
Text -- Revelation 20:7-10 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Robertson: Rev 20:7 - -- When are finished ( hotan telesthēi ).
Indefinite future temporal clause with hotan and the first aorist passive subjunctive of teleō , "whenev...
When are finished (
Indefinite future temporal clause with

Robertson: Rev 20:7 - -- Shall be loosed ( luthēsetai ).
Future passive of luō , no longer bound as in Rev 20:2. He uses the future as a prophet in Rev 20:7, Rev 20:8, bu...

Robertson: Rev 20:7 - -- Out of his prison ( ek tēs phulakēs autou ).
For phulakē in this sense see Rev 2:10. Out of the abyss of Rev 20:2, Rev 20:3.

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- To deceive the nations ( planēsai ta ethnē ).
First aorist active infinitive of purpose of planaō , Satan’ s chief task (chapter 12 to cha...

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- Which are in the four corners of the earth ( ta en tais tessarsi gōniais tēs gēs ).
Clearly the reign with Christ, if on earth, was not shared ...

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- Gog and Magog ( ton Gōg kai Magōg ).
Accusative in explanatory apposition with ta ethnē (the nations). Magog is first mentioned in Gen 10:2. ...
Gog and Magog (
Accusative in explanatory apposition with

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- To gather them together to the war ( sunagagein autous eis ton polemon ).
Second aorist active infinitive of purpose of sunagō , a congenial task f...

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- Of whom ( hōn - autōn ).
Pleonasm or redundant pronoun as in Rev 3:8 and often (of whom - of them).
Of whom (
Pleonasm or redundant pronoun as in Rev 3:8 and often (of whom - of them).

Robertson: Rev 20:8 - -- As the sand of the sea ( hōs hē ammos tēs thalassēs ).
Already in Rev 13:1. Clearly then the millennium, whatever it is, does not mean a peri...
As the sand of the sea (
Already in Rev 13:1. Clearly then the millennium, whatever it is, does not mean a period when Satan has no following on earth, for this vast host rallies at once to his standard.

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- They went up ( anebēsan ).
Second aorist active indicative of anabainō , a return to the manner of the seer as in Rev 20:4, Rev 20:5.

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- Over the breadth of the earth ( epi to platos tēs gēs ).
Platos is old word, in N.T. only here, Rev 21:16; Eph 3:18. The hosts of Satan spread ...

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- Compassed ( ekukleusan ).
First aorist (prophetic) active indicative of kukleuō , to encircle, late verb (Strabo) from kuklos (circle), in N.T. o...
Compassed (
First aorist (prophetic) active indicative of

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- The camp of the saints ( tēn parembolēn tōn hagiōn ).
Parembolē (para , en , ballō ) is common late word for military camp, in lxx f...

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- The beloved city ( tēn polin tēn ēgapēmenēn ).
Perfect passive participle of agapaō , "the city the beloved."See Psa 78:68; Psa 87:2 for ...

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- And fire came down out of heaven ( kai katebē pur ek tou ouranou ).
Second aorist (prophetic) active indicative of katabainō . Cf. Gen 19:24; Gen...

Robertson: Rev 20:9 - -- Devoured them ( katephagen autous ).
Second aorist (prophetic) active of katesthiō , to eat up (down). Vivid climax to this last great battle with ...
Devoured them (
Second aorist (prophetic) active of

Robertson: Rev 20:10 - -- Was cast ( eblēthē ).
First aorist (prophetic, affective) passive indicative of ballō (Rev 20:3).
Was cast (
First aorist (prophetic, affective) passive indicative of

Robertson: Rev 20:10 - -- Into the lake of fire and brimstone ( eis tēn limnēn tou puros kai theiou ).
As in Rev 19:20 with the two beasts, as he adds, "where are also the...
Into the lake of fire and brimstone (
As in Rev 19:20 with the two beasts, as he adds, "where are also the beast and the false prophet"(

Robertson: Rev 20:10 - -- They shall be tormented ( basanisthēsontai ).
Return to the prophetic future of Rev 20:7, Rev 20:8. For basanizō see Rev 9:5; Rev 14:10. For "d...
They shall be tormented (
Return to the prophetic future of Rev 20:7, Rev 20:8. For
Vincent: Rev 20:8 - -- Gog and Magog
See Ezekiel 38, 39. Compare Gen 10:2. where Magog appears as a son of Japhet. Magog is a general name for the northern nations, and...
Gog and Magog
See Ezekiel 38, 39. Compare Gen 10:2. where Magog appears as a son of Japhet. Magog is a general name for the northern nations, and, according to Ezekiel, Gog is their prince. Josephus says that the descendants of Magog were the Scythians.

Vincent: Rev 20:9 - -- On the breadth ( ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος )
Lit., over (ἐπί ). As distinguished from the " four corners" of Rev 20:8. They over...
On the breadth (
Lit., over (

Vincent: Rev 20:9 - -- The camp ( τὴν παρεμβολὴν )
See on castle , Act 21:34. Encompassing and defending the city. Compare Psa 78:7.
Wesley: Rev 20:7 - -- At the same time that the first resurrection begins. There is a great resemblance between this passage and Rev 12:12. At the casting out of the dragon...
At the same time that the first resurrection begins. There is a great resemblance between this passage and Rev 12:12. At the casting out of the dragon, there was joy in heaven, but there was woe upon earth: so at the loosing of Satan, the saints begin to reign with Christ; but the nations on earth are deceived.

Wesley: Rev 20:8 - -- (That is, in all the earth) - the more diligently, as he hath been so long restrained, and knoweth he hath but a small time.
(That is, in all the earth) - the more diligently, as he hath been so long restrained, and knoweth he hath but a small time.

Wesley: Rev 20:8 - -- Magog, the second son of Japhet, is the father of the innumerable northern nations toward the east. The prince of these nations, of which the bulk of ...
Magog, the second son of Japhet, is the father of the innumerable northern nations toward the east. The prince of these nations, of which the bulk of that army will consist, is termed Gog by Ezekiel also, Eze 38:2. Both Gog and Magog signify high or lifted up; a name well suiting both the prince and people. When that fierce leader of many nations shall appear, then will his own name be known.

Wesley: Rev 20:8 - -- Both Gog and his armies. Of Gog, little more is said, as being soon mingled with the rest in the common slaughter. The Revelation speaks of this the m...
Both Gog and his armies. Of Gog, little more is said, as being soon mingled with the rest in the common slaughter. The Revelation speaks of this the more briefly, because it had been so particularly described by Ezekiel.

Immensely numerous: a proverbial expression.

Perhaps the gentile church, dwelling round about Jerusalem.

So termed, likewise, Ecclesiasticus 24:11.

Wesley: Rev 20:10 - -- That is, without any intermission. Strictly speaking, there is only night there: no day, no sun, no hope!
That is, without any intermission. Strictly speaking, there is only night there: no day, no sun, no hope!
Greek, "finished."

JFB: Rev 20:8 - -- (Eze. 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Gen 10:2). A has bu...
(Eze. 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Gen 10:2). A has but one Greek article to "Gog and Magog," whereby the two, namely, the prince and the people, are marked as having the closest connection. B reads the second article before Magog wrongly. HILLER [Onomasticon] explains both words as signifying "lofty," "elevated." For "quarters" the Greek is "corners."

Greek, "to the war," in A and B. But ANDREAS omits "the."

JFB: Rev 20:9 - -- So as completely to overspread it. Perhaps we ought to translate, ". . . of the [holy] land."
So as completely to overspread it. Perhaps we ought to translate, ". . . of the [holy] land."

