For some of you, when we started this study through the book of Revelation, you may have been thinking about this chapter (Revelation 20) that we’re going to look at this morning. After all, I believe more books have been written on this chapter and the topic of the millennium than any other portion of this book. There are numerous three views and four views books that focus on this issue alone as to how to interpret Revelation 20, especially verses 1-10. So, some of you may be very settled on the issue and eager to see how the text will be preached, and some may be unsure and curious to see what would be declared from the pulpit when this text is finally addressed.
Well, I must admit that my eye has been on this Sunday from the very beginning of the series as well. At most every point in my study I’ve been anticipating this chapter. But I wouldn’t say it’s because I’ve been eager but rather anxious. My anxiety stems from the fact that when we began this study on the book of Revelation about eight months ago, I wasn’t sure where I stood on understanding the issue that arises in the opening verses of this chapter, namely, the millennium (or the 1000 years referenced in this text). I had hope, though, that after studying through the book for twenty-four weeks, leading up to this one, that I’d be confident in a position by the time I was supposed to preach the text. However, my confidence waned when I started my study this week and found myself going back and forth between two views.
Complicating matters is that even among my fellow pastors, there are divergent views. And when I went into the meeting with the interns on Wednesday, slightly leaning one direction, I ended the meeting leaning slightly less that direction. I even reached out to Tom Schreiner, a professor at Southern Seminary, who preached through the book of Revelation only a few years back. In his preaching, he acknowledged to have come down in a position by the time he preached Revelation 20 that was different than he held when he started into preaching the book. So, I wrote him an email to see if he still held his position and see if he might convince me. He wrote back, and I quote, “Thanks Lee! I hope you are well. Honestly, I am not sure! That's no help! Tom.”
Turning to commentaries and other studies fails to clear up the issue as well. The most trusted commentaries I’ve studied go one direction, and some of the most trusted scholars who have influenced my thinking go another. And so that brings us to this morning.
My first draft of the sermon actually was walking through the two views that I wrestled with concerning how to understand the first ten verses of this chapter. One is called Premillennialism (or sometimes “Historic Premillennialism” to differentiate it from Dispensational Premillennialsim) and the other “Amillennialism.” When I first wrote up the sermon, I had tried to walk through each of these views, bring up some strengths and weaknesses of each, then try to tell you where I was, and try to end with a bit of an exhortation. But I decided to go a different route. It just didn’t feel right. It felt too much like a theological lecture, so I think I’ll save it for Sunday school some morning. I feel like in the moment of preaching, however, that the Word needs to be proclaimed more than merely examined.
Therefore, what I’ve decided to do this morning is simply preach the text in the manner I am convinced that it needs to be understood and preached. But when I say “I am convinced,” I mean as I am convinced right now. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning, I actually thought I’d write the sermon from a Premillennial perspective. In fact, I started writing the sermon from this perspective. On Monday this week I’d thought that the Amillennial perspective is write, and then I drifted away from it only to return to it after I started writing my sermon on Thursday. So, as of right now, I think an Ammillennial understanding of this text fits best in my mind with the witness of the rest of Scripture and the rest of the book of Revelation itself.
So, with that said, perhaps a very small number of you are dejected that I’m disagreeing with your understanding of this text and a very small number are elated that I’m agreeing with you. Most of you are probably not caring a whole lot whether I agree with you or not. But to those who are having a feeling of dejection or elation, take heart (or lose heart) in the fact that I very well could change my mind tomorrow. So, if you’re going to say that I agree with you, you’re probably on safer ground to say that I agreed with you as of 11:00 on Sunday morning, November 17, 2013 (and if I disagree with you, likewise). Only the Lord knows what I’ll believe about this text a week from now. I also want to say that if you do determine that you disagree with me, I’m more than okay with you not rushing up to me after the sermon to let me know.
