Hello, study partners. We are almost to the end of the most exciting book ever written. What do you think, so far? Well, we are about to find out what happens to man’s worst enemy. The Millennium is mentioned only here in this chapter. It is known as 1000 years, and comes from the Latin word that means 1000. Is it a literal 1000 years? We interpret it as literal unless the context tells us otherwise. Reference to it is made six times in the first nine verses, so it must be important. Just what is the Millennium? It is that 1000-year period of perfect harmony, an ideal state with Christ as the sole ruler of the universe. Just why do we need a Millennium? And what is its purpose?

 

   1. To redeem creation. The planet is devastated during the tribulation. Remember this: there can be no Millennium until Satan is removed from the earthly scene.

   2. To reward the people of God. Isaiah 40: 10. Secondly, the curse of sin must be removed from the physical earth before a Millennium can be established. Now, what do we mean by the curse of sin? Imperfections in and on the earth. Remember it was perfect when God created it. Sin brought about the imperfections.

   3. To prove that a perfect environment cannot bring about a sinless world.

 

    What will life be like in the Millennium? Peaceful. The prophet Micah said we would beat our swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. The UN has this saying over its doors but, this will never be fulfilled until Christ returns. No more war. Fear will be a thing of the past. Animals will be so tame; no zoos will be needed. All will be loving and docile to humans as well as each other. No more cults and no astrological signs or forecasts. It will be a time of prosperity, no more unpaid bills, and a time of perpetual health. No aches and pains. Great personal joy.

 

     Let’s read together Rev. 20. 1-3

   20:1 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 of the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him 1000 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 1000 years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.

 

    Here we are looking at the Millennium in relationship to Satan. Satan is the God of this age, the prince of the power of the air. His influence on the world is enormous, beyond comprehension. His removal from the earth is necessary before there can be a perfect Millennium.

 

   So, we see that Satan's relationship to the Millennium is this: he must be removed from the earth's scene before it can take place. Notice verse 2, that an angel “laid hold of the dragon”. Satan's great power is reduced to the point that an ordinary angel can subdue him and lead him away. (See Revelation 12: 7- 9). The abyss is not the lake of fire. It is the bottomless pit.

 

    Also notice the phrase, “must be loosed”. Question? Why is Satan loosed after God once had him put in the abyss in chains? One commentary's answer was another question: if you will tell me why God let him loose in the first place, I'll tell you why God let him loose in the second place. Why did God let him loose? Why has God permitted it? God is working out a tremendous plan which is the mystery of God that we don't know yet. We just must trust Him, to know that whatever He is doing is right.

 

    4. And I saw thrones, and they that set 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 worshiped the beast, nor his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; And they lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years.

    5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is a part of the first resurrection.

    6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him 1000 years.

 

    The Thrones are literal-the martyrs are literal-Jesus is literal- the word of God, the beast, the image, the mark, their foreheads and hands, the 1000 years period, all literal. 1000 years means 1000 years.

 

    The word for resurrection is anastasei which means to stand up in a bodily resurrection. The same word used by Paul in I Corinthians 15 for the resurrection of Christ and the rapture of the saved in Christ, called the Church.

“They that set upon (the thrones)”. Who are they? It must be the total number of those who have part in the first resurrection, which includes the saved of all ages. The first resurrection began with the resurrection of Christ. Then the resurrection or rapture of the church just before the tribulation. Then at the end of the tribulation, both the tribulation Saints, the souls of them that have been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the Old Testament Saints (see Daniel 12: 1, 2). Multitudes of both Israel and the gentiles will enter the Kingdom in natural bodies, not having died. These are the ones, together with those who are born during the Millennium, who are tested during this Millennial. We will all coexist just as Christ, in a glorified body mingled with His disciples and apostles and followers. In our glorified bodies, we will be able to move about just as Jesus did.

 

    Remember as you study, that God has a special duty for the saved of Israel. They will finally fulfill God’s original purpose for them. Exodus 19:6 tells us, “They shall be priests of God” (refers to the entire nation of Israel.)

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   We have just seen the last rebellion of Satan and Man against God. So what happens to Satan and his evil human followers? We are about to find out……NEXT WEEK.

 

   TIME IS SHORT, SWEET FRIENDS, WE NEED TO GET BUSY AND TELL OTHERS WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

Lovingly,

Maggie