Revelation 20:1-6

20:1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

The abyss is the place disobedient demons and angels are sent to await judgment (Jude 6; Luke 8:31
The key symbolizes authority over the place of the abyss
The abyss is a bottomless pit and stnad in contrast with the lake of 19:20. The lake is a open shallow pool of fire
"Lake" is limnhn and "abyss" is abussoV

20:2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited
earth, and bound him for a thousand years,

"seized" means to "exercise power, to take into custody, to arrest"

All four titles used for Satan in Revelation are used here:
1) Dragon - who was defeated by Michael in 12:7,8
2) Serpent - who tried to destroy the woman with a flood in 12:15
3) Devil - who knows his time is short in 12:2
4) Satan

Some who teach revelation from the preterist (a historical record of the first century) view say that in the present age
between Christ's first and second comings Satan is bound so that the devil's influence is restricted and allows for the
expeansion of the church through missionary work.
They use these verses to support the idea that Satan was bound at Christ's first appearing:
a) Matt. 12:29
b) Luke 19:17-18
c) John 12:31
d) Colossians 2:15

The second opinion sees these verse saying that Satan is not only restricted but complete made inoperative.
The Bible says he is bound up and removed from the earth to the abyss. This would clearly say that Satan is
rendered completely inactive during the thousnad year millennium.
Verses that support this are:
a) Luke 22:3
b) Acts 5:3
c) 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
d) 2 Corinthians 11:14
e) Ephesians 2:2
f) 1 Thessalonians 2:18
g) 2 Timothy 2:2
h) 1 Peter 5:8

20:3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more,
until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

"cast" is ballw and means to throw or cast. Aorist tense
"shut" is kleiw means to shut or to lock. It is in the Aorist tense which means it is the completed action.
"sealed" is sfragizw which means to seal so as to indicate the authoritative placing of a seal so that no one is allowed in or out. Aorist tense.
The purpose of sealing the entrance was to prevent any attempt at ecape or rescue from being notice by seeing the broken seal.

20:4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor
his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ
for the thousand years.

"beheaded" is pelekizw means to cut one's head off with a double-edge ax.
The ax was the instrument of executionin the Roman republic.

"thousand years"
The rabbis made a distinction between the age of Messiah's reign and the eternal kingdom
The debate on the length of the Messiah's kingdom where 600 years, 1000 years, 2000 years and 7000 years.
From the days of Rabbi Eliezer Hyrkan8us (90 AD) the teaching at that time and before was 1000 years.

20:5 The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

The reference to "thousand years" is where we get our term "millennium". This is the only reference to 1000 years.
The early church fathers believed in the 1000 year millennium:
a) Papias, "Among these things, Papias says that there will be a millennium after the resurredtion from the dead, when the
personal reign of Christ will be established on theis earth (Eusebius, citing Papias around 120)
b) Justin Martyr (160 AD), "I and others who are right-minded Christians on all points are assured that there will be a resurreciton fo the dead,
and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built. . .For Isaiah spoke inthat manner concerning this period of a thousand years."
c) Irenaeus (180 AD), "It is fitting for the righteous to be the first to receive the promise of the inheritance that God promised. . .It is fitting for them
to reign in it, when they rise again to behold God in this creation that will have been renovated. . .For it is just that in that very same creation
in which they toiled or were afflicted they should beceive the reward of their suffering. It is fittin gt, therefore, that the creationitself, being
restored to its pristine condition, shoudl be under the dominion of the righteous without restraint.
d) Irenaeus, (180 AD), "The promise of God that He gave to Abraham remains steadfast. . .Yet, Abraham did not receive it during all the time of his journey
there. Accordingly, it must be that Abraham, together with his seed will receive it at the resurrection of the just."
e) Tertullian, (200), "At that time, the manifestation of the children of God will have delivered the animals from evil. For they had been "made subject to vanity."
At that time, the cattle will be restored in the innocence and integrity of their nature and will be at peace with beasts of the field. At that time, also,
little children wil play with serpents."
f) Tertullian (207 AD),"We do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon theeartrh, although before heaven Only, it will be in another state of existence.
For it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years inthe divinely-built city of Jerusalem "let down from heaven."
g) Origen, (225), "Certain persons. . .adopting a superficial view of the letter of the law, . . are of the opinion that the fulfillment of the promises of the
future are to be looked for in bodily pleasure and luxury. Therefore, they especially desire after the resurrection to have again bodies that will always
have the power of eating, drinking, and performing all the functions of flesh and blood. . .consequentyly, they say that after the resurrection, there
willl be marriages and the begetting of children. They imagine to themselves that the earthly city of Jerusalem is to be rebuilt, . . .Moreover, they
think that the natives of other countries are to be given them as the servants of their pleasures. . .The millennialists desire the fulfillment of all
things looked for in the promises, all accoding to the manner of things in this life and in all similar matters. . .However, those who receive the
interpretations of Scripture accoding to the understanding of the apostles, entertain the hope that the saints will indeed eat - but that it will be the
bread of life that can nourish the soul with the food of truth and wisdom."
h) Victorinus, (280 AD), "They are not to be heard who assure themselves that there is to be an earthyly reighn of a thousand years. They think like the
heretic Cerinthus. For the kingdom of Christ is already eternal in the saints - even though the glory of the saints will be manifested after the resurrection."

