CHAPTER TWENTY

John said he saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. According to chapter nine, access to the bottomless pit is on the earth. Here, a star fell from heaven to the earth and opened the bottomless pit, the abyss. Out of it came smoke and out of the smoke, locusts. But what locusts! Strange creatures of which there are no similar creatures known on earth. Thank God!

Apparently the abyss has been laying open since chapter nine. It is interesting to note that the beast ascends out of the abyss, chapter 11:7, but no one unlocked it to let him out. Remember that when Jesus arose from the dead, He had the keys of hell and of death. Perhaps He also gained the key to the abyss when He gained the ones to hell and death. In Revelation 20:1, an angel from heaven came down to the earth with another key to the abyss, this time to lock it up again, after he casts satan into it.

Notice that a single angel is able to bind satan with a chain, and cast him into the abyss. But chapter in chapter 12, it required Michael and his angels to overcome satan and his hosts, and to cast them to the earth. Why the disparity in satan's capacity to fight? Perhaps because when his subjects, the beast and the armies of the ten kings were defeated by Christ in chapter 19:20-21, satan was so weakened that he could offer no resistance to the single angel from heaven. If so, we may infer that satan gains additional power through masses of deceived humanity. Humanity must permit him to devour whom he will, according to 1 Peter 5:8-9.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, even the weakest believer has authority over satan to cast him out, and to resist his endeavors. See also Luke 10:19. Thus, in one fell swoop, Jesus Christ not only defeats the beast and the ten kings, and their armies, He also destroys satan's kingdom of darkness. satan has no resources left him, his head is CRUSHED! He will be an unpitied prisoner for a thousand years, praise the Lord.

Albeit, satan deceives many people into thinking that he has such invincible power. Not so! One angel from heaven easily seizes him, binds him with a great chain and throws him into the abyss. Don't suppose he shall suddenly become tame just because an angel appeared! He could not defend himself, which he would have if he could have. Historically, have you ever noted that the devil just simply gave up in any conflict? Never.

We don't know what material the great chain in the angel's hand is made of, but surely not steel, or any other earthly material. No one has ever been able to bind the devil except in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Even so, we cannot yet cast him into the abyss, though most of us would eagerly do it if we could! Whatever the chain is made of, it seems to represent God given authority to permanently bind satan for a thousand years. Ha, ha, ha! Glory to God.

Therefore, details here and elsewhere seem to indicate that satan, at the time of his imprisonment, has been made relatively powerless. ONE ANGEL 'TAKES HIM ON' AND WINS!! Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, the over death, hell and the grave and over all the power of the devil. Amen, ha, ha, ha, devil, your time shall have come! Into the pit with you for a thousand years! Too bad your buddy, Adolph Hitler, isn't there to 'enjoy' your Third Reich with you for a thousand years. He is over in Gehenna, but you can't join him; you are locked up in the abyss, and good riddance. Let heaven and earth exult in your defeat.

This is the fulfillment of Isaiah 14:15. Satan is out of t he skies, off the earth and IN the abyss. For thousands of years, satan deceived people directly, and used Mystery Babylon to deceive people indirectly with false religions. But now, he won't bother anyone for a thousand years. Ha, ha, ha! Glory to Jesus Christ and to God the Father. Amen.

According to Revelation 20:3, the angel seals his prison with a seal. No one can break that seal, not even the devil. satan instigated a seal on Christ's tomb, seeking to hold Jesus in death. It didn't work! But the seal on satan's prison will work! Amazingly, Revelation 20:3 says that after the thousand years are expired, satan MUST be loosed for a little season. WHY MUST he be released? People must be tested once more.

Verse 4 is the fulfillment of Daniel 7:26-27. Judgment is given to the martyrs who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image, or received his mark on their forehead or right hands. They successfully resisted the determination of the beast and of the false prophet in Revelation 13:16-17.

The First Resurrection ends with the resurrection of the beheaded martyrs in verse 4. The first Resurrection began with the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after His death on Calvary. This means that all the believers since the resurrection of Christ to this time in Revelation 20:5 shall all stand up in immortal, glorified, physical bodies, never to die again.

