Revelation 22, Eternal Order - Part 2

Review: Previous chapter, Rev 21, describes 7 of 11 major aspects of the New Jerusalem in the eternal order


Rev 22:1-5 (ESV) Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.



• So, continuing our description of the city, what else do we see?
8. The river of life
1. The river is as bright as crystal (suggesting in is perfectly clean)
2. It is in the middle of a broad street in the city
3. It originates from the throne of God and of the Lamb
9. The tree of life
1. It is so broad that it reaches both sides of the river
2. The tree was in the garden prior but after the fall you could not eat of it. Eating of it allowed you to live forever. Now you can again eat of the fruit (Note: there are still 12 months)
3. The leaves provide healing for the nations (Gentiles). Possibly the tree is what renews your body (the word translated healing is therapeutic)
4. Raises an interesting question -- What if you do not have access to the tree of life, like those in the Lake of Fire?
10. The curse will be completely gone
1. The world will be as God originally intended it (no more weeds)
2. We will worship God through our lives, not just in a worship service
11. God's glory will reside in the city
1. No need of night, lamp, or sun
2. God will be the light in the city (New Jerusalem)
3. The worshippers will reign (positions of authority and work) under God's authority
• APPLICATION: This world is not the way God intended it. Our lives are not the way God intended it. Somehow, we forget God when life is going well, and then we curse him when something bad happens. We want him to control our life so that nothing bad happens, but we don't want him in our life when things are okay. We pray and go to him in bad times, but we completely forget to read his word or pray in the good times, and then wonder why he allows things to go wrong with our lives


EPILOGUE
Rev 22:6-9 (ESV) And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place."

7 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9  but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."


• A lot of these last verses repeat messages from the first chapter, this is what we commonly call the Epilogue



Origin of the prophecy: God & Jesus	1:1	22:6
Subject of the prophecy: coming events	1:1	22:6
Mediator of the prophecy: an angel	1:1	22:6,8,16
Writer of the prophecy: John	1:1,4,9	22:8
Genuineness of the prophecy: true prophecy	1:3	22:6,7,9,10,18-19
Vehicle of the prophecy: a prophet	1:1,9-11	22:8,9,10
Addressees of the prophecy: bond-servants	1:1	22:6
Destination of the prophecy: churches	1:3,11	22:16,18
Blessing of the prophecy: for obedience	1:3	22:7,12,14
Warning of the prophecy: for unfaithfulness	1:7	22:11,12,18-19
Center of the prophecy: Christ	1:2,5,9	22:16,18,20
God of the prophecy: Alpha & Omega	1:17	22:13
Chief character of the prophecy: God	1:5,7	22:12,13,16
Hope of the prophecy: soon return	1:3,7	22:7,10,12,20

(from Thomas Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L. Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)


• Observations from Angel and / or Jesus?
• Angel reiterates the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the message
• God (it was his idea) sent his angel to show his servant what must soon take place. Fits with purpose in chapter 1 (also why I see churches as also prophetic)
• Jesus, inserts or is quoted, reiterates the blessing but with a slight difference
• Assumes you read it to get this far
• Now, you must heed it
• Observations from John?
• I heard, I saw, and implied I wrote it down
• John falls down at the angel's feet
• Second time that John is rebuked for falling down at a "fellow" servant's feet (19:10)
• Angels are fellow servants to John, other prophets, and those who keep the words of the book
• Angel reiterates the truth: worship God
• APPLICATION: Error of Satan, an angel, was to take worship from God. It is always a grave error to take worship away from God


Rev 22:10-15 (ESV) And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11  Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.  13  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15  Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.



• Why the command "not to seal up?"
• The time is near (in contrast to Daniel)
• Also, coming soon in verse 12
• The book is applicable even back in 90 AD (the church sections were applicable whether or not they recognized the prophetic aspect, they would have seen their church in the typical or universal application) -- although, the prophetic interpretation makes it even more applicable
• Verse 11 is interesting, why?
• God does not force behavior
• Christianity cannot be forced upon someone, unlike Islam or (religion)
• Sin will be judged
• What does it mean to wash your robes?
• It is an indication of believing in Christ
• Access to the tree of life -- eternal life
• Can enter the eternal city by the gates (freedom to live with God)
• Outside of God's promises are those who deny God's rule
• Dogs is also used in scripture for many impure and immoral sins, to include homosexuality (Deut 23:17, 18)
• You do wonder if there will still be original sin even in the eternal age or if the comment was a present day quote extended into the future
• APPLICATION: We don't have to be afraid to talk about the end times (don't seal it up). Actually, it can be a great opportunity to witness. You can even use the idea of rapture to make people think. Who knows--we could be raptured in their lifetimes, and that event may cause them to seek God.


