20:1Or the abyss, or the underworld; also in 20:3,
Life Application Study BibleRevelationChapter 20
Revelation 20
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 2199, 2200, 2201
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20Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
12 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit* and a heavy chain in his hand. 2He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. ° The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. 4Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.
The Defeat of Satan
77When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. 9And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. 10Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Final Judgment
11"And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. *2I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books, 13The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave* gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. 7. Making all things new
Textual footnotes
- 20:13 Greek and Hades; aiso in 20:14.
Life Application Notes 7 notes
20:6The second death is spiritual death—everlasting separation from God (see 21:8).
20:7-9Gog and Magog symbolize all the forces of evil that band together to battle God. Noah’s son Japheth had a son named Magog (Genesis 10:2). Ezekiel presents Gog as a leader of forces against Israel (Ezekiel 38-39).
20:9This is not a typical battle where the outcome is in doubt during the heat of the conflict. Here there is no contest. Two mighty forces of evil—those of the beast (19:19) and of Satan (20:8)—unite to do battle against God. The Bible uses just two verses to describe each battle: The evil beast and his forces are captured and thrown into the fiery lake (19:20, 21), and fire from heaven consumes Satan and his attacking armies (20:9, 10). For God, it is as easy as that. There will be no doubt, no worry, No second thoughts for believers about whether they have chosen the right side. If you are with God, you will experience this tremendous victory with Christ.
20:10Satan’s power is not eternal—he will meet his doom. He began his evil work in people at the beginning (Genesis 3:1-6) and continues it today, but he will be destroyed when he is thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The devil will be released from the bottomless pit (“his prison,” 20:7), but he will never be released from the fiery lake. He will never be a threat to anyone again.
20:12-15At the judgment, the books will be opened. The Book of Life contains the names of those who have put their trust in Christ to save them. These books also contain the recorded deeds of everyone, good or evil. Everyone's life will be reviewed and evaluated. No one is saved by deeds, but deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person's actual relationship with God. Jesus will look at how we have handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities. God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience and service. Each of us must serve Christ in the best way we know and live each day knowing the books will one day be opened.
20:14Death and the grave are thrown into the lake of fire. God’s judgment is finished. The lake of fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked—Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, the grave, and all those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life because they did not place their faith in Jesus Christ. John’s vision does not permit any gray areas in God's judgment. If by faith we have not identified with Christ, confessing him as LORD, there will be no hope, no second chance, no other appeal.
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Study feature · page 2200
years, Satan will be unleashed once more, but then Christ will return to defeat him and reign forever. Christ's second coming will not occur until after the 1,000-year period. (2) Premillennialism also views the 1,000 years as a literal time period but holds that Christ's second coming initiates his 1,000-year reign and that this reign occurs before the final removal of Satan. (3) Amillennialism understands the 1,000-year period to be symbolic of the time between Christ’s ascension and his return. This Millennium is the reign of Christ in the hearts of believers and in his church; thus, it is another way of referring to the church age. This period will end with the second coming of Christ. These different views about the Millennium need not cause division and controversy in the church because each view acknowledges what is most crucial to Christianity: Christ will return, defeat Satan, and reign forever! Whatever and whenever the Millennium is, Jesus Christ will unite ail believers; therefore, we should not let this issue divide us. 20:3 John doesn't say why God releases Satan for a little while, but it is part of God’s plan for judging the world. Perhaps it is to expose those who rebel against God in their hearts and confirm those who are truly faithful to God. Whatever the reason, Satan’s release results in the final destruction of all evil (20:12-15). 20:4 The beast’s mark is explained in the note on 13:16-18. 20:5, 6 Christians hold two basic views concerning this first resurrection: (1) Some believe that the first resurrection is spiritual (in our heart at salvation) and that the Millennium is our spiritual teign with Christ between his first and second comings. During this time, we are priests of God because Christ reigns in our hearts. In this view, the second resurrection is the bodily resurrection of all people for judgment. (2) Others believe that the first resurrection occurs after Satan has been set aside. It is a physical resurrection of believers, who then reign with Christ on the earth for a literal 1,000 years. The second resurrection occurs at the end Of this Millennium in order to judge unbelievers who have died.
Study feature · page 2201
THE BEGINNING AND THE END
Genesis
Revelation
The sun is created The sun is not needed.
Satan is victorious. Satan is defeated.
Sin enters the human race Sin is banished.
People run and hide from God People are invited to live with God forever.
People are cursed. The curse is removed.
Tears are shed, with sorrow for sin No more sin, no more tears or sorrow.
The garden and earth are cursed........ God's city is glorified; the earth is made new. Paradise is lost... 0.0.0... e ec ee eee Paradise is regained. People are doomed to death Death is defeated; believers live forever with God.
The Bible records for us the beginning of the world and the end of the world. The story of mankind, from beginning to end—from the fall into sin to redemption and God’s ultimate victory over evil—is found in the pages of the Bible.
God will remove all sorrows. Forevermore, there will be no death, sorrow, crying, or pain. What a wonderful truth! No matter what you are going through, it’s not the last word—God has written the final chapter, and it is about true fulfillment and eternal joy for those who love him. We do not know as much as we would like, but it is enough to know that eternity with God will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine. 21:5 God is the Creator. The Bible begins with the majestic story of his creation of the universe, and it concludes with his creation of a new heaven and a new earth. This is a tremendous hope and encouragement for the believer. When we are with God, with our sins forgiven and our future secure, we will be like Christ. We will be made perfect like him. 21:6 Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and Jesus finished the work of redemption (John 19:30), so the Trinity will finish the entire plan of salvation by inviting the redeemed into a new creation. 21:6 For more about the water of life, see the note on 22:1.
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