In Revelation 20:1-3, we read about Satan being bound for 1,000 years, raising questions about whether this is a literal or symbolic event. Some interpret the millennium as a future era yet to come, while others believe it may already be unfolding in the present age.
How should we understand the nature of this binding and its timeframe? Is it a literal 1,000 years, or does the number symbolize something greater? And what implications does this passage hold for the ultimate defeat of Satan and the reign of Christ?
Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
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. KJV
To answer the original questions:
Satan’s binding is a future event.
It happens after the last battle in Revelation.
It is a literal event.
Satan will be placed in this pit, and not aloud out for 1000 years.
Blessings
The article makes it clear that there is no consensus and much controversy.
Sorry @Joe but no one gets to pronounce a decree –it is literal– as if they have some sort of final say. There are good arguments to be made on all sides and from many perspectives. It’s nothing to divide over, because all of it-- your beliefs included, are speculative.
Wow! It’s not literal. Well, where is the New Heaven and New Earth that comes after this. It’s certainly been more than a 1000 years since the Roman Empire and certainly Satan hasn’t been cast into the lake of fire. In fact, everywhere I look, I see his handiwork of evil manifested.
There is no reason to make the Millenniel Reign to be anything but literal. This isn’t a hard to understand verse or a particularly difficult parable. This is a whole chapter that explains why there is peace( both due to Satan being bound and also Christ reigning).Jesus even explains most parables. The vast majority of symbols are easily explained. There are many verses in the Old Testament that point to this time of peace, Isaiah 2:4, 11:6,62:24; Ezekiel 34:25; Hosea 2:18; Micah 2:3-4; and Zechariah 9:10 to name a few. Even the Jewish people believe in this time of peace where Israel will be exalted, the Messiah shall reign, and there will be great peace. The Bible is incredibly consistent, but everything happens in God’s good time. Even 2 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For from the time that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Hi
What is the purpose for writing the book of The Revelation?
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; KJV
So we can establish that at least part of the book is dealing with future events.
Has the 1000 year reign of Christ began?
No.
So we know that is still in the future.
Does evil still exist in the world today?
Yes.
So we know that satan has not been bound and cast into the bottomless pit?.
This is how we know know that this event still in the future.
Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
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. KJV
This is part of the celebration over winning the battle of Armageddon.
Has that battle occurred yet?
No.
So again, we know this is a future event.
John was not speculating when he wrote.
John wrote what he was observing.
It was real to John.
Therefore it is real to me.
Of course you may believe what you want.
But every indication by John is that this is a real event that happens sometime in the future.
Blessings
It surprises me that some think its not literal…the letter of Revelation is addressed to the 1st century Christians. It is very clear that the Lord is declaring a 1000 year abyssing of Satan while Christs Kingdom runs from the heavenly then present Temple of God.
There are various ideas but I teach and declare that its a literal time period
Brother Andrew Beresford
