{"id":30450,"date":"2024-03-18T22:00:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T05:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/revelation-19_11-21-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-03-12T16:35:27","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T23:35:27","slug":"revelation-20_1-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/revelation-20_1-15\/","title":{"rendered":"Loved For A Thousand Years and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

Revelation 20:1-15 \u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Revelation 20:1-15.\u00a0\u00a0There are so many powerful truths about Jesus that we can learn from this passage.\u00a0\u00a0As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Revelation\u00a020:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for\u00a0a thousand years<\/strong>.
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until\u00a0the<\/strong>\u00a0thousand years<\/strong>\u00a0were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses\u00a01-3:\u00a0 Previously in\u00a0Revelation\u00a09 we read of \u201cthe angel of the Abyss\u201d (9:11) who was also called a \u201cfallen star\u201d and given the key to the Abyss (9:1).\u00a0 Many commentators believe this angel is Satan himself.\u00a0 Here in\u00a0Revelation\u00a020:1\u00a0John sees another angel coming down out of heaven possessing the key to the Abyss and holding a great chain.\u00a0 This angel seizes the red dragon Satan, throws him into the Abyss, locks and seals the Abyss, so that Satan cannot deceive the nations for\u00a01,000 years.\u00a0 After the\u00a01,000 years are over, verse 3 says that Satan \u201cmust be set free for a short time\u201d.<\/p>\n

Revelation\u00a020:4-6 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ\u00a0a thousand years<\/strong>.
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0(The rest of the dead did not come to life until\u00a0the thousand years<\/strong>\u00a0were ended.) This is the first resurrection.
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for\u00a0a thousand years<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 4-6:\u00a0 At about the same time that Satan is locked up in the Abyss, the souls of those who had been beheaded for their faith in Jesus come to life (v4).\u00a0 This is what John calls \u201cthe first resurrection\u201d (v5).\u00a0 These resurrected Christians reign with Christ for\u00a01,000 years, the same number of years as Satan is locked up in the Abyss (v4).\u00a0 Presumably when John sees thrones on which are seated \u201cthose who had been given the authority to judge\u201d (v4), John is talking about these same resurrected Christians who are reigning with Christ.\u00a0 He makes several statements to describe these resurrected Christians:
\n\u00b7\u00a0In another \u201cRevelation\u00a0beatitude\u201d, he calls them \u201cblessed and holy\u201d (v6);
\n\u00b7\u00a0The second death, referring to being thrown into the lake of fire (v14-15), \u201chas no power over them\u201d (v6);
\n\u00b7\u00a0They will be both priests of God and of Jesus for a thousand years in God\u2019s kingdom (v6);
\n\u00b7\u00a0They will reign with Jesus for a thousand years (v6).
\n
\nRevelation\u00a020:7-9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When\u00a0the thousand years<\/strong>\u00a0are over, Satan will be released from his prison
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth–Gog and Magog–to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 7-9:\u00a0 Starting with verse 7, John turns his attention to what happens once the\u00a01,000 years are over.\u00a0 At the end of the\u00a01,000 years Satan will be released from his prison (the Abyss) (v7).\u00a0 He will deceive the nations \u201cin the four corners of the earth\u201d, apparently called Gog and Magog, and use them to form an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore (v8).\u00a0 This army of Gog and Magog travels across the globe to surround \u201cthe camp of God\u2019s people, the city He loves\u201d (v9), which some commentators believe is Jerusalem.\u00a0 However, fire comes down from heaven and devours the army of Gog and Magog (v9).<\/p>\n

Here it is worth noting that in Ezekiel 38 Gog is described as an individual from the land of Magog (Ezekiel 38:1).\u00a0 Ezekiel goes on to say that Gog and Magog, like a great army from the north, would attack the land of Israel, \u201cadvancing like a storm\u201d and \u201clike a cloud covering the land\u201d (Ezekiel 38:8-9).\u00a0 In response, God will attack and defeat Gog (Ezekiel 38:21-23 and Ezekiel 39:1-16), at least in part by sending fire on Magog (Ezekiel 39:6).\u00a0 This picture from the book of Ezekiel seems to match in many ways what we read in verses 7-9 of\u00a0Revelation\u00a020.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 Even after a thousand years of inactivity, when Satan is released from the Abyss and launches one final massive onslaught against God, God still wins.
\n
\nRevelation\u00a020:10 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 10:\u00a0 Here we see Satan\u2019s final destruction as Satan the red dragon is thrown into the lake of fire (v10) to be tormented together with the beast from the sea (the anti-Christ) and the false prophet (the beast from the earth).<\/p>\n

A Note on Pre-Millennialism, Post-Millennialism, and A-Millennialism<\/em><\/p>\n

Notice that in\u00a0Revelation\u00a020:1-10, John makes six different references to a period of a thousand years (a millennium).\u00a0 During this millennium period, Jesus will reign with His resurrected believers and Satan will be locked up, unable to deceive anyone.\u00a0 Since Jesus Himself promises that He is coming back to earth one day, scholars have debated whether Jesus will return to earth before or after this special millennium period.<\/p>\n

Some scholars believe that Jesus\u2019 return to earth will happen before this millennium period, a position known as\u00a0pre-millennialism<\/strong>.\u00a0 Pre-millennialists generally believe that Jesus will return, the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth will be thrown in the lake of fire, Satan will be locked up in the Abyss, the dead will be raised and judged, and\u00a0then\u00a0<\/em>the millennium will take place (after which Satan will be released and rebel one last time, only to be thrown in the lake of fire).<\/p>\n

