"How would you reconcile this belief with 2 Peter 3:9?

Articles viewed at my blog Things New and Old
in the month, Sep 21-Oct 20, 2018.

Visitors to my blog Things New and Old

in the month, Sep 21-Oct 20, 2018.

Initially posted here:
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid0JdRPcc6WBVHRYVQCjZKWra2G2keb6ZQA3MWkKHr7L3WWwbEBVEKDTgcaWfcAALcql

Visitors to and the articles viewed at my blog Things New and Old in the month, Sep 21-Oct 20, 2018.

Take a look, you may learn a thing or two. When you see any error, feel free to instruct me in the truth.

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/
========

Kelvin Tan
Thanks to the previous exchange I had with you, I have now learned what the "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith", which I was previously unaware of.

By reading it, I understand much better where you are coming from. I just have one question. You may, of course, choose not to answer, but if you do, I would appreciate as clear an answer as possible from you. This was point 6 in the summary that I have linked here

6. We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, and for his own glory, elected a great host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon his foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit.

My question is, "How would you reconcile this belief with 2 Peter 3:9?
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Reading this verse gives people the impression that God wants ALL to come to repentance. If he wants ALL, how can one believe that there is an election of "a great host"? great in size, it may be, but its clearly not all?

Thanks in advance for clarifying.

http://www.cbcridgecrest.org/a-summary-of-the-1689-london-baptist-confession-of-faith
A Summary of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Sing F Lau
If you are interested to learn, and not just asking for asking sake, this article may give you light.
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2009/10/lord-is-not-willing-that-any-should.html
The Lord is not willing that any should perish

Remember to whom Apostle Peter was writing:

1Peter 1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

2Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Ask the right questions, e.g.,
- what's the promise?
- who are the us-ward?
- who does the pronoun "any" refer to?
- "perish" in what sense?
- "all" of who should come to repentance?

Kelvin Tan
Q: What exactly does it mean to say that God is “not willing”?

sing: 'Not willing' would imply not fixed nor decreed, therefore conditioned upon the believing response of the Jewish believers. It is something in the providential, not in the decretal, dealing of God.

Q: In what sense is the Lord not willing that any should PERISH?
sing: Perish as in being slaughtered and roasted by the pagan Roman army in the prophesied judgment coming upon Jerusalem.
===

Seems a lot rests on the interpretation of AD 70, instead of the 2nd coming of Jesus.

Is the former belief an axiom of all reformed Baptists?

Sing F Lau
You need to ask the reformed baptists about that. I can't speak for them. I fear that the reformed baptist are as CLUELESS as you concerning the Scriptures' momentous teaching on the significance of the events surrounding AD 70 - the abolition of the old geriatric theocratic kingdom of Israel.

May the Lord open your eyes. Amen.

Kelvin Tan
Oh, I thought your church's denomination is of the reformed baptist/Calvinistic Baptists?

Its not? Your church takes "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith" as their fundamental doctrine correct?

Sing F Lau
Kelvin, don't stray. Keep to the subject. Answer these questions on the Scriptures you raised... No need to waste time on the unrelated matter.

2Pe 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Ask the right questions, e.g.,
- what's the promise?
- who are the us-ward?
- who does the pronoun "any" refer to?
- "perish" in what sense?
- "all" of who should come to repentance?
Answering these relevant questions will help you to rightly divide the word of truth, not into multi-dispensations, but dividing truth from fables.

Kelvin Tan
The subject I started off with is the "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith".
Interesting that you are not even willing to explain to all your readers the fundamental doctrines of your church, and what it stands for.

If you don't consider your church as a reformed baptist church, what exactly would you consider it as?

Sing F Lau
Kelvin, the subject was 2Pet 3:9. Follow through this first, and I will answer the other peripheral questions to your satisfaction. Don't be like a butterfly.... touching here and darting there.

Kelvin Tan
I have already said to you in our previous discussion.

Sing, you interpret the end in that passage as the destruction of Jerusalem.

I interpret the end as the second coming of Christ.

Thus, none should perish; the deadline is the 2nd coming.

Sing F Lau
Fine, thank you.

Kelvin Tan
Sing, I am asking what denomination is your church 😇

Sing F Lau
No denomination; independent.

Kelvin Tan
Ahh, so an independent church that also adopted 1689 as its main doctrine. Okay thanks

Sing F Lau
I interpret the end as the second coming of Christ.
---------------

The momentous event of the END of the Jewish world DOES NOT register with you, does it? How sad.

