Sermon Transcript
I have no idea how many times I’ve prayed, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I grew up in a church where the congregation repeated those words every Sunday, so I’ve probably said it hundreds of times. And that being the case, you know, I wish I would have known when I was a kid and I said, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, I wish I would have known what that actually meant. Frankly, When I was a kid and I prayed the Lord’s Prayer, I gave little, if any, thought to what I was saying.
And if I actually thought about what I was praying, I’m not sure I would’ve prayed the Lord’s Prayer because back then I was more interested in having my will be done than God’s will. I especially wanted my will when it came to my relationship with my parents. A little honesty here in that regard. I didn’t want to do what they wanted me to do. I didn’t want to make my bed, you know, do the homework, mow the lawn.
I just wanted to do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it. But, you know, it didn’t go that way. There was one part of the prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, that I was okay with. That part where you pray, and give us this day our daily bread. I loved that.
I was into bread. I still love bread, in fact. So I was good with that part of the prayer. Well, you know, now when I look back at that time in my life, I can see that a lot’s changed. I’m a different person, and I know a lot more about God now and who God is and who I am in relationship to God.
And now, you know what, I can honestly say I want God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. I’m convinced that if God’s kingdom comes on earth, that could be the best thing that could happen. You might agree with me. And if you don’t agree, I hope today’s focus on God’s kingdom can help you reach the same conclusion, that conclusion I’ve come to and others, and even finding yourself longing for God’s kingdom to come. You know, Jesus said a lot about the coming kingdom.
To those who would inherit God’s kingdom, Jesus said this on one occasion. He said there would be a day when they would hear the Lord say this: Come, You who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.
I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me. Jesus wanted his followers to know that his kingdom is coming. And when it comes, and by the way, it’s a kingdom that the Lord has been preparing for his children since creation that they’re going to inherit.
Well, when it comes, those who will inherit this kingdom will be those that have a relationship with him, and that relationship will be demonstrated through kingdom acts like feeding the hungry or giving cups of cold water to people in need in Jesus’ name or practicing biblical hospitality. Caring for the sick, showing love to prisoners. That’s all to say that citizens of God’s kingdom aren’t detached from the world. To the contrary, they impact this fallen world with kingdom activities and kingdom thinking. Now, you know who did that the best?
It was Jesus Christ himself, the one who came at a time when Jewish hopes were high for God’s long-awaited kingdom to come to earth. Through the promised Messiah. And so when Jesus came to earth, God’s chosen people who had at that time been ruled by godless kings and godless kingdoms for centuries, such as Assyria or Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and then at the time of Christ, the Roman Empire, each one of those kingdoms made Jewish life and faith hard. So when Jesus came, the Jews’ hope for the Anointed One, they were just sky high. They were praying that God would send his promised King who would restore the kingdom to Israel.
In fact, many thought that Jesus, once they got to know him, it was actually that one, especially after he began to do miraculous things like the time he fed 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. And after that, the crowd who had seen Jesus do what he did wanted to literally take Jesus by force and make him their king. John 6:46. Verses 14 and 15 tells us that. The thing is, in a way, they were actually right.
Jesus was the promised King, but at that moment in history, Jesus did not come as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to literally set up this kingdom, this promised kingdom that He had been preparing on earth. But there was some other business that He needed to attend to first, that needed to be done first. So instead of coming as that King, He came as a suffering servant, as the Lamb of God to pay the price for our sins so that through His death and through His resurrection we might have life now and in the future in His coming Kingdom when He will rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. Now that Kingdom is in focus in Revelation, the last book of the Bible, in Revelation 19:11-12.
Revelation 21:8. And last week we began to look at this section of Scripture. This section actually begins with Jesus’ second coming, and it ends with the coming of the new heaven and the new earth. And if you take a close look at those verses in between, you’re going to see that John saw, S-A-W, a sequence of 8 events that follow the words, I saw, and I saw, then I saw, or I saw Jesus coming. So what you start with is an I saw of Jesus coming.
