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Revelation Segment 15

All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. Before beginning this study, I suggest you pray and ask God to guide you through this study. I also suggest that you do you own study of this material in order to ensure its accuracy.
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Revelation 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

 Now that the beast system has fallen, rejoicing begins in heaven. For not only has the system fallen, but its founder, Satan is living on borrowed time. Shortly he will be cast into the abyss and locked up there for 1000 years. But first, he will make a last attempt to defeat God before the end of the age. Remember, the fall of Babylon takes place after the seventh trump is sounded. Let us recap. The following is a list of the occurrences after the seventh trumpet is sounded:

    1. Revelation 11:15, the Angel sounds the Seventh Trumpet Voices in Heaven shout "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."
    2. The 24 elders praise God Heaven is opened showing the Ark A mighty earthquake happens. (The previous four events are a brief and will be detailed later)
    3. The red Dragon (Satan) appears (this is when he roams to and fro in the earth walking up and down in it seeking whom he may devour--in other words, all of history--he still has access to Heaven here)
    4. The woman with the crown of twelve stars appears (God's chosen people--a parenthetical chapter) War in Heaven
    5. The Dragon is cast out of heaven and down to earth
    6. The two beasts rise out of the sea and the earth and the Image of the Beast is made (the first beast is the end time kingdom, the second beast is the false prophet)
    7. The Lamb and the 144,000 stand upon Mt. Zion singing the New Song
    8. An angel preaches the gospel to the world, giving the people a final chance to repent before the wrath of God begins
    9. An angel heralds the fall of Babylon (AKA the beast out of the sea) An angel proclaims damnation to those who worshipped the beast and his image and had his mark
    10. The harvest of the earth (the saved are harvested by Christ--some might call this the rapture, the unsaved are harvested by an angel and prepared for the wrath of God)
    11. The wrath of God applied to the unsaved. (This is a brief, full details will follow later)
    12. The pageant of the seven angels with the seven vials containing the final plagues, which comprise the Great Tribulation
    13. The multitude of the saved (those victorious over Satan) sing the Song of Moses (There are two songs sung by Moses, one in Exodus 15; another in Deuteronomy 32).
    14. The seven vials of the wrath of God are poured out. As the sixth vial is emptied, Satan gathers the kings of the world to Armageddon to fight against Christ.
    15. The seventh vial is poured out destroying the world and the armies gathered at Armageddon. This will be detailed later in 19:14-21.
    16. A complete picture of the destruction of Babylon, the kingdom of the Dragon.
    17. This includes Mystery Babylon, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth (chapters 17 and 18)
    18. The great doxology in Heaven because of the punishment of the Great Whore

This verse, 19:1, begins the great doxology. It continues through verse seven.

Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

Remember the souls under the altar? "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: {10} And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? {11} And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:9-11). This verse speaks to the culmination of this answer given to the saints under the altar.

Revelation 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

They rejoice because she will never be again. Smoke rising indicated that a city is burnt. Smoke rising forever tells us that the city will never live again. The same thing was said about the ancient Babylon in Jeremiah 50:13, and that city has not been resurrected to this date. Sadam Hussein claims he is rebuilding the ancient city and plans to populate it, but this has not happened (nor will it ever happen).

Revelation 19:4-5 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. {5} And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

The 24 elders lead in the praise. As they begin to worship, the voice of an angel is heard coming from the throne telling all of God's people to join in the praise.

Revelation 19:6-7 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. {7} Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Can you imagine it? The entire multitude of all the saved people from throughout the ages will join in this chorus, singing praises to God! To human ears, the sound would be deafening. John describes them as roaring water and much thunder.

Mention is made here of the marriage of the Lamb. What is this marriage of the Lamb? It is when He is united for all time with His Church. Here she is His wife. Here, she is not His betrothed but His wife. The marriage took place when Christ gathered His church unto him when he harvested the earth. The church is the wife of the Lamb at this juncture. How is His wife made ready? As we are told in the next verse, she is clothed with fine linen. What is she ready for? She is made ready for the Battle of Armageddon and the wedding supper of God.

