Radical with David Platt
What Ultimately Matters Regarding the Millennium
With so many views on what will happen before Jesus returns, how do we know which one is correct? Can we know for certain what Revelation means when it talks about the millennium? In this message on Revelation 20, pastor David Platt teaches us that while there is debate on what will happen before Jesus returns, we know that Christ is in control and reigning now. While there is uncertainty, there is also comfort in knowing that the enemies of God are defeated, and will be finally destroyed when Christ comes again.
From unexpected olympic champion to martyr in China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s win in the 1924 games.
In Glory Road, Radical’s new narrative podcast, we’ll follow Liddell’s remarkable journey, and discover the current state of the gospel in the countries he knew best.
Start listening to this 6 part series now everywhere you listen to podcasts or find out more at radical.net/gloryroad
With so many views on what will happen before Jesus returns, how do we know which one is correct? Can we know for certain what Revelation means when it talks about the millennium? In this message on Revelation 20, pastor David Platt teaches us that while there is debate on what will happen before Jesus returns, we know that Christ is in control and reigning now. While there is uncertainty, there is also comfort in knowing that the enemies of God are defeated, and will be finally destroyed when Christ comes again.
From unexpected olympic champion to martyr in China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s win in the 1924 games.
In Glory Road, Radical’s new narrative podcast, we’ll follow Liddell’s remarkable journey, and discover the current state of the gospel in the countries he knew best.
Start listening to this 6 part series now everywhere you listen to podcasts or find out more at radical.net/gloryroad
You are listening to Radical with David Platt, a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor, author and teacher David Platt.
Speaker 2:Revelation 20. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain, and he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who was the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years and threw him into the pit and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.
Speaker 3:Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. 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 rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
Speaker 2:Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
Speaker 3:And when the thousand years are ended, satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth. Gog and Magog to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea.
Speaker 2:And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints in the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them and the devil who had deceived them of the saints in the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.
Speaker 3:Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.
Speaker 2:From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
Speaker 3:And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and books were opened.
Speaker 2:Then another book was opened, which is the book of life.
Speaker 3:And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
Speaker 2:And the sea gave up the dead who were in it.
Speaker 3:Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them.
Speaker 2:And they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
Speaker 3:This is the second death, the lake of fire, and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Speaker 1:Will you bow your heads with me. God, we pray that you would help us to feel the weight of this picture, these images We've just read and heard. We've just read and heard. We pray that you'd help us to feel the eternal weight of these things in the next few minutes, and we pray that by your Spirit, through your supernatural word, that you would do things in this room in the next few minutes that would have effect for all of eternity. On Jesus' name, we pray these things, amen. If you have a Bible, and I hope you do, let me invite you to open with me to Revelation, chapter 20. If you're not already opened up there or getting near the end of the book of Revelation, near the end of the Bible Revelation, chapter 20, and let me invite you to pull out those notes that you received in your worship guide when you came in.
Speaker 1:Some of you may have heard or read a piece written by a contemporary poet, taylor Mollie, entitled Totally Like Whatever you Know. So I'm going to try to read it like he has written it. He writes, in case you hadn't realized, it has somehow become uncool to sound like you know what you're talking about or believe strongly in what you're like saying Invisible question marks and parenthetical. You knows and you know what I'm saying. These things have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences, even when those sentences aren't like questions, declarative sentences, so-called because they used to like declare things to be true, okay, as opposed to other things that are like totally you know not, as opposed to other things that are like totally you know not. They've been infected by a tragically cool and totally hip interrogative tone, as if I'm saying don't think I'm a nerd, just because I've like noticed this. Okay, I have nothing personally. I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions. I'm just like inviting you to join me on the bandwagon of my own uncertainty. What has happened to our conviction? Where are the limbs out on which we once walked? Have they been like chopped down with the rest of the rainforest, you know? Or do we have like nothing to say? Has society just become so filled with these conflicting feelings of yeah that we've just gotten to the point where we are the most aggressively inarticulate generation to come along since, you know, a long time ago?
Speaker 1:That poem accurately reflects our approach to so many things today, and particularly our approach to so many things that matter. Take the topic we're looking at today Heaven, hell and the end of the world, including the end of our lives it feels let's just be honest, it feels uncomfortably bold to declare that every person in this room and every person in this world who does not trust in Jesus Christ for salvation will spend eternity amidst everlasting torment in hell. We would much rather attach an interrogative tone to that statement, like maybe these people won't spend eternity in heaven, or something we shy away from conviction about fundamental biblical truth. And it affects not just our speech, it affects our lives. We are hesitant to speak with the authority of Jesus and we are hesitant to live on the authority of Jesus. So this morning what I want to do is I want to speak with hesitancy about some things I don't know. This passage of scripture we just read is one of the most disputed parts of the book of revelation and there are so many questions here that we don't have certain answers for at the same time, there are truths here that are absolutely certain, which affect every single person's life in this room for all of eternity. And on these truths I want to speak as clearly and as compellingly as possible, and I want to urge you to bank your life on these truths all over this room and then to speak with conviction about these truths all over this room, and then to speak with conviction about these truths all over Birmingham and all around the world.
