The Afterlife - Part 2

Study Guide
The clear teaching of Scripture is that there are 2 resurrections. Jesus Himself affirmed and taught this in John
5:28, 29. (See also: Acts 2:!5" #aniel !2:!, 2" He$re%s !!:&&'&5" (e)elation 2*:5, +., These t%o resurrections
are separated $- one thousand -ears.
The one thousand years of Revelation 20 is often called the millennium. The word millennium is simply a
Latin composite of two words: milli, meaning one thousand, and annum, meaning years. The second
coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the righteous mark the beginning of the 1,000 years. The saints of all
ages (described as blessed and holy in verse 6) will be raised in this first resurrection.
Five Events at Christs Coming (Begin the illennium!

!. .elie)ers are /////////////. (! Thess. :!+, !0,
2. .elie)ers recei)e ///////////// . (! 1or. !5:5,
&. 2ic3ed li)ing ///////////// . (2 Thess. 2:8,
. 2ic3ed dead remain in their /////////. ((e). 2*:5,
5. .elie)ers //////// to ////////// %ith 1hrist. (! Thess. :!+, !0,

The Earth" a #esolate $ilderness % #uring the illennium
The .i$le descri$es the earth as $eing 4a $ottomless pit5. This phrase comes from the 6ree3 %ord a$usos.
2hat 7nglish %ord does that sound li3e8 A$-ss. 9ot coincidentall-, the %ord a$usos is used to translate the
condition of the earth in 6enesis chapter ! in the Septuagint translation (the 6ree3 translation of the He$re%
:ld Testament,.
The earth %ill $e totall- de)astated $- the earth;ua3e and hailstorm that stri3e at Jesus< second coming. =t %ill
$e left in complete dar3ness. #ead people %ill lie stre%n across the earth<s surface, %ith no one mourning,
$ecause none %ill $e left ali)e. The earth is desolate follo%ing the 2nd 1oming. Satan and the fallen angels are
left alone for !,*** -ears to contemplate the %oeful result of their re$ellious e>periment? #uring the !,***
-ears, the de)il is chained $- circumstances, 4that he should decei)e the nations no more.5 (e)elation 2*:&. A
literal chain could ne)er chain a spiritual $eing.
:nl- one thing %ould pre)ent him from tempting people, and that is if there %ere no people ali)e? The
righteous are in hea)en. .ut %hat are the- doing there8 #uring the !,*** -ears the saints %ill $e in hea)en,
participating in the @udgment. The- %ill not decide %ho is sa)ed or lost, $ecause 6od %ill alread- ha)e that
determined. The- %ill simpl- confirm the @udgments of 6od. 4Aor th- @udgments are made manifest.5
(e)elation !5:. The fairness of 6od<s punishment for the lost %ill $e affirmed, as %ell as the re%ards for the
righteous ((e)elation 22:!!, !2,. This phase of the @udgment is for the $enefit of the saints. Aor e>ample,
suppose -ou get to hea)en and disco)er that -our $elo)ed pastor is not thereB-et some infamous criminal is
there? Cou %ould pro$a$l- need an e>planation. The angels %ill guide us through the record $oo3s to settle an-
dou$ts. At the end of this phase of the @udgment, all %ill $e totall- con)inced of 6od<s @ustice, lo)e, and His
impartial dealings %ith all. The- %ill declare, 4Aor true and righteous are his @udgments.5 (e)elation !9:2.
Si& events 'lose the millennium

!. 1hrist, Saints, and 1it- //////// . ((e). 2!:2,
2. 2ic3ed dead are ////////. ((e). 2*:5,
&. Satan /////////. ((e). 2*:0,
9ote: After the %ic3ed are resurrected, Satan %ill once again $e free to decei)e and manipulate them.
. Dast ///////////. ((e). 2*:,
9ote: Satan %ill decei)e people into $elie)ing that he %as un@ustl- deposed from hea)en and that together the-
can capture the cit- and ta3e control. (ealiEing the- are shut out of the hol- cit-, the %ic3ed %ill organiEe an
attac3 to con;uer the 9e% Jerusalem.
(e)elation !9:!, 2 4= heard a great )oice of much people in hea)en sa-ing, ... true and @ust are his @udgments.5
Fhilippians 2:!*, !! (That at the name of Jesus e)er- 3nee should $o%, of things in hea)en, and things in earth,
and things under the earth" And that e)er- tongue should confess that Jesus 1hrist is Dord, to the glor- of 6od
the Aather.5The %ic3ed %ill all freel- admit that 6od has $een fair and @ust and that He tried desperatel- to sa)e
them, $ut the- openl- chose to re@ect Him and to li)e a selfish life of sin. After this uni)ersal admission, the sin
contro)ers- %ill $e fore)er settled and it %ill $e safe to destro- sinners.
5. /////////// and ////////// are destro-ed. ((e). 2*:9,
+. 7arth /////////// and /////////. (=saiah +5:!0,
9ote:
(e)elation 2!:& 4Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.
Gatthe% 5:5 4Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
.oth 6od the Aather and 6od the Son %ill li)e %ith their saints on the ne% earth. Just thin3 of itBha)ing 6od
for a neigh$or?

)nside or *utside+
At the close of the millennium, follo%ing the resurrection of the %ic3ed, e)er-one %ho has e)er li)ed %ill $e
ali)e all at the same time. 2hat a sight that %ill $e? All of the righteous %ill $e inside of the cit-, the 9e%
Jerusalem" all of the %ic3ed %ill $e outside of the 9e% Jerusalem. The .i$le sa-s that the %alls of the 9e%
Jerusalem are clear. See (e)elation 2!:!8. The righteous and the %ic3ed %ill $e a$le to see one another. The
%ic3ed ma3e an effort to o)erta3e the cit- $- force. =t is at this time that the fires of the )engeance and
@udgment of 6od descend upon them and 4de)our5 them.
,es-onse
Jesus says, I go to prepare a place for you. John !:". #e has a mansion for you in the holy city. $ill you
now accept #is offer of life eternal so #e may gi%e you the new birth and prepare you for #is kingdom&