Millenium

 THE MILLENNIUM – SEMINARY 1. Millennium Interpretations There are, basically, four1 different views about the Millennium: Historic and Dispensational Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Amillennialism. 1.1. Premillennialism Premillennialism interpretation generally takes Revelation literally and reads Rev. 19 and 20 chronologically. It argues that Christ’s return will be before the Millennium,2 preceded by a period of intense tribulation. Ladd summarizes Premillennialism as “the doctrine stating that after the Second Coming of Christ, [Christ] will reign for a thousand years over the earth before the final consummation of God’s redemptive purpose in the new heavens and the new earth of the Age to Come.”3 In the Historic view, the present age will continue until a brief period of tribulation and apostasy, after which Christ will return to earth to establish a millennial kingdom. With Christ’s second coming, believers will be resurrected and reign with Christ over the entire earth. Dispensational Premillennialism view is similar to the Historic one but divides the biblical history into ages or dispensations. According to this interpretation, the secret rapture of the church with the second coming of Christ 1 Michaels, Interpreting the Book of Revelation, 67. 2 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 973. 3 George Eldon Ladd, “Historic Premillennialism,” in The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (Robert G. Clouse, ed.; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1977), 17. for the church will be followed by the great tribulation and the apostasy. After that, Christ will return with His people, and the Millennium will begin. After the Millennium the judgment and eternity will take place. This view separates the church and Jewish people in two different redemptive plans. Related to Rev. 20:1-10, this view interprets that vv. 1-3 describe the situation before the Millennium, vv. 4-6 during the Millennium, and vv. 7-10 after it.4 1.2. Postmillennialism Postmillennialism interpretation defends that Christ will return after the Millennium, that the Millennium is symbolic, and during this time the gospel is preached to the nations because Satan is bounded. The Millennium era will be a golden age, with prosperity and great influence of the church in the culture, and most people will be saved. At the end of the Millennium, Christ will return. After that will take place the last judgment and eternity. Loraine Boettner summarizes: “Postmillennialism is that view of the last things which holds that the kingdom of God is now being extended in the world through the preaching of the gospel and the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals, that the world eventually is to be Christianized and that the return of Christ is to occur at the close of a long period of righteousness and peace commonly called the millennium.”5 Related to Rev. 20:1-10, this view interprets that the text describes the Millennium, and not the church’s age. 4 Osborne, Revelation, 697. 5 Boettner, “Postmillennialism,” 117 1.3. Amillennialism The Amillennialism interpretation, on the contrary of the title suggests, accepts a Millennium, not a literal one, but symbolic. This system argues that the Millennium starts “at Christ’s resurrection and will be concluded at his final coming.”6 Beale defines the Millennium as an inaugurated time “during the church age when God limits Satan’s deceptive powers and when dead Christians are vindicated through their reign in heaven. It is concluded by a resurgence of Satan’s deceptive assault against the church and the final judgment.”7 Thus, according to this view, the church’s age is the Millennium, and the great tribulation and apostasy will take place at the end of this time, which will be concluded with Christ’s second coming. So, we are living the Millennium now, during which the gospel is preached. The better definition of that is realized eschatology (“already/not yet”). Kim Riddlebarger explains how Amillennialists interpret OT prophecies: “the promises made to Israel, David, and Abraham in the Old Testament are fulfilled by Jesus Christ and his church during this present age.”8 Related to Rev. 20:1-10, this view interprets it as describing the Millennium and church’s age. 6 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 973; Hendriksen, More Than Conquers, 185. . 7 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 149. 8 Riddlebarger, A Case For Amillennialism, 31. 2. Exegesis of Revelation (Rev. 20:1-10) 2.1. Revelation’s Structure Osborne alerts that “no single structural scheme for the book will suffice because the sections relate at more than one level.”9 Although there are numerous proposals of structures for Revelation, 10 J. Ramsey Michaels’ advice should be heard: “There is a circular relationship between the literary structure of the Book of Revelation and the interpretation of specific passages: An understanding of the parts is influenced by one’s view of the structure of the whole, and a view of structure depends on how certain individual texts are read.”11 Further, Fiorenza, observing that the New Criticism overcome the dualism between form and content by showing that the former is the patterning and arrangement of the latter, argues that Revelation’s structure embodies its “theology in a unique fusion of content and form,”12 its structure “is not chronologically ordered but theologically-thematically conceived,”13 and thus, the theological intention of Revelation’s author is presented itself in the form-content configuration of the text.14 Therefore, as the first step in the exegesis of a 9 Osborne, Revelation, 29. 10 Osborne presents some of arguments to divide the book. In Revelation, 29. Beale presents in The Book of Revelation, 111, 114-15. 11 Michaels, Interpreting the Book of Revelation, 51. 12 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 159. 13 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 163. Beale, relating the text’s structure with the numbering sections, also observes this. In Beale, The Book of Revelation, 129. 14 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 164. Revelation’s pericope is very important to understand in which part of the book such a pericope is and what is its function in the text as a whole. There are at least two important structures that should be analyzed here, one a major structure and another a minor one. Related to the former, Hendriksen suggests a major structure in the book based on Rev. 1 – 11 and 12 – 22.15 According to him, the first part (chapters 1 – 11), deals with the earthly struggle among people and, in the second part (chapters 12 – 22), there are visions that reveal a deeper meaning of this struggle, in other words, the background on that, especially the conflict between Christ and the Dragon (Satan). 16 Barr also defends this division and concludes that “in chapters 1—11 we view primarily the action of Jesus bringing salvation and judgment to the world; in chapters 12—22 we view the action of the dragon making war on the redeemed community but being overcome by Christ.”17 Similarly, Barr proposes a quite different structure divided into three parts: story one (chapters 1 – 3), story two (chapters 4 – 11), and story three (chapters 12 – 22).18 As noted, Barr’s third story is the second part of the book for Hendriksen, and he names this part as the story “of Jesus the suffering savior who defeated evil in the past and future war.”19 15 Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 22. 16 Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 22. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 147. Beale observes that A. Y. Collins and D. M. León suggest the roughly same major structure. Collins also highlights the meaning of the second part as a cycle that “recapitulates the first, clarifying its allusive, fragmentary, and mysterious features.” In Beale, The Book of Revelation, 129-30. 17 Barr, “The Apocalypse as a Symbolic Transformation of the World,” 45. 18 Barr, “The Story Told,” 16. 19 Barr, “The Story Told,” 19. Related to the minor structure, Hendriksen argues in favor of seven parallel sections in the book. 20 Beale observes that “[T]he strongest argument for the recapitulation view is the observation of repeated combined scenes of consummative judgment and salvation found at the conclusions of various sections throughout the book.”21 Fiorenza also argues in favor of seven parts but in a chiastic structure.22 In regards to Rev. 20:1 – 22:1, Hendriksen points out that it is the last of these sections, calling it as “the great consummation.”23 Fiorenza divides the section in Rev. 19:11 to 22:9, naming it as “the visions of judgment and salvation”.24 Beale defends it in Rev. 17:1 – 21:8 or 19:11 – 21:8, 25 interpreting this section primarily as judgment, 26 and J. Ramsey Michaels understands the section 20 Hendriksen explains that “[A] careful reading of the book of Revelation has made it clear that the book consists of seven sections, and that these seven sections run parallel to one another. Each of them spans the entire dispensation from the first to the second coming of Christ. This period is viewed now from one aspect, now from another.” In Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 18-19. 21 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 121. He presents a long list with scholars that defend the recapitulation interpretations (p. 144, n. 134). Also, he relates the recapitulation as a typical in Ezekiel, Daniel, and other prophetic books of the OT (p. 979, 982). 22 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 175-76. Kenneth Strand proposed a chiasm between Rev. 12:3 until 20:2 in Interpreting the Book of Revelation (Worthington, OH: Ann Arbor Publishers, 1976), 43-52. However, David DeSilva is very blunt in proving that such chiasm has no literary foundation. In DeSilva, “X Marks the Spot: A Critique of the Use of Chiasmus in Macro-Structural Analyses of Revelation,” 354-57. 23 Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 18. 24 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 174. 25 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 114, 972. He presents a chiastic structure in chapters 17 – 22 (983). He argues that the sections beginning with καί (“and”), following by an angelic movement, “with exception it introduces a vision either suspending the temporal progress of a preceding section to introduces a synchronous section … or reverting to a time anterior to the preceding section.” (975). 26 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 144. as fitting in Rev. 19:11 – 21:8, and names it as “a vision of final judgment and victory.”27 Before finalizing the analysis of the Revelation’s structure, it is important to note that the book was written to be heard as stated in Rev. 1:3. In the Asian Minor congregations, one person would read it and the audience should heard the message of the book. Beale highlights the verbal repetition to indicate the text’s divisions,28 and Fiorenza argues that Revelation’s hearers would be influenced “by its rhythmic and archaic language, by its repetition of sounds and words, and by the wealth of colors, voices, symbols, and image associations.”29 This is important for this exegesis because, as Beale observes, Rev. 20:1-10 has a symbolic nature of communication.30 Beale, highlighting that the two parts of Rev. 20:1-10 are introduced by the verb εἶδον (“I saw”), points out three levels of communication: [1] a visionary level, [2] a referential level, and [3] a symbolic level.31 He concludes that “[B]ecause the objects he sees [i.e., John] and what he hears are seen and heard in a vision, they are not first to be understood literally but viewed as symbolic portrayed and communicated, which is symbolic level of the vision.”32 27 Michaels, Interpreting the Book of Revelation, 71. 28 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 111. 29 Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation, 160. 30 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 973; Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 186. 31 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 973. 32 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 974. Author’s highlight. 2.2. The Millenium (Rev. 20:1-10) Dealing specifically with Rev. 20:1-10, Hendriksen defends that a new section begins in Rev. 20:1 because a new subject is introducing, which is, the devil’s condemnation.33 In a similar way, Ramsey identifies Rev. 20:1-10 as “the judgment of the Dragon.”34 However, although the theme of the judgment of the Dragon is approached in Rev. 20:1-10, this is one of the issues dealing here. The dominant theme in the pericope is the χίλια ἔτη (“thousand years”). Such expression occurs six times in Rev. 20:1-10 (vv. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7), and points out the secondary themes related to it. These secondary themes are, first, the custody of Satan by an “angel” (vv. 1-3), God’s people position during the Millennium (vv. 4-6), and the great tribulation, Satan’s final defeat, and eternal destiny (vv. 7-10). This division of this pericope is very clear and so this will guide this exegesis. A. The Beginning of the Millennium: Angel and Satan’s custody (Rev. 20:1-3) 1Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ. 2 καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν δράκοντα, ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, ὅς ἐστιν Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς, καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν χίλια ἔτη 3 καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον καὶ ἔκλεισεν καὶ ἐσφράγισεν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ πλανήσῃ ἔτι τὰ ἔθνη ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη. μετὰ ταῦτα δεῖ λυθῆναι αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον. 33 Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 18. 34 Michaels, Interpreting the Book of Revelation, 71. As discussed above, the Millennium is the time between the first and the second manifestation (ἐπιφαίνομαι) of Christ, also named as the “forty-two months” period (cf. Rev. 11:2), or “1,260 days” (cf. Rev. 11:3; 12:6), or yet the church’s age. In this first part of exegesis, two issues will be approached: the angel that put Satan in prison,35 and the consequence of that. i. The Angel (vv. 1-3) The text begins narrating that, Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ (“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain”). There are numerous “angels” in Revelation, 36 and some of these occurrences are highly disputed interpretations.37 The correct way to interpret these characters in the text should be related to their features and doings. In Rev. 20:1, the quoted angel is presented as moving from heaven to earth and holding a very special key. The Greek word to describe this movement is the Greek verb καταβαίνοντα (“descending”). This verb occurs 10 times in Revelation related to the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10), to Satan (Rev. 12:12; 20:9), 35 The most scholars understand that Satan is the mains character od Rev. 20:1-3, but the aorist active verbs in these verses highlight the angel’s actions. 36 The Greek work ἄγγελος occurs 67 times in Revelation. 37 The main examples are the “angels of the churches” in chapters 2 and 3, and the “angels” in chapter 10. judgment’s consequences (Rev. 13:13; 16:21) and, especially important here, other two “angels” (Rev. 10:1; 18:1). These three occurrences related to angels with the verb καταβαίνοντα are close related, as is clear in the table below. Rev. 10:1 Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἰσχυρὸν καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιβεβλημένον νεφέλην Rev. 18:1 Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον ἄλλον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔχοντα ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐφωτίσθη ἐκ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Rev. 20:1 Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ Comparing these verses, some relationships are clear. First, all begin with John’s vision (εἶδον), mention angels (ἄγγελον), and the movement of these angels coming from heaven (καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ). 