by Rev. Kevin Giles
{part 6 of 6}
The book of revelation
Study 6 The End
{notes}
Revelation 20-22
Revelation chapter 20 is transitional. It completes the picture of the
downfall of Satan (chapters 17:1 to 19:20) and prepares for the vision of
the new Jerusalem, the new and transformed world inaugurated by the
return of Christ. Chapter 20 speaks of a thousand year reign of Christ
(the millennium) when Satan is bound metaphorically in chains. How the
thousand years is to be understood is hotly disputed. Three solutions are
available Post-Millennialism
In this view Christ will return after the millennium, understood as a
literal 1000 years when Christianity prevails. This position envisages the
Kingdom of Christ gradually growing through the preaching of the Gospel.
Eventually the church is triumphant and for a 1,000 years Christianity is
triumphant. Evil which has up to this time had free reign will be restrained
because Satan is imprisoned and chained up for this period. At the end
of this millennium there will be a brief outbreak of evil and a terrible final
conflict in which Satan is completely routed. At this point Christ returns
and the dead are raised.
Problems:
1.
2.
3.
The rest of the New Testament does not teach that the world will
get better and better. Are not the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13:
24f) to grow together until the end of the world? What about the
rest of this book where it is taught that things get progressively
worse as the years pass?
At the end of the millennium of righteousness, Satan is ‘released’
and leads a host into battle from the four corners of the earth
against the saints (Rev. 20:8). Where do all these evil forces come
from in this world of righteousness?
Like the next view this position assumes the 1,000 years is to be
taken literally. Why this should be so when most numbers in the
Book of Revelation are symbolic cannot be explained.
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Pre-Millennialism
In this view Christ’s second coming will come before the millennium. On
his return he will introduce a 1,000 year reign where righteousness will
prevail. Evil and Satan will not be present. Because this view is predicated
on a number of separate periods of time, or ‘dispensations’, when certain
things occur it is called ‘dispensationalism’. The order of events common
to this position are –
1.
A period of apostasy. Things steadily get worse. (Some Christians
in every period of history have concluded that they are living in
these evil days just before Christ returns. Some in the radical right
in America at this time think that the presidency of Barak Obama
heralds this time of apostasy!!!)
{notes}
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2.
3.
4.
Christ returns in secret. He raises the saints (believers) who have
died across the centuries and snatches up all true believers living
at the time on earth taking them to heaven. This is known as the
‘rapture’ on the basis of what is said in 1 Thess. 4:17.
Then follows a short seven year period of great tribulation, in
which the Antichrist rules the earth.
After this Christ openly and visibly appears from heaven,
Armageddon is fought and Christ and his angels defeat the
hosts of evil. This ushers in the Lamb’s glorious reign on earth in
Jerusalem for 1000 years. The temple and the sacrificial worship
is restored.
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5.
At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan is loosed for a short period
and he stirs up rebellion against God and the Lamb. His crushing
defeat by the Lamb and his angelic army is followed by the
resurrection of the wicked and their judgement.
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Problems:
1.
2.
3.
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The major objection to this view is that it supposes that Christ
came to restore the kingdom of David as a national state. Because
the Jews refused to repent this kingdom was postponed until
Christ’s second coming, when it will be set up. Christ will then
reign from Jerusalem. Nothing in the Gospels suggests this.
Jesus in fact said his Kingdom was not of this world (Jn 18:36). If
this were true it would mean that the Jews thwarted God’s plan.
This thought is repugnant to the Biblical idea of God’s complete
sovereignty. Furthermore Rev. 20:1-6 makes no mention of the
Jews, or of an earthly kingdom or of the land of Jerusalem or
Palestine.
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It envisages three comings of Christ. The first, the secret and the
final. This idea cannot be found anywhere else in scripture.
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Like the former view it interprets the 1,000 years literally.
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This view has been popular amongst American conservative evangelicals
and fundamentalists and is held by sects such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses
and the Christadelphians. In this view the establishment of the state of
Israel in 1948 is part of the end-time sequence.
