The Return of Christ
Text: Revelation 20
Core Idea: Christ has won, Christ will reign, and Christ will judge. So, let’s not live in fear of the dragon’s roar but live in confidence of the Lamb’s victory. Don’t let these temporary battles blind you to the final outcome, for all who belong to Him will share in His victory forever.
INTRODUCTION
Good morning, Lighthouse. I want to welcome all of you, but especially our Tugboat and Anchor friends, as they’ll be joining us for the whole service today. To help our children engage a little more, we’ve been following their curriculum during these joint services – so please open your Bibles to Revelation 20. Now, the truth is that many Christians are unfamiliar with this book – partly because it’s really difficult to understand. It’s full of symbolism – making the story a bit confusing and hard to apply to our lives. It contains a lot of images like beasts, dragons, horns, and bowls that can feel strange or even intimidating to us. On top of that, the repeated scenes of judgment and wrath can feel rather overwhelming – making us want to avoid the book altogether. But we shouldn’t let these things distract us from seeing the heart of the message – which is that no matter how dark the present may seem, the future is secure, for Jesus will be victorious. Revelation is not ultimately about decoding the future – it’s about trusting the Lamb who wins. Behind all the chaos of this world, it tells us that Christ is sovereign over all.
Then, before Remy comes up to read, I want to give you a quick overview of the book so that it’ll help you better understand the passage we’re about to read. If you have your Bible, I encourage you to open it and follow along. In Chapters 1-3, John sees the risen Christ speaking to the seven churches – encouraging the faithful, warning the compromised, and urging all of them to persevere in the face of coming tribulations. In Chapter 4, John is caught up into heaven where he sees God on His throne – surrounded by 24 elders and four creatures. In Chapter 5, John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals – representing God’s plan for history. Unfortunately, no one is worthy to open it until the Lamb appears – representing Jesus Christ, slain yet standing. And when He takes the scroll, all of heaven erupts in worship. Then, from Chapters 6-11, the Lamb opens the seals one by one, unleashing God’s judgments – war, famine, death, and disasters. Yet, despite these warnings, people still refuse to repent. So, John is told to eat the scroll and call people back to Christ before it’s too late. In Chapters 12-14, John sees the dragon, Satan, waging war against God’s people – showing us that behind history lies a spiritual battle. In the end, the dragon is defeated, but he continues to deceive and oppose God’s people on earth. In Chapters 15-16, seven bowls of wrath are poured out against evil – setting the stage for the final confrontation. In Chapters 17-18, Babylon, the corrupt world system, collapses. And the story reaches its climax in Chapter 19 with the glorious return of Jesus Christ. Let me actually read a portion of it – Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.” At His coming, the beast (Antichrist) and the false prophet (those who led people to worship Antichrist) are captured and thrown into the lake of fire. And yet one great enemy remains: the dragon, Satan himself. Then, with that in mind, let me invite Remy up so that he can read the passage for us.