The church has often been called the bride of Christ. But that term is often used much too loosely. What does the Bible have to say about this subject? Did you know that there is only one mention of the church as the bride of Christ in the entire New Testament? It is in John and it speaks to Christ as the Bridegroom and John the Baptist as the best man. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." (John 3:29) This is the only time the church is figuratively referred to as the bride. John is talking about Jesus' disciples when he speaks of the bride. They became the church, thus the bride here is ultimately the church. But this is the ONLY place that this occurs. In every other instance in the New Testament, the bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem. This is seen in Rev 21:2, 9 & 21:17. Check out what I say. It is true. Now we see the bride in the Old Testament in the Song of Solomon. But it is figurative there and the bride is not called the "bride of Christ." When the Bible speaks of the bride of Christ it is talking about the New Jerusalem. Here the church is referred to as the wife of the Lamb and not His bride. Of course to become a wife one must first be a bride. It is in these two verses that the church is called the wife of the Lamb and not the bride.

There is something to be said about the wedding parables. They show the bridegroom coming at a moment when he is not expected. They discuss how those invited to the marriage refused to come and so others were invited. They talk about the bridesmaids who have no oil for their lamps. But they do not actually state that the church is the bride of Christ. I do not dispute the concept that the church is the bride, but the scriptures do not spend much time discussing it. So let us be careful to be accurate when we state that the church is the bride of Christ. Today, the church is the betrothed of Christ, but after the harvest of the earth she will be the wife of Christ.

Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Who is she? the wife of the Lamb. Notice that she is not the bride, but the wife. The marriage has already taken place. It took place in Revelation 14:16, when the Son of God harvested the earth. This righteousness is actually righteous acts or deeds because that is what the Greek word means. These are our good works. We know that at the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ, rewards will be given to those whose good works survive the testing process. Those who have no good works will receive no reward. Those that have bad works will suffer loss. ("Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. {14} If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. {15} If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." --1 Corinthians 3:13-15). The fire mentioned here is the glory of God, "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrew 12:29). The fine linen is bright and pure (the meaning of the Greek, which is translated clean and white in the KJV), representing the good works that we have done. If there are no good works, will there be fine linen? No, I do not believe so based on these three verses. It says that a man whose work is burned in the test will suffer loss and not receive a reward. If there are no good works, there will be no fine linen. Jesus tells us to be careful about our raiment: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." (Revelation 16:15) If we pass the Bema Judgment seat of Christ and our works are not good and do not stand the test, then we will be ashamed (figuratively naked) when Jesus returns. Good works are important.

I want you to realize that when the old heaven and the old earth pass away and when the new heaven and the new earth appear and when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven then and only then will our tears be wiped away and then will there be no more death, sorrow, or pain. But up to that point there will be tears and there will be shame and those whose works do not pass the test will suffer loss and will shed tears and will be ashamed. They will make it into heaven and they will receive eternal life, but they will also suffer shame before the eternity begins. Do not be among that group. Use your spiritual gifts to do good works that will pass the test.

Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Now I am going to take a different tack than most commentators. Most say that the church will be away at the marriage supper of the Lamb for seven years while the "Great Tribulation" goes on. Well the scripture does not support that concept. Here we are at the marriage supper of the Lamb and the seven vials of the wrath of God have already been emptied. The Tribulation, that is the Great and Terrible Day of the Wrath of the LORD is nearly over; all that is lacking in the battle of Armageddon. And now, AFTER the Great Tribulation, comes the marriage supper. Some may say that the seven vials were not in order. But look at the language employed by John. Each thought begins with "and". "And" is conjunctive and joins together consecutive thoughts. Consecutive means in order. This is the use of the figure of speech known as polysyndeton. With this figure, all clauses beginning with "and" are important and will stand by themselves, and here they are tied together in sequence. The great supper of God begins at the end of the vials of the wrath of God, that is, the Great Tribulation. This negates the notion that the church is "raptured" away to be at the wedding supper of the Lamb while the tribulation occurs.

The traditional thought is just that, a tradition. Notice that those called to this supper are blessed. Who is called, and what is this supper? We must jump ahead a bit to verse 17 to find out. Well first, the wife of the Lamb and the Lamb will be present at this supper. The wife of the Lamb is the church. She is called to the supper and blessed. But the wife and the Lamb do not actually eat this supper. They are present at it but they do not eat. The Lamb destroys the armies gathered against him and the supper is the consumption of the corpses. Verse 17 tells us that the fowls of the skies are called to eat this supper. They feast on the corpses of those who gather to battle at Armageddon and are defeated by the Lamb. That occurs in verse 21. The blessing is that the final defeat of the enemies of God during this age has been accomplished. Carrion birds will take care of the rotting flesh to keep down the stench. The supping of the birds upon the flesh is the actual marriage supper of the Lamb; not some ethereal party in Heaven while the tribulation is going on. And what better wedding supper than for the carrion birds to cleanse the land of the enemies of the Groom?