You can see that the early church believed in the earthly millennial reign of Christ, but with the introduction of allegorical teaching by Origen and his
school of thought in Alexandria, Egypt the church began to leave the literal interpretation of scripture. This opened the door for the entrance of human
ideas through allegorical interpretation.

The tribulation saints who died for Christ at the command of the antichrist are resurrected.
This is part of the first resurrection.
The first resurrection includes the resurrection of all believers beginning with Christ.
Believers from time are resurrected at different times but are still all resurrected under the heading of "the first resurrection."
1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits;
then, when he comes those who belong to him."
"turn" is the Greek word "tagmati" and means "rank, order, often used in the military sense denoting a body of troops which can be
disposed according to the decision of the commanding officer"

The order of the first resurrection would be something like this:
1) Jesus on the third day
2) Rapture of church at the end of the church age
3) OT saints upon Christ's return at his second coming
4) Tribulation saints upon Christ's return at the beginning of the millennium
5) Millennium saints who would be translated (given resurrection bodies) at the end of the millennium

The rabbis taught that there would be first ta resurrection of those in the land of Israel and after that a general resurrection for the Las Judgement.
Here in Revelation there is a first resurrection that refers to believers and a second resurrection for the non believers

Here the tribulation saints who gave their lives rule with Christ in the millennial kingdom.

This is the fulfillment of Daniel 7:8-14 that occurs after the four beast (lion, bear, leopard, iron beast) appear:
"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were
plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. I saw until
thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his
throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels of it burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of
thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
I saw at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I saw even until the animal was slain, and its body
destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and a time. I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man,
and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a
kingdom, that all the 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. "

And the interpretation from Daniel 7:24-27:
" As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former,
and he shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High;
and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
But the judgment ("court will sit" NIV) shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end. The kingdom and the dominion,
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole the sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Matthe 19:28, "
1 Corithians 6:2-3, "
Revelation 3:21, "

20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has 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 one thousand years.

The second death is the lake of fire as seen in 20:14.

Prophecies Concerning the Millennium

1) Satan will be overcome by Christ and bound
Genesis 3:15
Isaiah 24:21
Daniel 7:12
Revelation 20:1-3

2) Jesus will rule the earth
Genesis 49:10
Psalm 2:6; 22:28; 67:4; 72:9-11; 82:8; 89:21-25;, 27; 96:13; 98:9; 110:1-2
Isaiah 2:4; 9:7; 25:3; 27:5; 45:23-24; 49:7; 51:5; 52:13, 15; 53:12; 55:4; 66:18
Ezekiel 21:27
Daniel 2:35; 7:14, 18, 22, 27
Obadiah 21
Micah 4:3; 5:4; 7:15-17
Zechariah 6:13, 14:9
Matthew 12:21;22:44
Luke 20:43
Acts 2:35; 3:21
Romans 14:11; 15:21
1 Corinthians 15:24-25, 27-28
Ephesians 1:21
2 Timothy 4:1
Hebrews 1:13;2:5;10:13
Revelation 10:5-7; 11:15-17; 12:5; 16:17; 19:6, 15

3) Jesus Kingdom will be world wide
Psalm 72:8
Zechariah 9:10

4) God's true Israel will permanently repossess the land of Canaan
Genesis 12:7; 13:15, 17; 15:7, 19-20; 17:8; 24:7; 26:3, 4; 28:4, 6, 13; 35:12; 48:4

5) Unrepentant Jews will be removed
Zephaniah 3:11

6) Repentant Jews will return to Palestine assisted by Gentiles
Isaiah 11:11-12, 16; 14:2; 35:8-10; 49:18-22; 51:11; 55:12; 60:9; 62:10; 66:20
Jeremiah 3:18-19
Hosea 1:11; 2:23
Micah 4:6, 7
Zephaniah 3:10, 18, 19, 20

7) God will extablish His ultimate Testament of Peace
Leviticus 26:9-12
Isaiah 54:10; 59:21; 61:8
Ezekiel 34:25, 27-28, 30-31; 36:12-15; 37:26
Romans 11:27
2 Corinthians 6:16

8) There will be peace as God restrains all violence
Leviticus 26:6-8
Isaiah 2:4; 9:5, 7; 11:13; 14:3; 26:12; 54:14; 60:18;
Jeremiah 23:6, 30:8; 33:16
Hosea 2:18
Joel 2:26-27; 3:17
Micah 14:3
Zephaniah 3:13. 15-16. 19. 20
Zechariah 3:10; 8:5-6

9) His rule will be in righteousness and goodness
Psalms 67:4; 96:13; 98:9
Isaiah 9:7; 11:3, 5; 16:5; 32:1; 42:4
Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15

10) He will proclaim deliverance from servitude (type: Year of Jubilee)
Leviticus 25:8-17, 27-28, 30-31, 33, 40-41, 50-52,54
Leviticus 27:17-18

11) Crops will be abundant and prosperity general
Exodus 23:25
Amos 9:13-14
Leviticus 26:5
Deuteronomy 28"5-6. 8. 12; 30:9
Psalm 72:6-7
Isaiah 4:2; 61:4; 62:3-7;
Ezekiel 34:26-27, 29
Hosea 2:21-22
Amos 9:13-14
Ephesians 1:18
Hebrews 10:36
1 Peter 1:3-6; 5:1

12)Those not in resurrectionbodies will attain to a ful llength of life
Exodus 23:26
Zechariah 8:4

13) They will enjoy supernatural life spans
Isaiah 63:20-23

14) There will be healing of infirmities and freedom from disease
Exodus 23:25
Deuteronomy 7:15
Isaiah 35:5-6

15) God's people will be characterized by a Spirit-given holiness and obedience, to his commands
Deuteronomy 30:8
Isaiah 4:3-4; 32:1-5
Jeremiah 3:19-23; 31:40
Zephaniah 3:10-13
Zechariah 8:3, 8; 13:2-6; 14:20, 21
Malachi 3:3

16) Purpose is that Christ will be glorified in his people
2 Thessalonians 1:10

17) Land of Israle will possess enlarged gorders and be divided into East and West strips for the 12 tribes
Ezekiel 47:13-21; 48:1-7, 10-14, 20-29

18) The territory of Judah will be leveled but Jerusalem will be elevated
Isaiah 2:2
Micah 4:1
Zechariah 14:10

19) The Center of the Kingdom will be Jerusalem
Isaiah 4:5,6
Jeremiah 3:17; 31:38-39
Ezekiel 48:35
Joel 3:17
Zephaniah 3:15. 17
Zechariah 8:3; 12:10

20) There will be temple sacrifices in Jerusalem
Isaiah 2:2, 3; 11:10: 59:19
Micah 4:1-2
Ezekiel 37:26-28; 47:1; 48:8-9, 10, 21
Jeremiah 33:18(21-22)
Zechariah 14:20, 21
Malichi 3:3-4

21) A stream will proceed from the temple to bring water to surrounding areas
Ezekiel 47:1-12
Joel 3:18
Zechariah 14:8

22) Apostles will sit on thrones to judge the 12 tribes
Matthew 19:28; 20:21, 23
Mark 10:37,40
Luke 22:30

23) God's people will enjoy a privileged status of power
Deuteronomy 26:19; 28:1-3, 9-10, 13
Isaiah 14:2; 27:6; 45:14-17, 25; 49:23-26; 60:3-6, 8-12, 14:17; 61:5-6, 9-11; 62:1-2; 66:7-12
Daniel 7:9; 11:45
Micah 19
Zechariah 46
Luke 12:43-44
Romans 4:13-14, 16; 5:17; 15:8
1 Corinthians 6:2
2 Timothy 6:14-15
Revelation2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4, 6

24) Feast of Tebernacles will be observed annually
Zechariah 14:16

25) The world will not see total conversion of all people
Micah 4:5

26) A nation that fails to go up to Jerusalem to worship will have no rain
Zechariah 14:17-19

27) Egypt will be desolate because of their former acts of violence
Joel 3:19, 21

28) Edom will be desolate because of their violence
Joel 3:19

29) Those who excapte from Armageddon will evangelze the nations
Isaiah 66:19

30) God's truth will be universally taught
Isaiah 2:3
Micah 4:2
Revelation 20:6

31) Nations will experience conversion and be incorporated into Israel
Psalm 47:9
Jeremiah 33:22
Ezekiel 47:22-23

Isaiah 11

POINTS:

1) The Millennium is God's final test for humans - with Satan locked up there will be no influence from Satan.
2) Government will be a Theocracy - Messiah will be the king, David will be the regent king under the Messiah
who rules Jerusalem and Israel (Isa. 55:3-4; Jer. 3);9; 33:15, 17, 20-21; Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hosea 3:5; Amos 9:11).
Nobles and Governors will rule under David (Jer. 30:21; Isaiah 32:1; Ezekiel 45:8-9). Apostles will rule the 12 tribes of Israel
under David (Matthew 19:28) There will be many lesser authorities appointed according to the parable inLuke 19:12-28.
3) Only believers enter the Millennium. All the saved of all time will enter the Millennium. (Daniel 7:18, 22, 27) The unbelievers
will be cut off (Isaiah 1:19-31; 65:11-16; 66:15-18; Jeremiah 25:27:33; 30:23-24; Ezekiel 11:21; 20: 33-44; Micah 5:9-15;
Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-6; 3:18; 4:3) when they are judged at the sheep and goat judgement in Matthew 25:35 which is
the fulfillment of the parable of the good an dbad fish in Matthew 13:49-50.
4) Worship in the Millennium will include both temple worship (Ezekiel 40-46) and church age worship (Lord's supper, Matt.26:29))

20:7 And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,

20:8 and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,
to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

20:9 They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city.
Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.

20:10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false
prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

20:11 I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.
There was found no place for them.

20:12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book
was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books,
according to their works.

20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were
judged, each one according to his works.

20:14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

20:15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.