The Devil Chained
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the live broadcast. It is presented as spoken.
Sermon Questions: Douglas Batchelor
DB: Well, God bless you, friends. We have a very important study tonight dealing with this subject of the millennium. The name of the message is “The Devil Chained.” We have a corresponding Study Guide that has a lot more information that goes right along with our study and I’ll be drawing a lot from this and it’s called, “A Thousand Years of Peace.” And we’ve redesigned and reprinted. These Amazing Facts Study Guides have been bringing people to the Lord for oh, about 30 years now, and--or even more than that, 35 years maybe, and so we’re very happy for the New Edition.
You know I want to get right into our presentation for tonight on the subject of the millennium more specifically, “The Devil Chained.” We’ll begin with an amazing fact as we typically do. You’ve probably heard about cryogenics where people sometimes have themselves frozen --hoping that sometime in the future that the technology will be available to somehow resurrect to resuscitate them. Actually it’s a feeble hope and it really is a waste of money. I mean maybe their bodies can be preserved for study in the future but they won’t come back to life because of the nature of the tissues of humans when they--the cells freeze it destroys the cell matter and basically it kind of liquefies in a sense and it can never be resuscitated.
But there are some creatures, few amphibians and reptiles, that have this unusual freezing tolerance. Some of you have heard of the New England Gardener snakes and they can get frozen. It looks like it’s solid as a rock and evidently, they’ve got this built-in antifreeze in their cells that keep them from--they’ll seem like they’re stiff as a board but really they’re not freezing right over because they’ve got this antifreeze in their cells that prevents it from destroying the cell tissue and they can thaw out and come back to life again.
I heard of a taxidermist—typically, the poisonous snakes don’t have this but there are I guess a few varieties that have this ability, and he was going to stuff a snake that he had been captured and he had frozen it to keep it fresh until he could get to it and as it thawed out he went to cut into it and snapped around and bit him.
You know the Bible teaches that Satan is going to be put on ice for a thousand years but then he’s going to come back snapping and biting again, and Revelation talks about this, sometimes we think of it as the millennium. The word “millennium” does not appear in the Bible, it’s a composite of two Latin words, “milli” (mille) and “annum,” (annus) that means thousand years. The teaching of the thousand years is very much in the Bible.
We want to get into the lesson for tonight and so let’s begin by turning to our study.
DB—Sermon Question #1: Question number one. What is the beginning of this one thousand year period that (uh) commences the millennium?
It says in the Bible I Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,” and then it goes on, “the dead in Christ will rise first.” The coming of the Lord and a resurrection begins it. Revelation 20 verse 4 and 5. “And they lived and they reigned with Christ,” how long? “A thousand years.”
Now I should probably share something with you at this point. It’s interesting in the Bible—II Peter chapter 3 verse 9, “A day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years is a day.” Biblically, the earth is about 6,000 years old now and then there’s a thousand years where we live and reign with the Lord, almost like a thousand year Sabbath.
You know the Jews used to have a program, for six years they would farm their land and in the seventh year they would leave the land fallow, desolate, unfarmed. It -the land would keep Sabbath. One of the last things you find in the Old Testament, chronologically, is where it tells us that when the children of Israel were carried off to Babylon, the land kept Sabbath for 70 years and it was desolate. So during the 1,000 years when the world is desolate, the land is keeping Sabbath, so to speak.
Furthermore, Jesus is the sower of the seed in the parable, and the Bible says He’s coming in Revelation to harvest the earth. So it is very much like the whole farming economy that He gave to the children of Israel. It’s going to be 6,000 years, He’s been sowing the seed, He’s coming very soon to harvest the earth, the earth will keep Sabbath (uh) for a thousand years while we live and reign with Jesus, amen?
DB—Sermon Question #2: Number two. What is this resurrection called and who will be in it, the resurrection that marks the beginning of the 1,000 years?
You can read in Revelation 20 verse 5 and 6. This is the first resurrection. “Blessed and holy is He that has part in the first resurrection; over such the second death has no power.” We read in II Thessalonians, it said that the dead in Christ will rise first when Jesus comes. And then Jesus said, “The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth: they that have done good; unto the resurrection of life,” then He goes on and says, “they that have done evil; the resurrection of damnation.”
First resurrection, dead in Christ rise first, resurrection of life, there are two separate resurrections. This surprised me when I first heard it because I used to think that everyone got raised at the same time but the Bible says no there is a separation between the two. And it that probably is a good plan because you know it--it might be awkward if you came out of the grave side by side with some of your friends or enemies or family and you’re going to heaven and they’re not. He is going to come: and first take those that are saved by themselves. The others will be dealt with separately.
It goes on, I Corinthians chapter 15. “We’ll not all sleep but we’ll all be changed, in a moment, at the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet will sound and the dead shall be raised.” When Jesus comes and the trumpet sounds and what kind of bodies do we get when He comes back? Philippians 3:21. What kind of body did Jesus have when He rose? Was it real? We’ll have real bodies. It says, “You will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.” We’ll have these glorified, immortal bodies that last forever and we’re caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
DB—Sermon Question #3: Number three. The Bible says there are two resurrections; when is the second resurrection and who will be raised in it?
Well, let me ask you, the Bible says, “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection.” “Blessed are the meek, they will inherit the earth.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of God.” The blessed are the ones who are in the first resurrection, the saved. If the saved during the first resurrection, who’s in the second resurrection? The lost!
You realize there’s four kinds of people: you got the righteous living and the wicked living, the righteous dead and the wicked dead; four, right? Everybody who’s ever lived fits into one of those categories, am I right? And so this study covers all of those categories. It’s going to deal with everybody in this room. It’s going to deal with everybody watching and everybody you ever knew or read about. Everybody’s involved in this presentation.
