2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

June 26, 2024

Revelation 20

1. Recap Revelation 19 concluded with the judgment of the great prostitute (19:2), the beast (19:20), and the false prophet (19:20). Rome and her empire, along with all the rulers and provinces associated with the empire, have been brought under judgment. Revelation 20 reveals what happens next.

2. Verses 1-3. John sees an angel coming down from heaven. ln his hand is the key to the abyss (bottomless pit) and a great chain. We read about the abyss in Revelation 9:1 where we saw Abaddon/Apollyon (Satan) open the abyss and release locusts. Those locusts represented Satan unleashing the Roman Empire as the destroyer of the Jewish nation. The angel seizes the dragon and binds him for 1000 years. We are reminded that the dragon is Satan. Satan is thrown into the abyss, shut it, and sealed it for the 1000 years. It is important to read the meaning of this binding. The binding means that Satan "might not deceive the nations any longer." It is important to consider that the angel does not say that Satan is no longer deceiving people. Satan is the great deceiver and will continue to tempt people to sin until Christ returns (1 Peter 5:8). The angel is pointing to something different when we are told that Satan can no longer deceive the nations. The dragon has lifted up a world power to make war on those who follow Jesus (12:17) and deceive the world to worship it rather than God (13:13-15). This is what the dragon has been causing in the second half of the book of Revelation. There is nothing here to suggest that the 1000 years are a literal 1000 years. The 1000 years just means a long time and then Satan will be released "for a short time." Satan is going to be sealed in the abyss for a significant duration of time while his release will be for a very short amount of time. The idea is that Satan's power has been limited for a long time, but there will be a short time he is set free.

3. Verses 4-6. John sees the thrones and those seated on the thrones who were given authority to judge. John sees the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God. These are the ones who had not received the mark of the beast and did not worship the image of the beast. These are also the souls that we saw under the altar in Revelation 6:9. Remember that the souls under the altar were told that more servants of God would be killed before their blood was avenged (6:11). We have seen that truth occur as those who did not worship the beast are also killed. Their victory is again depicted as "they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." It does not seem to fit that this is speaking about a bodily resurrection. Rather, a contrast is being drawn. The saints were previously seen as under the altar. They are killed for the cause of Christ either by their testimony of Jesus or for not worshiping the beast. They are now pictured as seated on thrones and reigning with Christ. l think this makes the most sense of who is seated on these thrones. There are places in scriptures where resurrection is not speaking about a bodily resurrection. In Ezekiel 37:12-14 we see resurrection describing the restoration of the nation. ln Isaiah 26:19 the prophet says, “Your dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!" Isaiah was not prophesying that those killed in the Babylonian invasion would experience a bodily resurrection. Rather, this is an image of victorious resurrection. Life will be given to the true people of God. It is an Old Testament picture of triumph over the world nations. They are the victorious saints who have overcome. Yes, they died, but they are alive in the spirit and are not lost. They share in the victory and are not permanently dead. Because of this, they will not experience the second death, which is referred to in Revelation 20:14-15, a spiritual death. This is the picture in Revelation 20:4-6. Notice that this is the fulfillment of what Jesus promised to the seven churches of Asia. (Revelation 2:10-11). The faithful will not be hurt by the second death. Verse 6 makes that very point. These faithful martyrs are sharing in the victory of life and reigning with Christ for 1000 years. This is a simple image of triumph for the people who have gone through this ordeal. Those who have died for the cause of Christ are not left out or left behind, but are reigning with Christ. The thousand years are the time of the reign of Christ (20:4,6). The scriptures teach that the reign of Christ began when he rose from the dead. (Ephesians 1:19-23) Paul taught the same point in 1 Corinthians 15:25 concerning Christ reigning after his resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). The 1000-year reign of Christ began when he rose from the dead. He must continue to reign until all the enemies are put under his feet and death is the last enemy. Therefore, the 1000 year. period is not 1000 earthly years, but a symbol for the complete time of Christ’s rule.

4. Verses 7-10. Now we come to some disturbing words in this prophecy. When the thousand years are ended, Satan is going to be released from his prison in the abyss and will come out to deceive the nations again. We noted at the beginning of this lesson that Satan being prevented from deceiving the nations meant that a world empire would not be able to persecute the Christians nor deceive the world into worshiping it rather than God. Verse 8 indicates that Satan will unleash one more effort as he did during the days of the Roman Empire. Satan is going to use a world power to persecute Christians and sway the world away from worshiping the true God. What is Gog and Magog? Gog and Magog represent the heathen enemies against God’s people. These are the nations of the world that fight against God's people. The devil is going to exert his power over the nations of the world again to gather for battle. The devil will have the power to deceive the nations again just as he deceived those during the days of the Roman Empire, igniting persecution and false worship. Verse 9 is reminiscent of when the kings of the earth and the beast gathered for battle against Christ (19:19: 16:14-16). Satan is going to try to destroy the people of God yet again. This is the meaning of the symbolism of nations of the earth marching against the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Just as the nations gathered to try to destroy God's people before but were destroyed by Christ, so it will happen again. Christ will destroy the enemies of God's people, described as fire coming down from heaven and consuming the enemies. Satan is finally cast into the lake of fire at the end of the 1000-year reign of Christ, the place where the beast and false prophet were already cast in chapter 19. There they all are tormented day and night forever and ever. God brings his judgment against Satan and he will endure eternal punishment. Jesus made the same point about the fate of Satan. (Matthew 25:41) Eternal torment in hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. Satan is now cast into the punishment he deserves.

5. Verses 11-15. The final scene of this chapter is of a great white throne. This is the scene of final judgment. Earth and sky are no longer needed. The time for this world is over. All the dead are standing before the throne. As the apostle Paul said in (2 Corinthians 5:10) The books of our deeds are opened in preparation for judgment. "The dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” The sea giving up its dead and Death and Hades giving up its dead further emphasizes the point that this is the final judgment that no one will escape. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This shows that there is no more death at this point and there is no more Hades. Hades is the resting place of the souls who died. There is no more need for Hades because there is no more death and no more earth (20:11). Verse 15 contains the critical message concerning our future. Those not written in the book of life will experience the lake of fire, which is the second death. So, it appears there are two sets of books. One set is the book(s) of deeds and the other set is a book of life. Those judged by the book(s) of deeds/works are judged and punished, those judged by the book of life are given eternal life.

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