Lesson #55

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REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #55
THE FINAL JUDGMENTS –REV 20:7-15

• MEMORY VERSES: PHI 2:9-11

• AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT OCCUR INCLUDING THE FINAL JUDGMENTS.

• READ REV 20:7-10
• WHY IS SATAN LOOSED FOR A SEASON AFTER THE MILLENNIUM?
• GOD PERMITS SATAN TO EXIST AS LONG AS THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR HIS EXISTENCE.
• AT THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN GAVE MAN A CHOICE BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN.
• AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, THOSE HUMANS THAT ARE BORN IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM HAVE FREEWILL AND ARE GIVEN A CHOICE BETWEEN GOD OR SATAN.
• HOW ARE THEY GIVEN A CHOICE?
• SATAN RETURNS TO EARTH TO GATHER AN ARMY OF ALL WHO HAVE REBELLION IN THEIR HEARTS. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IT IS A GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE.
• THE OUTCOME…THE GOG AND MAGOG WAR
• READ REV 20:9 AND MAL 4:1,3
• FIRE FROM HEAVEN CONSUMES SATAN’S ARMY, PHYSICALLY KILLING ALL WHO FOLLOW SATAN.
• NOTICE THE NAME FOR THIS ARMY IS GOG AND MAGOG. WE HAVE HEARD THIS NAME BEFORE WHEN WE STUDIED THE GREAT RUSSIAN WAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IN RELATION TO EZE 38-39. (LESSONS #26-#28)
• THERE ARE MANY WHO THINK THIS IS THE SAME BATTLE MENTIONED IN EZE 38 AND 39.
• HOWEVER, THERE ARE TOO MANY DIFFERENCES THAT NEED AN EXPLANATION.
• REMEMBER THAT BIBLE PROPHECY HAS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT.
• THE FIRST FULFILLMENT OF THE GOG AND MAGOG WAR:
• THE GREAT RUSSIAN WAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE SECOND FULFILLMENT OF THE GOG AND MAGOG WAR:
• THE FINAL WAR ON EARTH AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• BECAUSE GOG IS THE ANCIENT NAME FOR THE RUSSIAN LEADERS AND MAGOG IS THE ANCIENT NAME FOR THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, PERHAPS SATAN WILL GATHER HIS ARMY IN THE SAME AREA AS RUSSIA.
• THE DESTRUCTION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH BY FIRE:
• FIRE BOTH DESTROYS AND PURIFIES.
• READ 2PET 3:7, 10-13
• THE HEAVENS PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE TO END THIS WORLD SYSTEM.
• WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO PURIFY BOTH THE EARTH AND HEAVEN?
• SATAN HAS HAD ACCESS TO HEAVEN AND EARTH. BOTH ARE POLLUTED BY SIN AND EVIL.
• SATAN IS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE WHERE THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAST. THIS IS THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF SATAN.
• WHAT HAPPENS TO BELIEVERS?
• LOGICALLY WE WOULD ASSUME THAT MORTAL BELIEVERS FROM THE MILLENNIAL PERIOD ARE NOT CONSUMED IN THE FIRE BUT THAT THEY ARE CHANGED AND RECEIVE A NEW BODY BEFORE THEY GO TO THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO SCRIPTURE THAT REFERS SPECIFICALLY TO THIS GROUP OF BELIEVERS, WE ASSUME THAT GOD WILL TREAT THEM AS HE HAS DONE WITH ALL BELIEVERS FROM THE REST OF HISTORY.
• REMEMBER THAT RESURRECTED BELIEVERS OF THE RAPTURE, FROM THE TRIBULATION, AND FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE IN THE NEW JERUSALEM SUSPENDED OVER THE EARTH DURING THE MILLENNIUM. THE FIRE WILL NOT TOUCH THIS SUSPENDED CITY. (SEE VERSE 9).
• THE JUDGMENT OF ANGELS
• READ PSA 8:4-6 HEB 2:6-11 AND PHI 2:7-11
• WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE THE ANGELS?
• MAN WAS MADE LOWER THAN ANGELS IN POSITION AND AUTHORITY.
