Revelation Chapters 19-20
Quick Recap
Last week, mentioned, God gives us boundaries to bless us, and with them we thrive.
However, the evil powers of the world, and our desires can lure us away from God.
It will lead to this world system armed with political, economic and social power will intensely persecute
Those who disagree penalized you are going to be persecuted, lose promotion, job, excluded, jailed
You might even be put to death in the end times.
But, In the end, God will bring justice, the evil powers and all who follow them.
Two events in Chapter 19 we want look at briefly:
Wedding Supper of the Lamb: 19:6-9, a beautiful picture of Jesus united with his redeemed.
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
Betrothal Process and Gospel illustration
Jesus is gathering his church, to his side to begin a new life, eternally, together
Then it moves right away back to what was alluded this in chapter 16, 7th bowl
The battle line is drawn in a place called Armageddon, a real place
Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet are there will those you are aligned against God
Battle of Armageddon 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse
Note it says with justice he judges
Jesus robe dipped in blood, the cross already won the victory, Jesus now installing his Kingdom on earth
A vision of Jesus coming to fulfill promises and end injustice and evil.
This isn’t hand to hand combat here between the two forces, the cross, the word of God, brings judgment
Revelation 20 Millennial Reign of Christ Revelation 20:1-10
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, 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. 4 I 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 about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share 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 a thousand years. 7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They 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. 10 And 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.
This is one of most debated and contested parts in Revelation (20:1-10)
The debate on this passage centers on four questions
It is this a literal period of time?
Is it a future period of time?
How literal are God’s promises to the nation of Israel?
Why would God imprison Satan and then release him later?
We could spend hours on this! But we won’t today.
I will quickly give you the main theories about the beginning of chapter 20.
Amillennial
Rev 20:1-10 stands for period between the cross and the 2nd coming of Jesus
Not literal 1,000 years
Satan by virtue of the cross has been limited or bound, so that the gospel can go out to the nations
In the end times he will be loosed to tempt the nations prior to Jesus 2nd Coming
Jesus promises to Israel are fulfilled in the Church
Jesus reign is in heaven or in our hearts.
Postmillennial
Similar to Amillennial
Emphasis on the world becoming increasingly good and without sin up to return of Jesus
Up until the coming of Jesus, a golden age, “Christenization” of the world
Premillennial
Rev 20:1-10 happens after the 2nd coming of Jesus
There is literal 1,000 years where Jesus fulfills his very specific promises to Israel, the Church, the nations - earth
Then at end of it Satan is loosed, to tempt the nations
I lean toward this view, but this part where Satan is loosed and the nations can be deceived is a curveball
Who are the nations? Tribulation saints that didn’t get killed? Their kids? Not all died in battle of Armageddon?
Satan Must be loosed? To fulfill some more prophecy? Does show the true heart of man, how dark that after 1,000 years of bliss, still real quick some still rebel.
Then final, final, victory, and then Jesus ushers in a New Heaven and New Earth, the eternal blessed state.
With these there are questions and tensions to address. I will let you decide which one you think is the best exp.
I see this time period is after return of Jesus, Premillennial, despite the issues I mentioned, I think it lines up in so many other ways. I imagine it like this:
I think the Millennium will be like:
Thrones are set up, remember God’s role design for humankind, to rule with Him - Judgement seat of Christ here perhaps (2 Corinthians 5:10)
It’s this vision of Jesus setting up his kingdom on earth.
The next stage of renewal and recreation of a fallen world
The greatest restoration project world has ever seen
The Church rolls up her sleeves to rebuild with Jesus a new and redeemed world
What this exactly looks like I don’t know but it will be far better even the best of human existence and life now
You see eternal life with God will not just be floating on a cloud playing a harp
It will be dirt under the fingernails, grass stains, and sweat, the good kind, campfires, travel, adventure
Many of the good good things of this world but infinitely better. And many new good things, as well.
Without sin, sickness, and death to ruin it. The prophets described it.
Isaiah 11:6-9 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Trips to the Mountain of God to celebrate together.
Music, food, art, the good of human flourishing will be there
Relationships will thrive and be better than ever
Build communities, cities, nations that actually work
But what really matters is the end of chapter 20, this is not highly debated or contestable in my opinion.
Revelation 20:11-15
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And 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. 13 The 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 they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
There will come a time, no serious bible student argues this, to stand before God.
The saved stand before God not for judgement but for reunion and reward.
All those who don’t accept Jesus, the only way of salvation, they will face judgement and separation.
Final and eternal separation from the God that have chosen to deny
There are many passage throughout the Bible on this but here on the ones in Revelation
Revelation 21:8
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15
15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
As we mentioned last week Revelation 14:9-11 “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”
Perspectives on Hell
Who goes there and why?
Those who do the sins listed in Revelation? The list is a description of those who are on their way to hell. But the distinguishing factor in Revelation is whether ones name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Illustration from earlier, Book of Life in a city.
So to take the whole Bible and make it really simple today, your name is in that book because you have trusted by faith in the work of Jesus on the cross. Which requires repentance toward God, in that we must turn from saving self, which we try do whether we think so or not, and allow Jesus to be our Savior. It is to say, I am sinful before a holy God, and will fall under just judgement without a way of rescue, that way is Jesus, he died for our sin, to give us his righteousness and save us from hell-eternal death, and into heaven-eternal life.
