Chapter 20: The Three Resurrections
Chapter 20 introduces Christ’s 1,000-year reign on earth. At this time, the world will truly be “paradise,” since Satan will have been bound and cast into the bottomless pit (vs. 1-3). This chapter also explains the three separate resurrections that are central to God’s Plan.
Verses 4-6 describe the FIRST RESURRECTION and the reign of the saints with Christ for 1,000 years, which you now know occurs when the seventh trumpet is blown and Christ returns to earth.
In Matthew 25, which is actually a continuation of the Olivet Prophecy of chapter 24, Christ speaks of this momentous event. The angels come from heaven with Him when He establishes His kingdom.
Notice the picture once Christ is established on His throne: “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the THRONE OF HIS GLORY: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, COME, you blessed of My Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:31-34).
This is a stunning and wonderful scene. Just before Christ’s crucifixion and ascension to heaven, He said, “If I go, I will COME again” (John 14:3). Here, Christ gives the reward to each of His saints. They “inherit the kingdom” with Him and rule for 1,000 years.
But we must ask a larger question, beyond the immediate events prophesied through the first 19 chapters of the book of Revelation: What will take place after Christ’s 1,000-year reign on earth?
The description of other events is found starting in Revelation 20:7 and continues through the end of the book. Verses 7-9 actually describe a prophecy pertaining to the end of the millennium, when Satan is briefly loosed from his prison and seeks to reverse the 1,000 years of peace. Verse 10 describes his fate.
Starting with verse 11, the next five verses describe the SECOND and THIRD RESURRECTIONS, of which most have little or no knowledge. Let’s read first: “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works”(vs. 11-12).
This has been referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment, in which all human beings who have ever lived will receive an opportunity for eternal life. This is when all mankind, since Adam, will be resurrected to physical life for 100 years (Isa. 65:17-25). All these masses will be “judged” from God’s Word—“the books” of Revelation 20:12. This judgment is nothing like the supposed “judgment” that most envision, where people are thought to at some point in God’s Plan “line up in heaven” before Him for “sentencing.” The period described here is a judgment that lasts 100 years, and people are given a full opportunity to respond to, or reject, God’s Way—and eternal salvation!
Then verse 13 states, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” The first part probably still refers mostly to the second resurrection, but the latter part directly refers to the third resurrection, with verse 14 adding, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
When it speaks again, a second time, of men being judged according to their works, this is plainly referencing the third resurrection (vs. 14) because the context pertains to hell (Gahanna) and death (the entire idea and reality of physical and eternal death—Rev. 21:4) being destroyed in the lake of fire. Notice: “And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
This last fulfilment—the THIRD RESURRECTION—occurs at the very end of God’s Plan, the time after He will have given every person who has ever lived a full opportunity to qualify to enter His kingdom.
There will be no escaping the final result of unrepentant sin—the “second death” in the “lake of fire.”
Christ stated, “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). He explained that everlasting fire—the lake of fire—was prepared for the “devil and his angels [demons].” Inverse 46, Christ continued: “And these [disobedient people] shall go away into everlasting punishment [not punishing]: but the righteous into life eternal.” Those judged unfit—disqualified—for eternal life will be thrown into the lake of fire!
When cast into the lake of fire, these people will go through what God defines as “the second death,” from which there is no resurrection: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH” (Rev. 21:8). Those cast into this lake of fire after the millennium will be burned up forever. May all fear such a fate!
When chapter 20, verse 10 refers to the Beast and False Prophet being cast into “a” lake of fire (19:20), it is a type of the second death. They will be raised in the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-13) and receive their first opportunity for salvation.
Chapter 21: New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem
Finally, chapters 21 and 22 picture the last phase of God’s Plan with the establishment of the new heaven, the new earth and the new Jerusalem!
Eventually, at the end of His Plan, God will dwell on earth, instead of in heaven. John records the time when the new Jerusalem will come here from heaven.
Chapter 21 reveals more about the completion of God’s Plan of salvation, and the purging of the earth by fire (II Pet. 3:10-12). Verses 1-3 state: “And I saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, NEW JERUSALEM, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle [dwelling] of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
At this time, the earth will become the headquarters of God’s government. This government will continue to grow, literally, without end. Take time to read Isaiah 9:7 and Luke 1:33.
God’s MASTER PLAN encompasses eternity. Those entering His kingdom will not be idle. They will be active and productive—and will continue to fulfil His purpose! Hebrews 2:6-8 explains that God will ultimately place man in authority over “all things”—the entire universe. (Read our free booklet How Religion Deceives You About Your Incredible Future to see this thoroughly explained.)
It is difficult to grasp the glory and magnitude of what we will be doing for eternity. But Revelation gives a hint: “Behold, I make all things new.”
Chapter 22: Promises and Warnings
In verse 7, Christ says, “Behold, I COME quickly: blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Reread this promise until it sinks in!
Now read verses 18-19, which give a dire warning to any who would add to or take away from either this book, or Scripture in general. Reread this warning until it sinks in!
Verse 15 describes those who, unwilling to repent of their degenerate lifestyles, will never be in the kingdom of God: “For without are dogs [false ministers], and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.” Also see Galatians 5:19-21.
There is urgency in Christ’s words throughout Revelation 22. For a second time, He states He will come again, but this time reveals what He brings with Him: “And, behold, I [Christ] come quickly; and MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to give every man according as his work shall be” (vs. 12; also see I Cor. 15:50-54). Christ is coming to earth, bringing rewards for each saint with Him—not the other way around. The saved do not go to heaven!
Christ’s very last words in Revelation are: “He which testifies these things says, Surely I will come quickly. Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (vs. 20).
God help you to heed the warning of this book and to receive reward from Christ when He returns—SOON!
A Great Prophecy Being Fulfilled
To conclude his booklet The Book of REVELATION Unveiled at last!, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following, under the subhead “Where Are We Today in Prophecy?”:
“But now, finally, do you realize where we stand today? We are in the semi-chaotic lull between the second and third world wars. But one thing is prophesied for NOW! One of these prophesied events is taking place this instant. In His great Olivet prophecy, which was the very key to the symbols of Revelation, the disciples asked Jesus privately what would be the sign of His coming, and the end of this WORLD—today’s world!
“When Jesus told them of the many who would go forth preaching in His Name, proclaiming that Jesus is the CHRIST, yet deceiving the world as to Christ’s Gospel—that was not the END. The famine and the pestilence to come was not the sign of His coming and of the end of this world. The series of WORLD WARS was not the sign of His coming, and of the end. It is only inverse 14 of this prophecy that He gave it. I want you to notice the tremendous significance of this: ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come’ (Matt. 24:14).
“There it is! Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD—which is the GOOD NEWS of the WORLD TOMORROW! Soon men went out proclaiming CHRIST—they appropriated His Name and the prestige of His Name in order to deceive the world, and to HIDE from the world the MESSAGE that Christ brought. But, in this end-time, when the end of this age is at hand, this same Gospel of the Kingdom of God—the GOVERNMENT of God—being born into the family of God—this same Gospel is now once again being announced to ALL THE WORLD! That prophecy is being fulfilled...”