JFB: Rev 20:9 - -- The camp of the saints encircling the beloved city, Jerusalem (Ecclesiasticus 24:11). Contrast "hateful" in Babylon (Rev 18:2; Deu 32:15, Septuagint)....
The camp of the saints encircling the beloved city, Jerusalem (Ecclesiasticus 24:11). Contrast "hateful" in Babylon (Rev 18:2; Deu 32:15, Septuagint). Ezekiel's prophecy of Gog and Magog (Eze. 38:1-39:29) refers to the attack made by Antichrist on Israel before the millennium: but this attack is made after the millennium, so that "Gog and Magog" are mystical names representing the final adversaries led by Satan in person. Ezekiel's Gog and Magog come from the north, but those here come "from the four corners of the earth." Gog is by some connected with a Hebrew root, "covered."

JFB: Rev 20:9 - -- So B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A omits the words. Even during the millennium there is a separation between heaven and earth, transfig...
So B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A omits the words. Even during the millennium there is a separation between heaven and earth, transfigured humanity and humanity in the flesh. Hence it is possible that an apostasy should take place at its close. In the judgment on this apostasy the world of nature is destroyed and renewed, as the world of history was before the millennial kingdom; it is only then that the new heaven and new earth are realized in final perfection. The millennial new heaven and earth are but a foretaste of this everlasting state when the upper and lower congregations shall be no longer separate, though connected as in the millennium, and when new Jerusalem shall descend from God out of heaven. The inherited sinfulness of our nature shall be the only influence during the millennium to prevent the power of the transfigured Church saving all souls. When this time of grace shall end, no other shall succeed. For what can move him in whom the visible glory of the Church, while the influence of evil is restrained, evokes no longing for communion with the Church's King? As the history of the world of nations ended with the manifestation of the Church in visible glory, so that of mankind in general shall end with the great separation of the just from the wicked (Rev 20:12) [AUBERLEN].

So Coptic. But A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "where also."

JFB: Rev 20:10 - -- Figurative for without intermission (Rev 22:5), such as now is caused by night interposing between day and day. The same phrase is used of the externa...
Figurative for without intermission (Rev 22:5), such as now is caused by night interposing between day and day. The same phrase is used of the external state of the blessed (Rev 4:8). As the bliss of these is eternal, so the woe of Satan and the lost must be. As the beast and the false prophet led the former conspiracy against Christ and His people, so Satan in person heads the last conspiracy. Satan shall not be permitted to enter this Paradise regained, to show the perfect security of believers, unlike the first Adam whom Satan succeeded in robbing of Paradise; and shall, like Pharaoh at the Rod Sea, receive in this last attempt his final doom.
Clarke: Rev 20:7 - -- Satan shall be loosed - How can this bear any kind of literal interpretation? Satan is bound a thousand years, and the earth is in peace; righteousn...
Satan shall be loosed - How can this bear any kind of literal interpretation? Satan is bound a thousand years, and the earth is in peace; righteousness flourishes, and Jesus Christ alone reigns. This state of things may continue for ever if the imprisonment of Satan be continued. Satan, however, is loosed at the end of the thousand years, and goes out and deceives the nations, and peace is banished from the face of the earth, and a most dreadful war takes place, etc., etc. These can be only symbolical representations, utterly incapable of the sense generally put upon them.

Clarke: Rev 20:8 - -- Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Num 11:26. I shall give the w...
Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Num 11:26. I shall give the words at length: "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad, and on them the spirit of prophecy rested. Eldad prophesied and said, ‘ Behold, Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world; and Joshua the son of Nun, captain of the host, shall succeed him.’ Medad prophesied and said, ‘ Behold quails shall arise out of the sea, and be a stumbling block to Israel.’ Then they both prophesied together, and said, ‘ In the very end of time Gog and Magog and their army shall come up against Jerusalem, and they shall fall by the hand of the King Messiah; and for seven whole years shall the children of Israel light their fires with the wood of their warlike engines, and they shall not go to the wood nor cut down any tree.’ "In the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on the same place, the same account is given; only the latter part, that is, the conjoint prophecy of Eldad and Medad, is given more circumstantially, thus: "And they both prophesied together, and said, ‘ Behold, a king shall come up from the land of Magog in the last days, and shall gather the kings together, and leaders clothed with armor, and all people shall obey them; and they shall wage war in the land of Israel against the children of the captivity, but the hour of lamentation has been long prepared for them, for they shall be slain by the flame of fire which shall proceed from under the throne of glory, and their dead carcasses shall fall on the mountains of the land of Israel; and all the wild beasts of the field, and the wild fowl of heaven, shall come and devour their carcasses; and afterwards all the dead of Israel shall rise again to life, and shall enjoy the delights prepared for them from the beginning, and shall receive the reward of their worlds.’
This account seems most evidently to have been copied by St. John, but how he intended it to be applied is a question too difficult to be solved by the skill of man; yet both the account in the rabbins and in St. John is founded on Ezekiel, Ezekiel 38:1-39:29. The rabbinical writings are full of accounts concerning Gog and Magog, of which Wetstein has made a pretty large collection in his notes on this place. Under these names the enemies of God’ s truth are generally intended.

The beloved city - Primarily, Jerusalem, typically, the Christian Church.

Clarke: Rev 20:10 - -- And the devil - was cast onto the lake - Before Satan was bound, that is, his power was curtailed and restrained; now, he is cast into the lake of f...
And the devil - was cast onto the lake - Before Satan was bound, that is, his power was curtailed and restrained; now, he is cast into the lake of fire, his power being totally taken away.
Defender: Rev 20:7 - -- The events described in Rev 20:7-9 take place only after there have been a thousand years of enforced peace and righteousness. In Rev 20:3, it was sai...
The events described in Rev 20:7-9 take place only after there have been a thousand years of enforced peace and righteousness. In Rev 20:3, it was said that Satan must be loosed a little season, evidently to give men an opportunity to reveal the basic rebellion still simmering in their human natures, and in order to see openly whether they will choose Satan over God, as their ancestors had done a thousand years before. Those entering the millennial period will be genuine believers, but their descendants will evidently drift away from the faith of their fathers as the generations accumulate and the population grows. Open rebellion, as well as crime and warfare, will be impossible. Satan and his hosts will all be bound in Hades, but men and women will still be born with sinful natures and will need to receive Christ as their personal Savior by faith. If they do not, they will still be vulnerable to Satanic deception when Satan is released to tempt them."

Defender: Rev 20:8 - -- Despite the duplication of names, this Gog and Magog incursion after the thousand years does not seem to be the same as the invasion of Israel by Gog ...
Despite the duplication of names, this Gog and Magog incursion after the thousand years does not seem to be the same as the invasion of Israel by Gog and Magog before the thousand years, as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The combatants in the two battles are quite different from each other and the outcomes are drastically different, as is obvious from even a casual reading of the two accounts. It may be that the names are the same because the new leaders of the rebellion (human leaders, that is) come from the same northern regions of Eurasia as the leaders of that earlier invasion of Israel. They may even have deliberately appropriated these Biblical names as a statement of their intent to avenge the defeat and death of their ancestors when they invaded Israel.

Defender: Rev 20:8 - -- The world population, with the benefit of increased longevity, as well as an almost perfect environment and societal conditions, will grow to fulfill ...
The world population, with the benefit of increased longevity, as well as an almost perfect environment and societal conditions, will grow to fulfill God's ancient command to "fill the earth" (Gen 9:1, Gen 9:7). But it is a sad commentary on the perverse depravity of human nature that, even after a thousand years of peace and prosperity, and even while experiencing the personal reign of Christ on the earth, men will still follow Satan in great multitudes when they have a chance. Truly, the human heart in its natural state is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer 17:9)."

