Revelation 20 and the so-called millennial reign

JohnD70X7

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Revelation 20 (KJV)

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
  1. Angel = messenger (malach in Hebrew aggelos in Greek) sent from heaven having the keys to the abussos = abyss. The messenger from heaven with the keys to the abyss (bottomless pit) is Jesus (Revelation 1:18). Having a great chain in his hand.
  2. He bound Satan in the abyss for thousands (plural) of years. Chillioi in Greek is a plural word.
  3. This incarceration to deliver the world from his direct evil influence is until the divinely determined end of the thousands of years is reached. Tie this is with the time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24) when the focus of the Gospel is turned away from Israel and to the Gentiles. When that reaches its end / time of completeness / fulfillment and the number of Gentiles who will come in is reached, the focus of the Gospel outreach will once again be aimed at the Jews (Isaiah 54:6-10).
  4. Verse four briefly leaves this multiple thousand years epoch foreshadowing the “little season” mentioned in verse 3 during which time the beast shall reign and decree Christians as evil and to be exterminated if they do not renounce Jesus and take the same mark of the allegiance to the beast that the rest of the world takes in that day. Previously, during the thousands of years the beast is incarcerated in the abyss, Christians reigned on the earth in Christ during the Church age (Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:10 / 1 Peter 2:3-9).
  5. Verse 5 calls the Church age “the First Resurrection.” And it specifies that until the thousands of years Christian Age / Era the only resurrection to take place is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. The First Resurrection is the Church Age now in its 1992nd year. No other resurrection save that of Christ Jesus will occur until his second coming at the end of the age (Church Age / end of the thousands of years).
  6. Verse 6 again defines the Church Age where the second death has no power on those who are believers in Christ Jesus and who are a kingdom of priests in Christ (Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:10 / 1 Peter 2:3-9).
  7. Verse 7 explains the release of the beast and Satan in the “little season” known as the 70th Week of Daniel.
  8. Describing in overview the tribulation periods (also a plural) during the 70th Week of Daniel.
  9. Citing the goal eliminating first the Christians (Revelation 12:17 – Revelation 13:18) and then the Jewish people whom he has fooled into believing he is the messiah (John 5:43).
The Jews with their backs up against the wall of annihilation as never before (with the 200 million man army bivouacked in the valley at the foot of Mount Megiddo) cry out to Jesus as a last resort.

Psalm 118:25–26 (KJV)

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.


Which Jesus alluded to in Matthew 23:37-39.

Jesus will return with such force that the Mount of Olives will split in two (Zechariah 14:4) and defend the Jews and defeat the armies of the devil (Revelation 19:11-21).

Then comes the end of the age: Judgment Day!

Revelation 20: (KJV)

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
 
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Clare73

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Revelation 20 (KJV)

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
  1. Angel = messenger (malach in Hebrew aggelos in Greek) sent from heaven having the keys to the abussos = abyss. The messenger from heaven with the keys to the abyss (bottomless pit) is Jesus (Revelation 1:18). Having a great chain in his hand.
  2. He bound Satan in the abyss for thousands (plural) of years. Chillioi in Greek is a plural word.
  3. This incarceration to deliver the world from his direct evil influence is until the divinely determined end of the thousands of years is reached. Tie this is with the time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24) when the focus of the Gospel is turned away from Israel and to the Gentiles. When that reaches its end / time of completeness / fulfillment and the number of Gentiles who will come in is reached, the focus of the Gospel outreach will once again be aimed at the Jews (Isaiah 54:6-10).
  4. Verse four briefly leaves this multiple thousand years epoch foreshadowing the “little season” mentioned in verse 3 during which time the beast shall reign and decree Christians as evil and to be exterminated if they do not renounce Jesus and take the same mark of the allegiance to the beast that the rest of the world takes in that day. Previously, during the thousands of years the beast is incarcerated in the abyss, Christians reigned on the earth in Christ during the Church age (Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:10 / 1 Peter 2:3-9).
  5. Verse 5 calls the Church age “the First Resurrection.” And it specifies that until the thousands of years Christian Age / Era the only resurrection to take place is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. The First Resurrection is the Church Age now in its 1992nd year. No other resurrection save that of Christ Jesus will occur until his second coming at the end of the age (Church Age / end of the thousands of years).
  6. Verse 6 again defines the Church Age where the second death has no power on those who are believers in Christ Jesus and who are a kingdom of priests in Christ (Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:10 / 1 Peter 2:3-9).
  7. Verse 7 explains the release of the beast and Satan in the “little season” known as the 70th Week of Daniel.
  8. Describing in overview the tribulation periods (also a plural) during the 70th Week of Daniel.
  9. Citing the goal eliminating first the Christians (Revelation 12:17 – Revelation 13:18) and then the Jewish people whom he has fooled into believing he is the messiah (John 5:43).
The Jews with their backs up against the wall of annihilation as never before (with the 200 million man army bivouacked in the valley at the foot of Mount Megiddo) cry out to Jesus as a last resort.

