You can see the order of end-time events when you study John's prophetic vision in the Book of Revelation. It begins after the seven-year tribulation period is over ...
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16
This is Jesus, the Son of God. Previously, He had been seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting the time to initiate the sequence of events that would culminate in His ride.
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. Revelation 19:20-21
Rather than being killed, they become the only two individuals in history to be cast alive directly into hell. Their role as leaders of the great opposition to God in the Tribulation results in this unique judgment.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. Revelation 20:1-3
Now that his two human accomplices, the Beast (Antichrist) and the False Prophet, have been cast into the Lake of Fire and his demonic forces are imprisoned ... Satan, himself, is captured.
And I saw thrones, and they that sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. 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. Revelation 20:4
They are not lifted back to the level from which Adam fell, but higher. They are not lifted to the level of the angels, but higher. They are lifted above all the principalities and powers.
Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10
That Scripture records Satan's going forth in deception is further confirmation of the fact that he was completely unable to do so during the time of his binding. The devil has never been 'omnipresent' as some think.
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15
It is their absence from the Book of Life that seals their fate and indicates they had no relationship with Jesus ... He never knew them.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Revelation 21:1-3
This has been the great purpose of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Since the rebellion of Adam, every Tabernacle, every Temple, every Word has been with this ultimate goal in mind: the restoration of full fellowship between God and man.
The soon-coming rapture of the church ushers in the Tribulation period.
The end of the Tribulation period ushers in the millennial reign of Christ.
Though some theologians reject the idea of this 1000-year event, a simple reading of our Biblical text leads us to conclude that it will indeed take place. It is the time between the Lord's defeat of the Antichrist and the Great White Throne judgment ... the 'Millennium'.
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