The
Revelation of Christ –
Part 46: Judgment of Satan and the Dead
Pastor
Bruce A. Shields
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SERMON INTRODUCTION
Today
we will be looking at “The Thousand Years,” as described in Revelation
20. This can sometimes seem confusing for many reasons. Many think when
we die, we “go to heaven” when actually we will live on the new earth when all
is said and done. Some think when we die, we become angels; however, angels and
humans are two different creations, and though we will receive new bodies, we
will never actually become angels.
Last
week we finished looking at Revelation 19, the fall of Babylon,
and the threefold hallelujah celebration over its demise.
We saw
in Revelation
19:11 Christ on the white horse, and He is called Faithful and True.
With Justice (honesty, integrity, fairness, impartiality, righteousness) he
judges and wages war.
By the
end of this chapter (Revelation 19:19), we see two parts
of the unholy trinity (666), the beast (Antichrist) and false prophet, were
thrown “alive” into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
However,
nothing was done to Satan for his plan to take over the world and rule mankind
as a god. This brings us to Chapter 20.
SERMON SERIES – The
Revelation of Christ
THE THINGS WHICH SHALL
BE – The Coming Judgment
TODAY’S SERMON - THE
THINGS WHICH SHALL BE
SCRIPTURE READING
Revelation 20:7-15
When the thousand years are
over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the
nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for
battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across
the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he
loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who
deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and
the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for
ever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white
throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his
presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and
small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was
opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they
had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it,
and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was
judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown
into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose
name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of
fire.
I.
AFTER THE
THOUSAND YEARS
a.
Satan
created the false godhead (666) to be a god
i. Satan
planned from the beginning of creation of earth and humankind to deceive them
and rule over them
ii. Satan wanted
to be “greater” than God (Isaiah 14:12-17)
iii. During
Tribulation Satan used the power of Abaddon (Apollyon or the Destroyer) who was
released from the Abyss to lead demon armies to possess human armies to wage
war against the Lamb of God
iv. This king of
the Abyss who ruled over demons also gives power to the False Prophet (who is a
human) so as to enable him to give signs and wonders to promote the Antichrist
(who is also human)
v. This creates
“The Beast” (666)
1.
Satan acting as “the father”
2.
Human Antichrist acting as Christ the son
3.
Human False prophet empowered by Abaddon acting as
Holy Spirit
b.
During
Tribulation (the time when Satan created 666)
i. Satan
brought up the Antichrist, placed him in power, and formed the new world order
where he controlled most of the greater nations through the Antichrist.
ii. It is during
this time he uses these nations to wage war against the Lamb of God
c.
The False
Prophet and Antichrist (two parts of the unholy godhead Satan created) are
judged
i. Satan’s
attempt to wage war against the Creator obviously failed
ii. With a
simple word the Lord destroys all of Satan’s armies, and casts the Antichrist
and False Prophet into the Lake of Burning Sulfur
iii. In Revelation
20:20 we see Satan is them locked up in chains and cast into the Abyss
for a thousand years
iv. After the
“Fall of Babylon the Great” the “Wedding of the Lamb” has come, and the Bride
is ready (the Church) which receives fine linen, bright and clean which was
given to her to wear.
1.
This is where those who worship and serve the Lord
receive their “new” garments, and names and are now blessed and fully in Him.
2.
Revelation 19:9b “Blessed
are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”
3.
Revelation 19:14 At this
point we ride with the Lord as His armies, not because He needs us, but so we
can witness the judging of sin and Babylon.
v. Revelation
20:4 We see thrones (probably placed upon the earth to replace all the
nations who were just destroyed by the Lord) and on the thrones those who were
“given” the authority to judge
1.
The Lord placed these judges over the earth to rule
for a thousand years
vi. These rulers
are those who stayed obedient to God and His word during Tribulation
(Tribulation Saints) (Revelation 20:4)
vii. Revelation
20:5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were
ended. This (the Tribulation Saints) is the First Resurrection
1.
Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy are those who share in the
first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will
be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a
thousand years.”
II.
SATAN WILL
BE RELEASED
a.
After a
thousand years Satan is released
i. For a
thousand years the Lord and the Tribulation Saints who had been given authority
to judge have ruled the world without the influence of Satan
ii. During this
time, people will marry, have families, and life will continue
iii. However,
there will be peace, Love will rule, and scripture says even the beasts of the
land will get along with each other during this time.
iv. However, the
“ability” to chose wrong still exists in those who are being born and live
during this time. Free will is not taken away, they just do not have the
influence of Satan and his minions against them.
v. This is why
there are “judges”,
vi. In Revelation
20:6 we are told that the Tribulation Saints (judges) will be “priests of God and Christ and will reign
with Him for a thousand years”
vii. As judges,
and priests, their responsibilities will be just as one would imagine for a
priest, a counselor, teacher, preacher, leader, showing those alive and born
during the thousand year reign about Christ and God.
viii. After a
thousand years of this, Satan is then released from the Abyss
1.
Why did God not throw Satan into the Lake of Burning
Sulfur along with the Antichrist and False Prophet after Tribulation?
2.
I believe it is because the Lord wanted to show Satan that
his plans to destroy humankind failed, and within a short span of a thousand years
of Christ’s rule the world was greater than had ever been with Satan’s
influence.
b.
He still
manages to deceive enough people to build another army
i. Satan, once
released, immediately begins to deceive those upon the earth.
ii. I expect
that of him, it is his nature, however, I find it alarming that some still
believe Satan’s lies and follow Him.
iii. Satan builds
another army, but instead of waging war against the Lamb of God, he focuses his
attention and anger on Israel and surrounds the camp of God’s people.
c.
Then Satan
is judged
i. It is at
this point Satan is judged
ii. He now sees
that his attempts of becoming a god would never be
1.
He failed to take over heaven
2.
He failed to take over man at the garden
3.
He failed numerous attempts to rule over humankind
through satanically controlled nations and kings
4.
He failed to destroy the Jews (multiple times over the
ages)
5.
He failed to stop Moses
6.
He failed to stop the birth of Jesus
7.
He failed to rule over Jesus when he tempted him in
the desert
8.
He failed to stop Israel
9.
He failed to stop Christianity
10.
He failed to create a New World order
11.
He failed to create himself a godhead (666)
12.
He failed to destroy the teachings and truth of the
Word
13.
He failed at Tribulation
14.
He failed to wage war against the Lamb of God
15.
And now he failed at building a new army after the
thousand years to destroy God’s people
iii. Satan is now
cast into the Lake of Burning Sulfur to be tormented day and night forever and
ever where the False Prophet and Antichrist were thrown alive.
III.
THE GREAT
WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
a.
The dead
(all who have ever died)
i. Regardless
of their temporary holding place of their departed spirit after it left the
corrupt flesh
1.
Old
Testament dead were kept in Sheol
a.
Paradise – located
in Sheol, “Abraham’s Bosom” (Luke 16:19-31) where the righteous
would await the savior to take them to heaven (Job 19:25-27; Psalm 16:10; Psalm
49:15; 86:13; 89:48) since the cross had not yet taken place and they
could not be with Christ yet because their sins had not yet been atoned. After
Christ atoned with His blood at the cross he went to Paradise in Sheol (Luke
23:43) where he received those in Paradise and took them all to heaven
as promised (Psalm 68:18) now that their sins had been atoned with His
blood.
b.
Torment – Located
in Sheol across from Paradise with a “Great Abyss” between them (Luke
16:19-31). This is where all those who are disobedient to the Word, all
the unrighteous and wicked whose souls have departed their corrupt flesh go to
await Judgment Day.
2.
New
Testament dead
a.
Those who
belong to Christ – To be a righteous soul apart from your body (dead) you
are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), who is now
sitting at the Right Hand of God upon the Throne (Romans 8:34; Luke 22:69).
b.