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in His hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 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 about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share 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 a thousand years. 7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Thank you, Remy, for reading. And children, I hope you enjoyed the video – a great summary of this vision. Then, let me point out three things from this passage:
· THE TRIUMPH OF CHRIST
· THE REIGN OF CHRIST
· THE JUDGMENT OF CHRIST
1) THE TRIUMPH OF CHRIST
In verse 1, John sees an angel descending from heaven with the key to the Abyss and a chain in his hand – and without hesitation, he seizes the dragon, binds him, and throws him into the Abyss. Now, to leave no room for confusion, John identifies exactly who this dragon is in verse 2: “That ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan.” In other words, Satan is locked away in a prison for a thousand years – which means that for the first time in history, he’s unable to deceive the nations. In Chapter 12, Satan fought and was defeated by Michael and the host of angels, but he still found ways to deceive and oppose God’s people on earth – which, by the way, represents the world we live in now. No wonder Satan is described as “the prince of this world” (Jn. 14:30), “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4). But when Christ returns, that’ll all change. He’ll be bound for a thousand years, and we’ll experience life on earth without Satan’s influence. But this raises a question: “Why not throw Satan into hell right away? Why bind him for a thousand years, only to release him ‘for a little while’ as it says in verse 3?” The answer comes in verse 8. Here, we read that after the thousand years are over, Satan is released to deceive and gather the nations one last time. In fact, he’ll rally an army so vast that John says their number will be like “the sand on the seashore.” This is somewhat shocking because it implies that even after Christ reigns in glory for a thousand years, multitudes will still choose to follow Satan in rebellion. Then, here’s the reason for his release: So that God can gather Satan and all his followers into one place to destroy them once and for all. Verse 9 describes the scene: “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city He loves.” Imagine that moment – a massive army, impossible to count, lined up against Jesus and His people. From our perspective, it looks like the stage is set for an epic battle. But in the blink of an eye, it’s over. Verse 9 says, “Fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” They were consumed in seconds – which shows just how insignificant their power is compared to the power of God. It’s like a line of ants trying to stop a bulldozer. They may look busy, but they have no chance of stopping it. In the same way, Satan may gather nations like the sand of the sea, but before God, they’re powerless. And in verse 10, we see that Satan is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where he’ll be tormented forever and ever.
Now, what does this mean for us today? First, it reminds us that spiritual warfare is real. The truth is that we often forget this reality because we can’t see it with our eyes. But this doesn’t change the fact that this unseen battle is raging all around us. Until Christ returns, Satan will do everything in his power to lead us astray – whispering lies like, “You’re unlovable. You’re not good enough. Pursuing God is a waste of time. It’s not worth the effort. You’d be better off investing in this world. You’re missing out.” And in the busyness of life, and in our burnt-out state, it’s easy to believe him. But passages like this remind us to stay alert – and that’s what we should do. Second, this vision assures us that we don’t have to live in fear. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Yes, Satan can tempt us. He can deceive and blind our minds. He can accuse us. He can hinder the work of the church. And he can even bring suffering into our lives. But here’s what he cannot do: he cannot separate us from the love of God, he cannot snatch us from the hand of Christ, and he definitely cannot win the final battle. Do you remember the judgment God pronounced against the serpent in Genesis 3:15? “He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” Revelation 20 is a preview of that promise finally fulfilled – the serpent will be completely and forever destroyed. Evil will not have the last word. So, yes, we must stay vigilant. Yes, we must put on the armor of God to guard our hearts and minds. Yes, we must resist him with the help of the Holy Spirit. But we don’t have to be scared. We don’t have to be crushed by guilt, shame, or fear of failure. Even though Satan may accuse us before God, his accusations have no power over us, for our sins have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ – which is why when we stumble, we don’t have to keep distance from Christ until His anger subsides. No, we can run to Him right away in repentance, knowing that He’ll always be merciful. So, friends, let’s continue to fight the good fight of faith. Let’s stand firm, knowing Satan’s fate is sealed. Why surrender to one whose destiny is the lake of fire? Let’s not live in fear of the dragon’s roar – but live in confidence of the Lamb’s victory.
2) THE REIGN OF CHRIST
Verse 4, “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Let’s pause and trace the sequence. Chapters 6-16 describe the great tribulation. Chapter 19 records Christ’s return and the judgment of the beast and the false prophet. In Chapter 20:1-3, Satan is bound. And then, during those thousand years, Christ will rule together with the martyrs and all who remained faithful to Him. And only after that millennium, verse 11, will Satan be thrown into hell, and the old earth passes away. And we can’t help but ask, “What’s up with these thousand years? Why not end everything at Christ’s return?” Christians have wrestled with this for centuries – resulting in three views. Now, please note that this is not a primary issue like the gospel. Many spiritual giants have disagreed on this – so we shouldn’t divide over it. Instead, it should be an opportunity for us to learn – reminding ourselves that there’s so much we still don’t understand. Then, please pay attention because I don’t want to lose you in the details.
