Revelation 20 is best understood in what way?

[Checkpoint]

Many questions are asked about this chapter of Revelation, and answers given can differ widely.

Here are just a few questions, for example.

1. How does the chapter fit in with the theme of the whole book?

2. The "thousand years", if literal, are for what purpose? If metaphorical or symbolic, this conveys what?

3. "the first resurrection" describes what, and takes place when?

4. "the lake of fire" is what, and how is it related to "the second death"?

5. What is the nature of the reign "with Christ" that is mentioned?

[brianbbs67]

1. I think it fits with the theme of the book of end time prophecy.

2. I believe literal, relating the thought of a thousand years is like a day to the Lord...

3. It seems to me it describes the 144000 Elect of the tribes of Isreal. At the time of Christ's return.

4. We have a earthly death and secondly a spirit one. Fire purifies and refines and if too hot or long, consumes. IE, impurities removed.

5. Sounds like a pretty good period of time here on Earth. Maybe to sort out the fate of those here before the Second death.

[Divine Insight]

Many questions are asked about this chapter of Revelation, and answers given can differ widely.

The two verses in Revelation 20 that have always struck me as being in contradiction with the main theme of Christianity, and that is being "Saved by Grace" through Jesus.

The verses are:

Revelation 20:
[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.
[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.

Why are these people being judged based on their own works?

It's my understanding that in Christianity no man can obtain salvation through his own works. Only through grace offered by Jesus can a man obtain salvation.

So why are these people being judged according to their own works?

If they had previously believed in Jesus and accepted him as their Lord and Savior, then it's my understanding that they are supposed to be forgiven their sins and given the "Free Gift" of eternal life. There would be no need to judge people who have already been forgiven.

But in here Revelation we have men being judged based on their own works.

So then we have questions:

1. Will everyone be judged whether they had accepted Jesus as their savior or not?

2. Or will these only be people who have not believed in Jesus or accepted him as their savior? Although, according to John 3:18 those people are condemned already, remember?

3. Even if it's only the people who didn't believe in Jesus, then the question becomes: Will any of these people be exonerated based on their own works? If so, then Jesus is not the only way to the Father and John 3:18 was wrong as well.

4. If not, then why bother "judging" them at all if they are all going to be condemned anyway? Why not just toss them straight in the hell hole?

I can't say that these kinds of inconsistencies with the main theme of Christianity surprise me, but I thought I'd mention them since this topic came up.

[Divine Insight]

5. Sounds like a pretty good period of time here on Earth. Maybe to sort out the fate of those here before the Second death.

That's the problem though. What would there be to "sort out"?

They either accepted Jesus as their Savior, or they didn't.

According to Christianity that's the crux of it right there.

So what's left to "sort out"?

To have men being judged based on their own works conflicts with Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

[tam]

[Monta]

[Replying to post 4 by Divine Insight]


"So what's left to "sort out"?

To have men being judged based on their own works conflicts with Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast."

By grace, a gift. Mouthing off by mouth 'I believe' means nothing.
Genuine faith in Christ means to believe that he is Divine truth. As such, good works will naturally follow and this is confirmation of our faith.

[brianbbs67]

5. Sounds like a pretty good period of time here on Earth. Maybe to sort out the fate of those here before the Second death.

That's the problem though. What would there be to "sort out"?

They either accepted Jesus as their Savior, or they didn't.

According to Christianity that's the crux of it right there.

So what's left to "sort out"?

To have men being judged based on their own works conflicts with Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I believe this is another lifeline extended to man. Sorting wheat from chaff. God seems to always extended another chance verses annihilation. So, time is given for people to return to good. Before the destruction.

[peacedove]

Many questions are asked about this chapter of Revelation, and answers given can differ widely.

Here are just a few questions, for example.

1. How does the chapter fit in with the theme of the whole book?

The theme of the book is the vindication of the blood of the martyrs. Martyr vindication is found here:

Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

The martyrs receive an initial vindication with their 'first resurrection.' They receive a final vindication at the end of the 1000 years after the short period when Satan is loosed, when Satan is defeated and destroyed.

