The Final Defeat of Satan | Revelation 20:7-10 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (9/20/26)

For the past two weeks, you and I have been exploring the most detailed passage in the New Testament about the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. And you know this if you've been with us these last two weeks, That is located in the book of Revelation chapter 20 and I invite you now to turn with me there. And I want to also remind you that as much as this is a very insightful passage about the one thousand year reign of our Lord, is not a thorough or a comprehensive account of it. John here is not trying to give us every single component about the millennium in this short text. I want you to see what we find here in Revelation 20 as an outline more than anything else.

This is an outline of the millennium, and he highlights here the main events, so to speak, or the structure of the millennium because he is again trying to deal with a specific audience and serve a specific purpose for them with his explanation of this wonderful vision of the kingdom to come. And in our study so far, what have we discovered? We have considered briefly what will take place at the beginning of the millennium. While also exploring briefly what will happen during the millennium. But now in our designated scripture, we will look at what will unfold at the end of the millennium.

And the main event that the Holy Spirit reveals to us before human history reaches its final close is the decisive phase of Satan's defeat. What we are about to look at is the last time Satan is mentioned in our Bibles. And that is because this prophecy defines for us his total downfall and ultimately his consignment to eternal damnation. And before we read these verses together, I want to remind you of what the Lord Jesus Christ said when he was accused by his enemies for performing miracles, namely the deliverance of people from demons using the demonic powers of the prince of demons. Christ gave many answers to such a foolish accusation, but one that comes to mind is what he said in Matthew 12 verse 28.

In that verse, he corrects what his opponents say by reminding of the true source of his authority, but also gives the deeper meaning of His unparalleled authority manifesting in this manner. He says in Matthew twelve twenty eight, but if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. So contrary to what his critics were arguing, the Lord declared that the sovereignty that He exercised over demons was a sign that the kingdom of God was breaking into the world, not that Satan was at work. And when you recall what the Bible says in the Old Testament specifically, then you also understand what Christ is saying here essentially is that he carries the credentials through his power that the promised Messiah has arrived and that the long awaited kingdom of God is being introduced. But what happens?

We see this in the Gospels so clearly. The leaders of Israel rejected their king. And because of that rejection, one can say that the full manifestation of the kingdom of God was postponed. And if you look at it in that way, then you can also understand that the majesty and the might and the miracles that Jesus displayed throughout his ministry in his first coming served as a preview of what would manifest more fully when he returns as king and is received by his people. Does that make sense?

Based on what Christ says here in this single verse and in other passages, all that he did, all that he performed, all that he controlled, all that he commanded concerning demons, sickness, even nature itself were samples, was a foretaste of what would be more known on a greater scale when he would come back again to rule and reign on the earth. And one of the ways that that will be proven is when he binds Satan and places him in the abyss for a thousand years, not just to dial down his activity on the earth, but to remove it altogether. And so let me say it again, the things that Christ does throughout the gospels are glimpses of what will be magnified when he comes back again. It will transform virtually everything. When his glory covers the earth, just imagine what will happen to sickness, what will happen to the demonic entities that have tormented humanity for thousands of years.

Think about what will happen to nature. All of that will know a glorious shift when the presence of Christ comes back again in such power. And that's why we should be very excited for the return of Christ. In fact, that is why one portion of the Lord's teaching on how we should pray includes your kingdom come, your kingdom come. Is he currently ruling and reigning?

Absolutely. But the manifestation of his earthly reign is not yet. That's why we pray your kingdom come. And when he does come, he will come with such glory and power that what you see in the gospels will be intensified in a manner that almost seems inconceivable. But the role that Satan plays in all of this is not over yet.

