THE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN (VERSES 1-6)

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” [NOTE: See the end of this lesson for a further explanation of “the first resurrection” in verses 5 and 6.]

Satan Bound For 1000 Years (verses 1-3)

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.”

John sees another vision, “an angel coming down from heaven,” [verse 1]. Some have observed that it seems a little bit strange that it is an angel instead of Christ Himself who is sent to lay “hold on the dragon,” [verse 2]. In fact, some would say that that’s really who is in view here, that this is what John has seen. But, we know that Christ is never associated with an angel in the sense that He takes on the form of an angel. We do know that He operates through angels, and we have seen this in several places. So, Christ does His work through angels, as His “agents,” so to speak, as His special messengers. That would seem to be true in this case, as well.

We have already been introduced to this “bottomless pit.” It’s called the “abyss” in some translations, the American Standard Version and others. We were introduced to it first in chapter 9, verse 1. That was when the fifth trumpet had sounded and the pit, or, the abyss, was opened, and out of it came the smoke. In that smoke there were demonic-type locusts that tormented [“Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them,” Revelation 9:1-6].

The “bottomless pit,” or, the “abyss,” is the present abode for the devil and his angels, but it is not to be confused with the “lake of fire and brimstone” that we will read about in verse 10 of this chapter. That is the final place for the devil and his cohorts. But, at this present time they are in this place that is referred to, again, as “the bottomless pit,” or, “the abyss.”

The angel has the key of the bottomless pit. This key represents power, it represents authority. And so this one who is an agent, who is a messenger of Christ Himself, has the power to open and close that place where Satan currently abides.

This angel also has in his hand “a great chain,” [verse 1]. With that chain, he will bind the dragon, “that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan,” [verse 2]. Here’s a four-part view, or a four-part description, that is given of Satan. He’s referred to as “the dragon;” he’s referred to as “that serpent of old;” he is referred to, also, as “the Devil;” and he’s referred to as “Satan.” Well, this description definitely identifies him with that dragon of chapter 12, that dragon that accused the saints, and who was also implicated in the fall of man.

The angel binds him “for a thousand years.” And he is cast into the bottomless pit. It is shut up, it is closed up,and there is a seal that is placed upon it, and Satan is not free as he was before [“and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him,” verses 2b and 3a]. Well, what is the meaning of “binding Satan”? The English word “bound” that is translated here from the original Greek is used a number of times in the Scriptures, not only for the literal binding of an animal or binding a burden upon someone’s back, but it’s also used in a figurative sense, to mean “restricting a person’s activities in certain ways while leaving him free in other regards.” For example, Paul mentions that a wife is “bound to her husband,” [Romans 2:7: “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband,” and 1 Corinthians 7:29: “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.”]. That’s the same word from the original Greek language. In this regard, the wife has freedom within certain defined limits.

Now, there is only one other binding of Satan that is mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. Jesus uses this language regarding Satan when he speaks about “binding the strong man,” before entering his house and plundering his goods, Matthew 12:29 [“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”], Mark 3:27 [“No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.”], and Luke 11:21-22 [“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.”].

In the same sense, Paul describes the ministry of Jesus here on earth as having disarmed—some translations use the word despoiled—the principalities and powers through His cross, Colossians 2:15 [Colossians 2:13-15: “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it,” (NKJV); “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it,” (KJV); “And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, (I say), did He make alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; 14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and He hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross; 15 having despoiled the principalities and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it,” (ASV)].