Revelation 20

The Thousand Year Reign, 1-6

20:1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

A thousand years –

'A thousand years'

20:1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

This is the only passage where a time period of 1,000 years is mentioned.

From this passage the idea of the ‘millennium’ has entered Christian thought and speech.

1. Premillennialism

According to this view, this period takes place between Christ’s return and the creation of the New Heavens and the New Earth (described in the next chapter).

At this time:

  • Satan will be bound, Rev 20:2
  • evil will exist on the earth, but in a severely limited way, Isa 65:20; Zech 13:3; Rev 20:7–15
  • God’s kingdom is established on earth, Psa 72
  • Israel will return to her land, Gen 12:7; 15:18–21; Ezek 39:25–29; 47:13–23.  This will comprise, for the first time, all the land that God promised to Abraham, Gen 15:18-21
  • Christ will rule over Israel from Jerusalem, 2 Sam 7:12–16; Ps 89:3–4, 28–29
  • Christ will fulfil all aspects – spiritual and physical – of the new covenant with Israel, Jer 31:31–34; Ezek 36:24–38
  • Christ will, indeed, rule over the entire world, which will be unusually fruitful, in a way similar to its pre-fall condition, Isa 11:6–9; 27:6; 35:1-7; 65:20; Hos 2:21–23; Amos 9:13)
  • people will live long lives, Isa 65:20
  • believers will reign with Christ, 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 20:4, and will judge the world, Rev 20:3
  • the lion will lay down with the lamb, Isa 11:6-8
  • the tribulation saints will be raised to reign with Christ (the ‘first resurrection’, Rev 20:5f).

The millennium is, accordingly, both a spiritual and a physical reality.

At the end of this period of 1,000 year, there will be a rebellion, and God will judge the wicked, Rev 20:11.

(a) According to historic (Classical) Premillennialism, the present Church Age will conclude with a period of Tribulation, followed by the return of Christ and the ‘catching up’ (‘rapture’) of believers who will reign with him on earth for 1,000 years.  At the beginning of this period Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.  At the end of this period, Satan will be loosed from the pit and will join forces with rebellious people to battle against Christ, but they will be decisively defeated.  Then will follow the resurrection of all unbelievers who have died throughout history, and they will be judged by Christ.  After this, believers will enter into their final state.

Premillennialism was held by a number of Church Fathers, including Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian.

(b) According to Dispensational Premillenialism, Christ’s return will be pretributational.  It will, in fact, be two-fold: a secret (and largely unexpected) return to ‘catch up’ (‘rapture’) believers to be with Christ for 7 years (1 Thess 4:16f); and then a public return of Christ with his people to reign on earth in the Millennium.  Then will follow a great rebellion, the final defeat of Satan and his forces, the resurrection of unbelievers, the judgement, and the new heavens and new earth, and finally will be ushered in the final state.

During the Great Tribulation, many of the signs spoken of as preceding Christ’s return will take place.  There will be a great turning of the Jewish people as, in the midst of suffering, they trust Jesus their Messiah.

One feature of this form of Millennialism is a rather sharp distinction between the church and the Jewish people.  OT prophecies concering the Jewish people are not, according to this view, to be ‘spiritualised’ to refer to the church.

This approach relies on a somewhat literal interpretation of the present passage, especially in relation to the period of time mentioned (1,000 years).  However, adherents believe that the present text reflects many OT passages which speak of God overcoming the Serpent, his enabling of Israel to reign, and a reversal of the curse ( Isa 2:1–4; 11:1–16; Amos 9:13–14).

This literal approach sits ill with our understanding of the book of Revelation as a whole.  It is a symbolical book, and it is wrong to substitute the symbol for the reality.  Morris points out that 1000, being the cube of 10, is symbolic of completeness, and the significance would then be that Satan is bound for the full period determined by God.

2. Amillennialism

According to this view, the period of 1,000 years is interpreted metaphorically.  It is a lengthy, but indefinite (to human understanding) period of time that refers to the present interval between Christ’s first and second comings, when Satan is unable to prevent the church’s evangelisation of the nations.  We might refer to it, then, as the ‘Church age’, or the ‘Gospel age’.  This would accord quite well with v3, and with the thought that Satan was ‘bound’ at the time of our Lord’s atoning death.