The the story of Christ's authority over Satan in that era is not concluding just yet because now we come to Revelation 20 and we look at verse seven to see what will happen at the end of the millennium detailing Satan's final moments before his ultimate defeat and I want us to read that together in Revelation 20 verse seven. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Lord, we ask for your help in these verses. You have been so faithful to us, father. Week after week, you have taught us. You have helped us know your mind and know your heart, and we pray that it would be no different this morning. We pray that we would have the attention and the energy and even the excitement to hear what you have to say to us now, and we pray that Christ will be glorified through it all.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Last week, we already discussed why the Lord would release Satan at the end of the one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ. And what we just read here is actually an expansion, if you will, of what we looked at briefly at the end of verse three. Scroll back to the end of verse three here and look at what this says again.

After that, he, he being Satan, must be released for a little while. Now in case you weren't there with us in our previous session, the main reason why the Lord will permit this and allow this and even do this, he must release him is because he desires to both test and humble humanity. And you're saying, how so? Well, just as we read here, we're going to discover the shocking reality that when the right opportunity presents itself, you are not just gonna have some, but you are going to have many who are going to join together and choose to rebel against Christ just as they did at his first coming. It seems unthinkable, it seems unrealistic, how can you have such a revolt described to us?

Well, it proves something, doesn't it? It teaches us something today and it will confirm something when that time arrived, but what it says to us now speaks volumes about the depravity of humanity. This humbles us because it emphatically declares that humanity's fundamental problem is not an unfair environment. Injustice in our politics, or even Satan himself. How many people blame Satan for their problems?

And though he is the great agitator and though he is the great tempter and though he does put the right pieces in place for us to give in to our own lesson desires, who's to blame here more than anybody else? Mankind. The human heart. And this is how we know this because when the millennium is ushered in, you are going to have a warless world. You are going to have perfect righteousness executed by Jesus Christ himself and his church who administer his justice on different levels.

And you will even have the conditions of our planet resemble and reflect edenic conditions. It's going to be paradise wherever you look. It's going to be the golden age that so many people are longing for and so many systems of government are trying to implement. And yet with all of that in place, you would think that people would bow at Christ's feet, would surrender to him, would crown him Lord, not just for a thousand years, but for eternity. Instead, the Lord is gonna give this generation a choice.

Will you yield to my lordship or will you fight for your own? And he will release Satan to suggest the latter. And as we just read, many will fight for their autonomy. Many who are willing to go to war for their independence. And when I mean fight, I mean literally fight.

Look again at Revelation 20 verse eight, and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. Now I'm aware that some of you might be less curious about how this battle will unfold and more interested in this phrase Gog and Magog? What can that possibly be referring to? Well, the Holy Spirit yet again throughout this book about the future brings up references and illusions from the Old Testament to teach us about the days to come.

It's no different here. Whenever you come to a text like this, always ask, where have I seen this before? And that will be very difficult to answer if you don't read your Old Testament. The only other place where Gog and Magog are referenced in that way together is in the book of Ezekiel, the only other place. And in Ezekiel chapters thirty eight and thirty nine, you have the prophet describing a war, one that has not yet taken place in history that gives us some understanding of what will happen here in Revelation 20.

And so I invite you now to go to Ezekiel chapter 38. We're going to the deep end of the Bible, so hopefully you're awake. Hopefully you came ready for God's word to be explored. Ezekiel 38, we can spend the rest not just of this day, but the next two weeks looking at Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine. These two chapters are often recognized as the war of Gog and Magog.

We're not gonna again exhaustively explain or look at everything. I just want to give enough information from these passages to make sense of what we see here in the New Testament. Ezekiel chapter 38 beginning in verse one, we'll read down through verse six. The word of the Lord came to me. Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshaach and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, thus says the Lord God, behold, I am against you, oh God, chief prince of Meshaach and Tubal, And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses, and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords, Persia, Cush and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet, Gomer and all his hordes, Beth Turgarmah from the othermost parts of the North, with all his hordes, many peoples are with you.

So based on this, we have a little bit more clarity, I hope, about what Gog and Magog is all about. Number one, Gog seems to be a name or a title of an individual. We find that here in verse three. He is a political leader known as the chief prince. And then we see here Magog, according to verse one, is the name not of a person, but of a land or a region that God governs and whoever Gog is, he will be enticed to make an alliance, a coalition of other like minded nations to head their way towards the people of God, namely the Jewish people, to ransack them and to strip them of all their resources.

