Revelation 20 Part A

Revelation 20

Understanding 3 viewpoints Taken from the Bible Knowledge Commentary

  1. Postmillennialism. In this view the thousand years represent the triumph of the gospel in the period leading up to the second coming of Christ. The return of Christ will follow the Millennium. Basically it is an optimistic view that Christ will reign spiritually on earth through the work of the church and the preaching of the gospel. This view has largely been discarded in the 20th century, because many anti-Christian movements have prospered and the world has not progressed spiritually. NONLITERAL VIEW OF REV 20
  2. Amillennialism, which denies that there is any literal Millennium or reign of Christ on earth. The millennial reign of Christ is reduced to a spiritual reign in the hearts of believers. This reign is either over those on earth who put their trust in Him or over those in heaven. NONLITERAL VIEW OF REV 20
  3. Premillennialism interprets Revelation 20 as referring to a literal thousand-year reign of Christ following His second coming. As the Second Coming occurs before the Millennium, it is therefore premillennial. Arguments for this position are based on the natural sequence of events in chapter 20 following chapter 19, viewing them as sequential and as stemming from the second coming of Christ. Many passages speak of the second coming of Christ being followed by a reign of righteousness on earth (Pss. 2; 24; 72; 96; Isa. 2; 9:6–7; 11–12; 63:1–6; 65–66; Jer. 23:5–6; 30:8–11; Dan. 2:44; 7:13–14; Hosea 3:4–5; Amos 9:11–15; Micah 4:1–8; Zeph. 3:14–20; Zech. 8:1–8; 14:1–9; Matt. 19:28; 25:31–46; Acts 15:16–18; Rom. 11:25–27; Jude 14–15; Rev. 2:25–28; 19:11–20:6).

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

Then– This is happening right after the events in chapter 19, chronologically

Angel- this is another vision being introduced.  There is nothing special about this angel, it is just an angel. 

Bottomless Pit- this is not hell, or the lake of fire.  The same pit that was mentioned earlier

Great Chain- This is what will keep him restrained, not enough to be in the pit by bound is showing that he has no power, no chance of getting out. 

1000 years-There is a set time for his imprisonment.

Cast him- There was no fight, there was no resisting. 

Shut him- He is trapped

Sealed him- No one could brake the seal to let him out. 

Released- This is not the end, this is not his final punishment, but a foretaste of what is coming.