Listen, the saints are in heaven when the Wrath of God is poured out upon the earth. But they are not at the wedding supper. They are watching and praising God on the sea of glass around His throne. This is seen in Rev 15:2 and in 19:1-6. The wedding supper takes place after the Battle or Armageddon at the end of this chapter.

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Overwhelmed by the great doxology and the events that he saw, John fell at the angel's feet in worship. He did not actually worship, for the angel was quick to set him straight. I believe that God put this here so that when we get to Heaven that we will not try to worship angels, who will be our fellow servants of God. We may be tempted to do so because of their glory, but their glory comes from God. Though we may be tempted, we do not worship angels.

Revelation 19:11-12 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12} His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

This is the true Christ. The first rider upon a white horse, in 6:2 was Satan masquerading as an angel of light. This he has done through the centuries. Notice that there is no more mention of the Lamb slain. This is Jesus the Messiah in His Power and Great Glory. He is also coming to make war. Compare this picture with picture of the Messiah in 1:13-17.

Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

His garment is dipped in blood signifying His crucifixion. We have already been told that He is the Word of God. John told us that in his gospel. This is a good time to take a look at the study of The Memra. The memra is the divine logos in the Old Testament!

Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Jesus is returning to earth with the armies of heaven. This includes the saints, clothed in white linen (19:8) and the heavenly hosts. The reason I include the hosts of Heaven is that the armies of the LORD are angelic (See 2 Kings 6:17).

Revelation 19:15-16 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

What does this sharp sword represent? "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12). It is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus will speak and that is all it will take to destroy the armies gathered in the Jezreel valley. He has trampled out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored and He is continuing to trample and will do so until all of His enemies are as a footstool at His feet. That is, until they are destroyed. Afterward, He will rule the world with absolute authority during the millennium, which we will discuss when we get to it. He will be the King of kings and Lord of lords, hence the name written on his thigh.

The rod of iron seems to indicate that Jesus will rule the nations with tight control after he smites them with the sword of His mouth. If that is to be true then only those gathered at Armageddon will be destroyed and that will leave the remaining peoples of the nations to go on into the 1000 years. In fact, it seems quite certain that the 1000 years will be an earthly rule of Christ over the nations with His church ruling and reigning with Him.

Revelation 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

This is the wedding supper in verse 9. The Greek is more correctly translated the great supper of God. The midst of heaven is simply the sky above the earth and beneath space. These are regular carrion birds like vultures and crows. 

Revelation 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

These are the remains of the peoples gathered together at Armageddon, that is, the kings of earth and people from the whole world (Rev 16:16). All those gathered against Christ will be destroyed: free men, slaves, small and great. This is fulfilled in verse 20.

Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

They are gathered by the three demonic frog-like spirits. God takes away the leadership in the next verse and the armies are destroyed.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

The beast was depicted as a leopard. A leopard is a "he". The leopard represents the final kingdom of the age, Satan's kingdom. The final kingdom and all its trappings are cast into the lake of burning sulfur (for that is what brimstone is). The false prophet is also thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. They are destroyed there. The False Prophet is the same entity as the beast out of the sea in Revelation 13.

Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Jesus destroys these armies with His sword, The Sword that proceeds from His mouth. Does the Lamb return with a literal sword projecting from His mouth? No. The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. This Sword is Jesus' Word. He speaks and destroys these armies just as He spoke and the Universe came into existence. Jesus IS the Word and He speaks the Word. See John 1:1-14 and See The Memra.

This is the remnant left of the beast kingdom. This is the armies gathered at Armageddon. All of the rest of the people were killed by the seven vials of God's wrath. This is finally the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. The birds sup upon the bodies from the army of the Dragon thus celebrating the wedding of the Messiah to His wife the Church. They celebrate the destruction of those opposed to Christ and to His people. This destruction takes place immediately after the gathering of the Church to Christ, that is, the wedding of the Lamb to His Church.

