Revelation chapter 19-22 Study.

[Rebecca]

There are many differences that show it is two different events, and not a reiteration of the same event.

Chapter 19:11-16 - Jesus arrives on a white horse to the site of the battle

19:20- The Beast and False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire (These are separate individuals, they are not Satan and they are not in the bottomless pit)

19:21 - Jesus, from His horse, destroys the remaining army with His words.

Chapter 20:2-3 - Satan is chained up into the bottomless pit. (He wasn't imprisoned or cast into the Lake of Fire in chapter 19, so how can this be a reiteration? It's not - this is a continuation of events.) And here we wait for the next installment of lessons. However, to show the differences I'll jump ahead:

20:7 - Satan is loosed from the bottomless pit 

20:9 -  God (not Jesus) sends fire from Heaven (not while sitting on a horse at the site of the battle) to destroy the remaining armies.

20:10 - The Devil/Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire where he joins the Beast and False Prophet (who had not been released as Satan had) and this time there will be no release for him: "...and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

 

 

 

[Alan]

Covenanter,

Thank you for your comments.

[Alan]

Li Bai Jia,

Yea and Amen! Thank you very much for your observation and scriptual insight. You brought out some very good scriptual differnences between the Battle of Revelation 19:11-21 and the Battle of Revelation 21:7-10. Great!

Brethren,

I do want to thank those brethren that have offered scriptual insight and therefore a good discussion to this thread. If here are any other points that need to discuss please let me know.

The next lesson, Refelation 20:1-3 will be uploaded soon!

[Alan]

Special Note.

I need to break the lesson in Revelation 20:1-6 in two parts in order to clearly present the Millennial Reign of Christ more adequately. In the Revelation 20:4-6 study we broadly  discuss the classes of people, and nations, who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom.

Revelation 20:1-3, “Satan Bound.”

Verse 1, And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Verse 2, And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Verse 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.

“... an angel come down from heaven, ...’

The angel is the Lord Jesus. Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Only the Lord Jesus has the keys of hell and death.

And, the Lord Jesus is the same angel in Revelation 9:1 and 2 that takes the key of the bottomless pit, and opens it, in order to set loose the demonic locusts upon the earth.

 ‘...having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.’

The Lord Jesus does not say a word in this passage of scripture. He takes the ‘key,’ to the bottomless pit, “hell and death,’ He takes a ‘great chain.’ in His hands. The ‘great chain,’ is not necessarily the, ‘chains of darkness,’ referred to 2 Peter2:4 and Jude 6. Although it could be.

2 Peter 2:4, “For is God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Peter 2:4 in conjunction with 2 Peter 2:4 please read Jude 6. These chains are, ‘chains of darkness,’ whereas the chain in the hands of the Lord Jesus, is a special, ‘great chain.’

If any of the brethren would give some insight, or discussion, on this matter please do so.

The Lord Jesus uses His own two hands to physically hold this, ‘great chain,’ in His own two hands. The Lord Jesus could use His mouth to speak the word: but the scriptures do not tell us that He said a word. The Lord Jesus is God in the flesh. He can use His hands to fulfill His will, or His feet like any other man uses the members of his body to accomplish a task.

As an example. In John 9 the Lord Jesus healed a blind man with clay made of spittle. The Lord Jesus spit on the ground, then He stooped to the ground and made clay of the spittle, and then anointed the eyes of the blind man and told the blind man to wash at the pool of Siloam. The Lord Jesus, like a man: spit, stooped, and used His hands to make clay, and then used His hands to rub the clay on the man’s eyes. All without saying a word He healed the man. The only words that the Lord Jesus used was to tell the man where to wash.

‘... the Devil,...’

The order of names is the same as written in Revelation 12:9. The names given the Devil are a definite reference to his character: Dragon is a reference to his cruelty, Serpent is a reference to his guile and cunning treachery, Devil is a reference to his deceptive abilities and the tempter of men, Satan means opponent; the enemy of God, Jesus, The Bible, Righteousness, Holiness, Faithful Preachers, and Saints.

May we remember the admonition of King Solomon concerning our character, ‘our name.’ “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1

‘...cast him into the bottomless pit...’

Please take special notice. The Lord Jesus does not speak a word. Although the Lord Jesus could just speak the word to bind Satan, He does not. The Lord Jesus takes the Devil in His own two hands, and bodily throws him into the bottomless pit. Again, the Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, uses His hands to fulfill a task as any other man would.

‘... that he should deceive the nations no more...’

The primary object of Satan is to deceive. Satan deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit in order to cause man to dis-obey God, die, and spend eternity in hell. Satan hates God and does not want man to obey Him. Satan, and his devils (demons), primary arena of deception is ‘religion.’ The ministers of the devil cause people to not get saved and then they denounce, slander, find fault with, and malign those true men of God who preach and teach the truth.

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ” 2 Peter 2:1. One of the duties of a Man of God is to teach the truth and denounce heresy. Jude 3 & 4 are still applicable in these last days. These false teachers, in these last days, are now even among the independent Baptist churches. Satan deceives men through religion. The various false religions, false doctrines, and false Bibles of the world are deceiving men and women about the literal one thousand year reign of the Lord Jesus as revealed in the scriptures.

‘... till the thousand years should be fulfilled...’

For a literal one thousand years Satan will be sealed in the bottomless pit. The 1000 years is no way symbolic, figurative, or any other manner, not literal. God will fulfill His word as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to write.

“... after that...”

This is a direct, and irrefutable, reference to the 1000 millennial reign of Christ in verse 4-6. After the one thousand reign of the Lord Jesus on His throne in Jerusalem Satan will be let out of the bottomless pit, released of his chain, and deceive the nations once again with his deceitful religious lies.

 

[Alan]

 

 

 

 

In order to not derail this thread, and avoid further discussions that detract from the study, we will continue the lesson as planned.

Alan

[Alan]

Brethren,

 

Looking forward to moving onto our next lesson on Revelation 20:4-6

 

Alan

[John81]

Brethren,

 

Looking forward to moving onto our next lesson on Revelation 20:4-6

 

Alan

​As am I! Thank you for this beneficial thread.

[Alan]

Revelation 20:4-6, “The Millennial Reign of Christ.”

Or

“The Covenants of God Fulfilled.”

Verse 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 receive his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived with and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Verse 5, But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Verse 6, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power, but they shall priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them...’

The Lord Jesus as, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,’ begins His one thousand year reign on the face of the earth at Jerusalem with the establishment of the saints who served Him rewarded with, ‘thrones.’ These thrones are set in the different countries to rule and reign under, and with, the Lord Jesus; 2 Timothy 2:12

In Revelation 11:15 we read, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

The Millennial Reign of Christ begins.

The Reign is the fulfillment of Daniel 7:9 and 10, 13 and 14

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13 and 14

The Kingdom is the fulfillment of Daniel 2:44 and 45

David will sit on his throne as king, and as prince, over all land promised to Abraham and Jacob.

The Lord Jesus will be, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,’ over all the earth with His throne will be placed in Jerusalem.

The saints, both Old Testament and New Testament saints, including the Tribulation saints, who are rewarded with, ‘thrones,’ will rule over the various countries of the earth. This also fulfills the teaching of Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 6:2 and 3, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and it the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?”

For some promises of the Lord Jesus and the teaching of Paul concerning reigning with Christ in the Millennium study Matthew 24:14-23; 25:14-30; 31:46, Romans 8:17, Ephesians 1:18 and 2 Timothy 2:12

The nations left from going through the Tribulation Period, and were not in the battle of Revelation 19:11-21, will be judged, Matthew 25:31-46

Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Come Lord Jesus!

‘... the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God...’

In Revelation 6:9-11 we read of how these Tribulation saints were martyred for not taking the mark of the Beast due to their testimony of faith in Christ.

