Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 20:3

"and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it], and sealed [it] over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time." — Revelation 20:3 (ASV)

And cast him into the bottomless pit. (See commentary on Revelation 9:1).

A state of peace and prosperity would exist as if Satan, the great disturber, were confined in the lower world as a prisoner.

And shut him up. He closed the massive doors of the dark prison-house upon him. (Compare to commentary on Job 10:21 and Job 10:22).

And set a seal upon him. Or, rather, "upon it"—epanō autou. The seal was placed upon the door or gate of the prison, not because this would fasten the gate or door by itself and make it secure (for this was secured by the key), but because it prevented intrusion or any secret opening of it without being known. (See commentary on Daniel 6:17 and Matthew 27:66).

The idea here is that every precaution was taken for absolute security.

That he should deceive the nations no more. That is, during the thousand years. (Compare to commentary on Revelation 12:9).

Till the thousand years should be fulfilled. That is, during that period there will be a state of things upon the earth as if Satan were withdrawn from the world and confined in the great prison where he is ultimately to dwell forever.

And after that he must be loosed a little season. . That is, a state of things will then exist for a brief period, as if he were again released from his prison-house and allowed to go abroad upon the earth. The phrase "a little season"—mikron chronon, little time—properly denotes that this would be brief compared with the thousand years. No indication is given as to the exact time, and it is impossible to conjecture how long it will be. All the circumstances stated, however, here and in Revelation 20:7-10, would lead us to suppose that what is referred to will be like the sudden outbreak of a rebellion in a time of general peace, which will soon be quelled.

We now consider the condition of the world in the period referred to in Revelation 20:1-3.

To correctly understand this chapter, it may be helpful to present a brief summary, under its different parts, of what, according to the proposed interpretation, may be expected as the condition of things in the time referred to.

Regarding the portion now before us (Revelation 20:1–3), according to the proposed interpretation, the following suggestions may be made:

1. This will be subsequent to the downfall of the Papacy and the termination of the Mohammedan power in the world. Of course, then, this lies in the future—how far in the future it is impossible to determine. The interpretation of the various portions of this book and the book of Daniel has, however, led to the conclusion that the termination of those powers cannot now be remote. If so, we are on the eve of important events in the world's history. The affairs of the world look as if things were tending to a fulfillment of the prophecies so understood.

2. It will be a condition of the world as if Satan were bound; that is, where his influences will be suspended, and the principles of virtue and religion will prevail. According to the interpretation of the previous chapters, it will be a state in which all that has existed, and that now exists, in the Papacy to corrupt mankind, to maintain error, and to prevent the prevalence of free and liberal principles, will cease. It will also be a state in which all that there now is in the Mohammedan system to fetter and enslave mankind—now controlling more than one hundred and twenty million of the race—will have come to an end. Furthermore, it will be a state in which, in great measure, all that occurs under the direct influence of Satan in causing or perpetuating slavery, war, intemperance, lust, avarice, disorder, skepticism, and atheism, will be checked and stayed.

   It is proper to say, however, that this passage does not require us to suppose that there will be a total cessation of Satanic influence on the earth during that period. Satan will, indeed, be bound and restrained as to his former influence and power. But there will be no change in the character of man as he comes into the world.

   There will still be corrupt passions in the human heart. Though greatly restrained, and though there will be a general prevalence of righteousness on the earth, yet we are to remember that the race is fallen. Even then, if restraint were taken away, man would act out his fallen nature. This fact, if remembered, will make it appear less strange that, after this period of prevalent righteousness, Satan should be represented as released again, and as able once more for a time to deceive the nations.

3. It will be a period of long duration. On the supposition that it is to be literally a period of one thousand years, this is in itself long and, especially under the circumstances, will provide opportunity for vast progress in human affairs. To form some idea of the length of the period, we need only place ourselves in imagination back a thousand years—say, in the middle of the ninth century—and look at the condition of the world then, and think of the vast changes in human affairs that have occurred during that period.

   It is also to be remembered that if the millennial period were to commence soon, it would find the world in a far different state regarding future progress than it was in the ninth century. It would start off, so to speak, with all the advantages in the arts and sciences accumulated in all past periods of the world.

