Revelation and Revelation and Human RealityHuman Reality

sktonstad@llu.edusktonstad@llu.eduSession 54Session 54

A-level AmphitheaterA-level AmphitheaterLLUMCLLUMC

Feb 12, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AMFeb 12, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AM

Welcome ActionWelcome Action

Revelation 20:1-3a Then I saw an angel Revelation 20:1-3a Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. more, until the thousand years were ended.

Action Less WelcomeAction Less Welcome

Revelation 20:3b After that he must be Revelation 20:3b After that he must be let out for a little while. let out for a little while.

Resurrection Resurrection and Vindicationand Vindication

Rev 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and those Rev 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

First ResurrectionFirst Resurrection

Rev 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not Rev 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first were ended.) This is the first resurrection.resurrection.

First Resurrection First Resurrection vs. Second Deathvs. Second Death

NRS NRS Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy are Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years. will reign with him a thousand years.

Satan ReleasedSatan Released

NRS NRS Revelation 20:7 When the thousand Revelation 20:7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison. from his prison.

‘‘1000 Years’ Summarized 1000 Years’ Summarized

Satan bound “for a thousand years” Satan bound “for a thousand years” v. 2v. 2 Satan bound “until the thousand years ended” Satan bound “until the thousand years ended” v. 3v. 3 Resurrected martyrs reign with Christ “a thousand Resurrected martyrs reign with Christ “a thousand

years” years” v. 4v. 4 The rest not resurrected “until the thousand years The rest not resurrected “until the thousand years

were ended” were ended” v. 5v. 5 Resurrected reign with him “a thousand years” Resurrected reign with him “a thousand years” v. 6v. 6 Satan released “when the thousand years are Satan released “when the thousand years are

ended” ended” v. 7v. 7

Before and After Before and After ‘the Millennium’‘the Millennium’

BEFOREBEFORE

Satan boundSatan bound First First

resurrectionresurrection

AFTERAFTER Satan releasedSatan released Second Second

resurrectionresurrection

‘1000 YEARS’

Dispensational Dispensational PremillennialismPremillennialism

Dispensational Premillennialism is the Dispensational Premillennialism is the belief that Jesus will come back to earth belief that Jesus will come back to earth after a seven-year tribulation and will rule after a seven-year tribulation and will rule during a thousand-year millennium of during a thousand-year millennium of peace on earth.peace on earth.

Israel Church Great Tribulation

Second Coming of Christ

Millennium

Eternity

FinalJudgment

7 yrs 1,000 yrs

Historic Premillennialism Historic Premillennialism

Historic Premillennialism is the belief that Historic Premillennialism is the belief that Christians will remain on the earth during Christians will remain on the earth during the great tribulation.the great tribulation.

The Church Age Great Tribulation Millennium

EternitySecond Coming

of Christ

Amillennialism Amillennialism

Amillennialism is the belief that Jesus will Amillennialism is the belief that Jesus will come again some day, but there is no come again some day, but there is no literalliteral thousand-year rule by Jesus on thousand-year rule by Jesus on earth.earth.

The Church Age

Tribulation

Millennium Eternity

Second Coming of Christ & Final Judgment

Postmillennialism Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism is the belief that the Postmillennialism is the belief that the second coming of Christ will occur after second coming of Christ will occur after the millennium.the millennium.

The Church Age Tribulation Millennium

Eternity

Second Coming of Christ & Final Judgment

MillennialismsMillennialisms

Projections for the FutureProjections for the Future

The most widely held views of the The most widely held views of the millennium see it as a golden age – a millennium see it as a golden age – a period of peace. period of peace.

The binding of Satan is understood as The binding of Satan is understood as though Satan is coercively restrained for a though Satan is coercively restrained for a time. time.

No One to Blame?No One to Blame?

God “binds the deceiver and sets up a God “binds the deceiver and sets up a period of time in which His will is perfectly period of time in which His will is perfectly clear and obvious to all. Nevertheless, it is clear and obvious to all. Nevertheless, it is all to no avail. When the deceiver is set all to no avail. When the deceiver is set free, he still proves…that humans cannot free, he still proves…that humans cannot blame their sinfulness on their environment blame their sinfulness on their environment or circumstances.” or circumstances.”

Talbert, Talbert, ApocalypseApocalypse, 95., 95.

