20:1-3 – “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. 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.”

The “angel” who at this point John saw coming down from heaven having the key of the “bottomless pit,” and a great chain with which to bind Satan, is undoubtedly the same angel as is referred to in Rev. 19:11-12; however, from a slightly different viewpoint. His purpose now is to bind Satan! This binding of Satan, is in a sense a very gradual work; the “chain” we suggest, represents the truth, i.e., the increase of knowledge, though perhaps more particularly truth along the lines of Biblical truth. An increase of knowledge surely does thwart the Adversary’s designs to keep the human race in sheer ignorance, and is therefore a part of the binding of Satan.

We are living in the end of the age, in the period known as “the Time of Trouble” of which Daniel, the Prophet of old, spake when he declared:

Dan. 12:1-4 – “… at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book; and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

Michael, the great prince, did not come at the beginning of this period, here called the time of the end, but rather, at the end of it – the harvest of the Gospel age; and who is so blind as not to be able to see that the binding of Satan is, therefore, now in progress.

“The time for the binding of Satan is fixed at the close of the Gospel age, prior to the thousand year’s reign of Christ, and is to be accomplished by the ‘Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in,’ and who ‘has the keys of death and hades,’ – our Lord Jesus, at his second advent; – ‘And I saw an angel [messenger, ‘the Messenger of the Covenant’ — Christ Jesus] come down from heaven [his second advent], having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.’ (Rev. 20:1, 2; 1:18; Mal. 3:1) The object of his binding evidently is that the world may be released from his bondage and brought under favorable conditions of the reign of Christ, with nothing to oppose, hinder or obstruct their progress toward full restitution to the divine favor and blessings.

“According to the above Scripture (Rev. 20:1, 2) the binding of Satan could not begin until the Angel had come down – until 1874, the date of our Lord’s second advent, nor indeed until 1878, the date of the assumption of his power as King of kings. (See B235) Mark the binding process since that time. The power of Satan is the power of darkness, of ignorance and superstition. (Luke 22:53; Col. 1:13) As the light of truth advances, the power that can only work in darkness is to that extent curtailed. Hence it is that truth, on every subject, but especially divine truth, has always met with opposition from the deceived and unwitting agents of the great adversary. Truth, therefore, is the great agency which is eventually to accomplish the complete binding of Satan. To some extent truth has for many centuries obstructed the course of error, of Satan’s influence in the world – truths both of nature and religion – but they never bound Satan and rendered him powerless. If they obstructed his course in one direction, he either battered them down with persecution of one sort or another, or failing in this, branched out and flourished in another direction. But the truth which is to accomplish the binding of Satan is described by the Revelator as ‘a great chain’ in the hands of earth’s new and rightful King. Not only the truths directly relating to the plan of God constitute this chain, but to these are linked every feature of truth related to human rights and privileges. Soon this mighty chain will so thoroughly compass the devil’s dominion and influence, and the Lord’s great army will draw it so tightly, that the great enemy will lie prostrate in the dust. And the Lord will cast him and all his wicked deceptions into the pit of oblivion, sealed for a thousand years; – his power to deceive and enslave men being completely stopped by the clear knowledge then prevailing.” (R1233:4)

The “Angel” to Bind Satan

“The word angel signifies messenger, and this picture shows us that God will send some messengers with authority and power to subdue Evil – the adversary of truth and right. In this work of binding, many agencies will doubtless take a part – an increase of knowledge probably being one of the strongest. Yet all of these agents are typified by the one messenger.

There is that about this figure, which seems to indicate that Christ Jesus, and his body, the church of the firstborn, is the one in whose hand is the power of authority to bind and control Evil – ‘To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgments written – this honor have all the saints.’ (Psa. 149:8, 9) The language too, reminds us of one who declares he has the keys. (Rev. 1:18)

“The binding or suppression of evil during the Millennial age will result from the exercise of authority and power, by our Lord, when he shall take unto himself his great power and reign. (Rev. 11:17) But we have reason to think that the manner in which our Lord takes his great power, and binds evil, will differ much from the general conception of it. We believe that truth binds error, and error binds truth; like light and darkness, they are constantly opposed to each other. During this Age the powers of darkness and error hold control; but light and truth will come with the new rulership.