These in verses 4-5 complete the full tally of all that shall receive that glorious blessing. There won't be any more. These are a separate company from those in previous chapters of resurrected saints. See chapter 7:9-11 for example, where we noted the un numbered multitude before the Throne of God. Nothing is said of them overcoming the beast, his name, or his mark.

The wicked dead remain in their graves until the end of the thousand years. Every wicked person, i.e., those not redeemed by the grace of God, must yet come out of their graves in their bodies (John 5:28-29) to be judged at the Great White Throne, according to Revelation 20:12-15.

At the end of the millennial reign of Christ, satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 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 the battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

But ALL of them have lived under the direct rule of Jesus Christ on the earth, which has lasted a thousand years! How could satan deceive them? It appears that they shall not have received Jesus Christ as Savior; just lived under Him as their Sovereign Ruler. In their unregenerated condition there remains the capacity for rebellion. Only personal appropriation of the Blood of Jesus Christ through faith, and regeneration by the new birth, can eradicate that from human hearts.

In John 3:3-5 Jesus said that a man MUST BE born again, else he CANNOT enter the Kingdom of God. The mere political  Sovereignty of Christ CANNOT remove it! This last rebellion and war prove it! Thus, mankind is not redeemed by political or environmental influence.

Think of it! Masses of people shall have lived under the political reign of Christ, but shall have NEVER received Him in the new birth, and so they become willing subjects of satan's scheme. Thank God, none of the born again saints of God are in that hapless crowd. They will follow satan into the final war, and be consumed with fire from heaven for their delusion and rebellion.

When the fire from God out of heaven consumes those warriors, there will never be another conflict with sin or with sinners. 1 Corinthians 15:24 shall have occurred. This time the devil will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death, verse 15. He won't get out of there! He will burn for ever and ever, along with all the wicked people that go there. Isn't it incredible that nations of people will rebel against Jesus at the end of the thousand years? satan won't be able to deceive the glorified saints who resisted him during their mortal life on earth! But the un born again mortal people of that time will be prime targets for his deception. Why? Because of Romans 8:6-8. "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." That multitude in that time will go against Jerusalem, where King Jesus reigns, but fire shall come down from heaven and consume them. Then the devil gets cast into the Lake of Fire where the beast and the false prophet are. He and they, shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Something else of note in chapter 20:8, is that the Nations multiply during the Millennial Reign of Christ. Conditions on earth will be very conducive to human welfare. It will be a blessed time, when Jesus gives us the best and most glorious thousand years the world shall have ever known.

Now notice that the beast and the false prophet are still in the Lake of Fire a thousand years after they were cast in there in Revelation 19:20. They are not consumed by that fire. Neither will any one else be, that goes there! They will just endure torment for ever.

Then John saw a Great White Throne and Him that sat upon it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; no place was found for them. Then John saw the dead, small and great stand before God. You see, suicide is NOT the answer for escaping distress in this world. Every dead, unsaved person, including those that committed suicide, will stay in Gehenna until they are called forth in their physical bodies to receive their judgment and reward. Their record books will be opened: and the unsaved dead will be judged out of those things which are written in the books, according to their works.

The sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell gave up the dead which were in them. They were judged everyone according to their works. The unresolved crimes and secrets of the ages will at last be exposed, and just punishment issued to those who did them. No secrets there!

In appears that God and Christ are going to 'tailor' each punishment exactly to fit the deed. It will become exquisite, precisely meted out as each one deserves. Oh, alas and woe to those who must stand before God at the Great White Throne. NONE of the redeemed will take part in that dreadful event, praise God.

Before that judgment arrives, the unsaved dead people ARE in fire, in a place called Gehenna, commonly called hell. But they have not yet received their due reward. They will receive them at the time of the Revelation 20:12-15. Death and hell will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the Lake of Fire.

What a dread time! Be advised: God has a written record of the works of every dead person! The Lord Jesus said that men are going to give account even for every idle word! Each person will be given a reward according to his works, exactly fitted to his deeds. Notice that the Book of Life is also present. It will be checked to make certain that no one goes into the Lake of Fire that should not go there.

There will be no place of escape for the wicked, either in heaven, or earth, or the sea, or in what many commonly call hell. No escape! There will be no 'last minute repentance!' Judgment Day shall have arrived and at last each sinner will face his works before God and receive punishment from Him. It shall endure for ever and ever.