Prophecy · Chapter 20 of 22
Revelation 20
An angel binds Satan, the dragon, for a thousand years. The martyrs live and reign with Christ in the first resurrection, over whom the second death has no power. After the thousand years Satan is loosed, deceives the nations, and is cast into the lake of fire. At the great white throne the dead are judged by their works, and whoever is not in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire.
What happens in Revelation 20
An angel comes down with a key and chain, seizing the dragon, the Devil and Satan, and binds him a thousand years so he deceives the nations no more. John sees thrones and the souls of those beheaded for the witness of Jesus, who refused the beast. They live and reign with Christ a thousand years in the first resurrection, over whom the second death has no power. When the thousand years expire, Satan is loosed, deceives the nations, and gathers them against the beloved city, but fire from heaven devours them, and the devil joins the lake of fire.
Then John sees a great white throne, from which earth and heaven flee. The dead are judged by their works from the books, and by the book of life. Death and hell give up their dead and are cast into the lake of fire, the second death. Whoever is not written in the book of life is cast in.
Revelation 20 in context
This chapter describes the binding of Satan, the reign of the saints, the final rebellion, and the last judgment. Christians have long read the thousand years in different ways, but the chapter's central claims are clear: Satan is ultimately defeated, the faithful reign with Christ, and all will stand before God's throne to be judged.
It draws on Ezekiel's Gog and Magog and Daniel's opened books.
Main themes of Revelation 20
Revelation 20 (KJV)
1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And 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. 4And 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. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Verses to carry from Revelation 20
“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.”Revelation 20:6
“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.”Revelation 20:12
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”Revelation 20:15
Thematic connection
How Revelation 20 points to Jesus
Christ is the center around whom this chapter turns. The martyrs live and reign with Christ a thousand years, and those in the first resurrection are priests of God and of Christ, sharing his rule. His victory over Satan stands behind the binding and final destruction of the dragon; the enemy Christ defeated at the cross meets his appointed end. At the great white throne the decisive question is whether a name is written in the book of life, the Lamb's book named earlier in Revelation.
So the final judgment is not merely by works recorded but by relationship to Christ, whose life covers his own. To reign with him, to be sealed against the second death, and to be found in his book is the hope this sobering chapter holds out.
Questions about Revelation 20
What is the first resurrection, and why is it called blessed?
The first resurrection describes those who live and reign with Christ, especially the martyrs faithful unto death. They are called blessed and holy because the second death, final separation from God, has no power over them. Whatever the precise timing, the promise is that those who belong to Christ pass through physical death into life and reign, secure from ultimate loss.
If people are judged by their works, how can anyone be saved?
The chapter shows two things opened: the books of works and the book of life. The dead are judged by their deeds, which none can perfectly pass, but the final verdict turns on being written in the book of life. Salvation rests on belonging to the Lamb, whose life is recorded there, not on a righteousness anyone achieves alone.
Reflection
Every person, small and great, will stand before the great white throne, and the books will be opened. That is sobering, yet another book, the book of life, stands open too. Is your hope in a record of works you must defend, or in your name written by the Lamb? Faithfulness unto death leads to reigning with Christ.
A prayer from Revelation 20
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