Now we will look in more detail
at the passage itself, which is best divided into two parts. To begin, we have
verses 1-3, which describe the binding of Satan. Then we have verses 4-6, which
describe the thousand-year reign of Christians with Christ.
2. A Closer Look At Revelation 20:1-6 Itself.
We will start by focusing on
verses 1-3.
Revelation 20:1-3:
Then I saw an angel coming down from
heaven, holding in his hand the key to 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, so that he might
not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After
that he must be released for a little while.
There are several things we can
say about these verses.
Satan is
bound for 1,000 years. What is the purpose? “So that he might not deceive the
nations any longer.” This binding is reminiscent of other texts in which we
learn Satan is defeated and contained in Jesus’ victory over him through the
cross and resurrection (Mt. 12:26-29; Rev. 12:7-9). It also coincides with a
greater coming to Jesus by the nations, as prophesied in the Old Testament
(Isaiah 59:19-62:12). This binding of Satan is best taken as the ending of the
times of ignorance (Acts 17:30), that time when the nations were, for the most
part, lost—during the years of God’s working primarily through Israel. Since once Satan is released, he will gather
the enemies of Christ to band together to attack the church (7-9), “We conclude,
then, that the binding of Satan during the gospel age means that, first, he
cannot prevent the spread of the gospel, and second, he cannot gather all the
enemies of Christ together to attack the church.”[1]
Since
Revelation is full of symbolic numbers, it would be consistent that the 1,000
years is a symbolic reference. “Since the number ten signifies completeness,
and since a thousand is ten to the third power, we may think of the expression
‘a thousand years’ as standing for a complete period, a very long period of indeterminate
length”[2]
which would occur between the first and second comings of Christ in light of
the structure of Revelation.
“Since the
‘lake of fire’ mentioned in verses 10, 14, and 15 obviously stands for the
place of final punishment, the ‘bottomless pit’ or ‘abyss’ mentioned in verses
1 and 3 must not be the place of final punishment. The latter term should
rather be thought of as a figurative description of the way in which Satan’s
activities will be curbed during the thousand-year period.”[3]
That this
binding is real, but that the words in the text which depict it are symbolic
and not literal are seen in the fact that a non-corporeal being is being bound
with chains. How does that take place
literally? It does not.
So, what is Revelation 20:1-3 talking about? It addresses a greater working of God among
the nations, through the Church, so that people from all over the world will
come to know Christ and take their place among the Church. Though Satan still works
and brings much damage (cf. Eph. 6:10-13; 1 Peter 5:8; Rev. 6:1-8; 12:1-6, 10),
nevertheless God also is currently bringing about a great work and a great
harvest at one and the same time that many trials and much persecution are
taking place.
Revelation 20:4-6:
These verses read:
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them
were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls
of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of
God, and those 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 for a thousand years. 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 the
one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no
power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with
him for a thousand years.
There are several points I want
to make about these three verses that should help us understand them better.
The thousand year period of
verses 4-6 should be seen as the same period verses 1-3 addressed. We have
already seen that period extends from the first to the second comings of Jesus
Christ and so, just like there, the reference to a thousand years is
figurative, rather than literal.
Justice, especially for those
martyred, is an important theme in Revelation (cf. 6:9-11). It is significant,
then, that these saints are pictured seated on thrones and given authority to
judge in some manner (Mt. 19:28 shows that reigning and judging go together).
These three verses picture Christians who have died (martyrs probably stand for
all Christians who have died as is the case earlier in the book (6:9-11). We
must note that these saints are in heaven. After all, the word “throne” is used
47 times in Revelation and all but three (2:13; 13:2; 16:10) appear to be in
heaven. There is little doubt, then, that this reigning is taking place in
heaven and not on earth. It might even be said that verses 1-3 picture what
takes place on earth from the first to second comings of Christ and verses 4-6
picture what takes place in heaven.
It needs to be noted that this
text says nothing about Christ or saints reigning on earth (what would be
necessary for it to reference a 1,000 reign of Christ and saints on earth).
That concept needs to be brought into the text by implication. If, however, as
we are suggesting, the better explanation for this entire passage is what the amillennialist
puts forth, then there is no need to bring in that concept of an earthly reign.