We need to note that the verbal persecution that most saints receive in these last days is mild indeed compared to the persecution of the Tribulation saints. “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12: 4 The Tribulation saints, resisted unto blood.”

‘... and they lived with and reigned with Christ a thousand years.’

This is fulfillment with the Covenants and promises of God in the Old Testament. Note: These covenants are not conditional and are fulfilled exactly as God promised in the Millennial Reign of Christ. And, they are ‘everlasting,’ due to the fact that after the last, and extremely short, battle of Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:8-10, does not entail the Jews being destroyed, nor the Kingdom, but the Millennium extends into eternity; i.e. the New Heavens and New Earth where the New Jerusalem is placed on the earth and the tabernacle is with men; Revelation 21:1-3.

The Old Testament, Unconditional, Covenants Fulfilled

1. Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; chapter 15: 17:1-14. The resurrected Abraham, and his saved, descendants, will at this time inherit the land that God promised Abraham, “... and to thy seed for ever.” Genesis 15:18, “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.”

2. David. “And I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning.” 1 Chronicles 17:9 Please note that David is asleep and that there are no conditions of this Covenant. It will be fulfilled by God whether or not the children of Israel follow the Law or not. It is an un-conditional covenant: 1 Chronicles 17: 3-15

   Ezekiel 34:20-31; verse 23, “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God [this is a direct reference to the Lord Jesus Christ as God], and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.” 2 Samuel 7:4-17 and Psalm 89:3 and 4

3. The Covenant of Ezekiel 37. This chapter gives the vision of the, ‘Dry Bones,’ (a picture of the future restoration of the nation of Israel in the Millennium), God gave this Covenant. Ezekiel 37:24-26, “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be prince their prince for ever.”

4. Confirmed to the Nation of Israel. Deuteronomy 4:31

   Prophetic Promises to be Fulfilled to the Elect Sons of Jacob in the Millennium

Special Notes

1. All of these Changes and Blessings are Literal and take place in the Millennium.

2. “Romans 11:5, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” The nation of Israel is God’s elect. The church did not replace the Elect sons of Jacob nor do the promises to the Church in the New Testament disannul, or negate the promises to Israel. Please study Galatians 3:15-18

Isaiah 9:6 tells us there will be no end to the Kingdom. The Kingdom will continue throughout eternity.

Isaiah chapter 11 the animal kingdom will be changed among other physical blessings.

Isaiah 24:23 After the horrific happenings listed in Isiah 24:1-22 the, “... LORD of hosts shall reign in Mt Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.”

Isaiah chapter 35 tells us of the great physical blessings in the Millennium.

Isaiah 30:18-26 blessings upon blessings!

Isaiah chapter 60 tells us that the Lord will not only restore the nation of Israel but He will glorify the nation of Israel. Isaiah 60:12, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” May I at this juncture remind the Saved Gentiles that the church did not, ‘replace,’ Israel, but the Saved Gentiles are, ‘grafted,’ into the nation of Israel. Romans 11

Isaiah 65:17-25 tells us of the increase of longevity and, ‘... the wolf and the lamb shall feed together...’ see also Zechariah 8:1-8

Ezekiel chapter 47 tells us further great physical changes and blessings.

Hosea 3:5 David will be King over Israel.

Micah 4:1-7 tells us all nations will come to the Millennial Temple.

Zechariah chapter 3 the LORD will take away the filthy garments of the Joshua the High priest in order to serve, ‘... my servant the BRANCH.’ The, BRANCH,’ is the Lord Jesus as KING.

Zechariah 8:21-23 tells us of the restoration of the Jew to international prominence.

Zechariah 9:10 tells us how far the dominion will cover.

Zechariah 12:9-14 tell how the Jews will mourn for the previous unbelief.

Zechariah chapter 14:4-11 and 16-21 tells us of changes of the land and the nations.

Also, Joel 3:18; 2:24-26, Amos 9:13, Isaiah 55:12 & 13, Psalm 67:6,

Special notes

1. God is going to restore the land promised to Jacob to the sons of Israel, ‘forever.’

2. David is the ‘King,’ over Israel, and, the, ‘prince.’ This is a direct reference to the, ‘prince,’ in the restored Temple; Ezekiel 44:1-3

‘This is the first resurrection.’

