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[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logic[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logic[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logic"4-6 The fourth last thing (see
comments at introduction to 19:11-21) is the thousand-year reign of Christ on
the earth. John gives us no picture of life in the Millennium in these verses;
they contain only a statement about who will participate in it. He sees
thrones, and judges sitting on them. The scene is usually connected with
Daniel's vision of the Son of Man (Dan 7:9, 22, 27). In Daniel, justice was
done for the saints by the Ancient of Days and they began their kingdom reign.
The thought may be similar here. If this is the case, those who sit on the
thrones are the angelic court. However, those on the thrones may be the
resurrected martyrs who exercise judgmental and ruling functions during the
Millennium. This possible reinterpretation of Daniel seems preferable in the
light of other NT teaching as well as of Revelation itself (cf. Luke 22:30;
1Cor 6:2; Rev 2:26). They who were once judged by earth's courts to be worthy
of death are now the judges of the earth under Christ.
A more difficult question concerns
the identity of those who will rule with Christ. They are the
"beheaded" (with an axe, pelekizo, elsewhere sphazo,
"slaughter," cf. 6:9) martyrs who have previously occupied John's
attention. The cause of their death is attributed to their faithful witness to
Jesus and the word of God (on these terms, see comments at 1:9; cf. 6:9;
12:11). The reference to "souls" (psychas) immediately recalls 6:9,
where the same expression is used of the slain witnesses under the altar. The
word describes those who have lost their bodily life but are nevertheless still
alive in God's sight. This term prepares us for their coming to (bodily) life
again at the first resurrection. It is a mistake to take psychas to imply a
later spiritual resurrection or rebirth of the soul as did Augustine and many
since (contra Swete, et al.).
These martyrs are also those who did
not worship the beast or his image or receive his mark on them (cf. 13:1ff.;
15:2); in a word, they are the followers of the Lamb. At this point, NIV omits
a very important term. Between the description of those beheaded and the
description concerning the beast worship in v. 4 are the two words kai hoitines
("and who"). This construction is capable of bearing two different
meanings. It could simply introduce a further qualifying phrase to the
identification of the martyrs (so NIV, TEV). But it may also be understood to
introduce a second group. There are (1) those who were beheaded for their
witness and (2) "also those who" did not worship the beast (so Rissi,
Swete; see JB; BV—and of these also; NASB—"and those who"). This
immediately alleviates a thorny problem., i.e., why only the martyrs should
live and reign with Christ. Usually in Revelation the relative pronoun hoitines
("who") simply refers to the preceding group and adds some further
detail (2:24, 9:4; 17:12); but in one other reference, which alone has the
identical introductory terms (kai hoitines), the phrase so introduced singles
out a special class or group from the more general group in the preceding
statement (1:7). Thus the kai hoitines clause introduces a special class of the
beheaded, i.e., those who were so beheaded because they did not worship the
beast, etc. In any case, it seems that John has only the beheaded in mind (cf.
14:13).
But this presents a problem because
John has elsewhere indicated that the kingdom reign will be shared by every
believer who overcomes (2:26-28; 3:12, 21) and is purchased by Christ's blood
(5:10). Also, in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Paul clearly speaks of all believers—not
just martyrs—exercising judgment in the future. Revelation 5:10 indicates that
the kingdom will be a "reign on the earth." Unless only those
beheaded by the beast will reign in the Millennium, another explanation is
demanded. The pastoral approach would explain John's reference to only the
martyrs as a piece of special encouragement to them, while not implying that
others would be left out (Beasley-Murray).
I feel somewhat more comfortable
with the view expressed earlier (see comments at 6:9)—viz., that the martyrs
represent the whole church that is faithful to Jesus whether or not they have
actually been killed. They constitute a group that can in truth be described as
those who "did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death"
(12:11). As such, the term is a synonym for overcomers (chs. 2-3). Thus John
could count himself in this group, though he may never have suffered death by
the axe of the beast. In 2:11 those who during persecution are faithful to
Christ even to the point of death are promised escape from the second death,
which in 20:6 is promised to those who share in the first resurrection, i.e.,
the beheaded (v. 4). In fact, a number also of the other promises to overcomers
in the letters to the seven churches find their fulfillment in chapter 20
(compare 2:11 with 20:6; 2:26-27 with 20:4; 3:5 with 20:12, 15; 3:21 with
20:4).
The martyrs "came to
life." The interpretation of these words is crucial to the whole passage.
Since Augustine, the majority of interpreters have taken the words to refer to
a spiritual resurrection, or new birth, or to the triumph of the church. Caird,
for example, sees the parallel to Christ's resurrection (2:8) but seems to
spiritualize Jesus' resurrection and concludes that resurrection for the
martyrs "means that they have been let loose into the world" (p.
255). This substitutes some symbolic sense of physical resurrection for the
historical event. Others, rightly chastened by a more serious exegesis of the
text, hold that the language teaches bodily resurrection but that the whole
section (20:1-10) is not to be taken as predicting events within history but is
apocalyptic language, figurative of the consolation and reward promised the
martyrs (Beckwith, p. 737). Berkouwer's position typifies the mystical and
vague language used by nonmillennialists to explain what the passage means:
We may not tamper with the real,
graphic nature of the vision of Revelation 20, nor may we spiritualize the
first resurrection. But one question is still decisive: does this vision intend
to sketch for us a particular phase of history? If one does interpret it this
way, it seems to me that he must include the first (bodily) resurrection in his
concept of a future millennium.... This vision is not a narrative account of a
future earthly reign of peace at all, but is the apocalyptic unveiling of the
reality of salvation in Christ as a backdrop to the reality of the suffering
and martyrdom that still continue as long as the dominion of Christ remains
hidden (italics his) (Return of Christ, p. 307).
While alleviating the criticism of a
spiritual resurrection, Berkouwer fails to take with equal seriousness the
language of the thousand-year reign, which is everywhere in the Apocalypse a
reign on the earth within history.