“We believe that this New Ruler has already come, (visible only, as are all the glorious and spiritual things, to the eye of faith enlightened by the Word of God) and that the binding is already commenced.” (R331:2)

The Binding of Satan

“… our Lord reasoned (Mark 3:27), that ‘no man can enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.’ The ‘strong man’ here referred to is Satan, who is the powerful ‘prince of this world’ – his dominion or house. He will surely hold his dominion and pursue his own policy as long as possible, and will diligently resist every binding influence which threatens the loss of his power. The work and teaching of Jesus were just such binding influences; and the opposition which his words met was what might be expected as a manifestation of Satan’s wrath. During the Gospel age generally the prince of darkness has flourished, and consequently a large portion of it is known as the ‘dark ages.’ But since the beginning of the time of the end, in 1799, God has specially let in the light – and particularly since 1878. The more the ‘light’ shines, the more active is this adversary to preserve his power; but God’s assurance is that Christ, as the Strong Messenger, will now quickly bind Satan’s power and release humanity from his dominion. (Rev. 20:1, 2)” (R1736:2)

“The binding of Satan with the great chain, and the putting of him into the abyss mentioned in Rev. 20:1-3, is all figurative; but the figures are all meaningful. To us they signify a complete restraint of Satan and all his powers of evil. The great chain represents restraint. The word abyss, in our common version rendered ‘bottomless pit,’ represents oblivion. The seal upon it represents divine care that none shall interfere with God’s arrangement, but that it shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the divine prearrangement. Our suggestion respecting the influence of the increased light of the present time is that a preliminary restraint of evil results from turning on the light of present truth, which makes the evil more manifest and less able to deceive. But this is not all, by any means. The thought is that the great King, who is now about to take control of the world, has full power to bind, to restrain Satan and every evil power and influence, that nothing may hurt or injure that which is good throughout the Millennial age, as has been the case during the present age, when the kingdom of heaven (the church in its incipient state) suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force, misusing the members of the body of Christ, even as they misused also the Head of the body – our Lord.” (R2645:6)

“Our thought is that the Christ will be very closely associated with the earth, just as Satan’s kingdom is. Satan’s seat of government is in Tartarus – the atmosphere. He and his associates, the fallen angels, are near the earth, whither they were cast down, separated from their own plane because of sin. They are invisible to mankind, however, amongst whom they have done an evil work. Satan has also his human agents – wicked men and women, who are under his control, sometimes through ignorance and superstition, and sometimes through mesmeric influence. The Scriptures inform us, however, that shortly Satan is to be bound for a thousand years; and the place which he occupied will then be vacant. (Rev. 20:1-3)” (R5182:1)

“When the whole world has been thus enlightened, trained and disciplined for a thousand years, all will have had full opportunity to reach actual perfection, and therefore actual perfection will be required of them. At the end of the thousand years Christ is to deliver up his finished work to the Father. (1 Cor. 15:24, 25) And when his work is finished, it must be complete and perfect, lacking nothing – otherwise, it would not be acceptable to God.

“So, in the end of the thousand years, when Christ has completed his work of reconstruction – restitution– the final test must be applied to prove the worthiness or unworthiness of each individual of the race to continued existence throughout the ages of glory to follow. And for this purpose, the final testing and proving of all, is the loosing of Satan out of his prison for a little season.

“How may it be accomplished? We answer, by relaxing the rigor of the hitherto iron rule which made obedience to divine law obligatory by prompt punishment of any deviation from it and prompt rewarding of every obedience to it. Here would be Satan’s opportunity to again deceive any who desire to carry out plans in opposition to God’s will or the principles of strict justice, into the idea that they could now do so with impunity, and that neither the penalties nor rewards of divine law are certain. Under such a delusion, those who at heart are not loyal to God, and who thus far have been controlled principally by the force and rigor of law, will manifest their real disposition; and likewise those who have learned to love God’s law and who delight in it, and who would not deviate from it to the slightest degree, even if there were no penalties attached to it – these will also be manifested. And these only, be they many or few, are those whom God by his law marks as worthy of continued life. Others, by preferring their own wills, shall thus prove their unworthiness of life, and together with Satan must be cut off – destroyed. (Matt. 25:41-46)” (R1234:2)

20:4 – “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.”