• ONE THIRD OF THE ANGELS WERE NOT DECEIVED INTO SIN BUT OPENLY AND KNOWINGLY REBELLED AGAINST GOD WITH THE ANGEL, LUCIFER, WHO BECAME SATAN.
• ADAM AND EVE WERE DECEIVED INTO SIN. (GEN 3:1-5)
• JESUS WAS MADE LOWER THAN ANGELS WHEN HE PUT ON HUMAN FLESH (HEB 2:6-11)
• JESUS BECAME HIGHER THAN ANGELS. HE WAS CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR BECAUSE OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.
• ALL THINGS ARE PUT UNDER JESUS’ FEET AT THE SECOND COMING.
• BELIEVERS WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH CHRIST ARE NOW HIGHER THAN THE ANGELS IN POSITION AND AUTHORITY BECAUSE OF OUR REDEMPTION.
• ANGELS ARE NOT REDEEMED.
• WE ARE, THEREFORE, IN A POSITION TO JUDGE ANGELS.
• READ JOH 10:33-36 PSA 82:6
• “GODS” = A TITLE GIVEN TO EVERY JUDGE IN THE TIME OF JUDGES, AND A TITLE GIVEN TO DAVID, TO SOLOMON, AND TO EVERY ANOINTED PRIEST. IT WAS A TITLE OF AUTHORITY, NOT A TITLE OF DEITY.
• WE, AS BELIEVERS, NEED TO STRAIGHTEN UP OUR LIVES IN PRACTICE TO CONFORM TO OUR POSITION SAYS THE BOOK OF JUDE.
• READ 1COR 6:3 JUD 6
• WHICH ANGELS DO WE JUDGE?
• SOME THEOLOGIANS SAY WE JUDGE ALL THE ANGELS, WHILE OTHERS SAY WE JUDGE ONLY THE FALLEN ANGELS THAT REBELLED WITH LUCIFER WHO BECAME SATAN.
• THESE 1/3 FALLEN ANGELS WERE BOUND IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT (tartarus).
• THE WORD tartarus IS USED ONLY IN ONE PLACE IN THE BIBLE, 2PET 2:4.
• THE RESULTS OF THE JUDGMENT OF ANGELS:
• THE WICKED ANGELS ARE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. (MAT 25:41)
• THE LAKE OF FIRE WAS MADE FOR THEM NOT FOR MAN.
• READ REV 20:11-15
• THE RESURRECTION OF ALL DEAD NON-BELIEVERS FROM THE TIME OF THE CREATION IN GENESIS TO THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM IN REVELATION. (JOH 5:28-29 DAN 7:9 1COR 3:12-15 REV 20:11-15)
• USUALLY CHRISTIANS DO NOT THINK THAT NON-BELIEVERS ARE RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD. HOWEVER, THIS SCRIPTURE IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A BODILY RESURRECTION OF NON-BELIEVERS.
• THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
• WHO IS JUDGED AT THIS GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT?
• ONLY NON-BELIEVERS STAND BEFORE GOD IN A RESURRECTED BODY IN THIS JUDGMENT.
• WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR THIS JUDGMENT?
• IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO NOTICE THAT MAN CHOOSES HOW GOD WILL JUDGE HIM.
• THE CRITERIA:
• =1= THE LAW OF CONSCIENCE: (ROM 2:12)
• GOD HAS GIVEN EVERY PERSON A CONSCIENCE TO KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG.
• =2= THE LAW OF MEMORY: (LUK 16:25)
• THIS IS A CALL TO REMEMBRANCE OF ALL WRONG THINGS DONE IN A PERSON’S LIFE.
• =3= THE LAW OF CHARACTER: (HEB 3:8-10 EPH 4:19)
• GOD WILL JUDGE HOW THE PERSON HAS ALLOWED HIS CHARACTER TO DEVELOP–TOWARD GOODNESS OR TOWARD EVIL.
• =4= THE LAW OF THE GOSPEL: (ROM 2:12-16)
• GOD WILL JUDGE BY HOW MUCH OF THE GOSPEL THE UNBELIEVER HAS HEARD–HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HE HAS HEARD–THE LIGHT GIVEN TO HIM.
• =5= THE LAW OF PERSONAL ACTS: (MAT 12:36 LUK 12:29)
• GOD JUDGES DEEDS (JOH 3:18 REV 20:12)
• =6= THE LAW OF WORDS SPOKEN: (MAT 12:36-37)
• GOD JUDGES ALL ORAL, AUDIBLE WORDS SPOKEN.
• =7= THE LAW OF SECRET WORDS: (ROM 2:16 ECC 12:14)
• GOD JUDGES ALL INAUDIBLE WORDS OR THOUGHTS.
• =8= THE WORD OF GOD: (JOH 12:48)
• WHAT HAS THE PERSON DONE WITH THE WORD OF GOD THAT HE HAS HEARD OR READ?
• “…AND THE BOOKS WERE OPENED…” (REV 20:!2)
• WHAT ARE THESE BOOKS AND WHAT IS IN THEM?
• =1= THE BOOK OF LAW (GAL 3:10 ROM 2:12-16)
