Revelation 20:1-10 - Introduction

 Revelation chapter 20 is the only passage in the Bible that reveals the subject of the Millennial Reign. In the twentieth chapter we find the expression ‘1000 years’ 6 times.

Before moving on to the study of Revelation chapter 20, let us examine some of the opinions that exist among believers.

Pre-millennialism: The millennial reign of Christ after the second coming.

A-millennialism: The millennial reign of Christ before the second coming.

What do pre-millennialists believe from Revelation 20:

1. Revelation 20 follows the nineteenth chapter of Revelation in historical order. That is, since the Second Coming is recorded in Revelation 19, the millennium described in Revelation 20 is after the coming of the Lord.

2. Satan is bound absolutely. Therefore, in the millennium, Satan will be able to do nothing in the world.

3. The first resurrection is the bodily resurrection of believers. It will happen at the second coming of Christ. The resurrection of unbelievers will take place only a thousand years after the coming of Jesus Christ.

What most amillennialists (inaugurated millennialists) believe from Revelation 20:

1. The events of Revelation 20:1-7 does not follow the events recorded in chapter nineteen.

2. The fact that Satan is bound is not related to all his activities. Rather, it is related to a specific purpose.

3. The first resurrection is not the resurrection of the body. The resurrection of the body is when believers and unbelievers are resurrected at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

We have seen that the doctrine of pre-millennialism does not fit into the rest of the New Testament. That is, other passages reject the doctrine of pre-millennialism.

Now we will examine two things:

1.  Examine whether the premillennial understanding of Revelation 20:1-10 is correct

2. Examine whether a different view is possible which do justice to Revelation 20 and which is consistent with the rest of the scriptures.

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Proposition: The events described in Revelation 20:1-7 does not follow the events recorded in chapter nineteen in a historical chronological manner.

Reason:

1.       Chapter 19 says that the unbelieving nations will be destroyed at the second coming of the Lord. There are nations on earth in the millennium. Therefore, the millennium is before the destruction of the unbelieving nations at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Verse: Revelation 19: 17-21; Revelation 20: 3, 7, 8

2.       The similarity between the wars of Revelation 19 and 20:8-10.

Verse: Revelation 19:17, 18; Revelation 20: 8; Ezekiel 39:17.

3.       There can be no divine wrath directed against the nations after the seventh plague, which coincides with Christ’s second coming in judgment. Therefore, 20:8-9 cannot be another instance of divine wrath exercised against the nations after the sixth or seventh bowl plagues and 19:19-21 since the seven bowl plagues are said to “bring to conclusion the wrath of God” against the ungodly nations. Therefore, the wrath of God recorded after the millennium cannot be seen as another event.

Verse: Revelation 15: 1.

4.       Heaven and earth will be shaken only once more. Therefore, the shaking of the heavens and the earth, as recorded in 6:12-15 and 20:11, 12, is one and the same event. It will happen at the second coming of the Lord.

Verse: Hebrews 12:28.

Explanation:

1.       The nations seen in Revelation 19:13-20 and 20: 3

If 20:1-3 chronologically follows 19:17-21, then there is an inconsistency, since “it makes no sense to speak of protecting the nations from deception by Satan in 20:1-3 after they have just been deceived by Satan (16:13-16, compare 19:19-20) and destroyed by Christ at his return in 19:11-21 (compare 16: 15, 19)

Pre-millennialists would say that some unbelievers would enter the millennium without participating in the war of chapter 19. But Revelation 19:17-21 says that all unbelievers will be destroyed. No unbeliever will be left unpunished.

Premillennialists would say that 20:3 and 20:8 show that there are survivors among the nations (of Rev 19:17-21) who will be gathered again to fight one more battle (in Rev 20:7-10). But how could there be any survivors among the rebellious nations of 19:11-21 after Christ’s absolute victory over them.

Revelation 13: 8, 16: “…..and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain…….. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,”

All, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave = everyone whose name is not written in the book of Life = all unbelievers.

The same expression is found in Revelation 19.

Revelation 19: 17-21: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” ¹⁹ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army……… ²¹ And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”

The description of 19:15-21 leaves no room for any such survivors.

2.       Ezekiel 38-39

Revelation 19:17-21 and 20:8-10 refer to the same war in Ezekiel 38, 39.

Revelation 19: 17-18: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”

Ezekiel 39: 17-20: “As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field: ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. ¹⁸ You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan. ¹⁹ And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you. ²⁰ And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,’ declares the Lord God.”

Revelation 20: 8,9: “ [Satan]….will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them”

Ezekiel 38:21, 22: “I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. ²² With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur.” [Revelation 20: 9].

Ezekiel 39: 6: “I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Ezekiel 38-39 tells of a Gog and Magog who comes to attack God's people in the last days.

