Revelation 20 is a bit of a unique chapter of Bible prophecy in that it uses illustrations or pictures to describe actual events and happenings not used most of the scripture. Unlike most of the Bible's prophecy, it does not give you any direct interpretations of it's illustrations or what exactly it is referring to. To be able to comprehend it then, it is necessary to have a good grasp of the rest of the Bibles prophecy that the Bible interprets for you. If you refuse this or don't know to, then it is humanly impossible to understand the book of Revelation 20's prophecy.
Daniel chapter 2 & 7 are prophecies of an age of universal oppression for all believers measured by four empires. The first one in Daniel chapter 2 is named as Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. The second and third empires are named in Daniel 8 as Medo\Perisa and Greece. Rome's conquest of the Syrian and Egyptian quarters of the Greek Empire is prophesied in Daniel 11; and Rome is named all over the NT. The dates this age of universal oppression of the saints starts is 597 BC when Nebuchadnezzar conquers Judea and ends in 1453 AD when what had been the capitol of the Roman empire since 333 AD, Constantinople was conquered by the Turks. These prophecies actually gave us the date of the end of that age which you can see in my article- The Times and Seasons of the Bibles Prophecy.
After the end of the Roman Empire the Bible said this is what would take place: Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Two witnesses clarify the exact meaning of that. One is dozens of chapters of the Bibles prophecy like Isaiah 54, 60, 61, 62, 65:17-25, Psalm 72, etc; because they describe what has been transpiring in this present age. The other is what happened historically. The Bible began illegally making its way into the hands of the general public right when the Roman Empire ended. Those Bible reading people won and pioneered this growing free world and now billions are coming to Christ just as predicted. I have lots of articles on these prophecies in my web page or on my X articles tab as well as my book titled The Bible's Prophecy About The Free World. They go very deep into this age that was to follow the age of the four gentile empires.
As shown in my article The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation Chapters 6-19. Revelation chap.19 is a prophecy of the coming of the Lord to judge the Roman Empire and to begin to fulfill the dozens of chapters of prophecy about a promised growing free world. Revelation 20-22 are prophecies of this age that started in 1453 AD when the Roman empire ended. I won't be going into the New Jerusalem of Rev. 21-22 simply because I have written large articles about it as the body of prophecy about New Jerusalem has dozens of chapters dedicated to it in the Bible, rather than just those two in the end of the book. One might say the New Jerusalem is a key to understanding the Bibles prophecy. Here are some of my articles about it- The Bride of Christ; The New Jerusalem; How The Nations Are Blessed. Now on to Revelation 20
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
John is seeing pictures that illustrate future happenings. He is not interpreting them but just saying what he sees. The thousand year reign is an illustration of the invisible kingdom of God prophesied to: 1. Fill the earth when the Roman Empire ends. 2. Described by many dozens of chapters of prophecy and 3. Taught about by Jesus.
Prophesied to fill
earth:
Daniel 2:34 You saw till that a stone was cut out without hands,
which smote the image (The Roman Empire) upon his
feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was
the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, (The
four empires) broken to pieces together, and became like
the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them
away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. The
interpretation 44 And in the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the
kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45
Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without
hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the
silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation of it sure. Notice how that prophecy uses the
stone to illustrate Jesus and a great mountain filling the earth to
illustrate the invisible kingdom of God. That is what Isaiah says also.
In his prophecy he points out that the kingdom of God is a kingdom of
influence due to the world being full of the knowledge of the Lord.
11: 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover
the sea. Or Habakkuk's prophecy as he describes the vanity and
evil of building a kingdom with violence. 2:12 Woe to him that
builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity! 13 Behold,
it is not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very
fire, and the people shall weary themselves for such vanity? 14 For the
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as
the waters cover the sea. In Revelation 21 John is shown a
picture of God's people, the bride of Christ as the New Jerusalem
sitting atop this great mountain. 9 And there came to me one of the seven
angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and
talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's
wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high
mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God...
This kingdom described by dozens of chapters of
prophecy:
You will have to read these chapters yourselves so I can keep it short.
Isaiah 54 Quoted by Paul as being about the New Jerusalem in Galatians
4. It
prophesies God's bride, believers in the OT and NT as being seemingly
forsaken by God. Oppressed and warred against. But that there would come
a time when her descendants will inherit the nations and the world in
general will
acknowledge the one true God. She will live without fear of oppression
and the nations transformed by her will be established in righteousness.
Even though nations and peoples rise up against her and her
influence. They will fall for her sake.
Isaiah 60 Same thing. Darkness will cover the earth but the Lord will
arise upon her and the nations will be converted to her. Revelation
21-22 quotes Isaiah 60 more than any other chapter of the Bible. It goes
on to say the decedents of those who oppressed her will come bowing to
her and the nations that do not serve her will fall into ruin.