The thrones here referred to – “… are those of earthly kingdoms at the present time, and all under the ‘prince of this world.’ (John 14:30) These are all condemned as unfit, and are to be overthrown, to give place to the Kingdom of Christ.” (R331:3)

But –

“All constituting the kingdom class are here referred to as beheaded – every member of the glorified church must, eventually, have this experience, whatever it signifies. But we reflect that our Lord was not beheaded and, so far as history shows, few if any, of the apostles were literally beheaded; indeed, very few, if any, of the Lord’s saints from Pentecost to the present time have died by decapitation. We are to remember, however, that this statement is from the symbolical book, and is, therefore, a figure of speech, a word picture and its meaning must be sought for accordingly.

“The Apostle gives us the key, saying, ‘The head of every man is Christ; the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.’ (1 Cor. 11:3) As a woman who becomes a wife accepts her husband as the head of the family, so the church accepts Christ as its Head, and each member of the church thus comes into relationship with the Lord as a member of his body – not the Head; and all of these, to be acceptable as members of the figurative body of  Christ must be will-less, headless: their own wills must be surrendered, so that, like their Lord, they can say, ‘Not my will, but thine, be done.’ They must be headless in the sense of ignoring their own wills, being dead to self and actuated henceforth by the will of the head of the body, Christ Jesus. His will, his mind, his Spirit, must dwell in each member of the body, and abound, if it would abide a member of his body, the church. Thus, as the wife loses her own name, and accepts the name of her husband and his headship, so each member of the bride of Christ must lose his or her individuality in order to be accepted as the bride of Christ. It is this self- surrender to Christ on the part of his church that is represented in the symbolism of the text before us.” (R2844:6)

These were such as were never in accord with; or in response to the call, “Come out of her, my people,” had become separated from; the systems here called the “beast” (the Papacy), and its “image” (the Protestant Federation), and thus were not marked in their “foreheads” (intellectually) with fear, sympathy or worship of these systems, nor had they borne in their “hands” their merchandise; but who, because of their faithfulness unto death in the matter of their covenant relationship with Jehovah God, were now exalted to the royalty of the Kingdom to reign with Christ Jesus, a thousand years!

The Kingdom Class –
Rule and Reign witTh Christ

“To accomplish this complete victory over death and the grave will be the very object of the establishment of the Kingdom, and will require a thousand years; as it is written again, respecting the reign of those who have part in the first resurrection, ‘They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.’ (Rev. 20:4)

“The first resurrection glorifies the kingdom class; and forthwith the kingdom will be set up – ‘The mountain [kingdom] of the Lord’s house’ will be established in the earth. This agrees with the statement of the prophet from which the Apostle quotes, ‘In this mountain [Millennial kingdom] shall the Lord of hosts make unto the people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined; and he will destroy in this mountain [kingdom] the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Isa. 2:2; 25:6-8) How much of the beauty and fullness of the divine Word has been hidden from our eyes by reason of the errors introduced into the creeds of Christendom by the great adversary for this very purpose!” (R3175:5)

“Judgment … given unto them”

Krima (Κριμα), a judgment, sentence.

“The Greek word rendered judgment here, is the same rendered condemnation in the following passages: (Luke 23:40; Jas. 3:1; Jude 4)” (R331:3)

20:5, 6 – “But the rest of the dead lived not again, until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.”

The first portion of this fifth verse – “but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” – seems to be spurious, for it does not appear in any manuscript prior to the 5th century.

“They are not found in the oldest and most reliable Greek MSS., the Sinaitic, Vatican Nos. 1209 and 1160, nor in the Syriac MS. We must remember that many passages found in the modern copies are additions which do not properly belong to the Bible. Since commanded not to add to the Word of God, it is our duty to repudiate such additions as soon as their spurious character is established. The words indicated probably crept into the text by accident, in the fifth century; for no MS., of earlier date (either Greek or Syriac) contains this clause. It was probably at first merely a marginal comment made by a reader, expressive of his thought upon the text, and copied into the body of the text by some subsequent tran- scriber who failed to distinguish between the text and the comment.

