ESCHATOLOLOGY

THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS

The Final State

It is obvious that the Millennium is not the final state, for the very word "millennium" indicates its limited temporal character. It will end after a thousand years with the final battle with Gog and Magog. Let us look at the events which follow and lead to the final state.

The Final State of Satan.

1. Satan will be loosed from his prison at the close of the millennium. The Scriptures teach that at the end of the thousand years of the millennium Satan will be loosed for a little time (Rev. 20:3, 7-10). The first reference says that he "must" (dei) be loosed; this a logical necessity, but not an absolute one (chre). Some purpose of the divine plan calls for it. Perhaps it is to show the insincerity of many who have submitted to Christ during the millennium; perhaps it is also to prove that a thousand years in the abyss have not served to change Satan. We may be glad that it is only for short time that he is released. For during this interim, Satan will gather together the nations, Gog and Magog, the number of which is as the sands of the sea. Under his leadership, these armies will preceed to encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city. The "camp of the saints" may refer to the heavenly saints who have reigned with Christ during the Millennium; and the "beloved city" is, no doubt, the earthly Jerusalem. But the battle is short and the issue decisive. Fire falls down from heaven and devours those armies of Satan.
2. Satan will be finally judged and sentenced. Thus the career of Satan and his followers will come to an end; but they must yet appear before the Great White Throne for judgment with the rest of the lost. At the time Satan is judged and consigned to his final place of imprisonment, the lake of fire. Milton is unscriptural in representing Satan as "hurling haedlong ... to bottomless perdition; there to dwell, in Adamantine chains and penal fire," in his early history of creation, Paradise Lost, Book I, pp. 45-50; but we are glad that Satan will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire and imprisoned forever.

The Final Judgment.

The next thing given in the Book of Revelation is the judgment before the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15; 21:8). It appears that this judgment will take place somewhere in the skies, for we are told that "the earth and the heavens fled away; and there was found no place for them" (Rev. 20:11). The language leads one to suppose that the appearance of the Throne with One sitting upon it is the cause of this. Seemly this judgment deals only with the unsaved, since there is no mention of the saved made here. It is possible, however, that those who have died as believers during the Millennium may also be judged at this time. Here we have the second resurrection, and it takes place a thousand years after the first resurrection. Note that in this second resurrection the sea will give up its dead, as will also death and Hades. After the judgment of their works, those whose names are not found written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire; death and Hades themselves will be cast into this same place. We have already distinguished between this judgment and that judgment of the nations (Matt. 25:31-46), and have also shown that the second death is not annihilation, but is eternal punishment.

The Final Kingdom.

It is apparently at this time that Christ will "deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power" (I Cor. 15:24). Death is the last enemy that will be abolished, and so this seems to be the time when Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God (I Cor. 15:26). There is no break between the Millennium and the eternal state. Satan's host do not succeed in their attack; indeed, it is not even clear that they actually make an attack upon the camp of the saints and beloved city. All they do is to come up against it, when fire falls from heaven and consumes them. The temporal phase of the kingdom having thus come to an end, Christ will turn the kingdom over to the Father.

"And when all things have been subjected unto him,
then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him
that did subject all things unto him,
that God may be all in all" (I Cor. 15:28).

The New Creation.

Now there will be a New Heaven, a New Earth, and a New Jerusalem.

1. The New Heaven and the New Earth.
   This is revealed in several passages of the Scriptures (Rev. 21:1-2; Isa. 65:17; 66:22; II Pet. 3:10-13). They are called "new", but this does not mean "new" in an absolute sense; for "the earth abideth for ever" (Eccl. 1:4; Psa. 104:5; 119:90). Neither the heavens nor the earth will be annihilated. The "passing away" of the earth and heavens is going into a new state of being, not out of being, annihilation. This a transition to a new state of being. As during the Millennium there will be "regeneration" (Matt. 19:28) so now they will be "sanctified" (I Pet. 3:10-13). Note that righteousness "reigned" on earth during the Millennium, so it will also "dwell" on the new earth (II Pet. 3:11).
2. The New Jersalem.
   The final subject of the prophecy in the Book of Revelation is the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2-22:5). Now the New Jerusalem must be distinguished from both the New Heavens and the New Earth, for it is revealed as coming down out of heaven, and the kings of the earth are said to bring their glory into it (Rev. 21:2, 24). Some hold that this city appears over the earth during the Millennium, and that it is the home of the saints who are already with Christ; but the mention of the appearing of the New Heaven and the New Earth in the preceding verse, makes it seem improbable that the writer is going back to the beginning of the Millennium. We believe, therefore, that the New Jerusalem will appear only after the New Heavens and New Earth have appeared. Note the description of this city:
   1. Its character. There is abundant reasons to hold that this is a real, literal city. It has foundations, gates, walls, and streets. It is the shape of a cube (Rev. 21:15-16). The city is 1500 miles square, since 12,000 stadia makes 1500 miles. And there are streets over streets, stories over stories, up, up, up, to the height of 1500 miles and each street is 1500 miles long. We read that its foundations are garnished with "all manner of precious stone" (Rev. 21:10, 20). Twelve of these are named. It has twelve gates bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12-13); and the twelve foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles (Rev. 21:14; Eph. 2:20). The walls are of jasper and the city is of pure gold (Rev. 21:18). Every gate is a pearl (Rev. 21:21). We are told that the gates are never closed (Rev. 21:25); but that twelve angels stand before them (Rev. 21:12). The streets are of pure gold (Rev. 21:21). There is in it the river of life and the tree of life (Rev. 22:1-2). It has no need of sun or moon: "for the glory of God did lighten it and lamp there of is the Lamb" (Rev. 21:23 KJV). All these things indicates that is a real, literal city.
   2. Its inhabitants. The New Jerusalem is said to be the bride, the Lamb's wife (Rev. 21:9-10; John 14:2). And yet it is evident that this is metonomy; for people live in it (Rev. 21:27; 22:3-5). Mystery Babylon had a city; so the true Church has a city. Perhaps this is the city that Abraham looked for (Heb. 11:10; cf vs. 15-16); it is the one that believers today seek (Heb. 13:14). The city has no need of a temple; "for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof" (Rev. 21:22). While it would seem to be the home of the Church, it is clear that both the Father and the Son will dwell in it also. This may not be their constant abiding place, for heaven is that; but it will certainly be a place frequented by them, if we may use such language of those who are omnipresent.
   3. Its Blessedness. The saved nations are said to walk in the light of it, or "amidst the light of it" (Rev. 21:24 KJV). Thus it would appear that the city will be suspended over the New Earth. There is no night there; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb (Rev. 21:23, 25). We are also told that the kings of earth will bring their glory into it (Rev. 21:24, 26). This means their praise and worship. Apparently they do not reside in the city, but make occasional visits to it. We are told that there will be no curse; that the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there (Rev. 22:3; cf. I Cor. 15:24); that His servants will serve Him, having His name in their foreheads; that they will see His face and they will reign with Him for ever and ever (Rev. 22:3-5).