Revelation Twenty

This is a great article concerning one of the most abused and misused portions of Scripture. Wayne Jackson wrote it. It appeared in the March, 1982 Christian Courier. That paper was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and was edited by Jackson.

The 20th chapter of the book of Revelation is one of the most thrilling sections of the Bible. A casual analysis of the chapter reveals that it naturally falls into four parts:
     1. The Binding of Satan (1-3).
     2. The Victorious Reign of the Faithful (4-6).
     3. The Final Struggle and Defeat of Satan (7-10).
     4. The Judgment (11-15).

A brief summation of this chapter may be presented as follows. John saw an angel descending from Heaven with a great chain. Satan was bound and cast into a pit where he was consigned to remain for 1,000 years. As a consequence of this, judgment was granted to those faithful martyrs who had neither worshipped the beast nor his image. They were said to partake of a resurrection and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Satan is then loosed to make a last ditch attempt to war against the saints but he and his unholy allies are banished to torment. All of the dead are then ushered before the great throne for final judgment.

The first six verses of Revelation 20 are a real source of controversy among Biblical students. They have become the heart and soul of that theological scheme known as "dispensational pre-millennialism." In brief, this is the notion that Christ came to earth for the purpose of establishing the kingdom of God but because He was surprisingly rejected by the Jews, He postponed the establishment of the kingdom (setting up the church as a sort of after-thought in its place). It is alleged however, that He will return (and many argue that His coming is very near) to the earth, set up His kingdom in Jerusalem and reign for 1,000 years on David's throne from the holy city.

The pre-millennial view of Revelation 20 is quite erroneous. Though we do not intend to discuss that entire doctrinal system at this point, we would like to make the following observations.

Since the first six verses of this narrative are relied upon so heavily for the dispensational view, special attention will be given to them. It should be immediately apparent that this section, as with the whole of the book, is highly charged with figures of speech. One notes for example, a key, a chain, a dragon or serpent, an abyss, a thousand years, thrones, a beast, marks on foreheads and hands and a resurrection. It is certainly a novel position to say the least, which contends that a figurative serpent was figuratively bound with a figurative chain and figuratively thrown into a figurative pit which was figuratively sealed and locked with a figurative key, to be confined for a literal 1,000 years! Even if one does not understand the specific design of the imagery employed, surely he can see the symbolic thrust of the subject matter. It is an absurd error to literalize a solitary feature of this obviously symbolic narrative.

A well recognized principle of Biblical interpretation is that difficult or obscure passages of Scripture are to be interpreted in light of clearer ones. One does not force literal language into harmony with the symbolic. Rather, the interpretation of figurative contexts must give way to the plain sense of literal, historical prose. The fact of the matter is, the pre-millennial scenario is so fraught with manifold errors, there is no way that Revelation 20 can even remotely be harmonized with that system! If Revelation 20 represented the pre-millennial scheme of things, is it not remarkably strange that absolutely no mention is made of Christ's second coming, the setting up of the kingdom, an earthly reign, Jerusalem, David's throne, etc.?! All of these elements (and much more) are vital to the dispensational view yet they are conspicuously absent from this narrative! It may be unhesitatingly declared that the pre-millennial view of Revelation 20 is wrong.

The Millennium

Exactly what is the "millennium"? The term derives from two Latin roots; mille, thousand and annus, year. The Greek term in Revelation is chilia ete, and it simply means a thousand years. As we have indicated already, this thousand years is part of a cluster of symbols. It thus is not a reference to a literal span of one thousand years. In fact, the word "thousand" is used approximately thirty times in the book of Revelation and not one time does it appear to be used in a literal sense. The manner in which one interprests the "thousand years" will therefore, be determined by the view that he entertains of this context as a whole.

There are several viewpoints of Revelation 20:1ff (and variations of each) which do not clash with the Bible elsewhere (as does the pre-millennial theory) which are possible explanations of this difficult text. Two of these will be discussed here.

1. Many believe that the millennium is "co-extensive with the Gospel Age." William Cox argues that, "The kingdom, in its present phase and the millennium are practically if not altogether, synonymous terms" (Biblical Studies in Final Things, 1977, p. 180). Brother Roy Lanier, Sr. wrote that the thousand years, "is that period of duration, however short or long it may be, from the binding of Satan and the coronation of Jesus on David's throne on Pentecostd after His resurrection to the destruction of Satan and his followers on the day of judgment" (Premillennialism - True or False, Wendell Winkler, Ed., p 232). According to this view, the one thousand years might represent completeness, since 1,000 is the cube of 10 and a number of completeness (cf. Leon Morris, The Revelation of John, 1973, p. 235). Or it could denote simply an indefinite period of time. Also, this position contends that the "first resurrection" would refer either to the new birth or the translation of souls to be with Christ. This certainly is possibly the meaning of the text.

