The Return of the King

GraceQuestJeremy Gwaltney

This Year• Theme – “Gospel of the Kingdom of God”

• Key Question – “Why is the Kingdom of God ‘good news?’”

• Old Testament – – What is the Kingdom supposed to be like?– How do we know if the Kingdom has come?

• New Testament – – What is the Kingdom like now?– When will the Kingdom come?

Revelation 4-19:10• Throne Room – Rev. 4-5• Seven Seals (Rev. 6-7)• Seven Trumpets (Rev. 8-11)• Seven Snapshots of Conflict (Rev. 12-14)

• Throne Room – Rev. 15• Seven Bowls – Rev. 16 – “with them the wrath of God is finished.”

• Final Reminder to the Saints – Rev. 17-18• Woman of Babylon• Deception of the Nations

• Preview of things to come – Rev. 19:1-10• The Bride of Christ

Points of Set Up• Promise to Eve

• I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” – Genesis 3:15

• Key OT Focus: Isaiah 66– "And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have

rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” – Isaiah 66:24

• Key NT Focus:– And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the

church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. – Ephesians 1:22-23

Revelation 19:11-CH20

What John Sees

• The Last Battle• A Summary Vision• A Judges Room

What John SeesFinal Battle

• Jesus riding on a white horse with a sword in His hand– Name – “Faithful and True”– “in righteousness he judges and makes

war.” (19:11)– Eyes are like fire– Crowned with many crowns– Has a “secret name”– Robe is dipped in blood and has the

name “Word of God” on it– Sword in his mouth– On his robe and thigh – “King of kings

and Lord of lords”

• Army of the Righteous– In white garments and riding white

horses

What John Sees

Final Battle• Victory in Battle

– Jesus strikes His enemies with the sword from His mouth

– He rules them with a rod of iron– He tramples on them like a wine press

– The Beast and False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire

– The enemies of God are completely destroyed (Rev. 19:21)

What John Sees

Final Battle

• Two Gruesome Realities

– Angels and the Birds• “Come, gather for the great supper

of God, to eat the flesh of…” (19:17-18a)

– The People in the Battle• Prior to now, most of the enemies

of God are described as kings and leaders

• In this battle, all people who do not worship God are shown under the judgment of God

The Greatest Coming

• The Greatest Coming of Jesus was His first coming – redemption is offered.

• In the Second Coming of Jesus, only judgment is made available.

What John Sees

The Millennium (Rev. 20:1-10)

• Dragon is bound for 1,000 years

• Thrones – with martyrs and judges, who had “come to life” in the “first resurrection” and they are reigning with Christ

• Dragon is released to gather the nations

• Surround the people of God

• Fire consumes them and Dragon throne into the lake of fire.

What John Sees

The Millennium (Rev. 20:1-10)

• Two Ways to Take this passage:

• A literal 1,000 years in which Satan is prohibited from having power on earth, and Christ reigns on earth with the people of God.

• A figurative 1,000 years in which Satan is limited from stamping out the Gospel witness, and the saints are rewarded with the presence of God in heaven.

• KEY: in both views the main points of this passage remains – Jesus will be victorious over the enemy.

What I Think

A “Figurative” Millennium

• #1 – “first” in this passage refer to things that are temporal and passing.– “first” heaven and “first” earth (21:1)– “first” things (21:4)

• #2 – “second” or “new” refer to things that are coming and eternal.– “new” heaven and earth– “second death”

What I Think

A “Figurative” Millennium

• #3 – “thrones” in Revelation are always talking about heavenly thrones, not earthly thrones.

• #4 – Other Scriptures seem to indicate that Jesus comes one time, then there is a judgment (1 Cor. 15:25-26)

What I Think

A “Figurative” Millennium

• This means…

– Even though “to come alive” elsewhere in Scripture refers only to a “bodily” resurrection, here it can take on a figurative meaning

– A literal 1,000 years would require a delay of death being “finally” defeated

What I Think

A “Figurative” Millennium

• Finally: a figurative meaning demonstrates the best way to interpret Revelation in the overall context of the book.

• Remember – Revelation is written from different angles, discussing the same basic idea – Jesus obtaining final victory over Satan and evil.

• So how does this passage fit into the whole book of Revelation?

The Literary Millennium

1,000 years (Rev. 20:4-6)

7 Churches of Asia 144,000 Great Multitude Two Witnesses

1st Coming/Incarnation

Satan “deceiver of the world” Bound

Rev. 12:7-17Dragon Released

(Rev. 20:7-10)

2nd Coming/Judgment Seat

(Rev. 20:11-15)

Increasing Persecution and Judgment Over Time

Great Day of God Almighty

Rev. 16:12-21

The Great Supper of God

Rev. 19:11-21

Woman of BabylonFalse Prophet

Beast

BowlsTrumpets

Seals

What John SeesThrone Room

• Jesus seated on a Great White Throne– Earth and Sky flee– All the dead – from the earth, from the sea,

from “Death and Hades”

• Books were opened– “the dead were judged by what was written

in the books… each one of them, according to what they had done.” – 20:12-13

– Dead, Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire – the second death.

• Book of Life– “If anyone’s name was not written in the

lambs book of life, he was throne into the lake of fire.” – 20:15

Message of Revelation 19:11-CH20

• Jesus wins the War – all evil will be repaid for their wickedness.

• Jesus has limited the influence of Satan so that His Good News will never disappear.

• We win, even if it looks like we lose!

• There is a Lamb’s Book of Life

Why is the Kingdom Good News?

• Not a single sin will go unpunished. Every wrong will be righted.

• We do not have to fear because even if we die in this life, we have victory in the life to come.

• We do not have to repay our sins – Jesus can!

The Throne Room

• Which book will you rely on?

The Return of the King

GraceQuestJeremy Gwaltney