Now let’s continue on brethren. Let’s ask the question: What does the Bible teach us, and how does God show us that He deals with people who have sinned, and sinned greatly enough that they should die, but allows them to live? See, because that’s going to be the quandary during the millennium. What are you going to do with people who die?

Now, during the first part of the millennium they can die, be put in the grave, and every time there is a funeral that takes place everyone is going to know that that person has committed the unpardonable sin. Because they die as sinners and are accursed. That’s their first death. So keep that in mind also for tomorrow.

Now when we come down to the last generation there’s not going to be time for them to live a hundred years. There’s not going to be time to be able to have them die the death at a hundred, being accursed. Now let’s ask the question. Let’s come back here to Genesis 2 and let’s look at something here for just a minute. And also, I think this will help us understand how God is going to do it.

Now, was the Garden of Eden the ideal setting that God wanted? Yes. And didn’t we cover the restitution of all things? Yes. Now what happened with Adam and Eve? Obviously they sinned enough to die. He gave them the death sentence. He put within them the law of sin and death because of their transgressions, but He let them live, didn’t He? So what did He do? Now this has also been brought up (I brought it up before) as referring to the last generation. But could it also happen to those during the millennium who sin grievously and have to be removed? Will there be a place of exile of all sinners, gross sinners, which would be a minority of people by the way. But still there will be, because God is not going to take away free choice from anybody. It’s still going to be there. It’s still going to be whether you’re going to choose to love God and serve Him, or go your own way. It’s like with Adam and Eve. So what did He do?

Now, here’s what He did. He cut them off from the tree of life, didn’t He? And He sent them out of the Garden of Eden, didn’t He? Genesis 3:24: “So He drove out the man [and obviously his wife]; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Now then, are we going to have something similar during the millennium? Now I know I’ve applied it to the last generation of the millennium, but could it be that there is going to be a place of exile that those who just say, “Well look, I just want to choose which ever way I want to go.” And God is going to say, “Ok. If you do that, you’re going to go over here to this place of exile. And if you repent you can come back. But if you don’t repent you’re going to live out your life a hundred years and you’re going to die accursed and you’re going to be buried.” Now, I don’t know. But it’s very likely, based upon what we have here in Genesis 3. So if we’re going to have the restitution of all things, as we saw there at the beginning of the feast, are we not also going to have a means of handling those who have committed grievous sins? Now obviously if someone commits something like murder, then the sentence is death right there. And of course the one who has been murdered can be resurrected. But however, during the millennium it says very clearly that “no one is going to hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain.” So I highly doubt whether we are going to have murderers around. I’m sure that there are going to be those who are going to try and steal (that’s only part of human nature), and lie, and things like that. That’s all part of human nature. And people can repent of those things. Those are sins which are sins not unto death.

But what happens when you have someone who comes to the point that they are just incorrigible and you cannot have them around? Well we also have the principle too, don’t we, of this way: that we are not to become part of the world. We are separate. We are told that “be separate from the way of the world and sinners” right? Yes. So it’s very possible that God will have this.

Now why is this necessary? Because God has decreed that all sinners will die twice. All unrepentant sinners will suffer the second death, which we will get into tomorrow. So here they are exiled. Now where do you suppose would be the best place to exile them. Ok, let’s see, maybe we have an answer in the New Testament. And then we’re going to see something that has been very hard for people to understand. So let’s see if we can put it together. Now I realize that we are into areas that are not absolutely totally dogmatic in the things that I have just said here. I understand that. So in thinking the process through, which God wants us to do, we understand that the ultimate reality of it is going to be when we see how God truly does it. But in the mean time it’s certainly not wrong for us to try and get some understanding of the Scriptures based upon what we know. So let’s come to Revelation 20 and let’s see part of the enigma in trying to understand these Scriptures, and how God is going to handle it.

