Revelation 20
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Satan Is Bound (20:1-3)
Now the question to the Christians must be: what about the dragon that we read about in Revelation 12? Will it continue to rule? Will it raise up another beast against us? What is to become of the dragon? Chapter 20 will give us the answer. We see the dragon seized, who is the Devil, and he is bound for 1000 years. Verse 3 tells us what it means for the devil to be bound. He is restrained so that he is no longer able to deceive the nations until the thousand years are completed.
Premillennialism wants to make these 1000 years literal, taking place at the end of time. People like Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey teach Jesus will return to establish his throne on the earth in Jerusalem, establish the Old Testament sacrifice system, and set the Jews higher than the Gentiles in power in the kingdom. Does this text say anything about that? Does verses 1-10 say anything about this? Yet these are the verses used to prove this false theory. If one were to take the 1000 years literally, then one must go back and take the 144,000 literally. If one takes these 1000 years literally, then one must take the dragon and the beasts as literally rising up to destroy the earth and not representations of the devil and the Roman Empire. We must remember that the angel put Revelation in symbols and we cannot take these images literally unless the text demands such an interpretation. This text makes no demands to be understood literally. The 1000 years then symbolize a long period of time in contrast to the short time mentioned in verse 3. The number 1000 is a power of 10, which is a symbol of fullness and power. Thus Satan is restrained for a full period of time.
This passage does not say that Satan’s work has stopped. Satan is restrained in deceiving the nations. This seems to be making the point that Satan is not going operate in a world empire like he did in the Roman Empire. When we look back in history we see that this is the case. Name the world empire that controlled the whole world after the Roman Empire? There was not one, nor has there been an empire that had control over the whole known world. While powerful nations have had great influence and might, no empire has arisen that controlled the world to evil like the Roman Empire. Satan has been limited in his power. He has not been able to deceive as he did in the Roman Empire. Under the Roman empire, the emperors were considered to be gods who should be worship. That deception is now restrained. As Daniel saw in Daniel 2:44, the world empires have been crushed by the kingdom of God.
Saints Reign With Christ (20:4-6)
Now we see the souls of those who had not worshipped the beast but had been killed for the sake of the testimony of Jesus and God’s word. These come to life and reign with the Messiah for 1000 years. But the rest of the dead, those who had worshipped the beast, did not come to life until the end of the one thousand years. This is called the first resurrection. This is a simple image of triumph for the people who have gone through this ordeal. Those who have died for the cause of Christ are not left out or left behind, but are reigning with Christ. We are not reading about all people who die. We are looking at those who have died by the hands of the Roman empire because they would not worship pagan idols nor the emperor.
This is called the first resurrection. This causes many people trouble, but it should not. The difficulty arises because we do not know Old Testament prophecy. In Isaiah 26:19 as well as Ezekiel 37:1-14 we see references to resurrections. In particular notice Ezekiel 37:12-14, “Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. “I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’”
Ezekiel describes the resurrection of God’s people. Is it speaking of the those who had died in the destruction of Jerusalem literally coming alive again? No, that is not the picture at all. It is an Old Testament picture of the saints triumphing over the world nations. They are the victorious saints who have overcame. Yes, they died, but they are alive and are not lost. They share in the victory and are not permanently dead. Because of this, they will not experience the second death, which is referred to in Revelation 20:14-15, a spiritual death.
Now before we can go on, we need to determine when the 1000 year reign takes place. It is obviously not a future event because those who were killed by the Roman empire were reigning with Christ in the first century. This forces us to understand the one thousand year reign to have been going on in the first century for these who have died to reign with Christ. Other New Testament scripture confirms this teaching. Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 to see this truth. Verse 25 tells us the Christ “must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” Here we see that Christ began to reign when he raised from the dead. He will continue to reign until the end (1 Corinthians 15:24). Ephesians 1:20-23 also teaches that Christ began his reign at his resurrection and continues to reign now.