Now to some of you, nothing I’ve said about Amillennialism or Premillennialism means anything. You don’t even know what I’m talking about. And that’s okay. You don’t have to know these terms. In fact, I’m not going to reference them through the rest of the sermon except to say one thing. For those of you who are really interested in this topic, I’ve tried to put a lot of footnotes in my sermon manuscript that will be available online where I try to provide a Premillennial understanding of this text and try to interact with some of the arguments of that view.1 But I don’t want to take the time to go over them this morning, so if you want them, they’re in the manuscript.
What I think is going on in Revelation 20 is that the Lord is providing a reminder of a number of encouraging realities that these persecuted and weary believers throughout the ages should hold to so that we stand strong and persevere in the faith. The first truth, then, that the Lord reminds his people of is that:
In how I’m going to lay out this text, I think that the 1000 years referenced in these verses (specifically in every verse in verses 2-6) is a reference to this entire time between the two comings of Christ. Therefore, when we start to look at verses 1-6, what we’re seeing is something that is already true, is already happening, and has been true since the first coming of Christ, where Jesus lived, died, rose, and ascended to the Father’s right hand.
I think the best way to understand the text is to realize that when the text speaks of Satan being bound and thrown into a pit that was shut and sealed over him, that it speaks of something that happened with the first coming of Christ (as he came, lived, died, rose, and ascended to heaven). One reason to argue this is because it seems that the events of chapter 20 are not meant to be seen as following the events of chapter 19 in time, as if we’re given a chronological sequence of events. Rather, as often happens throughout the book of Revelation, chapter 20 is recapitulating (or providing another look at previously mentioned events from a different perspective) the events of chapter 19. Therefore, the battle mentioned in Revelation 20:7-10, for example, is simply another re-telling of the battle that was seen in 16:13-14 and in 19:19. The difference here is that where chapter 19 told of the events from the perspective of the defeat of the beast and false prophet, chapter 20 tells of the events from the perspective of the defeat of the dragon.2
But what does this mean, then, that Satan was bound and thrown into the pit that was sealed over him so that he cannot deceive the nations any longer? I think that this is what happened at the first coming of Christ. Think for a second about Satan’s powerful working and ruling up to the coming of Christ. Adam and Eve were to spread the glory of the Lord all over the world, yet Satan deceives them and they falter in this mission. Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations, yet they falter in this mission. There is simply a lack of the nations coming to know the Lord in the Old Testament. And the nations are largely left to go their own way so that Paul can say in Acts 14:16, “In past generations he allowed the nations to walk in their own ways.” Again, that the world is largely in darkness and under the power of the evil one is clear.
However, we know that when Jesus Christ comes onto the scene, he demonstrates the authority of the kingdom of God over Satan’s realm. When he frees man from their satanic captivity by casting out demons, he declares, “If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matt. 12:28). Similarly, he sends out his disciples, saying, “Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons” (Matt. 10:7-8), which I think is Christ saying, “Preach the kingdom, and then demonstrate the kingdom.” Demonstrate Christ’s authority over the satanic realm.
Perhaps even more interesting in relation to our text this morning is what Jesus says is going on with Satan as these actions take place. After declaring that if he casts out demons, then the kingdom of God is at hand, he adds, “Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Matt. 12:29). He’s telling us that every time someone is freed from satanic captivity, it’s demonstrating that Satan has been bound. He is powerless over the kingdom, over the authority of Christ that is here. Then, when the disciples return from their mission and declare, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” he responds, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:17-18).
Now, those two descriptions sound a lot like descriptions of Satan we’ve seen in Revelation, don’t they? The binding of Satan, of course, reminds us of our text this morning, where we’re told that the angel bound Satan and threw him into the pit. The language of Satan falling from heaven sounds a lot like Revelation 12, doesn’t it? In Revelation 12, we saw that because of the work of Christ – coming, living, dying, and being raised and exalted – Satan has been cast down out of heaven so that he no longer has any place to stand and accuse the saints because the gospel has eliminated any ground for his charges. The reason, then, I think that Jesus makes reference to this when the disciples return is to show them that part of Satan’s being cast down shows us that he’s powerless over the advancement of this gospel of the kingdom that must be preached in the whole world before the end comes (Matt. 24:14).3
Yes, when Satan is cast down from heaven, he is ruthless. He’s a destroyer. And the Lord makes clear throughout the entire book of Revelation that he continues to be a destroyer in this age. And, yes, he continues to deceive the world, as he always has. Yet his deception over the nations is powerless in face of the gospel. He is bound so that he can deceive the nations no more. This is why before Jesus sends us out as sheep in the midst of wolves, as people going into enemy-occupied territory, he first tells us in Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He wants us to know that Satan’s deceiving work over the nations is powerless over the gospel because of the authority that Christ bears. Therefore, he tells us to go all over the globe with the gospel, making disciples of all the nations. Yes, it may cost us our lives, but the gospel will be preached, and the gates of hell will not prevail against the church moving forward. This is the same message we saw in Revelation 11 with the two witnesses, as Jesus showed us that it is only “when they have finished their testimony” that they will be able to be conquered and killed (Rev. 11:7).4
I think this is the message we’re being reminded of in this last scene of judgment. The gospel will be preached to the nations before the end will come. And Satan is powerless to deceive the nations in the face of the gospel of the kingdom. Christ’s authority over Satan’s deception is shown in a whole new way ever since the coming, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord. That is the first message that Jesus is reminding us about from this final chapter of judgment.
The second truth that Jesus reminds his church of in this text, I think flows naturally out of the first. It is that:
John tells us, “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who 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 for a thousand years” (v. 4).
Now, what is this all about? Well, there are a couple of things that most everyone agrees on when we come to understanding this section of our chapter. The first is that those seated on the thrones symbolize Christians reigning with Christ. There is some disagreement on where they’re reigning, but most agree that the thrones and individuals seated on them symbolize Christians reigning with Christ. Second, there is pretty vast agreement that when the verse tells us that those who came to life and reigned with Christ for 1000 years that it’s meaning not just those believers who have been martyred. Now, you can see why some could think it’s just talking about martyrs. After all, the text tells us that it is those “who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus” who came to life. However, even if you wanted to press this description and reduce this group to martyrs, you would have to say only martyrs who had been beheaded, not those who’d been set on fire, killed with wild animals, sawn in two, etc. But the fact that the text goes on to include those who did not worship the beast or received its image, I think, is an indication this includes all faithful believers as they face death, not just martyrs. Now with that, the vast agreement ends. So, here’s what I think he’s saying.
I think he’s telling us that when believers die throughout this age (throughout the 1000 years), they will actually find life and reigning with Christ. That is to say, don’t pity those who are slaughtered at the hands of Satan, for they’re not defeated. They’re conquering. They’re experiencing eternal life and reigning with Christ. This reigning with Christ from heaven is shown in reference to the thrones. “Thrones” are referenced in the book of Revelation forty-six times, and in forty-two of them, the thrones are located in heaven. In three of them, the thrones refer to Satan’s throne or the beast’s throne, and the other is here.5 So, I think we’re on safe ground to think that these thrones are in heaven.
So, what’s going on here, I think, is Jesus is showing us that the souls of those who have died are actually experiencing eternal life and reigning with Christ from heaven. We saw this in Revelation 6 as those souls were crying out for the Lord to judge the world, to bring final judgment. And they were told to rest a while longer until a number of other believers would be killed and the full number accomplished. But they were also given “white robes” (6:11) in that text. And I don’t think it’s coincidence that earlier in the book when Jesus addressed the church at Laodicea, he told them to buy from him “white robes” and promised them that if they did, they would sit with him on his throne, “as [he] also conquered and sat down with [his] Father on his throne” (3:21).
Jesus is saying that the saints’ death is actually a coming to life in that they die and yet find life. In fact, of this group who die in the Lord, Jesus says, “Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years” (20:6). That is, if you die in the Lord, you’ll find life and not face eternal condemnation. In fact, this is the same thing echoed earlier in the book when Jesus told the church at Smyrna to “be faithful unto death” (2:10), and if they did, they would “not be hurt by the second death” (2:11). That is the same message being reiterated here. If you’re faithful, even though you die, you’ll live and not face the second death.
