THE
REVELATION
OF
JOHN THE DIVINE*

Revelation 20

1Satan bound for a thousand years. 4The first resurrection. 7Satan again let loose gathereth Gog and Magog to battle, who are devoured with fire. 10The devil cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. 11The general resurrection, and last judgment.


1AND1 I saw 2an angel come down from heaven, havinga3the key of the bottomless pit and 4a great chain in his hand.

1 This chapter is somewhat difficult to be understood, and is differently expounded by interpreters. Some suppose that whatever is related here, all must yet come to pass, and that after the ruin of the antichrist, whereof was spoken in the two previous chapters; and that at that time Satan shall be first bound, the Jews be converted to Christ, and the true church of Christ in great reputation, glorious peace and prosperity, shall reign over all nations of the world, and that for the space of a thousand years. In the beginning of these thousand years all martyrs would arise from the dead, and join themselves unto this church, or be taken up into heaven unto Christ, until after the thousand years Satan being loosed again, the rest of the unbelieving nations, which are understood by Gog and Magog, shall cause her new war. But that Christ, then coming to judgment, shall fully deliver His church, and shall cast Satan with all his ministers forever into the lake of fire. This opinion is very ancient, also among many of the ancient fathers, and is again renewed by some teachers even in these days, because it seems that the letter of the text of this chapter implies this. Yet when all things are well considered, it cannot stand with the constant sense and meaning of the Word of God, and for these reasons: first, because it was shown in the previous chapter, Rev. 19:19, 20, and it is also proven from 2 Thes. 2:8 that antichrist and his kingdom shall not be utterly destroyed but at the last coming of Christ to judgment; second, because the conversion of the Jews having come to pass, according to Paul’s prediction, Romans 11, and 2 Cor. 3:16, nevertheless such a condition of the church is nowhere promised, which would be without afflictions, strife and persecution throughout the entire world, as was proven in Rev. 19:11. For, it remains ever true what Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:12: ... all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, and especially about the end of the world, concerning which Christ says in Luke 18:8, Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And what Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:1, ... that in the last days perilous times shall come; third, because it is repugnant to the article of the resurrection of the dead, that so many millions of martyrs, as have been in the world, would only arise in the beginning of these thousand years, and would still live in this world, as some perceive, or that they only would be taken up with their bodies unto Christ in heaven, as others perceive of them; since the Scripture everywhere testifies that all the dead shall rise at once, and not before the last day. See hereof, John 5:28; 6:44; 11:24. See also 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16 and hereafter in this chapter, verse 12, and verse 13. For these and such like reasons, this chapter must be understood in a different manner, as shall be shown in the exposition.

2 By this Angel is meant Michael, that is, Christ Himself, as was also noted on Rev. 12:7 in the beginning of this combat against the dragon, (which is cast there unto the earth, and is now here bound fast in the bottomless pit.) Whereof see the exposition there at Rev. 12 on verse 7.

a Rev. 1:18.

3 That is, the power to open and to shut the bottomless pit, which is also peculiarly ascribed unto Christ, Rev. 1:18, as the sovereign Lord of this key; which in Rev. 9:1, the antichrist also usurps, but by the righteous judgment of God, Who has sent a power of error upon disobedient men, 2 Thes. 2:10, 11.

4 Hereby is understood the power of Christ’s death, whereby all Satan’s strength and power is taken from him, Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14, as also the power of Christ’s Spirit and Word, whereby Satan’s hands and feet are as it were bound, in order that he cannot hurt the elect. See Luke 11:22; Eph. 1:21, 22, yea neither other people also, any further than the chain of God’s Providence and judgments upon people suffers him to do, as the example of Ahab, 1 Kings 22, and other places testify.

2Andb he laid hold on 5the dragon,c that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

b 2 Peter 2:4; Rev. 12:9.

5 Of this name and other following titles of Satan, see Rev. 12:3, 9. This chapter is appropriately joined and compared by some with the 12th chapter. For, in regard that there is described the battle of this dragon against Christ and His church, and in the interim in some chapters the entire history of the antichrist and his ruin is related, the Holy Spirit thus comes now again in this 20th chapter and relates briefly the entire result of this battle of the dragon himself against Christ and His church, even while the time of the antichrist lasted, until he was cast with the antichrist into the lake of fire forever.

c sea monster, crocodile, serpent*

3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and 6shut him up, and set a seal upon him, thatd he should deceive 7the nations no more, 8till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and 9after that he must be loosed 10a little season.

6 Namely, the door of the bottomless pit, for security, that he must need to be there all the time. See the like, Dan. 6:18; Mat. 27:66, in the example of the den of Daniel and the sepulcher of Christ.

d verse 8; Rev. 16:14, 16.

7 Namely, as he had previously done mostly throughout the entire world, when he had deceived the Gentiles to worship him, 1 Cor. 10:20. Otherwise Satan’s power continues forever over the children of disobedience, 2 Cor. 4:4.