The verb ezesan ("came to
life," from zao) is used in v. 4 of the martyrs and also in v. 5 of the
"rest of the dead" who did not come to life till the thousand years
were completed. When the context is that of bodily death, ezesan is used in the
NT to connote physical resurrection (John 11:25; Acts 1:3; 9:41), though the
normal word is egeiro ("raise up"). More importantly, Revelation
clearly uses zao ("live") for the resurrection of Christ (1:18; 2:8)
and also curiously for the sea beast (13:14). John 5:25 is sometimes cited as
an evidence that zao refers to spiritual life, not physical resurrection. But a
careful reading of the context clearly shows that while John 5:25 does indeed
use zao in the sense of spiritual life (as do other NT passages), John 5:29 is
definitely referring to physical resurrection and uses the phrase "rise to
live" (anastasin zoes, from zao). John plainly says in Revelation 20:5
that "this is the first resurrection" (anastasis prote). The word
anastasis, which occurs over forty times in the NT, is used almost exclusively
of physical resurrection (Luke 2:34 is the only exception). There is no
indication that John has departed from this usage in these verses.
Why does John call this the
"first" resurrection? The term prote clearly implies the first in a
series of two or more. John does not directly refer to a second resurrection; a
second resurrection is, however, correctly inferred both from the use of prote
and also from the expression "the rest of the dead did not come to life
until the thousand years were ended" (v. 5). Irenaeus (fl. c.175-c.195)
clearly connects John's first resurrection with the "resurrection of the
just" (Luke 14:14; Irenaeus Contra Haereses 39.3-10). Likewise Justin
Martyr held to a physical resurrection before the Millennium (Dialogue with
Trypho 80) and a general physical resurrection after the thousand years (ibid.,
81), though he does not explain whether believers will also participate in the
latter. From at least the time of Augustine, the first resurrection was
understood as a regeneration of the soul and the second resurrection as the
general physical, bodily resurrection of just and unjust (City of God 20.9-10).
It must, however, be insisted that it is quite weak exegesis to make the first
resurrection spiritual and the second one physical, unless the text itself
clearly indicates this change, which it does not.
Another response would be to
understand "the rest of the dead" who lived not until the close of
the thousand years to be all the faithful except the martyrs, plus the entire
body of unbelievers (so Mounce, Revelation, p. 360). This view, in our opinion,
runs aground on the fact that John clearly seems to tie exclusion from the
second death with those who are part of the first resurrection, thus strongly
implying that those who participate in the second resurrection are destined for
the second death.
Therefore, following the lead of the
earlier exegesis of Irenaeus, we may understand the first resurrection as being
the raising to physical life of all the dead in Christ (cf. 1 Cor 15:12ff.; 1
Thess 4:13ff.); this is the resurrection to life of John 5:29 (NIV, "rise
to live"). For those who participate in this resurrection, "the
second death [the lake of fire (20:14)] has no power over them" (v. 6).
Therefore, they are "blessed and holy" (the fifth beatitude in Rev;
see comments on 1:3) and shall be priests of God and Christ for the thousand
years. On the other hand, those over whom the second death will have power must
be "the rest of the dead" (v. 5), who will be participants in the
second resurrection, the "rise to be condemned" of John 5:29 (cf.
Acts 24:15).
In the only place other than
Revelation 2:11 and 20:6 where the second death is mentioned, it refers to
exclusion from physical resurrection (v. 14). Likewise, in the Palestinian
Targum on Deuteronomy 33:6, the OT locus theologicus in rabbinic Judaism for
proving the resurrection from the dead, the Targum reads: "Let Reuben live
in this world and not die in the second death in which death the wicked die in
the world to come." In the Targum the second death means exclusion from
the resurrection. Not to die the second death, then, means to rise again to
eternal life (cf. M. McNamara, Targum and Testament: Aramaic Paraphrases of the
Hebrew Bible; A Light on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962], p.
123).
What now may be said as to the
length of the kingdom reign? Nowhere in other literature is the kingdom reign
of the Messiah specified as 1,000 years (on 2 Enoch 33, see note on v. 6),
though estimates of 400, 40, 70, 365, or an indefinite period (Sanhedrin 99a)
are found. Thus parallels to John's use of 1,000 years must be sought
elsewhere. According to Danielou, the most primitive traditions in Asia relate
the 1,000 years to Adam's paradisiacal time span. According to the Book of
Jubilees, Adam's sin caused him to die at 930 years of age (Gen 5:5),
"seventy years before attaining a thousand years, for one thousand years
are as one day [Ps 90:4] in heaven... For this reason [because he ate from the
tree of knowledge] he died before completing the years of this day" (Jub
4:29-30). Here the 1,000 years are based on an exegesis of Genesis 2:17 in
terms of Psalm 90:4-Adam dies on the day on which he eats the forbidden fruit;
but according to Psalm 90:4, a day means 1,000 years, and therefore Adam dies
before completing 1,000 years. Danielou believes this is the origin of John's
use of the 1,000 years.
Later, the thousand years began to
be associated with the Jewish cosmic-week framework in which the history of the
world is viewed as lasting a week of millennia, or seven thousand years. The
last day millennium is the Sabbath-rest millennium, followed by the eighth day
of the age to come. This idea was then linked interpretatively but
inappropriately to 2 Peter 3:8. While early Christian writings, such as the
Epistle of Barnabas, reflect this reasoning, it was not, according to Danielou,
the most primitive tradition (Theology of Jewish Christianity, pp. 377-404).
Is the thousand years, then,
symbolic of a perfect human lifespan or some ideal kingdom environment on the
earth? In the first place, the number symbolisms of John in Revelation should
not be used to argue against an earthly kingdom. It might be said that the
number is symbolic of a perfect period of time of whatever length. The essence
of premillennialism is in its insistence that the reign will be on earth, not
in heaven, for a period of time before the final judgment and the new heavens
and earth. For example, we may rightly understand the 1,260 days (forty-two
months) of earlier chapters as a symbolic number, but it still refers to an
actual historical period of whatever length during which the beast will destroy
the saints. If we look at the time of suffering of the Smyrna Christians, it is
"ten days" (2:10), a relatively short time in comparison to a
thousand years of victorious reign with Christ. In any case, it is not of
primary importance whether the years are actual 365-day years or symbolic of a
shorter or longer period of bliss enjoyed by believers as they reign with
Christ on earth (cf. 5:10 with 11:15; 22:5).
