“1000 Years” of the resurrected Believers reigning and judging with Christ Jesus, before entering the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 20

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

We have to keep in mind that the “1000 years” is before entry into the eternal New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem comes when Satan is eternally defeated after the “1000 years”. The New Jerusalem in the new heaven and earth is eternal, not just “1000 years”. The New Jerusalem comes after Satan is thrown into hell and after the second resurrection and final judgment at the Great White Throne. That is the subject of the verses of this post.

• Satan is bound for “1000 years“.
• For “1000 years”, the resurrected Believers reign with Christ Jesus before entering the New Jerusalem.
• After “1000 Years”, Satan is released then eternally defeated.
• Great White Throne judgment.

Satan is bound for “1000 Years“. 

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 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 on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20:1-3

An angel with the key to the bottomless pit opens it up, throws Satan in it, and binds him with a chain for “1000 years”. A seal was set on him, meaning his imprisonment was by the authority of the Lord God and no one was empowered to release him, except by the authority of the Lord. For those “1000 years”, the nations under the authority of Christ Jesus will no longer be deceived by Satan. After those “1000 years”, Satan would be released for a short while.

The two beasts, who helped Satan to rally the world to the Battle of Armageddon, as described in Revelations 16:12-16, have already been defeated and thrown into the burning lake of fire, as described in Revelations 19:20. That leaves Satan the only surviving member of his trinity, who is now imprisoned for “1000 years”. The two beasts are revealed in Revelations 13; Satan and the first beast are mentioned in Revelations 13:1-10, the second beast, also known as the “false prophet”, is mentioned in Revelations 13:11-17.

For “1000 years”, the resurrected Believers reign with Christ Jesus before entering the New Jerusalem.

“And I saw thrones, and they that sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.” Revelation 20:4a.

The Apostle John saw thrones of judgment and those who sat on them, and they were empowered by the Lord God to render judgment. Who are they? They are those of the first “1000 years” of eternity who reign and judge with Christ. That is before entry is given into the eternal New Jerusalem.

The Bible speaks of how we who live for Jesus Christ will judge alongside Him, which refers to our place within the eternal New Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit speaks through Paul, who says, “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” 1 Corinthians 6:3 To His twelve Apostles, Jesus says, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28.

With that said, those who reign and judge with Christ, before the New Jerusalem, and during the first “1000 years” of eternity, are those who do not serve the beast, nor his image, nor receive the mark on the forehead nor on the hands, as stated in next verses of 4b-5 of this post.

“Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.” Revelation 20:4b.

After the Apostle John sees the thrones of judgment, and those who sat on them, he then sees the souls of those beheaded for holding to the testimony of Jesus Christ. They are those who do not, and did not, serve the beast, nor his image. Nor did they receive the mark on their foreheads or their hands.

Today, the beast is in this world that has power over physiology to give people what to say, do, think, and feel. The beast gives breath/life to the image of the beast to speak by speaking and living through people. The culture of today, which is global, is conformed to the mark, name, number of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

We are living in the early part of the reign of the beast on this earth, and we are to shun the presence of the beast living within thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors. The beast reigns on this earth for “42 months”, or “1260 days”…click for a post on the beginning and end of the beast’s “42 months” reign, from Revelations 13:5-6. Even today, the “soft kill”, or silent killer of the psychotic “lamb” is claiming the lives of many who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. In many countries around the world, Christians are blatantly being imprisoned, afflicted, and even killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. The majority of the members of the United Nations are atheists who oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They live and govern for the beast that governs by giving them what to say, do, think, and feel. They are guiding their nation in the direction of serving the beast. That is why it is called the government of the beast. China and Russia are two of the three most powerful countries in the world, staunch atheists, whose vote in the United Nations carry tremendous amount of influence. When the United Nations become the undisputed one world government, it will be mandatory, the law of the land, for people to serve the beast, his image, and his mark. Even today, we who do not say and do how the culture of the beast expects us to say and do are pushed aside from their social network.

As the days progress, the followers of Jesus Christ will be killed for not welcoming the image of the beast to speak and live through us, “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Revelations 13:5 Click for a post on the image of the beast. In that day, no one will be allowed to buy or sell unless they have the mark, name, number of the beast, “…and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelations 13:17 Click for a post on the mark, name, number of the beast. …… Click here for a post on the “666”.

Today, we know that beheadings do not happen as they did in times past. Beheadings were events where people’s heads were literally chopped from a person’s body with a sword or guillotine. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in symbolisms to express events of these modern times. One thing for sure, beheadings are happening in cities around the world by the beast that has power over physiology to give people what to think, to form thoughts. People are not free to think freely, and there is vehement opposition that comes against thoughts of belief in God, thoughts of Jesus as the Christ and Savior of the world, and thoughts within the presence of the Holy Spirit. Today’s culture, which is global, does not want to hear supportive opinions and thoughts about the testimony of Jesus Christ. Those who live for the beast expects everyone to live by the beast that empowers people with uncanny knowledge and heightened intuition.

Even with what was said above, in the coming days of the reign of the beast, Christians will be physically imprisoned, afflicted, and killed, but not necessarily beheaded by a sword or guillotine.

“And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ” Revelation 20:4c.-5

Those who are resurrected and live and reign with Christ for the first “1000 years” of eternity is before entry is given into the eternal New Jerusalem, and before Satan is eternally defeated. During those “1000 years”, those who lived faithfully to Jesus Christ during the beast’s reign on this earth, will reign and judge with Him. They are of the first resurrection. While all believers will be resurrected in the first resurrection, those who overcome the beast, and hold to the testimony of Christ, will be made judges to reign with Christ over the population of the resurrected believers…for “1000 years”. The “1000 years” is temporary, while the New Jerusalem is eternal.

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” Revelations 206a.

The first resurrection is described in this way, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Click for a post on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

“Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelations 20:6b

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”’ Revelation 2:11

The second resurrection corresponds to the second death [which is eternity in Hell]. The second resurrection is mentioned in verse 13, as quoted, “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” Revelations 20:13 That second resurrection comes after the first “1000 years” of eternity with Jesus Christ, after Satan is eternally defeated, and during the Great White Throne Judgment [mentioned in verse 11 of this post]. Those in the second resurrection come from the remainder of the population that were left in their graves during the first resurrection of Believers and also comes from a place called “Death and Hades”. Their judgment comes when they are resurrected from their graves, the second resurrection.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that the second death has no power over us, as Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24 We have been made priests of God and of Christ, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

For those of us who refuse to serve the beast or his image, and do not receive his mark on our foreheads or on our hands, there is no greater joy than to know that we will reign and judge with our Lord Jesus for the first “1000 years” of eternity. That encouragement is much needed because, “It was granted to [the beast] to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” Revelations 13:7. The Holy Spirit encourages us to hold on to what we have, “….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come... I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.’” Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills…” Habakkuk 3:17-19

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelations 13:8

There are two resurrections, not three, four, or more, only two. The first resurrection is for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, in which those who have victory over the beast will reign and judge with Christ Jesus for the first “1000 years” of eternity. The eternal New Jerusalem comes after Satan is eternally defeated and after the Great White Throne judgment of the resurrected unbelievers. The second resurrection is for unbelievers, who will be raised to their condemnation, as the Spirit of the Lord spoke through Daniel, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2 Our Lord Jesus says, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 5:28-29 The Holy Spirit also speaks to us in the book of Acts about the two resurrections, “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” Acts 24:15

Eternity begins with the first “1000 years” mentioned in this post. We enter the eternal New Jerusalem after those “1000 years”, which is when Satan is eternally defeated, and after the resurrection and judgment of the unbelievers. The “1000 years” is temporary, but the New Jerusalem is eternal.

After “1000 Years”, Satan is released then eternally defeated.

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.” Revelation 20:7-8

When Satan is released from his prison, after the “1000 years”, the resurrected saints are alive and present. We will be in our resurrected bodies, flesh and bones but eternally redeemed, like our Lord Jesus showed to us, as described, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.” Luke 24:39-42

When Satan will have been released, the power center of the beast had already been destroyed in the Fifth Plague of Revelations 16:10-11, the earthly Battle of Armageddon is done and over which happened in the Sixth Plague of Revelations 16:12-16, the two beasts that helped Satan to start the Battle of Armageddon had been thrown eternally into the lake of fire as written in Revelations 19:20, and the seventh trumpet had sounded, and our Lord Jesus had returned and brought to Him all believers, dead and alive, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever!” Revelations 11:15

When Satan is released from his prison, he is operating on a spiritual realm to fight against the resurrected followers of Jesus Christ, to sabotage the Salvation given by God through Jesus Christ. That has always been Satan’s intent, to defeat God and Jesus Christ. Satan waged a war in Heaven, when his name was Lucifer, and God kicked him out of Heaven, which is described in the post on Isaiah 14:12-15. When Satan was cast to earth, he tried to defeat God again, but was defeated by the Cross of Jesus Christ, as written in the post on Revelations 12:13-17. Satan then tries again to wage war against the resurrected Believers to defeat God and Jesus Christ, in the spiritual realm, as described in this post.

