Rev. 20:4-15
The Millennium
What is going to
happen after we die? Bible is very clear – only two options – heaven or hell.
A)
But death is something that people are uncomfortable with
People don’t like to
think about death – don’t like to talk about
death –
to use the “D” word – so they say – Cashed in their chips –
1) they kicked the bucket – or they reached room temperature
C)
But Death is something that People need to come to grips with because
the fact of the matter is/ Should the
Lord tarry- We are all going to die
People Magazine:
Michael
J. Fox – Parkinson’s – spin city – Back Future – Family Matters
“I realized
that I am vulnerable – I realized that no matter how many awards I have been
given – or what my bank account is, I could be messed with like that – the end
of the story is we all die” end quote.
D)
It is true that we all die, but the real issue is what happens afterwards
USA Today – Baby boomers – who are moving
closer to that time when their life is going to end – are developing new
strategies for funeral services – “Boomers Plot Exit Strategy”
“The days of
morbid gloomy funerals are dead – faced with their own mortality and that of
their parents – Baby boomers are changing the face of the funeral industry.
The result: Focusing on more personalized
services that celebrate the life of their departed loved ones – call it death
warmed over!
For
golf fanatic – there
is the fairway to heaven casket – bury with favorite outfit –
favorite clubs
For
Those with an irreverent sense of humor can purchase the plain rap casket –
that looks like a brown paper parcel – stamped in big red letters – RETURN TO SENDER
The most out of this world –
product award goes to Chain Tiser – Pres of Celestics Inc – A Houston company
that launches cremated remains
Tiser
says: with the exception of a few highly paid
government employees and some astronauts – you and I will never have the
opportunity to go into space – but for about $5,000 a few ounces of your
remains can be attached to canisters placed aboard commercial satellite launch
vehicles that are sent into low earth orbit.
Those
who have taken flight – Star Treck creator Gene Rottenbeary. L.S.D. GURU Timothy Leary
but that
is all secondary – because the real me and the real you your spirit – lives
on forever – in one of two places – heaven or hell
B) You are going to
either spend eternity SERVING THE LORD and taking part in His glory
1)
or you are going to
spend eternity – Suffering in the lake of fire
A)
Ch.20 of Revelation gives us some insight into both of those
options & how to be sure we will be enjoying Eternity
1)
Rather than
suffering for Eternity
Ch. 20 divides neatly into 4
sections / v.1-3 Account of Satan being bound for 1,000 yrs – during the Mill.
( Looked at last time)
A) V.4-6 We are given some
insight into the Millennial reign of Christ
Discuss our Role – and the Characteristics of that time
B) V.7-10 We see that Satan is
Released for a short time & he deceives some
1)
Discuss
why he is released –
A) V.11-15 We are given the
account of the Great White throne Judgement
1)
Discuss
Who is being Judged & Why
START V.4-6
A) At the 2nd coming : Jesus comes back riding on a
white horse / we the saints come back w/ Him
B)
He
destroys the forces of evil – The AntiChrist & the False Prophet are thrown
into the Lake of Fire & Satan is bound in the Abusso
1)
Christ sets up His kingdom here upon the earth : A Kingdom and time described in the word as a time of Perfect
Peace & Righteousness
Isa.11 6 “The wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The
calf and the young lion together;
And a little child
shall lead them.7
A)
My Daughter Amy –wants a dog so bad – but she has Asthma –so every time that she
gets around dogs major attack
1) Talking yesterday – In
the Mill. – she can have a Lion for a Pet
The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie
down together;
And the lion shall
eat straw like the ox.
8
The nursing child
shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the
viper’s den.
A) Isaiah
also tells us that it is going to be a time where people will die of Infant
death syndrome at 100yrs of age
1)
meaning
that if a person – dies at the age of 100 yrs it will be considered as a very
young death
A)
People
are going to live longer in the Millennium because there will be no disease /
no sickness / TROPICAL
PARADISE
Now in
v.4 we get some insight into what we are going to be doing in the Millennium /
Living & Reigning w/ Christ
A) We who come back w/ the Lord
– Everyone who was in Heaven including the saints who were killed in the Trib.
1) Everyone who takes part in
the first Rez. - PAUSE consider
Here is what we
need to understand about the First Rez. / When the Bible speaks of the First
Rez. It is not talking about an event in time
A) Where suddenly there is a
Rez. But The First Rez. Starts when
Jesus
Rose
from the dead
A) He is referred to as the
First born of the dead / the first fruits of those who have died
1)
First to be raised never to die again.
