Revelation 20 v 1-15 (Daily Bread of 31/08/2017)

FROM THE MILLENNIUM YEARS TO JUDGEMENT DAY
Key verse 20 :6
Studying Revelation makes us gain altitude. The various judgements that one after the other give us a number of negative perspectives. However, Ch. 20 us onto a marvellous summit.

1.      Before the thousand-year (1-3). The angel descended from the heavens with the key to the abyss in his hand. Many share the opinion that this angel is Christ himself. He alone has the authority and the power to bind Satan up and to cast him into the abyss. In this passage Satan is given four different names (2). The abyss is where the dead lie (sheol, hades). The souls of those who lost their way and who await God's judgement lie here. The evil spirits who Satan controls lie here as well.

2.      During the thousand-year period (4-6). Satan will be therefore up for a thousand years. This is a very contreversial topic that causes quite a bit of division concerning its interpretation : millenarianism  either before or after, amillennialism there are others who interpret it as a spiritual. According to several premillenial theologians, the reign known as the Millennium, that is part of the eschathologic  events will come as followed : the Church and Christ's tribunal being taken to heaven (the rapture) - the Anti-Christ's reign – the great tribulation - Christ's return and the punishment of his ennemies- Christ’s reign for a thousand years- Satan's last and final revolt – the final judgement – eternal happiness. Only the martyrs and the victors of the great tribulation are assigned to the thrones that are mentioned in this passage. These thrones are the corollary to God's reign. That's the first resurrection (5). The Anti-Christ's victims will not resurrect before the end of the tribulation period. They will not pass before Christ's tribunal but they will go directly to the throne of the heavens to enjoy happiness during a thousand years.

3.      After the thousand-year period (7-15). Satan is released from the abyss. The oppressing control that he will use on mankind after the thousand-year period of joy clearly demonstrates that the best way to change man's fallen nature is to completely reform his nature. Only Christ's life can make this possible. Satan will believe that with the Anti-Christ's help he will be able to seduce the nations and trick them into believing the he is God. However, the thunderous intervention of the will reduce his plan to nothing. The armies of Gog and Magog will be mobilised and will attack the beloved town and the saints. The spirit of rebellion will extend itself to the extremities of the Earth but just as quickly as he extends the fire from heaven will descend and consume the rebels. Thereafter, Satan will be thrown into the pond of fire and sulphur which the original destination for Satan and his angels. Satan will be reunited with the Anti-Christ and the false who were thrown there a thousand years before. The big tree trunk  will put itself into place and the accused will be judged and thrown away. No good work can justify the saved ; only Christ’s blood can via the Book of life (15).