Christ warned against it, the Apostles warned against it, many are willfully oblivious of it.

See how Matt 24 begins... impressive temple building; see how 2Pet 2 begins... scoffers against that warning of the coming destruction in AD70.

How could people be SO BLIND to the plain facts stated right there is incredible.

Apostle Paul did say,

"But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant."

Kelvin Tan
Well, you choose to reject that the kingdom program was postponed with the stoning of Stephen, and the dispensation of grace began after that, to the benefit of all of us gentiles. Jesus will return for the Jews again once the Gentile church has reached the desired size, that means the Jewish world has not ended in AD 70. Romans 11 has all the details.

You have the freedom to reject that view of course. Unlike you, I respect that different people interpret scriptures differently. I will not judge whether you are blind or not (and of course I won't do so in CAPS like you 🤣).

Sing F Lau
Kelvin, I can't be rejecting that which is non existent, can I? The kingdom program is a figment of imagination, Apostle Paul call such Jewish-centric things as fables.

You and I are toooooo far apart in our theological moorings. Don't waste time banging our heads together.

The OT theocratic kingdom has been geriatric and abolished forever. Read Hebrews.

Sing F Lau
I have reason to say you are blind to the plain facts stated in Matt 24 and 2Pet 3 - they all relate to the judgment in AD70.

Have you even understood these two verses:

Mat 24
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

These words described the horrendous judgment executed upon wicked Jewish nation in AD70.

In 2Pet 3, the scoffers were the unbelieving Jews who mocked at the promised coming to execute judgment upon the stiffnecked Jewish nation.

Read Matt 21
41 ¶ They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 ¶ Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
¶ 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

DESTROY... the kingdom of God shall be taken from you...

But your dispy coloured glasses will prevent you from seeing the plain words of Christ.

Kelvin Tan
Your perspective is interestingly narrow for someone with your life experience.

There is a reason why there are so many denominations in Christianity. Different people interpret biblical passages differently.

There are churches who sprinkle for baptism, there are also churches who do not regard baptism as necessary for salvation. There are churches who speak in tongues while others who believed tongues have ceased. Are you not aware of that?

Sing F Lau
There are all sorts of different interpretations; they may all be wrong and contradicting the Scriptures and repudiating the gospel; different interpretations CAN'T be all correct at the same time.

Being woolly is not a virtue.

There is a divine reason for this command:

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV — Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Kelvin Tan
Sing, I feel we should be careful not to pass judgment on others who disagree with us. Romans 14:5 tells us that each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

So, look to the Scriptures, study both sides, and make up your own mind. But, do not be judgmental towards Christian brothers and sisters who disagree with you.

Kelvin Tan
Starting in May 1992, Pastor Poh [and Lau Sing Foo] had been visiting the
group of believers in Penang on the first weekend of every month. Series of studies on the local church, the doctrines of grace, the charismatic issue, the Statement and the proposed

Church constitution were covered. It was agreed that the 1689 Confession of Faith should form the doctrinal standard of the church. The group opted for the name of “Sungai Dua Church (Reformed Baptist)”.
====

This was from your webpage. Interestingly, you are telling me now that the church is no longer a reformed Baptist church?

Sing F Lau
That's true. The good Lord taught us the many errors of the Reformed Baptists.
I blessed the Lord that I'm still teachable and learning from the Lord.
Are you?

Take a look at this blog: it archived the theological controversies with the Reformed Baptists - pointing out why the Reformed Baptists have erred from the teaching summarized in the 1689 Cof. The Reformed Baptists appeared in the 1960s, nearly 300 years after the 1689 CoF was published.
https://pruning-deformed-branches.blogspot.com/

Kelvin Tan
Sing, I am learning new things every day. As I have said, thanks to the previous exchange I have with you, I have now learned what is the "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith", that I am previously unaware of.

By reading it, I understand much better where you are coming from.

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..."

It will be instructive and profitable to inquire, "Why is the heavenly Father well pleased with His beloved Son?"

Here are some thoughts

1, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..." because He is the eternal Word made flesh, the glory as the only begotten Son of God.

John 1:14
¶ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

2. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..." because He was divinely begotten by the power of the Highest; He is the divinely begotten Son of God.

Luke 1:35
¶ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

3. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..." because He identified Himself with those He came to save; He humbled Himself and became partaker of flesh and blood, the Word was made flesh, to save those whom God the Father has given to Him.

Hebrews 2
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

4. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..." because He is resolutely submitted to fulfil all righteousness; no one could dissuade Him.

