Revelation chapter 20
So again, just a reminder, on Wednesday we'll be having a joint home group so everybody is invited.
Bring your questions about Revelation or any side shoots off Revelation that you want to talk and chat about.
I'm not saying the answers will be provided but hopefully we will have a good discussion as we look to God's word together.
We're going to read all of Revelation 20 this morning.
Let's hear God's word.
And I saw an angel coming out of heaven, having the key to the abyss and holding in his hands a great chain.
He seized the dragon, that ancient snake who is the devil or Satan and bound him for a thousand years.
He threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.
After that, he must be set free for a short time.
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God.
They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or on their hands.
They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.
This is the first resurrection.
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.
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
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.
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.
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 forever and ever.
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.
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.
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.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
The lake of fire is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life
was thrown into the lake of fire.
Father, you are the giver of all life.
And your word itself is life.
And so we pray that as we listen to your word,
as we seek to understand this and apply it to our lives,
we will be filled with a vision of God,
his plan for this world,
the future that is to come,
and our part in it.
Help us, Father.
Change us.
And do your work amongst us.
Amen.
Well, it seems we have a fascination with Marvel movies.
Any fans?
Iron Man.
Well, I hope I've got this right anyway.
Iron Man, Thor, Captain America,
Guardians of the Galaxy.
And we love spy thrillers too.
Like James Bond and Jack Reacher.
Ethan Hunt of Mission Impossible.
Now the thing that they all have in common is
they're all heroes.
They do what everyone else seems powerless to do.
They confront criminals.
They fight evil powers.
And they ultimately bring justice.
They establish a new rule and a new order.
The problem is, in the real world,
the heroes don't win.
Criminals get away with murder.
Evil triumphs over those who do good.
And injustice rules with devastating effects.
In the real world, from our experience,
it's the bad guys who do as they please.
And the good guys seem to suffer and struggle.
You see, the reason why we have a fascination with these movies is
because they achieve for us what we all long for.
Justice.
Order.
And rule.
The end of all that is not right.
But here's the good news.
What we long for
doesn't have to be the stuff of Hollywood and movies.
It all becomes a reality
in Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation gives to us a vision
of the true and ultimate hero king.
Let's read chapter 19, verse 11.
I saw heaven standing open.
So, we have a perspective of earth
and what is going on in the world.
But here we are taken once again to heaven
to get heaven's perspective,
God's perspective.
I saw heaven standing open
and there before me was a white horse,
a symbol of perfection and beauty,
whose rider is called
Faithful and True.
With justice, he judges
and wages war.
He's going to correct
all wrongs
and establish what is right
and punish what is unjust.
He's not swayed by emotion
or tainted by bribes.
His verdict, his justice
is always pure,
fair,
and right.
Verse 12.
His eyes
are like blazing fire.
He sees all
and he knows all.
And on his head
are many crowns.
He has supreme authority
over all things
and all people.
He has a name
written on him
that no one knows
but he himself.
He's not controlled
by anybody.
He is answerable
to himself.
He is dressed
in a robe
dripped in blood
and his name
is the word of God.
He is a warrior
king.
Verse 14.
The armies of heaven
were following him
riding on white horses
and dressed in fine linen
white and clean.
The saints
and the angels
that accompany him.
coming out
of his mouth
is a sharp sword
with which
to strike down
the nations.
His weapon
of choice
is the word
of God.
It's the means
by which
he will establish
his rule.
What he commands
takes place.
What he decrees
will happen.
Verse 15.
He will rule them
with an iron scepter.
He treads
the winepress
of the fury
of the wrath
of God
almighty
delivering
his judgment
and on his robe
and on his thigh
he has his name
written
King of Kings
and Lord
of Lords.
Make no mistake
this is God's
ruling king
who comes
to confront
all sin
to triumph
over all evil
and to establish
justice.
This is not
fantasy
this is reality.
Jesus
King of Kings
Lord
of Lords.
Now as we go
through our text
looking at the rest
of chapter 20
we'll see
three things
about this
king.
