The Amillennial View of Revelation

Our study of the end times has brought us then to Revelation chapter 20 and this discussion of the millennium.!

Last week was that the premillennialist view that sees the millennium teaching a thousand years of a glorious period here on earth after Christ comes back.

That he sets up this reign and his believers reign with him for a thousand years over evil. Righteousness is triumphant. Evil is held down.

But at the end of which there is this great army gathered from the four corners of the earth to do battle against the saints. And Christ destroys the rebels.

And I think what we saw was that that view, though we can understand how they get it from Revelation 20, that view runs into problems with what we have seen elsewhere in the New Testament as to what Jesus teaches and what the apostles taught about the end times.

And so we said if there's another way to faithfully interpret Revelation 20 that fits in with the teachings of the apostles in Christ in other places in the clear passages, we would rather see that as the correct interpretation of Revelation 20.

And I do believe that there is another way to understand this vision of Revelation 20, not to see it through a more literal lens of the premillennialists, but to see it as a vision and very much figurative and yet speaking of reality.

So this morning, then, what is... We'll be looking at what has been called the amillennialist view of Revelation 20.

Now, the whole word amillennialist is a bit suspect. It's not perhaps the best title for the view. What's the A, the alpha prefix, due to any word?

It negates it. Okay, so it's saying there is no millennium, right? Like the amillennialist view would be saying no millennium. Well, the amillennialist view doesn't hold that for a minute.

I mean, some six, I think it's six, seven times here in these ten verses, it talks about a millennium, a thousand years. So if you're a Christian and uphold the words of the Bible, you believe in a millennium.

You can't cut it out of the chapter here. So amillennialists believe in a millennium. The word amillennialism just means they don't believe that it's the millennium that has, as it's been described by others.

So they don't believe in the millennium such as what we looked at last week, the thousand-year literal reign of a thousand years of Christ and his saints on the earth after his return.

So for that reason, it's been called amillennialists, no millennialism, perhaps an unfortunate title. Now, the handout for this morning is the same as last week.

The theme of Revelation 20, 1 through 10 is the millennial or thousand-year reign of Christ. It's the same period for Satan's binding.

Six times this thousand years is mentioned in our text. And so a helpful division of the chapter, or at least the first ten verses, is to divide it according to how the New International Version does even in our Bibles here.

The first three verses refer to the millennial reign on earth, the period when Satan is bound. And then verses 4 through 6 refer to the millennial reign in heaven.

And then 7 through 10, the millennial reign on earth. It's coming back down to earth. So you start with this period of time called the millennium on earth.

And then you go up into heaven to see what's going on there during this period of time. And then you come back down to earth to see what happens at the end of this time. All right, that's just the broad outline then for how we're going to come at this text.

The first section then of Revelation 20, the millennial reign on the earth. The period of Satan's being bound.

Follow along as I read the first three verses. And remember, now this is a vision, as the very first words remind us. And I saw. So seek to put yourself in John's shoes and try to see this now.

Picture this. This was something he saw in vision. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having a key to the abyss, the pit, and holding in his hand a great chain.

So do you see him? There's the angel. He's got a key. He's got a great chain. And he sees the dragon. There's a dragon. That ancient serpent.

And John tells us who that is. Who is the devil or Satan? And bound him. There's the work of the chains. He ties him up, binds him up with the chains.

For a thousand years. He threw him into the abyss. And locked and sealed it over him. That's the use of the key, you see.

To lock the cap to this pit. To keep him from deceiving the nations anymore. Until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

All right. The key question to this whole passage is, when is Satan bound? It's not only the key question to the first three verses, but it's really the key to the whole ten verses, because that answers for us, when is this whole thousand year reign that we're talking about in Revelation 20?

So when is Satan bound? That's a key, important question. To answer that is to understand this thousand year reign of Christ. This thousand years when Satan is bound.

Well, when is Satan bound? I must go to the rest of scriptures that speak more clearly to this issue for the answer. Remember, we're looking at figures.

We're looking at symbols. And you and I don't have in our own heads the answers to these questions. But the Bible is the best interpreter of the Bible.

So let's go to the Bible to interpret this whole idea of Satan being bound. When did that take place? Or is it something that is yet to take place?