But notice some of these nations in verses five and six, they are a little bit easier to identify. You have here Persia, that's modern day Iran. You have Kush, that's Ethiopia. You have Put, that's Libya, Gomer and Beth Torgormah. Now, interestingly, many of these nations not only exist today, but they share something in common.

They are ruled by Islamic principles. And if you look at these nations geographically, they essentially surround the nation of Israel. But the one who is heading this coalition comes from the North and we're gonna see that in a moment here. The identity of Gog and Magog has been a matter of great debate throughout the centuries and you can imagine why. And while we don't have time to unpack all the theories and what people believe Gog and Magog may represent, I believe the mysterious identity of Gog and Magog is actually helpful in our understanding of prophecy.

Why? Because you cannot find any record of Gog and Magog in the Old Testament interacting with the people of Israel, especially in the context of warfare. Think about Israel's most common enemies. You have a Syria, you have Babylon, you you have ancient Egypt, for example. Those are familiar foes that keep appearing in the Hebrew scriptures, but you'd be hard pressed to find Gog and Magog mentioned.

There's no historical record. No historical record of the regions he ruled. There's no historical record of Gog harassing Israel, and all that really means is that Ezekiel's prophecy of this battle must be led by a new unknown people group that will appear in a later time from the distant North and will be unveiled at a critical time on God's prophetic timetable. Who are these people? We don't know, but one day we will know.

And even many Jews today, not believing Jews, understand Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine as a future war concerning their own people. And if that's not convincing enough, that what Ezekiel is speaking about here deals with a later time, look at some of the language he employs that confirms it. We read up to verse six. Now read verse seven with me of Ezekiel 38. Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.

After many days, you will be mustered, highlight this, in the latter years. That's very important to understanding this prophecy. In the latter years, you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Isn't that remarkable? He's describing Israel that for so long has been a continual waste but is inhabited again.

Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely all of them. You will advance coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes and many peoples with you in the latter years. Now look here at verse 16 of Ezekiel 38. You will come against my people Israel like a cloud covering the land in the latter days.

In the latter days, I will bring you against my land. I love those two words. My land, it belongs to God. That the nations may know me, when through you, oh Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. This language should be familiar to us.

Whenever the prophets orient their predictions, whenever they frame their predictions with terms like the latter years or the latter days, we know that they are referring to a period of time immediately preceding the culmination of human history. That much is clear. Ezekiel is speaking about the moments leading up to the end, but many careful and studious students will actually look at Ezekiel's prophecy and see further evidence that can help actually pinpoint more when this war will actually unfold, when it will happen. And as you can imagine, there are differing views on exactly when it will take place, perspectives that we cannot fully explore because of the lack of time. But one of those views is that the war of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine, because John makes reference to it in Revelation 20, means that it will happen at the end of the one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ.

So after he returns physically to the earth and sets up his throne at the end of his administration, then will this war break out. You have Gog and Magog referenced. You have a battle of different nations coming together. It's a passage that both speak about concerning a future war. You have Israel being the target as the setting for the conflict, and in both accounts, the Lord intervenes to defend his people and will show his power to all mankind.

So case closed. Right? Right? I don't know. I don't think so actually.

I don't mean to disappoint you this morning, but it's not that simple. Some people would like to make that assessment and arrive to that conclusion, But if you read your Bibles carefully, then you would have to say that these two prophecies cannot. It's very difficult to claim that Ezekiel and John are describing the exact same battle. You're saying, brother, where is this leading to? How how is this going to help me in my walk with Christ?

Just be patient. I need to do my part to help you understand why they're not the same. They're not speaking about the same thing. So if you're taking notes or you have a very good memory, listen to at least four reasons why Ezekiel's vision of Gog and Magog is not the same as John's. Number one, in Revelation 20, we read that when Satan is released, he will deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, which will gather an innumerable multitude for battle, whereas Ezekiel's vision highlights a limited coalition that's being led by an individual from a northern power.

