Featured The 1,000 years of Revelation 20:1-3. #8

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN REVELATION 20-22:
VICTORY THROUGH CHRIST

I. FROM THE BINDING OF SATAN
TO THE FINAL JUDGMENT REVELATION 19: 19 ff.
carried us to the very end of history, to the day of final judgment.

"With Revelation 20 we return to the beginning of our present dispensation.

12: 5-12. In connection with Christ’s birth, death, ascension, and coronation,
Satan is hurled down from heaven. His accusations lose every semblance of justice.
is parallel to:
20: 1-3. Satan is bound and cast into the abyss;
his power over the nations is curbed.

11 : 2-6; 12: 14 ff. A long period of power and witness-bearing for the Church,
which is nourished ‘away from the face of the serpent (Satan)’.
The devil’s influence is curbed.
is parallel to:
20: 2. A long period of power for the Church, Satan having been bound.
He remains bound for a thousand years, that is, during this entire gospel age.
(In heaven the souls of the redeemed are living and reigning with Christ, 20: 4-6. )

"Once this ‘order of events’ or ‘program of history’ is seen,
Revelation 20 is not difficult to understand.

"All one needs to do is to remember the sequence:
Christ’s first coming
is followed by a long period during which Satan is bound;

this, in turn, is followed by Satan’s little season;

and that is followed by Christ’s second coming,
i. e. His coming in judgment.

" It should be clear immediately to anyone who carefully reads Revelation 20
that the ‘thousand years’ precede the second coming of our Lord in judgment.

"This second coming in judgment is not described until we reach the eleventh verse.

"It is clear that the theory of the premillennialists is at variance with the facts here.

"Yet, though in Revelation 20 we traverse the same ground as in the preceding visions,
namely, this entire dispensation from the first to the second coming of Christ,
we view it from a different aspect.

"You remember that Revelation 12 introduces five enemies of the Church.

"All go down together!

"Yet the account of their defeat is spread over several distinct visions.

"The preceding visions have told us what happens
to four of the five foes introduced in chapter 12.

"Only one is left, namely Satan himself.

"His defeat is described in our present vision.

"In this connection, let us remember the main theme of the entire book.

"It is the victory of Christ and of His Church over every enemy.

"When Satan also is hurled into the lake of fire and brimstone (20: 10)
not a single enemy is left to vex the Church.

"We are conquerors; indeed, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us,
for not only do we triumph over every foe but we also live and reign with Christ.

"And in this supreme joy many of those who formerly opposed us
will participate (cf. 3: 9). Truly, more than conquerors are we!

The binding of Satan (20: 1-3)

"Let us study, first, this vision in which Satan is bound for a thousand years
and hurled into the abyss.

"John sees an angel coming down out of heaven.

"He has a key with which he is going to lock the abyss (cf. 9: 1, 11).

"This abyss is a deep hole provided with a shaft (9: 1), and with a lid.

"This lid can be unlocked (9: 2), locked (20: 3), and even sealed (20: 3).

"Bear in mind, however, that all this is symbolism.

"Upon the angel's hand lies a chain, the two ends hanging down.

"Evidently, he is going to bind someone in order to lock him up in the abyss.

"What happens? John suddenly sees ‘the dragon’, strong, crafty, ugly.

"It is ‘the old serpent’, cunning and deceptive.

"In order to describe him still more accurately he is also called ‘the devil’,
that is, ‘slanderer’; and ‘Satan’, that is, ‘adversary’ or ‘false accuser’.

"Being in the Spirit John now notices that the angel overpowers Satan.

"He renders him helpless and binds him securely and firmly.

"The devil remains bound for a thousand years.

"The angel hurls him into the abyss and locks it.

"He places a seal over it.

"Thus, Satan remains ‘locked up’ for a thousand years.

"After that he must be loosed for a short time.

"What is the meaning of this symbol?

"In order to arrive at the real meaning of the binding
and hurling into the abyss’ of Satan we must first ask the question,
just what meaning or value did this passage have
for the persecuted Christians of John’s day?

"Let us, accordingly, forget for a moment the fact
that we are living in the twentieth century.

"Let us ‘transplant’ ourselves to the world of John the apostle.

"What a picture of spiritual darkness and desolation!

"Try to count the many idols that disgrace the streets
and sanctuaries of imperial Rome.

"The abominations, the filth and corruption attendant
upon the celebration of pagan festivals, the superstitions, vices, and so on,
are truly staggering.

"Temples and shrines throughout the world are crowded with ignorant,
half-despairing worshippers.

"We see a few scattered churches established through the efforts of Paul and others.