And let's always remember that a plain, literal passage in the Bible always trumps a figurative one. All right. So I don't just allegorize the meaning, whatever I think it means.

We go to the scriptures and what we find are the very same pictures elsewhere, the very same words elsewhere and similar words elsewhere.

Three groups of verses this morning for when is Satan bound? We'll go to the Gospels, to the Epistles and then other another reference in the book of Revelation.

But in the Gospels, in several places, Christ speaks of Satan being bound. And we want to ask when the time frame.

Matthew chapter 12 then. Perhaps the most important cross-reference to Revelation 20. Matthew chapter 12. And the scene is a familiar one.

Jesus is driving out demons, driving demons out of people that they have controlled and inhabited. And the Pharisees see this going on and they say he is driving demons out by the prince of demons, Beelzebub.

They don't want to give him the honor that he's due. As the son of God come to drive out the devil and to destroy the devil's works. No, they won't give him that honor. They'll rather say he's just doing this by the power of Satan himself.

And Jesus has an answer for them. Jesus knew their thoughts. Verse 25. And we'll just begin there.

Verse 25. Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he's divided against himself.

How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, by whom do your people drive them out? So then they will be your judges.

But if I drive out demons by the spirit of God, which is what he was doing, then here's the conclusion you were to draw.

Then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Then you can know the king is here and the kingdom of God is here. And now he goes into a story.

Verse 29. Or again. How can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man?

Then he can rob his house. Now, do you see what the context is talking about? And you understand the picture story that he tells?

Here is this strong man on the front porch of his house. Who's the strong man? Satan. That's right. He's the strong man, fully armed, standing on the front porch of his house or sitting on his rocking chair with the gun on his lap.

And there he is. And he's guarding everyone in the house. Who's in the house? His possessions. In the context. Who are the possessions?

People. All right. People whom he's controlling. People that he's got a grip on and is holding captive. All right. The whole world is under the power of the evil one, John tells us.

So here's Satan and he's guarding his terrain. He's guarding his turf, his possessions, these people. And then Jesus says, if anybody is going to get into the house and make off with the possessions, he's got to first do something.

What is what is he going to do first? He's got to tie the strong man up. And the word there is the same word used in Revelation 20.

He must bind the strong man. He must bind him. He must take that chain and and chain him up. He must in some way conquer and overpower the strong man.

If he's going to get into his house and set them free. Well, what's just happened? Jesus has just set free demon possessed people.

He is setting free the captives. He is getting into the house. He's setting them free. What is that argument? What is had to have have already taken place? The strong man has had to be bound.

Right. You can't get into the house unless he's bound. So according to Matthew chapter 12, the binding of the strong man has taken place with the coming of Christ, the first coming of Christ, not the second coming.

But at the first coming of Christ, Christ has already bound the strong man. Augustine makes this connection of these two passages, Matthew 12 and Revelation 20 clear back 1600 years ago.

And it's a legitimate connection, not only because it uses the very same word for binding, but it also is referring to the very same thing. Luke chapter 10, another passage that has to do with Satan's falling now, not necessarily his binding, but again, power exercised over Satan.

Luke 10, 17. Jesus sent out the 72 to preach and they returned.

And verse 17 tells us with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. And Jesus replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirit submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

I saw, past tense, Satan fall from heaven like lightning. When did Jesus see that? As the 72 were going around preaching the gospel that was setting sinners free, Satan was falling.

It's as if Jesus says, every time a poor sinner trusted in me and was set free and responded to your gospel message, I saw Satan was falling. His kingdom was disintegrating.

I saw it. It was passed. It takes place with the preaching of the gospel that begins with the first coming of Christ. And if we had spiritual eyes, we could still see Satan falling as the gospel goes forward in power.

And conquers. And conquers. The kingdom of Satan. Capture leading captives captive and setting them free.!!! So, in verse 31, Jesus says, now is the time.

He's looking at the cross. He's about to mount the cross. Now is the time for judgment on this world. Now the prince of this world will be driven out.

Cast out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. So, he's clearly talking about his crucifixion, his death.

And he's saying, now is the time for judgment on this world. Now the prince of this world will be driven out. Cast out.

