Lesson #50

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #50
TRANSITION, RESURRECTIONS AND JUDGMENTS — REV 20:1-6

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 20:6

• THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IS THE TERMINATION OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT TODAY, AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW AGE.
• UNFORTUNATELY MOST CHRISTIANS ARE IGNORANT OF WHAT THIS NEW AGE WILL BE LIKE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT TAUGHT WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY ABOUT THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST.
• EVEN THOUGH THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST IS ONLY BRIEFLY MENTIONED IN REVELATION, WE WILL SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME DISCUSSING THE 1000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH.
• THE MAJORITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TIME PERIOD OCCURS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• IN THIS LESSON WE WILL CONSIDER THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• READ REV 20:1-3 SATAN BOUND FOR 1,000 YEARS
• WE LEARN THREE THINGS ABOUT SATAN IN THIS PASSAGE:
• =1= HE CONTROLLED THE POLITICAL SYSTEM.
• =2= HE DECEIVED THE NATIONS.
• =3= HE ACCUSES BELIEVERS.
• THE CONDITION OF SATAN FOR 1000 YEARS:
• SATAN IS:BOUND IN CHAINS AND CAST IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT.
• HE IS SILENCED AND CANNOT DECEIVE PEOPLE FOR 1000 YEARS.
• A SEAL IS PUT UPON THE PIT.
• WHY DOES GOD BIND SATAN AND NOT CAST HIM IMMEDIATELY INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MILLENNIUM?
• THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS VERY SIMPLE, GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH HIM YET.
• THIS BRINGS TO MIND AN IDENTICAL QUESTION, WHY DID GOD ALLOW SATAN TO EXIST ALL THESE CENTURIES AFTER HIS FIRST REBELLION AGAINST GOD BEFORE THE TIME OF ADAM AND EVE, WHEN HE WAS THE ANGEL LUCIFER? (EZE 28:11-19 ISA 14:12-23)
• GOD CREATED MAN WITH FREE WILL. THE CONCEPT OF FREE WILL MEANS THAT THERE MUST BE A CHOICE. MAN MUST HAVE A CHOICE TO EXERCISE HIS FREE WILL.
• THEREFORE, FOR ALL THESE CENTURIES MAN CAN CHOOSE EITHER GOD OR SATAN.
• GOD PERMITS SATAN TO BE BOUND FOR 1000 YEARS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
• =1= SO THAT CHRIST’S KINGDOM OF 1,000 YEARS WILL PERFECTLY DEMONSTRATE THE SUPERIORITY OF GOD’S RULE AS CONTRASTED WITH THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST’S RULE IN THE TRIBULATION.
• =2= SO THAT SATAN WILL HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS.
• =3= TO PROVE THAT MAN’S HEART IS INCURABLY EVIL APART FROM GOD’S GRACE EVEN WITHOUT THE WORKING OF SATAN.
• IN THE MILLENNIUM GOD WILL PROVE THAT IDEAL CONDITIONS DO NOT CHANGE THE HUMAN HEART.
• IN THIS WORLD TODAY, MAN IS SINFUL FOR 3 REASONS:
• =1= THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD SYSTEM
• =2= MAN’S OWN FLESH NATURE
• =3= THE DECEPTIONS OF SATAN
• IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, THE WORLD SYSTEM WILL BE PERFECT, RULED BY CHRIST AND THERE WILL BE NO DECEPTIONS BY SATAN WHO IS BOUND FOR 1000 YEARS. THE ONLY EXCUSE REMAINING WILL BE MAN’S OWN FLESH NATURE THAT WILL STILL BE PRESENT IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• WHY DOES GOD LOOSE SATAN AFTER THE 1,000 YEARS? (REV 20:3, 7)
• JUST LIKE IN THE BOOK OF JOB, GOD USES SATAN FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES.
• FROM THE BEGINNING OF LUCIFER’S FALL, THE BATTLE OF THE AGES HAS BEEN FOR THE SOUL OF MAN. MAN’S SOUL IS THE MOST VALUABLE TREASURE IN ALL THE UNIVERSE.
• THAT WHICH IS AT STAKE IS THAT MAN MAKE A WISE DECISION TO LOVE GOD AS OPPOSED TO LOVING SATAN.
• FROM THE BEGINNING, GOD HAS USED SATAN TO TEST AND TRY BELIEVERS FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS. (EPH 4:12) THE PURPOSE IS TO BRING BELIEVERS TO MATURITY.
• GOD LOOSES SATAN FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT AT THE END OF THE MILLENIUM FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
• =1= HUMANS BORN IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM MUST BE GIVEN A CHOICE. THAT CHOICE IS BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN. (REV 20:8)
• =2= GOD MUST PRONOUNCE A FINAL JUDGMENT ON SATAN. (REV 20:10)
• WHAT IS THE “LITTLE SEASON” (REV 20:3)?
• REVELATION DOES NOT TELL US THE SPECIFIC LENGTH OF TIME BUT BASED ON THE TIMING IN DAN 8:14, IT AMOUNTS TO 7 MONTHS AND 10 DAYS.
• WHAT AND WHERE IS THE BOTTOMLESS PIT?
• READ PSA 94:12-13 AND JUDE 6
• READ REV 9:11
• THE BOTTOMLESS PIT IS A PLACE MADE FOR THE FALLEN ANGELS UNTIL THE FINAL JUDGMENT (JUD 6)
• IT IS THOUGHT TO BE IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.(PSA 94:12-13).

