Before the Millennium can begin, Satan's activities must be restricted. To accomplish this, "an angel coming down from heaven ... having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand" appears.
In a certain sense, our Lord already bound Satan when He came to Earth [Mt 12:29]. Thus, this is just another phase of his binding.
In a certain sense, our Lord already bound Satan when He came to Earth [Mt 12:29]. Thus, this is just another phase of his binding.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-07-07 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
Satan Thrown Into the Abyss
[Verse 1]. The great henchmen of satan – the beast and the false prophet – are seized and thrown into hell. Their leader, satan, still roams freely, but he is laid hold on. This happens by an angel coming down from heaven. Because satan has been cast to the earth since Revelation 12 [Rev 12:9], it is necessary that an angel “comes down from heaven” to bind him. This angel holds “the key of the abyss” to shut the abyss. In Revelation 9 [Rev 9:1] the key is used to open abyss to release the demons from there. Then the beast also comes up out of the abyss [Rev 11:7]; [Rev 17:8]. The angel has also “a great chain in his hand”. What he will do with that chain is told in the next verse.
[Verse 2]. This is an historic moment. There have been several historic moments, but this one is indeed a specially memorable event. The angel lays hold on him who is the cause of all misery of people because he has brought sin into the world. Then he binds him with the chain that he brought with him, so that satan will not be able to move for a thousand years. Every opportunity to deceive men with his craftiness and to drag them into destruction will be taken away from him. He will no longer be the prince of the world and the god of this age [John 12:31]; [2Cor 4:4]. His rule over man is over.
That he as a person with his fourfold expression – “the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan” – will be bound and shut up, indicates that he in all his variations of wickedness will be shut up and cannot manifest himself in any way. With the judgment on satan the judgments that introduced the kingdom of peace of Christ are finished. Now Christ can exercise His beneficial kingdom of peace and righteousness for man and creation. The number ‘thousand’, which appears six times in [Verse 2-7] and is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, indicates the duration of the Messianic empire. Otherwise we would not have known the duration of this empire. That’s why the expression ‘millennial’ kingdom is used.
Here, for the second time, the four names for the great deceiver and enemy of God are used [Rev 12:9]. He is called “the dragon” because of his horribly violent and relentless performance. He is also called “the serpent of old”. That indicates the deadly cunning nature of this monster that winds itself around its prey to suffocate it and devour it. As the “devil” he is the tempter, the deceiver of men. As “Satan” he is the adversary of God. Both these characteristics – violence and lie – are the main characteristics of sin.
[Verse 3]. Satan is mighty, but not almighty. Nor is he mightier than the angel that approaches him with the authority of God, seizes him and throws him into the abyss. There is no mention of a fight, as it was the case when he was thrown out of heaven [Rev 12:7].
The angel works in a thorough way. After he has thrown satan into the abyss, he shuts it over him. There is no connection for satan anymore with the world above him. As an extra security the angel seals the abyss over satan. Satan will in no way be able to exercise any destructive influence on people.
“The nations” here are the citizens, for the armies of these nations are killed in Har-Magedon. The sheep from these nations will enter the millennial kingdom of peace [Matt 25:32-34].
It will be a time of unprecedented peace and safety, although the heart of man will not be changed, as will become apparent when satan is released for a short time. Righteousness then reigns on earth, but does not yet dwell there. That will only be so in the eternal state [2Pet 3:13], when sin has been taken away of the world [John 1:29]. Men can and will still sin in the kingdom of peace, but at that time it will immediately be judged [Ps 101:8]; [Isa 65:11-20]; [Zeph 3:5].
Those who will be born in the kingdom of peace and will not be born again at the end of it, will rebel against God. The wickedness of their heart will be exposed at the release of satan. To that end, this release “must” happen. This ‘must’ shows a Divine necessity. This happens “after these things”, which is after the thousand years have come to an end and not one day earlier. It is also “for a short time”, which means that he is allowed to operate as long as God determines it.
It is incomprehensible that people can think that satan is now already bound and doesn’t deceive the nations any longer. There are indeed angels now already bound with chains [2Pet 2:4]; [Jude 1:6], but that is a totally different category.
[Verse 2]. This is an historic moment. There have been several historic moments, but this one is indeed a specially memorable event. The angel lays hold on him who is the cause of all misery of people because he has brought sin into the world. Then he binds him with the chain that he brought with him, so that satan will not be able to move for a thousand years. Every opportunity to deceive men with his craftiness and to drag them into destruction will be taken away from him. He will no longer be the prince of the world and the god of this age [John 12:31]; [2Cor 4:4]. His rule over man is over.
That he as a person with his fourfold expression – “the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan” – will be bound and shut up, indicates that he in all his variations of wickedness will be shut up and cannot manifest himself in any way. With the judgment on satan the judgments that introduced the kingdom of peace of Christ are finished. Now Christ can exercise His beneficial kingdom of peace and righteousness for man and creation. The number ‘thousand’, which appears six times in [Verse 2-7] and is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, indicates the duration of the Messianic empire. Otherwise we would not have known the duration of this empire. That’s why the expression ‘millennial’ kingdom is used.
