Revelation 20:1-15

The history of this world as we now know it will change radically.  We don’t know a lot of details from this passage of how this time will be.  John describes the events of a thousand years in just a few paragraphs along with the most serious of all judgments.  I believe that a greater understanding of how the earth will be during Christ’s reign is best learned through a study of the Old Testament prophecies.  The main point is that Christ will return and that He will make drastic changes in the way that men live on the earth.  What a glorious day that will be.
THE SAVIOR WILL REIGN: When Christ returns to earth, He will establish His kingdom for one-thousand years.  Theologically, this period is called the Millennium.  There are many who do not take this as a literal kingdom and believe that this passage describes Christ’s current kingdom of the church on earth.  However, I believe that this passage is most accurately understood as Christ returning to the earth with the church and resurrecting the saints martyred during the tribulation and that we will all reign with Christ over this earth for one-thousand years.  Satan will be bound during this time and Christ will rule over the earth with all of the saints in a wonderful and glorious kingdom that will fulfill in a literal way all of the Old Testament promises made to the nation of Israel.  This will be earth’s greatest period of history since the fall of man.  What an honor it will be to reign together with Christ during this unique time on earth.  I believe that our faithfulness now will determine many of our responsibilities as well as opportunities during this thousand year kingdom.
SATAN WILL REBEL: Though Satan is bound during the kingdom, at the very end, God in His sovereign plan has determined to set him free for a short period of time.  It seems difficult for us to imagine, but the people who are born on earth during the Millennium will need to be saved from their sin just as we do.  Even though they will have perfect revelation in the person of Christ, when Satan is freed he will convince many of these unbelieving citizens of the millennial kingdom to rebel against Christ.  This demonstrates the depth of human depravity and that even in a just and prosperous society, the sinful hearts of men will choose to rebel against God.  This like the other rebellions will be short-lived and Christ will squelch this rebellion once and for all and then Satan will be eternally bound and tormented in the lake of fire.
SINNERS WILL REGRET: Now is the time for the judgment of God on unbelieving mankind from all of history.  All men will be resurrected and will stand before Christ.  This judgment and the White Throne will condemn all who have rejected Christ to an eternity in hell with Satan and all of his demons.  As they stand before God, they will regret their sin and rejection of Christ.  They will bow before God and worship Him, but it will be too late.  They will be eternally condemned with no hope.  We must be faithful to warn all men of all nations of this coming judgment and strive to point them to their only source of salvation in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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