THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Revelation Revealed Chapter 20 v7-10 [satan’s Last Battle]

Revelation 20:7-10 “And when a thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 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. 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 form God out of heaven and devoured them. 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.”

It is here in Revelation Chapters 19 & 20 that we are instructed in God’s undoing of satan’s plans revealed in Chapters 12-14. At which time, as today, he ruled the Nations as the god of this World. [2 Corinthians 4:4] Ruling from the heaven above and associated with this earth, as the prince of the power of air. [Ephesians 2:2] In Chapter 12 we see how he hates and would devour the “man-child” appointed to take his place in ruler-ship over those Nations from and in that very same place from where he had ruled for millenniums. There Satan risks a battle to resist that Child’s ascending into the heaven from where he rules (that heaven associated with this World) and loses. And immediately he is cast out into the earth. “because of this be glad, ye heavens, and those in them who do tabernacle; woe to those inhabiting the land and the sea, because the Devil did go down unto you, having great wrath, having known that he hath little time.”

He, having lost the battle in the spiritual unseen heavens with the Angels of the Lord, then hurriedly organizes in desperation the human earthly Nations unto another battle. Against the first heaven’s physical contingent, where now in the material World he is additionally defeated by the Returning Messiah with Bride in train. [Revelation 19:14] As that “Child” then by victorious force takes reign over those Nations (Revelation 12:5, 2:26,27) as he is bound for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:2)

It is to this post-Millennium, 3rd and final battle that Scripture now instructs us. The object of satan’s enmity is still the Man-child/the Bride along with God’s chosen People of Israel and the beloved City. As it is, the First-Fruit worthies (Luke 20:35; Revelation 14:4) being the Man-Child/Bride, are caught up from the earth to the Tabernacle and Judgment Throne set up in the first heaven. [Revelation 4:2, Ezekiel 1, Daniel 7:13,14,26,27] Along with the later end of Tribulation Harvest of the patient enduring living ones and the blessed First Resurrected that have been ruling for a thousand years. He now takes his last perceived opportunity to wrest by deception that ruler-ship of the Gentile Nations again., And to exact revenge and to attempt to further his doomed cause of regained dominion through the destruction of Millennial Israel. Then, during the Tribulation, the City was unholy, and its few holy occupants fled and the earth helped the remnant. But now Israel and the beloved City is holy and heaven intervenes for her. [Numbers 2:17 with Numbers 3:38] And alas, this final endeavor fails and the unholy trinity is reunited in the now kindled fire. And the lament of satan’s fate is sadly and eternally manifest (Ezekiel 28:12) as satan’s seed are finally devoured by the protecting fire directly above/ and he is cast into the Lake of Fire. [Matthew 25:41]

The THOUSAND Year Period

The long drama that begun in the Third Heaven with Lucifer’s pride, even before the creation of man, that later engulfed the first Adam, is now about to close. Now before us only lies this brief, last rebellion and its judgments, the resurrection of the remaining dead to stand before the White Throne of Judgment, and then the eternal state.

What is discovered during the Millennium is:

  1. That the Age of Mercy and Grace, could be thought of as “out of place and time”, but was yet the only answer to the flesh.****
  2. That man, having received the precious gift of free will, that without God-centric yielding of that will to the supernatural force of the Holy Spirit into feely developing God-like character, will always be subject to an inferior self-centric state.
  3. The reality of this is seen in that the flesh of man is proved to be terminally fatal in spite of the blameless and holy Millennial Law. And in spite of heavenly support in a God-centric and Holy Spirit anointed government. (Meaning the presence of the Glory of the Lord in the Millennial Temple administrating the New Covenant with restored and Spirit-anointed Israel, the now promised and appointed theocracy to the Gentile Nations) And additionally, even when satan is absent to deceive in this Age of justice and peace, these perfect circumstances will not remove or rehabilitate the flesh. The fallen nature always will be at enmity with God and later hasten to break God’s Law. [Romans 8:6-8]
  4. The Millennium will prove that the initial Gentile regenerated willingness and commitment to the obedience of the Millennial Law administrated by the New Covenant Jew will prove in itself not enough to forever offset the seed of death in the flesh.

    What has been true since the Fall of man and will be maintained throughout the Millennium is this. That the spirit has strength over the flesh as long as it maintains its yielded and contrite, purifying communion with the Lord.