"For the rest, heathendom is everywhere triumphant.

"Now let us move back to that long period which preceded Christ’s ascension.

"All the nations—-with the exception of the Jews—are under the thraldom of Satan.

"Not, of course, in the absolute sense of the term, for God always reigns supreme,
but in the sense of Acts 14: 16:

‘God... in past generations allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. ’

"If during this present era the devil ‘blinds the minds of unbelievers' (2 Cor. 4: 4),
that was even more emphatically true during the old dispensation.

"With a sigh of horror we exclaim, 'Is this condition never going to change?

Will this Old Testament era continue forever?

Will the devil maintain his rule over the peoples of the earth?

Will the light of the glorious gospel never penetrate into the palaces
and hovels of Asia and Europe?

Will this intense moral and spiritual darkness always continue?

"Has an angry God forgotten mercy? ’

"The answer is, ‘Rejoice! ’ For Christ can say, ‘I will tell of the decree:
Jehovah said to me, “Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” ’ (Ps. 2: 7, 8).

"Again, ‘He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
and from the river to the ends of the earth.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him;
and his enemies shall lick the dust.

"The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

"Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him...
his name shall endure forever."

His name shall be continued as long as the sun;
and men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed! ’
(Ps. 72: 8-11, 17; cf. Gn. 12: 3; Am. 9: 11 f.; Mi. 4: 12).

"That was the prophecy.

"The spiritual darkness that covers the nations shall not continue;
Satan shall deceive the nations no more.

"Late comes the fulfillment.

"Jesus is born.

"He begins His ministry.

"The Pharisees accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan himself.

"He answers, ‘How can one enter into the house of the strong one (namely Satan)
and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong one?

"Then he shall plunder his goods. ’

"Please notice that exactly the same word ‘binding’ is used here in Matthew
as in Revelation 20.

"This work of binding the devil was begun when our Lord triumphed over him
in the temptations in the wilderness (Mt. 4: 1-11).

"As a result, Christ begins to ‘cast out’ demons.

"The power and influence of Satan over the deluded masses
was beginning to be curtailed.

"Again, when the seventy missionaries returned, they said:
‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in thy name’.

"Observe what follows:
‘And he said to them, I beheld Satan falling as lightning from heaven’ (Lk. 10: 17, 18).

"Here the devil’s ‘falling from heaven’ is associated
with the missionary activity of the seventy.

"This is a very significant passage which does much to explain Revelation 20.

con't

 

"At another time certain Greeks wished to see Jesus.

"Jesus remarks: ‘Now is the judgment of this world;
now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. ’

"Be sure to observe that a word is used which has the same root, in the original,
as the term which we translate ‘casting’ or ‘hurling’ into the abyss (Rev. 20).

"Even more important is the fact that here, in John 12: 20-32,
the casting out of Satan is associated with the fact that not only the Jews,
as was the rule in the past, but ‘all men’ —Greeks as well as Jews—
shall be drawn to Christ.

"All this shall happen as a result of Christ’s suffering on the cross
and the sending of the Holy Spirit.

"Colossians 2: 14,15 very definitely associates the ‘despoiling’ of Satan
and his armies with Christ’s triumph on the cross.

14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;

15 "And having spoiled principalities and powers,
he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

"Revelation 12: 5 ff. clearly shows that ‘the casting out’ of Satan
was a result of Christ’s coronation.

"Realize, therefore, that in all these passages the binding and casting out
or falling of Satan is in some way associated
with the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"When we say ‘the first coming’ we refer to all the events associated with it,
from the incarnation to the coronation.

"We may say, therefore, that the binding of Satan,
according to all these passages, begins with that first coming.

"Again, in some of the texts which we have quoted, this binding, etc.,
is definitely associated with the work of missions
and with the extension of the witnessing Church among the nations.

"Before the coming of Christ, His victory over the devil in the temptations,
His ministry, His death, ascension and coronation, salvation
had been largely limited to the Jews.

"God had suffered Satan to blind the eyes of the nations,
so that these nations walked in their own ways.

"A great change was to take place.

"The ‘truth’ of the gospel would gradually replace the ‘lie’ of the devil.

"Satan is bound so that he can deceive the nations no more.

"Christ will draw ‘all men’ to Himself.

"The chosen from every nation will be saved.

"In close harmony with all these scriptural passages—
and our exegesis must always be based upon the analogy of Scripture—
we conclude that here also in Revelation 20: 1-3 the binding of Satan
and the fact that he is hurled into the abyss
to remain there for a thousand years indicates
that throughout this present gospel age the devil’s influence on earth is curtailed.

