What does it mean that Satan is bound for a thousand years?

The passage says an angel from heaven takes hold of Satan, called the dragon and the old serpent, and locks him in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. A seal is set on him so that he should not deceive the nations until the thousand years are finished. After that he must be loosed for a little season. The focus of the binding is that his deceiving of the nations is stopped for this appointed time.

Who are the people who reign with Christ for a thousand years?

John sees thrones, and on them sit people who are given judgment. He also sees the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or in their hands. These are said to live and reign with Christ a thousand years, to share in the first resurrection, and to be priests of God and of Christ who reign with Him.

What is the first resurrection and why is it called blessed?

The passage calls the coming to life and reigning with Christ of those John sees "the first resurrection." It says that the rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Those who have part in the first resurrection are called blessed and holy. On such the second death has no power, and they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years. The passage does not further explain the exact nature of this first resurrection.

What is meant by the second death and the lake of fire?

The passage states that the lake of fire is the second death. First, the devil who deceived the nations is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, to be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Then death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. Anyone not found written in the book of life is also cast into this lake. This second death is the final state after the last judgment.

What happens when Satan is loosed for a little season?

When the thousand years are expired, Satan is loosed out of his prison and goes out to deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth, called Gog and Magog. He gathers them together to battle, and their number is as the sand of the sea. They go up over the breadth of the earth and surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Then fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them, and the devil is cast into the lake of fire for ever.

What is the great white throne judgment in this passage?

John sees a great white throne and Him that sits on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven flee away. He sees the dead, small and great, stand before God. Books are opened, and another book is opened, which is the book of life. The dead are judged out of those things written in the books, according to their works. The sea, death, and hell give up the dead in them, and they are judged every one according to their works. Those not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire.

How does this passage speak about judgment and salvation?

The vision shows both books that contain what people have done and the book of life. The dead are judged according to their works as written in the books, and anyone not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. The passage itself does not explain how names come to be written in the book of life or how this relates to justification; it simply sets side by side the record of works and the book of life in the final judgment.

What does Gog and Magog represent in this vision?

In this vision Gog and Magog are the names given to the nations in the four quarters of the earth whom Satan deceives after he is loosed. They are gathered together to battle, and their number is as the sand of the sea. They surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. The passage does not go further into their background or give more detail about them.

How can this passage about judgment encourage believers today?

This passage shows that Satan’s power to deceive is limited by God, that those who suffer for the witness of Jesus and remain loyal to Him are called blessed and holy, and that they live and reign with Christ. It also shows that the devil, death, and hell will finally be cast into the lake of fire, and that God will judge with perfect justice so that no one is overlooked. These truths can strengthen believers to endure trials, to remain steadfast, and to remember that God’s final judgment and victory are certain, even if many details of the timing and manner are not fully explained here.

Why do some people read the thousand years and the first resurrection in different ways?

The wording about the thousand years and the first resurrection has been understood in more than one way among faithful readers. Some see the thousand years as a future period and the first resurrection as a future rising of certain saints; others understand the thousand years more broadly and the first resurrection in a different sense. This passage clearly teaches that Satan is bound from deceiving the nations for a set time, that certain saints live and reign with Christ, and that there will be a final judgment, but the precise manner and order of these events are debated.

Rev.20.1

Revelation 20:1

KJV

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Satan Bound

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Satan Cast into the Lake of Fire

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Judgment before the Great White Throne

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.