Three views of the millennium. First, postmillennialism teaches that through the advance of the gospel and Christian influence in society, the world will experience a golden age of peace and righteousness for a thousand years before Christ returns. This view flourished in the 17th-19th centuries when many believed the world was improving under Christianity through missions, science, and cultural progress. But the devastation of World War I and II crushed that optimism – and as a result, this view has few followers today. Puritans like Jonathan Edwards and John Owen held this view. Second, amillennialism teaches that the thousand years are symbolic and are happening right now in this present church age. In this view, the thousand-year reign is the same thing as Christ reigning right now in heaven. So, when Christ returns, there will be no literal thousand-year reign – instead, the final judgment will happen immediately, and the new heaven and new earth will be established. This view became dominant in the 4th century after Christianity became the official religion of Rome when many concluded that Christ’s kingdom was being established. This view remains popular today as it was embraced by pastors like R.C. Sproul, Tim Keller, John Calvin, and Martin Luther. Third, premillennialism teaches that Christ will return first, and then He will reign on earth for a literal thousand years with His resurrected saints. Only after that millennium will Satan’s final rebellion occur – followed by the final judgment and the eternal state. This was the earliest and most common view in the early church – held by men like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus. In fact, because it’s the most natural reading of Revelation, many evangelicals still embrace it today. Pastors like John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Al Mohler, and Charles Spurgeon all held to this view. And in case you’re wondering, this is also what I believe – not only because it’s the view embraced by the AGC but ultimately because I’m convinced that this is the most faithful reading of this chapter. Now, that being said, if you hold a different view, you’re obviously still welcome here. As I said before, this is not an issue that should divide us, but rather one that should drive us to keep studying the Word of God so that we can better understand the truth. Then, back to our original question: “Why does Christ reign for a thousand years on earth before the new heaven and new earth?” Premillennialists usually point to two reasons. First, to fulfill God’s promises. The OT prophets spoke of a time when the Messiah would rule the nations in peace and justice (Isa. 11; Zech. 14). Then, the millennium allows God to fulfill those promises – showing us that His Word never fails. Second, to display Christ’s glory. The first time Jesus came, He was rejected, mocked, and crucified. But in the millennium, He’ll be visibly enthroned – reigning over the nations. So, the last chapter of human history will not be chaos and tribulation, but the public reign of Christ on earth.
Now, why does this matter? How does it impact our lives today? Well, knowing that Christ will one day reign on earth and heaven means our present suffering is not meaningless, and our faithfulness is not wasted. 2 Timothy 2:12 says, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.” That’s exactly what happened with the martyrs in verse 4. Their faithfulness, even unto death, was not in vain, for they were raised and seated on thrones to reign with Christ. And, of course, that same promise belongs to every believer. Think of marathon runners. They’re aching and exhausted, and yet they keep moving forward because they know the finish line is near. In the same way, we keep pressing forward in faith because the glory to come far outweighs the pain of the present. Brothers and sisters, are you weary today? Do you feel weighed down by trials, or distracted by the busyness of life? Are you losing perspective? If so, let this future hope fuel your present perseverance. Don’t give up. Christ doesn’t ask us to win the war on our own – He simply calls us to remain faithful. Then, when the world mocks you, when sin tempts you, when suffering feels heavy, remember: this is not the end of the story. Every prayer whispered, every act of obedience, every unseen moment of faithfulness is noticed by Christ – and one day, when we reign with Him, we’ll see that it was all worth it. Therefore, let’s persevere – not because the path is easy, but because the destination is certain. Christ will reign. Satan will be destroyed. And God’s people will be vindicated.
