Revelation Chapter 20

From The Open Bible Project

20:1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

• (1) Now follows the third part of the prophetic history, which is of the victory by which Christ overcame the dragon, as I noted in (Revelation 7:1). This part must necessarily be joined with the end of the twelfth chapter and be applied to the correct understanding of it. This chapter has two parts, one of the dragon overcome, to (Revelation 20:2-10): the other of the resurrection and last judgment to (Revelation 20:11-15). The story of the dragon is twofold: First of the first victory, after which he was bound by Christ, to the sixth verse (Revelation 20:1-6). The second is of the last victory, by which he has thrown down into everlasting punishment, there to the fifteenth verse (Revelation 20:7-15). This first history happened in the first time of the Christian Church, when the dragon thrown down from heaven by Christ, went about to molest the new birth of the Church in the earth, (Revelation 12:17,18:1). For which cause I gave warning, that this story of the dragon must be joined to that passage.
• (2) That is, of hell, where God threw the angels who had sinned, and bound them in chains of darkness to be kept till damnation, (2 Peter 2:4)

20:2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,

• (3) The first of which (continuing this history with the end of the second chapter) in the 36 years from the passion of Christ, when the Church of the Jews being overthrown, Satan attempted to invade the Christian church gathered from the Gentiles, and to destroy part of her seed, (Revelation 12:17). The thousandth year falls precisely on the times of that wicked Hildebrand, who was called Gregory the seventh, a most damnable necromancer and sorcerer, whom Satan used as an instrument when he was loosed out of bonds, from then on to annoy the saints of God with most cruel persecutions, and the whole world with dissentions, and most bloody wars: as Benno the Cardinal reports at large. This is the first victory gained over the dragon in the earth.

20:3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

• (4) Namely, with that public and violent deceit which he attempted before in chapter 12 and which after a thousand years (alas for woe!) he most mightily achieved in the Christian world.
• (5) Which being once expired, the second battle and victory shall be; (Revelation 20:7,8).

20:4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

• (6) A description of the common state of the Church of Christ in earth in that space of a thousand years, during which the devil was in bonds; in which first the authority, life, and common honour of the godly, is declared, (Revelation 20:4). Secondly, newness of life is preached to others by the gospel after that time; (Revelation 20:5). Finally, he concludes with promises, (Revelation 20:6).
• (a) For judgment was committed to them, as to members joined to the head: not that Christ’s office was given over to them.
• (7) This was a type of the authority of the good and faithful servants of God in the Church, taken from the manner of men.
• (8) Of the martyrs, who suffered in those first times.
• (9) Of the martyrs who suffered after both the beasts were now risen up, chapter 15. For there, these things are expounded.

20:5 The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

• (10) Whoever shall lie dead in sin, and not know the truth of God.
• (11) They shall not be renewed with newness of the life by the enlightening of the gospel of the glory of Christ. For this is the first resurrection, by which souls of the dead do rise from their death. In the second resurrection their bodies shall rise again.

20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.

• (12) That by this both body and soul, that is, the whole man is condemned and delivered to eternal death; (Revelation 2:11).
• (13) A return to the intended history, by resuming the words which are in the end of the fourth verse (Revelation 20:4).

20:7 And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,

• (14) The second history, of the latter victory of Christ, as was said in (Revelation 20:1). In which are summarily described the work, overthrow, and eternal punishment of Satan.
• (15) Of which I spoke. See Revelation 20:2 Then there will be given to him liberty to rage against the Church, and to molest the saints for the sins of men: to whom the faithful shall have associated themselves more then was fitting, tasting with them of their impurity of doctrine and life.

20:8 and he will come out 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.

• (16) The work or act of Satan (which is the first part, as I distinguished in the verse before) to deceive the whole world, even to the uttermost nations of it: to arm them against the people of God, in this verse and to besiege and oppress the Church, with his whole strength, in the verse following.

20:9 They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.

• (b) As if he said, in so much that the whole face of the earth, however great it is, was filled.
• (17) The wrath of God, consuming the adversaries, and overthrowing all their enterprises; (Hebrews 10:27). This is the second part mentioned See Geneva, in the overthrow of Satan.

20:10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

• (18) The third part, eternal destruction against those that are overcome: as I noted in the same place.

20:11 I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.

• (19) The second part of this chapter, in which the judge is described in this verse, and the last judgment in the verse following.
• (20) That is, a tribunal seat most princelike and glorious: for so does the Greek word signify.
• (21) That is, Christ, before whom when he comes to judgment, heaven and earth shall perish for the greatness of his majesty; (2 Peter 3:7,10).

20:12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

• (22) That is, Christ the judge; (2 Corinthians 5:10).
• (23) As it were, his books of reckoning or accounts, that is, the testimony of our conscience, and of our works, which by no means can be avoided.
• (24) The book of the eternal decree of God, in which God the Father has elected in Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, those that shall be heirs of life. This also is spoken according to the manner of men.

20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and [40] Hades [See Revelation Footnotes 40] gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.

• (25) This is a reply or an answer to an objection: for some man will say, "But they are dead, whom the sea, death and the grave has consumed, how shall they appear before the judge?" John answers, by resurrection from death, where all things (however repugnant) shall minister and serve at the commandment of God, as in (Daniel 12:1,2).

20:14 Death and [41] Hades [See Revelation Footnotes 41] were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

• (26) The last enemy which is death shall be abolished by Christ (that he may no more make any attempt against us) (1 Corinthians 15:16) and death shall feed on the reprobate in hell for evermore, according to the righteous judgment of God, in the next verse (Revelation 20:15).

20:15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.