Here, for the second time, the four names for the great deceiver and enemy of God are used [Rev 12:9]. He is called “the dragon” because of his horribly violent and relentless performance. He is also called “the serpent of old”. That indicates the deadly cunning nature of this monster that winds itself around its prey to suffocate it and devour it. As the “devil” he is the tempter, the deceiver of men. As “Satan” he is the adversary of God. Both these characteristics – violence and lie – are the main characteristics of sin.
[Verse 3]. Satan is mighty, but not almighty. Nor is he mightier than the angel that approaches him with the authority of God, seizes him and throws him into the abyss. There is no mention of a fight, as it was the case when he was thrown out of heaven [Rev 12:7].
The angel works in a thorough way. After he has thrown satan into the abyss, he shuts it over him. There is no connection for satan anymore with the world above him. As an extra security the angel seals the abyss over satan. Satan will in no way be able to exercise any destructive influence on people.
“The nations” here are the citizens, for the armies of these nations are killed in Har-Magedon. The sheep from these nations will enter the millennial kingdom of peace [Matt 25:32-34].
It will be a time of unprecedented peace and safety, although the heart of man will not be changed, as will become apparent when satan is released for a short time. Righteousness then reigns on earth, but does not yet dwell there. That will only be so in the eternal state [2Pet 3:13], when sin has been taken away of the world [John 1:29]. Men can and will still sin in the kingdom of peace, but at that time it will immediately be judged [Ps 101:8]; [Isa 65:11-20]; [Zeph 3:5].
Those who will be born in the kingdom of peace and will not be born again at the end of it, will rebel against God. The wickedness of their heart will be exposed at the release of satan. To that end, this release “must” happen. This ‘must’ shows a Divine necessity. This happens “after these things”, which is after the thousand years have come to an end and not one day earlier. It is also “for a short time”, which means that he is allowed to operate as long as God determines it.
It is incomprehensible that people can think that satan is now already bound and doesn’t deceive the nations any longer. There are indeed angels now already bound with chains [2Pet 2:4]; [Jude 1:6], but that is a totally different category.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that 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 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.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-02-26 Source: Title: Revelation Author: Ger de Koning |
Here is a vision, showing by a figure the restraints laid on Satan himself. Christ, with Almighty power, will keep the devil from deceiving mankind as he has hitherto done. He never wants power and instruments to break the power of Satan. Christ shuts by his power, and seals by his authority. The church shall have a time of peace and prosperity, but all her trials are not yet over.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that 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 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.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
This angel who came down from heaven, who has dominion over the bottomless pit, and who is able to tie up Satan and bound him, is the symbol of the Angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, who came down from heaven, and was nailed on the cross for the sake of human beings, in order to wipe out the writing of requirements that was against us. Thereafter, Satan will not have a place, nor right over us, and the believer thereby can tread on Satan and his power.
As the Holy Bible says (1), “...now the ruler of this world will be cast out” [John 12:31].
“Having wiped out the writing of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, and He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it, that is the cross” [Col 2:14-15].
“... of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” [John 16:11].
“I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” [Luke 10:19].
We find in the New Testament many quotations to reassure our souls not that Satan’s behavior is tied down, but his authority is confined. Therefore he cannot have dominion over man so far as man gives him no place into his heart. But if man chooses to allow something of Satan’s belongings to enter in his heart, thus he surrenders willingly to the enemy.
Many are the writings of the early Church Fathers who give to the believers hope and courage to fight Satan without fear nor trouble. Thus the believer is reassured that with the cross of the Lord, he will tie him down and destroy him.
St. Augustine says (2), that the Angel coming down from heaven is the Lord Jesus, who rescued those who had the hope for salvation from hell. He as well tied down the power of Satan, so that he would not have dominion over His militants during their struggle on earth.
As for the time of thousand years, it could be understood in two ways:
1) That the Church in her struggle on earth lives in the day of the Lord, or “the Sabbath,” which started with the resurrection of the Lord, and it will never end. Thus will stay this way, an endless Sabbath for the saints, as they finish their strive, and finally they live in eternity as an extension to their life here.
For the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, therefore his time was calculated to be a thousand years!
2) That it points to time (after crucifixion, or resurrection), for a thousand indicates the completeness of time and its plenty.
It is the period which started on the Lord's entry into “the strong man's house and plundered his goods, after binding him” [Mark 3:27]. He always grants His children to strive, and overcome Satan. When the Antichrist comes, he unties Satan who will mislead even the chosen ones if possible.
Although a few Protestant dominations despise this interpretation, and say sarcastically how can you say that Satan is tied down and we see him working and working, probably he will be tied down later (3). I will let their brethren the Protestant and especially the Lutherans answer this.