2. The "thousand years", if literal, are for what purpose? If metaphorical or symbolic, this conveys what?

It is symbolic of a period of time, a long period of time, about 40 years, one generation.

3. "the first resurrection" describes what, and takes place when?

The first resurrection is the ruling and reigning of the saints with Christ. It takes place during the 1000 years. This ruling and reigning contemporary with Paul's letters, e.g.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:1-7)

4. "the lake of fire" is what, and how is it related to "the second death"?

The lake of fire is the final defeat of Satan, he is thrown into it!

5. What is the nature of the reign "with Christ" that is mentioned?

The nature of the reign "with Christ" is what the Ephesian believers were experiencing and participating in, as described in Eph 2:1-7.


The best way to understand the 1000 years is to match up the elements in NATURE and in TIME by using the other parts of the scriptures which are less symbolic and less difficult to interpret.

This approach yields the following, for example:

1. The binding of Satan. This is something that Jesus said he was doing in his personal ministry in binding the strong man as set out in Mat 12:22-45. This passage really lays the context: Satan bound in the personal ministry of generation for the benefit of that First Century Jewish generation, and yet that generation is destroyed along with Satan's house at the end of that generation.

The binding of Satan or the Strong Man can also be seen in the restraint of Satan's Man of Sin. Paul said that restraint was current in 51 A.D. in 2 Thes 2. He said that the restraint would be taken away, the Man of Sin would do his work in the Jerusalem temple, resulting in his utter destruction. This fits the pattern of Mat 12 and Rev 20 exactly. It is happening with the same characters, at the same time with the same result, in the same place.

The nature of the binding of the strong man is that the gospel spreads throughout the world, as the text says in Rev 20. This is a time of peace, not war. The war happens at the end of the 1000 years. As the text says, after the 1000 he must be released for a little while.

2.

[Divine Insight]

By grace, a gift. Mouthing off by mouth 'I believe' means nothing.
Genuine faith in Christ means to believe that he is Divine truth. As such, good works will naturally follow and this is confirmation of our faith.

But then you still have men earning their own salvation by doing good works simply because they believe in Christ. I don't see how that would resolve the problem.

[tam]

Peace to you DI,

[Replying to post 3 by Divine Insight]

So then we have questions:

These questions are with regard to those people who are standing before the throne of God, being judged on the basis of their deeds as written in their own individual scrolls. Correct?

Therefore, these are the people who take part in the second resurrection. Christians (anointed ones) take part in the first resurrection (a "thousand years" before the second resurrection).

1. Will everyone be judged whether they had accepted Jesus as their savior or not?

No. Those who are in Christ, those who are Christian, were resurrected a thousand years earlier at the first resurrection and reign with Christ as kings and priests.

These at the second resurrection are judged according to their deeds (same criteria as the sheep and the goats parable). Same as the goats were cast out and the sheep invited in; some of these ones at the second resurrection and judgment are resurrected to life (their names are written in the Lamb's book of life) and some are resurrected to judgment and the second death.

2. Or will these only be people who have not believed in Jesus or accepted him as their savior? Although, according to John 3:18 those people are condemned already, remember?

a - These are all non-Christians, yes.

b - Everyone is condemned to die, remember? The wages of sin is death. But those in Christ have crossed over from death to life; there is no judgment for them and no fear of the second death.

3. Even if it's only the people who didn't believe in Jesus, then the question becomes: Will any of these people be exonerated based on their own works? If so, then Jesus is not the only way to the Father and John 3:18 was wrong as well.

Yes some of these (the second resurrection people) are granted life based upon their works; which works prove that the law (of love) is written upon their hearts.


This does not contradict Christ as being the only Way to the Father. Just because one is granted life doesn't mean that one is able to bypass the Son in order to come to the Father. Their names are written in the LAMB'S book of life, right?




Peace to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy