| THE VICTORY OF CHRIST, THE MILLENNIUM, AND THE JUDGMENT-REVELATION 19-20 BABYLON HAS NOW FALLEN, THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET REMAIN TO BE DEFEATED. AFTER A GROUP OF HYMNS PRAISING GOD FOR BABYLON'S DEFEAT, THERE'S A HYMN ANTICIPATING THE SALVATION OF THE OBEDIENT AND THE MARRIAGE OF CHRIST TO HIS BRIDE, THE CHURCH, SHE IS DRESSED WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE HOLY PEOPLE. THOSE INVITED TO THE WEDDING ARE THE SAME ONES THAT FORM THE BRIDE. IT WILL BE A MAGNIFICENT EVENT THAT NO ONE WILL WANT TO MISS! I. THE VICTORY A. The Victorious Rider - Rev. 19:11-16 1. Four names: 1) Faithful and True; 2) a secret name; 3) Word of God; 4) King of Kings and Lord of Lords 2. He goes out as judge and warrior. 3. He is followed by the armies of heaven-the angels B. The Defeat of the Beast and the False Prophet by Christ - Rev. 19: 17-21 C. Those that die are those that have ignored and rejected all warnings to repent. II. THE MILLENNIUM - REVELATION 20:1-10 A. This chapter doesn't follow chronologically chapter 19. The battles mentioned in chapters 16, 19, and 20 are not different but rather three presentations of the same battle of Christ and His people against Satan and his forces. B. Satan Bound - Rev. 20:1-10 1. This chapter (edesen) means either something literally bound or something limited in its activities. 2. Satan isn't completely bound (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), but limited in his activities due to the death and resurrection of Jesus. (cf. Col. 2:15; 1 Jn 3:8) 3. The idea here is possibly that Satan cannot now destroy Christianity by means of a universal persecution. According to 20:7, when Satan is loosed, he will deceive the nations once more. Even in the book of Job we see Satan limited in his activities. C. The Millennium - Rev. 20:4-6 1. According to the context it seems that those mentioned here are those that are reigning with Christ after His death. (cf. Phil. 1:23) 2. In v. 4 those that come back to life apparently is a reference to faithful Christians that have died and are sharing in the glorious reign of Christ. 3. The "thousand years" represent a long time, not a literal thousand years - cf. 2 Peter 3:8; Ps. 50:10; 90:4; Job 9:3 4. In v. 5 "the rest of the dead" refers to those that aren't part of God's people. D. Satan released - Rev. 20:7-10 - Once again there's an account of the defeat of Satan's forces and even Satan himself. He is released for a short time in order to deceive the nations, but he winds up completely defeated and thrown into the same lake of fire into which were thrown the beast and the false prophet. III. THE JUDGMENT - REVELATION 20:11-15
JUDGMENT IS A COMMON THEME IN THE N. T. IN ACTS 17:30-31; 2 COR. 5:10; MATTHEW 25; AND HEBREWS 9:27 (AMONG MANY PASSAGES) THERE ARE REFERENCES TO THE DAY IN WHICH GOD IS GOING TO JUDGE EVERYONE. A. God, the Judge - Rev. 20:11 - It is not contradiction to say that God will be the Judge or that Christ will be the Judge. Both expressions are found in the N. T., but there's only one God. God is in Christ -John 17:22-23; 2 Cor. 5:19 B. The disappearance on heaven and earth is also found in 2 Peter 3:10 and Matthew 24:35. In that way there will be a place for the new heaven and the new earth - Rev. 21 C. The judged are the dead and also the living according to Verse 15 and Acts 10:42, 2 Tim. 4:1, and 1 Peter 4:5; both the just and the unjust. D. The judgment will be based on God's will and one's own deeds - Rev. 20:12 E. The second death- Rev. 20:14 - This is the "death" in the Lake of Fire, where all go that don't have their names written in the Book of Life. This "Death" symbolized eternal punishment. F. Individual responsibility is a very important theme for every Christian. CONCLUSION: The final victory will be God's and will be complete. After the victory God will judge everyone. MEMORY VERSE - REVELATION 20:10 QUESTIONS 1. T F According to Revelation Christ will probably return to the earth to reign for a 1000 years. 2. In what sense will Satan be bound? 3. T F Satan, the False Prophet, and the beast will be thrown into the same Lake of Fire. 4. Who will be judged on the Judgment Day? 5. T F All the world will experience the second death. |