Notes
1 Some selected bibliographic references on the millennial question may be helpful: Premillennial—Alford, "Revelation," Alf (1884); Tenney, Interpreting Revelation (1957); Cullmann, Christology of the New Testament (1959); Rissi, Time and History (1966); idem, The Future of the World, An Exegetical Study of Revelation 19:11-22:15 (Naperville, Ill.: A. R. Allenson, 1972); Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (1966); Beasley-Murray, "The Revelation," NBC rev. (1970); Ladd, Commentary on Revelation (1972); Amillennial—Augustine The City of God 20.6-15; Caird, Revelation of St. John (1966); Rudolf Schnackenburg, Present and Future; Modern Aspects of New Testament Theology (South Bend, Ind.: University of Notre Dame, 1966); G.C. Berkouwer, The Return of Christ (1972); Harry Boer, "What About the Millennium?" The Reformed Journal, 25 January 1975), 26-30; idem, "The Reward of Martyrs," The Reformed Journal, 25 (February 1975), 7-9, 28; Postmillennial—Lorraine Boettner, The Millennium (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1958); Rousas J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law (Nutley, N.J.: Craig, 1973); H. Berkhof, Christ the Meaning of History (1979). For background material, see G. R. Beasley-Murray and H. Hobbs, Revelation: Three Viewpoints (Nashville: Broadman, 1977); Robert G. Clouse, ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1977); and Millard J. Erickson, Contemporary Options in Eschatology. A Study of the Millennium (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1977). For a helpful historical survey of the origins of millennial thought, see Danielou, Theology of Jewish Christianity.
4-6 2 Enoch 33:1ff. (of doubtful
age) is sometimes cited as evidence that the Jews believed in a thousand-year
Messianic Age. However, the Jewish cosmic-week explanation for the history of
the world did not explicitly connect the Messiah's reign to the seventh-day
millennium. Thus there arose a multitude of different year periods assigned to
the Messianic Age that would precede the eternal period or age to come.
On the possibility that the first
resurrection refers to the intermediate state, see Meredith Kline, "The
First Resurrection," WTJ, 37 (1974-75), 366-75; J.R. Michaels, "The
First Resurrection: A Response," WTJ, 39 (1976), 100-109; P.E. Hughes,
"The First Resurrection: Another Interpretation," WTJ, 39 (1977),
315-18; See also J. S. Deere, "Premillennialism in Revelation
20:4-6," BS, 135 (1978), 58-73.
4 The plural ἐκάθισαν (ekathisan,
lit., "they sat"; NIV, "were seated") may be another
instance of the Semitic idiom where the plural is used for the passive idea
(cf. note on 12:6). In this case, the NIV rendering is perfectly justified."
D) [EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY ON RO 20:7-10]:
(Rev 20:7 NASB) When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,
(Rev 20:8 NASB) and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four
corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the
war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.
(Rev 20:9 NASB) And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded
the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from
heaven and devoured them.
(Rev 20:10 NASB) And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of
fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
"C. The Release and End of Satan
(20:7-10)
7-10 The fifth last thing (see
comments at introduction to 19:11-21) is the defeat of Satan. In v. 3 the
release of Satan after the Millennium was anticipated: "He must [dei] be
set free for a short time [mikron chronon; cf. 12:12, oligon kairon]." Why
must (dei) he once again be released? The answer is so that he can
"deceive the nations" throughout the world and lead them into
conflict against "God's people." But why should God allow this?
Certainly if man alone were prophetically writing the history of the world, he
would not bring the archdeceiver back after the glorious reign of Christ
20:4-6. But God's thoughts and ways are not man's (Isa 55:8). Ezekiel's vision
of Gog brought out of the land of Magog seems to be clearly in John's mind
(Ezek 38-39). Ezekiel also saw an attack on God's people, who had been restored
for some time ("after many days" [Ezek 38:8])—i.e., after the
commencement of the kingdom age.
In Ezekiel 38-39, Gog refers to the
prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian
hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are
symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the
community of the saints. The change in meaning has occurred historically
through the frequent use in rabbinic circles of the expression "Gog and
Magog" to symbolically refer to the nations spoken of in Psalm 2 who are
in rebellion against God and his Messiah (cf. Caird, p. 256, for Talmud
references).
If the beast and his armies are
already destroyed (19:19ff.), who are these rebellious nations? It may be that
the beast and his armies in the earlier context refer to the demonic powers and
those in 20:7ff. to human nations in rebellion—not an unlikely solution (see
comments at 19:19ff.)-or it may be that not all the people in the world will
participate in the beast's armies and thus those mentioned here in v. 8 refer
to other people who during the millennial reign defected in their hearts from
the Messiah. In any case, this section shows something of the deep, complex
nature of evil. The source of rebellion against God does not lie in man's
environment or fundamentally with the devil but springs up from deep within
man's own heart. The return of Satan will demonstrate this in the most dramatic
manner once for all. The temporal reign of Christ will not be fulfilled till
this final challenge to his kingdom occurs and he demonstrates the power of his
victory at the Cross and puts down all his enemies (1 Cor 15:25).
The gathered army, which is
extensive and world-wide, advances and in seige fashion encircles the
"camp [parembole] of God's people, the city he loves." Most
commentators take the expressions camp and city as different metaphors for
God's people. The word parembole in the NT refers to either a military camp or
the camp of Israel (Acts 21:34, 37; 22:24; Heb 11:34; 13:11, 13). It is a word
that reminds us of the pilgrim character of the people of God even at the end
of the Millennium, as long as evil is active in God's creation.
The "city he loves"
presents more difficulty. According to standard Jewish eschatology, this should
refer to the restored and spiritually renewed city of Jerusalem in Palestine
(Ps 78:6-8; 87:2; Beckwith, p. 746). A number of modern commentators of various
theological opinions have taken this Jewish identification as a clue and have
so understood the passage (H. Berkhof, Christ the Meaning of History, p. 153;
Ladd, Commentary on Revelation, p. 270; Charles, Commentary on Revelation,
2:145). On the other hand, John may have intended to refer merely to the
community of the redeemed without any specific geographical location in mind.
