By Brandon Taylor
The millennial debate surrounding Revelation 20:1-6 continues to be one of the most hotly contested ones for all evangelicals. Many faithful bible expositors are striving to understand both the syntactical details the passage reveals and their significance. It is my position that the text itself, understood and interpreted in its context along with other relevant eschatological texts, teaches a literal reign of Christ on earth following His return at His second coming. The scriptures reveal the chronology of the eschatological events to come will unfold in this summary of the sequence: the second coming of Christ to earth, a thousand-year reign of Christ on the throne of David, a final rebellion immediately preceding the final judgment of all non-believers, and then the eternal state.
Before examining the actual text, it is important to consider some principles for interpretation. As a premillennialist, I acknowledge that the book of Revelation, with most of its literary content apocalyptic prophecy, contains symbolism. However, to be faithful to the text, symbolism must be explained and there must be sound reasons and a biblical precedent for taking a symbolic view. If a symbolic view does not add clarity, does not offer a reasonable alternative where a literal view would seem absurd, and if it is not a normal category of symbolic use, then a literal view should be prioritized over a symbolic view. In proposing a symbolic use, the faithful interpreter must give an explanation with reasoning and precedent for why a symbolic use makes sense and then explain the significance of the symbol and how it is being used. A lack of explanation of these details will only leave unanswered questions and confusion. Furthermore, the faithful interpreter must also examine each detail of the prophecy and examine the merits of a literal or symbolic use. In other words, just because one detail in the prophecy is symbolic that does not necessitate that every detail should then be taken symbolically. This difficult passage in Revelation 20, becomes much clearer when we consistently interpret the text according to these principles.
The Key Text for Millennial Examination
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut {it} and sealed {it} over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I {saw} the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” – Revelation 20:1-6
The Duration of the Millennium
As we examine the details of the text of Revelation 20:1-6, a literal view of the thousand years is not absurd. To take a symbolic view of the thousand years requires more explanation than simply understanding it as described. A symbolic view of thousand years as the perfect amount of time or a lengthy period of time, as it is typically explained, is hard pressed to find any biblical precedent. Within the book of Revelation, the uses of numbers along with a timeframe lack a clear indication that it should be viewed as symbolic (1:10; 2:10,13; 4:8; 6:17; 7:15; 8:12; 9:6,15; 10:7; 11:3,6,9,11; 12:6,10; 14:11; 16:14; 18:8; 20:10; 21:25 are examples where a number and timeframe are literal and specific).
It is worth noting the difference between a symbolic view and a round number is often conflated. A round number that does not mean exact mathematical precision is not by definition a symbolic use of a number. For example, when I say I live 5 miles from the church, I understand it is not exactly 5 miles (it’s more like 5.3 miles) and my audience understands it could be exactly 5 miles or anywhere from 4.6-5.4 miles, but it is not a symbolic use of the number 5. In other words, it does not mean 10 or 20 or an indefinite short distance. It means either 5 miles or close to 5 miles. Likewise, where the scriptures use round numbers like one thousand, there is no other place where it means double what it represents. (If the millennial kingdom began at the time of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, as Amillennialists suppose, we are now nearly two thousand years into the millennium. In this case a thousand hardly represents a good “symbol” for two thousand years.) Notice, also, the end of Revelation 20:3, where Satan is released “for a short time”. This is language that refers to an indefinite short amount of time. If the Apostle John wanted to articulate an indefinite prolonged period of time, he could have used a phrase that communicates a long period of time, not one that could (and should) legitimately be viewed as a specific time frame.
The Significance of Satan’s Binding
The details of Satan’s binding are also significant for interpretation of the passage. Satan is bound, thrown into the abyss, and it is shut and sealed over him (Rev 20:2-3). Many make the most significant part of his binding to be concerning the chain, but I would argue the most significant point occurs after he is bound, and that is when he is then thrown into the abyss, and it is shut and sealed over him. He is altogether removed from the earth for the purpose that he can no longer deceive the nations. The abyss, also called a prison in verse seven, is used in Luke 8:31 to describe a place that holds demonic presence. Its location must be outside of the earth, or at least out of the sphere of humanity, otherwise the demons in Luke 8 would already be in the abyss and their request is nonsensical. We cannot be in the millennium now, if Satan is “no longer” able to deceive the nations because other scriptures teach that Satan is indeed actively deceiving the nations at this very moment and will continue to deceive them right up until the return of Christ (2 Cor 4:4; 2 Tim 2:26; 1 Jn 5:19; Rev 12:9, 13:14, 18:23, 19:20). Furthermore, some view Satan’s binding to have occurred at the cross; if so, how then is Satan unbound and released in verse seven? The text demands a literal binding and imprisonment which prohibits Satan from any deception and activity in this present world because he has been completely removed from it.
