LIFE IN THE COMING UTOPIA

Revelation 20:1-6
Bob Bonner
May 7, 2006

Victor Hugo was a French novelist who lived over 100 years ago. He was part of that optimistic movement that believed in and preached the glory of man and the utopia that the human race would bring to the world. Of this optimistic dream he wrote: “In the Twentieth century war will be dead. The scaffold will be dead. Hatred will be dead. Frontier boundaries will be dead. Dogmas will be dead. But man will live. He will possess something higher than all these: a great country, the whole earth, a great hope, the whole heaven.”

If Victor Hugo should awaken from his grave today, he would be rather disappointed in what he would find. The art of war is alive and well. The scaffold from which the wicked were executed is not gone, but merely replaced by the electric chair, the gas chamber and lethal injection. He would be grieved by the ferocity of crime and terrorism that has spread across the planet. He would weep over our youth who have become addicted to drugs. He would feel deep sorrow when he looked over a planet that when he lived was alive and pristine only to see today, many of its most beautiful and productive spots covered in concrete and polluted.

What has happened to the previous generation’s cherished dreams of a utopia, a life on this planet that would be perfect and free from the dogmas of God? Where is the prosperity promised to all? Where is this dream of the golden age of man? Except in the hearts of the blind, those who refuse to let go of a shallow hope in man, this dream is dead. Why has this human dream died a still birth? Romans 1:21-22 gives us a clue. It states, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”

Basically, these verses conclude that this human dream was conceived by individuals who had committed spiritual adultery by worshiping humanity and the rest of creation while foolishly denying or ignoring the Creator God. When humanity turns its back on God, our hearts become foolish in our thinking and our efforts to make a significant difference in our world become futile.

Yet, in spite of humanity ignoring and rejecting God, in Revelation 20, we see that God’s earthly utopia, that for which the human heart longs for, is just around the corner. In this relatively short chapter of fifteen verses there are many questions raised and some are specifically answered herein. Those questions that are raised but not answered here are answered elsewhere in Scripture, and we will look to those passages to get a more complete answer than what we can from just this passage. I have categorized the issues brought up in this chapter under five basic questions, all of which we will consider as we work our way through this chapter. Those questions are: 1.) What happens chronologically right after the Battle of Armageddon? 2.) What is this “reign of Christ on earth” all about? In other words, how long will it be? What will characterize this period of time on earth? Who will be the citizens in His kingdom? 3.) What happens to the key players of this world during Christ’s reign on earth? What happens to Satan? His demons? The believers of all ages? The unbelievers of all ages? Closely related to that question is this fourth question, 4.) What is the ultimate destiny of all these key players? When we come to this question, we will look at a very popular but incorrect view of what happens to God’s enemies. Until relatively recently, there has been only one view taught about God’s eternal judgment of His enemies. That has been the view of eternal damnation, the forever and ongoing existence of living in hell for those who have rejected Jesus Christ and stood hostile to God. But today, there is a second view being popularized by many Christians called “Annihilationism.” In this view, the enemies of God are destroyed and simply cease to exist. They are not living in a tortured existence for eternity. They simply disappear forever. If this new view is correct or wrongly takes over in the church of the future, it will forever change the face of evangelism and world missions. Finally, 5.) What are the meanings of the following different terms used in the Bible: “hell,” “hades,” “Sheol,” and “Gehenna?” How do these terms relate to one another?

As you can see, there is a lot ahead of us in this little chapter that needs explanation. For this chapter sets the foundation of reality from which you will make decisions that affect the rest of your life here on earth as well as in eternity.

Before we begin looking at this chapter, I must also make you aware that this chapter in the Bible is one of the great doctrinal battlefields of Scripture. There are three different approaches to the way one interprets this passage, only one of which can be correct. Two of the different approaches, known as “Amillennialism” and “Postmillennialism” are founded upon the same conclusion that the contents of this chapter are written and to be interpreted strictly in a symbolic or figurative manner, even though there are no indicators in this chapter that all of it is to be considered figuratively as a metaphor. Whereas the third approach, my approach, known as the “Premillennialism” is founded upon the view that what is written here, unless otherwise indicated, must be read and interpreted from a literal approach, as one does the rest of Scripture. The differences in these approaches and their ultimate conclusions are significant.

