Revelation 20 is not... Armageddon almanac Calculation manual for number of people in heaven Rv.20 uses symbols Jesus: Lamb Church: Lampstand Satan: Dragon KeyGreat chainPit Yet 1000 years is literal?

Passage does not explain itself; must compare it to other Scriptures 1. Explain obscure passages by clear ones  Do symbols of Rv.20 explain rest of the Bible? Lion, Gn.49:10Fox, Lk.13:32 Wolves, Mt.7:15Dogs, Ph.3:2

‘Consistency is a rare virtue’ Lindsey: 1. Clouds 1. Clouds (1:7): saints 2. Ten days 2. Ten days (2:10): eras of persecution 3. Stars 3. Stars (6:13): meteors or orbital bombs 4. Locust 4. Locust (9:3): mutant locusts or helicopters 5. Fire & brimstone 5. Fire & brimstone (12:15): nuclear war So much for the literal approach!

1. Explain obscure passages by clear ones 2. Written to comfort persecuted Christians We can understand it only by learning what these symbols meant to people of that day Greek plays: do not focus on props and scenery, but message

Eusebius slams Papias “I suppose he got those ideas through a misunderstanding of the apostolic records, not perceiving that the things said by them were said mystically in figures. For he seems to have been of very limited understanding” What does Revelation 20 teach?

I. The Deceiver Is Doomed, 1-3

Rv.20:1-2 Angel to bind satan (Jg.16) 1000 years: Not time, but totality He is totally bound. Beast and false prophet are ‘totally gone’; no more help from them.

Satan works in other ways (1 Pt.5:9) but is bound for 1000 years... Bound for 1000 years = Rome is gone (ch.19)  Common idioms Job 9:3 = never Ps.50:10 = everything Ps.84:10 = incomparable Ps.105:8 = forever (10)

Rv.20:3 Abyss: Lk.8:31 Sealed: Dn.6:17 Not deceive: no allies (Rv.19:20)

I. The Deceiver Is Doomed, 1-3 II. The Victims Are Victorious, 4-6

Rv.20:4 Scene: thrones, souls reign w. Christ 1. Victory! Once persecuted, now, exalted. Dn.7:…21-22, In this society, truth prevails, not sin & error as earth

Rv.20:4 They reign w. Christ 1000 years Throne in heaven (3:21; 4:2; 7:17) Rv.6: :4 Lived 1 Lived (= 1:18) Reigned 2 Reigned (ch.18-19:1-3)

Who are these souls? People who were...  Beheaded  Beheaded (no resurrected bodies)  Not worshippers of the beast  Overcomers  Overcomers, Rv.3:21; 2:26, 11 Faithful unto death (2:10) Faithful until death (14:13)

first resurrection Rv.20:5, this is the first resurrection Has to explain it: figurative (cf. 1:20) Already raised to life once (Ep.2:5-6); died for Lord life Now transferred to be w. Christ ( life, 2:7,10, etc.). Lk.16 The very act that premillenialists claim defeated Him, proves He is King

The rest of the dead The rest of the dead… (5) Overcomers Overcomers reign w. Christ The rest The rest: servants of satan (1 T.5:6); they don’t go to be w. Christ

Blessed, holy (6) Blessed: Blessed: Rv.14:13; 2:11; Lk.16 Holy: Holy: Rv.21:2; 2 Pt.3:13; Hb.12:14

I. The Deceiver Is Doomed, 1-3 III. The Trio Are Tormented, 7-10 II. The Victims Are Victorious, 4-6

After 1000 years, Satan on the loose (7) Premillennial problems: 1. Evil present during millennium? (Is.11!) 2. Saints apostatize? (Is.11!) Children born during this period will not truly believe in Jesus and will follow satan after he is loosed – LGPE, 166

Gog, Magog, & Waterloo (8-10) Loosing restores power to deceive Gog & Magog: innumerable (8); all that opposes God; the final attack Defeat predetermined. Rv.11:5; 2 K.1 Satan’s: torment. Mt.25:41, 46

I. The Deceiver Is Doomed, 1-3 II. The Victims Are Victorious, 4-6 IV. Men Meet Their Maker, III. The Trio Are Tormented, 7-10

Great white throne (11) Great Great: powerful, awesome (Mt.25:31) White White: pure, 1:14; 7:14; 19:11, 14 Throne Throne: contrast thrones of v.4 A scene so awesome, heaven and earth flee

The books (12) Books opened: Books opened: Book of life: Book of life: 3:5 Old & New Covenants? Record of our lives?

General judgments follows general resurrection (12-15) No accident can prevent our appear- ance before the Judge (2 Co.5:10) Judged according to works  Good:  Good: 2:2, 26; 3:2; 14:13  Bad:  Bad: 18:6 Lake of fire (10)... second death doom of the wicked 20:14-15: doom of the wicked bliss of the blessed Ch.21-22: bliss of the blessed

What do we know? 1. Other judgment passages agree w. Rv.20: All admit Rv.20:1-2 are figurative 3. If we cannot find premillennialism in this chapter, we won’t find it 1 Co.15:24-28