Revelation chapter 20, states that a mighty angel is going to bind the devil with a great chain and cast him into the bottomless pit for 1000 years.
Satan resents the fact that this damaging information about his future has been made public information in the Scripture. He spreads the falsehood that Revelation is a closed book which none can comprehend, or else he distorts its meaning.
Unfortunately, much that is said today about the 1000 years is not factual. Some of it sounds suspiciously like something Satan might invent to trap people. He does this to strengthen his own position as the leader of those who choose to rebel against God. The devil is NOT playing games. He has one aim in mind: the destruction of you and your family and all other people on this earth. Where he has distorted the information regarding the 1000 years, he has done so with the sinister and hateful thought in mind of destroying you and me. Our only safety is in staying strictly with God’s Word. As we do this, we will expose the devil’s snares. The Lord is anxious to assist us.
THE TWO RESURRECTIONS
1. What takes place as the great 1000-year period begins? Revelation 20:4, last part.
Ans: _____________________________________________
NOTE: The New English Bible makes it plainer, “These came to life again and reigned with Christ for a thousand years”. So a resurrection marks the beginning of the great 1000 -year period of Revelation 20.
2. This resurrection is called the FIRST Resurrection, Revelation 20,5-6.
Who will be raised in it?
Ans: _______________________________________________
NOTE: The righteous, “blessed and holy”, will be raised in the first resurrection.
3. We have noticed that the FIRST resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, BEGINS the 1000-year period of Revelation 20. Jesus speaks of the SECOND resurrection as the resurrection of damnation. The wicked will be raised in it, John 5, 28-29.
When will the secont resurrection take place? Revelation 20:5, first part.
Ans: After the 1000 ____________ are ________________
NOTE: We have now established three key points:
1) The resurrection of the righteous, the first resurrection, begins the great 1000-year period.
2) The resurrection of the wicked, the second resurrection, ends the great 1000 period.
3) The period between these two resurrections is the 1000 years of Revelation 20.
THE TWO REWARDS
4. What great event occurs at the time of the first resurrection when the 1000 years begin? 1 Thessalonians 4,15-16.
Ans: The second __________________ of the _______________________
NOTE: The purpose of the second coming is for Jesus to receive the people who have served Him in all ages.
5. At the Second Coming, what happens to the saints who have been raised from the grave and to the saints who live to see Jesus return?
a. 1 Corinthians 15,51-54; b. Philippians 3,20-21; c. 1 Thessalonians 4,17.
Ans: a. They will be changed from mortal to _____________.
Ans: b. They will be given bodies like ____________ body.
Ans: c. The saints will the be caught up to meet the Lord in the _______________.
6. What happens to the wicked who are living when Jesus returns? 2 Thessalonians 1,7-9; 2,8; Isaiah 11,4.
Ans: They will be ____________ by the Spirit of His ____________ and ___________ with the ________ of His _____________.
7. How will the second coming of Jesus affect the wicked who are in their graves when He appears? Revelation 20,5, first part.
Ans: They remain in their _______________ until the 1000 years are _______________.
NOTE: The righteous dead (the “blessed and holy”) are raised as the 1000 years begin, Revelation 20,6. The rest of the dead (the wicked) remain in their graves and are not raised till the 1000 years close, Revelation 20,5.
8. Jesus promised that, at His return, He would take His people to the same place He went at His ascension. What is this place? Acts 1,9-11; John 13,33-36; John 14,1-3.
Ans: ______________________________________________
NOTE: Jesus promised that He would go and prepare a place for His people, and then come and take them to that kingdom. Acts 1,9-11 says specifically that He went to heaven. In John 13,33-36 He promised that His disciples could one day join Him where He was going – in heaven.
AT THIS POINT, PLEASE TURN TO THE 1000 YEARS CHART (Exhibit 7.1) AND REVIEW THE EVENTS WHICH BEGIN THE 1000 YEARS.
EVENTS DURING THE 1000 YEARS
9. Jeremiah saw (in vision) the earth just after the coming of Jesus. How did he describe what he saw? Jeremiah 25,33.
Ans: “The _______ … shall be from _______ end of the earth even to the _______ … they shall not be _____________ neither ______________ nor ______________”.
NOTE: He saw dead bodies covering the earth. None were being buried and no one was crying. The reason is simple: there was no one left to conduct a funeral, because during the 1000 years, the righteous are all in heaven and the wicked are alle dead. Revelation 19,11-21 is another word picture of the second coming of Jesus. Jesus is the man on the white horse (verse 11). He smites the nations at His coming (verse 15) and dead bodies are left lying everywhere as the 1000 years begin, (verses 17,18-21).
WORLD-WIDE DEVASTATION
10. What happens to the earth at Jesus’ appearing? Revelation 16:18,20-21.
Ans: “And there was a great ____________ … and there fell upon men a
great __________ out of heaven”.
11. What will conditions be like on the earth during the 1000 years? Isaiah 24:1,3,19-20; Jeremiah 4:23-26,28.
Five shocking conditions stand out:
Ans: a. “Heavens … had no ________________ … Heavens above will be ___________” Jeremiah4:23,28.
Ans: b. “And, lo, there was no ____________________ “ Jeremiah 4:25.
Ans: c. “The earth … was without ___________ and void” Jeremiah 4:23
Ans: d. “The land shall be utterly emptied, and _______________________ “ Isaiah 24:3.
