A Closer Look at Section 3 (Chapters 20-22)
"The healing of the nations" - Rev 22:2
These chapters conclude the Bible. All of the loss suffered in the opening three chapters of the Bible is here undone in its last three. It is a glorious ending, worthy of a Glorious God.
Chapter 20
The Thousand Years
When Chapter 20 opens, we again jump back to the beginning of the harvest, but only for the briefest of moments. The first three verses show the return of Jesus with the great chain of truth that will bind the errors of men and their systems (Psa 2:1-9).
Many students of Revelation interpret the four-name entity of 20:2 NOT as the personal devil, but as the social-civil order which the personal devil has directed from the beginning. The personal devil is not excluded from this name, but it is not primarily about him. (Ezekiel 28:13-15 and Isaiah 14:12-16) This four-name appellation of verse 2 occurs originally in Chapter 12 where it has the same meaning.
Five Times through the Millennium
(1) The Millennium & "The Devil" (Rev. 20:1-10) this section deals with the binding and final elimination of the "dragon" -- that part of the trio from Rev. 16:13 which was NOT destroyed in Rev. 19:20.
(2) The Great White Throne of Judgment (Rev. 20:11-Rev. 21:1) in these verses are summarized the standards and process of the judgment of individuals, in the Day of Judgment.
(3) The New Order (Rev. 21:2-8) this section shows the joys awaiting the resurrected as well as the fate of the incorrigible.
(4) Focus on the Bride (Rev. 21:9-27) in these verses are symbolized the "New Jerusalem" -- the Bride of Christ who, with Him will govern during the peaceable kingdom.
(5) Food, Water and Light (Rev. 22:1-5) the sustaining elements for life everlasting are shown in this final picture with the concluding promise to resurrected mankind that "they shall reign for ever and ever."
A few observations on Chapter 20:
1. That the actual devil will be bound, as well as this symbolic devil, is assured by the Lord's parable in Matt 12:29. The Millennium is for the regeneration of the race. (Matt 19:28) All things that would make this judgment day (2 Pet 3:7, 8) difficult will be cleared out of the way (Isa 35:8-10). This is the reason for not only binding the literal devil, but also the influences of the beastly governments (Dan 7:17, 18) which have made life so difficult for the human race.
2. The first sentence of Verse 5 is SPURIOUS. In the best manuscripts, the words "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" are not found. This has confused many sincere seekers of truth. Not only do the words not occur in early manuscripts, but logic teaches that they make no sense.
If, as Verse 3 states, Satan is bound so as not to deceive the nations, then logic dictates that the nations must still be alive! Read from Verse 4 through Verse 6 WITHOUT the spurious words and see the logical flow and the resulting sense it makes.
3. As noted in the Chart of the Ages, the "little season" (Verse 3) of Satan's loosing (Verse 7) is clearly shown as the last judgment event of history (the Dark Blue area depicted at the end of the Messianic Age). After it, peace for evermore! Verse 10 finds the destroyed religious systems (beast and false prophet from 19:20) and the destroyed civil power, finally gone -- gone in every way except in the minds of men whose memories will forever vex or torment any reference to these undesirable parts of human history.
4. Apparently the final deception will occur when The Christ is ready to step aside (1 Cor 15:24-28) and turn the kingdom over to the Father. The deception will be an attempt by the devil and men of pride to re-establish a civil government. (Rev 20:7-9) God destroys them. (See Matt 25:46 - note that the opposite of punishment is life. Eternal punishment is death.)
The everlasting "fire" is everlasting destruction. What better symbol of destruction exists than fire which totally consumes what it bums? Thus in Verse 9, the personal devil (Satan) and his followers are destroyed; in Verse 10, the symbolic devil (the social-civil order) is consigned to a tormented spot in the eternal memory of the pages of history.
5. An important item: The awakened dead (not the Church) will be judged by works -- they will be, under the mediator (Rev 5:10; 20:6), progressing toward perfection. Perfect works will be required of them in the end. (See also 22:12.)
6. Another important item: In Verse 13 we note that "hell" gives up its dead. Then, in Verse 14, hell is destroyed in oblivion, where the beast, false prophet, and devil are (Verse 10).
The Bible hell is the condition of nothingness in the grave (Eccl 9:5). "Death" in Verse 14 is the condition of being alive but not having received the right to continue living -- i.e., "death" is the condition of DYING. Thus Jesus could say, "Let the dead bury their dead." (Luke 9:60)
Both "hell" (being dead) and "death" (dying) are consigned to oblivion. Life will reign for all who progress to perfection through the thousand years and the little season because of their faith and obedience.
Chapters 21 and 22
The Glorious Ending (Really the Beginning)
Chapters 21 and 22 are ecstatic in their descriptions of the new government. (A "city" in symbolism is a government. Even today we refer to Tokyo, London, Paris or Washington when referring to the governments housed in these capital cities.)
In symbolic terms "the healing of the nations" (22:2) occurs because of the fruitage of the trees. These trees are the Church glorified (Isa 61:3). Jesus and His bride (22:17) offer the water (truth) of life to all who wish to avail themselves of it without the deceptions of Satan to hinder them.
It is no wonder that John's final prayer (22:20) was, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
Continued with next post.
