Jeanie C. Crain http://crain.english.missouriwestern.edu

John's vision in chapter 20 turns heavenward: "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended.  After that, he must be let out for a little while" (1-3). The chapter has three parts: the binding of Satan and the reign of the martyrs, the loosing of Satan and the final conflict, and the final judgment.

The binding of Satan

The Oxford Annotated NRSV cautions the reader of Revelation 20 not to read into the chapter what is not there: "nothing is said here about a reign on earth." Farther, the thousand years is to be understood symbolically, "so this period represents the perfection and completion of the martyrs' reign with Christ, untroubled by Satan's wiles."  I have repeatedly cautioned readers to understand that mythologies of past and future cannot be delimited by historical time markers.  I use mythology here in its literary sense of talking about primordial beginnings and endings, human destinies, and what it means to be human:

Ostensibly historical events that serve to unfold part of the world view of a people or nation; myth organizes, shapes, or provides patterns and principles as opposed to strict fact. As myth, the Bible is concerned with explaining universal truths, and providing an explanation of origins and destinies. Even early history, if we believe Herodotus, contains myth. Another definition or approach--anonymous; supernatural accounting for natural events; makes concrete and particular a perception of human beings or a cosmic view; a projection of social patterns onto a supernatural level; explains divinity, creation and religion; demonstrates human perception of deepest truths; gives order and frame of meaning to human experience; reveals archetypal imagination embodying and suggests universality; a narrative stirring us with the strange and familiar, contains primordial ritual and ceremony; a repository of racial memories; a structure of unconsciously held value systems; an expression of the general beliefs of a race, social class or nation; a unique embodiment of ideology (306). Genesis 1-11 (White 22) introduces two creation stories (1:1-2;4 and 2:5-25), the fall (3:1-24), first brothers Cain and Abel (4:1-24), and Seth (4:25-26), the first man's descendants (5:1-32), the Nephilim (6:1-4), the flood (6:5-9:17), Noah's descendants (9:18-32), the tower of Babel (11:1-9), and the genealogy of Abraham (11:10-32). 

Other examples of myth include Yahweh's fight with the dragon (Isa. 27. 1, 51. 9), Sheol, that fearful monster which, with open jaws, swallows up men, and from which Yahweh alone can rescue (Psalms 49.15, 86.13) , the morning star which tried to set its throne above that of God and was hurled into the depths (Isa. 14. 12ff.), a primitive man who listened at a meeting held by God (Job). 

Much smacks on fairy tale: foundling who lay naked and bare, but finally rose, through marriage, to a high position (Ez. 26.4 ff), the unlucky man who escapes the danger of a lion only to meet a bear, or who is bitten by a serpent in the safety of his own house (Amos 5.19), a dreadful sword from which there is no escape and from which only God can bring rest (Ez. 21), of the wonderful tree with no equal (Ez. 31.4 ff), all kinds of animals with the power of speech (Gen. 3.1, Num. 22.30), the giving of a choice of wishes (1 Kings 3.5, 2 Kings 2.9, 4.2) or the granting of a
child, long desired, to a couple. Crain The Bible as Literature

The reader is very close, in Revelation 20, to the end of historical time. But what is the historical time covered?  Satan has been, for example, expelled from heaven (12.9).  But when did this happen?  Certainly not in earthly time.  He is now consigned to the abyss, this coming after the rise of the beast and false prophet; he is to be imprisoned for a thousand years, then loosed.  Remember, a thousand years is deemed a humanly sufficient time.  

In some phases of Jewish eschatology 'the days of the Messiah', introduced by the appearance of Messiah on earth, were expected to precede the age to come.  The duration of these days was variously estimated (cf. 400 years of 2 Esd. 7.28 f.); the estimate of a thousand years was related to Psalms 90:4 (cf. 2 Pet. 3:8). But for Christians the Messiah had already come, and with His exaltation to God's right hand, His reign had already begun (5.6 ff.; cf I C. 15: 24-28).  The millennial period of vv. 4-6, however, does not begin with the enthronement of Christ, but at a later point, with the resurrection of the martyrs to share His throne (cf. 3.21).

