ECHO Student Ministries

Revelation 20:1-10

Because I approach the book of Revelation with a premillennial view, I believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth immediately following the seven year tribulation period and prior to His literal 1,000 year reign on earth. God has completed His judgments (for now) upon the evil inhabitants of the earth who have rejected salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. There were three series of judgments (seal, trumpet, and bowl) which contained seven judgments each. The final bowl judgment was the destruction of Babylon, the Antichrist's headquarters on earth (16:17-21) where God sent brought swift judgment upon evildoers (19:17-21). Since at this time the Antichrist, false prophet, and all unbelievers will be eliminated from the face of the earth Jesus will begin to set up His earthly kingdom. His first order of business is to get rid of Satan, who is known as the "dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil..." (20:2).

An angel descends from heaven and bounds Satan in what is called the "bottomless pit" for 1,000 years "so that he cannot deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (20:3-4). The removal of Satan as well as his demons will drastically affect the happenings on earth during this time. Without their tempting forces, people will only be left to deal with temptations through the world and the flesh.
Although the book of Revelation does not give us a ton of details about the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ, John does provide a little taste of the things which will govern this kingdom. He writes, "I saw thrones, and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them...and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years...they shall be priests of God and of Christ" (20:4-6). These few words may seem too few, but notice what believers will not experience as opposed to the destiny of those who hate God, "But the rest of the dead [unbelievers] did not live again until the thousand years were finished" (20:5). The first resurrection, which happened at the time of the rapture, is known as the resurrection of the just; however, the second resurrection at the conclusion of the millennial period will result in the judgment of all unbelievers and ultimately lead to eternity in hell (20:11-15).

Following this 1,000 year reign of Christ, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit for one last time in order to deceive the nations (20:7-8). Who will he deceive since all those who entered the millennial period are believers? Satan will seek to blind those children who have been born to believers during the 1,000 years. It appears that Satan will gather many people and these rebellious will be referred to as "Gog and Magog." Satan and his new followers will develop an army thinking they can bring down Jesus' kingdom, but their rebellion will be short lived. John writes that they surround "the camp of the saints and the beloved city [Jerusalem]" but "fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them" (20:9).

At this point, God turns His full attention to Satan, who deceived these people, and he is "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (20:10). They are deserving of this punishment as they have led so many to hate God and reject salvation through Him.

Dear God, it is a comfort to read about the final resting place of Satan and the evil leaders he has put in place to deceive people. May You be glorified in this!