This would be in harmony with his previous references to the city elsewhere in
the book (cf. comments at 3:12; at 11:2, and at 8). There are only two cities
or kingdoms in the Apocalypse—the city of Satan, where the beast and harlot are
central, and the city of God, where God and the Lamb are central. The city,
then, is the kingdom of God in its millennial manifestation; it is the same
city that appears in its final, most glorious form in the last chapters
(21-22). Wherever God dwells among his people, there the city of God is
(21:2-3). Following this understanding of the beloved city in no way weakens
the validity of an earthly reign of Christ and the saints.
The swiftness and finality of the
divine judgment (v. 9) emphasizes the reality of the victory of Christ at the
Cross. The fire imagery may reflect Ezekiel's vision of the destruction of Gog
(Ezek 38:22; 39:6). Note that unlike the Qumran and Jewish apocalyptic
literature, it is God, not the saints, who destroys the enemy (cf. comments at
19:19). The devil is now dealt the long-awaited final and fatal blow (Gen 3:15;
John 12:31). The "lake of fire" imagery is probably related to the
teaching of Jesus about hell (gehenna, Matt 5:22; 7:19; 10:28; 13:49-50; Mark
9:48, et al.). The lake image may be related to certain Jewish descriptions of
eternal judgment (cf. 2 Enoch 10:2: "a gloomy fire is always burning, and
a fiery river goes forth"). The figure may intensify the idea of the
permanency of the judgment (cf. comments at 14:11; also comment at 19:20; at
20:14-15; and at 21:8). That the beast and false prophet are already there does
not argue for their individuality (contra Beasley-Murray, The Revelation, p. 1308)
since later in the chapter "death" and "Hades," nonpersonal
entities that for the sake of the imagery are personified, are cast into the
same lake of fire (20:14).
Notes
The Palestinian Targum on Exod 40
refers to the Messiah of Ephraim "by whose hand the house of Israel is to
vanquish Gog and his confederates at the end of days" (cited by Ford, p.
356).
E) [BIBLE KNOWLEDGE COMMENTARY ON THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST REV 20:1-10]:
(Rev 20:1 NASB) "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
(Rev
20:2 NASB) And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is
the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
(Rev 20:3 NASB) and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over
him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the
thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released
for a short time.
(Rev 20:4 NASB) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and
those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to
life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(Rev
20:5 NASB) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand
years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6 NASB) Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will
be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand
years.
(Rev 20:7 NASB) When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,
(Rev 20:8 NASB) and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four
corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the
war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.
(Rev 20:9 NASB) And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded
the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from
heaven and devoured them.
(Rev 20:10 NASB) And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of
fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
"The millennial reign of Christ
(20:1-10)
This chapter presents the fact that
Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years. If this chapter is taken
literally, it is relatively simple to understand what is meant. However,
because many Bible interpreters have rejected the idea that there will be a
reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years after His second coming, this
chapter has been given an unusually large number of diverse interpretations,
all designed to eliminate a literal millennial reign. In general there are
three viewpoints, each with a number of variations.
The most recent view is what is
known as postmillennialism. According to this view the thousand years represent
the triumph of the gospel in the period leading up to the second coming of
Christ. The return of Christ will follow the Millennium. Usually traced to
Daniel Whitby, a controversial writer of the 17th century, this view has been
advanced by other prominent scholars in the history of the church including
Charles Hodge, A.H. Strong, David Brown, and more recently, Loraine Boettner.
Basically it is an optimistic view that Christ will reign spiritually on earth
through the work of the church and the preaching of the gospel. This view has
largely been discarded in the 20th century, because many anti-Christian
movements have prospered and the world has not progressed spiritually.
A second major view is
amillennialism, which denies that there is any literal Millennium or reign of
Christ on earth. The millennial reign of Christ is reduced to a spiritual reign
in the hearts of believers. This reign is either over those on earth who put
their trust in Him or over those in heaven. Both the amillennial and
postmillennial views must interpret Revelation 20 in a nonliteral sense. Often
there is wide difference among amillenarians in their interpretations of
various passages in the Book of Revelation. Amillennialism historically had its
first important advocate in Augustine who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Before Augustine, it is difficult to find one orthodox amillenarian. Modern
advocates include such respected 20th-century theologians as Oswald Allis,
Louis Berkhof, William Hendriksen, Abraham Kuyper, R.C.H. Lenski, and Gerhardus
Vos.
A third form of interpretation is
premillennialism, so named because it interprets Revelation 20 as referring to
a literal thousand-year reign of Christ following His second coming. As the
Second Coming occurs before the Millennium, it is therefore premillennial.
Twentieth-century advocates of this position include Lewis Sperry Chafer,
Charles L. Feinberg, A.C. Gaebelein, H.A. Ironside, Alva McClain, William
Pettingill, Charles C. Ryrie, C.I. Scofield, Wilbur Smith, and Merrill F.
Unger. Other premillenarians can be found from the first century on, including
Papias, Justin Martyr, and many other early church fathers. Arguments for this
position are based on the natural sequence of events in chapter 20 following
chapter 19, viewing them as sequential and as stemming from the second coming
of Christ. Many passages speak of the second coming of Christ being followed by
a reign of righteousness on earth (Pss. 2; 24; 72; 96; Isa. 2; 9:6-7; 11-12;
63:1-6; 65-66; Jer. 23:5-6; 30:8-11; Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos
9:11-15; Micah 4:1-8; Zeph. 3:14-20; Zech. 8:1-8; 14:1-9; Matt. 19:28;
25:31-46; Acts 15:16-18; Rom. 11:25-27; Jude 14-15; Rev. 2:25-28; 19:11-20:6).
It should be evident that one's
interpretation of Revelation 20 is an important decision that serves as a
watershed for various approaches to prophetic Scripture. The approach taken in
this commentary is that the events in chapter 20 follow chronologically the
events in chapter 19. Many also believe that chapters 21-22 follow in
chronological order (for more detailed discussion of various views, see
Walvoord's Revelation, pp. 282-90; and The Millennial Kingdom. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1959, pp. 263-75).
1. The Binding Of Satan (20:1-3)
(Rev 20:1 NASB) "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
(Rev
20:2 NASB) And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is
the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
(Rev 20:3 NASB) and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over
him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the
thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released
for a short time.
20:1-3. Chapter 20 begins with the
familiar phrase, And I saw an angel (cf. 7:2; 8:2; 10:1; 14:6; 18:1; 19:17).
The "and" with which this chapter begins suggests that it continues
the sequence of events begun in 19:1, which is introduced with the words
"after this." In chapter 19 the Greek has "and" at the
beginnings of 15 verses (but it is omitted in the niv in vv. 4, 8, 10-11,
13-16, and 21 and is trans. "then" in vv. 5-6, 9, and 19 and
"but" in v. 20). The use of the word "and" (kai) often
indicates action that follows in logical and/or chronological sequence.
Accordingly there is no reason why chapter 20 should not be considered as
describing events which follow chapter 19. "And" (kai) continues
throughout chapter 20, beginning each verse except verse 5. There is thus no
linguistic or grammatical suggestion that these events are anything other than
events following the second coming of Christ and occurring in sequence.
In addition to the grammar which
connects these incidents, there is also the causal connection of the events
which follow naturally from the fact that Christ will have returned to the
earth. In chapter 19 these events include casting the beast and the false
prophet into the lake of burning sulfur and destroying their armies. Having
disposed of the world ruler and the false prophet as well as the armies, it
would be only natural that Christ should then turn to Satan himself, as He does
in chapter 20.
Accordingly John saw an angel
descend from heaven holding the key to the Abyss and a great chain. The angel
grabbed Satan, the dragon (cf. 12:3-4, 7, 9, 13, 16-17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13),
that ancient serpent (12:9, 14-15), bound him, and threw him into the Abyss,
and locked it, in order to prevent Satan's work of deceiving the nations any
more for a thousand years.
An important interpretive question
is whether Satan was bound at the first coming of Christ, as is commonly
advanced by amillenarians, or will be bound at His second coming, as is held by
premillenarians. Revelation 20:1-3 rather clearly contradicts the amillennial
interpretation that Satan was bound at the first coming of Christ. Throughout
the Scriptures Satan is said to exert great power not only against the world
but also against Christians (Acts 5:3; 1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14;
12:7; 1 Tim. 1:20). If there is still any question whether this is so, it
should be settled by the exhortation of 1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled
and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour."
Amillenarians answer this by saying
that Satan is limited by the power of God. But this has always been true, as
illustrated in the Book of Job and elsewhere. To describe Satan's present
situation as being locked in the Abyss and unable to deceive the nations for a
period of a thousand years is simply not factually true today, and it requires
extreme spiritualization of the literalness of this passage as well as other
New Testament references to Satan's activities and present power. This same
power of Satan is further revealed in the Great Tribulation when he empowers
the world ruler (Rev. 13:4). Satan will have been cast out of heaven at the
beginning of the Great Tribulation and will then be more active than ever (Rev.
12:9, 13, 15, 17).
If Satan is actually deceiving the
nations today, as the Scriptures and the facts of history indicate, then he is
not now locked in the Abyss, and the thousand-year Millennium is still future.
This interpretation is also supported by the final statement that after the
thousand years, he must be set free for a short time (20:3). Here expositors
again are at a loss to explain this except in a literal way, making possible a
final satanic rebellion at the end of the millennial kingdom.
2. The Resurrection And Reward Of
The Martyrs (20:4-6)
(Rev 20:4 NASB) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and
those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to
life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(Rev
20:5 NASB) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand
years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6 NASB) Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will
be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand
years.
(Rev 20:4 NASB) "Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and
those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to
life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."
"20:4. Next in the series of
revelations John recorded that he saw thrones on which were seated those who
had been given authority to judge. In addition he saw the souls of those who
had been beheaded because of their standing true to the Lord and His Word in
the Great Tribulation. The fact that John could see them implies that they had
received intermediate bodies in heaven and were awaiting their resurrections.
A distinction should be made between
what John saw and what he received as revelation. Though he could see the
souls, he was informed that they had been beheaded because they had refused to
worship the beast or his image and would not receive his mark. What John saw
was not all the souls in heaven but a particular generation of martyred dead
who had been contemporaneous with the world ruler, the beast out of the sea
(13:1). If the church were raptured prior to this event, as premillenarians
teach, it would make sense to single out these martyred dead for resurrection.
But if the church were not raptured, it would be most unusual to ignore all the
martyrs of preceding generations, the church as a whole, and to specify this
relatively small group.
John apparently was not told the
identity of the individuals seated on the thrones. They evidently do not
include the martyred dead themselves. Christ had predicted (Luke 22:29-30) that
the 12 disciples would "eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on
thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel." As the disciples are also a
part of the church, the body of Christ, it would be natural for them to sit on
these thrones.
According to the Scriptures a series
of judgments is related to Christ's return. The beast and the false prophet
will be cast into the fiery lake (Rev. 19:20), Satan will be cast into the
Abyss (20:1-3), and then the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation will be
judged and rewarded (v. 4). In addition, Israel will be judged (Ezek.
20:33-38), and the Gentiles will be judged (Matt. 25:31-46). These judgments
precede and lead up to the millennial kingdom.
John stated that these martyred dead
came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Their coming to life
suggests that they will be given resurrected bodies. In addition to receiving
the visual revelation, John was informed as to the meaning and character of the
judgment that was here taking place.
(Rev 20:5 NASB) "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection."
"20:5. John was also informed that
the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.
This refers to the resurrection of the wicked dead, discussed later (vv.
11-15).
John stated that what he was seeing
is the first resurrection. Posttribulationists refer to this as proof that the
church will not be raptured before the Tribulation and that no resurrection has
taken place prior to this point in fulfillment of God's prophetic program. It
should be obvious, however, that in no sense could this be the number-one
resurrection chronologically because historically Christ was the first to rise
from the dead with a transformed, resurrected body. There was also the
resurrection "of many" (Matt. 27:52-53) which took place when Christ
died. In what sense then can this resurrection in Revelation 20:5 be
"first"?