What is a “millennium?” The word “millennium” comes from two Latin words, “mille,” meaning “thousand” and “annum,” meaning “years,” and put together, it means “a thousand years.” You will see in Revelation 20 that six times in seven verses we are told about a one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth.

Briefly, AMILLENNIALISTS hold that there is no real separate period of time called the Millennium taught in Scripture. They hold that this thousand-year period is simply a figurative expression for a long period of time. Because of this, they believe that there will be no future reign of Christ on earth, because we are presently in the midst of Christ’s millennial reign on earth right now. They teach that the reign of Christ on earth began with Christ’s victory over Satan at the cross. With that victory, they teach that Satan was bound and will remain bound until Christ physically comes again to the earth.

However, throughout the New Testament there are several chapters that teach that Satan, the god of this world is alive and well and presently active upon the earth. For instance: 2 Cor 4:1-6 teaches that Satan, the god of this world is presently blinding the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

Ignoring such passages, Amillennialists teach that during Christ’s figurative or metaphorical reign on earth, there will be life lived out characterized by a mixture of good and evil. A conflict between good and evil will intensify with the appearance of the antichrist. After the antichrist rules for a while, Christ will literally return to earth, at which time there will be a general resurrection and judgment of the dead, both believers and unbelievers, who from there, will be ushered into the eternal state. Notice that in their approach, there is no Rapture.

Postmillennialists, like the Amillennialists hold the view that Christ will return to earth after the Millennium, at which time there will be a general resurrection and judgment of the human race. Also, like the Amillennialists, notice that in their approach, there is no Rapture.

However the Postmillennialists differ from the Amillennialists in that they hold that the present age in which we live, the church age, will gradually merge into the Millennial Kingdom, and you won’t know exactly when the Millennial Kingdom will start. The Millennial Kingdom will be characterized by spiritual prosperity, universal peace and righteousness, and economic well being. However, at the end of this period there will be a brief period of conflict between the Church and the forces of evil, followed by the return of Christ.

Both Postmillennialism and Amillennialism spiritualize or ignore the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures that teach about the seven-year period of Tribulation, or Christ’s teaching about the three-and a-half-year period known as the Great Tribulation.

On the other hand, the Premillennial view, which I hold to, teaches that Christ will return before the Millennium, and that the present age will lead into the period known as the seven-year Tribulation, something clearly taught in Scripture, but the other two views brush off as figurative language. Also, note that this view holds to the Rapture taking place before the Tribulation. When Christ comes, He will set up His kingdom on earth and literally reign here on earth for 1,000 years. During that 1,000 years, life on earth will be as close as one can come to living in utopia on this earth.  At the end of those years, there will be one final conflict between Satan and Christ, after which Satan will be cast into hell, followed by the resurrection and judgment of unbelievers, followed by the eternal state.

This is a very brief overview of the different approaches to the interpretation of Revelation 20. If you would like to know more about these three approaches and why I believe that the Premillennial view is correct, I would encourage you to pick up a copy of an excellent and recent work that summarizes all three views and the problems that the Amil and the Postmil views have with this chapter. The title of the book is Revelation 20 and the Millennial Debate, by Matthew Waymeyer, published by Kress Christian publications.

I took the time to go into these details because the very opening verse of Revelation 20 grammatically and contextually demands that you see a chronological and literal order to the events spelled out in this chapter, to further support the Premillennial view. For instance: From 19:11-20:12, seven times this phrase “and [or then] I saw” is repeated, marking the progressive chronological steps following the end of the Tribulation and the world as we know it. 

In addition, the natural sequence of events is supported by the logical dependence of one event upon the preceding event. To be specific, at the conclusion of chapter 19, only two thirds of the “unholy trinity,” the antichrist and his false prophet are defeated and cast into the lake of fire. What should the reader expect to take place next? The explanation of what happens to the final third of this unholy trinity, Satan. And that’s just where chapter 20 begins, sequentially. Chapter 20 opens with the natural progressive phrase, “Then I saw...” and goes on to explain in the next ten verses the ultimate judgment of the third party of the unholy trinity, the utmost enemy of Christ and His followers, Satan.

