1 ¶ And I saw an angel come down
from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his
hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon,
that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand
years, 3 And cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and
after that he must be loosed a little season. 4
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto
them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded 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 upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 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. 7 And when the thousand years are expired,
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters
of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of
whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 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. 10 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.
Having already determined that the
bottomless pit is the center or heart of the earth and Hell, we see here that
Satan is bound for a thousand years. We also see that the martyred saints of
the beast and the false prophet will rule with Christ for a thousand years.
This resurrection or translation/rapture of the martyred saints is the first
resurrection. The question this raises is whether or not the saved dead from
throughout history will also rule with the saints martyred in the Great
Tribulation. We have this word from Christ regarding His Jewish disciples.
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said
unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting
life.
This reference by Paul in 2Timothy
2:12 seems, by its wording, to be a direct link to John’s talking about who overcometh in 1John 5:4,5 and several
verses in Revelation. It also is a direct link to something Jesus said in
Matthew 24. Overcoming and enduring have to do with not renouncing Christ under
persecution. This was a huge issue in the early church when under persecution
some would renounce Christ and then beg to be readmitted to fellowship when the
persecution was over.
2Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we
shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful:
he cannot deny himself.
1John 5:4 For whatsoever is born
of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith. 5 Who is he that
overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the
paradise of God… 11 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…17 He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him
that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a
white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving
he that receiveth it…26 And he that
overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over
the nations:
Revelation 3:5 He that
overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out
his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father,
and before his angels…12 Him that
overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no
more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the
city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my
God: and I will write upon him my new name…21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as
I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 21:7 He that
overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my
son.
Matthew 24:13 But he that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Whether I am reigning with Christ
on earth or serving Him in Heaven there will I be.
Here is information on what the conditions of
the Millennial reign of Christ will be like. What follows is a general prophecy
about the end of time, including the Millennium. Remember that prophecies in
the Old Testament are incomplete, based on incomplete knowledge, but giving a
general sense with timeframes a little off but this is cleared up in the New
Testament. I think it is only possible to sort out the Old Testament prophecies
by using the New Testament fulfillment as a sort of key or map legend to them.
Isaiah 65:17 ¶ For, behold, I
create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and
rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a
rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping
shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be 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; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and
inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another
inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are
the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor
bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and
their offspring with them. 24 And it
shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are
yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf
and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the
bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy
in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
66:1 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, The
heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye
build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and
all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even
to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. 3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man;
he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an
oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he
blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul
delighteth in their abominations. 4 I
also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because
when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did
evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at
his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake,
said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they
shall be ashamed. 6 A voice of noise
from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth
recompence to his enemies. 7 Before she
travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man
child. 8 Who hath heard such a thing?
who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day?
or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought
forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to
the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring
forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. 10
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her:
rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the
breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the
abundance of her glory. 12 For thus
saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory
of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne
upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I
comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 And when ye see this, your heart shall
rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD
shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15 ¶ For, behold, the LORD will
come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger
with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD
plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify
themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh,
and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their
thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they
shall come, and see my glory. 19 And I
will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the
nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to
the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory;
and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an
offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in
litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem,
saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel
into the house of the LORD. 21 And I
will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth,
which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed
and your name remain. 23 And it shall
come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to
another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the
carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not
die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto
all flesh.
Zechariah 8:20 Thus saith the
LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the
inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the
inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray
before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall
come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In
those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all
languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a
Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
There are other verses that have
to do with the Millennium and you can tell because they have no application to
the time in which they are written. There are also incomplete, general, and
summary statements in the New Testament that give little detail but make
statements clearly about the Millennium.
2Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we
shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
At the end of the thousand years
Satan is released temporarily, but long enough to gather together a great army
of those who had been ruled by the iron rod of Christ during the millennium.
Again, start reading in Ezekiel 38 about the war with Gog and Magog. Remember.
Revelation 2:26 And he that
overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over
the nations: 27 And he shall rule them
with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:
even as I received of my Father.
Revelation 12:5 And she brought
forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her
child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Revelation 19:15 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.
They will chafe at Christ’s rule
and rebel. Obviously, there are a great many people alive in the Millennium who
are not saved. The point is that at the end of the Great Tribulation not every
unsaved person is killed and not every government or nation is eliminated but
that for a thousand years they are all under Christ’s authority until Satan is
allowed to stir them up again and they are destroyed.
Psalm 2:1 ¶ Why do the heathen
rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast
away their cords from us. 4 He that
sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his
wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 ¶ I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said
unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of
iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 ¶ Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be
instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish
from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that
put their trust in him.
Those who died in the Lord up to
the beginning of the Millennium are represented in the first resurrection. The
second resurrection is of a substantially different nature, the description of
which comes next.
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