The message of
Revelation
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Major scriptural references:
Revelation 11:15-19 20 21-22 16
The 4th Theme concluded with the wonderful proclamation:
“The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
The war against Jesus has failed. Jesus is victorious. The beast, the false prophet and the kings with the beast have all been defeated and destroyed. The beast’s focus of evil is no more. The way is clear for the Kingdom of God to commence.
Although this is a cause for great rejoicing, we are told that sin itself (named as “the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan”) has not finally been destroyed:
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.” (20:1-3)
The Millennium (1,000 years) is mentioned only in Revelation 20, where it is mentioned six times.
Is this a literal period of 1,000 years? Or is it symbolic of a long period of time, but not necessarily 1,000 literal years? It has been suggested by some that there will not be a Millennium at all, but that the 1,000 years is a nominal period of time at the end of which sin and death will finally be put down.
In the absence of any other scriptural guidance, it is suggested that we should accept the 1,000 years as a literal period of time. Why there should be a 1,000 years in which mortality will continue on the earth, we are not told.
There will still be mortals living in the Millennium, and while mortality exists, sin also will exist. There are several references to the mortal population of the Millennium. Amongst these are:
Those who do not go to Jerusalem each year to worship the king will be punished by the withholding of rain upon them. If the family of Egypt do not go up to Jerusalem, they will be smitten with plagues – the same plagues with which the nations who do not go up to keep the feast of booths will be smitten.
Here we are told that “the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land, a young bull for a sin offering”. To offer a sin offering, the prince and the people are obviously mortal. The saints will not need to offer a sin offering. Revelation 21 tells us that they will not even need a temple. (This is discussed later in this theme).
Who the prince is we are not told. It is quite obviously not Jesus.
In the days when God will “create new heavens and a new earth”, we find that a “child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.” (No doubt because he is still a sinner and has not repented of his sin).
The saints will become priests in the Kingdom. Whilst we are told very little about the work of the priests, it is possible, even probable, that they will be priests to the mortal population. “You shall be called the priests of the Lord, men shall speak of you as the ministers of our God . . .” (Isaiah 61:6)
As will be seen shortly, the vision of the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21) also contains mortal people.
We are not told who these mortal people will be. It is most likely they will be those who respond to God’s message to repent, during the time that God’s judgements are poured out on the earth. As the elect will have already been gathered to Jesus by then, it would be understandable that those who repented after his return would not be granted immortality until the end of the Millennium.
In Theme 4, we considered Revelation 14:14-16, which tells how Jesus will “put in his sickle and reap.”. Those who are “reaped” by him could be those who remain mortal, die and are resurrected at the end of the Millennium and granted immortality.
Revelation 20:4-6 appears to be saying that only those who have “been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God”, and who had not worshipped the beast or borne its mark, will be resurrected. Such an interpretation would, of course, exclude any other persons over the ages who had died in faith of the resurrection and Kingdom of God.
In view of the fact that Revelation is principally a message for the elect of the last days, it is suggested that the reference to the saints who had not worshipped the beast is understandable, for Revelation is predominantly a message to the saints of the last days. We know from the rest of scripture that the resurrection of those in Christ will apply to those who have died in all ages, and not just those who die during the time of great tribulation under the rule of the beast.
The resurrection is the first of two resurrections. The other will take place at the end of the Millennium, involving those of the mortal population who have died in Christ during the Millennium. “Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.” (20:6)
The role of the saints in their immortal state will be as “priests of God and of Christ”. The other two passages in Revelation which speak of the saints as priests are found in chapters 1:6 and 5:10. The Authorised Version speaks of the saints in these passages as “kings and priests”, whereas the Revised Standard Version speaks of them as “a kingdom of priests to our God” (5:10) and “a kingdom, priests to his God and father” (1:6):
| RSV | AV | |
| 1:6 | “. . . and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father” | “. . . and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” |
| 5:10 | “. . . and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God” | “. . . and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests” |
| Diaglott | ||
| 1:6 | “. . . and made for us a kingdom – priests for his God and Father” | |
| 5:10 | “ . . . and Thou didst make them to our God a royalty and a priesthood” |
It is of further interest that both the RV and NIV have interpreted these passages as “Kingdom of priests” rather than “kings and priests”.
Thus, all of the above versions, except the AV, tell us that the saints will be “a kingdom of priests rather than “kings and priests”.
It is not fitting to describe the saints as kings. We will have only one King, the Lord Jesus Christ. The saints will work under his direction as priests. In that capacity, there may be administrative or rulership duties to be performed, but it will be as priests, not kings.
Jesus is a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedec” (Hebrews 7:17). It follows that the saints, as the priests serving under Jesus, will also be of the order of Melchizedek. They could certainly not be Levitical priests, and as Jesus was not a Levitical priest, it is more likely that the priests appointed by him will be of the same order as he.