Now let’s come to Revelation 20. Now we saw that the angel came down (verses 1 and 2) and put the devil into the abyss. It says, verse 2: “And he took hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” So all during the millennium Satan is not going to be around to tempt them. Which also tells us one thing very important, because that also goes back to the time of when Adam and Eve sinned. The beginning was when they let Satan persuade them to go against God. And as soon as Satan enters the scene, sin prospers. When Satan is removed then not all sin, but the sins that Satan inspires will be gone. So: “Then he cast him into the abyss, and locked him up, and sealed the abyss over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were fulfilled; and after that it is ordained that he be loosed for a short time” (Rev. 20:2-3, FV). Now why would God do that? Because He needs Satan for one more mission. And let’s see what that is. He let’s them out. He lets Satan, and of course then the demons too, He let’s them out with a purpose that’s necessary to be fulfilled.

All during the millennium sinners who die are accursed. That’s their first death. When we come down to the last generation you are going to have righteous people who are living who will probably live over into the Great White Throne Judgment period so they can live to be a hundred and then be transformed. Then you are also going to have the sinners who are exiled. They’re still going to be alive. They’re going to have to die their first death. Because you cannot have the Great White Throne Judgment one hundred year period begin until certain things are done.

So let’s see it here. Let’s come down to verse 7: “Now when the thousand years have been completed, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…” Why does God let him out of his prison? You see, the prison that he is put into in the abyss is a temporary punishment. Because as we will see the fulfillment of the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles also gives the final judgment on Satan the devil as well. That has to be reserved until the end of the millennium, as we will see.

“And he shall go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog…” Now this brings us right back to the very first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, about how Gog and Magog came down and wanted to attack and take away the kingdom from beginning when Christ returns at the beginning of the millennium. But they are destroyed. Their names are (as we will say) the total epitome of evil to come down and fight Christ at the beginning of the millennium. Now Gog and Magog in this particular case then has to be a geographical area in Gog and Magog. Now why do I say that? I say that because of this: that if God is going to give free moral agency and free choice to everyone to choose, do you not think that at the beginning of the millennium when all of those armies of Gog and Magog have been destroyed, that they’re going to be the physical descendents of Gog and Magog who are going to be converted? Yes. Because God says that with that event of destroying the armies of Gog and Magog at the beginning of the millennium, all the heathen (which includes the rest of those of Gog and Magog who are still alive) are going to know that Christ is the Lord, and that God is ruling on this earth. So this has to be the people of Gog and Magog, but part of the territory of Gog and Magog. And those who have the rebellious attitude that Gog and Magog had at the beginning of the millennium. And so it says “to deceive the nations.” Not deceive Gog and Magog alone. So “in the four quarters of the earth” Gog and Magog describes that part of the earth where they have been exiled to.

Now notice, here’s his mission: “…of whom the number is as the sand of the sea…” Now God uses that to show it’s a great number but it’s not determinable (the exact number) and why. Why? Because there is choice. And if they choose to sin, God has not predetermined who is going to choose to sin and who is going to choose not to sin. God reserves that for every individual that He calls, or exposes them to the truth. And God is not going to take away that from anybody. He didn’t take it from Adam and Eve. He hasn’t taken it away from us. He’s not going to take it away from the people who live during the millennium. He’s not going to take it away from the people in the last generation of the millennium.

But you see, those who are incorrigible sinners at that time will not have one hundred years to live, to die, and be buried accursed. So God has to execute His plan so that they will die their first death in a very unusual manner. And He uses Satan to do it. He releases Satan. And he goes over to where they are in the area of Gog and Magog, and you can almost hear it. “Boy, I’ve been fighting this for a thousand years, and I really am the true God. You were right in rejecting God. You were right in coming over here. You were right in exercising your free moral agency to do what you want to, and now I am here as God to rescue you. Worship me.” And you know they will. What else do you think that Satan is going to do? What did he do with Adam and Eve? What did he do when Christ had His confrontation with Satan the devil to be tempted of him? Did he not say, “Worship me”? Yes, indeed. So no doubt, he’s going to do it again. However it’s going to be a deception because he set out to deceive these people who have already rejected salvation. They’re not deceived out of salvation. By choice they have rejected it. Just like every one who commits the unpardonable sin, by choice they reject God. So there we have it.