38 Second, all angels are described as powerful angels. In Rev. 10:1 the angel is described as “powerful” (ἰσχυρὸν), in Rev. 18:1 as “having great authority” (ἔχοντα ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην), and in 20:1 as “holding the key of abysm and a great chain in his hand” (ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ). Such features can be seen as related. Thus, these three occurrences point out for the same powerful angel in different contexts. The scene narrated in Rev. 10:1 is related to Daniel’s vision of the “Son of man” (cf. Dn. 7:13) in the context of the witness of the gospel in Revelation. The angel is the source and authority for the preaching of the Gospel. Thus, this angel cannot be a common one.39 In Rev. 18:1, the context of the fall of Babylon, occurs 38 These three angels are the only ones that come from heaven. Also, in all three occurrences, the Greek verb καταβαίνω is a present participle. 39 The interpretation that defends that this angel is a simply angel is majority (HENDRIKSEN, Willian. More Than Conquerors. An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker’s Book Store, 1944, p.149-50; KISTEMAKER, Simon J. New Testament the expression ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην (“great authority”). Related to it, the Greek word δόξα (“glory”), related to this “angel,” occurs 17 times in Revelation and always related to God, 40 and never related to common angels. In Rev. 20:1, the angel appears in the context of Satan’s imprisonment. This context will be addressed now. The angel in Rev. 20:1 has in his hand a “key” (κλεῖν). This word occurs in Rev. 1:18 related to τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου (“the keys of death and of Hades”), Rev. 3:7 as τὴν κλεῖν Δαυίδ (“the key of David”), and Rev. 9:1 καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἡ κλεὶς τοῦ φρέατος τῆς ἀβύσσου (“and he [i.e., the “star” fallen from heaven] was given the key to the shaft of the abyss”). In the first occurrence (Rev. 1:18), Jesus is presented as the one who has authority over the death and Hades41 after his resurrection.42 In the second one (Rev. 3:7), Jesus is the one who has real authority over the church’s action, empowering the church with spiritual life in the present age. 43 In the third Commentary: Exposition of the Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: Barker, 2001, p.392-94; OSBORNE, Grant R. Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002, p.444-45; PRIGENT, Pierre. O Apocalipse. São Paulo: Loyola, 1993, p. 177; MOUNCE, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977, p. 206-7; PAUL, Revelation, 2018, p.186-87. Para interpretações bem curiosas, veja KOVACS e ROWLAND, Revelation, 2004, p.117-18). The main arguments are this angel would be the same one quoted in Rev. 1:1, the occurrence of another ἄγγελον ἰσχυρὸν (Rev. 5:2), Jesus is never called “angel” in Revelation, John does not adore the angel in chapter 10, Christ would not be taking an oath, and this angel would be Gabriel, based in the meaning of this name: “strong man of God.” However, the angel’s features in the light of Rev. 1:1-16 and Daniel’s text, and the attitudes of this angel, identify him with Jesus. In Thiago Jachetto de Campos, “O Anjo, Jesus e a Igreja em Apocalipse. Uma proposta de interpretação cristológica de Apocalipse 10:1-11 e algumas aplicações para o testemunho da igreja,” (paper, Centro Presbiteriana de Pós-Graduação Andrew Jumper, 2015). 40 Rev. 1:6; 4:9, 11; 5:12, 13; 7:12; 11:13; 14:7; 15:8; 16:9; 18:1; 19:1, 7; 21:11, 21, 24, 26. 41 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984. 42 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985. 43 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984. occurrence (Rev. 9:1), the key “is given” (ἐδόθη) through a passive verb. Probably, this is a divine passive.44 Thus, the “star,” which is Satan, receives “the key” to go out and release other demons. In the light of Rev. 20.3, Jesus is the only one who can do this because this “key” represents God’s ultimate authority over demoniac powers dwelling in the realm of death,” limiting their power deceiving about those who were sealed (cf. Rev. 9:4). 45 The first authority must substantiate the second one and both, the first and second authority, ground the third. Thus, all three ground the “key” in Rev. 20:1.46 Thus, the κλεῖν (“key”) is a symbol of authority and sovereignty, 47 and in Rev. 20:1, it is not different. Here, the angel has authority over the “abyss” and, consequently, over Satan. Therefore, it is possible to state that the κλεῖν (“key”) here, in relation to the three others occurrences, identifies this powerful angel with Christ, as the one who has power over death, Hades, the abysm, and even over Satan. 48 In addition, the “angel” has a ἅλυσιν μεγάλην (“huge chain”) in his hand. Osborne argues that it is intended “to intensify the prison imagery.”49 Apringius of 44 Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: Na Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), 437. 45 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984. Beale observes that all those “keys” “pertain to realities during the church age.” 46 “Therefore, the symbol of the key in the earlier chapters has a generally overlapping sense with its use in 20:1, though the precise application in each case is different.” Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984. 47 Osborne, Revelation, 699. 48 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984. However, for Beale, the “angel” is a mediator between Christ and Satan in Rev. 20:1-3. 49 Osborne, Revelation, 700. Beja interprets it as “the unbreakable bond of the divine commandment.”50 So, this “huge chain” also can be related to Christ. In the sequence, the angel’s actions are presented through five aorist verbs: he ἐκράτησεν (“seized”), ἔδησεν (“tied”), and ἔβαλεν (“threw”) Satan to the abyss, and he ἔκλεισεν (“locked”), and ἐσφράγισεν (“sealed”) it, 51 in order to stress the angel’s actions. 52 Three actions related to Satan and two related to the abyss. Here it is important to look for Rev. 12:1-13, in order to understand these five angel’s actions. 53 However, before analyzing the angel’s actions, it is important to note Satan’s names, because both texts present them. Satan is identified as δράκοντα (“dragon”), ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος (“the ancient serpent”),54 and Διάβολος (“Devil”). With such identities, first, Revelation’s texts relate Satan from the beginning of Scripture with the “serpent” (e.g., Gen. 3:1-15; Isa. 65:25; 2Co 11:3). Second, “Devil” is a most common title in the New Testament, third, “dragon” is especially used in Revelation, and fourth, “Satan” is the most common name throughout Scripture. Thus, Revelation leaves no doubt who is the greatest enemy. Related to it, Osborne 50 Weinrich (ed.), Revelation, 312. 51 Other apocalyptic texts approach the same imagery. See Beale, The Book of Revelation, 989. 52 Osborne, Revelation, 700. 53 Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 19, 184; Beale, The Book of Revelation, 992. 54 Osborne observes that ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, as an anacoluthon and in apposition to δράκοντα, can be a title. In Osborne, Revelation, 700. Beale (The Book of Revelation, 994) relates this nominative (ὄφις) with the four occurrences of that in Gen. 3:1 (2x), 4, 13. Thus, literary, both texts point out to the same character. observes that “the list of names might almost be official, as if the legal sentence is read to the condemned prisoner as he is being thrown into prison.”55 In addition to Satan’s identity in both texts, there are two very important happening in Rev. 12:8-9 for this exegesis’ purpose. First, in v. 8 the text states that “there was no longer any place left in heaven for him (i.e., for Satan).” Second, Satan was thrown to the earth (cf. Rev. 12:4, 9 [3x], 10, 13). These two events are presented in Rev. 20:2-3 through the five aorist verbs: ἐκράτησεν (“seized”), ἔδησεν (“tied”), ἔβαλεν (“threw”), ἔκλεισεν (“locked”), and ἐσφράγισεν (“sealed”). As the results of these two events, Satan, first, loses his legitimacy to accuse God’s people (cf. Rev. 12:10), because their sins were paid (cf. Cl 2:13-15). Second, more important for this exegesis’s purposes and related to the former, Satan loses his capacity to deceive the nations56 (Rev. 12:9; 20:2), which allows the witness of the gospel to the nations around the world during the Millennium.57 Therefore, the verbs in Rev. 20:2 point out the limitation of Satan’s power and reach in his role as accuser and in his action to deceive the nations. Thus, Beale states, “the binding and the millennium are best understood as Christ’s authority restraining the devil in some manner during the church age.”58 For him, Satan’s binding begins with Christ’s ministry, it is concluded in Christ’s resurrection, and it lasts throughout the church age, that is, from the first until the second Christ’s 55 Osborne, Revelation, 700. 56 The non-acceptance of parallelism structure of Revelation can cause confusion and astonishment among their adherents when “nations” are cited in Rev. 20:1-10. Osborne is one of those (Revelation, 702). 57 Andrew of Caesarea. In Weinrich, Revelation, 339. 58 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985. coming.59 Hendriksen relates this binding from Christ’s incarnation to ascension, 60 and Osborne to Jesus’ exorcisms.61 Such an act does not restrict all Satan’s activities,62 only limit them, highlighting Jesus’ authority over him and other demonic forces. 63 Satan’s expulsion from heaven does not restrict him in every way,64 but only prevents him to avoid that some people can be drawn to Jesus (cf. John 12:31-32). 65 All these changes were possible because of the Lamb’s blood (cf. Rev. 12:11). Therefore, these actions, described through the five aorist verbs, couldn’t be performed by a simple angel, but only by Christ.66 Dealing specific with Satan’s casting to earth in Rev. 12 (vv. 4, 9 [3x], 10, 13), the same verb occurs in Rev. 20:2 (βάλλω). According to chapter 12, not only Satan but also his angels were thrown down to earth (cf. Rev. 12:4; 1Pe 3:19; 2Pe 2:4; Jd 6). So, it is possible to understand that the “abyss” of Rev. 20:2 is the earth, and it means not a geographic place but a spiritual situation, 67 which is, they are 59 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985. As will be addressed, Satan’s release will occur right before Christ´s second coming. 60 Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 188. 61 Osborne, Revelation, 700. 62 Herman Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom (Philadelphia: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1976), 110. 63 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985. 64 Osborne, Revelation, 702. 65 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985; Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 188. 66 Osborne observes that Heinrich Kraft (Die Offenbarung Des Johannes, Handbuch Zum Neuen Testament) identifies the angel with Christ. However, Osborne himself interprets as a simple angel. In Osborne, Revelation, 699. 67 In this way, Satan is not drawn three times as argues Michaels (Michaels, Interpreting the Book of Revelation, 144), but only two times, first to the earth/abyss and second for the lake of fire under the angel’s authority. Thus, Satan and his followers’ angels are on the earth, waging war against the militant church. The act of “shut it” and “seal up” the “abyss” points out for the authority of whom does this.68 Such a person must have the “key” and authority mentioned before (v. 1), authority and sovereignty highlighted by the act of sealing it. 69 Thus, these two attitudes also point out Jesus as the powerful angel in verse 1. Primasius stated that “we understand the angel coming down from heaven to be our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is called the angel of great counsel. He visited the region of those who are mortal, for as one who is stronger he wished to bind the strong one.”70 Rev. 20.3b highlights, through the conjunction ἵνα (“in order that”), a purpose clause related to Satan’s binding: first, to avoid he deceives the nations.71 This deception makes reference to the Old Testament era, continuing in a more limited way in the New Testament time (e.g., 2Cor. 4-3-4; 2Thess. 2:6-12).72 So, Beale concludes, “the binding of the ‘ancient serpent’ is intended to restrain him so that he cannot accomplish the deceptive purposes that he formerly accomplishes during ancient times in Eden.”73 Second, contextually based on vv. 7-10, Satan’s (cf. Rev. 20:10). For a different view, see Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984, 987-8, 90; Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 185, and Osborne, Revelation, 699 (“the prison house of demoniac spirits”). 68 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985. He explains that “God’s ‘seal’ on Christians does not protect them in every sense but only in a spiritual, salvific manner, since they suffer from persecution in various physical ways … Conversely, God’s seal on Satan prevents him from harming the salvific security of the true church, though he can harm it physically” (p. 986). 69 Osborne, Revelation, 701. 70 Weinrich (ed.), Revelation, 312. 71 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 986. 72 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 983. 73 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 988. binding avoids him mounting a worldwide force to destroy God’s people on earth.74 Third, Satan’s binding allows the preaching of the gospel throughout the world.75 This is the reason for disciples’ sending only after Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Therefore, there are three reasons for Satan’s binding: [1] to avoid church’s destruction by Satan and ungodly people, [2] to avoid new deception of redeemed God’s people, and [3] gospel preaching. Such imprisonment is a fulfillment of Isaiah 24:21-22 and 27:1.76 Satan’s binding will be ended and he will be released under Christ’s authority. This is presented by the verb δεῖ (“must”) in v. 3. So, as Osborne observes, “the divine ‘must’ (δεῖ, dei) means God has determined it necessary that he be freed for a final brief period.”77 Thus, as Beale asserts, Satan’s “very deception at the end of the age is a part of Christ’s sovereign plan.”78 Before to conclude this first part, it is important to note that, although both issues are presented in Rev. 12:1-13, Satan’s accusation and deception (πλανῶν), in Rev. 20:1-3 only the deception is addressed in v. 3 (πλανήσῃ). The reason for this is that in the next block (vv. 4-6), the issue addressed will be God’s people in its role as holy priests (v. 6) in their working of witnessing the Gospel towards the nations and peoples. So, in this context, the deception matters more than the accusation. 74 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 990. 75 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 988-9. 76 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 991; Osborne, Revelation, 700. 77 Osborne, Revelation, 703. 78 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 987. Concluding this first part of the exegesis, it is possible to agree with Beale: “the millennium is inaugurated during the church age by God’s restriction of Satan’s ability to deceive the nations and to destroy the church.”79 In other words, the Millennium is a consequence of what the “powerful angel,” described in Rev. 20:1, did. In vv. 1-3, the text focus in Satan’s imprisonment in order to avoid him to deceive the nations.80 In the light of Rev. 12:1-3, this imprisonment is result of Satan´s expulsion from heaven. As casting down from heaven, Satan lost his legitimacy to accuse God’s people and his capacity to deceive the nations. These two events, narrated in Rev. 20:2-3 through five aorist verbs, was explained by Jesus himself in the Gospels (Matt. 12:29; Mk. 3:27; Lk 10:17-19).81 Consequently, Jesus is the “stronger man” in the Gospels, and the powerful angel in Revelation 20:1. This part ends with an important information: at the end of the one hundred years (ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη), Satan should be released for a brief period of time (μετὰ ταῦτα δεῖ λυθῆναι αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον). This will be addressed in the third part, vv. 7-10. For while, as the text does, the exegesis turns to God’s people in vv. 4-6. 79 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 984; Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 188. 80 Beale makes a distinction between God’s people and the “nations” here. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 981. 81 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 985; Hendriksen, More than Conquers, 187. Primasius also makes such relationship (Weinrich (ed.), Revelation, 312). The Gospels use the same verb that occurs in Rev. 20:2 (δέω). 