At the beginning of creation, “… the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep”. (Genesis 1:2)

In Jeremiah 4:23-26, the prophet sees the earth in a similar state:

“I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light”.

“I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly”.

“I beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled”.

“I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger”.

At some future time, the earth will again be without form, void, and dark. There will be no man or bird, and the cities will have been broken down at the presence of the Lord.

The Second Coming of Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is vividly and symbolically depicted in Revelation 19.

It appears that Revelation 20 is a continuation of Chapter 19 and the Second Coming of Christ, because Satan is cast into a bottomless pit, and the word for “bottomless pit” is rendered “deep” in Genesis 1:2.

It is the presence of the Lord that breaks down the cities and renders the earth to be without form and void, once again. Satan is there upon the face of the deep or bottomless pit. (Revelation 20:1-3)

No man is there.

The wicked have been consumed with the spirit of His mouth and destroyed by the brightness of His coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Ephesians 6:17; Luke 17:28-30; Revelation 19:21)

Where are the righteous?

At Christ’s coming, “… the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord”. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

The saints are with Jesus, and John says, “… I saw thrones and they (the saints) sat upon them, and judgment was given them … and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished”.

“This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years”. (Revelation 20: 4-6)

Judgment is given to the saints.

“Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:1-3)

“… ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel ”. (Matthew 19:28. See Luke 22:30.)

“… and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High …”. (Daniel 7:22)

It appears that the great judgment scene of Daniel 7:9-14 where, “… the judgment was set, and the books were opened”, is the same as the white throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15 where, “… the books were opened … and the dead were judged out of these things which were written in the books …” (verse 12).

“And I saw thrones and they (the saints) sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them … and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”. (Revelation 20:4)

Just as the saints reign with Christ a thousand years, so Satan is “bound” a thousand years, and “… should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled …” (verses 2 and 3).

What binds Satan for a thousand years?

There is no one to tempt. There is no man on earth.

The wicked are dead. The saints have been taken up to reign with Christ a thousand years. Since the saints are not on earth, they must be with Christ in heaven where the books are opened and judgment is given to them for a thousand years.

Both Christ (Matthew 19:28 ; Luke 22:30 ) and the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 6:1-3) say that the saints shall judge. This should clarify other texts which could be construed to mean a favorable verdict was given to the saints instead of the role of judge being given to them. (Daniel 7:22 and Revelation 20:4)

And what takes place at the end of the thousand year period?

Satan has been bound (no one to tempt) for a thousand years, “… that he should deceive the nations no more TILL THE THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED: after that, he must be loosed a little season”. (Revelation 20:3)

The saints have, “… lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished …” (verses 4 and 5).

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison” (verse 7).

Satan, having no one to tempt, to deceive, is said to be bound in prison, upon the face of the deep, that is, the bottomless pit.

Having someone to tempt, some nations to deceive, loosens Satan from his prison.

If there is a first resurrection in which the blessed and holy take part … then there must be a second resurrection for others. Note that, “… the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (verses 6, 5).

Revelation 20 helps us to understand other texts which speak of two resurrections.

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life (1), and some to shame and everlasting contempt (2)”. (Daniel 12:2)

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life (1); and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation, (2)”. (John 5: 28, 29)

“And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just”. (Luke 14:14)

Two resurrections:

The resurrection of life or the just.

The resurrection of damnation.

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand were finished” (verse 5).

When the rest of the dead come back to life at the second resurrection, the scriptures say that Satan, “… shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth …” (verse 8).

The dead in Christ, the blessed and the holy, rise in the first resurrection, live and reign with Christ in heaven for a thousand years while judging the world.

The rest of the dead rise at the end of the thousand years and Satan deceives them, once more, in attacking the Holy City , the New Jerusalem which has come down from God in Heaven. Fire comes down and devours them.

Yet every knee will bow and every tongue confess that God has been just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus. (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10, 11; Romans 3:26)

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