And this casting out is the same Greek word that's used in Revelation 20 and verse 3.

That this angel threw him, cast him into the abyss where he then sealed him up. He cast him into the abyss. Threw him into the abyss. Here we see Jesus saying that now is the time for Satan to be cast out.

And it's in conjunction with his work on the cross. So, if we just had these three references alone. If that's the only cross references we had to this idea of Satan's power of being bound and being cast down.

Or being fallen from heaven. Jesus would lead us to believe that that's something that took place at his first coming. But we also have the epistles.

And let's turn to Colossians chapter 2. The epistles also speak of the destruction of Satan's power by the events of Christ's first coming.

Colossians 2 and verse 15. Now I want you to appreciate the strong words that the apostles use to describe this victory over Satan.

That takes place at the cross and the first coming of Christ. Colossians 2.15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

The powers and authorities are what Paul refers to elsewhere as those spiritual wickedness in high places. Powers and authorities. Ephesians 6.12.

It's a reference to demonic powers. Satanic powers. Jesus disarmed them. He spoiled them. He disrobed them. And he made a public spectacle of them.

He triumphed over them. How? By his mighty second coming? No. By a mighty battle at the end of a thousand year period of time at the end of the after Christ returns?

No. By the cross. At the cross. He disarmed demonic powers. And triumphed over them. Hebrews chapter 2.

Strong language for what Jesus did to Satan. Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. And verses 14 and 15. Speaking of how Christ is truly man just as we are.

And he became man that he might become the savior of mankind. Hebrews 2.14. Since the children have flesh and blood. He too shared in their humanity.

So that by his death. He might destroy. Or render powerless. He might destroy. Him who holds the power of death.

That is the devil. And free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. How did Jesus destroy the devil?

How did he render him powerless? By his death. By his death. And then 1 John chapter 3 and verse 8. 1 John 3 and verse 8.

A purpose clause. A purpose for why Jesus came from heaven to earth. 1 John 3.8.

He who does what is sinful is of the devil. Because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the son of God appeared. Was to destroy the devil's work.

To destroy the devil's work. Is the reason that he appeared. Not the second time. John's looking back. And saying the reason he appeared the first time. Was to destroy the devil's work.

So we see. This destruction of Satan. This rendering him powerless. This triumphing over him. Spoiling.

Disarming him. Is again seen. In conjunction with the events of Christ's first coming. And death. And then we come to the third passage.

Or group of passages. The book of Revelation itself. And we're just going to look at one cross. What is a close parallel to Revelation 20. And that's Revelation 12. We've started with the clear.

And literal. We come now to. Back to the book of Revelation. But notice how it parallels. Our passage in Revelation 20.

Revelation 12. 5 through 10. Need to back up. You remember the scene here. The woman who's pregnant.

And the serpent is there. Ready to devour the child. As soon as it's born. And verse 5 says. She gave birth to a son. A male child.

Who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God. And to his throne. The woman fled into the desert. To a place prepared for her by God.

Where she might be taken care of for 1260 days. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough.

And they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down. That ancient serpent called the devil or Satan. Who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth.

And his angels with him were hurled. You don't see that. But it's there. A third use of hurling down. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say. Now have come the salvation.

And the power. And the kingdom of our God. And the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers. Who accuses them before our God. Day and night. Has been hurled down.

And they overcame him. By the blood of the lamb. And by the word of their testimony. They did not love their lives so much. As to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice you heavens. And you who dwell in them.

But woe to the earth and the sea. Because the devil has gone down to you. He is filled with fury. Because he knows that his time is short. And so we have again.

This figurative language. Of Satan being cast down. Hurled down. It's the same language that's used in Revelation 20. Of casting him down into the abyss. But we notice that this casting down.

Of verse of chapter 12. Is associated with the birth. And ascension of Jesus Christ. It says Jesus is born. And snatched up into heaven. In conjunction with those events.

That Satan has been hurled down. And his kingdom has suffered. A decisive blow. Now it's not without significance.

That all of these other scripture passages. That speak of Satan being bound. And cast out. Refer to a binding of Satan's power. That took place at Christ's first coming.

And through the work of the cross. And his earthly ministry. And that I say. Is important. To help us interpret. Revelation chapter 20.

