This chapter describes the judgement at the return of Christ and the final eradication of sin from the world.

Verses 1/3

The dragon, or old serpent or Devil or Satan (see Revelation 12 v 3, 9), is shut up in the abyss (AV �bottomless pit�) until 1000 years are fulfilled, at which time he is loosed. (The beast in Revelation 13 - 19, which is destroyed at the return of Christ, is just one manifestation of the dragon. The dragon is a more general representation of man's rebellious nature which is not eradicated until the end of the 1000 years.)

The idea of shutting the enemies of God in a pit seems to come from Isaiah 24 v 21, 22 which speaks of� �the kings of the earth� that �shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited� (heb paqad - which can have the idea of being punished). The reference in this passage to the kings of the earth� seems to tie in with the context of this part of� Revelation, as chapter 19 v 19 speaks of �the beast, and the kings of the earth� being gathered together to make war against Christ and his army. However, the hebrew word translated "earth" in Isaiah 24 v 21 is adamah or "ground" as opposed to erets, which is used in the expression "kings of the earth" in the Old Testament. The expression "kings of the ground" in Isaiah 24 v 21 seems to be related to passages like Isaiah 23 v 17, which says that Tyre will commit fornication "with all the kingdoms of the earth (AV world - heb erets) upon the face of the ground (AV earth - heb adamah)". This seems to be defining a larger area than the area occupied by the kings of the earth, and appears to be referring to all kingdoms of the world. This suggestion is borne out by the use of the same expression in Jeremiah 25 v 26. There it is used to cover nations not already mentioned in Jeremiah 25, when listing those who would have to take the cup of God's wrath. So, the expression, "kings of the ground" in Isaiah 24 v 21 seems to be apply to all nations, not just the kings of the earth, who can be considered to be just a small part of them. The dragon, being shut up in the abyss, indicates the total subjection of the nations when the Lord Jesus returns to the earth.

Revelation 19 verse 20 described the fate of the beast and verse 21 the fate of the remnant (which it is suggested includes the kings of the earth). The notes on Revelation 19 suggested that verse 20� occurs at the start of the kingdom age, and verse 21 at the end of it. The reference in Isaiah 24 v 22 to the kings of the ground being visited after many days provides a link into Ezekiel 38, which similarly says of Gog and his allies that �after many days thou shalt be visited�. This link suggests that Gog and his allies are a re-emergence of the kings of the ground and that Ezekiel chapter 38 describes their destruction at the end of the 1000 years.

The reference to the kings of the ground being prisoners (heb� asir) ties in with Psalm 2 v 3, where the kings of the earth say �Let us break their bands (heb moseroth - a related word to asir) asunder�. This indicates that it is not all the kings of the ground who rebel against Yahweh and his anointed, but merely the kings of the earth, who are the ones who fought against the Lord Jesus when he returns.

Verse 4

This verse contains references back to Daniel chapter 7 ("I saw thrones" - 7 v 9 ; "and judgement was given unto them" - 7 v 22). Between these verses in Daniel 7 is the statement that "the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame" (v 11). This accords with the destruction of the beast recorded in Revelation 19 v 20.

Verse 5

This verse contains two expressions which need explanation. First of all it says that "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished", which follows the statement in verse 4 that the faithful lived and reigned with Christ for 1000 years. This verse can give the impression that there is a resurrection at the end of the 1000 years, however it is more likely that it is using the same idiom as 2 Samuel 6 v 23, where it says that Michal the daughter of Saul "had no child unto the day of her death". This does not mean that Michal had a child on the day she died, but rather that she never had a child. Also, in Leviticus 7 v 15, it speaks of not leaving any of the flesh of a sacrifice �until the morning�. This means that in the morning all the flesh should have been eaten. Similarly, the rest of the dead at the return of Christ do not continue to "live again" to the end of the 1000 years. The "dead" referred to here are likely to be those in verse 12 which are raised to judgement, i.e. they do "live again", but are found unworthy (v 14). The period in which they do "live again" is short, it does not last "until the thousand years were finished", but ends before that with the lake of fire.

Revelation 20 v 3 uses a similar expression about the dragon ("he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled ; after that he must be loosed a little season"). Here something is clearly stated as happening after the statement about the 1000 years, whereas in verse 5 there is no corresponding statement.