• READ REV 20:4-6 RESURRECTIONS AND JUDGMENTS
• IF YOU WILL REFER TO YOUR MASTER TIMELINE CHART, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT ALL RESURRECTIONS AND ALL JUDGMENTS ARE MARKED.
• THE RESURRECTIONS:
• =1= JESUS’ RESURRECTION IS THE FIRST ONE ON YOUR CHART LOCATED BY THE CROSS.
• =2= THE RAPTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. IT CONSISTS OF THE RESURRECTION OF THOSE BELIEVERS AT THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE..
• =3= THE RESURRECTION OF OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS AND TRIBULATION MARTYRS AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (DAN 12:1-3:REV 20:4-6)
• =4= THE RESURRECTION CHANGE OF MILLENNIAL BELIEVERS AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AGE.
• =5= THE RESURRECTION OF ALL NON-BELIEVERS FROM ALL HUMAN HISTORY TO STAND BEFORE GOD IN JUDGMENT.
• THE JUDGMENTS:
• =A= SIN IS JUDGED BY GOD ON THE CROSS (GAL 3:13)
• =B= DURING THE CHURCH AGE, BELIEVERS ARE TO JUDGE THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR TO CONFORM IT TO THE WORD OF GOD (1COR 11:31 HEB 12:7)
• =C= THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. THIS EVENT OCCURS IN HEAVEN AND IS A JUDGMENT OF REWARDS FOR BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST.
• =D= JUDGMENT ON THE NATION OF ISRAEL. THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD IS GOD’S PRESSURIZED JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL (PSA 50 EZE 20:33 MAL 3:2 MAL 4:1)
• =E= THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS. THIS EVENT BEGINS IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON AND TERMINATES IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• =F= THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT OF ALL NON-BELIEVERS. (REV 20:11-15)
• =G= THE JUDGMENT OF ANGELS (MAT 25:41 2PET 2:4 JUDE 6 REV 20:10)
• IN REV 20:4, WHO ARE THE “THEY” THAT SAT UPON THE THRONES?
• ALL RESURRECTED BELIEVERS FROM ALL HISTORY SIT ON THRONES IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. (2TIM 2:12 MAT 19:28 DAN 12:1-3 REV 20:6 REV 1:6 REV 5:10)
• RESURRECTED BELIEVERS WILL HAVE POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AS KINGS AND PRIESTS IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. (1PET 2:9)
• RESURRECTED BELIEVERS WILL BE KINGS AND PRIESTS IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• RESURRECTED BELIEVERS WILL HAVE AUTHORITY OVER CITIES. (LUK 19:17)
• ALL RESURRECTED BELIEVERS WILL HAVE POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY ACCORDING TO THEIR MATURITY IN THEIR CHRISTIAN WALK. THOSE WHO HAVE OVERCOME ADVERSITY AND TEMPTATION WILL HAVE GREATER AUTHORITY.
• REMEMBER THAT THIS IS REWARDED AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.
• WE RULE ACCORDING TO OUR ABILITIES, TALENTS, CAPACITIES, AND OUR FAITHFULNESS AND SUBMISSIVENESS TO CHRIST.
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT JUDGMENT IN REV 20?
• THE WORD THRONES MEANS THAT JUDGMENT IS ABOUT TO OCCUR.
• BECAUSE ALL BELIEVERS MUST STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, (2COR 5:10) IT IS THOUGHT THAT THOSE WHO WERE MARTYRED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD STAND IN THIS JUDGMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH (REV 11:18)
• THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS
• WE HAVE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THIS JUDGMENT AS IT WAS FIRST MENTIONED IN REV 11. (SEE LESSON #32)
• HOWEVER, I DELAYED A FULL DISCUSSION OF THIS EVENT BECAUSE IT OCCURS IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. THE JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH THEIR DEFEAT IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.(JOE 3:2,11-12)
• READ REV 11:15-19
• CHRIST HAS COME IN POWER AND IS NOW REIGNING OVER THE NATIONS.
• “…AND THE TIME OF THE DEAD THAT THEY SHOULD BE JUDGED…”(REV 11:18)
• THESE ARE THE DEAD LEADERS OF THE TRIBULATION NATIONS AND THE CAPTAINS OF THE ARMIES THAT LED THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• READ MAT 25:31-46 THE SHEEP AND THE GOAT NATIONS
• IN THIS JUDGMENT OF NATIONS, THEY ARE SPECIFIED AS EITHER SHEEP OR GOATS.