2. God’s People during the Millennium (Rev. 20:4-6) 40 Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν. καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη. 5 οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔζησαν ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη. Αὕτη ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη. 6 μακάριος καὶ ἅγιος ὁ ἔχων μέρος ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῇ πρώτῃ· ἐπὶ τούτων ὁ δεύτερος θάνατος οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλʼ ἔσονται ἱερεῖς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν μετʼ αὐτοῦ [τὰ] χίλια ἔτη. The second block of Rev. 20:1-10, vv. 4-6, presents the new situation of God’s people during the Millennium,82 as consequence of the imprisonment of Satan in the first block. 83 This second block begins like the first one with John’s vision: Καὶ εἶδον (“And I saw”). The same verb is related to the three groups of people. First, John “saw” one group of people seated on the thrones (v. 4a), second, he “saw” “the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God” (v. 4b),84 and third, the group of people that “had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands” (v. 4c). 82 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 992. 83 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 992, 98. 84 Beale (The Book of Revelation, 1001) presents the possibility of taking καὶ ascensively. But, as argued here, probable John saw three different group that make up a single people. The reasons for these three groups of people are, first, the conjunction καὶ (“and”) as a connective conjunction relating them. 85 Second, while the text differentiates clearly the first two groups, the second and third ones are differentiated because οἵτινες (“those who”), related to the third group, is a relative nominative masculine pronoun while τὰς ψυχὰς (“the souls”), related to the second one, is a noun accusative feminine. The conclusion is that οἵτινες introduces a distinct group.86 The first group is symbolically all of God’s people87 during the Millennium that, in Christ, are reigning on the thrones. The vision of those seated on thrones is symbolic, 88 and points out to the kingship of those seated, 89 as highlight the verbs ἐβασίλευσαν (“reigned”) in v. 4 and βασιλεύσουσιν (“will reign”) in v. 6. Such a function is related to the priesthood (ἔσονται ἱερεῖς) in v. 6. This image is related to Dan. 7:9-27. In Daniel’s text, the saints are distinguished from the heavenly court but, as Beale explains, “the first three expressions in Rev. 20:4 underscore the fact that the saints have become part of 85 Wallace, Greek Grammar, 671. 86 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1001. Beale explains that, in order to indicate the same group of people, both expressions must agree in gender and number. He also explains that “If οἵτινες were dependent on ‘souls,’ it should also be accusative as a second object of the implied εἶδον (‘I saw’), but the case may be changed in order to indicate a different group. Therefore, unless there is a multiple grammatical solecism, ὅστις functions not as an adjective modifying ‘those beheaded’ but functions nominally to refer to another group. As such, it functions as the subject of the verbal phrase οὐ προσεκύνησαν (‘they did not worship’), yet it is still conceptually as object of the implied εἶδον (‘I saw’).” 87 Beale seems to interpret in this way (The Book of Revelation, 995). He stresses that the angelic option here is not preferable (The Book of Revelation, 996), though he suggest this possibility (The Book of Revelation, 997). 88 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 996. 89 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 998. the heavenly court so that they reigning along with Christ.”90 Paul explains this in Ephesians. According to the apostle, because Christ “has seated” (καθίσας = Rev. 20:4) on the throne through His resurrection (cf. Eph. 1:20), the believers, spiritually resurrected in Christ, are also seated (συνεκάθισεν) “in the heavenly realms” (cf. Eph. 2:6). So, believers are, already, in this heavenly reality, that is, seated on the thrones before their physical death.91 There are 47 occurrences of θρόνος (“throne”) in Revelation, related to four characters: to God, to Satan (Rev. 13:2), beast (Rev. 16:10), and to the twenty-four elders (Rev. 4:4; 11:16). Beale observes that the only occurrences of the plural “thrones” in Revelation are related to the elders.92 These twenty-four elders symbolize the church as represented by the twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles of Christ. Related to the “thrones”, there is a promise in Rev. 3:21: “The one who conquers (νικῶν), I will grant him to sit with me on my throne (θρόνῳ), as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne (θρόνῳ).” Thus, those seated (ἐκάθισα) on the thrones are the “conquers”. In like manner are the people on John’s vision in Rev. 20:4 (ἐκάθισαν). Although, as pointed by Beale, the most of occurrences of “thrones” are in heaven, Satan’s and beast’s thrones are located in spiritual dimensions. So, the saint’s throne also can be located in the same spiritual 90 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 996. 91 Beale argues contrarily. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1015. 92 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 996. dimension,93 especially in the face of the battle between Satan and his forces against God’s people. The second group is the martyrs who died for the witness of Jesus and loyalty to God`s Word (cf. Rev. 6:9). 94 The third group is all that opposed themselves against the beast (cf. Rev. 13:15), not only the martyrs. The same people can witness the testimony of Jesus and keep the word of God and, at the same time, opposite themselves against the beast. For that, they could die or not. Those are the “conquers” (νικῶν). In Revelation, the “conquers” are those who conquered, grounded on Christ’s victory (cf. Rev. 5:5), dying for the witness of “the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God”: “And they have conquered (ἐνίκησαν) him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11). They do it through obedience and faithfulness to Jesus (cf. Rev. 14:12), neglecting the mark of the beast on their foreheads and hands. Thus, they conquer the beast (cf. Rev. 15:2), and their first death is the symbol of their victory on the evil (cf. Rev. 11:7). Therefore, Rev. 20:4 is the fulfillment of Rev. 3:21, and refers to all God’s people that are “conquers,” “seated on the thrones,” either because he died as a result of his faithfulness to Christ or because he opposed the beast. All the “conquers” will not suffer the “second death” (cf. Rev. 2:11), which is the spiritual death, as Rev. 20:5 states: “Over such the second death has no power” 93 Osborne (Revelation, 705) interprets it as “earthly.” 94 Their death is described with the Greek verb πεπελεκισμένων (“beheaded”). Osborne (Revelation, 705-06), quoting David Aune, explains that there were two types of execution, the more vindication form (burnt alive, crucified, or exposed to wild animals), primarily used for foreigners and the lower classes, and decapitation by sword or an axe, used for upper classes.” So, Osborne concludes, “‘beheaded’ is probably a summary term for martyrdom.” over them. The reason for this is that they ἔζησαν (“came to life”), which is the “first resurrection, and, for that, they ἐβασίλευσαν (“reigned”). These verbs can be interpreted as ingressive,95 and refer to all God’s people. Thus, καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη (“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years”) is the consequence of the [Αὕτη] ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη (“this is the first resurrection”). Those on the “thrones” ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη (δίδωμι) αὐτοῖς (“judgement was passed [against the devil] on their [the saints] behalf”).96 The Greek verb ἐδόθη (“was given”), is a passive divine, 97 relating such act to God. In addition, the Greek personal pronoun αὐτοῖς (“them”) can be taken as a dative of advantage.98 If so, it means that the judgment of made “in favor of them.” Grounded on Dan. 7:22, ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν παλαιὸν ἡμερῶν, καὶ τὴν κρίσιν ἔδωκε (δίδωμι) τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῦ ὑψίστου, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἐδόθη (δίδωμι) καὶ τὸ βασίλειον κατέσχον οἱ ἅγιοι (“the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom”), this judgment is against the devil and behalf of the saints for their vindication. As Dan. 7 points out, this vindication is “a necessary condition for the saints to assume kingship together the Son of Man.”99 The only other occurrence of the noun κρίμα, 95 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1000. 96 Beale’s (the Book of Revelation, 997.) translation. 97 Osborne, Revelation, 705. 98 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 997; Osborne, Revelation, 705, n. 11. 99 Beale, the Book of Revelation, 997. in Rev. 18:20, refers to God’s judgment against Babylon. In addition, all occurrences of the Greek verb κρίνω (“to judge”) in Revelation100 refer to God’s judgment against the evil ones. When John “saw” three groups, such a view can encourage his audience to be like them, not necessarily to die for it, as the churches letters in chapters 2-3 show. But, as one people reigning, they must witness and keep themselves faithful and loyal to Jesus, as Osborne observes, “the martyrs here are representative of ‘the whole church that resisted compromise, overcome lukewarmness, and persevered in faith.’ In other words, the martyrs are the part embodying the whole, namely, all who have remained faithful to Jesus, not only during this final period of history but throughout the ages.”101 Therefore, these three groups form one people, God’s people during the Millennium, 102 not only martyrs. 103 They are reigning with Christ and fulfilling their priestly role of witnessing the gospel to the nations. They are in such position because they experienced their Αὕτη ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη (“first resurrection”), 104 which is the spiritual105 resurrection, regeneration (cf. Tt. 3:5), conversion, or new birth (cf. John 3:3-7). Over them the “second death has no power.” 100 Rev. 6:10; 11:18; 16:5; 18:8, 20; 19:2, 11: 20:12-13. Only Rev. 20:12 can refer to all people, believers and unbelievers, but in the light of v. 5 (“The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended”), the “dead” in v. 12 probably are the unbelievers. 101 Osborne, Revelation, 705. 102 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 999. 103 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1000. 104 Cf. cf. Rom. 6:1-14; Col. 2:6-12. Beale relates it to Ezekiel 36 – 37. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1012-13. 105 That such resurrection is spiritual, Beales argues pointing that the word for “resurrection” (ἀνάστασις) and “life” (ζάω) occur in NT and “are used interchangeably of both Jesus Himself teaches that the spiritual life begins before death: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). Thus, the “eternal life,” the consequence of “first resurrection,” begins before physical death, and those who have the “eternal life” “has passed from [spiritual] death to [spiritual and eternal] life.” The saints’ resurrection is related to Christ’s resurrection,106 and such a relationship is, especially, related to saints’ life on earth, as Beale highlights: “in the NT believers are spiritually identified with Christ’s resurrection, though most of these passages refer to believers still living on earth.”107 Grounded on Christ’s resurrection, believers become “a kingdom and priests (cf. Rev. 5:10).108 The function of believers seated on the thrones as a “kingdom of priest” (cf. Rev. 1:6) also requires that, at least part of the church, should be on earth, as Beale explains, In fact, the promise that those sharing in the first resurrection will be “priests” and “reign” is a promised based on Exod. 19:6, which Rev. 1:6 and 5:9-10 apply to the whole community of saints. A reference to the entire community of the faithful is suggested further by the partial allusion to Isa. 61:1, which asserts that in the end time the entire group of Israelite faithful “will be called the priest of the Lord”. 109 spiritual and physical resurrection within the same contexts.”105 In Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1004-05. Author’s highlight. Osborne (Revelation, 707) defends the physical resurrection. 106 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 993. 107 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1014. 108 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1014. 109 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 999-1000. Author’s highlight. It is important to note Beale’s statement about the “whole community” and “entire group”. Thus, God’s people in heaven are not limited to the dead ones. Thus, the conclusion is simple: in the light of Israel vocation at Sinai, a “kingdom of priests” has no only ritualist and liturgical aims but, especially, missional goals as people on earth to witness. Thus, the church portrayed in vv. 4-6 is the whole God’s people,110 in its mission to the world. Therefore, regeneration and first/spiritual resurrection are the same event, and it begins before physical death. As a consequence, God’s people are in spiritual reality, fulfilling its priestly function. This reality points out to the inaugurated perspective of the Kingdom of God,111 as the other articular phrase, τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν (“of God and of Christ, and they will reign”), occurs in Rev. 12:10: καὶ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ (“and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ”). Thus, what is presented in vv. 4-5 is the reality right now, during the Millennium. Related to the first and second112 resurrection and death113 are the οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔζησαν ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη (“The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended”). These are the ungodly ones, people that are spiritually dead114 (cf. Rom. 3:10-18), and will not “come to life” in the 110 Osborne states that: “I believe it is indeed he martyrs who are the focus throughout 20:4 but that all the saints are also intended in the larger context.” In Osborne, Revelation, 705. 111 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 994. 112 The “second resurrection” is the physical one. Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1005-07, 1013-14. 113 First death = physical and first resurrection = spiritual; Second death = spiritual and second resurrection = physical. 114 Osborne, Revelation, 707-08. “first resurrection” and, for that reason, they are not protected from the “second death,”115 which is the eternal death. Grounded on the preposition ἄχρι (“until,” v. 5), these will be physically resurrected at the end of the thousand years in order to be judged (cf. Rev. 20:13-15).116 For that reason, they are in an opposite way in relation to those who “came to life and reign with Christ for a thousand year.” Finally, in verse 6, the fifth μακάριος (“blessed”) occurs together with ἅγιος (“holy”). Beale states that these features pertain “to the saints’ favored position, which here is their immunity to the second death and their identification as priest and kings.”117 Here it is important to note that the first participle ἔχων (“having”) and verb ἔχει (“have”) are in the present tense, and the last two verbs are future tense, ἔσονται (“they will be”) and βασιλεύσουσιν (“they will reign”). The reason for this is that here occurs an appeal for the readers. The present participle points out for a process of resurrection during the Millennium period, highlighting that the death has no power over the “conquer” (cf. 1Cor. 15:54-57). The two future verbs point out for the fact that those who “came to life” will reign with Christ during the Millennium, “seated on the thrones” (cf. v. 4a), such a position will be the foundation for their role as priest of God and Jesus, as stated in beginning of the book (cf. Rev. 1:6), and it will continue into the eternity, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (“and they will reign forever and ever,” Rev. 22:5). It is important to note that in Rev. 22:5 there is no mention to the priestly role of God’s people. 