Speaker 1:In the passage we just read, we heard a particular thousand-year period of time that is connected with the end of the world. At one point, over a span of six verses, john references this thousand years six different times. You might circle it or underline them in your Bible. Look at verse two and just see how, verse after verse after verse, he mentions this thousand years. Verse two John says he saw this angel. The angel seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who was the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. So there's the first time. Just circle it or underline it there and threw him into the pit, shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer. Until the thousand years. There's the next time. We're ended after. The writing must be released for a little while.
Speaker 1:Verse four then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed, and 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 rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with him for a thousand years. And then you get to the beginning of verse 7, and it says when the thousand years are ended, satan will be released from his prison, so on.
Speaker 1:So this thousand year period of time during which Satan's bound Christians reign throughout history, throughout Christian history, has been referred to as the millennium, and for centuries Christians have debated and disagreed exactly disagreed about what this millennium means. Someone has said the millennium is 1,000 years of peace that Christians like to fight about. So this is where we need to start today. We need to start with a very clear understanding of something I hope that you've heard emphasized over and over again throughout the book of Revelation, but I want to bring it to bear now on our understanding of the millennium, this 1,000 year reign of Christians and binding of Satan.
Speaker 1:It is sanctifying to disagree about the millennium. It's sanctifying to disagree about this thousand-year period. What I mean by that is that it's good to remember that none of us in this room totally has figured out the mysterious plans and purposes of the God of the universe. Now there are many things, essential things, on which God has been absolutely clear. God has so loved sinful world that he sent his only son, god in the flesh, fully man, fully God, to bear his wrath against sin on the cross, to show his power over sin in the resurrection, so that everyone who turns from their sin and trusts in Jesus will be reconciled to God forever. God has been clear on that and we as Christians don't disagree about that. To be a Christian is to believe that period. You can't be a Christian and not believe that.
Speaker 1:But then there are less important doctrines, more obscure passages in the Bible that it's fine for us to disagree about. We know that one day, when all this pans out in the end and we're joined together with God in heaven, it will be clear what God meant by, not just the millennium. We'll likely understand much more about many mysteries of God that baffle our minds today, but in the meantime, it's good to be reminded that all of us have much to learn, and we have much to learn from each other. Throughout history, giants of the Christian faith have disagreed over the passage we're studying today. Augustine, jonathan Edwards, martin Luther, charles Spurgeon, billy Graham and John Piper have disagreed about the millennium and, as a result, we should all approach this issue with an air of humility, knowing that none of us, including me, is going to come on the scene of Christian history and figure this out for everybody else. Instead, we're going to learn from one another and respect one another in the body of Christ as we talk together about these things that matter pertaining the end of the world, and so, in the middle of these discussions, even disagreements, I hope it is clear that it's sanctifying to disagree about these things.
Speaker 1:At the same time, brothers and sisters, I also want to make clear that it is sin to divide over the millennium. It's sin to divide over the millennium. It's sin to divide over these things. There are some in the church who would like to take this issue and make a litmus test for fellowship in the body of Christ, and I want to say as clearly as possible today that is just plain wrong, it is sinful and it dishonors God to divide over issues that are not essential to our faith as Christians and not even essential to our mission and fellowship in a local church. Sadly, I've even heard it said during this series on Revelation I just don't know if I can be a part of a church where the pastor teaches this view of the end times and that is not good, this view of the end times, and that is not good. It's not right. I so appreciate the brothers and sisters in this body who, if you were teaching Revelation, you would take a different route in this particular text or on that particular phrase in the book, but you have joyfully listened to every sermon in this series and grown in Christ in the middle of it all.
Speaker 1:I was listening to a sermon by a preacher, theologian that I respect greatly, named Tom Schreiner. Dr Schreiner has been so helpful to me, particularly through his writings on a variety of different things and and he was preaching through, not long ago, the book of Revelation, and he preached through Revelation from a particular theological perspective, with a particular view on the millennium all the way through the first 19 chapters and then when he got to Revelation, chapter 20, he totally changed his mind on the millennium. So when he got to this text, this is how he opened his sermon Schreiner said everything in God's Word is important, yet good Christians have different views on the millennium. A month ago and during this whole series, I would have said I'm an amillennialist. A month ago and during this whole series, I would have said I'm an amillennialist. But I've actually changed my mind as I studied this passage. So how much trust are you going to put in me right now? He said I'm not very stable on this issue. Then he continued you know, that's a good thing to be reminded of that our confidence is not in a preacher, but in God's word. It's in the truth of God's word. That's what matters, not my opinion towards something, he continued. I think we also learn from this to be charitable towards different views.
Speaker 1:Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind at least, if you can be but we must distinguish between central issues of the faith and issues which aren't central. Some people have a hard time doing that. Everything for them is of equal importance in the bible. But that's not true. There are some things that are non-negotiable in our faith the trinity is non-negotiable, the authority of scripture is non-negotiable, the substitutionary atonement, justification by faith alone, the deity of christ and of course I could mention other things. But there are less clear matters in the bible as well, things like when the rapture will take place and what we're looking at today regarding the millennium. He said we must be aware of being divisive, schismatic and inflexible on matters that are less important. That really shows, I think, a character flaw in us, something that God wants to work on in us. At the same time, we need to be aware of being namby-pamby. That's another problem. Not to hold strong conventions about anything, we need balance. I need balance that comes from the Holy Spirit. We all need that. We need the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. Well said from a brilliant theologian who is pretty unstable on this particular passage of Scripture we need the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. So I pray the Holy Spirit will teach us today, even amidst the uncertainty of what we don't know, that he will solidify our minds concerning what we do know. So with that basis, let's think about what we don't know for certain.