Matthew 3:15
And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Matthew 4:10
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 16:23
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

5. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased..." because His very name Jesus means "Jehovah is salvation" - He shall save His people, those whom the Father had elected and given to Him, from their sins.

Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Election, Predestination, Preterition, Reprobation

Election, Predestination, Preterition, Reprobation

Predestination is a wonderful doctrine plainly taught in the Bible. Sadly, it is hardly understood by many sincere Christians. Some have not only misunderstood but also perverted this biblical doctrine into lies that are injurious to the character of God. Others deny the plain doctrine completely.

a. Here is an example of how the doctrine is popularly understood:
"The doctrine of predestination is a religious belief, primarily in Christianity, that God has eternally decided the ultimate fate of every individual, including who will be saved. It is the concept that all events, especially salvation and damnation, are preordained by God before the creation of the world, often leading to theological discussions about God's omniscience and human free will. This doctrine is closely associated with Calvinism, though variations exist in other Christian traditions and even other religions."

Some comments
1. The first sentence promotes the error of "double predestination":
- "God has eternally decided the ultimate fate of EVERY individual ..."

2. The second sentence confounds the predestination of people with the preordination of "ALL EVENTS." Predestination has to do with PEOPLE, not EVENTS.

3 The third sentence is partly true: the doctrine of double predestination and they involving events are indeed closely associated with Calvinism, not Scriptures.

1. The Scriptures on Predestination
a. The word translated predestinate (προορίζω) occurs 6 times in the NT in the following verses.
προορίζω - pro-or-id'-zo from πρό (G4253) and ὁρίζω (G3724)
Biblical usage
- to predetermine, decide beforehand
- in the NT of God decreeing from eternity
- to foreordain, appoint beforehand.

i. Rom 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

Comment:
Predestination has to do with people; the pronouns "whom" and "them" are personal pronouns of PEOPLE, not things or events. This is obvious and common sense; only people have DESTINY. Predestination is the eternal divine act of PRE determining the eternal destiny of some people, EVEN those whom He Has elected.

ii. Eph 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

iii. Eph 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

Comment
Predestination has to do with people; the pronoun "us" is a personal pronoun; only people, not events, can be said to obtain an inheritance. This is obvious and common sense; only people can be predestined to obtain an eternal inheritance. Predestination is an eternal divine act of PRE-determining the destiny of His elect.

iv. Act 4:28 "For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before (προορίζω) to be done."

v. 1Co 2:7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before (προορίζω) the world unto our glory."

Comment:
- God indeed "determined" and "ordained" in eternity (i.e. before time) the many events that MUST COME TO PASS - those things that are related to the eternal salvation of His elect people predestinated to glory.

- Those events - e.g. Christ's incarnation, Christ's work of redemption, Christ's death and resurrection, Christ's ministry as mediator, and Christ's return to glorify his people, etc - must immutably come to pass by divine decrees; otherwise, there would be NO eternal salvation for His elect people.

- All these things work together for the eternal good of His chosen people.

2. The vast difference between Calvinists/Reformed and the Old School Baptists

a. "By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death." WCF 3.3

- Nearly all the Reformed and Calvinists hold to the doctrine of "double predestination."

- Double predestination: God actively predestinated some to eternal salvation and as well as actively predestinated the rest to eternal damnation.

b. The Old School Baptists believe in predestination and preterition (the passive act of bypassing)

"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ,7 to the praise of His glorious grace;8 others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice." 1689.3.3.

- The Old School Baptist hold to the scriptural doctrine of predestination: God actively elected some to eternal salvation and left the rest to act in their sins to their just condemnation.

c. Some smart alecks dismiss the 1689 CoF as a cheap copy of the WCF.
- I inquired, "If the 1689 is blindly copied from WCF, then it's strange that they speak so differently on this important subject.

3. Election/Predestination and Reprobation
a. Not a few join these two as opposite, understanding reprobation as the opposite of election/predestination, i.e being actively predestinated by God unto eternal damnation. This couldn't be more misguided. Let us look at the usage of the word reprobate in the NT.

- 1Cor 9:27 KJT — "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." [i.e. adókimos, reprobate].

- 2Cor 13:5 KJT "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Comments:
- Apostle Paul says if he does not keep his body and bring it into subjection to the word of God as a preacher of God's word, he may end up as a castaway, a reprobate, a reject, one who failed the expectations/requirements of God of a preacher of God's word. This has nothing to do with predestination in eternity to damnation!

