The Binding of Satan

The Binding of Satan

Revelation 20: 1-6

Chapter 20 here is the chapter that is at the heart of Pre-millennialism and the doctrine of the 1000 year reign of Christ here on the earth.

Basically, what that doctrine teaches is that Christ left this earth because He was unable to establish His kingdom here.
He has ascended into heaven and some day He will return and establish His kingdom here and He will reign here for 1000 years with the saints.
Connected to all of this is the rapture and the great tribulation theories.
And obviously, none of these things have yet taken place because we have not had a rapture where all the faithful to Christ are just raptured up into heaven.
So, those who teach these things say that the events of chapter 20 must still take place in the future.
- Is that what this chapter is talking about?
- Well, let’s look at this and see.

Here in chapter 20 it is critical that we keep in mind that we are looking at a picture or a vision.

In fact, in verse 1 John reminds us of that when he says: “I saw an angel coming down from heaven…”
- Everything we have seen up to this point has been a picture or a vision.
- We have been looking at a picture of a big red dragon, recognizing it as a figure and saying, “What is the truth conveyed under this figure?”
- We’ve seen an “earth beast” and said, “That is a figure. What is the truth conveyed by that figure?”
- We’ve seen a “sea beast” and said, “That is a figure. What is the truth conveyed under it?”
- All along we have been seeing these figures from a vision and learning a truth about them.
- But unfortunately when we get to this chapter many people want to take some of the things mention in it and say, “That is no picture. That is a literal truth that is told and it literally must take place.”
  - That won’t do…that is not being consistent…and we must be consistent.
  - Things must be figurative or literal. You can’t jump back and forth.

Now, let me list some of the main images and phrases that occur in this chapter.

1000 year binding.
1000 year reigning.
A first resurrection.
1000 year death.
A little season of Satanic freedom.
A Gog-Magog host.
An invasion of a holy city.
A second resurrection.
A second death.
A judgment scene.
A lake of fire.

Now, since all of these are figures that represent truths…are they all figurative (symbolic)…or are they all literal truths that must come to pass?

Simply told, these figures say this: An angel comes down out of heaven and binds the Serpent and locks him away for 1000 years, so that he can’t deceive the nations for that period.

At the point when the Serpent is being bound, those who were martyred for Jesus are resurrected. This resurrection is said to be the “first” resurrection. From the moment they are resurrected they reign with Jesus for 1000 years while the dead who died in the service of the beast remain dead for 1000 years during which the resurrected saints ruled.
When the 1000 years are finished, the 1000 years during which the saints ruled and Satan was bound, Satan is turned loose for a little while. He calls together a great host called “God and Magag” and they attack a holy city together. Fire comes out of heaven and devours them and the devil is thrown into the lake of fire.
A judgment scene follows at which time the “rest of the dead” are resurrected and judged. Those whose names are not found written in one of the books are thrown into the lake of fire, which is equivalent to dying a second time.
- So, what is this all about…is this literally going to happen as some say it will.
- Or, has it already happened?

Well, lets go through this and see. Look starting in verse 1:

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

Now remember, this is something that John saw…a vision.
And John saw an “angel coming down.”
- As far as I can tell there is no mention at all in this chapter of Jesus coming down to the earth.
- In his vision John apparently sees an angel coming down…and it may be that the angel comes to the earth…even that is not specifically mentioned.
- But no where in the chapter do we read of Jesus coming to the earth.

So this angel comes down and look what he does in verse 2: And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him(apparently with the chain from verse 1) for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

Now, most people want to make the 1000 years here a literal time period.

When they do they run into all kinds of problems with this passage.

I do not believe that the 1000 years mentioned here is a literal time period…in fact, I do not believe that it is talking about a time period at all.

I believe it is talking about totality…or completeness…or perfection”…and in this case…a perfect binding.
When it comes to Satan’s working through Rome…the Devil is totally, perfectly, and completely defeated and bound.
He will not use the Roman Empire again to attack God’s purpose.

Look at this…the use of the number “1000” is fairly common in scripture.

Several times in this book we have read of “thousands and 10 times ten thousand.” (Rev. 5:11; 9:16 – KJV)
The use of these terms is to convey the idea of bigness…exhaustiveness.
That is how many angels do service to God.
Twice 10 thousand times 10 thousand is the “number” of the fearful army of chapter 9
- “Thousand” speaks of completeness…bigness…totality.”

In Psalm 50: 10 we are told that God owns the cattle on a “thousand” hills.

His ownership is total and complete.

In Deuteronomy 7:9 we are told that God keeps “His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

How long does God’s faithfulness last?
What about generation 1001?
No need to worry, God’s faithfulness knows no bounds.

