Chapter 20 of Revelation covers the whole Christian era -- from the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ, Armageddon, and the great White Throne judgment to the Lake of Fire. This is a very important chapter for us to define the symbolism, so we will understand the message and the sequence of the events. Has any portion of this vision been fulfilled, or is it all future? My blog reveals the historical viewpoint on end-time prophecy, so before we research the historical answer for this question, let's take a look at what mainline denominations believe -- modern viewpoint on end-time prophecy of scripture.
Those who embrace the modern viewpoint believe that first, Jesus returns for His church and secretly swoops them away to Heaven. This is called the Rapture. Next, they say the 70th week of Daniel's vision, received in 459 B.C. has not been fulfilled. Once the Rapture takes place the 70th week of his vision will be fulfilled - described as a 7-year tribulation period where an Antichrist figure will reign from the temple in Jerusalem.
King Solomon built the temple for God in 932 B.C. - it was destroyed by war in 509 B.C. After the Jewish captives in Babylon were released to go back home to Israel, they rebuilt the destroyed temple in 435 B.C. King Herod began a grandiose reconstruction project to enlarge the temple in 20 B.C. He did not complete the wall or roads by the time he died in 4 B.C.
King Herod's rebuilt temple was destroyed in the war of 70 A.D. Modern scholars believe this temple must be rebuilt again, and animal blood-sacrifices must resume during the reign of an Antichrist, who will torment the Jewish people causing them to flee in terror to the mountains to hide. After the seven years of tribulation are over, Jesus will return - again - with the saints in Heaven and set up His kingdom on the earth for a 1000 years. The surviving flesh & blood human beings of the tribulation will be ruled by the spirit beings that Jesus brings with Him.
This modern end-time doctrine claims that Satan will be bound a 1000 years and cast into the bottomless pit for this period of time. This doctrine has been embraced by the Church for approximately 100 years: after the publication of Cyrus Scofield's Bible and end-time commentary in 1909 was added to the curriculum of Bible schools and seminaries all over America.
It has been a real head-scratcher for me, since this doctrine is at odds with other prophecy of scripture, leaving me with more questions than answers. Have you ever questioned the modern viewpoint on end-time doctrine? Hmm...why not? We should keep asking questions regarding men's doctrines, until scripture confirms the answer. What scripture is at odds with Cyrus Scofield's doctrine?
Let's take a look at what the Apostle Peter said about the return of Jesus Christ. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up...II Peter 3:10-12. His statement doesn't need interpretation. He says that the day of the Lord - day Jesus returns - the heavens will pass away and the earth with it works will burn up at the same time.
How does his prophecy equate with a 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth or Satan bound a 1000 years in the bottomless pit? It doesn't, so let's dig a bit deeper to find the answer to this riddle. Since Satan bound a 1000 years is a simultaneous event with a 1000 year reign of Christ, we must find out when these two events begin. When we were last together I asked, "When did the First Resurrection take place?"
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years...but the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished...this is the first resurrection...Rev. 20:4-5.
John was given a sneak peak at the resurrected saints of God in the heavenly Kingdom, after they had died on the earth, standing before His throne of judgment. Jesus opened the gates of Heaven for the first time. Before His resurrection, saints who died were sent to Abraham's Bosom - Sheol - to wait for the first resurrection...Luke 16:22-23. Jesus revealed this heavenly vision to John to encourage His saints on the earth, who will experience severe persecution.
This text reveals a happening in the spiritual realm not the earthly realm. Saints of God are standing before His throne where judgment was given to them. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years - this is the first resurrection. The modern viewpoint says: Jesus will return and rule and reign on the earth a 1000 years, before the earth burns up - everything destroyed. Since this scene takes place in Heaven, there must be another meaning to - reigned with Christ a thousand years. Can you see the contradiction?
The word resurrection in the Greek language is anastasis meaning: standing up again. Jesus died and lived again - He was resurrected. This is the first resurrection. Human beings are...dead in trespasses and sins...Eph. 2:1. How do they live again? If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new...II Cor. 5:17. If someone is dead and stands up again - lives again - he has been resurrected.
Jesus said...unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...John 3:3. When we are born again by the Spirit of God, we spiritually live again - we have experienced our first resurrection - standing up again. Though we live on the earth this experience is spiritual. We spiritually began to reign with Christ the moment we were born again.
Now we understand that reigned with Christ a thousand years began the moment we became born again, the resurrection of Christ in our life. If this is so, then Satan bound a thousand years must have begun at the resurrection of Christ, since they are simultaneous events.
Do you think if we define the meaning of a thousand years we can solve this riddle? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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