Look at Ezekiel 38 verse 14 with me. Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, thus says the Lord God, on that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the North, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You don't seem to get that same kind of framework in Revelation 20. What you see instead in John's version is that Satan goes throughout the nations and he brings an amazing recruitment of people to war against God's people.

Secondly, in Revelation 20, the target of these nations is much wider in terms of the company than what we find in Ezekiel. If you remember back in Revelation 20, it says that they marched over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints. Now, the camp of the saints contextually also includes Gentile believers. Remember last week we discussed what? That Christ returns, he sets up his throne, and there we'll experience the first resurrection.

All the Old Testament saints, all the tribulation saints, the believers who have come with Christ will be reunited and will be rewarded with a level of authority in Christ's kingdom. So the camp of the saints in Revelation 20 includes all believers in Jesus Christ, but what do you have in Ezekiel? In Ezekiel 39 or 38, excuse me, in verse 16, notice this with me in Ezekiel 38 verse 16. You will come against my people Israel Like a cloud covering the land, in the latter days I will bring you against my land that the nations may know me when through you, oh God, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. Israel is the focus in Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine.

It's a much limited, much more limited target. Thirdly, the events that follow the battle in Revelation do not align with the aftermath of the war in Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine. Remember, right after the end of the millennium, God is going to usher in the new heavens and the new earth. He's going to bring the final judgment at his great white throne, condemn unbelievers to an eternal hell, and then we will know what we're looking forward to, and that's the eternal age. When you look at what will happen after the war here in Ezekiel's version, it doesn't seem to make sense with that massive cosmic transition.

Ezekiel thirty and thirty nine deal with this prophecy of Gog and Magog, and you go to chapter 39, you see some of the things that will transpire after the war is said and done. So go over to Ezekiel 39 now. And if you want some extra homework this week, read Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine in its entirety. It's a fascinating prophecy, but look here Ezekiel 39 verse nine. This is after the war is done.

This is after God intervenes and defends Israel. Notice what we see here in verse nine of Ezekiel 39. Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears, and they will make fires of them for seven years. That's a long time. That just gives you an idea of the scale of the warfare and the weaponry that's been prepared against them.

To rid of the weapons is gonna take them several years. Look at verse 11 of Ezekiel 39. On that day, I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of the travelers east of the sea. It will block the travelers for their Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley Of Haman Gog.

For seven months, the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. That's a long funeral, seven months of burials. That's how many bodies, that's how many casualties, that's how many of God's enemies will be destroyed. So try to make sense of this. Seven years of burning equipment and weaponry, seven months of burial, but then you go to Revelation 20.

What happens after Satan and his horde are defeated? We're going into the eternal age. We're not gonna be spending that much time dealing with all of this. We're going to God's next and final program for the ages. So how could they be speaking about the same thing?

One more thing. The driving purpose behind the battle of Ezekiel thirty and thirty nine is to open Israel's eyes and to recognize the Lord for themselves. But such an awakening would seem unnecessary during the millennium. Why? Because Christ is already ruling and reigning from Jerusalem.

What awakening does there need to be? Israel will be saved. Israel as a nation will declare that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is their Messiah. Look here with me in Ezekiel 39 verse 22. This is near the end of the long prophecy of this war.

Ezekiel 39 verse 22, the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward. So if you place this war at the end of the millennium, did they not know that, the last one thousand years? Surely, they did. So if the reference to Gog and Magog made by John does not describe the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prediction of a war, a future invasion of Israel, why does John use Gog and Magog at all? Why not just avoid it?

Well, once we have done our homework as we just did, the most compelling answer that we can arrive to is the biblical practice where the scriptures frequently use the names of historical figures and even regions to draw thematic connections. We've seen this in our study of revelation, have we not? For example, in revelation chapter two verse 20, when Jesus criticizes the church in Thyatira, he he calls out a woman by the name of Jezebel. You have a Jezebel in your church. Now let me ask you this, is the Lord actually identifying the queen Jezebel that we read about in first Kings?

