Revelation 18-22

Revelation 18

Revelation 19

Revelation 20

I suppose that whatever I say will not change anyone’s mind about the timing of the coming kingdom.  I admit I am still a novice when it comes to the four millennial views that depict Jesus’ coming.  I cannot however while reading Revelation 20 square away with those who say there is no kingdom, or that we are now living in the kingdom, simultaneously with the church age.  How does Amillennialism answer this time period of Satan’s binding?  Can they possibly claim that Satan is not now in our own age deceiving the nations?  How can anyone say that we are now in the kingdom if there has not been that first resurrection? (v5)  The parenthetical statement surely has no symbolism to be confused with some other abstract thought.  There will be a time period known as the kingdom where Satan is bound, Christ is ruling, and at its conclusion the dead will be judged.

It would certainly make sense why the defeat of Satan, the accuser and oppressor of the church would be utterly be defeated in this way.  These are promises of great encouragement, of a resurrection into a kingdom where one is found to rule and reign with the Savior and no Satan in sight.  Even death itself is judged and cast out in the end. (v14) What can further ail or torture God’s people?   I pray that these verses when they are taught and preached in our ministry that they would transform the lives of people.  I pray that by hearing the truth their eyes would be opened and not hold stubbornly onto another opinion.

These verses do not depict some kind of alternate ending to humanity, they depict the only ending.  Just as sure as Jesus rose from the dead so we can too be sure about God’s word and the final judgement. Look and see the most terrifying view in all of Scripture, it isn’t Satan, it isn’t death, it is the face of God almighty on the last judgement. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from who’s face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” (20:11) “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”. (20:15)

Revelation 21

Revelation 22