As the context which follows
indicates, "the first resurrection" (vv. 5-6) contrasts with the last
resurrection (vv. 12-13), which is followed by "the second death"
(vv. 6, 14). It is first in the sense of before. All the righteous, regardless
of when they are raised, take part in the resurrection which is first or before
the final resurrection (of the wicked dead) at the end of the Millennium. This
supports the conclusion that the resurrection of the righteous is by stages.
Christ was "the Firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15:23), which was preceded by
the token resurrection of a number of saints (Matt. 27:52-53). Then will occur
the Rapture of the church, which will include the resurrection of dead church
saints and the translation of living church saints (1 Thes. 4:13-18). The
resurrection of the two witnesses will occur in the Great Tribulation (Rev.
11:3, 11). Then the resurrection of the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation
will occur soon after Christ returns to earth (20:4-5). To these may be added
the resurrection of Old Testament saints which apparently will also occur at
this time, though it is not mentioned in this text (cf. Isa. 26:19-21; Ezek.
37:12-14; Dan. 12:2-3).
(Rev 20:6 NASB) Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years."
"20:6. All those who share in the
resurrection of the righteous are said to be blessed and holy, and 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. While all the righteous will be
raised before the Millennium, individuals will retain their identities and
their group identifications such as Gentile believers and believers in Israel
in the Old Testament, the church of the New Testament, and saints of the
Tribulation.
It should be noted that the term
"a thousand years" occurs six times in chapter 20. This was not
something that could be seen visually; John had to be informed of it and the
vision had to be interpreted as relating to a period of a thousand years. While
amillenarians and others have tended to view this as nonliteral, there is no
evidence to support this conclusion. This is the only chapter in Revelation
where a period of a thousand years is mentioned, and the fact that it is
mentioned six times and is clearly described as a period of time before which
and after which events take place lead to the conclusion that it means a
literal thousand-year period.
Since other time designations in
Revelation are literal (e.g., "42 months," 11:2; 13:5; "1,260
days," 11:3; 12:6) it is natural to take "a thousand years"
literally also. If the term "a thousand years" designates a
nonspecific but long period of time, the present Age between Christ's two
advents, as amillenarians hold, then one would expect John to say simply that
Christ would reign "a long time," in contrast to the "short
time" of Satan's release (20:3).
Events which precede the thousand
years are (a) the second coming of Christ, (b) the beast and the false prophet
thrown into the fiery lake, (c) the armies destroyed, (d) Satan bound and
locked in the Abyss, (e) thrones of judgment introduced, and (f) the martyred
dead of the Tribulation resurrected. These events revealed in their proper
sequence make it clear that the thousand-year period follows all these events,
including the second coming of Christ. The conclusion that the Second Coming is
premillennial is clearly supported by a normal, literal interpretation of this
text.
3. The Final Doom Of Satan (20:7-10)
Apart from frequent mention of the
thousand years, no details are given concerning the reign of Christ on earth
except that it is a time of great blessing. Many Old Testament passages supply
additional information about the Millennium. The main point of the revelation
here is that the Millennium follows the Second Coming.
20:7-8. John was told what would
happen at the conclusion of the thousand years. Satan will be released from the
Abyss, his prison, and will make a final attempt to induce nations—called Gog
and Magog—to come and battle with him against Christ. Satan's release will
produce a worldwide rebellion against the millennial reign of Christ. The
armies will be so vast in numbers that they are said to be like the sand on the
seashore.
Who are these who will follow Satan?
Those who survive the Tribulation will enter the Millennium in their natural
bodies, and they will bear children and repopulate the earth (Isa. 65:18-25).
Under ideal circumstances in which all know about Jesus Christ (cf. Jer.
31:33-34), many will outwardly profess faith in Christ without actually placing
faith in Him for salvation. The shallowness of their professions will become
apparent when Satan is released. The multitudes who follow Satan are evidently
those who have never been born again in the millennial kingdom.
The question has been raised as to
whether this war is the same one discussed in Ezekiel 38-39, where Gog and
Magog are also mentioned (Ezek. 38:2). These are two different battles, for in
the war of Ezekiel 38-39 the armies come primarily from the north and involve
only a few nations of the earth. But the battle in Revelation 20:7-9 will
involve all nations, so armies will come from all directions.
Furthermore nothing in the context
of Ezekiel 38-39 is similar to the battle in Revelation, as there is no mention
of Satan or of millennial conditions. In Revelation 20:7 the context clearly
places the battle at the end of the Millennium, whereas the Ezekiel battle
takes place in connection with end-time events.
Why then is the expression "Gog
and Magog" used by John? The Scriptures do not explain the expression. In
fact it can be dropped out of the sentence without changing the meaning. In
Ezekiel 38 Gog was the ruler and Magog was the people, and both were in
rebellion against God and were enemies of Israel. It may be that the terms have
taken on a symbolic meaning much as one speaks of a person's
"Waterloo," which historically refers to the defeat of Napoleon at
Waterloo, Belgium, but has come to represent any great disaster. Certainly the
armies here come in the same spirit of antagonism against God that is found in
Ezekiel 38.
20:9. The armies will surround the
camp of God's people, the city He loves. This could mean only Jerusalem, which
will be the capital of the world government of Christ throughout the millennial
kingdom (cf. Isa. 2:1-5). The result is immediate judgment. Fire will come down
from heaven and devour them.
In contrast with Ezekiel 38, there
is no mention of earthquake, hail, or other disasters. The only similarity is
that in both cases there is fire from heaven, a frequent method of divine
judgment on the earth (cf. Gen. 19:24; Ex. 9:23-24; Lev. 9:24; 10:2; Num. 11:1;
16:35; 26:10; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10, 12, 14; 1 Chron. 21:26; 2 Chron.
7:1, 3; Ps. 11:6; etc.).
[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logicF) [EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY ON REV 20:11-15]:
(Rev 20:11 NASB) "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from
whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for
them.
(Rev 20:12 NASB) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before
the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which
is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which
were written in the books, according to their deeds.
(Rev 20:13 NASB) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and
Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every
one of them according to their deeds.