Of course not. But he's invoking her name to say something about the spirit of control and corruption that this woman was operating by. What about the use of the word Babylon throughout Revelation? Whether or not that speaks about the revival of an actual city, it primarily denotes the return of a spirit, a system that is anti God that will make a reappearance, that will come back with a vengeance, and will sweep the nations into great deception before the return of Jesus Christ. And in like manner here, when we look at Gog and Magog, what we discover is that Revelation 20 is using this identification as a thematic connection.

It's as though John wants to show us there is coming an ultimate coalition of those who oppose God and hate the rule of Christ that will make a final attempt, and this thematic connection is rooted in Ezekiel's prophecy. It's not the same thing, but he is drawing from the theme. It's not the same thing because he's drawing from similar elements and ingredients of that prophecy to say, there is a greater fulfillment of it to come at the end of the millennium. You can imagine John saying it in this way, at the very end of the millennium, a global embodiment of that rebellious alliance that Ezekiel speaks of will rise once more. In the same defiance spirit that we see there in those chapters, we'll make one last attempt to try to dethrone the sovereignty of God and to try to bring nations together to destroy God's purposes.

But like Ezekiel's vision, what will happen in Revelation 20 will bring a swift end and total defeat to the nations. So I hope that is clear. John is not saying that Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine is gonna happen at the end of the millennium. All he is saying is something like it is going to happen at the end of the millennium, something on a greater scale, greater magnitude, something that carries the same spirit. Gog and Magog is going to show up again.

Now, if you wanna know when Gog and Magog in Ezekiel's version is going to happen, talk about it at lunch, debate about it. But for now, I wanna answer this question, what does this teach us? How do I apply this? What do I do with this kind of information? Well, this final rebellion, if it reveals anything, it reminds us of what the human heart is capable of if not changed by Jesus Christ.

Mankind retains the capacity to repeat the absolute worst chapters of its history if it is not born again. The fact that Gog and Magog reappears in Revelation 20 is essentially teaching us what happened before is happening yet again. The foolishness of before is being repeated again. The pride of before is rearing its ugly head again. And you have to remember this, the millennium will enforce peace through swift justice and perfect righteousness, but for many that holy environment will actually produce outward conformity only.

It's gonna be very hard to be a criminal during the millennium. It's gonna be very hard to create a war when Jesus Christ is ruling from the capital of the millennium in Jerusalem. But don't make the mistake in thinking that all the citizens of the millennium, all the the people living in that world are worshipers of Jesus Christ. In the same way, not everybody was for King David when he was the anointed one ruling from Jerusalem himself. Laws may restrain corruption in the regenerate or unregenerate heart, but laws do not transform the heart.

And as I mentioned last week, we as Christians have to be very and extremely careful of putting too much emphasis on changing the laws of our land instead of giving the gospel to the people of our land. There are many movements even these days that would suggest that if we just get enough influence within government as Christians, then we can usher in the much needed revival that we've been aching for. Really? Jesus Christ is gonna become the president, so to speak, of the entire globe. And when the right opportunity arises, you're going to have an innumerable amount of people who will resist him with violence.

Don't make that mistake. And as a church, I'm speaking to church at large that loves this nation and this nation has been blessed by God and God has used this nation, and we pray that God keeps his hand on this nation. I'm afraid that many Christians are so fearful, they're panicking, they're looking at what's happening, what's transpiring, how things are falling apart and they are, though not confessing it, though not admitting it, maybe not even outright thinking about it, are running to other solutions apart from the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Should Christians get involved to a degree where we present obstacles to evil, polluting and corrupting our generation? Absolutely.

Hindrances? Yes. Through legal means, legislations, voting for right people in office, though the candidates are... Well, I'll just stop there. Shouldn't be against that.