Speaker 1:In this passage. Clearly, you read through this passage. This is the progression here. Satan's bound, he's thrown down. He's sealed in a bottomless pit For a thousand years. He's unable to deceive the nations. During that same period, either martyred or faithful Christians come to life to reign with Christ on what's called the first resurrection. At the end of that time, satan is released. He mounts a final assault against the church. He's overthrown and destroyed. The rest of the dead rise along with Satan. The beast, false prophet hades itself. All are judged before god. That's what happens. Simple, right? Well, not so simple, because there's all kinds of questions lurking behind the scenes of this passage and I've listed just a few of the main ones here. One question is when? When is all this going to happen?
Speaker 1:One of the big questions in this text, and really in all of revelation, is are these passages arranged chronologically or cyclically? We've talked about this some before, but in other words, with each passing verse, are we coming to new events that progress in time chronologically, or are we recapitulating, recapping previous events that have already been described at other times in the book of Revelation and they're just repeating them here? So some people read Revelation 19 and 20 and think, okay, this is clear. Revelation 19, which we looked at last week Jesus returns. Then Revelation 20, satan is bound after Jesus returns. Then Christians reign with Christ for a thousand year period. Then after that, satan is finally defeated and we are all judged. It's that simple.
Speaker 1:But others say that these passages are not arranged chronologically much like we see and have seen in the book of Revelation. At different points there's a picture of repeating cycles. They would say what's happening here is describing what's already happened in other places in Revelation. So hold your place here in Revelation 20 and turn back real quick to Revelation 16. Those who say this is cycles here would say that what's happening here in Revelation 20 is just repeating with a climactic tone what's already been described in Revelation 16 and even Revelation 19. So kind of, look at them both.
Speaker 1:Revelation chapter you got Revelation 16 in one hand. The other hand, revelation chapter 20, verse 8, tells us that satan will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, to gather them for battle. So you see that a description there. Well, look back at revelation 16. Look at verse 13. Kind of set the stage here I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, just Satan. Out of the mouth of the beast, out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs, but they are demonic spirits performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. Get down to verse 16. This is assembling in a place in Hebrews called Armageddon. This battle, it is the great day of God the Almighty. You get down to verse 16,. This is assembling in a place in Hebrews called Armageddon. This battle, it is the great day of God Almighty. Well, is that a separate battle than what's being described here? Surely there's not two great battles. A great day of God the Almighty.
Speaker 1:Then you get to chapter 19. Look at chapter 19,. Verse 19, which we looked at last week in similar language to what we just read in chapter 16, and what we see in the very next chapter, in chapter 20, revelation 19,. 19 says John says I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him, who was sitting on the horse, and against his army. So this is battle against the Christ who's come back and is sitting on the white horse. Same picture that seems to be there in Revelation 20, revelation 19, revelation 16.
Speaker 1:So some say this is not a chronological okay. This, then this, then this and this. This is repeating certain events. So are these passages arranged chronologically or cyclically? And then, based on an answer to that question, then we'd be able to answer the question is the millennium before Christ returns or after Christ returns? So does Jesus' return inaugurate the millennium, which is what we would conclude if these passages are arranged chronologically Jesus comes back and that's when the millennium happens. Or does Jesus return at the end of this millennium, which is what some people might conclude, if these passages are arranged cyclically?
Speaker 1:Now some of you are thinking who cares If all of this is in the future? We'll just see what happens when it happens? Well, we need to realize that how we answer these questions actually sheds light not just on how we understand the future, but the present, because all of this affects our answer to the question is the millennium present, ie is it happening now or is it future? Is it still to come? Some people believe we're in the millennium now. Some people believe the millennium is still to come in the future, before Christ comes back. Other people believe the millennium is still in the future, after Christ comes back.
Speaker 1:So you've got three different positions, at least on the millennium, based on these questions alone People who would be classified as pre-millennialists, who say that Jesus will come back before, pre the millennium. You have post-millennialists who would say that Jesus is going to come back after the millennium, post the millennium. Then you have amillennialists who would say the millennium is in the present and Jesus is going to return the end of the millennium which is going on now. So are you confused yet? Because we just got one set of questions. Then you got more.
Speaker 1:How long Is the millennium? Literally? 1,000 years. Some people say well, there it is. The Bible says 1,000 years. When the Bible says 1,000 years, it actually means 1,000 years, plain as day. Why mess with that? It's just what it says. Or is the millennium simply a planned, perfect, limited time? Others say John uses figurative numbers throughout this book that are symbols of certain things. We've seen a thousand uses a reference, a number that references completion and perfection at other points. The millennium is complete, perfect, limited time that God has set. Just like the number 144,000 was not literally 144,000 Christians. It's a symbol of a perfect, complete number of God's people. Same thing is going on here. You've got people coming down on both sides of that question.
Speaker 1:Then you get to the questions of when or what and where. In Revelation 20, you've got some people seated on thrones, you've got souls coming to life and reigning with Christ and a first resurrection. So what does all of that mean? Will the millennium involve a physical resurrection of Christians to reign on earth during that time? This is how many people interpret this passage that Christians from throughout history will come to life and reign with Christ during a thousand year period on earth. So that's one option. Or will the millennium involve a spiritual resurrection of Christians to reign in heaven during that time? Some would say the reign of Christians.
