Titled - "Jesus Is Not Done"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
For today’s teaching, I was undecided about the title, for about 15 seconds. I was thinking about entitling it “Satan: Bound, Loosed, and Doomed.” While all three of these things happen in today’s passage, the focus of a Pastor should always be Jesus; what Jesus has done, is doing, and promises yet to do. Warnings of the works of Satan are often appropriate, but the mighty works of Jesus should be the focus. Yes, there is much evil in the world, but Jesus has overcome the world.
Satan’s evil works are everywhere. I found that out while ministering to jail and prison inmates long ago. What I learned was unnerving. There was actually little difference between me, and those on the other side of the bars. There were typically worldly evils that lurked in my own heart! Thoughts, attitudes, and habits have to be examined, and then dealt with through God’s Word.
Inmates must deal with theirs, and the rest of us must address our own. Parole Officers are the ones that keep parolees accountable to the law. If a parolee violates the law, this thing called “recidivism” can kick in and they can be sent back into prison. They are not released again (in theory) until they repent and can be trusted to live daily under man’s laws.
For Believers, our gracious Lord Jesus is the one to hold us accountable to His Word. And yes, His grace is ever-present, His mercies are new every morning. But for our own sinful attitudes and thoughts to be purged, our repentance must be true, and that only happens through some measure of brokenness, and a love for Christ, never again wanting to do those old things that wall us away from Jesus.
Satan is bound and released in today’s teaching, but there is no brokenness in him, and he will soon meet his doom. When he is released, he will return again to his old tricks of deceit and lies to gather an army of the unregenerate who hate authority as much as he does. Satan’s plans do not change, he is still bent on being “like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)
Bring your heart to Jesus. He will gently bring brokenness and make your heart new. Your own recidivism will come to an end.
“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Bobservations' Column: Audio Version:
Sunday Morning's Audio Message:
Revelation 20:1-10 - "Jesus is Not Done!"
Summary/Additional Bible Notes:
As we get into chapter 20 of the book of Revelation, we are now in the Millennial kingdom, the goal toward which all of redemptive history progresses.
When Christ returns, He will establish a literal kingdom on earth, which will last for a thousand years.
In this chapter we will see the binding of Satan for a thousand-year duration. Christ's thousand-year earthly kingdom, Satan's final rebellion, and the Great White Throne Judgment. In the end, Jesus Christ will make all things right. Alleluia!
John sees an angel binding Satan with a great chain and confining him to the bottomless pit for a thousand years. During this time, it seems Satan is not allowed to exert his normal influence on the world. Part of this binding, and eventual releasing seems to be to prove that mankind is desperately wicked—even after a millennium of peace, some people will still choose to reject God, as seen later in the chapter. During this time, those who were saved during the tribulation are brought back to life: the first resurrection (Revelation 20:1–6).
Satan's release at the end of the thousand years results in a rebellion. This is a sad commentary on man's limitless ability to reject God and follow his own stubborn pride. Even after ten centuries of peace and righteousness, led by Christ Himself, so many people will be willing to follow Satan that "their number is like the sand of the sea." Once again, those who oppose God will be soundly defeated—this time, however, Satan is cast forever into the lake of fire. There will be no escape or temptation from the Devil anymore (Revelation 20:7–11).
Bottomless Pit (20:1) - The place where demons are incarcerated pending their final sentencing to the lake of fire (22 9:1).
Laid Hold (20:2) - This includes not only Satan but also the demons. Their imprisonment will dramatically alter the world during the kingdom, since their destructive influence in all areas of human thought and life will be removed.
Dragon (20:2) - Likening Satan to a dragon emphasizes his ferocity and cruelty (see 12:3).
Serpent of Old (20:2) - A reference to Satan's first appearance in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), where he deceived Eve (see 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:14).
A Thousand Years (20:3) - This is the first of six references to the length of the millennial kingdom (see vv. 3-7).
Released for a Little While (20:3) - Satan will be released so God can make a permanent end of sin before establishing the new heaven and earth. All who survive the Tribulation and enter the kingdom will be believers. However, despite that and the personal presence and rule of the Lord Jesus Christ, many of their descendants will refuse to believe in Him. Satan will then gather those unbelievers for one final futile rebellion against God. It will be quickly and decisively crushed, followed by the Great White throne judgment and the establishment of the eternal state.
