Two weeks ago and prior to my
last post (when I discussed why I am spending so much time addressing my end
times position known as Amillennialism), I began looking in more detail at the
third reason I hold to Amillennialism. That reason is this: “The only mention
of a 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ is found in Revelation 20. That text is best understood in the context
of Revelation as a reign of Christ in heaven with saints during this present age.”
In our first look at Revelation
20:1-6 we focused on introductory and contextual issues that lead us to believe
Revelation 20:1-6 cycles back and focuses upon events that take place during
the current time and before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Now, in this post I want to
return to several more introductory and contextual reasons to see why we should
understand Rev. 20:1-6 as cycling back to current events during this age and
should not be taken as describing events that happen after the Second Coming of
Christ (an event that is addressed in Revelation 19).
From the near context and the
passage itself we discover the following reasons to lead us to this
interpretation.
To begin, at the end of chapter
20 (verses 11-15), attention is focused upon God’s judgment—something we have
already seen in the book of Revelation. Consider that the twenty-four elders
announce the time of judgment (11:18); the Son of Man’s coming begins the day
of judgment (14:14–20); God pours out wrath leading up to the final judgment
(16:17–21); the white horse rider judges and defeats his enemies (19:11–21);
and God opens the books to judge each person at the last judgment (20:11–15).
These all appear to be parallel events at the end of various cycles in
Revelation –each cycle covering events from the first coming of Jesus Christ to
his Second Coming and subsequent judgment.[1] If
we are right about this, it would place Revelation 20:1-6 before the Second Coming
of Jesus Christ and not depicting a post-Second-Coming millennial reign.
Next, the phrase the war,
a literal translation, found at three different places with almost identical
wording around it each time (16:14; 19:19; 20:8) seems to be different than the
previous six uses of the same word for “war” (without the definite article,
“the”) in Revelation. It appears that as Revelation cycles back through the
events from the first to second comings of Christ, it progresses forward as it
goes. So, the result is this: In these later chapters the cycle moves to the
final war that accompanies the Second Coming Of Jesus Christ. This also points
to the likelihood that 20:1-6 takes us to events that happen during this present
time and predating the Second Coming of Christ, rather than referring to a
future thousand year reign of Christ that is after his Second Coming.
Third, we must consider the
descending of an angel in 20:1. In regard to the three previous times angels
are said to descend or ascend in Revelation (7:2; 10:1; 18:1), whatever
chronological activity has been taking places is suspended so that the text can
cycle back to earlier events. If the same holds true in 20:1, this suggests
that the events of 20:1-6 are not happening chronologically after those of chapter
19, but are cycling back to look again at events that preceded chapter 19. So,
again, in 20:1-6, we are not dealing with a post-Second-Coming Millennial reign
of Christ, but with the depiction of events that take place during the present
time—between the First and Second Comings.
What is more, there seems to be a
close relationship between the events of chapter 12 and that of chapter 20 in
regard to the binding of Satan. The devil was cast out of heaven in chapter 12
after losing a battle against Michael and his angelic warriors (12:7-9). As a
result, the activities of the Deceiver were restricted (12:13-17). This appears
to be parallel to God’s binding of Satan in 20:3—again suggesting that chapter
20 is taking us back to another look at events taking place from the First to
Second Coming of Christ.
Finally, a linear or chronological
understanding of the relationship of chapters 19-20 runs into difficulty with
respect to those forces that oppose Christ and his people. They are completely
destroyed in 19:18, 21 and yet reappear in 20:8. What we have most likely,
then, are events that are parallel to each other (20:8 restating what
previously happened from another perspective), rather than a chronological
depiction, which would lead us to see 20:1-6 as referring to a future reign
rather than what it instead appears to be—speaking of a reign during the
present age.
In summary, the larger context of
the book of Revelation and the near context lead us to expect the events of
Revelation 20:1-6 to happen during this present time between the First and
Second Coming of Christ.
Yet, as we look more closely at
the six verses and their meaning, will we find a message that is consistent
with what we have set forth in regard to context and introductory issues? We
will turn to that question in our next post.
[1] In Revelation and the rest
of the New Testament the final judgment is associated with the Second Coming Of
Christ.
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