"The healing of the nations" - Rev 22:2
These chapters conclude the Bible. All of the loss suffered in the opening three chapters of the Bible is here undone in its last three. It is a glorious ending, worthy of a Glorious God.
Chapter 20
The Thousand Years
When Chapter 20 opens, we again jump back to the beginning of the harvest, but only for the briefest of moments. The first three verses show the return of Jesus with the great chain of truth that will bind the errors of men and their systems (Psa 2:1-9).
Many students of Revelation interpret the four-name entity of 20:2 NOT as the personal devil, but as the social-civil order which the personal devil has directed from the beginning. The personal devil is not excluded from this name, but it is not primarily about him. (Ezekiel 28:13-15 and Isaiah 14:12-16) This four-name appellation of verse 2 occurs originally in Chapter 12 where it has the same meaning.
Five Times through the Millennium
(1) The Millennium & "The Devil" (Rev. 20:1-10) this section deals with the binding and final elimination of the "dragon" -- that part of the trio from Rev. 16:13 which was NOT destroyed in Rev. 19:20.
(2) The Great White Throne of Judgment (Rev. 20:11-Rev. 21:1) in these verses are summarized the standards and process of the judgment of individuals, in the Day of Judgment.
(3) The New Order (Rev. 21:2-8) this section shows the joys awaiting the resurrected as well as the fate of the incorrigible.
(4) Focus on the Bride (Rev. 21:9-27) in these verses are symbolized the "New Jerusalem" -- the Bride of Christ who, with Him will govern during the peaceable kingdom.
(5) Food, Water and Light (Rev. 22:1-5) the sustaining elements for life everlasting are shown in this final picture with the concluding promise to resurrected mankind that "they shall reign for ever and ever."
A few observations on Chapter 20:
1. That the actual devil will be bound, as well as this symbolic devil, is assured by the Lord's parable in Matt 12:29. The Millennium is for the regeneration of the race. (Matt 19:28) All things that would make this judgment day (2 Pet 3:7, 8) difficult will be cleared out of the way (Isa 35:8-10). This is the reason for not only binding the literal devil, but also the influences of the beastly governments (Dan 7:17, 18) which have made life so difficult for the human race.
2. The first sentence of Verse 5 is SPURIOUS. In the best manuscripts, the words "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" are not found. This has confused many sincere seekers of truth. Not only do the words not occur in early manuscripts, but logic teaches that they make no sense.
If, as Verse 3 states, Satan is bound so as not to deceive the nations, then logic dictates that the nations must still be alive! Read from Verse 4 through Verse 6 WITHOUT the spurious words and see the logical flow and the resulting sense it makes.
3. As noted in the Chart of the Ages, the "little season" (Verse 3) of Satan's loosing (Verse 7) is clearly shown as the last judgment event of history (the Dark Blue area depicted at the end of the Messianic Age). After it, peace for evermore! Verse 10 finds the destroyed religious systems (beast and false prophet from 19:20) and the destroyed civil power, finally gone -- gone in every way except in the minds of men whose memories will forever vex or torment any reference to these undesirable parts of human history.
4. Apparently the final deception will occur when The Christ is ready to step aside (1 Cor 15:24-28) and turn the kingdom over to the Father. The deception will be an attempt by the devil and men of pride to re-establish a civil government. (Rev 20:7-9) God destroys them. (See Matt 25:46 - note that the opposite of punishment is life. Eternal punishment is death.)
The everlasting "fire" is everlasting destruction. What better symbol of destruction exists than fire which totally consumes what it bums? Thus in Verse 9, the personal devil (Satan) and his followers are destroyed; in Verse 10, the symbolic devil (the social-civil order) is consigned to a tormented spot in the eternal memory of the pages of history.
5. An important item: The awakened dead (not the Church) will be judged by works -- they will be, under the mediator (Rev 5:10; 20:6), progressing toward perfection. Perfect works will be required of them in the end. (See also 22:12.)
6. Another important item: In Verse 13 we note that "hell" gives up its dead. Then, in Verse 14, hell is destroyed in oblivion, where the beast, false prophet, and devil are (Verse 10).
The Bible hell is the condition of nothingness in the grave (Eccl 9:5). "Death" in Verse 14 is the condition of being alive but not having received the right to continue living -- i.e., "death" is the condition of DYING. Thus Jesus could say, "Let the dead bury their dead." (Luke 9:60)
Both "hell" (being dead) and "death" (dying) are consigned to oblivion. Life will reign for all who progress to perfection through the thousand years and the little season because of their faith and obedience.
Chapters 21 and 22
The Glorious Ending (Really the Beginning)
Chapters 21 and 22 are ecstatic in their descriptions of the new government. (A "city" in symbolism is a government. Even today we refer to Tokyo, London, Paris or Washington when referring to the governments housed in these capital cities.)
In symbolic terms "the healing of the nations" (22:2) occurs because of the fruitage of the trees. These trees are the Church glorified (Isa 61:3). Jesus and His bride (22:17) offer the water (truth) of life to all who wish to avail themselves of it without the deceptions of Satan to hinder them.
It is no wonder that John's final prayer (22:20) was, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
Continued with next post.