Isaiah 65:17-29 Describes the same New Heaven and earth quoted in
Revelation 21-22. It prophesies a transformed world contrary to
the ancient world in which these prophecies were written. A world in
which people live under the rule of law rather than the arbitrary rule
of men. A world in which the law protects property rights, where the
saints will long enjoy the things they built and they will not be taken
from them. A world in which child mortality is rare and the average age
in which people live nears a hundred years. An era where the saints will
not have children just to have them taken by enslavers or die in useless
wars. A age in which nations, illustrated as animals. Instead of
warring with one another and enslaving one another do mutually beneficial
business instead. We are on our way there folks, as long
as you compare our world to the world in which these prophecies were
written.
Jesus taught about
this invisible kingdom in his parables about this kingdom.
The links in this paragraph go to actual
articles on the parables. In
the parable of the sower Jesus describes how unlike the kingdom
during the time of ancient Israel that relied heavily on the sword. This
kingdom will be spread by beating your instruments of war into farming
tools and sowing the world of God into peoples hearts. In the parable of
the mustard seed Jesus describes how this kingdom starts as a small
seed with little influence but grows to be the greatest herb in the
garden, meaning the most influential in the world. Same with the
parable of the yeast. A little yeast, (the kingdom of God) put into
a dough will ferment the entire loaf, meaning the world. Then there is
the parable the laborers hired to work in the Lords vineyard. The
vineyard is the world. The penny for payment is eternal life in heaven.
The labors that are hired at first work the hardest and suffer the most
for that penny. As the world changes because of the influence of the
kingdom the laborers work become easier. In the end because of all the
suffering a labor that went before. The world is transformed and
the laborers in that transformed world get to partake of all the earthly
promises of God that the pioneers did not get to partake of. That is
what is meant by the first being last than the last first. Finally there
is
the parable of John the Baptist. John is used as an illustration of
ancient Israel. Among all the nations ancient Israel was the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven. The nation most influenced by that kingdom.
However. Even the least of the nations out in the future that come under
the influence of the kingdom of heaven will be greater, in every
conceivable measure, than ancient Israel. But again. Not until the
Roman empire falls and the general public gets Bibles to read
themselves.
The devil being
bound and loosed:
This is a prophecy of the devil loosing in influence in the world
due to people accepting the truth and rejecting lies via the Gospel and the word of God . To the degree a person or nation accepts truth is the
degree in wich the devil is bound. To the degree in which the same
accepts lies is the degree in which the devil is loosed. That is how he
got into the world in the first place. Adam and Eve accepted a lie. When
Jesus sent out the seventy to preach and demonstrate the kingdom of God,
when they came back all excited about what they saw. Jesus said this:
Luke 10:18 .....I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
That is a vision of Satan losing his power over people that were
hearing, seeing and accepting the truths the 70 were preaching and
demonstrating. Then there is this verse- Matthew 18:18 Truly I
say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven. The principle holds true. Satan's dominion. illustrated
by his seat in the "heavens" exists because of his influence in the
hearts of human beings on the earth. To the degree hearts are changed
and his influence over them diminished is the degree in which his rule
in the heavens is taken away or maybe even someday, for all practical
purposes, destroyed. This is why the world is transforming from one that was
100% despotic, ruled over by kings, emperors and dictators, to a free
one and billions are coming to Christ. Satan is losing his power over
nations. The rest of Revelation 20 will say more about this.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The thousand years is the kingdom of God that has always existed and is eternal. The Beast is the four empires. The dead are those without Christ. In verse 4 of this prophecy those who lived and reigned with Christ are those who became true believers during the time period measured by the four empires. The rest of the worlds "dead," those without Christ in the nations of the world do not live until the kingdom of God touches them. This would occur when the kingdom of God spreads to the entire globe after the age of oppression and the general populations of the nations gain access to the Bible. Some might point out they are not reigning. Reigning is relative. Just getting saved in a world that tries to prevent that from happening is reigning over the world. But obviously, there are greater degrees of reigning in this life. Below are proof texts that show what I am saying is doctrinally consistent. History and the Bibles interpretation of it's own prophecy show that this is consistent with it's prophecy.
Judgment given to
the saints.
This verse is talking about the same thing, when the
Roman Empire ends: Daniel 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made
war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of
days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and
the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Judgment is referring to judging between right and wrong, wisdom and
foolishness, truth verses lies etc. Remember when Lot tried to talk the
men of Sodom out of raping the angels they thought were men? Lot said:
"Do not do so wickedly." Their answer was. "Who
made you a judge over us" In ancient Israel's four hundred
year long republic. It was judges. supernaturally endorsed by God who
brought them back to God and taught them right from wrong. In God's
economy today a nations judges who teach the people right from wrong and
the way they should go are supposed to be the evangelists, prophets and
pastors during times of great revival and awakening. This honor is not
given to human government which is supposed to be limited to certain
responsibilities. So in this prophecy we see that "judgment is given to
the saints" means- As the influence of the kingdom of God spreads. The
nations and cultures of the world will accept the judgments of the
saints as far as right and wrong is concerned as the norm. They will
accept the saints judgments on what kind of governments we should have
and things like marriage and families and law. And this is exactly what
has been happening. Yes there are times of rebellion against this as you
see now. Yes, people may accept these judgments of right and wrong but
not live up to them. But this world we live in with all of its light
from heaven is not the dark world in which these prophecies were
written. All you have to do is look at cultures that have yet to be
influenced by God's government or the depravity of those at war with the
influence of heaven to understand this. The best comparison
however is the insanity of the ancient world in which these prophecies
were written compared to this world where entire populations are, or at
least where, under a lot of direct biblical influence. 1st Co. 6:2 Do you
not know that the saints shall judge the world?.... Isaiah 61: 8 For I
the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will
direct their work in truth.....How could God direct the work of
millions of individuals to their own calling and purposes
effectively and in truth without them having their own Bibles to read?
