The Millennium & the White Throne Judgment

1. The Millennium & the White Throne Judgment Revelation 20:1-15

2. The Three Millennial Systems Second Coming Postmillennialism Church Age New heavens & earth Through the spread of the gospel the church will Christianize the world. Second Coming Amillennialism Church Age The Church Age = the millennium, either through church on earth or saints in heaven. New heavens & earth Second Coming Premillennialism Rapture Church Age 7 year tribulation on earth (Daniel’s 70th week) Church age lasts until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. 1000 year reign of Christ on the present earth. New heavens & earth

3. Basic Differences between Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies • Covenantal Theology (mostly amillennial and postmillennial, though a few are premillennial) • The “Church” consists of God’s redeemed people in all ages, not just those between Pentecost and the Rapture. • The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants are all completely fulfilled, and the Church participates in these blessings by being “in Christ.” The Church is the new Israel. • OT Prophecies are “spiritualized” and seen as fulfilled in the Church. • Dispensational Theology (Premillennialial) • The Church is distinct from the nation of Israel and does not inherit Israel’s promises. • The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants await their complete fulfillment at the second coming of Christ. Promises made to Israel will be fulfilled to Israel. • There is a strong commitment to a consistent, literal interpretation of Scripture, including prophecy.

4. A Quote from John Reisinger • I personally believe the NT Scriptures make the physical land to be a type of spiritual rest and the Israelite to be a type of a true believer. However, we would not come to that conclusion from anything in the OT Scriptures. If all we had was the OT Scriptures, it would be very easy to hold the same view of Israel and the land of Palestine as that held by Dispensationalism (John G. Reisinger, Abraham’s Four Seeds: A Biblical Examination of the Presuppositions of Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism, p. 84).

5. Closing Visions of John(Rev 19:11 – 22:5) • The Coming of the King of Kings (19:11-16) • The Great Supper of God (19:17-21) • Invitation to the Birds of Prey (19:17-18) • The Defeat of the Beasts (19:19-21) • The Binding of Satan (20:1-3) • The Thousand-Year Kingdom (20:4-10) • The White-Throne Judgment (20:11-15)

6. The Binding of Satan (Rev 20:1-3) • The language emphasizes Satan’s complete incapacitation (not a “curbing” of his power) during this period: he is bound with the chain, cast into the abyss (the same place from which the demonic locusts came in Rev 9), then the abyss is shut and sealed. • The purpose of this binding is “in order that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years are completed.” Satan’s incapacitation will be a tremendous advantage for the nations of the world during the righteous reign of Messiah, enhancing their worship of the true God. • At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time.

7. The Thousand-Year Reign and Doom of Satan (Rev 20:4-10) • Notice the different groups who will reign with Messiah: • John saw “thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them” (20:4). Of whom is this speaking? • This is in accordance with earlier promises in the book (2:26-27; 3:21; 5:9-10; cf. 1 Cor 6:2-3). • Another group is “those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God,” people who had refused the mark of the beast. • Though not described here, Daniel 12 also speaks of the OT saints being raised at this point to enjoy the millennial kingdom. • The rest of the dead are not raised until the thousand years are over. This will be described in Rev 20:12ff.

8. The Thousand-Year Reign (Rev 20:4-10) • The “first resurrection” (v. 5) is a kind of resurrection, and has several stages: The rest of the dead for judgment at Great White Throne (Rev 20:5, 11-15) Christ, the “firstfruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15:20) Tribulation & OT Saints (Rev 20:4; Daniel 12:1-2) Church Saints (1 Thess 4:16-17) 7 Year Tribulation Church Age 1000 Years FIRST RESURRECTION

9. The Thousand-Year Reign (Rev 20:4-10) • Satan’s Doom (vv. 7-10) • He had been confined in order that he might not deceive the nations; when he is released, this exactly what he sets out to do. • Despite 1000 years of righteous rule by Messiah, Satan is able to gather an innumerable army from all over the globe (described as “Gog and Magog”) for one final war against Christ. • This army surrounds the camp of the saints in “the holy city,” which is Jerusalem (see Psa 87:2). • There is no long, protracted battle, however. Fire comes down from heaven and devours these enemies of God. • Satan is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet have already been for a thousand years.

10. The White-Throne Judgment(Rev 20:11-15) • The one who sits upon the throne is clearly the Father, has it has been throughout the book. But judgment has also been given to the Son. Both Father and Son can sit upon this throne because the Father and Son are one. • Dan 7:9-10 is the background for this scene. • John sees the dead standing before the throne. A set of books is opened, and another book, the Book of Life, is also opened. • The first set of books contains the deeds of men and is used as the basis for judgment. The issue here is evidently a degree of punishment rather than salvation.

11. The White-Throne Judgment(Rev 20:11-15) • “and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them” emphasizes that all those who have not already been raised and judged will now be raised and judged. • These will primarily be the unrighteous dead, but could also include believers who have died during the millennium. • Anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death. • Death and Hades will also be cast into the lake of fire, finalizing Christ’s victory over them (1 Cor 15:22-26). Death will not exist in the new heavens and earth!

12. Next Week: The New Heaven and New Earth Read Rev 19:11 – 22:5