Rev 22:16-21 (ESV) "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.



• Only place in scripture where we have the phrase "I, Jesus"
• Stresses Jesus' role in this particular book
• "My angel" is the person who does most of the relating to John. He works for Jesus
• The spirit is the HS and the bride is the church of Jesus Christ
• The message is "come"
• We, who are reading, need to invite people to come
• The message is written to what type of people? to the "thirsty"
• Recognized they have a need
• Recognized that they are not satisfied
• The water of life is without price (and yet also priceless)
• Huge warning
• Don't add or take away--will be visited with the plagues described in the book
• Unbeliever will lose a chance for salvation
• Believer will lose some reward in the future (only possibility)
• Salvation is a gift but rewards are a payment
• Closing is the reminder, "I am coming soon"
• It has been almost 2000 years, which is but a day or two in God's eyes
• APPLICATION: We should live as if Jesus was coming in our lifetimes

Rev 21, Eternal Order - Part 1

• This is the only part of scripture that describes the eternal order. It is hinted at in the Davidic Covenant which promised an eternal Dynasty, an eternal Kingdom, and an eternal throne
• Technically, the millennial kingdom does not satisfy those promises since it is only 1000 years
• Everything about the eternal order is described in these two chapters


Rev 21:1-8 (ESV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8  But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.



• What is different about the eternal order?
• No sea
• First declaration: God dwells with man
• Fruchtenbaum argues it will be a mineral garden (covered with precious stones and gems) as in Satan's second abode (Ezek 28:11-16)
• Ezek 28:11-16 (ESV) Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: 12  "Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:

"You were the signet of perfection,
 full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
 every precious stone was your covering,
 sardius, topaz, and diamond,
beryl, onyx, and jasper,
sapphire,  emerald, and carbuncle;
and crafted in gold were your settings
and your engravings.
 On the day that you were created
they were prepared.
14 You were an anointed guardian cherub.
I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;
in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
15 You were blameless in your ways
 from the day you were created,
till unrighteousness was found in you.
16 In the abundance of your trade
you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;
so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,
and I destroyed you,  O guardian cherub,
from the midst of the stones of fire.

• There are some verses which do mention the new Jerusalem
• Gal 4:26 (ESV) But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
• Heb 11:9-10 (ESV) By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
• It is described as the eternal abode of God, of Angels, and of all redeemed
• Heb 12:22-24 (ESV) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
• It is not clear that this city actually rests on the planet or whether it is a satellite that circles the earth. The language could fit either case (even the open gates)
• (Also in first declaration) The removal of tears and death goes back to the removal of the curse
• Gen 3:16-19 (ESV) To the woman he said,

"I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
 in pain you shall bring forth children.
 Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you."

17 And to Adam he said,

"Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
 of which I commanded you,
'You shall not eat of it,'
 cursed is the ground because of you;
 in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
 for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return."

• We were never intended to live in heaven but rather on earth (or at least, in this universe)
• Second declaration (vs 5-8)
• First, God affirms it (he is faithful and true)
• Second, there is provision of the waters of life
• Third, our inheritance is reaffirmed
• Fourth, the inheritance of the unbeliever is the second death, the lake of fire
• APPLICATION: This is our future. I fear it does not really grip us or me. Do I live as if I believed it or is it just a nice idea? If I truly believe it, I would express it in words of thankfulness and I would work to live in a manner worthy of my inheritance


Rev 21:9-21 (ESV) Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11  having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare; its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19  The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.