That's okay. But if you think that's gonna save America, you're dead wrong. And I'm afraid that we have many Christians who are more excited and hopeful about laws than about the gospel. You know what Paul said in Romans one sixteen, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation. If you ever attempted to think, oh, if we only had this and if we only had him and if we only do this, listen.

The millennium shows us that laws do not change souls. Christ does. The Holy Spirit does. And if we're gonna put our energy in anything more than anything else, it's this. Get the truth of God's word to people.

And tragically, for many who experienced the unprecedented blessings of the millennium, they will refuse to surrender their hearts to the wonderful and glorious Jesus. And John goes on to reveal how they will ultimately buy into this satanic delusion that they can actually replace Jesus Christ who is physically reigning on the earth. And we're not given the exact mechanics of how this deception will spread or how the nation will even organize themselves in this way, but John does tell us about the next movements of the satanic coalition. Look again here at Revelation 20 verse nine. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

Not much of a war, is it? I love how the Lord does not waste any time here. But don't miss this crucial detail. The camp of the saints and the beloved city will be completely surrounded. Now, what is is this referring to in terms of the city?

What city can possibly be known as the city beloved by God. You already said it over and over in the scriptures. The special object of God's love is the city of Jerusalem. Can we take a little journey through the book of Psalms? Let's do that together.

Come with me to Psalm 78 with me. You always interpret unclear passages with more clear passages. That's how you protect yourself from getting into strange interpretations. So I see here that there is this beloved city that's going to be surrounded. For many of us, we know what that is, but prove it.

Prove to me that this is Jerusalem. Well, let's look at some verses beginning in Psalm 78. Psalm 78 verse 67. Psalm 78 verse 67. He rejected the tent of Joseph.

He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which is synonymous with Jerusalem, which he loves. He loves Mount Zion. He loves Jerusalem. Look at Psalm 87 now. Look at the first two verses with me there.

Psalm 87. Psalm 87 verses one and two. On the Holy Mount stands the city he founded, The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Let's look at one more Psalm, Psalm one thirty two. Psalm one thirty two and look at verse 13 with me.

Psalm one thirty two verse 13. For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling place. So it's clear, I hope, that Jerusalem has a special place in God's heart. We also have to remember that with other prophecies, Jerusalem will become the headquarters of the Messiah during the millennium. For example, in Jeremiah three seventeen, we're told that Jerusalem will be the throne of the Lord.

But before we consider that further, how the nations will surround the beloved city makes sense, doesn't it, if it's going to be the capital, though it's a foolish enterprise and an incredibly absurd pursuit? Before we look at that in closing, something moved me when I looked at this. Something moved me when I looked at Jerusalem being referred to as the beloved city in the book of Revelation. And it was when I look back at the last time Jerusalem was referenced in the book of Revelation and the difference between those two reference points. Do you remember Revelation 11 when God will raise up two witnesses who will preach incredibly powerful sermons backed up by just unprecedented authority?

The Lord actually tells us where they will be preaching from and where they will die. Go with me to Revelation 11 because there we see how Jerusalem is described before Revelation 20. Revelation 11 verse seven. And when they had finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom in Egypt. That's not a compliment by the way.

Where their Lord was crucified, just in case you didn't know it, he's speaking about Jerusalem. That's where Christ was crucified. Here's what amazes me about this. During the tribulation, that's what Revelation is describing, Israel will sink to such moral lows that Revelation actually describes their mindset and their behavior to ancient Sodom and Egypt. And then you read on and realize Christ is going to return according to Revelation 19.

Christ is going to establish his throne in Jerusalem and he will redeem all things including the Jewish people, and when he does, he is going to restore also the intended status of Jerusalem and its inhabitants and she will again be recognized as the beloved city. She's going to go from Sodom in Egypt to the beloved city once more. Do you see God's heart in this? Do you see the incredible truth in this? When Jesus Christ becomes king, not just of a place, but of our hearts, he transforms our identity.

