Revelation 20:6-10

(Rev 20:6 KJV)
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.

In this verse we will discover what the first resurrection is. The Bible clearly teaches a single, general resurrection and we must seek to understand if the first resurrection is something different from a resurrection of believers. Let us explore some unique characteristics of the first resurrection. The key to understanding the first resurrection is in the part of this verse which states, "on such the second death has no power."

Who is unaffected by the second death, which is a synonym for judgment and hell? Only the born again Christian is unaffected by judgment because Christ has already paid for our sins. Therefore, our abode will be heaven not hell. Every born again Christian on earth has experienced the first resurrection. I saw a famous Pre-trib theologian on a talk show mockingly put down this biblical view by saying something has to be dead before it can be resurrected. He offered no alternative teaching but just a pseudo-intellectual put down.

I am glad he said it because it is based on truth, whether he knows or not. Let us look at Ephesians 2:1-3:

(Eph 2:1-3 KJV) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: {2} Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

We read in verse 1 that we were dead in our sins. It seems that something was dead, and it was us. Now were we physically dead or spiritually dead? The answer is simple, we were spiritually dead. Paul tells us that we walked in the deadness of our sins, until something happened. We read in Ephesians 2:5:

(Eph 2:5 KJV) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

God made us alive or resurrected our dead souls. The phrase "quickened us together" may also be translated "to make alive together." That theologian who mockingly discounted this truth should have done his homework and would have discovered that something was dead, and was made alive. When you received Christ, did your physical body change? Of course not, but you did receive your resurrected soul, and before you did, you were dead to the things of God, whereas now you are alive to the things of God. Let us look again at Ephesians 2:6:

(Eph 2:6 KJV) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

As a result of being made alive, we are raised up to sit together with Christ in heaven, as if we are already up there reigning with Him. The rest of Rev. 20:6 tells us that we are on the right track since when a person becomes saved, they become: priests of God and Christ (1 Peter 2:5); blessed (Eph. 1:3); and holy (Eph. 1:4). So as we see the believer is already reigning with Christ as a result of their position, and since this reigning is in effect at present, it also tells us that the thousand year reign is also in effect at present. The two cannot be separated.

(Rev 20:7 KJV)
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

In this verse of our study, it reveals that right at the end of time Satan will be allowed to continue his deceptions. He may blind the minds of the people of the world on a grander scale. This is how God will wind down His salvation program by saving less and less toward the last day. When God saves the last one, then this will usher in the last day, and then the prophetic events will unfold rapidly and it will be the end of recorded history. We are very close to the end as we see the increase in false gospels and New Age philosophies creeping into the church and are being embraced by both clergy and congregations.

When it says that Satan will be loosed out of his prison, it is telling us that the great chain which kept him tied has now been taken out of the way which is the Holy Spirit who applies salvation to the Elect. (2 Th 2:7 KJV) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. Satan will no longer be hindered as he makes the final attempt to make war against the Lord Jesus Christ and the body of believers. The Holy Spirit has been taken out of the way as the great restrainer of evil because now comes the final battle with Satan and he must be allowed to muster whatever forces he can for this battle.

(Rev 20:8 KJV)
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.

After Satan is loosed out of his prison, he is allowed once again to deceive the nations. In Ezekiel 38 and 39, Gog and Magog were nations who were going to come against Israel. Magog was a nation from the north. Here though, Gog and Magog are representing the entire world. This verse tells us that Satan is going to attempt to muster every evil spirit he can to come to the great and final battle. We saw this battle previously as Armageddon. Satan will apparently be able to muster a countless number of demons who will attempt one final battle against the Kingdom of God. This deception right before the return of Christ will see many false religions and false gospels come into existence. If you notice that Satan’s last weapon in his repository is deception, so the extreme final days of earth will produce pandemic deception in the area of the gospel as he will try and make one major attempt to attack the body of believers by trying to deceive them.

(Rev 20:9 KJV)
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.

This verse teaches us that Satan will make one last great sweep of the earth in an attempt to deceive all the nations with his false religions and false gospels. His main point of attack will be the body of Christ where he will attempt to separate the believer from the Lord Jesus Christ through false teachings. The camp of the Saints and the beloved city are one and the same as both describe the body of believers. The camp is where the body of believers dwell on earth but they are part of the beloved city, the New Jerusalem which is the body of believers. Then comes the end for Satan. God then sends fire down from heaven and devours Satan and all his cohorts. The word for “devoured” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “destroy or consume.” It is the end for Satan and all of his evil.

(Rev 20:10 KJV)
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 end for Satan has come as it previously had for the beast and the false prophet. Satan is not even going to have a trial because he is guilty beyond doubt for all the evil and hatred and murder and every other kind of sin brought on the human race from Eden to the end. Satan is cast into the lake of fire and there he will suffer torment forever and ever. The term “day and night” signifies that the torment will be constant without even a slight chance of relief.