20161123 Wednesday, November 23 2016
Revelation 20: The First 1,000 Years After The Messiah's Return

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet"

The prophet Daniel (see the Fact Finder question below for a complete study series for the prophet Daniel) was given to see the return of the Messiah before the Messiah even came the first time (see Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Of The World To Come; see also The Messiah's Returns - To Heaven And Earth).

"2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ... 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Daniel 2:35,44 KJV)

The prophets Isaiah (Isaiah 2:2-4) and Micah (Micah 4:1-3) were given to see and record the famous "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" because "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Those verses will be fulfilled immediately after the events recorded by Daniel in the verses quoted above.

"2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:2-4 KJV)

The apostle Paul was also given to see and record the same events as prophesied by Daniel, Isaiah and Micah. The "end" will come when the Messiah has restored Paradise to Earth (see Will You Return To The Tree Of Life?) - by annihilating all rebels and unrepentant, arrogant fools (see The Only Political Party That's Going To Survive).

"15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." (1 Corinthians 15:24-25 KJV)

The verses quoted above will be fulfilled during first 1,000 years after the Messiah's return. The first resurrection will happen on the day of the Messiah's return (see Trumpets: The Prophecy Of The Return Of Jesus Christ), as will the putting away of Satan (see The Christian Day Of Atonement: Past, Present and Future).

"20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:1-6 KJV)

The second resurrection will happen at the end of the 1,000 years (see The Harvest Prophecies) - upon which they will have the means and opportunity to repent and truly obey the LORD just as those of the first resurrection had done. Satan will then be briefly released to test them, after which Satan and all refuse to steadfastly repent will be put away forever.

"20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:7-10 KJV)

Then, the final judgment and the worldwide flood of fire (see Who Were The People Born After Each Of The Three Worldwide Floods?) that will purify the Earth in preparation for the coming of God The Father to Earth (covered in the next chapters).

"20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did the prophet Daniel know and write about the return of the Messiah to rule the Earth?
See the complete study series for the prophet Daniel:

Daniel 12: Sealed Till The Time Of The End
Daniel 11: The Abominations Of Desolations By The Kings Of The North And South
Daniel 10: Daniel's Latter Days Vision
Daniel 9: The Seventy Sevens In History And Prophecy
Daniel 8: The Ram And He Goat Of Persia And Greece
Daniel 7: The Beasts And The Little Big Horn
Daniel 6: Daniel In The Den Of Lions
Daniel 5: The Hand Writing On The Wall
Daniel 4: What Part Of The Bible Was Written By A Babylonian King?
Daniel 3: The Fiery Furnace Of The Head Of Gold
Daniel 2: Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Of The World To Come
Daniel 1: Daniel's Knowledge Of Wisdom And Science