Lesson 465 - Junior
Memory Verse
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15).
Notes
The Angel with the Chain
In this chapter we read more about the great and marvellous things, which John saw. An angel came down from Heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. With that chain he bound Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him so that he could not escape for a thousand years.
In previous lessons we have learned that Satan began deceiving man in the very beginning of time. He caused Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit in the Garden of Eden which God had said they should not eat. Through that disobedience, sin, sickness, trouble and death have been upon the whole earth for more than 6,000 years.
Satan, "that old serpent"
It is Satan who tempts people to do wrong; it is he who causes them to doubt God and disbelieve His Word; it is he who works on every person to try to get him to go to hell in the end. Every Christian must guard carefully his soul, for the enemy tries to make him lose his salvation. He is a deceiver and a liar. Let us never listen to his lies. God's power is greater and stronger than Satan's and He is able to keep us from falling, if we want to be kept. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things" [REV:21:7]).
Ever since Satan won the victory over Adam and Eve, he has been working and gaining control of more and more people's lives, and that is why in these last days the conditions are becoming worse and worse. Governments of countries are setting aside Christ and turning toward the "old serpent" and his powers.
We learn in the previous lesson that Christ and the saints of God shall come back to the earth riding upon white horses to rule and reign upon the earth for one thousand years. This is the time between the Great Tribulation and the final judgment at the great White Throne. This is when the dragon, "that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan," shall be bound with chains in the bottomless pit and peace shall be upon the earth for a thousand years.
The Millennial Reign
This will be a period of peace when Christ "maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth" [PS:46:9]). The people of the earth have been engaged in wars since the beginning of time, but we are told that during the Millennium "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" [ISA:2:4]; [ZEC:9:10]). During that time all men shall come under the rule of Christ and will be set free from every disease and sickness. "The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing" [ISA:35:5-6]).
All will be lovely and beautiful during that time of peace and bliss. There shall be streams and blossoms in the desert and pools of water instead of dry places. Even the wild animals shall be peaceful and tame. The serpent, the wolf and the lion, the cow and the bear, all eating together without harm. The lion, who stalks his prey and kills smaller animals, shall eat straw like the ox, we are told. Even babies and little children shall be safe from danger or harm from wild animals.
The bees will not sting; the roses will have no thorns to prick our fingers; berry vines will not scratch our arms and tear our clothes. Blind people will be able to see; deaf people will hear; and the dumb will speak. Nothing shall hurt or destroy "in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD" [ISA:65:25]). We read that in Jerusalem "the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" [ZEC:8:5]).
The Lake of Fire
Then when that time has expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, down in the bottomless pit, and he shall try to fight another great battle. But he is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. We know that the beast is none other than the Antichrist. (
)
The Great White Throne Judgment
After this John saw a great White Throne, and he saw the people who had been dead come up before God and stand at the Throne to be judged. He saw the books opened, and the Book of Life was opened, and the people were judged according to the things they had done which were written in the books. The graves were opened and even those who had died in their sins many years before, since the beginning of creation, and even those whose bodies have been lost at sea, or burned and destroyed, were resurrected and stood before the Throne to be judged. All those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were cast into the lake of fire where Satan and the Antichrist had already been cast, to be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Our Names in the Book of Life
The important thing for us today is to make sure that our name is written in the Book of Life. If you are not saved, come to Jesus today; ask Him to forgive your sins; make right any wrongs you have done to others. When you know Jesus has saved you, seek Him for sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Then follow Jesus closely; pray and read the Word; make sure that your name is not removed from the Book of Life.
Life or Death
The way of eternal life, and the way of eternal punishment and death are before us. The Bible is available to us today, and in it we can learn how to live day by day in order to be among those whose names are recorded in the Book of Life. Notice that both the 12th and 13th verses tell us that the people before the Throne were judged "according to their works." Oh, how carefully we should live! How we should guard our life and our words, so as not to displease the Lord in any thing. There will be no escaping that day when the small and great, rich and poor, shall all stand before the great White Throne and Him who sits on it.
Questions
1. By what other name is Satan known?
2. For how long was he bound in the bottomless pit?
3. Tell of the conditions on the earth during that time.
4. Who shall rule the earth during the Millennium?
5. Who shall appear before God at the great White Throne Judgment?
6. Out of what were the people judged?
7. What is to be the punishment of those whose names are not written in the Book of Life?
8. What reward is to be given those whose names are written in the Book of life?