Saturday, December 3, 2022

The Millennial Reign, Revelation 20:1-3; devil in the dungeon


Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. Revelation 20:1-3.


Aren’t you glad when the bad guy, gets his due?

That’s what happens here. The devil gets caught and locked up in the bottomless pit, the abyss, the dungeon for demons.

Aren’t you sad, when the bad guy, gets released?

That’s what happens here, after a thousand-year sentence, the devil is released.

But don’t be too sad, because there’s a reason for the release (we'll look at that in a moment); and before this chapter ends, the devil (and all who side with him) are thrown into the lake of fire, forever, with no chance for parole.

Imagine this moment.

For the first time since Eden, there’ll be no demonic deception taking place on the planet. Remember, it’s not just the devil who’s locked up. Just prior to this, the entire evil one world empire was destroyed, along with all those associated with it, including, the devil’s right-hand man (antichrist) and his priest (the false prophet). Revelation 19:19-21.

Reflect upon the timing.

In the beginning God created for six days, and, the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. Genesis 2:1.

Now, for around six thousand years, the devil, and man, have destroyed the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them.

In the beginning God rested on the seventh day. According to this pattern, it appears, Revelation 20 unveils a Sabbath rest during the seventh millennium since the creation of man.

Consider the consequence.

Most of the world’s spiritual appetite for Truth is without form and void and darkness covers the face. The earth groans and travails in labor pain, longing for rest, yearning for deliverance from this evil age. Romans 8:22.

Jesus compares the signs of the end times to labor pains. Mark 13:8.

We’re almost there

As I write, Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano, is erupting; for the thirty-third time, lava flows down its side; like the blood that flowed from Jesus our Savior, who at thirty-three years of age, hung on a cross, to deliver us, from this evil age.

In Revelation 20, the heavens and the earth, and the host thereof, will get its longed awaited deliverance and rest.

Did you know that God never intended for the seventh day rest to end?

Remember, each of the six days of creation conclude with a phrase like this: “And the evening and the morning were the (first, second, third…) day.” However, the seventh day, has no such phrase, no such end.

Going into the seventh day, everything was very good. It should’ve stayed that way, forever. However, something happened, everything went sideways, and has led us to where we’re at today.

Note that from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3, we see what scholars call, grammatical excellence.

Genesis 2:3 wraps up by saying:

Then God (Elohim) blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God (Elohim) had created and made.

The word, Elohim, is used for, God, every time, up to Genesis 2:3.

After that, something changes. Another word is added when referring to God. Genesis 2:4 reads:

This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God (Yhvh Elohim) made the earth and the heavens.

Did you notice the change in the point of view? LORD God, (Yhvh Elohim; phonetic spelling: Yeh-ho-vaw El-o-heem).

It’s like God Himself is holding the pen, writing the story, from Genesis 1:1 to 2:3. Then, in 2:4, He hands the pen to man, and says, “Okay, you take it from here.” So, naturally, man refers to Him as, LORD God.

Up to this point it’s always: God said… God saw…  it was good… it was good…it was very good…  

But then, shortly after man takes the pen, we see the words, “It’s not good...”

“It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18.

God makes a helper, for Adam, by the name of Eve. She gets deceived by that serpent of old, and winds up wanting something they can’t afford.

Adam knows better, but since there’s no pants in the family, he hands the pen to the serpent.

God’s Divine plan to spend forever at rest with His creation in a beautiful paradise, is interrupted.

So, rather than wiping out creation, God steps into creation; to clean up our mess. He uses an old rugged cross to do it.

Now, here we are, in Revelation 20, God’s restoration plan is almost finished.

It’s like that time, after an interruption, when you say, “Okay, where were we?”

He’s finally getting back to the Sabbath rest. You can tell He’s been thinking about it, and looking forward to it; because this time period is mentioned more times than any other time period, in all of the Bible.

It’s going to be a great time, an awesome time, it’s no wonder God’s been looking forward to it—it’s a prequel to heaven on earth. We should be looking forward to it too. I’m looking forward to talking with you about what it’ll be like during the millennial reign…

But first, we need to address that nagging question. Why, oh why, would God release that old serpent after a thousand years?

The answer is simpler than you may think.

Love.

In the beginning, there was only one tree that’d take life. Now, after the cross, there’s only one tree, that’ll give life.

Either way the message is the same.

Love.  

Love can’t be forced; it must be chosen by an act of free will.

In the millennial reign, Jesus will rule the earth with a rod of iron. His saints will assist. The souls will still have choice, still have their sin nature, inherited from Adam. But no evil influence from any demonic source…until the end of the millennium.

Then, because True Love demands freedom, the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, will be released, to offer choice, to all the people on the planet.

It is exactly the same as when God prepared His people for the Promise Land:

I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God… Deuteronomy 30:19-20.

 

Let’s pray.

Lord God, we choose You, forever, and ever, amen.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.


NEXT

Lord willing, next time we'll check out how awesome it'll be when Jesus is running the planet—and you'll be helping Him do it.




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