For example, Charles Erdman says, that the Lord and His disciples used words stronger than (tie, or prison,) to reveal the effectiveness of the redemptive work of Jesus on Satan, as He said “The ruler of this world is judged.”
Rev. Joseph S. Exell quoted in “The Biblical Illustrator” the opinions of the interpreters. Many from our brethren the Protestant insist strongly on accepting this interpretation, which is that Satan is actually tied down, in what concerns the true believer.
As the Holy Bible says (1), “...now the ruler of this world will be cast out” [John 12:31].
“Having wiped out the writing of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, and He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it, that is the cross” [Col 2:14-15].
“... of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” [John 16:11].
“I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” [Luke 10:19].
We find in the New Testament many quotations to reassure our souls not that Satan’s behavior is tied down, but his authority is confined. Therefore he cannot have dominion over man so far as man gives him no place into his heart. But if man chooses to allow something of Satan’s belongings to enter in his heart, thus he surrenders willingly to the enemy.
Many are the writings of the early Church Fathers who give to the believers hope and courage to fight Satan without fear nor trouble. Thus the believer is reassured that with the cross of the Lord, he will tie him down and destroy him.
St. Augustine says (2), that the Angel coming down from heaven is the Lord Jesus, who rescued those who had the hope for salvation from hell. He as well tied down the power of Satan, so that he would not have dominion over His militants during their struggle on earth.
As for the time of thousand years, it could be understood in two ways:
1) That the Church in her struggle on earth lives in the day of the Lord, or “the Sabbath,” which started with the resurrection of the Lord, and it will never end. Thus will stay this way, an endless Sabbath for the saints, as they finish their strive, and finally they live in eternity as an extension to their life here.
For the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, therefore his time was calculated to be a thousand years!
2) That it points to time (after crucifixion, or resurrection), for a thousand indicates the completeness of time and its plenty.
It is the period which started on the Lord's entry into “the strong man's house and plundered his goods, after binding him” [Mark 3:27]. He always grants His children to strive, and overcome Satan. When the Antichrist comes, he unties Satan who will mislead even the chosen ones if possible.
Although a few Protestant dominations despise this interpretation, and say sarcastically how can you say that Satan is tied down and we see him working and working, probably he will be tied down later (3). I will let their brethren the Protestant and especially the Lutherans answer this.
For example, Charles Erdman says, that the Lord and His disciples used words stronger than (tie, or prison,) to reveal the effectiveness of the redemptive work of Jesus on Satan, as He said “The ruler of this world is judged.”
Rev. Joseph S. Exell quoted in “The Biblical Illustrator” the opinions of the interpreters. Many from our brethren the Protestant insist strongly on accepting this interpretation, which is that Satan is actually tied down, in what concerns the true believer.
Footnote
(1) Cf. Fr. Pishoy kamel: The Millennium, (Our orthodox Church Faith, no. 3).
(2) Cf. City of God, 20:7.
(3) We will mention this thought of theirs once more, when we discuss the millennium
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that 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 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.
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2023-01-18 Source: Title: The book of Revelation Year (original): 1996 Author: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty Number of pages: 257 Publisher/Editor: St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria Print: Anba Reuis Press, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt Translation: Victoria and Ramzy Malaty |
Those years wherein Satan is bound are in the first advent of Christ, even to the end of the age; and they are called a thousand, according to that mode of speaking, wherein a part is signified by the whole, just as is that passage, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations, although they are not a thousand. Moreover that he says, and he cast him into the abyss, he says this, because the devil, excluded from the hearts of believers, began to take possession of the wicked, in whose hearts, blinded day by day, he is shut up as if in a profound abyss. And he shut him up, says he, and put a seal upon him, that he should not deceive the nations until the thousand years should be finished. He shut the door upon him, it is said, that is, he forbade and restrained his seducing those who belong to Christ. Moreover, he put a seal upon him, because it is hidden who belong to the side of the devil, and who to that of Christ. For we know not of those who seem to stand whether they shall not fall, and of those who are down it is uncertain whether they may rise. Moreover, that he says that he is bound and shut up, that he may not seduce the nations, the nations signify the Church, seeing that of them it itself is formed, and which being seduced, he previously held until, he says, the thousand years should be completed, that is, what is left of the sixth day, to wit, of the sixth age, which subsists for a thousand years; after this he must be loosed for a little season. The little season signifies three years and six months, in which with all his power the devil will avenge himself under Antichrist against the Church. Finally, he says, after that the devil shall be loosed, and will seduce the nations in the whole world, and will entice war against the Church, the number of whose foes shall be as the sand of the sea.
 | Author: Victorinus of Pettau AD: 303 |
bottomless pit. this is meant the countless multitude of the wicked whose hearts are unfathomably deep in malignity against the Church of God; (City of God 20.7)
 | Author: Augustine of Hippo Rank: Bishop AD: 430 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
