Revelation 20

v1-6: The Lord Jesus Christ “is one who has power to bind the strong man armed, to cast him out, and to spoil his goods,” and He has thrown Satan “down with force… to his own place and prison,” for a thousand years (the period of history between Jesus’ first and second coming). This doesn’t mean the Devil is inactive, but rather that he is limited in what he can do. He is still able to work through people and institutions (the beast and the false prophet) to attack the church. But he cannot deceive the nations. It is because Satan is bound that we can go and make disciples of all nations. During these thousand years, Christians who die will “reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in a glorious likeness to him in wisdom, righteousness, and holiness,” and will be “kept safe from the power of the second death… eternal separation from God.”

v7-10: “While this world lasts, Satan’s power in it will not be wholly destroyed.” It is “limited and lessened, but he will still” be able “to disturb the people of God.” Just before Jesus returns, Satan will be let loose to deceive the nations, “stirring them up to make war against the saints and servants of God.” These final efforts of his appear “to be the greatest,” but God will “fight this last and decisive battle for his people, so that the victory would be complete and the glory would come to him.” The Devil will then be “thrown into hell with his two great officers… tyranny and idolatry… to be tormented night and day, for ever and ever.”

v11-15: “The complete destruction of the devil’s kingdom very properly leads to an account of the Day of Judgment, which will determine every person’s eternal state.” No one will avoid this day and the judgment that will take place on it. All “those who are alive at the coming of Christ will be judged,” as will “all who have died before.” The verdict given “will be according to the evidence of facts and the rule of judgment.” Only those whose names are written in the book of life, “those who are justified and acquitted by the Gospel,” will “enter into eternal life, having nothing more to fear from death, hell, or evildoers, for these will all have been destroyed together.” Happy are those who “know beforehand that they will be justified on the great day of the Lord!” because their faith is in Christ.