EXIT THE DRAGON (REVELATION 20)
Thomas Brooks said:
“Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst;
He promises honor and pays with disgrace;
He promises pleasure and pays with pain;
He promises profit and pays with loss;
He promises life and pays with death.”
The war in heaven that began in chapter 12 (Rev 12:7) spells doom and gloom for God’s enemies. Chapter 12 is the might of the dragon, chapter 13 is that of the beast, chapter 14 is that of Babylon, chapters 15-17 seven vials of the seven angels, Babylon is fallen in chapter 18 (Rev 18:2), the beast and the false prophet were taken in chapter 19 (Rev 19:20) and Satan is defeated in chapter 20 (Rev 20:10).
What is the world like with and without the devil? How is our obedience to God with or without the devil? Why are believers and not God the target of the devil?
Fear the Almighty, not the Adversary
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The coronation of the former Prince Charles as the new King of England on May 6, 2023 was a once-in-seventy years event. BBC estimated that the one-hour ceremony attended by some 2,000 VIP guests would cost between £50 million and £100 million ($63-125 million). I did not watch the ceremony, but I sampled the 26 songs the government put together on their "Coronation Celebration Playlist," including music from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Greek Orthodox music in honor of his father Prince Phillip, 16th- and 17th-century British composers, traditional coronation anthems, hymns, choirs and soloists.
https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/what-music-is-being-played-at-king-charless-coronation-050523
An old favorite “Be Thou My Vision” was played, and I learned a new song, the coronation anthem “Zadok the priest.”.
The noun “throne” (thronos) occurs 62 times in the Bible, of which as many as 47 times are in Revelation, three times in chapter 20 (vv 4, 11, 12). The three highlights of the throne are the difference between those offered a seat (v 4), the one occupying the throne (v 11) and those observing (v 12).
Faithful believers will occupy their place on the throne (v 4), but not before Satan is bound for a thousand years (vv 2-3). The verb “seize” (v 2 krateo, “He seized the dragon”), from which the nouns autocrat, democrat or aristocrat is derived, is translated as lay hands (Matt 21:46), take (Matt 22:6), held (Matt 28:9), kept (Mark 9:10). The noun form (kratos) means strength (Luke 1:51), might (Acts 19:20), power (Eph 1:19) and dominion (1 Peter 4:11).It is to retain (John 20:23), obtain (Acts 27:13) and detain.
Seized (v 2) Bound Threw (v 3) Locked (v 3) Sealed (v 3)
Caught
Chained Chucked Closed Contained
Corralled
Snatched Shackled Swooshed Shut Sealed
Taken Tied Thrown Trapped Tightened
The “hina” grand purpose of the angel is foil the dragon to “deceive” (v 3) the nations. The verb occurs three times in the chapter (vv 3, 8, 10), more than any chapter in Revelation. The verb “deceive” occurs five times previously in the book, but all to the detriment of God’s people, from Jezebel deceiving God’s servants (Rev 2:20), Satan deceiving the whole world (Rev 12:9), the beast deceiving earth’s inhabitants (Rev 13:14, 19:20), and Babylon deceiving all nations (Rev 18:23). To deceive is to mislead or misguide someone, to misrepresent something so as to misplace their trust in Satan and not God. Satan never had a throne or a crown. He is the prince of the devils (Matt 9:34),
the prince of this world (John 12:310 and the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), but never king of anything, least of all the King of glory (Ps 24:7), the King of all the earth (Ps 47:7), King of saints (Rev 15:3), Lord of lords, and King of kings (Rev 17:14).
The only repeated verb in this section is “reign” (basileuo), from which the noun form is “king” (basileus). The verb “reign” occurs 21 times in the Bible, of which seven times or one third are in Revelation. Those who will reign in Revelation are:
Rev 5:10 “we” shall reign on the earth (KJV)
Rev 11:15 Christ… shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 11:17 Lord God Almighty… hast reigned.
Rev 20:4 martyrs…reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:6 priests of God and of Christ… shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 22:5 they (His people) shall reign for ever
This verb “reign” is never used for Satan, who does not “reign” and has no rule over us. Reign means order, oversee and operate. It means to herald, head and helm His kingdom. The word itself is rife with prominence, power and privilege. We will be the head, the helper and heir as well. There you will be esteemed, empowered and exalted. The last three times the verb “reign” occurs tell that believers will reign (Rev 20:4, 6) for a thousand years and later forever (Rev 22:5).
