The 20th chapter of the Book of Revelation describes the Millennium. It immediately
follows the Glorious Return of Christ in Revelation 19, which was discussed above. This short
chapter may be considered in three parts: Preparation for the Period (verses 1-3); Progress during
the period (verses 4-6); and Postscript to the period (verses 7-15).
Preparation for the Period
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his
hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and
bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him,
to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that,
he must be set free for a short time. – Revelation 20:1-3
At the outset of the Millennium the devil will be cast into the Abyss. The Greek word
abussos means “without depth.” In this passage the word is used alone, but in Revelation 9:1 it is
used as an adjective for another Greek word, phrear, which means “cistern,” or “prison.”
Together, these words are often translated “bottomless pit.”
In this pit Satan will be confined for the entire one thousand years of Christ’s righteous
reign on Earth. What happens when he is released is discussed below, when we look at the
“Postscript to the period.”
Progress during the Period
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the
souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the
word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on
their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5
(The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first
resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death
has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for
a thousand years.
7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8
and will go out to
deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle.
In number they are like the sand on the seashore. – Revelation 20:4-6