Revelation 20 verse 5. Who are the ones in the second resurrection? It tells you right there in that chapter. Oh, by the way, most of what we’re studying is from Revelation chapter 20, there are other verses but the main information on the thousand years is found there. “The rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished.” Who are the rest of the dead? It’s got to be the lost. John chapter 5 verse 28 and 29. Jesus said, “They that have done evil come forth in the resurrection of damnation.”
Even if you read in Daniel chapter 12 where it talks about the resurrection it says many of them that sleep in the dust the earth will come forth some to everlasting life; first, some to shame and everlasting contempt; second. Two separate groups. Now you can separate these, just to keep it in your mind for those who are visual. The beginning of the 1,000 years marks the resurrection or I should say the resurrection of the just, the first resurrection marks the beginning of the one thousand years. The Bible says the rest of the dead do not live till the thousand years are finished, that marks the end of the one thousand years. So there’s a thousand years between the two.
DB—Sermon Question #4: Number four. What other momentous events take place when the thousand years begin?
We’ll there’s quite a few things. For one thing the Bible says, “And there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth.” I don’t know if I would want to have been in the earthquake that did that to that road. So mighty an earthquake and so great, that’s the earthquake where mountains totter and reel to and fro and split and shake.
It goes on in Revelation 16 says, “Every island fled away and the mountains were not found.” And it goes on, “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every hailstone about the weight of a talent.” Now it’s hard for you and I to imagine a hail that big so we’re going to try and help you a little bit. A hailstone where every stone weighs more than a talent that would be--oh about 56 pounds, that’d be pretty heavy. Can you imagine the kind of damage that would do if the whole earth was being blistered with these hailstones that were that big?
When Jesus (Sound effects starts) comes back the Bible tells us the mountains are thrown, the hurricanes will lash the world and tornadoes, tremendous earthquake that destroys everything, islands are swallowed up and then it goes on and tells us about these hailstones that are between 50 and 70 pounds pummeling the earth.
Can you imagine how the insurance companies are going to deal with all these? And then you read on it says, “The slain of the Lord cover the earth from one end to the other there was no one to mourn or lament or bury them.” It’s a very sobering thought but this is what the Bible tells us. And we’re going to be sharing these scriptures with you in a little bit. And this is where I--Satan is bound now cause there’s no one alive on the earth for him to tempt or manipulate, he’s bound in a sense (Sound effects stops) chained by circumstances.
What happens to mark the beginning of the 1,000 years? Revelation 20 verse 1. Matter of fact, open your Bibles with me. Turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 20. You know I think we should just read it right out of the Bible, verse 1. “Then I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit,” that word confuses people, bottomless pit, “and a great chain in His hand. And He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil, and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and He cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up and set a seal upon him, so that he should deceive the nations no more during the thousand years till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a season.”
Now if during the 1,000 years he doesn’t deceive the nations but then he’s released what do you think he does after the thousand years are finished? He deceives one more time, a--that’s the devil’s job. He is the one who deceiveth the whole world. So it tells us that the angel is going to lay hold on the dragon and capture him. What happens to the wicked?
DB—Sermon Question #5: Question number five. What happens to the wicked living and dead at Jesus’ coming?
We found out that the dead in Christ rise and we know that at the end of the one thousand years the wicked who are dead rise but what’s going to happen to the living when Jesus comes?
It tells us in Psalms 68 verse 2, “The wicked perish at the presence of God.” The brightness of the Lord, the presence of the Lord is like a consuming fire. And again, in II Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8: “Then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the brightness of His coming.” Think about this, friends, how many of you remember in the Bible that when one angel came to roll away the stone when Jesus rose, the brilliance and glory of that one angel was so intense that a hundred Roman soldiers fell down and shook like dead men, the Bible says.
When Moses talked to God face to face on the mountain he came away from that conversation and his face was glowing so bright. You know they had no sunglasses back then they asked Moses to veil his face so that they could endure the glow. Any of you ever play with your kids, you may still do it, with that glow in the dark material with phosphorous stuff, you hold it up to the light and it retains the glow. I know Steven’s ceiling in his bedroom he’s got these little stars stuck up around his light. When we turn off the light at night and it’s all green on his ceiling, it slowly dims after a while. It absorbs a certain amount of light and lets it off slowly. You all know what I’m talking about?
In the Bible when people came from talking to the Lord their faces glowed, can you imagine if Moses’ face was so bright just from the residue of light in talking to God that the people said, “Please, cover that up, we can’t bear to look at you,” how bright will God Himself be when He comes with all the angels in heaven? Can you understand why the wicked cannot endure that sight? The only thing that is going to inoculate you against the consuming fire of God’s presence is the blood of Jesus. If we are not washed, if our sins are not purged in the blood of the Lamb, if there is any residue of sin in our lives we will be consumed by that, and so that’s why the plan of salvation is available right now.
DB—Sermon Question #6: Number six. Many believe the unsaved will have an opportunity to repent during the one thousand years, but what does the Bible say about this?
Now according to the very popular “Left Behind” scenario when the Lord comes and raptures the saints, and I believe that we will be caught up to meet the Lord, they believe in the secret rapture that life goes on here for a while afterward. I want quote to you from II Peter chapter 3 again verse 10. They say when the Lord comes as a thief He’ll rapture away the saints and then life goes on for another seven years and the antichrist establishes himself and a hundred and forty four thousand Jews, literal Jews, preach the gospel to the world and the temple is rebuilt and how many of you have heard these things, this scenario before?
II Peter chapter 3 verse 10. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night,” and they always stop there, let’s keep going, “it will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the things that are in it shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we (ye) be in all holy conversation and conduct”? Does it sound like life goes on after Jesus comes as a thief?