And no matter how hideous and shameful your current condition may be, this king is willing to conquer your heart and as a result create something of lasting beauty and glory which will display his love for you. Look at the hope in this. The last thing you encounter about Jerusalem is that she is symbolically called Sodom in Egypt, then you read on and discover near the end of this book that she is now identified as the beloved city. What made the difference when Christ becomes king? When Christ comes in and claims victory over you and me?

And so you look at your own life perhaps today and you think, I have some issues and I've been even called this and I began to believe it and you know what? My life actually shows that I am despicable. I am unattractive, spiritually speaking. I am a failure. I am a rebel even.

I am perverted. Well, you can choose to stay that way if you'd like, but there's another choice that you can make, crowning Jesus as Lord. And when he does, he changes everything. That can be yours today, that can be your future, that can be your story this morning. And additionally, we're not explicitly told this, but back in Revelation 20, what we're told there that they will surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city.

If the camp of the saints refers to the dwelling place of believers near the beloved city, I just love what that picture portrays. Again, we're not told of the geographical details of these two locations necessarily. We know the beloved city, but the camp of the saints, what does that mean exactly? Where is that going to be located? If if the interpretation is that it will be adjacent to the city or close to the city, then that just moves me even more because it shows that when Christ will rule and reign, the saints wanna be as near to him as possible.

They wanna be as close to him as possible. Christ is what's gonna make the millennium so glorious. Not the wolf lying with the lamb, not being able to live for six hundred years like the pre flood era, it's going to be Christ. He's going to be the main attraction of that world. And I've said it throughout Revelation, please allow me to say it again, what makes the millennium so wonderful, what makes heaven so wonderful is Jesus, the person.

His beauty, his infinite majesty, that is what the heart yearns for if you were truly filled with the Holy Spirit. I don't know if we get a choice to where we get to live, but I'm gonna get as close as I can to Jerusalem. Here's how things wrap up in verse 10 of Revelation 20. Let's look at it again. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

So you can envision it. Right? You have this great host of people who will come together to surround the beloved city. In a moment's notice, heaven will fall down with fire, consume all the enemies of God into ashes, and one of the first things that will happen after this great victory is that Satan will be hurled into the lake of fire. And unlike the abyss where he was imprisoned for a thousand years, he will never escape.

It's done. It's final. It's sealed. It's eternal. You're never going to see Satan mentioned again for the rest of this book.

And it would seem that this type of judgment is fitting for someone whose career was described and defined by accusing the brethren. How often? Revelation twelve ten tells us that the devil accuses our brothers before the throne of God day and night. So the one who accuses us day and night, what do we find here in Revelation 20 verse 10? He'll be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where he will be tormented day and night.

And if you remember what we've looked at in different parts of revelation, then you begin to see that there's actually a contrast being set as the world now is moving into eternity. There are other things that are going to happen day and night that are happening and will continue to happen. Let me remind you of some of these things as we wrap this study together up. You remember what happens in Revelation four eight? You don't have to turn there, just listen.

Lean in now. Revelation four eight and the four living creatures, each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within and day and night they never cease to say, holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. Endless praise, eternal praise, ongoing praise. What about Revelation seven? Listen to this in verse 14.

I said to him, sir, you know, and he said to me, these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, and He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence. As we're coming to the end of the book of Revelation, there are two paths that are being paved before us, are there not? And some of us have to face a sobering question in light of it.

Here's Satan with the false prophet with the Antichrist will be tormented day and night, and as we're gonna see next week, those who are not for Christ will join them day and night. Those who oppose Christ will join them day and night. And yet at the same time, we see those who will, because of their love for Christ and surrender to Christ, will worship the Lord day and night, will serve him day and night, which tells you that service is not a burden. We're gonna be doing it for eternity. If you feel the joy in serving God, that's just a little glimpse of the joy that you'll know doing it in the world to come because you'll do it with perfection.

