Open: Not Just Another Book on Revelation - Volume 4

OPEN

Not Just Another Book on Revelation

Volume 4

June Yates Baker

Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. Revelation 22:10

OPEN

Not Just Another Book on Revelation, Volume 4

By June Yates-Baker

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 1996, 2014, June Yates Baker

All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphasis placed on Scripture with the use of bold print, underline, and/or italics is that of this teacher.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Note - Since this is a continuous work, chapter numbers in this volume begin with 15. Chapters 1 - 14 are contained in the first three volumes.

Introduction

Chapter 15 - The Millennial Reign of Christ (Rev. 20:1-6)

A. Satan is Bound

B. The World Population

C. Divine Health and Prolonged Life

D. Universal Peace

E. Righteous and Morality Prevail

F. Universal Prosperity

G. Creation

H. Government

I. Worship

Chapter 16 - The Last Enemy Under His Feed (Rev. 20:7-15)

A. Satan is Loosed

B. The Great White Throne Judgment

C. The Second Death

Chapter 17 - Forever With the Lord (Rev. 21:1 - 22:5)

A. The New Heaven and New Earth

B. The New Jerusalem

C. Life in the New Jerusalem

D. The Rest of the New Earth

Chapter 18 - Closing Remarks (Rev. 22:6-21)

A. Reaffirmation of Truth

B. Blessings Promised

C. Worship God

D. Handling Instructions

E. Eternal Condition of Our Souls

F. My Reward is With Me

G. I Am

H. The Invitation

I. Surely I Come Quickly

Epilogue

Contact the Author

About the Author

Introduction

It has been difficult thus far to describe the horror and devastation that will take place on earth throughout the seven years of tribulation. Just as difficult will it be to describe the splendor of the time at which we have now arrived in our study. A thousand years of perfect peace and harmony. A millennium of love and justice as Jesus takes His appointed seat on earth as King of kings and Lord and lords. This period on earth is actually the beginning of what we define as eternity, but serves also as a sort of transition period from this life into our eternal destination where we will spend endless ages with our Lord and Savior. We have now arrived at a time when, literally, those of us who know the Lord won’t have a care in the world.

This period will immediately follow the battle of Armageddon. The horror ended, the heavenly begun.

Volume 4 is the final leg of our journey. By the time you finish this volume, I trust you will have gained a greater insight into this important writing and enjoyed the rabbit trails we hopped away on at times. I hope OPEN has become your go-to-guide for future Revelation studies. But more than that, I hope you will have such a longing for eternity with the Lord you will never let anything or anyone stand between you and Jesus.

We have used continuing chapter numbers throughout the four volumes, so the chapter numbers in this final work begin with Chapter 15.

Chapter 15

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST (CHAPTER 20:1-6)

Revelation itself does not go into great detail about the Millennial Reign of Christ, as we commonly call this coming era. However, there is other Scripture that describes the thousand years, so we will examine those as well as a part of this chapter.

A. Satan is Bound

Revelation 20:1-3

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 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.

So long as Satan is permitted to roam the earth, there will not be peace. So long as he goes to and fro, he will wreak havoc in his plots to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). But not for the next thousand years he won’t. An angel will descend, perhaps the same one we have seen in the past holding the key to the bottomless pit. But this time he won’t be letting any beings out, he will be locking them in.

For one thousand years, Satan and every evil being will be confined to the bottomless pit, Satan bound with a great chain. For one thousand years this earth and all who dwell hereon will be free of the enemy’s torment and live in perfect peace. The father of lies will be silenced for a millennium.

Verse three points out that at the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed for a short season. We will reserve our discussion on that season for the next chapter. For now, let’s see what we can find out about life on earth during this millennium.

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B. The World Population

Who will populate the earth throughout the Millennial Reign of Christ? There will, I assure you, be a number of people here so vast I would not even attempt to estimate. The populous will consist primarily of two groups. The first group is described in the next few verses of this chapter.

The Immortal.

Revelation 20:4-6

4 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.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

John sees thrones, occupied by ones to whom authority has been granted. We have met persons in Heaven to whom God has granted such seats of honor, people from ages past who died in the Lord.

He also sees the souls of all who were martyred for the cause of Christ during the tribulation period, as well as those who otherwise lost their life in that seven years but accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior before their death. He specifies that they, too, will reign with Christ for a thousand years, as well as all those who have part in the first resurrection (vs. 6).

John points out that this (seeing the souls of those who died in Christ during the tribulation) is the first resurrection, but the rest of dead lived not again for a thousand years. In explanation, John is letting us know that all the evil dead will remain where they are (in torment) until the end of the Millennium. At that time we will see that group resurrected as well. But again, we will reserve that conversation for later in the study.

Many do not understand why John calls the resurrection of the tribulation saints the first resurrection. After all, did not the dead in Christ rise from the grave just before the onset of the tribulation period? How then is the first resurrection?

What John is actually saying here is that this is the conclusion of the first resurrection, or the first resurrection is now complete. The first resurrection began with Jesus Himself.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

The first resurrection began with the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Then, others in divine order will be resurrected. The dead in Christ at the time of the rapture when He comes in the air, and the dead in Christ at the close of the tribulation when He sets His feet on earth. Also included are those caught up in the rapture as well as the two witnesses and the 144,000 Jews we watched be caught up to heaven in the midst of the tribulation period. So, then, John is not saying that only the tribulation saints are included in the first resurrection – simply that they are the final group to be a part.

It is much like we watch a play divided into three or four different acts, with intermission often scheduled in between. Only when all of the acts have been performed is the show over, or complete. That same principle applies to writings concerning the first resurrection. We can clearly discern that every person from the days of Adam who either died in the Lord or were included in the rapture will be a part of the first resurrection. As such we will reign with Christ in our immortal bodies on earth throughout this thousand years.

The Mortal.

It is understood by many that life on earth throughout the Millennial Reign will consist only of the resurrected saints of God. The Bible, however, sheds light on the fact that mortals will yet populate the earth. Several passages we will examine will confirm this fact, but for now we will consider just a few excerpts to substantiate the point:

Isaiah 11:8

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

Isaiah 35:5, 6

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

Zechariah 8:4, 5

4 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

The first verse, Isaiah 11:8, mentions two different age groups of children. First, it references the infants and very young, those who are not yet weaned from the breast or bottle. Secondly, it mentions the older children, those who are weaned. Zechariah mentions many boys and girls playing in the streets of Jerusalem. There will no doubt be as many playing in the streets of every city and town across the globe.

Moving on, we read about blinded eyes and deaf ears being opened. We see the lame leaping and hear the mute sing. In our immortal bodies, we will not suffer such handicaps, therefore, to reference their healing would be without point. These must be mortals.

Zechariah adds to that reasoning by mentioning the old men and old women will dwell in Jerusalem, that people will live to a very old age. Our eternal bodies will never grow old, so again, we must be reading of mortals on earth during the Millennium.

So where do these people come from? They are the survivors of the great tribulation period who did not take the mark of the beast in the forehead or in their hand. Billions of people will lose their lives during the seven year time of judgment, but many will somehow manage to survive. Those people will yet be inhabiting the earth when Jesus steps foot here and rids the earth of all evil in the Battle of Armageddon, and as He then takes His rightful place as King of kings to rule the earth.

They, in turn, will have children. And because of their long, healthy lives, no doubt multitudes of children will be born during that time. Just think about a vibrant, healthy world population and how much they could multiply over a thousand years!

And speaking of their long, healthy lives, we will go ahead and address here a significant condition on earth during Jesus’ 1,000 year reign.

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C. Divine health and prolonged life will prevail.

We will again consider these two Scriptures:

Isaiah 35:5, 6

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing;

Zechariah 8:4

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

And add yet another:

Isaiah 65:20 (a)

There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old;

None will be sick or lame. There will be no disease and as already stated, there will be no handicaps. Men and women will live to be very old and still not be bedridden. They will walk about, staff in hand.

We read that there shall no more be an infant of days. This simply means that never again with a child live but a few days. Nor will people die young, or before their time, as we are prone to say. Isaiah prophesies an expected life span of at least 100 years.

When it finally does come time for the mortal to pass away, it won’t be with suffering. They will simply, as the Bible often puts it, give up the ghost.

Perfect health and prolonged life are only one of the hard-to-imagine blessings of God that will be poured out upon the people throughout the Millennial Reign. Let’s proceed into that era by considering more about life conditions under the righteous reign of Jesus.

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D. Universal Peace

The plot of a popular action-comedy released several years ago revolved around a beauty pageant. The finalists in the pageant were asked a question of utmost importance, their response to be weighed by the judges. That question was basically what one thing they would have in the world if they could. The contestants all knew the importance of giving one specific answer - world peace. The heroin offered a different reply, and when she saw the look of dismay on the face of the judges she quickly added, And of course, world peace.

This made for a few cute scenes in the movie, but also pointed out a stark reality – people everywhere long to live in peace. Until the return of the Lord that will not happen. As a matter of fact, violence and bloodshed will only continue to intensify at every level from within the family unit and community all the way up to international wars until its climax at the final world war, the Battle of Armageddon.

But then, at last, there will be world peace:

Isaiah 9:6:7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah’s prophecy of our Messiah, especially verse 6, is often quoted at Christmastime as we celebrate His birth. The Scripture reminds us of the priceless gift we received when Jesus left His home in Heaven to come and dwell among us, and subsequently to die for our sins.

Verse 7 reaches far beyond the mortal life of Jesus and into the time when He will govern the world, the time we now study. Isaiah tells us that two things will continue to increase from the inception of Christ’s reign, and they will never end. The first of those two things is Christ’s reign itself. Once He takes His rightful place on the throne, He will never, ever relinquish it nor will it ever be taken from Him. The second thing that will only increase and never cease is peace. There shall be no end to peace with Jesus as our supreme ruler. Consider also these prophecies:

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Micah 4:3, 4

3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

These Scriptures paint the picture of peace from the highest degree of international warfare, to the lowest of individual peace and security. Jesus will reprove the nations for their violence and hatred one for another; He will judge them based on their treatment of each other. They will know that from this point forward there will be no need to fight against one another, but they can unite under the leadership of this righteous King. As a result, the armies of the world will be disbanded. They will recycle their weapons, using the materials to fashion tools instead. Military education and training will no longer exist as the people will realize there is no need to teach their citizens to fight. They will learn war no more.

Then, Micah goes on to address the individual, stating that every man shall relax under his fruit trees and vines, completely without fear. The reference to the fig tree and vine point to a person’s possessions and livelihood. In this day and age, we have to protect everything we own from thieves and con-artists. It’s a sad day when even our identities can be taken from us by those with just a little computer savvy.

Plus that, we often go about our day fearing what or who might lie in wait. Women are attacked in mall parking lots because an addict needs fifty dollars for their next fix. Children are snatched away and sadistically tortured. The elderly are not safe in their own homes and drive-by shootings are common place in far too many neighborhoods.

But there is coming a day when everyone can sit down and relax in peace, knowing there is no need to fear because such heinous acts are no longer a part of life. Nobody is coming to steal their possessions. Nobody is lurking, armed and ready to do them harm. The world is at peace.

We might wonder how such a level of peace could ever be possible so long as mortal man exists on earth. Although we dream of such a time, it is almost unfathomable. Maybe this will help.

War and violence are the result of sin in the hearts of men. Whether it be motivated by hatred, greed, the need to control, or even the incomprehensible love of seeing others suffer – violence and war are initiated by sin. And it is never God that tempts us to sin (James 1:13). Satan is the tempter, and he has been very successful throughout the ages in his efforts to convince mankind to hate and harm others. But during the Millennial Reign, Satan will be bound. There will be no tempter. There will be no evil influence roaming about whispering into the heart of national leaders or into the ears of individuals. Peace will prevail.

We can also be certain of continual peace during this time if for no other reason than the one Micah gave us in 4:4, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

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E. Righteousness and Morality will Prevail.

Although we will address this topic again under the portion concerning government, I want to at least mention it at this point because of its relationship to the universal peace we will enjoy. Isaiah clearly states that Jesus will rule in righteousness:

Isaiah 11:5

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

When we speak of righteousness, we are alluding to that which is based upon and reflects divine or moral law, that which is without guilt or sin. We are talking about that which is legal, equitable, and just.

Because our King and those He places in seats of authority will rule in righteousness, they will create that atmosphere throughout the earth.

Isaiah 32:3-5 (NKJV)

3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim,

And the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge,

And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.

5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous,

Nor the miser said to be bountiful;

Isaiah is not speaking here of the physical body, but rather of mindsets and conditions of the heart.

Verse 3 explains that those who have closed their eyes in the past to morality, truth, and justice will willingly accept and follow the examples set before them. They will no longer turn their heads and look away from ideals such as love and compassion and integrity. Their hearts will be illuminated by the Spirit as the scales are removed from their eyes. Those who have refused to listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ, those who have refused to hear sound doctrine and godly counsel will at last pay attention.

Moving into verse 4, Isaiah prophesies of those with rash minds now having a clear understanding and good judgment. He is speaking here of people who don’t take time to weigh out a situation before forming an opinion or taking action. Sometimes we make rash decisions because we do not stop to learn all we can, and sometimes we simply ignore what we have learned and just react hastily without application of that knowledge. Either way, the results are usually not what we had hoped for and not for our good. This could apply to spiritual mindsets and behaviors, as well as in decisions affecting our