Bible Basics

Revelation 20

The defeat of Satan is the theme of Revelation 20:1-10 and not the thousand years.  Any accurate interpretation of this chapter must have been relevant to the first century recipients, it must agree with other visions found in Revelation, and it must not contradict other clear and plain Bible passages.  In this passage there is a vision of Satan being bound in a bottomless pit for a thousand years; during which time the souls of beheaded martyrs live and reign with Christ.  After the time is completed, Satan is loosed again until he and his followers are devoured with fire from heaven and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. We must remember the book is written to Christians suffering enormous persecution by the world rule of the Roman Empire. These persecuted disciples needed to  understand that while Satan was trying to use the Roman Empire to destroy the Lord’s church, and while it may have appeared that he would succeed, such was not the case, for ultimately victory was theirs in Christ.  Rome would fall and Satan would be bound in that he will not have the power to elevate any world kingdom to deceive nations and unite them to wage war against God and His people as Rome did.  Earthly kingdoms would come and go, but the kingdom of God will last forever.  Satan cannot and will not destroy the church.

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics