Revelation 20

And angel cometh own from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and bindeth Satan there a thousand years 4 the holy martyrs and hat they did not worship the beasts sit upon throne and reign with Christ a thousand years 5 but others abide in death 6 they are all pronounced blessed that have part in the first ressurection7 after the end of a thousand years Satan is loosed 8 and seduceth the nations again and stirred up God and Magog to the war 9 who compass the beloved city about but devoured by fire 10 and the devil is cast into the lake of fire a white throne is seen with a one throne thereon before whom heaven and earth flee away 12 the dead both small and great appear before God and every book are opened and everyman is judged according to his works 1 death and hell are cast into the lake of fire with all those that are not written in the book of life.

1. And [this chapter is somewhat difficult to be understood and is diversely expounded by interpreters some conceive that whatsoever is related must yet all come to pass and tat after the ruin of the antichrist whereof was spoken in the two former chapters and that Satan shall be bound and the Jews be but then converted to Christ and that the true church of Christ shall be in great reputation glorious peace and prosperity reign over all nations of the world and for the space of a thousand years in the beginning of which thousand years all the martyrs shall arise from the dead and join themselves unto this church or be taken unto heaven unto Christ till after thousand years Satan being again loosed the rest of the unbelieving nations which are understood by Gog and Magog should again make war against them but that Christ then coming to judgment shall fully deliver his church and cast Satan with all his ministers for ever into the lake of fire this opinion is very ancient yea among many of the ancient fathers and is again renewed by some teachers even in those days because it seemeth that the letter of this chapter doth import the same but when all things are well considered it can stand with the constant sense and meaning of the word of God and that for this reason first because it was shewed in the former chapter verse 19,20 and is also proved out of 2Thessalonians 1.8 that antichrist and his kingdom shall not be utterly abolished but at last coming of Christ to judgment secondly because the conversion of the coming of the Jews coming to pass according to Paul’s predictions Romans 11 chapter and 2 Corinthians 3:16 and no where such condition of the church is promised which should be without affliction combat the persecution throughout the whole world as was proved before chapter 19 verse 11 for it remaineth ever true that which Paul saith 2Timothy 3.12 all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and especially about the end of the world concerning which Christ saith Luke 18:8 but the son of men when he cometh shall he also find faith upon the earth? And that which Paul saith 2Timothy 3.1 in the last days shall arise grievous times thirdly because it is repugnant to the article of the resurrection of the dead that so many million of martyrs as have been in the world should only arise in the beginning o these thousand years and should still live in this world as some conceive of them saith the scripture everywhere testifieth that all the dead shall arise at once and not before the last day see hereof John 5 verse 28 and 6.44 and 11.24 see also 1 Corinthians 15:52 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and hereafter in the chapter verse 12,13 for these and such like reasons must this chapter be understood after another manner as in the exposition shall be shewed] I saw an angel come down from the heaven [by this angels is meant the angel Michael that is Christ himself as was also noted on chapter 12.1 in the beginning of the combat against the dragon who there is cast unto the earth and now bound fast in the bottomless pit. whereof see the exposition] having the key of the bottomless pit which is also peculiarly ascribed unto Christ chapter 1 verse 18 as the sovereign of the lord of this key which key antichrist also asurpeth chapter 9.1 but by the just judgment of God who sent a spirit o error upon disobedient men 2Thessalonians 2 verse 10,11]and a great chain in his hand [hereby is meant the power of Christ death whereby all Satan strength and power is taken from him Colossians 2:15 Hebrews 2:14 as also the power of Christ spirit and word whereby Satan hands and feet are as it were bound so as that he cannot hurt the elect see Luke 11:22 Ephesians 1:21,22 yea neither other man also any further then the chain of Gods providence and judgment upon men and suffereth to do as the example of Achab 1 Kings 22 and other places testify.

2. And he laid hold o the dragon [of this name and other following titles of Satan see chapter 12.3,9 and this chapter is not unfitly joined and compared by some with the same 12 chapter for in regard that there is described the battle of the dragon against Christ and his church and in the interim in some chapters the whole history of the antichrist and his ruin is related the holy ghost cometh now again n this chapter and related in brief the whole event of this battle of the dragon himself against Christ and his church even while the time of the antichrist lasted until he was cast by the antichrist into the lake of fire forever] the old serpent which is the devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years.