John speaks about Jesus’ second coming. It— all of this section ends with a— the new heaven and new earth that John saw, then I saw. And between that are several other events. And today we’re going to focus on the 5th one over here that focuses on chapter 20, Verses 4 to 10, the 5th I saw. We’re just going to look at verses 4, 5, and 6.
So if you got your Bible, you might want to open there with us. This comes right after the, and I saw, verses 1 to 3 that Pastor Steve focused on last week, where we saw an angel come and bind Satan. Steve talked about that. If you didn’t hear that message, you really should hear that message. It was very helpful.
It was very encouraging. Simply said, Satan loses in the end, and the kingdom of darkness is not going to prevail. Well, today, as we look at the event that follows that, we’re going to see the 5th saw, and it’s important for us to establish a time connection. And this time connection is actually made in the last passage, last week’s passage, Revelation 20, the passages that Steve focused on last week. Where the reader is told, where John was told 3 times, 3 times that Satan at the end of the tribulation would be locked up.
Satan after the tribulation, let me just say it that way, would be locked up for 1,000 years. You can see that in chapter 20, verse 2, and chapter 20, verse 3, and chapter 20, verse 7. Now, if you were reading through this passage on your own without any awareness of how others might interpret it, you would just take the 1,000 years literally. Like, that’s great. Life will be so much better when Satan is locked up for 1,000 years.
Agreed? I mean, that makes me happy. You may not be happy though about what Steve talked about in chapter 20, verse 3, where it says, but Satan’s going to be released after that 1,000 years. He must be released or set free for a short time. Personally, I don’t like hearing that.
That’s like, you know, putting a murderer back on the street. Is that really a good thing to do? I mean, ever, especially a non-Reformed killer. But that’s what God’s going to do. Why is He going to do that?
Well, He’s going to release Satan so that ultimately there’s a final confrontation, and that final confrontation can take place, final battle, and he’s going to be done with. Then the final judgment will come where Satan will be sent away forever, and then it will be time after that for the new heaven and new earth. And we could talk a lot about that. If you want to come to today’s Coffee with the Pastor at 3 o’clock, come on over and we’ll have some good times talking about that or some other questions. In fact, on September 6th, we’re going to do a Q&A message where we’re just going to try to answer your questions.
But today we’re looking at the 1,000-year period of time when Satan is bound. We’re still on earth. It’s not the new heaven. It’s not the new earth yet. And yet there’s something very important that happens during this 1,000-year period of time.
And really, before we even look at that, you could ask us a question, a very important question, and that is a question that many people have asked: Is the 1,000 years literal or is it figurative? Now, you know, when you’re talking about something being symbolic or figurative, it’s the kind of thing where we use that language where if you’re told dinner is ready and you you say in response, I’ll be right there, which often doesn’t mean immediately you’re going to be right there. Often it means, well, I’ll be right there when I finish doing what I’m doing, so that your I’ll be right there is more figurative than literal. You know what I’m talking about? Aspirin, she does.
She’s heard me use figurative language before. Well, how should we interpret the 1,000 years? Many interpret this as figurative. Figurative. If you’re interested in exploring more, you can read about that.
If you’d like to know my answer, I don’t think it’s figurative. Why? Well, for one, the word time is the Greek word chronos, which refers to a specific period of time that John is talking about here. Specifically, he says a short period of time when Satan is released in chapter 20, verse 3. And that short period of time is compared to a 1,000-year specific period of time when Satan is going to be locked up.
So I don’t believe John is speaking figuratively when he says the lockup will last 1,000 years. I think he’s literally saying it’s going to be 1,000 years. John was giving 2 specific lengths of time. One was long, one was short. Satan’s going to be locked up.