Most people from all millennial view rightly agree that already in 19:17ff. John views the Ezekiel 39 prophecy as specifically fulfilled. Revelation 20: 7-10 is also depicting the same war, i.e. war of Gog and Magog.

The repeated allusions to Ezekiel 38-39 in 20:8-10(the battle of Gog and Magog against the saints) points to the fact that 20:8-10 is a recapitulation of the battle narrated in 19:17-21.

Important points:

• It is clear that Revelation 20:7-10 speaks of the same war as 19:17-21.
• Therefore Revelation 20:1-6 is before 19:17-21, that is, the millennium is before the second coming of our Lord.                                                                                                                                

3.       The Relation of 16:12-16 and 19:19 to 20:8

Rev 16:12-16; 19:19-20; and 20:8 have in common not only the same language for the gathering together of forces for the war, but also the idea that the gathered forces have been deceived into participating. In 16:12-16 also Satan is deceiving the nations. Just as the war of Armageddon in ch. 16 is followed by a description of the destruction of the world (16:17-21), so likewise a vision of the dissolution of the world follows the final battle in 20:7-10.

In Rev 16 the enemies are “the kings of the whole world”. In Rev 19 they are “kings” and “captains” and “mighty men”, indeed they are “all men, both free and slave, both small and great”. In Rev 20 they are “the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog”.

Rev 16:12-16: “……And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty…… And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

Rev 19:19-20: “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image…..”

Rev 20:7, 8: “And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.”

Revelation 16:12-16	Revelation 19:19-20	Revelation 20:7,8
Beast, False Prophet and Satan deceiving	Beast and False Prophet deceiving	Satan deceiving
the kings of the whole world	kings, captains, mighty men, free and slave, both small and great.	The nations that are at the four corners of the earth
And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found (16:20)		From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them (20:11)

The war described in all the three chapters is one and the same war. Therefore, the thousand year reign is before the second coming of Christ.

4.       “the war” in 16:14; 19:19; 20:8

Rev 16:14: “For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle (ton polemon; τὸν πόλεμον) on the great day of God the Almighty.”

Rev 19:19: “ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war (ton polemon; τὸν πόλεμον) against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.”

Rev 20:8: “…and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle (ton polemon; τὸν πόλεμον); their number is like the sand of the sea.”

The same Greek phrase, “the war” (ton polemon), is used in all three texts. This confirms yet again that John had one and the same “war” in view. The use of “the” (definite article) points to a well-known war, the eschatological war between God and his enemies often prophesied in the Old Testament. All agree that the war of Revelation 16 and 19 is the same. Revelation 20:8 also describes the same battle.

5.        The Relation of 15:1 and 16:17-21 to 19:19-21 and 20:8-9

Rev 15:1: “And I saw another sign in the heaven, great and wonderful: seven angels having seven plagues, the last; for in them the fury of God is completed.”

In the seven plagues (seven bowl judgments), God’s wrath is completely revealed. The God’s wrath in 19:19-21 coincides with the seventh plague of divine wrath in 16:17-21. There can be no divine wrath directed against the nations on this earth after the seventh plague, which coincides with Christ’s second coming in judgment. Therefore, 20:8-9 cannot be another instance of divine wrath exercised against the nations after the sixth or seventh bowl plagues and 19:19-21, since the seven bowl plagues are said to “bring to conclusion the wrath of God” against the ungodly nations.

6.       Relation of Hebrews 12:26-28 to 6:12-17; 16:17-21; 19:11-21; 20:9-11

In premillennial understanding of history, there will be two cosmic dissolutions one before the millennium (6:12-17; 16:17-21) and one after the millennium (20:9-11).

Revelation 6:12-17: “When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, ¹³ and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. ¹⁴ The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place……. for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?””

Revelation 16:17-21: “…..And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake….. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.”

Revelation 20:11: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.”

But, what does Hebrews say?

Hebrews 12:26-28: “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”  This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken…..”

This phrase, “Yet once more” indicates the removal of things that are shaken in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. The author of the Hebrews is describing the cosmic consequences of the appearance of the Divine judge at the end of the age. He could hardly have been more explicit when he said, “Yet once (hapax) more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens”. It is not to be read as “Yet twice more”. The account of destruction in 20:9-11 is the same description of the destruction in 6:12-17; 16:17-21, and 19:11-21. That will happen when Christ will come again.

Therefore, the events described in Revelation 20:1-6 does not follow the events recorded in chapter nineteen in a historical chronological manner.

(The writings are not original to the author of this blog. It is taken from other sources and has been edited, sometimes paraphrased)

Reference:

1. Beale, G.K. The Book of Revelation. (The New International Greek Testament Commentary, NIGTC). Eerdmans

2. Storms, C. Samuel Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative.