Armageddon & The Millennium Revelation 16:16 & 20:2-7

Armageddon  Premillennialists have this as the final battle of all battles  Satan’s army versus God’s army –Soviets and allies (who now?) –Christians and righteous survivors of tribulation  What about 2 Cor. 10:4?

Armageddon  Jesus comes forth to do battle (Rev. 19:11-16) –Much detail has been given about the great power of dragon, beast, false prophet (Rev. 12, 13) –Now we are given a description of the strength of the King  Gathered to fight in a “place called in Hebrew Armageddon” (Rev. 16:16)

Armageddon  Premils say the this is the battleground (Rev. 16:16) –Means “Hill of Megiddo” Megiddo is in the valley of Jezreel No “mount” there If a literal place and a literal battle, then what about Rev. 16:13? Room enough for 200 million horsemen (Rev. 9:16)? A river of blood 200 miles long (Rev. 14:20)

Armageddon  The Valley of Jezreel is a real place –Where Barak and Deborah overthrew the kings of Canaan (Jgs. 5:19) –Gideon defeated the Midianites (Jgs. 6:33) –Saul defeated by Philistines (1 Sam. 31:8) –Ahaziah died of Jehu’s arrows (2 Kgs. 9:27) –Pharaoh-Necho overthrew Josiah (2 Kgs. 23:29-30)

Armageddon  Armageddon has no verifiable place –It stands like a symbol –Somewhat like “Waterloo”  The battle of Rev. 19 symbolizes the triumph of good over evil –At this time it looked like Rome and its false emperor worship would prevail –This was a message that God would prevail

The Millennium  Rev. 20:2-7 DOES mention a thousand years  Yet, notice what is NOT mentioned: –Second coming of Christ –A bodily resurrection –Christ on earth –Jerusalem, Palestine or Israel

The Millennium  Can we know when this takes place?  Yes  Lesson last week, Christ now reigning (v. 6). Compare to Acts 2:29-36  There is a reigning with Him

The Millennium  The key is in the binding of Satan (v. 2) –When Jesus rose from the grave, He bound Satan by limiting His power (Matt. 12:28- 29; Heb. 2:14-15) –Through Christ we can now resist and be delivered (1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7) –Bondage to sin was broken (Rom. 6:16-18, 23) –Satan limited, not eliminated

The Millennium  Living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years (v. 6) –First resurrection (baptism, Rom. 6:3-5) –No effect of second death (Rom. 8:1) –Priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9) –All these take place now, in the church –Thousand years is the reign of Christ in the church now, not in the future