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READ THE BIBLE TEXT (Revelation 20:1-10)


Millennium

Throoughout the Scriptures, Satan is said to exert great power not only against the world but also against Christians (Acts 5:3; 1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Tim. 1:20). If there is still any question whether this is so, it should be settled by the exhortation of 1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 979 )

The millennial age is to be the age in which divine righteousness is to be displayed (Isa. 11:5; 32:1; Jer. 23:6; Dan. 9:24). It is also to be God's final test of fallen humanity under the most ideal circumstances. All outward sources of temptation must be removed so that man will demonstarte what he is apart from Satanic influence. So that there can be the full manifestation of righteousness and a test of humanity apart from external temptation, Satan must be removed from the sphere. Therefore, at the second advent (coming) [of Christ] he (Satan) will be bound and removed from the scene for the entirety of that millennial period. (Things to Come, p. 477)

The millennium is not a timeperiod to test mankind in order to find out the goodness of humanity. The goal is not to prove ourselves worthy of salvation. To the contrary, by the time the 1000 years are over, it will be plain that mankind cannot altogether blame our sinful acts of rebellion upon the devil. "The devil made me do it" is sometimes heard today and usually by those who wish not to take any part of the responsibility for their own sinful thoughts and desires. During the millennium, it will be plain to all: humanity has a fallen nature, and apart from becoming a new creature (i.e., born again), we cannot do what is good in the eyes of God.

The millennial age is designed by God to be the final test of fallen humanity under the most ideal circumstances, surrounded by every enablement to obey the rule of the king, from whom the outward sources of temptation have been removed, so that man may be found and proved to be a failure in even this last testing of fallen humanity. (Things to Come, p. 538)

New International Version

Revelation 20:1-10
1
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
3
He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5
(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.
6
Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
7
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
8
and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
9
They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
10
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. BACK to top

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