He could not. That is why the transformational good new prophecies about
this age could not happen without the Bible getting into the hands of
the general public; which happened right when the Roman Empire ended.
The dead and the
resurrected that death has no power over.
Colossians 2:12. Buried with him in baptism, where in also you
are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has
raised him from the dead. 13. And you, being dead in your sins and the
un-circumcision of your flesh, has he made alive together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses; Chapter 3:1. If you then are risen
with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the
right hand of God. Matthew 8: 21. And another of his disciples said to
him, Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father. 22. But Jesus said
to him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. John 6:35. And
Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall
never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst......49.
Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50. This is
the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of, and not
die. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man
eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will
give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. John
5:24. Truly, truly, I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on
him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death to life.
You can see through these verses that the
first resurrection is an illustration of the fact that the human race is
on death-row for their crimes\sin. That Christ paid the death penalty
for the human race on the cross and as he was resurrected. Then same
power that resurrected him is given to those who truly accept and
believe the gospel message. They, according to these scriptures are dead
and are resurrected with Christ and this is what the term "first
resurrection" is talking about. The second death is a referral to those
who die apart from Christ and then end up in that prison called hell.
That is a Bible doctrine. If you want to look into
Jesus's teaching on resurrection you can with this short article.
Revelation 20: 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This is a prophecy about the people, nations and dangerous and destructive ideologies that would war against heavens growing influence in the world, in this age. The camp of the saints and the beloved city is the New Jerusalem, which are illustrations of God's people in the world. Totally a good news prophecy if you compare it to the previous ages where the wicked ruled over the nations in perpetuity. This prophecy says they will be defeated when they arise. History says the same thing since the Roman empire fell. Here are some of the big players that felt the wrath of God as "fire from heaven;" which is a very consistent illustration of defeat in war throughout the whole Bible. The Holy Roman Empire, The British Empire, Napoleon, The Kaisers and the rest of the European kings, The Nazi's, the Imperial Japanese, the USSR. Hundreds of millions died in this tragic wars and movements designed to conquer the nations God's people lived free in due to their judgments being accepted by the population. But in the end these entities illustrated as Gog and Magog were one way of the other defeated; and it is God's kingdom that has grown. This is consistent with the OT prophecies about this time period. Isaiah 54:14 In righteousness shalt you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for your sake. 16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD. That word to condemn means a lot of things. It means that the saints will judge these nations and these evil ideologies as wrong. It means they will turn populations against them. It means Biblically based republics will war against them. It means they will bring that fire from heaven down on them and much more. This is exactly what we have seen transpiring over the last 500 years. The forever and ever part of this is a consistent illustration regarding the fact that there are no prophecies in the Bible about the end of this age or the end of the world.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Verse 11 starts with a repeat about the age of the four gentile empires ending in Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. The Book is the Bible. The other books represent a record individual lives. The sea illustrates the nations that had been being ruled over by death and hell now giving up their dead apart from Christ to salvation through the Gospel. This is a good news prophecy about the all the peoples of the world beginning to hear the good news. Death and hell being cast into the lake of fire illustrates the loss of its dominion over the nations as the Gospel spreads and the free world grows. The second death is the unsaved who die and end up in hell.
Like it or not. This is part and parcel of the Gospel message Jesus and the OT taught. That the meek would inherit the earth and there would come a time period without any known end where the world would be so influenced by the gospel that despots would never be able to rule over all of it again. Not good news enough for you? Well heaven will certainly meet those expectations of the kind of good news your anticipant. But to the world that lived under total oppression and to those in our world still under that oppression. It is great news. It does however challenge Christians to get their hearts right on this matter. Christ expects us to step up to the plate not just in our own Christian witness or from the pulpit to lead the world into the manifested will of God. He expects us to lead its governments as lawmakers, judges, presidents, governors, in universities and bureaucracies. We are to be the salt and light within, not from without. If your not, then you will see the tragic unfolding of governments of unlimited power being used by the wicked to oppose the influence of Christ in the world. That was what happened in the west with the rise of progressivism that opposes the biblical mandate of limited government. Christians were hoodwinked by these pop culture end time teachings that proclaimed the bad news of the coming apocalypse and where never able to develop in such a way as to overcome the evils that rose up against them. People put their faith in lies and reaped the results. But put your faith in the truth as revealed in the Bible of a world under the dominate influence of Jesus? Then you are talking about dynamics that will naturally develop into people who know how to, and are prepared to overcome the evils of the world.
© Daniel Martinovich 2023-2025