Speaker 1:Here is a reference to what happens when followers of Christ die. Their souls are resurrected to heaven where they reign with Christ now as they await final judgment, the second resurrection to come, the resurrection of their bodies, and ultimate judgment and consummation. So there's all kinds of discussion, debate, disagreement over what this first resurrection is. How you understand this then affects the way you understand the rest of this passage, and again, not just the future, the end of the world, but this even affects the way you might understand the present state of Christians right now who have died in the past. So there you go, just some of the questions in this passage of scripture, and then, to pile on you, you include all the other things that the new testament teaches about the end of the world, and it gets all the more interesting.
Speaker 1:The new testament talks about end times. The new testament talks about worldwide preaching the gospel and the salvation of Israel and the great tribulation and the coming of the Antichrist and the rapture and Christians meeting the Lord Jesus in the air upon his return. And we think, well, how do those things then fit into this picture? And it becomes like a jigsaw puzzle. You got all these different pieces, but you don't have the picture on the box that tells you exactly what it looks like in the end. So different Christians take different pieces of the puzzle that are all over Scripture and try to be true to Scripture, put them together and end up with different pictures in the end.
Speaker 1:Now some people, some of you, might be tempted to just throw all the puzzle pieces in the air and say I give up, I don't care, but I want to urge you not to do that, and here's why. Yes, there are all kinds of questions here, all kinds of things that we don't know for certain. But this is God's Word. He has spoken and he has given us minds to understand his word. He's given us hearts that want to know him, arts that seek god. As followers of Christ, we want to love God with all of our hearts and our souls and our minds, and so it is an expression of our love to God to study His Word and to seek to know His truth, even to wrestle with His truth, and to let even the questions we have drive us into deeper dependence on Him and His Spirit, even when we know that in the end, there's some things we're still not going to know for certain this side of heaven.
Speaker 1:So, with that, here's what I think I know for now. How's that for vague? So, in other words, here's my take on this jigsaw puzzle, because, just like I just said, I'm convinced it's important to believe certain things about this and how all this fits together, but to believe those things with a tenor of what I hope is humility, knowing that, well, tom Schreiner is a much more brilliant theologian than I am and after years of studying these things, he's changed his mind on a couple of occasions. So that's why I humbly stress what I think I know for now. And just so you know, the position Tom Schreiner used to hold is the one that I would hold now, and he's apparently smart enough to change from that position and I'm crazy enough to stick with what he has left behind. And no pun intended by the words left behind. The words left behind it's. It's funny.
Speaker 1:There there's a book that I've written that's coming out in february and it's going to be published by tyndale, and tyndale is the publishers of the left behind series. And anybody who's read left behind series and walked to this series would know that we're on different pages, uh, close to different books, but different pages on on this issue. And so the other day the Tyndale folks were in town and it came up, uh, that I was walking through Revelation and Left Behind came up, which just created an interesting ensuing discussion after that. But for what it's worth, as a pastor in this faith family and I even emphasize that a pastor. So there's 30 plus pastors in this church and we've got many different takes on this whole thing. In fact I don't have a clue where all of our other pastors or elders come down on this. I'm confident that some would disagree with me, but again, it's just not a dividing issue, and so you can be encouraged. If you don't like where I land on this, then talk to some other pastor here and you'll probably find one who lands where you would like for them to land, and together you guys can pray for me to get it right and I'll pray for you to get it right, and in the end, in Christ, I'm pretty confident that we're all going to be happy with the way things turn out. So, with that, here's what I think I know for now. Christ has come once and Satan has been bound. Christ has come once and Satan has been bound. I'm not going to have time to go exhaustively into everything here, but I just want to give you the overview here of the way I would understand these jigsaw puzzle pieces fitting together. This language of Satan being bound here in Revelation 20 is used only one by one other person in the New Testament, and it's Jesus.
Speaker 1:In Matthew, mark and Luke, we read Jesus telling crowds about his power over Satan, and this is the language he uses. If you remember, if you were here in the spring when we walked through Matthew, we came to Matthew, chapter 12, and Jesus cast out demons from a man healed, a demon-possessed man. And so the crowd starting accusing him, this religious leader, saying well, you're doing this by the power of Satan. And Jesus looks back at them and said Satan doesn't drive out Satan, it makes no sense. And then he says we don't have time to turn to this, but Matthew, chapter 12, verse 28 and 29. He says if it's by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, which it is, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Then Jesus says how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his goods. Unless he first binds the strong man, then indeed he may plunder his house.
Speaker 1:The whole picture in Matthew 12 and similar accounts in Mark and Luke is Jesus saying the kingdom of God has come upon you and I am here to bind the strong man, ie the little g God of this world. Satan casting out demons, showing my authority over demons and the process, plundering his house, the place where he rules this earth. This is the whole picture we see of Christ in the Gospels. He is asserting his authority in this world over sin and suffering and Satan, first in his life, whether it's in the temptations in Matthew, chapter 4, and him casting out demons and his authority over even natural disasters, and then, ultimately, in his death at the cross. In his resurrection, jesus defeated sin, suffering death and Satan once and for all at the cross. Colossians 2.15 says that Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them. Hebrews 2.14 says that through death, jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. Christ has come once and Satan has been bound, and that, I'm convinced, is the entire theme of the book of Revelation.