A) He is the First in order / first in
Prominence – but it continues on now for believers
1) It continues on through to the Rapture – where we read in 1 Thes . 4
that the dead in Christ are going to rise first
& we who are alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air
A) We are going to be changed –
this mortal will
put on immortality
1)
it
continues on into the Millennium w/ those who are Martyred for their faith in
Jesus - All of those scenarios – 1st Rez. Beg. W/ Christ
A)
So
all those who come back w/ the Lord – everyone who takes part in the First Rez.
Is going to be ruling & reigning w/ Christ in His Kingdom !!!! 1) for 1,000
yrs /
Now We
are going to be given responsibility in the Millennial Kingdom based upon our
Faithfulness to the Lord in this Life
A)
That is our Reward -
B)
Two Judgements : Judgement
of Rewards for the Righteous
1)
Everything that we have done here for the Lord –w/ the right motives we
are going to be rewarded for
A) Paul likened it to gold
silver & precious stones, that w/ stand the fire
B)
Where as everything that we have done for the Lord that was done w/
the wrong motives – Self gratification / to be seen etc – Wood hay straw
1)
Which is burned up in the
fire !!!!
How easy is it to
be rewarded ? Cup of cold water .. Child
/ Worship / Witnessing /
A)
The nature of our rewards is
going to be responsibility in the Lords kingdom
B) That is the whole point of the Parable of the Faithful Stewards in Matt.25 and similar illustrations Jesus gave
1)
so we are going to be given responsibility to Help Rule in the
Lord’s Kingdom !!!!
QUESTION : Ruling
and reigning over who?
A) The survivors of the Trib.
!!! The 1/3 of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem who were spared / all of those who didn’t take the Mark of
the beast
B) Well that would seem like a
small number
1)
Think
1,000 yrs people living & reproducing in a perfect environment – the world
is going to multiply quickly
Now
understand we are in our Glorified bodies / we are going to be like Christ
: After Rez. – Just appeared – through
wall
Jesus
wasn’t there when Thomas said –Unless I ……. Not believe
1)
But
He knew exactly what Thomas said
That
is going to be our Capacity as well in our new Bodies in our Glorified state
B)Question
why is this going to be necessary in a Perfect environment ?
1)
Answer
is everyone who is left on the earth & everyone who is born in the Mill. Is
still going to have their Sin natures
A)
Not
us – New Glorified bodies – But all the people here when Christ returns
A)
Now because Satan is bound
it makes things a whole lot easier –but people are still going to struggle w/
their thought life / FLESH
B) People are still going to wrestle w/ the tendency to be selfish / Coveting will be a Problem / People will get angry
1)
So
People will Struggle w/ their Fleshly tendencies but sin is not going to be as
Blatant as it is today
A)
Because
there is going to be a healthy respect for the Rule of
Christ .
Example: In Iran today – the Punishment for Murder is Immediate
death /
A)
Guess
what ? Extremely low – Murder rate
B)
The
Punishment for Theft is you lose your hand – Guess what? Very little theft that
takes place there
1)
And
you don’t see any one handed people walking around there
A)
There
is a healthy respect for the Law & the Rule in their country/ born out of
fear .
B) In a similar sense in the Millennial reign there is going to
be a Healthy respect for the Rule of the Lord –
1)
But
love is going to be the motivating factor – when People see how Awesome the
Lord is – Motivated by Love / not Fear
A)
But
here is where the struggle is going to come in / Because of the sin nature
people are going to struggle w/ things like anger
1)
there
will be disputes / And that is where we are going to come in /
to keep the peace
So there is going to
be 1000 yrs of Perfect Conditions / perfect peace & Blessing – compiled w/
an Enforced Righteousness
A) but then something amazing happens v. 7-10
So here
we read that the devil is released & he is able to deceive some of the
people who are living in the Mill.
A) Now this isn’t talking about us / but those who were born during the 1,000 yr reign
B) Satan deceives them into turning against the Lord and following after Him !!!
