Good morning. I hope you all had a good weekend. What a strange weather weekend it was....so much rain (again) on Saturday followed by so much wind and cold on Sunday! I guess winter is here for a while!
We are close to the end of Revelation. There has been so much destruction and death and disaster. We have seen some glimpses of the triumph of good. And there is more to come. This morning we read about Satan being bound for 1000 years and his doom...good will win,
The angel that comes from heaven is not named, so we are unsure of who it is, but their task is to condemn Satan to a pit for 1000 years. Satan may be restrained- but what about his armies/ angels? Can we assume they are restrained too? Satan is chained in a bottomless pit. For a thousand years. Then what? Has the thousand years come? Where is Satan now? There are many commentaries about this "millennium", but we are still unsure exactly what John meant and where Satan is. What is the message for us? Is the thousand years literal or not? John says after the 1000 years, "he must be let out for a little while." Is that now?
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| Casting Satan to the Bottomless Pit A World without Satan: What Will It Be Like? — Revelation 20:2-3 | Prayer A to Z (studyingprayer.com) |
John then sees thrones- are these the same thrones of the 24 elders he has seen several times? These saints will reign for the same 1000 years that Satan is in prison. John also sees those that were martyred for Jesus. They survived- even if they didn't survive in earthly life. Christ is faithful to those that stood up for Christ...even to the end. They were resurrected, just as Christ was.
I am troubled by the next verse. These martyrs are blessed in this first resurrection, but the "rest of the dead" did not come to life until later and were not blessed (vv 5-6). Why are not all the dead blessed?
After the 1000 years of Satan being in chains, he is released! Will there be another rebellion against God? Sounds like there may be some more battles to come?! Gog and Magog are enemies of Israel in Ezekial (38-39). This may be a symbolic reference to more troubles. Happily (?) fire reigns down from heaven and they are defeated- there is no real fight as it seems to be over before it has begun. Satan looses and is thrown into the fiery pits of hell. This is the last we see of Satan...thankfully!
John then sees a white throne with Jesus seated upon it; people are trying to escape this final judgement...but there is no escaping. "The books" are opened; the Book of Life was opened. The dead were judged by their works- what? I though it was more than works?! Didn't Paul preach/ teach about faith? Is it really works that we are judged on? Or is it more of looking at our relationship with God?
Death and Hades give up the dead. Death- the result of sin; Hades- the result of death is gone and those that were there are judged by the book. If they "pass" they are given salvation; if they fail- they are condemned to the second death- eternal life with Satan.
This is a tough chapter. There are some disturbing images and thoughts. Where are we? Where am I? Where are the people I love? There are still so many questions. But, as I have said many times, we cannot over analyze Revelation or we lose the meaning of the story.
Two more chapters- and they are both full of goodness and newness.
Have a great rest of the day.
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
While reading this you cannot help but be curious as to when is the 1000 year... Are we in it has it passed? From what I understand there has never been 1000 years of peace.
ReplyDeleteI hope we are judged by our actions as well as our relationship with god.
Cindy- that is the big question for all of us in the group- when is the 1000 years?! And you are right- has there ever been complete peace in the world?
DeleteThanks
Guess I have it now that Satan wasn't thrown into the firey furnace it was the antichrist and the false prophet. Part of Satan's trinity. Reading todays chapter Satan is chained and put into the bottomless pit for 1000 yrs. what a glorious time not to be tempted at all but I'm wondering what with human nature will we still be tempted or not? What will it be like when he is released again will he be more vengeful and double or triple is attack on us to sin? I do hope my name is in the Book of Life, however I think the judgement day will still not be pretty when we have to hear God's Word on how we did on earth.
ReplyDeleteWill there always be temptations and evil? Is Satan needed for that or can we humans do it on our own?
DeleteGood thought- when Satan is released, what will he be like? On a rampage or did he learn?
Thanks Clara
This is a difficult Chapter to read. Are the things mentioned already happening or to happen? Since I am thinking that the 1,000 years means that there will be absolute peace and no evil, that hasn't happened yet. In my Bible vs. 4 does say "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...." my Bible's commentary says they are the souls who died in the tribulation - because vs. 4 also goes on to say "....which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark...." more then martyrs yes? And that the "rest of the dead" are those who were unsaved from Cain forward. And they will be raised after the millennial reign of Christ. And then they are judged?
ReplyDeleteMaybe those that never heard the Word of God, nor knew of Jesus, are those that will be judged by their works alone? As Paul mentioned in one of his letters?
I agree, Clara, I do hope my name is in the Book of LIfe and that both my faith AND my works will please God
That is a big question- has this happened? Is it happening now? When will it all happen? And I agree- I don't think there has ever been a time when the world was completely at peace- certainly not for 1000 years!
ReplyDeleteYes- the tribulation resulted in death by beheading- I think I missed that or didn't read it right when it happened.
Good thought- those that didn't know Christ may be the ones judged by their actions... I like that thought!
It is a nerve-wracking read!
Thanks Donna