Revelation 20
Satan Bound for a Thousand Years 1–3
The Millennial Reign of the Saints 4–6
Satan's Final Attack and Destruction 7–10
The Great White Throne Judgment 11–15
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Revelation 20
Verse 1
the key of the bottomless pit — Abyssos is ‘the deep’, where the demons begged not to be sent (Luke 8:31). The key of the pit was given to the fallen star in Rev 9:1; here an angel from heaven holds it, with ‘a great chain’. Christ himself says he has ‘the keys of hell and of death’ (Rev 1:18).
Verse 2
that old serpent — The names repeat Rev 12:9, ‘that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan’, and the serpent goes back to Eden (Gen 3:1). ‘Bound’ is deo, the verb of ‘except he first bind the strong man’ (Matt 12:29). ‘A thousand years’ occurs six times in vv.2–7; Christians read it as a time ahead or as the present age.
Verse 3
set a seal upon him — Sphragizo, as the stone over the lions’ den was sealed (Dan 6:17) and the stone of Christ’s tomb (Matt 27:66). The aim is that ‘he should deceive the nations no more’ (planao, to lead astray, the verb of vv.8 and 10). ‘Must be loosed’ uses dei, the ‘must’ of ‘things which must shortly come to pass’ (Rev 1:1).
Verse 4
thrones, and they sat upon them — ‘Judgment was given’ recalls Dan 7:22, ‘judgment was given to the saints of the most High’, and the promise of ‘twelve thrones’ (Matt 19:28). ‘Beheaded’ is pelekizo, to cut with an axe, found nowhere else in the New Testament. They are those who refused the beast, image and mark of Rev 13, and ‘lived and reigned with Christ’.
Verse 5
the rest of the dead — They ‘lived not again’ (anazao, to live again) until the years were ‘finished’ (teleo, the verb of ‘fulfilled’ in v.3 and ‘expired’ in v.7). ‘This is the first resurrection’ names the rising of v.4 as the first. Jesus himself speaks of two risings: ‘the resurrection of life… the resurrection of damnation’ (John 5:29).
Verse 6
the second death — The phrase stands in Rev 2:11, 20:6, 20:14 and 21:8, and v.14 defines it. Rev 2:11 promised, ‘He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death’. ‘Priests of God and of Christ’ (hiereus) takes up Rev 1:6 and 5:10, where those redeemed are made ‘kings and priests’; they ‘reign with him’.
Verse 7
Satan shall be loosed — ‘Loosed’ is luo, the verb of ‘must be loosed’ in v.3, now carried out when the years are ‘expired’ (teleo, as in vv.3 and 5). The binding of v.2 was therefore a limit set on him, with an end the text had named in advance. ‘Prison’ is phulake, the word for a guard-place or jail.
Verse 8
Gog and Magog — Ezekiel has ‘Gog, the land of Magog’ (Ezek 38:2), and Magog is a son of Japheth (Gen 10:2). Here both are names for the nations in ‘the four quarters of the earth’ (gonia, corners, as in Rev 7:1), gathered ‘to battle’ as in Rev 16:14 and 19:19. ‘As the sand of the sea’ is the figure of Gen 22:17.
Verse 9
the beloved city — Agapao, to love: ‘The LORD loveth the gates of Zion’ (Ps 87:2). The nations ‘went up on the breadth of the earth’ and ring ‘the camp of the saints’. The ending matches Ezekiel’s word on Magog, ‘I will send a fire on Magog’ (Ezek 39:6); here the fire comes ‘from God out of heaven’ and ‘devoured them’.
Verse 10
lake of fire and brimstone — Limne, the lake into which the beast and the false prophet went in Rev 19:20. ‘Brimstone’ (theion) is the ‘fire and brimstone’ that rained on Sodom (Luke 17:29). Rev 14:11 has the same elements: ‘for ever and ever’ and ‘no rest day nor night’. The fire was ‘prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Matt 25:41).
Verse 11
a great white throne — One sat on it, as on the throne of Rev 4:2. Earth and heaven ‘fled away’ and no place ‘was found’ for them, as Dan 2:35 says of the kingdoms, ‘that no place was found for them’. Peter writes of the same passing (2 Pet 3:10), and Rev 21:1 follows: ‘the first heaven and the first earth were passed away’.
Verse 12
the books were opened — As in Dan 7:10, ‘the judgment was set, and the books were opened.’ ‘Small and great’ is the phrase of Rev 11:18 and 19:5. The dead are judged ‘according to their works’, as Paul says all must ‘appear before the judgment seat of Christ’ (2 Cor 5:10). ‘Another book’, the book of life, is the Lamb’s own (Rev 21:27).
Verse 13
death and hell delivered up — The sea, death and hell (hades) each yield their dead, so none stands outside the judgment. Hades with death rides in Rev 6:8, and Christ holds ‘the keys of hell and of death’ (Rev 1:18). Jesus said ‘all that are in the graves shall hear his voice’ (John 5:28). The sentence ‘according to their works’ repeats v.12.
Verse 14
death and hell were cast into the lake of fire — Hades appears four times in Revelation (1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14). ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’ (1 Cor 15:26) is carried out here. ‘This is the second death’ (deuteros thanatos) names the lake itself, as Rev 21:8 says of ‘the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone’.
Verse 15
not found written in the book of life — ‘Found’ (heurisko) takes up v.11, where no place was ‘found’ for earth and heaven; here a name must be found written. The book is ‘the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ (Rev 13:8). Paul names fellowlabourers ‘whose names are in the book of life’ (Phil 4:3); see Rev 3:5.