Rev 20.1-15 tells us that Ha Satan is bound by a nameless angel for the remainder of the Day of the Lord, Messianic Kingdom or the Atid Lavo, meaning the coming age; the tzadikim or righteous ones will reign on earth for the remainder of the Day of the Lord; the first resurrection of those who believed during the Day of the Lord; Ha Satan is released at the end of the Day of the Lord and gathers an army for one last great battle, but it ends before it even begins; the Great White Throne Judgment of the unbeliever; death and Sheol are eliminated because God’s great controversy is over.
v 1… And I saw and angel coming down from heaven having the key of the abyss (probably the same angel in 9.1-2) and a great chain (links of truth in combination) in his hand (verses 1-6 happens between Tishri 10 and 15, right after Yeshua returns. This chapter deals with the Athid Lavo, or Messianic Kingdom, also called “the Millenium.” Isa 65 deals with this period. There is a Jewish concept that says “The kingdom of violence must be removed before the kingdom of God and the Olam Haba can be established.”).
v 2… And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan (all four titles of Satan from this book are brought together here), and bound him for a 1000 years (or “the balance of” the 1000 years. Remember, when the Rapture happened it was Rosh Ha Shannah, the first day of the 1000 year “Day of the Lord.” Seven years later Satan is bound, leaving about 993 years. To round off a number is common in Scripture. For example, you will see it done in 1 Kings 6.37-38. Solomon begins to build the temple in the month of Ziv, or Iyar, the second month of the religious calendar, of the fourth year. In 1 Kings 6.38 it was finished in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, or Chesvan, the eighth month of the religious calendar. This is a total of seven years, six months. But verse 38 says that he did it in seven years, but the number was rounded off and that is what we have here),
v 3…and threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him (Isa 24.21-22), so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the 1000 years (or the balance of, a round number-see verse 2 comments) were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time (then finally crushed-Gen 3.15; Rom 16.20).
v 4… And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them (believers-Dan 7.27; Matt 19.28; 1 Cor 6.2), and judgment was given to them (the judgment seat of Messiah of the believers who came out of the Birth-pains). And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Yeshua and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand (Rev 6.9-11. The false messiah made war on the believers, many were killed. When hard times come, many will turn to God-Hos 5.15; Matt 24.9-15; Mark 13.9-13; Luke 21.17-18); and they came to life and reigned with Messiah for a 1000 years (the balance of, a round number-see verse 2 comments).
v 5…The rest of the dead (the wicked) did not come to life until the 1000 years were completed (at the second resurrection). This is the first resurrection (the resurrection of the believers who died in the Birth-pains is a phase of the first resurrection. The first stage was Yeshua’s resurrection, then the first fruits after him. Then the believers at the Rapture, then the resurrection of the two witnesses, then those who died during the Birth-pains, then those who believed and died during the 1000 years).
v 6… Blessed (empowered to succeed) and holy (having a set apart kedusha) is the one who has a part in the first resurrection (because they will never die again); over these the second death (the wicked who are resurrected, judged, then put into the lake of fire-Rev 20.14) has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Messiah and will reign with him for a 1000 years (the balance of, a round number-see verse 2 comments).
v 7… And when the 1000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison (to prove that a perfect environment was not man’s problem. It is the heart of man-Jer 17.9),
v 8… and will come out to deceive the nations which are on the four corners of the earth, God and Magog (Gog and Magog symbolize the nations. The numerical value is 70, which was the number of nations God originally set up-Exo 1.5; Deut 32.8. That’s why there were 70 bulls offered at Sukkot, the feast of the Nations), to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore (idiom for a vast, uncountable number).
v 9… And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city (this could possibly be on the 10th of Tevet when Nebuchadnezzar surrounded the city of Jerusalem and laid siege to the city and became a traditional day of fasting for the Jewish people-Zech 8.19), and fire came down from heaven and devoured them (this ends the false theory that man will willingly live in peace and harmony if only they had a good environment. After the 1000 years are over and at their first opportunity, man rebels against God. The environment or our circumstances is not to blame for our wickedness).
v 10…And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
v 11…And I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it (the Father-Dan 7.13-14), from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
v 12… And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before God’s throne (believers do not appear at this great white throne judgment. This is a Yom Ha Din, day of judgment and probably Yom Kippur where you are sealed and judged by the Torah-Jam 2.12. From Rosh Ha Shannah, if your name has not been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you have 10 days to “reason together.” The typical greeting on Rosh Ha Shannah is “L’Shannah Tova Tiketayvu” or “may you be inscribed for a good year.” Eschatologically, if you have not accepted Yeshua as the Messiah by the time he returns on Yom Kippur, you will wait till the Great White Throne judgment. The last 1000 year period is eschatologically the “last day of Sukkot” called “Hoshana Rabbah” or the “Great Salvation”), and books were opened (made plain) and another book was opened which is the book of life (the same as the Lamb’s book of life and contains the names of all those who were elected before the world was created-Rev 13.8; 17.8); and the dead were judged from the things which were written (recorded) in the books according to their deeds.
v 13… And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death (where the body is) and Hades (where the spirit is. For more detail on this, see our treatise “Sheol, Hades and the Grave” on this site) gave up the dead (were emptied) which were in them; and they were judged every one according to their deeds.
v 14…And death (where the body is) and Hades (where the spirit is) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire (all unbelievers will partake of the second death).
v 15… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (because the lost do not have their name in the book of life-Psa 69.28; Exo 32.30-32).
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