"He is unable to prevent the extension of the Church among the nations
utilizing an active missionary program.

"During this entire period he is prevented from causing the nations—
the world in general—to destroy the Church as a mighty, missionary institution.

"By means of the preaching of the Word as applied by the Holy Spirit,
the elect, from all parts of the world, are brought from darkness to light.

"In that sense, the Church conquers the nations,
and the nations do not conquer the Church.

"Throughout this entire period, churches are established.

"Not only individuals but institutions and ordinances
are affected more or less by the gospel of God’s grace.

"In regions where the devil had been allowed
to exercise almost unlimited authority,
during Old Testament times, he is now compelled
to see the servants of Christ gaining territory little by little.

"Within a comparatively brief period, Christianity
spreads throughout southern Europe.

Soon it conquers the entire continent.

'During the centuries which follow it is proclaimed everywhere
so that the ends of the earth hear the gospel of the crucified One
and many bend the knee before Him.

"The Church has become international.

"This international Church is very powerful:
‘Like a mighty army moves the Church of God. ’

The maps of the World Missionary Atlas are full of little red lines
underscoring the names of places where there are mission stations.

"The particularism of the old dispensation has made place
for the universalism of the new.

"The Bible has been translated into more than 1, 000 languages.

"The influence of the gospel upon the thought and life of mankind
can scarcely be overestimated.

"In some countries the blessed truths of Christianity
affect human life in all its phases:
political, economic, social, and intellectual.

"Only the individual who lacks the historical sense and is,
therefore, unable to see the present in the light of conditions
which prevailed throughout the world before Christ’s ascension,
can fail to appreciate the glories of the millennial age in which we are now living.

"The prophecy found in Psalm 72 is being fulfilled before our eyes.

"Do not misunderstand our interpretation.

"We are not stating that the world is becoming better and better
and that by and by nearly everyone will join the ranks of Christ’s army.

"Many will hear the gospel, but will not heed it.

"Moreover, God’s trumpets of judgment will not convert a world
which is hardening itself in unbelief.

"The majority will always be on the side of the evil one.

"We most emphatically reject the dream of a man-made era of peace,
prosperity, and universal righteousness on earth preceding the second coming of Christ.

"Just as definitely do we repudiate the related idea according to which
the almighty ‘law of evolution’ will bring about an ever-upward trend
in the course of civilization.

"We are not closing our eyes to the evils which surround us;
nor are we ignorant of the fact that present-day humanism,
masquerading under the guise of a new and better interpretation of Christianity,
is in reality the rat that is gnawing at the roots of the tree of true religion.

"Nevertheless, although we are fully aware of all these symptoms of evil
and harbingers of woe, the facts which we have set out above remain true,
and no amount of argument can cancel them.

"The Church, indeed, exerts a tremendous influence for good
upon almost the entire complex of human life.

"In that sense—not in every sense—the devil is bound.

"We repeat, the devil is not bound in every sense.

"His influence is not completely destroyed.

"On the contrary, within the sphere in which Satan
is permitted to exert his influence for evil he rages most furiously.

"A dog securely bound with a long and heavy chain
can do great damage within the circle of his imprisonment.

"Outside that circle, however, the animal can do no damage
and can hurt no one.

"Thus also Revelation 20: 1-3 teaches us that Satan’s power is curbed
and his influence curtailed with respect to one definite sphere of activity:
‘that he should deceive the nations no more’.

"The devil can do much, indeed,
during this present period of one thousand years.

"But there is one thing which, during this period, he cannot do.

With respect to this one thing, he is definitely and securely bound.

"He cannot destroy the Church as a mighty missionary organization
heralding the gospel to all the nations.

"He cannot do that until the thousand years are finished.

"We have seen, therefore, that the ‘thousand years’ of Revelation 20
have a glorious meaning for God’s people on earth.

"Nevertheless, the glories of heaven during this period
far transcend those which relate to the earth.

"The next few verses (4-6) describe the condition
of the victorious saints in heaven, not on earth.

"Of course, these two aspects of the millennium, namely, the earthly (verses 1-3)
and the heavenly (verses 4-6),
the binding of Satan and the reign of the saints are most intimately related.

"It is in connection with the personal reign of our divine and human Mediator
as a result of His atoning work (see Rev. 5)
that Satan is bound so that his influence on earth is partly paralyzed.

"It is in connection with this same personal reign of Jesus in and from heaven
that the souls of the departed saints are reigning above (cf. Rev. 3: 21).

"This personal reign of Christ in and from heaven
underlies all the visions of the Apocalypse.

"It is the key to the interpretation of the ‘thousand years’."

 

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