{notes}
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Amillennialism
This view refuses to take the 1000 years literally. The millennium
represents symbolically the period between Christ’s death on the
cross and his return at the end of the age, the age when the Gospel is
preached to all nations. Those who endorse this position agree with
the Pre-Millennialists that the world will not be completely converted
before the Lord’s coming by the preaching of the Gospel, and it agrees
with the Post-Millennialists that the second coming ushers in the end
of the world and the last judgment. This interpretation finds no ground
in scripture for a golden millennium before the Lord’s coming and the
possibility of one after his coming is excluded by the fact that the return
of Christ is depicted consistently as the grand climax of all history. For
the amillennialist, as already said, the thousand years symbolically and
cryptically speaks of the period between the death and resurrection of
Christ and his second coming. In this period Satan is ‘bound’ through
his defeat at Calvary. Throughout this time he is powerless to stop the
missionary expansion of the Church. However, as this age proceeds,
widespread apostasy from the faith will manifest itself and evil will
flourish. This final rebellion will be overthrown as Christ returns in great
glory, and with this, the living and the dead will be raised and judged.
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This is the simplest view and it makes best sense of the diverse comments
in scripture on the end. So we note the following evidence that the binding
of Satan refers to Christ’s triumph on the cross:
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1.
Jesus spoke of ‘binding’ the strong one (Mark 3:27).
2.
Jesus said when the 70 returned from their preaching mission
(Luke 10: 17-18), ‘I beheld Satan falling as lightening from heaven.’
3.
As Christ looked to the Cross he said, ‘Now is the judgment of this
world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out’ (John 12:31).
Read Revelation 20.
The Binding of Satan to the Final Judgment (20:1-15)
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On the basis of an amillennial understanding of the 1000 years it seems
the vision is to be understood as follows.
The binding of Satan (verses 1-3): The overthrow of Satan took place on
the cross (Heb. 2:14-15, Col. 1:13, Col. 2:15 etc.) From the time of Christ’s
death and resurrection until he returns the expansion of the Church makes
steady progress, even though Satan goes around on earth doing his best
to thwart this work. This period is symbolically spoken of as a 1,000 years
(the cube of 10). This is another number indicating completeness, the full
time appointed. At the end of this period, Satan will be allowed loose for a
little while (verse 3).
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The reign of the martyrs (verses 4-6): Attention is now concentrated on
those who have suffered and died for Christ’s sake. Their souls reign with
Christ in heaven throughout this period. For them this represents their
‘first resurrection’ (verse 5b).
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The final conflict (verses 7-10): John now reverts to a theme he has
mentioned several times, namely the gathering together of all the forces
of evil at the end-time to do battle with God and his people. Here the
triumph of God is speedy and certain (verse 9). ‘The camp of the saints
and the beloved city’ refers to the people of God, the Church. This
passage, as do many others in Revelation, suggests a great outbreak of evil
and conflict immediately before Christ’s return.
The final judgment (verses 11-15): Christ’s coming in judgment and
salvation is vividly described. All the dead are now raised and judged, both
Christians and non-Christians. In accord with common New Testament
teaching, the judgment is on the basis of works (Matt. 25:31). Genuine
disciples of Christ are revealed by their deeds. It may be correctly said, ‘We
are saved by faith but judged by works.’
New Heaven and a New Earth (21:1-22:5)
Read Revelation 21:1-22:5.
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As John comes to the end of his visions, he is given a magnificent picture
of the final state of things. One writer describes this last section of
Revelation as, ‘like the quiet beauty of a sunset after a day of storm.’ John
speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. The scene is drawn by the use
of language and imagery from this world but when John speaks of streets
paved with gold and of a city where gates are made of single pearls etc.,
we must not think that the heavenly city will be material like present-day
earthly cities. It is rather his symbolic way of saying how beautiful our final
home will be. He is concerned with spiritual realities not physical realities.