Even though the words, “they came
to life” (v. 4) can refer to a physical resurrection (See Mt. 9:18; Rm. 14:9; 2
Cor. 3:14; Rev. 2:8 where the same verb is used for physical resurrection) and
certainly the words in v. 5, “this is the first resurrection,” let us know that
this coming to life is a kind of resurrection, we are led away from seeing it
as the future bodily resurrection of saints since that appears to be covered
later on in verses 11-13.[4]
What we have here involves those in Jesus Christ passing from this life to even
greater life in heaven. It is so much
greater, even though it still does not involve the future bodily resurrection,
that there is no way to describe it other than this—it is as if they are coming
to life; they are being raised! Those who have true life are coming to know
even greater and fuller life.
Most likely the words “first” and
“second” (Rev. 20:5, 6, 14; 21:1) are not intended merely as ordinal numbers.
Rather they describe what has to do with this present age (“first”) and the
eternal age to come (“second”). What we learn, then, in the larger context is
that those who have been given new life in this age and experienced that first
resurrection will not undergo the second death. Rather, they will experience
the new heaven and new earth (which is equal to the second heaven and
earth—that of the new age). Additionally, those who have not experienced the
first resurrection will experience the second death (which is equal to the lake
of fire) and will not experience the second or new heaven and earth.
In verse 5, John’s clause, “the
rest of the dead did not come to life unto the thousand years were ended,” is
parenthetical. So, the subsequent clause, “this is the first resurrection,”
refers back to the end of verse 4, before John offers the parenthesis. This
parenthetical statement in v. 5 appears primarily to be stressing that those
apart from Christ do not experience the greater life during this age. And, the
only “greater” life they will have is that of being resurrected to face
judgment and eternal conscious punishments (cf. vv. 11-15).
Finally, in verse 6, the fact
that these “raised” believers who are reigning with Christ are “priests of God
and of Christ,” suggests that the picture here is parallel to Rev. 5:9-10, a
vision of heaven that takes place during this inter-advent age.
So, in all aspects of Revelation 20:1-6 (the explanation of
the six verses, as well as structure and context) we conclude that the best
explanation is that offered by Amillennialists (or Realized Millennialists).
What is left to do is to outline what is significant about
properly understanding this text. In other words, what are some points of
application that arise from this passage?
3. Some Points Of
Application That Arise From This Passage.
To start, we should gain courage and boldness to proclaim
the gospel to the ends of the earth. During the present age, though Satan still
has great power and can wreak much havoc, he has not only been defeated, but
his ability to deceive the different ethnic groups through the world and to
keep them in spiritual darkness has been very much curtailed. This is why we
have seen so much success in missions in this age. It is also why we can step out
in faith and great hope that God will continue to work mightily to bring the
different ethnic groups to himself in salvation.
Additionally, we are certain that if we know Jesus Christ as
Savior, if we die before he returns, we will go from experiencing true life in
this age to even greater life in his presence. And, we will still look forward
to even greater life than that when our bodies are resurrected and we are
reunited with them as spiritually and physically glorified (perfect) saints.
What is more, we are certain that the future second death
has no power over us. We are assured in Christ we will go from life to more
life and enter into our eternal joy.
Though the circumstances of this world often seem to suggest
otherwise, Jesus Christ presently reigns over all things. Though this reign is
not recognized and appreciated by all (which awaits a future time), it does
bring encouragement to his people as we go through this hostile age and face
hostile cultures.
Finally, we are reminded the next big thing we are awaiting
that arrives with the future coming of Jesus Christ is the full future, eternal
kingdom of God the Father and Son, the new heaven and earth. There is no need
to have an additional period or kind of kingdom as all the promises made to
Israel under the old Covenant are fulfilled in the true end-times Israel,
comprised of Jews and Gentiles. Truly we as the New Covenant Church are the
people of God, the apple of his eye, and not part of a second-class group of
God’s people—a Plan B.
Joyfully Following Our Reigning Christ With You,
Tom
Tom
[4] Anthony Hoekema explains: “Premillennialists
understand what is described in verses 11-13 as the resurrection of unbelievers
which, they claim, occurs after the millennium, since the resurrection of
believers has taken place before the millennium. The separation of the resurrection of
unbelievers from that of believers by a thousand years, however, must be
challenged, particularly in view of Jesus’ words in John 5:28-29.” That text
reads: “Do not marvel at
this, for an hour is coming when
all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29and come out, those who
have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the
resurrection of judgment.” So, it is
better to take verses 11-13 as referring to the resurrection of all—believers
and unbelievers.
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