Sovereign Grace?Sovereign Grace?

““Just as he was allowed to enter Eden, so Just as he was allowed to enter Eden, so in the restoration of paradise – the in the restoration of paradise – the millennial earth – he will be permitted to do millennial earth – he will be permitted to do it again. This final chapter in the world’s it again. This final chapter in the world’s history will again demonstrate that people history will again demonstrate that people perpetually embrace evil unless sustained perpetually embrace evil unless sustained by sovereign grace.” by sovereign grace.” MacLeod, MacLeod, “The Fifth ‘Last Thing’: The Release of “The Fifth ‘Last Thing’: The Release of Satan,” Satan,” BSacBSac157 (2000), 205.157 (2000), 205.

  

The Bible and The Bible and the State of the Earththe State of the Earth

What is the state of the earth What is the state of the earth beforebefore the the millennium?millennium?

What is the state of the earth What is the state of the earth duringduring the the millennium?millennium?

What happens to believers when Jesus What happens to believers when Jesus returns? returns?

The State of the Earth The State of the Earth BeforeBefore the Millennium - 1 the Millennium - 1 Rev 8:8-9 The second angel blew his Rev 8:8-9 The second angel blew his

trumpet, and something like a great trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. were destroyed.

The State of the Earth The State of the Earth BeforeBefore the Millennium - 2 the Millennium - 2

Rev 16:3 The second angel poured his Rev 16:3 The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like the bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died. in the sea died.

Seals, trumpets, and bowls in Revelation Seals, trumpets, and bowls in Revelation depict a state of progressive devastation. depict a state of progressive devastation.

OT Projections OT Projections of the Earth as of the Earth as

Wasteland Wasteland Isa 24:3-6Isa 24:3-6 The earth shall be utterly laid waste The earth shall be utterly laid waste

and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word. The earth dries up and withers, the this word. The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth. The earth lies languish together with the earth. The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled, and few people are left. dwindled, and few people are left.

Earth as Wasteland - 2Earth as Wasteland - 2

Isa 24:19-20Isa 24:19-20 The earth is utterly broken, The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn asunder, the earth is the earth is torn asunder, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunkard, it sways like a hut; its a drunkard, it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. falls, and will not rise again.

Earth as Wasteland - 3Earth as Wasteland - 3

Jeremiah 4:23-25 I looked on the earth, Jeremiah 4:23-25 I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void; and to the and lo, it was waste and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one at fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled. all, and all the birds of the air had fled.

Earth or Heaven?Earth or Heaven?

1 Thess 4:16-17 For the Lord himself, with 1 Thess 4:16-17 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. in Christ will rise first. Then we who are Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.Lord forever.

The Millennial The Millennial State of the EarthState of the Earth

Key OT and NT texts paint a picture of the Key OT and NT texts paint a picture of the millennial earth not as a golden age but as millennial earth not as a golden age but as a wasteland. a wasteland.

In such a scenario, Satan is not bound In such a scenario, Satan is not bound coercively but is bound by force of coercively but is bound by force of circumstances. circumstances.

The first resurrection refers to the The first resurrection refers to the resurrection of believers only. resurrection of believers only.

The City as Bride The City as Bride vs. the Bride as People vs. the Bride as People

Rev 19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and Rev 19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”made herself ready.”

Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, the Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. adorned for her husband.

SummarySummary

Second coming Second coming beforebefore the 1000 years the 1000 years Earth desolate Earth desolate duringduring the 1000 yearsthe 1000 years ‘‘New earth’ New earth’ afterafter the 1000 yearsthe 1000 years

The Church Age Great Tribulation Millennium

EternitySecond Coming

of Christ

After the Thousand YearsAfter the Thousand Years

Rev 20:7-9a When the thousand years are Rev 20:7-9a When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the prison and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are as numerous as the for battle; they are as numerous as the sands of the sea. They marched up over sands of the sea. They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved the camp of the saints and the beloved city. city.

Further ReadingFurther Reading

J. Webb Mealy, J. Webb Mealy, After the Thousand YearsAfter the Thousand Years. . Resurrection and Judgment in Revelation Resurrection and Judgment in Revelation 2020 (JSNT Sup 70; Sheffield: JSOT Press, (JSNT Sup 70; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1992). 1992).