THE KING’S KINGDOM
Text: Revelation 20:1-6
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
1. The Establishment Of The Kingdom (vv. 1-3)
- As the Revelation war story concludes, we see…
1) The destruction of Babylon – both religious and secular (eco/political)
2) The defeating of the Antichrist, false prophet, and enemy armies
3) The detaining of Satan, the dragon, devil, serpent. He is chained and bound and detained in the bottomless pit. - With all enemies destroyed, defeated, or detained, Christ now establishes His kingdom on this earth and will reign for
2. The Nature Of The Kingdom
1) Kingdom of peace. (Isa. 2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9)
- There will finally be true world peace when the Prince of Peace rules this world.
- There will be peace among nations, neighbors, families, with God and within.
2) Kingdom of joy (Zeph 3:14-17)
- The fullness of joy will be a distinctive mark of the age
3) Kingdom of
4) Kingdom of no
- There will be abundant productivity on the earth. Animal creation will be changed so as to lose its venom and ferocity. The lion will lay down with the lamb. We will have no need to fear venomous snakes.
5) Kingdom of no sickness (Isa. 33:24; Jer. 30:17; Ezek. 34:16)
6) Kingdom of
3. The Citizens Of The Kingdom (vv. 4-6)
1) Saved Jewish remnant (Isa. 14:1-2; 49:22-23; 54:1-17; 60:14-17; 61:6-7; 62:2-5; Hosea 2:14-23)
2) Saved Gentile survivors of tribulation (Mt. 25:33-34)
3) Church age saints (both resurrected and raptured) (1 Cor. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 1:6; 2:26-27; 3:21)
4)
- The citizens of the kingdom can be divided into two categories: constituents and rulers.
The constituents will have earthly, physical bodies. The rulers will have glorified bodies (like that of Jesus when He was raised from the grave).
Perhaps the highest reward that we can receive is the privilege of doing for the King (i.e. a position of service in eternity).
- The highest form of serving is
- Note in both parables (Talents and Pounds) the reward of the servants dealt with ruling.
- Our opportunity for reward and rule in the future is determined by what we do now.
4. The Necessity Of The Kingdom
- In the OT there are almost
- If the Kingdom doesn’t come to earth and be ruled by the offspring of David reigning over the land promised to Abraham, then God’s Word would be a lie.
These prophecies must come to pass in order for God to keep the promises He made in the covenants with Abraham, David, and the New Covenant.
1) The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; Gen. 15:18; Gen. 17:6-7)
- Abraham’s seed is promised the
2) The Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8-16)
- David’s offspring will
3) The New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Isa. 42:6; Heb. 8:7-12)
- Gentile believers in this age are early adopters of the covenant, but the remnant of the Jewish nation will accept this covenant in wholesale fashion towards the end of the tribulation. The
- Abraham’s seed is promised the