REVELATION Chapter 19 20 Part 11 of series

REVELATION Chapter 19 -20 [Part 11 of series] Pastor Geoff Beggs Revival Centres International

DISCLAIMER Ø Ø This talk is an overview of part of Revelation. It is based on the historicist interpretation of Revelation: that the prophecy is a gradual unfolding of events dating from the time it was given, in 96 AD, to our present time and beyond. Basing these talks on the historicist interpretation does not mean that all views proposed by that interpretation are supported. Views of what Revelation means are sometimes controversial but that is not the intent here. While some links are made (or may be inferred) to historical events and groups, no disrespect is intended to any group, organisation or people.

PROPHECY. . . “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. ” John 14: 29 Ø From Chap 18, no longer comparing to history Ø So if it’s different when you get to the kingdom…, rejoice you are in the kingdom…! Ø the major themes are evident and worth noting (that we might take them to heart)

HAS AN INTERNAL STRUCTURE Ø Ø Ø Chap 1 Introduction Chap 2 -3 Spiritual history: Messages to the Churches Chap 4 -5 Spiritual: Heaven; Jesus; and the 7 Seals Chap 6 -7 Secular history: First 6 seals – Decline of the Roman Empire Chap 8 -9 Secular history: 7 th Seal 7 Trumpets: Fall of Roman Empire Chap 10 -11 ‘Religious’ history: Bible, Reformation Chap 12 -13 Israel history: and the counterfeit (2 women of Revelation) Chap 14 -15 Spiritual: Victory of the Martyrs, and Why God will Judge… Chap 16 Secular history: 7 th Trumpet 7 Vials – judgment on modern Europe Chap 17 -18 Identification & (Prophecy) judgment of NT Babylon Chap 19 -20 Prophecy: Jesus returns; First Resurrection, Millennium; Final Judgment Chap 21 -22 Prophecy: Commentary; Concluding encouragement & exhortation

Chapters 19 -20 Jesus Returns First & Second Resurrections

RESPONSE TO LAST CHAPTER’S JUDGEMENT Ø And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. Revelation 19: 1 -3

MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB Ø And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude. . . saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. Revelation 19: 6 -9

MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB Ø Ø Lamb: Jesus “John seeth Jesus. . . Behold the Lamb of God. . . ” John 1: 29 marriage of the Lamb; wife “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. . . That he might present it to himself a glorious church. . . a man. . . shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ” Ephesians 5: 25 -32 Ø made herself ready: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” 2 Corinthians 11: 2 Ø fine linen, clean and white: the righteousness of saints. . “How long, O Lord. . . dost thou not judge and avenge our blood. . . And white robes were given unto every one of them. . . ” Rev 6: 10 -11

A MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON. . . Ø The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. [“He came unto his own and his own received him not” John 1: 11] Then saith he. . . they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. (Matt 22: 2 -10) Ø Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3: 8)

Ø JESUS RETURNS And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19: 11 -13

JESUS RETURNS For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24: 27

JESUS RETURNS Ø And. . . while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1: 9 -11

NOT MEEK AND MILD Ø And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19: 14 -16

JUDGEMENT OF FALSE PROPHETS Ø And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19: 19 -20

SATAN BOUND DURING MILLENNIUM Ø And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations [never us] no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20: 1 -3)

JESUS REIGNS WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (Isaiah 11: 1 -5)

FIRST RESURRECTION Ø . . . and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded [literally, but also ‘cut off’ – take up the cross daily] for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark. . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. . . this is the first resurrection (Revelation 20: 4 -5)

REIGN OVER WHAT? Ø People “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. ” (Mark 13: 20) “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. . . (2 Timothy 2: 12 ) Ø Perfecting Israel (the nation, not the individuals who still live and die) “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. . . voice of weeping. . . no more heard. . . no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old. . . sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. ”(Isaiah 65: 17 -20) Ø We live for ever “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. ” (Revelation 2: 11)

IF DIED, ASLEEP UNTIL THEN Ø Ø But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not. . . For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. . . we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven. . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first [note, not risen until that point]: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4: 13 -17) In my Father's house are many mansions. . . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and [then, not earlier] receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14: 2 -3)

OUR NEW BODY Ø For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle [our natural body] were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands [our new body], eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: [can’t wait for the new body]. . . For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 5: 1 -5)

OUR NEW BODY Ø [After resurrection; Jesus]: “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them. . . and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. [Later] And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them [He appeared out of ‘nowhere’]. . . [Later, Jesus speaking] Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? [food] And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. ” (Luke 24: 30 -43)

SECOND RESURRECTION But the rest of the dead [i. e. those not in the first resurrection] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. . . (Revelation 20: 5)

FIRST RESURRECTION THE GOAL “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. ” (Revelation 20: 6)

GOD WINS And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations. . . to gather them together to battle. . . 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 (Revelation 20: 7 -9)

WHY LET SATAN OUT? Ø Ø Ø Job learnt about himself by suffering Peter learned he didn’t have it by being challenged Israel through failure at the law will see its need Maybe a chance to ‘be on the Lord's side’ for those born during millennium; maybe the nations need to be goaded to accept what Israel has (speculation) Why does Satan play along? Maybe he doesn’t know. (speculation. . . ) Certainly not omnipresent. Mind is darkened. Who knows. . . I’m not afraid. . . “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. ” Rev 20: 10

JESUS JUDGES And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Rev 20: 11) “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: ” (John 5: 22)

JUDGEMENT Ø And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books [record of your life] were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life [better than the other book. . . ]: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20: 12 -13)

JUDGEMENT (SECOND RESURRECTION) Comparison to Jesus (fail) Own righteousness (fail) Religious works (fail) Being a ‘good’ person (fail) I was born a [insert religion here] (fail) Ø So, is there any hope at all for such. . .

RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH Ø Second resurrection only. Ø Abraham: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. ” (Rom 4: 3) Ø Other OT folks: “. . . they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. ” (Hebrews 11: 38 -40) . . .

SECOND RESURRECTION Ø People who never heard: “And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. ” (Luke 12: 47 -48)

THE DEATH OF DEATH Ø And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 14 -15) Ø So, what now for such. . .

AFTER JUDGEMENT, WHAT. . . Ø Eternal Punishment Ø Annihilation of the Wicked Ø Ultimate Reconciliation

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT? Ø Jesus: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched” Mark 9: 43 Ø And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 15)

ANNIHILATION OF THE WICKED? Jesus: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ” Matt 10: 28 Ø Would make the atheists happy, end result for them is the same. . . Ø

ULTIMATE RECONCILIATION? Ø Ø Lake of fire for “age” – purpose is to cleanse “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15: 22 -25) Ø “And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. ” (1 Corinthians 15: 28 )

AND THE ANSWER IS. . . Don’t bet your life on your favourite. . .

FIRST RESURRECTION THE GOAL “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. ” (Revelation 20: 6)