Now what does he do? “…To gather them together for war” (verse 8, FV). And every time Satan is around there is war. Without a doubt. Look what happened with Cain and Abel. The first murder, right? Yes. War, death and destruction.

Now then, in preparing for war they’re probably going to make various weapons. We don’t know how much technology they are going to be able to develop in a short time. It says he must be loosed for a short time or a short season. We don’t know how long that is. Is that three and a half years as some of the other areas where it is for a “short season” referred to, or a short time? It’s possible. It’s going to be long enough for them to prepare for war. It’s going to be long enough for them to make enough armaments that they think that they are going to be able to conquer the saints down in Jerusalem. And you see, if you go conquer Jerusalem and you take the capital, and you take over God’s throne… Oh boy, doesn’t that sound like a repeat of Isaiah 14? Yes, indeed. If you do that then you can finally be god. You can finally rule over the world. And then you see, “You can be rewarded,” Satan is going to tell them. “You can be rewarded. And you can take over and rule and you can dispose of all of these people.” It will be a very convincing thing. I mean all we have to do is just piece together what Satan has said down through the years and put it together again. See, Satan can’t do anything new. Whatever he does is just a repeat.

Ok, so here’s what happens, verse 9: “Then I saw them go up upon the breadth of the earth and encircle the camp of the saints…” Now the camp: could this be something that is going to happen during the Feast of Tabernacles? I do not know. “…And the beloved city…” Now they are going to think that they are going to have success. But God has His execution in mind for them. “…And fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them…” Now when all of those who are sinners and chosen to sin, who have been exiled to Gog and Magog, are worked up into their armies and brought down to Jerusalem, they will have finished completing the unpardonable sin. The wages of sin is death as it always has been. So here, for them, is their first death. They’re yet going to suffer the second death, as we will see tomorrow. But all sinners who are incorrigible sinners; those who won’t repent or never repent God has decreed that they will die twice. So what we are reading of here in Revelation 20 then, is the first death of those wicked in the last generation of the millennium who have not had enough time to die a natural death, and die a sinner accursed and be buried. Now I think we can understand it that way, is about the best way we can understand it.

Now here’s something else that has to take place. Because (just as we saw during the millennium) the only way that righteousness is brought in, is not only by having the government of God here; not only by having the resurrected saints rule and reign and teach and so forth, but Satan must be removed. Now then, Satan’s work is done at this point. There is no other purpose for Satan the devil. Now’s the time for judgment against Satan. So let’s see what this is. Let’s see how it’s going to be accomplished. And we will see that Satan’s judgment must be done before the beginning of the Last Great Day, and the meaning and fulfillment of the Last Great Day. So he is sentence and he is judged.

Now let’s read it here, verse 10: “And the Devil, who deceived them…” And of course the devil - what do you have with the devil? All of his demons because he’s king over the abyss. So when Satan is cast into the abyss, all the demons are cast into the abyss. So when Satan is let out, all the demons are let out. So when this judgment comes upon Satan, it’s going to come upon all the demons. “And the Devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone [now this is a proper translation with a correct interpretation of Revelation 19, which we will look at in just a minute], where the beast and the false prophet had been cast…” Now when were the beast and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire? So this also tells us that there is going to be a lake of fire active during the millennium, both. So you’re going to have two things. You’re going to have the totally incorrigible who may commit a crime that demands instant death. They’ll probably, during the millennium, be cast into the lake of fire. Those who sin and never repent but haven’t done the incorrigible sin until the very end of their lives by not accepting the salvation of God, and they die as sinners being a hundred years old. So we probably have two things going here.