Defender: Rev 20:9 - -- "The saints" here are probably not just the Israelites in Jerusalem but also the resurrected and raptured saints of the previous ages, all coming to r...
"The saints" here are probably not just the Israelites in Jerusalem but also the resurrected and raptured saints of the previous ages, all coming to rally around "the beloved city" as the hosts of darkness and their multitudes of human followers surround them for one last desperate attempt to defeat and dethrone the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be impossible, for God (not Satan) is the Creator of all things, and this time His patience and longsuffering will finally reach an end. In a foretaste of the lake of fire which the rebels will all soon inhabit, God will send from heaven a vast ring of fire around the holy city which will quickly "devour the adversaries" (Heb 10:27), "for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29)."

Defender: Rev 20:10 - -- "Brimstone" comes from the Old English name for sulphur ("brim" developed into "burn," sulphur being the "stone" that burns). When sulphur ignites, it...
"Brimstone" comes from the Old English name for sulphur ("brim" developed into "burn," sulphur being the "stone" that burns). When sulphur ignites, it burns with a very bright light and with the noxious odor of sulphur dioxide. This smell was noted by the ancients both in lightning storms and volcanic storms, so both came to be known as "fire from God," hence the Greek words for brimstone came to be

Defender: Rev 20:10 - -- The beast and the false prophet are thus still imprisoned in the lake of fire over a thousand years after first being cast into it (Rev 19:20). These ...
The beast and the false prophet are thus still imprisoned in the lake of fire over a thousand years after first being cast into it (Rev 19:20). These two are actually Satanically-controlled men. Presumably their human bodies will be consumed by the flames when they are first cast into the fire, but their souls will still be there a thousand years later when Satan joins them; and they will all continue there forever. It is probable, though not explicitly so stated, that all Satan's demonic hosts will also be cast there simultaneously (Mat 25:41)."

TSK: Rev 20:8 - -- to deceive : Rev 20:3, Rev 20:10
Gog : Ezek. 38:1-39:29
to gather : Rev 16:14
the number : Jdg 7:12; 1Sa 13:5; 1Ki 4:20; Isa 10:22; Jer 33:22; Heb 11:...

TSK: Rev 20:9 - -- went : Isa 8:7, Isa 8:8; Eze 38:9, Eze 38:16; Hab 1:6
and compassed : 2Ki 6:15; Mic 2:13; Mat 16:16-18; Luk 19:43, Luk 21:20
the camp : Psa 48:1-3, Ps...
went : Isa 8:7, Isa 8:8; Eze 38:9, Eze 38:16; Hab 1:6
and compassed : 2Ki 6:15; Mic 2:13; Mat 16:16-18; Luk 19:43, Luk 21:20
the camp : Psa 48:1-3, Psa 74:2-4, Psa 125:1, Psa 125:2; Heb 13:13
and fire : Rev 11:5, Rev 13:13; Gen 19:24; Exo 9:23, Exo 9:24; Lev 10:2, Lev 10:3; Num 11:1, Num 16:35; 2Ki 1:10-15; Psa 97:3, Psa 106:18; Isa 30:33, Isa 37:36; Eze 38:22, Eze 39:6; Luk 9:54, Luk 17:29; 2Th 1:8

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes: Rev 20:7 - -- And when the thousand years are expired - See Rev 20:2. Satan shall be loosed out of his prison - See Rev 20:3. That is, a state of thing...
And when the thousand years are expired - See Rev 20:2.
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison - See Rev 20:3. That is, a state of things will then occur as if Satan should be for a time let loose again, and should be permitted to go as formerly over the world. No intimation is given "why or how"he would be thus released from his prison. We are not, however, to infer that it would be a mere arbitrary act on the part of God. All that is necessary to be supposed is, that there would be, in certain parts of the world, a temporary outbreak of wickedness, as if Satan were for a time released from his chains.