115 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1000. 116 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1016. 117 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1002. Instead, in v. 3, occurs the Greek verb λατρεύσουσιν (“they will worship Him”). This verb occurs only before in Rev. 7:15, also in the consummation context, as the future tense point out. Thus, the event described in vv. 4-6 does not take place in heaven or earth, but actually it takes place spiritually, without spatial indications, as the flow of v. 3 to v. 4 indicates. Thus, if Satan’s imprisonment is a spiritual one, the situation of God’s people described in vv. 4-6 should be understood in the same way. B. The victory over Satan (Rev. 20:7-10) 7 Καὶ ὅταν τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη, λυθήσεται ὁ σατανᾶς ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτοῦ 8 καὶ ἐξελεύσεται πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γωνίαις τῆς γῆς, τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ, συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης. 9 καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκύκλευσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην, καὶ κατέβη πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς. 10 καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης, καὶ βασανισθήσονται ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. The final block of Rev. 10:1-10, vv. 7-10, presents Satan’s release at the end of the Millennium (v. 8), his action after been released (v. 8-9a), Satan’s defeat (v. 9b), and his final and eternal destiny with the beast and the false prophet (v. 10).118 118 Osborne (Revelation, 710) presents five aspects because he divides the battle and the surrounding God’s people as two different events. i. The end of the Millennium and Satan’s release (v. 7) This block begins resuming, in v. 7, what was announced at the end of v. 3, narrating the end of the Millennium and Satan’s release: Καὶ ὅταν τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη, λυθήσεται ὁ σατανᾶς ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτοῦ (“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison”). In this verse there are two important information, both related to the two passive verbs: τελεσθῇ (“are finished”) and λυθήσεται (“will be released”). The first important feature of these verbs is that they are passive voice. This means that both events, the end of the Millennium and Satan’s release, have God as author, through a divine passive,119 related to the verb δεῖ (“must”) in v. 3.120 Thus, either the end of the Millennium and Satan’s release are under God’s powerful control, and will be take place according His sovereign will.121 Related to the first verb, Osborne observes that it occurs three times in Rev. 20:1-10 in vv. 3, 5 and 7. All the times this verb is an aorist passive subjunctive. According to Osborne, the reason for this emphasis is highlights that “the major purpose of the millennium is to prepare the way for the defeat of Satan and the great white throne judgment.”122 Osborne’s highlighting is right because this first verb belongs to a dependent/subordinate clause and indefinite temporal clause123 119 Osborne, Revelation, 710. 120 Osborne, Revelation, 710. 121 Osborne (Revelation, 711) calls it as “divine plan.” 122 Osborne, Revelation, 710. 123 Dean Deppe, The Lexham Clausal Outlines of the Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2011), Re 20:6–7; Wallace, Greek Grammar, 479-80; Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1021. through the adverbial temporal conjunction ὅταν (“when”)124 in relationship with the main verb λυθήσεται (“ will be released”). Thus, the end of the Millennium is subordinate to Satan’s release. In other words, Satan’s release marks the end of the Millennium. This aspect of the end of Millennium is stressed by the aorist aspect of the verb, pointing out only for an event, without discussing other issues about that. In this way, the end of the Millennium is not a chronological one, but a symbolic event, ended by another event, Satan’s release. Thus, the Millennium is an indeterminate period instead literal one. 125 The verb in the main clause, λυθήσεται (“will be released”), in addition to passive, is a future indicative. In this way, this future verb is a counterpart of the aorist former verb (τελεσθῇ), which means that this verb only presents an event, “seen as a whole, without considering the internal composition of the occurrence.”126 Specifically speaking, this verb is a predictive future. Thus, Satan’s release from his prison is a predictive event that will happen in a determinate time, without chronological information. Just will take place, according God’s will. With this verb, the text relates it to the final of v. 3, with the verb λυθῆναι (“be released”), also passive voice. So, the φυλακῆς (“prison”), is related to the ἀβύσσου (“abyss”),127 and summarizes the five aorist verbs in vv. 2-3.128 The other 124 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1021. 125 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1021. Osborne (Revelation, 710) argues that this interpretation overstates the force of ὅταν as an indefinite clause. According to him, in the Koine period, this conjunction lost its indefiniteness and had a force similar to ὅτε. Thus, his conclusion is that, Satan’s will be released after a period of time, literary speaking. 126 Wallace, Greek Grammar, 566. 127 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1021. 128 Osborne, Revelation, 710. significant occurrence of φυλακῆς (“prison”) is 1 Peter 3:19. In that context, built within Jesus’ ascension movement, “prison” is not a geographic place, but a spiritual one. Likewise, Satan’s “prison” is a spiritual situation, from which he will be released according God’s will. Such an event will mark the end of Millennium. It is possible partially concluding that the verbs used in v. 7 point out for the fact that the Millennium is not a temporal, chronological time, but a spiritual state that will be ended when God releases Satan. This outcome is in agreement with the objective of Revelation which is “to exhort God’s people to remain faithful (during the Millennium) so that they might inherit final salvation.”129 ii. Satan’s action against God’s people (vv. 8-9c) Second, vv. 8-9a describe Satan’s action against God’s people. Related to v. 7, specially to the pronoun of third person αὐτοῦ (“he”) through the logical conjunction καὶ (“and”) and the passive future verb λυθῆναι (“be released”), Satan ἐξελεύσεται (“will come out” = third person singular) because of divine permission. Again, in like manner to the verb λυθήσεται (“will be released”) in v. 7, the future tense here points out only an occurrence, without to consider the internal composition of the action.130 Thus, this Satan’s action does not mark some chronological act, but only points out for its occurrence and, related to verb λυθῆναι (“be released”) in v. 7, this only happens because God allows it. 129 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 151. 130 Wallace, Greek Grammar, 566. In the sequence, two infinite verbs of purposes are presented.131 First, Satan πλανῆσαι (“to deceive”) the nation from all earth, and second, he συναγαγεῖν (“to gather”) them for the battle against God’s people. Osborne observes that Mounce points out that these infinitive verbs are not parallel, but the second verb modifies the first. Thus, “Satan ‘deceives the nations in order to gather them for battle’.”132 The purpose of these actions is presented by the main verb, ἀνέβησαν (“marched up”), in v. 9, and the result is described through the verb ἐκύκλευσαν (“surrounded”). The first infinitive verb resumes the subjunctive πλανήσῃ (“he might not deceive”) in v. 3. This verb occurs eight times in Revelation and always related to the evil ones: Jezebel (2:20), beast (13:14), Babylon (18:23), false prophet/second beast (19:20), and Satan/Devil (12:9; 20:10). In Rev. 20:10 διάβολος is related to σατανᾶς by the deception action, so they are the same one. Such deceptions should be interpreted in their context. Thus, Jezebel’s, beast’s, Babylon’s, and false prophet’s deceptions are deceptions during the Millennium, and aim different targets. When Jezebel aims to deceive the “servants” of God, the beast,133 Babylon, 134 and the false prophet135 aim to deceive the 131 Osborne, Revelation, 711. 132 Osborne, Revelation, 711. Beale, also, interprets in the same way. 133 In the context, τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (“those who dwell on earth”) are the unbelievers (cf. v. 12), in opposition to τοὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ σκηνοῦντας (“those who dwell in heaven,” v. 6). 134 The difference that text makes between ἔθνη (“nations,” v. 23) and προφητῶν καὶ ἁγίων (“prophets and saints,” v. 24) can grounded this Babylon’s goal. 135 The context is very clear when informs that those who were deceived “received the mark of the beast and … worshiped its image.” unbelievers. Satan/Devil, instead, deceived all nations before the Millennium (which is, before Christ’s first coming), his deceptions was limited during the Millennium, and at the end of that period, he will be allowed to deceive the unbelievers again, in order to lead them, as an army, towards God’s people. Thus, this final deception of Satan/Devil has two features. First, no one will be able to believe in gospel message, and so the church witness will reach its end, and second, Satan/Devil will be moving the unbelievers to wage war, literally, against God’s people, “to exterminate the community of God’s people on earth.”136 This deception is describe as influencing “nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.” The expression “the four corners of the earth” is a Semitic way to refer to the entire world.137 The number four symbolizes all creation in Revelation (e.g., Rev. 4:4, 6, 8, 10). In addition, in Rev. 7.1 one reads the exactly same sentence that is in Rev. 20:8, τὰς τέσσαρας γωνίας τῆς γῆς (“the four corners of the earth”). In Rev. 7:1-2, four angels keep the wind, in order to avoid destruction before God’s people receive God’s seal. In the light of this text, in Rev. 20:8a, the nations are gathered by Satan because God, through His angels, allows this action. 136 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 986. Beale explains that “this means that the devil will not be able to stop the spread of the preaching of the gospel or its expanding reception (= the church) during most of the age preceding Christ’s return. So Christ commands his followers to ‘make disciples of all nations’ (Matt. 28:19). The gospel will ‘be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then the end will come’ (Matt. 24:14). But at the end of the age, directly preceding Christ’s return, Satan will again be allowed, for ‘a little time,’ to stop the preaching of the gospel and to draw the curtain of delusion over the nations, especially with the goal of mounting a devastating attack against the people of God, as he did before in Eden, against Israel, and at the cross against Jesus, the true Israel.” Beale, The Book of Revelation, 989. 137 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1022; Osborne, Revelation, 711. This gathering, allowed by God and led by Satan, is named τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ (“Gog and Magog”). 138 This is a very clear reference to Ezekiel 38-39139 as the fulfilment of the OT prophecy,140 and these “names probably became proverbial in Judaism, though not necessarily in isolation from their original context in Ezekiel, and applicable to any terrifying force threatening God’s people.”141 Thus, “Gog and Magog” symbolize all nations gathering against God’s people,142 as a very huge army that will be gathered in order to wage war against God’s people but, in the end, they will be defeated. It is very important to note that this huge army will be allowed be gathered by God Himself.143 This gathering is presented by the second infinitive aorist, συναγαγεῖν (“to gather”). The verb συνάγομαι (“gather together”) occurs five times in Revelation, always with war sense. Of all these occurrences, only Rev. 19:17 refers to gathering against the evil, and the other four refer to evil gathering. Such a gathering has a clear goal: εἰς τὸν πόλεμον (“for the battle”). The preposition εἰς and the accusative τὸν πόλεμον present clearly the reason for gathering. There are nine occurrences of πόλεμος in Revelation. Only Rev. 12:7 refers to the battle between Miguel and his folks against Satan and his angels. The other eight occurrences refer to the final 138 “Gog” is a king and “Magog” means “land of Gog.” In Osborne, Revelation, 711-12. 139 Osborne observes an interesting possibility of relationship between Ezek. 36 (the valley of dry bones), and the resurrection of the saints in Rev. 20:4-6. Osborne, Revelation, 712. 140 Osborne, Revelation, 712. Beale (The Book of Revelation, 1022) highlights Ezek. 38:2-8 and 39:2. In addition, he relates Zech. 12 – 14 and Zeph. 3 with Rev. 20:8. Andrew of Caesarea. In Weinrich, Revelation, 340. 141 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1025. 142 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1025; Osborne, Revelation, 712. 143 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1022; Osborne, Revelation, 711. battle between the evil army against God’s people.144 Beale highlights that the article τὸν before πόλεμον in Rev. 16:14; 19:19 and 20:8 “may be an article of previous reference, referring not only to the OT prophecy of the final battle, but also back to the Apocalypse’s initial anarthrous description of the last battle in 11:7.”145 In Rev. 16:14 and 19:19 there are clear relationships with the sentence analyzed here.146 In Rev. 16:14 one reads that the evil spirits gathering the kings of the earth in order to συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς ὸν πόλεμον (“to gather them for the battle”). In Rev. 19:19 one reads that the kings of the earth and their armies συνηγμένα ποιῆσαι τὸν πόλεμον μετὰ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος αὐτοῦ (“assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army”). Thus, all the three texts are narrating the same event.147 What follows is a relative clause, explaining that ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης (“whose number is as the grains of sand in the sea”). This army is innumerability,148 and formed by unbelievers, 149 instrumentalized by demoniac 144 Rev. 9:7, 9; 11:7; 12:17; 13:7. 145 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1022. 146 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 976, 1023. 147 Osborne (Revelation, 713) interprets as different events: “The battle of 16:14-16 and 19:17-21 was led by the beast, this one (i.e.; Rev. 20:8) by Satan. The army of the first was destroyed by the sword from the mouth of the Lord, this army by fire coming down from heaven. At the end of that battle, the beast and false prophet are cast into the lake of fire; after this one, Satan himself is cast into the lake of fire.” However, the texts present the same event by different perspectives as it is common in Revelation. 148 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1023; Osborne, Revelation, 711. 149 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1024. forces.150 Also, there are two important aspects here. First, the “number as the grains of sand in the sea” is related to Rev. 12:18, Καὶ ἐστάθη ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον τῆς θαλάσσης (“And he stood on the sand of the sea”), and a clear reference to Genesis 28:14, καὶ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς γῆς καὶ πλατυνθήσεται ἐπὶ θάλασσαν (“Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth and it will spread out to the sea;” LXX). It is important to note the difference between Revelation’s and Genesis’ texts. The more important difference is related to the relationship between the “sand” and the “sea”. In Genesis, the “sand” is from the “earth,” whereas in Revelation, the “sand” is from the “sea.” Second, this is pointed by the fact that θάλασσαν in Gen. 28:14 is accusative and θαλάσσης in Rev. 20:8 is genitive. The reason for this is that in Revelation, θάλασσα (“sea”) symbolizes God’s enemies (e.g., Rev. 4:6; 12:8 – 13:1). Thus, Revelation presents the evil army gathering in order to wage war against God’s people.151 Gathered, καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκύκλευσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην (“they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city”). The movement of “marched up,” literally “to ascend” is related to Rev. 11:7 and 13:1 and 11,152 all occurrences related to the beasts.153 Augustine explains that the “expression ‘will go fourth’ means that his secret hatred will blaze out into open persecution. For this is to be the very last of all judgment – a persecution that Holy 150 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1024. 