Pathfinders



Revelation 20:1 - And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Revelation 20:2 - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Revelation 20:3 - And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The SAB - "The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan"

An angel locks up Satan in a bottomless pit for 1000 years. After that God will let him out for a little while.

Response: The KJV translates the Greek word abyssos into bottomless pit. According to Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford, 1968, p. 4) abyssos means "unfathomable, boundless. Infinite void." Parkhurst's Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament (London, 1845, p. 2) has it as "very or exceedingly deep."

It is noteworthy that Jesus' human body went to haides, the common grave of man, but since he was an angel in heaven before a man on earth, in spirit form he went to the abyss for parts of three days. (Romans 10:7)

The survivors of the great tribulation, of Armageddon will enjoy paradise regained for a thousand years. This is listed as an absurdity by the SAB, though no reason is given. I suppose it just sounds absurd to some people.

This is Judgment day for the unrighteous. The purpose of Satan being thrown into the abyss for a period of time and then released is to allow for a judging of the people who are resurrected having never had the opportunity to decide whether or not they would want to live in Jehovah God's kingdom. Throughout the history of mankind there have been countless people who have never heard the good news, of the Law of Moses or Christ and therefore couldn't make a decision as to whether or nor they would wish to live forever in paradise earth without sin; in a way that is acceptable to God. That is part of the reason for Satan being released. (John 5:28-29 / Luke 23:39-43 / Acts 24:15)



Revelation 20:4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Revelation 20:5 - But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The SAB - "The first resurrection"

Those who don't worship the beast will become priests and reign with Christ for 1000 years. The rest of the dead will remain dead until the 1000 years is over.

Response: Revelation 20:4 refers to the holy ones mentioned at Daniel 7:13, 14 and 18; they are the 24 elders mentioned at Revelation 4:4, including the apostles. (Matthew 19:28) Those mentioned in 20:4 have already been tested and have refused a life of sin.

Revelation 20:5 refers to others, who were resurrected but had not "come alive" in the sense that they have not been tested and have not refused Satan's temptation. They are, upon their resurrection, not perfected. They are not alive in the sense that they are spiritually dead in their sin. Ephesians 2:1 - "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" They were dead, though alive. Conversely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were long dead, were alive. (Matthew 22:31-32) So it isn't that they are literally dead until the 1000 years are over, it is that they are not made alive completely in spirit until then and only then they are perfected.

Revelation 20:6 points out that those who are a part of this first resurrection are not in danger of the second death. The second death is reserved for those who are tempted by Satan, and having been resurrected, though unrighteous, will be tempted by Satan, some will fail the test and suffer eternal destruction with Satan in the Lake of Fire, which is symbolic for everlasting destruction. (Revelation 2:11; 20:14 / John 3:16)



Revelation 20:7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Revelation 20:8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

The SAB - "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth."

When the thousand years are over, God will send Satan to deceive us all.

Response: The SAB lists this as an injustice, when in fact it is justice. After the 1,000 years, also called "Judgment Day" most of the people living were resurrected without being made aware of Jehovah's purpose, and now they have attained a spiritual perfection but they haven't been given the opportunity to see the other side of the issue. Perhaps they would side with Satan, and in fact many of them will. The questions which were raised by Satan in the garden of Eden is then presented before them. Should mankind be able to judge for themselves what is good and what is bad without the guidance and protection of their creator?

It is also interesting to note that the KJV uses the term "the four quarters of the earth" whereas some translations use "the four corners of the earth" which is often used in support of the incorrect notion that the writers of the Bible thought of the earth as being flat. The term could be "quarters, extremities or corners," none of which convey the idea of a flat earth. Also see Revelation 7:1.



Revelation 20:9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Revelation 20:10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The SAB - God will send fire from heaven to devour people. And the devil will be tormented "day and night for ever and ever."

Response: Satan has been released and has assembled an army, they surround the holy ones and God defends them by reigning fire down upon them. In Chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel, Gog - also later mentioned in Revelation 20:8, was a leader of a multinational unprovoked attack on God's people. Jehovah was enraged and braught destruction upon Gog's Crowd.

The lake of fire is symbolic for everlasting destruction. The Greek word basanizo and related terms are translated as torment, but can also be translated as 'jailers' as at Matthew 18:34, or paralysis as at Matthew 8:6. The word actually has the sense of restraint, harassment, distress. The Lake of Fire is obviously symbolic for everlasting destruction since Satan, a spirit creature, can't be harmed by literal fire; death and Hades (the grave) are things that can't literally be thrown into a literal lake of literal fire so it is obvious that in the case of Satan and his followers, both spirit creatures and humans, it isn't a literal reference of torment by literal fire.

Does Hell Exist?



Revelation 20:11 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

No annotation.



Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Revelation 20:13 - And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Is Death Final?
Is Salvation By Faith Alone?
What Must You Do To Be Saved?



Revelation 20:14 - And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

No annotation.



Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Response: The book of life symbolizes God's remembrance of those who have demonstrated faithfulness. Books are often used symbolically in this way throughout scripture. (Exodus 32:32 / Malachi 3:16 / Philippians 4:3) It is an indication that God has taken note of those who are faithful and obedient and by omission those who have not. Note in the verses given above that the name could be removed, which indicates that there is no predestination.

The sin of Adam led to death and destruction. Adam rejected his creator's guidance and protection when he chose to decide for himself what was good and what was bad. This pushed God away to an extent because God couldn't be a part of sin - imperfection leading to destruction. He couldn't condone it so he had to step aside and allow man to see for himself that he couldn't do it on his own. Therefore, the issue of sovereignty settled, those who choose God's protection and guidance are in the book of life. Those who continue to reject it - preferring the sin and disobedience that brings death and destruction are instead themselves destroyed forever, so that life everlasting can be safely had for those who are obedient and appreciate Jehovah God's perfected creation.

The SAB lists this verse as cruel and violent, intolerance, injustice, and a matter of interpretation. I would agree that it is intolerant, in that it is an indication that God will at some point no longer tolerate sin; it is as cruel and violent as it appears, since the book is symbolic and fire is a great deal less cruel and violent symbolically than literally; being symbolic it is also more subject to interpretation than other books of the Bible; as far as injustice. It is far from it. For two reasons. Those choosing death have an alternative choice and by the time the events in Revelation have played out it will be clear to all that sin leads to destruction, and would destroy mankind if it were not for God's intervention. If that isn't clear to some already it certainly will be by then. Also God is the supreme source of justice as this all clearly indicates. He created life and knows what leads to our destruction and has the supreme authority to act accordingly.

Does Hell Exist?


Main

Navigation

Revelation

Subcategories

Bibles