For a long period of time, 1,000 years, after which he’s going to be released for a short period of time. Well, that said, then let’s look at what John said about what will happen during this coming 1,000-year period of time that’s the focus of the 5th event which John saw, which begins in Revelation 20 and verse 4. It says this: I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge, and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ 1,000 years.
For the rest, the rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for 1,000 years. Now, the placement of this 5th event is strategic because it comes right after Jesus’ coming at the end of the tribulation and after His victory over His enemies and right after Satan and his demonic forces are locked up.
So then, while Satan is locked up over the same 1,000-year period of time, Jesus establishes His reign. He establishes His reign on earth. Now, if you’re simply reading through the text without any other people’s opinions in mind, to me, I think this is pretty straightforward. Like John said 3 times that Satan would be locked up for 1,000 years, Now John says Jesus is going to reign for 1,000 years, and he says it 3 times. He says it in verse 4, he says it in verse 5, and he says it in verse 6.
So you ask the question, is that the same 1,000 years, or is that a different 1,000 years? I believe it’s the same 1,000 years. The fact that John comes right back then after focusing on that 1,000 years and then says in verse 7, And then after the 1,000 years is over, Satan is going to be released. And again, he’s made his point that Jesus is going to reign before that happens. So essentially what you have then is something that ties together Satan’s lockup and Jesus’ startup of his kingdom on earth.
So a good question to ask at this point is, why is Satan going to be locked up for 1,000 years anyway? And the answer is found in verse 3 where it says, so he can’t deceive the nations anymore. And you say, what nations? Well, the ones that Jesus is going to reign over. And where are those nations located?
Well, they’re located on earth. The focus is on earth. Remember, this is not the new heaven and new earth yet. This is our old earth. And listen, this old earth at this point is really messed up after the tribulation.
There will be people who have survived the tribulation. They’re still alive on the earth along with Jesus and His bride who have now come. And so where’s the— where’s this going to happen? Where’s the reign of 1,000 years going to happen? I believe it’s going to happen where Jesus won the war.
He won the war against the ones that are described in verses 17 to 21 in chapter 19. He won the war against the kings or the generals and the mighty men and all the people and the beast and the false prophet and Satan and his forces of evil. So, what is this telling us? What did John see that God wants us to know? Something absolutely wonderful that’s planned.
God’s kingdom is going to come to earth. Jesus is going to set up the kingdom of God on earth while Satan is locked up. Now, in Revelation 11:15, there’s an angel that speaks and says, this is what’s going to happen. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, And he will reign forever and ever. I believe what John saw that’s recorded in Revelation 20:4-6 is descriptive of the first 1,000 years of this eternal kingdom that God has been preparing for his people since the creation of the world.
And this 1,000-year reign will take place on earth before the final battle and the creation of the new heaven and new earth. Now, whether or not you agree with my literal interpretation that Jesus is going to come and reign on earth for 1,000 years and set up a millennial kingdom, whether you agree with that or not, you know, I hope that you would agree with what John sees, which are 3 certainties for when Jesus reigns on earth. These are absolute certainties. There’s going to be victory, there will be tragedy, and there will be favor. And each one of those certainties can have a significant impact on our lives right now.
So let’s just talk about them. First certainty: victory. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul the Apostle, Paul the author, Paul the theologian, he combines the study of thanatology, which is the study of death, with the study of eschatology, the study of last things, which is what we’ve been into since the beginning of summer. And John puts the two together when he forecasts the day when death is going to be swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:54.
Well, Revelation 20:4, just the first part here says, I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. Now, I want you just to take note of the word those there. Who are the those who are given the privilege and responsibility of ruling with the Lord? Well, the nearest antecedent of the those are the armies that return with Jesus at His second coming. You can read about that in Revelation 19:14 and 19:19 where they’re actually called the armies or army that comes with the Lord when He comes in His second coming.
So let’s just call the those the Lord’s armies. And who would that be? Well, it’s a rather large group we read about that comes from heaven, verses 11 and 14 of chapter 19, and they’re dressed in white linen. White and clean. And so who might they be?