This is in fulfillment of Revelation 14:14-20. One harvest is the resurrected saints and the other harvest is the armies of the Beast that are destined to be destroyed in Revelation 19:11-21

In Luke 14:14 Jesus refers to it as the...”resurrection of the just.”

In John 5:27-29 Jesus refers this to as the, “resurrection of life.”

The Resurrection of the Body of the Saints are referred to as a, ‘harvest.”

In the Old Testament, there are three harvests in most crops whether from the ground or in a bush or tree.

Before I continue I must make the following qualifying statement. Until the modern advent of harvesting wheat, grain crops or fruit by mechanical machines, the harvesting of fruit and crops were done by human hands wielding a sickle.

The following is the normal Biblical picking of the harvest. It does not necessarily correspond to modern machine harvesting methods.

1. The Firstfruits; fruit that ripens early or that can be picked early.

2. The harvest. This would be the main body of the fruit of the harvest.

3. The Gleanings. This is the part of the harvest that ripens late, or is left on the ground, either intentionally, or unintentionally, by the harvesters. In the Book of Ruth we see this type of harvest where there were gleanings from the harvest of Boaz.

   In Leviticus 19:9 God commanded the Jews to leave a gleaning from every harvest. “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of the field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.” The resurrection, ’gleanings of the harvest,’ is a type of the third harvest of the, ‘first resurrection.’ This is the resurrection of the Tribulation saints; Revelation 14:14-16

   The Order of the Harvest of the Saints

In the Resurrection Chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, we read in 15:23, “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” The Resurrection of the Saved is done in order.

1. ‘Christ the firstfruits.’ The Resurrection of Christ, Matthew 28:1-11 and of, ‘many bodies of the saints,’ Matthew 27:52 and 53. There was a portion, not all of, the Old Testament saints.

2. ‘... afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.’ 1 Corinthians 15:51 and 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Church Age saints.

3. ‘...then cometh the end...’ The gleanings are the Tribulation saints, the rest of the Old Testament saints, and would include the saints that died in the Millennial Reign of Christ, but raised afterward.

‘... on such the second death hath no power...’

In John 5:27-29 Jesus refers to this as the, ‘...resurrection of damnation...’ The resurrection of the dead who went to hell, from Adam to Revelation 20:10 will be raised from hell and judged at the Great White Throne of Judgment, Revelation 20:11-15

Sin and Death are not destroyed during the Millennium

Please take very careful doctrinal note. There are two items not, ‘destroyed,’ or, ‘restored,’ during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

1. Sin. The nations that escaped the horrible conditions of the Tribulation Period and entered the Millennial Reign are not all saved. They are still sinners that need salvation. The children born in the Millennium need to be saved by faith as in earlier dispensations.

2. Death. Even though disease, war, famines, are, for the most part, eliminated through the wise reign of Christ; the Law of God is still in effect and people still die.

Therefore, even though the Lord Jesus will reign for one thousand years, and the world will see untold peace, rest, safety, long life and long health, the Old Sin Nature of a lot of people have not been redeemed. The Old Nature is sinful and death is the final result.

The prophet Isaiah gave this prophetic warning concerning those who will live in the Millennium,  but will reject eternal redemption of their soul through the one and eternal sacrifice of the Lord Jesus as payment for their sins. Isaiah 26:9 and 10, “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness. Let thy favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”

‘...priests of God and of Christ...’

The Fulfillment of Ezekiel chapter 40-48

The Prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 40-48 will be fulfilled (to the jot and tittle), during the Millennial reign of Christ. The one thousand years is literal, the Temple is literal, the sacrifices, the feast days, the Sabbath, et al, are literal.

