THE REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST

Revelation 20:1-15

The glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed as He binds the devil, glorifies His saint, releases the devil, judges the devil and judges wicked and unredeemed mankind at the great white throne of judgment.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 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. 20:1-3 (KJV).

In these three verses we find power is given to “an angel” to bind satan for “a thousand years”.
Some have speculated and said “an angel” is referring to Christ himself. It is unnecessary to speculate. Christ is completly capable of delegating power to whom He will. This angel is given a key and holds “a great chain in his hand” (SEE Judge 6).
The angel “laid hold on” the devil who is described in verse 2 in four different terms:
1. Dragon – this shows his beastly nature and leadership as he inspired the government of the beast of Revelation 13;
2. Serpent – this name shows his subtle nature as a smooth operator, deceiver, etc.;
3. Devil – this shows he is a liar, and murderer, and Jesus said this was so, “from the beginning”;
4. Satan – this shows him as the accuser – he accuses us before God. He was Job’s accuser.
After laying hold of the deceiver (satan) the angel binds him for one thousand years, cast “into the bottomless pit” and “shut up” and “sealed”. This is for the purpose of giving the earth, under the administration of Jesus Christ, complete tranquility, without the deceit, fraud, and destruction of the old serpent.
There is, however, a somewhat sad note at the end of verse three. The devil will be released at the end of the one thousand year reign of Christ, but only for a short duration.

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. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. vv. 4-6 (KJV).

These verses deal with the “first resurrection”, the ruling and reigning of the saints with Christ, and also speaks of the one thousand years we often call the “Millennial reign of Jesus Christ” on earth.
One thousand years is where the word “Millennium” is derived. We measure time by seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, and millenniums. There are three groups of interpretation concerning the millennial reign of Jesus Christ:
1. Amillennial view – this group believes in no literal earthly reign of Jesus Christ – some in this camp believe that Christ is already ruling and reigning on earth;
2. Post-millennial view – many in this camp believe Jesus will come again only after the Church has won the world to Christ, by the preaching of the gospel – the latter part of the victory being a thousand years (not necessarily literal) of peace, prosperity, and long life – with Jesus coming after the millennium;
3. Pre-millennial view – Jesus returns again before the thousand years to rule and reign on earth with His saints. The pre-millennial view is literal concerning the one thousand years.
The thousand years is mentioned in Revelation 20 six different times, in only 15 verses. Is that an accident of, or a clue to interpretation? Six is the number of man. It could be a clue to being one thousand literal man years. The very fact it is mentioned six times seems to stress the point “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” Psalms 90:4 (KJV).
Those John sees on the throne are most likely the saved of God. It could be that John saw the twenty four elders on the thrones, but that does not negate the above statement if we keep in mind that the “elders” represent the redeemed. A great emphasis is placed upon the martyrs. Saints who gave their physical lives for Jesus during great trials and persecutions.
Sometime shortly after the fall of Babylon – religious, economic, political – those who die for Jesus during the Great Tribulation are resurrected and given new bodies. These are the last to be resurrected before the millennium begins. These are the ones who have part in the “first resurrection” along with all those who were raptured at the beginning of the tribulation. The “first resurrection” began with the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and others who came out of their graves also (Matthew 27:51-53). A third group to be raised – of the “first resurrection – are those who “died in Christ” before the time of “Jacob’s trouble” (the tribulation period). This will take place at the rapture when both the dead and living [in Christ] will be “caught up together” (1 Thes. 4:16-18).
In verse six we find the fifth of the seven Beatitudes in the Revelation. “Blessed [Happy] and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:…” The promise is that “the second death” – eternal damnation will have no power, no affect, or effect on them. What a blessing it is. Those who have part in the first resurrection will be “priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years”.
During the thousand years those who survived the great tribulation without succumbing to the vices of satan will live on earth and repopulate it under the rule of Jesus as the King of kings. Some aspects of Christ’s earthly reign will be 1) Complete peace, 2) Prosperity, 3) Long life, 4) The animal kingdom will be practically domesticated (Isaiah 11:1-9). There will be no fear of the animals or beasts of the field. There will be children born during this beautiful era.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 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. vv. 7-8 (KJV).

