When will the judgment begin? Daniel 8:14
A.D. Since judgment begins at the house of God
(the righteous), with whom does it end? 1 Peter 4:17
And it if begins with us, what will the
Note: Clearly, the judgment begins with the
righteous but continues with the wicked.
Who will be involved in the judgment of the
wicked? 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3
Do you not know that the saints will judge the
NOTE: Evidently, the righteous will share in
this judgment of the wicked and of the evil angels.
When do the saints engage in judgment? Revelation 20:4
I saw thrones on which were seated those who
had been given authority to
NOTE: Here is a time when the saints sit on
thrones and engage in the work of judgment, reigning with Christ for a
thousand years. In order to get the full picture of this second phase
of the judgment, let us study carefully Revelation 20 and the 1000
years.
THE
BEGINNING What event marks the beginning of the 1000
years? Revelation 20:6 Is this a resurrection of the righteous or
the wicked? Revelation 20:6 When does the second resurrection take place?
Revelation 20:5
The rest of the dead did not come to life until
the thousand years were
NOTE: The righteous will be raised at the first
resurrection. the wicked will be raised at the second resurrection at
the end of the 1000 years. The 1000-year period separates the two
resurrections.
What two futures does Jesus tell us are
planned for those who will be resurrected? John 5:28, 29 When does the first resurrection occur? 1 Thessalonians 4:16
The Lord himself will come
NOTE: The second coming of Christ marks the
beginning of the 1000 years.
What happens to the righteous who are alive
when Jesus comes? 1 Thessalonians 4:17
We who are still
NOTE: What a fantastic event! Not only are the
righteous dead resurrected from their graves, but the righteous living
are caught up and meet the Lord in the air.
Where does Jesus take the righteous dead and
the righteous living? John 14:1-3
In my Father's house are many
NOTE: Jesus promised his followers that He
would go back to the Father and prepare a special place for them in the
Father's house. He would then return to earth to take His followers to
where He was. the purpose of the second coming of Jesus is to take the
redeemed, the living righteous and the resurrected righteous, to the
Father's house. What a glorious privilege it will be to go to heaven
itself with Jesus.
What happens to the lawless one when Jesus
comes? 2 Thessalonians 2:8, 9
And destroy by the
NOTE: The lawless one is the final power who
deceives those who are perishing because they refuse to love the truth.
The lawless one and those deceived by him will be destroyed by the
splendor of Jesus' coming.
How bright will the second coming of Jesus
be? Matthew 25:31
When the Son of Man comes in his
NOTE: When Jesus rose from the dead, one lone
angel opened the tomb. At this angel's appearance the Roman guards fell
as dead men. When Jesus returns, He will come in His own glory, plus
the glory of all the holy angels. No wonder the wicked are destroyed by
the brightness of His coming.
How does the prophet Jeremiah describe the
destruction of the wicked at the second coming of Jesus? Jeremiah 25:33
Those
NOTE: Jeremiah pictures a very gruesome scene:
The wicked are slain by the Lord.
Why doesn't anyone bury them?
Because, there is no one left alive on the
earth to do so!
The righteous have all been taken to heaven.
The wicked who were already dead remain dead
until the end of the 1000 years. The wicked who were alive have been slain by
the brightness of His coming.
Events transpiring at the beginning of the 1000
years very quickly depopulate the earth. (please note the diagram below
and refer to it often as you continue this study.)
DIAGRAM OF MILLENNIUM
Events The Righteous The Wicked
2nd Coming of Jesus
First Resurrection Dead Raised, Dead Left Dead,
Satan Bound Judge the Wicked Earth Desolate
Second Resurrection
All Raised
3rd Coming of Jesus Descend in Attack City
God Vindicated
Acknowledge God,
New Heaven and
Inhabit New Earth Do Not Exist
EVENTS
DURING THE 1000 YEARS What happens to Satan during the 1000 years? Revelation 20:1, 2
Satan, and
NOTE: Obviously, this does not mean that God
takes a rope and places it around Satan. He is bound by a chain of
circumstances beyond his control.
Why is Satan bound? Revelation 20:3
To keep him from
NOTE: Satan's main work is to tempt and to
deceive men. If he is prevented from doing his work of deception he is
thus bound. The righteous are in heaven, Satan cannot touch them. The
wicked are all dead, Satan cannot touch them. Therefore, he is bound by
a galling chain of circumstances that is beyond his control. There is
no one for him to tempt. Satan and his angels are left alone on planet
earth for 1000 years to reflect on the ruin they have caused. Satan
claimed that he could rule better than God. Now, God gives Satan 1000
years to see the results of his kind of government.
How does Jeremiah describe the earth during
the 1000 years? Jeremiah 4:23-26
I looked at the earth, and it was
NOTE: Jeremiah sees the earth in absolute
desolation. He states that there is no man on the earth. This
condition, is brought about in front of or by the presence of the Lord.