Barnes: Rev 20:8 - -- And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Rev 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true char...
And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Rev 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true character, and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of mankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth.
Which are in the four quarters of the earth - Literally, corners of the earth, as if the earth were one extended square plain. The earth is usually spoken of as divided into four parts or quarters - the eastern, the western, the northern, and the southern. It is implied here that the deception or apostasy referred to would not be confined to one spot or portion of the world, but would extend afar. The idea seems to be, that during that period, though there would be a "general"prevalence of the gospel, and a "general"diffusion of its blessings, yet that the earth would not be entirely under its influence, and especially that the native character of the human heart would not be changed. Man, under powerful temptations, would be liable to be deluded by the great master spirit that has so often corrupted the race. Once more he would be permitted to make the trial, and then his power would forever come to an end.
Gog and Magog - The name "Gog"occurs as the name of a prince in Eze 38:2-3, Eze 38:16, Eze 38:18; Eze 39:1, Eze 39:11. "He is an invader of the land of Israel, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal,"Eze 38:2. "Magog"is also mentioned in Eze 38:2, "the land of Magog"; and in Eze 39:6, "I will send a fire on Magog."As the terms are used in the Old Testament, the representation would seem to be that "Gog"was the king of a people called "Magog."The signification of the names is unknown, and consequently nothing can be determined about the meaning of this passage from that source. Nor is there much known about the "people"who are referred to by Ezekiel. His representation would seem to be, that a great and powerful people, dwelling in the extreme recesses of the north Eze 38:15; Eze 39:2, would invade the Holy Land after the return from the exile, Eze 38:8-12. It is commonly supposed that they were Scythians, residing between the Caspian and Euxine Seas, or in the region of Mount Caucasus. Thus Josephus ( Ant Eze 1:6, Eze 1:3) has dropped the Hebrew word Magog, and rendered it by
Among the Hebrews, the name "Magog"also would seem to denote all the unknown barbarous tribes about the Caucasian mountains. The fact that the names Gog and Magog are, in Ezekiel, associated with Meshech and Tubal, seems to determine the locality of these people, for those two countries lie between the Euxine and Caspian Seas, or at the southeast extremity of the Euxine Sea (Rosenmuller, Bib. Geog. vol. 1, p. 240). The people of that region were, it seems, a terror to Middle Asia, in the same manner as the Scythians were to the Greeks and Romans. Intercourse with such distant and savage nations was scarcely possible in ancient times; and hence, from their numbers and strength, they were regarded with great terror, just as the Scythians were regarded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as the Tartars were in the middle ages. In this manner they became an appropriate symbol of rude and savage people; of enemies fierce and warlike; of foes to be dreaded; and as such they were referred to by both Ezekiel and John. It has been made a question whether Ezekiel and John do not refer to the same period, but it is not necessary to consider that question here.
All that is needful to be understood is, that John means to say that at the time referred to there would be formidable enemies of the church who might be compared with the dreaded dwellers in the land of Magog; or, that after this long period of millennial tranquility and peace, there would be a state of things which might be properly compared with the invasion of the Holy Land by the dreaded barbarians of Magog or Scythia. It is not necessary to suppose that any particular "country"is referred to, or that there would be any one portion of the earth which the gospel would not reach, and which would be still barbarous, pagan, and savage; all that is necessary to be supposed is, that though religion would generally prevail, human nature would remain essentially corrupt and unchanged; and that, therefore, from causes which are not stated, there might yet be a fearful apostasy, and a somewhat general prevalence of iniquity. This would be nothing more than has occurred after the most favored times in the church, and nothing more than human nature would exhibit at any time, if all restraints were withdrawn, and people were suffered to act out their native feelings. "Why"this will be permitted; what causes will bring it about; what subordinate agencies will be employed, is not said, and conjecture would be vain. The reader who wishes more information in regard to Gog and Magog may consult Prof. Stuart on this book, vol. 2, pp. 364-368, and the authorities there referred to. Compare especially Rosenmuller on Eze 38:2. See also Sale’ s "Koran,"Pre. Dis. section 4, and the "Koran"itself, Sura 18:94 and 21:95.
To gather them together to battle - As if to assemble them for war; that is, a state of things would exist in regard to the kingdom of God and the prevalence of the true religion as if distant and barbarous nations should be aroused to make war on the church of God. The meaning is, that there would be an awakened hostility against the kingdom of Christ in the earth. See the notes on Rev 16:14.
The number of whom is as the sand of the sea - A common comparison in the Scriptures to denote a great multitude, Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; Gen 41:49; 1Sa 13:5; 1Ki 4:20, et al.
Section c. - Condition of things in the period referred to in Rev 20:7-8;
(1) This will occur "at the close"of the millennial period - the period of the thousand years. It is not said, indeed, that it would be "immediately"after that; but the statement is explicit that it will be "after"that, or "when the thousand years are expired."There may be an interval before it shall be accomplished of an indefinite time; the alienation and corruption may be gradual; a considerable period may elapse before the apostasy shall assume an organized form, or, in the language of John, before the hosts shall "be gathered to battle,"but it is to be the "next"marked and prominent event in the history of the world, and is to precede the final consummation of all things.
\caps1 (2) t\caps0 his will be a "brief period."Compared with the long period of prosperity that preceded it, and "perhaps"compared with the long period that shall follow it before the final judgment, it will be short. Thus, in Rev 20:3, it is said that Satan "must be loosed a little season."See the notes on that verse. There is no way of determining the time with exactness; but we are assured that it will not be long.
\caps1 (3) w\caps0 hat will be the exact state of things then can be only a matter of conjecture. We may say, however, that it will not be:
(a)\caps1 n\caps0 ecessarily "war."The language is figurative and symbolical, and it is not necessary to suppose that an actual and bloody warfare will be literally waged against the church. Nor,
(b)\caps1 w\caps0 ill there be a literal invasion of the land of Palestine as the residence of the saints and the capital of the Redeemer’ s visible empire, for there is not a hint of this - not a word to justify such an interpretation. Nor,
©\caps1 i\caps0 s it necessary to suppose that there will be literally such nations as will be then called "Gog and Magog,"for this language is figurative, and designed to characterize the foes of the church - as being in some respects formidable and terrible as were those ancient nations.
We may thus suppose that at that time, from causes which are unexplained, there will be:
(a)\caps1 a\caps0 revived opposition to the truths of religion;
(b)\caps1 t\caps0 he prevalence, to a greater or less extent, of infidelity;
©\caps1 a\caps0 great spiritual declension;
(d)\caps1 a\caps0 combination of interests opposed to the gospel;
(e)\caps1 p\caps0 ossibly some new form of error and delusion that shall extensively prevail.
Satan may set up some new form of religion, or he may breathe into those that may already exist: a spirit of worldliness and vanity - some new manifestation of the religion of forms - that shall for a limited period produce a general decline and apostasy. As there is, however, no distinct specification of what will characterize the world at that time it is impossible to determine what is referred to anymore than in this general manner.
(4) A few remarks may, however, be made on the "probability"of what is here affirmed, for it seems contrary to what we should suppose would be the characteristics of the closing period of the world. The following remarks, then, may show that this anticipated state of things is not improbable:
(a) We are to remember that human nature will then be essentially the same as now. There is no intimation that man, as born into the world, will be then different from what he is now, or that any of the natural corrupt tendencies of the human heart will be changed. People will be "liable"to the same outbreaks of passion, to be influenced by the same forms of temptation, to fall into the same degeneracy and corruption, to feel the same unhappy influences of success and prosperity as now, for all this pertains to a fallen "nature,"except as it is checked and controlled by grace. We often mistake much in regard to the millennial state by supposing that all the evils of the apostasy will be arrested and that the nature of man will be as wholly changed as it will be in the heavenly world.
(b) The whole history of the church has shown that there is a liability to "declension"even in the best state and in the condition of the highest spiritual prosperity. To see this we have only to remember the example of the Hebrews, and how readily they apostatized after the most striking manifestation of the divine mercies; the early Christian church, and how soon it declined; the seven churches of Asia Minor, and how soon their spirituality departed; the various revivals of religion that have occurred from time to time, and how soon they have been succeeded by coldness, worldliness, and error; the fact that great religious denominations, which have begun their career with zeal and love, have so soon degenerated in spirit, and fallen into the same formality and worldliness which they have evinced who have gone before them; and the case of the individual Christian, who from the most exalted state of love and joy so soon often declines into a state of conformity to the world.
These are sad views of human nature, even under the influence of true religion; but the past history of man has given but too much occasion for such reflections, and too much reason to apprehend that the same things may occur, for a time, even under the best forms in which religion may manifest itself in a fallen world. Man’ s nature will be better in heaven, and religion there, in its purest and best form, will be permanent; here we are not to be surprised at any outbreak of sin or any form of declension in religion. What has often occurred in the world on a small scale we may suppose may then occur on a larger scale. "Just as on a small scale, in some little community like that of Northampton, as described by President Edwards, after the remarkable sense of God’ s presence over the whole town had begun to wax feeble, the still unconverted persons of it, though subdued and seemingly won over to Christ, would by little and little recover themselves, and at length venture forth in their true character; so it will be, in all probability, on a vast scale, at the close of the latter day. The unconverted portion of the world - long constrained by the religious influences everywhere surrounding them to fall in with the spirit of the day, catching apparently its holy impulses, but never coming savingly under its power - this portion of mankind, which we have reason to fear will not be small, will now be freed from these irksome restraints, no longer obliged to breathe an atmosphere uncongenial to their nature"(Brown on the Seceded Coming of Christ, p. 442). "No oppression is so grievous to an unsanctified heart as that which arises from the purity of Christianity. A desire to shake off this yoke is the true cause of the opposition which Christianity has met with in the world in every period, and will, it is most likely, be the chief motive to influence the followers of Gog in his time"(Frazer’ s Key, p. 455).
© The representations of the New Testament elsewhere confirm this view in regard to the latter state of the world - the state when the Lord Jesus shall come to judgment. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"Luk 18:8. "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?"2Pe 3:3-4. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape,"1Th 5:2-3. See especially Luk 17:26-30; "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day wheat the Son of man is revealed."

Barnes: Rev 20:9 - -- And they went up on the breadth of the earth - They spread over the earth in extended columns. The image is that of an invading army that seems...
And they went up on the breadth of the earth - They spread over the earth in extended columns. The image is that of an invading army that seems, in its march, to spread all over a land. The reference here is to the hosts assembled from the regions of Gog and Magog; that is, to the formidable enemies of the gospel that would be roused up at the close of the period properly called the "millennial"period - the period of the thousand years. It is not necessary to suppose that there would be "literally"armies of enemies of God summoned from lands that would be called lands of "Gog and Magog"; but all that is necessarily implied is, that there will be a state of hostility to the church of Christ which would be well illustrated by such a comparison with an invading host of barbarians. The expression "the breadth of the land"occurs in Hab 1:6, in a description. of the invasion of the Chaldeans, and means there "the whole extent of it"; that is, they would spread over the whole country.
And compassed the camp of the saints about - Besieged the camp of the saints considered as engaged in war, or as attacked by an enemy. The "camp of the saints"here seems to be supposed to be without the walls of the city; that is, the army was drawn out for defense. The fact that the foes were able to "compass this camp about,"and to encircle the city at the same time, shows the greatness of the numbers of the invaders.
And the beloved city - Jerusalem - a city represented as beloved by God and by his people. The whole imagery here is derived from a supposed invasion of the land of Palestine - imagery than which nothing could be more natural to John in describing the hostility that would be aroused against the church in the latter day. But no just principle of interpretation requires us to understand this "literally."Compare Heb 12:22. Indeed, it would be absolutely "impossible"to give this chapter throughout a "literal"interpretation. What would be the "literal"interpretation of the very first verses? "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 and bound"him."Can anyone believe that there is to be a literal "key,"and a "chain,"and an act of seizing a "serpent,"and "binding"him? As little is it demanded that the passage before us should be taken "literally"; for if it is maintained that this should be, we may insist that the same principle of interpretation should be applied to every part of the chapter, and every part of the book.
And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them - Consumed them - fire being represented as devouring or eating. See the notes on Rev 17:16. The meaning is, that they would be destroyed as if fire should come down from heaven, as on Sodom and Gomorrah. But it is not necessary to understand this literally, anymore than it is the portions of the chapter just referred to. What is obviously meant is, that their destruction would be sudden, certain, and entire, and that thus the last enemy of God and the church would be swept away. Nothing can be determined from this about the "means"by which this destruction will be effected; and that must be left for time to disclose. It is sufficient to know that the destruction of these last foes of God and the church will be certain and entire. This "language,"as denoting the final destruction of the enemies of God, is often employed in the Scriptures. See Psa 11:6; Isa 29:6; Eze 38:22; Eze 39:6.

Barnes: Rev 20:10 - -- And the devil that deceived them - See the notes on Rev 20:3, Rev 20:8. Was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone - In Rev 19:20, it i...
And the devil that deceived them - See the notes on Rev 20:3, Rev 20:8.
Was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone - In Rev 19:20, it is said of the beast and the false prophet that they were "cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone."Satan, on the other hand, instead of being doomed at once to that final ruin, was confined for a season in a dark abyss, Rev 20:1-3. As the final punishment, however, he is appropriately represented as consigned to the same doom as the beast and the false prophet, that those great enemies of God, that had been associated and combined in deceiving the nations, might share the same appropriate punishment in the end. Compare Rev 16:13-14.
Where the beast and the false prophet are - See the notes on Rev 19:20.
And shall be tormented day and night forever - Compare the notes on Rev 14:11. All the great enemies of the church are destroyed, and henceforward there is to be no array of hostile forces; no combination of malignant powers against the kingdom of God. The gospel triumphs; the way is prepared for the final consummation.
Section d. - Condition of things in the period referred to in Rev 20:9-10;
(1) There will be, after the release of Satan, and of course at the close of the millennial period properly so called, a state of things which may be well represented by the invasion of a country by hostile, formidable forces. This, as shown in the exposition, need not be supposed to be literal; but it is implied that there will be decided hostility against the true religion. It may be an organization and consolidation, so to speak, of infidel principles, or a decided worldly spirit, or some prevalent form of error, or some new form of depravity that shall be developed by the circumstances of that age. What it will be it is impossible now to determine; but, as shown above (section c, (4)), it is by no means improbable that this will occur even at the close of the millennium.
\caps1 (2) t\caps0 here will be a decided defeat of these forces thus combined, "as if"fire should come down from heaven to destroy an invading army. The "mode"in which this will be done is not indeed stated, for there is no necessity of understanding the statement in Rev 20:9 "literally,"anymore than the other parts of the chapter. The fair inference, however, is that it will be by a manifest divine agency; that it will be sudden, and that the destruction will be entire. We have no reason, therefore, to suppose that the outbreak will be of long continuance, or that it will very materially disturb the settled order of human affairs on the earth - anymore than a formidable invasion of a country does, when the invading army is suddenly cut off by some terrible judgment from heaven.
\caps1 (3) t\caps0 his overthrow of the enemies of God and of the church will be "final."Satan will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, to be tormented day and night forever."The beast and the false prophet are already there Rev 19:20; that is, they will have ceased long since, even before the beginning of the millennial period (Rev 19:20, compared with Rev 20:1-3), to have opposed the progress of truth in the world, and their power will have been brought to an end. Satan now, the last enemy, will be doomed to the same hopeless woe; and all the enemies that have ever opposed the church - in all forms of paganism, Mohammedanism, Popery, and delusion - will be destroyed forever. The world then will have peace; the church will have rest; the great triumph will have been achieved.
\caps1 (4) f\caps0 or reasons stated in the analysis of the chapter, 5. ©, it is possible that there will be a long period of continued prosperity and peace between the events stated in Rev 20:9-10, and the final judgment, as described in Rev 20:11-15. If so, however, the purpose of the book did not require that that should be described at length, and it must be admitted that the most "obvious"interpretation of the New Testament would not be favorable to such a supposition. Compare Luk 17:26-30; Luk 18:8; 1Th 5:2, 1Th 5:3; 2Pe 3:3-4. The great glory of the world will be the millennial period; when religion shall have the ascendency and the race shall have reached its highest point of progress on earth, and the blessings of liberty, intelligence, peace, and piety, shall have during that period been spread over the globe. In that long duration, who can estimate the numbers that shah be redeemed and saved? That period passed, the great purpose contemplated by the creation of the earth - the glory of God in the redemption of a fallen race, and in setting up a kingdom of righteousness in a world of apostasy - will have been accomplished, and there will be no reason why the final judgment should not then occur. "The work of redemption will now be finished. The end for which the means of grace have been instituted shall be obtained. All the effect which was intended to be accomplished by them shall now be accomplished. All the great wheels of Providence have gone round all things are ripe for Christ’ s coming to judgment"(President Edwards’ History of Redemption).
Poole: Rev 20:7 - -- When the long time expressed under the notion of a thousand years shall be expired, God shall take off his restraint from the devil, so as he shall ...
When the long time expressed under the notion of a thousand years shall be expired, God shall take off his restraint from the devil, so as he shall influence the wicked of the earth once more to make opposition to his church.

Poole: Rev 20:8 - -- And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth that is, the devil, being got from under the restraint of Divine ...
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth that is, the devil, being got from under the restraint of Divine Providence, shall fall upon his old work, going about to deceive men over all the world, either tempting them to idolatry, or heresy, or lewdness of life, or (which seemeth most probable) stirring them up to one attempt more to ruin the church. These people are called
Gog and Magog about the meaning of which there are various opinions. We read of Magog, Gen 10:2 ; he was one of the sons of Japheth; see also 1Ch 1:5 ; he inhabited that country called Syria, and from thence, his posterity being multiplied, (as some think), transplanted some colonies into America. We read of Gog no where in Scripture but in Ezekiel, Eze 38:1-39:29 , where both Gog and Magog are mentioned as the great enemies of God’ s ancient Israel. Gog there, Eze 38:2 , is named as the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. There are disputes who are meant by Gog and Magog in those two chapters. The Jewish rabbies apply the terms to some nations whom the Messiah (expected by them) shall encounter and overcome; but if we consider that prophecy as made in Babylon, and to comfort the people in that captivity, we can hardly think the enemies there intended were to appear at such a distance of time as more than two thousand years, for so many, and more, are elapsed already since Ezekiel’ s prophecy. The best interpreters therefore rather think, that Antiochus, and the race of Seleucus, (a king of Syria, who in those quarters of the world succeeded Alexander, of whom we read in the book of Maccabees), is there intended, whose ruin is there foretold, as being a great enemy to the Jews after their return from Babylon; yet some think, that in both these chapters Ezekiel prophesied of the same Gog and Magog here intended, which should be the last enemies of the church. The papists, who (according to their interest) contend for antichrist as yet to come, make Gog and Magog here to signify some king or kings that shall join with antichrist when he appeareth. Others think that Gog and Magog, in this place, signifies more generally, a colluvies, or mixed company of all wicked men, a very great multitude, who shall come from all parts, only typified by the Gog and Magog in Ezekiel, as being like them,
1. For number;
2. In their design to ruin the church, upon its restoration to a more quiet, peaceable state;
3. And who shall be ruined like them, by the more than ordinary providence of God; for the Gog and Magog mentioned in Ezekiel, are described in three texts of that prophecy as coming from the north, but these are described as coming from the four quarters of the world: this seemeth a much more probable opinion than theirs, who will have them some particular nations, whether Americans, Turks, or Indians.
The number of whom is as the sand of the sea: these enemies shall make a vast number, therefore compared to the sand of the sea; and in this they hold a proportion also with the Gog and Magog mentioned in Ezekiel, who were a great company, Eze 38:4 , many people, Eze 38:6 , covering the land, Eze 38:9 .