We're going to see
the king's rule
has begun
the king's rule
will come
and the king's
rule over me.
So rule
has begun
rule
will come
and then
rule
over me.
So first
the king's rule
has
begun.
does that say
has come?
Oh that's a typo.
That should be
the king's rule
has begun.
So the king's rule
is not just a
future event
it is a present
and ongoing
event.
We can see this
in two ways.
First
Satan
has been
bound.
look at
chapter 20
verse 1
and I saw
an angel
coming down
out of heaven
having the
key to the
abyss
and holding
in his hand
a great
chain.
Here we have
the key
holder
the one
with supreme
authority
and absolute
power.
The angel
is representing
the king's
rule
and he
has the
key to
the abyss
the realm
of darkness
the gathering
place of evil
hell itself.
But he also
has a chain
what's the
chain for?
Well look at
verse 2
he seized
the dragon
that ancient
snake
whom we
first met
right the way
back in the
garden of
Eden
who is the
devil
or Satan
and bound
him for a
thousand years
he threw
him into
the abyss
and locked
and sealed
it over
him.
Now the
question that
we need to
ask here
is
when was
Satan
bound?
When did
this binding
take place?
Well we
know from
the gospels
that Satan
already has
been bound
through the
death of
Jesus.
So in
Mark's
gospel
chapter 3
there's an
account where
Jesus is
having a
debate with
the religious
leaders and
he explains
to them
what he
came to
do with
Satan and
Jesus uses
like a
little short
parable to
explain.
We have
them here
on screen.
Jesus says
in fact no
one can enter
a strong
man's
house.
The
strong man
being
Satan's
kingdom
without
first tying
him up.
Then he
can plunder
the
strong man's
house.
The
imagery is
clear there
isn't it?
Jesus has
come to
bind
Satan
through his
death.
To tie
him up.
To make
him powerless
so that
he can
rescue
people
from
Satan's
kingdom.
He can
plunder
the
kingdom
of
darkness
and bring
people
into the
kingdom
of light.
This is
also made
clear in
John's
gospel
chapter 12
where Jesus
explains what
will happen
to Satan
when Jesus
dies.
Jesus
says this
now is
the time
for
judgment
on this
world.
Now the
prince of
this world
the prince
of this
world is
Satan
who will
be driven
out and
when I am
lifted up
from the
earth speaking
of his
death his
crucifixion on
the cross he
will draw all
people to
myself.
He said
this to show
the kind of
death he
was going
to die.
You see
as Jesus
dies
Satan is
driven out
and people
are drawn
to Jesus.
The
apostle Paul
describes
the effect
of Jesus'
death on
Satan like
this in
military terms.
Christ he
says has
disarmed
the powers
and the
authorities.
Who are
they?
The realm
of darkness
and he
made a
public
spectacle
of them
triumphing
over them
by the
cross.
You see
as Jesus
dies
Satan is
overcome.
He is
bound up
he is
driven out
and he
is disarmed.
His powers
of deception
have been
defeated
and been
destroyed.
Back to
verse 3.
He threw
him into
the
abyss
and locked
and sealed
it over
him to
keep him
from deceiving
the nations
anymore
until the
thousand years
were ended.
So he's
been bound.
It's past
tense.
And if
Satan's
binding
happened at
Jesus'
death,
then the
thousand years
he is
bound for
reflects the
length of
time
Satan remains
bound.
As we'll
see, it's
not a literal
thousand years
but represents
the time frame
between the
resurrection of
Jesus and
the return
of Jesus.
That's his
prison sentence
if you like.
So Satan
remains bound
from the
resurrection to
the return.
Yes, he is
still active
but he has
been restrained.
Yes, Satan
still has an
influence but
it has been
limited.
He still is
on the attack
but he has
been disarmed.
Now the
reason Satan
has been
bound is
so that the
church
may now
rule.
That the
church might
rule.
Let's pick
it up in
verse 4.
I saw
thrones on
which were
seated those
who had been
given the
authority to
judge.