  5. God’s Words to Abraham are fulfilled. Ezekiel speaks of a Jewish Earthly Kingdom and Sanctuary whose design is appointed from Heaven that will be built and operational in the Millennium. [Ezekiel 40-48] The Millennium will fulfill the Promises to Abraham. [Genesis 12,13,15,16,17,18 with further understanding from chapters 21-25]

Ezekiel’s vision of the Messiah’s Ruling day in the Millennium are also pictures of the Post-Millennial 8th Day realities, where John describes these types in their perfect eternal fullness in Revelation chapters 20-22. The gates are one example. [Ezekiel 48:31 compare to Revelation 21:12] Ezekiel speaks of that Millennial structure (Ezekiel 40-48 compare to Revelation 21:10-25) in that no foul person or uncircumcised of heart may enter the Sanctuary. [Ezekiel 44:9 compare Revelation 21:27, 22:14,15] Ezekiel also speaks of a river of water that comes from out from beneath the Millennial Sanctuary and trees that line its banks. [Ezekiel 47:1-12 compare to Revelation 22:1,2] Ezekiel also speaks of the Millennial Period as an unprecedented time of God’s Presence, and their prosperity and peace. [Ezekiel 37:21-28 compare to Revelation 21:3,4]

Although in general the Jewish Prophets of the Old Covenant did not see beyond this period of Israel’s preeminence, (Ezekiel chapters 37-39) the Spirit weaves instructive Words in and out for the two periods of time.

  1. That attack of “Gog and Magog” just before the beginning of the Age of the Messianic Millennial Reign.
  2. That attack of “Gog and Magog” at the end of that period and then to follow the resurrection of the remaining dead, and the destruction of the present heavens and earth and the bringing forth of the new heavens and new earth.

Satan is loosed from his prison, that is to say the Bottomless Pit in Hades in the center of the Earth. It may be worthy to note that his prison is not in the place of torment. (The Place of Torment in Hades is potentially a place of correction, whereas Satan’s prison is not rehabilitative but rather strictly punitive.) Therefore we also find the reason for this prison to be that of the 2 Beasts, as well as where all such- like souls go after passing from the surface of the earth. This is not the prison of the Second Death, the Lake of Fire, as he is not yet eternally condemned until after the Millennial Age. Neither judgment or mercy affect them to good.

The spiritual atmosphere of the Millennium is somewhat like it was in Eden. Scripture describes the Millennial Promised Land as Eden-like in Ezekiel 36:35. Renewed temptation proves to be the same as well. In that satan is yet the tempter/deceiver and man’s flesh still poised to sin. Apparently the temptation is to dissatisfy the Nations with the mercies and prosperity they are enjoying. The same very sin that Lucifer and his followers were guilty of Ages before.

It is Scripturally sound conjecture to conclude that the deception sold to the Gentile Nations is an animosity towards the preeminent and ruling Jewish Nation with its World-wide Laws. [See Zechariah 14:16-19] And in the end, the same hostile jealousies of ungratefulness fueled by the deceptions of satan that caused the united rebellion against God and His Chosen People at the Tribulation period, will resurface now a 1000 years later. Culminating in an ungrateful arraying of the Nations in the united purpose of the destruction of the saints of God and the beloved city.

It’s interesting to note that satan does not attempt to deceive the saints of Israel as he often did before (including and especially David….1Chronicles 21:1) Indicative of their circumcised heart as a result of their Millennial New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Isaiah 59:21- Read) and priesthood leadership of that time. Some would say it is too incredible to take this all literally as what possibly would be compelling enough to cause such a vast mobilization of men to invade Israel and rush upon Jerusalem when it has been historically and presently defended by the Glory of the Lord!? Is it more incredible that the armies of Egypt rose up to pursue the Hebrews with intent of destruction after having experienced the devastating Hand of God in 10 supernatural plagues? That they then also rushed upon the Israelites who were at the time guarded by the pillar of Cloud? See the many “incredible” acts of flesh united with satanic influence throughout Scripture for the assurance that these things will surely literally occur. For so it is the purpose of God to finally cull out the seed of satan from entrance into His eternal Kingdom following.

It is just here and now that the difference between temporary and eternal punishment comes into view.

*****WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL DYNAMIC*****

Seems like the preeminence of Israel and the Age of Justice should have been 2000 years ago and the last Millennium should have been the Age of Mercy and Grace. How is Christ’s Blood involved? No matter how and to what degree the application is available in this Age of Justice, the Blood of Christ’s significance is not diminished. The blood sacrifices will have some efficacy and look back in constant reminder of His Blood and Israel’s and the Gentiles’ unwillingness to appropriate it in its fullness in its appointed time. What type or types of Regeneration with Sanctification….and what is their inheritance? There will continue to be an appropriation of holiness and the necessity of extending faith. Although the spiritual environment has drastically been altered. The gift of eternal life remains. But the prize has significantly changed, if not greatly diminished. These things we will further discuss in lessons following.

[CLICK LINK TO DOWNLOAD NOTES]

Download Notes