Including

The Physical Manifestation of the Glory of God will be in the Holy of Holies as in the days of Moses, King David and King Solomon. Ezekiel 43:1-6. Ezekiel 43:4, “So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” At that time, the prophecy of Habakkuk 2:20 will also be fulfilled, “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” Amen! Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

In the Church Age every believer is a spiritual priest offering up spiritual sacrifices to God, 2 Peter 2:5

There will be priests in the Millennial Temple as prophesied by Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 40-48 the sacrifices will be for remembrance, and teaching, of the one and only effectual sacrifice for sins: the death of the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. Hebrews chapter 9 and 10 and Galatians chapter 3-5. Ezekiel 44:23, “And they shall teach my people the difference between holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the unclean.” The sacrifices are not for salvation; but for teaching.

In Ezekiel 48:11-14 God gives us the names of the priests: the sons of Zodak.

The sinner will be instructed by the priests in the Temple the salvation aspects of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the sinner accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his sacrifice for sins then he is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Please study Leviticus chapter 1 and Ezekiel 44:7-9. Moses, and the spiritual Jews, realized that the sacrifices never could take away sins. The sacrifices, like the New Testament Lord’s Supper (Communion), had been corrupted by false ministers as a means of salvation.

The sacrifices in the Millennial Temple are not for the salvation of the soul but a ‘schoolmaster,’ and, ‘a remembrance,’ of the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This includes the burnt offering, meat offering, peace offerings, and the daily sacrifice. See Ezekiel chapter 46

The Lord Jesus will also take away the pagan holidays of the nations of the world and re-institute, the Temple services, the Sabbath, and the feast days of the Book of Leviticus. See Ezekiel chapter 46 and 46:9-11

Zechariah chapter 14 prophesies of the Lord Jesus as King and the establishment of the feasts and sacrifices in the Book of Leviticus. Verse 9, “and the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” Verse 16, “and it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem [Revelation 19:11-21] shall even go up year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Verse 21, “Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Cananite in the house of the LORD of hosts.”

Please notice Leviticus 25:8-17; Numbers 36:4 and Joel 3:18

‘... and shall reign with him a thousand years.’

This is the third time that God emphasized that the Reign of Christ as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS will last one thousand years. It is a literal one thousand year reign of the Lord Jesus as, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,’ in the restored land of Israel, as prophesied by the prophets.

A Word of Warning

None of the events, places, events, nations, et al, prophesied by the Prophets, and fulfilled during the one thousand year reign of Christ are not in any way symbolic, or figurative. The doctrinal beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons (The Church of the Latter Day Saints), the A-millennial and post-millennial of the Catholics, Presbyterians, and other denominations concerning the Millennium are in error. This includes the error of: “Preterist Theology,’ or, ‘Covenant Theology,’ or and form of, ‘Replacement Theology,’ currently being taught in ‘Christian,’ or, ‘Baptist,’ churches. The aforementioned denominations, and or, brethren, are confusing and miss-leading the lost religious people in churches and confusing the saints in the true churches.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Alan
forgot a phrase / verse grammar

[John81]

That's a lot to digest! Thankfully it's well presented in a manner that lends itself to a step-by-step study.

[MountainChristian]

Doesn't that make your heart cry out "even so come Lord Jesus"

[Alan]

Brethren,

Thank you for your participation thus far and a good amiable spirit. The next lesson, Revelation 20:7-10, 'The Battle of Gog and Magog,' will be upoaded soon.

Looking forward to a good, and friendly, discussion among brethren who have a heart to learn.

Regards,

Alan 10  

[Alan]

Revelation 20:7-10, “The Final Battle of God and Magog.”

Verse 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Verse 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.

Verse 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.

Verse 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.

‘And when the thousand years are expired...’

Again, the one thousand years are a literal one thousand years. From Revelation 20:1-7 we read very clearly the phrase, ‘one thousand years,’ six times. All of the persons, nations, and events in this passage of inspired scripture are literal and in no way symbolic, figurative, allegorical or some other manner not literal.

‘... Satan shall be loosed out of his prison...’

