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Text -- Revelation 20:1-3 (NET)

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Context
The Thousand Year Reign
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.)
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · Satan a person, male (evil angelic),an angel that has rebelled against God


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Year | Vision | Satan | SERPENT | SEAL | REVELATION OF JOHN | Pit | PAROUSIA | Millennium | Milleium | Key | KEYS, POWER OF THE | Jesus, The Christ | ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, VI-X | Deep, The | Chains | CHAIN; CHAINS | BOTTOMLESS, PIT | Angel | Abyss | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , PBC , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Rev 20:1 - -- Coming down out of heaven ( katabainonta ek tou ouranou ). As in Rev 10:1; Rev 18:1.

Coming down out of heaven ( katabainonta ek tou ouranou ).

As in Rev 10:1; Rev 18:1.

Robertson: Rev 20:1 - -- The key of the abyss ( tēn klein tēs abussou ). As in Rev 9:1.

The key of the abyss ( tēn klein tēs abussou ).

As in Rev 9:1.

Robertson: Rev 20:1 - -- A great chain ( halusin megalēn ). Paul wore a halusis (alpha privative and luō , to loose) in Rome (2Ti 1:16, as did Peter in prison in Jerusa...

A great chain ( halusin megalēn ).

Paul wore a halusis (alpha privative and luō , to loose) in Rome (2Ti 1:16, as did Peter in prison in Jerusalem (Act 12:6).

Robertson: Rev 20:1 - -- In his hand ( epi tēn cheira autou ). "Upon his hand,"ready for use. See epi with the genitive in Rev 1:20.

In his hand ( epi tēn cheira autou ).

"Upon his hand,"ready for use. See epi with the genitive in Rev 1:20.

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- He laid hold on ( ekratēsen ). First aorist active indicative of krateō , to seize.

He laid hold on ( ekratēsen ).

First aorist active indicative of krateō , to seize.

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- The dragon ( ton drakonta ). Accusative after ekratēsen instead of the genitive as in Rev 2:1. He has been behind the beast and the false prophet...

The dragon ( ton drakonta ).

Accusative after ekratēsen instead of the genitive as in Rev 2:1. He has been behind the beast and the false prophet from the start. Now he is seized.

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- The old serpent ( ho ophis ho archaios ). Precisely the description in Rev 12:9, only the nominative is here retained, though in apposition with the ...

The old serpent ( ho ophis ho archaios ).

Precisely the description in Rev 12:9, only the nominative is here retained, though in apposition with the accusative ton drakonta , a frequent anacoluthon in the Apocalypse (Rev 1:5, etc.). Swete calls it a parenthesis.

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- Which is ( hos estin ). The relative here relieves the construction and takes the place of ho kaloumenos in Rev 12:9 before Diabolos kai ho Satana...

Which is ( hos estin ).

The relative here relieves the construction and takes the place of ho kaloumenos in Rev 12:9 before Diabolos kai ho Satanās .

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- And bound him ( kai edēsen auton ). First aorist active indicative of deō .

And bound him ( kai edēsen auton ).

First aorist active indicative of deō .

Robertson: Rev 20:2 - -- For a thousand years ( chilia etē ). Accusative of extent of time. Here we confront the same problem found in the 1260 days. In this book of symbol...

For a thousand years ( chilia etē ).

Accusative of extent of time. Here we confront the same problem found in the 1260 days. In this book of symbols how long is a thousand years? All sorts of theories are proposed, none of which fully satisfy one. Perhaps Peter has given us the only solution open to us in 2Pe 3:8 when he argues that "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day."It will help us all to remember that God’ s clock does not run by ours and that times and seasons and programs are with him. This wonderful book was written to comfort the saints in a time of great trial, not to create strife among them.

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- Into the abyss ( eis tēn abusson ). The one in Rev 9:1. and the one spoken of by the legion of demons in Luk 8:31 under the charge of the angel of ...

Into the abyss ( eis tēn abusson ).

The one in Rev 9:1. and the one spoken of by the legion of demons in Luk 8:31 under the charge of the angel of the abyss (Apollyon, Rev 9:11) who is either Satan himself or a kindred power. "Already he has been cast out of Heaven (Rev 12:9), now he is cast out of the earth, and returns to his own place"(Swete).

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- Shut it and sealed it ( ekleisen kai esphragisen ). Effective first aorists active indicative of kleiō and sphragizō .

Shut it and sealed it ( ekleisen kai esphragisen ).

Effective first aorists active indicative of kleiō and sphragizō .

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- That he should deceive no more ( hina mē planēsēi ). Negative purpose clause with hina mē and the first aorist active subjunctive of planao...

That he should deceive no more ( hina mē planēsēi ).

Negative purpose clause with hina mē and the first aorist active subjunctive of planaō . Glorious relief after the strain of the previous visions of conflict. Small wonder that Christians today cherish this blessed hope whatever the actual meaning may be.

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- Until should be finished ( achri telesthēi ). Temporal clause of future purpose with achri (as a conjunction like heōs ) and the first aorist ...

Until should be finished ( achri telesthēi ).

Temporal clause of future purpose with achri (as a conjunction like heōs ) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of teleō . Repeated in Rev 20:5 and see achri and the subjunctive in Rev 7:3; Rev 15:8.

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- He must be loosed ( dei luthēnai ). Sad necessity, alas, with dei and the first aorist passive infinitive of luō .

He must be loosed ( dei luthēnai ).

Sad necessity, alas, with dei and the first aorist passive infinitive of luō .

Robertson: Rev 20:3 - -- For a little time ( mikron chronon ). Accusative of time. Whatever the thousand years means, it is here said plainly that after it is over the devil ...

For a little time ( mikron chronon ).

Accusative of time. Whatever the thousand years means, it is here said plainly that after it is over the devil will again have power on earth "for a little time."

Vincent: Rev 20:1 - -- Of the bottomless pit See on Rev 9:1. This is to be distinguished from the lake of fire. Compare Rev 20:10.

Of the bottomless pit

See on Rev 9:1. This is to be distinguished from the lake of fire. Compare Rev 20:10.

Vincent: Rev 20:1 - -- Chain ( ἅλυσιν ) See on Mar 5:4. Only here in John's writings.

Chain ( ἅλυσιν )

See on Mar 5:4. Only here in John's writings.

Vincent: Rev 20:1 - -- In his hand ( ἐπί ) Lit., upon: resting on or hanging upon.

In his hand ( ἐπί )

Lit., upon: resting on or hanging upon.

Vincent: Rev 20:2 - -- He laid hold ( ἐκράτησεν ) See on Mar 8:3; see on Act 3:11.

He laid hold ( ἐκράτησεν )

See on Mar 8:3; see on Act 3:11.

Vincent: Rev 20:2 - -- The dragon ( τὸν δράκοντα ) See on Rev 12:3. The word is commonly derived from ἔδρακον, the second aorist tense of δ...

The dragon ( τὸν δράκοντα )

See on Rev 12:3. The word is commonly derived from ἔδρακον, the second aorist tense of δέρκομαι to see clearly , in allusion to the sharp sight of the fabled dragon.

Vincent: Rev 20:2 - -- Old ( ἀρχαῖον ) See on 1Jo 2:7.

Old ( ἀρχαῖον )

See on 1Jo 2:7.

Vincent: Rev 20:2 - -- The Devil Note the three epithets: the Old Serpent , the Devil , Satan . See on Mat 4:1; see on Luk 10:18.

The Devil

Note the three epithets: the Old Serpent , the Devil , Satan . See on Mat 4:1; see on Luk 10:18.

Vincent: Rev 20:3 - -- Sealed See on Joh 3:33.

Sealed

See on Joh 3:33.

Vincent: Rev 20:3 - -- Must ( δεῖ ) According to God's purpose. See on Mat 16:21; see on Luk 2:49; see on Luk 24:26.

Must ( δεῖ )

According to God's purpose. See on Mat 16:21; see on Luk 2:49; see on Luk 24:26.

Wesley: Rev 20:1 - -- Coming down with a commission from God. Jesus Christ himself overthrew the beast: the proud dragon shall be bound by an angel; even as he and his ange...

Coming down with a commission from God. Jesus Christ himself overthrew the beast: the proud dragon shall be bound by an angel; even as he and his angels were cast out of heaven by Michael and his angels.

Wesley: Rev 20:1 - -- Mentioned before, Rev 9:1.

Mentioned before, Rev 9:1.

Wesley: Rev 20:1 - -- The angel of the bottomless pit was shut up therein before the beginning of the first woe. But it is now first that Satan, after he had occasioned the...

The angel of the bottomless pit was shut up therein before the beginning of the first woe. But it is now first that Satan, after he had occasioned the third woe, is both chained and shut up.

Wesley: Rev 20:2 - -- With whom undoubtedly his angels were now cast into the bottomless pit, as well as finally "into everlasting fire," Mat 25:41.

With whom undoubtedly his angels were now cast into the bottomless pit, as well as finally "into everlasting fire," Mat 25:41.

Wesley: Rev 20:2 - -- That these thousand do not precede, or run parallel with, but wholly follow, the times of the beast, may manifestly appear, 1. From the series of the ...

That these thousand do not precede, or run parallel with, but wholly follow, the times of the beast, may manifestly appear, 1. From the series of the whole book, representing one continued chain of events. 2. From the circumstances which precede. The woman's bringing forth is followed by the casting of the dragon out of heaven to the earth. With this is connected the third woe, whereby the dragon through, and with, the beast, rages horribly. At the conclusion of the third woe the beast is overthrown and cast into "the lake of fire." At the same time the other grand enemy, the dragon, shall be bound and shut up. 3. These thousand years bring a new, full, and lasting immunity from all outward and inward evils, the authors of which are now removed, and an affluence of all blessings. But such time the church has never yet seen. Therefore it is still to come. 4. These thousand years are followed by the last times of the world, the letting loose of Satan, who gathers together Gog and Magog, and is thrown to the beast and false prophet "in the lake of fire." Now Satan's accusing the saints in heaven, his rage on earth, his imprisonment in the abyss, his seducing Gog and Magog, and being cast into the lake of fire, evidently succeed each other. 5. What occurs from Rev. 20:11-22:5, manifestly follows the things related in the nineteenth chapter. The thousand years came between; whereas if they were past, neither the beginning nor the end of them would fall within this period. In a short time those who assert that they are now at hand will appear to have spoken the truth. Meantime let every man consider what kind of happiness he expects therein. The danger does not lie in maintaining that the thousand years are yet to come; but in interpreting them, whether past or to come, in a gross and carnal sense. The doctrine of the Son of God is a mystery. So is his cross; and so is his glory. In all these he is a sign that is spoken against. Happy they who believe and confess him in all!

Wesley: Rev 20:3 - -- How far these expressions are to be taken literally, how far figuratively only, who can tell? That he might deceive the nations no more - One benefit ...

How far these expressions are to be taken literally, how far figuratively only, who can tell? That he might deceive the nations no more - One benefit only is here expressed, as resulting from the confinement of Satan. But how many and great blessings are implied! For the grand enemy being removed, the kingdom of God holds on its uninterrupted course among the nations; and the great mystery of God, so long foretold, is at length fulfilled; namely, when the beast is destroyed and Satan bound. This fulfilment approaches nearer and nearer; and contains things of the utmost importance, the knowledge of which becomes every day more distinct and easy. In the mean time it is highly necessary to guard against the present rage and subtilty of the devil. Quickly he will be bound: when he is loosed again, the martyrs will live and reign with Christ. Then follow his coming in glory, the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem. The bottomless pit is properly the devil's prison; afterwards he is cast into the lake of fire. He can deceive the nations no more till the "thousand years," mentioned before, Rev 20:2, are fulfilled.

Wesley: Rev 20:3 - -- So does the mysterious wisdom of God permit.

So does the mysterious wisdom of God permit.

Wesley: Rev 20:3 - -- Small comparatively: though upon the whole it cannot be very short, because the things to be transacted therein, Rev 20:8-9, must take up a considerab...

Small comparatively: though upon the whole it cannot be very short, because the things to be transacted therein, Rev 20:8-9, must take up a considerable space. We are very shortly to expect, one after another, the calamities occasioned by the second beast, the harvest and the vintage, the pouring out of the phials, the judgment of Babylon, the last raging of the beast and his destruction, the imprisonment of Satan. How great things these! and how short the time! What is needful for us? Wisdom, patience, faithfulness, watchfulness. It is no time to settle upon our lees. This is not, if it be rightly understood, an acceptable message to the wise, the mighty, the honourable, of this world. Yet that which is to be done, shall be done: there is no counsel against the Lord.

JFB: Rev 20:1 - -- Now transferred from Satan's hands, who had heretofore been permitted by God to use it in letting loose plagues on the earth; he is now to be made to ...

Now transferred from Satan's hands, who had heretofore been permitted by God to use it in letting loose plagues on the earth; he is now to be made to feel himself the torment which he had inflicted on men, but his full torment is not until he is cast into "the lake of fire" (Rev 20:10).

JFB: Rev 20:2 - -- Ancient serpent (Rev 12:9).

Ancient serpent (Rev 12:9).

JFB: Rev 20:2 - -- As seven mystically implies universality, so a thousand implies perfection, whether in good or evil [AQUINAS on ch. 11]. Thousand symbolizes that the ...

As seven mystically implies universality, so a thousand implies perfection, whether in good or evil [AQUINAS on ch. 11]. Thousand symbolizes that the world is perfectly leavened and pervaded by the divine; since thousand is ten, the number of the world, raised to the third power, three being the number of God [AUBERLEN]. It may denote literally also a thousand years.

JFB: Rev 20:3 - -- A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and ANDREAS omit "him."

A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and ANDREAS omit "him."

JFB: Rev 20:3 - -- Greek, "over him," that is, sealed up the door of the abyss over his head. A surer seal to keep him from getting out than his seal over Jesus in the t...

Greek, "over him," that is, sealed up the door of the abyss over his head. A surer seal to keep him from getting out than his seal over Jesus in the tomb of Joseph, which was burst on the resurrection morn. Satan's binding at' this juncture is not arbitrary, but is the necessary consequence of the events (Rev 19:20); just as Satan's being cast out of heaven, where he had previously been the accuser of the brethren, was the legitimate judgment which passed on him through the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ (Rev 12:7-10). Satan imagined that he had overcome Christ on Golgotha, and that his power was secure for ever, but the Lord in death overcame him, and by His ascension as our righteous Advocate cast out Satan, the accuser from heaven. Time was given on earth to make the beast and harlot powerful, and then to concentrate all his power in Antichrist. The Antichristian kingdom, his last effort, being utterly destroyed by Christ's mere appearing, his power on earth is at an end. He had thought to destroy God's people on earth by Antichristian persecutions (just as he had thought previously to destroy Christ); but the Church is not destroyed from the earth but is raised to rule over it, and Satan himself is shut up for a thousand years in the "abyss" (Greek for "bottomless pit"), the preparatory prison to the "lake of fire," his final doom. As before he ceased by Christ's ascension to be an accuser in heaven, so during the millennium he ceases to be the seducer and the persecutor on earth. As long as the devil rules in the darkness of the world, we live in an atmosphere impregnated with deadly elements. A mighty purification of the air will be effected by Christ's coming. Though sin will not be absolutely abolished--for men will still be in the flesh (Isa 65:20) --sin will no longer be a universal power, for the flesh is not any longer seduced by Satan. He will not be, as now, "the god and prince of the world"--nor will the world "lie in the wicked one"--the flesh will become ever more isolated and be overcome. Christ will reign with His transfigured saints over men in the flesh [AUBERLEN]. This will be the manifestation of "the world to come," which has been already set up invisibly in the saints, amidst "this world" (2Co 4:4; Heb 2:5; Heb 5:5). The Jewish Rabbis thought, as the world was created in six days and on the seventh God rested, so there would be six millenary periods, followed by a sabbatical millennium. Out of seven years every seventh is the year of remission, so out of the seven thousand years of the world the seventh millenary shall be the millenary of remission. A tradition in the house of Elias, A.D. 200, states that the world is to endure six thousand years; two thousand before the law, two thousand under the law, and two thousand under Messiah. Compare Note, see on Heb 4:9 and Heb 4:9, Margin; see on Rev 14:13. PAPIAS, JUSTIN MARTYR, IRENÆUS, and CYPRIAN, among the earliest Fathers, all held the doctrine of a millennial kingdom on earth; not till millennial views degenerated into gross carnalism was this doctrine abandoned.

JFB: Rev 20:3 - -- So A. But B reads, "that he deceive" (Greek, "plana," for "planeesee").

So A. But B reads, "that he deceive" (Greek, "plana," for "planeesee").

JFB: Rev 20:3 - -- So Coptic and ANDREAS. But A, B, and Vulgate omit "and."

So Coptic and ANDREAS. But A, B, and Vulgate omit "and."

Clarke: Rev 20:1 - -- An angel came down from heaven - One of the executors of the Divine justice, who receives criminals, and keeps them in prison, and delivers them up ...

An angel came down from heaven - One of the executors of the Divine justice, who receives criminals, and keeps them in prison, and delivers them up only to be tried and executed

The key of the prison and the chain show who he is; and as the chain was great, it shows that the culprit was impeached of no ordinary crimes.

Clarke: Rev 20:2 - -- The dragon - See the notes on Rev 12:9

The dragon - See the notes on Rev 12:9

Clarke: Rev 20:2 - -- That old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan - He who is called the old serpent is the Devil - the calumniator, and Satan - the opposer. He who s...

That old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan - He who is called the old serpent is the Devil - the calumniator, and Satan - the opposer. He who supposes that the term old serpent here plainly proves that the creature that tempted our first parents was actually a snake, must enjoy his opinion; and those who can receive such a saying, why let them receive it. Selah

Clarke: Rev 20:2 - -- A thousand years - In what this binding of Satan consists, who can tell? How many visions have been seen on this subject both in ancient and modern ...

A thousand years - In what this binding of Satan consists, who can tell? How many visions have been seen on this subject both in ancient and modern times! This, and what is said Rev 20:3-5, no doubt refers to a time in which the influence of Satan will be greatly restrained, and the true Church of God enjoy great prosperity, which shall endure for a long time. But it is not likely that the number, a thousand years, is to be taken literally here, and year symbolically and figuratively in all the book beside. The doctrine of the millennium, or of the saints reigning on earth a thousand years, with Christ for their head, has been illustrated and defended by many Christian writers, both among the ancients and moderns. Were I to give a collection of the conceits of the primitive fathers on this subject, my readers would have little reason to applaud my pains. It has long been the idle expectation of many persons that the millennium, in their sense, was at hand; and its commencement has been expected in every century since the Christian era. It has been fixed for several different years, during the short period of my own life! I believed those predictions to be vain, and I have lived to see them such. Yet there is no doubt that the earth is in a state of progressive moral improvement; and that the light of true religion is shining more copiously everywhere, and will shine more and more to the perfect day. But when the religion of Christ will be at its meridian of light and heat, we know not. In each believer this may speedily take place; but probably no such time shall ever appear, in which evil shall be wholly banished from the earth, till after the day of judgment, when the earth having been burnt up, a new heaven and a new earth shall be produced out of the ruins of the old, by the mighty power of God: righteousness alone shall dwell in them. The phraseology of the apostle here seems partly taken from the ancient prophets, and partly rabbinical; and it is from the Jewish use of those terms that we are to look for their interpretation.

Clarke: Rev 20:3 - -- He should deceive the nations no more - Be unable to blind men with superstition and idolatry as he had formerly done.

He should deceive the nations no more - Be unable to blind men with superstition and idolatry as he had formerly done.

Defender: Rev 20:1 - -- The angel may well be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, since it is He who has the key to the bottomless pit (Rev 1:18), and it would be most appropriate...