And verses 1 through 3. When. Is Satan bound. To say that this. Binding takes place. After Christ's return.

Is to set aside. A host of evidence. That we've just seen. To the contrary. And all this evidence. That we've seen. To the contrary. That says no. It took place.

At his first coming. Is meant to help us. Interpret. This vision. That John has. This. This dream. This picture. Story. So. It points the way.

And it tells us. That this binding. Took place. With the first coming. Of Christ. His victory. At the cross. His. Crushing. The serpent's head. Dead.

Even. As his own heel. Was bruised. As Genesis 3. 15. Prophesied. Now. The premillennialist. Interpretation.

Of chapter 20. Is built on a chronological. View of the book of Revelation. And just because. Chapter 19. Ends with the second. Return of Christ. They think that.

Chapter 20. Must be talking about. What happens. After the return of Christ. Christ. But we've seen. In the book of Revelation. There's often. Recapitulation. Recapping.

Going back. And the book of Revelation. Has done so many times. Before chapter 20. It'll take us up. To the return of Christ. And then it'll go back. And start again. With Christ's first coming.

And everything that happens. From his first coming. To his second coming. And then it'll go back. And tell us the same again. And that is what I believe. Is happening here. We're going back now. And we're seeing.

What has taken place. With regard to Satan. During. This time. From Christ's first coming. To his second coming. And what is happening. Is that Satan.

Has been bound. Now. How long. Is Satan bound? That's the second question. We've seen when. How long. The text clearly says. A thousand years.

There's no debating of that. By anybody. Six times. This chapter refers to it. As a thousand years. The question then comes. Is it literal? Or is it figurative? And we need to remind ourselves.

We're not in Matthew. But we're in Revelation. We're not in the Gospel of Luke. Historical narrative. Where if Jesus says. He fed more than 5,000. People.

We're to think of. Literally 5,000 people. But rather now. We're in the book of symbols. And we. Made mention of this last week. That the numbers in Revelation.

Are symbolic. And figurative as well. And so. This thousand years. Is symbolic. We shouldn't expect. To find the numbers. To be literal.

When all the other features. Here. In this picture. Are lit. Are not. Literal either. This chain. And this. Key. And. We're not talking about.

A literal chain. A literal key. A literal abyss. We're rather. Talking in. Symbols. It's what he saw. So. The thousand years.

Needs to be interpreted. Just as. The keys. And the chains. And the other elements. Of the figure. And that's not to play fast and loose. With the text. That's just to recognize.

What kind of literature. We're dealing here. With here. It's apocalyptic. Symbolic. Language. And so. This.

By looking at. What Jesus. And the apostles. Said. About. The binding. Of Satan. It's something. That took place. At his first coming. Then.

We see. This. Thousand years. As referring. To this. Age. This. This. This. Period. Of time. That is a. A lengthy. Time. But it's a. Definitely. Limited.

Time. It doesn't. Just go on. Forever. There. There is a. Limit to it. So. It's. An age. Of time. With an end. To it. Well.

Why. Is the third question. Then. Why. Was Satan. Bound. And when we say. That. We're living. In this era. When Satan. Has been. Bound.

The objection. That's often. Raised. Is. Well. This. Can't. Be the right. Interpretation. Of this. Passage. Because. Satan. Is not. Bound. Today. I know. That this. Can't.

Be. What. Revelation. 20. Is. Talking. About. Because. The Bible. Says. Satan. Is. Walking. Around. Like. A lion. Roaring. And. Seeking. To. Devour. The Bible. Says. That he's. Leading.

People. Astray. That he. Blinds. The minds. Of. Unbelievers. So. That they. Can't. Understand. The gospel. So. You're. Obviously. Off base. Here. John. Because. Satan.

Isn't. Bound. Well. That. Response. Not only. Has. Problems. With. Revelation. 20. It. Has.

Problems. With. Every. One. Of. Those. Other. Passages. That we. Looked. At. That. Talks. About. Satan. Being. Disarmed. Satan.

Being. Destroyed. Satan. Being. Triumphed. Over. Satan. Being. Cast. Down. Rendered. Powerless. All.

