Revelation 20:1-15

From Now to the End of Time

Revelation

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 20

The rule of Christ - Revelation 20:1-15

The *angel binds *Satan - Revelation 20:1-3

v1 Then I saw an *angel come down from heaven. He had the key to that deep hole that has no end. In his hand, he carried a great chain. v2 He overcame and took hold of the *dragon. The *dragon is the ancient snake and he is the devil and *Satan. The *angel bound the *dragon for 1000 years. v3 Then the *angel threw *Satan into the deep hole. He locked the door so that *Satan could not escape. *Satan could no longer cause the nations to do evil things. After the 1000 years, he will be free again for a short time.

Verse 1 An *angel came down from heaven. He had a key and a great chain in his hands. The key was to open the entrance of the hole whose depth has no end. This hole is a description of the place where *demons live. They have to wait there for the time when God will punish them.

This is a description, but it describes real things. There can be no key for a hole. And nobody can bind a *demon with a chain. But the meaning is that the *angel has control of that place. The *angel will be able to bind *Satan during that time. *Satan will not be able to work on earth for those 1000 years.

Verses 2-3 The *angel seized the *dragon and bound him with the chain. The *dragon means the devil and his name is *Satan. That chain will bind him for 1000 years. He will not be able to do anything during that time. He will have no power whatever.

The *angel threw *Satan into the hole and locked the door. The *angel made certain that nobody could open it. *Satan had to remain there during the 1000 years. He will not be able to affect the nations during that time.

At the end of the 1000 years, *Satan will be free for a short period.

Jesus Christ rules on earth - Revelation 20:4-6

v4 Then I saw *thrones and those who sat on them. God chose them and he gave them the right to rule. Also, I saw the *souls of those people who died for their *faith. Their enemies had used axes to kill them because they had told about Jesus. They spoke the true word of God. These people had not given honour to the *beast or his image. They had not received the mark of the *beast on the front of their heads or on their hands. They came back from death. They lived and ruled as kings with Christ for 1000 years. v5 This is the first time that God will raise people from death. The rest of the people who had died did not live again until the end of the 1000 years. v6 Happy and holy are those whom God raises from death at this time. The second death that will come will have no power over them. But they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will rule as kings with Christ for 1000 years.

Verse 4 Many people died because they would not *worship the *beast. They had refused to give honour to the image of the *beast. They had not received the mark of the *beast. They had obeyed the *Lord Jesus. They believed and they spoke the word of God. God made these people alive again. They sat on thrones.

These are not the only ones who will sit on *thrones. Some Christians who had not died for their *faith will rule the nations with Christ. The *Lord has promised this honour to those who overcome (Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:21). Many people believe that all real Christians will receive this honour. Everyone who is a real Christian overcomes the devil. But they do not overcome the devil because of their own efforts. They overcome the devil because they trust Christ.

Christ will rule the earth for 1000 years. Those who sit on the *thrones will rule with him. They will be the judges of the nations. They will live on earth for the whole 1000 years.

Verse 5 These who rule in the 1000 years, God has made alive. Nobody else will live again until the end of the 1000 years. Then God will raise all of them from death and they will live. Then, he will be the judge of all people.

Verse 6 God has been kind to those whom he raises at the start of the 1000 years. They will not suffer the second death. The second death means the lake of fire. They are safe and they will live with the *Lord always. God will be the judge of the rest of the people after the 1000 years. Only those who have trusted the *Lord to save them from their *sins will be safe. They will always live with the *Lord. But many people have not trusted the *Lord. And they will suffer in the lake of fire. In other words, they will die the second death.

These whom God raises for the 1000 years will be his priests. They will know and serve God and the *Lord Jesus here on the earth. They will rule as kings with Christ.

The end of *Satan - Revelation 20:7-10

v7 At the end of the 1000 years, *Satan will be free from his prison. v8 He will go out to all the nations and he will lie to them. He will cause the nations (even the nations called Gog and Magog) to come together for war. There will be so many people in this army that nobody can count them. v9 They will go out as an army over the whole earth. They will surround the place where God’s people live. This place is the city that God loves. But fire will come down from heaven and it will destroy the whole army. v10 The devil will cause this war by his lies. Then the *Lord will throw him into the lake of fire and *sulphur. That is where the *beast and the false *prophet will already be. The fire and *sulphur will punish all of them, day and night. It will never end.

Verses 7-8 At this time, Christ had ruled the earth for 1000 years. But the character of people had not changed. When he is free from his prison, *Satan works his evil deeds again. He lies to the nations. They believe what he says. He causes them to come against Christ and his people.

The armies come ready for war from nations all over the world. These nations are called Gog and Magog. Gog and Magog were countries far from the north of *Israel. But here these names mean all the nations of the world that will oppose God.

There are so many soldiers that nobody can count them.

Verse 9 All the armies joined as one great army. This great army came and surrounded the city of Christ. That city is Jerusalem. God’s people were there and God loved that city.

As the army attacked, God sent fire from heaven. He destroyed the whole army.

Verse 10 *Satan was responsible for this war by his lies. The *Lord did not kill him with the fire from heaven. Instead, the *Lord threw him into the lake of fire. *Antichrist and the false *prophet were already there. They will suffer in that awful place. The pain and trouble that they have there will never end.