But let’s go back to Revelation 19:20 (FV) and let’s see what happens to the beast and the false prophet. Now this is important to understand. Verse 20: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked miracles in his presence [two human beings - flesh and blood], by which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Those two were cast alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone…” Now when people are cast into the lake of fire, what happens? They burn up. Now just think of it this way. Think of it as a lake of molten lava. Now any human being, being flesh and blood, cast into that is burned up and they are no more. So that’s why I translated it this way so it clears up the mistranslation that most people believe that the beast and the false prophet were there being tormented all during the millennium. It cannot be because human beings are not tormented in fire. See, that’s a misinterpretation and not a clear translation, because people believe in an ever-burning hell. So I translated it properly.

Now back to Revelation 20:10 (FV): “…where the beast and the false prophet had been cast…” Now understand this: the beast was possessed of Satan the devil, correct? Yes. And the false prophet by probably the next highest demon under Satan the devil. Those demons then, along with Satan, were cast into the abyss and the seal shut up over them all during the millennium. Then they were let out as we saw and so forth. Now, here’s the final judgment of Satan the devil. “…And they…” Because it is in the Greek “they shall be tormented.” But that cannot refer to the beast and the false prophet because they are burned up. So the “they” has to refer to Satan and the demons. “…And they, Satan and the demons, shall be tormented day and night into the ages of eternity.” So God is going to have Satan the devil and the demons being tormented day and night forever into the ages of eternity. Now that’s what the Greek says. Now a lot of people can argue back and forth and say, “Well, couldn’t God convert them into a human being and then destroy him and he’s burned up?” Well anything is possible with God, but is that what God is going to do? You read in Hebrews 1 where it says that never did He say to any of the angels at any time, “ ‘You are My Son; this day I have begotten You’ ” (Heb. 1:5, FV). So I see no reason why He would convert them into being human beings. But it does say that they are going to be tormented day and night forever. So that’s quite a thing.

Let’s come back here to Isaiah 14. Let’s see where it talks about the punishment of Satan the devil. And of course if that’s the case then, which it undoubtedly is because that’s what the Scriptures tell us, then there will always be a constant reminder for all eternity to all of the rest who enter into the kingdom of God that sin and rebellion and going against God will never succeed.

Now here, Isaiah 14:12: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” And he did. So what we have here right now is this: we have an amalgamation of everything that Satan stands for, a reference back to his first rebellion, a reference to his continuous rebellion, and a reference to the last rebellion that we just read of in Revelation 20.

“For thou hast said in thine heart [and he has never changed], I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God [stars being the angels of God, but also the creation of the universe of God out there as well]: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north…” He’s going to be God. That’s what he has always wanted to do – to replace God. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit [which is the abyss]. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man [this could also be “is this the one”] that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms…” (verses 13-16). And of course all down through history Satan has possessed various men: the king of Babylon, other kings through time. And as we can see in our day, obviously had great influence with those dictators of World War II that we knew like Hitler, and Mussolini, and Tojo. Probably a combination of Satan and the high principalities and powers that serve under Satan the devil. And so people are going to look at him and they’re going to say, “Is this the one?” It’s going to be an object lesson, isn’t it?

And you stop and think, if this happens all during the millennium that people can come to the sealed abyss, will they be able to look down into the abyss and see Satan and the demons down there, and yet turn around and go sin? Will not that unpardonable sin be even more determined and premeditated than what we do today? Amazing, isn’t it? So that’s going to be Satan’s judgment. That’s the last thing that’s going to take place during the millennium.

So now what do we have? We have undoubtedly those human beings who were righteous, who are converted, who have the Spirit of God. They will live on over. And I’ve been torn between this too at different times, and different sermons. So if you go back and hear some other sermons where it’s not exactly the same as this just understand that. I’ve said in the past there are no more human beings alive. Well why not have those who have not reached a hundred years live on over into the hundred year period to help set the example for all those who will be resurrected in the second resurrection? So then you will have those human beings who will live over into the Great White Throne Judgment period. You’ll have all the sons of God, all of those of us who are in the first resurrection. You’ll have all of those who came into the kingdom of God all during the millennium. And then we are ready for the finality of God’s plan, which you’ll have to come back tomorrow to get the rest of the story. Because that will be the finishing and completing of the plan of God.

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