• THIS INCLUDES THE 10 COMMANDMENTS THAT REPRESENT GOD’S STANDARD GIVEN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• THIS INCLUDES THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT WHICH IS GOD’S STANDARD GIVEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• GOD LOOKS ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE HEART.
• =2= THE BOOK OF WORKS (ECC 12:14 2COR 11:15 MAT 16:27)
• THE PERSON WHO DECIDES TO LIVE BY WORKS WILL BE JUDGED BY THOSE WORKS.
• =3= THE BOOK OF LIFE (REV 20:15)
• THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT CHOOSE TO BE JUDGED BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST MUST ANSWER FOR HIS ATTEMPTS TO LIVE UP TO CHRIS’TS STANDARD.
• =4= THE BOOK OF TEARS (PSA 56:8)
• THIS INVOLVES THE UNBELIEVER’S ACTIONS THAT CAUSED SUFFERING TO JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.
• THE GREAT WHITE THRONE: SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF JUDGMENT (ROM 2)
• =1= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO TRUTH. (ROM 2:2)
• =2= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO INDIVIDUAL GUILT. (ROM 2:5)
• =3= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO DEEDS. (ROM 2:6)
• =4= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO EQUALITY. (ROM 2:11)
• =5= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO PERFORMANCE, NOT INTENTIONS. (ROM 2:13)
• =6= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL; THE LIGHT GIVEN. (ROM 2:16)
• =7= GOD JUDGES ACCORDING TO REALITY; A PERSON’S ORAL PROFESSION AND GOOD INTENTIONS VERSUS HIS ACTUAL ACTIONS. (ROM 2:17-29)
• WHO DOES THE JUDGING?
• GOD AND CHRIST (ACT 10:42 ACT 17:31)
• WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT?
• ALL NON-BELIEVERS ARE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.(REV 20:15 2THE 1:9 2PET 2:9 DAN 12:2 MAT 13:30 MAT 13:49-50)
• DEATH AND HELL ARE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
• WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? (20:14)
• THIS IS GOD’S WAY OF SAYING THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE PHYSICAL DEATH BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO MORE MORTAL BODY.
• THERE WILL BE NO MORE HELL BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PLACE OF RESERVE FOR THE DEAD WAITING FOR THE JUDGMENT. IF THERE’S NO MORE DEATH, THERE IS NO MORE NEED FOR A PLACE TO PUT THEM AWAITING JUDGMENT.
• WHAT IS THE LAKE OF FIRE?
• THIS IS AN ETERNAL LOCATION WHERE GOD NEVER MEANT FOR MAN TO GO.(MAT 25:41) IT WAS MADE FOR SATAN AND HIS FALLEN ANGELS. (DEU 32:22)
• LAKE OF FIRE–WHO AND WHAT WILL BE THERE?
• FIRST TO GO THERE IS ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (REV 19:20)
• THE NEXT TO GO THERE IS SATAN AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM. (REV 20:10)
• THE NEXT TO GO THERE ARE THE FALLEN ANGELS AFTER THEIR JUDGMENT. (MAT 25:41)
• THE NEXT TO GO THERE IS DEATH AND HELL. (REV 20:14)
• FINALLY THE NON-BELIEVERS GO THERE. (REV 20:15)
• WHAT WILL THE LAKE OF FIRE BE LIKE?
• CHARACTERISTIC #1= “EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION” (2THE 1:9)
• THIS IS NOT ANNIHILATION BUT ETERNAL, UNENDING, FOREVER DEATH AND RUIN.
• “EVERLASTING” IS THE SAME WORD USED FOR GOD AND HIS ETERNAL GLORY.
• HOW DO WE KNOW IT IS NOT ANNIHILATION?
• REV 20:10 SAYS THE ANTI-CHRIST AND FALSE PROPHET ARE STILL THERE AFTER 1,000 YEARS OF THE MILLENNIUM.
• CHARACTERISTIC #2= “AWAY FROM GOD’S PRESENCE” (2THE 1:9)
• CHARACTERISTIC #3= “PUNISHMENT” (2PET 2:9)
• CHARACTERISTIC #4= “EVERLASTING CONTEMPT” (DAN 12:2)
• CHARACTERISTIC #5= “BURNING” (MAT 13:30)
• CHARACTERISTIC #6 = “FURNACE OF FIRE”–“WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH” (MAT 13:49-50)
• CHARACTERISTIC #7=”TORMENT FOREVER” (REV 20:10)