During this period, Christ reigns in heaven, and his people reign with him as the submit their lives to him and win the nations for him.

Christ’s rule during this time is principally spiritual, not physical.

Just as the present passage is interpreted figuratively, rather than literally, so such an approach is also applied to the OT passages that are appealed to in support of Premillenialism.

Amillennialism avoids problems such as multiple resurrections, the presence of evil on the earth during Christ’s reign, and so on.

Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and others have all adopted this interpretation.

Amillennialism sits well with a ‘recapitulation’ reading of Revelation: Rev 20:1-6 corresponds to Rev 17-19, which describes God’s judgement of evil in the present age.

For amillennialists, the binding of Satan in v1f took place during Jesus’ earthly ministry, Mt 12:28f; Lk 10:18.  The purpose is given in v3 – ‘so that he could not deceive the nations…’.  This speaks of the universal offer of the gospel.

In summary, amillennialism presents a simple plan, whereby the present gospel age (symbolised by the Millennium of Rev 20) is concluded by a cluster of events precipitated by Christ’s return: the general resurrection, the final judgement, and the inauguration of the new heaven and the new earth.

Beasley-Murray (NBC) summarises the view of Hendriksen, who:

‘identifies the binding of Satan (Rev 20:1–3) with his ejection from heaven (Rev 12:9), the thousand years of the church’s power (Rev 20:4–6) with its time of triumphant witness (Rev 11:2–6; 12:14–15), the onset of the armies of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:7–9) with the persecution of the church by the antichrist (Rev 11:7–10; 13:7–8), the ensuing destruction of those armies (Rev 20:9) with Armageddon (Rev 19:19–21), and the last judgment (Rev 20:11–15) with the Messianic judgment (Rev 14:14–20).’

Beasley-Murray finds ‘insuperable difficulties’ with this interpretation:

‘In Rev 12:9 Satan is cast out of heaven, where he may no longer accuse the saints before God, to earth, where his war against the church intensifies, because his time is short; in Rev 20:1–3 he is taken from earth and imprisoned in the Abyss, that he may no longer corrupt humanity. The judgment of Rev 14:14–20 is aligned with the Messianic judgments of the last times, above all that which happens at Christ’s coming (Rev 19:19–21); whereas the last judgment of Rev 20:11–15 is of all generations of humankind. The conquest of the evil powers is described in the indivisible passage Rev 19:19–21:3, and that takes place at Christ’s advent in glory, which is followed by his thousand years’ reign. Add to that the impossibility of reconciling the assumption of John, shared by the prophets generally, that the Lord may come soon (Rev 1:3; 22:20) with the notion that the thousand years’ kingdom will precede his coming, one has difficulty in attributing this scheme of interpretation to him.’

Critics of this view urge that the idea of Satan being ‘bound’ at the present time seems to fit ill with Eph 6:10ff and Rev 2:13.

3. Postmillennialism

A period (not necessarily a literal 1,000 years) of spiritual and material prosperity will be inaugurated through the Church and will precede Christ’s return.

This period will generally be one of progressive gowth, as taught in parables such as the Mustard Seed (Mt 13:31f).

After this, a rebellion will occur, and then Christ will return in judgement and to create the new heaven and earth.

The Church stands in Israel’s former place as a kingdom of priests in the world (1 Pet 2:9f).  Israel’s mission, as set out in the OT, is now the Church’s mission.  The promises for Israel to bless the nations now apply to the Church.

Some postmillennialists understand the present passage to have been fulfilled in AD 70.  This is known as ‘preterism’.

According to others, Revelation presents a more figurative presentation of God’s victory.  The Millennium represents a theological idea rather than a definite epoch in history.

Postmillennialism is optimistic about the power of the gospel to improve all aspects of human life, and to usher in a ‘millennial age’ of peace and righteousness.  The experience of periodic revivals has led some to hope and pray for a great, final, revival of the work of the gospel.

