Commentary on Revelation

Chapter 20

The Binding of Satan

A Preview of Chapter 20

What is the context of this chapter? Rome has been defeated and Satan's plan to destroy the Church through Rome has failed. The Church has emerged from the conflict completely victorious and triumphant.

The main images in Chapter 20

  1. A 1000 year binding.

  2. A 1000 year reigning.

  3. A first resurrection.

  4. A 1000 year death.

  5. A little season of Satanic freedom.

  6. A host from Gog and Magog.

  7. An invasion of the holy city.

  8. A second resurrection.

  9. A second death.

  10. A judgment scene.

  11. A lake of fire.

A Summary of the events in Chapter 20

  1. Satan is bound for 1000 years.

  2. The martyrs come to life and reign with Christ for 1000 years.

  3. Those who died for Rome remain dead for 1000 years.

  4. After 1000 years, Satan is loosed for awhile.

  5. Satan calls together Gog and Magog and they attack the holy city.

  6. Fire devours the armies and Satan is cast into a lake of fire.

  7. A judgment scene ensues.

How are we to determine what these symbols and events mean?

  1. Remember the time frame of the book.

  2. Remember the context of this chapter.

  3. Look to the Old Testament to decipher the symbols.

  4. Remember how periods of time are used in this book.

  5. Be consistent in applying our rules of interpretation.

  6. Leave our preconceptions at the door.

Rev. 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.

An angel from heaven comes down with the key of the bottomless pit. From this we learn two important things. First, Satan has now been defeated since he possessed this key in Chapter 9 but has now lost it. Second, this scene is being observed from earth; that is, John sees the angel come down from heaven. The scene we are about to see is being viewed from an earthly vantage point. First, how has Satan been defeated? Does this refer to the end of the world? No. Remember the context. The first 19 chapters of this book have dealt exclusively with the conflict between Rome and the Church. Rome has now been completely destroyed. Satan's plan to destroy the Church through Rome has been completely stopped. How is this pictured? By showing Satan bound for 1000 years. What does this picture mean? That with regard to Rome Satan has been completely bound and defeated. The number 10 represents "completeness" and the number 1000 indicates "complete completeness." (Recall that 144,000 = 12 squared x 10 cubed.) represented all of God's people. Numbers are raised to powers to emphasize their meanings.) Satan's defeat with regard to Rome was a complete defeat; hence, he is pictured as being bound for 1000 years. Remember that in apocalyptic language periods of time are often used to depict a state of affairs or a condition. (Recall the significance of 3.5 (a broken seven) and the number of times it has been used in this book to denote a state of affairs that was only temporary.) The "1000 years" of this chapter represents a state of affairs and not a period of time. Here it is used to depict Satan's complete binding with regard to Rome. Later, it will be used to depict the Church's complete victory over Rome. Ps. 50:10 says God owns cattle on 1000 hills; that is, his ownership is complete. Deut. 7:9 says God keeps his covenant to 1000 generations; that is, his faithfulness is complete. Satan's defeat here is with regard to Rome. (Remember the context.) With regard to Rome he is totally and completely defeated. He can no longer deceive the nations through Rome. He will not be able to defeat the Church using Rome. After the 1000 years, Satan is loosed for a little while. What does this mean? Just as the 1000 years referred to a state of affairs and not a period of time, so does this "little while" refer to a state of affairs and not to a period of time. To what state of affairs does it refer? What is the context? Although Satan has been defeated with regard to Rome, the Church must have wondered if Satan might not attack again later and perhaps be more successful next time. God assures them in this chapter that although Satan will try again he will never be able to defeat the Church. God will continue to protect the Church in the future just as he protected it from Rome. The "little while" refers to Satan's inability to defeat the Church now or ever. Satan did the worst he could do through Rome and he failed completely. Although he will gather his strength and try again, his future attacks will be insignificant compared to what he did through Rome. Thus, they are depicted as only lasting a little while. By saying Satan will return for a little while, God is saying that Satan's future attacks are nothing to worry about. Satan had at his disposal an evil, blood thirsty kingdom that ruled the world and was not able to defeat the Church in its infancy. Why should the Church fear future attacks?

The symbol: Satan is bound for 1000 years and then released for a little while.

The meaning of the symbol: Satan, with regard to using Rome as a weapon against the Church, has been completely defeated, and, although Satan will attack the Church again with other weapons, he will never be able to defeat the Church. Satan has already done his worst and failed.

