Revelation 20

What’s Happening?

John sees a vision of Satan’s demise and the death of death itself. Satan, called the dragon or the serpent, has long held the position of the world’s deceiver and accuser. The nations of the world were held under his power, being deceived into worshiping powers and gods other than the Most High God. These powers dragged humanity into the grave where death held even God’s faithful people captive. But, as John had seen before, he now witnesses how Jesus’ enthronement in heaven as King of kings deposes Satan and death of their power. An angel binds and seals Satan in the Abyss—a prison of chaos related to the deep waters, far removed from the thrones of heaven (Revelation 20:1-3a).

 Jesus now rules as the King above every king, and the deceiver of nations is chained in the Abyss.Therefore, the powers and gods the nations have long worshipped start to lose their authority. From his watery prison cell, Satan can no longer deceive the nations and keep them from worshipping the true King of the Universe. Satan has lost his control of the nations and they are slipping through his grip as people turn from their gods and join the kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:3b). The demonic powers that once sat on the thrones of nations are now emptied, and Jesus rules over them by setting his faithful followers on the vacated thrones (Revelation 20:4). John calls this dethroning of demons and the enthronement of his people the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5). Those who have been martyred under demonic kingdoms rise in Christ to rule over the kingdoms who slaughtered them. This rule of Christ and his saints will last all the way until Satan’s ultimate defeat. John sees that Jesus will reign with his saints for 1,000 years—an indication that this Kingdom will rule until everything is accomplished (Revelation 20:6). And when this work is fulfilled, Satan and Death will be destroyed forever (Revelation 20:7a). 

Jesus’ reign ultimately leads to a final battle where Satan is released to gather the ancient enemies of God’s people to war against his Kingdom. John sees Satan deceiving the nations of Gog and Magog, who have been flung to the far corners of the earth by the rule of Jesus (Revelation 20:7b). These are the demonized rulers of death-bound nations that have long opposed Jesus' reign (Ezekiel 38-39). As they have throughout the history of God’s people, the wicked nations surround his city to destroy it. In the past, wicked nations have burned God’s city because of its adulterous practices. But this time, the city is not the prostitute John saw previously. Instead, the city is the one Jesus loves—the bride of Christ.  So the fire does not come against the city, but against her assailants (Revelation 20:8-9). As his army is burned away, Satan himself is thrown into a deadly fire which God had prepared for him (Revelation 20:10). 

John then sees Jesus make preparations to renew his creation. Jesus’ throne is revealed. Nothing mediates or hides his presence from creation any longer. Therefore, nothing is hidden from the eyes of the all-seeing King. The very heavens and earth flee, leaving nothing between creation and their God.  Then, seeing all things as they are, Jesus the King begins to reorder his kingdom. Just as he ordered creation through his Word in the beginning, Jesus once more orders his kingdom with words. Books are opened, revealing everything everyone has ever done. By these words, Jesus brings order to his renewed world of life—handing everything aligned with death over to a final death. Climactically, Jesus relegates the power of Death itself and the grave that held the dead to their own death. He empties Death and the grave of all the lives they held, and sends them away empty into the same death prepared for Satan. Finally, all things that have joined their deadly ranks join them in their deadly end. 

Where is the Gospel?

Jesus came declaring the coming of his kingdom of life, which meant the defeat of every kingdom of death. Under the deception of Satan, the kingdoms of earth worshipped demonized powers and needed to be set free. Jesus shows his power over these empires when he sends 72 of his followers to proclaim his kingdom, one for each of the nations (Luke 10:1; Genesis 10; Deuteronomy 32:8 ). His followers report that the powers and gods were subject to them as they spread Jesus’ rule across their territories (Luke 10:17). Jesus emphasizes the conquest occurring by saying that he saw Satan fall from heaven (Luke 10:18). Jesus spreads his kingdom by partnering with his faithful followers to depose evil powers and reign over creation with him (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6). 

As his followers invaded enemy territory to depose powers, Jesus invaded the enemy territory of death to depose its power. At the cross, Jesus conquered the kingdom of Satan and the power of death by going into its territory. In the beginning, Satan sought to take over God’s kingdom by depriving him of his citizens (Genesis 3:1). But through his resurrection, ascension, and at his revealing, Jesus deprives Death of its citizens. Satan may have emptied the garden, but Jesus will empty the grave. 

Jesus’ millennial kingdom is operating right now. Through his faithful followers, Jesus is pushing the last and fleeing strongholds of darkness to the fringes of the world. Because Satan is bound and chained in darkness, the thrones of kingdoms he has deceived are being emptied of their demonized powers and filled with reigning saints. As Jesus sent the 72 into the nations, he now sends us as his church into every corner of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20). The apostle Paul tells us that our battle is against these spiritual powers that rule in heavenly places. As Jesus brings order with his words, we bring order through the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, and the power of King Jesus, the one reigning on the throne above all thrones (Ephesians 6:12, 17).

It is this throne that will be revealed and will reveal everything. With nothing standing between all creation and its creator, those aligned with Jesus and his Kingdom of life will live with him forever. That is because every force and power aligned with death will be handed over to a final destruction. Not one throne or stronghold will be occupied by Death (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). Every inch of every territory will be under the life-giving reign of King Jesus and his faithful followers. 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who will depose Satan and the grave, rescuing his people from their power. And may you see Jesus as the King above all kings, who is bringing his new kingdom of life and filling it with faithful citizens.