Troublesome Topic: The Significance of a 1000 Year Reign

Revelation 20:1

Translation

Then I saw an angel descending from heaven holding the key to the abyss, and with

a great chain in his hand.

Paraphrase

Then I saw one of God’s agents come down from heaven, he controlled the access to the place of the dead and the habitation of demons, and he had great power to restrict someone’s actions.

Revelation 20:2

Translation

He seized the DRAGON,

that ANCIENT SERPENT,

who is the DEVIL,

or SATAN,

and bound him

for one thousand years.

Paraphrase

He seized the GREAT DECEIVER, the ORIGINAL DECEIVER,

who is THE FALSE ACCUSER,

or GOD’S ADVERSARY,

and he curtailed his ability to act in a way that shows he (Satan) lacks the power to make his rule into a lasting dynasty.

Revelation 20:3

Translation

He threw him into the abyss

and shut it

and sealed it

over him, so he would no longer deceive the nations

until the thousand years were completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

Paraphrase

He threw him into the bottomless chasm where evil spirits and the spirits of the dead reside,

and removed access to it by using his authority and the threat of death to make sure no one came or left; in this way Satan was constrained, so he would no longer deceive the majority of the people of the world, while another dynasty was showing its complete power to rule. After these things it is necessary for him

to be released for a short time.

Revelation 20:4

Translation

Then I saw thrones

and those who sat upon them, and the authority to render judgment

was given to them.

And I also saw the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of JESUS, and

because of the

word of GOD,

and I saw

those who did not worship

THE BEAST or his image,

and did not

take his mark

upon their foreheads

or upon their hand;

these

became alive and,

with CHRIST,

reigned for one thousand years.

Paraphrase

Then I saw realms of authority along with those who exercised that authority, and the power necessary to render judgment and follow through with it was given to them.

And I also saw the souls of

those who have been

beheaded because of

their testimony about THE SAVIOR, and because they were not ashamed of the word of THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS, and I saw those who did not demonstrate gratitude, allegiance and commitment by their words and actions to THE FEROCIOUS CREATURE or anything that pointed to him or was connected to him, and did not willingly receive the sign of allegiance to him as a sign of being guided by his priorities or as a sign of being committed to act as he desires; these came to life again and with THE SPIRIT-ANOINTED SAVIOR exercised authority in a complete, unstoppable, lasting way.

Revelation 20:5

Translation

The rest of the dead did not come to life again until the thousand years were completed.

This is the first resurrection.

Paraphrase

The rest of the dead did not come to life again until the complete and lasting exercise of authority had fulfilled its purpose.

This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:6

Translation

Blessed and holy is anyone who takes part in the

first resurrection; the second death has no power over them, rather they will be

priests of GOD and of CHRIST and will

reign with Him for one thousand years.

Paraphrase

Blessed and holy is anyone who takes part in the first resurrection; the second

death has no power over them,

rather they will be representatives on earth of THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS and of THE SPIRIT-ANOINTED SAVIOR, and will be instruments of His authority in a complete, unstoppable and lasting way.

1000 means “fullness or completeness.” Since 1,000 is a multiple of 10 it represents the power to make one’s rule into a lasting dynasty. Most earthly dynasties last only about 200 years, so a dynasty of 1,000 years would demonstrate true and lasting authority. The fact that Satan is bound for 1000 years shows that he does not have that kind of power while someone else does (and we know who that is).

Is 1,000 years symbolism or a literal 1,000 years? Everything else in Revelation seems to make more sense as symbolism, so it is likely that this is also symbolism.

This is a picture of true dominion. A dynasty of 1,000 years is a dynasty with true authority; it is unstoppable.

Why Satan must be released is not explained, therefore we cannot know, and therefore speculation about it is futile. In the mind of God it makes perfect sense and is even necessary.

The next lesson is: Armageddon

Footnotes

1

The fact that four of Satan’s names are mentioned, and four means “all,” was not just a matter of clarity, but a type of emphasis showing that Satan will be totally bound, totally refrained from all activity.

2

Since 1,000 is a multiple of 10 it represents the power to make one’s rule into a lasting dynasty. Most earthly dynasties last only about 200 years, so a dynasty of 1,000 years would demonstrate true and lasting authority. The fact that Satan is bound for 1000 years shows that he does not have that kind of power while someone else does (and we know who that is).

3

Why Satan must be released is not explained, therefore we cannot know, and therefore speculation about it is futile. In the mind of God it makes perfect sense, and is even necessary.

4

Is 1,000 years symbolism or a literal 1,000 years? Everything else in Revelation seems to make more sense as symbolism, so it is likely that this is also symbolism. Here also it makes more sense if we take the meaning of it as symbolism, than if we take the popular explanations of a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ.