Rev 20 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 20:1-10: 20:1-10 There are three parts to this passage: the binding of Satan (20:1-3 ), the reign of God’s holy people (20:4-6 ), and the release of Satan for his final attempt at a battle (20:7-10 ). Four themes emerge: (1) Satan’s war is futile—he cannot withstand even an angel; (2) God’s holy people will be vindicated and glorified; (3) God will have the final victory; and (4) even when sinful and depraved human beings experience Christ’s good purposes in the world, they still flock after Satan when he gains even a small amount of freedom to act. Summary for Rev 20:1-2: 20:1-2 Like the Old Testament “angel of the Lord ” (see Gen 16:7-11 ; 22:15 ; Exod 3:2 ; Num 22:22-34 ; Judg 2:1-4 ; 6:11-22 ), the angel coming down from heaven has God’s authority, symbolized by the key that controls the bottomless pit and the power to put chains on God’s great enemy (cp. Rev 12:7-9 ) for a thousand years. See thematic note for The Thousand Years (The Millennium) at end of chapter.

Summary for Rev 20:1-10: 20:1-10 ^a There are three parts to this passage: the binding of Satan (20:1-3 ^b), the reign of God’s holy people (20:4-6 ^c), and the release of Satan for his final attempt at a battle (20:7-10 ^d). Four themes emerge: (1) Satan’s war is futile—he cannot withstand even an angel; (2) God’s holy people will be vindicated and glorified; (3) God will have the final victory; and (4) even when sinful and depraved human beings experience Christ’s good purposes in the world, they still flock after Satan when he gains even a small amount of freedom to act.
Summary for Rev 20:1-2: 20:1-2 ^e Like the Old Testament “angel of the Lord” (see Gen 16:7-11 ^f; 22:15 ^g; Exod 3:2 ^h; Num 22:22-34 ⁱ; Judg 2:1-4 ^j; 6:11-22 ^k), the angel coming down from heaven has God’s authority, symbolized by the key that controls the bottomless pit and the power to put chains on God’s great enemy (cp. Rev 12:7-9 ^l) for a thousand years. See thematic note for The Thousand Years (The Millennium) at end of chapter.
20:3 ^m This incarceration, portrayed as the bottomless pit, is a preliminary defeat for Satan and the powers of evil. Various New Testament passages describe the effect of Christ’s work on Satan (Luke 10:17-20 ⁿ; Acts 10:38 ^o; 26:18 ^p; Rom 16:20 ^q; Eph 6:11 ^r; Jas 4:7 ^s; see Matt 12:24 ^t; 16:19 ^u; 18:18 ^v; John 12:31 ^w; 1 Jn 3:8 ^x). Christ’s presence with his people binds evil powers (see 2 Thes 2:7 ^y), reminding persecuted Christians that there is a future with God.

• so Satan could not deceive: Deception is the trademark of the devil, who is a liar (see John 8:44 ^z; 1 Jn 3:8 ^aa); no liar will enter heaven (Rev 21:8 ^ab, 27 ^ac; 22:15 ^ad). The faithful believers who experience Christ’s reign will not be deceived.

• The little while might be the equivalent of the symbolic three and a half years (see 11:2-3 ^ae, 9-11 ^af; 12:14 ^ag; 13:5 ^ah)—it is a limited time.
20:4 ^ai thrones ... people sitting on them: This portrayal of a heavenly tribunal includes the elders (4:4 ^aj) on thrones (see Dan 7:9-10 ^ak), the victorious martyrs (see Dan 7:22 ^al), and all God’s people.

• beheaded for ... Jesus: Beheading was a common form of execution for Roman citizens.

• The faithful who resisted receiving the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-17 ^am) will judge the condemned (see 1 Cor 6:2-3 ^an) on thrones similar to those of the worshiping elders (see Rev 4:10-11 ^ao; 5:8-10 ^ap; 11:16 ^aq).
Summary for Rev 20:5-6: 20:5-6 ^ar John contrasts the first resurrection with the second death (see 20:12-15 ^as; cp. John 5:29 ^at).
20:6 ^au Blessed: This fifth blessing of Revelation (see also 1:3 ^av; 14:13 ^aw; 16:15 ^ax; 19:9 ^ay; 22:7 ^az, 14 ^ba) focuses on the promised reward of life. God’s faithful people (20:4 ^bb) will reign with Christ as priests of God (see also 1:6 ^bc; 5:10 ^bd).
Summary for Rev 20:7-10: 20:7-10 ^be Satan’s all-out attempt to conquer God’s people is followed by his fiery demise. This passage has two major purposes: (1) to show God’s absolute justice, because Satan and his followers are worthy of punishment and will never change; and (2) to show the depravity of people who follow Satan. In spite of viewing the nature of Christ’s reign in the world for many years, they still flock to Satan’s standard when he is freed. These factors are the basis for the judgment at the great white throne (20:11-15 ^bf).
Summary for Rev 20:7-8: 20:7-8 ^bg When free to act (20:7 ^bh), Satan still seeks to deceive. He will gather a mighty army (cp. Ezek 38–39 ^bi) in a final attempt to overwhelm God’s people (Rev 20:9 ^bj).
20:8 ^bk Jewish traditions vary regarding the locations of Gog and Magog. They are symbolically to the north (see Jer 1:14-15 ^bl), the direction from which the enemies traditionally approached Megiddo and Jerusalem. The names represent nations and rulers from every corner of the earth that oppose God’s people (see Ezek 38–39 ^bm).

