The Last Day For Rebels Part 1 | Revelation 20:7-15 | Richard Caldwell

Scripture

• Revelation 20:7–15

About this sermon

Introduction: If you survey the words translated “rebellion” in the Old and New Testaments, a picture of evil character emerges. The Hebrew and Greek words translated “rebellion” find the following definitions in the lexicon. “to dispute” “not subject to rule” “to turn away, to turn back” “transgression” “defection, apostasy, withdrawal” “to rebel, rebellious” “to revolt” “contentious” All those words speak of the character that refuses to humble itself under the hand of God. ESV James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. ESV 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. The rebellious heart responds to those calls for humility by saying “NO”. We live in a world full of rebellion. A world full of sinners who dare to test almighty God with attitudes, thoughts, motives, and choices, that clearly violate His will and invite His wrath. We were all born rebellious toward God. It is God’s grace in salvation that has made our hearts willing to submit to the authority of Christ and His word. And as a result, former rebels — now children of God — long for the day when all rebellion will be put away. The good news is that the final day for rebels is swiftly approaching. But the BEST NEWS is that it will certainly arrive. The day will certainly come when every rebel power, whether represented individually, or collectively, will be destroyed. And when that day comes, rebellion will be gone forever. NO MORE REBELLION. ESV Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.' ESV Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. IT IS THAT FINAL DAY that is on display in our verses today. Today, we see The Last Day for Rebels. WE SEE THE END OF REBELLION IN TWO SETTINGS. REBELLION PUT AWAY ON THE EARTH AND REBELLION PUT AWAY AT GOD’S THRONE. I. THE LAST DAY FOR REBELS ON EARTH (vs.7-10) Satan was bound at the beginning of the millennial kingdom. We were told, even then, that he would one day be released. ESV Revelation 20:3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. A. SATAN’S FINAL REBELLION (vs.7-8) Now we are witnessing his release. Something immediately on display is the fact that Satan’s imprisonment will not change his nature. It will not transform his intentions or actions. EVIL IS NOT REFORMED; IT MUST BE REMOVED. NOTE: This is not just true in Satan. There are no external forces or conditions that will ever change man’s heart. Only God’s power can do that. 1. HIS RELEASE (vs.7-8a) When he is released, he comes out to deceive. WE MENTIONED THIS LAST WEEK BUT LET ME REMIND YOU. If you ask how a deception can take place during the millennial kingdom, the answer is that you will have unbelievers present after babies are born. There are many texts of Scripture that point to children in the kingdom, long life spans during the kingdom, people traveling to Jerusalem for instruction, nations being shepherded by the Messiah as He sits on the throne of His father David. And yet other texts, such as we saw in Zechariah, that involve discipline for acts of disobedience during the kingdom.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Prophecy & End Times