Those. Other. Passages. Are. Using. The. Strongest. Of. Terms. To. Make. Their. Point. And. So. You. Would. Have. That. Objection. With. Jesus. Clear.

Statements. When. Jesus. And. The. Apostles. Tell. Us. That. Satan. Was. Destroyed. At. The. Cross. You. Say. Oh. I. Know. That. Can't. Be. True. Because. He's. Still.

Running. Around. So. I. I. Simply. Remind. You. If. If. That's. Your. Response. To. This. That. Satan's. Binding. Can't. Be. Something. That's. Going. On. Now. Because. He's. Active. That.

You've. Got. Problems. With. More. Than. Just. Revelation. 20. Got. Problems. With. All. Those. Texts. That. Refer. To. Satan's. Binding. As. Having. Taken. Place. At. Christ's. First. Coming. And. The. Ministry.

Of. The. Gospel. And. The. Cross. And. So. All. That. To. Say. This. That. We. Don't. Mean. When. We. Say. That. Satan's. Bound. I. Don't. Believe. That. The. Revelation.

20. Means. That. Satan. Is. Totally. Inactive. During. This. Period. Of. Time. That. He. Exerts. Absolutely. No. Influence. Upon. The. Earth. We're.

Not. To. Understand. It. That. Way. In. Fact. The. Very. Text. Itself. Tells. Us. That. The. Binding. Is. Not. Total. It's. It's. Just. Specific. That. The. Binding. Is.

Specified. To. Us. In. What. Way. Is. Satan. Bound. Notice. It. In. Verse. Three. He. Threw. Him. Into. The. Abyss. And. Locked. And. Sealed. It. Over. To. What. End. To.

Keep. Him. From. Deceiving. The. Nations. Anymore. Until. The. Thousand. Years. Were. Ended. And. After. That. Time. He. Must. Be. Set. Free. For. A. Short. Time. So. This. Binding. Of.

Satan. Has. To. Do. With. A. Very. Special. Effect. That's. Saying. That. He. Has. No. Exercise. Of. Power. Anywhere. On. The. Earth. Today. Not. At. All. Then. The. New. Testament. Assures. Us. Otherwise. But.

He. Is. Bound. So. That. He. Can. No. Longer. Deceive. The. Nations. As. He. Once. Did. And. There. You. Have. Other. References. In. The. Book. Of. Acts. Where. Where. God.

Let. The. Nations. Go. Their. Way. And. He. Let. Satan. Have. A. To.

Blind. The. Nations. As. He. Had. In. The. Past. And. Now. This. Gospel. This. Glorious. Gospel. Is. Going. Into. The. Nations. And. Is. Setting. Free. The. Captives. Satan.

Binding. Is. Specified. To. Us. As. That. Work. That. Keeps. Him. From. Deceiving. The. Nations. Anymore. Until. The. Thousand.

Years. Were. Ended. So. We. Can. From. Deceiving. The. Nations.

And. It. Also. Points. Forward. To. Until. The. Thousand. Years. Were. Ended. And. So. We. Can. Go. To. What. Will. Happen. When. He's. Untied. To. Understand.

What. Is. The. Tying. The. Tying. Kept. Him. From. Doing. Something. When. He's. Loosed. What. Does. He. Go. Do. Well. Let's. Look. We're. Told. In. Verse. Seven. Aren't. We. When. The.

Thousand. Years. Are. Over. Satan. Will. Be. Released. From. His. Prison. And. He. 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're. Like. The. Sands. On. The. Well.

You may. See. What. It is. By. Understanding. The. Loosing. The. Binding. Keeps. Satan. From. Gathering. From. Deceiving. The. Nations. And. Gathering.

An. Army. A. Huge. Army. More. Than. The. Sand. Of. Sea. To. Fight. Against. And. Persecute. And. To. Destroy. The. Church. Because.

That's. What. He's. Going. To. Do. When. He's. Unbound. When. He's. Released. And. Set. Free. Do you. Understand. Then. How. We. Allow. The. Vision. Itself. To. Tell. Us. What. This.

Binding. Is. It's. Not. A. Complete. Binding. He. Is. Bound. He's. Restrained. He's. Kept. From. So. Deceiving. The.

