Revelation 20 - Part One

Revelation chapter 20 is divided into 3 sections; we see the Millennium reign of Christ on the earth, the final defeat of Satan at the battle of Gog and Magog, and then the final judgment. Let's address the first two today. The Millennia reign begins at the end of the 7 years of tribulations and as Christ comes to establish himself as King of kings and Lord of lords on the earth. We already saw that the antichrist and false prophet are cast into the lake of fire at the end of the tribulations in Revelation chapter 19. Before the start of this 1,000 years reign where believers will also reign with Christ, satan will be bound in chains and cast into the bottomless pit. "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. " Revelation 20:1‭-‬3 NLT. Satan's influence will be cut off from the earth but there will be people still living on the earth who survived through the tribulation and who will still not have accepted the lordship of Christ. It is these group of people that after the Millennium reign gathers with satan for the battle of Gog and Magog. The strange thing is, prophesying some 4,000 years before this event holds, the prophet Ezekiel, amazingly said; "A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud. " Ezekiel 38:8‭-‬9 NLT. He continues; “Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: When my people are living in peace in their land, then you will rouse yourself. You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army, and you will attack my people Israel, covering their land like a cloud. At that time in the distant future, I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you, Gog. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord. " Ezekiel 38:14‭-‬16 NLT. This event is what John is seeing in Revelation chapter 20; "When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. " Revelation 20:7‭-‬10 NLT. The lake of fire is the final destination of the devil, the antichrist, the false prophet and all who reject Christ.