There is a suggestion in Zechariah 6:13 that when Jesus is on his throne in Jerusalem, there will be a priest beside him. Referring to “The Branch” (Jesus), Zechariah writes:
“It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord, and shall bear royal honour, and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful understanding shall be between them both.”
This interpretation appears only in the RSV and the Septuagint. The AV puts it this way:
“. . . he (Jesus) shall sit and rule upon his throne; he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”
If the interpretation of the Septuagint and RSV is correct, we are presented with a picture of a priest by the throne of Jesus. Could this be Melchizedec? Considering the exalted position of Melchizedec, it is likely that he will occupy an exalted position in the Kingdom. If he is a priest beside Jesus, Melchizedec may be given the oversight of the priests’ work in the Kingdom. This is an interesting point to consider.
The last two chapters of Revelation predominantly describe what is called “a new heavens and a new earth” and “new Jerusalem”. New heavens and a new earth and a new Jerusalem are foretold in Isaiah:
In the very next chapter:
The new heavens and new earth are often thought to come at the end of the Millennium. Perhaps the reason for this is because Revelation describes the new heavens and new earth after chapter 20, which concludes with events at the end of the Millennium.
However, there are at least four passages in Revelation 21 and 22 which indicate that the new Jerusalem, new heaven and new earth are about conditions on earth from the beginning of the Millennium rather than the end of the Millennium.
Consider these passages:
“Outside (the city) are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolators, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (22:15)
These two passages are inconsistent with conditions on earth after the Millennium. Sin and death are to be put down at the end of the Millennium. Paul wrote:
John confirms this:
We also know that the final uprising of sin, at the end of the Millennium, will result in the destruction of sin:
Satan in this case is “that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan”, mentioned in Revelation 20:2, and has been the generic name for sin since the serpent first tempted Eve in the garden of Eden.
Because of this destruction of sin and death at the end of the Millennium, it is impossible that “abomination and falsehood, dogs, sorcerers, fornicators, murderers and idolators” will still exist in the time beyond the Millennium. These are all characteristics of mortality and mortal behaviour.
Because we know that there will be a mortal population remaining on the earth during the Millennium, it therefore seems that the “new heavens and new earth” and the “new Jerusalem” will apply from the beginning of the Millennium, whilst mortal people are still on the earth.
This is supported by John’s statement that:
The fact that one of the angels who will be involved with the final destruction of the evil of the world is mentioned here, is indicative that this vision is of a time just after the final phase of God’s judgements on the nations. It is hardly likely that this angel would be described as “one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues”, 1,000 years after the event.
This angel shows John a vision of “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Again, we have an indication that the time of this vision will be at the beginning of the Millennium. It has already been suggested that the marriage supper of the Lamb with the bride will take place just before the final battle between the beast and Jesus. The bride (the immortalised saints) is therefore with Jesus just before the Millennium commences. The angel (especially this angel, associated with the seven bowls of wrath) is unlikely to be showing John a vision of the bride after 1,000 years have expired. It follows that this vision of the bride relates to the beginning, not the end, of the Millennium.
The new Jerusalem is, in fact, a spiritual vision of the bride. It is described this way by John in Revelation 21:9-27. The bride (the saints) will reflect all that has gone before – the twelve tribes of Israel, the four-square characteristics of Israel camped around the tabernacle in the wilderness and the twelve apostles of Jesus. It is a composite picture of Israel and the era of Christianity from the 1st century onwards.
The saints (new Jerusalem) will reflect the glory of God, “its radiance like a most rare jewel, clear as crystal.” (21:11) Its walls are of jasper, and the city itself pure gold. (21:18) The foundations of the city are of jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst – all symbols of beauty and purity, reflecting God’s glory. To reflect God’s glory is the ultimate purpose for the saints.
We may wonder at this statement, considering the very detailed description of the temple by Ezekiel, in chapters 40-48. It must be remembered that it appears that Ezekiel’s temple relates to the mortal population on the earth during the Millennium. It is apparently God’s will that sacrifices as prescribed by the law of Moses will be observed by the mortal population. Cereal offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings are mentioned in Ezekiel 45:15. Verses 22-25 of the same chapter speak of the prince offering a sin offering “for himself and all the people of the land.”
Ezekiel’s temple will be a literal temple. But the new Jerusalem is a spiritual picture of the saints, and as immortals, the saints do not require a literal temple. A.D. Norris writes of this:
“What Ezekiel’s temple is to natural Israel (and through them to the rest of the mortal world), so is John’s New Jerusalem to spiritual Israel. Those who enter into this city are the redeemed of the Lord; for them the sacrifice for sins has been offered once and for all. Even while they lived as mortals they had free access to the throne of grace in the heavenly Most Holy at all times: and now all this holy city is their holy place. It does not have a temple because it is a temple. They are in the constant company of their Redeemer and their God.” 8
Whereas Revelation 21 is largely a spiritual picture of the bride, the new Jerusalem, Revelation 22 is a literal picture of Jerusalem, the city of the great King.