Speaker 1:The book of Revelation is all about the gospel of Jesus Christ. This book is written to suffering saints to tell them over and, over and over again you're not defeated, even amidst the persecution and seduction of the Roman Empire around you. Stand firm. Christ has conquered sin and Christ has conquered Satan, and in him you are a conqueror. The book of Revelation going all the way back to chapter 1, has not just shown us that one day in the future we're going to reign with Christ as conquerors. Instead, today, christian, we reign with Christ as conquerors, over sin and amidst suffering. So let's understand, then, john's words here at the end of the New Testament in light of Jesus' same words only other place in the New Testament where it's mentioned back in the beginning of the New Testament. Let's realize that Satan could not stop Christ. He was bound by Christ. That's why Christ came, and he who has been bound does not need to be bound again. What's left is for him to be destroyed, which is what happens later in Revelation 20.
Speaker 1:The beginning of Revelation 20 is yet another symbolic depiction of what happened at the cross and in the resurrection of Christ. In the same way that Revelation 12 showed us a similar picture, which we're going to talk about more in just a second. So Revelation 20, just like we saw. Well, we'll get to Revelation 7 and 12. Revelation 20 here is giving us a picture of how Christ has defeated Satan, has bound him, and the whole point of the book of Revelation seems to say that not only could Satan not stop Christ, but as a result of that, satan also cannot stop Christians. He's bound and we as Christians overcome him. Now that Revelation 12, that was the whole point of Revelation 12,.
Speaker 1:Now that Revelation 12, that was the whole point of Revelation 12. When Satan was thrown down and a loud voice in heaven proclaimed the salvation and power and kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, and they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. That scene there in Revelation chapter 12 is eerily similar to this scene in Revelation, chapter 20. Both start with a heavenly setting. Both describe, or suppose, an angelic battle with Satan, after which Satan is cast down and Christians reign over him as they proclaim the gospel with their lives. This is not a future reign, this is a present reign. This is a reign that was inaugurated by Christ in his death and his resurrection, a reign that is now in the present, being experienced by Christians who conquer Satan by their testimony to Christ. So then, based on that, it would be my conclusion, for now that we are in the millennium, satan has been bound and we are reigning with Christ Now.
Speaker 1:That evokes all sorts of questions. How are we are reigning with Christ Now? That evokes all sorts of questions. How are we really reigning with Christ? And do you really think this picture of Satan bound in Revelation 20 accurately describes the whole state of the world today. I mean, look around, dave, don't you see? Can you really say that Satan's bound when there's so much sin and suffering all over the world, all around us, in our lives? And to that I would say absolutely. There's no question that sin and suffering are prevalent around us, and that's the work of Satan, to be sure. But Satan is bound, he is restrained Practically all across this earth. God is restraining sin and Satan all the time. For all who trusted in Christ, specifically, you are no longer under the power, control, authority of sin or Satan. In the words of 1 Corinthians, 10, 13, no temptation has seized you, christian, except that which is common to man, and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, and when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Yes, satan is active, but his actions are restricted, particularly among God's people who trusted in the conquering Christ. They are conquerors with Christ. So Revelation 20 is not showing us, not intended to show us, a complete cessation of all the devil's influence and activity on earth.
Speaker 1:Some people read verse 3, says Satan was thrown down into a pit where he was shut up and sealed for this thousand years. And so people conclude well, that means Satan's completely gone, and they look at this passage. Some choose to look at this passage spatially. Okay, he's gone, he's kind of out of the scene. But John's doing here what he does all throughout the book. These images are not intended to be understood primarily physically, spatially, but spiritually. These are spiritual realities represented by physical pictures. So this isn't a picture of Satan completely cast out. That's what happens later in the chapter. A clear picture of that. Satan completely cast out. That's what happens later in the chapter. A clear picture of that. This is a picture of Satan bound and restricted from a particular task. Did you notice at the end of verse 3? This angel bound Satan so that here's what he was bound from, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer. That's what he was bound from. So what does that mean? Well, we know that Satan's ultimate weapon is deception. That's how he's worked among the nations since Genesis, chapter 3.
Speaker 1:As a result of sin entering the world, satan's influence in Genesis 3, we see the nations as a whole, particularly in the Old Testament, blinded to the truth of God's grace, specifically God's grace revealed through. Blinded to the truth of God's grace, specifically God's grace revealed through the people or the nation of Israel. If you remember, we've talked about this tons of times. The purpose of God's people from the very beginning, the purpose of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, was to display the grace and glory of God among all the nations of the earth. That's all the way back in Genesis, chapter 12. But over and over and over again, it seemed like Satan was thwarting that purpose, as the people of Israel went through cycle after cycle after cycle of disobedience and the nations remained in the dark concerning the grace of God in salvation. But then Christ came and he defeated the devil at the cross.
Speaker 1:And immediately after this happened, what did Jesus say? Go and make disciples of all the nations. Matthew 28, 19. Luke 24, 47 through 49. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will now be preached in all nations. Acts, chapter 1, verse 8. You will receive my spirit and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. And that's exactly what happens when you get in the book of Acts For the first time.
Speaker 1:As you see the book of Acts unfold, the gospel of God's grace begins to penetrate the Gentile world with the nations, and the nations are coming to faith in Christ, the nations who, for centuries and generations, were living in darkness. They were deceived in darkness. Now they've seen a great light and because of the coming of Christ, satan has been bound and this gospel is going forth unhindered to all peoples across the earth. That's, that's the point. Satan could not stop Christ, and now, today, satan cannot stop Christians. Christians who are alive now reign with Christ on earth. Not we're going to be conquerors one day, guys, it's. We are now more than conquerors, through him who loved us. And Satan cannot keep the church from proclaiming the gospel. He can't keep the church from proclaiming the gospel and he cannot keep the nations from believing the gospel. He is bound.