The context indicates that there will still be peoples in the world who followed the beast who are still alive after the Battle of Armageddon and they will go into the millennium. There they will be ruled over by Jesus and His church. Remember how kings and merchants observed the destruction of Babylon from a distance. These will still be alive and will enter into the 1000 year rule of Christ. Merchants and kings imply multitudes of peoples. There will be survivors of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials.

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Compare this event with the original opening of the abyss (the Greek for "bottomless pit" is abussou, abussou--abyss): And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1) The star of 9:1 is an angel, likely the same angel who has the key here. Previously the abyss was opened to allow the minions of Satan to escape. Out of the abyss came the demonic locust army. According to the book of Enoch the abyss is the abode of fallen angels. It will be opened a second time to allow the fallen angel called Satan to be locked there.

Revelation 20:2-3 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, {3} And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The question that is often asked here is "Is the thousand year period really a thousand years or is it a symbolic number?"

Let us see what the scripture says about a thousand years outside of the Book of Revelation.

Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

These two witnesses tell us that what is a thousand years to us is simply a day to God. The Revelation was written to mortal men and women. Us. We must understand it in our human knowledge. Our brains cannot comprehend eternity. We understand what it is, but we cannot really contemplate it. It is fantastic to our minds. We have limits in our lives. We are born. We die. We eat; we sleep. Summer begins and it ends. Solomon gets it right:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: {2} A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; {3} A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; {4} A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; {5} A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; {6} A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; {7} A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; {8} A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

So we cannot truly comprehend eternity because we are in a time continuum. In our world, everything has a beginning and an end. Eternity has no beginning nor has it an end. So God has to put things to us in a way in which we can understand. That is what He is doing here in Revelation.

In God's view, there is no beginning and no end. So a thousand years passes to Him somewhat like a day passes to us. We seem to have days on end. Do you know that a person of age seventy has lived more than 25,000 (twenty five thousand) days? He has seen 25,000 mornings, and 25,000 evenings, and 25,000 nights. To put it in a better perspective, a person of 35 has lived 12,500 days. He has seen 12,500 mornings, days, evenings, and nights. While we are living them, our days seem to go on forever. Of course when we look back, they actually went by rather swiftly. But during our days it seems as though they will never end. That is how a day is to God. It is a part of forever. To Him it matters not whether a day has gone buy or a thousand years have gone by. It is all the same in eternity. So the 1000 years are a day to the Lord but a millennium to us.

The 1000 years is also known as the Millennium, which not a Biblical term. The Greek literally says a thousand years and not a millennium. I know this is splitting hairs a bit, for a millennium and a thousand years are exactly the same thing, but some folks are sticklers for such details so I mention it here.

The 1000 years that the Devil is shut up in the Abyss, are simply a day to God. But, yes, I believe it is a literal 1000 years.

Satan is bound for 1000 years giving the world a peace like it has never seen. This is a day in which Jesus will reign and will rule with a rod of iron. That means He will enforce the Will of God. Satan will not be around to influence them. The so-called "Millennial Chapters" of Ezekiel give us a lot of information about the 1000 years. Ezekiel 38:26 through the end of the book are about the 1000 years. In fact, in chapter 38, Ezekiel paints the picture of the release of Satan for a little while. He will gather the nations, Gog and Magog. Ezekiel records the exact same event there that John records in Rev. 20:8-9. Revelation tells us that fire will come from God and will destroy them. Ezekiel tells us that God will rain down great hailstones and fire and brimstone on them. So for information on what will take place during the 1000 years, read Ezekiel 37-48.

The way that we know that Ezekiel records information about the millennium is from Ezekiel 37:26: "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore." When God makes His sanctuary among men is when Jesus returns to earth and defeats the armies gathered at Armageddon.

Having said all this, let me state that the Bible implies that the earth will still be populated in those days of the 1000 years. As I stated before, those people who stood back afar while Babylon burned in chapter 19, will be among the population that enters into the last millennium. There will be a population of peoples who followed after and worshipped the beast during the last millennium. They will be ruled and judged by Jesus and His Wife, the Church. Ezekiel gives quite a few details about this upcoming period.