Let’s look at some of the other passages that are in our study. Jeremiah 25 verse 33. “After the Lord’s coming the slain of the Lord shall be in that day from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, they shall not be lamented neither gathered nor buried.” And again it says, “Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty, He makes it waste, He turns it upside down.”
Now according to the Hal Lindsey and LaHaye version of the--you know the “Left Behind” scenario there is never a time when the earth is vacated, there is never a time when the--nobody is alive on the earth. They’ve got the--you know the righteous are raptured up, the wicked still stay here alive, and then after seven years Jesus comes back down and for one thousand years the righteous reign over the wicked here on earth, and then the wicked are destroyed but the earth always has people alive on it. There is nothing in their interpretation of prophecy that explains all these scriptures that say a day is coming when the earth is desolate, when there is no one alive.
And there’s a few more, Jeremiah 4:23. I’m glad to see some of you writing these down, I hope you’re taking notes at home. We have so many scriptures; that’s why we put them up on the screen. “I beheld the earth and lo it was without form and void.” Now don’t forget that, when I say, “without form and void,” what part of the Bible do you think of? (Audience answers “Genesis”) Genesis, creation!
But is Jeremiah talking about way back in the beginning or is he looking down towards the end? Keep reading. “And the heavens and they had no light,” still sounds like it could be going back in time, “I beheld the mountains and lo, they trembled,” Oh back in Genesis when the earth was without form, God had not separated the land and the sea yet, “the hills trembled and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld and lo, there was no man and all the birds of heaven were fled,” that means they were there but they’ve gone. Why? It says, “I beheld and lo, the fruitful place,” place that was once a garden, once fruitful is now a wilderness, “and all the cities thereof were broken down,” there are broken down cities, is that talking about Genesis creation? Why? “At the presence of the Lord and by His fierce anger,” and it goes on and He says, “but I will not make a complete end.” He’ll create a new heavens and a new earth. No man, no birds, all cities broken down, this is after Jesus comes, the condition of the world.
Now there is a part of prophecy I’d like to leave out because it’s not one bit pleasant, but I’ve tried to be faithful to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. It says in Revelation chapter 19, talks about the feast of the vultures, when does that fit into the prophetic scenario? According to the Bible that would be after Jesus comes and all the wicked are slain by the brightness of His coming. And it says, “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of mighty men.” He’s talking about when the earth is covered with the slain, that’s what that time is. Whether these are literal birds or it’s a metaphor I don’t know but it is true that they will literally be dead, all of the wicked are dead at that time.
DB—Sermon Question #7: Number seven. The Bible tells us that Satan is going to be bound in a bottomless pit during the one thousand years, what is this pit?
Now the word that is used when it talks about the bottomless pit in Revelation the original Greek it’s the word “abusos.” It’s also the same word that God uses in the Greek version of the Old Testament called, the Septuagint. When He describes the world at creation as without form and void—it was an “abusos.”
How many of you remember a story where Jesus cast a legion of demons out of a demoniac by the shores of Gadara. He’s called the demoniac of Decapolis or Gadara and the demons, this legion of demons spoke to Jesus and they said, “Please, don’t cast us out of the man into nothingness,” and the word they used is don’t cast us out into the “abusos,” the very same word in Greek that is translated as “bottomless pit” in--in Revelation.
Any of you ever been to Carlsbad Caverns? I’ve been there, I think a couple of times. I would like to have seen it when they first discovered it, it is really something. You get down there Carlsbad, New Mexico, you get underground and they got these enormous rooms and it goes on for miles. And at one time it’s one of the bigger caverns in the world they found some that are much bigger. But when they first discovered it they went in with these primitive lamps and ropes it was a lot more dangerous back then. They found this one chasm that went down and down and down and they would throw these rocks off the edge and they’d never hear it hit the bottom and so they named it, “The Bottomless Pit.” And for several years when the tourists came through they’d say it’s the bottomless pit and they tossed stones in to illustrate they never could hear it hit the bottom.
Finally, a few years later they got some more sophisticated equipment and a little expedition say let’s see how a bottomless pit really is and they went down, and I don’t remember what it was maybe 300 yards, they went down and there was the bottom. And it was covered with all this very fine sand, very deep dust. And so what was happening is they were throwing these rocks off that were going (whistles) poof, and they didn’t hear it. And I guess it was a whole lot of them down there by that point but it wasn’t bottomless. I mean you think about that if you find a bottomless pit, you throw rock in and what’s it do come out in China? (Audience laughs)
I mean, so why the King James translators, it is a mystery, none of them are around to ask why they chose the word bottomless pit at the end of Revelation chapter 20 there when --we don’t know because in Mar--in Luke chapter 8 where it talked about the demons saying don’t cast us into the abyss into the deep, they used the word deep there, the nothingness. See, when the devil has nobody to tempt and manipulate that is the “abusos” for him. He’s chained by circumstances. The devil goes crazy, he’s a workaholic, with nobody to tempt and nobody to manipulate, what’s he going to do? All he can do is ponder his fate, am I right? And so he’s got a thousand years, he and his angels, to roam to and fro on this planet and to behold the results of their rebellion. I--it really does make sense when you think about it.
Now we’ll talk more about what’s happening on earth. What are the saints doing? Talk about something positive here. What are the saints during--during this time of the one thousand years?
Revelation 20 verse 4. “And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was committed to them,” and it goes on and says, “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God.” Paul was one of those people you know. John, when he wrote this, he’s probably thinking about his friend, Paul, because John outlived Paul who was beheaded.