The new world (21:1-4): When John writes about ‘a new heaven and a
new earth,’ he is not speaking of a better version of this world. The world
as we know it will be completely transformed. Everything will be new,
not just in time, but in character; it will be fresh and perfect. What John
envisages is heaven coming down to earth. The best part of it is that
God will live with us and we will live with him (verse 3). His presence will
eliminate all the imperfection and suffering of life as we know it.
The new life (21:5-8): John now stresses the clear separation between
good and evil in this new world. Much in this chapter stretches our faith
but the clear word of God is reassuring, ‘it is done’ (verse 6). It is all sure
and certain, because he who is ‘the Alpha’ (verse 6), the source and origin
of all things, is also the ‘Omega’ or goal and completion of all things. That
which he began in the world’s creation, accomplished on the cross and
applied to us in our recreation or new birth, he will bring to perfection
after his second coming. Verses 6b and 7 outline the heritage of believers;
verse 8 that of unbelievers.
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The new city (21:9-21): The main part of this section is given over to the
description of the holy city, the new Jerusalem - heaven. In a series of vivid
word pictures, John sets out important truths about the world to come.
Verse 9—The marriage of the lamb and the bride will be a reality: Christ in
heaven and the church on earth will be united.
Verse 10 (c.f. verse 2)—Jerusalem will come down from heaven. In other
words, heaven will come down to earth.
Verse 11—The city’s light comes not from the sun or moon but from God.
Verse 12—The wall speaks of security as do the angel sentinels.
Verses 12 to 14—The mention of the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles implies
that in God’s final scheme of things, believing Jews and believing Gentiles
will together be the people of God.
Verses 15-17—The city is a perfect cube - the shape of the holy of holies (1
Kings 6:20), which indicates perfection.
Verses 18-21—The jewels represent the glory of the city.
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The new worship (21:22-22:5): John’s visions began in worship (1:10) and
this is where they end. But in the New Jerusalem no temple is needed
(verse 22) for God himself and the Lamb are its temple. Their presence is
never lost or lacking. The false division between secular and sacred is gone
forever. Nor is any light needed (verse 23). In this grand new world there is
a great company of the redeemer from every nation (verse 24).
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Read Revelation 22.
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In chapter 22 we seem to be standing once more in the Garden of Eden;
there is the river (Gen. 2:10, Rev. 22:1) and the tree of life (Gen. 2:9, Rev.
22:2). The tree is no longer forbidden to men and women, and its leaves
supply a wonderful healing for the nations. The Bible begins with man and
woman in the garden in perfect fellowship with God and on this grand
note it ends. God’s purposes have been fulfilled.
The importance and God-given origins of this message of the book of
Revelation is underlined in 20:6-8, 10, 18-19.
The final word is – ‘I am coming soon’ (v20).
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Discussion Questions
1.
{notes}
Does it make any difference which view of the millennium we hold?
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Do we feel uneasy about those who want to selectively interpret
parts of the Book of Revelation literally and concretely? What are
the dangers of doing this?
In Rev. 20:12 all people are said to be judged by their ‘works’ –
what they have done in this life. It was suggested above this is
basic New Testament teaching. It is summed up in the saying, ‘We
are saved by faith but judged by works.’ What might this indicate
and how do you understand this saying?
When the New Jerusalem arrives, the new creation, we are told,
God ‘will wipe away every tear, there will be no more mourning
or crying or pain and death will be no more’ (20:4). Do you find
these promises comforting? Why? What do you think someone on
hearing these words read at a funeral of a loved one who had died
a painful death might think?
What images of heaven do you have in your mind? A number of
people might like to reveal their thoughts on this.
In 1 Cor. 2:9 Paul says, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor
the human heart conceived, God has prepared for those who love
him.’ Is this a good summary of Revelation chapter 21? Why?
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7.
8.
One writer says of this book – ‘The author does not point away
from distress, which is the lot of the followers of the Lamb, but
through them to the ultimate triumph of God, in which, if they
remain faithful, they shall share.’ What do you think of what he
says?
What has struck you most of what is said in Revelation chapters
20 to 22? Everyone in the group should be encouraged to make a
reply.
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