Nations. That. They're. Unified. And. That. They. Gather. Together. To. Destroy. The. Church. Now. At. This. Point. We. Need. To. Remember. Why. The. Book. Of. Revelation. Was. Written. For.

Its. Original. Recipients. These. That. John. Sends. This. Letter. From. Patmos. Back. To. These. Churches. They're. Just. About. To. Undergo. The. Ten. Blood. Baths.

Of. Of. Roman. Persecutions. That. Follow. One. Upon. The. Other. For. The. First. Three. Centuries. Of. That. First. Millennium. And. This.

Book. Is. Meant. To. Encourage. The. Faithful. To. Remain. True. In. Times. Of. Persecution. Don't. Cave. In. To. The. Threats. That. Are. Made. Against. You. Don't. Cave. In. When. They. Say. Curse.

Jesus. Christ. Or. Lose. Your. Head. Remain. Faithful. Even. To. Death. This. Book. Is. Meant. To. Encourage. Them. And. To.

Look. At. It. Christianity. Was. Just. A. Little. Group. At. That. Time. Why. Didn't. The. The. Roman. Government. That. That. Was. Inspired. By. Satan. With. All. Satan's.

Hostility. Feeding. Nero. And. And. All. Those. Other. Emperors. Why. Didn't. They. Just. Wipe. Out. The. Church. In. Its. Weak. Infant. State. The.

Vision. Is. Telling. Us. Why. Because. There. Is. A. Stronger. Man. From. Heaven. Who. Has. Bound. Him. And. Is. Not. Going. To. Let. Him. To. Gather. The.

Nations. Together. And. The. Powers. Of. The. Rulers. Of. This. To. Crush. And. Destroy. The. Church. What. An. Encouragement. To. These. First. Century. Believers.

What. A. Sweet. Comfort. For. Those. In. Persecution. To. Know. That. Christ. Has. Bound. The. Strong. Man. So. That.

He. Cannot. Deceive. The. Nations. And. Lead. To. The. Complete. Destruction. Of. An. Unprotected. Church. And. So. I. Say. This. Interpretation. Of. Revelation. 20.

Fits. With. The. Overall. Purpose. Of. The. Book. To. Encourage. Faithfulness. Among. Those. Facing. Persecution. So. That's. The. First. Segment. Of.

This. Vision. Satan. Bound. We've. Already. Jumped. Ahead. But. We're. Now. Coming. To. This. Second. Really. It's. The. Third. Segment. But. We're. Going. To. Jump.

Down. To. It. First. Satan. Loosed. Loosed. Because. I think. The. Loosing. Does. Help. Shed. Light. On. The. Binding. Satan. Loosed. On. The. Earth. Verses.

Seven. Through. Ten. And. We've. Read. This. Pretty. Much. In. Entirety. But. Here's. The. Period. Of. His. Loosing.

Verse. Three. Tells. Us. Going. Back. Up. To. The. End. Of. Verse. Three. Tells. Us. That. The.

Period. Described. As. A. Thousand. Years. This. Age. Will. End. And. Will. Be. Followed. By. A. Short. Time. That's. All. We're. Told.

A. Short. Time. And. It. Occurs. Right. After. The. Long. Time. So. It's. Short. In. Comparison. To. The. Long. Time. That. He. Is. Bound. And.

What's. The. Result. Of. His. Lucy. Well. He. Deceives. The. Nations. It's. To. Gather. A. Worldwide. Coalition. To. Do. Battle. Against. The. Camp. Of. God's. People. It's. A. Mass. Attack.

And. Persecution. Against. The. Church. So. This. Brief. Little. Period. Is. Marked. By. Stiff. Persecution. Against. The. World. All. Over. The.

World. This. Last. Great. Attack. That. Is. Launched. Is. Called. The. Battle. Or. The. War. And. Our. New. International. Versions.

Leave. The. Out. It's. It's. Sad. Because. The. Article. Is. There. In. The. Original. Verse. Eight. To. Gather. Them. For. The. Battle. And. Could. Write. That. In. It's. The. It's. In. The. The.

The. The. The. Book.

We'll. Have. Already. Read. About. The. Battle. Two. Other. Times. Earlier. Because. John. Often. Brings. History. Up. To. The. Battle. And. There. Comes. With.