- God's children are called to examine themselves whether they be in the faith; they are called to hold fast their profession of faith. Otherwise, they are rejected, unapproved, not standing the test. This obviously has NOTHING to do with predestination in eternity to eternal damnation! It has to do with the acceptance or rejection of God's children by God based on their obedience.

b. What's the meaning of "reprobate"
- reprobate: a-dókimos, the opposite of dókimos (approved, tried - pass the requirement)
- unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally):—castaway, rejected, reprobate.

Outline of Biblical Usage
- not standing the test, not approved: properly used of metals and coins
- that which does not prove itself such as it ought: unfit for, unproven, spurious, reprobate; i.e. failed the quality control test.

c. The opposite of election is preterition - being passively bypassed by God in his active act of election.
- Either one is elected, and predestinated unto glory, or he is bypassed by God in eternity, i.e. before time.
- God is perfectly righteous in the act of bypassing any; He did them no injustice whatsoever. The foolish insist that God must also positively ordain the rest to eternal damnation since He has predestined others to eternal salvation.

d. The opposite of reprobation is acceptation/approval.
- Either one is approved or reprobate in time by God based on certain conditions.

e. Predestination and preterition are in the realm of eternal salvation; reprobation and acceptation are in the realm of temporal salvation.
- Those elected are predestinated to glory in and through the redemptive work of the Redeemer.

I hope these few thoughts help in your inquiry.

p/s

preterition is the act of passing over, omitting, or disregarding someone or something, particularly in legal contexts (omitting a compulsory heir from a will) and theological contexts (God "passing over" those not elected for salvation.)

The Wise and Foolish Virgins - both are found in the kingdom of heaven

The parable of the ten virgins.

Matthew 25
1 ¶Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Let us make some obvious observations about the parable

a. The phrase "kingdom of heaven" occurs 33 times in the whole of the Bible; it is used exclusively in the book of Matthew. Why? The Gospel of Matthew has the Jewish audience in mind - those who are conscious and pride themselves as members of the earthly theocratic kingdom of Israel.

b. The parable of the ten virgins speaks something about the kingdom of heaven:
- It discloses/speaks of a harsh reality/phenomenon in the kingdom of heaven - there are BOTH wise and foolish virgins in the kingdom of heaven.
- The term virgin is used to describe those betrothed to Christ: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Cor 11:2

c. All ten virgins - BOTH the wise and the foolish - are in the kingdom of heaven. 
- Not a few imagine that only the wise are found in the kingdom of heaven!

Similarly, both the good and faithful servants (v23) and the wicked and slothful (v26) are found in the kingdom of heaven.
- Not a few imagine that only the good and faithful are found in the kingdom of heaven!

Even so, both those who minister to Christ’s brethren (v40) and those who fail to minister to the same are found in the kingdom of heaven. 
- Not a few imagine that Christ finds fault with those not found in the kingdom of heaven for not loving His brethren!

d. ALL of them voluntarily went forth to wait for the arrival of THEIR groom.
- This shows that they know their groom; they ALSO know their groom is arriving.
- Too many Christians imagine that only wise virgins are found in the kingdom of heaven; others also imagine that the foolish virgins are those who know not the groom nor are loved by the groom.
- They think such virgins can go forth to wait for the arrival of the groom.

e. The ten virgins are wise or foolish concerning their preparedness as they wait for the appearance of THEIR groom – in context, of Christ’s appearance in 70AD to execute judgment upon Israel.
- Read Matt 24:29-35.
- wise: phronimos: intelligent, prudent, mindful of one’s interest, thoughtful of one’s calling/duties.
- foolish – moros, moron, dull or stupid, heedless, impious.

f. Some applications/lessons for us:
- Are we waiting for or looking forward to our Lord and Saviour’s return? He has gone to glory, but He shall return again. John 14:1-3. Acts 1:10-11.
- Are we like the wise virgins? Or the foolish ones.
- How do you do to be wise in this matter?
- What is it to act like the foolish ones?

 Mat 25:13 ¶Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

All three parables were addressed to the disciples when they inquired about the end of Jerusalem at Jesus’ coming to execute judgment upon the earthly theocratic Israel.

The same admonition in found in Mt 24:42ff.
- See how the servant becomes careless, “My Lord delayeth his coming”, and based on this imagination, see how the servant is distracted and becomes wicked.

“The Millennium - The Thousand Years” (Rev 20:1-10).