We know that the “1000 years”, when the resurrected Believers are with Jesus Christ, is before entry is given into the eternal New Jerusalem and before the new heaven and earth are created. That comes after Satan is defeated and after the Great White Throne judgment [described in coming verses of this post], as quoted from Revelations 21, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelations 21:1-2 So, where is the place of the “1000 years”? Apparently, it is here on earth, before it is totally destroyed, before the new heaven and earth are created. We know that Satan will not be allowed anywhere near the doors of the New Jerusalem, that is why his eternal defeat makes way for the eternal New Jerusalem.

Satan gathers his armies, from every corner of the earth, to make one last attempt at defeating God and Jesus Christ by destroying the resurrected followers of Christ Jesus.

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” Revelation 20:9

Satan and his armies surround the place where the resurrected children of Jesus Christ are, in that “beloved city”, which would be Jerusalem for those “1000 years”. That is a temporary place, for “1000 years”, while the eternal New Jerusalem is eternal in the new heaven and earth. From Heaven, where the throne of God is, fire comes down to destroy Satan and all of his armies for the final time, for eternity.

In the eternal New Jerusalem, we will be living in the presence of God, “And there will be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads…Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelations 22:3-4, Revelations 21:5

 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelations 7:9-11

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

Satan is defeated and thrown into the eternal lake of fire and brimstone, where his two beasts had been just before and during his imprisonment for “1000 years”. After “1000 years”, Satan and his two beasts are reunited eternally in Hell. Satan’s two beasts were thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone when Jesus Christ returned victoriously as the King of kings, as described in Revelations 19:11-21.

Great White Throne judgment.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.” Revelation 20:11

During the great White Throne Judgment, from where our Lord Jesus Christ sets, there will be no place in the eternal New Jerusalem for those who have fled away from belief in God, their need for Jesus Christ, and from the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Great White Throne judgment is for them, for those who have fled from the Christ and Savior of the world. “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:19-21

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:12

There are the books that will be opened, then there is the one other book that will be opened. The one book, that is separate from the other books, is the Lamb’s book of Life. The other books are more than one because all the world has chosen the broad way to destruction, instead of the narrow and difficult way that leads to life, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelations 13:8

As followers of Jesus Christ, we pass from condemnation into life, and our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. We do not come into judgment of the Great White Throne judgment, but we pass into eternal life, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

The dead are judged by the books, the dead being those who are dead to belief in God, dead to recognizing their need for Jesus Christ, and dead to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” Revelation 20:13

That verse describes those who were left behind during the first resurrection, and those left behind are the dead of the “sea”. The “sea” is the “oceans” of people to be judged, their names not being in the Book of Life. The first resurrection is for everyone whose faith is in Jesus Christ, as described in verse 5 of this post. Those of the second resurrection is reserved for the Great White Throne judgment, as mentioned in verses 11 and 12. The second resurrection happens after the “1000 years”, after Satan has been eternally destroyed. Referring to the second resurrection, “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.” Revelations 20:5. “Death and Hades” refers to those who are reserved for eternal hell to be thrown into the eternal lake of fire and brimstone. And they all will be judged, the dead of the “sea” and of Death and Hades, each one according to his works.

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting  contempt.” Daniel 12:2 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 5:28-29

“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15

Those of Death are everyone who are dead to belief in God, dead to their need for Jesus Christ, and dead to the presence of the Holy Spirit. Their place is in the eternal lake of fire. Hades is a partner of Death, which includes everyone who choose, and chose, to live for the beast that gives them what to say, do, think, and feel. The beast gives breath/life to the image of the beast to speak by speaking and living through people. By what they are given to say and do, they are conformed to the mark, name, number of the beast.

The second death is eternal Hell, the first death is unbelief in God, disregarding the need for the forgiveness of unbelief, and forsaking the Holy Spirit. We who are alive to God, through Jesus Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit will not experience the second death but will have eternal life. Anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1