151 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1022. 152 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 987. 153 Osborne, Revelation, 713. church, the worldwide city of Christ, is to suffer at the hands of the worldwide city of the devil, in every place where the two cities will then extend.”154 Osborne, quoting Aune, observes that this verb is used for military attack.155 Also, this verb with the image of covering the earth is related to Ezek. 38:9-11, 16. Especially vv. 9 and 16 are important as the table below shows: Rev. 20:9 καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκύκλευσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην “they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city” Ezek. 38:9 καὶ ἀναβήσῃ ὡς ὑετὸς καὶ ἥξεις ὡς νεφέλη κατακαλύψαι γῆν καὶ ἔσῃ σὺ καὶ πάντες οἱ περὶ σὲ καὶ ἔθνη πολλὰ μετὰ σοῦ “You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you” Ezek. 38:16 καὶ ἀναβήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου Ισραηλ ὡς νεφέλη καλύψαι γῆν, ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔσται “You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land” In addition to the verb ἀναβαίνω (“go up”), the image of an army covering the face of the earth marching towards God’s people is found in all three verses. The expansion of this “march” is related to the “four corners of the earth” in v. 8.156 Such an attack, grounded on OT texts, points out for an eschatological event.157 Also, Rev 20:8 and Ezek. 38:16 describe the aim of the attack: “the camp of the saints and the beloved city” (Revelation), “my people Israel” (Ezekiel). 154 Augustine. In Weinrich, Revelation, 339. 155 Osborne, Revelation, 713. 156 Osborne, Revelation, 713-14. 157 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1026. God’s people are named as “the camp of the saints and the beloved city.” The work παρεμβολὴν (“camp”) occurs only here in Revelation, and probably is a reference of the camp of the twelve tribes of Israel around the tabernacle, 158 with the first occurrence of παρεμβολή in Exodus 14-19-20 (LXX). 159 Osborne160 and Beale161 highlight Deut. 23:14 as another very important text related to the sentence here. In Deut. one reads: “Because the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy (ἡ παρεμβολή σου ἁγία), so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.” Deuteronomy’s text relates the words παρεμβολή and ἅγιος with the enemy’s defeat and God’s people freedom. The adjective ἁγίων (“holy”) occurs twenty-five times in Revelation, five times related to God/Jesus,162 and twenty times related to the church.163 These ἁγίων were cited in v. 6 also as μακάριος (“blessed”). Thus, this “camp” is a camp of the holy people of God/Jesus.164 Rev. 11:2 also address such an event, describing that καὶ τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἔξωθεν τοῦ ναοῦ ἔκβαλε ἔξωθεν καὶ μὴ αὐτὴν μετρήσῃς, ὅτι ἐδόθη τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἁγίαν πατήσουσιν μῆνας τεσσεράκοντα [καὶ] δύο (“but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the 158 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1026. 159 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 160 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 161 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1026. Beale quotes Qumran’s text that reads “camps of his saints.” 162 Rev. 3:7; 4:8 (three times), and 6:10. 163 Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4; 11:2, 18; 13:7, 10; 14:10, 12: 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:8; 21:2, 10; 22:11, 19. 164 Osborne, Revelation, 714. nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months). Beale argues that the camp here is the church and not Israelites is apparent from the fuller designation “camp of saints.” “Saints” (plural of ἅγιος), a typical name for Israelites in the OT, refers throughout the Apocalypse to believers in general, Gentile and Jewish Christians together … The church is now and will be the true Israel in the midst of whose camp God’s presence tabernacles. This is a picture similar to that in 12:6 and 12:14, where descriptions of Israel’s wilderness experiences are likewise applied to the church.165 The second feature of God’s people is τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην (“the beloved city”).166 Osborne observes that “Zion is called the city God loves (Ps. 78:68; 87:2; 122:6; 132:12-14; Jer. 11:15; Zeph. 3:17).167 Beale observes that such OT background strengths the identification of the “beloved city” with the universal church,168 since the Psalm 122:6 “affirms that Gentiles who are truly God’s people are considered to have been ‘born’ in Zion.”169 In Revelation, the church is “beloved” by Jesus (cf. Rev. 1:5; 3:9) and, as a response, the believers don’t love their own life (Rev. 12:11). The word πόλιν (“city”) refers to the God’s city, the New Jerusalem (e.g., Rev. 3:12; 11:2; chapters 21-22 [twelve times]), and it is in opposition to the ἡ πόλις ἡ 165 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1027. 166 Augustine explains that this city siege “obviously does not mean that they gathered or will gather in some one place where, we must suppose, the camp of the saints and the beloved city is to be. For, of course, this city is Christ’s church, which is spread over the whole world. Wherever his church will be (and it will be among all nations, ‘over the breath of the earth’), there is to be the camp of saints and the beloved city of God.” In Weinrich, Revelation, 341. 167 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 168 Caesarius of Arles, Andrew of Caesarea. In Weinrich, Revelation, 342. 169 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1028. μεγάλη (“great city,” Rev. 16:19; 17:18; 18:10 [twice], 16, 18, 19, 21). Thus, as Beale explains, this city of persecuted saints is the inauguration of the new creation.170 Beale, grounded on Ezekiel’s prophecy and relating Israel to the church, explains that “Israel” is universalized and becomes the “camp of the saints and the beloved city,” “which is to be understood as the church throughout the earth.”171 Therefore, it is possible to conclude that in vv. 8-9c, Satan, allowed by God Himself, deceives the nations, gathering a very huge world army to attack the church, the saints and beloved by God, in fulfilment of OT prophecies. iii. Satan’s defeat (v. 9b) However, instead of describing a battle, what happened in Revelation (e.g., Rev. 19:19-21) happens again and there is no war, just the defeat of enemies: καὶ κατέβη πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς (“but fire came down from heaven and consumed them”). For that reason, Osborne calls it is a “nonevent.”172 This “descending movement” of God in favor of His people is the divine answer to Satanic ascending movement (ἀνέβησαν), against God’s people at the beginning of v. 9. 173 A similar event one reads in Rev. 11:5, with the fire as a pre170 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1027. 171 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1022, 1027. 172 Osborne, Revelation, 710, 714. Osborne understands that such event is a difficulty for amillennialism interpretation. However, he misses the point that, for amillennialism position, Satan’s power is not completely limited, but only partially during the Millennium (see Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1021). At the end of Millennium, Satan will be allowed to deceive the nation in two ways. First, no one will believe in the message of the gospel after Satan’s release; second, Satan will lead the unbelievers to wage war, literally speaking, against God’s people. Osborne’s argument relates to the Millennium only aims to justify unbelievers’ destiny (e.g., Revelation, 711). However, Revelation does not intend to do that. judgment.174 A very similar sentence one reads in Rev. 13:13, related to the second beast: ἵνα καὶ πῦρ ποιῇ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνειν εἰς τὴν γῆν (“even making fire come down from heaven to earth”). 175 However, probably the background here is 2 Kings 1:10-14, 176 when Elijah answers Ahab’s official: Καὶ εἰ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐγώ, καταβήσεται πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ καταφάγεταί σε καὶ τοὺς πεντήκοντά σου, καὶ κατέβη πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς πεντήκοντα αὐτοῦ (“If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty”). The same event is narrated again in v. 12, and is quoted by other official of the king Ahab in v. 14. The same verbs occur in Revelation and 2 Kings: καταβαίνω (“move down”) and κατεσθίω (“consume”). In addition, related to the context of “Gog and Magog,” the events narrated in Ezek. 38:22 and 39:6 is right related to the fire coming down from heaven.177 Therefore, using fire in a symbolic way, 178 in light of quoted texts here, in Revelation God destroys his and his people’s enemies, without the necessity of a war, because the war was won in the cross. So, Osborne is right when he highlights God’s sovereign and complete triumph against the evil forces.179 173 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 174 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1027. 175 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 176 Osborne, Revelation, 714; Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1027. 177 Osborne, Revelation, 714. 178 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1027. 179 Osborne, Revelation, 710. iv. Satan’s eternal destiny The text ends with Satan’s eternal destiny (v. 10): καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης, καὶ βασανισθήσονται ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”). For the fifth time Satan is called διάβολος (“Devil”) related to the action to deceive (πλανῶν). Thus, according Beale, this undergo that his judgment is because of such deception, 180 that begun in Eden and has its end here. It is important to note that the first occurrence of πλανάω in v. 3 is an aorist verb of subjunctive while in v. 10 it is a present participle. Since v. 10 describes Satan’s final defeat, why is there a participle present here? Probably, because Revelation aims to alert his readers and listeners that, in the time they are reading and hearing Revelation, Satan is “deceiving” the unbelievers, as the pronoun αὐτοὺς (“they”) points out to the same one at the end of v. 9, in refereeing to the army formed by ungodly people. Thus, Revelation keeps its audience alert, and understanding what is happening and why. Also related with a verb in v. 3 (ἔβαλεν), v. 10 describes that Satan ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου (“was throw into the lake of fire and sulfur”). The difference is that in v. 3 the angel “throw” Satan into the “abyss,” and here, in v. 10, 180 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1028; Osborne, Revelation, 715. Satan “was throw,” through a passive voice. The same One that allowed Satan arose in the one that “throw” him into the “lake.” The λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς (“lake of fire”) is symbolic,181 and refers to the “second death,” according to Rev. 20:14: οὗτος ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερός ἐστιν, ἡ λίμνη τοῦ πυρός, (“this is the second death, the lake of fire”) and “fire” is a symbol for judgement. 182 This final event is related to Gen. 19:24 (Sodom and Gomorra destruction), Ps. 11:6; Isa. 34:9-10 and, especially because the context, Ezek. 38:22.183 As v. 10 informs, the beast and the false prophet were thrown into the lake of fire before Satan (also Rev. 19:20).184 The verb ἐβλήθη should be elided here.185 In addition, the “Death,” the “Hades, and those who name was not found in the book of life are also throw into the “lake of fire” (cf. Rev. 20:14-15). Related to the βασανίζω (“to torment”), Rev. 14:9-11186 is elucidative: And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented (βασανισθήσεται) with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.And the smoke of their torment (βασανισμοῦ) goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. 181 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1029. 182 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 760. 183 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 760. 184 Ver. 20:10 is a recapitulation of Rev. 19:17-21. In Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1028. 185 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1030. 186 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1030. Surely, Rev. 14:9-11 address the same event of Rev. 20:10. Both are related to the Gospels’ narrative of the man possessed by a legion of demons (cf. Matt. 8:29; Mk. 5:7; Lk. 8:28). In Mark Gospels, demons’ speaking for Jesus is: ὁρκίζω σε τὸν θεόν, μή με βασανίσῃς (“I adjure you by God, do not torment me,” Mark 5:7). Also, surely, both “torments” are related to the same event, the eternal torment. This eternity of the “torment” is clearly describing at the end of v. 10: ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. 187 Such eternity is the consequence of Satan’s accusation “day and night before our God” (Cf. Rev. 12:10), and it is in opposition to “day and night worship” of the “four living creatures” (cf. Rev. 4:8) and the service of the church in the celestial sanctuary (cf. Rev. 7:15). The final expression, τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, occurs in Revelation related to God (cf. Rev. 1:6; 4:9-10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 15:7), Jesus (cf. Rev. 1:18; 5:13; 11:15), Babylon’s suffering (cf. Rev. 19:3), and the church reigning in eternity (cf. Rev. 22:5). Jesus relates both words, πῦρ and αἰώνιον, in Matt. 25:41, 188 as He pointed as to the eternal suffering. Therefore, Satan’s final and eternal destiny is the “lake of fire,” together with the beast/false prophet, Death, Hades, and those who name was not found in the book of life. This is the eternal destiny of God`s and His people enemies. 187 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1028-29. 188 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 1029. 3. Implications for our eschatology Surely, Rev. 20:1-10 has many implications for our eschatology, but now I present at least four of them. The first implication for our eschatology is that God is running everything according to His sovereign will and nothing will happen without his permission during the Millennium. The “divine ‘must’” (δεῖ, dei) in v. 3, the passive verbs in v. 7, the future verb in v. 8 related to v. 7, the permission for the formation of the huge army (“Gog and Magog,” v. 8), and the final Satan’s defeat highlight God’s all control over everything. This sovereignty is presented by Christ’s work. Second, implication for our eschatology is that the Millennium is an indeterminate period of time, and it is not a literal time. The Millennium will be ended when Satan will be release (v. 7). Related to it, during this time, the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated (vv. 4-6), and the believers live in that perspective (“already/not yet”). Third, related to the first implication, the church should not be concerned with events and happenings, but only realizing God’s movements in history, remaining faithful to Jesus and proclaiming the Gospel. The Millennium, also called “church age,” is the time for the witness of the gospel by the church (vv. 1-3). This is based on the church's position as kingdom and priesthood, as consequence of the “first resurrection.” Therefore, even though believers can die, they do not worry about the death, because the “second death has no power” over them. Fourth, during the Millennium Satan deceives the nations in a very limited way, failing to prevent the witness of the Gospel and the conversion of people. However, during this time, Babylon tries to deceive the believers. At the end of Millennium, Satan will deceive all nations, making people's witness and conversion unfeasible, and moving nations to wage war against the church. This Satan’s final deception will promote a worldly persecution of the church, as never seen before.

