Rev 20 questions

by IsaacHorwitz 2 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • IsaacHorwitz
    IsaacHorwitz

    Hi,

    I have quoted below from the New World Mistranslation Rev 20:7-13. I have some questions I need help on I have put below the verses.

    7 Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, 8 and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Ma´gog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea.

    Who will be left on the earth? Is this ONLY those who have accepted the mark of the Beast?

    9 And they advanced over the breadth of the earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. 10 And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

    11 And I saw a great white throne and the one seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha´des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.

    In verses 12 and 13, who are these resurrected? Are these ONLY the ones who accepted the mark of the Beast? Or are they ALL those in history who are unasaved? How can they be saved people if the saved are covered by the rature and the 1st resurrection?

    Please help.

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    Revelation is a complex book, due to the probable merging of several sources, and it is quite difficult to gather a consistent "scenario" from it. As it stands, it seems like 19:11-21 is not a complete extermination of human life and the resurrected martyrs (1st resurrection) have still people to rule over during the millenium, people who will in the end be mustered by Satan against them. On the other hand, 20:7-10 can be read as a doublet of 19:11-21, immediately following 19:10...

    20:11ff clearly describe a general resurrection after the millenium, but the picture is again complicated by the dual basis of judgement (the books of actions vs. the book of life), also perhaps indicative of the merging of two stories.

    One possible reconstruction of the two texts might be the following:

    A:

    Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords." Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders--flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

    Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

    And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books.

    B:

    Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.

    Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.

    When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are as numerous as the sands of the sea. They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from heaven and consumed them. 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.

    And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
  • Lady Lee
    Lady Lee

    See duplicate thread

    Revelation 20 questions

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