Robert Cragg

Chapter 20

Verses 1-3 The Devil, who empowered the Beast (Anti-Christ)and the False prophet shares their doom. In the first stage of his judgement, he is bound for a thousand years in the bottomless pit.
The purpose of binding of the Devil is that he should deceive the nations no more.
From the time of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it has no longer been possible for satan to keep the peoples of the world in darkness without contest (Luke 2: 29-32) as disciples proclaim the gospel to "all nations" (see Matt. 28:18-20).

An angel coming down from heaven laid hold of the dragon signifies that satan is uniquely at work on Earth. He is bound for the lenght of the Millennium in order that Christ might establish divine authority.

Verses 4-6
The plural thrones is used only 4 times in Rev.and those seated on them are always the twenty-four elders. Judgment was committed to them as representatives of the church un heaven and on Earth.

Souls: The vision is of a time before the final Resurrection.

The first resurrection includes the resurrection of 1. Jesus Christ
2. many dead saints of OT times
(Matt. 27:52,53)
3.The dead saints of the church.
4. The rapture of the living saints.
( 1 Thess. 4: 16,17)
5. Those who are martyred for their testimony during the Great Tribulation.
Verses 7-10
Satan's desire to hasten the day of the battle in order to frustrate God's purpose by limiting the scope of His salvation(2 Pet.3:8-10)
but he is bound until God determines to release him. He then will make one last effort to destroy Christ and His people. This is the last insurrection that the Lord will tolerate. Satan will next be cast into lake of fire and tormented forever.
Verses 11-15
The final judgement is concerned with the spiritually dead, not the saints.
The Book of Life was opened to reveal that the names of the dead do not appear in it.
"The last enemy" to be destroyed is Death and Hates,the temporary abode of the dead until the Final judgement. They are as powerless as the other forces of evil.