SIEVERS, Joseph. LEVINE, Amy-Jill (2021) The Pharisees. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2984748/the-pharisees-pdf

 he attached episode does not, however, match the anti-Pharisee headline. Hyrcanus throws a banquet, to which he invites leading Pharisees, Sadducees, and, apparently, others. During the meal he reasserts his commitment to Pharisaic rigor and asks members of the group to be sure to tell him if he goes astray. They all praise his piety, but another guest, a known rabble-rouser, brazenly demands that Hyrcanus relinquish the high priesthood on the ground that he is likely illegitimate since his mother was once a prisoner of Seleucid forces and was presumably raped—a rumor Josephus declares untrue (13.290–292). All the Pharisees are indignant with the man, but a Sadducee present sees an opportunity. He advises Hyrcanus that the Pharisees actually agree with the man—a point not obvious from their reaction. The way to prove it is to ask them what punishment he deserves. This is a trap, readers know, because Pharisees would not call for capital punishment despite their vehement disagreement with the fellow:When Hyrcanus asked the Pharisees what they considered a worthy punishment (for he would be persuaded that the slanders had not been made with their approval, he said, if they advocated punishing Eleazar with a commensurate penalty), they proposed lashes and chains, for it did not seem right to punish someone with death on account of verbal abuse and anyway the Pharisees by nature take a lenient approach toward punishments. At this response, Hyrcanus became extremely angry and assumed that the man had slandered him with their approval. Jonathan [the Sadducee] exacerbated his anger greatly and achieved the following result. He induced Hyrcanus to join the party of the Sadducees, to abandon the Pharisees, to dissolve the ordinances that they had established among the people, and to punish those who kept them. This is the reason, then, that hatred developed among the populace toward him and his sons. (13.294–96)

