Revelation 20 (NIV)

*Author's Note:  I completely forgot that today was a Chronicles day.  However, maybe God wanted me to study Revelation today.*

Summary:

The Thousand Years
Verses 1-6

John saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key to the Abyss and a great chain.  The angel seized the dragon, the ancient serpent that is the devil, also known as Satan.  The dragon was bound for 1,000 years.  The angel threw Satan into the Abyss, locking and sealing it so that he could not deceive the nations.  He must be set free for a short time afterwards.

John saw thrones on which were seated those given the authority to judge.  He saw the souls of those beheaded because of Jesus' testimony and the word of God.  They did not worship the beast or his image or receive his mark on their foreheads or hands.  They came to life and reigned with Christ for 1,000 years.  This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy are those involved.  The second death has no power over them.  They will reign with Christ as priests of God.  The rest of the dead will arise afterwards.

Satan's Doom
Verses 7-10

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released and will deceive the nations in the earth's four corners, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle.  He will enlist people as numerous as the sand on the seashore.  They marched across the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city that He loves.  Fire came down from heaven and devoured them.  The devil was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet were thrown.  They will be tormented day and night, forever.

The Dead Are Judged
Verses 11-15

John saw a great white throne and Him who is seated on it.  The earth and sky fled from Him; there was no place for them.  He saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.  Books were opened.  The book of life was also opened.  The dead are judged according to what they had done, as recorded in this book.  The sea, death, and Hades gave up their dead and they were judged.  Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death.  Anyone whose name is not written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Lori's Thoughts:

I was wrong.  I thought the beast from the last chapter was the devil.  The beast is the leader that many will follow instead of God.  However, Satan will also be thrown into the sulfur lake, along with the two beasts, that is the leader and the false prophet.

So, for a thousand years, martyrs will be raised back to life and will reign with Christ while Satan is bound.  If Satan can't deceive anyone for this time, does that mean that more people can be saved without his interference?  I hope so.  But, when the devil is let loose, he will deceive as many people as the sand of a seashore.  That sucks!

There will be two resurrections and two deaths, aside from those of Jesus.  The martyrs will die once and be resurrected once.  The rest of the dead will arise in the "second resurrection" (my term), but may die again in the lake of fire.  I wonder if this is different than the lake of sulfur?  If so, only the dragon and two beasts will be tormented forever.  I hope so, because I would not wish eternal torment for any human.  Not even to those that have abused me.