Revelation 20

1 – 2

I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the bottomless pit. He also held a large chain in his hand.

The angel grabbed the dragon, that old snake who is the devil. The angel tied him up for 1,000 years.

There are people who think that it is very funny to say, “I cannot help it, the devil made me do it!” The devil will be chained and there will be no excuse during this time.

3. Then he threw him into the bottomless pit and closed it and locked it over him. The angel did this so that he could not trick the people of the earth anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After 1,000 years he must be set free for a short time.

Just think how beautiful it will be to live without the devil attacking your mind every day. We will feel that something heavy has been lifted off of us and we will think differently than we used to.

4. Then I saw some thrones and people sitting on them. They had been given the power to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they were faithful to the truth of Jesus and the message from God.

They had not worshiped the [antichrist] or his idol. They had not received the mark of the [antichrist] on their foreheads or on their hands. They came back to life and ruled with Christ for 1,000 years.

These are the ones who were killed by the antichrist and all believers through history who have died for Christ.

Working in the kingdom may be something like what Jesus was talking about in the story of the talents.

And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. Luke 19:17
Any nation in the world that refuses to come to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, will have no rain. Zechariah 14:9, Isaiah 2:3, Daniel 7:14

5. (The others that were dead did not live again until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first raising of the dead.

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? Ezekiel 33:11

6. Blessed and holy are those who share in this first raising of the dead. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests for God and for Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.

We will use our gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12) to work in the Kingdom using the abilities that God has given us. If we are lazy now, we may be lazy then. Matthew 25:14–30, Luke 19:11–27

7 – 8

When the 1,000 years are over, Satan will be set free from his prison. He will go out to trick the nations in all the earth—Gog and Magog. Satan will gather them for battle. There will be so many people that they will be like sand on the seashore.

This proves that even if God gives men a chance to return to the Garden of Eden and they have no need to worry about money, or sickness, or anything evil - they still do not want God’s control in their lives.

The hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Ecclesiastes 9:3

Some teachers say that these people come from isolated areas on the earth. Other teachers say that this is an army led by Russia. Either way, they will be people who have heard about the days of the tribulation and do not believe all that they hear about God’s power.

Ezekiel 38, Ezekiel 20:33–38, Isaiah 65:18–25, Ezekiel 47:8–20, Ezekiel 48:28 Zechariah 9:10, Zechariah 14:8

9 – 10

And Satan’s army marched across the earth and gathered around the camp of God’s people and the city that God loves. But fire came down from heaven and burned them up.

And Satan, who tricked them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur with the [antichrist] and the false prophet. There they will be punished day and night forever and ever.

The devil and his army never even get a chance to fight. God can defeat them with one Word.

11. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. Earth and sky ran away from Him and disappeared.

The devil is not asked for his opinion at the judgment day. The earth and the sky are not needed anymore.

12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And the book of life was opened. There were also other books opened. The dead were judged by what they had done, which was written in the books.

Men will be judged by God’s words that they have heard. The Lord may say, “Do you remember when you heard this Scripture and ignored it?”

But all who reject Me and My message will be judged on the day of judgment by the Words that I have spoken. John 12:48

Men will not be able to say anything when they stand before God. Romans 3:19

13. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. Each person was judged by what he had done.

For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 2 Corinthians 5:10

14 – 15

And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Hello was not made for people, they go there because they do not want Christ. Matthew 25:41