(Rev 20:14 NASB ) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
(Rev 20:15 NASB) And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
"D. Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)
11-15 John describes in vivid pictures the sixth last thing (see
comments in introduction to 19:11-21), the final judgment of mankind.
Unlike many of the vivid, imaginative paintings based on this vision,
here John describes a strange, unearthly scene. Heaven and earth flee
from the unidentified figure who sits on the majestic white throne. The
language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything
of the world (1 John 2:17). Now the only reality is God seated on the
throne of judgment, before Whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict
alone is holy and righteous (white symbolism). It is possible that in
Revelation the earth and sky refer more to the religio-political order
than to the cosmological one (Caird). Since 20:11-12 makes use of the
theophany of Daniel 7:9-10, the one seated on the throne is presumably
God himself; but since 22:1, 3 mention the throne of God and of the
Lamb, it may well be that here Jesus shares in the judgment (John 5:27;
R.T. France, Jesus and the Old Testament [Downers Grove, Ill.:
InterVarsity, 1971], p. 203). God has kept the last judgment in his own
hands. This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that
earth's course of history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day
or hour in the world's drama has ever detracted from the absolute
sovereignty of God (Lilje).
But who are the dead (vv. 12-13)'? Earlier in the chapter, John has
mentioned the "rest of the dead" who are not resurrected till the
thousand years are completed (v. 5). As Mounce observes: "If the first
resurrection is limited to actual martyrs, then the judgment of verses
11-15 involves both believer and impenitent. If the second resurrection
is of the wicked only, then the judgment is of those who will in fact
be consigned to the lake of fire" (Revelation, p. 365). While no
resurrection is mentioned in vv. 11-15, the dead may well be those who
did not participate in the first resurrection. Since the second death
has no power over those who were raised in the first resurrection (v.
6), it may be argued that only those who are the enemies of God - i. e.,
the wicked dead - stand before this throne (John 5:24). This is by no
means a necessary inference, though it is the most satisfying exegesis.
[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logicF cont.) [EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY ON REV 20:11-15, cont.]:
"A moment of tension arrives. The books are opened. It is sobering to
ponder that in God's sight nothing is forgotten; all will give an
account of their actions (v. 13). Judgment always proceeds on the basis
of works (Matt 25:41ff.; Rom 2:6; 2 Cor 5:10; Heb 4:12-13). The "books"
are the records of human deeds (v. 12). While in Jewish thought there
are references to books of good and evil deeds being kept before God (4
Ezra 6:20; 1 Enoch 47:3), John is probably alluding to Daniel 7:10:
"The court was seated, and the books were opened." We are not told
whether these books contain both good and evil works or only the
latter. John is more concerned about another book, the book of life,
which alone seems to be decisive (vv. 12, 15; cf. at 3:5; also 13:8;
17:8; 21:27). How can these two pictures be harmonized? In reality
there is no conflict. Works are unmistakable evidence of the loyalty of
the heart; they express either belief or unbelief, faithfulness or
unfaithfulness. The judgment will reveal through the records whether or
not the loyalties were with God and the Lamb or with God's enemies.
John's theology of faith and its inseparable relation to works is the
same as Jesus' and Paul's (John 5:29; Rom 2:6ff.). This judgment is not
a balancing of good works over bad works. Those who have their names in
the Lamb's book of life will also have records of righteous deeds. The
opposite will also be true. The imagery reflects the delicate balance
between grace and obedience (cf. comments at 19:6-8).
Three broad places are mentioned as containing the dead: the sea,
death, and Hades (v. 13). The sea represents the place of unburied
bodies while death and Hades represent the reality of dying and the
condition entered on at death (cf. 1:18; 6:8). The imagery suggests
release of the bodies and persons from their places of confinement
following death; i.e., it portrays resurrection. They rise to receive
sentence John 5:29b). Death and Hades are personified (cf. 6:8) and in
a vivid image are cast into the lake of fire to be permanently
destroyed (cf. 19:20; 20:10). This not only fulfills Paul's cry
concerning the last enemy, death, which will be defeated by the
victorious kingdom of Christ (1 Cor 15:16), but also signals the earth's
new condition: "There will be no more death" (21:4).
The final scene in this dark and fearful passage is in v. 15. From the
English rendering it might be inferred that John is doubtful whether
anyone will be thrown into the lake of fire. The Greek construction,
however, is not so indefinite. John uses a first-class condition, which
assumes the reality of the first clause and shows the consequences in
the second clause. Thus we might paraphrase the verse: "If anyone's
name was not found written in the book of life, and I assume there were
such, he was thrown into the lake of fire." When taken seriously, this
final note evaporates all theories of universalism or apocatastasis
(cf. Berkouwer's excellent discussion in Return of Christ, pp. 387-423).
Notes
15 The "second death" terminology does not occur in rabbinic teaching
in this period, but it is found in the Targum to the Prophets on Isa
65:6, where it is said that the bodies (resurrected) of the wicked are
delivered to the second death. This supports the idea of a second
resurrection of the unjust that precedes the casting into the second
death (cf. Israel Abraham's Studies in Pharasaism and the Gospels 2d
ser. [New York: Ktav, 1967], pp. 41-49)."
[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logicG) [BIBLE KMOWLEDGE COMMENTARY ON REV 20:11-15]:
(Rev 20:11 NASB) "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from
whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for
them.
(Rev 20:12 NASB) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before
the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which
is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which
were written in the books, according to their deeds.
(Rev 20:13 NASB) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and
Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every
one of them according to their deeds.
(Rev 20:14 NASB) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
(Rev 20:15 NASB) And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
"O. The judgment of the great white throne (20:11-15)
1. The Resurrection And Judgment Of The Wicked Dead (20:11-13)
20:11. The final five verses of chapter 20 introduce the judgment at
the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state. John
wrote, I saw a great white throne. The events here described clearly
follow the thousand years of verses 1-6. The great white throne
apparently differs from the throne mentioned more than 30 times in
Revelation beginning with 4:2. It apparently is located neither in
heaven nor earth but in space, as suggested by the statement, Earth and
sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. It is not
indicated who sits on this throne, but probably it is Christ Himself as
in 3:21 (cf. Matt. 19:28; 25:31; John 5:22; 2 Cor. 5:10—though the
throne in these references is not necessarily the same throne as in
Rev. 20:11). While Christ is now seated on the throne in heaven and
will be seated on the Davidic throne on earth in the Millennium (Matt.