The angel may well be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, since it is He who has the key to the bottomless pit (Rev 1:18), and it would be most appropriate for the Son, on behalf of the Father, to personally dispatch the great rebel to his prison.

Defender: Rev 20:1 - -- The demons had dreaded the prospect of being sent by Christ to "the deep" (same Greek word, Luk 8:31), but the "time" for their "torment" (Mat 8:29) w...

The demons had dreaded the prospect of being sent by Christ to "the deep" (same Greek word, Luk 8:31), but the "time" for their "torment" (Mat 8:29) will finally have come as they will be corralled with their evil prince into the deep dungeon (on the bottomless pit, the Greek word abussos, see note on Rev 9:1).

Defender: Rev 20:1 - -- The "great chain," with which to "bind the strong man" (Mar 3:27) is a spiritual chain to restrain the spiritual being called Satan, but it will serve...

The "great chain," with which to "bind the strong man" (Mar 3:27) is a spiritual chain to restrain the spiritual being called Satan, but it will serve the purpose, whatever it is."

Defender: Rev 20:2 - -- Note that almost every verse in this chapter begins with "and" (Greek kai). The events reported in succession, one after another, are undoubtedly real...

Note that almost every verse in this chapter begins with "and" (Greek kai). The events reported in succession, one after another, are undoubtedly real events that will happen just as John reported them.

Defender: Rev 20:2 - -- Note the same series of identifying names in Rev 12:9.

Note the same series of identifying names in Rev 12:9.

Defender: Rev 20:2 - -- The "thousand years" or millennium (Greek chiliai), should be taken literally. It is mentioned six times in Rev 20:2-7, as though the Lord would make ...

The "thousand years" or millennium (Greek chiliai), should be taken literally. It is mentioned six times in Rev 20:2-7, as though the Lord would make it emphatically clear that Satan will be restrained for literally a thousand years. He is certainly not "bound" in this present age, for he still "walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pe 5:8)."

Defender: Rev 20:3 - -- With Satan bound in the bottomless pit, the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire, and all the ungodly men and women purged from the earth e...

With Satan bound in the bottomless pit, the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire, and all the ungodly men and women purged from the earth either at Armageddon or at the judgment of the nations (see notes on Matthew 25:31-46), there will be only a "few men left" (Isa 24:6) still in their natural flesh to enter Christ's millennial kingdom (Mat 25:34). Redeemed Israel, having been saved both individually and nationally when she sees and accepts her Messiah (Zechariah 12:9-13:1; Rom 11:25, Rom 11:26), will become the world's chief nation. All the ancient prophecies and promises concerning Israel will finally be fulfilled (Isa 2:2-4; Eze 37:21-28; Zec 9:10; Zec 14:9)."

TSK: Rev 20:1 - -- I saw : Rev 10:1, Rev 18:1 having : Rev 1:18, Rev 9:1, Rev 9:2; Luk 8:31 a great : 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6

I saw : Rev 10:1, Rev 18:1

having : Rev 1:18, Rev 9:1, Rev 9:2; Luk 8:31

a great : 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6

TSK: Rev 20:2 - -- he laid : Gen 3:15; Isa 27:1, Isa 49:24, Isa 49:25; Mat 8:29, Mat 19:29; Mar 5:7; Luk 11:20-22; Joh 12:31, Joh 16:11; Rom 16:20; Heb 2:14 the dragon :...

TSK: Rev 20:3 - -- cast : Rev 20:1, Rev 17:8 and set : Dan 6:17; Mat 27:66 should deceive : Rev 20:8, Rev 12:9, Rev 13:14, Rev 16:14-16, Rev 17:2; Mat 24:24; 2Co 11:3, 2...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Rev 20:1 - -- And I saw an angel come down from heaven - Compare the notes on Rev 10:1. He does not say whether this angel had appeared to him before, but th...

And I saw an angel come down from heaven - Compare the notes on Rev 10:1. He does not say whether this angel had appeared to him before, but the impression is rather that it was a different one. The whole character of the composition of the book leads us to suppose that different angels were employed to make these communications to John, and that, in fact, in the progress of things disclosed in the book, he had contact with a considerable number of the heavenly inhabitants. The scene that is recorded here occurred after the destruction of the beast and the false prophet Rev 19:18-21, and therefore, according to the principles expressed in the explanation of the previous chapters, what is intended to be described here will take place after the final destruction of the papal and Muhammedan powers.

Having the key of the bottomless pit - See the notes on Rev 1:18; Rev 9:1. The fact that he has the key of that underworld is designed to denote here, that he can fasten it on Satan so that it shall become his prison.

And a great chain in his hand - With which to bind the dragon, Rev 20:2. It is called great because of the strength of him that was to be bound. The chain only appears to have been in his hand. Perhaps the key was suspended to his side.

Barnes: Rev 20:2 - -- And he laid hold on - Seized him by violence - ἐκράτησεν ekratēsen . The word denotes "the employment of strength"or "forc...

And he laid hold on - Seized him by violence - ἐκράτησεν ekratēsen . The word denotes "the employment of strength"or "force"; and it implies that he had power superior to that of the dragon. Compare Mat 14:3; Mat 18:28; Mat 21:46; Mat 22:6; Mat 26:4. We can at once see the propriety of the use of this word in this connection. The great enemy to be bound has himself mighty power, and can be overcome only by a superior. This may teach us that it is only a power from heaven that can destroy the empire of Satan in the world; and perhaps it may teach us that the interposition of angels will be employed in bringing in the glorious state of the millennium. Why should it not be?

The dragon - See the notes on Rev 12:2. Compare Rev 12:4, Rev 12:7, Rev 12:13, Rev 12:16-17; Rev 13:2, Rev 13:4, Rev 13:11; Rev 16:13. There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the word here; for it is expressly said to mean the devil, and Satan. It would seem, however, that it refers to some manifestation of the power of Satan that would exist after the beast and false prophet - that is, the papacy and Mohammedanism - should be destroyed, and probably the main reference is to the still existing power of paganism. Compare the notes on Rev 16:13-14. It may include, however, all the forms of wickedness which Satan shall have kept upon the earth, and all the modes of evil by which he will endeavor to perpetuate his reign.

That old serpent - This is undoubtedly an allusion to the serpent that deceived our first parents (Gen 3:1 ff.), and therefore a proof that it was Satan that, under the form of a serpent, deceived them. Compare notes on Rev 12:3.

Which is the devil - On the meaning of this word, see the notes on Mat 4:1.

And Satan - On the meaning of this word, see the notes on Job 1:6. In regard to the repetition of the names of that great enemy of God and the church here, Mr. Taylor, in the Fragments to Calmet’ s Dictionary, No. 152, says that this "almost resembles a modern Old Bailey indictment, in which special care is taken to identify the culprit, by a sufficient number of aliases. An angel from heaven, having the key of the prison of the abyss, and a great chain to secure the prisoner, ‘ apprehended the dragon, alias the old serpent, alias the devil, alias the Satan, alias the seducer of the world,’ who was sentenced to a thousand years’ imprisonment."The object here, however, seems to be not so much to identify the culprit by these aliases, as to show that under whatever forms, and by whatever names he had appeared, it was always the same being, and that now the author of the whole evil would be arrested. Thus the one great enemy sometimes has appeared in a form that would be best represented by a fierce and fiery dragon; at another, in a form that would be best represented by a cunning and subtle serpent; now in a form to which the word "devil"("accuser"), would be most appropriate; and now in a form in which the word "Satan"- an adversary - would be most expressive of what he does. In these various forms, and under these various names, he has ruled the fallen world; and when this one great enemy shall be seized and imprisoned, all these forms of evil will, of course, come to an end.

A thousand years - This is the period usually designated as the millennium - for the word "millennium"means "a thousand years."It is on this passage that the whole doctrine of the millennium as such has been founded. It is true that there are elsewhere in the Scriptures abundant promises that the gospel will ultimately spread over the world; but the notion of a millennium as such is found in this passage alone. It is, however, enough to establish the doctrine, if its meaning be correctly ascertained; for it is a just rule in interpreting the Bible, that the clearly-ascertained sense of a single passage of Scripture is sufficient to establish the truth of a doctrine. The fact, however, that this passage stands alone in this respect, makes it the more important to endeavor accurately to determine its meaning. There are but three ways in which the phrase "a thousand years"can be understood here: either:

(a)\caps1     l\caps0 iterally; or,

(b)\caps1     i\caps0 n the prophetic use of the term, where a day would stand for a year, thus making a period of three hundred and sixty thousand years; or,

©\caps1     f\caps0 iguratively, supposing that it refers to a long but indefinite period of time.

It may be impossible to determine which of these periods is intended, though the first has been generally supposed to be the true one, and hence the common notion of the millennium. There is nothing, however, in the use of the language here, as there would be nothing contrary to the common use of symbols in this book in regard to time, in the supposition that this was designed to describe the longest period here suggested, or that it is meant that the world shall enjoy a reign of peace and righteousness during the long period of three hundred and sixty thousand years. Indeed, there are somethings in the arrangements of nature which look as if it were contemplated that the earth would continue under a reign of righteousness through a vastly long period in the future.

Barnes: Rev 20:3 - -- And cast him into the bottomless pit - See the notes on Rev 9:1. A state of peace and prosperity would exist as if Satan, the great disturber, ...

And cast him into the bottomless pit - See the notes on Rev 9:1. A state of peace and prosperity would exist as if Satan, the great disturber, were confined in the nether world as a prisoner.

And shut him up - Closed the massive doors of the dark prison-house upon him. Compare the notes on Job 10:21-22.

And set a seal upon him - Or, rather, "upon it"- ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ epanō autou . The seal was placed upon the "door"or "gate"of the prison, not because this would fasten the gate or door of itself, and make it secure, for this was secured by the key, but because it prevented intrusion, or any secret opening of it without its being known. See the Dan 6:17 note, and Mat 27:66 note. The idea here is, that every precaution was taken for absolute security.

That he should deceive the nations no more - That is, during the thousand years. Compare the notes on Rev 12:9.

