the earth for three and one-half years. At the end of the three and one-half year period, he will be bound for one thousand years.
Verse 4:
There are many thrones and many sitting upon them. Jesus, of course, will have the main preeminence, but we, too, shall sit on thrones with Him.Notice the words, "AND JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN UNTO THEM." During this one thousand years we shall judge the world.
This period will be characterized by many wonderful things. For example, wild animals will b tamed, and serpents will lose their poison. There will be no wars. We shall hold places of leadership. Won’t it be wonderful to live in a city where all the city officials are children of God!
This period, as stated before, is the millennium. The premillennialist believes that Jesus will come back and establish a millennium. The postmillennialist believes that we will have the millennium and then Jesus will come back. The amillennialist believes that there is not going to be a millennium. Those who believe the simple words of the Bible are premillennialists.
Verse 5:
You will recall that already at the rapture the saved dead have been resurrected. This verse teaches that the lost dead will not live again until the thousand years are finished. Some teach a general resurrection where both saved and lost will be resurrected. This is not in line with the teachings of the Word of God.Verse 6:
This verse teaches that all will not be resurrected in the FIRST resurrection. If that were not the case, then drunkards, harlots, murderers, and all lost people are blessed and holy, since the Lord says that those taking part in the first resurrection are blessed and holy.We shall be priests of God. Every believer is a priest.
We shall reign with Him a thousand years. The word "REIGN" means "to govern." We shall govern this world with Jesus for one thousand years.
THE MILLENNIUM "SATAN’S LAST WAR"
Verse 7:
At the end of the millennium Satan will be loosed for a season to wage his last war against Jesus. You can always look out for the Devil when things are going smoothly. When a church or home or a Christian’s life is going too smoothly, the Devil will try to interfere, so after one thousand years of perfect peace, Satan once again wages war.The question always arises in this study as to where Satan gets his people for his battle. AT the beginning of the millennium we will be in our glorified bodies, having come back with Jesus to start the thousand years of peace; however, those who have been saved during the tribulation will enter into the millennium in the natural bodies. They will have children during the millennium, and some of those children will never accept Jesus. After a thousand years of this, many will be unsaved and will be willing to follow the Devil in a war against Jesus.
Verse 8:
After one thousand years of being bound in prison, Satan is still the same Satan. He has not reformed a bit. The same is true with all the unregenerated people.Verses 9-10:
Here we find the final destruction of Satan. Two things of note about these verses are as follows:The Beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire. You will recall that they were cast in the lake of fire as the thousand years started. Now, at the end of one thousand years, they are still there. This eliminates the false teaching that Hell is not eternal burning.
This is the end of the Devil and one of the greatest days in the history of man. No more will Satan deceive the nations of the world.
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
The great white throne judgment is the last judgment that will transpire. There will not be a single saved person judged. It will only be for lost people and will determine how hot their Hell will be. Let us look at verses 11-15 carefully.
Verse 11:
Notice the words, "AND HIM THAT SAT ON IT." Who is it that will be on the throne? John 5:22 teaches that all judgment has been give to Jesus.Notice the words, "FROM WHOSE FACE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVEN FLED AWAY." The Bible says that some day the earth shall dissolve and melt away. It will be at the presence of Jesus at the great white throne. The earth will naturally flee away because it has been cursed by sin, and sin cannot stand in the presence of God’s judgment. This question immediately comes: then why will Heaven flee away? The only logical answer is the fact that Satan was once an angel in Heaven. He sinned and was immediately cast out of Heaven. Perhaps because Satan sinned in Heaven, Heaven would flee away.
Verse 12:
"...AND I SAW THE DEAD...." These dead are only those who are lost. The saved dead were resurrected at the beginning of the millennium, but Revelation 20:5 teaches that the lost dead remain in their graves until after the thousand years; hence, those at the great white throne are those who died unsaved."...SMALL AND GREAT." The lost people must face Jesus regardless of how wealthy or how poor, how great or how small.
"...AND THE BOOKS WERE OPENED." What books will be opened? There will be a book of deeds. There will be a book of words that lost people have said. There may be a book of sermons that lost people have heard. No doubt there will be a songbook containing the gospel songs that lost people have heard. In other words, all the events that transpired in the lives of the unsaved are recorded in God’s books.
"...ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS." This does not mean that they will go to Heaven if they have done good works, and to Hell if they have done bad works. All of these people are going to Hell, but some will suffer more than others because of their evil lives. It is only to determine the degree of suffering.
Verse 13:
"...AND DEATH AND HELL DELIVERED UP THE DEAD WHICH WERE IN THEM." Death is the place where the body goes. The word "HELL" really means "Hades," which is the place where the souls of the unsaved people burn. At the great white throne judgment the body will come out of the grave, and the soul will come out of Hades and be reunited. Then both body and soul will be cast into the final lake of fire to burn forever.Verse 14:
This verse teaches that when both body and soul are cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death. This is the death that Jesus died for us on the cross. Hence, one who trusts Jesus will never die the second death. Someone has said, "If you are born once, you die twice; if you are born twice, you die once."Verse 15:
Notice the determining question of the great white throne: IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE? If it is, you will not appear before the great white throne. If it is not, no matter how many good deeds you have done, how many churches you have joined, how many baptisteries you have waded through, or sacraments you have taken, you will be cast into the lake of fire!
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