Nero beheaded a lot of the church. If you were not a Roman citizen they would crucify you. If you are a Christian who--a Roman citizen who became a Christian they could not crucify you they could not crucify Roman citizen but they would behead you, they thought that was more merciful, that’s why Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified. And so those who were beheaded who had not worshiped the beast, notice this, we’re going to find out where the redeemed are. “Those who had not worshiped the beast or his image or received his mark on his—their forehead or their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Now the reason I’m reading this verse to you how many of you have heard or you even thought yourself that the thousand years were--we were living and reigning here on earth during the thousand years? Have you heard that before maybe you didn’t believe it but you’ve heard it before, okay? And then others believe that we live and reign with Christ in heaven for a thousand years and that really makes more sense cause think about it, Jesus said, “I go,” John 14, “to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you,” where is the place? “In my father’s house are many mansions,” He’s going to His father’s house to prepare a place for us there, “I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I Am,” my father’s house, “you may be also.”
So when He comes back and we’re caught up to meet Him in the air we’re going away from here, right? And the Bible says that’s the starting point of the one thousand years so that should be a real clear indicator but look at these other factors. We just read that those who live and reign with Christ during the one thousand years have not worshiped the beast and his image; they do not receive the mark of the beast in their hand.
Now go with me to Revelation 15 verse 1 and 2, notice these passages, we’re going to do some compare--comparative study here. “And I saw as it were a sea of glass.” A what? “A sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark,” that’s the same group that’s going to live and reign, right? “And over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass having the harps of God.”
So we know that those are the same group. Now is the sea of glass here on earth? We know that the ones who live and reign for a thousand years are with God on the sea of glass, the question is where is the sea of glass? Go with me to Revelation chapter 4 now. “After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven:” where? In heaven. “And the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me which said, come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and behold, a throne was set in heaven,” where is this? In heaven. “And one sat on the throne.” “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal.”
So the sea of glass were the redeemed who live and reign with Christ for a thousand years, standing with their harps, is it on earth or in heaven? So where do we spend the one thousand years? It’s in heaven. It’s so clear, friends. And I’m glad. I don’t want be down here with all these destruction and desolation and ruins. I want to be at the place that the Lord has prepared for us. I don’t want be the righteous ruling over the wicked, what a terrible scenario that is. Who here wants to rule over the wicked? I wouldn’t even want be president, that’d be a tough job, what a thankless job. (Laughs) You’ll always have someone mad at you, right?
Now we’re going to just sum up the things we just looked at here it says they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years, that’s Revelation 20 verse 4. The sea of glass mingled with fire and those that are gotten the victory over the beast, that’s the same group that’s living and reigning with the Lord. It says, “And before them was a throne set in heaven and before the throne there was a sea of glass.” So you just add a, and b, and c and you can put ‘em together where they’re going be.
DB—Sermon Question #8: Number eight. What is the chain that binds Satan during that 1,000 years and why is he bound?
Remember it tells us that he is bound with a great chain—this other angel. He can’t help but wonder if that other angel that binds Satan—who do you think that might be? Maybe Gabriel, he’s the mighty angel. Lamentation chapter 3, is it a literal chain? Lamentations 3 verse 7. It says, “He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out. He has made my chain heavy.”
Now you ever heard someone say, “Boy, I’m just bound up by all my work today I can’t get away. I’ve been tied to my work.” Isn’t that it’s a metaphor, it’s a figure. And again you can look in II Timothy 2 verse 9. “But the word of God is not chained,” when Paul talks about the word of God not chained can you chain words or is it a symbol?
Paul also says in Ephesians chapter 6, “We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood.” “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” “You cannot wrap a chain around a spirit.” These are words that God uses as to explain that God has weapons. When it says there was war in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels, what kind of war is that? Well, they don’t use machine guns, and hatchets, and knives, and swords, I mean I don’t think so. We don’t know what they used. I mean God is trying to use words we can relate to, right?
And it says again in Jude 1 verse 6, “The angels that did not keep their first estate,” their proper domain, “but left their own abode,” are those the good or the bad angels? They left their own abode. “He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” They are chained now in darkness by circumstances. They cannot go back to heaven again. So it’s talking about their fate is chained, chained by circumstances in other words.
Now I’m going to read some scriptures to you from a prophecy in Isaiah that also correspond with Revelation 20. (Uh) We want to be able to match these things together. When you read in Revelation 14 it says, “How thou art fallen from heaven,” verse 12, “oh Lucifer, son of the morning.” Who’s Lucifer? That’s the devil. You read on a little further in this same passage and it’s talking about the fate of Lucifer. Notice what it says, “All the kings of the nations, all them that sleep in glory, everyone in his own house,” meaning his grave, “but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit,” notice the pit there, “like a corpse trodden under foot, you will not be joined with them in burial because you have destroyed your land.” Satan is the one who made this world desolate by his rebellion, all the wicked are dead and he has nobody to tempt, he is not joined with them in the pit, in burial, not yet. All he can do is walk around and look at the desolation.
Again Isaiah 24 verse 19, “The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open.” When does this happen?—during the millennium. “The earth is shaken exceedingly, the earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard and totter like a hut, its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall and not rise again. And it will come to pass in that day, that the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones and on the earth the kings of the earth. They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in a pit, and will be shut up in the prison.”
So what is the bottomless pit where Satan and the lost are all restrained where they’re all bound? It’s the earth—in its destroyed, darkened, desolate condition. “I beheld the earth it was void.” It’s going to be like the field that is left fallow during that 1,000 years. And just think about it and after many days they will be punished, after many days, a thousand years is many days, right? So this condition stays the same but after many days Satan is loosed from its prison and they’re all punished.