Those who do
not belong to Christ – the souls of those who do not belong to the Lord (unrighteous)
still go to Hades (Sheol – Torment) where they will wait until Judgment Day (2
Peter 2:9; John 5:28:29).
b.
They were
judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books
i. Books were opened (which are more than likely the
following);
1.
Book of Remembrance
- This book is a record of the good deeds of
those who fear the Lord – those who obey Him. (Malachi 3:16-18) The Lord
wants us to know that every good deed doesn’t go unnoticed by Him (Matthew
10:42; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:23; Revelation 21:12). This is what is meant
when the Lord tells us to “store up treasures of good works in heaven” in Matthew
6:20.
2.
Book of
Records of Sins - The
Psalmist says that God marks our iniquities in His book (Psalm 130:3). Paul teaches that everyone
will appear before Christ at the judgment and receive a sentence according to
their deeds, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). John in Revelation confirms that the dead will be judged
according to their works, by the things which were written in the heavenly
books (Revelation 20:12).
3.
And perhaps
the Commands – Which we would all be judged by if our names are not
found in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
ii. The Book of Life was opened (the book of life of the
Lamb who was slain Revelation 13:8; the Lamb’s book of life Revelation 21:27; Book
of the Living Psalm 69:28. This is the book where your name is recorded if
you are “saved” and belong to Christ Jesus.
iii. Everything
you have ever said or done is recorded, and you will be judged for it! (Matthew
12:36, 37; Romans 12:6-11).
c.
There was no
escaping judgment at the Great White Throne
i. The sea gave up the dead that were in it (meaning
even those lost at sea will be found for Judgment Day)
ii. Death gave up the dead that were in it
iii. Hades (Sheol) gave up
the dead that were in it (Specifically Torment where the unrighteous are
awaiting Judgment Day)
1.
Basically meaning all who have died will face
judgment, there is no escape or exemption.
iv. Each person
was judged according to what they had done (good and bad recorded in the books)
d.
THEN death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire
i. Death cast
in because no one will die any more.
ii. Hades (Sheol
– place of departed spirits, specifically Torment which is the only part used
at this point) cast in because no more “unrighteous” to hold for judgment day,
Sheol is no longer needed.
iii. The Lake of
Fire is not Sheol, Hades, the Abyss, it is Gehenna, the “final” resting place
for the unrighteous, also referred to as the Lake of Burning sulfur. (Matthew
13:49,50; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43; Revelation 21:8) THIS is the “Second Death”
CONCLUSION
–
ANYONE
whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the Lake
of Fire.
Is your name in the Lambs Book of Life? It must be
written in! Only Christ can do this, because it is His Book!
Moses knew about the Book of Life – Exodus 32:32-33
Daniel
12:1 tells us our name must be found written there to be
delivered.
Paul tells us about the Lambs Book of Life in Philippians
4:3
HOW
TO GET YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE
1. We have all done, thought or said bad things,
which the Bible calls “sin.” The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:23). The result of sin is death, spiritual separation from God (Romans
6:23), and if unresolved in life will result in Judgment and facing “The Second Death”, eternity in the Lake
of Fire.
2. However,
The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one
and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish,
but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it
abundantly”—a complete life full of purpose (John 10:10).
3. Jesus died in our place so we could have a
relationship with God and be with Him forever. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). But it didn’t end with
His death on the cross. He rose again and still lives! “Christ died for our sins. … He was buried. … He was raised on the third
day, according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus is the
only way to God. Jesus said, “I am the
way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me”
(John
14:6).
We can’t earn salvation; we
are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you
have to do is believe you are a sinner, that Christ died for your sins, and ask
His forgiveness. Then turn from your sins—that’s called repentance.
Jesus Christ knows you and
loves you. What matters to Him is the attitude of your heart, your honesty.
Read
His Word, attend a bible believing church, and surround yourself with other
believers. Pray to Him and seek Him and you will find your name among countless
others in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
NEXT
WEEK: New Heaven and New Earth
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