Revelation 20: Judgment Day

Three chapters into the Bible (Genesis 3) is when we read about the fall.  Three chapters remaining in the Bible (Revelation 20) is when we read about the judgment.  Everything we experience as part of the familiar, fallen universe rests in between.  To get back to a reality without suffering or pain or death requires that sin be dealt with in a final, decisive judgment before God.

Oddly enough, the Bible indicates that a millennium (a thousand years) stands between the events of the end that we've been reading about in Revelation thus far and the final judgment that occurs before the creation of a new heaven and new earth.  During that thousand-year reign of the saints, the dragon (Satan) is bound and locked into the Abyss.  But, amazingly, he will eventually be released!

Satan's parole is short-lived, however.  He falls back into his ways of deception and rebellion against God.  [One of the most discouraging things to me is that Satan still is able to gather large numbers for a war against God even after a millennium of peace.  What's the deal with that?!]  That is the final straw - Satan is cast into the lake of fire (joining the beast and false prophet) for ever and ever.

The disposition of Satan ushers in a final accounting of everyone else.  There is a general resurrection of all to stand before the great white throne and face judgment.  "The books are opened," the Bible says, including the most important book - the Book of Life.  If there's one place you want your name recorded, it's not the "Who's Who."  It's the Lamb's Book of Life.  Chapter 20 ends with the words of judgment against those not in that book: "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."