Sunday School - Escatology Part 1

It'd be just good to continue that Study of eschatology last week. We talked about first Thessalonians chapter 4 and we looked at the rapture but today

I want to go a little more broader in a theological Discussion on eschatology in regard to the

Millennium now unfortunately You can pretty much put every major category or theological doctrine of eschatology in the camp of What you do of revelation 20 specifically?

What do you do with the Millennium so if you if you heard if you know anything about eschatology? Which means the study of end times you know that all the eschatological perspectives have the word

Millennium in them So there's pre Millennium Post -Millennium all

Millennium can anyone tell me what those mean what does pre Millennium mean? What does the pre in pre

Millennium mean? You You're saying what about the coming of Jesus in relation to the

Millennium That's right so pre -millennialism teaches that Jesus comes before the

Millennium Which is therefore the pre in the pre Millennium, then there's post Millennial What what do they teach what do they believe in relation to the second coming and the

Millennium? After so post meaning after now all Millennium or on Millennialism or a

Millennialism. What is that? What do they? propose Well, yeah, so the word on the

Greek is means no and so many folks interpret that to mean that they mean There's no Millennium, which is actually a misnomer.

It's not actually true It's a lot of all Millennialists take gripe with the word on Millennialism because of that All Millennials believe in actual and what they call realized

Millennium in a in a very vibrant true Millennium. That's happening right now specifically in the heavens

But we're gonna dive deep into this this discussion. And so what I've what

I've given you this morning is a Something I came up with a couple years ago and it's simply a survey of Revelation 20, so we're looking at Revelation 20 and I want to propose

I'm gonna just be up front with you I'm on Millennialists. I believe in the on Millennial perspective on eschatology and I've been all over the map on this.

I've been a Dispensationalist historic premillennialist and all -millennial and never been post millennial

But but I but I believe that all Millennialism is the correct one and I'm gonna give you a surprising answer

So why I think so I'm an all -millennial is precisely because of Revelation 20

Okay, now that might sound surprising to you because that is the go -to text for the premillennial perspective and premillennialism

Supposes that there's gonna be a literal 1 ,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth.

So Christ comes back at the end of the age He he he brings forth the

Millennial Kingdom. He reigns literally physically from Jerusalem and in that in in that 1 ,000 year period there's gonna be death

Rebellion there's gonna be a continuation of likely most

Dispensationalists if not all and and many historic premillennialists believe there's gonna be a return to temple sacrifices so there's gonna be a temple erected in Jerusalem before the coming of the

Antichrist and and then Jesus is gonna come and reign from Jerusalem in that temple and there'll be sacrifices and all these things will

Will be happening during the millennium The all -millennialists would say no not quite

We believe that Jesus comes at the end of the age and when he comes he establishes the new heavens new earth

No intermediate 1 ,000 year period but rather than 1 ,000 year period is fulfilled in The age of the church and it's fulfilled

Literally in heaven so that when a believer dies He goes into the age of a thousand years and he is alive reigning seated with Christ in heavenly places

Where Jesus Christ reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords But let's look at Revelation chapter 20 in that packet that I gave you we

I quote the first few verses and then we're gonna give you basically a Subject that we're gonna dive into notice in this paper that I gave you.

There's no commentary. I think if you just read What's on this paper?

You'll come to believe what I believe because I think scripture is clear enough to define itself And so let's look at Revelation chapter 20 verse 1 to 3 anyone want to read those three verses

It's right there on the paper for you so you don't have to go to it go for it So here here's the chapter 20 is a difficult chapter

So let me let me put it this way the book of Revelation almost everyone agrees is the most difficult book of the

Bible Chapter 20 is probably the most difficult chapter of the most difficult book of the Bible.

Okay, it's tough and it doesn't quite fit any Framework just perfectly there's things that you have to contend with there's a tension in the text that I would

I would I would tell you That you have to do some harmonizing yet You get to really they'll go deeper into it in order to understand properly what the scriptures teaching and and the first problem that all

Millennialists will face. We're looking at Revelation 20 is what? Go for it

You That's right, but even before that there's a big glaring problem and it's the binding of Satan Like what do you do with Satan and I had friends who were on millennial and I used to make fun of them all the time

I said you guys are crazy. You think Satan is bound You think that that Satan is not like a lion waiting to devour and how could you believe in on millennialism?