3. And cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him therein and sealed it upon him [namely the door of the bottomless pit for security tat he should be fain to abide there all that while see the like Daniel 6:18 Matthew 27:66 in the example of Daniel’s den and Christ’s sepulcher] that he should seduce the nation no more [namely as he had done before almost throughout the whole world when he had seduced the gentiles to worship him 1 Corinthians 10:20 otherwise Satan’s power continueth forever over the children of disobedience 2 Corinthians 4 verse 4] till the thousand years should be ended [some take these thousand years for the first coming of Christ unto his second coming saw this word thousand signifieth sometimes in scripture a certain number for an uncertain see Psalms 91:7 and 105.8 Daniel 7:10 but for as much as verse 7 and 8 Satan is let loose again after those thousand years the same can not well stand as neither of opinion of some and others which will end these thousand years before the coming of the antichrist seeing in 4 verse even during these thousand years mention is made of some that did not worship the beast nor his mage antichrist then must also need have been before the thousand years therefore others begin the beginning of Satan that should seduce the nations no more from time that Christ by the preaching of the gospel and the power of his spirit by his apostle brought the heathenish nations in the world everywhere to repentance which for the most part was fulfilled by the time of the desolation of Jerusalem & destruction of the Jews that is about the seventy years and end them with the time of pope Gregory the seventh who was a strong instrument of the devil to bring antichrist kingdom to the height and to cause all nations to worship him who sat in the chair about 1070 though some by reason of the persecutions which Satan yet more that two hundred and fifty years after the destruction of Jerusalem raised against the Christians begin these thousand years some what later namely from Constantine time and continue then till the year 1300 when the antichrist caused the state of Christian more and more to decline when Boniface the eight reigned over this kingdom but also the Turks and Tartars were most set on by Satan to subdue the Christians in the east and west and destroyed many kingdoms and Christian churches not only in Asia but also in Africa and Europe as the present condition thereof sheweth] and after that he must be loosed [namely not in respect of Christ power as if he were not able to keep him and were bound but in respect of God’s providence who for the punishment of the thankful world shall after that let him loose again and give him more liberty] a little season [this may be understood either in respect of the former thousand years and time of the world or respect of the future state of the Christ church in heaven whereof shall be prophesied in the next chapter forasmuch as also the very whole time of Christ’s first coming unto his last coming is in scripture called the last day or the last hour.]

4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgments was given unto them [some take this fasting upon thrones and giving upon judgments to be meant of the resurrection of Christ’s kingdom even in the time of the antichrist whereof is spoken immediately in which time also some eminent men arose which condemned the doctrine of the antichrist and opposed both the kingdoms and doctrines of whom was also prophesied chapter 11 and 14 but others take this here most fitly of those persons o whom there is spoken immediately namely which were beheaded for the testimony of Christ and which did not worship the beast which after their death are here in the thrones and receive judgment because according to their souls they triumphed with Christ in heaven not withstanding that earthly men and worshipers of the beast had condemned them as heretics and dammed them see the like promise before chapter 3.21 and Matthew 19:8] and I saw the souls of tem that were beheaded [Gr killed with the axe] for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image and which had not received his mark upon their forehead nor on their hand and they lived and reigned as kings with Christ with thousand years [namely and forever after for he that reigneth with Christ in heaven is never cast out see before chapter 3..12.]

5. But the rest of the dead[that is such as were dead in their sins and superstitions as this word dead is also taken Matthew 8:22 John 5:25 1Timothy 5.6] wee not made alive again [that is did not arise from their sins or did not repent as is said in like case chapter 9.20] until the thousand years were finished [that is even not the time that Satan was bound therefore much less after when Satan was let loose this is the first resurrection [namely from the death of sin as the fall into sin is the first death and the first dying of men in the spirit see the like phrase John 5:25 Colossians 3:1 Ephesians 2:5 and 5.14.]

6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection[that is he that is partaker of the first resurrection as this phrase is also taken John 13:8 Acts 8:21] on these the second death had no power [his second death is deathly eternal as is expressed declared hereafter verse 14 and hence also appeareth that this resurrection is not a corporal but a spiritual resurrection seeing that many shall also according to the arising unto destruction see Daniel 12:2 John5.29] but they shall be priest of God of Christ [see hereof as also of the following word kings the exposition of chapter 1.6 and 5.10] and they shall reign with him as king as thousand years.