In 1 Chron. 16:15 and Psalm 105:8 both speak of God’s word, which He “commanded to a thousand generations.”

Does that mean that His word is not commanded to 1001 generations?
- The thousand represents totality…completeness.

So look at verse 2 again. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,

What this means is, the Devil is completely defeated in his use of Rome.
He has been working in and through the Roman Empire.
But now he has been stopped dead…this is a total defeat.

Now look at verse 2-3: 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years (total defeat), 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer,

Sounds like a total defeat doesn’t it?
Well, as far as Satan’s working through the Roman Empire it is…
He is totally, perfectly, completely defeated with reference to his working through Rome against the Church.

3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer,

The defeat of Satan in reference to Rome was a work of God…and it was done so that the nations could see through the old Fraud.
Satan is a liar…a deceiver…and he is not as powerful as he led people to believe.
- Those who wished to see could see that the God of the Christians has whipped Satan and that God was truly King.
- If they didn’t see it, it wasn’t God’s fault.

3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed;

Now, does this mean that Satan will not have his influence any more?
Well, not through the Roman Empire he won’t.
The Roman Empire is destroyed and Satan will no longer use it as a tool to attack God and His church.

But Satan will put together another army and he will attack again. Look at the end of verse 3: …after these things he must be released for a short time.

Now again, when he says for a “short time” this is not talking about a literal time period.

What God wants known is Satan will find another place to work…another army to work through.
But when he does God wants to make it clear that just as Satan was defeated in Rome…he will be defeated again.
He will be released for a short time before he is defeated again.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them.

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

These are the saints.

These are the ones who have lived faithfully through the crisis and have been given the kingdom that Jesus promised those who overcame.

And what are these people?

Well, the end of verse 4 says that, “They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
They are the living! They have a perfect victory…never to lose.

And notice: “And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God,”

Notice why they died….for the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God.

And how did John see them? Weeping? Moaning in despair and full of remorse?

That is not what John saw at all.
He saw them “alive.”
- There is no defeat in the death of a saint.

Now, notice very carefully

Now picture in your mind a battlefield with slain scatter all over it.

Some of the dead have the name of Jesus written on them…and others have the mark of the beast.
Now, as you look out over this battlefield…and you start seeing the righteous dead coming to life again…and they take their place on thrones along with the other saints…..what is the message to you?
- It speaks of total victory.

And in verse 5 John says that this is the first resurrection.

These people were dead…but now they are alive to reign with Christ.

In fact, look what he says: This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Now, look at verse 5. What about the others on the battlefield?

(5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.)

Who are these dead? They are those who died in service to the beast.
They are not inclusive with the faithful to Christ.
These are the ones who served the beast.

And notice what it says: “They did not come to life until the 1000 years were completed.”

Does this imply that they live again? Yes.

Why don’t they live again until the 1000 years is finished?

Well, because of what that 1000 years stands for.
It speaks of triumph in Christ.
It is the experience only of saints.
- These “dead” have neither part nor lot in the victory.
- They were living losers.
- They are dead losers.
- And they will live only to be losers again.”

Now, John says that “this is the first resurrection.”

What is the first resurrection?
Well, it is the resurrection of those who died because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God.

Why is it the first?

Because John is about to see a second.
He has seen the first death.
He will see a second death.
- Saints and sinners alike die under the first death, some in service to Christ…some in service to the beast.
- But the saints are in the first resurrection…so the second death holds no fear for them.
- The first resurrection is to life and reigning…but the second resurrection will be to a second death.

Let me sum up.

The thousand year binding and the thousand year reigning speak of the same thing from two different angles.
- The first, from Satan’s angle, speaks of utter and total defeat in using Rome against the Lord and His people.
- The second from the standpoint of the saints, speaks of total victory and triumph in the battle against Rome.

The living saints are viewed as enthroned, having been given the kingdom.

They are viewed as having been raised from among the dead and the rest of the dead don’t live again until the 1000 years are finished.
They have to endure a 1000 year death while the martyrs enjoy a 1000 year life, and rule with Jesus.

The first death, which is implied by the phrase “the second death” is experienced by both saints and beast servants.

The first resurrection is experienced only by those who died for Jesus.
The reason the wicked don’t experience this is because it is a resurrection to life and rule, to triumph and vindication.
It is the experience only of the martyred saints.

The “released for a short time” doesn’t speak of a time in history.

It is needed to set forth the truth that although the devil has been utterly broken in the destruction of Rome, the Church will hear from him again.
However, Satan will, just like he was in Rome…but utterly defeated again and again.
This assures the saints of their future triumph no matter what comes to pass.