Series: The Radical Call of Jesus
Message: Radical Solutions
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Daily Walk: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 106:19–23.

Read: Revelation 19:1–20:15 (NIV). As you read the New International Version, note 1–3 insights.

Reflect: This is an epic chapter in the book of Revelation! So much is packed into so few verses. I hope it also helps us better grasp the character of God. Steve Case and Daniel Wysong, in their study commentary Finding Jesus in the Book of Revelation, divide this chapter into four sections. 

Section 1: The Millennium—Time out for Satan 

Revelation 20:1-3. In these verses, the same angel who earlier opened the bottomless pit now chains the dragon to the bottom of the pit. Remember that the language used to describe this pit is the same language used in Jeremiah 4:23, which implies a barren wasteland. Satan is going to be detained there for a thousand years. This a symbolic period of time, but he will be released for a short time in the future. 

Section 2: The Millennium—God’s People Judge

Revelation 20:4-6. We are introduced to a scene in the throne room. You may recall how significant it was that Jesus took the seat with the Father in that beautiful scene in Revelation 4-5. Now we see this radical solution in which God shares His throne with all who are saved! He shares the authority to judge with everyone who overcomes. This is the time for everyone to process with God why some people chose to be saved and why some rejected God and left Him with no option but to let them go. Jesus shared this concept with his disciples in Matthew 19:28, and Paul encouraged the church about the same thing in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3. Ranko Stefanovic, in Plain Revelation, adds to it further: 

Revelation clearly specifies that raising the saints to life is the first resurrection, which takes place at the beginning of the millennium (Rev. 20:5). The rest of humanity will be resurrected at the conclusion of the millennium, which coincides with Satan’s release from his solitary confinement (20:5–7). Those raised in the first resurrection are “blessed and holy,” because they are not subject to “the second death” (20:6), which will be the fate of the wicked when they are thrown into the lake of fire (20:14–15; 21:8). Here is the fulfillment of the promise given to the faithful in Smyrna—that they “shall not be harmed by the second death” (2:11). (p. 233)

Tomorrow we will look at the last two sections of Revelation 20. 

Recalibrate: ​​​What does being part of the "review process" demonstrate to you who God is?

Respond: Pray for insight. 

Research: 1 Thessalonians 4 as a pivotal text on the resurrection.