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Introduction to Chapter 20

There are several things mentioned in this Chapter.

1. Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years.
2. We see the saints that are in the first resurrection and the blessing that are given to them.
3. Satan will be loosed at the end of a thousand years and God and Magog will rebel against God.
4. Then we will see the last and general resurrection at the time of the White Throne Judgment.

1: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
The angel coming down from heaven is the angel that has the key to the bottomless pit. In Revelation 9: we see the this same angel who was given the key to the bottomless pit.

1: And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

Many believe the angel in Revelation 9:1 to be the Devil or Satan but I believe that he is an angel that God uses to destroy wickedness and he has power over the Devil. He is called Abaddon, the destroyer. Christ has given him special powers. At this time he his holding the key to the bottomless pit in one hand and a great chain in the other.

2: And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
The angel lays hold on the Devil and chains him up. This may not be a physical chain but a spiritual chain that comes from the powers of God. God has given this ability to his angel. This bondage will last for only an appointed time. Christ has set it in motion and it will last for a thousand years.

3: And 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: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
This angel throws Satan into the bottomless pit and sets a seal upon him. He will be sealed for a thousand years and then the seal will be broken and he will be set free for a little season.

As we see that time,such as days weeks and years has continued because Satan is bound a thousand years and then released. The reason I am speaking of this is because the angel with the little book in Revelation 10:6-7 told John that at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet that time would be no more. Some view this as saying that there would no longer be days or weeks or years, but the end has come and the only time that has run out is the opportunity to be born again before judgment. We will still have days, weeks and years until the New Heaven and the New Earth at the end of the Millenium.

4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
John saw thrones, those that were sitting upon them were the 12 disciples and the other saints who are to help judge the nations. This judgment is not in the way that Christ would judge for sin unto death or destruction but rather judgment is given in the same way that Moses and the judges who judged Israel in the early days. They are there as councilors and to help make major decisions concerning matters on this earth. These are they that have overcome the wicked one.

John sees a special group out of these people who were killed and now have new bodies, a group that were martyred being beheaded for their faith in Christ, those who refused to take the mark of the beast and who refused to worship the beast or his image. All of these will live and reign with Christ during the next thousand years.

5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Here we are told that the rest of the dead, this is speaking of those who have died in the past and during the Tribulation now in hell who were not born again will not be resurrected until the great white Throne judgment. These are bound to face the second death, verse 14 of this chapter.

6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
It is wonderful for those whose names were written in the book of Life and had part in the first resurrection, because the second death will have no power over them. The second death is to find oneself being cast in the lake of fire forever. Those in the first resurrection are exempt from this event.

This goes on to describe those above and from verse four who will be priest unto God and will reign with Christ for a thousand years. This is the reward of all believer in Jesus.

7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
At the end of the thousand years as God has spoken Satan will be set free.

8: 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.
Since Satan is a liar and the father of it, it will not take him long to go forth across the earth to deceive in his old normal way. He will cover the earth with his deception. The four quarters also speak of the four-corners of the earth which means that it will include all the earth and not just a portion of it.

The wicked leader and his people will be called God and Magog. Satan will gather them together to do battle with Jesus and his people. Their number is surprisingly similar to the same description that God gave to Abraham when showing him the promise of many children. A number that no man count will be deceived by Satan’s lies.

9: And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Gog and Magog come to Jerusalem which is the beloved city. The breadth of the earth means that they covered the earth. This should probably be understood as covered the Holy Land, because they encircle the camp of the saints as well as Jerusalem. But, God takes care of this battle all by himself and sends fire out of heaven to destroy them all.

10: 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 tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Satan is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to be where the beast and false prophet are. They have been in the Lake of Fire for a thousand years now and will spend eternity there.

11: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
John then saw a great white throne and someone sitting on it. Someone that the earth and heaven is not worthy of. It is God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
John saw everyone from all status of life standing before God and the books were opened. The unrighteous dead is spoken of here. Those who never accepted Jesus are to be judged out these books that were opened. These books are a record of their lives and a record of works that they did that were against their own conscience and the will of God. If there is one sin in their lives they are condemned according to their works. The blood of Jesus could have saved them but, now it will be too late.

13: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
All the unrighteous dead are raised from all over the earth, as symbolized by the sea which is a shadow of all nations and their multitudes. Death and hell delivers up their dead. None of these raised at this judgment of the books are the righteous dead, Because all of those who trust in Christ shall never die nor see death.

14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
All of those who had died and were in hell were cast into the lake of fire. They have been burning in the fires of hell to now be judged and go into the lake of Fire. This is why it is called the second death.

15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
All of God’s people who were in the first resurrection already have their names in the book of life and will never be touched by the second death as the angel had explained to John in verse 6. It is not for sure how many people will be spared through the Millenium to stand at this judgment. Those people who filled the earth other than those who were already saved through the first resurrection.

God Bless You
Tommie Spurgeon

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