Sword. A. Double-edged sword. Coming. Out. His. And. He. Slays. His. Enemies. Earlier. So. It's. There. 1919. Then. I saw.

The. And. Kings. Of. And. their armies gathered together to make war, battle against the rider on his horse and his army. There's the battle. And it's also back in chapter 16, where John has led us up to the last, the seventh bowl. And it brings us to that same battle again, 1614. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs and they go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed. Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. You see, twice already in the book of Revelation, we've had this battle described for us. And so when we come to chapter 20, he refers to it as the battle. Satan will go out at the end of this thousand year period. This long period will be followed by a short period. And during that time, there will be the gathering of the rebels against

Christ and seeking to destroy his church in this great final showdown of the ages. There aren't three different battles. Like just because they're found at three different points in the book of Revelation.

They're all describing the battle. That last great event. The pre-millennialists agree that the first two references in chapter 16 and 19 referred to the battle at Christ's second coming. We're simply saying that the one in chapter 20 also refers to the same battle. It's Christ's second coming, not something that happens a thousand years after his second coming. If Christ comes and destroys all of his enemies at his coming, then where do the enemies come from? Again, does he have to go and fight this last battle over again? No, this is all describing the one great final showdown. And how will it happen? Well, it will happen this way. Just when the church seems to be destroyed, just when Satan is getting the upper hand, the camp of God's people completely surrounded, fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who was who deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. And then I saw a great white throne and all the dead are brought to this great final judgment. So again, when does the final judgment happen? When Christ returns. When is this last final showdown of persecution of the church from which we will be delivered by our returning king at his second coming?

On your handout, you have a passage or the passage in 2 Thessalonians that is in a unique parallel to Revelation 20. Sam Waldron's book points this out. And I think it's a helpful, helpful comparison as you read 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, the more plain and literal type of literature.

Place it alongside of Revelation 20. Revelation 20, you've got Satan bound by the angel. In 2 Thessalonians 2, you've got the activity of Satan, the secret power of lawlessness, which is now at work, but still being held back, being restrained by the restrainer. There's the binding. He's being restrained so that he can't gather the nations to crush the church. But then we see a short time of loosing after this long period in Revelation 20. And in 2 Thessalonians 2, we see that the restrainer will be taken out of the way so that the man of lawlessness might be revealed shortly before the return of Christ.

And over in Revelation 20, we see during this period of Satan's loosing, the nations are deceived and there's this mighty deception so that they follow Satan. And in 2 Thessalonians 9 and 11, those who are perishing are said to be deceived and to believe the lie. Revelation 20 has Satan and the nations being destroyed by fire from heaven. Second Thess has the man of lawlessness destroyed by Christ's second coming. And those who believe the lie and delighted in wickedness are condemned and perish. So again, these comparisons help us to see that Revelation 20, 1 to 10 is talking about this present gospel age, this period that we're living in, we are living in the millennium of Revelation 20, the time when Satan is being held back. But there will come a time when he will be released and he will go out and gather the nations to make a united attack upon the church. Are you ready for that?

Are we preparing our children for that, the next generation for that? Or have we bought into a view of end times that says, oh no, we'll be long gone. We don't have to worry about that.

The glorious reality is, is that Christ comes and rescues the camp of God's people whom he loves. Much here to enlighten us, much here to encourage us. Satan is a defeated chain foe. He's on a leash.

Yes, he's roaming around and trying to devour and trip you up and blind people from the gospel. But he's on a leash. He's not being allowed to do what he one day will be allowed to do in gathering the nations for a final showdown against the Christians. So we should not be paralyzed by Satan's power, realizing that he's under the chain of Christ. But there is that here to sober us, not to expect an easy road, not to think that the end times has nothing but fine sailing for the church. No, we're reminded that we're to expect tremendous persecution before Christ comes and delivers us and saves us by destroying his and our enemies. That's how this present age will end. Well, next week, we'll come back to that middle section. We've looked at what's taking place on the earth during this period of time. This binding of Satan is taking place.

And what will take place when the binding is over and when he is loosed? Now, verses four through six, we'll go back and see what's taking place in heaven during this time.