It is so beyond what scripture teaches and precisely because of Revelation 20

Because if you believe the Millennium is now then you must believe that Satan is bound and notice the

Context here in verse in chapter 20 says and he sees the dragon the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan And bound him for a thousand years.

So pretty clear there There's Satan the devil who's who's pictured in Revelation as an ancient serpent as a dragon and he is bound chained

Thrown into a pit for a thousand yield years and it's shut and it's sealed

So that he may not deceive the nation's any longer Okay. Now does an on millennialist believe that Satan is?

bound Okay It depends that's right go for it

That's right That's right That's right

Yeah, so let's let's let's set the genre not every book of the Bible is of the same genre Revelation is this very specific particular genre.

What genre could we put the book of Revelation into? What genre?

Prophecy that's true. Also, I'm looking for another word search of the word a apocalyptic now

Apocalyptic it's ironic that we call revelation apocalyptic because that's actually what the word is in the Greek apocalypses

Apocalypses is the word where we get revelation just means of revealing It means like a like I think of a stage with a curtain and a curtain being drawn back that is what the word apocalypse or revelation means

Revealing and And so it's very appropriate that the book of Revelation or in the

Greek the book of the book of apocalypses literally is Apocalyptic literature in the most basic sense of the word and so it's apocalyptic literature which means that there's gonna be things in the book of Revelation that is

Obviously Satan is not a literal dragon with seven heads, right?

Jesus is not a literal Lamb running around heaven.

There's a lot of things that you're gonna see in Revelation that are That are idioms and ideographic and and have specific meaning

In the particular context in which it comes to us. So when we look at Revelation chapter 20

We're looking at a highly symbolic text a text filled of symbolism.

That's very rich That's telling us a story about redemption and telling us a story about history.

And so I would say this Let's look at the next heading the binding of Satan Notice what the rest of scripture talks about and how it relates to Satan and the relationship that he has

To this age it says in John 12 31 and 32 Jesus said this now is the judgment of this world now will the ruler of this world be cast out and I when

I am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself Let's put those words of Jesus into context,

I mean this is this is huge What Jesus is saying here because what he's saying is that now that tomorrow that future

But now in his ministry in his life in his death, burial and resurrection Is the judgment of the world and the ruler who's the ruler of the world according scripture?

Say in the devil, so 1st John chapter 5 verse 19 says the whole world is lying in the hand of the wicked one

Bible says that Jesus that Satan is the god of this age who's blinding the minds of the unbelievers He's the prince of the power of the air all these things of reference to Satan are true

He's a ruler of this world, but Jesus says he will be what? Cast out and Notice the context in which

Jesus is saying these words He sings and I when I am lifted up from the earth that is his death barrel resurrection ascension

Will draw all people to myself that's the key to the text to understanding what

Jesus means by the Judgment and casting out of Satan no longer can see and have comprehensive influence over the nations

Over the Gentile powers, but instead now Jesus is gonna draw all men all nations to himself

So no longer. Is there this? Comprehensive Deception that Satan can have over the nations as it was in previous times

We see evidence of this in Isaiah chapter 7 8 and 9 where there's the nation's walking in complete darkness and gloominess and yet the hope that comes to the nations is the birth of Emmanuel the birth of the

Son on whom shouldered the government shall dwell and so the promise of the nations coming out of darkness is vested solely in the

Messiah Jesus Christ and Jesus says that now that he's come when he'd be lifted up.

That's his ascension He would draw all people to himself and that in that way Satan is cast out.

He is bound He is judged. He no longer has the same power and influence as he once did does that make sense?

Let's look at what Jesus says it on another occasion in Matthew 12 verse 20 and 29 Jesus but if it is by the

Spirit of God that he casts out demons then the kingdom of God has Come upon you not will or in the future in a thousand years

Has come upon you or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man?