Well, they could very well be the Church. The Church is the Bride of Christ. We read about the Bride of Christ being dressed in fine linen that is white and clean. You can read that in chapter 19 again, verse 14, and compare that to verse 8 where that was what they wore at the wedding of the Lamb. Well, we know that the Church is going to be given authority to judge.
In fact, Paul talked about that to the Corinthian Church in 1 Corinthians 6:2. Where he said, do you not know that the saints will judge the world? So yes, the church is going to come ultimately and judge, and this may very well be who’s among the Lord’s armies, the bride of Christ, the church. But also it could be the tribulation saints, those who died during the tribulation. They’re pictured in Revelation 7:9 as wearing white robes, so that you have this also in the same chapter, Revelation 7:13-14.
Then one of the elders asked me, These in white robes, who are they and where did they come from? And I answered— this is John giving an answer— Sir, you know, and he said, these are they who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. So there’s a match there. They very well, if you’re talking about the armies that come with the Lord, could be tribulation saints or the church and the tribulation saints.
It also could be Old Testament saints who are resurrected at the end of the tribulation. In Daniel 12, it’s just talked about these terrible times, and it says in the last part of verse 1, the first part of verse 2, that at that time your people, everyone whose name is found written in the book, will be delivered from this time of tribulation. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life. So it could be that the ones that the Lord brings with Him are those who’ve been resurrected and Those are Old Testament saints. It could also be the holy angels that will come with Christ when he returns.
In Matthew 25:31-32, it says, when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne, and before him will be gathered all the nations. So the holy angels are going to come with the Lord. Any of those groups could be among the those that the Lord appoints to ruling roles. And of course, his presence could— their presence, those, their presence could not have happened had death not been swallowed up in victory. So, when you see these armies coming, it’s victory.
It’s victory that’s obvious because Jesus coming is with the armies who have all been resurrected other than the angels. You talk about something better than Michael Jordan or any other athlete coming out of retirement to play a few more years with the hope of bringing home another victorious season. You talk about victory. This is going to be victory. This is victory on display when death will be swallowed up in victory, and you’ll see it in the victory of the new life and significant impact that the Lord’s armies have at that time in history.
Now, if that isn’t enough to encourage you on your deathbed, maybe what will happen to the group that is specifically called out here in verse 4 will encourage you and bring comfort to you, where it says, and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image. They had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands, they came to life and they reigned with Christ 1,000 years. Now, who’s this? Well, this would be the tribulation saints, or the tribulation martyrs specifically, the tribulation martyrs.
Now, if you’ve ever wondered if taking a stand for the Lord when your life is on the line, if that would be worth taking a stand over, well, I think this kind of answers that question, because you’ve got a group of tribulation saints who were martyred They were beheaded because of their faith in Jesus, and yet here they are reigning now with Christ. Just a quick thought. If there was a possibility that we could be killed because of our love for the Lord and His Word, like they had a love for the Lord and His Word, would we cower and give up our faith or give up God’s Word, or would we courageously and boldly stand up for what we believe. I think that’s something to think about as we contemplate how our witness in our world compares. So you have this group of Christ followers, they didn’t waver in their faith when faced with the pressure to worship the beast or his image or have the mark of the beast, which would be 666, imprinted on their foreheads or their hands.
So what did it cost them? It cost them their lives. What might it cost us today? Well, maybe ridicule or disagreement or a frown or something like that. But when they lost their lives, you know, at that moment it looked like, you know, they were the losers, but not so.
They came back to life and death will be swallowed up in victory and they’re going to reign with Christ for 1,000 years. So the next time you and I are taking on the chin for Christ, you might want to just call to mind the coming day when your witness for Christ and your love for God’s Word will be rewarded. Ridicule, or even death that might come your way, that will be swallowed up in victory, and you will win in the end. Well, in addition to victory in the coming 1,000-year kingdom, there will also be tragedy. Now, this isn’t something that we usually connect to the coming kingdom.
