THE KINGDOM AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE UNSAVED #66
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 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. 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. 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).
One thousand years of peace on earth transpired between verse 6 and 7. Christ will rule the earth in righteousness during that time. Satan will be confined to his prison, and the nations will not be deceived during that period. Also, there will be no war during the 1000 years. Men and women will live to be several hundred years of age. (See Isaiah 65:20.)
As we have stated, after the 1000 years, Satan will be released for a little season. Satan cannot change his nature and immediately he goes forth to deceive the nations. The deceived nations, which follow Satan, will confederate and go up against Jerusalem with the purpose to conquer Jesus Christ and take the Kingdom from Him. The purpose of Satan’s brief release is to prove that man is incurably wicked and is hopeless without God’s grace and mercy. Every dispensation ends with the failure of man and the judgment of God. After 1000 years, under the rule of Christ, millions will still rebel in heart, and their wickedness will be made manifest when satanic leadership is provided.
War will not be necessary. God will send fire down from heaven and destroy Satan and his armies. The Devil will be taken and cast into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are. This proves that there is a hell, and that those who go there are never annihilated.
Dake says,
- When the 1,000 years are up it will be time for the separation and destruction of all rebels, including Satan and the renovation of the heavens and the earth by fire, which will result in the New Heaven and New Earth (2 Pet. 3:10-13; Rev. 20:7-10; Rev. 21:1- Rev. 22:5).
- Satan, his angels and demons will be loosed from the abyss (Rev. 20:7; Isa. 24:22).
- Satan and his hosts will go throughout the earth to deceive the nations who have not wanted the reign of Christ and who, in their hearts, have longed for an opportunity to get rid of such strict laws and rigid suppression of their lusts (Rev. 20:8; Eph. 2:1-3).
- The rebels will mobilize in the land of Gog and Magog, north of Palestine in Asia and ascend upon Jerusalem from the north (Rev. 20:8; cp. Ezek. 38 — Ezek. 39 which refers to the same part of the earth, but to an event before the Millennium).
- The rebels from all parts of the earth will surround the camp of the saints and the capital, Jerusalem (Rev. 20:9).
- Fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour every rebel (Rev. 20:9; 2Pet. 3:10-13).
- The devil will be taken and cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev. 20:10). —Dake’s Study Notes
The Great White Throne Judgment
“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. 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. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20: 11-15).
This is the last of all judgments and it must consist of the wicked dead since the righteous were judged in the First Resurrection at the Second Advent. The present earth and the heavens will be burned at this time. (See 2 Peter 3:7.) This judgment may take place in outer space or on the earth just prior to its burning. All wicked men from Adam to the end of the 1000 years will be judged there. Wicked angels will also be judged at this time.
The wicked will be judged according to their works. The Book of Life will be opened to show that they rejected light when it was offered to them. The purpose of this judgment is to show that their works demand hell, and that there was a time when they refused the Light offered to them. They loved darkness rather than light. They will bow to Him, not as their Lord, but as a conquering Sovereign. (See Isaiah 45:23 and Romans 14:11.)
This ends the heavens and the earth, as we know them. It ends all wickedness and rebellion. Everything has now been judged according to righteousness. Heaven and earth are now purged and a new eternal order is about to be established. That order will be the new heaven and the new earth.
This last vision is of the people on the new earth, and takes us back to Genesis 1 where Adam and Eve inhabited the first new earth. One can see the parallel between the two states, and the Last Adam now regains that which was lost by the first Adam.
Although chapters 21 and 22 describe the wonderful events of the Post Tribulation period, we find that there are as many different interpretations of this section as there are interpreters. Some are sensible in their approach, while others seem bent on the sensational.
We must keep in mind that the Great White Throne judgment has taken place. The 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom is passed, and Satan has been released for a brief season and then assigned to the lake of fire. The earth and the heavens have been destroyed. (See 2 Peter 3:10-13; Isaiah 65:17; 66:22-24.) All sin, sorrow, tears, death, and suffering are forever past and will never plague God’s creatures again.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.