The millennial reign with Christ

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who 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.

Who are on the thrones? The Church. They were the ones "to whom judgment was committed." (Recall 6:10.) Jesus promised that those who overcame would share his rule over the nations. (Recall 2:26-27 and 3:21.) How do we reign with Christ? Stay tuned. John also sees the Christians who were killed by Rome; that is, these martyrs were killed because they had not worshipped the beast. Had these Christians been defeated? No. A clear message of this book is that death is not a defeat for a Christian. Defeat would have come if a Christian had renounced to Jesus in order to live. Their death for Christ was a victory over Rome. What happens to these martyrs? They live and reign with Christ for 1000 years. The RSV more accurately reads "they came to life" and reigned with Christ 1000 years. John sees a bodily resurrection of those who had been killed for Jesus' sake by the Romans. (Note: This resurrection includes only those who died because they refused to worship the beast. That is, it includes only those who were killed by the Romans. This is not a general resurrection.) Is this scene literal or figurative? Figurative, like everything else in the vision. To take this scene literally would require that all who were killed by Rome be resurrected shortly after the book was written. What then does the scene depict? The same thing (in a new setting) that it depicted in Ezekiel 37 where it was used once before. In Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel sees a bodily resurrection occur in the Valley of Dry Bones. In verse 11, God tells him that the bones are "the house of Israel" who had lost all of their hope. The resurrection of those bones is used to depict the restoration of their hope. (Read Ezekiel 37:11-14.) Does such an interpretation fit the context of this passage? Yes. Martyrs are raised to life to depict the restoration of hope which the Church was experiencing. In Ezekiel the symbol was used to depict a national restoration from captivity. Here the symbol is used to depict the restoration of God's people from the captivity of Rome. What happens after they come to life? They reign with Christ for 1000 years. Their restoration is complete and perfect. Their victory is just as complete as Satan's defeat.

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.

Who are the rest of the dead? Those who died in service to the beast. (We saw them in 19:21.) This group does not come to life until after the 1000 years are over. That is, they have no part in the state of affairs represented by the 1000 year reign with Christ. This group has no part in the victory of the Church and is thus pictured as not being able to share or participate in the triumph of the Church. What is the first resurrection? It refers to those who rose before the 1000 year reign. Verse 6 says that those who share in the first resurrection will reign with Christ for 1000 years. This excludes the rest of the dead who came to life after the 1000 reign. Why is it called the first resurrection? Because, later we will see a second resurrection. The first resurrection represents the vindication of the cause for which the martyrs gave their lives. Those who died are raised to show that they participate in the victory and the triumph of those who are still alive. Only Christians experience the first resurrection. In contrast, only the wicked will experience the second resurrection in verse 13. What is the second death? It is in contrast to the first death which had resulted in the two groups we saw in verses 4 and 5. The first death affected both those who were on the side of Christ and those who were on the side of the beast. The second death will only affect those who serve the beast. The second death (in verse 14) is depicted by a lake of fire and represents the utter defeat of God's enemies. Those who experience the first resurrection shall be priests and shall reign with Christ for 1000 years. Was this a status that these Christians had not previously enjoyed? No. The Church is called a royal priesthood in 1 Peter 2:9. Rev. 1:5-6 tells us that we became part of a kingdom of priests when we were freed from our sins by the blood of Christ. The "1000 years" simply depicts the perfection and completeness of a status which the martyrs enjoyed even before their death. Recall from Rom. 5:17 that we reign in life through Jesus. Note that even taken literally, this passage says nothing about the duration of Christ's reign. The saints are said to reign with Christ for 1000 years. Ahaz ruled with his father Jotham for 12 years. Does that tell us how long Jotham reigned?

