“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. 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. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[a] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.-Revelation 20:7-10
Satan upon his release will once again go out an deceive the nations. There will be a new generation of people, who although they have lived on earth during this amazing time of peace, will still buy into Satan’s lies and will join him in battle one last time against God.
They will surround Jerusalem and once again the devil will be defeated, but this time he will be cast into the Lake of Fire (eternal punishment) for all eternity.
It is hard to fathom how after 1,000 years of peace and Jesus reigning on the earth, how the devil could deceive anyone into following him into a battle against Jesus. However, it is important to remember that generations will be born that did not know the days that we live in, nor will they recall the rapture, the tribulation or Armegeddon.
Knowing that this is going to happen, why would God even allow this to begin with? I think it is to teach us an important truth-Our sinfulness is not Satan’s fault! He is a liar, thief, tempter and bent on destruction; however for a 1,000 years he is held captive and yet men’s hearts still wax cold. They cannot blame Satan for their sinful hearts, but it is only when Satan is released that their true heart condition is revealed. They reject Christ’s kingship over their lives to follow their own sinful desires. This proves what God has been declaring from the very beginning; mankind needs a Savior!
Once Satan is defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire, then comes God’s final judgment on wicked mankind:
“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. 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. 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. 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 20:11-15
The dead, both small and great, are raised. They will be judged according to the books, but it is because their names are not recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life; they too will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. It is a place of eternal punishment and torment that is described in Mark 9:48 as where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ It is known as the second death, but it never ends.
It will be occupied, according to Revelation 21:8, by the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars; by those who have rejected the free gift of salvation offered to us through Jesus Christ.
All of us will one day stand before Jesus. The question is will we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive our eternal rewards or will we stand before the Great White Throne judgement only to receive eternal death. It all hinges upon one decision! Did you accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life?
Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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