Ⅰ
Christ is the Establisher of the kingdom—Rev. 20:1-6:
A
After fighting His enemies, Christ will establish the kingdom of God on the earth, the millennial kingdom, and reign with His overcoming believers for a thousand years—v. 2.
B
The whole earth must be cleared up as a preparation for God's kingdom to come.
C
Only one thing remains, and that is Satan, the source of all the problems.
D
The first item mentioned in Revelation 20, a chapter concerning the millennium, is the binding of Satan:
１
Although the Lord judged Satan on the cross, that judgment has not yet been fully executed.
２
When the Lord returns, He will fully execute the judgment that He accomplished on the cross upon Satan.
３
Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss, being powerless to act or damage anyone; then the earth will become Christ's kingdom.
E
According to the prophecies of the Bible, the millennium is in two sections: the upper, heavenly, section and the lower, earthly, section:
１
The upper section of the millennium is called the kingdom of the Father (Matt. 13:43), and the lower section is called the kingdom of the Son of Man (v. 41).
２
The kingdom of the Messiah, or the Messianic kingdom, is another name for the lower section of the millennium.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 20:1-2 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.In Revelation 20:1-4 we see that Christ is the Establisher of the kingdom. After fighting all His enemies, Christ will establish the kingdom of God on the earth, the millennial kingdom, and reign with His overcoming believers for a thousand years. Between the rapture of the overcomers and the beginning of the millennial kingdom, many things will take place. Immediately after the rapture of the man-child, a loud voice in heaven says, “Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ” (12:10). Actually, the kingdom will not come at that time, for the three and a half years of the great tribulation are yet to come. Nevertheless, in the eyes of those who have been raptured to the heavens, the kingdom has already come. During the last three and a half years of this age, the following things will take place: the rapture of the majority of the saints; the destruction of religious Babylon, that is, the annihilation of Catholicism; the destruction of Judaism; and the fall of material Babylon. Following all this, there will be the war at Armageddon. The whole earth must be cleared up as a preparation for God's kingdom to come. At the time of Revelation 20, nearly everything has been cleared up. Only one thing remains, and that is Satan, the source of all the problems. Therefore, the first item mentioned in Revelation 20, a chapter concerning the millennium, is the binding of Satan. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4349-4350)
Today’s Reading
According to the prophecies of the Bible, the millennial kingdom is in two sections: the upper, heavenly, section and the lower, earthly, section. The upper section of the millennium is called the kingdom of the Father (Matt.13:43), and the lower section is called the kingdom of the Son of Man (v. 41). The kingdom of the Messiah, or the Messianic kingdom, is another name for the lower section of the millennium.
In the millennial kingdom there will be three peoples. The first are the overcoming saints, including those of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. These overcoming saints will be co-kings of Christ. Christ is the highest King, and we will be His sub-kings. Therefore, the upper section is the royal portion of the millennium.
The second group, found in the lower section, is the preserved and proper Jews, who will be saved at the time of the Lord's coming back. According to Zechariah 12:10-14, these Jews will look on Him whom they have pierced, and then they will repent. These are the Jews who will be the third part who will pass through fire and be refined (13:9). These saved Jews will enter into the millennium as priests and will teach the nations to seek God and to know Him. Isaiah 2:2-3 will be fulfilled at that time…The nations will learn of God through the instruction of the Jews, who will be priests. Isaiah 61:6 says, “You will be called the priests of Jehovah; / People will speak of you as the ministers of our God.”
Zechariah 8:23 says, “Thus says Jehovah of hosts, In those days, from all the languages of the nations, ten men will take hold, indeed, they will take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” This verse indicates that every Jew will be precious. In those days the Jews will be warmly welcomed.
The third group of people in the millennial kingdom will be the “sheep” spoken of in Matthew 25.
In the lower section of the millennium, called the kingdom of the Son of Man, Jesus as the seed of David will be King over the Jews and, through the Jews, over all the nations…This is the kingdom of the Son of Man and the kingdom of the Messiah. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4352-4353)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 427