Then indeed he may plunder his house What's interesting is that it's pretty much unanimous across Commentaries and even theological spectrums of eschatology.

Everyone agrees in Matthew 12 is talking about Satan being bound to some Degree to some extent and almost in the text is irrefutable that the kingdom of God has come upon us in the ministry of Jesus That Jesus came to plunder the strong man's goods.

That's his house. That's the nation's that's the kingdom of darkness Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 says that he's transferred us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son

There's this transfer that's happening And so Jesus says it very strongly

How can us how can he plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

This is in the context in Matthew 12 of the of the of the 70 going forward and Preaching the gospel seeing demons subject to them seeing powers and principalities subject to the name of Jesus And he's using this as evidence to say

That now the kingdom of God has come upon you because the charge he was given by the

Pharisees was that well You're using demons to expel demons and Jesus said that's preposterous he says, you know if I'm doing this work, it's because the kingdom of God has come upon you and The fact that this is happening is evidence that the strong man

Satan is bound to some degree Okay, does that make sense any questions so far in the text?

Notice what it says in Luke chapter 10 verse 17 through 20 and other words from Jesus And the 72 returned of joy saying

Lord Even the demons are subject to us in your name and he said to them. I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven behold

I have given you Authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the who the enemy and Nothing shall hurt you

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven

So Jesus says he saw Satan fall like lightning. This is after he sees the

Return of the disciples of 72 they're rejoicing because they have power over the forces of darkness and they have power over the enemy that Satan the devil and Because of this kingdom authority that the that the church now has he saw as a result of this

He's saying it's like as if Satan fall fell from heaven as if he felt like lightning to the earth it's

Jesus is pointing to the power and the authority vested in the disciples as evidence of Satan's downfall from heaven pretty amazing stuff

Any questions on that text? Or any thoughts on it So you can begin to see how the scriptures as a whole not just in Revelation begins to treat the fall of Satan begins to treat the

Binding of Satan and it says in Colossians 2 15. It says and he disarmed.

That's Christ Disarmed the rulers and authorities. Those are those are The powers and principalities of the scriptures meaning the demonic power

Satan himself the prince of darkness And put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him

So what did Jesus do? Through the cross he what? He triumphed but he also what

Disarmed he disarmed the powers of darkness. It's a pretty clear -cut

In that way then we can understand that Satan is bound

That Satan has been disarmed that Satan has been judged that Satan has been overcome that Satan is no longer having total comprehensive

Authority over the nations as he once did Notice again what the context of the binding of Satan is in Revelation 20 verses 1 of 3 it says

So that he might not deceive the nations any longer That's the key to understanding what is meant by the binding of Satan in Revelation 20

It's so that he may no longer deceive the nation's Totally as they once were walking in complete darkness as we see as we see in Isaiah chapter 8, okay

Jesus continues on in the same frame in John 16 11 saying concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged

He's judged That's saying will be might be future thousand years.

No now Jesus then puts it this way in John 4 verses 35 to 36

Do not say there are yet four months then comes the harvest look I tell you lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest and Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life so that the sower may reap

That said the sower and the reaper may rejoice together Now Christ uses the imagery of the harvest represent the world.

He says elsewhere in the same gospel he says the that the harvest of the field represents the world and Jesus is saying to the disciples lift up your eyes and see the fields are white for harvest.

He's talking about the nation's He's talking about the kingdom work of going and being a proclaimer of God's kingdom and bringing forward the nation's as as a harvest

And he can only do that because Satan is bound to some degree

Jesus and puts it this way in Matthew 13 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil and The harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are angels

So we see how that connection between John 4 and Matthew 13 Referring to the harvest referring to the work that's happening at the end of the age.

And so my What I would put forward is this the

Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 of 3 is Speaking of the binding of Satan in a very particular

Specific regard that this is the binding of Satan so that he may no longer deceive the nation's

Comprehensively so that the kingdom gospel can go forward into the world and have success and bear fruit

We are witnesses of that We are here representative of many different nations and the fact that we are coming from different nations

Is evidence that Christ is King that Christ reigns that Christ is on the throne that Christ has disarmed the rulers and authorities that he's

Judged the the ruler of this world and that his days are now numbered Does that make sense?

