When we recite together the Nicene Creed, one of the truths we affirm is I believe in all that is, seen and unseen. In the last chapters of John’s revelation he is giving us a glimpse, an insight, behind the veil to see the unseen realities that exist beyond our five senses. The material and the spiritual, the seen and the unseen, exist side by side. Our great temptation is to forget spiritual realities, to reduce all of life to the material, to what we can feel, taste, smell and touch.
Chapter 20 begins with the image of Satan being bound and imprisoned for a thousand years. The meaning of these verses is among the most contested in the entire Bible. How should we understand the meaning of this thousand-year imagery? This is not the venue to get into a full exploration of the debate and varieties of interpretation offered. As we have done while exploring other passages of Revelation, we will seek to avoid fanciful understandings and instead will attempt to interpret the passage in a way that is meaningful to the church throughout the ages and is consistent with other biblical teaching.
First, the binding of Satan is probably best understood as having occurred during the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth came proclaiming the Kingdom and casting out demons. Whatever was the prior scope of Satan’s power, with our Lord’s arrival it was circumscribed and limited. Secondly, the result of Satan’s binding is that he is no longer able to deceive the nations. With the coming of Christ, the gospel is now proclaimed to the Gentile world. The nations now know. The promise given to Abraham1 was that through him and his descendants the nations of the world will be blessed. With Christ’s advent the power of Satan to keep humankind in the dark is now ended. Thirdly, as with the other numbers we have encountered in Revelation, it is best to interpret the thousand years in question symbolically, not literally. For these reasons I would suggest that the best way to understand the millennial reign of Christ is as the time in between. It is the time in which we live, the time between his first advent and his Second Coming. It is the time of the Church militant.
And this leads us to the next phase of John’s vision and another puzzling passage, vs. 4-6. Again I would suggest that it is best to view this from the experience of the church in the world. What does John see? He sees some who occupy thrones of judgment. Those who occupy those thrones are those who 1) have suffered greatly and 2) who have not yielded to the mark of the beast. They belong to Christ and reign with Christ during the thousand years. This is a vision to encourage Christians facing hardship and persecution. We are peering behind the veil of history. While the church in the world is buffeted and battered, the greater reality is that she is held fast and secure. The saints already reign with Christ. The reference to the first resurrection in v. 5 is probably to be understood as a reference to the moment of regeneration when, by Christ’s power, a man or woman is reborn in Christ. By faith believers have already passed from death to new life. The reference to the rest of the dead in this verse applies to those who have not experienced this new life and so will wait in their graves until the time of the final judgment.
Vs. 7–10 describe the final battle that brings an end to the world. This is the same battle described in 16:14-16. The war Satan wages is an all out war. His defeat will be total and complete. In the end, behind the veil, there are only two options, two realities: Christ or Satan. And this reminds us that the kingdom of heaven is not an achievement. It is not something that we will usher in by our spiritual efforts or accomplishments. The battle belongs to the Lord.
The world ends with a bang, and after that (vs. 11-15), comes judgment. What we do on earth counts for eternity. Before God’s throne of judgment the dead are raised. Two books are open. We are told that one is The Book of Life. The first death is physical death here on earth. The second death is the Day of Judgment. The only escape is for one’s name to be written in The Book of Life. The other book is not named, but it appears to be a catalog of human works, for we are told that the dead are judged (v. 12) according to their works, as recorded in the books.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
Chapter 21:1–8 tell the last vision of Scene Seven in the sequence of the cycles of John’s revelation. In Scene Seven we saw behind the veil, discerning fundamental spiritual realities that stand alongside of the world as we know it. The final vision of this scene is of things made new: a new heaven, a new earth, and a new city, a heavenly Jerusalem. A voice declares: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” This is the great hope of the church, that one day the renovation will be complete. We will behold God in his glory. We will see his strength and beauty. It is the hope of the beatific vision.
In v. 1 John tells us that he sees a new heaven and earth, and he also tells us one thing he does not see. He sees no sea. Why does he include this detail? The sea was a baptismal image. It was an image of redemption. You pass through the waters of baptism to enter the Promised Land. Now John is there, he is on the other side of redemption. There is no baptismal image now because that dispensation has passed.
This is the message of hope given in the book of Revelation. The failure and fragility of the church in the world is not the final word. Our three great enemies, the world, the flesh and Satan will not have the final word. Catastrophe, heartache, sacrifice and suffering are real, but they are not last word. Even when we encounter evil at its greatest—think of the beast and his number—that too is not the last word. The last word is here, in these verses, with the promise of consummation and restoration, of wiped away tears and of spiritual thirst that is finally satisfied.
One More Thing
But of course, the book of Revelation does not end here. There are still more verses to go. Before we look at them, let us think again about the structure of the book as I have laid it out in this study. We have followed seven cycles or scenes within Revelation. Within each scene, there have been seven separate visions. The seven visions of each scene are obvious in the case of the Letters (1:9-3:22), the Seals (4:1-8:1), the Trumpets (8:2-11:18) and the Bowls (15:5-16:21), and easily discernable in the remaining scenes. Taking note of the fact that there have been seven scenes, each with seven visions, we realize that there is a numeric symbolism at work again in this book. No Jew would miss the meaning of the number 49. Ancient Jewish law provided for a year of Jubilee that was to be observed every fiftieth year. The Year of Jubilee brought the release of every slave; the restoration of what had been lost, the opportunity of a new beginning. The final scene, the Eighth Scene, of Revelation, (beginning at v. 9) is the Jubilee. With this ending is a new beginning.
An angel promises to take John and show to him the bride of the Lamb (v. 9). He takes John to a high mountain and, surprisingly, shows to him the new city of Jerusalem descending from heaven. It is surprising because the city is a symbol of human effort to organize and live life independent from the knowledge of God. The first city was founded by Cain.2 As he runs from God he founds a city to help him hide from the Almighty. Human life began in a garden. We would expect that at the end of the story we would find a return to that garden. Instead, God takes the city, that place where we hide from him in our rebellion, and through Jesus Christ transforms and renews it. The city becomes not a place of rebellion but of redemption.3 Further, the bride of Christ is herself the new city of Jerusalem. The number twelve predominates. There are twelve gates symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. There are twelve foundations, symbolizing the twelve apostles. Together, the twenty-four make up the totality of God’s people. The imagery of the stones in vs. 19-20 suggest the precious stones that were imbedded in the breastplate worn by the High Priest of Israel. The stones are now part of the city, for there is no temple (v. 21). None is needed. Redemption is accomplished. Jesus Christ himself is the temple. Nor is there a sun or moon, for Christ’s glory illuminates the heavenly realms. He is the light.
Ending at the End
The Bible is unique among the books of the great religions in that it tells a story that begins at the beginning and ends at the end. The story that began in the Garden is completed in the heavenly city of Jerusalem. The rivers and trees of Genesis chapters 1–3, reappear in the last chapter of the Bible. From them flows the river of life. They had been barred to Adam and Eve but now, through Christ, the river of living water flows once more. John quotes the risen Lord Christ three times (vs. 7, 12, 20) in this final chapter of encouraging his people with the words, behold I am coming quickly. The pastoral purpose of Revelation is seen clearly in this. Christ says to his church that he is “ the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (NIV)
This study first appeared in Theology Matters, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Jan/Feb 2003).
