REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 20.1

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

 

Chapter Twenty

The Millennium

 

 

Outline

1. The Removal of Satan (Vv. 1-3)

2. The Reign of Christ and the Saints (v. 4)

3. The Resurrection of Saints to Life (Vv. 5-6)

4. The Return of Satan (v. 7)

5. The Revolt: The Battle of Gog and Magog (Vv. 8-10)

6. The Retributive White Throne Judgment (v. 11-12)

a.  The Recorded Sets of Books Opened (v. 12)

1. The Lamb’s Book of Life

2. The Book of Life

3. The Remaining Books

7.  The Resurrection of the Wicked to Death (Vv. 13-15)

 

Introduction

Throughout both Testaments, God promised an eternal Kingdom. But, He promised an earthly one as well. So the Millennium is the earthly part of the eternal Kingdom – The last dispensation on the Lord’s timetable.

Prophetically, everything that has occurred before Revelation 20 is Pre-Millennial. Chapter 20 events are Millennial. And, what transpires afterward merges into eternity.

 

 

1. The Removal of Satan

(Verse 1)

 

Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, having the key to the Bottomless Pit and a great chain in his hand.

 

The Angel

Grammatically and consistent with the premillennial view of the Kingdom, a natural chronology of events from the end of Chapter 19 continues by using the word then or and. So next, John sees an angel descending from Heaven holding a key and a chain. There are three suggestions as to the identity of this celestial being:

1. Some believe it is Jesus since He is holding the keys to Hell (cf. Revelation 1:18). And it would seem logical: If Satan caused Christ’s death on the cross, would it not be Jesus Who implements Satan’s punishment?

 

2. Some believe it is the archangel Michael, the great adversary of Satan (cf. Revelation 12:7; Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9) who fought and defeated him in earlier encounters.

 

3. Some believe it is another ordinary angel whom God empowered with extraordinary supernatural powers as He had implemented in previous special assignments.                                                                                       

 

The latter viewpoint is the consensus amongst Bible scholars since aggelos is translated as a messenger from God.

 

Secondly, the angel is also seen possessing three things:

1. The authority to bind Satan

2. The key to imprisoning Satan

3. The chain to bind Satan

 

The Difference between Angels and Demons

A. Angels are created immortal invisible spirit beings but sometimes materialize as corporeal bodies (cf. Genesis 18-19; Daniel 9; Hebrews 13:2).

 

B. Demons, lower than angels, on the other hand, can possess human bodies and are labeled “unclean or foul spirits” (cf. Mark 5:8-9; Luke 11:24-26). They have one nature and their purpose is to be harmful to man.

 

Primarily, demons are agents of the occult world. Even though they are invisible, God has given man authority to exorcize or have power over them if we are in obedience to Him (cf. Leviticus 19:31; Acts 19:11).  

 

An angel…having the key to the Bottomless Pit

The Key

Now, the key, originally held by Christ (1:9) was given to the fifth angel to let loose the plagues on the earth (9:1ff.). It is then passed on to Satan who was permitted to free four fallen angels bound at the Euphrates (9:14ff.). Now, authorized by God, it is seen being transferred to another angel to open the Bottomless Pit.

 

An angel…a great chain in (upon) his hand

The Great Chain

A great chain (halusis) or fetter will be used not to restrict Satan, but to make him inactive during the Millennium. Halusis is the same word used in Mark 5 on the possessed man with an unclean spirit from the Gadarenes region. There is a stark difference, however, betwixt both chains:

A. The chains in Mark’s Gospel were of the earthly realm

B. The chains in Revelation exist in the spiritual realm

 

A. The chain from man could be broken

B. The chain from God cannot be broken

 

The Bottomless Pit

Bottomless Pit comes from the Greek word abussos meaning pit, abyss, or subterranean cavern (cf. Revelation Study 9.1). Seven times in Revelation, Bottomless Pit refers to the abode of vile demons, unclean spirits, the four devilish angels, and their 200,000 horsemen (9:14-16) – A place feared by demons (cf. Luke 8:31).

 

It is a place of torment. It is not their final judgment. It is also a place where the Nephilim from the Pre-Noahic Flood Era of Genesis 6 are incarcerated until the Great White Throne Judgment (cf. Jude 6) when they are cast into the eternal Lake of Fire (cf. Isaiah 24:21-22; Revelation 20:10-15; 21:8).

 

 

(Verse 2)

 

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

 

What the angel of God does next is uniquely significant. Implementing superior strength or force, the angel laid hold of [literally, seized the dragon (drakōn or drakonta)] a huge serpent from Revelations 12 and 13 by violence. So there is no doubt left as to his personage. The dragon is identified further by his three pseudonyms:

1. That old serpent

The serpent (Hebrew nâchâsh and Greek, ophis) of old is figuratively used as a cunning snake (cf. Genesis 3:2)

 

2. The Devil

A New Testament term (diabolos) for the tempter, adversary, and deceiver of the nations (cf. 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:3)

 

3. Satan

Satanas is Christ’s opponent or adversary and the accuser of the brethren (cf. Revelation 12:10)

 

A Thousand Years

After violently seizing Satan, God’s assigned angel binds him for 1,000 years. A Thousand Years is mentioned six times in the first seven verses of Chapter 20.