Can you see that even if you don't agree exactly with all millennialism yet? Can you at least concede?

That this is a very plausible interpretation of Revelation 20 verses 1 to 3 Correct, right.

So Satan is still according to Scripture 1st Peter chapter 5 says he's like a roaring lion waiting to devour

Okay, but that line think of like if you ever seen the movie Lion King, okay, like compare

Scar With Simba when he's grown up. I mean scars like a weak, you know

Skinny beat -up lion and then you've got this this kingly line and that's

Christ Christ is the king. He is the line of the tribe of Judah He is far more powerful and authoritative than this weak defeated lion called

Satan Okay, so I would say that Satan has been disarmed. He's been declawed. He can still do damage but he's nowhere near as powerful influential as he once was and As powerful and influential as he will become at the end of the age when he is loosened again, and so There is a period in time which

I believe is now Saying that we're in the millennium that that Satan is bound But that influence that he once had will be regained

At the end of it when he's loosened from his binding at the end of the age And so that's the time of trouble that's prophesied in Scripture therefore another good reason why

I'm not a Post -millennialist because the post -millennialists believe that things are gonna get better and better and better until the return of Christ Yet scripture pretty clearly points.

The opposite is true that things are going to degenerate towards the end of the age before the coming of Christ Yeah Everything that's a great question everything that we just read from the scriptures

Seen the point that it happened in the life of Jesus in the ministry of Jesus now, I would say

Revelation 12 is the story of the binding of Satan. Okay. So what you have in the book of Revelation You can't think of Revelation as a linear

Book where you know, you have chapter 1 2 3 4 5 and they're all happening Sequentially, that's not what you're gonna find in Revelation.

It is not a sequential book in fact, it's very similar to what we find in Genesis chapter 1 and 2 where you have a

Story of creation then you have a more detailed version of it in chapter 2 in regard to the creation of man

You have this duality that are not opposed to each other But they're from different vantage points and I'd say

Revelation has a lot of that you have Oftentimes reoccurring themes and occurrences in Revelation, but from different prophetic points of views

So Revelation 12, I would say is the fall of Satan from heaven in the life of Jesus because in chapter 12

We see that there's a woman in heaven who's pregnant that woman is a picture of heavenly

Jerusalem And she gives birth to a man -child. That's Christ It's in that time and then the

Satan tries to devour the man -child and that's what we see in the life of Jesus when Jesus Was born Herod Herod tried to kill the newborn infant the newborn

Christ said they had to flee to Egypt It's exactly what we see in Revelation 12 It's that same narrative the woman has to go into the wilderness and flee to protect the child

It's the same narrative we see in the Gospels with regard to the birth of Christ And then it says that in that same chapter that Satan fell from heaven

Okay, he had this conflict of Michael the Archangel There's this conflict in heaven and it results of with Satan being cast to the earth

Okay, which is exactly what Jesus says in John in Luke chapter 10 He says I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, right?

He he he clearly points to in Matthew 12 that he is Bound he clearly says that now is the judgment and the ruler of this world be cast out

And so I believe that the the fall of Satan from heaven Happened in the life of Jesus now.

That's that's interesting because That means that Satan had access to the heavens Everyone presupposes that Satan fell from heaven somewhere after the fall in Genesis chapter 1 2 or 3

And that's not what the Bible teaches. For instance, you see in the book of Job chapter 1 and 2 you have

Satan entering into the assembly of the sons of God in heaven and Wagering with God and so how did he have access to heaven after the fall?

Then why does the Bible often say that the heavens became corrupt at the heavens?

Why do we need a new heavens if heaven is all good? And there's and it's perfect and there's no issues up there just as we need a new earth we need a new heavens because the heavens have been corrupted as well and And part of the fall of Satan is

God's judgment upon Satan that he no longer has access to the heavenly throne room. Yeah He's still ruler of this world to but a very weakened ruler and Jesus is the true ruler of the world and he's a he's overcoming

It's like think of a an advancement of battle, you know, we are advancing in battle We are conquering the kingdom of darkness even now through the church by what we're doing today when we gather in the

Lord's day We're pushing back against the kingdom of darkness, right? So the conflict is ongoing. We're still in the midst of the conflict

But it is he is surely defeated That makes sense. And what's interesting about Revelation 12 one more thing about relation 12 in relation to this topic.