Other scholars believe that Jesus\u2019 return to earth will take place after this special millennium period.\u00a0 This position is known as\u00a0post-millennialism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Still, there are other scholars who believe that the period of one thousand years should be taken figuratively not literally, and that \u201ca thousand years\u201d simply means a long period of time for Christ to reign with His people.\u00a0 This third position is sometimes known as\u00a0a-millennialism<\/strong>.\u00a0 In objection, both pre-millennialists and post-millennialists would argue that the period of Christ\u2019s reign on earth is a literal\u00a01,000 years.\u00a0 \u201cWhy else would John keep mentioning the phrase one thousand years over and over again in these verses?\u201d, they say.<\/p>\n

These are the three main approaches when it relates to \u201cthe millennium\u201d, but within each approach different scholars have their own different points of view.<\/p>\n

Which position is correct \u2013 pre-millennialism, post-millennialism, a-millennialism?\u00a0 No one knows for sure on this side of eternity.\u00a0 Thankfully, our salvation in Jesus does not depend on whether you are a pre-millennialist, post-millennialist, a-millennialist, or have no idea.\u00a0 What matters is that you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, rose from the grave, and is alive today.<\/p>\n

Since Jesus\u2019 return and when this special millennium happen are both beyond our control, let\u2019s focus on what is within our control:\u00a0<\/strong>regardless of which position one takes on the topic of the millennium,\u00a0let\u2019s live for Jesus every day of our lives, believing that one day Jesus is coming again<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Revelation\u00a020:11-15 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 11-15:\u00a0 Here we see the day of final judgment unfolding where the dead \u2013 whether found in the sea, in hell or elsewhere \u2013 stand before the Lord\u2019s great white throne.\u00a0 Books recording the deeds of every person are opened (v12).\u00a0 I\u2019ll call these the books of deeds, since they record what they did during their lifetimes on earth. Each person is judged according to what they had done in the books of deeds (v12b and v13).<\/p>\n

In addition to the books of deeds, another book is opened: the book of life (v12).\u00a0 Seemingly regardless of how a person was judged according to the books of deeds, anyone whose name was not found in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire, joining death, hell (v14), Satan, and his two beasts (v10).\u00a0 This \u201csecond death\u201d of being thrown into the lake of fire is what awaits every person who has not put their trust in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Some commentators believe that this time of judgment before the great white throne of God is only for dead unbelievers.\u00a0 They believe that by this time all Christians have already been raised and have already been reigning with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation\u00a020:4-6).\u00a0 They see this \u201cgreat white throne of God\u201d before which unbelievers are judged as being different and distinct from the \u201cjudgment seat of Christ\u201d before which believers are judged (2 Corinthians 5:10).<\/p>\n

Another interpretation is that everyone \u2013 both Christians and unbelievers \u2013 will appear before the great white throne and will be judged for their deeds according to the books of deeds.\u00a0 After that, they go to heaven or hell depending on whether their names are written in the book of life.\u00a0 Under this view, this great white throne and the \u201cjudgment seat of Christ\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:10) may be the same thing.<\/p>\n

In any event, we know that\u00a0God will hold us accountable for what we do in our lifetime, but the most crucial question that determines where we will be for eternity is: is your name written in the book of life (that is, have you trusted Jesus as your Saviour)?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally,\u00a0how could a loving God send people to hell?<\/strong>\u00a0 The Bible says that no matter how good we think we are, none of us deserves to get into heaven, for God is holy and nothing containing sin can stay in God\u2019s holy presence.\u00a0 Yet though we are sinners, God did not give up on us.\u00a0 Desperately wanting us to be with Him for eternity because He loves us, God sacrificed His perfect, one and only Son to pay for our sins.\u00a0 That way through faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can be forgiven.\u00a0 It is through Jesus that God takes away our sins and gives us His righteousness so that we can be with Him in heaven.<\/p>\n

In other words, God has already made a way available for every person to be with Him for eternity.\u00a0 The question that remains is: will we choose God and humbly accept what He has done for us in Jesus Christ, or will we choose to reject Jesus and insist on our own way.\u00a0 From this perspective, despite the imagery of \u201cbeing thrown into the lake of fire\u201d, it is not so much that God sends anyone to hell.\u00a0 Rather, people who choose hell for themselves when they reject God\u2019s way and insist on doing things their own way.\u00a0 This means that we all need to choose whether we will receive and reject what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, and how we choose will determine our eternal destiny.<\/p>\n

Lord Jesus, thank You that my salvation does not depend on whether I am a pre-millennialist, post-millennialist, a-millennialist, or haven\u2019t a clue.\u00a0 Thank You that my salvation depends on believing that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again.\u00a0 I believe in You, Lord Jesus.\u00a0 Thank You that I get to be with You not just for a thousand years or for \u201ca very long time\u201d, but forever.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Revelation 20:1-15.\u00a0\u00a0There are so many powerful truths about Jesus that we can learn from this passage.\u00a0\u00a0As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Revelation\u00a020:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0
\n1\u00a0\u00a0And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
\n2\u00a0\u00a0He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for\u00a0a thousand years.\u00a0
\n3\u00a0\u00a0He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until\u00a0the\u00a0thousand years\u00a0were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On verses\u00a01-3:\u00a0 Previously in\u00a0Revelation\u00a09 we read of \u201cthe angel of the Abyss\u201d (9:11) who was also called a \u201cfallen star\u201d and given the key to the Abyss (9:1).\u00a0 Many commentators believe this angel is Satan himself.\u00a0 Here in\u00a0Revelation\u00a020:1\u00a0John sees another angel coming down out of heaven possessing the key to the Abyss and holding a great chain.\u00a0 This angel seizes the red dragon Satan, throws him into the Abyss, locks and seals the Abyss, so that Satan cannot deceive the nations for\u00a01,000 years.\u00a0 After the\u00a01,000 years are over, verse 3 says that Satan \u201cmust be set free for a short time\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30450"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30453,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30450\/revisions\/30453"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}