The loosing of Satan

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be loosed from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan is loosed after the 1000 years are ended so that he will not detract from the figure of total victory which the 1000 year time period depicts. The "little while" (verse 3) during which Satan is loosed should be contrasted with the 1000 year reign. The Church's victory was total and complete. Satan's future victories will never be total or complete. Satan has not been loosed for 1000 years but only for a little while. What are Gog and Magog? Ezekiel talks about Gog of the land of Magog in Ez. 38:2. There, as here, they represent "anybody yet nobody in particular." To convince the Jews that under the Messiah their glory will be secure, Ezekiel uses a symbolic battle with the fictitious Gog of the land of Magog to show that they will be able to defeat any enemy with the Messiah on their side. Note the following similarities between the battle in Ezekiel 38-39 and the battle here in Chapter 20:

  1. The army is called from the four points of the compass with Gog as their leader.

  2. The defeat of Gog and his army is total and complete.

  3. Gog appears on the scene after the vindication of God's people.

  4. The size of Gog's army is huge. (It takes 7 months to bury them in Ez. 39:12.)

  5. The defeat takes place without God's people having to do anything.

The symbol (in Ezekiel and Revelation): God's people have just been vindicated from a terrible oppressor. A huge army gathers from all over the world to make war against them. God defeats that army without his people having to even lift a finger.

God's message: I have already defended and vindicated you in this present crisis and I will do so again anytime and anywhere the need arises no matter who rises against you.

The army surrounds the beloved city. What is this city? It is the new Jerusalem which we will see in 21:2. What was the old Jerusalem? The dwelling place of God's people. What then is the new Jerusalem? The new dwelling place for God's people; that is, the new Jerusalem is the Church. Satan is cast into a lake of fire to depict his utter and complete defeat. Why has he been completely defeated? Because he has just been told that no matter what he ever does he will never be able to defeat the Church. Not one of his future attacks will ever be successful. His failure with regard to Rome will be the story of his life. His defeat is total and complete not just with regard to Rome but with regard to any army he may use to battle the Church no matter how large that army is. Verses 4-10 have depicted the triumph of the Church over Rome and the assurance of their future security. Verses 11-15 will show us the other side of the coin.

The great white throne judgment

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; 15 and if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This section depicts a great judgment scene. Is it the final judgment? The time frame of the book and the context of this section indicate that it is not. The picture of God sitting in judgment is a common one and often refers to events other than the end of the world. Psalm 9:4-7 uses a judgment scene to describe God's past judgments against the enemies of his people:

For thou hast maintained my just cause; thou hast sat on the throne giving righteous judgment. Thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the wicked; thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever. The enemy have vanished in everlasting ruins; their cities thou hast rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.

Also, recall from our earlier discussion that the fourth beast in Daniel 7 refers to the Roman empire. Read in Daniel 7:9-10 what precedes the destruction of this fourth beast.

As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

Does that sound familiar? Read Rev. 20:11-15 again. Before proceeding we need to review the first part of this chapter. In verse 4, those who died because they refused to worship the beast are raised and reign with Christ for 1000 years. Verse 6 tells us that the second death will not have power over this group. Verse 5 says that the rest of the dead will come to life after the 1000 year reign - that is, they do not share in the victory and blessings of the first resurrection. The "rest of the dead" do not include any of God's people. The "second death" will have power over the "rest of the dead." What is the point? The "dead" in this chapter do not refer to all who ever died! The contrast is between those who died in service to Christ and in opposition to Rome and those who died in service to Rome and in opposition to Christ. (Read 20:4-6 again.) This is the context with regard to which we must interpret 20:11-15. Who then is judged here? The dead which are raised in verse 13. Who are they? They are the "rest of the dead" - that is, they are those who died in opposition to Christ and in the service of Rome. These verses show the contrast between those who stood with Christ and those who stood with Rome. Those who stood with Christ experience a complete and total victory symbolized by a 1000 year reign. Those who stood with Rome experience a complete and total defeat symbolized by a death in a lake of fire. Death and Hades were defeated at the cross yet are considered here with regard to Rome. (They were personified in 6:8.) Similarly, Satan was defeated at the cross but has been dealt with in this book with regard to his relationship with Rome. The second death pictured here is reserved for those who did not share in the first resurrection; that is, for those who died in service to Rome and in opposition to Christ.

Summary of the events depicted in Chapter 20

  1. Those who lived or died in service to Christ and opposition to Rome experience a total and complete victory.

  2. Those who lived or died in service to Rome and opposition to Christ experience a total and complete defeat.

  3. Satan will attack the Church in the future but will never be successful even if he able to assemble the entire world on his side.

Doesn't that fit in nicely with the first 19 chapters? Isn't that a message the initial readers of this book needed to hear? Chapters 21 and 22 conclude the book with a description of the triumphant and victorious Church. Different symbols are used to depict the Church's "newness." These chapters describe the beauty of the Church, the purity of the Church, the stability of the Church, the strength of the Church, the holiness of the Church, and the importance of the Church.