Is that it says? Specifically when Satan was hurled down in Revelation 12 He says it says to have it rejoice because the accuser of the brethren has been hurled down Which is why it can be said in Romans 8 1

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Because who is the one who condemns us

It's Satan Satan is the one who accuses and condemns we saw that in the book of Job But now the accuser of the brethren has been hurled down He's got no authority.

He's got no power in that regard to accuse the brethren. He's been hurled down you had your hand up Well, it was so bad in days of know that he had a flood the earth

Right it was so bad even in in in the times of Israel that The one nation that God chose to be his portion to be his heritage to be the light of the world

Even they fell into apostasy and so there was no light That's why we see this in Isaiah chapter 8

Specifically where it talks about the nation's walking complete darkness and gloomness and that even Israel has failed and so there's no it says

It's the idea of hopelessness We're Romans three quotes from you know, it says that there's no one good or not even one

This is talking about the Old Covenant age He's talking about the the world under the influence of the devil now

It's obviously still true today that there's no one good but specifically borrowed from that age in which there was no

Spiritual light except for what was coming through the prophets And so I would say that the church is vindication of God's Truth and light coming forward into the into the into the world into the nation's and so, you know

There are plenty of examples in Scripture Old Testament. You just look at the apostasy of Israel. Look at the gloominess of the nation's

That's no longer the case. We're now in every nation under the under the heavens There are Christians who are worshiping faithfully who are pushing back against the kingdom of darkness

Unlike in ages before does that kind of help? Yeah That's right

There's a remnant a remnant always around it always around it. Fuck you do me a favor. Keep my laptop in my in my

Desk, I'm gonna print some more because I got some more folks here And so there you see kind of the understanding of the binding of Satan how one could understand that from Revelation chapter 20 and so now let's look at the the the next part of it, which is a thousand years in Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 of 3 is where we also get the idea of a thousand years

Because again every eschatological framework Begins With their view of the

Millennium, unfortunately Now again, we've established how the Millennium is the most difficult

Or Revelation 20 is the most difficult chapter probably in the entire Bible and yet we decided to make our eschatological perspectives

Hanging upon the interpretation on the most difficult text of the Bible, which I think it's kind of unfortunate

It probably shouldn't be that way, but it is and so let's look at the term a thousand years

How could the Bible how does the Bible elsewhere use that term? 1 ,000 years, let's look at a couple examples

Psalm 50 verse 10 says for every beast of the force is mine and the cattle pawn a

Thousand hills does that mean that after a thousand and one hills it's no longer gods

Is it just at a thousand or is the word a thousand being used in a particular way

How is it being used here? Yeah, it's a long or a lot or comprehensive it's it's a word to that in that invokes a comprehensive time or amount and so we see that again

Psalm 90 verse 4 for a Thousand years and I saw her but as yesterday when it's when it is passed and as a watch in the night so a thousand years are used again in a very comprehensive symbolic way

Psalm 105 verse 8 he have remembered his covenant forever the word which he commanded to a thousand generations

We also have we need one for over here. Do they have one? Do you guys have a insert or paper yeah, you've got something.

Okay. Well, I think we printed out more anyway so if you if anyone needs one just raise your hand and so we also see again in Isaiah chapter 60 verse 22 and a little one shall become a thousand and a strong one a strong and a small one strong Nation, I the

Lord will hasten it in his time. And so again, you see the word thousand years being used

Comprehensively matter of fact outside of any numerical values such as The counting of the

Israelites in the wilderness or a battle These are all the occurrences of the word thousand years in scripture right here.