Psalm 118:25–26 (KJV)

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.


Which Jesus alluded to in Matthew 23:37-39.

Jesus will return with such force that the Mount of Olives will split in two (Zechariah 14:4) and defend the Jews and defeat the armies of the devil (Revelation 19:11-21).

Then comes the end of the age: Judgment Day!

Revelation 20: (KJV)

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The "millennial reign" is figurative of the church age, where the first resurrection is from eternal death into eternal life at the new birth.
 
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Ain't Zwinglian

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The "millennial reign" is figurative of the church age, where the first resurrection is from eternal death into eternal life at the new birth.
This is correct. However, just because one asserts this fact, doesn't mean a Dispensationalist will believe it. Dispensational premillennialism generally holds that Israel and the Church are distinct entities; and when Israel rejected the Gospel, the Church became God's Plan B or better expressed a mere "consolation prize" for believers.

Dispensational premillennialism in reality is apart of the "warp and woof" of America Christianity. Dallas Theological Seminary was originally established to promote Dispensationalism. Truly sad state of affairs.
 
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Clare73

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This is correct. However, just because one asserts this fact, doesn't mean a Dispensationalist will believe it. Dispensational premillennialism generally holds that Israel and the Church are distinct entities; and when Israel rejected the Gospel, the Church became God's Plan B or better expressed a mere "consolation prize" for believers.
Jesus Christ, through the apostles, holds that believing Israel and believing Jews are one olive tree, one people, not two (Ro 11:17-20).

DTS got it wrong.
Dispensational premillennialism in reality is apart of the "warp and woof" of America Christianity. Dallas Theological Seminary was originally established to promote Dispensationalism. Truly sad state of affairs.
And yet, the kingdom of God, which is here now (Da 2:44**, Eph 2:6 , 1 Pe 2:5, 9, Rev 1;6, 5:9-10), is invisible, within (Lk 7:20-21) and never ending (Lk 1:33).

** "in the time of those kings;" i.e., the Roman empire (Da 2:40-43), which conquered the Greek empire (Da 2:39, 8:21).
The everlasting (Lk 1:33) Messianic kingdom was set up during the past Roman empire, at the first coming of Christ (Mt 12:28).
 
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JohnD70X7

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Not to derail this discussion, but the doctrine of the Jewishness of the Christian faith is a touchy subject in the great assembly (fueled mainly by Jewish Pride and Gentile Prejudice). ← how's that for a Jane Austen metaphor???

Jeremiah, the prophet to the nations (i.e. gentiles) see Jeremiah 1:5 prophetically predicted the New Covenant in stunning detail (Jeremiah 31:31-34) ←which was so great a prophecy virtually the entire book of Hebrews could be called the divine commentary on just that passage...

Jeremiah 31:31–34 (KJV)
31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Aimed at the houses of Israel and Judah with no mention of anyone else. In the Hebraic way of thinking (expressed in scripture even in the New Testament [Greek writing set to a Hebrew mindset] ) there is a directness, even a terseness to stating fact with little regard for eloquence in the Western grammatical mindset.

Example: in Genesis 1:

"was sunset was sunrise one day"

Translators to western languages:

"There was sunset and there was sunrise; one day."

Point being if in Jeremiah 31:31-34 all that is referred to are the Jews of Judah and Hebrews of Israel then that's all who the New Covenant prophecy applies to. Now this either excludes gentiles or it distinctly includes them. And again, Jeremiah is the prophet to the nations. And father Abraham is called the father of many nations (gentiles included) and by his seed (Messiah see Galatians 3:16). And as others have pointed out in Romans 11 we are grafted into the vine of Israel (God didn't start a new vine).

So in a spiritual sense we are the House of Judah / Israel. This does not make gentile born people physically Jewish nor does it detract from physical Jews being Jewish. This is important. Galatians 4:21-31 establishes the distinction between the two and Romans 2:28 - 29 and Romans 9:6 defines the two.

This does not entitle we Spirit Jews (Spirit Israel) any inheritance in the Holy Land (which is God's and is deeded only to the physical Jews):

Ezekiel 46:16–18 (KJV)
16 Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’; it shall be their possession by inheritance.
17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.
18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.

Our inheritance is the Jerusalem from above as we are Spirit Israeli citizens of heaven.

But as I said, very few accept what the Bible teaches about this matter.
 
