Revelation 20:1-6: a reflection

1I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and 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 were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time. 4I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.

In the vision of the end, John sees the great enemy of God's people decisively dealt with: an angel seizes the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and binds him, that he should deceive the nations no more. And he sees those who had been faithful, even to death, reigning with Christ, over whom the second death has no power. The enemy who had deceived and harmed will be bound and defeated; and the faithful, including those who suffered for their testimony, will reign with Christ, safe from the second death. The vision assures God's people that the enemy will be defeated and the faithful will share Christ's reign.

Notice the two things the vision assures: the enemy's defeat, and the faithful's reign with Christ. The devil, who deceives and harms, is not left to work forever; he is seized, bound, and defeated. And those who were faithful, even the martyrs who died for their testimony, are not lost; they live and reign with Christ, beyond the reach of the second death. The vision holds out sure hope: the enemy will be defeated, and the faithful, whatever they suffered, will share in Christ's reign, safe forever. The powers that harm God's people now will be brought to nothing, and the faithful will be vindicated and reign with their Lord.

That is worth resting in, for it assures us that the enemy will be defeated and the faithful will reign with Christ. We can feel that the enemy of our souls works unchecked, that the faithful who suffer are lost, that evil will have the last word; but the vision assures us that the devil will be bound and defeated, and the faithful, even those who suffer to death, will reign with Christ, safe from the second death. The enemy will not win; the faithful will be vindicated. When the enemy seems to work unchecked and the faithful seem to lose, take hope in the sure end: the enemy defeated, and the faithful reigning with Christ. Take hope in the sure end the vision assures, that the enemy will be defeated and the faithful will reign with Christ, safe from the second death, as John saw the devil bound and the faithful reigning with their Lord; for the enemy will not have the last word, and the faithful, whatever they suffer, will be vindicated and share in the reign of Christ forever.

Lord, in the vision of the end, John sees the great enemy of your people decisively dealt with: an angel seizes the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and binds him, that he should deceive the nations no more. And he sees those who had been faithful, even to death, reigning with Christ, over whom the second death has no power. The enemy who had deceived and harmed will be bound and defeated; and the faithful will reign with Christ, safe from the second death. Show me the two things the vision assures: the enemy's defeat, and the faithful's reign with Christ. The devil, who deceives and harms, is not left to work forever; he is seized, bound, and defeated. And those who were faithful, even the martyrs who died for their testimony, are not lost; they live and reign with Christ. The vision holds out sure hope: the enemy will be defeated, and the faithful will share in Christ's reign, safe forever. The powers that harm your people now will be brought to nothing. Let me rest in that, for it assures me that the enemy will be defeated and the faithful will reign with Christ. I can feel that the enemy of my soul works unchecked, that the faithful who suffer are lost, that evil will have the last word; but the vision assures me that the devil will be bound and defeated, and the faithful will reign with Christ, safe from the second death. The enemy will not win. When the enemy seems to work unchecked and the faithful seem to lose, help me take hope in the sure end, Lord: the enemy defeated, and the faithful reigning with Christ.