25:31), this white throne judgment is a special situation.
The question has been raised as to whether the earth and the starry
heavens as they are today will be destroyed at this point in the future
or will be simply restored to a new state of purity. Many references in
the Bible suggest that the earth and the heavens, as now known, will be
destroyed (cf. Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17; 21:33; 2 Peter
3:10-13). This is confirmed by the opening statement of Revelation 21,
"the first heaven and the first earth had passed away."
The present universe was created like a gigantic clock which is running
down, and if left to itself, would ultimately come to a state of
complete inactivity. Inasmuch as God created the universe and set it in
motion for the purpose of enacting the drama of sin and redemption, it
would seem proper to begin anew with a new heaven and a new earth
suitable for His eternal purpose and built on a different principle.
The new heaven and new earth described in chapter 21 has no similarity
to the present earth and heaven.
20:12. The purpose of establishing the great white throne is to judge
the dead. John wrote that the dead, great and small, stood before the
throne. From other Scriptures it seems that all the righteous dead have
been raised, including Old Testament saints, the dead of the Great
Tribulation, and the church saints, the body of Christ (see comments on
v. 5). Thus it may be assumed that verses 11-15 refer to the judgment
of the wicked dead, who according to verse 5 would not be resurrected
until after the thousand years and will have no part in what is called
"the first resurrection."
At that judgment John saw books... opened, including a book called the
book of life. The text does not state clearly what these books are, but
the first opened books may refer to human works and "the book of life"
is the record of those who are saved (cf. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15;
21:27). The fact that these dead have not been raised before is
evidence in itself that they do not have eternal life and that their
judgment is a judgment of their works.
All final judgments deal with works, whether the works of Christians
rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ or the works of the unsaved
which are in view here. The question of who is saved is determined not
in heaven but in life on earth. What is revealed here is the
confirmation of one's destiny by means of God's written records.
Some view the book of life as the record of all the living and that
when the unsaved die their names are deleted from it. A better view is
that the book is the record of those who are saved whose names were
"written in the book of life from the creation of the world" (17:8).
Regardless of which view is taken, at this time only the saved are in
the book of life.
20:13. In order for the wicked dead to be judged... the sea... death,
and hades will give up their dead. Those who are unsaved at the time of
death go immediately to a state of conscious punishment described in
the Old Testament as sheol and in the New Testament as hades. Neither
sheol nor hades ever refer to the eternal state and should not be
considered equivalent to the English word "hell," which properly is the
place of eternal punishment. The lake of fire (vv. 14-15) referred to
as "the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (19:20) is the same as gehenna
(cf. Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke
12:5; James 3:6) and is translated "hell" in the niv and kjv with the
word "fire" added in several passages. Actually gehenna was originally
a name for the place of burning refuse, located in the Valley of Hinnom
south of Jerusalem. The term, however, goes far beyond this geographic
background and refers to eternal punishment.
The statement "death and hades gave up the dead" means that the
physical bodies of the unsaved will be joined with their spirits which
have been in hades. The mention of "the sea" giving up its dead makes
it clear that regardless of how far a body has disintegrated, it will
nevertheless be resurrected for this judgment.
2. The Lake Of Fire (20:14-15)
20:14-15. Following the great white throne judgment death and hades
were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second
death, the final destination of the wicked. The doctrine of eternal
punishment has always been a problem to Christians who enjoy the grace
of God and salvation in Christ. The Bible is clear, however, that the
punishment of the wicked is eternal. This is confirmed in verse 10,
where the beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire
after the thousand years of Christ's millennial reign. Though the
wicked dead will receive resurrection bodies, they will be quite unlike
the resurrection bodies of the saints. The former people will continue
to be sinful but will be indestructible and will exist forever in the
lake of fire.
Though many have attempted to find some scriptural way to avoid the
doctrine of eternal punishment, as far as biblical revelation is
concerned there are only two destinies for human souls; one is to be
with the Lord and the other is to be forever separated from God in the
lake of fire. This solemn fact is motivation for carrying the gospel to
the ends of the earth whatever the cost, and doing everything possible
to inform and challenge people to receive Christ before it is too late."
[BIBLESTUDYMANUALS]:
"It is evident that if a
contrived, unprovable point of view, or one of the many nonsensical
epistemological, philosophical, interpretative dictates; or one of the
many, illogical unprovable points of view to force a personal
interpretation outside of the normal rules of reading via language, context and logic ;
or if one of the many falsified theological principles which are not
based on a normal reading skill set;
or if one of the unproved symbolic, geographical, numerical concepts /
insights,
etc. is required to be learned and accepted as true in order to
understand the Bible - setting aside a normal reading of the words of
God's Word; or if it is ruled that one must know the whole Bible in
order to understand one verse of the
Bible: a logical fallacy / impossibility; then since most people are
normative readers who do not
espouse to the contrived insights of others; it must be determined that
the
Bible is not meant for all people of accountable age to read
and understand. Hence people must depend upon elite, so called superior
individual(s)
to lead / teach / instruct them in what the Bible says - like most
pastors and church leaders demand - sad to say.
On the other hand, the Bible properly read utilizing the normative
rules of reading: i.e., rules of language, context and logic as people are taught in
school, it is determined that the Bible does
include all individuals of accountable age evidently only needing to
study it utilizing normal reading / linguistic skills and nothing else . Therefore special, contrived, unprovable, flawed insights are NOT required to understand the Bible, because it is the normative rules of language, context and logic which are biblical.
But it is also evident that some of what God has inspired the bible writers
to write in His Word for the moment - properly read - is not
for the moment comprehensible until such time that God has determined /
decreed it to be comprehensible and fulfilled in that timeframe
- properly read without any contrivances. And the so called contrived,
unprovable insights or full knowledge requirements in order to determine what each
verse is saying are nonsensical and prove out to be untrustworthy when
tested via a proper reading.]