Satan is loosed from the abyss “to deceive the nations”, but only for “a little season” (v.3b).
Some have wondered why God would do such a thing. One thing it does is show us that God is in complete control and that the devil can do nothing but what God permits him to.
Robert Govett, as quoted from the REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST by John Walvoord gives us four reasons why God looses satan at the end of the millennium:
1. “To demonstrate that man even in the best environment will fall into sin if left to his own choice’;
2 ‘to demonstrate the foreknowledge of God who foretells the acts of men as well as His own acts’;
3. ‘to demonstrate the incurable wickedness of satan’;
4. ‘to justify eternal punishment, that is to show the unchanged character of wicked people even under divine jurisdiction for a long period of time.”
The Gog and Magog seem to be likened to that of Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39. This definitely shows us that it is not our circumstances that causes us to be righteous or evil, but it is the attitude of the heart. We see mankind has rejected Him during a long period of grace to the end of the tribulation period,a nd at the end of a long earthly riegn of bliss.
How could children who have lived under the awesome rule of Christ turn from Him? We might ask Adam and Eve someday. The children born during the reign of Christ will be given a choice through the deceit of the devil. Those who choose the vices of satan will rise up aganist our Lord only to be defeated.

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. 10 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. vv. 9-10 (KJV).

Those who rise up against Christ, inspired by satan, will surround the holy city only to fall in defeat in an instant.
Satan is judged. He is cast alive into the lake of fire. Notice the mention of the beast and false prophet (SEE also 19:20). After one thousand years they still ixxist in the lake of fire. Does this sound like annihilation? Not hardly.

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. 12 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. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. vv. 11-15 (KJV).

We now come to the last judgment. It is the judgment that many want to deny, and that many, if they could would completely dismiss as a lie. However, “Let God be true and every man a liar”.
There may even be some who see this as a time when they can present all their “good deeds” before God and believe He will justly award them eternal life. If you are at this judgment all you will receive is eternal damnation. Those revelling in their own good works had better take another think.
The “great white throne” of judgment is the judgment of the wicked dead. The dead who have died without saving faith. Please note again verse 6, “…on such the second death hath no power…”, [speaking of those who believed in Jesus] and look at verse 14, “This is the second death” concluding what the great white throne judgment is really about.
He that sits on the throne is God in the person of Jesus Christ (John 5:22). It is certain that the wicked dead will try to flee from His presence, but they cannot. This could be the meaning of “…earth and heaven fled away…” It could also mean that at this time is the old heavens and earth are destroyed (2 Peter 3:10). At any rate, it certainly implies the end of the wickedness of mankind and of their eternal destruction. There is “No place” for the wicked to flee from this judgment, except for now, we may flee to the cross of Jesus – until this door is closed.
It does not matter about what class of people – the small and great will stand before God at this judgment.
There are at least three books opened. One book records their birth and life. One is the Word of God, the road map to justice and eternal life. The other is the book of life in which is recorded the names of every child of God redeemed to eternal life.
Who are these present at the great white throne? Those whom death and hell has delivered up. The saved dead have already been raised and rewarded (19:9; 20:6).
Hell would better be referred to here as sheol or hades – the abode of the wicked dead until the great white throne of judgment. It is the abode of the rich man in Luke 16:23-24 where he cries out, “I am tormented in this flame”.
There are many who want to do away with Hell by claiming only its fiery symbolism. The fire may indeed be symbolic, but only in that there is no other human terminology to describe its pain and eternal torment. “This”, John writes, “is the second death”.
If your name is not in the book of life your eternity will be spent in the “lake of fire” to “be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (v. 10b).
There are two classes of people mentioned in chapter twenty:
1. Those who have part in the second death, which is eternal torment in the lake of fire, because they refused the free gift of God’s grace;
2. Those who have part in the first resurrection by faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on calvary.

I am not exactly sure of what those of us who have part in the “first resurrection” will be doing in the kingdom of Christ on earth, but I do know that I will be there at THE REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST on earth. How about you?