   Even if there were no special Divine interposition, it might be presumed that the race, in such circumstances, would make great and surprising advances in the long period of a thousand years. And here a very striking remark by Mr. Hugh Miller may be introduced as illustrating the subject. He says, "It has been remarked by some students of the Apocalypse that the course of predicted events at first moves slowly, as, one after one, six of seven seals are opened; that, on the opening of the seventh seal, the progress is so considerably quickened that the seventh period proves as fertile in events—represented by the sounding of the seven trumpets—as the foregoing six taken together; and that on the seventh trumpet, so great is the further acceleration, that there is an amount of incident condensed in this seventh part of the seventh period equal, as in the former case, to that of all the previous six parts in one. There are three cycles, it has been said, in the scheme—cycle within cycle—the second comprised within a seventh portion of the first, and the third within a seventh portion of the second. Be this as it may, we may, at least, see something that exceedingly resembles it in that actual economy of change and revolution manifested in English history for the last two centuries. It would seem as if events, in their downward course, had come under the influence of that law of gravitation through which falling bodies increase in speed, as they descend, according to the squares of the distance." (First Impressions of England and its People, pp. vii, viii).

   If to this we add the supposition, which we have seen (see commentary on Revelation 20:2) to be by no means improbable, that it is intended in the description of the millennium in this chapter that the world will continue under a reign of peace and righteousness for the long period of three hundred and sixty thousand years, it is impossible to anticipate what progress will be made during that period or to enumerate the numbers that will be saved. On this subject, see some very interesting remarks in the Old Red Sandstone by Hugh Miller (pp. 248-250, 258, 259). (Compare Professor Hitchcock's Religion and Geology, pp. 370-409).

4. What, then, will be the state of things during that long period of a thousand years?

   1. There will be a great increase in the population of the globe. If wars cease, intemperance ceases, and slavery ceases, and the numberless passions that now shorten life are stayed, it is easy to see that there must be a vast augmentation in the number of the human species.

   2. There will be a general diffusion of intelligence on the earth. Every circumstance would be favorable to it, and the world would be in a condition to make rapid advances in knowledge (Daniel 12:4).

   3. That period will be characterized by the universal diffusion of revealed truth (Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 25:7).

   4. It will be marked by unlimited subjection to the scepter of Christ (Psalms 2:7; Psalms 22:27–29; Isaiah 2:2–3; Isaiah 66:23; Zechariah 9:10; Zechariah 14:9; Matthew 13:31–32; Revelation 11:15).

   5. There will be great progress in all that tends to promote the welfare of man. We are not to suppose that the resources of nature are exhausted. Nature gives no signs of exhaustion or decay. In the future, there is no reason to doubt that there will yet be discoveries and inventions more surprising and wonderful than the art of printing, the use of steam, or the magnetic telegraph. There are profounder secrets of nature that may be revealed than any of these, and the world is tending to their development.

   6. It will be a period of the universal reign of peace. The attention of mankind will be turned to the things that tend to promote the welfare of the race and advance the best interests of society. The single fact that wars will cease will make an inconceivable difference in the aspect of the world. For if universal peace prevails through the long period of the millennium, and the wealth, talent, and science now employed in human butchery are devoted to the interests of agriculture, the mechanic arts, learning, and religion, it is impossible now to estimate the progress which the race will make and the changes that will be produced on the earth. For Scripture proofs that it will be a time of universal peace, see Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:6–9; Micah 4:3.

   7. There will be a general prevalence of evangelical religion. This is apparent in the entire description in this passage, for the two most formidable opposing powers that religion has ever known—the beast and the false prophet—will be destroyed, and Satan will be bound. In this long period, therefore, we are to suppose that the gospel will exert its fair influence on governments, on families, on individuals, in the intercourse of neighbors, and in the intercourse of nations. God will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not in the mere forms of devotion; and temperance, truth, liberty, social order, honesty, and love will prevail over the world.

   8. It will be a time when the Hebrew people—the Jews—will be brought to the knowledge of the truth and will embrace the Messiah whom their fathers crucified (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 11:26–29).

   9. Yet we are not necessarily to suppose that all the world will be absolutely and entirely brought under the power of the gospel. There will still be on the earth the remains of wickedness in the corrupted human heart, and there will be so much tendency to sin in the human soul that Satan, when released for a time (Revelation 20:7–8), will be able once more to deceive mankind and to array a formidable force, represented by Gog and Magog, against the cause of truth and righteousness.

      We are not to suppose that the nature of mankind as fallen will be essentially changed, or that there may not be sin enough in the human heart to make it capable of the same opposition to the gospel of God which has thus far been evinced in all ages.

      From causes that are not fully stated (Revelation 20:8–9), Satan will be enabled once more to rouse their enmity and to make one more desperate effort to destroy the kingdom of the Redeemer by rallying his forces for a conflict. (See these views illustrated in the work entitled Christ's Second Coming by Rev. David Brown, of St. James's Free Church, Glasgow, pp. 398-442; New York, 1851).