After the Millennium
The Resurrection and Final Judgement and new Heaven and New Earth

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8
and will go out to
deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth–Gog and Magog–to gather them for battle. In
number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and
surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and
devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,
where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for
ever and ever. – Revelation 20:7-10
After the Millennium, Satan is allowed out of the Abyss to rally together all who do not
trust in Christ. These people would have rebelled against Christ during the time of his righteous
reign, but they would not dare. It is most amazing that some people, who have had the privilege
of living in a perfect environment, and who have experienced a world ruled in righteousness, will
still not accept God’s plan for their lives. It gives us insight to the fairness of their future
judgment, because they simply do not want to be with their Creator and Savior. Nothing could
ever convince them how wonderful he is. They would be unhappy in his presence for ever, even
in Heaven.
―Gog and Magog‖ is representative of rebellious nations. This imagery is taken from
Ezekiel 38 and 39, an earlier war that takes place before or during the Tribulation. Once again,
rebellious nations and troops who are personally rebellious against Christ will seek to overthrow
his control.
This time they will be led by Satan himself.
The scene of this battle is Jerusalem, the city God loves. The outcome of this war is that
those who follow Satan are destroyed by fire from above, and Satan is thrown into a Lake of Fire
(compare Revelation 20:14 and 15), where the Beast and the False Prophet already had been
thrown at the end of the Battle of Armageddon

The Other Resurrection

Earlier we read about the “First Resurrection.” The other type of resurrection is now seen
in Revelation 20:10-15, where the ungodly are raised to stand at their judgment.

Judgment of Non-believers: The Great White Throne
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his
presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before
the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The
dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up
the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person
was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of
fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of
life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:11-15
This is the judgment of all who do not believe in Christ. They will be judged according to
their works. But, according to Romans 3:20, no one can be saved by the law and good works.
Those who depend on works will have their name blotted out of the Book of Life. Even in the
days of Moses, God spoke of his book and of the fact that those who sin against him will be
blotted out of it. (Exodus 32:32-33). The imagery here is that people’s names were at one time
listed in this book, but they were blotted out because of the sin of rejecting Christ. Those who
trust in Christ have had their sins forgiven, so their names still remain in the book.
In addition to the Book of Life other books are opened. This suggests that the deeds of
every person are disclosed in full detail at the Great White Throne, and this in turn suggests that
there may well be degrees of punishment in hell. This is hard to imagine, since hell at any level
is a total, complete and final separation from God. Yet degrees of punishment would reflect the
perfect justice of God, which is always thorough and overlooks nothing.
Paul wrote that “the saints will judge the world” (1 Corinthians 6:2), so it is possible that
God’s people will take part in this great cosmic tribunal that is more commonly called “The Last
Judgment.”
Those whose names are not found in this Book of Life are consigned to the Lake of Fire.
This is the most vivid of the biblical pictures of Hell as a fiery eternity without Christ. John the
Baptist spoke of an unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12), and Jesus told of a fiery furnace
(Matthew 13:40-42), the fire of Hell (Matthew 18:9). It is an eternal fire (Matthew 18:11), which
was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). The New Testament word for Hell is
Gehenna, which means the Valley of Hinnom. This is the name of the valley on the south side of
the city of Jerusalem that served as the city dump. It was a fitting picture of a place where there
are worms and the fire never dies (Mark 9:45-48).

A New Heaven and Earth

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of
judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a
thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the
elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You
ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the
heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,
the home of righteousness. – 2 Peter 3:7-13
The Lord promised never to destroy the Earth by a flood again (Genesis 9:11), but it is
destined for a fiery judgment that will cleanse it from all corruption and will result in a new,
even better planet.
The heavens also are in need of cleansing and renewing since they also have been defiled
by the activity of Satan and his hosts prior to their being cast down to earth during The
Tribulation.
Peter’s prophecies are echoed in The Revelation where the creation of a New Heaven
(Revelation 21:1) and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1,3-5) are foretold.
As far as we know, this is the final realm of the believer, the place where there will be no
more death, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4).
Old Testament previews of this New Heaven and New Earth are also instructive.

“Behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.
20 “Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
he who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere youth;
he who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree

so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the works of their hands.
23 They will not toil in vain
or bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the LORD,
they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
but dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the LORD. – Isaiah 65:17-25

The Heavenly Jerusalem
In the last two chapters of the Revelation, an incredible city, the Heavenly Jerusalem
descends from Heaven to the New Earth. This magnificent place may be what Jesus referred to
in John 14:1-3 where he told his disciples that he was going away to prepare a place for them,
and that he would come again for them. He called this place “My Father’s house,” and said that in
it are “many mansions.”
This will apparently be the capital of the new Earth and the headquarters of Christ’s
operations. The things that are revealed about it correspond to the expectations of Christians in
Heaven. Our Heaven will not be a cold ethereal place in outer space. This matchless city will be
on a fantastic new Earth, which itself is a part of the new heavens. We will have glorified bodies
like Christ’s (1 Corinthians 15:40-44, 51-54), which was able to ascend into space (Acts 1:9).
Perhaps we will be able to visit other heavenly locations without the aid of a space ship if it is
God’s will and purpose for us.
The imagery and symbolism of the New Jerusalem reflects both Israel and the Church, so
this heavenly city is evidently not exclusively the new home for the Church.
Here are some of the unique features of this city, as revealed in Revelation 21 and 22:
 It will be the home of the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb – Revelation 21:2, 9.
 It will have twelve gates, named for the twelve tribes of Israel – Revelation 21:12-13.
 It will have twelve foundation stones, with the names of the Twelve Apostles –
Revelation 21:14.
 It will be approximately fifteen hundred miles long, wide and high. – Revelation 21:16.
Such a huge city would stretch from Los Angeles past Denver, and would be just as wide
as it was long, and, most incredibly, it would be just as high! Actually, our present Earth
is too small to accommodate such a huge city, but, at that time, there will be a new Earth.
 It will have golden walls and streets, pearl gates, and jewel foundations – Revelation
21:17-21.
 There will be no Temple in that city because God, the Almighty, and the Lamb will be
there – Revelation 21:22 cf. 21:3ff.
 It will not need the sun or moon because The Glory of God, the Lamb is the light! –
Revelation 21:23.
 The River of Water of Life will flow from the Throne of God and the Lamb – Revelation
22:1.

 The Tree of Life, from which Adam and Eve were barred after their sin (Genesis 3:22-
24), will be a part of the city. – Revelation 22:2.
 There will be no curse there – Revelation 22:3-4; cf. 21:4.
If we take literally the dimensions given for the heavenly city, it will evidently be a
cubical structure (or perhaps spherical or pyramidal) 1500 miles on a side. If the city has one
billion inhabitants, each resident could have 3.37 cubic miles of space.
Incidentally, Jews in Israel today who are working towards the rebuilding of Israel’s
Third Temple speak about zones of holiness in the temple and its courts. But they also believe
the Temple is intended to be a “time portal” of sorts. Perhaps in some wonderful way the New
Jerusalem above, and the rebuilt Millennial City of Jerusalem in Israel, or Israel’s Fourth
(Ezekiel’s) Temple, will be connected. But the portal will not permit any defilement to reach the
New Jerusalem as Revelation 22:14-15 tells us.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may
go through the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the
sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.‖
It is a wonderful thing that the Bible ends on such a victorious note. What a glorious future the
children of God have! In the end, believing Israel, The church, and the Saints from the
Tribulation period will share together in a barely-imaginable place, in the presence of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ!
We may all join in agreement with the final statement of the Revelation,
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. – Revelation 22:20-21