“However, the repudiation of this clause is not essential to the ‘Plan’ as herein set forth: for the rest of the dead – the world at large – will not live again in the full sense, in the perfect sense that Adam lived before he sinned and came under the sentence ‘dying thou shalt die.’ Perfect life without weakness or dying is the only sense in which God recognizes the word life. From this standpoint all the world has already lost life, is dying, and might now be more properly described as dead than as alive. (2 Cor. 5:14; Matt. 8:22)

“The word resurrection (Greek, anastasis) signifies raising up. As related to man, it signifies raising up man to that condition from which he fell, to full perfection of manhood – the thing lost through Adam. The perfection from which our race fell is the perfection to which they will gradually rise, during the Millennial age of restitution or resurrection (raising up). The Millennial age is not only the age of trial, but also the age of blessing and through resurrection or restitution to life all that was lost is to be restored to all who, when they know and have opportunity, gladly obey. The process of resurrection will be a gradual one, requiring the entire age or its full accomplishment; though the mere awakening to a measure of life and consciousness, as at present enjoyed will, of course, be a momentary work. Consequently, it will not be until the thousand years are finished that the race will have fully attained the complete measure of life lost in Adam. Since any- thing short of perfect life is a condition of partial death, it follows that, although the above words are no part of the inspired record, it would be strictly true to say that the rest of the dead will not live again (will not regain the fullness of life lost) until the thousand years of restitution and blessing are complete.” (A288)

There are really but two resurrections: the “first” or chief, and the general. In a sense, therefore, even the Great Company, though they will be raised spirit beings, are sharers in the general resurrection; for only those who share the “first” resurrection are free from the second death’s power. These latter, in their glorification will have been made partakers of the divine (immortal) nature (2 Pet. 1:4); and sharers with Christ Jesus in his Millennial reign (2 Tim. 2:12), for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:4, 6)

“Those who will share this first resurrection will experience an instantaneous ‘change’ from the human nature to the divine nature – the highest of the spirit natures; not human, not flesh and blood, for ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.’ (1 Cor. 15:50) Their trial and perfecting of heart takes place beforehand and only the ‘overcomers’ will receive this blessing.” (R4793:3)

“This change of nature from human to divine is given as a reward to those who, within the Gospel age, sacrifice the human nature, as did our Lord, with all its interests, hopes and aims, present and future – even unto death. In the resurrection such will awake, not to share with the rest of mankind in the blessed restitution to human perfection and all its accompanying blessings, but to share the likeness and glory and joy of the Lord, as partakers with him of the divine nature. (Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12)” (A196)

Our Immortality! How Wonderful!

“This spiritual body … the Apostle declares, will be an incorruptible one – one which cannot corrupt, which cannot die …

“The declaration that our spiritual bodies shall be incorruptible, immortal, is a most momentous one, because we are distinctly informed that this quality of immortality belongs inherently to Jehovah alone; while it is declared of our Lord Jesus that, because of his faithfulness, his high exaltation consisted in part in his being granted life in himself, as the Father hath life in himself. The thought there is the same – that the glorious Head of the Church experienced just such a ‘change’ to immortality, to incorruption, to participation in the divine nature.

It does not amaze us that the plan of God should be thus liberal toward our dear Redeemer; but it surely does astonish us that this quality of the divine nature, given to none other than our Master, should be promised to the members of his body, who walk in his footsteps, and are seeking for glory, honor and immortality. (2 Pet. 1:4; Rom. 2:7)” (F727)

The Right To Life!

“The world will gain the right to life under the opportunities offered to them during the thousand years of Christ’s reign. We have that right to live now. Our ‘life is hid with Christ in God.’ (Col. 3:3) Men can kill the body, but no man can take from us the right to live. Our eternal life has already begun in a sense. We are on trial now, and if we pass the trial successfully, we shall forever possess that right to life.

“Not so with the world. There is no provision by which the world has a right to life. ‘The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.’ (Rev. 20:5) Therefore, the church gets eternal life at least a thousand years before the world will be given the right to everlasting life; it is ours now and forever if we continue faithful unto death.” (R5103:2)

The Great Company and Their Resurrection

“The great company, although they cannot be counted in as participants of the First Resurrection, and sharers of its glory, honor and immortality, nor counted in with the ancient worthies, must, nevertheless be counted as overcomers even though the overcoming be through great tribulation. And as overcomers, they must be esteemed to pass from death unto life and, therefore, to be subjects of an instantaneous resurrection, and not a gradual one, as in the case of the world, whose trial is future.” (F707)

20:7-10 – “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. 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. 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. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

