Introduction

Greetings, brothers and sisters. Today, we continue our systematic exposition of Revelation, Chapter 20. Our theme is: "The Final Destiny of Satan, the Beast, the False Prophet, and Every Individual." Make no mistake—the word "destiny" is of absolute, critical importance to your life.

If a person simply drifts along with prevailing trends, he will eventually reach a point where he asks himself, "How on earth did I end up here?" The hard reality is that you walked there by your own choices. This is precisely why Scripture warns us time and again: you must keep your ultimate outcome firmly in mind.

Keep the Final Outcome in Mind

The trouble with many people is that they make choices without the slightest regard for where those choices lead. They insist on defining good and evil by their own subjective standards. There is no greater foolishness than living in ignorance of your ultimate destination. Do not complain about a miserable existence if your own daily course leads straight to ruin. How could the outcome be anything else?

A human life lasts seventy or eighty years at best. Many naively assume that once these decades are over, that is the end of the story, and no further accountability exists. Wishful thinking! God laid down the long-term reality in Scripture long ago. The Apostle John was given a vision of this final outcome. Whether you believe it or not, time will prove it true.

If you are a Buddhist, you accept a Buddhist outcome. As Christians, we stake our lives on the definitive resolution recorded in the Book of Revelation. We must fix our minds on this reality. This resolution details two entirely different fates: on one hand, Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and those whose names are missing from the Book of Life; on the other, those who laid down their lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

Let us look at immediate, cold logic rather than distant theories. A brother recently shared a popular saying with me: "Persistence does not guarantee success, but lying flat guarantees immediate comfort!" The critical question is: how long can that comfort last? One thing is absolute—passive comfort is not a final destination.

As a pastor, I take the future very seriously. What is the trajectory of a person’s life? What happens to someone who pampers the flesh and lives in constant judgment of good and evil? In all likelihood, he faces severe illness, such as cancer, in the near future. Look at the hard statistics today. A biological scientist noted that one-third of the population now dies of cancer, and it is a brutal, agonizing way to go.

I recently saw a video recorded by a terminal cancer patient at home shortly before his death. He was writhing in excruciating pain. Someone had edited the video with medical animations showing cancer cells devouring the bone.

People who contract such diseases rarely realize that their prior lifestyle and mental posture brought it upon them. Cancer is not caused merely by hard work or environmental pollution. While external factors play a role, the deadliest pollutant is the human mind—toxic, stubborn, and self-destructive thoughts.

I have a deep frustration that remains unresolved: watching people rush headlong into self-destruction and ruin, yet you cannot intervene without giving offense. If you tell them, "Do not take that path," they refuse to listen and accuse you of bias or condescension.

This stems entirely from a difference in perspective and altitude. Where you stand dictates what you see. Setting eternal life aside for a moment, temporal life operates on the exact same law: the direction you walk determines precisely where you land.

I used to assume that graduates from elite institutions, such as Beihang University, were naturally driven and ambitious. Reality proved otherwise. Recently, I met an alumna who is only 30 years old—in the absolute prime of her career. Yet she told me she had adopted a passive mindset: "Working hard is useless. I just do the bare minimum, collect my daily paycheck, and wait to be retrenched. Doing more or doing less makes no difference." Is that sound logic?

Brothers and sisters, looking at a problem from the bottom is entirely different from viewing it from the top. If you run an enterprise, you know how exceptionally difficult it is to recruit true talent. When I served as a senior executive, I had to push human resources to set competitive salaries, yet finding competent staff was an uphill battle. We screened hundreds of resumes and interviewed numerous candidates, only to find very few who were fit for the job.

We are recruiting again recently, and we see many retrenched individuals in their 40s from major corporations—real estate giants, banks, and the like. The interview results are disheartening; they lack fundamental competence. If a young person adopts a useless, passive posture at age 30, it takes no great intelligence to predict the miserable state she will be in by age 50.

You may think lying flat is easy now, but what will you do when reality catches up with you? The world will always suffer a shortage of genuine talent. In this age of aggressive Artificial Intelligence, the coming years will unveil a brutal social reality: the competent will become increasingly powerful, while the incompetent will be thoroughly marginalized. Society will sort people out ruthlessly. The incompetent will not be talent; they will be dead weight.

Therefore, every individual must ponder his end. Thank God, even in my youth, I cared deeply about my long-term outcomes. I consistently set clear objectives for my next role, preparing myself well in advance rather than waiting for opportunities to pass me by. Even with preparation, stepping up to a higher level meant a grueling, painful period of adjustment for the first year or two.

The problem with many people is that their minds are filled with clutter. They care only about present gratification, completely blind to future consequences. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. What are you feeding your mind with? Are you attempting to sustain your life on the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

I sometimes joke that I have become the target of people's offense. I shepherd with the heart of a parent, yet my warnings become an offense to them. This happens because people misjudge their outcomes. My assessment is clear: if you continue down this path, your final stop is disaster. But you tell yourself, "Is that so? Unlikely. Is it really that serious?" Once your assessment of the end is flawed, you are in grave danger.