You'll do it with perfect energy, perfect purity, perfect motives. Two paths. And I believe that the Holy Spirit in bringing this to mind is confronting us with this set of questions before we say, amen. Which one will I choose? What will be my destiny day and night when my time on earth expires and I enter into my unending existence?

Many of us plan for what we're going to do the next weekend. Some Some of us plan for what we're gonna do in the next year, next winter. But have you ever factored in? Have you ever meditated on, hold on, what will I be doing day and night forever and ever? And there are two choices.

You might be wondering, is the choice actually mine? And I'm here to say, according to the authority of the Bible, absolutely, it is yours. And you can choose to enjoy God's glorious presence day and night or experience his wrath day and night. And that choice hinges on what you do with the person of Jesus Christ today. Jesus gave that wonderful truth about being born again in John three, but later in that chapter, we read this very important declaration that applies to every person who hears me under the sound of my voice.

In John three thirty six, whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. What changes my destiny? What moves me from escaping the wrath of God to knowing eternal life? One thing, one thing, Jesus Christ.

Do you know him? Do you believe in him? Well, I believe in Jesus Christ. Hold on. Read carefully again.

Whoever does not obey the son, true belief leads to obedience. It's not a name tag that you slap on your chest. As we heard earlier, it's a supernatural experience where the deepest part of who you are according to Romans eight testifies that I am a child of God. Can that be challenged? Can you experience doubt?

Yes. But there should be a moment, there should be something of your own history with God where you can say, this was the time when Christ became real to me. This was the time when I said, yes, Lord Jesus. I believe that you died on the cross. I believe that it's your shed blood alone that can cleanse me from all unrighteousness, and I accept that, and I surrender to that.

And, oh, from that place of forgiveness, I wanna walk in obedience to you. If you can't if you can't mark a moment, I'm not talking about a date that you wrote in your bibles. I'm just talking about the knowledge that you have gone from death to life if if if you're not confident about that, why would you wait another day? Because there's there's a time coming where the choice that you make will cement what will happen to you and me day and night forever and ever. And King Jesus who rules and reigns from heaven today is beckoning those created in his image to join his kingdom now before he returns to rule and reign in this world and to bring his final judgment with it.

Do you know Jesus? You could know him today. And if you choose to respond to him, he will be the most real person to you in this room and for the rest of your life. It's a remarkable experience to be born again. Don't wait till tomorrow.

Lord, we ask with gratitude that you've helped us understand a little bit more this truth of the millennium. Thank you for strengthening our confidence in your word, and thank you for how you were able to even take some of these things and apply them to us. We think about our land that is in desperate need of righteousness, and we do pray, Lord, that you would raise up officials and mayors and governors and even a president that would fear you. Yes, Lord, we pray for that as a restraint against evil and corruption, but Lord, more importantly, we pray for the gospel to spread with greater power that your church would know something of unction and enablement from you to be able to persuade sinners of their need for salvation. So, Lord, yes, touch the White House, but touch your house.

Touch your church, and we pray that there would be a revival that can only be credited to the proclaimed word of God. Bring us to that place, Lord Jesus, and may it begin with your people. And Lord, we also think even in these truths, how you can transform our identity, transform our nature, transform the labels that we might have endured for so long. Oh, Lord, we pray that if anybody in this place is living like Sodom and thinking like Egypt, that that would be changed by your power, and they would they would know your love, and they would find their purpose, and they would find their fulfillment in Christ becoming king. And Lord, also we pray that you protect us in understanding how your word should be understood as especially prophecy.

Lord, there's so many opinions, so many teachings, oh, God, we pray that you keep us. You keep us close to the truth. No matter what it costs us, no matter what it asks us to abandon, we pray, Lord, that we would be in the truth and and we would rejoice in the truth. Bring us there together as a church. Keep us there together as a church and be glorified through it all.

Lord, we've come now to say thank you in song that you are king, you are coming again as king, and that we will know your power and we will know your love and we will know your presence in a way that will satisfy us for a thousand years and for eternity afterwards. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. And a glorious amen. Let's stand together and let's worship the king with one voice.