I've I've compiled them for you so outside of them being used literally like in the context of a battle or in the context of a

Counting men. These are all the occurrences of the year of the number 1 ,000 obviously other than Revelation 20

But it says in 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 8 but beloved do not be ignorant of this one thing that one day is

With the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Okay, so notice the use of the word a thousand

Consistently throughout scripture is used in what fashion in what way? Literal or figurative

It's a figurative usage it's to denounce a lot we see we see we see this also with the term

You've heard of the word myriad Right myriad upon myriad upon myriad and that's like 10 ,000 upon 10 ,000

It's what literally means but that too is meant as a almost like a double entendre of the word a thousand

It's like a lot a lot innumerable. You can't count it. Okay, and so it doesn't when you see myriad upon myriad

Isn't literally you don't have to like sit down start doing the calculations of how many angels there are in heaven It's not meant for that.

It's meant to Communicate an innumerable amount of people. Okay, similarly to the word a thousand it is covering a long period of time or a comprehensive amount of things or time

Does that make sense Now again, this is this is a survey So this is all the occurrences outside of Revelation 20 and outside of a literal usage of the word of a thousand of how the

Word thousand is used So I think we'll have time to do one more and this one is the heavy one

This is the resurrection topic in Revelation chapter 20 verse 4 through 6. It says then

I saw thrones and Seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed also,

I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God and Those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received them its mark on their foreheads or 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 a thousand years were ended.

This is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection

Over such the second death has no power But they will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with him for a thousand years

Okay, so very heavy now This makes a beautiful argument for premillennialism in some regard because premillennialism teaches and believes that Christ comes when he comes he defeats the beast which many interpreters claim to be the

Antichrist and Then he raises, you know either at the rapture or or somewhere near his return

He he raises the dead in Christ the dead in Christ will now reign for a thousand years down this text it would seem to indicate that there's going to be a

Second resurrection because it mentions a first resurrection and they said the rest of the dead did not come to life until the end of the thousand years

So the the the model for premillennialism is simply this that you have Christ come he he raises the church

He he translates the church to a resurrected state They rule for a thousand years on the earth

But the rest of the dead don't come to life until after the Millennium That is to say the unbelievers who will be judged for eternity.

They don't come back to life until the end So you have two resurrections separated by a thousand years

You have the resurrection of the righteous and then at the end of the thousand years the resurrection of the unrighteous

That's the premillennial model forever for understanding this text and I would say on the surface that that sounds pretty reasonable

That sounds like a good reading of the text But I would submit to you that that probably isn't the case when you consider all the rest of Scripture Has to say on the topic of the resurrection and specifically on the state of believers

Go even now as we speak So look at Ephesians chapter 2 5 and 6 we've preached on this recently but notice what it says and even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been

Saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

So where are you seated right now? Where are you seated? Heavenly places you might be sitting here in this pew in Sunnyvale, California But you're actually seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus spiritually now

This is I would say also literally true for those who die in Christ When we die in Christ, we're not waiting for you know

To you know, we're not we don't believe in soul sleep We're not waiting for us to have a conscious experience with Christ in the future

Upon death to be absent from the body to be present with the Lord We go straight into the God's presence and we enter into the realm of a thousand years

Where we are literally reigning and seated with him in heavenly places Okay, so it is spiritually true now

But it will be also spiritually realized in heaven upon our death

Notice what it says in John chapter 3 verse 3 to 7 truly truly. I say to you

Unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God Nicodemus said to him how can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born Jesus answered truly truly a city unless one is born of water

And the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of spirit of spirit

Therefore do not marvel that I said to you you must be born again Now, how does this relate?

Well, Jesus says you have to be what born? again Now, what does that mean to be born again?

Now we're evangelicals. We're Christians. We believe in being born again. What does that mean exactly? What does that mean were you born literally a second time

Would you crawl out of your mother's womb like Nicodemus asks? Is that what Jesus is trying to get out here?

It's conversion, which is what? Spiritual It's a spiritual birth

Okay, and upon that spiritual birth, you now have entrance into the kingdom of God Not a future kingdom of a thousand years at the pre -millennials would say but rather you you you become a citizen that kingdom

Immediately upon being born just like if you're born in this country You're immediately a citizen of this country.

You're born again. You are immediately a resident of heaven You are immediate a citizen of head of heaven.

How beautiful is that? Jesus said it this way in John 5 24 truly truly.

I say to you whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has Eternal life.

He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life So Jesus says that the those who believe in him

Have has present tense eternal life not future Not something to be discovered in a thousand year realm

But instead you presently have it and you don't come into judgment, but you pass from death to life

That is true of you and me So though our mortal flesh may may fail us and we may Our bodies may go into Sheol yet our spirit our soul goes into the presence of Yahweh it goes into the presence of our

Creator and we have eternal life with him waiting a final resurrection from the dead and Notice what

Jesus says about the resurrection from the dead in that same chapter in John 5 20 and 29 He says do not marvel at this for an hour is coming.

Notice the use of the language When all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out and those who have done good

To the resurrection of life and to those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment

Jesus says in hours coming a particular time date in history When all that some not half not only the redeemed not only those who resurrection of life

Everyone shall be raised from the tombs Some to resurrection of life some to resurrection of judgment

So Jesus doesn't teach a two -part resurrection He doesn't teach a resurrection where there's gonna be some raised at his coming and then some raised a thousand years later

Christ does not teach that particularly here detects I Believe it's the

Apostle Paul who says next chapter 24 verse 15 Having a hope in God Which these men themselves accept that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust

So there is a resurrection but the resurrection according to Paul is one event Not two there is going to be a resurrection of both

The just and the unjust you see the use of the language very important here

Paul puts it this way in first Corinthians 15 22 to 25 for as an Adam all dies So also in Christ shall be all made made alive

But each in his order Christ the firstfruits then at his coming those who belong to Christ Then comes the end.

So what happens according to Paul's eschatology is that Christ comes? He raises the first fruits

He raises the dead in Christ Then comes the end when he delivers a kingdom to the to God the

Father after destroying every rule every authority all power For he must rain until all his enemies are under his feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death The Paul's eschatology was very clear that at Christ coming is the end

When the final enemy shall be put to death itself and that is death Death shall be conquered at his coming

So that's Paul's eschatology. He was crystal clear about it. Nothing mysterious or ambiguous about it

Paul goes on. Yeah That's right

That's right. That's right. I mean, it's pretty compelling So I'm just I'm giving you all this data all this information and I'm going to try to Unpack it, but we don't have too much time but But notice what it says in 1st

Corinthians 15 51 55 behold. I tell you a mystery We shall not all sleep But we shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet

For the trumpet will sound and a dead will be raised imperishable And we shall be changed for this perishable body must put on the imperishable

And this mortal body must put on immortality When the perishable puts on the imperishable then the mortal puts on immortality then shall come to pass

The saying where it is written death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death.

Where is your victory? Oh death? Where is your sting? So according to Paul the resurrection happens at the last trumpet.

That's the coming of Christ and When this happens death is swallowed up in victory not a thousand years later

Paul never mentions a thousand -year reign of Christ Jesus never mentions a thousand -year reign of Christ Peter never mentions a thousand -year reign of Christ Nowhere in all of the

New Testament except in Revelation chapter 20. Is there any mention of a thousand -year reign of Christ?

So we have to understand the thousand years in Revelation in light of all of that data in light of all that truth in Light of all that Paul has said about eschatology all that Jesus has said about eschatology and then we can contextualize what

Revelation 20 It's actually trying to teach instead of imposing the most difficult text of the Bible on every other statement in Scripture That it's not good hermeneutics good hermeneutics

Allows the more difficult text to be interpreted in light of the more easier to understand text of Scripture Okay, that's when you can have a proper understanding of something difficult in Scripture.

It's not an it's not Forcing the difficult text on all the easier texts, which is what premillennialism specifically dispensationalism has to do

But instead we recognize that there is a lot a lot That God has said on the subject that is very easy to understand.