2. Another view, and one with which I feel more comfortable, is that the millennium is a symbolic description of the revival of Christianity from a period of bloody persecution. For example, earlier in Revelation John had observed the "souls" of the martyrs, "underneath the alter" crying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (6:9-11). In chapter 20 however, the apostle sees these "souls" on "thrones" reigning with Christ. For a while, Christianity appeared to have been buried in tribulation but ultimately, it emerged. It was, figuratively speaking, resurrected. The Scriptures speak of figurative resurrections as well as literal ones (cf. Isaiah 26:18; Ezekiel 37:12; Romans 11:15). That the "first resurrection" represents the overcoming triumphs of the persecuted saints seems to be borne out further by the fact that over these reigning ones, "the second death has no power" (20:6), which is the very blessing promised to those who overcome (2:11)! Thus, "resurrection" merely becomes a figure for "overcome." And again, the 1,000 years may symbolize the completeness of their victory or it may represent a relatively long period of prosperity compared with a brieder time of persecution.

If one interprets the "millennium" as a symbol of Christianity's victory over her enemies, the specific application of this concept will depend upon the general view one takes of Revelation as a whole. For example:

     a. The Early Preterist position argues that Revelation was written prior to 70 A.D. and thus would stress the church's victory over the Jewish and Neronian persecution. Foy E. Wallace, Jr. advanced this idea in his writings.

     b. The Late Preterist view emphasizes Christianity's triumph over the Roman empire in the early 4th century. The thrust of J. W. Roberts' commentary is in this vein.

     c. The Historical school of thought, represented among the churches of Christ by John T. Hinds in the Gospel Advocate series, would see the millennium in terms of the church's conquest over both pagan and papal Rome. This was the common view of the reformers and of our own restoration movement for many years. Within the past couple of decades though, many of our brethren have abandoned this view (perhaps too hastily) and have inclined to the Late Preterist interpretation.

     d. The Idealist theory divorces the thrust of the book from specific historical applications, contending that the message of the narrative is simply that the cause of Christ will overcome all foes, whenever and wherever they arise.

Each of these views has strong and weak points. They all stress the basic message of victory characteristic of the book as a whole. And significantly, none of them attempts to erect a theological scheme which, as with the dispensational heresy, reflects upon the foreknowledge and wisdom of God and contradicts numerous Bible truths.

Pracical Lessons

Regardless of whether one feels absolutely certain that he has ascertained the exact historical application of Revelation 20, there are many tremendous lessons, very meaningful and practical which can be gleaned from this powerful chapter. Some of these truths are as follows:

1. Satan's influence is not unrestrained in this evil world. With the coming of Christ, the inauguration of His law and the unimpeded dispersal of the Holy Scriptures around the world, the devil's activities have been bound considerably. The leavening influence of Christianity has been phenomenal (cf. Matthew 13:33).

2. Suffering is not purposeless. It affords man the opportunity of exhibiting the noblest qualities of which he is capable. In suffering as Christians, we glorify God (I Peter 4:16).

3. The name of Christ is worth dying for, for "judgment" was given to those beheaded for the testimony of Jesus (20:4).

4. Faithfulness pays. Those who worshipped neither the beast nor his image, nor received his mark, reigned with Jesus (20:4, 6).

5. Satan, man's arch enemy, will be ultimately banished to eternal Hell (20:10).

6. Hell will be a place of conscious suffering, for as the devil will be tormented there (20:10), so will the wicked who are consigned to the same fate (Matthew 25:41, 46; II Thessalonians 1:9; Mark 9:48).

7. There will be a great judgment day upon which all, both great and small, will appear before the Ruler of the universe to give account for their works according to divine law (20:11-13). There are those who think that "judgment" is a joke but Jehovah will have the last laugh (cf. Psalm 2:4)!

8. On that great day "death and Hades" will give up the dead. The body will be raised from the grave and spirits will leave the Hadean realm. The two, immortal body (I Corinthians 15:52) and incorruptible spirit (I Peter 3:4) will then ben assigned their eternal relationships (cf. Matthew 10:28).

Revelation 20 is a magnificent chapter to be profitably used, not abused, as has so frequently been the case!