So we've
talked about
Christ's
rule.
Now there's
these other
thrones and
there's people
there who have
authority to
judge and to
rule.
who were
they?
Well let's
read on.
I saw the
souls of
those who
had been
beheaded
because of
their testimony
about Jesus
and because of
the word of
God.
So here are
believers who
have been
martyred,
persecuted for
their faith
and they are
now with
Christ
ruling.
people.
But not
just those
who had
died.
I think
here in
the second
part of
verse 4
there's a
transition from
those who
had died
to those who
are currently
living.
They
introduces
those who
are now
alive as
Christians.
They had
not worshipped
the beast
or its image
and had not
received its
mark on their
foreheads or
on their
hands.
they came
to life.
That is
speaking at
their conversion
when they
heard the
gospel truth
when they
came to
life.
They reigned
with Christ
for a
thousand years.
The rest
of the dead
those who
are unbelievers
those who
were not
converted
did not
come to
life
until a
thousand years
were ended.
this is the
first
resurrection.
You see
if we are
Christians
if we're
people here
today who
are trusting
in Jesus
we have
two
resurrections.
Maybe you
thought oh
no there's
only one
isn't there
no there's
two.
The first
resurrection
occurs when
we trust
in Jesus
Christ and
so begins
our new
life.
The second
resurrection
is when
Jesus returns
again and
we receive
our new
physical
bodies and
we live
in the
new
creation.
We have
a new
life.
So
verse 6
blessed
and holy
are those
who share
in the
first
resurrection.
For those
who've
trusted in
Christ
what a
glory
what a
great joy
it is
what a
blessing
to be
able to
say that
yes I
have a
first
resurrection
I've
come to
life in
Christ.
The second
death when
Christ returns
has no
power over
them but
they will
be priests
of God
and of
Christ and
will reign
with him
or rule
with him
for a
thousand
years.
You see
the church
will rule
we're told
for a
thousand
years
from the
resurrection
of Jesus
to the
return of
Jesus.
As we
trust in
him so
we begin
to reign
with him
we rule
with him
now.
There are
those who
have passed
on from
this life
and they're
ruling with
Christ but
also Christians
today we are
currently ruling
with him.
So what does
it look like
for us to
reign with
Christ?
What does it
mean for us
to exercise
Christ's
rule here
on earth
right now?
Well as
the church
preaches
the gospel
of Jesus
so people
are released
from Satan's
kingdom and
they are
raised to
new life
to reign
with Christ.
Isn't that
amazing?
if you're
a Christian
there was
a time
where you
can look
back in
your past
life where
you were
held in
Satan's
kingdom by
his lies
and deception.
But when
you heard
the gospel
you came
to see that
Satan has
no hold
on you
that through
Jesus your
sins are
forgiven and
you've been
set free.
And now
look at the
end of
verse 6
they will
be priests
of God
and of
Christ
and will
reign with
him
for a
thousand
years.
We will
be priests
that's our
calling
right now
today.
We serve
him as we
go into
all the
world
to share
the gospel
with others.
As we do
people are
set free
from darkness
and Satan
can do
nothing about
it.
Satan
cannot
stop
people
believing
in
Christ.
Now think
about this
with me.
This is
what is
happening
right now
when you
teach your
Sunday
school class.
It's
happening
when you
teach
at
Rock,
when you
teach at
Rooted,
when you
share the
gospel with
your
friends.
We go
into that
knowing that
Satan has
been bound
and as the
gospel word
goes out
people are
released.
People are
set free.
This is God's
rule on earth
through his
church.
This is where
it's happening.
So the
king's rule
has begun.
It's not just
a future
event.
His rule
is exercised
now through
the church
as we
preach the
gospel in
the knowledge
that Satan
has been
bound and
people will
be set
free.
So we
can celebrate
that the
king's rule
has begun.
second,
the king's
rule will
come,
future tense.
The rule
of the king
has begun
and one
day we
will see
it in
all its
fullness.
Two things
are going
to help
us see
this.
First,
Satan
released.
Look at
the end
of verse
3,
chapter 20.
After that,
after his
binding,
he,
Satan,
must be
set free
for a
short time.
Down to
verse 7.
When the
thousand years
are over,
Satan will
be released
from his
prison and
will go out
to deceive
the nations
in the
four corners
of the
earth.
So we
have seen
that Satan
was bound
up,
driven out,
disarmed.
His powers
of deception
were broken,
but now,
future,
at the
dawn of
the king's
return,
Satan is
going to
be released.
God,
who locked
him up,
is going
to turn
the key
and open
the abyss
and let
him loose.
And,
verse 8,
he will
go out
and deceive
the nations
in the
four corners
of the
earth.
Satan
will return
to do
what he
has been
doing
before his
binding.
He will
deceive the
nations
in such
a way
that they
do not
believe
Jesus.
And he
will lead
them astray
so that they
turn against
God's
people.
In that
time,
as this
happens,
the day
of forgiveness
will come
to a
close.
The time
of grace
will end.
The age
of repentance
will no
longer be
possible.
Instead
of salvation,
there will
be the
coming of
condemnation.
Those who
have rejected
Jesus will
only grow
in their
rebellion
of Jesus.
And those
who have
hardened
their hearts
to Jesus
will only
deepen
in their
hardness.
It's not
that they
cry for
mercy.
They don't
want
mercy.
It's not
that they
long for
grace.
They don't
want
grace.
Satan's
final deception
only affirms
what they
want.
They don't
want
Jesus.
One day
the church
will complete
its great
commission
of going
to the
nations
and
releasing
people
from
captivity.
One day
that will
be
finished
and the
opportunity
for salvation
will end.
You see,
Satan's
release
is all
part of
God's
just
and right
judgment.
God is
exercising
his sovereign
rule as he
does because
as he releases
Satan.
He does
it so
that he
might be
condemned.
This
great
deception
is going
to lead
to a
gathering
of war.
Verse
eight,
we've
already
come
past
this
in
earlier
chapters
called
the
war
of
Armageddon.
It's
the same
thing here,
it's nothing
different.
Verse
eight,
he will
go out
to deceive
the nations
in the
four corners
of the
earth,
Gog and
Magog.
They
represent
the enemies
of God
who are
opposed to
Christ
and seek
to destroy
his church.
To gather
them for
battle,
in number
they will
be like
the sand
on the
seashore.
The
opposition
is going
to come
from every
direction,
from the
four corners
of the
earth.
Having
believed
Satan's
lie,
they now
believe
they can
destroy
the
church
once
and
for
all.
Verse
nine,
they marched
across the
breadth of
the earth
and surrounded
the camp
of God's
people,
the city
he loves.
We can
see them
there being
hemmed
in.
It seems
like there's
an intense
opposition
and persecution,
the forces
of darkness
and evil
gathering
around and
surrounding
the church
and pressing
in.
And when
we think
everything
is lost,
look at
the rest
of verse
nine,
but fire
came down
from heaven
and devoured
them.
And the
devil who
deceived them
was thrown
into the
lake of
burning
sulfur,
where the
beast and
the false
prophet had
been thrown.
You see,
Satan is so
full of
deception
that he
has come
to deceive
himself.
He senses
a victory
as he
wades
his war.
He's about
to crush
the church,
but the
gathering
is all
part of
God's
rule.
God has
merely released
Satan so
that he
might gather
his minions
and his
enemies
for destruction.
destruction.
The victory
was never
in doubt.
It was
just a
matter of
when.
When the
king returns,
he comes,
we were told
in chapter
19,
with the
armies of
heaven and
he destroys
his enemies.
You see,
there is no
fight.
There is no
war.
Satan is
finally and
ultimately
crushed,
judged,
removed
and
condemned.
Look at
the end of
verse 10.
They will
be tormented
day and
night
forever
and ever.
God's
rule
will end
the opposition
to the
church.