Fear the Apathy, Not the Attacks
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
I saw “Oppenheimer” last week (July 31, 2023) and there were many questions in my mind. First, was killing 110,000 Japanese more evil than the evil the Japanese army did to the neighboring countries? On August 6, the U.S. dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, wiping out 90 percent of the city and killing 80,000 people. Second, was dropping the bomb a racist act? Would the bomb really be put to use on the Germans and the Russians. Seeing the movie, I sense that the Germans and the Russian scientists were familiar faces on American soil, but it was easier to bomb the Japanese whose last names were hard to pronounce. Third, would others find a way to manufacture the bomb? Would the Germans or Russians be disciplined if they were to beat the Americans to the invention? As if with most inventions, would the atomic bomb be impossible to build by other countries? Would the bomb be built without Robert Oppenheimer?
CONTRASTS
V 7 And when the thousand years are (KJV) V 10 day and night for ever and ever.
V 7 loosed out of his prison V 10 cast into the lake of fire and brimstone
V 8 to deceive the nations
to gather them together to battle V 10 shall be tormented
V 8 the number of whom is as the sand of the sea V 9 people (saints)
V 9 went up on the breadth (horizontal) V 9 fire came down (vertical)
V 9 earth V heaven
Satan is deceptive destructive and disloyal but the devil is not dominant. God, however, is omnipotent and omniscient, all-wise and all-consuming, inscrutable and impartial. Tormenting the devil day and night over and ever (v 10) was the endgame, and not binding the devil for a thousand years. No firepower is more painful, permanent or proven than heavenly fire.
Unfortunately, the devil’s plan was never to fight or flatten God but to fascinate and forsake unbelievers. God’s plan to release the devil from his prison at the same time reveals his followers. Satan’s plan was always to deceive the nations (Rev 20:3, 8). Satan’s job is to deceive anti-God nations and to gather them to battle (v 8). They cannot battle against God, so they war against the saints (v 9), who appear for the last time in Revelation. God does not want obedience that is forced, fickle, flattering or fruitless.
The nations that were destroyed (v 9) were just pawns of Satan. Satan cannot defeat God but they sure despise God’s people. Their target was always the camp of the saints (v 9) Satan’s first instinct upon being released was to destroy Gods people. He would do it by the hands of the nations, not soil his own hands. His plan was to sacrifice the nations to slay God’s people, never himself, for battle.
God’s endgame was never to chain him in prison for a thousand years (v 1), but to cast the devil into the lake of fire and brimstone, to reunite the devil with the beast and the false prophet and their followers (Rev 19:20) in their rightful belonging, to be tormented day and night forever and ever. (v 10) This lake is a place of exclusive, extreme and everlasting pain and punishment, ache and agony, suffering and sorrow. “
The once-in-a-thousand years battle was one-sided, short-lived and anti-climactic. Satan’s army, advancement and artillery were useless. God’s strategy was simple. No shot was fired, no solider was lost, and no surrender was demanded. The beast, the false prophet and their worshippers were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Rev 19:20), but the new visitor the devil would be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Rev 20:10) – with “day and night” and forever added. The pain would be worse than death and hell because death and hell will join them later in the lake of fire (v 14).
There’s more fire in this chapter (vv 9, 10, 14 twice, 15) than any chapter in the Bible, and the lake of fire appears appear more in this chapter (vv 10, 14, 15) than any chapter in the Bible, of which the first instance of “devour” (v 9) is that of birds “eating up” the seeds that fell along the path (Matt 13:4). There is more “devouring” in Revelation (10:9, 10, 12:4, 20:9) than any book of the Bible. Birds eat a lot, more than you think. On average, birds eat approximately 1/2 to 1/4 of their body weight every day, eating eight times a day for seed-eaters and six to seven times a day for birds on an insect diet. https://www.startribune.com/studies-show-how-often-birds-eat/600146946/
Fire from heaven refers to the destruction of Sodom (Luke 17:29).
Torment (v 10) means toss (Matt 14:24), toil (Mark 6:48), vex (2 Peter 2:8) and pain (Rev 12:20). This torment is likened to paralysis (Matt 8:6) and childbirth (Rev 12:2).
Devour and torment are different in that devour is to be eaten up but torment is to toss and turn, twist and thrust, to be thrown and tossed. Devour is passive suffering (by birds) but torment is active suffering (by fire). After devouring by the fire will be the flailing, flapping and floundering in fire and brimstone or suplhur! Sulfurous gas burns one’s lungs and makes one cry.
Fear the Accountability, Not the Assembly
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
In this chapter we say goodbye to death. From last year till now, death has been my sworn enemy. My mentor’s wife died in April 2022. The wife of the best man at my wedding died in November 2022.
Members of my family are wrestling mightily with death. My mother has amnesia and is paralyzed after catching COVID in November, 2022. My sister’s kidney failed two months ago and she’s on dialysis three times a week. Two weeks ago, another close relative got fourth stage colon cancer. I have been busy flying to visit them.
Four days ago, I attended the funeral of a former coworker’s mother. He flew back from Vancouver with his young son. It was a sad and solemn occasion as I said the prayer at the funeral. His very quiet father asked, “May I go with you to Canada?” Praise the Lord, he took his father with him to Vancouver so that the father might have company and comfort for two months with him since both his sons have emigrated.
In historic Protestant traditions, hell is the place created by God for the punishment of the devil and fallen angels (cf. Matthew 25:41), and those whose names are not written in the book of life (cf. Revelation 20:15). It is the final destiny of every person who does not receive salvation, where they will be punished for their sins. People will be consigned to hell after the last judgment. (Wikipedia, Hell in Christianity) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_in_Christianity#cite_note-90
The interchange in this section is quite striking. Verses 11 and 12 begins with “I saw…throne,” verses 12 and 13 end with twice “the dead,” followed by “death and Hades” in verse 13 and 14, lastly “were judged…according to their works,” and the last two verses 14 and 15 got “cast into the lake of fire.”
V 11, 12 11 I SAW
THRONE and him who was seated
12 I SAW (the dead.. before the) 20:12 standing before the THRONE
V 12, 13 12 the DEAD, great and small
The DEAD were judged
13 The sea gave up the DEAD
death and Hades gave up the DEAD
V 13, 14 13 DEATH AND HADES gave up the dead
JUDGED…according to what they had DONE (their works) 14 DEATH AND HADES were thrown into the lake of fire
JUDGED … according to what they had JUDGED (their works)
V 14, 15 14 death and Hades were THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE 15 he was THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE
Vere 11 to 15 is a ladder structure, with “I saw” in verses 11 and 12, followed by “the dead” and “according to their works” in verses 12 and 13, then “death and hell” and “judged according to what thee had done” in verses 13 and 14, and “thrown into the lake of fire” in verses 14 and 15.
The great white throne (v 11) is the final, fearful and flawless future judgment to determine one’s final destiny. Great (v 11) is for the ultimate, utmost, unbounded, unopposed and unobstructed. White (v 11) is for the virtue, victory and veneration. Throne is for reign, regime and royalty. Believers are to judge Israel (Matt 19:28, Luke 22:30) and unbelievers (Rev 20:4). God will judge “every man” according to “his deeds” (Greek - Rom 2:6, Rev 20:13), their hardness (sklerotes “skeleton”), impenitent heart. It is for vindication and validation.
Verses 11 and 12 (I saw), 12 and 13 (were judged…according to their works), 13 and 14 (death and hell), and 14 and 15 (cast into the lake of fire) are repetitions.
CONTRASTS
V 11 I saw a great white throne and him who was SEATED on it. V 12 I saw the dead, great and small, STANDING before the throne
V 13 sea gave up the dead that were in it V 13 death and Hades gave up the dead
V 13 The sea GAVE UP the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead V 14 Then death and Hades were THROWN into the lake of fire
V 14 death V 14 second death
V 15 book of life V 15 the lake of fire
The first contrast is “I saw a great white throne” (v 11) and “I saw the dead” (v 12). The second contrast is the one sitting (v 11) and the ones standing before God (v 12), the third contrast is sea versus death and hell both gave up the death (v 13), and death versus second death (v 14), the book of life and the lake of fire (v 15). It will the longest line imaginable.
The notable repetition is “according to their works” (vv 12, 13), the book of life (vv 12, 15), judged (vv 12, 13), death and hell (vv 13, 14), According to “done/works” means confession - turnaround, Christlikeness – transformation, commandments - teaching, character - transparency, conduct testimony -, conversations –thoughtfulness and conscience – truth.
The three most repeated words in the chapter are thousand years (6x), fire (5x) and dead (5x), besides death (4x). The most repeated verb in the chapter is “throw” or “cast.”
