Revelation 20:7-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 20:1-10

We have here, I. A prophecy of the binding of Satan for a certain term of time, in which he should have much less power and the church much more peace than before. The power of Satan was broken in part by the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; it was further reduced by the empire's becoming Christian; it was yet further broken by the downfall of the mystical Babylon; but still this serpent had many heads, and, when one is wounded, another has life remaining in it. Here we have a... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 20:1-15

Since the great importance of this chapter is that it is what might be called the foundation document of Millennarianism or Chiliasm, it will be better to read it as a whole before we deal with it in detail. 20:1-15 1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss, and with a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a 3 thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and locked him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:7

And when the thousand years are expired ,.... Which are not yet expired; not in the year 1000, or 1033 or 4, reckoning from the birth or death of Christ, when Paganism, which had been destroyed in the Gentile world, was introduced into the church, which bore the Christian name, through the man of sin; for this had been bringing in by degrees more or less from the times of Constantine; whence it appears, that Satan in this respect was loose before, and therefore this was not the time of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:8

And shall go out ,.... Of his prison, the bottomless pit, and shall walk to and fro in the earth, and go about like a deceitful serpent, and roaring lion, as before: to deceive the nations : as he had done before the thousand years began, and from which he was restrained during that time; he had before deceived the Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan nations, and now he will go forth to deceive those at this time which are in the four quarters of the earth ; all the world over: the names of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 20:7

Satan shall be loosed - How can this bear any kind of literal interpretation? Satan is bound a thousand years, and the earth is in peace; righteousness flourishes, and Jesus Christ alone reigns. This state of things may continue for ever if the imprisonment of Satan be continued. Satan, however, is loosed at the end of the thousand years, and goes out and deceives the nations, and peace is banished from the face of the earth, and a most dreadful war takes place, etc., etc. These can be only... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 20:8

Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Numbers 11:26 . I shall give the words at length: "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad, and on them the spirit of prophecy rested. Eldad prophesied and said, 'Behold, Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world; and Joshua the son of Nun, captain of the host, shall succeed him.'... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:1-10

The restraint upon evil. Following most appropriately upon the foregoing description of a conflict, and the conquest by the truth and the power of righteousness, is a representation, in most significant imagery, of the restraint that is put upon evil by the prevalence of righteousness—the chaining back the clouds of night by the rising sun. The spirit of evil, "the dragon, the old serpent," "the devil and Satan," is "laid hold" by "an angel coming down out of heaven," and bound with "a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison; are finished; that is, the power of the devil having been in principle completely overthrown by our Lord (see on preceding verses), Satan is still permitted to wage war and exercise sway on the earth. "His prison" is the "abyss" of Revelation 20:1 , Revelation 20:3 (cf. also Revelation 20:3 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7-10

Satan loosed from his prison after the thousand years. During the millennial period on earth, while the departed saints are living and reigning with Christ, evil will be subdued and restrained, but by no means will it be extinct. Had it been extinct it could not have broken out again, nor would there be any need for the παρεμβολή of the saints. The godless ones dispersed abroad, who will at the close of the thousand years break out afresh, are mentioned here under the peculiar names... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7-10

The third scene in the history of redeemed humanity: the age of moral reaction. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison," etc. The long ages of earth's millennial glory described arc run out. The harmony which had reigned through indefinite centuries is broken into tumult; the sun of absolute truth and blessedness, under whose genial and unclouded beams unnumbered generations had come and gone, getting new vigour and catching new inspiration in... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 20:1-10

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 20:1-15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 20:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 20:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:1-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 20:7-10

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