Revelation 20:4-12 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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 20:11-15

The utter destruction of the devil's kingdom very properly leads to an account of the day of judgment, which will determine every man's everlasting state; and we may be assured there will be a judgment when we see the prince of this world is judged, John 16:11. This will be a great day, the great day, when all shall appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. The Lord help us firmly to believe this doctrine of the judgment to come. It is a doctrine that made Felix tremble. 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 20:4

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them ,.... Besides the throne of God the Father, and the throne of glory, on which the Son of God sits, and the twelve thrones for the twelve apostles of the Lamb; there will be thrones set, or pitched, for all the saints, Daniel 7:9 who will sit on them, in the character of kings, and as conquerors, and shall sit quiet, and undisturbed, and be in perfect ease, and peace, for they that sit on them are the same persons hereafter described in this verse;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:5

But the rest of the dead ,.... Meaning not the dead saints, for they will be all raised together, but the wicked dead; and not them as morally or spiritually, but as corporeally dead: these lived not again until the thousand years were finished ; so that there will be such an exact term of years between the resurrection of the saints and the resurrection of the wicked; nor will there be any wicked living upon earth, or in bodies, during that time; for the wicked dead will not be raised... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:6

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection ,.... This may be considered either as descriptive of the persons that shall partake of this privilege; as that they are only such who are blessed with spiritual blessings, with a justifying righteousness, with pardon of sin, and regenerating grace, and who are sanctified by the Spirit of God; these, and these only, will be first raised, and will be called to inherit the kingdom prepared for them, Matthew 25:34 or else as... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:9

And they went up on the breadth of the earth ,.... Either the whole earth, in the several parts of which they will be raised; or the land of Israel, where Christ and his people will be; and so the wicked being raised, will come up from the several parts of the world, and spread themselves over the holy land; just as Gog and Magog are said to cover the land of Israel, as a cloud, Ezekiel 38:16 and it may be observed, that the very phrase of רחב ארצך , "the breadth of thy land", is used... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:10

And the devil that deceived them ,.... Both before death, in the present life, by tempting and drawing them into immorality and profaneness, or idolatry, superstition, and will worship, or persecution of the saints; and after their resurrection, by instigating them to make this foolish attempt upon the saints of the most High: was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ; the same with the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; this will be his full torment, in which... read more

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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 20:11-15

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:6

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:10

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