Till the thousand years should be fulfilled - That is, during that period there will be a state of things upon the earth as if Satan should be withdrawn from the world, and confined in the great prison where he is ultimately to dwell forever.

And after that he must be loosed a little season - See Rev 20:7-8. That is, a state of things will then exist, for a brief period, as if he were again released from his prison-house, and suffered to go abroad upon the earth. The phrase "a little season"- μικρὸν χρόνον mikron chronon , "little time"- denotes properly that this would be brief as compared with the thousand years. No intimation is given as to the exact time, and it is impossible to conjecture how long it will be. All the circumstances stated, however, here and in Rev 20:7-10, would lead us to suppose that what is referred to will be like the sudden outbreak of a rebellion in a time of general peace, but which will soon be quelled.

Section a. - Condition of the world in the period referred to in Rev 20:1-3

It may be proper, in order to a correct understanding of this chapter, to present a brief summary under the different parts (see the Analysis of the chapter) of what, according to the interpretation proposed, may be expected to be the condition of things in the time referred to.

On the portion now before us Rev 20:1-3, according to the interpretation proposed, the following suggestions may be made:

(1) This will be subsequent to the downfall of the papacy and the termination of the Muhammedan power in the world. Of course, then, this lies in the future - how far in the future it is impossible to determine. The interpretation of the various portions of this book, and the book of Daniel, have, however, led to the conclusion that the termination of those powers cannot now be remote. If so, we are on the eve of important events in the world’ s history. The affairs of the world look as if things were tending to a fulfillment of the prophecies so understood.

\caps1 (2) i\caps0 t will be a condition of the world "as if"Satan were bound; that is, where his influences will be suspended, and the principles of virtue and religion will prevail. According to the interpretation of the previous chapters, it will be a state in which all that has existed, and that now exists, in the papacy to corrupt mankind, to maintain error, and to prevent the prevalence of free and liberal principles, will cease; in which all that there now is in the Muhammedan system to fetter and enslave mankind - now controlling more than one hundred and twenty million of the race - shall have come to an end; and in which, in a great measure, all that occurs under the direct influence of Satan in causing or perpetuating slavery, war, intemperance, lust, avarice, disorder, scepticism, atheism, will be checked arid stayed. It is proper to say, however, that this passage does not require us to suppose that there will be a "total cessation"of Satanic influence in the earth during that period. Satan will, indeed, be bound and restrained as to his former influence and power. But there will be no change in the character of man as he comes into the world. There will still be corrupt passions in the human heart. Though greatly restrained, and though there will be a general prevalence of righteousness on the earth, yet we are to remember that the race is fallen, and that even then, if restraint should be taken away, man would act out his fallen nature. This fact, if remembered, will make it appear less strange that, after this period of prevalent righteousness, Satan should be represented as loosed again, and as able once more for a time to deceive the nations.

\caps1 (3) i\caps0 t will be a period of long duration. On the supposition that it is to be literally a period of one thousand years, this is in itself long, and will give, especially under the circumstances, opportunity for a vast progress in human affairs. To form some idea of the length of the period, we need only place ourselves in imagination "back"for a thousand years - say in the middle of the ninth century - and look at the condition of the world then, and think of the vast changes in human affairs that have occurred during that period. It is to be remembered, also, that if the millennial period were soon to commence, it would find the world in a far different state in reference to future progress from what it was in the ninth century, and that it would "start off,"so to speak, with all the advantages in the arts and sciences which have been accumulated in all the past periods of the world.

Even if there were no special divine interposition, it might be presumed that the race, in such circumstances, would make great and surprising advances in the long period of a thousand years. And here a very striking remark of Mr. Hugh Miller may be introduced as illustrating the subject. "It has been remarked by some student of the Apocalypse,"says he, "that the course of predicted events at first moves slowly, as one after one, six of seven seals are opened; that, on the opening of the seventh seal, the progress is so considerably quickened that the seventh period proves as fertile in events - represented by the sounding of the seven trumpets - as the foregoing six taken together; and that on the seventh trumpet, so great is the further acceleration, that there is an amount of incident condensed in this seventh part of the seventh period equal, as in the former case, to that of all the previous six parts in one. There are three cycles, it has been said, in the scheme - cycle within cycle - the second comprised within a seventh portion of the first, and the third within a seventh portion of the second. Be this as it may, we may, at least, see something that exceedingly resembles it in that actual economy of change and revolution manifested in English history for the last two centuries. "It would seem as if eyelets, in their downward course, had come under the influence of that law of gravitation through which falling bodies increase in speed, as they descend, according to the squares of the distance"(First Impressions of England and its People, pp. 7, 8.). If to this we add the supposition, which we have seen (see the notes on Rev 20:2) to be by no means improbable, that it is intended, in the description of the millennium in this chapter, that the world will continue under a reign of peace and righteousness for the long period of three hundred and sixty thousand years, it is impossible to anticipate what progress will be made during that period, or to enumerate the numbers that will be saved. On this subject, see some very interesting remarks in the "Old Red Sandstone,"by Hugh Miller, pp. 248-250, 258, 259. Compare Prof. Hitchcock’ s "Religion and Geology,"pp. 370-409.

(4) What, then, will be the state of things during that long period of a thousand years?

(a) There will be a great increase in the population of the globe. Let wars cease, and intemperance cease, and slavery cease, and the numberless passions that now shorten life be stayed, and it is easy to see that there must be a vast augmentation in the number of the human species.

(b) There will be a general diffusion of intelligence upon the earth. Every circumstance would be favorable to it, and the world would be in a condition to make rapid advances in knowledge, Dan 12:4.

© That period will be characterized by the universal diffusion of revealed truth, Isa 11:9; Isa 25:7.

(d) It will be marked by unlimited subjection to the scepter of Christ, Psa 2:7; Psa 22:27-29; Isa 2:2-3; Isa 66:23; Zec 9:10; Zec 14:9; Mat 13:31-32; Rev 11:15.

(e) There will be great progress in all that tends to promote the welfare of man. We are not to suppose that the resources of nature are exhausted. Nature gives no signs of exhaustion or decay. In the future there is no reason to doubt that there will yet be discoveries and inventions mere surprising and wonderful than the art of printing, or the use of steam, or the magnetic telegraph. There are profounder secrets of nature that may be delivered up than any of these, and the world is tending to their development.

(f) It will be a period of the universal reign of peace. The attention of mankind will be turned to the things which tend to promote the welfare of the race, and advance the best interests of society. The single fact that wars will cease will make an inconceivable difference in the aspect of the world; for if universal peace shall prevail through the long period of the millennium, and the wealth, the talent, and the science now employed in human butchery shall be devoted to the interests of agriculture, the mechanical arts, learning, and religion, it is impossible now to estimate the progress which the race will make, and the changes which will be produced on the earth. For Scripture "proofs"that it will be a time of universal peace, see Isa 2:4; Isa 11:6-9; Mic 4:3.

(g) There will be a "general"prevalence of evangelical religion. This is apparent in the entire description in this passage, for the two most formidable opposing powers that religion has ever known - the beast and the false prophet - will be destroyed, and Satan will be bound. In this long period, therefore, we are to suppose that the gospel will exert its fair influence on governments, on families, on individuals; in the contact of neighbors, and in the contact of nations. God will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not in the mere "forms"of devotion; and temperance, truth, liberty, social order, honesty, and love, will prevail over the world.

(h) It will be a time when the Hebrew people - the Jews - will be brought to the knowledge of the truth, and will embrace the Messiah whom their fathers crucified, Zec 12:10; Zec 13:1; Rom 11:26-29.

(i) Yet we are not necessarily to suppose that "all"the world will be absolutely and entirely brought under the power of the gospel. There will be still on the earth the remains of wickedness in the corrupted human heart, and there will be so much "tendency"to sin in the human soul, that Satan, when released for a time Rev 20:7-8, will be able once more to deceive mankind, and to array a formidable force, represented by Gog and Magog, against the cause of truth and righteousness. We are not to suppose that the nature of mankind, as fallen, will be essentially changed, or that there may not be sin enough in the human heart to make it capable of the same opposition to the gospel of God which has thus far been evinced in all ages. From causes which are not fully stated Rev 20:8-9, Satan will be enabled once more to rouse up their enmity, and to make one more desperate effort to destroy the kingdom of the Redeemer by rallying his forces for a conflict. See these views illustrated in the work entitled "Christ’ s Second Coming,"by Rev. David Brown, of James’ Free Church, Glasgow, pp. 398-442; New York, 1851.

Poole: Rev 20:1 - -- Rev 20:1-3 Satan bound for a thousand years. Rev 20:4-6 The first resurrection. Rev 20:7-9 Satan again let loose gathereth Gog and Magog to b...

Rev 20:1-3 Satan bound for a thousand years.

Rev 20:4-6 The first resurrection.

Rev 20:7-9 Satan again let loose gathereth Gog and Magog to

battle, who are devoured with fire.

Rev 20:10 The devil cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Rev 20:11-15 The general resurrection, and last judgment.

Chapter Introduction

We are now come to the darkest part of the whole revelation. What is meant by the thousand years, and the first and second resurrection, and by Gog and Magog, Rev 20:1-15 , or the new heavens and new earth, and the Jerusalem coming down from heaven, discoursed on, Rev 21:1-22:21 , is very hard to say, and possibly much more cannot with any probability be conjectured as to them than hath been already said. I shall only tell my reader that, leaving him to judge what is most probable, and leaving it to he Divine Providence to give us a certain and infallible exposition of what is contained in these last three chapters.

The description of this angel can agree to none but Christ, or one that exerciseth a power by delegation from him: for, Rev 1:18 , it is he who hath the power of hell and death; and it is he who alone is stronger than the devil, which must be supposed to him that binds him, or we must think the devil much tamer than he is.

Poole: Rev 20:2 - -- There can be no question who is meant by the dragon here, and the old serpent for the Holy Ghost interpreteth it, the devil the enemy of mankin...

