Chapter 20 deals with the events of the thousand-year
reign of Christ on earth. During the thousand-year reign of
Christ on earth, Satan will be bound in the abyss until the
end of the thousand-year reign of Christ.
In his vision, John saw, “An angel coming down from heaven”
(Revelation 20:1), because of the power displayed over Satan
some have understood this to refer to the Lord. This is not
the Lord, it is an angel who is given authority from heaven.
The Key and great chain he has proves he has been given
authority and power from heaven to bind Satan and threw him
into the abyss, shut it, and seal it, “So that he should not
deceive the nations any longer” (Revelation 20:3).
It is important to know that after the thousand-year reign
of Christ Satan will be released from the abyss for a short
time. Why is he not permanently bound or cast directly into
the lake of fire? Why is it necessary for him to be
released? These are important questions, but since verses
7-9 deal with the release of Satan, we will discuss the
answer to the questions then.
The binding of Satan will occur as a preparation for God’s
kingdom on earth.
Following the binding of Satan, John “saw thrones and they
sat on them, and judgment was given to them” (Revelation
20:4).
According to the vision of John, the kingdom of heaven on
earth will be inhabited by resurrected saints in glorified
bodies like that of our Lord (Philippians 3:21), the
Tribulation martyrs. Second, there will be those Tribulation
saints who escaped death and were preserved through the
Tribulation to go into the kingdom of our Lord (Matthew
24:13; 25:10, 30, 32-34; Revelation 14:1). These faithful
followers of Jesus will have mortal bodies like ours today
and during the course of the thousand-year reign of Christ
will have children. These children, regardless of the
personal and glorious presence of Christ, need to receive
Jesus Christ as their Savior by faith. This fact will
provide the potential for a third category of people,
unbelievers in mortal bodies, men and women susceptible to
the deceptions of Satan. These will form the army for the
revolt under Satan’s final deception.
In verse 5, with reference to the group of verse 4 who “came
to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years,” we
are told, “this is the first resurrection.” In Revelation
20, as in John 5:28-29, two resurrections are seen. There is
the first resurrection; this is the resurrection of the
just. However, there is also the second resurrection, the
resurrection of the unjust and those who experience the
second death. Here in Revelation 20 we can clearly see that
these two resurrections are separated by one thousand years.
It is also important to note that in the first resurrection
there is sequence and several phases, all the saints are not
resurrected at the same time, this is evident from 1
Corinthians 15:20-24. First Corinthians 15:20-23 clearly
teaches us that there is a time lapse or sequence, and a
definite order to the resurrection, Paul says “but each in
his own order.” This was a military term used of ranks or
troops of soldiers marching in sequence, with one order or
troop following another. “His own” means “private,
personal,” and shows we all have a personal place or order
in the resurrection according to the group to which we
belong.
Then we read, “those who are Christ’s at His coming.” This
directs us to the time of the next phase or phases of
resurrection and the type of resurrection. It is the
resurrection of the just, those who belong to Christ. This
includes all saints of all time. However, there are also two
phases here because there is the coming of our Lord for the
church that is silent and unseen by the world. This is the
rapture (1 Thessalonians 2:19; 4:15; 5:23), then there is
the coming of the Lord at the end of the Tribulation which
is seen by the whole world (Revelation 19; 2 Thessalonians
2:8). The term used of Christ’s coming in 1 Corinthians
15:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 4:15; 5:23, and 2 Thessalonians
2:8 is the Greek “Parousia.” Some have concluded that the
use of Parousia for the return of Christ proves that there
is no distinction between the rapture and the second coming
of Christ. The same argument is applied to other Greek terms
used of the return of Christ like epifaneia, “manifestation”
or “appearance” (2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:8), and
apokalupsis, “unveiling” or “revelation” (Luke 3:32; 2
Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7, 13).
“The rest of the dead” refers to all unbelieving dead of all
time, from Cain through the end of the Tribulation. This
does not refer just to the spiritually dead, but to the
physically dead and in torments, the temporary abode of
souls of all unbelieving dead, until the second resurrection
of the unjust to the great white throne judgment. The
exceptions are the beast and the false prophet (Revelation
19:20), and perhaps those judged by the Lord in the judgment
of the Jews and Gentiles at His return to earth (Matthew
25).
“Did not come to life” means the rest of the dead were not
resurrected at this time, not until the end of the thousand
years (Revelation 20:11f).
“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection” because “Over these the second death has no
power” (Revelation 20:6). The “second death” refers to
eternal separation from God and the casting into the lake of
fire following the second resurrection, the resurrection of
the unjustified (Revelation 20:14). This comes from having
no part in the first resurrection of the just, those who
stand justified by faith in Christ (Romans 1:16-17).
“But will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign
with Him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). Believers
will be given responsibilities of service and worship in the
thousand-year reign of Christ and eternity will be a time of
joyous activity and service.
Nothing is mentioned here or elsewhere about the
resurrection of the saints, that go into the thousand-year
reign of Christ with mortal bodies or who are born during
this time. Some have taught that: because there is no
mention of this resurrection, because of the lifting of the
curse (Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:1-2, 9), and because of the healing
and lack of sickness in the thousand-year reign of Christ
(Isaiah 35:5-6; 29:17-19; 33:24; Ezekiel 34:16), there will
be no death in the thousand-year of Christ. . However,
Isaiah 65:20 appears to teach otherwise. This verse
indicates: (1) the normal life span will be over 100 years,
but death will evidently occur. (2) Evidently, there will be
no shortened life span because of sickness or old age,
people will live out a long life span and then death will
take them.