Stop the
powers of
evil in
the world
and break
the enemies
of God
and peace
will reign.
So the
king's
rule will
come.
God will
establish his
rule fully
and finally
and he
will restore
order and
justice.
So the
king's
rule has
begun.
The
king's
rule has
or will
come.
And then
last,
I'm not
getting gone
very well
with the
button today.
the king's
rule over
me.
Look at
verse 11.
The king's
rule over
me.
Then I
saw a
great white
throne
and him
who was
seated on
it.
So here
we are
invited to
enter into
the courtroom
of heaven
and God
is on
the throne
and he
is about
to pronounce
his
judgment.
As we
enter the
courtroom,
look who
is there.
Verse 12.
And I
saw the
dead,
great and
small.
Well,
who are the
dead who've
been gathered?
Well,
they're not
the physically
dead,
they are
the spiritually
dead.
Look back
at verse 5
again with
me.
The rest
of the
dead,
that is
those who
are unbelievers,
did not
come to
life until
the thousand
years were
ended.
The dead
are unbelievers,
those who
have rejected
Jesus and
have now
been raised
to physical
life to
face the
final
judgment.
Verse 12.
So I
saw the
dead,
great and
small,
standing
before the
throne.
And
books were
opened.
Everyone who
stood opposed
to Christ and
his church
will be
gathered,
the powerful
and the
weak,
the rich
and the
poor.
This is
where history
is headed.
This is
unavoidable.
This is
God's full
and final
judgment.
And as
they are
gathered,
books are
opened.
The record
of history,
the account
of everyone's
life.
And it's as if
the evidence
is now being
read out
to God
who is on
the throne.
every thought,
every word
and every
deed will be
disclosed.
Nothing will
be hidden.
All will be
revealed.
Nobody can
hide,
verse 13,
because the
sea,
remember the
symbolism of
the sea of
chaos and
evil,
the sea gave
up the dead
that were in
it,
and death
and Hades
gave up the
dead that
were in
them.
So all
were raised
up and
each person
was judged
according to
what they
had done.
every
government
that stood
against Christ,
every leader
that opposed
the church,
those who
had imprisoned
pastors,
beat up new
believers,
murdered
Christians,
all who
had slandered
God's people,
rejected God's
word,
all who
had ignored
Christ and
rejected Christ,
they will be
judged
according to
what they
had done.
The earthly
powers who
ruled Christians
harshly will
now be ruled
justly by
God.
And the
verdict is
fair.
Anyone,
verse 15,
anyone whose
name was not
found written
in the book
of life,
was thrown
into the
lake of
fire.
Not a,
literal fire,
but a place
of agony.
Their destiny
will be like
that of
Satan.
Look back
at the end
of verse
10.
It's not
an annihilation
or the end
of something.
They will be
tormented
day and
night,
forever
and ever.
Hell is
not a place
of joyful
rebellion.
It's a place
of eternal
sorrow.
Sin will be
an endless
torment.
People will
thirst for
mercy and
forgiveness,
but it will
never be
quenched.
It will be a
desire for
grace and
hope, but it
will never
ever be
realized.
beast.
This will
be the
destiny of
those who
have refused
the Lord
Jesus.
But it
doesn't have
to end this
way, does
it?
Because there
is another
ending.
There is a
greater destiny,
not one of
darkness and
death, but of
light and
life.
Instead of
chaos and
evil, it
can be beauty
and glory.
You see, in
the midst of
all of this,
there is
another book.
Did you see
it?
Look at the
middle of
verse 12.
Another book
was opened,
which is the
book of
life.
Verse 15,
anyone whose
name was not
found written
in the book
of life was
thrown into
the lake of
fire.
You see,
if your
name,
is in
this book,
then it
means judgment
passes over
you.
No harm
will come
to you.
So how
do I make
sure that
my name
is written
in this
book of
life?
That when
the judgment
comes,
my name,
Johnny Grant,
is going to
be in that
book?
book.
Well,
turn with
me,
please,
back to
Revelation
chapter 3.