There can be no question who is meant by the dragon here, and the

old serpent for the Holy Ghost interpreteth it,

the devil the enemy of mankind.

And bound him: by binding also is meant the restraint of the devil in the exercise of his natural power, or the power God had before allowed him to exercise for the trial of his saints’ faith and patience. The devil is restrained in the restraint of his instruments. It is expounded, Rev 20:3 , that he should deceive the nations no more.

A thousand years: whether these thousand years signify that certain space of time, or a long time, I cannot say; only it is probable, that if it signifies an uncertain, indefinite time, it is much longer time than any other period of time spoken of, (which have all hitherto been expressed by days, or months, or a lesser number of years), by far. But what the complexion of the world shall be during this long time, or when the epocha or beginning of these thousand years shall be, are both of them very hard questions. It was the opinion of the old Chiliasts or Millenaries, that six thousand years of the world should pass, then antichrist with all wicked men should be destroyed; that in the next thousand years Christ should appear, and be upon the earth, ruling it with his saints; after which there would be another time of sharp persecution, according to what is said, Rev 20:7 , to which Christ should put a period by coming to the last judgment. It is plain that (if most men be not mistaken, that have counted the years from the beginning of the world) these men were mistaken; for more than six thousand years are passed, yet there is no such thing come to pass. Divers very good and learned men (leaving out the age of the world when these thousand years should begin) have judged, that after the great battle in Armageddon, (which, as was said before, shall be after the ruin both of Turk and pope), the church of Christ shall for a thousand years enjoy great quiet under the conduct of Christ, (as some think), who in these thousand years shall personally be upon the earth; or of such a godly magistracy in all places of the church, as shall do and execute what Christ would have done and executed. After which the enemies of the church (mentioned here, Rev 20:8 , under the notions of Gog and Magog ) shall rally again, but be destroyed by Christ appearing to the last judgment. This opinion hath had, and hath, many learned and grave patrons. I shall only say this, that I do not understand what these thousand years mean, if they do not denote a serene and calm time for the church of God, of long continuance, before the day of judgment. Whether Christ shall be here personally, or none but saints shall be in places of power, or the power of Christ only shall be seen in so ruling and governing all magistrates, that they shall not, as before, impose superstition and idolatry, and kill or ruin men for not complying with them; but the servants of God, that worship him in spirit and truth, shall under magistrates live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty; I cannot determine; but do in my own thoughts most incline to the last, that the thousand years only denote a large space of time, (as yet at a great distance), when the church of God shall freely enjoy their liberty, without such temptations to idolatry, superstition, or other wickedness, as they have yet all along had, either from Jews, pagans, or antichrist’ s party.

Poole: Rev 20:3 - -- And cast him into the bottomless pit that is, into hell, his proper place: he shall no longer, or at least not till these thousand years be expired, ...

And cast him into the bottomless pit that is, into hell, his proper place: he shall no longer, or at least not till these thousand years be expired, exercise his power, as prince of the power of the air, Eph 2:2 , or compassing the earth, and walking up and down in it, as Job 1:7 .

And shut him up, and set a seal upon him he shall be restrained as much as one shut up in prison, whose doors are sealed up.

That he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled that till this time of God’ s counsel for the quiet of his church be run out, he shall not deceive people by his old arts.

And after that he must be loosed a little season and after that he shall have a liberty again as Rev 20:7for a little time.

PBC: Rev 20:1 - -- The angel that came down from heaven was Jesus Christ. He had "the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." Re 20:1 The key denotes a...

The angel that came down from heaven was Jesus Christ. He had "the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." Re 20:1 The key denotes authority. The bottomless pit is the everlasting/eternal separation from God’s presence. Bottomless indicates a place of endless duration. The great chain represents the power of Christ to restrain Satan.

475

Satan bound in the bottomless pit {Re 20:1-3}

Re 20:1-2 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

The main thought of these verses is the word bound. In the Greek the word translates deo, a primary verb meaning to bind (in various applications, literally or figuratively). Let us examine the following passages. " Then said the king to the servants, Bind [deo] him hand and foot." {Mt 22:13} " Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied [deo]," {Mt 21:2} " Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind [deo] on earth shall be bound in heaven." {Mt 18:18} In the verses under consideration the Scripture uses another powerful metaphor. We are approaching the highly descriptive language John uses to describe the Church.[1]  We must not lose this meaning of the binding of Satan. The binding angel was one with authority: he had the key to the bottomless pit. He comes with a great chain[2] in his hand. This bottomless pit does not mean the same as does the lake of fire and brimstone. This bottomless pit is not the place of eternal punishment. Satan is bound in the sense that he can do no more than God will allow him to do. This binding of Satan is for a period of time. The terminology, a thousand years, is expressed in metaphoric language. David uses this metaphor in Ps 90:4, " For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Peter uses this same metaphor, " 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." {2Pe 3:8} Time is not the primary factor. Purpose has more to do with the actions of God than does a limited time. Let us examine the purpose for this binding of Satan.— Eld. Charles Taylor

Re 20:1-15 covers a vast period of time. It begins with the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth and goes to the end of time and into eternity. I don’t have all the answers to the complex issues in this portion of God’s word, but I do know according to 2Ti 3:16 this scripture should be profitable to us. I believe it is given for our encouragement as we face the devil during our pilgrimage on earth.

476

[1] Re 21:1-27 and Re 22:1-21.

[2] halusis, hal’-oo-sis; of uncertain derivation; a fetter or manacle.

PBC: Rev 20:2 - -- It should be especially noted in verse two that Satan is called by all his names: the dragon (denoting political power- Re 12:3); the serpent (the dec...

It should be especially noted in verse two that Satan is called by all his names: the dragon (denoting political power- Re 12:3); the serpent (the deceiver- Ge 3:1-16); the Devil (the accuser Re 12:10); and his proper name, Satan. The binding of Satan affected every aspect of his power and influence.

This binding of Satan is brought about through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came in the flesh "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death." {Heb 2:14} The devil no longer occupies the same position as he did before Jesus paid the sin debt for His children. Satan has no basis to accuse us before God, because God’s justice has been vindicated as Jesus died that horrible death for us that our sins required.

It seems there is a close parallel between Re 12:7-10 and the binding of Satan in Re 20:1-15. We find that God talked with Satan in Ge 3:14; Job 1:7-12; 2:1-6 and Zec 3:1-2. Satan was "the accuser of our brethren." {Re 12:10}

But after the redemptive work of Christ "the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him." {Re 12:9} Then a loud voice in heaven proclaimed, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night." {Re 12:10} Notice in verse nine that the devil is described as one "which deceiveth the whole world...." He was cast out and down from his former position by the power of Christ. He was cast "unto the earth." {Re 12:13} I believe that this action and the binding and casting of him into the bottomless pit is one event. He is shut up and sealed in the pit to the extent that he is unable to deceive the whole world or the nations as before. However, he is still very active in the earth, causing much pain and heartache to its inhabitants, especially to the children of God. Although the devil still causes much trouble, we should be thankful that he can no longer accuse us before God about our eternal life. After viewing the complete work of Christ in redemption, Paul wrote: "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." {Ro 8:33-34} Until God created the nation of Israel, all nations were almost completely under the dragon’s power, and devil’s deception. Until the work of Christ on earth and the spread of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit, all nations except Israel were totally under the deception of the devil, worshipping idols. During the "thousand years" in which we are now living there has been and still is a Christian influence in many nations. This will continue to a greater or lessor extent, at least until the devil is "loosed a little season." {Re 20:3}

477

PBC: Rev 20:3 - -- Jesus laid hold on this being, "cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more...

Jesus laid hold on this being, "cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled." {Re 20:3}

Since this chapter, as well as the entire book contains so much symbolic language, we should consider that the thousand years may be symbolic also. We have every reason to believe it is. The word thousand is used often in scripture to indicate a large, indefinite number. For example, De 7:9, we find God speaking, "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." The thousand years of Re 20:1-15 began almost two thousand years ago and has continued, I believe, until now. It will end shortly before the bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

478

God uses the decline of civilization to work His purpose:

The purpose of God in this binding of Satan was for a limited time. He should deceive the nations [ethnos, a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe] no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. The nations under consideration are God’s people of every kindred, nation, or tongue. God uses the decline of civilization to work His purpose.

History records the third, fourth, and fifth centuries A.D. as the most discouraging periods in Roman history. The culture and civilized life, which had been so long in the making, slowly declined. When large estates replaced small farms, commerce and industry declined. As it became difficult for men to farm and carry on business, most of the people in the empire became discouraged with life, and cared little about their civilization or their empire. What does this have to do with Satan being bound? Allow me to quote you two paragraphs from history.[1]  " These discouraged people sought comfort in religion. But what religion? As most of them had lost faith in their own gods, they tried various cults which came from the Near East. But the more men tried other gods, the more they came to think that some one god must be greater than all others, perhaps the only god. The Christians believed in one God, and they would worship no others, not even the gods of the Roman state. For this they were persecuted. But they were so sure about their God, and their faith gave them such comfort in their troubles, that they increased in numbers and organized themselves into a Christian church." Eventually they won a great victory. The Emperor Constantine gave them freedom to worship, and their church was recognized by later emperors.

This church, as we shall see, became stronger than the Roman Empire because men came to be more loyal to their church than they were to their empire. This condition could not have been possible except the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, had been bound for that particular time and purpose of God.— Eld. Charles Taylor

[1] Ancient and Medieval History -page 374.

Haydock: Rev 20:2 - -- And bound him for a thousand years. I shall give the reader an abridgment of what St. Augustine has left us on this chapter, in this 20th book de Ci...