The setting is indeed, the end of the Millennial age – and it would appear that Gog and Magog would represent all who then, imbued with the spirit of Satan, will be opposers of God, and of his righteous kingdom; perhaps, having no specific reference to a people from any particular section of the globe (such as the north country – Ezek. 38:15); but to those who join him from every quarter of the earth; the four corners – north, south, east and west. (Rev. 20:8)

“The Scriptures inform us that Satan will be loosed from his prison-house and go forth to tempt, to try, to test, all those that dwell upon the whole earth, whose number will be at that time as the sand of the sea – thousands of millions. The test will be applied to all; for it is the Divine purpose that such should be tested. Those in perfect accord with the Potter will stand the test, and prove their characters to be strong, crystallized by this test, while others not in fullest harmony with the great Potter shall be melted under the fiery trial of that time. The proportion of those who will stand to those who will then fall is not indicated in the Word of God; and we must not be wise above what is written. It is sufficient for us to know that every true and loyal member of the race, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, will have the fullest opportunities for becoming a vessel of the Lord to some honorable purpose and service if he wills, and that those whose wills are not fully submissive to the Lord will be ultimately destroyed from amongst the people and not be preserved for torture. (Rev. 20:7-10)” (SM714)

“Remember that this is the final sentence at the close of the final trial – at the close of the Millennium; and that none will then be servants of Satan ignorantly or unwillingly, as so many now are; for the great Deliverer, Christ, will remove outside temptations, and provide assistance toward self-improvement, which will enable all who will to overcome inherent weaknesses and to attain perfection. These ‘goats,’ who love evil and serve Satan, are the messengers (‘angels’) of Satan. For these and Satan, and for no others, God has prepared second death – the everlasting destruction. Fire will come from God out of heaven and consume them.” (R2608:3)

End of Millennium – Satan Loosed

“It follows then, that the thousand years of Christ’s reign shall complete the great work of salvation, and beyond it there is no probation for any; all will have had a full opportunity, with every favorable advantage. In the end or closing period of that age Satan is to be loosed for a little season for the final testing of mankind, and at its close he and those who follow his spirit and leadership shall be destroyed. That will be the ‘second death,’ from which there is no recovery. (Rev. 21:7, 8)” (R763:6)

The Final Trial at tThe End of the Millennium “Consider for a moment the words of Matt. 25:41: ‘Depart from me, ye cursed [once redeemed by Christ from the Adamic curse or condemnation to death, but now condemned as cursed, as worthy of the second death, by the One who redeemed them from the first curse], into everlasting fire [symbol of everlasting destruction], prepared for the devil and his messengers [servants]’.” (R2608:2)

“We read, regarding that testing, that Satan will endeavor to lead all mankind, whose number will then be as the sand of the sea for multitude; but that many of them will choose evil and disobedience …

“Seemingly the goodness and love of God in the provision of a ransom, a restitution, and another opportunity of life for man, instead of leading these to an abhorrence of sin, will lead them to suppose that God is too loving to cut them off in the second death, or that if he did so he would give them other, and yet other, future opportunities.… But they shall go no further, for their folly shall be manifest. Their utter destruction will prove to the righteous the harmony and perfect balance of Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power in the Divine Ruler. Such are called the ‘angels’ (messengers, followers, servants) of Satan. And for such, as well as for Satan, the utter destruction (the second death) is prepared by the wise, loving and just Creator. And so, in the parable of the sheep and goats, (Matt. 25:31-33) the latter are called messengers or servants of Satan.” (What Say the Scriptures About Hell? p. 62)

The “Camp of the Saints”

“We read, ‘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.’ (Rev. 20:9) The ‘beloved city’ is the New Jerusalem, the church in glory, not the church in the flesh. The rebellion incited by Satan will be not only against the earthly princes¹ but also against The Christ.

