Does Revelation chapter 20 portray events as though they are the crests of waves, leaving out the in between? It says “after the thousand years” (commonly called the millennium, a 7th, and Sabbath rest from the adversary) is when the adversary is released from his imprisonment. He then goes out to all the earth, to gather them to the Gog-Magog war. (Final, last war!) He is of course gathering the descendants of natural/mortal survivors of the collapse and war that was apocalypse. They are gathered and they surround the millennial Jerusalem.
We’ve been sort of taught(?) that both this, and the Great White Throne Judgment, are flash in the pan instantaneous events.
Jerusalem is surrounded. Fire rains down upon them from above and consumes them. (Middle mention of a lake of fire.) And then, all of the dead, are dead.
The ancient of days comes and takes his seat and books are opened - yet I no longer see this time as a court like procedure, but more like Shakespeare’s “all the world is a stage”.
For me, a breakthrough came when I was allowed to imagine mYself rising into the judgment instead of into the millennium (Mt.25:11,12; Rev.20:14,15). If I died “still in my sins” I figured I would rise that way. Much after that of course, I don’t know. Except initiaL conditions for some portrayed in the rich man and Lazarus parable. But we are supposed to believe everyone’s sins are displayed, they stand naked upon a cold, hard courtroom floor and then they are all dumped into a fiery lake until they figure things out. It’s easy to think we’ve been heartless and cruel in our thinking.. and maybe I’m exaggerating.. but isn’t this more likely the continuation of punishing ourselves? We just can’t let go of hell, not all together. Yet I’m not sure why we are so special that for us it’s all mercy and gentle correction. But! Sometimes the human psyche doesn’t make much sense.
So my perception of ‘great court day’ changed. Jesus said he will draw all (Jn.12:32). Sure some merciless despots, tyrants, slave traffickers, serial killers.. may awaken to a bit of terror. Let us hope so and I don’t apologize for that attitude. But.. can you imagine, eventually, the gut wrenching anguish and remorse! Oh. Dear. To see the faces of your victims.. and theiR anguish, and the anguish of their loved ones. And don’t you think there will be closure for all. All individuals, of all generations of all nations.
Aren’t those who rose in the “first resurrection” going to serve during the Lord’s (long) second advent? With a crown of Life, not one of metal. Isn’t it called reigning because we will be helping by doing His works? Which he did during his so brief first advent. If we are to “inherit glory” the question to my mind would be, to what purpose? I don’t think it would be any sort of pageant and the crowd goes wild sort of thing. And the “rod of iron” surely(?) is Truth, a measuring rod that simply cannot be broken. Same as the sWord that, yes, destroys, but comes from the mouth of the Lord, from between his lips. (Which makes Rev.11 a little more down to earth also.)
The root word of logic, is logos. Surely this “administration of the ages” is one process for all. (All mentioned together in 1 Corinthians 15:22-24 and 28, with—Mt.13:33, key word 3. God’s threefold harvest. Barley, wheat, and grape.) And the ancient holy days (Lev.23) being an obvious outline (once we see it) of that entire administration.
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