The reader, by the end of Revelation, should be accustomed to the jerky movement of time from the eternal to the temporal as well as the spatial back and forth from vision into heaven to action on earth. While one normally thinks of vision as future, in reading John, one has to stay aware that the vision is one of an end  he sees as already happening, but as it happens, he must work it back into the past or relate it to what has already happened and is happening in his own day.  In John's day (81-96 C.E.), he sees a door into heaven opened; the inscrutable scroll of future events is unsealed by One who is worthy.  That future begins with widespread natural, social, and religious upheavals. The souls of those who have been slaughtered over time for their testimony  cry out for vindication from under the altar but are told to rest. In chapter 20.4, John sees again "the souls of those who have been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God" (4).  Although first seen protected under the altar, they are now envisioned as part of the throne room: "Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge.  I also saw the souls of those beheaded... They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received it mark on their foreheads or their hands" (4).  Between chapter six and twenty, the martyrs, or some of them, have apparently been on earth.  In this chapter, they share in the first resurrection, and the second death has no power over them" (5); they have become priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.  The narrative then leaps ahead of this thousand years to see Satan released for another period of deceiving the universal earth, the four corners, Gog and Magog.  Then the devil is thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are; this victory over godlessness ends with a general resurrection and judgment. Yet, by Revelation 22.10 this vision is yet only near: "the time is near."

As Genesis (especially 1-11) describes a time when creation is new and unmarred by sin or separation from God, so Revelation addresses the renewal of creation--a new heaven and a new earth.  This new creation is to be freed from imperfections and transformed by the glory of God. This vision is not uncommon to the Old Testament prophets; consider Isaiah 65.17-25

17: For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18: But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19: And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20: There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21: And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22: They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23: They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
24: And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25: The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Or 66:

1: Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
2: For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3: He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4: I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5: Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
6: A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
7: Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 
8: Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9: Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. 
10: Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 
11: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12: For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
13: As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14: And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15: For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16: For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17: They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18: For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19: And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
20: And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
21: And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
22: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23: And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24: And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Equally challenging, the reader must keep in mind the recurring cycles of rebellion and restoration within the encompassing framework of an absolute beginning and an absolute end.

By verse eleven in chapter twenty, "the earth and the heaven [have]fled from his presence, and no place was found for them."  The reader is now in the timelessness-place-less-ness of eternity.  The dead, great and small, stand before the throne, and books were opened (12).  "Also, another book was opened, the book of life" (12).  The dead are judged according to their deeds or works; these are recorded in the "books."  This crowd must be great: "And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done" (13). At the end of this final and complete judgment, "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire; and anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire" (15). How vast must be the lake of fire, the non-spatial counterpart for heaven, both eternal and therefore without time or dimension! One is reminded again in chapter twenty-one that the one who is making things new is "the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" (21.6)

While the author paints his apocalypse upon a cosmic canvas, the contemporary mind looks at today's events and translates the universal into the particular; thus, books continue to be written about Revelation relating its prophecy to this current event or another, and predicting signs of the end.  All human beings will find in the Word of God is the promise "He is coming" and the admonition to remain faithful and endure with testimony: "I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch" (Habakkuk 2.1).

One final consideration: Revelation 20 reports "the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended" (5).  In eternity, is one to envision martyrs as reigning for a thousand years followed by a general resurrection of the dead; or is it not more logical that in eternity these distinctions must be erased?  Isn't this why we define God as omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent? Why then should one try to limit God to the human space-time box way of thinking? Asked another way, is this not an attempt to create an image of God, to reduce God to icon? Remember, the rider of the white horse "has a name inscribed that no knows but himself" (19.12).

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Resurrection ]

Send mail to crain@mwsc.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 Jeanie C. Crain
Last modified: October 27, 2005