Poole: Rev 20:9 - -- And they went up on the breadth of the earth that is, in all parts of it where the church of Christ was.
And compassed the camp of the saints about,...
And they went up on the breadth of the earth that is, in all parts of it where the church of Christ was.
And compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city the church of God (typified by old Jerusalem, which was God’ s beloved city) they encompassed in a military order and manner, designing to destroy it, or make it subject to their lusts.
And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them: thus Ezekiel prophesied of the issue of the Gog and Magog by him mentioned, Eze 38:18-22 : Eze 38:22 , And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. The meaning is, that God would destroy them with a quick and terrible destruction, such as is that destruction of persons and places which is by fire.

Poole: Rev 20:10 - -- After this shall be the end of the world, when the devil shall be restrained to hell, the place of torments, where he shall have all heathens, and a...
After this shall be the end of the world, when the devil shall be restrained to hell, the place of torments, where he shall have all heathens, and all the rabble of antichrist, who shall be there tormented constantly and for ever and ever.
PBC: Rev 20:7 - -- Re 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the f...
Re 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
These verses raise at least three questions which need to be answered.
(1) What is meant by the term Gog and Magog?
(2) What is this battle which is to be fought?
(3) What is the difference between this battle and the battle of Armageddon.
(1) These names Gog and Magog are used metaphorically. They are a people who no longer exist. Therefore, the names are used because of their battle orientation. Eze 39:1 tells us that Gog is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Ge 10:2 gives us the origin of all three: " The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras." Ge 10:5 says, " By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations." According to Josephus they inhabited lands beginning at the mountains of Taurus and Amanus, then proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais, and along Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they lighted upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names. Those that sprang from Magog were named Magogites. These Magogites are called Scythians by the Greeks. Paul refers to the " Scythians" (descendants of Magog), " Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."{Col 3:11} Scythia[1] was the name given by the Greeks to an ill-defined area between the Carpathians and the Don River, the western portion of which included the black earth wheatlands of the modern Ukraine. The European tribes who occupied this area in the seventh century B.C. are those to whom most properly the term Scythian is applied. The Scythians appeared in upper Mesopotamia and Syria between 650 and 620 B.C. and another force reached the middle Danube. In the last three centuries before Christ, the Scythians[2] were displaced with the Celts and Samaritans.
(2) This battle called Gog and Magog was to be a spiritual battle. It was carried out during the time when Rome had become complacent because of social conditions. These fierce calvary legions of Scythians (Gog and Magog) are representative of the Apocalyptic conflict of Re 20:8. They were so fierce and oriented in the art of desert battle by use of swift archer-calvary that they frustrated an attack of Darius in 512 B.C. They also beat off Alexander’s general, Zopyrion, in 325 B.C. No truer figure of speech could be found for this conflict than the battle of Gog and Magog. However, we know they were no longer in existence as a nation at the time John received the Revelation experience. These ungodly nations from the four corners of the world were deceived by Satan and therefore suitable for the conflict. But again we are faced with metaphoric language. The terrible persecution of the Church and the battle against the saints of God, was typical of Gog and Magog. Satan’s best tool was being employed for this battle.— Eld. Charles Taylor
"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth." {Re 20:7-8} Remember, Satan was bound or restrained during the thousand years to the extent he could no longer deceive the whole world or nations during that time. Now those restraints are removed for a short time and his deception is rampant throughout the earth.
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[1] Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary.
[2] Being displaced, they no longer exist as a nation.

PBC: Rev 20:8 - -- Although there will likely be physical battles taking place during the time Satan is loosed, I believe the battle described in Re 20:8-9 is primarily ...
Although there will likely be physical battles taking place during the time Satan is loosed, I believe the battle described in Re 20:8-9 is primarily a spiritual battle. The beloved city is the Lord’s church rather than the physical city of Jerusalem. Satan with his multitude of demons and wicked followers "the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" will do everything possible to try to destroy the church and stamp out the truth. But fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them. {Re 20:9}
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PBC: Rev 20:9 - -- They compassed the camp of the saints about. Everywhere individual congregations are gathered this force has compassed them about (360 degrees, full c...
They compassed the camp of the saints about. Everywhere individual congregations are gathered this force has compassed them about (360 degrees, full circle). The saints of God were beheaded for the word of God. They were driven from post to pillar as they sought to worship and serve the Christ who has shown them the way. He was delivered up by the Jews, but crucified by the hands of the Gentiles, The offspring of Japheth.
Here is the battle. Rome and her powers in Jerusalem sought every way possible to annihilate the Church. The beloved city is the New Jerusalem, the Church in the earth. Not only do Satan’s forces attack individual saints of God, they attack the very foundation of the Church. The belief of God’s people is being tried every day. In the day in which we live, the morals of the Church are being tried as though by fire.
Following what history calls " the reign of the good Emperors, " the Roman emperors had again instituted Caesar worship throughout the Roman Empire. There was persecution upon all who refused to worship the Caesars as gods. Upon the destruction of Jerusalem, Christians were driven into all parts of the Empire. As they refused to worship these gods, the Romans surrounded them with persecutions as never before. They literally compassed the camp of the Lord round about. For three centuries Christians had to endure persecution, not because they had a different religion, but because they would not worship as the Romans wished. They were thrown into prison, and torn to pieces by wild animals before jeering crowds in amphitheatres. Even in the face of this awful persecution the number of Christians steadily increased, because of the manner in which they bore up under persecution.
" As a result, when Diocletian[1] became emperor, probably a tenth of the people in the empire were Christians. When he commanded that all who refused to worship him should be put to death, the Christians suffered the worst persecution they had ever known. Nevertheless, the Christians were about to win a great victory." More and more they gained religious freedom.
God Intervenes by Displacing the Persecutors:
In 311 A.D., Galerius, who succeeded Diocletian as emperor, decreed that Christians should have religious freedom. In 313 A.D. Constantine became the first Christian Roman emperor. In 391 A.D. the emperor Theodosius decreed that pagan temples should be closed and that old rites and ceremonies should be observed no more. Henceforth, there was to be only one god for all in the empire, the God of the Christians.
Thus the zeal, fire and brimstone, of these Christians who were willing to give their lives for the cause of Christ, burned those who had compassed the camp of the Lord. Rome was captured by the Germanic tribes in 410 A.D. (Ancient and Medieval History by Magoffin and Duncalf). This scarlet beast upon which Jerusalem had once ridden ceased to be the power of all the earth. These Romans received the wrath of God being poured out upon them.
Let us observe some passages where God is in charge of the devouring of the wicked. " Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." {Ps 11:6} " The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." {Re 14:10-12}
This destruction is for all to see. There is a destruction of sin which is as a fire. As the gospel was preached throughout the known world, it burned as a fire which could not be quenched. The more Satan tried to destroy those who followed and preached Christ, the more power came of their preaching. As we consider this great empire and her sins, we should also consider our position as a nation before God. Our morals and carnal desires are parallel with these of the citizens of Rome just prior to her fall.
(3) What is the difference between this battle and the battle of Armageddon?
We have discussed the Battle of Armageddon in Re 16:1-21. The word Armageddon is taken from two Hebrew words, (1) har, a mountain or range of hills, and (2) meged, a distinguished thing; hence something valuable, as a product or fruit—pleasant, precious fruit (thing). This precisely describes the place where the victory was won by Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary[2] and the Cross (Armageddon). Now the aftermath of all this is seen by John as the destruction of Jerusalem[3] (Babylon, the great whore), as she sat on the range of hills which make up the site of Jerusalem. An eminent, distinguished, valuable, pleasant place known by the whole world as the place where God had visited His people in time past.
By these two events (actually three) we know that the battle of Gog and Magog against the early Church was not the same as the battle of Armageddon. We can say positively that God was the Victor in all of these events.— Eld. Charles Taylor
[1] Ancient and Medieval History, by Magoffin and Duncalf - page 393
[2] Armageddon -pertained to Christ and Jerusalem.
[3] Gog and Magog pertained to the persecution of th early Church. NOTE! There was a vital battle fought at Meggido. It was at Meggido that Judah was conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem, along with the temple was destroyed at that time. Now at har-megged spiritual Israel is set free. Confusion no more reigns.

