Revelation 20:7-10

Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 67

Text Revelation 20:7-10

7 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Initial Questions Revelation 20:7-10

1.

Discuss some of the necessary features of sinful man which make deception possible - Revelation 20:7.

2.

How extensive is Satan's deception according to Revelation 20:8?

3.

What O.T. event is similar to the imagery of Revelation 20:9? (A clue: a mighty Empire sent a besieging army to Jerusalem).

4.

How long is the torment of Satan, the beast and the false prophet - Revelation 20:10?

Revelation 20:7

Whenever the appointed time (1000 years) has been fulfilled Satan will be loosed out of his prison. Notice that Satan does not break out of prison, but he will be loosed (luthesetai - future tense, passive voice, indicative moodat some specific time in the future someone (God) will set Satan free again in order to enable him to continue his deceiving.)

Revelation 20:8

The great battle between Christ and Satan ensues after the evil one is released from his prison. John uses the names of Gog and Magog which come from Ezekiel 38 f. They will ultimately be defeated and be cast into the company of the two beasts (see Revelation 19:20). The Millennium is not a time of bliss and perfection because Satan still has followers. John says that the number of them is as the sand of the sea. Evil still had its followers even during the 1000 years reign (Revelation 20:4-5) as multitudes respond to his marshalling war trumpet.

Revelation 20:9

The imagery of this verse is similar in content to the event of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacheribs army (2 Kings 19:20 ff). The Assyrian hordes had circled the city of David. God sent a sign to the embattered league of defenders. The Assyrian army shall not shoot an arrow there, or cast up a mound against it. In the night the angel of the Lord went forth, and slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of Assyrians. (2 Kings 19:32-37.) John declares that the enemy of God's people went up over the breadth of the land, and encircled the camp of the saints and the having been loved city; and fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. Certainly this imagery fits the imagery of besieged Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah and God's judgment upon all evil.

Revelation 20:10

The Devil was cast (eblçthç - 1st aor. passive voice - was cast finally and forever - by God) into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet (were not in text), and they will be tormented day and night unto the ages of the ages. The last enemy of Christ and His servants is forever cast from the presence of God and His saints.

Discussion Questions

See Revelation 20:11-15.