 Revelation 20
¶ 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...
¶ 7 And when the thousand years are expired, 
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations
which are in the four quarters of the earth,
Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle:
the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth,
and compassed the camp of the saints about,
and the beloved city: and fire came down
from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

“The Millennium - The Thousand Years” (Rev 20:1-10).

1. Christ's second coming and the Millennium:
a. Not a few connect with the second coming of Christ the idea of a millennium (a literal period of 1000 years), either a millennium BEFORE or a millennium AFTER Christ’s second coming.
- Premillennialists are those who expect a millennium after the return of Christ; i.e. that the Lord will return BEFORE (therefore pre) the millennium, i.e. Christ will return to establish the 1000-year reign on earth. Christ’s return is BEFORE the millennium.
- Postmillennialists are those who expect a millennium BEFORE the return of Christ, i.e. that Christ will return AFTER (therefore post) the 1000-year golden gospel age; Christ will return after the 1000-year golden age on earth. Christ’s return is after the millennium.

b. No literal millennium:
- Others do not believe that the Bible warrants the expectation of a literal millennium. These are commonly designated as Amillennialists.  The non-millennial view is, as the name indicates, purely negative (it negates and rebuts the errors of the ‘pre’ and ‘post’ views).
- It holds that there is no Scriptural ground for the expectation of a millennium (pre or post) but that the Bible teaches that the present gospel age will end with the return of Christ to consummate the kingdom of God and usher in the eternal state.
- The 1000-year period represents the long but definite period between the first and second comings of Christ, that is, the gospel age. It's the gospel millennium.

c. Objection: “But what about the teaching of Rev 20:1-11? Doesn’t it plainly teach about the 1000 years? The phrase appears no less than six times! The teaching is right here in the Bible, and we should accept it.”
- Yes, but that’s just soundbyte! We shouldn’t believe in anybody’s idea on the millennium, but the millennium plainly taught by the Scriptures. Let us let the word of God speak for itself!

2. Rev 20: An Outline - plain and simple
a. The nature of Rev 20: It gives us another outline of the gospel age: from the binding of Satan for a 1000 years, and right up to the glorious coming of Christ and the great judgment. The main divisions are as follows:
- v1-3: the vision of Satan being bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years.
- v4-6: the vision of the saints who participated in the first resurrection reign (Mt 27:52) and who reign with Christ in heaven during the same thousand years.
- v7-10: the vision of the release of Satan for a little season AFTER the 1000 years; Satan will ravage the saints followed by his final defeat and banishment to the lake of fire.
- v11-15: The vision of the great white throne; Christ’s coming in final judgment is vividly described.

b. The order of events in the entire gospel age and the second coming of Christ:
- the binding of Satan for a thousand years by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (Mt 12:29)
- the millennium; (during which Christ reigns, and His saints (first resurrection, Mt 27:52) with Him.
- after the thousand years comes Satan’s little season: “till the 1000 years were finished… after these things he must be released for a little season (mikron chronon).”
- The saints will go through the great and final conflict, the great tribulation. (There is NO secret rapture!)
- the sudden and swift appearance of Christ to destroy Satan.
- the resurrection of all the dead and the transformation of the living.
- the great and final judgment.

Those who teach that Christ’s second coming will be followed by a millennial reign - that the glorified Lord will come before the millennium (ie the premillennialism) are plainly in error.
- The millennium is the period BETWEEN the two comings of Christ; this is as clear as the noonday sun.

3. The Binding of Satan
a. The metaphors of the vision:
- Look at the metaphors that are used to describe the binding:
- An angel (messenger, someone sent) coming down from heaven: a heavenly being coming down to earth.
- He has the key (power to open and shut) to the bottomless pit and a great chain (power to bind):
- He laid hold of the dragon.... and bound him for a thousand years: he overcame the dragon.
- He cast Satan into the bottomless pit.... shut him up... set a seal on him.
- Who is the messenger from heaven?

b. The meaning of the vision:
- The dragon who is bound: the dragon is clearly identified: that serpent of old, the Devil and Satan.
- The purpose of his binding: ‘that he should deceive the nations no more till the 1000 years were finished.’
- When he is released for a little season after the millennium (v7), he will deceive again - this time to gather them for an all-out and final war against the saints. 
- During the Old Covenant, temporal salvation was mainly restricted to the Jewish nation only. With the binding of the devil, all became different. The blessed gospel of salvation goes forth far and wide throughout all ethnic nations, and God’s elect from all over the world are gathered in.