Steve Mason

Fariseus punição

Third, even in cases of impure flesh, such as a carcass, rabbinic halakah excluded hides, bones, sinews, horns, and hooves from this impurity, and it considers the hide a separate, pure entity.39 

Sanders also noted that the chief priests living, like Josephus’s Pharisees, in Jerusalem, were monied and powerful aristocrats, accustomed to the deference of their Jewish contemporaries (Qumran sectarians excluded). The chief priests de facto ruled in Jerusalem, the second city after Caesarea in Rome’s new (if minor) Judean territory, working in prudent and effective concert with imperial prefects and, later, procurators. Not so, insisted Jacob Neusner against Sanders.

A parade example of this phenomenon is a recent article in the evangelical social-justice flagship magazine, Sojourners. The author explains that Pharisees are “rich and successful people who lived in fancy houses and stepped over their destitute neighbors who slept in the gutters outside their gates! Proud people who judged, insulted, excluded, avoided, and accused others!” He then equates these toxic Pharisaic practices with Judaism in general; speaking of who would be saved, he proclaims, “The very people whom the Pharisees despised, deprived, avoided, excluded, and condemned! Heaven’s gates opened wide for the poor and destitute … the sinners, the sick, and the homeless … even the prostitutes and tax collectors! In other words, all the people the Pharisees were careful to avoid were exactly the ones who would someday be welcomed into heaven! Imagine how this overturning of traditional language of hell must have shocked everyone—multitudes and Pharisees alike.”20 Many contemporary Christians, including a number of my students, approved of this article because they think, erroneously, that Jews (the “multitudes”) equate the rich with fidelity and the poor with sin. When several people wrote to the magazine to complain about such ahistorical stereotyping, Sojourners asked me to write a corrective, which I did.21

In the next generation of postwar scholarship, E. P. Sanders writes about the treatment of Judaism in the time of Jesus and Paul, “The possibility cannot be completely excluded that there were Jews accurately hit by the polemic of Matt 23, who attended only to trivia and neglected the weightier matters.” But “the surviving Jewish literature does not reveal them.”

After the sublime Essene account, Josephus’s remarks on Pharisees and Sadducees are perfunctory. Reminding his audience (cf. 1.110) that Pharisees have the reputation of interpreting the legal ordinances with precision (2.162), he gives both groups equally short shrift, reducing them to a formulaic affirmation/denial relationship.37 Pharisees ascribe everything to Fate in some sense; they consider the soul imperishable, with rewards and punishments awaiting after death; and they have a community in which members care for each other. Sadducees deny the soul and Fate and treat even fellow Sadducees harshly. In light of Ant. 13 and 18 (below), this last contrast may be an obscure reference to the Pharisees’ respect for their elders’ teaching, which Sadducees do not share.

he attached episode does not, however, match the anti-Pharisee headline. Hyrcanus throws a banquet, to which he invites leading Pharisees, Sadducees, and, apparently, others. During the meal he reasserts his commitment to Pharisaic rigor and asks members of the group to be sure to tell him if he goes astray. They all praise his piety, but another guest, a known rabble-rouser, brazenly demands that Hyrcanus relinquish the high priesthood on the ground that he is likely illegitimate since his mother was once a prisoner of Seleucid forces and was presumably raped—a rumor Josephus declares untrue (13.290–292). All the Pharisees are indignant with the man, but a Sadducee present sees an opportunity. He advises Hyrcanus that the Pharisees actually agree with the man—a point not obvious from their reaction. The way to prove it is to ask them what punishment he deserves. This is a trap, readers know, because Pharisees would not call for capital punishment despite their vehement disagreement with the fellow:When Hyrcanus asked the Pharisees what they considered a worthy punishment (for he would be persuaded that the slanders had not been made with their approval, he said, if they advocated punishing Eleazar with a commensurate penalty), they proposed lashes and chains, for it did not seem right to punish someone with death on account of verbal abuse and anyway the Pharisees by nature take a lenient approach toward punishments. At this response, Hyrcanus became extremely angry and assumed that the man had slandered him with their approval. Jonathan [the Sadducee] exacerbated his anger greatly and achieved the following result. He induced Hyrcanus to join the party of the Sadducees, to abandon the Pharisees, to dissolve the ordinances that they had established among the people, and to punish those who kept them. This is the reason, then, that hatred developed among the populace toward him and his sons. (13.294–96)

Back in Ant. 13, Josephus’s linked notices about the Pharisees’ leniency in punishment, their special interpretative tradition, and their resulting popularity are not signs of his esteem. Josephus makes the Pharisees culprits in the hostility toward his favorite ruler, John Hyrcanus. The Pharisee-led popular opposition actually begins when John dissolves the Pharisees’ legal system, and it will dog his sons Aristobulus and Alexander Jannaeus. The Antiquities thus gives a much fuller context to Queen Alexandra’s rapprochement with the Pharisees, briefly narrated in J.W. 1. In this version, however, she can no longer be naively duped by them because of her piety. Since they have been on the scene for a couple of generations as persistent agitators, her embrace of the Pharisees now appears as a Machiavellian move conjured by her dying husband to stabilize her power. He advises her that reinstating the Pharisees and their legal system will mollify the populace, and she eagerly agrees: “He himself … had come into conflict with the nation because these men had been badly treated by him” (13.401–402).

That souls have a deathless power is a conviction of theirs, and that subterranean punishments and also rewards are for those whose conduct in life has been either of virtue or of vice: for some, eternal imprisonment is prepared, but for others, an easy route to living again.

 Without elaborating, Josephus brings four points about the Pharisees into such close contact as to suggest a connection: the extrabiblical tradition guiding their interpretation of Moses’s laws, their reputation for precise (or distinction-making) interpretation, their tendency toward leniency in punishment, and their popularity with the masses, such that Jerusalem’s jurisprudence follows Pharisaic principles even when the magistrates are Sadducees. Notable Pharisees accordingly take their place alongside the chief priests, where Josephus finds his ancestry.

There are two types of woes, the prophetic woe, in which punishment plays a significant role, and the sectarian woe. In Matthew 23 the first two woe sayings and the seventh, the last, are prophetic woes. The others belong to the sectarian type.Marvin Sweeney defines the “woe oracle” in prophetic literature as “a type of prophetic announcement used to criticize the particular actions or attitudes of the people and to announce punishment against them…. [T]he ‘woe statement’ … includes the introductory exclamation hoy, ‘woe!’ … [which] functions basically as a rhetorical device in prophetic literature to catch the attention of the audience.”51 Ronald Hals suggests rather that the genre is only “sometimes” used to announce punishment. He notes further that the woe statement is “continued with a variety of forms,” such as threats, accusations, or rhetorical questions.52

The final collection of woes is the series of three in 100:7–9. The first one may refer to persecution of the righteous: “Woe to you unrighteous, when you afflict the righteous on a day of hard anguish and burn them in fire” (1 En. 100:7). The punishment will be that the unrighteous will burn “in the heat of a blazing fire” (1 En. 100:9). The last woe saying in Matthew 23 is similar in its accusation that the rivals persecute the prophets, sages, and scribes sent by Christ and in threatening them with punishment.

  [author missing] (2021) The Pharisees. [edition unavailable]. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2984748/the-pharisees-pdf (Accessed: 19 October 2022).

At this, allthe Pharisees become indignant

(13.292). Josephus does not say that Eleazar was a Pharisee, and we

soon learn that non-Pharisees were also present. For certain Sadducees

in attendance cleverly exploit this opportunity by asking the Pharisees

what punishment they deem suitable for the offending man. When the

Pharisees call for (merely) severe corporal punishment—lashes and

chains, rather than death (Josephus notes editorially that the Pharisees

by nature take a moderate position in relation to punishments [

fuvsei

pro;~

ta;~

kolavsei~ ejpieikw`~

e[cousin

;

13.294])—the Sadducees are

able to convince Hyrcanus that their rivals approved

of

the man’s out-

burst, in spite of

what our narrator plainly says. The Sadducees’ device

for proving this, asking the Pharisees how they would punish Eleazar’s

outburst, after their unanimous condemnation of

his words, appears to

confirm that Eleazar was not one of

their school.

 Hyrcanus’s break with the Pharisees and Josephus’s explanationabout their influence receive space at this juncture, apparently,

because they are programmatic for the balance of

the Hasmonean

story.

This rift was not merely a personal one: it had ramifications for

the constitution of

the state because it meant the dissolution of

the

Pharisaic jurisprudence that

had been in place throughout

Hyrcanus’s reign. Although Josephus does not pause to explain why

Pharisees were so popular, or the nature of

their legal precepts, he

does drop an important hint in the banquet story: their penal code

was milder. He will confirm this point in a later note to the effect that

Ananus II, the high priest who executed Jesus’ brother James, was a

Sadducee and therefore

“savage” in punishment (

Ant

.

20.199). 

Sonderegger, W. (2019) Celebrating The Feasts of Israel. [edition unavailable]. Christian Faith Publishing, Inc. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2631356/celebrating-the-feasts-of-israel-explore-the-depth-of-our-faith-in-jesus-christ-and-pass-it-on-to-the-next-generation-pdf (Accessed: 19 October 2022).

Two Loaves of Leavened Bread God’s instructions specified offerings for the Feast of Pentecost. Among them were two loaves baked with leaven and fine flour from the wheat harvest. The priest should present these loaves as a first fruits wave offering before the Lord. These two loaves show us a remarkable prophetic sign. The fine flour used in the loaves is a symbol of Jesus. The leaven is a symbol of sin. One loaf representing the Jews, and the other the gentiles, waved before God. God accepted both while they were still sinners. The leaven in the loaves at Pentecost speaks of the church that has not yet reached sinless perfection, even though we are filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Feast of Tabernacles, which we will learn about later, bread was made without leaven, representing a church perfected according to God’s awesome plan.

