Confusion in the amillenial theology.
1: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2: And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3: And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8: And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9: And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev. 20:1-9
As I understand their view
the 1000 year reign represents the Church age. In verses 2-3 satan is bound for a thousand years in a bottomless pit. So satan is bound in a certain place. They teach that this binding occured when Jesus rose again. When pressed on the nature of the binding they seem to to say it specifically refers to satan not being able to
deceive the nations during the Church age.
Yet we see this as fact
DURING THE CHURCH AGE.
3: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Cor. 4:3
How can satan be bound and shut up in a bottomless pit and still at the same time
be god of this world? If he has a seal on him
DURING THE CHURCH AGE to not deceive nations why is he still their god?
Also this:
5: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6: And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7: And it was
given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9: If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10: He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11: And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12: And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13: And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14:
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev. 13:5-14
So the devil who has a seal on him
NOT to deceive the nations
IS DECEIVING THE NATIONS IN THE CHURCH AGE! They say the mark of the beast era was Nero's reign so the time frame is in the Church age.
In verse 4 We see the souls beheaded for the mark of the beast. They are on thrones having pataken of the first resurrection which they say represents our new birth and
NOT literal resurrection.
But how is it they were first killed during the reign of the beast which they say was Nero
BEFORE THEY TOOK PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION? They were slain by Rome before they were born again unto Christ?
Then they are supposed to be reigning for a thousand years (which is the Church age).
But then in verse 7 the Church age expires. It is over. Most would say the rapture has taken place for the Church age to be over. If the Church age is over according to them then all the enemies of Christ have been subdued in that time frame (Church age). Death itself was to be defeated once and for all when the rapture happens.
Yet
AFTER the Church age is over
THEN we see satan on the loose again out deceiving the nations. VERSE 7.
So though the Church age is past when satan
WAS BOUND TO NO LONGER DECEIVE NATIONS and all things are subdued to Christs authority and Christ is no longer reigning
NOW satan comes back on the scene and gathers many followers. Verse 8.
It sounds confusing on this end. The first resurrection seems to connect much easier with
THIS:
13: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18: Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:13-18
If we allow
THAT as the first resurrection at
the second coming much confusion goes away!
Feel free to comment on part or all this post. I will be working today so may not get back to this till late tonight.