The bottomless pit, Hell, and the Lake of Fire, are all prisons. They house the, ‘the King’s prisoners.” The prisons of men are incomparable to the prison of God.

‘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...’

Satan is a deceiver and has an intense hatred for God and for the souls of men. Even though Satan has been in the bottomless pit for one thousand years he is not repentant, he still is governed by a heart of hatred, and is as deceitful as before. The, ‘four quarters,’ of the earth are all the nations; East, West, North and South. The leaders of Gog and Magog, Ezekiel 38 and 39, are the leaders of this renewed battle between Satan and his armies and God in heaven.

Ezekiel 38:1-3 is where we have the leaders of the First and Final battle.

Ezekiel 38:8-12 are primarily directed to the Second Battle.

Ezekiel 39:28 and 29 is the prophecy concerning the end of the Second Battle.

During the Millennium, millions of people who were born, and lived in great health, safety, longevity, no war, and little sickness, were discontent with the Lord Jesus and never availed themselves of the freeness of salvation.

Satan once again deceives the nations of the world to rise up in rebellion against the Lord Jesus. Again, the leaders of this rebellion is Gog and Magog.

In Ezekiel chapter 38 & 39 we read of Gog and Magog. In Ezekiel 38:1-7 the countries are listed that are allied with God and Magog (most likely Russia and her Northern allies); Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (most likely Germany and their European allies), Togarmah (most likely Turkey), and other allied countries, Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish and their allies. The above listed countries are all in the continent of Europe and Asia Minor: Asia is mentioned in Revelation 16:12 The other continents of the world are not mentioned nor directly involved.

In Ezekiel 39:2 one sixth of these countries involved in this battle is turned back to the North country and escaped destruction. In Ezekiel 39:11-16 the land of Israel is cleansed from the slaughter of this battle.

Please take careful note of the following items:

1. Not all of the nations of the world are involved in the first battle, Ezekiel 38:1-6; as in Revelation 19:11-21.

2. Nor, is there a complete destruction of the armies involved in the first battle, Ezekiel 39:1-6; as in Revelation 19:11-21.

3. After this battle the land is cleansed for six months, Ezekiel 39:8-16, and then inhabited; as what happens in Revelation 20:4-6 during the Millennium.

Therefore, the obvious conclusion is that this is the first battle God and Magog, Revelation 19:11-21, when the Lord Jesus returns as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. But, the scriptures plainly state that the battle after the one thousand years reign of Christ is ended with the battle of Gog and Magog.

Scriptural examples of three battles initiated by a Foreign Aggressor

Against Israel

Three Distinct Times and Separated by a period of time.

Let us turn to three other battles in the Old Testament to discover why the battle in Revelation 19:11-21, immediately preceding the Millennium and Revelation 20:7-10, immediately after the Millennium, are referenced in Ezekiel 39 and 40 as the Battle between God and Gog and Magog.

1. 2 Samuel 13:17-25 King David and the Philistines. Please note that both times King David, a type of Christ reigning in Jerusalem, is led by the direct command of God.

2. 1 Kings 20:1-30 Ben-hadad, King of Syria, and Israel. Please take careful note. A prophet, led by the direct command of God, told King Ahab exactly what to do. 1 Kings 30:13 and 22

3. Isaiah 36 and 37 Sennacherib, King of Assyria, and King Hezekiah. In both battles we have King Hezekiah, also a type of Christ reigning in Israel, Isaiah, under the direct command from God in both battles, protecting Jerusalem. God plainly stated in Isaiah 37:35, “For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” Please remember that David is ruling as King and prince in Jerusalem during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

In this second, and final battle of Gog and Magog, instead of countries within the European and Asia Minor, and Asia, all of the nations of the world are involved. Gog and Magog are the leaders of this total worldwide battle. Satan uses the new leaders of the primary two nations, Gog and Magog, in the second and final battle as he used in the first battle. The main difference is that all of the nations of the world are involved and all of the participants are slain.

‘... and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city...’

