1. Whom did the Revelator see come down from heaven? What did he have in his hand? Rev. 20:1. Note 1.
2. What did the angel do? How long was Satan bound? Verse 2. Note 2.
3. Where is Satan confined? What is placed upon him? How long is his work of deception interrupted? What then takes place? How long is he to be loosed? Verse 3. Note 3.
5. Who only are raised at His coming? Rev. 20:6.—The righteous. The "dead in Christ." The "blessed and holy."
6. What change takes place in the living righteous? 1 Cor. 15:51-54.
7. After the "change," what then takes place? 1 Thess. 4:17.
8. Where are they next seen? Upon what are they seated? Rev. 20:4.
9. Who will be judged during this time? 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. Note 4.
10. What happens to the wicked when Jesus comes? 2 Thess. 2:7-9.
11. To what condition will the earth be brought? Jer. 4:23-27. Note 5.
12. What occurs when the 1,000 years are finished? Who only have a part in the first resurrection? Who only have a part in the "second" resurrection? How long a period of time intervenes between these two resurrections? Rev. 20:5, 6.
13. What descends from heaven at the close of the 1,000 years? Rev. 21:2.
14. What release does the raising of the wicked dead bring to Satan? Rev. 20:7.—He then has subjects to work upon.
15. What will he do? How many subjects has he? For what purpose does he gather them? Verse 8.
16. Where do they go? What is this camp called? What puts an end to the struggle? Verses 9, 10. Note 6.
17. For whom was this lake of fire prepared? Matt. 25:41.
18. How complete will be their destruction? Mal. 4:1, 3.
20. How will the fire that consumes the wicked affect the earth? 2 Peter 3:10-13.
NOTES.
1. The word here translated "bottomless pit" is in the Revised Version, Rotherham's Translation, Interlinear, etc., properly translated "abyss," meaning a place of darkness and desolation. A like expression is found in Gen. 1:2, the Septuagint, where the term, "darkness was upon the face of the deep," is used to describe the earth in its chaotic condition. It denotes the same here.
2. Just as the scapegoat in the typical service connected with the earthly sanctuary was led into the wilderness, laden with the sins of the people placed upon him by the high priest on the day of atonement, so, at the close of the judgment work in the heavenly sanctuary, the sins of God's people will be placed by our great High Priest upon the anti-typical scapegoat, Satan.
3. Lucifer, because of sin, was cast out of heaven. Luke 10:18. When Jesus died on the cross, Satan was again cast down (John 12:31), the Second Adam taking the exalted position in the council of heaven, which the first Adam lost through transgression. Now with the saints all in heaven, beyond the reach of his temptations, his own subjects all dead, and every ambition of his soul blasted, an angel seizes this fallen cherub, and binds him in the desolated earth for a thousand years. What a striking object-lesson of the vanity of sin!
4. This judgment will not be to determine who are the righteous, for this has previously been determined, but it will consist in apportioning the measure of punishment due to the lost. There will be degrees in the reward of the lost (Matt. 10:15; 11:24; Mark 6:11), for all will be rewarded according as their works have been. This work will bring to light the hidden things, and the justice and mercy of God will be fully seen in all His dealings with the children of men.
5. No more fitting term than "abyss," or "bottomless pit," could be found to describe the earth in its desolate condition. Here will be Satan's home for a thousand years. All about him he will see only failure and ruin.
"Here is to be the home of Satan and his angels for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the earth, and see the effects of his rebellion against God's law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone to this earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen."—Early Writings, page 150.
6. The countless millions of the wicked dead being raised will loose Satan from his prison, and he begins his former work of deception. He gathers them for battle, and they surround the capital of the New Earth in a desperate and final struggle to capture the city. This once will the whole family of Adam, both righteous and wicked, stand together on the earth. But what a contrast! We are now making decisions which will determine where they will then stand.