“By that time having reached perfection of organism and powers, the people will assert themselves in thus going to encompass the camp of the saints. That the church cannot be meant is evident from the fact that human beings could not attack an unseen force of spirit beings, as the church will then be.… We fancy that we hear them say, ‘It is time that this government was turned over to us. We protest against your remaining in power any longer.’ In rebelling against the earthly phase of Messiah’s kingdom, however, they are rebelling against the Lord. Consequently divine judgment will overtake them – ‘fire from heaven’.” (R5182:6)

1 “… the ‘princes’ to whom Immanuel will entrust the earthly phase of his Kingdom. (Psa. 45:16)” (C257)

“In one place the Prophet Jeremiah declares, ‘This is the name whereby he shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness.’ In another place he says, ‘She shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness [or, The Righteousness of Jehovah].’ And so the Apostle declares, ‘That we might be the righteousness of God through him.’ (Jer. 23:6; 33:16; 2 Cor. 5:21)

“These statements refer to Zion. The typical Zion is the Jewish nation; and the anti-typical Zion is the glorified Christ. Very properly, then, we may understand that the blessings which belong to the church on the spirit plane will, naturally, on the earthly plane, belong to the ancient worthies who will be in divine favor forever.” (R4913:3)

With regard to the “torment day and night for ever” and ever, let it be noted, that – “Rev. 20:9 tells of the destruction of those individuals who join Satan in the last rebellion; and verse 15 tells of that same destruction in other words, using the symbol ‘lake of fire.’ They are devoured or consumed in fire. This being the case, the torment of verse 10 cannot refer to these human beings who are consumed, destroyed. Hence the question narrows down to this, Will Satan and a false prophet and a beast be tortured forever: and does this verse so teach?

“We answer in God’s own words, ‘All the wicked will he destroy.’ Concerning Satan, the arch enemy of God and man, God expressly advises us that he will be destroyed, and not preserved in any sense or condition. (Heb. 2:14)

“The beast and false prophet systems, which during the Gospel age have deceived and led astray, will be cast into a great, consuming trouble in the close of this Gospel age. The torment of those systems will be aionion, i.e., lasting. It will continue as long as they last, until they are utterly consumed. So also the system of error, which will suddenly manifest itself at the end of the Millennial age and lead the ‘goats’ to destruction, will be consumed. (Rev. 20:7-10) That deceiving system (not specified as to kind, but merely called Satan, after its instigator) will be cast into the same sort of trouble and destruction in the end of the Millennial age, as the beast and false prophet systems are now being cast into, in the end of the Gospel age.” (R2609:5)

The Millennium’s “Harvest”

“Accordingly, we are shown (Rev. 20:7-10) that at the close of the Millennial age there will be a ‘harvest’ time, for sifting and separating amongst the billions of human beings then living, each of whom will have enjoyed a full opportunity of attaining perfection. This will be similar to the present sifting of ‘Babylon,’ ‘Christendom,’ in this ‘harvest’ time; and similar also to the sifting work in the ‘harvest’ of the Jewish age. The harvest of the Millennial age will witness the complete separation of the ‘goats’ from the Lord’s ‘sheep,’ as represented in our Lord’s parable. (Matt. 25:31-46)” (D644)

20:11 – “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”

“Symbolically, the whiteness of the throne indicates the purity of the justice and judgment which will be meted out by the Great Redeemer as the Messiah-King. The heavens and earth which will flee away from the presence of that throne are not the literal, but the symbolical. The ecclesiastical heavens and the social earth of the present time will not stand in the presence of that August Tribunal. The people will not be judged nationally nor by parliaments and systems in society, but individually. The judgment or trial will not merely test those living at the time of the establishment of the Kingdom, but will include all the dead.” (OV256)

The Great White Throne

“The ‘great white throne’ represents the powers of the government and the purity or fairness of the trial which will be granted to the world of mankind. When we read that heaven and earth fled away from the presence of him upon the throne, it identifies that throne with the end of this age, and the opening of the Millennial Age. Present institutions are represented thus: the heavens, the church, etc., and the earth, the political and social interest of ‘this present evil world.’ As St. Peter tells us, present institutions shall ‘pass away with a great noise,’ and instead the Lord will reveal a new heavens and a new earth – that is to say, new spiritual powers, the Church in glory; and new earthly powers, the new political and social conditions – along better lines than those which now control: along the lines of justice and love.” (OV41)

The Great White Throne and Judgment

“Neither Jehovah God nor His Representative, Messiah, can in any sense or degree be a party to injustice or inequity. The fact that injustice has been permitted, that inequity has been the rule for centuries, is to be accounted for by the fact that during all this period the world has been under the reign of Sin and Death, the reign of Satan, ‘the Prince of this world,’ and of the darkness and selfishness and evil – all of which his name represents; that the world has not been under the dominion of Messiah, the Representative of Jehovah and His righteousness and love.

“The New Dispensation which Messiah’s Kingdom will usher in is pictured in this Rev. 20:11 text. It will be the worldwide dominion of purity, holiness, righteousness, justice, truth – a Great White Throne.

No wonder we read that the symbolical heavens and earth, representing the old order of things – social, ecclesiastical – will vanish away!

“Let it be remembered that the Great White Throne speaks blessings only to those who love righteousness and hate iniquity.

“At the end of Messiah’s Reign, those whose names will have been written upon the new Book of Life will be found worthy of everlasting life; those whose names are not therein written will be destroyed in the Second Death. (Rev. 20:11-15)” (SM694, 696)

20:12, 13 – “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

“‘The dead’ includes all of the Adamic race who during this Gospel age do not escape from the condemnation that is on the world – DEATH – by becoming partakers of spiritual life through Jesus …

“This verse relative to the dead shows us how all those death condemned ones will be on trial before the White Throne. So surely as it is a throne of purity and Justice, their trial, as ours now, will be full, fair and impartial. The Judge himself has al- ready become their bail, so that they shall have a full and sufficient trial before himself, to attain perfection of human life.

“The books opened, according to the rulings of which they will be tried, we understand to be the books of the Bible. The church, now on trial, is being judged according to these same books – and none now are on trial, to whom those books are not to some degree opened (understood). This too, accords with Jesus’ words: ‘My words shall judge you in the last day’ (period) – the Millennial day. (John 12:48) The word here translated judge is the same word as in our text and in 1 Cor. 6:1 …

“The words of Jesus will no longer be hidden under parables and dark sayings, that the hearing people might hear and not understand; but the secret things will be uncovered. ‘The mystery of God’ – the church – being finished, the books will be opened, and the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth. For God ‘will have all men to be saved, [redeemed] and [then] to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim. 2:4)

“The succeeding verse is in harmony, and says that ‘the sea [masses of mankind not under religious restraint] delivered up the dead which were in it:’ i.e., mankind will be taken out of that condition, and brought under the restraints of the White Throne. Consequently, when all are restrained, there will be ‘no more sea.’ – (See Jude 13; Jas. 1:6) ‘Death and the tomb delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works’ (during that age or day).

“This trial includes all the world, (but not the saints – John 5:24), and is indeed the grand prospect held out before them. By means of that trial, the entire groaning creation may be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty (freedom from death) of the sons of God. (Rom. 8:21, 22)

“Another book – of life, was opened. This suggests to us that as there is a book (record), of life, in which the names of all the Gospel age overcomers are recorded who are worthy of divine life, so there will be a book or record kept in the next age of those worthy of perfect human life.” (R333:1)

The Books to be Opened

“The books of the Bible will then all be opened – understood. All will then see that the Golden Rules laid down by inspiration through Moses and the Prophets, Jesus and his Apostles, are the very ones which God will require of men in the future and which Messiah will then enable the willing and obedient to comply with by assisting them up out of their sin and degradation. The judgment of that time, the test, will not be of faith, for knowledge will be universal and all the darkness and obscurity created by ignorance and superstition will have passed away. The test at that time will be of works, whereas the tests of the Church at the present time are of faith.” (OV256)

The Millennium Judgment Day

“The Scriptures represent the Millennium as the Judgment Day for the world; saying: ‘God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man (the Christ, head and body) whom he hath ordained.’ (Acts. 17:31) If it were God’s plan to coerce all the world or to everlastingly save every member of Adam’s race, why call the coming age a Day of Judgment? Judgment signifies trial, testing, and this implies the rejection of the unfit as much as it implies the acceptance and blessing of those proved worthy. The judgment is unto life or death everlasting.

“Note our Lord’s parable of the sheep and the goats, applicable not to the Gospel age, but to the world in the Millennium. It opens with ‘When the Son of Man shall come in all his glory’ – and sit upon his glorious throne – a time when, according to his promise, his bride, the ‘elect’ Church shall share his throne and glory – ‘then shall be gathered before him all nations,’ and he shall judge them, separating the sheep to the right hand of his favor and the goats to the left hand of disfavor. This separating and judging will occupy the entire Millennial age, and at its close the ‘sheep’ will all be welcomed to the Father’s favor – everlasting life, and the disobedient ‘goats’ with Satan, their leader, and all evil doers, shall be punished with ‘everlasting destruction,’ everlasting cutting off from life symbolized by a lake of fire and brimstone – the Second Death.

“The Scriptures represent the judgment of that great Millennial Judgment day as before a great white throne of purity and justice.” (E480)

The Bible in the Next Age!

“… our thought is that the Bible will be used then, not so much as a sole means of communicating God’s will, but as a source of information, much as we now use histories. It will enlighten men respecting God’s laws, etc.

“The Scripture which tells us that the Bible will be used in the future, tells us that all the world will be judged by the things written in these books, and informs us that the books will be opened (the books of the Old and New Testaments) implying that up to that time they were not opened. (Rev. 20:12)” (R5804:1)

“The world will be standing on judgment before the throne of Christ throughout the Millennial age in the same sense that the church has been standing on judgment during this Gospel age. A picture of the world’s judgment is given us in Matt. 25, where the two classes that will be found amongst men are to be separated into sheep and goats, and the division between them is to be the work of the Millennial age – to separate the true sheep, who will be accounted worthy of divine favor everlastingly, from those of the goat nature, who, refusing to come into subjection to the Lord’s will, shall be estimated unworthy of any favors beyond the Millennial age, and will be destroyed with Satan, as described in Rev. 20:9, 10.

“During the Millennial age these books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, etc., will be opened to the whole world, will be understood fully, clearly, and the great lessons therein taught will be emphasized; and as our Lord declared to the Jews, so will it be: ‘My Word shall judge him in the last day’ – the Millennial day.” (R3433:4)

“But when the world’s judgment or trial will be on, during the Millennium, the books will be opened – the books of the Bible – and the dead will be judged, will be tried, will be tested along the lines of teaching found in those books of the Bible.” (OV41)

20:14 – “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

The Sin Unto Death in the Millennium

“Any who sin wilfully, against full light and ability, will perish in the second death. And should any one, during that age of trial, under its full blaze of light, spurn the offered favors, and make no progress toward perfection for a hundred years, he will be reckoned unworthy of life and will be ‘cut off,’ though at a hundred years he would be in the period of comparative childhood. Thus it is written of that day: ‘As a lad shall one die a hundred years old; and as a sinner shall be accursed he who dieth at a hundred years old.’ (Isa. 65:20 – Leeser) Thus all must have at least one hundred years of trial; and, if not so obstinate as to refuse to make progress, their trial will continue throughout the entire day of Christ, reaching a culmination only at its close.

“The conclusion of the world’s coming judgment is clearly shown in the parable of the sheep and goats. (Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 1 Cor. 15:25) These and other Scriptures show that at its close the two classes will have been completely separated – the obedient and the disobedient; those in harmony with the letter and the spirit of God’s law, and those out of harmony with it. They enter into everlasting life, and the others are remanded to death, extinction (‘second death’), the same sentence as in the first judgment, from which they had been reckonedly released by Christ who secured the right to release them by the giving of their ransom – by his death. This will be their second death. No ransom will be given for them, and there will be no release or resurrection for them, their sin being a wilful, individual sin against full light and opportunity, under a most favorable, individual trial.” (A144)

20:15 – “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

“As the 13th verse declares that all men shall be brought out of these conditions in due time for trial, so this verse declares that Adamic death, and the sleep in oblivion, consequent to it, shall be no more, after the Millennial age: and it explains why, viz., because they shall be merged into or swallowed up by the Second Death condition. In the future no one will die for Adam’s sin: it will be out of consideration as a factor in the trial of the future. The only death thereafter will be the Second Death, which will affect only the sinner who commits the sin, not the parents, not the children. In that day he that dies shall die for his own sin. ‘The soul that sinneth it shall die.’ Although such will have weakness of the Adamic nature from which they will never recover, because of refusal to use the means and opportunities placed within their reach during the Millennium by the Mediator of the New Covenant, yet under that New Covenant those inherited weaknesses will not be reckoned against them, being fully offset by their Redeemer’s sacrifice. Hence from and after the time when this full opportunity of the Millennial age is offered to each individual, although Adamic weaknesses and imperfections will still be upon them, their death will not be counted as being a part of Adamic death, but as being a part of the Second Death; – because their failure to make progress will be the result of their own wilfulness, and not the result of Adam’s transgression, nor of their own heredity to its weaknesses.” (E380)