Hence, this demands the following binding of Satan and Satan’s subsequent defeat spelled out in these verses must follow, not precede, the physical return of Christ to this earth, with which chapter 19 concludes. In turn, this evidence supports that a literal or Premillennial approach to this chapter is the only appropriate interpretive approach.

With that setting of the historical stage and why I take the literal approach to this passage, let’s look at verses 1-3, which describes what happens to Satan during this 1,000 years. Beginning with verse 1, we read, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.”

What happens to Satan during this 1,000 years? Christ sends an angel to bind Satan in the abyss for 1,000 years so that he will have no ability to deceive or influence human life on earth at that time.

This “abyss” that we read about here, is spoken of seven times in the book of Revelation, always in reference to the temporary place of incarceration for certain demons. This abyss is not their final resting place. It is not hell or the lake of fire, to which they will eventually be cast. Nevertheless, it is a place of torment to which the demons fear to be sent. (Luke 8:31). At this point in time, Satan will join them in their lock down, for 1,000 years, during which time Satan’s activity will be totally curtailed. 

Please note that in these verses, there are no indicators whatsoever that this 1,000 years should be interpreted as anything but a literal 1,000 years. Furthermore, it might interest you to know that while the term “day” as it is used in the Bible sometimes is used to refer to something other than a literal 24-hour day, never in the Bible is the word for “month” or “year” ever used for anything but a literal month or year. Hence, once more, there is no reason to question whether or not the 1,000 years means a literal 1,000 years.

From here, we move to verses 4-6, which explain what happens to the human race during this thousand-year period. Verse 4 explains what happens to those who have been true worshipers of God down through history. Of them we read, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

In these verses, we see three groups of believers mentioned who will populate the Millennium. The first group are those who sit on thrones and join with Christ in judging and the passing out of eternal rewards. Previously, in Revelation 4-5 the only other people we are told who sit on thrones are the 24 elders. In Luke 22:29-30 we are told that these believers will judge the true believers of Israel, as to whether or not they are believers, deserve to live in the kingdom, and what will be their eternal rewards. Obviously, whatever these 24 elders do, it will be under the direction and authority of Christ. 

Personally, I do not see the 24 elders as some do, representing all of the church saints. I see them as a representative elite group of Christians. Other Christians will live in the kingdom, but probably won’t be ruling or sitting on thrones in the same manner as these unique Christians, these 24 elders.  According to Rev. 2-3; Luke 19:11-27; Matthew 25:14-30 (where Christ refers to different degrees of ruling authority in His kingdom) this special right to judge is reserved for those whom Christ chooses as having lived most faithfully here on earth.

The second group mentioned in this list are the “souls of the beheaded saints” which refers to those who came to Christ during the Tribulation period and were martyred for their faith.

The third group mentioned in this verse are those who will not worship the beast or accept his mark, but who will still be alive at the end of the Tribulation. Hence, they are the surviving Tribulation saints.

The only other group that will be on earth during the Millennium, but who are not mentioned in this verse are the Old Testament believers, who will be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation. Although they are not mentioned here, they are mentioned in Ezekial 20:33-38; Malachi 4:1, 2; Zech. 12:10; Zech. 13:8-9; Daniel 12:1-3. These references teach that God will purge the spiritually dead from the nation of Israel, allowing only the true believing children of Israel to enter His kingdom. He will separate the sheep from the goats, the believing Jews from the unbelieving Jews. 

In verse 5, we discover what will happen to those who have rejected Jesus, the Messiah. We are told that “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.” This is the first resurrection.

“The rest” refers to the resurrection of the unbelieving and wicked dead. They are discussed later verses 11-15. They will not be resurrected until after the Millennial Kingdom is over, and at that time, they will face Jesus Christ at the final Great White Throne Judgment. They will not be a part of or experience “the first resurrection” that those mentioned in v. 4 will experience.

