Three Reasons to Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ – Revelation 20:1-21:8
20 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the abyss and holding a great chain in his hand. (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, shut it, and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a short time.
(4) I saw thrones, and those who sat upon them, and they were given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the word of God. I also saw those who did not worship the beast or his image and who did not receive his mark on their forehead or upon their hand—they lived and reigned with Christ for the 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 a part in the first resurrection, the second death has no authority over them; on the contrary, they shall be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for the thousand years.
(7) When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them together for the 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 the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down out of heaven and consumed them. (10) The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
(11) Then I saw a great white throne, and him who was seated on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but there was no place for them to go. (12) And I saw the dead, the prominent and the insignificant, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (13) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and every man was judged according to what he had done. (14) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, namely, the lake of fire. (15) If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (2) I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (3) I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Look! The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. They shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither shall there be any mourning or crying or pain any more; the old order of things has passed away.”
(5) He who sits on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (6) Again he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will freely give drink from the spring of the water of life. (7) He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But the cowardly and the unfaithful and the detestable and murderers and the sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars—their place shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