• Why do we go back to the bride?
• There have been multiple uses of the bride simile
• Israel was Jehovah's wife and in fact, God uses a picture of two wives (sisters) to describe Israel and Judah
• The Church is the bride of Christ
• Now we see the city described as the bride, the wife of the lamb (notice both terms used, OT and NT)
• Therefore the city, which holds believers from the OT, the NT, and the tribulation all come together into one bride, this new city, the New Jerusalem
• Another possibility since this occurs after the wedding feast, is that the church is now a wife
• There are a number (Fruchtenbaum identifies eleven) of details noted concerning the new Jerusalem
1. The glory of the city. It has the Shechinah glory. It is clear as a crystal
2. The city has four walls with twelve gates
1. Typically walls emphasize protection
2. The twelve gates are name after the 12 tribes of Israel
3. The city has twelve foundations
1. Foundation emphasizes permanence
2. The twelve foundations are named after the 12 apostles
4. The city's dimensions are given
1. The dimension emphasize the spaciousness
2. It is 1500 miles high, long, and wide
3. The wall is 216 feet thick
5. The city is composed of a number of elements
1. The wall is Jasper (green)
2. The city is transparent gold
3. The 12 foundations:
1. Jasper--green
2. Sapphire--blue
3. Chalcedony--greenish
4. Emerald--green
5. Sardonyx--red and white
6. Sardius--fiery red
7. Chrysolite--golden yellow
8. Beryl--aqua green
9. Topaz--greenish yellow
10. Chrysoprase--golden green
11. Jacinth--violet
12. Amethyst--purple
4. Each gate will be made from a single pearl
5. The streets will also use transparent gold
• APPLICATION: God has always emphasized beauty in his creation. Also, community is very important to God. He places all believers in one city.


Rev 21:22-27 (ESV) And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.



• Continued
6. Besides no ocean, there is no temple. And it does not say no sun or moon, rather it has no need for the sun or moon for light. God provides the light
1. We will see later, a lunar calendar, and a sequence of time
2. Lunar calendar suggests the moon is still there
3. Sequence of time suggests that time is NOT destroyed in the eternal order
7. The entrance to the city is never closed
1. Again, there is this mention of nations and of kings
2. It is not clear who the kings of the earth are, but it is clear that God's view of life includes people, activity, and purpose
• Next week, we will discuss the last 4 items, 8 through 11
• APPLICATION: Heaven will be an exciting time. There will be purpose and activity and interaction with others. That's what life is. It is not found in the entertainment of the sinful world, but is found in meaningful and purposeful interaction with believers

Revelation 20, After the Tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom

Dan 9:24-27 (ESV) "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.  25  Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."



• A prophetic year is 360 days, as were Jewish years. They would add an extra month in there ever so often to adjust the months
• What is the purpose of the seventy sevens?
1. To finish transgression
1. Israel's rejection of the Messiah (since it is specific to Israel)
2. To put an end to sin
1. This and the next one may refer to the original rebellion in the garden
3. To make atonement for sins
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness (new age or millennium?)
5. To seal or shut up or (literally) to cause a cessation of prophecy
6. To anoint the Most Holy Place - the new temple (or fourth temple) of the Messianic Kingdom
• The seventy sevens are broken up how?
1. Seven sevens
2. Sixty-two sevens
3. One seven
• When does the counting start?
• At the issuing of the decree
• 4 Possibilities
1. The decree of Cyrus, 539 BC (Ezra 1:1-4) "… build him (God) a house …"
2. The decree of Darius, 519 BC (Ezra 5:3-6:12) "… let the work on this house of God alone …"
3. The decree of Artaxerxes to Ezra, 457 BC (Ezra 7:11-26) -- authorization to travel and to provide for the temple
4. The decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, 444 BC (Neh 2:1-8) -- authorization to rebuild the city
• The fourth decree is the only one that gives permission to rebuild the city.
• We know it is in the month of Nissan, if we assume the first day (of the week) of the month which would fit Jewish custom, the date is March 5, 444 BC
• It prophesies 49 years to rebuild the city and 69*7 or 483 till the coming of the Messiah.  Taking into account that the prophetic year is a little different (360 days versus 365 days), we end up at March 30, 33 AD
• Most likely the day that Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem
• The last seven is set aside (it is not consecutive, it could have been, but it is not)
• Verse 9:26 So what happens at the end of the 69th seven?
• Jesus is cut off (crucified)
• In AD 70, 37 years later, the temple is destroyed as the Roman army comes and attacks.  When flood is used symbolically, it refers to an Army
• 3 1/2 years is 1260 days.
• Rev 11:2-3 describe the first half as that length
Revelation 11:1–3 (ESV) — 1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
• Rev 12:6 describes the second half as that length
Revelation 12:5–6 (ESV) — 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
• The woman (Israel) does not flee until the breaking of the covenant
• The passage describes the three main events of tribulation: the beginning, the middle, and the end
• Beginning starts with the signing of the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel for seven years
• The middle is the breaking of the peace treaty at 3 1/2 years, the stopping of sacrifice, and the desecration of the temple
• The end is the decree against the desolator (the end of the seven years)


Dan 12:1-13 (ESV) "At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3  And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,  "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?" 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?" 9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10  Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12  Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13  But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days."



