Revelation 20

Revelation 20 is the third-to-last of the twenty-two chapters of the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 19, the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire. This chapter continues with the binding and final defeat of the dragon (Satan) who directed them, followed by the judgment of all the dead.

Outline

• Verses 1–3: An angel lays hold on the dragon with the key of the bottomless pit (the abyss) and a great chain, then shuts him up and sets a seal upon him for a thousand years.
• Verses 4–6: Those seated on thrones receive authority to judge. Those who were beheaded and those who did not receive the mark of the beast come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years. This is called "the first resurrection."
• Verses 7–10: When the thousand years are expired, Satan is released and gathers Gog and Magog, who surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire comes down from heaven and devours them, and the devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
• Verses 11–15: The dead stand before the great white throne. The books and the book of life are opened, and each person is judged according to his works. Death and hell are also cast into the lake of fire, which is called "the second death."

Key Verses

• Revelation 20:6: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." This verse stands at the center of the debate over interpretations of the millennium.
• Revelation 20:12: "And another book was opened, which is the book of life." This verse is foundational for understanding the Last Judgment and the book of life.

Figures and Places

• The angel: The angel who comes down holding the key of the bottomless pit.
• The dragon: The being the text calls "that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan."
• Gog and Magog: The nations from the four quarters of the earth who are deceived and gathered by Satan. The names derive from Ezekiel 38–39.
• The beloved city: The city where the saints dwell, which becomes the target of the attack.
• The lake of fire: The place into which the beast, the false prophet, the devil, and death and hell (Hades) are cast.

Interpretive Considerations

Views of the millennium divide according to how the "thousand years" is understood. Premillennialism holds that a literal millennial kingdom will follow Christ's return. Within this view, dispensationalism explains it in connection with the Rapture, although the Rapture does not appear in this chapter. Amillennialism regards the thousand years as a symbol of the church age between Christ's first and second comings. Postmillennialism holds that Christ will return after an era of prosperity brought about by the spread of the gospel. Interpreters also differ over whether the first resurrection should be understood as a bodily or a spiritual resurrection. Judgment according to works connects with John 5:25–29, and the conquest of death with 1 Corinthians 15:22–26; the second death also appears in Revelation 2:8–11.