WEEK 42
“Satan Bound & Christ Reigns for 100 years”
Date: July 2, 2003
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: Revelation 20:1-10
Introduction
Chapter 19 ended with the Battle of Armageddon and Christ’s second coming. These are events that mark the close of the Tribulation. The events of chapter 20, the binding of Satan, Christ’s 1000 year earthly kingdom, Satan’s final rebellion, and then the Great White Throne judgment, fit chronologically between the close of the Tribulation and the creation of the new heaven and the new earth described in chapters 21 & 22.
In these 10 verses tonight we will look at the imprisonment of the beast and the 1000 year reign of Christ. Chapter 20 is seen by many as not an important because the millennium or 1000 year period is mentioned only in this chapter in Scripture. So some have dismissed and do not teach on the 20th chapter at all.
The word millennium comes from the Latin word which means one thousand.
Chapter 20 is the dividing point for the three main schools of eschatology:
1. Postmillennialism- this thought assumes that Christ will return after the events described in Revelation 20:1-6. Those that hold to this view generally expect the preaching of the gospel to improve the quality of life in this world. They anticipate the return of Christ to climax the period of the millennium.
2. Amillennialists- those that hold to this view teach that the picture of Christ’s thousand year reign in chapter 20 is merely symbolic of His present spiritual kingdom at the right hand of God in heaven. Many amillennialists suggest that the millennium is this present period of world history in which the gospel can be spread freely and influence history by bringing people to faith in Christ.
3. Premillennialists- these insist that the return of Christ will take place before the millennium begin. Those that hold to this view will follow a more literal interpretation of the book of Revelation.
4. Dispensational Premillennialists- emphasize that the return of Christ will occur in two stages. The first will take place prior to the period of final judgment known as the tribulation. This fist stage of Jesus’ return is called the Rapture. The second stage of Jesus’ return will occur at the end of the tribulation in the events described in Revelation 19-21.
5. Historical Premillennialists- Hold to the thought that the return of Christ is a single-stage event that will occur at the close of the tribulation but prior to the beginning of the millennium.
Having said all this lets begin our study.
Verse 1
Before the millennium begins Satan must be restrained.
An angel comes down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a long or huge chain in his hand.
Some believe that Satan is bound today at this very time.
In one sense, Jesus bound Satan when He came to earth and His death, burial and resurrection did bring defeat.
“bottomless pit”
This is not the same as hell; it is the abyss that we have looked at earlier in chapter 9:1-2; 11; 11:7 & 17:8
Verse 2
Next John lists 4 names of Satan
1. Dragon- this emphasizes his fierceness and cruelty.
2. serpent of old- is a reference to Satan’s first appearance in the Garden of Eden.
3. Devil- which means accuser
4. Satan- which means adversary.
“Bound for a thousand years”
This is the first of six times this thousand years is mentioned.
As I look and have studied the book of Revelation, there is nothing that would bring me to the conclusion that this thousand years is symbolic but only a literal 1000 year.
John MacArthur states; “Nowhere in Scripture when year is used with a number is its meaning not literal.
Verse 3
During the millennium, Satan will be confined to the bottomless pit.
It will be sealed so that Satan cannot deceive the nations
“But after these things”
There is that word again meta tauta, which means after these things.
After the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit.
Satan will be released so God can a permanent end to sin before establishing His new heaven and earth
Verse 4
This verse means just what it says; Tribulation saints will reign with Jesus during the thousand year period.
According to 1 Corinthians 6:2 and 2 Timothy 2:12; tribulation saints along with OT and NT saints will reign with Christ during the 1000 year kingdom.
Verse 5
“the rest of the dead”
This refers to unbelievers of all ages will not be resurrected until the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the millennium.
“Firs resurrection”
Scripture teaches two resurrections: First is the “resurrection of life”. It is also described as the “resurrection of the just” in Luke 14:14; the “resurrection of those who are Christ’s at His coming” in 1 Corinthians 15:23; and the “better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35.
It includes the redeemed from the church age. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
The OT saints Daniel 12:2 says “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
And then last the tribulation saints which we have seen in verse 4.
They will enter the kingdom in resurrection bodies, along with believers who survived the Tribulation
The second kind of resurrection will be the resurrection of the unconverted who will receive their final bodies suited for torment in hell.
Verse 6
Those that die in the Lord are blessed with the privilege of entering into His kingdom
Someone has said that those of us that are in Christ Jesus are blessed; that is our condition and holy which is our character.
Verse 7
After the millennium, Satan will be released from his imprisonment.
The earth will during the 100 year reign of Christ will enjoy a world of peace and unity.
But this will all come to an end when Satan is loosed.
Verse 8
This verse tells us Satan will do as he has always done.
He will deceive the nations; he will for the last time lead a rebellion against Christ through his deceptions.
Verse 9
These nations will be banded together for one purpose and will press on toward one goal, to destroy the capital city of the King, Jerusalem.
God delights in Jerusalem and calls it “the beloved city”, because outside of it’s walls the Son of Man, Jesus Christ accomplished redemption for the world
“And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them”
The judgment of God on these mass invaders is swift and final.
Verse 10
The Devil has been the instigator of sin since the Garden of Eden and now he is eternally dealt with.
His final doom is the ‘lake of fire”.
Ed Hinson & Woodrow Krool make these comments on this last verse from the Liberty Bible Commentary; “This place of torment will be eternal and irreversible. There will be never-ending mental agony and physical suffering. Unbeliebvers scoff at the concept of anyone or anything being preserved in fire. The same God who placed consuming power in fire can, if He wills, counteract that power. He has done so in the past, i.e the 3 Hebrew boys in the firey furnace in Daniel 3:27.”
We need to understand that the final place of judgment and punishment for not only Satan, the anti-christ, the false prophet, and the fallen angels, but also for a Christ rejecting word.