I saw (20:4) - Four times in this chapter, John says, "And I saw" (verses 1,4,11,12). He was an eyewitness of these amazing events which are to come.
Thrones...They that Sat Upon Them (20:4) - Who are these kingly judges? They are the saints. Those who had been redeemed by His blood, resurrected from the grave, raptured into His presence, and evaluated for their rewards at His judgment seat. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Daniel 7:22).
Souls of those Beheaded (20:4) - These are tribulation martyrs (see 6:9; 18:24; 19:2). The Greek word translated "beheaded" became a general term for execution, not necessarily a particular method.
His Mark (20:4) - See 13:16). Tribulation martyrs will be executed for refusing the mark of the beast.
Reigned (20:4) - Tribulation believers, along with the redeemed from both the Old and New Testament eras, will reign with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:12) during the thousand-year kingdom.
The Rest of the Dead (20:5) - The bodies of unbelievers of all ages will not be resurrected until the Great White Throne judgment (vv. 12-13).
First Resurrection (20:5) - Scripture teaches two kinds of resurrection: the "resurrection of life" and "the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:29; see also Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15). The first kind of resurrection is described as "the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14), the resurrection of "those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Corinthians 15:23), and the "better resurrection" (Hebrews 11:35). It includes only the redeemed of the church age (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), the Old Testament (Daniel 12:2), and the Tribulation (V. 4). They will enter the kingdom in resurrection bodies, along with believers who survived the Tribulation. The second kind of resurrection, then, will be the resurrection of the unconverted, who will receive their final bodies suited for torment in hell.
Blessed (20:6) - Those who die in the Lord (14:13) are blessed with the privilege of entering His kingdom (see 1:3).
Second Death (20:6) - The first death is spiritual and physical, the second is eternal in the lake of fire, and final, eternal hell (vs 14).
Satan...Loosed (20:7) - He is loosed to bring cohesive leadership to the world of rebels born to the believers who entered the kingdom at the beginning. He is loosed to reveal the character of Christ - rejecting sinners who are brought into judgment for the last time ever.
Gog and Magog (20:8) - One of the most amazing commentaries on the fallen human nature to be found in all the Word of God is right here in this passage. After one thousand years of a perfect human environment, with an abundance of material provisions and spiritual instruction for everyone, no crime, no war, no external temptation to sin, with the personal presence of all the resurrected saints and even of Christ Himself, and with Satan and all of his demons bound in the abyss, there are still a multitude of unsaved men and women on earth who are ready to rebel against the Lord the first time they get a chance.
Gog and Magog are the name given to the army of rebels and its leader at the end of the Millennium. They were names of ancient enemies of the Lord. Magog was the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2) and founder of a kingdom located north of the Black and Caspian Seas. God is apparently the leader of a rebel army known collectively as Magog. The battle depicted in verses 8 and 9 is like the one in Ezekiel 38, 39; it is best to see this one as taking place at the end of the Millenium.
Gog and Magog are the name given to the army of rebels and its leader at the end of the Millennium. They were names of ancient enemies of the Lord. Magog was the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2) and founder of a kingdom located north of the Black and Caspian Seas. God is apparently the leader of a rebel army known collectively as Magog. The battle depicted in verses 8 and 9 is like the one in Ezekiel 38, 39; it is best to see this one as taking place at the end of the Millenium.
Beloved City (20:9) - Jerusalem (see Psalm 78:68), the capital city during Christ's millennial reign. The saints will be living around the city where Christ reigns (see Isaiah 24:23).
Fire (20:9) - Frequently associated in Scripture with divine judgment of wicked men (2 Kings 1:10, 12, 14; Luke 9:54; 17:29).
Deceived (20:10) - Just as his demons will entice the world's armies into the Battle of Armageddon, Satan will draw them into a suicidal assault against Christ and His people (16:13-14).
Tormented Day and Night (20:10) - See 14:11. Continuous, unrelieved torment will be the final state of Satan, fallen angels, and unredeemed men. Here is the final end of the rebellious "son of the morning" who wanted to exalt his own throne above God's throne. The great blasphemer, the idol, the false god, the breaker of God's rest, the rebel against his father, the murderer from the beginning, the robber, the great adulterer, the father of lies, the coveter of divine worship, the one who is the very antitheses of the holy and gracious God, the Devil, will finally be cast forever into the lake of fire. Hell is the place of torment, not annihilation.
