Daily Bible Reading (Wednesday, December 27th)

4

Revelation 20 (ESV)

 

The Thousand Years

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit[a] and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

The Defeat of Satan

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prisonand will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven[b] and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Footnotes:

  1. Revelation 20:1 Greek the abyss; also verse 3
  2. Revelation 20:9 Some manuscripts from God, out of heaven, or out of heaven from God

4 Comments

It never ceases to amaze me that after 1000 years of rule by the perfect King, in a world restored to its natural perfection, Satan is released and has no trouble amassing an enormous army eager to rebel against that perfect King. What a strong evidence of the depravity of the human heart.

What a great day it will be to witness the final fall of Satan into the lake of fire, and to watch the reading of the book, and the judgement of the Lord. What praises we will be singing and God executes His final judgement and vindicates the saints and martyrs.

Six times in the first 7 verses there is a reference to the 1,000 year reign of Christ on this earth. What a glorious kingdom that will be! And, as the whole book of Revelation has pointed out, that time is coming soon and after will be the White Throne judgment. Today is the day to be faithful to the Lord. Praying for a true revival in 2018.

Wow! Verses 4-6....amen after verse 9, amen after verse 10. Wow to verses 11-15...I’m in awe and in profound adoring awed respect and in fear of the Lord! I’m like Jairus, Father help me and forgive me. Do not leave me as King David cried out....amen

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