7. And when the thousand years shall be finished [see the annotate before on verse 3] Satan shall be loosed out of his prison [Gr ward]

8. And he shall go out [namely out of the bottomless pit wherein he was bound before to join with antichrist to whom he had surrendered his power who had alone for a while afflicted the church of Christ] to seduce the nations [many understand this of spiritual seducing whereby whole nations are more and more brought to new idolatry and heathenish superstitions though under another title see also chapter 9.20 &c.] which are in the four corners of the earth [that is in the whole world or in all countries of the world for few or not any whole nation in the east or west hath been quiet free from the seducement in the time that Satan was let loose again] Gog and Magog to gather them together at the war [some understand by these two nation the same nations that are named in the former clause but it seemeth not that all nations in the four corners of the world can be called here Gog and Magog but only that they are part of those nations of the earth which besides that they were seduced by the dragon in the matters of religion in their own destruction on the were also seduced and set by him to this war which is related in the text now who this Gog and Magog is thereabout are sundry opinion but their opinion agreeth best with the ting itself and with the place in Ezekiel 38 and 39 chapter that say that as God by Ezekiel foretelleth the people of Israel whom h had promised to deliver out of Babylon what troubles should afterwards befall in the whole land by the neighboring heathen of Asia ,Syria, and Egypt which by Ezekiel is called Gog and Magog before Christ should be manifested in the flesh out of which God would and did miraculously deliver them as we may read the first and second book of the Machabees so likewise after the expiration of the thousand years and the oozing of Satan before the second coming of Christ the Turk, Tartars and Sarasins that for the most part have their habitations in the most quarters of Gog and Magog with the remnant of the antichrist kingdom should set upon Christendom and afflict with grievous wars out of which God would miraculously deliver them and those nations should also by length also by the second coming of Christ by vanquished or subdued] whose number is as the sand of the sea[see hereof further chapter 9.16 and so forth.]

9. And they went upon on the breadeth of the earth and compassed the camping place of the saints about and the beloved city [so the Christendom called because God hath al time times had and will have to the end of the world his saints and the marked ones in it though much corruption hath been in the worship and manner of many as the people of Israel were continual called the people of God and the city of Jerusalem the holy city even when they wee exceeding corrupt in these things see Isaiah 1:3 ,21 Matthew 4:5 Luke 19:46] and there came fire down from heaven and devoured them [this may in a sort be understood of extraordinary helps which God afforded the Christian against the Turks and Tartars as is to be hoped is still hold unto them as the phrase still afford unto them as the like phrase is used concerning Gog and Magog Ezekiel 38:22 but it may also be understood of the last violence of these such like nations which they the antichrist shall offer to destroy Christendom utterly before the as the day as when Christ before the last coming shall upon them unaware as was prophesied before of the antichrist army chapter 19.20 and this is also confirmed by the following verses.]

10. And the devil that seduceth them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone [that is into hell to remain there forever see also chapter 19.20 Matthew 25:41 1Corinthians 15.24] where the beast and the false prophet is and they shall be tormented day and night forever more.

11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it [as the former vision ended with the last day so doth this vision also end in it he that is seen here is Christ the judge o quick and dead who will set up his judgment seat in the clouds as himself testifieth Matthew 25:21 see also Acts 17:31] from whose face [that s majesty and glory] the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no pace for them [see the like phrase chapter 6.14 and 16.20 whereby the ruin and alteration of the heaven and the earth now are is signified whereof see further divers exposition in the annotate on 2Peter 3.10.]

12. and I saw the dead small and great [that is of all condition and degree though some do understand this also of this age and stature that which is here imperfect shall be then made perfect 1 Corinthians 13:10] standing before God [that is standing before the throne or judgment seat of Christ 2 Corinthians 5:10 whence it appeareth that Christ is also true God] and the books were opened [namely of God omniscience and providence wherein all men’s actions both omission and commissions are set down see the like Daniel 7:10 Matthew 3:16 and it is a similitude taken from the judgment of men and practice of princes where notice or knowledge of all things is kept and recorded see Ephesians 6:1 others understand it of the book of every man’s conscience which is also true sith the same also will either accuse or execute itself before that day see Romans 2:15,16] and another book was opened which is the book of life [that is of God’s gracious eternal election of life see of the same also chapter 3.5 and 13.8 and 17.8] and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their works [which they have done in this life whether good or evil as Paul addeth 2 Corinthians 5:10 whereof see there the exposition.]

13. And the sea gave up the dead which in it and the death and hell [or the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them [by the word hell is understood by many the grave and by the word death all the places where the dead bodies might be scattered as the fire the air the fowls and the cruel beasts have devoured many bodies which shall all by the power shall be brought to light where so ever there may be tat created all things out of nothing will be able easily to gather together all the bodies of men that ever where in the world with the elements of the world] and they wee judged every man according to their works.

14. And the death and hell were cast into the lake of fire [this is understood either of the devil who had power of the death Hebrews 2:14 or by an improper phrase whatsoever is any grievous or painful which shall be removed out of the world and shall be nowhere found after that time but in the everlasting lake of that fire] this is the second death of sin when men do not repent of it.]

15. And if any man was not found written in the book of life [see above verse 12] the same was cat into the lake o fire.