8 Some take these thousand years for the total time of the first coming of Christ unto His second coming, as this word thousand signifies sometimes in Scripture a certain number for an uncertain. See Psalm 91:7; 105:8; Dan. 7:10. But forasmuch as verses 7 and 8 Satan is let loose again after those thousand years, the same cannot be, as neither the opinion of some others, who desire to have these thousand years end before the coming of the antichrist. Seeing in verse 4, even during these thousand years mention is made of some who did not worship the beast nor his image, then antichrist must also needs have been before the end of the thousand years. Therefore others begin the binding of Satan, that he would deceive the nations no more from the time that Christ, by the preaching of the Gospel and the power of His Spirit by His apostles, has brought the pagan nations in the world everywhere unto repentance; which for the most part was fulfilled about the time of the desolation of Jerusalem and the eradication of the Jews, that is, about the year 70, and end them with the time of pope Gregory VII, who was a strong instrument of the devil to bring the antichrist’s reign to the highest, and to cause all nations to worship him, who sat in the chair about the year 1070. Though some, by reason of the persecutions, which Satan raised against the Christians more than two hundred and fifty years after the destruction of Jerusalem, begin these thousand years somewhat later, namely, from Constantine’s time, and continue them till about the year 1300, when the antichrist not only caused the state of Christians to decline more and more, when Boniface VIII reigned over this realm, but also the Turks and Tartars were most set on by Satan to subdue the christian nations in the East and West, and destroyed many kingdoms and christian churches, not only in Asia, but also in Africa and Europe, as the present condition thereof shows.

9 Namely, not in respect of Christ’s power, as if this was not able to keep him always bound, but in respect of God’s Providence, which would, unto the punishment of the unthankful world, let him loose again thereafter and give him more liberty.

10 This may be understood, either in respect of the forgoing thousand years and times of the world, or in respect of the future state of the church of Christ in heaven; whereof shall be prophesied in the next chapter, whereas likewise even the complete time of Christ’s first coming unto His last coming, is called in Scripture the last day, and the last hour.

411And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, ande judgment was given unto them: and I saw thef souls of them that were 12beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped theg beast, neither hish image, neither had received his marki upon their foreheads, or in their hands; andj they lived and reigned with Christ 13a thousand years.

11 Some take this sitting upon thrones, and giving of judgment for the restoration of Christ’s Kingdom, even in the time of the antichrist, whereof is spoken immediately, in which time also some eminent men arose, who condemned the doctrine of the antichrist and opposed both his kingdom and doctrine, of whom was also prophesied in Revelation 11; 14. But others take this here most fittingly of those persons, of whom there is spoken here immediately, namely, who were beheaded for the testimony of Christ, and who did not worship the beast; who after their death are here set in thrones and receive judgment, because, according to their souls, they have triumphed with Christ in heaven, notwithstanding that earthly men and the worshippers of the beast had condemned them as heretics and damned men. See similar promises in Rev. 3:21 and Mat. 19:28.

e Rev. 6:10.

f Rev. 6:9.

12 Gr. killed with the ax.

g Rev. 13:12.

h Rev. 13:15.

i Rev. 13:16.

j Rev. 6:11.

13 Namely, and forever after. For, he who reigns with Christ in heaven, is never cast out. See Rev. 3:12.

5But the 14rest of the dead 15lived not again 16until the thousand years were finished. 17This is the first resurrection.

14 That is, such as were dead in their sins and superstitions, as this word dead is also taken, Mat. 8:22; John 5:25; 1 Tim. 5:6.

15 That is, did not arise from their sins, or did not repent; as is said in a similar case in Rev. 9:20.

16 That is, even not in all the time that Satan was bound; therefore much less after, when Satan was let loose again. See a similar phrase, 2 Sam. 6:23; Mat. 1:25.

17 Namely, from the death of sin; as the fall into sin is the first death, and the first death of man according to the spirit. See a similar phrase in John 5:25; Eph. 2:5; 5:14; Col. 3:1.

6Blessed and holy is he 18that hath part in the first resurrection: on such 19the second death hath no power, but they shall be 20priestsk of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

18 That is, he who is partaker of the first resurrection; as this phrase is also taken, John 13:8; Acts 8:21.

19 This second death is death eternal, as is expressly declared hereafter in verse 14. Hence it also appears that this resurrection is not physical, but a spiritual resurrection; seeing that many shall also, according to the body, arise unto destruction. See Dan. 12:2; John 5:29.

20 See hereof, as also of the following word reign, the exposition on Rev. 1:6; 5:10.

k Isa. 61:6; 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10.

7And when the thousand years are 21expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his 22prison,

21 See the annotation on verse 3 previously.

22 Gr. ward.

8And shall 23go out to deceive 24the nations 25which are in the four quarters of the earth, 26Gogl and Magog, tom gather them together to battle: 27the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

23 Namely, out of the bottomless pit, wherein he was bound before, to join with the antichrist, to whom he had surrendered his power, and who had for a while afflicted the church of Christ alone.

24 Many understand this of spiritual deception, whereby entire nations are brought more and more to new idolatry and pagan superstitions, though under another title. See also Rev. 9:20, etc.

25 That is, in the entire world, or in all the countries of the world. For, nations, few or none in their entirety, have been quite free from this deception in the East or West, in the time that Satan was let loose again.