Revelation
chapter 3.
Revelation
chapter 3.
I want you
with me to
imagine that
this book
that I have
here
is a
record of
your life
or my
life.
book.
It's all
contained in
here from
beginning to
end.
And as you
flick through
the pages,
you'll see
aspects of
your life,
maybe your
birth,
your first
toddler steps,
maybe some
achievement when
you were at
school,
a wedding
day,
children.
You flick
through it
all and
it's all
there.
Everything
you've said
and done
and thought
is also
in here.
And as I
look at this
evidence,
this book
of my
life,
there's lots
of things
that I would
love you to
read and
see,
but there's
lots of
things I
would be
terribly
ashamed and
embarrassed if
you saw
them.
because in
this book
of evidence,
there is a
history of
my life that
has opposed
Christ,
where I
have rejected
and turned
against Christ
and not
loved him as
I should.
And there's a
record in
here too
of how I've
hurt the
church,
how I've
hurt God's
people from
things that
I've said
and things
that I've
done.
And it's
all here.
I can't
make it
go away.
And God
sees this
evidence.
And it's
very clear
that
without
Christ,
I will be
judged
according to
what I have
done.
I'm not
going to
stand in
that judgment
because it
is not
enough.
But I
want you to
think with
me of
another book,
the book
of life.
And this
book of
life is
the life
of Christ.
And again,
you can
read through
and see all
that Christ
has done.
how he
loved and
obeyed his
father
perfectly.
How he
never said
anything wrong.
How he
loved those
whom other
people didn't
love.
And how he
gave his
life ultimately
to death
on the cross
for people
like me.
this is the
book of
life.
This is
the book
of evidence.
And the
wonderful thing
is that
there's been a
great exchange,
hasn't there?
For Christ
has taken
my book
of evidence,
the story
of my life,
life,
with all
its mess
and all
its
brokenness.
And he
has taken
the judgment
for me
and for
you.
And it's
all
dealt
with.
He
suffers
judgment.
He suffers
hell for
you and
for me.
And not
only that,
he not
only takes
that judgment,
but he
gives to
me the
book of
life,
the life
of Christ,
the perfect
life.
So when
God now
looks at
me,
he sees
Christ
in all
his beauty
and in
all his
goodness.
And in
that book,
you could
flick through
the pages
and
he'll
be full
of names.
Names
of people
who have
trusted
Christ.
And my
name,
my name
is going
to be
there
because
of
Christ.
And your
name can
be there
because
of
Christ.
one day
a judgment
is going
to come
and it's
either the
book of
evidence
or the
book of
life.
Let's
read
Revelation
3
verse 5.
The
one
who is
victorious,
the one
who has
trusted
Christ,
will
like them
be dressed
in white,
a symbol
of their
new
perfection
and purity
in Christ.
And he
says,
I will
never blot
out the
name of
that person
from the
book of
life,
but will
acknowledge
that name
before my
Father
and his
angels.
No matter
what sin,
no matter
what has
happened,
it can
never
erase
your name
from the
book of
life.
Nothing
can erase
your name
from the
book of
life,
but he
will
acknowledge
your name
before the
Father
and before
his
angels.
Amen.
Where is
your name
written?
Where is
your name
written?
Where is
the name
of your
friends
and family?
Where are
their names
written?
Satan
has been
bound.
We have
the gospel
that can
release
people
so that
they might
have
eternal
life.
Let's
pray
together.
Amen.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Amen.
Let's pray
together.
Amen.
Father God, we thank you.
we thank you for your rule
over all things and all people.
And we thank you that because of the Lord Jesus,
he is reigning even now.
And that we as your people can reign with him.
help us to go with the encouragement and the knowledge of bringing the good news to a world in great need.
We pray that your gospel will go forth and that people will be released so that their names are written in the book of life.
We pray, Father, that you will do that work amongst us, in our community, and amongst our friends, we pray.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to sing a couple of songs.
The first one reminding us of what has been achieved on the cross.