The Nature of the First Resurrection
The next significant detail for examination is the resurrection mentioned in Revelation 20:4-6. Premillennialists understand this first resurrection, concerning the tribulation martyrs, to be a physical resurrection. The vast majority (38/39 uses) of the word translated resurrection refers to a physical resurrection, including the uncontested use in verse five of the “rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.” Notice those resurrected in the first resurrection come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years (verse six). Any position that takes this resurrection to be a spiritual resurrection that occurs throughout the duration of the millennium (as people are converted), violates the syntax of the last clause of verse six, “they reigned with Christ for a thousand years,” (NASB, emphasis added). Furthermore, a spiritual resurrection would mean that the martyrs who are resurrected become believers after they have died for their faith. Now that is quite a problem! Admittedly, there are passages that lump the two resurrections together (Dan 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15), however that does not eliminate the possibility of those two resurrections being separated by a thousand years. Much like the prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ are set side by side with the second coming, a solution to the supposed problem of the two resurrections being put together in previous revelation, as noted, is that the details of the resurrections are clarified by later revelation (namely Rev 20:4-5) in which they are actually separated by the thousand-year reign of Christ. I reject the idea that we must interpret this passage based upon what other passages may seem to teach “clearly.” I find this text no less clear than any other. The scriptures do not contradict and therefore we must harmonize what they teach individually even if we must live with tension. One can maintain the integrity of each of these texts by understanding the first resurrection occurs, then the millennium and then the second resurrection.
The Chronology of Revelation 19-22
The next significant exegetical detail to examine is the overall flow of Revelation chapters 19-22. If you read these chapters straight through, you will find the following sequence: Christ returns as the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies are assembled against Him (19:11-16). Then, an angel calls the birds of the sky to assemble for a feast on the rebellious dead (19:17-18). Then, the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies are prepared for battle (19:19). Then, the beast and the false prophet are seized and thrown into the lake of fire and the rest of their armies are killed by Christ (20:20-21). Then, Satan is seized, bound, and imprisoned in the Abyss (20:1-3) and tribulation martyrs are resurrected to reign with Christ, who reigns for thousand years (20:4-6). Then, Satan is released and gathers all the rebellious together for one last battle and is subsequently thrown into the lake of fire (20:7-9). Then, the Great White Throne judgment occurs where all unbelievers are judged (20:11-5); and finally, the new heavens and earth and new Jerusalem come down (21-22). The position that 20:1 and the clause “then I saw” is a recapitulation back to the time of the first coming of Christ is a difficult case to prove. Admittedly, the phrase is used to go back in time in 20:4, but to view 20:1 as a recapitulation back to the cross breaks up a natural sequence. The phrase is repeated throughout this section (19:11,17,19, 20:1,4,11, 21:1) and with Christ’s return and dealing with the beast and false prophet, it would seem natural for Christ to then deal with Satan as well. The burden of proof is on the one who takes this as anything other than a chronological sequence.
While Revelation 20 is the only place in scripture a thousand-year reign of Christ is specifically mentioned, the whole of scripture reveals a literal reign of Christ on the earth. YHWH’s covenant to David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16 specifically mentions an eternal throne to be given to David’s descendant who was to come after him. Likewise Psalms 2,72; Isa 2:2-4; 9:1-7; 11:1-11, Zech 8:1-8; 14:9-19; and Dan 2:44-45 each anticipate the Lord Himself reigning from Zion in Jerusalem on His throne. If His reign is during the eternal age, then why will (future tense) He rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15)? These passages are precisely why Jesus, His disciples and apostles anticipated a restored messianic kingdom of God, visible on the earth (Rom 11:26; Acts 1:6-7; Matt 19:28; 23:37-39; Luke 21:24; 22:30).
Old Testament Prophecies Consistent with Premillennialism
A number of Old Testament prophecies have yet to be fulfilled and await a future fulfillment. Some of these promises are irreconcilable with neither the conditions of the present age nor the conditions of the eternal state. These texts describe an intermediate kingdom where Christ rules from the Davidic throne in Jerusalem, the blessings of the Abrahamic and New Covenants are fulfilled to ethnic Israel, unprecedented peace and righteousness exist on the earth and some semblance of a reverse of the curse has begun to take place. Isaiah 65:17-25 mentions infants no longer living a few days, youth dying at the age of a hundred, peaceful conditions on earth and yet the text does indicate the existence of death. Other passages indicate the nations will go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord (Zech 14:9-19) and yet there is still judgment upon defiant families (Zech 14:17-18). Isaiah 2:2-4 indicates the Lord will judge between the nations, and instruction will be given from Zion. Isaiah 11:4 adds that there will still be people who are poor, afflicted, and wicked. Clearly these conditions do not describe this age, and yet the presence of death, rebellion, judgment, and even conflict precludes this from being the eternal state.
Lastly it is worth mentioning Isaiah 24:21-23 as a significant OT text that supports a Premillennial view of the return of Christ. The text reveals a gap of time between the coming of the Lord, His reign on Mt Zion in Jerusalem and the final judgment of God’s enemies. The wicked hosts of heaven and the kings of the earth will be gathered in a prison and “after many days they will be punished,” (NASB). This lengthy incarceration is untenable with a position that views Christ’s return immediately preceding final judgment which then brings about the eternal state.
These textual issues are at the forefront of the millennial debate. The faithful expositor must address them with biblical consistency, exegetical specificity, and work towards harmonization of all the texts that play a role into all that the Bible reveals about eschatology. To fall short in this area is to not be an unashamed workman rightfully dividing the word of truth. We must display Christlike kindness in our discussions on these matters and deal with the arguments of others who might disagree with our positions with patience and forbearance. In this way, we will move forward towards greater unity in truth and build up one another in faith.