Now we still sin after we trust Jesus, after we are saved.
So how much can we sin and stay saved or think that we ever really were? Classic question.
There is no report card to maintain your salvation. Just faith.
But as James says, real faith should change your life and make you not want to sin against God.
I can’t tell you if you are saved based on your level of sin, but if you are living in rebellion against God then I think that is a dangerous place to be now and eternally as I look at scripture.
(Genesis 1:26-27, John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 6:23, 8:1, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-10)
We believe that eternal salvation awaits those in Christ, and eternal judgment for those who are not.
All people would be judged guilty due to our personal sin if not for Jesus.
Old Testament believers were saved by Christ, by their faith in God’s mercy and grace, based on God’s revelation to them at the time, which was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
What about those who never hear the gospel?
The Bible is clear that the only name under heaven by which we must be saved is Jesus.
Therefore, we can conclude, anyone who is saved, will be saved through Jesus.
Perhaps this appears more difficult if you live somewhere that doesn’t have much gospel influence.
However, the Bible says God is revealed to all people, and that people can either receive or suppress that truth.
As people suppress what revelation of truth they have, the more darkness ensues.
As people receive what revelation of truth they have, scripture points to more revelation being given to them.
If people must hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved, we must trust that the Judge of all the earth will do right by each person when it comes to having an opportunity to respond to the truth. (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, Acts 4:12, Romans 8:23, Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:51,52, Isaiah 11:6-9, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48, Romans 1-2, Genesis 18:25)
How long is hell?
The biblical language consistently indicates hell is everlasting or eternal in length.
So what will time feel like or lack of it? Not sure. In hell, we can assume it won’t be a pleasant experience.
Where is hell?
Is hell in the center of the earth like in medieval art and writings?
Not likely, the New Heavens and New Earth will be a place of eternal righteousness
Jesus described Hell as outer darkness
It seems those in hell are banished from the New Heavens and New Earth, “out there somewhere”
Instead of Jesus and his redeemed evacuating the earth for ever, they reclaim and restore it.
What’s it's like?
Here’s a small sample of versus about hell found in scripture.
Matthew 8:12, thrown outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43: weeds gathered and burned, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 13:47-50: separation of wicked and righteous, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 22:1-14: outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 25:14-46: outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 25:41-46: departure from Jesus into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, they will go away to eternal punishment
Luke 13:28 weeping and gnashing teeth, throw out of the kingdom
Mark 9:43, unquenchable fire 48, worm does not die and the fire not quenched
Mark 9:43-50 Compared to the garbage dump and unholy place of Gehenna.
Luke 16:19-31 Rich man and Lazarus: can’t leave hell, agony in this fire, chasm separating hell.
Matthew 10:28 destroy body and soul hell
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, 2 Peter 2:4, June 1:13, Daniel 12:2, Malachi 4:1-3, Ezekiel 32, Isaiah 14:9-11, Pslam 9:17, Proverbs 7:27
Will hell be a literal lake of fire?
Not necessarily, that might be symbolic of the experience
The real torment is the separation from God and all that God provides
God is not likely torturing people with fire I don’t think
But hell is a fate much worse, separation from God, some don’t think that would be so bad, it would.
Some people view it as Annihilation, that those in hell cease to exist either right away or at some point
Or that eventually their existence fades away into nothing
Could be, we don't have full clarity on that from scripture, but I think some people use that to help them feel better about people going to hell and I’m not sure that helps me, that doesn’t make me want to risk going to hell for sure, or that I’m any less urgent to share Christ with others so they don’t go to hell.
Can you ever leave?
Some, the minority, believe in Universalism, where after who knows how long a person can still be redeemed out of hell and go to heaven.
I don’t hold that position and I don’t think it has any real biblical backing. So I would warn against it, honestly.
Historically the traditional and most accepted view of hell was/is Eternal Consciousness in hell
Annihilationism, I can see some backing for that, thought not as much as the traditional view
Universalism: I don’t see any backing for it
There is indication that Hell will not be the same for all
Luke 12:47-49 given less punishment based on known truth, Jude 1:13 darkest blackness reserved for some
How that works, it is not entirely clear from scripture.
Its it fair? Eternal punishment for a short life of not believing God?
Doesn’t seem like a just sentence.
I mean you might be sitting here today thinking, “I have not ever really done anything that bad, I don’t buy this,
If I’m wrong and Jesus is savior and I need him, but don’t believe, is it right that I should spend eternity in the torment of hell??”
“I mean I can understand hell for the really evil people of the world. But most folks, not so much.”
My attempts to try to explain that would be an insult to you and probably to God.
I cannot understand this but I 100% think it is what the Bible teaches and is true.
I do know this: we don’t understand the depth of our sin, therefore we don’t see our need for a Savior
and we don’t understand the justice of God.
Maybe I am wrong in the way I am interpreting the scripture when it comes to hell.
And I am fully willing to admit that if someone can prove me otherwise, but after centuries of biblical study and exploration among the church, I believe the view of hell I proposed persists as the best interpretation and is something we all must grapple with
Accept: we need Jesus to save us from hell.
We need to live our lives and share our stories or redemption with others.