Scripture: Revelation 20
Thoughts On 20 Vs 15
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation Chapter 20 has just 15 verses but captures the very historic grand finale of the end of the world which entails 4 great events, namely:
1. Satan in bondage in the bottomless pit. (Rev 20:1-3)
2. The millennial reign and 1st resurrection(vs4-6)
3. Satan out of bondage/ the lake of fire and brimstone(vs7- 10)
4. The great white throne Judgement and the 2nd death (vs1 – 15)
Satan in Bondage In The Bottomless Pit.
It is interesting to note that at the fullness of time, it will take just an angel to take hold of satan and lock him up and have him chained and incapacitated for a 1000years such that he does not feature at all on earth.
Contrast it to when just a demon, the prince of Persia withstood the angel sent to answer Daniel’s prayers and Archangel Michael had to come as reinforcement to assist in order to defeat the demon.
But here, one angel seized satan, aka the dragon, aka the old serpent, the devil himself and locked him up in a location called the bottomless pit. Of note is that it is the angel that has the key, not the devil.
Before this event, remember that, satan and his fallen angels have been expelled from heaven and cast to earth, free to be themselves.
Now, at the fullness of time, according to GOD’s own time table, the angel opens up the bottomless pit with a key and throws the devil in and bounds him up in chains. What a contrast! The devil is getting a taste of his own medicine. He who captures and enslaved is now the captive slave. This puts an end to his menace on earth and his demons are powerless without him for that period of time.
How great is our GOD!
The millennial reign/ 1st Resurrection
This is the answer to the question we saw being asked in Revelation 6:10. The answer to their prayers was beyond their imagination. All the dead in CHRIST + the martyred will all be resurrected and they will not just live but will reign with CHRIST as HIS priests and judges for a 1000years. What a reward for all their labours and sufferings!
How great is our GOD!
Satan Out Of Bondage
After the 1000 years reign of CHRIST and the saints, satan will be released from the bottomless pit and he will come upon the earth with so much fury, thinking to take control by attacking the living church. He will start by deceiving the people again in order to gather followers again for the sole purpose of mustering an army against Jerusalem and the saints across the globe. And that move was what will nail him for life. As he and his cohorts will all move to attack, the LORD will respond by sending fire from that will not only consume them but bring them into the lake of fire and brimstone, where heaven they will now stay forever; the devil, the false prophets and all their followers.
How great is our GOD!
The Great White Throne Judgement And The 2nd Death
This is the judgement of all the dead who did not die in CHRIST or the believers who died in their sins.
Which ever way a person died, either by fire, by sea or land or air, every person will be brought up before the LORD JESUS at the white throne of Judgement to answer for himself or herself.
Our LORD is a righteous judge. Before passing judgement on every human being HE created, HE will give everyone the opportunity of a fair hearing.
All our works while we were on earth will play out before us (like in books) and will be judged against our response to the gospel. The book of life contains names of believers who have endured to the end. Any name, not found in the book of life, the person will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Remember from onset, that death was the punishment for the wages of sin, so death, hell, hades will also be cast into the lake along with those that commited them.
This is also called the second death which affects only those who died in their sins. Note that believers who died faithful are not affected by this second death, instead they are affected by the 1st resurrection where they will be raised to reign with CHRIST, which is a reward for their faithfulness.
How great is our GOD!
1. These 4 events herald the end of the world, the passing away of the 1st heaven and earth.
2. This shows that only GOD is in control of all the affairs in the world and all creationm
3. As final and as terrible as the 2nd death is, it was never intended for man.
4. GOD practically did everything HE knew how to do, to give every living person opportunities upon opportunities to repent and be saved. From giving HIS own son to die for us and making the gospel go viral over the globe, the compilation of the bible in different languages. Remember also, that prior to the great white throne judgement, there have been other lesser judgements which are supposed to give men a rethink and draw them back to their maker. These were all in the bid to make man avoid the 2nd death.
5.Finally, in revelation, I find a grave reminder to us all that no one should be deceived because sooner or later, everyone will receive a fair reward of his/her works, whether good or bad as judged by GOD. HE is the mastermind of creation.
HE is the OMNI GOD.
Having known this, surely we will all meet in the 1st ressurrection, not one person missing.
MARANATHA