he Feast of Tabernacle Israel Shall Dwell in Booths for Seven Days Text: Exodus 23:16 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.’” (Leviticus 23:33–36) You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress. You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. For seven days you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful. (Deuteronomy 16:13–15) Five days after Yom Kippur, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, comes the Feast of Tabernacle. It is also called the Feast of Booths or Succoth (Sukkoth). For seven days, the Lord said to keep the feast. The first day and the eighth day shall be a Sabbath rest. This eighth day was a great day of rejoicing in Jerusalem. After the harvest was gathered, the Israelites were to dwell in booths for seven days. The booths were to be built out of branches of the olive, palm, myrtle, willow, or other leafy trees. Each tree branch carried for the Israelites a symbolic meaning—the olive of anointing, the palm of victory, the myrtle of joy, and the willow of weeping. All the Israelites and their generations to come should know that God had them live in booths when he brought them out of Egypt. They were a reminder of the first Passover in Egypt and of their disobedience which resulted in forty years of wandering in the wilderness. They should never forget that it was God who provided for them all these years. It was He that had brought them, a stiff-necked people, into the land of promise flowing with milk and honey. The booths were purposely built loosely so that the stars could be seen. It would remind the Israelites that they were pilgrims in this present life. Since Sukkoth immediately follows the Days of Awe and repentance, it represents a time of restored fellowship with the Lord. The Tabernacle, and later the temple, represents God’s presence dwelling among His redeemed people (Exodus 29:44–45). The high holidays focus on the Lord as our creator, judge, and the one who atones for our sins. The festival of Sukkoth is the time when the Jews celebrate all the Lord has done for them. Because the Jews were commanded to rejoice for the blessing of God’s provision and care in their lives during the Feast of Sukkoth (Deuteronomy 16:14–15), it is considered today especially important to give charity during this time of year. Lulav & Ethrog Furthermore, it is said that King Solomon dedicated the temple during the festival of Sukkoth. (1 Kings 8:2,65) After Israel entered the land of promise, Sukkoth was associated with the fall harvest and came to be known as the “Festival of Ingathering (of the harvest).” Certain customs were incorporated into the observance of Sukkoth, such as decorating the sukkah (shelter), performing special “wave” ceremonies (lulav), circling the synagogue in a processional while singing hymns, and reciting various Hebrew blessings to sanctify the festival. The Lulav and Ethrog Part of the traditional celebration and rejoicing before the Lord was the lulav (a closed frond of the date palm tree) or branches waved in the temple during parts of the service. Furthermore, the Jews brought the ethrog or citrus fruits to the temple symbolic of the bounty of the promised land that God had given them. The last harvest of the year had been successfully brought in from the fields. The land and the people were at rest. It is, so to speak, Israel’s Thanksgiving festival. Note that the Midrash (an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures attached to the Biblical text) says that the ethrog (the citron fruit, sometimes called the “Persian Apple”) was the fruit in the Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve ate in disobedience, resulting in exile from paradise. It is significant for Messianic Jews during Sukkoth to reclaim and sanctify the very means of our downfall and greatly rejoice that our sins have been atoned for through Yeshua the Messiah. The Sukkah The festal of Sukkoth is celebrated for seven days during which the Jews “dwell” in their huts (sukkah). During this time, they will recite various blessings, eat meals, sing songs, and wave their lulav. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 23:42–43) There are four kinds of organic products mentioned in the Torah regarding the festival of Sukkoth. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. (Leviticus 23:40) Today, the Jews typically use the frond of the date palm tree (lulav), myrtle (hadass), willow (aravah) and citron (ethrog). These four items (also called “species”) pertain to or are samples of the produce from the land of Israel. Some Jews like to purchase them through a Judaica merchant in order to have authentic species from the promised land. On the afternoon before Sukkoth begins, it is customary to weave the four species into a bouquet-like arrangement while standing inside your sukkah. The four items woven together are sometimes referred to as a “lulav.” The Pouring Of Water The Pouring of Water It was customary that the illumination of the temple and the pouring of water in the temple took place on this last day. This last day was called Hoshana Rabba which means the Day of Great Hosanna or “save now.” A priest would bring water from the Pool of Siloam to the temple in a gold pitcher. The high priest would pour this water into the basin found right by the foot of the altar as an offering. It is with this offering that the Jews prayed to God for rain. For the coming sowing season and a successful harvest, the farmers needed the rain to break the dry season. “The pouring of the water” ritual was accompanied by great celebration. The priest would blow the trumpet, and the Jews would wave palm branches and rejoice with the singing of Psalms 113–118. The singing carried the words “save now, I pray, Lord” and “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Their prayers were directed toward God’s salvation through the messiah. Now fast forward to Jesus’s time. We find the same picture by Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21). The Jews waved palm branches celebrating his coming. They cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David,” which means, “Save us now, we pray, Son of David,” and “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Into this “pouring of the water” celebration, we find Jesus addressing the Jews with the words found in John 7:37–39, “Anyone who is thirsty come to me.” Jesus is answering their very prayers! He would give living water to anyone who believes in Him—the Holy Spirit. The Illumination of the Temple and Jerusalem The Illumination Of The Temple Sunshine is also part of a successful harvest. The Jews would pray to God for the needed sunshine in the ritual of the illumination of the temple. We find also here that the Jews would pray to God for spiritual life by the messiah. The giant golden candlesticks in the temple would be lit. Jews from all over would bring lit torches to the temple, making so much light that both the temple and Jerusalem itself would be illuminated. It was during the illumination of the temple that Jesus addressed the Jews with the words found in John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world!” Jesus is proclaiming that he is the light of the world. By following him, they would not be in darkness. They would have the light that would lead to life. Simchath Torah Torah Scroll In the early centuries, a customary system of reading the Law was established among Jewish communities. The Law was read over a period of one year in the synagogues. The last portion of the Torah is read and celebrated on Simchath Torah by reading the blessing of Moses over the tribes of Israel. On the following Sabbath, the Jews would start reading in the beginning of Genesis. Torah translated literally means the Five Books of the Law of Moses. Simchath Torah is a special day, set apart to rejoice over the Law or specifically “rejoicing in the Torah.” On this special day of celebration, the Torah scrolls would be taken out of the ark (receptacle or ornamental closet, generally located on the wall facing Jerusalem, which contains each synagogue’s Torah scrolls) and carried throughout or around the synagogue in a joyful procession seven times. Apples holding candles were placed on poles having varies decorative symbols. The children march in this parade also. Typically, they would carry flags and banners or bags with candles. Based on Psalm 19:8–10, the commandments of the Lord are sweeter than honey, so the children would be given bags of candy. The Jewish understanding about Simchath Torah is that it cannot be celebrated at Pentecost (Shavuot), because the Torah requires our response; nor can it be celebrated on the Feast of Trumpet or on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), since this represents a time of judgment and atonement. Therefore, the Jewish people wait until the end of the climactic Feast of Booths (Sukkoth) to celebrate the Torah, wherein it is said, “You will be completely joyous.” For seven days, you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful. (Deuteronomy 16:15) As joyful as this celebration may appear, it misses the true joy. Isaiah speaks about it in the following words: All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, We can’t read it because it is sealed.” When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.” And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man–made rules learned by rote. Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear. (Isaiah 29:11–14) The Jewish people are still waiting until Jesus will fulfill and open their eyes, when the seal will be broken, and their vision undimmed. On this day of fulfillment, the Jews will recognize Jesus Christ as the messiah. This day will then be a true Simchath Torah celebration of joy. Jesus and the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus Christ made it possible. In Him and through Him, we can tabernacle with God. In Jesus, we experience the dwelling place and fullness of God. There is a rest found in His presence. The book of Hebrews reminds us that we must enter this rest. In order to be able to enjoy God’s rest here on Earth, we have to walk with Him in loving trust and obedience (abide in Him). Hebrews 3:7, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” The Israelites failed to enter God’s rest. Their rebellious hearts resulted in forty years of wilderness. What a special blessing for the soul that God has awaiting for those found in Jesus at Tabernacle until we will enter our heavenly rest. The final completion of the Feast of Tabernacle is revealed in the Book of Revelation chapter 21. John saw a new heaven and a new earth. The old had passed away. The New Jerusalem is coming down out of heaven. A voice from the throne of God said in Revelation 21:3, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people.” God Himself will be with them and be their God. Zion—Jerusalem In the “Intermezzo,” we already touched on different traditional views concerning the end-time events. Now I want to direct our attention to a Messianic Jewish view that awaits fulfillment in the Festival of Sukkoth. Note that God has not forgotten His holy city Jerusalem and His chosen people. Here the “Day of Ingathering” of the harvest, Sukkoth, prefigures the gathering together of the Jewish people in the days of the Messiah’s reign on earth. Yet the time will come when the Lord will gather them together like handpicked grain. One by one he will gather them—from the Euphrates River in the east to the Brook of Egypt in the west. In that day the great trumpet will sound. Many who were dying in exile in Assyria and Egypt will return to Jerusalem to worship the Lord on his holy mountain. (Isaiah 27:12–13) “In that day,” says the Lord, “when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:7–8) All of the nations of the earth that survive the Great Tribulation will come together to worship the Lord in Jerusalem during the Feast of Sukkoth. In the end, the enemies of Jerusalem who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King, the Lord of heaven’s Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. Any nation in the world that refuses to come to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of heaven’s Armies, will have no rain. (Zechariah 14:16–17) This view of Sukkoth also foreshadows the Lord’s sheltering presence over Israel in the millennial kingdom. No longer will Israel be subject to the oppression of the ungodly nations of the world, but God Himself will place His sanctuary in her midst. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever. I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the Lord, who makes Israel holy” (Ezekiel 37:26–28) We know that Yeshua, our messiah, did indeed come to “sukkah” or “tabernacle” with us in order to purge our sins and redeem us to Himself. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14) With eyes of faith, we see the glory of the divine presence of the Lord God Almighty in the person of Yeshua, our beloved and holy anointed one. With eagerness, we await His return to establish His kingdom and “tabernacle with us” again. At that time, Yeshua will set up His everlasting Sukkah, so that we may know, love, and abide with Him forever. Time With God Freedom Sukkoth reminds us that slavery to our old sinful life is not an option for the redeemed people of the Lord. God wants us to be free from the bondage of our past. We must leave behind our old identities and dependencies on anything other than God Himself; that is, brought forth and refined in the wilderness experience of faith. God calls us to walk in the presence of His love, not in the fear of man. We are a new creation in the Messiah, reborn to take possession of the promises God has given to us. Our citizenship is in heaven from which also we eagerly wait for a savior, Jesus Christ, Yeshua, the Messiah, our Lord who will transform the body of our humiliation to be like His glorious body according to the working of His power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself (Philippians 3:20–21). What an incredibly awesome time that lies ahead of us when we meet Jesus Christ, our savior. May the joy of the Lord overshadow you while you join in the singing and rejoicing of these two songs. Days of Elijah Mark Robin These are the days of Elijah Declaring the word of the Lord. And these are the days of Your servant Moses Righteousness being restored These are the days of great trials Of famine and darkness and sword Still we are the voice in the desert crying Prepare ye the way of the Lord! Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call Lift your voice, year of Jubilee Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes. And these are the days of Ezekiel The dry bones becoming flesh And these are the days of Your servant, David Rebuilding a temple of praise And these are the days of the harvest The fields are all white in Your world And we are the laborers that are in Your vineyard Declaring the Word of the Lord Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call Lift your voice, year of Jubilee Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call Lift your voice, year of Jubilee Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes There’s no God like Jehovah! (12x) Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call Lift your voice, year of Jubilee Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call Lift your voice, year of Jubilee Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes. Jerusalem Alpert Herb John saw a city that could not be hidden John saw the city, oh yes he did John caught a glimpse of the golden throne Tell me all about it, go right on Around the throne he saw the crystal sea There’s got to be more, what will it be I want to go, to that city he saw New Jerusalem Jerusalem I want to walk your streets that are golden And I want to run where the angels have trod Jerusalem I want to rest on the banks of your river In that city, the city of God John saw the lion lay down by the lamb I want to know everything about that land John saw the day but he did not see night The lamb of God well, he must be the light And he saw the saints worship the great I am Crying worthy, worthy is the lamb I want to go to that city he saw New Jerusalem Jerusalem, Jerusalem Sing for the night is over Hosanna in the highest Hosanna forever Forever more Jerusalem I want to walk your streets that are golden And I want to run where the angels have trod Jerusalem I want to rest on the banks of your river In that city, the city of God The city of God Jerusalem, Jerusalem The city of God, is the city of God The Feast of Tabernacles/Practical Guide Practical Guide This is a great opportunity to build a hut (shelter/sukkah) with your family. Use some branches to loosely cover the roof and sides of your hut. The huts are small and hastily built. Since the sukkah is intended to serve as your “home” for the next eight days, it is customary to decorate it with palm branches, flowers, fruit, or vegetables, etc. Make sure that you are able to see the stars through the roof at night. You may even enjoy eating your Tabernacle dinner in your hut. The children will love to sleep in the hut and listen to the story of Tabernacle. A sukkah may be built in a yard, on a flat roof, or even on a balcony. Those who live in apartments or in locations where it is impossible to build a sukkah often help their congregation or another family decorate their sukkah during this time. The Jews rejoice over the law at Tabernacle by having a Torah procession. How much more reason do we have to rejoice over having the Word of God, the Bible. We too can have a procession in our home or around our house. Sing some praise songs with your children as you march with your Bible in hand. Unlike other holidays, Sukkoth has no traditional foods other than kreplach. Any dish incorporating the harvest of one’s own region is appropriate for Sukkoth.