Paradise Restored Discover the Triumph of Jesus
Revelation 20:4-10
LESSON 1 PART D
THE RULE OF THE MESSIAH
REVELATION 20:4-10
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.
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.
But what is the final state of earthly history this rule of Christ?
Well, let’s note three views:
1. THE MILLENNIUM IS GOD ESTABLISHING the insignificant stone,
which shatters Nebuchadnezzar’s imposing colossus (comp. Matt. 21:44)
And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever
it shall fall, it will grind him to powder,
but afterwards it increases to a great mountain and fills the whole
earth (Dan. 2:35, 44, 45).
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was
found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great
mountain, and filled the whole earth.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not
be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume
all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron,
the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God
hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter:
and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
2. THE MILLENNIUM IS GOD CONFIRMING the Kingdom of the Son of man which
prepares an end for the bloodthirsty Beasts of Daniel’s world empire and,
for the first time, exalts to the throne of international history true
humanity in the sense of Holy Scripture, that is humanity in the image
and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27; Dan. 7:13, compare Dan. 7:2-7; Matt. 26:64).
Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them.
Dan. 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of
man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before him.
Dan. 7:2-7
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold,
the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the
wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and
made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up
itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the
teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the
back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and
dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron
teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with
the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before
it; and it had ten horns.
Matt.26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power,
and coming in the clouds of heaven.
3. THE MILLENNIUM IS GOD REVEALING the Kingdom of Heaven, which comes down
from Heaven, and therefore brings into this earthly World heavenly nature
and heavenly happiness (compare. Dan. 4:23).
23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven,
and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots
thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass
of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion
be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
4. THE MILLENNIUM IS GOD FULFILING the Kingdom of God, which was:
* Planned from the very beginning (Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to
those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:);
* Striven for the ages through (Matt. 6:10);
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
* Founded by Christ (John 18:36-37);
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom
were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not
be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus
answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
* Preached by His followers (Acts 20:25; 28:31);
Acts 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone
preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
* Expected by mankind (Romans 8:19) and now
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God.
* Set up on the old Earth (Rev. 11:15; 19:6), so as after the final catastrophe
of the hitherto existing World (Rev. 20:7-15),
Rev. 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of
his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev. 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev. 20:7-15
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.
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.
* To run on into the new eternal creation Rev. 21 and 22.
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
Revelation 20:4-10 LESSON 1 PART D