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Clare73

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This does not make gentile born people physically Jewish nor does it detract from physical Jews being Jewish. This is important. Galatians 4:21-31 establishes the distinction between the two and Romans 2:28 - 29 and Romans 9:6 defines the two.

This does not entitle we Spirit Jews (Spirit Israel) any inheritance in the Holy Land (which is God's and is deeded only to the physical Jews):
Do any think that it does?

Likewise, the land promise has been fulfilled, its possession under Joshua (Josh 23:14, 21:43) and its occupation under Solomon (1 Kgs 4:21, 24-25). There is no promise of earthly land remaining to the Jews.
Ezekiel 46:16–18 (KJV)
16 Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’; it shall be their possession by inheritance.
17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.
18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.

Our inheritance is the Jerusalem from above as we are Spirit Israeli citizens of heaven.

But as I said, very few accept what the Bible teaches about this matter.
 
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Billy Evmur

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This is correct. However, just because one asserts this fact, doesn't mean a Dispensationalist will believe it. Dispensational premillennialism generally holds that Israel and the Church are distinct entities; and when Israel rejected the Gospel, the Church became God's Plan B or better expressed a mere "consolation prize" for believers.

Dispensational premillennialism in reality is apart of the "warp and woof" of America Christianity. Dallas Theological Seminary was originally established to promote Dispensationalism. Truly sad state of affairs.
YOU are a Dispensationalist.

You are not under the law but under grace, all Christians are Dispensationalists.

Do you believe that the "Great White Throne" judgement of the living and the dead is merely figurative also? why play hopscotch with scripture like that? "this is literal ... this is figurative"

If you are going to bash Dispensationalists at least do so accurately, they do not believe that the church is inferior or secondary. Church comprises both Jew and Gentile and is the Body of Christ, we are destined for Heaven.

Whether you like it or not we have Jews. They are not the nations and they have promises made to them which are not made to the church for example the Earth. We are not promised to rule over the Earth with Christ but the Jews are. And they will.
 
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Indeed he is, or there would be no Christianity.
None of the apostles thought so, they teach us to be on our guard against him, a roaring lion seeking someone to devour ... his great deception is to make folks think he is not around or that his devilish work is not going on ... in the church.
 
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Ain't Zwinglian

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meaning you have no adequate response
Oh, I can give more than an adequate response. I have just learned to stay away from individuals like you.....who think they know what I understand and know of Scripture. From here on out, I am going to access your account here at CF, hit the ignore button and block all communication. God blessing on you at CF.
 
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Billy Evmur

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Oh, I can give more than an adequate response. I have just learned to stay away from individuals like you.....who think they know what I understand and know of Scripture. From here on out, I am going to access your account here at CF, hit the ignore button and block all communication. God blessing on you at CF.
you may have God on ignore too
 
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Clare73

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None of the apostles thought so, they teach us to be on our guard against him, a roaring lion seeking someone to devour ... his great deception is to make folks think he is not around or that his devilish work is not going on ... in the church.
He is partly bound, not fully bound. . .he still goes about as a roaring lion. . .
 
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Ain't Zwinglian

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He is partly bound, not fully bound. . .he still goes about as a roaring lion. . .
I think Osker Cullman's analogy is appropiate. D-Day. D-Day is the decisive battle that won WW2. However, WW2 was far from over. Many thousands of American GI deaths will occur until final VE Day in Europe. Or the Battle of Midway with the Japanese. Prior to Midway, the American lost every single naval engagement; after Midway, the Americans won every naval engagement. Still, thousands of American soldiers will died before VJ day is declared.


The Cross of Christ is the decisive victory over Satan (Christus Victor) however he still has enormous powers in order instill unbelief among God's created people. Full victory will be at the second coming.
 
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Billy Evmur

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He is partly bound, not fully bound. . .he still goes about as a roaring lion. . .
He is not cast into prison as the scripture says. The answer is he is not bound and we do not yet see all of God's enemies under the feet of Jesus. We will see it in the Millennium.
 
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Clare73

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He is not cast into prison as the scripture says. The answer is he is not bound and we do not yet see all of God's enemies under the feet of Jesus. We will see it in the Millennium.
The millennium is figurative of the church age.
 
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The millennium is figurative of the church age.
In the millennial age Jesus reigns manifestly and His enemies are put under His feet and the devil is bound. After the 1, 000 years the devil is loosed once more.

Not only will Christ reign but the saints reign with Him here on earth
 
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In the millennial age Jesus reigns manifestly and His enemies are put under His feet and the devil is bound. After the 1, 000 years the devil is loosed once more.

Not only will Christ reign but the saints reign with Him here on earth
The saints are reigning with Christ in the "millennial" (church) age now (Eph 2:6).
 
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