Speaker 1:This message of a Jewish Messiah born into one nation is good news for all nations and that's the message of Revelation. It's at the center, this lion of the tribe of Judah, this Passover lamb of God. That's Jewish imagery, imagery of the nation of Israel, this lion-like lamb. Revelation 5-9 has purchased people for God from every tribe and language and nation and people. And one day, revelation 7, 9 makes clear that a multitude that no one can count, from every tribe, nation, people and language, will gather around the throne of God and Christ and sing salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb. The Lamb of God, the Lamb promised from the beginning to the nation of Israel, the Lamb for all nations. We will experience salvation through. Himan is bound and he cannot keep revelation 7 from happening.
Speaker 1:So the bible is saying through these visions to the apostle john press on people of god, don't waver amidst the seduction of this world. Don't be silent amidst the persecution of this world. Take the gospel to the nations, no matter what it costs, knowing that even if you die, so follow this. Even if you die, you will conquer. It will look like you've been defeated. Christians who are alive now reign with Christ on earth, even if you die, though. Christians who have died now reign with Christ in heaven.
Speaker 1:In this picture in Revelation, 20 of souls who've been beheaded for their testimony to Christ, men and women who didn't bow to the beast of this world. Where are they now? Is that end of story for them? No, they are alive with Christ, reigning with him, seated on thrones in heaven with him, where they're worshiping God as priests while they rule with Christ as judge. We've seen a very similar scene back in Revelation, chapter 6, verse 9. All kinds of similarities between Revelation 6 9 and Revelation chapter 20, verse 4. As saints surround the throne of God and cry out for his justice and his vindication.
Speaker 1:Now, admittedly, there are all kinds of ways that come to life here and first resurrection could be interpreted. But the picture I'm convinced at least, for least for now, these phrase point us to paint is of men and women who did not give in to the ways of this world. They trusted in the word of God, they proclaimed it at the risk of their lives, and now they're reigning with Christ in heaven, worshiping with resurrected lives that testify to his justice as they long for the consummation of redemption to come, and it's coming. More specifically, he is coming back. Christ will come again and when he returns, satan will be obliterated. Christ has come once and Satan has been bound. Christ will come again and Satan will be obliterated.
Speaker 1:Revelation 20 teaches us that after a final period of satanic revolt, there will be a final point of satanic defeat. So we've read about this in other parts of Revelation A time of tribulation and seeming defeat among God's people at the very end. Remember Revelation chapter 11, where these witnesses proclaimed the gospel for three and a half years. And then there were three and a half days of death and mockery and seeming, seeming like the church was totally defeated for a limited time, for a little while. Same language is used in Revelation, chapter 20, verse 3, and so Revelation 20 tells us that this binding that's kept Satan from deceiving the nations will be let loose. It will seem like all hell has broken out upon the earth, even to the extinction of the church, but rest assured, it will only last a little while.
Speaker 1:So what Jesus talked about in Matthew 24, when he said, he talked about a great tribulation such as not been from the beginning of the world until now. No, it never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. And after this final period of satanic revolt, there will be a final point of satanic defeat. Christ will return. He will at that moment enforce the victory that he has already won at the cross and he will destroy Satan and all he has deceived. The return of Christ will usher in full and final judgment once and for all. All men and women everywhere, along with Satan, all of his demons will stand before God to give an account. This ultimate judgment scene will ultimately give way to eternal wrath and hell for all those who have turned against Christ and everlasting life in a new heaven and new earth for all those who've been trusted, those who have trusted in Christ, which is what Revelation 21 and 22 describe.
Speaker 1:So that is my understanding of how jigsaw puzzle pieces fit together for now. But even amidst the uncertainty of what I think I know for now, that inevitably leads to something much more important what we all know forever, regardless of what position you may take, or whether you even care about taking a position on the millennium or this or that portion of Revelation 20. I want to close with what is absolutely clear in God's Word, and this is the point where I want to move definitively from an interrogative tone to a declarative tone Five truths. We're going to go through the first four pretty quickly. We really need to close with number five. Number one what we all know forever God is sovereign. So that line should just be a staple in pretty much every single sermon here, because it's evident in every single text we study.
Speaker 1:You might think well, dave, why do you say this over and over again. Here's why? Because I want you to be reminded and the Bible seems to want to remind you week in and week out that no matter what is happening in this world, no matter who is elected president, no matter what is happening in your world, no matter what happens in your life this week, know this over and over and over again. Rejoice in this. God is always on the throne and our hope is most definitely not in Barack Obama or Mitt Romney being elected. That's a foolish way to approach life in this country. Either way, neither's the end of the world. God's got the end of the world in the picture here and he's on the throne. He's sovereign over kings and rulers and presidents and nations, and he's sovereign over sin and rulers and presidents and nations, and he's sovereign over sin and Satan himself. God is sovereign and Satan is subordinate.
