Bible Study

BOOK OF REVELATION UNCOVERED: Chapter 20

by: Dr. Dean Crosby

[Editor's Note: For this study, the author uses easy to understand Contemporary English Version (CEV) of Bible that has been created by the American Bible Society. His insights are given in capital letters. This include explanations and historical background information for the words you have just read in order to make the startling predictions made in this important and fascinating book comprehensible. Occasionally make changes will be made in the CEV words if a variance is detected from the meaning found in the King James Bible.]

REVELATION 20

1 I saw an angel come down from heaven, carrying the key to the deep pit (HELL) and a large chain. (THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS IS A SYMBOL) 2 He chained the dragon (THIS WORD INDICATES POWER) for a thousand years. It is that old snake, (A NAME INDICATING CUNNING) who is also known as the devil and Satan. 3 Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so that a thousand years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while. (THIS REFERS TO THE TIME AT THE END OF JESUS' 1000 YEAR KINGDOM ON EARTH WHEN GOD WILL ONCE AGAIN ALLOW SATAN TO TEMPT THE INHABITANTS OF THE KINGDOM TO WEED OUT THOSE WITH A WEAK MORAL AND SPIRITUAL NATURE. )

4 I saw thrones, and sitting on those thrones were the ones who had been given the right to judge. (THE 24 ELDERS IN HEAVEN ) I also saw the souls (THESE PEOPLE DIED AFTER THE RAPTURE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN IT ) of the people who had their heads cut off because they had testified about Jesus and preached God's message. They were the same ones who had not worshiped the beast or the idol, (STATUE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST) and they had refused to let the beast's mark be put on their hands or foreheads. They will come to life and rule with Christ for a thousand years. (WHEN HE RETURNS TO EARTH TO ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM. NOTICE THEY ARE NOT GIVEN ANY ASSURANCE OF SALVATION AFTER THE 1000 YEARS END AND SATAN HAS HAD ANOTHER CHANCE TO TEMPT THEM TO ENTER INTO SIN)

5-6 These people are the first to be raised to life; (THEY WILL REMAIN DEAD UNTIL THE "SECOND COMING") they are especially blessed and holy. (BECAUSE) The second death (BEING SENT TO HELL) has no power (THEY WILL NOT BE SENT TO HELL) over them. They will be priests for God and Christ and will rule with them for a thousand years. (ON EARTH) No other dead people (THE UNSAVED) were raised to life until a thousand years later (WHEN JESUS' KINGDOM ON EARTH IS READY TO COME TO AN END)

7 At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be set free. (FROM HELL) 8 He will fool the countries of Gog and Magog, (THESE TWO WORDS MAKE UP A HEBREW TERM WHICH IN ENGLISH ROUGHLY MEANS " MULTITUDE AND MAGNITUDE" WHICH INDICATES THAT SATAN WILL HAVE THE POWER TO DECEIVE PEOPLE IN ALL NATIONS IN A SEARCH TO FIND NEW RECRUITS FOR HIS KINGDOM. THESE VERSES ARE A TRULY DRAMATIC REFUTATION OF THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS "ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED" HERESY) which are at the far ends of the earth, and their people will follow him into battle. (AGAINST JESUS) They (THE SATANISTS) will have as many followers as there are grains of sand along the beach, (THE VAST MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND SATAN'S POWER AND EXTREMELY DECEITFUL AND CLEVERLY SOPHISTICATED ABILITY TO SEDUCE THEM AND EVEN WORSE, JUST HOW ACTIVE HE IS IN THEIR OWN LIVES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS WE ARE LIVING IN THE MIDST OF SO MUCH SIN, EVEN IN OUR CHURCHES) 9 and they will march all the way across the earth. They will surround the camp of God's people (ONE FINAL MILITARY ATTACK IN HISTORY WILL BE PLANNED) and the city that His people love. (JERUSALEM)

But fire (THIS COULD BE A FRIGHTENING LIGHTNING STORM THAT STARTS NUMEROUS FIRES) will come down from heaven and destroy the army. (WHAT A TERRIFIC IDEA, JUST WHAT WE NEED TODAY. LET GOD FIGHT OUR BATTLES FOR US!) 10 Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. (BACK WHERE HE BELONGS ONCE AGAIN BUT THIS TIME HE'LL STAY THERE PERMANENTLY) He will be there where the beast (ANTI-CHRIST) and the false prophet, (THE ANTI-CHRIST'S RELIGIOUS CHEERLEADER) are (THESE BEASTIES HAVE NOW BEEN THERE FOR OVER 1,000 YEARS) and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever.

11 I saw a great white throne and Him (JESUS) who sat on it and from His face (SINNERS IN) earth and heaven (TRAGICALLY SOME ANGELS WILL BECOME EVIL ONCE AGAIN DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF SATAN, A FORMER ANGEL HIMSELF) tried to run away but there was no place for them to go.
12 I also saw all the dead people (THE UNSAVED) standing in front of that throne. Every one of them was there no matter who they had once been. Several books were opened and then the book of life was opened. The dead were judged by what these books stated they had done. (ANOTHER DANGEROUS FALSE BELIEF IS THAT GOD IS NOT INTERESTED IN OUR "WORKS" OR SERVICE TO HIM, INSTEAD OF WORKS FOR THE WORLD OR SATAN) 13. The sea gave up its dead and death and its kingdom (HELL) also gave up their dead.

Then everyone was judged by what they had done. (THE KING JAMES BIBLE USES THE WORD "WORKS" INSTEAD OF "WHAT THEY HAD DONE" TO REFER TO PEOPLE'S SERVICE TO GOD, INSTEAD OF TO THE WORLD OR SATAN WHILE LIVING)

14 Afterward (THOSE IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL) death and (THOSE IN) hell were thrown into the lake of fire. ( THE PUNISHMENT AREA OF HELL) This is (WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS) the second death.

15. Anyone whose name was not written in the book of life (A RECORD OF THOSE SELECTED FOR SALVATION) was thrown into the lake of fire. (FOR A YET UNSPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME IN THIS PART OF HELL)

(KEEP FAITH ALIVE EVERYONE ! THERE IS REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WHO ESCAPE HELL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER)

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