Jeremiah sees the earth in the very same condition as John in
Revelation 20 -- a time of global desolation caused by the coming of
Jesus which has taken the righteous to heaven and destroyed the wicked.
What are the righteous doing in heaven during
the 1000 years? Revelation 20:4
I saw
NOTE: Here is phase number two of the judgment.
The saints share in the reign of Jesus over the entire universe during
the 1000 years. They are not reigning on earth, they are reigning with
Jesus in heaven. During this time, God opens the records and shows the
righteous why the wicked are not there. Our God is so fair and just
that He wants all questions answered completely. Perhaps the saints may
wonder why certain people are not in heaven. During the 1000-year
judgment session, they will be able to find out. God wants all the
questions answered in order that everyone will clearly see His justice
in finally destroying sin and sinners.
Phase number one of the judgment is for the
benefit of the angels. In this phase of the judgment God vindicates the
saints before he takes them to heaven. That phase began in 1844 and
concludes at the second coming of Jesus.
Phase number two of the judgment begins at the
second coming of Jesus and is for the benefit of the righteous so their
questions in regard to God's destruction of the wicked will be
answered.
EVENTS AT
THE END What happens at the end of the 1000 years? Revelation 20:7
Satan will be
NOTE: Satan is no longer bound, and he's ready
to tempt again.
What happens to the wicked at the end of the
1000 years? Revelation 20:5
They come to
NOTE: At the end of the 1000 years, the second
resurrection takes place, and all the wicked are raised from their
graves. There are people alive again for Satan to tempt. Satan is
loosed from his bonds.
What city does God bring to the earth at the
end of the 1000 years? Revelation 21:2
The New
NOTE: At the end of the 1000 years, all the
righteous return to the earth inside the New Jerusalem.
Why does Jesus come back with all His saints?
Jude 14, 15
The Lord is coming with thousands upon
thousands of his holy ones to
NOTE: The purpose of Jesus returning will all
His saints is for phase three of the judgment that began in 1844. This
judgment is for the benefit of the wicked, including Satan and his
angels. The righteous and the good angels have already been fully
satisfied that God is just. That's why Jude says this phase of the
judgment will convince the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds. God will
be fully vindicated before every inhabitant in the universe.
What does Satan do to the resurrected wicked?
Revelation 20:8
And will go out to
NOTE: Satan hasn't changed in 1000 years. He
still wishes to battle God. He still wishes to capture God's city. He
actually convinces the wicked to believe that they can go up and
conquer the holy city.
As the wicked come up and surround the holy
city, what happens to them? Revelation 20:9
But
NOTE: It sounds absolutely incredible, but
true. Satan deceives the wicked into thinking that they can conquer the
holy city. As they come up and surround the city, fire comes down and
devours them. However, before they are destroyed, God very clearly
causes them to see that they have been warring against God. In the next
few verses, John goes back over the events once again, showing us how
God is vindicated among the wicked.
What do the wicked see in the city? Revelation 20:11 What is opened as those who had been dead now
stand before God? Revelation 20:12 What happens next to the wicked? Revelation 20:12, 13
The dead were
NOTE: Here is phase number three of the
judgment. God opens the records, and the wicked clearly see that their
exclusion from heaven is just. The wicked see that they have been
rebelling against God. No one now questions the justice and rightness
of God.
Will the wicked then acknowledge that God is
truly the Lord? Philippians 2:10, 11
At the name of Jesus every knee should
NOTE: At last comes a time when everyone in the
universe has fully admitted the justice of God. Rebellion arose in the
beginning because Satan questioned the justice of God. Now there is no
longer any question. Everyone has been fully satisfied and convinced
during the three-phase judgment.
Phase one, the judgment from 1844 until the
second coming of Jesus, has vindicated God to the entire universe of
unfallen beings. Phase two of the judgment during the 1000
years has vindicated God before all the righteous concerning the
wicked. Phase three at the end of the 1000 years has
vindicated God before all the wicked. Even they admit the justice of
God.
Review the diagram after question 14 that clearly
illustrates what happens before, during and after the 1000 years.
THE JUDGMENT
EXECUTED What happens to the wicked after they are
judged? Revelation 20:14, 15
If anyone's name was not found written in the
book of life, he was thrown into the lake of
NOTE: God does not arbitrarily destroy the
wicked. The whole purpose of their being resurrected at the end of the
1000 years is to prove to everyone beyond a shadow of doubt that God
has given the wicked every opportunity to be saved, but they have
rejected every offer of salvation sent by Him.
Those who invite Jesus to handle their case
will be inside the city at the end of the 1000 years. Where do you want
to be? Inside or outside the city?