The expression the “first resurrection” does not point to an event but to an order of resurrection including all of the righteous who are raised from the dead at the beginning of the Millennium. The righteous are the “first” to be resurrected in contrast to the unrighteous who will be the “last” or those who are part of the “second” resurrection at the end of the Millennium.

Just as there are two kinds of resurrection, (first for the righteous, second for the wicked) there are two kinds of death. The first death results in burial, the second death results in judgment or eternal damnation. One obviously does not want or need to be a part of the second death. Hence, verse 6 declares, “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” Blessed are those who never experience this second death, for it is reserved only for the unsaved, and is described as the “lake of fire” (20:14). 

Also, just as the first death does not occur to all people in one and the same moment but is experienced individually over time, so the first Resurrection is fulfilled over time, according to whatever group the believer is a part of. For instance: If you live before the Tribulation, during the Church Age, you will experience the first Resurrection at the Rapture. For those Christians who are alive at the Rapture, won’t even experience death. Those who come to Christ during the Tribulation, will experience the first Resurrection at the end of the Tribulation. Old Testament believers they will experience the first Resurrection at the end of the Tribulation. 

All in all, no matter when the believer experiences the first Resurrection, all who enter the Millennial Kingdom, we are told in verse 6, will in some fashion, be priests of God and Christ and we will reign with Christ. 

Other than those statements about the Millennial Kingdom, there is very little more that this chapter tells us about what the Millennium will be like. However, elsewhere in Scripture, there are many verses that tell us what it will be like to live in the Millennial Kingdom. Although I have begun a list of verses that point to different aspects of the Millennial Kingdom, I have yet to do a thorough study of those passages. The major portion of Bible verses that speak to what life will be like in the Millennial Kingdom are found in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. If you are interested in that, I challenge you to read the prophets, first listing all of those verses and then begin studying what life during the Millennial Kingdom will be like. I have just started that process myself and find it to be fascinating.

But allow me to point to just a few interesting aspects of Millennial life. First, all who will live during the Millennial Kingdom will not only be people who worship Jesus Christ. There will be some who resent the Lordship of Jesus Christ and who will hate His restored Kingdom of Israel. Furthermore there will be individuals who will place their trust in Christ for the first time as their personal Savior and Lord.

“How can that be?” you ask. Though the initial inhabitants of the Millennial Kingdom will all be saved, they will still possess “the flesh,” that ability to sin and to live independently from Christ. Furthermore, they will also be able to give birth to children who will have a sinful nature and will need to decide for themselves as to whether or not they want to put their trust in Christ. Each successive generation born during those thousand years will be made up of sinners in need of salvation. 

Furthermore, as we will see more of next week, even though satan is bound up in the abyss, the unsaved will continue to be able to sin. In other words, they will not be able to claim, “the devil made me do it” because he will be bound up. They will be forced to take full responsibility for their acts of rebellion against Christ. Hence, even the utopian conditions of the Millennium will not change the sad reality of the depravity of the human race and the truth that ever since the Fall, human beings are not basically good, but evil.

In addition, (and this is conjecture on my part, because I have little or no verses to strongly support this) I believe that those mentally disabled or children who died before the age of accountability, that age when one is deemed able to mentally and responsibly accept or reject Jesus Christ, will also be resurrected to live during the Millennial Kingdom and have the subsequent opportunity to trust Christ as well.

But for us today, we and those we love and even hate have the opportunity to decide whether or not we want to become a saved citizen of the Millennial Kingdom, one who will eventually live for eternity with God. I’m personally convinced, that the more we become of aware of what mercy God extended toward each of us, how depraved and unworthy each of us is, the more we will pray for and reach out to our enemies, hoping they too will put their trust in Christ.

I’m continually amazed as I study history past and prophetic history at the mercy of God and His continually seeking out and offering people a chance at eternal life. One day, the God of the second chance will no longer offer another chance to those who continue to reject Jesus Christ.

Where do you stand today? If you are a citizen of the Kingdom, whom are you reaching out to, inviting them to join you?

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