Speaker 1:Regardless of what you think about this or that interpretation application of Revelation 20, it's clear from all of Scripture that Satan is limited and bound, at least in some senses. He does not, never has had free reign in this world and he does not have free reign in your life. Satan is limited in what he can do by the sovereign and limitless power of God. He's limited and bound and he's doomed to be defeated, and he knows this. Matthew, chapter 8, verse 29. Demons approach Jesus and Jesus and then they ask Jesus, have you come, jesus, to torment us before the appointed time? Before the appointed time, demons know there is an appointed time for their defeat. The devil knows this. Revelation 12 told us that the devil is filled with wrath because he knows his time is short. The ultimate battle has already been fought and won. Satan has lost. He's doomed to be defeated. The devil knows that. For certain, demons know that, for certain we can know this for certain God's sovereign, satan's subordinate.
Speaker 1:Third, the gospel will advance through the church. The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed as the testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. That's a guarantee from Jesus's mouth in Matthew 24, 14. Men and women from all nations, tribes, languages and peoples will be represented around the throne of God in Christ one day. That's a guarantee from God's word in Revelation, chapter 7. So we've got a team headed to North Africa today. We've got church planting teams there in East Asia, about to be in Central Asia and the Middle East. We've got brothers and sisters we've sent out on church planting teams in the Northwest and Midwest and Northeast. We've got church planting teams we've sent out here in Eastlake and Southside, all because we know that this gospel will advance through the church and as it does, however you understand it all coming together.
Speaker 1:We know for certain that one day Jesus will return for the church. He's coming back when. What happens before or after that may be open for discussion, but his return is certain. We hope. We long, we look for his coming. God sovereign, satan, sub subordinate, the gospel will advance through the church. Jesus will return for the church. And fifth truth we know for certain at the end of history, every single one of us will be judged by god. This is where I want you to just let this truth lodge, either for the first time or much deeper this time than maybe it ever has before. At the end of history, every single one of us will be judged by God, dead, great and small.
Speaker 1:Revelation 20 says all of us will stand before God. You will stand before God and books will be opened. Books, revelation 20 says here in verse 12, they're a record of what we have done, all of our deeds laid out before a holy God, every single thing you have done, thought, Desire and all kinds of people, scores of people, are hoping that on that day the scales will weigh heavier on the side of good deeds than they do bad deeds. All kinds of church attending people are hoping that good works, going to church and doing things in the church, are going to outweigh the bad on that day. Many, many people have put their eternal confidence in the hope that the good will outweigh the bad one day. That is not. What the Bible teaches will determine your eternity or my eternity. Instead, two questions will be prevalent on that day.
Speaker 1:First question did we put our faith in Christ's work? Did we put our faith in Christ's works? You see, you got two pictures of books here. You got these books which contain your deeds, and you have another book. You got the book of life. We've seen this back in Revelation, chapter 13, verse 8. This book of life of the Lamb who was slain, this book is a reference in Revelation to everyone who has trusted in the saving work of Christ on their behalf.
Speaker 1:The Bible is absolutely clear that all of our deeds, even our best deeds, deserve the wrath of God. We are not holy as he is the wrath of God. We are not holy as he is, and all of us, every single one of us in this room, from the youngest to the oldest, best in this room has rebelled against God and we deserve death, eternal death. But God has sent His Son to die in our place. He sent his son to live the life that we could live and to die the death that every one of us deserves. To die To conquer the enemy that we can't conquer Sin and Satan and death. Who in here can conquer death? Christ has done it. That's his work, his life, his death, his resurrection, and everyone. Anyone who turns from themselves and their sin and trusts in Jesus as Lord and Savior and King will be safe on this day of judgment, welcomed into the presence of God, based on the work of Christ, not based on anything you can do or I can do, not based on any of our work, solely based on faith in His work. So you say alright, well then, why is there another question? Just finish there. But don't forget, there's other books here, these records of what you and I have done. They're still in the scene here. And they're not just in the scene here. They're seen in the scene all over the New Testament, where judgment is described, even for believers, in relationship to what we've done.
Speaker 1:Listen to Jesus in Matthew 16 27. The Father will repay each person according to what he has done. Romans 14 12. Each of us will give an account of himself to God. 1 Corinthians 3.13,. Each one's work will become manifest for the day. Capital D, the day will disclose it. 2 Corinthians 5.10,. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Speaker 1:So some people read those verses and think, well, is my work the basis of whether or or evil? So some people read those verses and think, well, is my work the basis of whether or not I will enter into heaven? Is my work the basis upon which I'll be judged when it comes to eternal salvation? And the answer to that question is absolutely not. Christ's work on the cross alone is the basis of our salvation. You and I cannot earn eternal life with God. We put our faith in Christ's work and then now follow this. When we do this reality of faith in Christ, we put our faith in His work. He begins to work in our lives. He begins to change us from the inside out.
Speaker 1:Which inevitably leads to the second question Was there evidence of faith in our work? Evidence of faith, evidence, evidence and this is a huge question that John was putting before people who claimed to be Christians in the first century. It's a huge question that the Bible is putting before people who claim to be Christians in the 21st century. There's all kinds of people who claim to believe in Christ but there's no fruit of faith in Christ in their lives. All kinds of people who say at one point they believed in Christ but there's no fruit of ongoing faith in Christ. And the Bible is clear all over the place that if there's no fruit of ongoing faith in Christ and the Bible is clear all over the place that if there's no fruit of faith, then there's not really faith.