Ephesians 1:20-23 says, “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” We have already stated that the 1000 years is not a literal time frame but signifies the fullness and power of the time. Thus, Christ will reign for a full amount of time, and the Christians who died for the Lord during this persecution are not gone, but reign with Christ. Christ began his reign when he raised from the dead and will continue his to reign until all enemies are under his feet. Since death still exists, Christ is still ruling on the throne, subjecting all things to himself.
Satan Loosed and Defeated (20:7-10)
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison. Back in 20:3, we saw that the time of his being released is only a short time. How short? We are not told. During this time, Satan will go out and do the very thing that he was restrained from doing for the 1000 years: deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.
Now much has been made about Gog and Magog. Premillennialists suggest that Gog is the country of Russia that Satan will use for a final war. But instead of making up fanciful theories and stories, let us allow the scriptures to interpret for us. The scene of Gog and Magog is found only in Ezekiel 38-39. Notice closely Ezekiel 38:17, “‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?”
Gog and Magog have been prophesied of in former days by God’s servants the prophets. Yet we only read of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20. Therefore Gog and Magog represent the heathen enemies against God’s people. These are the nations of the world that fight against God’s people. This is exactly how Revelation defines Gog and Magog. Notice Revelation 20:8 says that the nations at the four corners of the earth are Gog and Magog. The devil is going to exert his power over the nations of the world again to gather for battle. The devil will have the power to deceive the nations again, and just as he deceived those of the Roman Empire. The power to persecute through world nations may be what is indicated. Remember in Revelation 12:17 we see the dragon waging war with the saints of God. This power that the devil used through the empire is restrained. But just as the devil is about to do his work again, God destroys the work that Satan is about to do and casts him into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were cast. Matthew 25:41 says, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Once again, Christ is victorious. The dragon will also meet the same destruction. Satan will not overcome and cannot be victorious. His doom is sealed. This completes the imagery. None of the evil forces that were at work against the people of God in the first century will stand. The power of Rome is destroyed. The power of the Roman empire is destroyed. The power of the false religions are destroyed. Finally, the power of Satan himself will be destroyed in the very end. Victory is given to the saints of God. Do not yield to the dragon.
Great White Throne (20:11-15)
In verse 10 we read that Satan is cast into the lake of fire. Therefore, we must be looking at final judgment, for we know that right now Satan is roaming the earth like a lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). John sees heaven and earth flee from His presence because there is no place for them and there is no need for them. We have come to the final judgment. There is no place for these things in the end. In this passage, heaven is not referring to the dwelling place of God, but the sky, atmosphere, and universe. These things have served their purpose and are no longer needed. These images coincide with the rest of the scriptures. Hebrews 1:10-12 says, “And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.” Also 2 Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” Thus we see that the heavens and the earth will not last forever, but will pass away.
The Book of Life
We see all the dead, both small and great, standing before the throne and the books were opened. This seems to tie back to Revelation 20:5 where the rest of the dead of the past who were not killed for the word of God did not come back to life until the end of the thousand years. Here they are alive and are brought before judgment. It is also interesting to notice that we have multiple books being opened. Then John sees one other book opened, and this is the important book, the book of life. The dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books.
The symbol is fairly clear. We will be judged by all of our works and, as we will see, we want our works written in the book of life and not in the other books. The book of life has been seen a couple of times previously in the scriptures. Revelation 3:5 says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Also Revelation 13:8 says, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Paul said in Philippians 4:3, “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.” Clearly we want to have our names and our works written in the book of life.
The rest of mankind is judged. The sea gives up its dead, death and Hades gave up its dead and all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is where we have previously seen the harlot, beast, false prophet, and Satan cast. Now death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire. So we are most certainly at the end of time, where there is no more death, no more grave, and no more Hades which the resting place of the dead. But notice who else is cast into the lake of fire: anyone not found written in the book of life. Who would want to be with all of these evil things that have been already cast into the lake of fire? The text tells us that the lake of fire represents the second death. The first death is physical death. But the second death is the one to be feared, which is the separation from the Lord and torment day and night forever and ever (20:10).