3) THE JUDGMENT OF CHRIST
Verse 11, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.” Before the new heavens and new earth can come, evil must be fully dealt with. At this point, Satan is already in the lake of fire – and now, God turns His attention to the human race for the final judgment. Then, imagine this scene: every single person who has ever walked the earth, great and small, standing before the throne. No one is left out. The rich and the poor. The educated and the uneducated. The powerful ones who once commanded armies and the powerless ones who lived under oppression. The famous ones whose names filled the headlines and the forgotten ones whose names no one remembers. From Adam to the last person born at Christ’s return, they’re all there – billions of people from every tribe and every nation gathered together. And yet John’s attention is not on the crowd but on the One seated on the great white throne. This reminded me of what Isaiah saw in his vision in Isaiah 6:1-4 – let me read it for us: “I saw the LORD, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.’ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.” When Isaiah says the train of His robe filled the temple, he’s saying there’s not one place we can stand where He’s not reigning – there’s not one place where the wicked can flee from this King. In other words, He’s the Lord over all things. Brothers and sisters, I pray that you’ll have the eyes to see this and be humbled by His glory because this means that Jesus is not this little thing you add onto your busy life. No, Jesus is your life. He’s either everything or nothing. We’re fools if we think we can compartmentalize Him. Then, let me ask you, “What is He to you today?” A.W. Tozer said, “Were all human beings suddenly to become blind, still the sun would shine by day and the stars by night, for these owe nothing to the millions who benefit from their light. So, were every man on earth to become an atheist, it could not affect God in any way. He is what He is in Himself without regard to any other. To believe in Him adds nothing to His perfections; to doubt Him takes nothing away.” God’s glory doesn’t depend on us – He’ll be praised whether we join in or not. Think about the sun. The sun doesn’t need the Earth to orbit around it – it would still shine in all its brilliance. But the Earth cannot survive without the sun’s light and warmth. In the same way, God doesn’t need our worship to validate His worth – but we desperately need Him for everything. We cannot live without Him. So, let me ask again: “What is He to you today? Are you truly orbiting around the Son – drawing your life, your direction, and your strength from Him? Or have you slipped out of orbit – drifting further and further from the source of light and life? Friends, are you revolving around Him, or are you still expecting Him to revolve around you?”
These questions matter deeply because of what John records next in verse 12: “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” Verse 15, “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” That is a frightening reality. It says that everything we thought, said, and did will be laid out in the open. Think about that. Our every thought, every word, and every deed is written in those books, and we will be judged accordingly. If that’s true, who among us could confidently stand before God? Not one. The weight of guilt and shame would crush us – and worse still, the righteous wrath of God would justly fall on us. But when all hope seems gone, another book is opened – the book of life. And if your name is written in that book, it tells us that you’re safe, for you belong to Christ. Yes, everyone will be judged by their works, but those whose names are in the book of life will be justified – not by their works, but by the finished work of Christ. So, let me ask you, “Is your name written in the book of life?” If you’re not sure, turn to Christ today. Repent of your sins, believe that Christ has died for you, and surrender your life to Him. Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sin ever again, but it does mean that you’ll never treat sin the same way, in that you won’t be indifferent when you sin – instead, it’ll grieve you and drive you to confession. So, again, if you’ve never given your life to Jesus, run to Him so that you may be safe from the wrath of God. Now, if you are a Christian, ask yourself: “Is there evidence of salvation in my life today? Can others see that Jesus is truly my Lord and Savior, or would they be surprised to learn that I follow Him? Am I clinging to Christ alone, or am I clinging to my career, my reputation, my comfort, my achievements for hope and peace?” Brothers and sisters, take time this week to picture yourself standing before the judgment seat of Christ – and let that future reality reshape how you live today. And by God’s grace, may your life bear much fruit as you live a life worthy of the gospel and proclaim this gospel to the world.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, Christ has won, Christ will reign, and Christ will judge. So, let’s not live in fear of the dragon’s roar but live in confidence of the Lamb’s victory. Don’t let these temporary battles blind you to the final outcome, for all who belong to Him will share in His victory forever.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) The passage shows Satan gathering a vast army, only for God to defeat them instantly. How does this image encourage you when you feel overwhelmed by evil in the world? What does it look like practically to “live in confidence of the Lamb’s victory” rather than in fear of the dragon’s roar?
2) How does John’s vision of “the great and small” standing before God’s throne confront our culture’s obsession with status, wealth, and power? Why is it significant that John’s focus is not on the crowd but on the One seated on the throne? What would change if you lived each day with the reality of standing before Christ’s throne in mind?
3) How might we be tempted to compartmentalize Jesus in our lives? What would it look like to orbit fully around the Son?