1I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

4I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.

7And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison 8and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9They went up over the width of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. 10The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the sky fled away. There was found no place for them. 12I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. 14Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

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Biblical Dispensations

Biblical Dispensations

Chart | Rev 20:11–15 | Hershel Wayne House
DispensationOpening eventResponsibilityFailureJudgment
InnocenceCreationObey God — Gen 1:26-28; Gen 2:15-17Disobedience — Gen 3:1-6Curse and death — Gen 3:7-19
ConscienceThe fallDo good and offer blood sacrifice — Gen 3:5, 7, 22; Gen 4:4Wickedness — Gen 6:5-6, 11-12The flood — Gen 6:7, 13; Gen 7:11-14
Human governmentThe floodScatter and multiply — Gen 8:15–9:7Did not scatter — Gen 11:1-4Confusion of languages — Gen 11:5-9
PromiseTower of BabelDwell in Canaan — Gen 12:1-7Dwelt in Egypt — Gen 12:10; Gen 46:6Egyptian bondage — Exod 1:8-14
LawExodusKeep the whole law — Exod 19:3-8Broke the law — 2 Kgs 17:7-20; Matt 27:1-25Worldwide dispersion — Deut 28:63-66; Luke 21:20-24
Church ageDispersion and regathering of Israel — Ezek 36:16-19; Ezek 36:20-24Faith in Jesus; keep doctrine pure — John 1:12; Rom 8:1-4; Eph 2:8-9Impure doctrine — John 5:39-40; 2 Tim 3:1-7Apostasy and false doctrine — 2 Thess 2:3; 2 Tim 4:3
Millennial reignArmageddonObey and worship Jesus — Isa 11:3-5; Zech 14:9, 16Final rebellion — Rev 20:7-9Satan loosed and eternal judgment — Rev 20:11-15

The accompanying diagram locates the last fulfilled event at Matt 27:50-51, the rapture of the saved at 1 Thess 4:13-18, and the return of Christ in glory at Rev 19:11-16. It also shows the seven-year tribulation between the church age and the millennial reign, followed by the great white throne and eternity future.

Biblical Dispensations

Biblical Dispensations