Revelation 20:1-15
Experience your reign with Christ now
However we interpret the specifics of this passage, it is clearly wonderful news: Christ will return, Satan will be overthrown, and you will reign with Jesus and experience eternal life. This is something worth celebrating!
This is a notoriously difficult passage in the book of Revelation. Many books, commentaries and novels have been written about ‘millennialism’ and when ‘the rapture’ will take place. There are passionately held views on this subject and, sadly, divisions in the church over it. It is, therefore, with some trepidation that I express here my tentative views on the subject.
A millennium (plural millennia) is a period of time equal to 1,000 years. It derives from the Latin mille, thousand, and annus, year. Several times ‘a thousand year’ period is mentioned (vv.2–7). When is this thousand-year period? Broadly speaking, there have been three views:
1. Postmillennialism
This is the view that the return of Christ would not occur until the kingdom of God had been established by the church in human history for a thousand years.
2. Premillennialism
This is the view that the coming of Christ will be followed by the binding of Satan and the resurrection of the saints who will be ‘raptured’ and will join him in a temporal kingdom where he reigns over the earth for a thousand years. This millennial kingdom will end with a final rebellion and the last judgment.
3. Amillennialism
This is the view that the thousand years is the period between the first and second coming of Christ. This position holds that the period of a thousand years is metaphorical, not literal and that the rapture will occur when Christ returns.
No doubt there is room for difference of opinion between Christians on this matter. Personally, I think there are difficulties with all three views. However, when we read this passage in the context of the rest of the New Testament and the Bible as a whole, I take the view that in spite of all the arguments to the contrary, ‘amillennialism’ fits best with the evidence.
As we have seen, much of the language of the book of Revelation is apocalyptic language and not intended to be interpreted literally. The ‘one thousand years’ stands for a very long but unspecified period of time. What is the evidence that the one-thousand-year period has already begun?
First, Satan is bound (v.2). The devil is described as ‘the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan’ (v.2). By his coming, Jesus defeated Satan. He bound the ‘strong man’ (Mark 3:27; Matthew 12:29). On the cross, Satan was defeated – thrown ‘into the Abyss’, which was ‘locked and sealed’ over him (Revelation 20:3).
Second, the nations are not deceived any more during this period: ‘to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended’ (v.3). This is the era of the church, when the gospel is preached to all nations. Millions, and now billions, profess the name of Christ. Their eyes are being opened to the good news of Jesus.
Third, according to the apostle Paul, we are already reigning with Christ. The resurrected martyrs and people of God reign with Christ for a thousand years. ‘I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge... they reigned with Christ for a thousand years’ (v.4). As St Paul put it, ‘God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus’ (Ephesians 2:6).
Fourth, you are called to reign as ‘priests of God and of Christ’ (Revelation 20:6). This priesthood of all believers has already begun. We are called to be ‘a holy priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:5). Indeed, Peter refers to us as ‘a royal priesthood’ (v.9).
At the end of this period, Satan will be ‘released from his prison’ (Revelation 20:7), and the final conflict will take place. Once again, we see here that it will not really be a conflict at all. Rather, it will be the outworking of the victory that Jesus has already achieved. The destruction of evil will be complete (vv.8–10). Then the final judgment will take place (vv.11–15).
Lord, thank you that you have raised us up with Christ and seated us along with him in the heavenly realms. Help me to make the most of every opportunity to bring the good news to the nations.