Revelation 20 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 20:1-6

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient snake, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

A. Find Out:

1. What happened to Satan and for how long? v.1-3a
2. Why, and what then will happen? v.3b
3. Who reigned and why, and for how long? v.4
4. What happened to the rest of the dead? v.5
5. What will the raised be and what will they do? v.6

B. Think:

1. What are we told about Satan’s power & might in this passage?
2. What are the characteristics of the thousand year period?
3. Who are the inhabitants of the earth in that period?

C. Comment:

     First, note the apparent ease with which Satan is taken and imprisoned. When God speaks something to happen it will happen, even if it involves the one we so often feel is a powerful adversary. Before God he is nothing.

     Second, note what follows his imprisonment: a thousand years of life on the earth without his deceiving activity. The only people from the past who seem to survive are the saints who were killed in the tribulation and who have been raised so that they might reign. Yet they reign – over who or what? In following verses we will see reference to “the nations” (v.8) so perhaps there are others left on the earth who simply did not go to Armageddon to fight against Christ and who survived the awful catastrophes on the earth. Although some commentators would suggest the picture is clear, that is not so! Is the thousand years a literal thousand years? We don’t know. All we do know is that there will be a prolonged period of peace on the earth, with the absence of Satan, and under the benign rule of the saints of God. What is the purpose of this period? It is not stated but it might be speculated that it is as if God gives the earth another chance to live without Satan’s influence, yet when he returns many will succumb!

D. Application:

1. It is those who resist the enemy, even to death, who will be rulers with Christ in the era to come.
2. Perseverance is called for, with a glorious hope

Passage: Rev 20:7-10

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

A. Find Out:

1. What will happen at the end of the thousand-year period? v.7
2. What will he do? v.8a
3. What will the nations do? v.8b
4. Who will they come against? v.9a
5. But what will happen? v.9b
6. What will happen to Satan? v.10

B. Think:

1. What is basically going to happen according to this passage?
2. What does it say about the nations of the earth?
3. What is their end?

C. Comment:

     During the thousand-year period there would appear to be peace and tranquility as the rule of God prevails over the earth. As soon as Satan is released back onto the earth at the end of the period, he restarts his work of deceiving the peoples of the world and very soon(?) has all of the nations siding with him. The wording would suggest that the vast majority of the world falls under his sway, although it is possible that a number do not gather with the rest. What this passage does show us is the gullibility of mankind that has obviously learnt nothing from the previous eras of history. Sin is still in the heart of man and it doesn’t take much to stir up rebellion in it!

     The outcome of this foolishness is short and sharp: fire comes down from heaven and all of those rebellious masses are instantly destroyed. There is no battle, it is just destruction. Satan is unceremoniously thrown into eternal judgement where there is no hope of his continuing his activities. Why eternal pain? Presumably because a spirit being cannot be destroyed and therefore this total absence of the presence of God and the goodness of God is all that is left for him.

D. Application:

1. Sin breeds foolishness and a willingness to listen to Satan and be deceived – but that is no excuse!
2. Sin will be judged! Destruction will come upon unrepentant sinners in a way seen by all the watchers.

Passage: Rev 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

A. Find Out:

1. What did John see first and what then happened? v.11
2. Who stood before the throne? v.12a
3. Where did they all come from? v.13a
4. What happened to them? v.12b,13b
5. What happened to Death and Hades? v.14
6. Who else went there? v.15

B. Think:

1. How is what we do in this life clearly seen to affect our eternal destiny according to this passage?
2. What evidence in heaven will decree our destiny?

C. Comment:

     All of the dead, from wherever they have gone in history are brought before God’s throne of judgement. All signs (earth & sky) of the past earthly life vanish, this is a heavenly tribunal. Each person is assessed on what they did in life. Records are produced showing that each and every person failed (sinned) again and again, all deserve eternal punishment.

      But a further book, the book of life, is also opened and this shows those who called on Jesus to take their sin, their guilt, their shame and their punishment. These people alone, who already possess eternal life, will continue into eternity with God. All the rest will be consigned to the lake of fire. Although Satan, the beast and the false prophet are said to be tormented in the lake for ever and ever, the same is not said of people. Note also that this lake is not hell, for death and Hades (hell- where there is non-destructive fire) have been thrown into the fire that destroys; note the distinction. The impression given is that the occupants of hell (consigned there earlier) are emptied out for this judging and then reconsigned there afterwards for destruction. Faithful Christians of all persuasions dispute over the end of sinners, eternal pain or annihilation. The traditional view is that sinners suffer eternal pain. See additional note

D. Application:

1. Our submission to Jesus as Lord determines our destiny
2. Unrepentant sinners go to an end that should be avoided!!!!!