Revelation 22 reintroduces us to a tree in the garden of Eden – the tree of life. The tree of life has brought us full circle in God’s plan. We recall that God said of Adam:
“Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever . . .” (Genesis 3:22)
Adam and Eve were not told to refrain from eating fruit from the tree of life while they were in the garden. We don’t know whether they did or did not. However, having been banished from the garden because of their sin, they were not permitted to eat of it from then on. But in the Kingdom of God, the tree of life will be available and accessible:
“Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (22:1-2)
That living waters will flow out of Jerusalem is foretold in at least three Old Testament prophecies. We find them in Psalms, Ezekiel and Zechariah. Psalm 46:4 speaks of:
“A river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most high.”
Zechariah and Ezekiel both write of living waters flowing out from Jerusalem:
“On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea . . .” (Zechariah 14:8)
“. . . Behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.” (Ezekiel 47:1)
It is this living water which nourishes the tree of life. Adam in his sinful state was not to eat of this tree, but the ecclesia at Ephesus was told that for those who overcame (in obedience to God) “I will grant to eat of the tree of life.” (2:7) Thus, the saints in immortality will be able to freely eat of the tree of life.
This tree will also be for the “healing of the nations” – another indication that the events in Revelation 21 and 22 will apply throughout the Millennium, for nations will not require healing beyond the Millennium.
Over the centuries of the Millennium as the generations come and go, the world and its mortal population will become familiar with the rulership of Jesus. Gradually, towards the end of the 1,000 years, unrest will begin to simmer. Seeds of dissatisfaction will germinate, discontent borne of a desire of many to make their own way through life, rather than submit to the rule of a King in Jerusalem, will fester and grow and burst into a spirit of rebellion against the rule of Jesus:
This will be no small uprising. It will be worldwide – “the nations which are at the four corners of the earth”. Furthermore, the number of those in revolt will be in number “like the sand of the sea.” (20:8). This must surely be a major world-wide uprising from the mortal population to be so large in scale.
There is no question of the focus of their objective: it is to attack Jesus and the saints at Jerusalem:
The end of the rebellion is quick and decisive. In all the years of peace, these people have not realised how awesome the power of God can be. As they surround Jerusalem, a roaring fire from heaven engulfs and consumes them. Their leader or leaders are “thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and false prophet were . . .” (20:10)
The mention of God and Magog in this final rebellion reminds us of Gog of the land of Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39, who are also to do battle with the Lord Jesus Christ. It has been suggested that we may be reading about the same battle here, and that the battle described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 may be another description of the battle at the end of the Millennium.
It is difficult to agree with this view. Consider the following passages:
These seem unlikely words at the end of 1,000 years of a rule of righteousness. God’s holy Name will have been known “in the midst of my people Israel” for the past 1,000 years.
Again, these words are incongruous if they relate to the end of the Millennium. “From that day forward” would seem that throughout the Millennium, Israel will not know that “I am the Lord their God.” This is quite impossible.
There is no way these words could relate to the end of the Millennium. This is an account of Israel at the end of this present dispensation, when they will be brought back to the land by their Messiah, the Lord Jesus, at the beginning, not the end, of the Millennium.
Readers are also encouraged to read again of the war against the Lamb by the beast in Theme 5. Reasons are given there to support the belief that this battle against Gog in Ezekiel 38 and 39, is the same battle as described in Revelation 19 when the beast and kings of the earth will attack Jesus, just before the Millennium commences.
If Gog (of Ezekiel 38 and 39) is indeed the beast, as suggested in Theme 3, we read in Revelation 20:10 that the beast and false prophet had been thrown into the lake of fire 1,000 years earlier. Gog and Magog of Revelation 20 are thus different protagonists, 1,000 years later.
So, with the destruction of all sin and evil at the end of the Millennium, the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver his final judgement upon all those of the mortal population who have lived their lives during the Millennium. Death will be “thrown into the lake of fire”, and there will be no more sin, no more tears; God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (21:4)
These words, written about conditions as the Millennium begins, have even greater import at the end of the Millennium, when sin and death will cease to exist.
In these loving words, we have a picture of a Father’s care for his beloved children. A Father who will, as fathers today will, bend down and wipe away the tears from His children’s eyes. It will not only be a day of great rejoicing for the saints, but also for our Heavenly Father, for at last, His children are all with Him, without sin in the world and the resultant punishment of death. Our relationship with our Father will then be closer than it has ever been throughout all the days of men and women on the earth.
8 A.D. Norris, Apocalypse for Everyman, Aletheia Books, London, 1982, p.369-370