WEDNESDAY
Now we come to what Thomas Schreiner calls “the most controversial text in Revelation.” (Thomas R. Schreiner, Revelation, 682.) That’s saying something for Revelation! Today and tomorrow we are going to just walk through the text. Then on Friday I will give you the main views on how Christians have interpreted these passages.
Revelation 20:1-6
The Thousand Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
The angel holds a key to the abyss, symbolizing God’s ultimate control over even that realm where demons are confined. He also holds a chain that indicates his ability to restrain. Again, this isn’t much of a battle. It’s more of a judgment by the one who truly holds the power. Satan, the true enemy, is bound and constrained in the abyss for 1,000 years. As you’ve likely come to realize with Revelation, some take this 1,000 years to be a literal period of time and some take it to be figurative for a significant period of time. Some would argue that this binding of Satan took place at the cross and resurrection (cf. Matt. 12:29). Others argue that it took place at some time in the church’s history—i.e., when Constantine became a Christian and made Christianity the official religion in the Roman empire around 325 AD. However, this seems unlikely as Satan is thrown into the abyss and would not then have any power to deceive on earth as he currently does now. Some take this to mean that his power over the nations is significantly diminished. That is to say that now, as opposed to before Jesus, Satan’s power is checked by the people of God and the Spirit at work in his people. However, the most natural understanding of Satan being thrown into the abyss is that his power has been completely hindered. New Testament passages speak of Satan’s power at work in this current era of the church, so it is unlikely that this is referring to this era of redemption history (Eph. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19). Therefore, I think it is best to interpret this as a time in the future when Jesus returns and judges evil.
More on this on Friday.
There is no reason given for why Satan is to be released for a little while. The best we can do is chalk it up to divine will. This is just God’s plan.
Revelation 20:4-6 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped 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 is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
The identity of those seated on the thrones could be the 24 elders from chapter 4. It is however, more likely that these are thrones for the saints (the people of God to rule creation as his stewards). This is a picture of a return to the creation mandate of Genesis 1-2.
Those who have been beheaded and all those who remained faithful to Jesus come to life and reign with Christ. Beheading was the preferred execution method for social elites. Lower class Christians would be burned, crucified, or torn apart by wild animals in the arena. This is likely not to be taken too woodenly, however. This is likely a reference to all Christians who remain faithful to Jesus amidst the threat of persecution. This is evidenced by the following clauses of verse 4, “those who had not worshipped the beast… or received its mark.”
The verb “came to life” likely refers to a physical, bodily resurrection. This is evidenced by the last sentence in verse 5, “This is the first resurrection.” Also, note that there is no second resurrection. There is a second death, but there is no second resurrection. This will be important for our discussion on Friday. Some argue that this first resurrection is the intermediate state between the believer’s death and their final, bodily resurrection. This is possible, but I don’t think it is the best interpretation based on this text. Others argue that this refers to the regeneration of the Christian, when they first came to believe in Jesus and are born again.
Verse 5 refers to the rest of the dead who will be brought to life. This is most likely the resurrection of unbelievers to be raised for judgment.
Those who are brought to life, those who have been faithful to Jesus, are called blessed and holy. Blessed refers to the good life, as we’ve already seen. They are also holy because their sins have been washed away by Christ, so they stand before God as holy. They will be priests of God, mediating his authority and serving him in the new creation. The saints will reign with Christ in the 1,000 years. The saints in the new creation will wield their authority as a steward under Christ’s authority. The saints will rule, not like the beast and Babylon, but like Christ. They will rule with self-sacrificial love and servant leadership.
Reflection
I want to focus in on the thrones and those to whom God has given authority to judge. As I said in the devotional, I think this is referring to the saints. That being the case, believers are going to steward the new creation under God’s authority. I had a conversation with Jon Hirst where he referred to discipleship in this life as leadership training for the new creation. This is a great perspective. The discipleship that we experience and pursue now has eternal effects in the new creation. Often we are tempted to grow complacent in discipleship and say, “I’m in with God, so what does it matter if I grow or not?” This perspective fails to recognize the resurrection to ruling in the new creation. Your discipleship today has eternal implications.