Table of Contents
Satan Bound For One Thousand Years
(based on Revelation chapter 20)
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.
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.
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.
Revelation 20:1-15 KJV
The language of the first three verses of Chapter 20 is figurative, given that no human life exists on Earth during these years. As a result, Satan has nobody to tempt! Instead, he has 1,000 years to ponder what he has done to the human race and think about the judgment of God that is coming against him and his angels. This period is part of God’s judgment and punishment of Satan and his angels. Make no mistake, this period is filled with mental anguish for Satan and his evil angels.
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.
Revelation 20:4-6 KJV
Verses 4-6 should be read together because they all refer to the same group of people in Heaven. They refer to all of the saved who have gone through an experience of life in a sinful world. They have resisted Satan’s temptations. They have stood firmly in God’s defense.
In verse 5, there is a brief mention of “the rest of the dead,” and this further demonstrates that there is no human life on Earth during the 1,000 years. “This is the first resurrection” refers to the fact that all of the people in heaven at this point were participants in the first resurrection (except for those few who never died and were translated – evidence below).
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thesselonians 4:13-18 KJV
(see also: The Sleep of Death | Lest Ye Sorrow, and Short Musical Messages)
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.
Revelation 20:7, 8 KJV
After the millennium, all of the wicked who have ever lived since the time of Adam and Eve are raised back to life by God for the “Great White Throne judgment.” These people are labeled as “Gog and Magog”, but this is just a symbol of their nature.
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.
Revelation 20:9, 10 KJV
Verses 9 and 10 provide a brief overview of the entire story of the final judgment, also known as the great white throne judgment. However, verses 11-13 delve further into this time of judgment. In verse 10, it says, “and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”, but this is once again figurative language.
The fire surrounds the Holy City on all sides and obviously will not burn forever because that would interfere with the enjoyment of the righteous who now inhabit the Holy City! However, the fire that burns up the wicked is called “eternal fire” because it cannot be put out until the destruction of the wicked is complete. And the destruction of the wicked will be an eternal testimony to the rest of the Universe about the evilness of sin and its natural consequences!
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.
Revelation 20:11-13 KJV
Verse 11 tells us that this is referring to the “great white throne” judgment. In verse 13, the word translated as “hell” is known as “Hades” (the English transliteration of the Greek word). This word indicates “the grave” and not a place of eternal torment.
By the way, the righteous are already judged at this point, and they were also “judged by their works.” Did they live perfect lives? Nope. But because they “belonged to Christ”, the righteousness of Christ covered their sins. This is why the Gospel is Good News! (see also: Faith AND Works Simplified)
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.
Revelation 20:14, 15 KJV
The Second Death?
Verse 14 talks about “the second death” because the wicked will have to die twice. Their first death is the normal one that everyone dies eventually. The second death is after they are raised back to life for the great white throne judgment, found guilty, and are killed again by the lake of fire. In the second death, there is no hope. And this is what makes it so hard to face!
How To Be In The Book Of Life
In verse 15, it talks about the “book of life”, but how does one make sure that their name is “in the book of life?” These are the people who have repented of their sins and acknowledged that Jesus paid for their lives and that they no longer belong to themselves! They know that they are the “property” of Jesus Christ, and they live in a way that demonstrates this fact! (see also: Now I Belong to Jesus!)