Consider online loans. To this day, some believers are still struggling to pay off debts incurred during their university days. Did you not know that borrowed money must be repaid? Borrowing felt good at the moment, but the reckoning is inescapable. I grapple with this constantly: if I speak the blunt truth, they resent me; if I stay silent, my conscience convicts me.

Let us elevate our vision further. When a person is ultimately cast into the lake of burning sulfur, who can he blame? My heart breaks because people operate on flawed judgments. God sits upon His throne, watching humanity sprint toward death and eternal fire. That is why He moved John to write Revelation—to state unequivocally: this is the end of that path; is this what you truly want? If you walk in that direction, that outcome is guaranteed.

The most critical task in this life is to keep your final destination in mind. If you do not want such an end, why are you still walking toward it today? Why do you constantly demand validation and respect from others? I have no issue being regarded as nothing by the world—I can take the hit.

If you refuse to pay the price for your future, yet demand immediate comfort and respect, you are driving straight into misery. Mark God’s words: every single one of them will be fulfilled.

Consider what it means to be cast into the lake of fire—unable to die, enduring relentless torment day and night. That agony will be infinitely worse than terminal cancer. Can you not bring yourself to take your future seriously? Ignoring your final outcome is sheer folly. It is no different from running red lights every single day—sooner or later, a fatal crash is a mathematical certainty.

The Final Destiny of Satan, the Beast, and the False Prophet

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (Revelation 20:1-3)

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They 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. And 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)

God created the angels, some of whom fell and became demons. Do not imagine for a moment that they have escaped justice. Their judgment is merely deferred. Satan, fallen angels, the beast, and the false prophet once exercised immense power on earth. They enjoyed their moment of glory, but what use was it in the end?

Look at human history and worldly affairs. A politician may serve as mayor and enjoy a season of brilliance, only to end up ruined, disgraced, and forgotten. Even if human institutions fail to hold you accountable, spiritual laws will exact full payment.

Satan, the beast, and the false prophet all had prominent histories, but past glory cannot alter their ultimate destination: eternal torment in the lake of fire. In plain language, Satan is the ultimate fool. To exchange divine wisdom for the mind of a beast is the height of stupidity.

Satan works tirelessly, convincing himself after every scheme: "Look how brilliant I am!" That is precisely how human beings become foolish. They convince themselves that their decisions are supreme, wise, and flawless. They think highly of their own intellects, but their choices lead straight to destruction. That is the definition of a fool.

"Satan" was once an archangel in heaven, sitting in the top tier. Yet he thought a flick of his tail could overthrow God's throne. What happened? He turned himself into a complete fool. Satan, the beast, and the false prophet—all cast into the lake of burning sulfur! The path a person takes in life requires immense wisdom. We must know our proper place and respect the reality of things!

There is only one secret to becoming smart. I tell people this constantly, though they do not always appreciate my advice. Ask yourself: "Is what I am doing correct?" Think carefully about your objective. If your destination is in the east, you cannot head west, nor can you go south! Some say, "Can't I travel around the globe from the east of Singapore just to reach the west?" Sure you can, but you will exhaust yourself to death in the process.

So we must know where we are going, how to get there, and what our underlying logic is. Are we doing the right thing? Some people ignore Satan, the beast, and the false prophet, saying, "I'll just do it my way and see what happens when the time comes." How many people live by "we'll see"? Ten years ago, twenty years ago, they said "we'll see." What can you say now?

Let me tell you clearly: the final outcome matters. Do you still want to walk toward the lake of sulfur? Some are spiritually weak. They cannot keep up in prayer, cannot drive out demons, but are easily driven out by demons instead. Where can such people go? Brothers and sisters, we must understand the final outcome. That lake of sulfur is nothing less than a massive, brutal "chemotherapy" or "radiotherapy."

Blessed Are Those in the First Resurrection

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:5-6)

Where are you heading in this life? If a person bears witness for Jesus Christ, what kind of faith must be in his heart? Some cannot even see three to five years into the future. How can they possibly discern thirty to fifty years, or three to five thousand years? They are completely blind to it!

To see clearly, you must look far enough. To look far enough, you must stand high enough. When you stand high, you gain a crystal-clear understanding of God's truth and firsthand experience of His power. How could you possibly remain confused?

If a person lacks spiritual comprehension, it is a terrible attitude to simply dismiss it with, "I am just slow-witted, that's just how I am." You can make all the excuses you want, but what kind of future awaits you? Let me tell you: a person with no faith in God has no future! Fake faith, fake honor, and fake self-esteem are entirely useless. They carry no future.

If you truly have faith in God, you wouldn't talk like that. You would say, "God takes pleasure in such people, so I will do it!" When facing obstacles, build roads through mountains and bridges over waters. Overcome what needs to be overcome; trample what needs to be trampled underfoot. Because in the future, you are to reign with Christ for a thousand years.