Warfield suggests that these verses are about the intermediate state. Chapter 19 has depicted the church militant striving and conquering here on earth; the beginning of chapter 20 tells of the church expectant – not only waiting, but living and reigning with Christ, free from strife and safe from assault. These two – the church militant and the church expectant – constitute the church of Christ, and together pass through the great trial (latter part of chapter 20) to inherit the new heavens and new earth, chapter 21. This expresses in symbolic form what Paul says more directly when he says that, whether we wake or sleep, we shall all live together with Christ in the last great day, 1 Thess 4:15; 5:10; 1 Cor 15:39-40. (See Warfield, Selected Shorter Writings I, 348ff)

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To keep him from deceiving the nations anymore – ‘The word for ‘nations’ is, more precisely, ‘Gentiles’. Before Christ, Satan had complete dominion over the Gentile world. Every nation but Israel lay ‘in darkness and in the shadow of death’ (Psalm 107:10). Before the cross, even Christ Himself forbade the disciples to evangelise the Gentiles: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Matthew 10:6). Up to the moment of Pentecost Satan held the Gentiles enthralled. They were in moral and spiritual bondage: in total spiritual darkness.  But now all that has completely changed. Whatever the power and influence of Satan over modern civilisation, the kingdom of Christ has made great inroads into the world community. Whole continents which once lay in darkness and in the shadow of death have received the light of the gospel. It shines in Europe, in North and South America and in large areas of Africa and Asia. It influences millions upon millions of human lives; and it does so because Satan is bound and no longer holds the Gentiles in thrall. They have become the inheritance of Christ: ‘Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance’ (Psalm 2:8). That is one of the great impulses to world mission. The Gentiles belong to Christ by right.’ (Macleod, A Faith to Live By)

‘We find it so easy to possess men with a fervent zeal for the Millenary Opinion, and so hard to make them zealots in holy love to God and man, and in heavenly conversation, as may make us suspicious that both sorts of zeal have not the same original.’

Richard Baxter

20:4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection.

Those who had been given authority to judge – This implies that to some extent Christ shares the process of judging with his people.  Cf. 1 Cor 6:2f.

Grudem:

‘Although the text does not explain the identity of those seated on the thrones, the fact that they are mentioned in the plural indicates that Christ does not reserve every aspect of the process of judging for himself alone. Indeed, he tells his twelve disciples that they will “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28; compare Luke 22:30). This accords with the fact that throughout the history of redemption God has from time to time given the right to exercise judgment into the hands of human authorities, whether Moses and the elders who assisted him, the judges of Israel whom God raised up during the period of the judges, the wise kings such as David and Solomon, the civil government of many nations (see Rom. 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–14), or those who have authority to rule and govern within the church and to oversee the exercise of church discipline.’ (Systematic Theology)

I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus – For the amillennialist, this scene occurs in heaven

They came to life may simply mean ‘they lived’, in the sense of being alive ‘in Christ’ and beginning to reign with him.

This raises two issues relevant to Christian/Muslim relations: (a) the fact that in our own day some, acting in the name of Islam, are carrying out beheadings of Christians and others; (b) the concept of martydom, which continues to be debated in Muslim circles.  See this article by Ida Glaser.

The so-called ‘amillennial’ view takes the millennium to symbolise the period between Christ’s first and second comings. In Christ’s Easter-work, the powers of death and evil have met their match and Satan was bound. This view is supported by 2 Tim 1:10; Heb 2:14-15; Col 2:15 and others.

The first resurrection may refer to the soul’s going to be with Christ at death.

20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them – ‘Never let unregenerate souls expect a comfortable meeting with their bodies again. Rise they shall by God’s terrible citation, at the sound of the last trumpet, but not to the same end that the saints arise, nor by the same principle. They to whom the spirit is now a principle of sanctification, to them he will be the principle of a joyful resurrection. See then that you get gracious souls now, or never expect glorious bodies then.’ (Flavel, The Fountain of Life)