c. The nature of his binding:
- Satan is not bound in the absolute sense. His activities and influence are not completely curbed. He is still like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 1Pe 5:8
- On the contrary, within the sphere in which Satan is permitted to exert his influence for evil, he rages most furiously (1Pet 2:11; 5:8). Rev 20:1-3 teaches that Satan’s power is curbed and his influence curtailed with respect to one definite sphere of activity. The devil can do much during this present period of 1000 years. But there is one thing which, during this period, he cannot do. His power to deceive nations is greatly limited.
- With respect to one thing, he is definitely and securely bound. He is unable to stop the progress of the church. He cannot stop the Church as a mighty missionary force heralding the gospel to all the nations.
- Christ will build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Mt 16:18

d. The time of his binding:
- When was Satan bound? See Mt 12:29; Lk 10:17f, Jn 12:20-32; Col 2:15; etc
- Mt 12:29 shows that it was Jesus, who in connection with His first coming (His victory over Satan in the temptation, His perfect and sinless life, His death on the cross, His glorious resurrection, His exaltation and reign in heaven), bound the strong man, namely Beelzebub, the devil.
- Lk 10:17f and Jn 12:20f show us in what sense Satan is bound - that Jesus restrained the power of Satan so that he could not prevent the spread of the gospel to the nations of the world.

e. The duration of his binding:
- A ‘thousand years’: the period between his binding by Jesus Christ and his release for a little while before the end of the world and the second coming of Christ.
- The ‘1000 years’ binding of Satan means the present Gospel Age, which begins with Christ’s first coming and extends almost to His next or second coming. The ‘1000 years’ plus a ‘little season’ (mikron chronon -  negligible relative to 1000 years) is practically the same as 1000 years.
- The ‘1000 years’ is a symbol in a vision - and it must not be understood as a literal 1000 years. The book of Revelation is full of numbers (such as 1,3,4,7,10, and 12, and their combinations and products, representing the realities of the kingdom of God) with symbolic significance, and none of them is to be interpreted in a literal sense.
- The number ‘1000’ indicates completeness, a fullness of measure. All the instances in Scripture where this number occurs denote the same idea. It conveys the idea of completeness determined by the will/counsel of God.

 4. The Loosing of Satan
a. When the 1000 years are finished, Satan is released from the bottomless pit.
- Then it becomes very clear that the final and most terrible persecution, by means of which the antichristian forces are going to persecute the church, is instigated, in a most direct manner, by Satan himself. The devil, through the person of the Antichrist, will muster Gog and Magog for a final attack upon the ‘camp of the saints and the beloved city.’ This is the period of the great and terrible tribulation,
- The metaphor of ‘Gog and Magog’ is taken from Ezekiel 38:2, 39:1,6 - a symbol of the bitter enemy and persecutor of God’s people. ‘Gog and Magog’ is used as a symbol of the final and desperate attack of Satan and his hordes upon the Church.
- ‘Gog and Magog’ are identified with ‘the nations which are in the four corners of the earth.’ The term ‘the four corners of the earth simply means the whole world. The entire wicked world is going to persecute the church. Not a few invented their “rapture”, a theory of escapism, to deliver them from this severe tribulation.
- Satan will deceive the nations to turn against the church. We have not seen the worst yet because Satan is still bound.

b. Note the appropriateness of the symbols:
- The attack of Gog and Magog (Syria under Antiochus Epiphanes) was the last great oppression which the people of God had to endure in the old dispensation.
- The armies of Gog and Magog were very numerous. So they could adequately symbolise the worldwide oppression to the Church in the days just before Christ’s return.
- The tribulation under Antiochus Epiphanes, though very severe, was also of very brief duration. It is appropriate to symbolise the brief but fiery tribulation at the close of the gospel dispensation.
- The defeat of the armies of Gog and Magog was most unexpected and complete. It was clearly the divine work of God. So also will be the destruction of the Antichrist in his final onslaught against the church.

5. The swift destruction of Satan and his host
a. The sudden and swift destruction of Satan’s hosts: ‘And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.’ Notice the sudden character of this judgment upon Gog and Magog. It is as sudden and unexpected as the lightning which strikes from heaven. Compare 2Th 2:8.
- The devil and his lackeys will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
- ‘And everyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15. These are not redeemed by the Redeemer Jesus Christ.

b. The corollary: "And everyone whose name is found written in the Book of Life was ushered into heaven." These were given to Christ, and He redeemed them to the uttermost. 
- Heb 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
- Heb 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”