Why did some refuse to worship the beast or its image? Because they had truth in their hearts. If your grasp of God's truth is half-baked and hazy, how can you make the right choice when faced with a matter of life and death?

Brothers and sisters, simply listening to me preach here is of limited use. You must read the Bible properly and internalize it with deep understanding! Do not embark on the path of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. Do not fool yourselves into delusion. How can you have a future if you do that?

Those in the first resurrection are all overcomers. If God gave you a mind like Peter's and presents you with an opportunity for martyrdom, it depends on whether you have the discipline and destiny to grasp it. We are to be priests of God and Christ, reigning with Him for a thousand years. Didn't Jesus speak plainly enough? He wants you to manage one city, or five cities.

Are we actively disciplining and practicing our faith today? If you genuinely trust in God, what difficulty can stand against you? Many issues are not technical problems; they stem from a twisted attitude that manufactures endless excuses.

I have said this repeatedly: your hardware—your brain—is perfectly fine. But it has been infected with a virus. What can you accomplish on your own? Through Jesus Christ, we must eliminate the twisted elements within us piece by piece, and put God's word into hard practice. The most crucial task is exercising faith! A person of faith naturally develops an overcoming character. Without faith, how can you serve others?

Therefore, blessed are those in the first resurrection who did not receive the mark of the beast on their foreheads or hands. Some will live into the era ruled by the Antichrist, where they must choose between death and the mark. That will be a brutal choice. If you lack a clear vision of the ultimate end, you will rationalize: "I'll just take the mark; God understands me," or complain, "Why is it so hard? God, why did you create this?" Questioning it then will be completely useless.

Those Whose Names Are Not Written in the Book of Life Are Thrown into the Lake of Fire

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And 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. (Revelation 20:11-12)

The 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 they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15)

At that moment, people will be utterly bewildered: "How did I end up thrown into the lake of fire? I want to appeal!" Appeal to whom? Your name was not written in the Book of Life! Do you know what kind of people actually get recorded in that Book of Life?

Consider Joseph. He was sold into Egypt as a slave, yet he held no resentment or judgment against his brothers. Look at us. Even when seeking someone's good, we fall into judgment and bitterness. Where is our actual standard? Have you ever truly cared about how a name gets recorded in the Book of Life? Some care only about immediate, petty interests, assuming the lake of sulfur is too far off to matter.

A few days ago, I met a man with high academic achievements who was deeply hostile toward Christianity. He said, "If not believing in Jesus means going to hell, then I will go to hell." Well, it is very easy for him to go to hell. A tiny, insignificant human being—do you really think you can arm-wrestle with God?

The sea will surrender its dead, and Death and Hades will yield theirs. After judgment, they are cast into the lake of fire. From creation to the lake of sulfur, one full cycle concludes. Whether God runs a second cycle, we do not know. If He does, we cannot stop Him. Nor do we know if cycles existed before us.

If we have the opportunity to stand before God and say, "Ah, I understand now—the goal is to overcome." If you are an overcomer, isn't that excellent? If you fail to overcome, even if you fabricate ten thousand excuses, where are you going to lodge your appeal?

Salvation versus overcoming—whether mere "salvation" without overcoming is possible, I do not know. But I know for certain that an overcomer is definitely saved. So why settle for merely seeking salvation instead of striving to overcome? Overcoming requires hard toil, but I am willing! Because my destination is not the lake of sulfur; my goal is to be blessed in the first resurrection.

Yet people hold overly flattering views of themselves. Is this not sheer foolishness? What is the point of manufacturing a fake sense of existence through self-delusion? Whether you like hearing this or not, God's word will be fulfilled. My words may not come to pass, but God's word certainly will! If even those with positive self-assessments must strive relentlessly, how much more must you strive if your condition is demonstrably poor?

Once a person loses their superficial sense of self-importance, they become utterly lost. I am telling you this not as my own invention—read carefully what old John wrote. Whether you fully grasp it or not, remember this: the final destination of Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and every single individual is a matter of gravity!

Spending seventy or eighty years on this earth passes quickly. But will you achieve an eternal weight of glory, or an eternal weight of the fire lake? A person must have a reverent fear of God! Without fear, people wander blindly according to their feelings. Whether I like something is irrelevant; whether God approves—that is the decisive question!

In this sermon on Revelation Chapter 20, we look at the final outcomes of Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and all people. Those in the first resurrection are blessed; those in the second face the lake of sulfur. If you cannot feel the sheer weight of this reality, go examine it for yourself.

While alive, your existence is merely a brief demo. Through these seventy or eighty years, you see that the suffering people endure is entirely of their own sowing. A man reaps what he sows!

This Bible study topic is heavy, but it is absolute reality. What the Scriptures declare will be fulfilled precisely! You must move forward toward your set objective and know exactly where you are heading. We will end our sharing here. May God bless you all!

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