• Verse 2 could be the Law of Double Reference
• Those to everlasting life occur at the end of the tribulation
• Those to shame occur at the end of the millennium. Nothing says they have to be at the same point in time (initial thought)
• Our focus is on verses 11-12
• Time of abomination set up is middle of tribulation
• Time to end of tribulation is 1260 days (Rev 11:3 length of the two witnesses ministry (first half); Rev 12:6 time set up for Israel to flee into the wilderness (second half))
• Time to end of abomination is 1290 days (an additional 30 days, probably to cleanse the temple)
• Additional time to some undefined event is 1335 days (Millennial kingdom)  - see Armstrong notes


Rev 20:1-3 (ESV) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 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.



• We have already dealt with the Antichrist and the false prophet. They are the first two thrown into the lake of fire. But Satan is dealt differently, why?
• God still has a purpose for him
• Even with Jesus ruling on earth, men's hearts will still turn away from God
• Why only him?
• He is the only one of the three who was supernatural
• Why 1000 years?
• Not sure, but there is no reason to suggest a non-literal view
• It could suggest a total of 7000 years for man on earth, which would mean we are still a couple hundred years away from Tribulation or that the Jewish calendar does not include the correct starting date (maybe it starts with Noah)
• Nations still exist, why?
• In order to complete the promises to Israel for the land and the rule of David


4 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 who had not worshiped 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. 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 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.



• Multiple thrones, why?
• We will have authority to judge, or at least some of us
• We will be involved in the ruling of the planet. Our responsibility will be dependent upon how we lived our Christian life on earth
• Who are the specific group of believers? Tribulations saints
• Remaining dead, who are they? All dead unbelievers
• Who are a part of the first resurrection? Believers of all types. The last type are the OT saints and the tribulation saints
• All participate in the marriage feast
Isaiah 25:6–8 (ESV) —
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
• What will the earth be like?
• These verses are referring to the millennial kingdom (17-25) and not to the Eternal order. Rev 21 refers to the eternal order -- similar wording but different subjects (Fruchtenbaum)
Isaiah 65:17–19 (ESV) —
17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
• The earth will be recreated in the 75 day period. It will be different. Age limits will be different. Animals will be different
• APPLICATION: Do I take my responsibility to live for Christ seriously? Do I care about how God will use me or reward me in the age to come? Do I not see my rewards as thanking God for my salvation?


Rev 20:7-10 (ESV) And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 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. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 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.



• Why release Satan?
• To make a point - holiness alongside justice and mercy
• To finish God's judgment
• How long?
• It doesn't say
• What is the end result?
• Devil finally joins beast and false prophet
• Description of punishment?
• Eternal torment


Rev 20:11-15 (ESV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.



• At what point in history are we?
• Somewhere after the millennial kingdom
• Plus whatever time it took for man to rebel again
• This section is commonly referred to as the great white throne judgment
John 5:26–29 (ESV) — 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
• The is also the second resurrection
• All unbelievers are resurrected
• All are thrown into the lake of fire
• It is called the second death (this is the one to fear)
Luke 12:47–48 (ESV) — 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
• I am not suggesting this, only pointing out that some commentators suggested degrees of punishment
• I have typically viewed this verse as referring to a believer's rewards or even to our temporal life
• What about "obliteration?"
• Earlier, the lake of fire is referred to as a place of torment for the Antichrist and false prophet
• Here, there is no mention of torment, just the phrase "second death"
• They may also have resurrected bodies that are different from their mortal bodies and are indestructible, and so Hell will be torment
• What about God's mercy?
• What about God's holiness?
• What about God's justice?
• What about God's eternal word and previous warnings?
• APPLICATION: Eternal torment is not very popular, but who are we to decide what the Holy Judge of all the earth has decreed is an acceptable punishment. We are just the clay