And bound him for a thousand years. I shall give the reader an abridgment of what St. Augustine has left us on this chapter, in this 20th book de Civ. Dei [The City of God]. From the 5th to the 16th chap. (t. vii. p. 578, et seq.) he treats upon these difficulties: What is meant by the first and second resurrection; by the binding and chaining up of the devil; by the thousand years that the saints reign with Christ; by the first and second death; by Gog and Magog, &c. As to the first resurrection, chap. vi. he takes notice on the 5th verse, that resurrection [1] in the Gospels, and in St. Paul, is applied not only to the body but also to the soul; and the second resurrection, which is to come, is that of the bodies: that there is also a death of the soul, which is by sin; and that the second death is that of soul and body by eternal damnation: that both bad and good shall rise again in their bodies. On those words, (ver. 6) Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection; in these the second death hath no power. Such, saith he, (chap. ix.) as have risen from sin, and have remained in that resurrection of the soul, shall never be liable to the second death, which is damnation. Cap. vii. p. 580, he says that some Catholics not understanding rightly the first resurrection, have been led into ridiculous fables, [2] and this by the interpretation which they put on the thousand years; as if the first resurrection implied a resurrection of the bodies of the martyrs and saints, who should live on the earth with Christ for a thousand years before the general resurrection, in all manner of delights. This was the opinion of those called Millenarians: this, saith he, might seem tolerable in some measure, [3] if taken for spiritual delights, (for we ourselves were once in these sentiments) but if for carnal pleasures, it can only be believed by carnal men . He then expounds what may be understood by the binding and chaining of the devil for a thousand years (Cap. vii. & viii, p. 581) that the thousand years, meaning a long time, may signify all the time from Christ's first coming[4] to his second at the end of the world, and to the last short persecution under antichrist. The devil is said to be bound, that is, his power much lessened and restrained, in comparison of the great and extensive power he had over all nations before Christ's incarnation; not but that he still tempts many,[5] and raiseth persecutions, which always turn to their greater good; and that towards the end of the world he shall be let loose, as it were, for a short time, and permitted with his infernal spirits to exercise his malice against mankind, to try the patience of the elect, and to shew the power of God's grace, by which his faithful servants shall triumph over the devil. (N. B.) What St. Augustine adds divers times in these chapters: "Let no one," says he, "imagine[6] that even during that short time, there shall be no Church of Christ on the earth: God forbid: even when the devil shall be let loose, he shall not be able to seduce the Church." Cap. ix, p. 586, he expounds those words, (ver. 4-5) I saw the souls of them that were beheaded....and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years....this is the first resurrection: i.e. the first resurrection is while the devil is chained up for the space of a thousand years. He takes notice that the present state of the Church is many times called the kingdom of God, and that the Church of Christ reigns now with Christ, both in the living saints, and those who are dead, in the souls of the martyrs, and of others, who have lived and died piously, now reign with Christ, not yet in their bodies, [7] but their souls reign with him. On those words of the 4th verse: who had not adored the beast, nor his image, nor received his mark, he only gives this exposition, as agreeable to the Christian faith, that by the beast may be understood the multitude of wicked sinners in general, and the image of the beast [8] those who are of the Church in outward appearance and profession only, and not by their works. When it is said (ver. 5) that the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand years were finished: they lived not, says he, as to their souls, when they should have lived; and therefore not being happy in heaven, when their bodies shall rise, it shall not be to life, but to judgment and damnation, which is the second death . Cap. xi, he expounds the 7th and 8th verses, where it is said that Satan shall be loosed....and seduce the nations which are over the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, [9] and shall gather them together to battle . This, says St. Augustine, will be the last persecution at the approach of the day of judgment, which the whole city, or the whole Church of Christ dispersed through the universe, will suffer from the whole city of the devil. Neither need Gog and Magog be taken for a particular[10] barbarous people, but such as are dispersed in a manner in every nation, and who shall then break out by the instigation of Satan into an open hatred and persecution against the faithful servants of God; as it is said, (ver. 8.) they ascended upon the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, where we cannot literally understand one camp, one city, or one place, but the Church every where dispersed. Cap. xii, he expounds the 9th verse, where he takes fire to signify, metaphorically, the firm resistance and constancy of the good, and the fire [11] of their zeal, which devoured as it were the wicked; or we may understand with others, the temporal fire of God's judgments in this world against the wicked, but not the last eternal fire; because the eternal fire comes not down from heaven but the wicked are cast into it below. Cap. xiii, he teacheth that the last persecution[12] of antichrist, here mentioned, shall but last three years and six months; i.e. a little while. Cap. xiv and xv, he expounds the 10th and following verse, of the devil being cast into the lake of fire, after the last persecution of antichrist. By the beast he understands, as before, the city or multitude of all the wicked; and by the false prophet, either antichrist or the outward appearance of faith in them that have none. Then follows the last judgment, where it is said that the books are opened, and also that another book was opened. By the first book, may be understood men and their consciences; and by the other book, the book of life, that[13] of eternal predestination. Thus far S. Augustine, where we see that he delivers the common Catholic doctrine, that by the thousand years, so often mentioned in this chapter, he understands all that time in which the souls of the martyrs, and of all other saints, reign happy with Christ in heaven, till after the general resurrection they receive a full and complete happiness, both as to soul and body. A false exposition of these thousand years gave occasion to the mistake, the error, and heresy of those called the Millenarians, which Mede and Dr. W. have followed. Papias, who lived soon after, or perhaps with St. John, was the chief promoter of this mistake; a man, says Eusebius, of "little judgment and capacity,"[14] who misconstrued the discourses which he heard. He was followed by divers writers in the second, third, and fourth century, who did not hold with Cerinthus and his followers, that the saints should rise before the general resurrection, and reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years in all manner of sensual pleasures; but in spiritual delights, in the city of Jerusalem, built anew after that glorious manner described in the next chapter. Now though this opinion had several considerable abettors, of which I find these seven: Papias, St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenæus, Tertullian, Nepos, (a bishop, in Egypt; in Eusebius, lib. xii. chap. xxiv.) Victorinus Petabionensis, Lactantius, and Severus Sulpitius: yet were there always other learned Catholic writers who rejected it as a fable. Of this number was Caius, a priest, at Rome, about the end of the second age [century]; Origen, in his prologue on the Canticles; St. Denys, of Alexandria, who in the third age [century] wrote to confute Nepos; (see Eusebius, lib. vii. History of the Church, chap. xxiv., who treats it as a fable ) St. Basil,[15] who calls it an old wife's tale, and a Jewish fiction, Epist. 293; St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Orat. 52; St. Epiphanius, St. Jerome, Philastrius, Theodoret, who place this opinion among the heresies and heretical fables: so that this could never be looked upon as the constant doctrine and tradition of the Church. The bishop of Meaux takes notice, that Mede either mistook or falsified the text of St. Justin,[16] who, in his Dialogue with Tryphon, holds that opinion of a thousand years reign; but adds, "I also told you, that many who are Christians of pious and sound sentiments, do not own this to be true." Thus we read in the Greek, as well as in the Latin translation: but Mr. Mede quite changes the sense, by adding a negative in this manner; but many who are not of this pure and holy doctrine, &c. We may observe that St. Justin says in the next page, that they who own not the resurrection of the body, and say that souls go to heaven without any future resurrection, are not to be accounted Christians, but are to be looked upon as Sadducees and unbelievers. Which is very true. And he adds, that he, and others who think right with him, know that there will be a resurrection of the flesh, and a rebuilding of Jerusalem for a thousand years, which St. Justin himself judge grounded on the prophets, Isaias, Ezechiel, &c. So that not to make St. Justin contradict himself, he mentions three opinions: the first is the heresy of those who absolutely denied the future resurrection of the dead: these were not Christians, but unbelievers, Sadducees, &c. The second was of those who held that the martyrs and saints should rise and reign for a thousand years in their bodies on the earth; this, which was his own opinion, he calls the right and true doctrine. But thirdly, he does not condemn those pious Christians who, as he had said before, disowned this thousand years reign, for this would be to contradict himself. (Witham) ---

In the above chapter, what man can reflect without trembling, that the devil has the rage of a dragon, the cunning of an old serpent, the malice of a calumniator, and that he is a most implacable enemy? On the other hand, what man is there that does not feel consolation in the reflection, that Jesus Christ has vanquished this savage fiend, and bound him in fetters, by limiting the exercise of his rage and malice? Some understand this chaining of the dragon of the reign of Constantine, and particularly after the defeat of Licinius; (see above, [Apocalypse] chap. xii. 18.) and the thousand years of the intermediate period between Constantine and antichrist, when the devil will again be let loose, but for a short time, only three years and a half. (Bible de Vence) ---

Bound him, &c. The power of Satan has been very much abridged by the passion of Christ; for a thousand years; that is, for the whole time of the new testament, but especially from the time of the destruction of Babylon or pagan Rome, till the new efforts of Gog and Magog against the Church, towards the end of the world. During which time the souls of the martyrs and saints live and reign with Christ in heaven, in the first resurrection, which is that of the soul to the life of glory, as the second resurrection will be that of the body, at the day of the general judgment. (Challoner)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

St. Augustine, chap. vi. Prima animarum est.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap. vii, p. 580. In quasdam riduculas fabulas.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

P. 581. Utcunque tolerabilis.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Mille annos pro annis omnibus hujus sæculi posuit, &c. Chap. viii, p. 583. A primo adventu Christi usque ad finem sæculi.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap. viii, p. 583. Alligatio diaboli est non permitti exercere totam tentationem, &c.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Ne quis existimet eo ipso parvo tempore, quo solvetur diabolus, in hac terra ecclesiam non futuram, &c. Tales erunt, cum quibus ei belligerandum est, ut vinci tanto ejus impetu, insidiisque non possint, &c.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap. ix, p. 586. Quamvis ergo cum suis corporibus nondum, jam tamen eorum animæ regnant cum eo.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

P. 587. Quæ sit ista bestia....non abhorret a fide recta, ut ipsa impia civitas intelligatur, et populus infidelium contrarius populo fideli, et civitati Dei. Imago vero simulatio ejus mihi videtur....fallaci imagine Christiani.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap xi, p. 589. De Gog et Magog: hæc erit novissima persecutio, novissimo imminente judicio, quam sancta ecclesia toto terrarum orbe patietur, universa scilicet civitas Christi ab universa diaboli civitate.