Speaker 1:You look at those who reign with God and Christ in heaven in this passage. They're those who were beheaded, who didn't worship the beast. They didn't bear the mark. Now the Bible's not saying okay, since they're beheaded, they get in Because they didn't worship the beast, they get in. No, they're welcomed into heaven solely based upon faith in the work of Christ on the cross. That's why their names are in the book of life. They trusted Christ completely with their lives and that was evident in the way they proclaim Christ whenever it cost them their lives. It was evident they're worshiping Christ and not being pulled away by the lures of this world. Faith in Christ produces that kind of work.
Speaker 1:So the book of Revelation then beckons us to consider questions in the background in the day of judgment. Questions like were we faithful in our worship? Did we turn aside from the worship of the ways and the things of this world? Because there's Christians here in the first century that John's writing to, that are giving in to all the seduction of this world and leaving worship for God behind. He's urging them don't do that.
Speaker 1:Were we faithful in our witness? Was it evident in the way that we? Was it evident that we believe Christ in the way we proclaim Christ? Did our silence testify to a lack of faith? Did we fight against sin? Not.
Speaker 1:Were we perfect? None of us is perfect. All of us struggle with sin on a daily basis, but the life of the Christian is not content with sin. The life of a follower of Christ who's trusted in the work of Christ over sin is to fight sin with all the power that he provides. Did we trust? I mean suffering, even when the world seemed like it was crashing down around us, even when we didn't understand why this or that was happening, did we trust God? These are the kinds of things that John was calling the church in the first century to. These are the kinds of things that the Bible is calling the church in the 21st century to amidst the temptations of this world, worship God, surrounded by men and women who don't know Christ, witness to God, fight against sin, trust amid suffering. All of these things are the fruit of faith and the work of Christ.
Speaker 1:So please don't misunderstand this scene. Picture it this way when the Christian stands before God on this judgment day and their eternal destiny is declared fully and finally and openly, on that day, what will be the basis by which the Christian will be welcomed into the presence of God? Forever Basis, Solely the presence of God, forever Basis, solely the work of Christ, the work of Jesus on a cross. Life is, death is resurrection. Now, what will be the means by which that work was applied to that Christian's life? Faith alone, faith alone and Christ alone. On that day, the Christian will say nothing in my hands, I bring Simply to the cross.
Speaker 1:I cling, I have nothing but Christ I have no righteousness of my own.
Speaker 1:I have no works that would have merit entering. It's only Christ, only Christ, faith alone. And Christ alone means basis. And then, as the Christian says, nothing in my hands, I bring simply the cross I claim. In the background there will be pictures that show this faith is real. Faith had been put in Christ. Christ was working all of these ways Not perfection by any means, but since that point of faith, there was evidence of faith, faith was a reality.
Speaker 1:So don't be fooled into thinking that intellectual belief in Christ is all that will count on that day, is the only thing that matters on that day Intellectual belief in Christ. That alone ultimately damns that demons believe. Jesus is who he says he is. We know their destiny, so faith in Christ is a thrusting of your life upon him that transforms everything about who you are. So, then, based upon this understanding of judgment, the Bible is clear that one of two destinations awaits us all either eternal torment for all who have not turned from themselves in their sin and trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord, including even those who pretended to be Christians while they lived either in self-indulgence or self-righteousness. Apart from saving faith in Christ, they, you will be thrown into the lake of fire, and just how literal this imagery is open to interpretation, but it's absolutely clear. This is the very least imagery of a horrifying place to be forever, without end. And we shy away from this truth. We are so soft on this truth. It's where we bring the interrogative tone in. This is not interrogative tone in revelation 20, this is declarative tone. We're treated so casually today, even in the church and even in this culture.
Speaker 1:It grieves my heart when people die in this community with no fruit of faith in Christ and I'm not thinking anybody in particular here at all. This just happens. It happens all the time. People die with no fruit of faith in Christ and yet the conclusion we come to in this land that's filled with churches is surely this person is with God in heaven. And it's not true. We desperately need to realize it's not true, and I emphasize, I'm not thinking of anyone in particular, any funeral in particular, because only God is the person, the eternal judge, but that's just it. God is the eternal judge and he will throw you into an eternal fire if you reject his grace in Christ, if you turn from him and live for yourself. He will throw you into an eternal fire. Yet for all who turn to him, to anyone who turns from themselves and their sin to trust in Christ as Savior and Lord, you will be saved from eternal format that your sin deserves and you will be saved to experience everlasting joy with him forever.
Speaker 1:So turn and trust in Christ today. Don't move your stuff around. Just listen for a minute. It's all the things I don't know in the Bible. This I do know and this we will all one day know Teenagers, senior adults, everywhere in between the end of history, every single one of us will be judged by God.
Speaker 1:So have you trusted in the work of history? Every single one of us will be judged by God. So have you trusted in the work of Christ? You cling to Christ. Faith in Christ is the only way you can be reconciled to God and if not, then I urge you to trust in him today. I urge you to turn from your sin in yourself and put your faith in Jesus and the love of God for you to save you from your sins. And as you do, and for all who would say, yes, my faith's in Christ, then let's leave behind the ways of this world and give ourselves to the worship of God. Let's take this truth, let's proclaim it with zeal here and to the nations. Let's fight against sin that we've been saved from and let's trust God even when the world comes crashing down around us, because we know that this world is passing away and our home is waiting for us with Christ in heaven. We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of Radical with David Platt. For more resources from