26 Some understand by these two nations the same nations which are named in the previous clause. However, it does not seem that all the nations in the four corners of the world can be called here Gog and Magog, but that they are only a part of those nations of the earth, which, besides that they were deceived by the dragon in matters of religion to their own destruction, were also deceived and incited by him to a war, which is related in the text. What now this Gog and Magog may be, there are various opinions. Yet their opinion agrees best with the thing itself and with the place in Ezekiel 38; 39, to which this prophecy points, who say, that as God foretells by Ezekiel the people of Israel, whom He had promised to deliver out of Babylon, what troubles would afterwards befall them in the holy land by the neighboring pagans of Asia, Syria and Egypt, which are called Gog and Magog by Ezekiel, before Christ would be manifested in the flesh, out of which God would and did miraculously deliver them, as we may read in the first and second book of the Maccabees; so likewise after the end of the thousand years, and the release of Satan, before the second coming of Christ, the Turks, Tartars and Saracens, who for the most have their habitations in the quarters of Gog and Magog with the remnant of the anti-christian realm, would contend with Christendom and oppress it with grievous wars, out of which God would miraculously deliver them, and would at last be vanquished and subdued by the second coming of Christ.

l Ezek. 38:2; 39:1.

m Rev. 16:14.

27 See hereof further in Rev. 9:16, and so on.

9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed 28the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: 29and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

28 Christendom is called such, because God has at all times and will have to the end of the world His saints and marked ones in it, though much corruption has been in the worship and manners of many; as the people of Israel were continually called the people of God, and the city of Jerusalem the holy city, even when they were exceeding corrupt in these things. See Isa. 1:3, 21; Mat. 4:5; Luke 19:46.

29 This may somewhat be understood of the many extraordinary helps which God afforded the Christians against the Turks and Tartars, and as it is to be hoped, will still afford unto them, as the similar phrase is used concerning Gog and Magog, Ezek. 38:22. But it may also be understood of the last violence of these and such like nations, which they with the antichrist shall yet do to destroy Christianity utterly, before the last day, as when Christ at His last coming shall come upon them unawares, as was prophesied before of the anti-christian’s army in Rev. 19:20. This is also confirmed by the following verses.

10And the devil that deceived them wasn cast 30into the lake of fire and brimstone, where theo beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormentedp day and night for ever and ever.

n Dan. 7:11; Rev. 19:20.

30 That is, into hell, to remain there forever. See also Rev. 19:20; Mat. 25:41; 1 Cor. 15:24.

o Rev. 19:20.

p Rev. 14:10.

1131And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose 32face the earth and the heaven 33fled away; and there was found no place for them.

31 As the previous visions have ended with the last day, so also does this vision end in it. He, Who is seen here, is Christ, the Judge of the quick and the dead, Who will set up His judgment seat in the clouds, as He testifies Himself in Mat. 25:31. See also Acts 17:31.

32 That is, majesty and glory.

33 See similar phrase in Rev. 6:14 and 16:20, whereby the ruin and alteration of heaven and earth, which now are, is given to understand; whereof see further and various expositions in the annotations on 2 Peter 3:10.

12And I saw the dead, 34small and great, 35stand before God; and 36the books were opened: and another book was opened, whichq is the book 37of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, 38accordingr to their works.

34 That is, of all conditions and degrees; though some do understand this also of age and stature, but what is here imperfect, shall then be made perfect, 1 Cor. 13:10.

35 That is, standing before the throne or the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5:10, from which it appears that Christ is also true God.

36 Namely, of God’s omniscience and Providence, wherein all men’s actions, both omissions and commissions, are written down. See similarly in Dan. 7:10; Mal. 3:16. And it is a similitude, taken from the judgment of men and the practice among great princes, where notice or knowledge of all things is kept and recorded. See Esther 6:1. Others understand it of the books of every person’s conscience; which is also true, since the same will also either accuse or excuse itself in that day. See Rom. 2:15, 16.

q Exod. 32:32; Psalm 69:28; Philip. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 21:27.

37 That is, of God’s gracious election unto eternal life. See of the same also Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8.

38 Namely, which they shall have done in this life, whether good or evil; as Paul adds in 2 Cor. 5:10, whereof see there the exposition.

r Psalm 62:12; Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Mat. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:5; Rev. 2:23.

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and 39death and 40hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

39 By the word hell is understood by many as grave, and by the word death all other places where the dead bodies might be scattered; as the fire, the air, the fowls and cruel beasts have devoured many bodies, they all shall be brought to light by the power of God where so ever they may be. For, He Who created all things out of nothing, will be able to gather together easily all the bodies of men, who were ever in the world, out of all the elements of the world.

40 Or, the grave.

14And 41death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is 42the second death.

41 This is understood either of the devil, who had the power of death, Heb. 2:14, or, by an improper phrase, for all that which is somewhat grievous or painful; which shall be removed out of the whole world, and after that time shall be found nowhere but in the everlasting lake of fire.

42 That is, eternal death, so called, because it necessarily follows upon the death of sin, if men do not repent of it.

15And whosoever was 43not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

43 See verse 12.