Chapter 20 of Revelation describes the whole Christian era, beginning with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and Satan bound 1000 years - simultaneous events. The moment Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, the Kingdom of Heaven was offered to mankind on the earth, where they could begin to reign with Christ a thousand years. At this same moment Satan was bound a thousand years. The word thousand means an indefinite period of time.
The previous blogs of this series have already addressed the reward of the martyred saints once they leave the world of trials and tribulations in verse 4. But the rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were finished...verse 5. Who are the rest of the dead? If they are not in Heaven, where are they?
To answer these questions we will look to the explanation given by Jesus Christ in Luke 16:19-31. In this illustration Jesus told His followers about a certain rich man who had lived sumptuously his whole life on the earth, then he died. Next Jesus described the life of a beggar, Lazarus, who had fared poorly his whole life on the earth, and he died. Both were found in Sheol - region of departed spirits - at the same time.
Jesus explained that when Lazarus died he was carried to Abraham's Bosom to be comforted until the time of the resurrection. In Sheol there is a great gulf fixed between the departed spirits who followed God, and those who rejected Him when they lived on the earth. But they could see each other. The rich man, who was being tormented in Hades could see Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom being comforted and tenderly cared for. He cried out...Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame.
Father Abraham answered...Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented, besides all this, between us and you is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.
Before the resurrection of Jesus Christ this is where departed spirits resided. When Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, Heaven was opened to the followers of God. It had been closed since Adam & Even sinned. All the residents of Abraham's Bosom were transferred to Heaven when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, when He presented to His Father the firstfruits of His resurrection...Rev. 14:1-3.
But the departed spirits residing in Hades are still there, including the rich man of this illustration. Sadly, this place is filling up and enlarging. How do I know? The Prophet Isaiah told us when he said...Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure...their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant, shall descend into it...people shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled...5:14-15.
This explains where the rest of the dead are residing until the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth is fulfilled. Only God knows who will be the last human being on the earth to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. We do know, at that moment, the reign of Christ prophecy will be fulfilled. There will be no human being left on the earth that desires to have Jesus Christ reign in his life. Then it will be time for Jesus to return for His people. What happens when He returns.
But 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. The moment Jesus returns for His people, they will be caught up from the earth to greet Him, then the earth and everything men held dear on the earth will burn up. The earth is not left another thousand years -- it burns up the day Jesus returns. What happens to the people Jesus gathered to Himself?
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away...and there was found no place for them...and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened...and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life...and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books...the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them...and they were judged, each according to his works...Rev. 20:11-13.
The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years was finished...Rev. 20:5. It is obvious in the reference above that the thousand year reign of Christ prophecy has been fulfilled. Why is it obvious? The last verse says that Death & Hades delivered up the dead who were in them - and all their works were judged by Jesus Christ, at the Great White Throne of judgment.
Blessed is he who has part in the first resurrection...over such the second death has no power...Rev. 20:6. What is the second death? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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