Some purport, based on 2 Peter, a thousand years represents one day and there is no Millennium.

2 Peter 3:8 – But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

 

However, the verse clearly states that one day is like a thousand years as one day to the Lord. Based on the literal approach to hermeneutics, if God inspired John to write a thousand years six times, then the text means one thousand years.

 

For example: After His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and spoke to them concerning the Kingdom of God for forty days:

Acts 1:3 - To whom also He shewed himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

Hence, in both passages, they are literal days and years!

 

 

(Verse 3)

 

And cast him into the Bottomless Pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, and after that he must be loosed a little season.

 

Thus far the mighty angel whom God empowered has completed two of seven major tasks:

1. He laid hold upon Satan

2. He bound Satan for a thousand years

Now he continues his mission:

3. He cast Satan into the Abyss

4. He shut Satan up in the Abyss

5. He seals the door on Satan

And most likely, the angel will complete his mission:

6. He sets Satan free for a short time (v. 7)

7. He casts Satan into the eternal Lake of Fire (v. 10)

 

An angel…cast him (Satan) into the Bottomless Pit

When Almighty God empowers someone through the Holy Spirit, nothing or no one can withstand his force. The Greek word for cast is ballō which means to violently thrust or throw something or someone.

 

First Satan was cast out of Heaven to Earth (cf. Isaiah 14:12; Luke 10:18). Now he is being cast out of the Earth into the Bottomless Pit.

 

An angel…shut him (Satan) up

Immediately thereafter, the door to the Bottomless Pit is closed so that no one can escape. The door is closed by divine strength and is reminiscent of three other passages:

1. After Noah, his family, and the animals entered the Ark, Jehovah ensured their safety, i.e., He shut behind him the door:

Genesis 7:16 - And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

 

2. After two angels of the LORD shut Lot inside the door of his house, the men of Sodom were not able to open the door for blindness had come upon them:

Genesis 19:10-11 - But the men (i.e., two angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied (labored to the point of exhaustion) themselves to find the door.

 

3. After an Angel addressed the Church in Philadelphia, he informed them that Christ has the power and authority over the Church. Alternatively, He opened the Church door and no one on earth can open or shut the Church’s door except Him:

Revelation 3:7-8 - And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is Holy, he that is True, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.

 

The angel…set a seal upon him (Satan)

Additionally, the angel places God’s mark or seal (sphragizō) over Satan to secure and stop him from escaping. During the duration of his imprisonment, Satan’s power is restrained.

1. The stone at the lion’s den was sealed at its entrance by the king’s ring:

Daniel 6:7 - And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet (an engraved ring), and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

 

2. The sepulcher of Christ’s tomb was sealed by a Roman mark on the entrance stone:

Matthew 27:66 - So they (the Roman guards) went, and made the sepulchre (grave tomb) sure (secure), sealing the stone, and setting a watch (posting a sentry).

 

3. The twelve tribes of Israel are sealed by God in a slightly different fashion, but the principle is the same (cf. Revelation Study 7.2):

Revelation 7:3 - And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

 

That he (Satan) should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled

The Purpose of Satan’s Imprisonment

Because of pride and contrary to God’s initial plan of innocence, Satan has wreaked havoc on mankind through the element of deception by casting doubt, thus causing man to sin. After the Fall, he engaged in a constant battle to thwart salvation through Jesus Christ.

 

Satan was defeated at the Cross of Calvary. However, his present intents are to dissuade as many as possible from God’s goal into following him. The battle between good and evil has lingered throughout the dispensations.

 

Apart from Dispensationalism, being incarcerated for one thousand years allows for the seventh day of rest which likewise aligns with the seven annual prophetic Jewish Feasts:

1. The Passover (the death of Christ)

2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (the burial of Christ)

3. The Feast of First Fruits (the Resurrection of Christ)

4. The Feast of Pentecost (the coming of the Spirit)

5. The Feast of Trumpets (the Second Coming of Christ)

6. The Atonement (the Tribulation Period)

7. The Feast of Tabernacles (the Millennium Age)

(8). The Feast of Chanukah (Eternity)

 

And after that he must be loosed a little season

Following the one-thousand-year millennial reign of Christ (the Kingdom Age), Satan must be set free one last time. Then Satan will have a final opportunity to tempt millions who have been born on earth as he once did Jesus (cf. Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13).

 

Interestingly, many who have been free from the curse of sin for one thousand years will be deceived by him. Similar to Adam and Eve’s experience, their faith must be tested by God as Christians. Some will be rebellious, thus revealing the sinful nature of man. Their fate will follow as the subsequent studies unfold.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   Who is the angel having God’s authority?

2.   What is the angel’s mission?

3.   How does the angel imprison Satan?

4.   Describe the Bottomless Pit.

5.   Why is Satan imprisoned for a thousand years?

6.   Why does God permit Satan to be set free?

7.   Is the Gospel preached during the Kingdom?

 

 

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