Ans: e. “The earth is utterly broken ________ “ Isaiah 24:19.
12. What is this “bottomless pit” that the devil is bound in for the 1000 years as outlined in Revelation 20:1-3?
NOTE: BEFORE ANSWERING THIS QUESTION; PLEASE READ AND DIGEST THE MATERIAL ON EXHIBIT 7.2 ENTITLED “BOTTOMLESS PIT – A”.
Ans: “Bottomless pit” means this earth “without ____________ “ with “the Heavens above”
being _________________ and with “no __________________” alive on the earth.
For one thousand years Satan will remember his deeds and view the results.
13. Why is the devil to be bound during the 1000 years? Revelation 20,3.
Ans: “That he should ____________ the nations __________________ “.
NOTE: Read carefully the material on Exhibit 7.2, entitled “Binding of Satan – B”.
14. What will the righteous be doing while in Heaven during the 1000 years? Revelation 20:4,12-13.
Ans: Participating in the _________________________________
NOTE: This judgment, in which the saints participate, takes place in Heaven. Jesus said that the place He is preparing for His people is in His Father’s house, John 14:2-3, and that the Father is in Heaven, Matthew 6:9.
15. What purpose does this gigantic trial or judgment serve? After all people at this time are either lost or saved. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; Revelation 22:12; 2 Peter 2:9.
NOTE: PLEASE ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION BEFORE WRITING YOUR ANSWER.
a. This judgment does not involve the righteous. Judgment for all the saved takes place prior to Christ’s second coming. Future Seminar lessons will consider the judgment of the righteous.
b. The judgment involves only the dead, Revelation 20:12. Only the wicked are dead at this time so this judgment involves only the wicked.
c. This judgment accomplishes two very important things:
1) It decides the degree of punishment for all the lost, including Satan and his angels.
Revelation 22:12; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, and …
2) It clarifies for the righteous why some they love were shut out of Heaven.
d. The terrible problem of sin will be settled only when all who have ever been involved (both men and angels) understand and openly confess that God has been loving, fair, and honest in everything. The judgment, in its many phases, clarifies this for both men and angels. God already understands fully. The judgment is not for His benefit.
Ans: a. The judgment decides the degree of punishment for the ____________________ .
Ans: b. It also clarifies for the righteous why some they love are shut out of ___________ .
NOTE: AT THIS POINT, PLEASE TURN TO THE 1000 YEARS CHART (Exhibit 7.1) AND REVIEW THE EVENTS WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE 1000 YEARS.
EVENTS AT END OF 1000 YEARS
16. What great city comes down to earth at the close of the 1000 years? Revelation 21:2,10.
Ans: _____________________________________
17. What will happen when the feet of Jesus stand upon the mount of Olives? Zechariah 14:1,4,10
Ans: ____________________________________________________
NOTE: As the Lord stands on the Mount of Olives, the mountain will cleave and spread out to make a great plain as a base for the Holy City. Notice that Jesus’ third coming at the close of the 1000 years is WITH His saints, Zechariah 14:5, last part. At the second coming, when the 1000 years begin, Jesus comes FOR His saints, Matthew 24:31.
18. What happens to Satan after the thousand years? Revelation 20:7.
Ans: He is “___________________” out of his prison.
NOTE: Remember that the resurrection of the wicked takes place at the close of the 1000 years, Revelation 20:5. This resurrection looses Satan because he once again has people to deceive.
19. What does Satan do that shows he has not had a change of heart during the 1000 years? Revelation 20:8.
Ans: He goes out to __________________ the nations.
DOOMSDAY FOR SATAN AND SINNERS
20. When Satan and his followers go up to capture the Holy City, what happens to them? Revelation 20:9.
Ans: ______________________ comes down from God
out of ______________ and _____________ them.
21. What happens to the devil at this time? Revelation 20:10.
Ans: “And the devil … was _____________ into the __________ of ___________ “.
NOTE: The devil will be IN the fire not OUTSIDE tending the fire or torturing the wicked who are in the flames.
22. What does Jesus call this fire in Revelation 20:14?
Ans: “This is the ________________________________”.
NOTE: All are raised from the first death, Hebrews 9:27; John 5:28-29. From the second death, however, there is no resurrection.
23. What does Jesus do after the earth is purified by fire? 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1,3.
Ans: He will ______________ new _________________ and a new _____________.
24. Where will the Lord live after the new earth is created? Revelation 21:1-4; 20:9.
Ans: He will live on the _________________________________ .
NOTE: Jesus promised that the meek will inherit the earth, Matthew 5:5. In harmony with this promise, God will set up His Kingdom here on the new earth, and live with His people. This earth will become the center of the universe. Please notice, however, that He does not move His Kingdom here to convert the lost. His Kingdom is established here only after the lost have been cast into the fire.
25. Where must my name be written if I am to escape the fire? Revelation 20:15.
Ans: In the ________________ of ____________________.
HERE, REVIEW BRIEFLY ALL EVENTS ON THE 1000 YEARS CHART, Exhibit 7.1. READ CAREFULLY THE NOTE ON THE EXHIBIT ENTITLED, “A SECOND CHANCE”.
26. Whom does Jesus invite to become citizens of His great new Kingdom? Revelation 22:17.
Ans: And “__________________ _______________ let him take the water of life freely”.
27. Will you tell Jesus now that you are accepting His magnificent, loving invitation?
Ans: ___________________________________________________