PBC: Rev 20:10 - -- This time Satan is not cast into the bottomless pit, but is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. We have no biblical account of his being brought...
This time Satan is not cast into the bottomless pit, but is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. We have no biblical account of his being brought forth again to be loosed with all of his powers. Yes, God’s people are faced with the spirit of Satan from time to time. He can never be loosed again as he was during the persecution of the early Church. We can be assured of the power of our God in this binding up of the full power of Satan.— Eld. Charles Taylor
The devil is totally defeated and is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone "where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." {Re 20:10}
484
Gill: Rev 20:7 - -- And when the thousand years are expired,.... Which are not yet expired; not in the year 1000, or 1033 or 4, reckoning from the birth or death of Chris...
And when the thousand years are expired,.... Which are not yet expired; not in the year 1000, or 1033 or 4, reckoning from the birth or death of Christ, when Paganism, which had been destroyed in the Gentile world, was introduced into the church, which bore the Christian name, through the man of sin; for this had been bringing in by degrees more or less from the times of Constantine; whence it appears, that Satan in this respect was loose before, and therefore this was not the time of his loosing; nor in 1073, reckoning from the destruction of Jerusalem, and the carrying and spread of the Gospel among the Gentiles, in which year Hildebrand came to the popedom, who may be truly called the brand of hell; Damianus, a brother cardinal, who lived at the same time with him when he was archdeacon of Rome, calls him the holy devil; he was an impostor, sorcerer, and necromancer, and by wicked arts got into the Papal chair; this pope raised the Papal power over princes to a very great height, and made the see of Rome absolutely independent, and all bishops dependent on it; he forbid bishops receiving their investiture from the emperor, or any lay person, under pain of excommunication: this is the pope that made the emperor, with his empress and child, wait three days barefoot at his gates, in the depth of winter, before they could be admitted to him; that doctrine of devils, forbidding priests to marry, was established by him; and in his days that monstrous and absurd notion of transubstantiation began to prevail, though he himself used his breaden god but very roughly; for taking it to be really God, he required an answer from it against the emperor; but it not speaking, he threw it into the fire, and burnt it. Now it will be allowed, that the devil was loose at this time, but then so he was before: there had been popes before this who were conjurers, necromancers, and had familiarity and confederacy with the devil; and near five hundred years before this time, the pope was declared universal bishop by Phocas; and the forbidding priests marriage was started in the council of Nice, and was approved of by Pope Siricius, long before this time, though it was now more firmly established; add to this, that if the expiration of the 1000 years and the loosing of Satan were at this time, he must have been loosed near 700 years, which can never be called a little season, as in Rev 20:3 especially in comparison of the 1000 years, the time of his binding; when it is two thirds of that time: nor did these years expire in or about 1300, reckoning from Constantine, about which time Pope Boniface the Eighth lived, of whom it is said, that he came in like a fox, railed like a lion, and died like a dog; upon his accession to the popedom, he instituted a jubilee, and on the first day he appeared in his pontifical habit, and gave the benediction to the people, and on the next day he clothed himself with an imperial habit, and put on a rich diadem, and sat on a throne, with a naked sword bore before him, when he uttered these words, "Ecce hic duo gladii", "Behold here are two swords", referring to Luk 22:38 which the Papists would have understood of the temporal and spiritual power which Peter and his successors are possessed of; at the same time Ottoman was crowned emperor of the Mahometan nations, who founded the Turkish empire, and spread the Mahometan religion in Asia and Greece; and by both these, great disturbances and wars were occasioned, both in the east and west: but still this does not make it appear that now was the time of Satan's loosing; since before this time the Papal power was at its utmost height, and the Mahometan religion had been hundreds of years in the world, and had greatly prevailed; and therefore Satan must be loosed before; and indeed it is in vain to seek after the expiration of these years, and the loosing of Satan, when as yet the years are not begun, nor has Satan been bound, as has been shown on Rev 20:2 but however, when they will be ended,
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison; during the thousand years he will be in a state of confinement, being bound, shut, and sealed up in the bottomless pit, which is therefore here called a prison, as is the place of damned spirits, in 1Pe 3:19 but when these will be at an end; his chain will be taken off, at least will be lengthened; the seal upon him will be broken off, the bottomless pit will be opened, and he let loose; which will be done not by himself, but by him that bound him, or by divine permission.