But for at least one thousand years Satan has to roam to and fro throughout this world. Is he alone or his angels with him? Can you imagine that? One third of the angels, and if every person has one guardian angel, maybe there’s billions of them. Satan was able to persuade billions of angels to join him in his rebellion. And he said, “I’ve got a better plan we can win.” And now for 1,000 years he’s going to have to talk his way out of their wrath and he’s going to have them chasing him all over the planet with nowhere to hide. And looking at he said, “I’ve got a better plan, my administration, if you listen to me, it’ll be better than what God had planned.”
And all they see on every side are bleached bones and destruction and broken down cities and cracked earth and it is just darkness and cold, there is no light the Bible says. For one thousand years he will look at the results of his rebellion. Why is God giving him that time to do that? Why not just destroy him this time around? Well, one thing, God is long suffering. He’s demonstrating that even after Satan has a thousand years to consider the result of his rebellion, does he change? Does he ever repent?
And I think sometimes we may underestimate the high exalted position that Lucifer had before he fell. He was the highest of God’s created beings, very powerful. Sometimes we underestimate the power of the devil, I don’t like to dwell on it but you need to know something about your enemy. And he was a mighty angel, angels are ministering spirits. Don’t forget one angel of the Lord, hundred and eighty-five thousand Syrians died when he struck them. And again when an angel of the Lord (uh) came to roll away the tomb, hundred Roman soldiers were terrified to death, the Bible tells us.
Satan was the leader of the angels. God is going to execute Lucifer. These other beings in heaven knew him when he was good. Do you--what he--God didn’t create him and he was suddenly born God, it happened after a long time. We don’t know how long Lucifer was, you know you would have loved him back then if you knew him before he fell, some people love him now. But he was really good. Bible says every good and perfect gift is from God. He was made perfect. The Bible says he was perfect in all his ways from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him. How long was that? I don’t know. Think about this, it might have been a million years that Lucifer went through the universe and everyone hailed him, and he was beautiful, and nice, and humble, and--and God’s going to destroy him now, after this 6,000 year rebellion. He is demonstrating to the whole universe, “I have no alternative,” and you’ll see why in just a moment.
So during this period of time Satan is confined to this planet to behold the result of his rebellion and it is a very bleak thing to behold.
DB—Sermon Question #9: Number nine. Revelation 20 verse 4. It says there will be judgment going on in heaven during the one thousand years, what for and who will participate in this heavenly judgment?
Revelation 20 verse 4. “And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given to them and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Now let’s ask an obvious question here, are the redeemed who are living and reigning with Christ in their judgment are they deciding at that point who is saved and lost? Obviously, not! Because that’s already determined! Jesus says, “Behold, I come and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.” When He comes rewards are determined, so we’re not deciding who is saved and lost.
And again, I Corinthians 6 verse 2 and 3. “Do you not know the saints will judge the world”? And again, “Don’t you know that you will judge angels”? Are we judging good angels? Fallen angels! Now how is it that we judge, is God going to have mortals collectively voting on how much punishment people get? What kind of judgment is this? Here in Revelation 15 is the key to understanding.
Typically, when we think of judgment we get confused because (uh) if I said (uh) you know picture a judgment in your mind so many of us would picture a judge wearing a cape, what color is it? (Audience answers “black”) See, you got it. And he’s got what in his hand? (Audience answers “gavel.”) Gavel, that wooden hammer, and he’s sitting down and he’s slamming it going guilty, innocent, guilty, something like that, right? And 50 years life, or free, whatever his judgment is.
And (uh) the word “judgment” for the Hebrew mind, the writers of the Bible, meant much more. You ever heard a person say, “You’ve got good judgment.” Does that mean they walk around all day going, “Guilty, innocent, guilty, innocent,” is that what that means? No. It means that they evaluate things well and they make decisions or they have good discernment. They say, “That’s true, that’s not.” That’s called good judgment. They are not pronouncing sentence, they are evaluating what is right and what is wrong.
The judgment that the saints are doing during the one thousand years is really to evaluate the judgments of God in the sense. Revelation 15 verse 4. Let me explain. “Who shall not fear thee, oh Lord, and glorify thy name for thy judgments are made,” what? “Manifest.” When something’s manifest what does it mean? It’s revealed. God is revealing His judgments.
And again, I Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5. It says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes.” So when do we judge? “Until the Lord come who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.”
Alright, let’s go to heaven for a minute. You’re in heaven you’re very excited. And I heard one preacher say it’ll be three surprises when you get to heaven. Surprise number one is that you’re there. (Audience laughs) Surprise number two is that there are some people there you don’t know what they’re doing there. (Audience laughs) And then surprise number three is there are some people missing who you thought would be leading the parade, right?
There’s some big surprises when we get to heaven. And for instance, if you know your Bible you know Steven, the martyr. The last thing he remembers seeing is this young man named Saul, helping to hold the coats for those who are executing him. Now let’s go ahead in time and we’re at the resurrection, and as they’re gathering on the golden streets in heaven, suddenly Steven sees Saul.
And people always ask, “Are we going to recognize each other in heaven”? Of course! Do you think we’re going to have diminished discernment? It will be enhanced. Of course, we’re going to recognized even with our new bodies, we’ll know because we’ll have that additional discernment.