• CHARACTERISTIC #8= “SECOND DEATH”(REV 20:14)
• THE SECOND DEATH IS A TERM USED INTERCHANGEABLY WITH THE LAKE OF FIRE.
• THE FIRST DEATH IS PHYSICAL DEATH AND THE SECOND DEATH IS SPIRITUAL DEATH.
• THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE: “BORN TWICE, DIE ONCE. BORN ONCE, DIE TWICE”
• CHARACTERISTIC #9= JESUS REFERS TO IT AS “GAHENNA”
• GAHENNA WAS A PLACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHERE HUMAN SACRIFICE WAS PERFORMED OUTSIDE JERUSALEM. (2CHR 33:6 JER 7:31) THE SAME PLACE IN JESUS’ DAY WAS THE RUBBISH DUMP OF JERUSALEM WHERE A PERPETUAL FIRE BURNED, AND THE SMELL WAS HORRIBLE AND VERMIN INFESTED IT.
• JESUS USED THIS LIKENESS TO THE GARBAGE DUMP OF THE CITY SO THAT HIS HEARERS COULD RELATE TO IT. (MAT 5:22,29,30 MAT 10:28 MAT 18:9 MAT 23:15,33 MAR 9:43-47 LUK 12:5)
• WILL ALL SUFFER THE SAME PUNISHMENT IN THE LAKE OF FIRE?
• BECAUSE GOD IS A JUST GOD, THE ANSWER MUST BE, NO. A PERSON WHO HAS LIVED A RELATIVELY “GOOD” LIFE WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST WILL NOT SUFFER THE SAME DEGREE OF PUNISHMENT AS A NATIONAL LEADER WHO MURDERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
• GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS. (ACT 10:34) HE DOES NOT PLAY FAVORITES TO SHOW PARTIALITY.
• GOD IS JUST.
• GOD IS A RESPECTER OF DEEDS. JUST AS GOD RESPECTS THE DEEDS OF BELIEVERS IN THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (1COR 3:13), HE WILL ALSO RESPECT THE DEEDS OF NON-BELIEVERS IN THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. (LUK 12:42-48) THESE PEOPLE DECIDED TO LIVE THEIR LIVES BY WORKS AND GOD WILL JUDGE THEM BY THOSE WORKS.
• JUSTICE DEMANDS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A “HITLER” AND A “GOOD PERSON”. (MAT 16:27)
• THE “BOOKS” BEING OPENED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT INDICATES THAT THIS IS NOT AN AUTOMATIC, POINTLESS GESTURE BUT A TRUE JUDGING. (ROM 2:6)
• JESUS’ ACCOUNT OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS IN LUK 16:19-27 INDICATE THAT THE TORMENT OF THE RICH MAN WAS AT THE POINT OF HIS GREED. HE SUFFERED IN HIS TONGUE FOR FAILURE TO FEED THE POOR (VERSE 24).
• THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE OF SEWING AND REAPING IS FOR BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS (GAL 6:7-9)
• THERE IS SOME REAPING IN THIS LIFE.
• THERE IS AN ETERNAL REAPING IN ETERNITY.

• APPLICATION:
• THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SECOND CHANCE AFTER DEATH. THIS VIEW IS NOT BIBLICAL. (HEB 9:27)
• THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL PEOPLE WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH GOD. THIS VIEW, TOO, IS NOT BIBLICAL.
• THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANNIHILATION AFTER DEATH WHERE THE PERSON JUST CEASES TO EXIST. THIS VIEW, TOO, IS NOT BIBLICAL.
• IF WE ARE TO MINISTER THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION TO THE UNSAVED, WE MUST KNOW THE CORRECT BIBLICAL DOCTRINE.

HOMEWORK
REVELATION 21
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF REVELATION 20:7-15
• PRAY FOR THOSE NON-BELIEVERS WHO ARE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS. WRITE THEIR NAMES HERE:

• IS GOD TELLING YOU TO PUT FEET TO YOUR PRAYERS BY OPENING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT JESUS TO A NON-BELIEVER? IF SO, WRITE YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE.

• PREPARATION FOR REV 21
• READ REV 21:1-27
• WHAT ARE THE FOUR NEW THINGS AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO YOU?

• WRITE “YOUR” DEFINITION FOR “ETERNAL LIFE”.

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 21:7