[10] Gentes istæ, quas appellat Gog et Magog: non sic sunt accipiendæ tanquam sint aliqui in aliqua parte terrarum barbari constituti....non utique ad unum locum venisse, vel venturi esse significati sunt, &c.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap xii, p. 589. Bene intelligitur ignis de cælo de ipsa firmitate sanctorum, qua non cessuri sunt sævientibus, quoniam non poterunt attrahere in partes antichristi sanctos Christi.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap xiii. Hæc persecutio novissima, quæ futura est ab antichristo (p. 590) tribus annis et sex mensibus erit....tempus exiguum, &c.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Chap. xv, p. 593. Prædestinationem significat eorum, quibus æterna dabitur vita, &c.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Eusebius (lib. 3, chap. xxxix) says of Papias, Greek: omikr[] on ton noun; and that he followed Greek: muthikotera.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

St. Basil (tom. 3, p. 284) says, Greek: graiodeis muthous.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

St. Justin, (Ed. Joachimi Perionii, p. 62.) multis autum eorum, etiam qui integræ piæque sententiæ Christianæ sunt, hæc incognita (seu non agnita) esse tibi exposui. In the Greek of Rob. Stephen, out of a manuscript in the king's library, in the year 1551, p. 88, Greek: pollous d au, kai ton tes katharas, kai eusebous onton christianon gnomes, touto me gnorizein, esemena soi.

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Gill: Rev 20:1 - -- And I saw an angel come down from heaven,.... All Christ's enemies, and Satan's instruments being removed, the devil is left alone, and only stands in...

And I saw an angel come down from heaven,.... All Christ's enemies, and Satan's instruments being removed, the devil is left alone, and only stands in the way of Christ's kingdom; and what will be done to him, and how he will be in the issue disposed of, this vision gives an account: by the "angel" John saw, is not to be understood Constantine the great; for though he is the man child that was taken up to God, and his throne, being advanced to the empire, yet he cannot, with that propriety, be said to come down from heaven; and though he vanquished the Heathen emperors, in which the dragon presided, and cast Paganism out of the empire, by which the devil ruled in it, yet the binding of Satan is another kind of work, and seems too great for him; and besides, did not take place in his time, as will be seen hereafter: nor is an apostle, or a minister of the Gospel intended; such are indeed called angels in this book, and may be said to come down from heaven, because they have their commission from thence; and particularly the apostles had the keys of the kingdom of heaven, but not the key of the bottomless pit; and a chain and system of Gospel truths, which they made good use of for the establishing of Christ's kingdom, and weakening of Satan's, but not such a chain as is here meant; and they had the power of binding and loosing, or of declaring things lawful or unlawful, but not of binding and loosing of Satan; nor was he bound in the apostolic age: nor is one of the ministering spirits, or a deputation of angels designed; for though Christ will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, and will make use of them, both to gather together his elect, and to cast the wicked into the lake of fire, yet not to bind Satan; but the Lord Jesus Christ himself is this angel, who is the angel of God's presence, and of the covenant; and who is in this book called an angel, Rev 7:2 to whom all the characters here well agree, and to whom the work of binding Satan most properly belongs; for who so fit to do it, or so capable of it, as the seed of the woman, that has bruised serpent's head, or as the Son of God, who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, yea, to destroy him himself; and who dispossessed multitudes of devils from the bodies of men, and is the strong man armed that dislodges Satan from the souls of men, and is the same with Michael, who drove him from heaven, and cast him out from thence before, Rev 12:7. And his coming down from heaven is not to be understood of his incarnation, or of his coming from thence by the assumption of human nature; for Satan was not bound by him then, as will be seen hereafter; but of his second coming, which will be from heaven, where he now is, and will be local, visible, and personal: of no other coming of his does this book speak, as seen by John, or as future; nor will the order of this vision, after the ruin of the beast and false prophet, admit of any other.

Having the key of the bottomless pit: the abyss or deep, the same out of which the beast ascended, Rev 11:7. And the key of this becomes no hand so well as his who has the keys of hell and death, Rev 1:18 who has all power in heaven and in earth, and has the power of hell, of opening and shutting it at his pleasure, which is signified by this phase; see Rev 9:1. The Ethiopic version reads, "the key of the sun", where some have thought hell to be; and yet the same version renders the word, the deep, in Rev 20:3.

And a great chain in his hand; the key in one hand, and the chain in another; by which last is meant, not any material chain, with which spirits cannot be bound, nor indeed sometimes bodies possessed by evil spirits, Mar 5:3 but the almighty power of Christ, which he will now display in binding Satan faster and closer than ever.

Gill: Rev 20:2 - -- By whom is meant not Paganism, for that was destroyed in the Roman empire under the sixth seal, and was the consequence of the war between Michael and...

By whom is meant not Paganism, for that was destroyed in the Roman empire under the sixth seal, and was the consequence of the war between Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his; and before this time it will be destroyed in other parts under the sixth and seventh vials, when the kings of the earth, being gathered together at Armageddon, will be slain, and the cities of the nations will fall, not only Papal, but Pagan, and Mahometan; and what will not will be converted, for before this time the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of Christ: but the devil himself is intended, so called, partly because of his great power, authority, and cruelty he has exercised in the world; and because of the venom and poison of idolatry, superstition, false doctrine, and worship, with which he has infected the inhabitants of it.

That old serpent; so called with respect to his cunning and subtlety, as well as his antiquity, being from the beginning of the creation, and having as early beguiled our first parents;

which is the devil and Satan; the accuser of God and men, and the adversary of them both. The Complutensian edition and Syriac version add, "which deceiveth the whole world"; and the Arabic version, "the deceiver of the whole world"; which seems to be taken out of Rev 12:9, See Gill on Rev 12:9. Him Christ "laid hold on", and whom he held fast, as the word signifies: Christ will now take him, apprehend him, and detain him, as his prisoner; in the wilderness, Satan only felt the dint of his sword, the written word of God, and was obliged to leave him: but now he will feel the weight of his hand, and the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger; in the agony or conflict with him in the garden, he was conquered by prayer; and on the cross Christ destroyed him through death, but now he will be seized by his power, and crushed under his hand.

And bound him a thousand years, with the great chain he had in his hand: the devil is in chains now, is under the power of divine Providence, and can do nothing without divine permission; but this chain is long, and he appears oftentimes to have great liberty, and ranges about the air and earth, and does much mischief; but now he will be so bound by the power of Christ over him, that he will not be able to stir hand or foot, to disturb the saints, or deceive the nations, whether with false worship, and false doctrine, or by stirring them up to persecute the saints. So of the devil, Asmodaeus, it is said in the Apocrypha,

"And Raphael was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale away the whiteness of Tobit's eyes, and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobias by right of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobit home, and entered into his house, and Sara the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper chamber.'' (Tobit 3:17)

that the angel Raphael, אסרהו "bound him". The space of a thousand years is not a certain number for an uncertain, or a large and indeterminate space of time, as in Psa 90:4 these years are to be taken, not indefinitely, but definitely, for just this number of years exactly, as appears from their having the article prefixed to them; and are called afterwards, no less than four times, τα χιλια ετη, "the thousand years", or these thousand years, Rev 20:3 and from the things which are attributed to the beginning and ending of these years, which fix the epoch, and period of them; as the binding of Satan, when they begin, and the loosing of him when they end, as well as the reign of the saints with Christ during the whole time; to which may be added, the resurrection of the saints at the commencement of them, and the resurrection of the wicked at the close: but the great question is, whether they are begun or not? if they are begun, when they began; and if not, when they will. Some think that they began either at the birth of Christ, or at his resurrection, or at the destruction of Jerusalem. I put these together, because they were all in one century, within the compass of seventy years, or thereabout; so that if the thousand years began at either of them, they must end in the same century, in 1100. Now though, upon Christ's coming Satan fell like lightning from heaven, and multitudes of men, possessed with devils, were dispossessed by Christ, and he that had the power of death, the devil, was destroyed by him; and upon the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles in the Gentile world, the prince of the world was cast out, his oracles were struck dumb, multitudes were converted, and churches were set up everywhere, yet still Satan was not bound: he was not bound before the death of Christ; witness the many bodies of men possessed by him; his tempting Christ himself in the wilderness; his attacks upon him in the garden, and on the cross; his putting it into the heart of Judas to betray him; and filling the chief priests and scribes with malice and envy against him, to seek his death, which they brought about: nor was he bound, so as not to deceive the Jews, either before or after the death of Christ, nor is he to this day; they were in Christ's time under the influence of their father the devil, whose lust they would do, and did, in putting Christ to death; and after his death, they were instigated by Satan to persecute his apostles in Judea, and elsewhere; and though after the destruction of Jerusalem they had no more power to act in this way, yet they had no less ill will and malice against the Christians, and are to this day filled with enmity against them, and are led captive by Satan, and given up to believe a lie, that the Messiah is not come, and to reject the true Messiah, and to expect a false one: and as for the Heathen world, notwithstanding the progress of the Gospel in it, yet for the first three hundred years Paganism was the established religion of the Roman empire; and Christianity was everywhere spoken against, despised, and persecuted, and sometimes triumphed over, as if it was extinct; and Satan could never be said to be bound, and in prison himself, when he cast such multitudes into prison, and caused them to have tribulation ten days, Rev 2:10 in which so many martyrs suffered; nor did Satan appear to be bound, with respect to the church; the mystery of iniquity began to work in the apostle's times, and there were then many antichrists in the world, deceivers, false teachers and heretics; there was a synagogue of Satan, Rev 2:9 and such a set of vile persons under the name of Christians, as scarce ever was in the world; to which may be added, the great decline of love, and other graces, and of the purity of doctrine and worship in the best churches, and the many contentions among themselves, in which Satan had a great hand, and therefore could not be bound: moreover, some hundreds of years before the thousand years ended, beginning from either of the above dates, the man of sin, the son of perdition, the pope, or western antichrist, was revealed, whose coming is after the working of Satan, 2Th 2:9 and therefore surely he could not be bound then; besides, Mahomet, the eastern antichrist, sprung up, who opened the bottomless pit, and let out the smoke of it, by the Alcoran he delivered, and the false worship he set up: nor was there anything in the eleventh century, which answered to the loosing of Satan, to the Gog and Magog army, their war with the saints, and the issue of it; nor were the nations then more deceived than they had been in some centuries past; at least they were deceived in centuries past, both by the pope and Mahomet, which they would not have been, had Satan been bound then: to which may be subjoined, that if Satan was loosed, then he cannot be said to be loosed a little season, as in Rev 20:3 in comparison of the thousand years, as that must be understood; since it is now between six and seven hundred years since, which is more than half a thousand years. Others begin these years at Constantine's coming to the imperial throne; but though there was at that time a great spread of the Gospel, an enlargement of Christ's kingdom, and a weakening of Satan's, yet Satan was far from being bound; see Rev 12:7 witness the flood of errors and heresies which he quickly brought in, as the Eutychian and Nestorian heresies, the one confounding the natures, the other dividing the person of Christ; the Pelagian heresy, which obscured the grace of God, and advanced the free will of man; the Macedonian heresy, which denied the divinity of the Spirit: and especially the Arian heresy, which was opposed to the deity of Christ, and which introduced great contentions and confusion the churches, and issued in a violent persecution of them, being embraced by the sons of Constantine: not to take notice of Julian, an Heathen emperor, ascending the throne, who by many devilish arts endeavoured to extirpate Christianity; nor what has been observed before, the rise of both Mahomet in the east, and the Romish antichrist in the west, which were both within this period; in process of time the western empire was overrun by the Goths and Vandals, and the eastern empire by the Saracens and Turks; to which may be added, the violent persecutions of the Waldenses and Albigenses, before the year 1300, about which time the thousand years must cease, according to this computation, for opposing the pope of Rome, and who were slain where Satan had his seat, Rev 2:13 and therefore not bound; nor was there anything happened in that century which might answer to the loosing of him. Others date these thousand years from the Reformation, and so not much more than two hundred of them are yet passed; but that Satan was not bound then, and is not now, is manifest. All the Popish nations have not been reformed, but still remain under the deception; and some, that have been, have revolted again; and the devil has continued to deceive the nations with that false worship, and to stir them up to persecute the reformed. Witness the burning of them here in Queen Mary's days, the massacres in France and Ireland, the present inquisition in Spain and Portugal, and the persecution of the Hugonots in France, and other Protestants elsewhere: and this is further evident from the decline in the reformed churches, both as to doctrine, discipline, and conversation; from the spread of errors and heresies of all kinds ever since, and especially in our age; and from the general profaneness and infidelity of the times, which, when considered, no man in his senses can ever think that Satan is bound; nor indeed will he be bound, or these thousand years begin, till after the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the destruction of all the antichristian powers, Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan, as appears from the order of this vision, and its connection with the preceding chapter.