He’s going to look and he’s going to see Saul and he’ll probably nudge his angel and say, “You guys normally do really good work but I think that you’ve made a mistake (Audience laughs) because last time I saw him he was executing Christians, he was the hit man against Christians, what’s he doing here”? And the angel say, “We’re glad you asked, Steven, come over here, let’s look at the record books.” And they will pull, I don’t know, I used to say they had videos, they probably have DVDs now. (Audience laughs)
But (uh) God says books. But do you really think God has paper pulp books in heaven or is He using words. He some has some kind of record you know. My idea is that God’s got some kind a three-dimensional viewing ability and we--like a vision. He’ll say, “Let me show you.” And they’ll push the button and they’ll rewind the vision and they’ll say, “Alright, we’re going to play it.” And all of a sudden Steven will watch where on the road to Damascus, Saul goes though this radical conversion and becomes a devoted disciple and he lays down his life for the gospel, he ends--ended up dying a martyr, just like Steven. And Steven’s going to go, “Wow, I’m so glad to know that, I feel much better now.” (Audience laughs)
Now there will be a lot of questions like that and if heaven forbid, you get there and you’re in heaven you say, “Oh I can’t wait to see our head deacon, where is he at”? (Audience laughs) And the angel says, “We’ll we’ve got some sad news, (Audience laughs) come with me.” They press the button. Oh this is a sobering thought. The Bible says those things done in secret will be shouted from the housetop. And secret sins there’s only two choices, you’re in heaven and your sins are covered, or you’re not in heaven and they’re not covered. Am I right?
And you think about, “Doug, what if all the sins that I’ve confessed and forsaken until I backslid again, aren’t they covered”? No, there’s no halfway with the Lord like that, you’re either covered, your name is in the book of life or your sins are open, right? And they’ll push the button and that person’s going to see the head deacon and what was going on. And he thought he was such a good man, good friend, always hugged his Bible at church when he walked up and down the aisles. Let’s face it are there some hypocrites out there? (Audience answers “yes”) And there’s some here too, aren’t there? Don’t worry, there’s room for one more, (Audience laughs) if--if there was no hypocrites we’d all be in trouble.
And so there are this, this judgment is going to be taking place. We’ve got a little picture of what’s going to happen during that judgment. We’re going to show you a little video from the Final Events DVD that will help to illustrate that. (Sound effects starts) We’ll ask our angels and they’ll take us to these books, and we’re using the old kind of books there and they’ll explain. “This is why that person is here.” “This is why that person isn’t here.” Or you might have some questions and all these things will be revealed at that time.
We’ll also be able to see not only what was happening but we’ll see the spiritual side of the struggle where both angels of God and angels of the devil were fighting over souls. That’s happening now and we can’t see it. And ultimately, we will say His judgments are manifest and God’s judgments (Sound effects stops) are true, amen? And we’ll be totally satisfied with--with what the Lord has decided.
I’m going to have a lot of questions when I get to heaven, aren’t you? (Audience answers “amen”) Can you imagine, you know think about this reunion for a second. You know David misbehaved. I’m putting it nicely. He took the wife—he had lots of wife—he took the only wife of his honor guard, Uriah the Hitite, the man who laid down his life for David. Then he has him murdered, has him sent on a suicide mission to have him killed, tries to cover the whole thing up.
Uriah is a godly man. If you read the story in the Bible Uriah is going to be in heaven. David repented. We believe he’ll be in heaven. Bathsheba, she was forgiven, she ended up being the mother of Solomon. We believe she’ll be forgiven. Can you imagine that reunion (Audience laughs) in heaven?
That’s why the Jews asked Jesus about that woman that was married to seven different men and who she’ll be married to in heaven? And ultimately, we’re all going to be married to the Lord in heaven, right? And someone’s going to ask me the question, “But what about in the case where a husband and wife had just a normal marriage with no interruptions or any of these convolutions will they be divorced when they get to heaven”? No, I don’t think so. I think that in the case where there were normal, healthy, uninterrupted marriages and there’s no other people involved—are Adam and Eve still going to be married in heaven? I mean, did God design marriage? (Audience answers “yes”) Is it only for procreation? And hopefully, your partner you’ve married is your best friend so are you not going to be allowed to hang out with him in heaven? Of course, you will. That’s--God is not going to get you to heaven say, “Now we’re going to have our divorce.” (Audience laughs) That wouldn’t make sense, would it? No.
So I’ve got a lot of questions when I get to heaven. I want to ask Jacob how it was on his honeymoon he didn’t know that Leah was not Rachel (Audience laughs) until the morning. (Audience laughs) You ever read that story in the Bible? Whenever I read that I go, he must have been really drunk or something (Audience laughs) because (Laughs) I can’t figure that one out, that’s probably what it was because Lot, Lot didn’t know when his daughters laid down with him, right? I didn’t mean to take the study that direction so let’s go. (Audience laughs)
Revelation chapter 19, Revelation chapter 19 verse 1. It says, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven after these questions are answered,” we’re going to have a thousand years to ask questions, right? And oh by the way, when I used to do these seminars the studio said “Doug,” the studio used to tell me, “You’re always saying ‘incidentally.’” So I’ve replaced incidentally with by the way now, (Audience laughs) I hope they’ve caught that.
Is when--when we get to heaven are all the tears going to be dried during the 1,000 years or after? It’s not till you get to Revelation 21 that God wipes away the tears. You know supposed you get to heaven and someone you love is not there, are you going to have some sadness? Is there ever sadness in heaven now? Yes! What do you think angels feel when they look at the misery? What do you think the Lord feels? What do you think the Father felt when Jesus was dying on the cross? Heaven is intensely interested in what is happening in here. Moses and Elijah are watching what’s happening to the church, aren’t they? They’re very interested and there are heartaches and there are victories and cheers. Angels sing when sinners are converted. What do they do when--when Christians turn away?
So during that 1,000 years there may be some time when we’re going to have questions answered and there’s going to be some struggles. Don’t misunderstand, well, there’ll be pleasures at His right hand forevermore. We’ll be surrounded with such a glory and bliss that it’ll overshadow this sadness but there will be some tinges of sadness I believe, even during that time. At the end of the 1,000 years God says He will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
DB—Sermon Question #10: Number ten. At the close of the 1,000 years the Holy City, the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven to this earth. Who will come down with it and where will it settle?