• THERE ARE MANY POINTS OF SIMILARITY BETWEEN SHEEP AND GOATS OF A SYRIAN FLOCK. IT TAKES A PRACTICED EYE OF A SHEPHERD TO DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHEEP AND GOATS. CHRIST IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WITH A PRACTICED EYE. (JOH 14:10)
• WHO ARE THE GOAT NATIONS?
• THESE ARE NON-BELIEVING NATIONS THAT HAD A HISTORY OF OPPOSITION TO GOD AND OF PERSECUTING GOD’S PEOPLE.
• WHO ARE THE SHEEP NATIONS?
• THESE ARE BELIEVING NATIONS WHO HAVE IN THEIR CULTURE A HISTORY OF FAITH IN GOD AND HAVE NOT PERSECUTED GOD’S PEOPLE.
• WHO ARE “THE BRETHREN” (MAT 25:40)
• THESE ARE THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS, CHRIST’S PHYSICAL BROTHERS AND CHRIST’S SPIRITUAL BROTHERS. (MAT 12:49-50)
• WHO IS THE KING WHO JUDGES THE NATIONS? (MAT 25:34)
• IT IS JESUS CHRIST WHO REIGNS AS KING IN THE MILLENNIUM AND JUDGES THE NATIONS AT THAT TIME.
• CHRIST DID NOT REFER TO HIMSELF DIRECTLY AS A KING BUT DID SO IN PARABLE FORM.
• THE CRITERIA FOR THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS:
• NATIONS AND THEIR LEADERS WILL ANSWER TO HOW THEY HAVE TREATED CHRISTIANS AND JEWS DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF PERSECUTION.
• GOD WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM
• READ GEN 12:3
• WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS?
• THE JEWS WILL HAVE A MOST FAVORED NATION STATUS IN THE MILLENNIUM. (ISA 11:11-14)
• WE WILL DISCUSS THIS ASPECT LATER IN OUR STUDY.
• THE SHEEP NATIONS INHERIT THE KINGDOM AND HAVE A FAVORED NATION STATUS. (MAT 25:34 2TIM 2:12)
• THEREFORE, MANY NATIONS THAT EXIST TODAY WILL NO LONGER EXIST IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• EGYPT WILL EXIST AS A NATION IN THE MILLENNIUM BUT IT WILL BE DESOLATE FOR 40 YEARS INTO THE MILLENNIUM. (EZE 39:13-16) EZEKIEL CALLS EGYPT A BASE NATION.
• SOME NATIONS WILL BE BASE NATIONS LIKE EGYPT.
• BASE NATIONS WILL BE IN DARKNESS DURING PART OF THE MILLENNIUM. (JOE 3:19 EZE 29:9-16 EZE 30:23 ISA 2:1-5)
• BASE NATIONS WILL HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR LOYALTY TO CHRIST. (ZEC 14:16-19)
• THE UNBELIEVING, EVIL TRIBULATION LEADERS THAT COOPERATED WITH THE ANTI-CHRIST ARE CAST INTO HELL.(MAT 25:41, 46)
• READ JOH 21:1-14
• THERE WILL BE 153 GENTILE NATIONS IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM PLUS ISRAEL = 154 NATIONS TOTAL.
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT RESURRECTION IN REV 20?
• WHILE THERE ARE 5 SPECIFIC POINTS IN TIME WHEN MAJOR RESURRECTIONS OCCUR ON OUR MASTER TIME LINE CHART, REV 20 TELLS US THERE ARE TWO GENERAL CATEGORIES OF RESURRECTION:
• =1= THE FIRST RESURRECTION:
• THIS IS THE RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST TO ETERNAL LIFE.
• AND AS WE SEE ON OUR MASTER TIME LINE CHART, THIS RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS OCCURS IN 3 PHASES:
• -1- THE RAPTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH BELIEVERS.
• -2- THE RESURRECTION OF OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS AND TRIBULATION MARTYRS.
• -3- THE RESURRECTION CHANGE OF MILLENNIAL BELIEVERS.
• THE SECOND RESURRECTION:
• THIS IS THE RESURRECTION OF ALL NON-BELIEVERS TO ETERNAL DEATH.
• WE WILL DISCUSS THIS LATER IN OUR STUDY.

HOMEWORK
THE MILLENNIUM — INTRODUCTION
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF REV 20:1-6:
• ARE YOU SURE YOU WILL BE PART OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION?
• HOW DO YOU KNOW? (FIND AT LEAST 2 SCRIPTURES TO PROVE IT) 

• IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, RE-READ THE SCRIPTURES IN THIS LESSON AND REVIEW THE CHARTS.

• IF YOU HAVE NEVER INVITED JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART, DO YOU WANT TO DO SO NOW? YOU CAN DO SO IN PRAYER, OR TALK TO YOUR PASTOR, OR TEACHER.

• PREPARATION FOR THE STUDY OF THE MILLENNIUM:
• READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES, AND WRITE DOWN ANYTHING NEW THAT YOU LEARN ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM:
• ZEC 14  ISA 4

• ISA 11  ISA 12

• ISA 25  ISA 26

• ISA 27  ISA 35

• ISA 65:18-25  ISA 66:10-24

• EZE 34:11-31  EZE 36

• EZE 47  EZE 48

• PSA 2  PSA 46:4-47:9

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 46:10