When John saw what he saw next, it, it brought into focus what Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story. You see, after John said that the tribulation martyrs would rise from the dead and then reign with Christ, he then has this parenthetical thought. Verse 5, some of your Bibles actually has a parenthesis around these words, the rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended. To me, that’s one of the saddest verses in the Bible. While the tribulation martyrs came to life and they reigned with Christ for 1,000 years, And while those who came back with Christ from heaven were also given the joy of reigning with Christ for 1,000 years, you’ve got another group of people.
And from what we know from other Bible passages, this other group is a very, very, very large group of people that will still be in their graves during that 1,000-year period of time when Satan is locked up and Jesus establishes His reign on earth. This group will not raise from the dead. This group will not be rewarded. They will not be reigning with Christ. They will not be given glorified bodies.
They will be missing out on all of that. And even worse, they’re destined for the second death. Verse 6 says the second death’s going to come upon them at the end of the 1,000 years when they’re finally raised from the dead for judgment at the great white throne. And then they’re going to experience the second death in the lake of fire. That’s how the second death is described in Revelation 20:14.
We’ll talk about that next week. You talk about a tragedy. If you ask me, this is the worst tragedy of all, one that was preventable. During Jesus’ amazing 1,000-year reign on earth, these people are going to still be in their grave. And then when they’re finally raised out of their grave, they’re going to face judgment for their sins and be cast into the lake of fire because they rejected God’s gift of life through His Son, because they would not submit to God, because they said no to following Jesus Christ as their Savior.
May you not be among that group. So in addition to the certainty of victory and tragedy during the time of the kingdom, there’s going to also be, though, favor. And if you look at verse 6, it says, blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. Now, I’ll finish the verse in just a moment, but anybody who turns to God for salvation is going to be a recipient of God’s favor or God’s blessing. They’re going to be blessed in many ways.
In fact, they’re going to be blessed in so many ways we can’t even begin to list all those blessings that will come to Jesus’ bride, to His church. But here in this passage, we can see that God’s beloved will experience His favor in the millennial kingdom in at least 3 ways that are focused on here. And of course, there are many more focused on elsewhere. One is they will be holy. They will be as holy as God is holy, in reality, without sin.
You say, how in the world is that even remotely possible? Well, do you know how far away from holiness I am, you say? Or how far removed from a sinless life I am? Or how much I’ve messed up? Holy?
Are you kidding? How’s that going to happen? Well, we’re told it’s possible because of the first resurrection. What’s that? It’s the resurrection of the saints, which comes after Jesus’ resurrection.
In fact, Paul focuses on this in 1 Corinthians 15. In verses 20 and 23 where he says, but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. So, Paul is saying Jesus’ resurrection was the first resurrection of many that are going to follow. His resurrection, like The firstfruits preceded the harvest of more fruit yet to come, or of more resurrections to come.
In fact, it happened immediately after Jesus’ resurrection. We’re told in Matthew 27:52 that tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. So right there you have the beginning of the firstfruits of resurrection. Other resurrections, we’re told, are going to follow so that when Jesus comes back, He’s going to resurrect the church at the rapture. You’ve got the resurrection of the 2 witnesses.
You can read about that in Revelation 11. And then, as we’ve already talked a little bit about here, you have the resurrection of the tribulation saints. Now, I would call being in on the first resurrection a sign of God’s favor, of God’s blessing, wouldn’t you? Because with resurrection comes new life and new bodies, glorified bodies free of sin. Bright and shiny.
Bernice thinks that our glorified bodies will all look like we’re about, you know, 25 years old, because if Adam and Eve had never sinned, then they would have been grown up and then just stayed that way, you know, about 25. That sounds good to me, and I’d be happy to have my 25-year-old body back, especially one that’s spotless and free of disease, healthy in every way— spiritually, physically, emotionally healthy, sinless. And holy, and it’s all going to be due to God’s favor. And that’s not all. Those who are part of the first resurrection will not only be holy, they’re going to be priests.
