This chapter highlights the time after the fall of the Roman empire, Babylon the Great. At the conversion of Constantine, the spiritual power of Rome would have been broken, and we see in Foxxe’s book of martyrs a thousand years with no recorded martyrs. Three events are in view here: the thousand years of the church growing and filling the Earth, the deception of satan after his release from the abyss, and, at some undisclosed time after that, the second coming, which must be at least seven years after the Gog Magog war, according to Ezekiel 38-39, but could be much longer. This is 1500-2000 years after the time of John, and only the couple most important points are located on this time-line. Whereas, the past 7 chapters cover approximately three centuries, this one chapter now flashes forward in time, until the end of the present creation at Christ’s second coming.
Many of the scriptures commonly related to the Millennium, therefore, could very well apply in the time period between the Gog Magog war and the second coming, as all this chapter does is relate the sequence of these events, and not their timing.
Revelation 20:1-3
(1) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, (2) holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (3) And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and (4) bound him for a thousand years; and (5) he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; (6) after these things he must be released for a short time.
- Not the same angel as before. That one was a star fallen from heaven. This one is from heaven.
- He holds the key and a chain.
- The serpent, the devil, is both bound by the chain, and imprisoned. Additionally, the chain is singular, and the dragon is singular. There is no evidence here that all demons are bound with the devil, only himself. All other opinions are speculative.
- The duration of his imprisonment. This is mentioned a few times in this chapter. This is also the only chapter that specifically mentions the “millennium”. This thousand years is seen fulfilled through the “Middle Ages”, during which, Foxxe’s book of Martyrs, in the abridged version, records no martyrs in the church for a space of 1000 years. The ring-leader himself, not those underneath him, are imprisoned, and there is no coordinating force to unify them.
- For 1000 years previously, or just under, there was a one-world, beast-government. Now, at the fall of Rome, there will be no “civilization” (beast) ruling over the affairs of men. If God didn’t want Israel to have a King, He certainly didn’t intend for a “tower of Babel” like Rome to dominate them, influence them, and pollute the Earth with its fornications.
- No indication is given as why he must be released, although history seems to indicate the church left its reliance upon faith and the Spirit, and turned to political, economic, and fleshly means, which sparked the Reformation in the 1500s.
Revelation 20:4-6
(1) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. (2) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and (3) they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (4) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. (5) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, (6) but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
- Thrones are seen, which indicates the activity of dominion.
- Next, those who are specifically beheaded. Additionally, they are the ones who did not receive the mark, that is, they overcame the Roman occupation.
- Who exactly came to life is contested. It could simply be those from the time of the Romans. The futurist wants this to be all the righteous, although that, too, is speculation. Obviously, in my understanding, this would be fulfilled. Indeed, this may have been some of the understanding, right or not, of naming churches after saints. This would have been fulfilled at the fall of Rome, then, meaning, the first Resurrection is past.
- The rest, meaning, those not resurrected. If all the righteous were resurrected, this would only be the damned. If only those in Rome, that would fit better, because it is everyone since that time.
- The idea of multiple resurrections is not developed much in scripture, other than here and in Hebrews 6:1-2.
- They are priests and they reign. But, these are resurrected saints, and they have resurrected bodies like Jesus did when He appeared in the upper room. There is no notion of them reigning directly, or even visibly, upon the Earth, but in the heavens, where Christ sits and reigns. 1 Corinthians 15:23-25 clearly says that Christ must remain upon the throne until all enemies are subdued, and then He will turn the Kingdom over to the Father. This means that if they reign with Christ, they will most likely rule where He is ruling, which is in the heavens. Indeed, we should not expect to see such on the Earth, except as the Lord might decide.
Revelation 20:7-10
(1) When the thousand years are completed, (2) Satan (3) will be released from his prison, and (4) will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, (5) Gog and Magog, (6)to gather them together for the war; (7) the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (8) And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and (9) surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and (10) fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
- This is the end of the Millennium. Now, whatever a “short time” is, is what remains for the devil. This is the period I believe we are in now. Now, approximately a few centuries. Still, relatively short compared to other periods. The reason for the couple centuries is because that is what it historically takes to bring up that much deception to deceive the nations. These plans are a few centuries old at least. The modern human mind does not think in these terms, most often, and that is exactly what the dragon counts on. When we see only 20 to 30 years, we are blind to the systems coming into place, both in our generation and longer term. Even taking note of the locust invasions of Joel, that the varying invasions were 10 years apart takes some adjustment for modern society that expects all prophetic fulfillment within two months, say, of the utterance.
- That is, the dragon.
- Why he is released is speculative, but most probably because of the compromise in the church. Maybe other reasons as well.
- This is what his incarceration was to stop, and he goes back at it.
- Gog and Magog are usually understood to be southern Russia.
- War is the intent. Deception is the method. The enemy seeks only to kill, steal, and destroy. This time, however, his fate is sealed.
- Uncountable, more or less.
- Which “broad plain” this is is not entirely clear. This is probably simply simply an expression, but perhaps not as well.
- The target, though, is Jerusalem and the church. This is exactly where the hostility of the nations is aimed, ever since the Renaissance. Even modern culture that has influence the church has left many apologetic about the church and it’s past. People end up apologizing, rather than advancing, retreating instead of gaining ground. This is the deception. There are wheat and there are tares. The true church has always gained ground and stood for Christ, whereas the false, the non-believing, hypocrites are those who may have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. These are not the true church, and they are not Christ’s. There is no apology needed, simply endurance and faithfulness, and a brighter light. If you shine bright enough, you will know who the liars are (John 6:70).
Revelation 20:11-15
(1) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, (2) from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. (3) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; (4) and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (5) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. (6) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (7) This is the second death, the lake of fire. (8) And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- This is the second coming of Christ, on His throne of glory, with the glory of the Father and His Holy angels. This is an undisclosed time after the Gog Magog war, but at least seven years, because Ezekiel 38-39 say they will use the weapons for fuel for that long. It is undisclosed, but following after the Gog Magog some time. Jesus made it clear that the day or hour was unknown, so for this period of time, unknown, most likely are many of the non-eternal state prophecies that were wrongly attributed to the Millennium, which is past.
- Peter says the elements will be melted with fervent heat. The whole universe will be destroyed with fire in this way at the brilliance of His coming.
- This is the resurrection.
- The book of life, which is the record of salvation. The “Lamb’s book of life”, in whose name are all those who have believed upon Jesus.
- All the dead are brought to judgment and rewarded to their deeds. The righteous are righteous only by Christ, yet those works done by the Spirit, in obedience to Christ, constitute our reward. We have varying degrees of reward, based on our submission to the Spirit, and yieldedness to His hand. In this way, some are “great” or “greatest” in the Kingdom, and others are “least”, as described in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, faith, hope, and love, are all that remain. These are not what are rewarded, they are the reward themselves, for they are eternal. These are who God is. Blessed is the man who learns to love, and that perfectly. For the damned, every work is corrupt, and they receive the fruit of their corruption.
- Death and the grave, hades, are spiritual realities. These are defeated, and thrown into the fire. Death was the last enemy to be defeated, so it must have been defeated prior, but is now destroyed in the lake of fire.
- The second death is the lake of fire. Referred to elsewhere in Revelation.
- All who are not recorded because of their belief in Christ are damned. Mark 16:16.