And the beast was taken,
and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that
worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning
with brimstone. [They are two members of a three-part coalition, Rev 16:12-14].
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse,
which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with
their flesh.
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Here is a quick explanation
of issues and events involving the thousand years — the millennium. I believe
we are living in the last hours of the history of this planet. This is
because the world is falling apart. Also, calculating from the Genesis
record we are living around the time of the beginning of the seventh millennium.
We don't know exactly when creation occurred, however, so our counting
could be off. It's fairly certain that Christ was not born at 0 A.D. —
likely it was 4 B.C. (or BCE). The scripture says that we know not the
day or hour of the coming of Christ (Matt. 24:42; Rev. 3:3). It may not
be at the beginning of the seventh millennium, but conditions in our world
point to it being soon. So our focus must not be on ourselves, Our job
is to keep watching and to be ready.
Because of some ideas begun
a couple hundred years ago and picked up by most Protestant churches, I
feel there is a great deal of misunderstanding about the millennium. This
means that chapter 20 has some surprises for many people who begin to study
to see what it is really says and doesn't say. If I present something that
is contrary to what you have been taught, just study for yourself.
A
lot of what I write I am just learning, although the big picture is already
clear to me.
While
the righteous are taken to heaven at Christ's return (1 Thess. 4:15,
16), the end-time wicked receive the full wrath of God — what Daniel (12:1)
calls the "time of trouble." The chart
on this chapter helps you see what is happening as you simply read the
text in your Bible and, of course, pray for understanding. See the second
part of the discussion of 14:9 where I explained the wrath at the end of
time r14o.
I'll
make a few comments about chapter 20 for you to check out in your Bible.
First
is to see that chapter 20 follows chronologically from chapter 19.
In 19 we see Christ as the one on the white horse with the armies
of heaven who come to punish the wicked (verses 11-16). Punishment is through
the sword of His word (v.15) — not that words or ink on paper is directly
lethal but punishment comes for failure to read and practice truth in the
Scriptures. These sacred writings then become a witness against the wicked.
In this sense, the word of God is a sword which kills them literally (See
Eph.
6:17). And see literary pattern below.
In verses 17, 18, the birds are promised
to feast on the wicked. In v.19 the attack is made on Christ [in attack
on His people, I believe], and in v. 20 the beast and the false prophet
are cast into the lake of fire. These are systems of worship described
in chapter 13 and named in 16:12-14.
Then the wicked who are living at the end of time are killed in v.21. Immediately
following we enter chapter 20 where the dragon is bound in the abyss (symbolism
indicating the earth in state of chaos as it was at the beginning of creation
week in Genesis 1). What we need to see that the events follow this order
is to see that there were three entities working together in the verses
cited from chapter 16: They are dragon (pagan forces directly under the
control of Satan), the beast (the apostate church arising in the middle
ages), and the false prophet (the end time apostasy that joins the beast;
see comments on 13:11-13). So the first two systems are destroyed never
to rise again but the third, Satan, needs more time so that no one will
doubt God's justice in destroying him — seen at the end of the thousand
years (20:10). In other words, the three are dealt with at the end of chapter
19 and the beginning of chapter 20 in a natural sequence. (The original
text had no chapter divisions.)
Next
is to ask what is happening during the thousand years. The righteous
live and reign with Christ, but this is not on the earth. It's in heaven
(John 14:1-3). They are judging (20:4). The righteous dead were raised
at the coming of Christ and the righteous living were caught up to meet
the Lord in the air (then taken to heaven) at about the time the
thousand years began (1 Thess. 4:16). The wicked dead were not raised at
that resurrection (John 5:29). They are described in Rev. 20 as "the rest
of the dead" who "lived not again till the thousand years were ended."
v.5. They are the "rest" because the righteous who died are all now in
heaven. The term "lived" in verse 4 implies the resurrection. In 20:7ff,
we see them then, having been resurrected, obviously. And Satan takes charge
of them. They try to take the New Jerusalem (details of it's coming down
are in ch. 21) and are destroyed.
Jesus
comes at the beginning of the thousand years as you can see reading chapter
19 and its flow into 20 as we discussed. During the thousand years there
will be no second chance to get righteous. This is simply not taught in
the Bible. Also there are not two classes of righteous as some teach. The
theory is that Jews and Gentiles are saved in different ways. This would
be having two gospels which Paul warned against (Gal.
1:8, 9). In the end, there are only the righteous and the wicked.
I've
shared this rather briefly so I suggest you go to the word in prayer, and
God will help you understand, although maybe not all at once. May He greatly
bless you as promised in 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear
the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in
it; for the time is near." (NKJV).
So
only Satan and his evil angels are around to "enjoy" the chaos they
have caused during the thousand years on earth. The righteous are
all in heaven and the wicked are still dead. At the end of the millennium
there must be some time for preparing for battle. We won't be a part of
it, however, if we are inside the city. We won't go out until the wicked
are destroyed (not kept burning without end).
It is well to search the
Scriptures themselves, although people like me can point you to them. I
have rushed through some significant truth about the thousand years without
nailing down each point. You are welcome to write or to return later.
.
Literary
pattern surrounding the thousand years
From a chart prepared by
Normal Moll
Christ's
second coming: White horse - 19:11-16.
Great
supper of God - 19:17-21.
Satan
chained 20:1-3.
The
Millennium; those of 1st resurrection reign with Christ - 20:4-6.
Satan
released; wicked surround city; are devoured by fire - 20:7-10.
Great
white throne judgment; all not in book go into fire - 20:11-15.
Holy
City descends; New earth; God with us - 21:1-8.
May God bless you greatly,
Ted
Endnotes
(linked from above)
.
Key This key, or control
over the abyss (bottomless pit) was earlier in Satan's own hand. Satan
has proved himself not trustworthy and it now represents the authority
of God to confine him. 0901b.
Old serpent This connects
Satan with his deception in Eden and his fall from heaven. See on 12:9,
1209a.
Bound him Satan has taken
many captives in his battle with Christ — captivity by sin.
And the servant of the Lord
must not strive; but be gentle. . . In meekness instructing those that
oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance. . . .
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who
are taken captive by him at his will." (2
Tim. 2:24-26; See also 2
Chron. 6:36; Luke 4:18;
Isa. 61:1-4). For 6,000
years Satan has been taking captives; now for 1,000 years he is bound.
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