God the judge of everybody - Revelation 20:11-15

v11 Then I saw God. He was sitting on a large white *throne. His face was so wonderful that the earth and the sky disappeared. Nobody ever saw them again. v12 Then I saw all the people who had died. They were standing in front of the *throne. Everyone was there, whoever they were. Then, God’s servants opened the books. In these books were the records of everyone’s deeds. And there was another open book called the book of life. By what was in the books, God decided on the future of each person. v13 So, the dead people came to hear God’s judgement. They came from the sea. They came from death itself. They came from the world of death. So, God gave his judgement on each of them because of what each person had done. v14 The punishment of death and hell was to go into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. v15 Anyone whose name was not in the book of life had to go into the lake of fire.

Verse 11 John saw a great white *throne. And God, who has all power, sat on that *throne. He shone with *glory and power.

Earth and heaven disappeared. They seemed to run away from that *glory and power. So, the earth and the sky as we know them did not still exist. Isaiah had said that the skies would vanish like smoke. And the earth would wear out like clothes (Isaiah 51:6). Peter writes that heaven and the earth will burn up with fire (2 Peter 3:10-12). The old earth and sky have to go before the new earth and sky can come. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. *Sin spoiled the old earth. The new earth will be perfect.

Verse 12 Then every person who had died stood in front of the *throne. All people from Adam to the end of time were there. This may not include those whom God raised at the start of the 1000 years. But all the rest were there. Nobody was too important to be there and nobody was too unimportant.

There, God was the judge of each person. The record of each person’s life was in front of God. And God knew all that person’s acts, words and thoughts.

There was another book in front of God. This is the book of life. These two books had all the evidence that God needed. So, he decided what the future should be for each person.

Verse 13 John makes it clear that all people were there. Those who died at sea were there. All who were in the world of dead people were there. Everyone who had died was there in front of the *throne. The full account of all that each had done was there. On that record, God gave his judgement.

Verse 14 The *Jews understood that dead persons went to Hades. God threw that place and death itself into the lake of fire. The second death is the lake of fire. That lake of fire continues and it never ends. Those who go there will exist in it. They will be with *Satan, *Antichrist and the false *prophet who will be there already.

Verse 15 Those whose names were in the book of life did not go into the lake of fire. These are God’s people. These people believe in Christ. They believe in the real God. They do not suffer any punishment because Jesus Christ has taken all their *sins. He suffered on their behalf and God accepts them because of the *Lord Jesus.

For those who do not suffer in the lake of fire, there is no more death. God has destroyed death, the last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). God has raised them to life without end. That life is with God and with the *Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who are not in the book of life will go to the lake of fire.

angel ~ a servant of God from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages. So, angels are God’s servants from heaven. But there are evil angels who opposed God. These evil angels now serve the devil.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
dragon ~ an evil creature, a beast. Satan is called the dragon.
creatures ~ Things that are alive. In the Book of Revelation, there are 4 special angels in heaven called creatures.
beast ~ an animal. In this Book of Revelation, the beasts describe Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
angel ~ a servant of God from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages. So, angels are God’s servants from heaven. But there are evil angels who opposed God. These evil angels now serve the devil.
Antichrist ~ a powerful ruler who imitates and opposes Christ. The Book of Revelation also describes the Antichrist as ‘the beast’. The Antichrist hates Christ. The Bible also refers to many antichrists. These are people who hate Christ like the Antichrist.
prophet ~ person who speaks for God. A prophet can sometimes say what will happen in the future. The Book of Revelation also describes a false prophet. This false prophet speaks on behalf of the Antichrist and Satan.
demons ~ evil angels that serve the devil.
angel ~ a servant of God from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages. So, angels are God’s servants from heaven. But there are evil angels who opposed God. These evil angels now serve the devil.
throne ~ the special chair for the king or for an important person.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see. It is in us during our life. And it continues to live after we die. It is our inner life (not the body).
faith ~ trust in someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus Christ his Son.
beast ~ an animal. In this Book of Revelation, the beasts describe Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
Antichrist ~ a powerful ruler who imitates and opposes Christ. The Book of Revelation also describes the Antichrist as ‘the beast’. The Antichrist hates Christ. The Bible also refers to many antichrists. These are people who hate Christ like the Antichrist.
prophet ~ person who speaks for God. A prophet can sometimes say what will happen in the future. The Book of Revelation also describes a false prophet. This false prophet speaks on behalf of the Antichrist and Satan.
worship ~ the act when someone shows honour to God (or to an idol). Someone who worships, praises God. That person thanks God. And that person respects God.
idols ~ objects that people worship instead of God.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things.
lord ~ a title for someone who rules.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God. Those who sin are called sinners.
sulphur ~ sulphur is a chemical. A fire that burns with sulphur is extremely hot. And sulphur burns with an awful smell.
prophet ~ person who speaks for God. A prophet can sometimes say what will happen in the future. The Book of Revelation also describes a false prophet. This false prophet speaks on behalf of the Antichrist and Satan.
Antichrist ~ a powerful ruler who imitates and opposes Christ. The Book of Revelation also describes the Antichrist as ‘the beast’. The Antichrist hates Christ. The Bible also refers to many antichrists. These are people who hate Christ like the Antichrist.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
beast ~ an animal. In this Book of Revelation, the beasts describe Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet.
Israel ~ the country of the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
Antichrist ~ a powerful ruler who imitates and opposes Christ. The Book of Revelation also describes the Antichrist as ‘the beast’. The Antichrist hates Christ. The Bible also refers to many antichrists. These are people who hate Christ like the Antichrist.
beast ~ an animal. In this Book of Revelation, the beasts describe Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet.
Satan ~ the name of the devil.
prophet ~ person who speaks for God. A prophet can sometimes say what will happen in the future. The Book of Revelation also describes a false prophet. This false prophet speaks on behalf of the Antichrist and Satan.
glory ~ great honour and beauty.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God. Those who sin are called sinners.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.