The second expression in v 5 which needs explanation is "this is the first resurrection". What does this statement refer to? A clue is given by a similar expression in v 14 of the same chapter "this is the second death". From the context it seems to refer to the verse that follows it "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". As such, "this is the ...." seems to be a summary of what follows after it. This pattern is not unknown in scripture, for example in Genesis 10 v 1 it says "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth". The generations it refers to follow it.

Verse 6

This verse describes aspects of the first resurrection. Those who have a part in it reign with Christ (see v 4) and the second death (described in v 15) has no power over them. So for someone who dies prior to Christ's return and is responsible for judgement, the options are:

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� a part in the kingdom
����� Lives ->�� Dies�� ->������������������������� Lives again������� /
������������������ (1st death)�������������������� (1st resurrection)��� \
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� no part -> 2nd death

Verses 7/10

Some suggestions relating to the use of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 in the Book of Revelation are set out in the notes on chapter 19. They suggest that the Gogian invasion of Ezekiel 38 occurs at the end of the reign of Christ when Israel "dwells safely". This conclusion is consistent with Revelation 20 v 7, 8, which indicates that Gog and Magog invade the land when the "1000 years" are expired.

Verse 7 says that Satan shall �deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog�. Ezekiel 38 v 15 indicates that Gog will come from the north, however the �many people� with him (e.g. Persia, Ethiopia, Libya) provide a consistent picture with Revelation chapter 20, namely that the four quarters of the earth will be deceived.

In Revelation 20 v 8 it says that the number of those gathered to battle �is as the sand of the sea�. This can be regarded as a quotation from Joshua 11 v 4 which describes the time when some of the kings of the land of Israel fought against Israel and were �as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many�. This link confirms the view that another group of kings of the earth will fight against Yahweh, when Gog and Magog gather together and come �upon the breadth of the earth� (v 9).

Joshua �houghed their horses and burnt their chariots with fire� (Joshua 11 v 9). This links in with Ezekiel 38, 39 which says that those dwelling in Israel �shall burn the weapons with fire�.� Also in Joshua 11, it says that �all the spoil of the cities ... the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves� (v 14). This compares with Ezekiel 39 v 10 which says that Israel �shall spoil those that spoiled them�.

As with Revelation 19 v 3, the statement in Revelation 20 v 10 that the torment of the nations is "day and night for ever and ever" does not mean that it carries on for ever, but that this punishment will not be repealed. The devil, the deceiver of men and accuser of God is gone for ever.

Verses 11/15

Verses 11 - 14 provide a description of the judgement of men when Christ returns. This is seen from the fact that v 12 quotes Daniel 7 v 10, "the books were opened", and then Daniel 7 continues to describe the slaying of the beast (v 11). Revelation 20 v 11 says that earth and heaven fled from the face of God and that "no place was found" for them. This quotes Daniel 2 v 35, as Revelation 12 v 8 does, and indicates that the old order of the kingdoms of men will be swept away by Jesus Christ, the stone, who grinds them to pieces. The earth and heaven are replaced by "a new heaven and a new earth" (21 v 1). In the expression, "Heaven and earth", Heaven seems to refer to rulers� and earth to their subjects in this instance.
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It is suggested elsewhere in these notes that, in the Book of Revelation, heaven can be where God dwells (e.g. in Jerusalem and in the ekklesia) and earth is the land of Israel. These other definitions of heaven and earth should have been synonymous with those in Revelation chapter 20. God should have dwelt among the rulers of Israel, who should have manifested his will in their judgements, and the land should have been full of people subject to this leadership. In the new heaven and new earth, God will dwell with the new rulers of the world and the people in the land will be subject to them. Additionally, as the sea of the nations is to disappear, the land or earth will cover the whole world.

The "small and great" in Revelation 20 v 12 are those mentioned in 19 v 5, which in turn quotes Psalm 115 v 13. The significance of mentioning the "small and great" may be related to the expressions "everyman according to his works" (20 v 13) and "according to works" (20 v 12). These statements point back to Psalm 62 v 12, with the preceding verses of the psalm indicating that rank in this world ultimately counts for nothing, and the fear of Yahweh everything. In Psalm 115 v 13 the �small and great� are those who �fear Yahweh�.

The expression "written in the books" points to Daniel 12 v 1, where it says that everyone that is found written in the book shall be delivered. The plural "books" in Revelation 20 v 12 indicates perhaps that there is a book of death as well as a book of life (v 15).

Verse 13 speaks of the sea giving up the dead which were in it, identifying them separately from the dead in "death and hell". Death and hell are mentioned in Revelation 6 v 8 as having power over the earth (or land). It is suggested that the dead coming from "Death and Hell" are those from the land, whereas those from the sea are those from the nations who are to be judged.
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The names of the nations Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Cush (Ethiopia), Put (Libya), Gomer, Togarmah, Sheba, Dedan and Tarshish in Ezekiel chapter 38 are drawn from Genesis 10 v 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. Gog and Persia (Paras) are not mentioned in Genesis chapter 10.

Gog may be related to the hebrew word �gag�, which is translated as roof top or house top. This would be in keeping with Gog�s physical location, at the top of the land of Israel (the north). However, Gog can also be considered to be the top of a house of nations which arise to challenge the rule of Christ. Hence in Ezekiel 38 v 2 it is described as the �head� or �first� (heb rosh - AV �chief prince�) of Meshech and Tubal. This house is the one referred to in Psalm 2 v 2, where the kings of the earth �make themselves stand� (AV �set themselves�) and �are founded together� (AV �take counsel together�) in an alliance against Yahweh.

The roof or house top is associated with idolatry in scripture.� Jeremiah 32 v 29 and� Zephaniah 1 v 5 demonstrate this,� and� 2 Kings 23 v 12 speaks about Josiah clearing the altars from the �top (heb gag) of the upper chamber of Ahaz�.

Genesis chapter 10 describes a time after the flood, but which is before mankind�s speech is confounded (Genesis 11 v 7). The sort of political conditions existing in Genesis chapter 10 will be re-established in the kingdom but are very different to those that exist today. The use of Genesis 10 language in Ezekiel chapter 38 supports the view that it describes events which occur in the kingdom age.

Another group of names taken from Genesis chapter 10 occurs in Isaiah 66 v 19 (Tarshish, Lud,� those that draw the bow [�those that draw� is the hebrew Moshek and is related to Meshech], Tubal and Javan - see Genesis 10 v 2, 4, 13). Again, this passage applies to the time of the kingdom and the survivors (Isaiah 66 v 19) from the time when Yahweh pleads with all flesh (Isaiah 66 v 16).

It� was seen earlier in the notes on Revelation chapter 19 that �dwelling safely� (Ezekiel 38 v 8) is a phrase used to describe life in the kingdom. Additionally, in verse 11 Israel is described as �the land of unwalled villages� (heb perazoth).� This hebrew word is used to describe Jerusalem in Zechariah 2 v 4 at the time when �Yahweh will be unto her a wall of fire round about� (v 5). It also occurs in Esther 9 v 19 to describe how the Jews dwelt after being redeemed from their enemies. The use of the expression �unwalled villages� in Ezekiel 38 is consistent with a picture of life in the kingdom.

The invasion described in Ezekiel chapter 38 can be considered to be a flood, but with opposite aims to the one which God sent on the earth. The invasion is described as being like �a cloud to cover the land�, which is a description of conditions which precede a flood (Genesis 9 v 14). The flood is alluded to again in Ezekiel 38 v 20 when it refers to �the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all men� shaking. This contrasts with Genesis 7 v 21 when fowls, cattle, beasts, creeping things and men all died. Also, in Genesis 9 v 14 it refers to a bow in the cloud being a reminder of God�s covenant with Noah, whereas the bow in the invading cloud in Ezekiel 38, 39 is smitten from the hand of the aggressor (39 v 3) and burnt (39 v 9).

Ezekiel 38 v 17 says to Gog, �you are he (AV �art thou he�) of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days� / years that I would bring thee against them�. This raises the question of where these prophesies are recorded? Earlier on in this section, it was shown that Gog is a re-emergence of the kings of the earth and that Isaiah 24 and Psalm 2 provides the background to this passage. It is possible that Isaiah 30 and its prophesy against Asshur is another passage that relates to these events, as there are a number of similarities there with Ezekiel chapter 38.
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Also, Isaiah 30 v 31 speaks of� Yahweh smiting Assyria with a rod. This echoes the language of� Psalm 2 v 9, where Yahweh�s king breaks the nations with a rod of iron.

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