Revelation 21 verse 2. The Bible says, “I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven.” So if we have been with God on the sea of glass in the New Jerusalem then where do we spend the 1,000 years? In heaven, not on earth, how else can we come down from heaven, right? “Prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband.”
At the end (Sound effects starts) of the 1,000 years the Lord is going to say, “Get ready we’re going to a wedding.” This is when the meek inherit the earth and this is also the final showdown between the forces of good and evil during this time.
At that time Satan is now released from his prison for two reasons: one he’s not alone because the New Jerusalem is coming out of heaven down to earth. The Lord is going to prepare the foundation for it during that time. The Bible tells us that another reason Satan is loosed is all the wicked who’ve ever lived come out of their graves, they’re called Gog and Magog. They were all the enemies of God who have ever lived through the ages. The number of them is like the sand of the sea. And the Bible tells us Jesus comes down, Zechariah chapter 14, His feet touch the Mount of Olives, it splits in the middle, forms a great valley, prepares the foundation for the New Jerusalem which then settles down in this new foundation the Lord has prepared.
The very spot where Jesus (Sound effects stops) left is where He comes back, amen? Won’t that be wonderful? But now let’s talk about the verses that help reinforce that, Zechariah chapter 14 verse 1, 4, 5, 9. “Behold, the day of the Lord comes and His feet will stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives will cleave in the midst thereof and it will form one side to the east and one side to the west and it forms this great, vast valley.” And this is where the New Jerusalem settles down.
What was the last place that Jesus’ feet touch when He left? He took them up to the Mount of Olives and as He ascended He said, “Go, ye, therefore, teach all nations.” He was on the Mount of Olives, which is by the way by Bethany. You might be thinking, “He was at Bethany.” That’s on the Mount of Olives, and He ascended to heaven. He said, “I’m going to come back the way you saw me go.” The next time He touches the earth He actually does come back down on the Mount of Olives. God keeps His word, can you say, amen?
DB—Sermon Question #11: Number 11. What will happen to the wicked dead at this time and how does this affect Satan?
Revelation 25, we already read this, “The rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished,” which means what? They do live again when the thousand years are finished. And it says again, “When the thousand years are expired Satan is loosed from his prison.” Why is he not chained anymore? He now has a vast army to tempt and manipulate and try to inspire and incite to take the city of God.
DB—Sermon Question #12: Number 12. What will Satan do then?
The same thing he’s always done; try to turn people against Jesus. It tells us, “He will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.” You know--Gog and Magog they’re not Russia and China, as some have said. All the proper names in Revelation are referring to Old Testament characters and stories. Revelation talks about Sodom and Baalam and Jezebel. Is there a Baalam in the last days? Is there a Jezebel in the last days? No, it’s spiritual Baalam, spiritual Jezebel, talks about Sodom and Egypt and it uses these terms to--from the Old Testament. Gog and Magog, Magog means the offspring or from the matrix of Gog. It means the enemies of God’s people like Babylon and her daughters, Herodias and Salome, Jezebel and Athaliah, it’s talking about Babylon and her daughters, the enemies of God’s people and their children come against the city of God.
“To gather them together to battle,” you can find this reference also in Ezekiel 37. “The number is like the sand of the sea.” It says in Ezekiel, “They cover the earth like a cloud.” Can you imagine there’re six billion people in the world today, what if all the people who have ever lived through history were suddenly alive on the planet right now? Wouldn’t that be something to behold? “And they go up on the breadth of the earth t--and they encamp they encompass the camp of the saints the beloved city and they’re preparing to take it by force.”
Satan now is roused and all of his angels and they see the New Jerusalem there and they say, “That’s ours and we can take it it’s our last chance, look how many of us there are.” “Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go in that way.” The majority is unfortunately outside the walls, right? We can take it. And we don’t know how long this period of time is. It says Satan is loosed for a little season. I don’t know if that’s days, weeks, months, I doubt it’s years, certainly, hope not. But he’s loosed from his prison long enough to muster this vast force into an army.
Now during that time when the resurrection happens for the wicked, we get glorified bodies when we’re saved, right? People always ask, “We’ll what kind of bodies do the wicked get”? I don’t know. I think the Lord just sort of put them back together and that so they know what’s going on. And the--if you come out of the grave and your back still hurts that’s a bad sign. (Audience laughs) Am I right? You’re in the wrong resurrection. (Audience still laughing)
So He’s going to put them back together just enough so they’re able and you know I sort of think that it’s almost like spiritual life that God is giving them life even to fight Him at that time. They’ll be thirsty but there’ll be nothing to drink, they’ll be hungry but nothing to eat, they’ll be ee-every sense will be yearning but there’ll be nothing to satisfy it.
And they’re going to be trying to take God off His throne, basically. And so they maybe concoct these weapons and try to prepare for their final assault. And there’ll be some formidable people, think about it. Probably, Adolf Hitler will be there, what do you think? Maybe Napoleon, maybe Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, think of all these great generals through time, many of them probably died lost. And them combined with all the demons and the devil they say, “We can take the City, we outnumber them.” They cover the earth like a cloud like the sand of the sea.
DB—Sermon Question #13: Number 13. What will interrupt Satan’s plan to capture and destroy the city of God?
Suddenly, Jesus rises up above the New Jerusalem and it says, “I saw a great white throne.” Christ on His throne saying, “The devil is not the king, I am the king.” “Christ on His throne seated at the right hand of power.” And again, Revelation chapter 20 verse 12. And it says, “And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. This is the great judgment.”
Some had this idea that the judgment is going to take place where one by one people come and stand before the Lord and they say, “Let’s look at the evidence, guilty innocent guilty innocent.”