Now, what’s interesting here is that the souls of believers finding eternal life as they are faithful unto death is called “resurrection” in verse 6. And the word “resurrection” is consistently used in the Bible to refer to bodily resurrection, not simply the life believers enter at their death. That is true. But the combination of “first” and “resurrection” is never found together in the Bible except here. So, it seems that John is using unique language here. Why? What is he doing?
Here’s what I think is going on. Interestingly, he refers to a first resurrection and a second death, but he never mentions explicitly a second resurrection and a first death. Now, we know that believers who die and find life as their souls are with the Lord will experience another resurrection – a resurrection of the body. And we know that those who face the second death will experience a previous death (unless perhaps they are alive at the coming of the Lord and then simply are raised to judgment). However, I think the reason John is using these terms “first resurrection” and “second death” is because he’s exposing a reality that can be easily hidden from our eyes. That is, though the saints may die, they will actually experience resurrection life (which all life that we have in Christ is resurrection life), and though the unbelievers will one day be resurrected, it will only be so that they might face a second death. He’s creating a play on perceived and true reality – our death is life, and their resurrection will be to death.
Therefore, to the suffering church that is dying at the hands of the enemy, Jesus not only calls them to be faithful unto death, but he assures them that their death will only mean living and reigning with Christ.
A third word of encouragement to the church is then found in verses 7-10. There we see:
It seems that the teaching of these verses is that at the end of this age, perhaps as the gospel has been preached, Christ’s people have been brought in, and just prior to Christ coming in judgment, Satan will be allowed to bring great deception to the nations again. This is the same imagery we’ve seen earlier in 16:13-14, 17:12-14, and 19:19, where the nations of the earth, under the deception of Satan launch an attack against the Lamb and his people and are destroyed. So, here, we read that when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison, though still under Christ’s authority, as Christ will allow him to gather the unbelievers from all over the world to make war against the Lamb and the saints. But, as we read in the text, “Fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (20:9-10).
One day Satan himself will be thrown into the lake of fire. He has been an enemy, liar, deceiver, and murderer from the beginning. Throughout our lives we have had to pray, “Lord, keep us from the evil one.” We have known and seen the results of his devouring work. But one day even he will face judgment, and we’ll face him no more.
Finally, the text ends by reminding us that:
After this war, as we saw earlier in chapter 16, the earth itself falls apart. There is coming a new creation, which we’ll see beginning in chapter 21. And the dead will be raised, every one of them to stand before the Lord. And they’ll be judged “according to what they had done (20:12-13). For the saints, our works will vindicate our faith and judgment of righteousness. For the unbelievers, their works will vindicate their damnation.
But notice how the text ends, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (20:15). This is a text I reference often in preaching. It’s a text that reminds us that there really is terrible judgment that awaits anyone who has not bowed the knee to Christ in faith. Unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire according to this text. Therefore, I want to plead with you this morning, if your faith isn’t in Christ, to bow to the lamb.
Yes, if you bow to the lamb, then you will face the wrath of Satan, the wrath of the beast, the wrath of the false prophet, the wrath of the prostitute in this life. You may even be killed at the hands of wicked men simply for holding fast to your testimony that Jesus is your Lord. But your death will only mean life and reigning with Christ.
However, you can deny Christ, seek as much of life and the rewards you can find in this life without him. And you can be spared the wrath of the beast that is found in persecution. But your resurrection on that final day will only be a resurrection to face the wrath of the Lamb, a second death where you will be thrown into the lake of fire. Therefore, please, place your faith in Christ today, bowing the knee to him as your Lord. After all, it is only in trusting in the Lamb who lived, died, and was raised that you can know your name will be found written in the book of life.
And for believers, this book was written to encourage us to hold fast, be faithful, obey, and endure. And I think that’s what we see this morning. Satan cannot stop the progress and preaching of the gospel, so let’s go with the authority of Christ and take the gospel to the nations, making disciples of Christ. Yes, it may cost us our lives, but our death will only mean that we live and reign with Christ, waiting for that day when we will live with him forever in a new heavens and a new earth. Therefore, let us proclaim our faith and obedience to our Lord today as we come to the table. Amen.