Gill: Rev 20:3 - -- And cast him into the bottomless pit,.... Or deep, into which the devils desired they might not be sent, and which they dreaded as a torment, it may b...

And cast him into the bottomless pit,.... Or deep, into which the devils desired they might not be sent, and which they dreaded as a torment, it may be, because a place of confinement, Luk 8:31 for this is called a prison, Rev 20:7 and is distinguished from the lake of fire, into which the devil is afterwards cast, Rev 20:10.

And shut him up; that so he might not rove about in the air, nor go to and fro in the earth, nor walk about like a roaring lion, seeking to affright, disturb, or devour:

and set a seal upon him; or upon the door of the pit, for further security, as was upon the stone at the mouth of the lion's den, Dan 6:17 and of Christ's sepulchre, Mat 27:66. The Jews u make mention of a stone they call "Shetijah", with which the Lord of the world "sealed the mouth of the great deep", or bottomless pit, at the beginning; but here not that, but Satan in it, is sealed. The Alexandrian copy reads, "and sealed him firmly", so that it was impossible for him to break out: the end of this apprehension, binding, imprisonment, and security of Satan is,

that he should deceive the nations no more; that is, by drawing them into idolatry, false worship, and false doctrine; and by exciting them to make war against the saints, or to persecute them, as appears from Rev 20:8 as he had done before; and it is notorious enough that he has deceived them both these ways; he deceived the Pagan nations not only before, but since the coming of Christ, to worship the Heathen deities; and the Papists, who are called Gentiles, or nations, Rev 11:2 to fall down to idols of gold, silver, stone, and wood; and the nation of the Jews to entertain a false and deluded notion of the Messiah; and all of them, in their turns, to persecute the people of God, as the Jews at the death of Stephen, and afterwards; the Pagan emperors for the first three hundred years after Christ; the Papists from the rise of the beast, who had power given him to make war with the saints, and overcome them; but now he will be under such restraint, and in such close confinement, that he will not be able to move the wicked nations to anything of this kind, as he will when he is loosed at the end of the thousand years; nor will he be able so much as to tempt any of the saints, during this term of time, nor give them the least molestation or uneasiness.

Till the thousand years shall be fulfilled; or ended, the whole space of them run out:

and after that he must be loosed a little season; a small space of time, in comparison of the thousand years; how long it will be exactly, cannot be said; and this "must" be, not because he cannot be held any longer, or through any weakness in Christ; but because of the decree of God, who has so appointed it, for the glorifying of himself, in the salvation of his people, and in the final destruction of the devil, and the Gog and Magog army.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 20:1 The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be...

NET Notes: Rev 20:2 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

NET Notes: Rev 20:3 Or “and shut.” While the lexical force of the term is closer to “shut,” it is acceptable to render the verb ἔκλ...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:1 And ( 1 ) I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key ( 2 ) of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ( 1 ) Now follows the third...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him ( 3 ) a thousand years, ( 3 ) The first of which (cont...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations ( 4 ) no more, till the thousand ye...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Rev 20:1-15 - --1 Satan bound for a thousand years.6 The first resurrection; they blessed that have part therein.7 Satan let loose again.8 Gog and Magog.10 The devils...

MHCC: Rev 20:1-3 - --Here is a vision, showing by a figure the restraints laid on Satan himself. Christ, with Almighty power, will keep the devil from deceiving mankind as...

Matthew Henry: Rev 20:1-10 - -- We have here, I. A prophecy of the binding of Satan for a certain term of time, in which he should have much less power and the church much more p...

Barclay: Rev 20:1-3 - --The abyss was a vast subterranean cavern beneath the earth, sometimes the place where all the dead went, sometimes the place where special sinners w...

Constable: Rev 4:1--22:6 - --III. THE REVELATION OF THE FUTURE 4:1--22:5 John recorded the rest of this book to reveal those aspects of the f...

Constable: Rev 20:1-15 - --M. The millennial reign of Christ ch. 20 John recorded his vision of Jesus Christ's reign on the earth f...

Constable: Rev 20:1-3 - --1. The binding of Satan 20:1-3 20:1 The first word, "And," supports the idea of chronological sequence. It implies a continuation from what John just ...

College: Rev 20:1-15 - --REVELATION 20 i. Deliverance from Babylonian Captivity (20:1-22:6) Revelation 20:1-22:5 consists of a very beautiful and very elaborate network of s...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Revelation (Book Introduction) THE REVELATION OF JOHN ABOUT a.d. 95 By Way of Introduction Difficulty in the Problem Perhaps no single book in the New Testament presents so ...

JFB: Revelation (Book Introduction) AUTHENTICITY.--The author calls himself John (Rev 1:1, Rev 1:4, Rev 1:9; Rev 2:8). JUSTIN MARTYR [Dialogue with Trypho, p. 308] (A.D. 139-161) quotes ...

JFB: Revelation (Outline) TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOL...

TSK: Revelation (Book Introduction) The obscurity of this prophecy, which has been urged against its genuineness, necessarily results from the highly figurative and symbolical language i...

TSK: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Rev 20:1, Satan bound for a thousand years; Rev 20:6, The first resurrection; they blessed that have part therein; Rev 20:7, Satan let lo...

Poole: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 20

MHCC: Revelation (Book Introduction) The Book of the Revelation of St. John consists of two principal divisions. 1. Relates to " the things which are," that is, the then present state of...

MHCC: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) (Rev 20:1-3) Satan is bound for a thousand years. (Rev 20:4-6) The first resurrection; those are blessed that have part therein. (Rev 20:7-10) Satan...

Matthew Henry: Revelation (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Revelation of St. John the Divine It ought to be no prejudice to the credit and authority of this b...

Matthew Henry: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) This chapter is thought by some to be the darkest part of all this prophecy: it is very probable that the things contained in it are not yet accomp...

Barclay: Revelation (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE REVELATION OF JOHN The Strange Book When a student of the New Testament embarks upon the study of the Revelation he feels him...

Barclay: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) The Thousand Year Reign Of Christ And The Saints (Rev_20:1-15) Since the great importance of this chapter is that it is what might be called the fou...

Constable: Revelation (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical background The opening verses of the book state that "John" wr...

Constable: Revelation (Outline) Outline I. The preparation of the prophet ch. 1 A. The prologue of the book 1:1-8 ...

Constable: Revelation Revelation Bibliography Abbott-Smith, George. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & ...

Haydock: Revelation (Book Introduction) THE APOCALYPSE OF ST. JOHN, THE APOSTLE. INTRODUCTION. Though some in the first ages [centuries] doubted whether this book was canonical, and ...

Gill: Revelation (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION That this book was written by the Apostle and Evangelist John, is clear not only from the express mention of his name, a...

Gill: Revelation 20 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 20 This chapter contains the binding of Satan, the saints' thousand years' reign with Christ, the loosing of Satan again...

College: Revelation (Book Introduction) PREFACE This commentary on the Revelation of John has been prepared for general readers of the Bible who desire to deepen their understanding of God'...

College: Revelation (Outline) OUTLINE I. PROLOGUE - 1:1-20 A. Introduction to the Prophecy - 1:1-3 B. Sender - 1:4a C. Recipients - 1:4b D. Prescript - 1:4c-5a E. ...

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