The Millennium in the Revelation

The Millennium as Described in the Revelation

 

This post will be presented in a semi-outline arrangement to avoid an abundance of words.  The major points will be numbered and lettered with some commentary and scripture added.

1.  Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit or abyss for 1000 years.  At the end of 1000 years he will  be set free for a small amount of time.

1. The angel had a chain for Satan
2. The abyss was sealed

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 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.   (Revelation 20:1-3 KJV)

 

2. Thrones will be put in place.

1. Those seated on thrones were given authority to judge
2. Their identity or their location  is not specified

 

1. People live and reign with Christ for 1000 years

1. Those beheaded due to their testimony about Jesus
2. Those who refused to worship the beast, worship the image, or take the mark
3. This is the first resurrection.
4. The raptured appear to be in heaven at this point (see Rev 19:1)

All the redeemed appear to be in heaven.  There is no mention in Revelation that anyone is currently alive on the planet at this point.

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:  (Revelation 19:1 KJV)

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.   (Revelation 20:4 KJV)

3.  The rest of the dead will not be resurrected until the end of the 1000 years

1. The second death has no power on this group
2. They will be priests of God and Christ and reign for 1000 years

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  (Revelation 20:5 KJV)

The phrase “This is the first resurrection” (20:5) seems to be in the wrong place.  It appears as though the resurrection of “the rest of the dead” in the first half of the verse is the first resurrection but it is generally assumed the first resurrection are those beheaded saints referred to in 20:4.

 

4.  Satan will be released from the abyss (prison) at the end of 1000 years

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,   (Revelation 20:7 KJV)

5.  Satan will deceive all the nations (from the four quarters of the earth)

1. Also called Gog and Magog 
2. The deceived army will be an innumerable number (as the sands of the sea).
3. The army will encircle the camp of the saints but fire from heaven will destroy them.

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. 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.  (Revelation 20:8-9 KJV)

At the end of 1000 years there will apparently be many people on the planet and there also will be the beloved city which is Jerusalem, although it may not be in the exact same place as before due to the earthquake that splits the Mount of Olives.  It should be noted that Gog and Magog are terms used to describe the four quarters of the earth and not as locations or cities in Russia, Germany, or Turkey.  Not trying to make a point, just commenting.

The 7^th Day Adventist’s have an interesting interpretation of the chapter 20 millennium sequence.  They believe the earth will be a wasteland and that the redeemed and raptured will remain in heaven for the 1000 years with the earth completely uninhabited by people.  At the end of the millennium,  Satan will be released and the remaining dead will be resurrected at the same time, which is the second resurrection.  Satan will deceive these people (which should be no problem) and there will be an attack on the New Jerusalem which has descended from heaven.  There will be total destruction of this army after which will be the White Throne judgment with the open books.

 

6.  Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet have already been for the past 1000 years.

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.  (Revelation 20:10 KJV)

7.  The appearance of a great white throne. 

1. Heaven and earth have fled away because there is no place for them (or need of them?) 
2. Books are opened that are records of the works of the dead
3. The book of life is also there.  Will it be used?  Verse 15 implies that anyone not found in this book will be cast into the lake of fire.

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.  (Revelation 20:11 KJV)

Verse 11 appears to say that heaven and earth as separate locations will no longer exist.  However, 21:1 states that a new heaven and earth will be created.  Perhaps the current heaven and earth are immediately replaced with the new.

8.  The second resurrection?  The second judgment?

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.  (Revelation 20:12 KJV)

9.  Death and hell are cast into the lake of fire which is the second death

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.(Revelation 20:14-15 KJV)

10.   A new heaven and a new earth with no sea.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  (Revelation 21:1 KJV)

11.  The new Jerusalem descends from heaven

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (Revelation 21:2 KJV)

The city has no need of the sun or the moon.  There is no night.  All former things have been taken away (deleted).  In 21:5 Jesus states that He will “make all things new”.