• He will gather them together for battle: Repeating the earlier scenes in which God’s enemies assemble for battle (Rev 16:16 ^bn; 19:19 ^bo), Satan here makes a last-ditch attempt to confront God and his forces.
20:9 ^bp Again, no battle occurs (see 16:16-21 ^bq; 19:19-21 ^br), because fire from heaven came down . . . and consumed them as it did Sodom (Gen 19:24 ^bs; see also 2 Kgs 1:10-12 ^bt; Ezek 38:22-23 ^bu; 39:6 ^bv). The enemies of God cannot stand against him.
20:10 ^bw they will be tormented ... forever: Rebellion against God has eternal consequences. While the concept of unending punishment repulses some, it is the message of Revelation and of Scripture generally that God will deal sternly with sin and rebellion by those who reject Christ’s saving work (see Matt 13:42 ^bx; 25:41-46 ^by; John 3:18 ^bz, 36 ^ca; Rom 2:7 ^cb). Perhaps more than any book in Scripture, Revelation illustrates that the unrepentant persist in their rebellion despite the consequences (Rev 9:20-21 ^cc; 16:9-11 ^cd; cp. Luke 16:31 ^ce). Revelation also emphasizes that God is just and deals with sin as it deserves.
Summary for Rev 20:11-15: 20:11-15 ^cf This segment portrays a court hearing at which the dead are judged on the basis of their works. God’s response to eternal rebellion is eternal punishment.
20:12 ^cg books were opened: See Ps 56:8 ^ch; Dan 7:10 ^ci.

• The Book of Life holds the names of faithful people who have experienced God’s saving power (Mal 3:16 ^cj; see Rev 3:5 ^ck; 13:8 ^cl; 17:8 ^cm; 20:15 ^cn); they are probably the same ones as those who experience the “first resurrection” (20:5-6 ^co).

• And the dead were judged: The works of both the redeemed and the unredeemed will be judged (see 22:12 ^cp; Matt 16:27 ^cq; 25:31-46 ^cr).
20:13 ^cs the grave: See study note on 6:7-8.
20:14 ^ct The expression death and the grave refers to the reality of death; it is the last enemy that God will destroy (see 21:4 ^cu; 1 Cor 15:26 ^cv).

• The lake of fire portrays the horrible end of God’s enemies who will not experience the “first resurrection” (see Rev 20:5-6 ^cw; cp. Matt 25:41 ^cx; Luke 16:24 ^cy; Jude 1:7 ^cz).

Thematic note: The Thousand Years (The Millennium)
Revelation 20 ^da describes the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. Three perspectives regarding how the millennium relates to the coming of Christ have been held by Christian groups with an equally high regard for Scripture as God’s inspired, authoritative word:
1. Premillennialism: The current age between Christ’s first and second comings will end when he returns to inaugurate a literal 1,000-year rule on earth with his holy people, after which Christ will execute the final judgment and inaugurate his eternal Kingdom.
2. Amillennialism: The “1,000 years” represents the current age between Christ’s first and second comings, in which Christ reigns spiritually with his people (i.e., there is not a literal 1,000-year period). At the end of this age, Christ will return, execute the final judgment, and inaugurate his eternal Kingdom.
3. Postmillennialism: During the current age following Christ’s first coming, Christ will establish through the church an age of peace on earth (the 1,000 years), at the end of which Christ will return, execute the final judgment, and inaugurate his eternal Kingdom.
Differences over these perspectives have caused conflict among Christians. Many have forsaken Christian fellowship with those who hold a different opinion. True Christian humility and love would never let such differences disrupt Christian fellowship, however (see 1 Pet 3:8 ^db).
All believers can agree about the overall message of Revelation: Christ will visibly return and rule in an actual new heaven and earth. A real spiritual warfare is taking place. Hell, like heaven, is real, and all people will be judged by God’s standards. The prophecies of Revelation offer hope to God’s people in the midst of pain, suffering, and confusion in the world.

Passages for Further Study
Rev 20:1-10 ^dc