1)Question is why would the Lord allow this to happen ? 3 Good reasons
1.) To PROVE once and for all that mans basic problem IS NOT
that of environment, it is a problem of SINFUL nature
B) Change the environment and man can live a good
life
1) Man will NEVER create a more perfect environment upon earth
than when Jesus is ruling upon it /
No more Ghettos, gangs, poverty, drugs
C) Yet after 1,000 years of
such an environment, man still has the capacity to rebel against God
1)This is a FRIGHTENING COMMENTARY
on the nature of man
2.) To prove the
INCURABLE wickedness of Satan
A) 1,000 years of confinement
in the bottomless pit have not changed Satan one bit
3) To Illustrate a Truth that runs throughout scripture that
the Lord gives to every man the opportunity of Choice to Serve & Follow Him
or not
Began in the garden – has been the case throughout human
history
A)
Love
requires a Choice – Forced love is not love at all but rape
B)
God
would not be guilty of Raping Humanity – nor did he want robots for followers
1)
There
fore He has given to man a free will – to
Choose to Follow Him or to reject Him
A)
It
was that way at the Beginning and it will be that way at the end !!!
B)
Just
like Satan deceived Eve into thinking that She didn’t need God – he deceives
some at this time to take part in the insurrection
1)
To
do Battle against the Lord
The next section
reveals the final outcome of those who Choose to follow Satan in the Mill.
A) As well as those who rejected Christ throughout History – they will
stand before God at the Great white throne Judgement (Read
11-15)
B)
The
great white throne Judgement is where the Lord is going to judge everyone who
has every lived – who didn’t put their faith in Him
1)
Those
who have died through the ages are going to be raised – to stand before the
Lord
A)
See
those who die in the Lord – go to heaven to be absent from this body is to be
Present w/ the Lord
1)
Now
Prior to Christ Rez. They went to Paradise – Story of Laz. & rich man
A)
Those
who die who have rejected the Lord – Not for me you are against me – they go to Hades – fire torment – but not final Judgement
1)
They
stay in Hades or what we would call Hell –suffering until the 1,000 yr reign of
Christ is over
At that time they
are brought to stand before the Lord at the Great white throne Judgement – this
is called the 2nd death
A) First death is Physical – there is Finality to this life – never to
live again - NO
REINCARNATION
The 2nd
death is when a person is going to stand before the Lord at this Judgement –
condemned forever to be separated from God
A) Their choice to not want God in their lives / their Choice to not
follow Him is going to be honored as they are forever
Banished
B) Cast into the Lake of fire
the Place of torment forever & ever – THAT IS THE 2ND DEATH –
Death = being separated from God .
Now here
is what is going to happen> We are
told in v. 12 that the books are going to be opened – what books
A)
We can Only guess! Maybe one of those books will be the 10 command..
God
said that He gave
the law so that every mouth may be stopped and so that all the world may be
guilty before God
B)
There will be people who say “I kept the
ten commandments”
1)
You
meet people like this – I don’t need Christ – I live by the ten commandments and
golden rule
A)
You
have kept all the Commandments to the Letter ? Absolutely they say – You know
they are breaking one right there : Bear false Witness
1) Plus Jesus made it
an issue of heart
So maybe the law will be there
show man how he has broken God’s standard
A)
Perhaps
another book is going to be a book that bears the record of everything we have
ever said or done –
Eccl 12:14 14God will judge us for
everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
A) People who say – I live by my own standard – I
have my own religion
B)
Popular
today – Popery religion – little of this – little of that – little Hinduism/
Humanism/ hold the guilt – little Christianity
C)
Book – that will show how people didn’t ever live up their own beliefs of
what they thought was right
Romans
2:14 14Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law,
instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they
know right from wrong. 15They demonstrate that God’s law is written
within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are
doing what is right. 16The day will surely come when God, by Jesus
Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life.
D) Deep down people know right and wrong are – good and evil – so don’t say you don’t – you do!
Maybe book – be a record of every
time you have heard the gospel message
rejected him
B) Because no doubt there will be
those who will say - I didn’t
know – I never heard about Jesus I didn’t know I needed to put my trust in Him
C)
You will not be able to plead ignorance
So possible idea of books – but the main
book is the book of life
The nail scarred hands of Jesus will scan the list of
names in that book – A) If your name is not
written in that book, Jesus will sadly but reluctantly
and firmly say – depart
from me – I never knew you. You workers of iniquity.
1) And there will be those the bible says
who are going to say in that day
But Lord – didn’t we cast out demons in Your
name – didn’t we go to church – name/ we gave in the offering