They’re going to be priests of God. Now, what’s a priest? Well, a priest is a servant of God with direct access to God, where our relationship with God is one where we can immediately come into his presence. It’s, it’s not like you know, a distant relative kind of relationship, somebody that you see every 10 years or so on a family reunion. Our relationship with God is going to be vibrant and alive and personal.
And as a priest, we’re going to be one of his favored servants. You know, over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to come alongside and help various ministers that I’ve respected and wanted to be with. And those were really good times serving them, helping them. Well, serving as a priest of God will be the best serving opportunity ever. You talk about favor, there it is.
And not only that, they will reign with Christ for 1,000 years. Wow, what a blessing. What a picture of God’s favor. Can you imagine this? Ruling with the perfect leader, the perfect king, with Jesus for 1,000 years.
I mean, how does that sound to you? I know some of you right now are saying, I don’t know, you know. I can’t imagine working after I retire. Well, the way we’ve thought about work in this world will no longer plague us. We will have a whole new mindset as we serve others with the Lord in his millennial kingdom.
And when you get your resurrected body and you get your divine job appointment, you’re going to love life because life will finally be free. And this job will finally be free of all the pride and arrogance and competition and anxiety and worry and all the rest of it. And you will want what God wants. You will be perfectly wired and equipped to do whatever he gives you to do. It will bring him glory.
It will bring you great joy. It won’t be something that you just put up with until you retire. It will be something that you love to do. You’ll pinch yourself and you’ll say, I can’t believe I get to do this. I don’t deserve it.
And in remembering that, you’ll all the more love the Lord who’s blessed your life beyond all measure. When the kingdom of God comes to earth during the millennium and Jesus is reigning over the entire world from Jerusalem, it will be thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It won’t be the new heavens and new earth yet, but conditions will immediately begin to improve: righteousness, peace, perfect justice, joy, all of that’s going to prevail. The laws of the land throughout the entire earth will be God’s laws with no questions about, well, did he really mean that? There will be a lot of work to do, but the curse that’s been on the world is now going to be lifted.
Food will be plentiful. Physical health and well-being will lead to long life. For those without glorified bodies, that’s a whole other matter. We got to study it another time. God’s blessing, God’s favor, it’s going to abound.
So here’s the question: Are you on board with God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven? Can you say, come, Lord Jesus, come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven? Let’s pray together. Father, thank you for the joy of talking about your coming kingdom.
Thank you for the joy of knowing that there’s going to be a day where you’re going to come and you’re going to reign, and you’re going to change things, Father, and it’s going to be like you wanted it to be all along. And so we pray that even as we reflect on this, as we are encouraged by this, that it would impact our lives right now, that we live differently now, that we would live as your citizens of your kingdom. And Lord, that we would love people even as you loved people when you were here. And Father, we pray that as we anticipate your kingdom to come, it would fill our hearts with hope. It would fill our hearts with anticipation, expectation, and it would help us live differently.
And so we look forward to this day, those days that are coming that are promised. We pray, Father, that everyone who is listening or viewing this message right now, if they don’t have a relationship with you, we pray that they would come to have a relationship with you, that every one of them could be sure that there’s a day that they’re going to spend eternity with you. And if you’re not sure, tell God right now, Lord, help me. Express your heart to him. Maybe you need to say, I don’t know that I believe this?
And if I need to believe it, then Lord, help me believe it. Change my heart. And if you’ve come to the place where you truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, he’s the Savior, the promised Messiah, the Anointed One, the one that’s been preparing a kingdom for his children that will begin and last for all eternity, well, ask him today to save you and to make you one of his members, of his family. Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead, and you will be saved. And you can become today a member of his family.
Father, thank you that you hear our prayers. May our lives please you, for we pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