Can the Lord save millions of people at one time because He speaks to every heart individually, right? He’s doing the judgment the same way. Can you picture this line that looks like the Department of Motor Vehicles that is (Audience laughs) going all the way around the planet 30 times and you’re waiting for your turn in judgment? (Audience laughs) No. He’s judging all the wicked at once. His white throne will be up there above the city where everyone will see.
Now think about this, friends. Everybody who’s ever lived will be there that day. You’ll be there. You who were watching, you’ll be there. And the good angels are there, the bad angels are there. Jesus is there, the devil is there. God the Father and Spirit are there. Everybody involved in the plan of salvation will be there. This is the final show, so to speak. And I hope I’m in the city. Don’t you hope you’re in the city? I pray you’re in the city, friends.
God brought you to this seminar because He wants you to be there. (Audience says “amen”) God will make a panorama pass though the heavens and everybody’s heart they will see how God tried to save them a thousand times, how they brought them truth and they turned away, rejected it or postponed. The devil’s most favorite tactic is procrastination. “I’ll do it eventually, later, one of these days.” And they never do.
Today is the accepted time. They’ll see Jesus dying in their behalf. How much He’s suffered. And they’ll be overcome with shame and guilt. And at that time when Christ is on His great white throne, and they’ll see Him that sat upon 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 which was opened which was the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books.” There’s a record of everything we’ve done. And it will all be laid bare not only for us to see but somehow everybody is going to know what happened to everybody. There’ll be no secret sin. The only ones who will be preserved are the ones who die spiritually before Jesus comes.
You must be crucified to self and allow Jesus to give you new life. You don’t live for yourself. Jesus said, “If you seek to save your life you lose it.” If you lose your life for Christ’s sake you’ll find it, amen? (Audience says “amen”) And then at that point overwhelmed with a sense of God’s holiness and their sin, you read these verses. It says, Philippians 2 verse 10 and 11, “Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God that He is righteous.”
And again, and) “That every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father even Satan will be forced to fall on his knees and declare Jesus Christ is Lord.” Romans 14:11 says the same thing. “As I live, sayeth the Lord, every knee,” how many? Everyone in the city, everyone out of the city, all the good angels, all the bad angels, all creation will bow before Him and say, “He is just in how He has dealt with this experiment with sin. The Lord was good.”
And then in a desperate attempt they try to resume their attack on the city of God showing they’ve not changed. And fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. And that’s what’s going to happen. We have a little glimpse of what that’s going to look (Sound effects starts) like. God is then going to rain fire down everywhere except in the city of God. And it is going to build up and form a lake of fire. And the Bible tells us that everyone is going to be rewarded according to what he deserves. But those in the city will be safe, amen?
The Bible says the walls of the city are a hundred and forty-four cubits. And that’s probably how wide they are. God is going to purify the planet with fire during that time and the good news is that He will then on the ashes of this purified world, create a new heavens and a new earth, amen? (Sound effects stops) So we’ve got a picture here, very quickly, of what’s going to happen.
This is great judgment day. Whoever is not found written in the book of life the Bible says that (uh) they are in that lake of fire. There’s two choices: your name is in the book of life or it’s the lake of fire. And then God is going to create a new heavens and a new earth.
You know, friends, the Lord wanted you to hear this. He’s brought you here tonight. He wanted you to see this program because He wants you to be there. You might be thinking, “Ahh, Doug, you don’t know. I’ve tried so hard and I don’t think I can make it. And if there’s only a few then what should make me think that He would save me”?
Friends, Jesus would not go through every thing that He went through to save you if it wasn’t possible for you to be there. It’s entirely possible if you believe. The devil doesn’t want you to believe this hope. You get to choose who you’re going to listen to. Do you think the devil has more power to destroy you than Jesus has to save you? Is your devil bigger than your God? Who do you have more faith in?
There’s only two roads, there’s only two destinies, there’s only two masters, and you can choose who you will serve. God wants you to be in the city. He wants you to be in the new earth, He wants you to be saved, friends. Do you want to be there? (Audience answers “yes”) Do you think you could love a God that loves you that much? I hope you’ll pray about that decision right now.
(Background music starts)
Have you ever planned for a vacation? It’s exciting when you know that all expenses are paid, you ever had one of those vacations? How would you like to have a thousand year vacation in the most beautiful resort in the universe? All expenses paid. (Audience answers “yes”)
Oh, well, you know the devil is going to get a vacation. He’s a workaholic. He’s not going to enjoy it one bit. But Jesus has purchased a different kind of vacation for you. He wants you to have not only a thousand year vacation but He has paid a tremendous price so that you could have an eternal vacation in a city made new, in a universe made new. He wants you to be there, friends.
Can you trust Him? Do you believe Him? He died to save you. The Bible tells us that there’s nothing that can separate you from the love of God except you choosing to believe that your devil is bigger than your God. Don’t fall for it, friends. Today if you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart. He wants you to be in that kingdom. We are right near the time when that resurrect-ion is going to mark the beginning of the one thousand years. And once that time begins we’ve entered eternity, all cases are forever decided.
We’re all going to meet again someday, friends. I hope we meet again in the city, amen? Together we can gather around the throne and eat from the tree of life. Those are our only two choices. Would you like for me to pray for you that we could all be together in that city? Let’s make a decision to give Jesus our hearts now.
Father in heaven, thank you for the good news; the gospel, that Jesus has laid down His life and poured out His blood that He might purge us and save us from our sins. That He might give us new hearts and we can look up when He comes and say, “Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him and He will save us.” We can know that we know Him. We can know in whom we have believed and trust that He is able to keep that which we’ve committed unto Him against that day.
Be with these people that they might have that experience, Lord. Right now come into their hearts through the Holy Spirit, do something for them and help us be ready, we pray in Jesus’ name, amen.