Therefore we interpret the difficult in light of the easy We've read this text also last week first Thessalonians 415

I won't read it again But you see there the Lord is going to send from heaven and that's when the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will

Rise first then we who are alive who are left to be caught up together to meet him in the air

It will always be with the Lord. Okay so here's how I would understand Revelation 20 verses 4 to 6 in relation to the

Resurrection that it's mentioning there. First. I would say that the resurrect the first resurrection is a spiritual

Resurrection it is not a physical resurrection and I would say this Because notice the use of the language first resurrection and actually there's no mention of a second

It's only presupposed because of the use of the word first, but there is no second resurrection

That's actually mentioned in the text of Revelation 20 So what is but why would why would the scripture use that term than the first resurrection?

Because it's it's pointing towards something that you'll find in the end verse 6 of Revelation 20

Look what it says. It says blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection over such the second death has no power

But they will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with him for a thousand years

Very interesting. We have a mention of a first resurrection. Then we have an immediate reference to a second death

So you see the the Contrast that John is bringing into focus.

So what is the first death? Well, we see that in Genesis chapter 3 Adam and Eve sinned

They fell God says you eat of that knowledge of the tree of the good of evil. You will surely what? die

But in the day that they did eat of that tree, they did surely die. But what kind of death was it?

Spiritual death if the first death is spiritual That means the first resurrection is also spiritual

Okay now if the second death is Eternal damnation in a resurrected state therefore the second resurrection that's supposed in the text

But not clearly defined. It's also a physical imperishable resurrection to bodily life

Okay, you see the contrast that's being drawn over the second death does not affect who us

Does it affect us in Christ? so the first resurrection is spiritual and the first death is spiritual then the second resurrection the second death is also resurrection physical life

That makes sense So then you see the contrast that's being that's being drawn in the text itself

And so I believe that this is what is being referenced here in Revelation chapter 20 I think that the context bears that out.

And so to say that the dead come to life in a thousand years Well, of course because Bibles teaches us that because the gospel we can have eternal life now

Spiritual life now Raised in heavenly places now. This is happening currently.

We're living it How blessed are we happy and blessed are those who partake in the first resurrection over whom the second death has no authority or power?

That's good news. That's the gospel and so friends We have to be encouraged by this and understand that Revelation 20 is likely pointing to the fact that we are victorious ensuring in the victorious resurrected life in Christ even now as we speak and So Jesus puts it this way

Whoever believes in him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life

I think that's the proper understanding of Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 to 6 any thoughts questions push back on that Pastor Correct Yeah, that's right

Yeah That's right That's right,

I agree I think that that's a perfectly reasonable Proposition any other thoughts or questions on Revelation 20 so far

And If I have the time, I'll have to work it out with with John Burchett But maybe I can finish this teaching for us in the coming weeks because we're only we're only in the first you know two pages in and And there's a lot here.

There's a lot to to unpack and unravel You can certainly look at it in your free time as well and do some studying some research

And and again notice the notes that I gave you there's no commentary on it. It's just scripture That's scripture be scripture.

Let scripture interpret scripture. And so all I did was, you know Do a survey where I found every component that that is being referenced in Revelation but finding what the rest of scripture has to say on that particular topic therefore bring into light

What should be the right understanding interpretation of it? So I said this before and I'll probably

God's by God's grace if I'm allowed I'll teach revelation to you verse by verse the whole book and Revelation is actually one of one of the most

Fun books to go through and it's not that difficult even though you know a lot of people say it's difficult

It's not that difficult Once you have a pretty good understanding of the Old Testament and of the rest of scripture

So any last thoughts or comments on it? All right

Now, well, let me pray God. Thank you so much that we can study your word We can look into the deep things of God and get an insight as to What is and what may soon come to pass?

We pray God that you'd give us Eager expectation to see the coming of the Savior to see the coming of Christ to long for that glorious Manifestation of the

Lord Jesus Christ who shall be revealed from heaven Bring in salvation to all those who believe in him and Lord We thank you for this gift that you've given us of salvation

That even now we can enjoy it knowing that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that there's neither life nor death angels or demons height nor death that can separate us from your love for the accuser of the brethren has been hurled and There's now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus We thank you and we praise you for all that you've done and all that you do

We pray Lord your blessing over the rest of our service and over all those in our in our midst and those on their way