"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." Revelation 20:1 This "Angel" is Jesus Christ, He is the one that in the proceeding verses places Satan in "chains." The "bottomless pit" would be this earth in a state of total chaos. After the seven last plagues, after every mountain is thrown down, leaving great caverns in the earth, after every wall and building is knocked over by God's Voice. Next comes the great hail of 86 pounds each, the earth will be just as the Bible describes it. See Jeremiah 4:23-26.
This will be Satan’s home for 1000 years, skeletons of dead bodies are scattered from stem to stern, over the broken rubble of the whole earth. There is not a living soul for him, or his angels to annoy, deceive, and to do his bidding. There will be no one to inflict, with a death threatening disease either. "Limited alone to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen." Early Writings 290.
Almost everyone in the Christian world has a opinion on the 1000 years, or millennium. Sad to say, the majority have taken a fork in the road, their respected leaders have turned the sign post around from plain Bible truth. Various Bible translations have wrecked havoc with the solid footing for that very unfortunate group. The King James Version was with-in their reach, but they pushed that aside to drink at polluted fountains.
Those who are the leaders in the Sunday movement, will teach with vigor that the 1000 years of peace has just arrived, (this is soon to happen) so get on the bandwagon everyone, and honor Sunday as a day of rest. This is their plea to the Buddhist, to the Jew, to the Heathen, to the Muslim World, and 7th Day Christians. They tell everyone to look at the miracles, and wonders that are taking place. They are the ones with this power to deceive, even the very elect. (See Letter January 29, 1884)
This 1000 years is only mentioned in this one chapter of the Bible, so it is absolutely necessary I remind everyone, to be off this planet before the 1000 years begins.
"And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Revelation 20:3-4.
"During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place." Great Controversy 660. Remember now, Jesus Christ is the Judge during the 1000 years in heaven. God the Father is the Judge sitting on the throne during the investigative judgment, going on now. The Saints have a very important role in the judgment during the 1000 years. The Bible tells us that we shall judge angels (fallen angels of course).
"Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His people. Says Paul: 'Know ye not that we shall judge angels?' (1 Corinthians 6:3) And Jude declares that 'the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.' Jude 6." Great Controversy 661.
"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the one thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:5.
The resurrection that takes place after the 1000 years, will include every wicked person who has ever lived on this earth since day one. God in His mercy will not raise to life a special class of the wicked, like certain slaves and some of the heathen that hardly had a chance to know the difference between right and wrong. What a merciful God we serve, to consider that class as though they had never been.
"At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death.
Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They are to have no new probation in which to remedy the defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against Him." Great Controversy 662.
This numberless as the sands of the sea group, are told by Satan that he gave them life again. It is amazing to me that after a 1000 years of Satan's contemplation in total darkness, he starts again telling a lie. Why that is just where he left off, a thousand years before. It was the power of Jesus that gave the wicked life, and our lovely Saviour has a sound reason for every thing He does.
"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:8-9.
The wicked urged on by evil angels construct weapons for war. Satan has convinced them, because of their large number, that the HOLY CITY can be overthrown. This Holy City’s size, is about the size as the State of Oregon, resting on a spot on this earth that was purified by heaven before settling down. About 375 miles on each side, with walls 216 feet high, made of jasper, so those on the outside could see inside. "And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass." Revelation 21:18.
Jesus has something to say to those within the City, and to those without. The wicked are dressed for battle, wave after wave of organized warriors ready to march into the gates. Then Jesus closes the gates to the Holy City.
"Jesus and all the angelic host and all the saints, with the glittering crowns upon their heads, ascend to the top of the wall of the city. Jesus speaks with majesty, saying, 'Behold, ye sinners, the reward of the just! And behold, My redeemed, the reward of the wicked!' The vast multitude behold the glorious company on the walls of the city. And as they witness the splendor of their glittering crowns and see their faces radiant with glory, reflecting the image of Jesus, and then behold the unsurpassed glory and majesty of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, their courage fails. A sense of the treasure and glory which they have lost rushes upon them, and they realize that the wages of sin is death. They see the holy, happy company whom they have despised, clothed with glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life, while they are outside the city with every mean and abominable thing." Early Writings 293-294.
Verse nine has
reminded us, what takes place next. ". .And fire came down from
God out of heaven and devoured them." Revelation 20:9.