Do the Wicked emcompass the New Jerusalem?

Someone asked me a question, I had never thought about it. I think SOP has something on it, but is it the New Jerusalem the wicked go up against and are destroyed?

Here is the text:

Revelation 20 King James Version (KJV)

20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Yes, it is the New Jerusalem after it landed on the Earth that the second resurrection people go up against and are destroyed by the same fire that prepares the whole planet to be reformed into the New Earth.

The most interesting thing about SDA interpretation of Rev. 20 is that there are two resurrections:

1. first, of the righteous; then (after the millennium) ...
2. second, of the wicked.

And the most interesting of the most interesting thing is that the wicked are given life then immediately afterward, killed again.

What is the point in that?

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They were not given life to be immediately killed, as they had the time it would take to prepare for war against the New Jerusalem and given time to surround the City of God for the purpose of invading it and conquering it. This act showed that, even after being brought back to life, they were the same wicked people that died the first death.

The point of all this is that they were resurrected to face the Judgment of God and the resulting punishment of the second death resulting from being cast into the Lake of Fire.

Therein lies the problem with the SDA interpretation.

They say wrongly that the first resurrection is at the Second Advent: which is, according to them, not only that first resurrection, but also the slaying of all the wicked (i.e. the rest of humanity), making the earth uninhabited.

Such an interpretation pushes them to say the following "Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy [after the millennium]. While deprived of his power and cut off from his work of deception [during the millennium], the prince of evil was miserable and dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side [at the end of the millennium], his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy." (GC, pg. 663b | Ch. 42, para. 4)

That is wrong.

1. Rev. 20:4-6 If you were to thoughtfully and honestly read the scripture concerning this matter, you would discover that there is no slaying of the wicked at the beginning of the millennium, just a resurrection of the righteous.
    
2. Rev. 20:7-8 Therefore, throughout the millennium, men continue to multiply upon the face of the earth, until the very end when the number of their army becomes as the sand of the sea.
    
3. Rev. 20:9-10 They rebel against the city of God at the end of the millennium, but God returns (in the Second Advent) and destroys them.
    
4. Rev. 20:11-15 It is at that time of the Second Advent, that the dead are raised bodily (both wicked and the rest of the righteous) to receive their reward.
   
   The wicked dead will be cast into the lake of fire where the devil, the beast, the false prophet and the wicked living were cast, followed by death and hades themselves (the personification of satan and his angels). That is the second death.
   
   But the righteous (both translated & resurrected at the time) will live forever with those righteous who were part of the first resurrection.
    
5. THE END

This is right.

You can read about the binding of Satan and the first resurrection in:

1. Mat. 27:50-53
2. Eph. 4:7-10
3. Rev. 12:10-11

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Yes.

Quoting EGW's depiction below:

"At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead and appear before God for the execution of "the judgment written." Thus the revelator, after describing the resurrection of the righteous, says: "The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:5. And Isaiah declares, concerning the wicked: "They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited." Isaiah 24:22. {Mar 337.2}

" Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy....Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny....

"In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell. {Mar 338.2}

"Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions. {Mar 338.3}

"At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on--an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset. {Mar 338.4}

Well, no doubt, to show that God is love.
At least that's what some say....

What does
Re 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
mean to you?

And what about
Re 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
when you read it in context?

IN CONTEXT, the narrative of Rev. 20 actually begins from Rev. 19:11, with the pre-millennial vision running from that point to Rev. 20:6:

1. Christ comes with the armies of heaven.
2. The angel of the sun calls all birds for supper.
3. The beast (with the false prophet) and their armies gather together to fight.
    
4. The beast (and the false prophet) are captured and cast into the lake of fire.
5. Their armies are killed, not buried but eaten by the birds.
6. The angel of the bottomless pit captures the dragon and cast him into the pit.
    
7. The government of the Kingdom is given to Christ and somea risen righteous.

It is obvious that the vision is about the transfer of authority from earthly despots to Christ Himself who, having ascended to heaven, rules from the right hand of God, the Father. Though the authenticity of Mat. 28:18-20 is disputed in scholarship, the idea expressed there is repeated elsewhere a great many times. I quote it here because of its succinct and profound simplicity:

<< And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. >>

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a Rev. 20:4, "... Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God ..."

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I agree with the beginning of your post. Yes, Revelation 19 leads into Revelation 20.

1. Christ comes with the armies of heaven.

This is the "second coming".
The first coming was when He came to live and die and was raised again -- that took place 2000 years ago.

But don't leave out the part in the verse just before --
Christ is coming to claim His bride!
..for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Rev.19:7)

Other passages emphasize this event:
Matt. 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1 Thess. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev. 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

This is the first resurrection!
"Blessed and holy are they that partake in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power."

2. The angel of the sun calls all birds for supper.

There are two suppers mentioned in this chapter.
Blessed are the ones called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!

But how sad for those who become supper for the scavenger birds.

The chapter tells us it will be "all"
--kings, captains, mighty men, and their followers, and the flesh of all free and bond, both small and great.

3. The beast (with the false prophet) and their armies gather together to fight.

Actually they had already gathered earlier to fight against "the saints" (16:6). The "battle" is described in Rev. 16. Then when Christ physically appears in all His glory --the unsaved cannot survive in the burning glory of His presence, and perish.

4.The beast (and the false prophet) are captured and cast into the lake of fire.

It doesn't say they are "captured", but they are exposed to the divine fire of the glory of God.

Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Nahum 1:5 The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
1:6 Who can stand before his indignation?
Psalms 68:2 As wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish at the presence of God.

5.Their armies are killed, not buried but eaten by the birds.

Their "armies" consist of all who fight against God and refuse His gift of salvation.
There will be only two groups -- (those called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and those who become supper for the birds)

It includes not only the kings, captains and mighty warriors, but also ALL people -- free and bond, small or great.
The beast and false prophet will be exposed as deceivers, and perish, and
vs. 19:21 And the rest are slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

6. The angel of the bottomless pit captures the dragon and cast him into the pit.

No not the angel of the bottomless pit -- a glorious angel from heaven binds Satan, that old dragon, to this desolate earth.

Meanwhile -- in the realms of God's universe beyond this earth, the redeemed live and reign with Christ for 1000 years.

At the end of the thousand years
--- the wicked are raised.


Rev. 20:6 Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.

Obviously all those not raised in the first resurrection at the beginning of the 1000 years, will live again at the end of the thousand years -- however, they do not have eternal life, the second death has power over them and they will die again.


Some think -- if only people could see Christ in the reality of His majesty, and see the Holy City, surely they would repent and follow Christ? O.K. they will see HIM and the Holy City, but will they repent? Sadly they do not, their hearts do not change, they chose to fight against Him all over again.

I think you did a good summary.

So what does the following mean to you?
<<Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.>>

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What does No. 5 mean to you?

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The armies. What are the armies?

Rev 19:18 that ye may eat flesh of kings, and flesh of chiefs of thousands, and flesh of strong men, and flesh of horses, and of those sitting on them, and the flesh of all--freemen and servants--both small and great.'

Does that verse exclude anyone?

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Those are the losing armies. Just one verse later, it tells you so.

Rev. 19:19, "And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army." Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

⨂ ARMY vs ARMY ⨂

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Yes, there are two armies, one winning and one losing:
Those which had NOT worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands,
vs
those which HAD worshipped the beast, or his image, and had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.

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True.

Civilians excluded.

⨂ ARMY vs ARMY ⨂

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Civilians?

I asked before: I had also asked, what are the armies. You described that they were losing, but did not describe what or who they were.

If the writer had wanted to include everyone of the losing side, civilians too, how would he have worded it differently? Besides, what makes you think there "civilians" rather than everyone part of the army?

SURE!

To discover this for yourself, sit a while in deep meditation, then take out a pencil and paper and draw a map of the earth.

1. Draw a border around the area of the LAKE OF FIRE. Rev. 19:20
    
2. Draw a border around the area where men lie unburied, where their bodies become food for the birds of the air. Rev. 19:21
    
3. Draw a border around the area of the BOTTOMLESS PIT. Rev. 20:3a
    
4. Finally, draw a border around the area in fulfillment of the following: "so that [the Serpent] should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished ... And I saw thrones, and they (i.e. of the nations) sat on them, and judgment was committed to them." Rev. 20:3b-4a

NB: "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Rev. 20:4b

Notice who were raised to reign with Christ: the beheaded. But the rest of the dead remain in their graves until after the millennium.

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That would take in the whole earth.

Nahum 1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.




Again that would include the whole earth.

Why aren't they buried? Could it be because there is no one left to bury them?

Jer. 25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

Rev. 19:21 And the rest were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

This isn't a literal sword -- the sword of his MOUTH.

"With the breath of His lips shall he slay the wicked" (Isa. 11:4).

2 Thes. 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:




And where is the bottomless pit or "the abyss"?
the realm of the dead, the realm of evil spirits, --a place without form or void.

Again the whole earth -- becomes "the abyss"
In that day it returns to a shapeless mass, without form and void in a desolate state just as it was prior to the six day creation -- God's perfect creation of Genesis is completely undone.

The chaotic earth is described in
Jeremiah 4:23-26, “I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form and void [1]; and the heavens, they had no light. I beheld the mountains and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth. I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, by His fierce anger”.

Jeremiah uses the exact same words as Genesis 1:2 when the earth was "without form and void" -- "the abyss".



Satan, that old serpent, bound to this planet filled with the dead, and utter ruins, has no one to tempt for a thousand years.



This would be in glorious place -- not on this desolate earth.
And yes, when Christ comes in the clouds of glory, He sends His angels to gather the saved people, and they gather them from all over the world.

Matt. 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Thess.4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.



Yes, those who gave up their lives for Christ's sake will be richly rewarded. But it doesn't say these are the ONLY ones. Revelation 7 shows a crowd beyond numbering before God's throne rejoicing in salvation.



Notice as well, a very important distinction Rev. 19 and 20 makes concerning the first and second resurrection.
Those raised in the first -- are blessed and will not face the second death, the second death has no power over them.
But those raised in the second resurrection after the 1000 years -- will face the second death.

James, where did you quote that from? Yourself?

I'm not sure how what you wrote about drawing borders dealt with the issue.

Again,
I asked before:
If the writer had wanted to include everyone of the losing side, civilians too, how would he have worded it differently?