The nations of the world under the leadership of God and Magog surround the saints in the nation of Israel and the capital city, ‘the beloved city,’ in preparation to annihilate them. When the Lord Jesus reigns in Jerusalem, the city becomes, ‘beloved.’ Glory Hallelujah! May God be praised and the Lamb exalted!

All of the saints in the Millennial Reign of Christ are protected from spiritual deception and physical harm. All of the sinners in the Millennial Reign of Christ who never got saved are slain.

‘... and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them...’

The end of this final battle of God and Magog is the total destruction of every person outside the camp of the saints. Every sinner not saved during the Millennial Reign of Christ is slain. Not one person, literally, is left alive.

Scriptural Example of the Fire of God Protecting God’s Saint

As with the two battles with Gog and Magog, we have a similar situation, on a smaller scale, as an example in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 1:9-12 we have the story of how the wicked King Ahaziah sent two different squadrons of 50 soldiers, with their captain, to capture Elijah. Both times the fifty men and their captains were slain by God using fire rained down from heaven. All of the men of war were slain by God to protect one man.

‘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.’

Satan, and every lost person, will remain in hell for ever and ever. What a price to pay for the pleasures of sin for a season. Salvation is eternal and hell is eternal.

[Covenanter]

My Hebrews (3) & Revelation threads have been deleted, & the mod posed the question, "Why these books & not e.g. Colossians?"

My reason for Hebrews was that from time to time people have argued that Hebrews was written for Jews in the millennium, as also Revelation, neither book being intended for the church of the present Gospel age. My concern has been to show that these books are for real, living people in the present age, for the blessing, encouragement & rebuke of every reader.  

In particular, are Christians within the new covenant in the blood of Jesus, or is the new covenant ONLY with Israel & Judah? 

That leads on to the question whether old covenant prophecy focuses on fulfilment in Jesus & his church (Jew & Gentile as one body) or on future generations of ethnic Israel, to whom the prophecies were made. 

Incidentally, under the previous incarnation of the forum, there were frequent links to studies by Morris, father & son. You & I often commented on these, but such threads had few further comments. 

I'm happy that you agreed with me regarding the blessing for those who read, hear & keep the things written in Revelation. It would be helpful if you were to explain how your teaching in this thread is for OUR blessing in the present "dispensation." 

[Covenanter]

I have saved the first page of my Revelation thread which includes Scott's post on Rev. 11, so I can reply to that in due course.

 

[John81]

Revelation 20:7-10, “The Final Battle of God and Magog.”

In Ezekiel chapter 38 & 39 we read of Gog and Magog. In Ezekiel 38:1-7 the countries are listed that are allied with God and Magog (most likely Russia and her Northern allies); Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (most likely Germany and their European allies), Togarmah (most likely Turkey), and other allied countries, Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish and their allies. The above listed countries are all in the continent of Europe and Asia Minor: Asia is mentioned in Revelation 16:12 The other continents of the world are not mentioned nor directly involved.

In Ezekiel 39:2 one sixth of these countries involved in this battle is turned back to the North country and escaped destruction. In Ezekiel 39:11-16 the land of Israel is cleansed from the slaughter of this battle.

I like the use of the terms "most likely" when referring to actual modern day nations possibly involved. Some declare emphatically that certain nations are absolutely going to be involved, which I don't believe they should, since there has been and still is much debate over just who Gog and Magog refer to. Stating an uncertainty as a possibility rather than as fact lends much more credence to a presentation.

Logically speaking, the idea of the whole world sending their military forces to invade Israel makes no sense. From a simple military view, any major world power could decimate Israel on their own; so even a small coalition containing one or more major world powers could overwhelm Israel in rather short order.

Considering these things it makes it clear the devil would have to be behind convincing the nations of the world they needed to gather their forces together against tiny Israel. Without considering God, world leaders would have to expect a very swift and decisive victory over Israel with such a force arrayed.

How foolish lost man can be, and how much the more when lost foolish men reject or consider not God, believing themselves to be the ultimate power on earth, not even noticing the ring in their nose the devil is pulling his way.