While we are on the subject, this age is made up of seven millennia. There are seven millennia from the creation in Genesis until the old heaven and old earth (that is, this present earth age) pass away. There have been four millennia from creation to Christ and there have been almost two millennia from Christ until the present. (The year 2000 AD on man's calendar is not precisely on schedule with God's calendar). The final millennium is the one that begins when Christ defeats His enemies. I truly believe that when exactly six thousand years have passed since creation that at that exact moment Jesus will return with His wife to destroy the armies gathered at Armageddon. Then the seventh millennium, or the 1000 years will begin. God knows the exact date and we have not reached it yet. I do not know how far man's calendar differs from God's; the difference could be just a few years or even a century or so. I do know that everything that needs to be in place before the advent of Satan's beast system can begin is nearly in place at this very moment, and daily we draw closer to its consummation.

Let us take one excursion into Ezekiel. According to Ezekiel chapter 44, the Zadock (those who are righteous) will teach those who are not saved: "And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. {24} And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths." Ezekiel 44:23-24. During the millennium, who are the righteous? They are Christ's own, Christians. We will rule and reign with Him. Our righteousness comes from Jesus' work at the cross. Therefore, since we will teach them, there will be people saved during the millennium. The Bible says that there will be nations to deceive at the end of the millennium. It also says that the Great White Throne judgment takes place after the millennium. So it stands to reason that there will be people saved during this time. Also during this time Satan will have absolutely no influence upon these people. He will be safely locked away unable to do any damage on earth.

Revelation 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. {5} But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. {6} Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

All Christians will be raised from the dead at the seventh trumpet as Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:". So all Christians have been resurrected and will rule and reign with Jesus during the 1000 years. The rest of the dead, those who died without salvation, will not be present during the final 1000 years. Over whom do we rule and reign? Again, it is those who were not killed during the seven vials of God's wrath. They will live during the millennium.

Revelation 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, {8} And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Gog and Magog are symbolic for all the nations of the world. Ezekiel tells us that Gog is of the land of Magog and he is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Eze 38:2). Magog is in the north parts (Eze 39:2). Gog will have people from all parts of the world with him when he attacks Jerusalem: "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: {4} And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: {5} Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: {6} Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee." --Ezekiel 38:3-6. This company will be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.

For 1000 years, the only influence upon the peoples of the earth will be from the Lord Jesus and from righteous Christians who go out and teach them. They will not be taught evil. Yet when Satan is loosed again, he will be able to go out and deceive many into following him. These will follow him into battle against Jerusalem. They will be destroyed and Satan's sentence of death will be executed; he will go into the lake of fire. I believe that this happens so that any who might rebel against God will do so at this time so it will not happen ever again throughout eternity. This age is about getting people saved and that is about never having another rebellion in heaven like Lucifer's rebellion. All who will ever rebel will be weeded out by this age and by the millennium. Then there will never forever and forever be any rebellion against God. It is a weeding out of all troublemakers.

Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

They surround Jerusalem to destroy God's people and His sanctuary but they are destroyed instead.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan was sentenced to die immediately after his rebellion in heaven. Ezekiel 28:16: "By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire." Sentence is carried out.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This is the end for Satan. He will be there for eternity. He will have plenty of company:

Revelation 20:11-12 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. {12} And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

At the Great white Throne, the old heaven and old earth will flee. All of the dead whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be found guilty at this judgment. The penalty is death. No one will have a case. Our own works are filthy rags, while righteous works sanctified by Jesus Christ are fine linen, pure and white, in other words, their wedding garments (19:8). Those standing before the Great White Throne will be in filthy rags. When pronounced guilty they will be without words. There will be nothing to say. They will be speechless: "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: {12} And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. {13} Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 22:11-13)

Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

The sea is the nations and peoples of the world. All those who were dead and not in Christ are raised to the Great White Throne Judgment. Death will not contain them. Even though dead, they will be raised from that death to judgment. Hell, that is Hades, the abode of the unsaved dead, will not prevent them from being raised. All will be raised to judgment.

Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Effectively destroying death for eternity and destroying the place of the dead, Hades.

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

There will be no exceptions. If your name is not in the book of Life, you are going into the lake of fire. What happens there? Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are there in eternal torment. If eternal torment happens to them, it will happen to all who are cast into the lake of fire, "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44, 46, & 48)

Here is what Jesus said about Hell (Gehenna): "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: {44} Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:43-44). Hell is a place of eternal torment. The worm is the soul, and it does not die there nor is the fire or torment quenched. See the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man in Luke 16. 

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