Satan’s Final Defeat, 7-10

20:7 Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 20:8 and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. 20:9 They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever – ‘The fire of hell is unquenchable, (Mk 9:43) eternal, (Mt 18:8) its punishment is the converse of eternal life. (Mt 25:46) There is no suggestion that those who enter hell ever emerge from it. However, the NT leaves the door open for the belief that while hell as a manifestation of God’s implacable wrath against sin is unending, the existence of those who suffer in it may not be. It is difficult to reconcile the ultimate fulfilment of the whole universe in Christ (Eph 1:10 Col 1:20) with the continued existence of those who reject him. Some scholars have contended that an eternal punishment is one which is eternal in its effects; in any case eternal does not necessarily mean never-ending, but implies ‘long duration extending to the writer’s mental horizon’ (J. A. Beet). On the other hand Rev 20:10 does indicate conscious, never-ending torment for the devil and his agents, albeit in a highly symbolic passage, and some would affirm that a similar end awaits human beings who ultimately refuse to repent. In any case, nothing should be allowed to detract from the seriousness of our Lord’s warnings about the terrible reality of God’s judgment in the world to come.’ (NBD)

Beale says that

‘the phrase “unto the ages of the ages” (eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn) occurs twelve other times in Revelation 19 and always refers to eternity (i.e., God’s or Christ’s eternal being, God or the saints’ eternal reign; 19:3 is a parallel to 14:11). In particular, the expression describing the eternal duration of the punishment in 20:10 appears to be balanced antithetically by the identical phrase describing the eternal duration of the saints’ reign in 22:5.’  (in Morgan, Christopher W.. Hell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment (Kindle Locations 2817-2821). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

In the same publication, Peterson discusses this expression in the context of the immortality (or otherwise) of the soul:

‘It seems clear from Revelation 20:10 as well (as will be discussed later) that Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are punished forever. Do they somehow have inherent immortality? Of course not. God will keep them in existence endlessly in order to punish them. Similarly, the wicked will be punished consciously forever in hell, not because they exist as immortal souls but because God will sustain them.’

‘Does the book of Revelation not say that in the lake of fire “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”’ (asks John Stott)? –

‘Yes, that sentence occurs, but only once (20:10), where it refers not only to the devil, but to “the beast and the false prophet,” just as the noun for “torment” had been used of “the harlot Babylon” (Rev 18:7, 10, 15), though without the addition of the words “forever and ever.” The beast, the false prophet, and the harlot, however, are not individual people but symbols of the world in its varied hostility to God. In the nature of the case they cannot experience pain. Nor can “Death and Hades,” which follow them into the lake of fire (Rev 20:13). In the vivid imagery of his vision John evidently saw the dragon, the monsters, the harlot, death, and hades being thrown into the lake of fire. But the most natural way to understand the reality behind the imagery is that ultimately all enmity and resistance to God will be destroyed. So both the language of destruction and the imagery of fire seem to point to annihilation.’  (In Christopher M. Date, Gregory G. Stump, Joshua W. Anderson. Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism (pp. 53-54). Cascade Books, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition.)

Carson disagrees with Stott.  The beast and false prophet are best thought of, he suggests, not as mere symbols that can experience no pain, but rather as recurring individuals, who can and do experience pain.  More importantly (he writes) certainly within this text there is at least one sentient being who experiences everlasting pain – the devil – and:

‘it is hard to see how the arguments deployed against the notion of eternal conscious suffering of sinful human beings would be any less cogent against the devil.’

Carson remarks that Stott omits to mention v15 –

‘If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.’

And this is the same lake of fire in which the devil (at least) suffers everlasting pain.  See also Rev 21:8.

The Great White Throne, 11-15

20:11 Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 20:13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.

There have been judgements a-plenty in Revelation, but this is the final judgement.

I saw the dead, great and small – ‘Pharaoh! You must see a greater than Moses. Herod! You must see the young Child on his throne. Judas! You hanged yourself to escape the judgement of your conscience, but by no means can you escape the judgement of your God. Though four thousand years have elapsed since men died, yet when the trumpet rings out, their bodies shall live again, and they must all come forth, each one, to answer for himself before the Judge of all the earth.’ (Spurgeon at his Best, 367)

Good news for Muslims

‘Many Muslims are struggling with satanic temptations and are trying to pacify malevolent spirits. The Good News is that all these evil powers are subject to the reign of Christ – now, as well as at the end of time. All faithful Muslims work to make sure that their record books will contain as much good and as little bad as possible when they are opened at the final judgement; but they do not know of ‘the other book’ – the Book of Life, where their names can be written because of what Jesus has done for them.’ (Ida Glaser)

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