Gill: Rev 20:8 - -- And shall go out,.... Of his prison, the bottomless pit, and shall walk to and fro in the earth, and go about like a deceitful serpent, and roaring li...
And shall go out,.... Of his prison, the bottomless pit, and shall walk to and fro in the earth, and go about like a deceitful serpent, and roaring lion, as before:
to deceive the nations: as he had done before the thousand years began, and from which he was restrained during that time; he had before deceived the Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan nations, and now he will go forth to deceive those at this time
which are in the four quarters of the earth; all the world over: the names of which nations are,
Gog and Magog: not the same which are mentioned in Eze 38:1 though there is an allusion to them, and from thence the names are taken, and some of the figures borrowed, and design the enemies of God's people, who will be in the world at this time; so the Jews b speak of a Gog and Magog, that will come up against Jerusalem in the days of the Messiah, whom they still expect, by whom they shall be destroyed:
to gather them together to battle; not one against another, as some think, as the pope against the Turk, and the Turk against the pope, nor are they designed at all; nor "to kill them", as the Ethiopic version renders it; but against the saints and people of God, in the beloved city and camp; herein will lie his deception of them:
the number of whom is as the sand of the sea; that is, innumerable, in allusion to Gog and Magog in Eze 38:9 but the great question is, who are meant by these?--Not the Papists, the nations made drunk with the wine of Rome's fornication, the Gentiles, by whom the holy city is trodden under foot, and who will be angry when the time of avenging the saints is come, Rev 11:2 for these will be all destroyed, even all the remains of them, at the battle of Armageddon; nor is antichrist himself intended, who will be destroyed in the spiritual reign of Christ, with the breath of his mouth; and at the above decisive battle the beast and the false prophet will be taken alive, and cast into the lake of fire: nor are the Turks designed, the people of Magog being Scythians originally, as Josephus says c, from whence the Turks sprung; or Tartarinns, for Paulus Venetus d says the countries of Gog and Magog are in Tartary, called Jug and Munjug; hence some think these are the same with the four angels bound at the river Euphrates, and loosed, whose armies are represented as exceeding numerous, Rev 9:14 but though the Turkish dominions are very large, yet they do not extend to the four quarters of the world; and when the Turks were let loose, and came even into Europe, it was not against the true Christians, the camp of the saints, the beloved city, as here, but against the antichristian party; the Papists have suffered most by the incursions of the Turks, though it has not brought them to repentance; besides, the loosing of the four angels, or the Turkish nations, and their chiefs, is long before these thousand years begin; that is past already, under the sixth trumpet, whereas the seventh trumpet will be blown, and all the seven vials poured out, and the world cleared of all Christ's enemies, and after that a thousand years must run out, before this Gog and Magog army will appear: nor are the Americans the nations, here spoken of; for they are but in one quarter of the world; nor is there any reason to believe there will be there more enemies of Christ's people than in any other part, since in the spiritual reign of Christ the earth shall be full of his knowledge, and his spiritual kingdom will be to the ends of the earth: and as for that notion that those inhabiting the other hemisphere will be saved from the general conflagration, there is no reason to believe it, since the earth, and whatsoever is therein, shall be burnt up, 2Pe 3:10. Some think that the wicked living in the distant parts of the world, in the corners of the earth, are meant, who, upon Christ's coming, will flee thither, and remain in continual dread and terror to the end of the thousand years, when Satan will gather them together, and spirit them up against the saints; but this cannot be, because they will all be destroyed at the universal conflagration of the world; nor will there be any in the new earth but righteous persons: but these will be all the wicked dead, the rest of the dead, who lived not again until the thousand years are ended, when will be the second resurrection, the resurrection of all the wicked that have been from the beginning of the world; and these, with the posse of devils under Satan, will make up the Gog and Magog army: all the characters agree with them; these may be called nations, or Gentiles, being aliens from the true Israel of God, the dogs that will be without the holy city; these may be said to be in "the four quarters" of the world, since where they die and are buried, there they will rise and stand upon their feet, an exceeding great army; and as they will die enemies to Christ and his people, they will rise such; as they will go down to hell with their "weapons of war", as is said of Meshech and Tubal, the people of Gog, Eze 32:27 they will rise with the same; the grave, the dust of the earth, will make no change in their vile bodies, nor the flames of hell any alteration in the disposition of their minds; yea, as is said in the above place, they will "lay their swords under their heads", and so be in a readiness, when they rise, to make use of them against the saints, and to avenge themselves; for their envy, malice, and revenge, will be heightened and increased by their confinement and punishment in hell: nor need this be wondered at, since the devils, notwithstanding they have been so long expelled the realms of light, and have been in chains of darkness, and in expectation of everlasting torment, retain the same enmity as ever; and though the deception will be very great, to attack saints in an immortal state, who are like the angels that die not, nor will these die any more, and especially since Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who rules the nations with a rod of iron, will be at the head of them; yet it need not seem strange, when they will rise as weak and feeble, and as little able to resist temptation, and as much exposed to seduction, as they were before; Satan will have as much power over them as ever; and what with their own numbers, and the posse of devils at the head of them, and especially considering the desperateness of their state, and that this is their last struggle and effort for liberty, they will animate themselves and one another to this strange undertaking. These now may be called Gog and Magog, as the one signifies "covered", the other open, or "uncovered": these being all the enemies of Christ and his people, both secret and open: and this sense well accounts for their number, being as the sand of the sea; and which the Arabic version seems to confirm, "and Jagog and Magog shall rise with him". The Jews have a notion that this deception of Satan will be at the day of judgment, which agrees with this account; for immediately upon this will follow the judgment of the wicked: they say e,
"in the day that judgment shall be found in the world, and the holy blessed God shall sit upon the throne of Judgment, Satan

Gill: Rev 20:9 - -- And they went up on the breadth of the earth,.... Either the whole earth, in the several parts of which they will be raised; or the land of Israel, wh...
And they went up on the breadth of the earth,.... Either the whole earth, in the several parts of which they will be raised; or the land of Israel, where Christ and his people will be; and so the wicked being raised, will come up from the several parts of the world, and spread themselves over the holy land; just as Gog and Magog are said to cover the land of Israel, as a cloud, Eze 38:16 and it may be observed, that the very phrase of
and compassed the camp of the saints about; these are the blessed and Holy Ones, who have part in the first resurrection, even all the saints; not only the martyrs under the Heathen persecutions, and the confessors of Christ under the Papacy, but all the saints from the beginning of the world; these will be all encamped together, with the tabernacle of God in the midst of them, Rev 21:3 and Christ their King at the head of them, Mic 2:13 the allusion is to the encampment of the children of Israel in the wilderness, about the tabernacle, which was in the midst of them, Num 2:2 &c. afterwards the city of Jerusalem itself was called a camp, and answered in all respects to the camp in the wilderness f, to which the reference is in Heb 13:11 and which serves to illustrate the passage here, since it follows:
and the beloved city: not Constantinople, as some have thought, but the holy city, the new Jerusalem, Rev 21:2 the general assembly and church of the firstborn, beloved by God and Christ, and by the holy angels, and by one another; and these very probably will be with Christ upon the same spot of ground where the Old Jerusalem stood, a city so highly favoured, and so much distinguished by God; so that where Christ suffered so much reproach and shame, and such an accursed death, he will now be glorified, and live in triumph with his saints:
and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them; not material fire; with this the earth, and the bodies of the wicked then upon it, will be burnt at the beginning of the thousand years; but now their bodies will be raised immortal, and not capable of being consumed with such fire; but the fiery indignation of God, or his wrath, which will be poured out like fire, is here meant, which will destroy both body and soul; this is no other than the lake of fire, or second death, into which they will be cast; and which will not be until the judgment is over, though it is here related to show what will be the event and issue of their attack upon the saints: the allusion is to the fire sent upon Gog and Magog, and to the burning of their weapons, in Eze 38:22 and so the Jews g say of their Gog and Magog, that
"they shall be killed with the burning of the soul, with a flame of fire, which shall come from under the throne of glory.''

Gill: Rev 20:10 - -- And the devil that deceived them,.... Both before death, in the present life, by tempting and drawing them into immorality and profaneness, or idolatr...
And the devil that deceived them,.... Both before death, in the present life, by tempting and drawing them into immorality and profaneness, or idolatry, superstition, and will worship, or persecution of the saints; and after their resurrection, by instigating them to make this foolish attempt upon the saints of the most High:
was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; the same with the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; this will be his full torment, in which he is not as yet; and this will not be until the judgment is finished hereafter described; though it is here mentioned to issue the account of Satan at once, and to show what will be his final state and condition:
where the beast and false prophet are; Rev 19:20 who for so many years have been companions in wickedness together; the beast being the first beast that received his power, seat, and authority from the dragon, or devil; the false prophet being the second beast, or antichrist in his ecclesiastical capacity, as the beast is antichrist in his civil power, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with signs and lying wonders:
and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever; that is, not only the devil, but the beast and false prophet, for the word is in the plural number: and this will be the case of all wicked men, of all whose minds are enmity to God and Christ, and to his people; and is a proof of the eternity of hell torments.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Rev 20:7 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

NET Notes: Rev 20:8 Grk “of whom the number of them [is] like the sand of the sea” (an allusion to Isa 10:22).

NET Notes: Rev 20:9 See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume complete...

NET Notes: Rev 20:10 The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but ...
Geneva Bible: Rev 20:7 ( 14 ) And when the ( 15 ) thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
( 14 ) The second history, of the latter victory of C...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:8 ( 16 ) And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the numb...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:9 And they went up on the ( b ) breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and ( 17 ) fire came down from G...

Geneva Bible: Rev 20:10 ( 18 ) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormen...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Rev 20:1-15
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 20:7-10
MHCC: Rev 20:7-10 - --While this world lasts, Satan's power in it will not be wholly destroyed, though it may be limited and lessened. No sooner is Satan let loose, than he...
Matthew Henry -> Rev 20:1-10
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 20:7-10
Barclay: Rev 20:7-10 - --At the end of the thousand years the Devil is to be loosed, but he has learned no lesson; he begins where he has left off. He will assemble the nat...
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...
