Revelation 20:1
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
Then I saw
The phrase "Then I saw" indicates a continuation of the visionary experience of John, the author of Revelation. The Greek word for "saw" is "εἶδον" (eidon), which implies not just physical sight but also spiritual insight or revelation. This suggests that what follows is not merely a physical event but a spiritual reality being unveiled. In the context of Revelation, this phrase marks a transition to a new vision, emphasizing the sequential nature of the apocalyptic narrative.

an angel
The term "angel" comes from the Greek "ἄγγελος" (angelos), meaning "messenger." In the biblical context, angels are often seen as divine messengers or agents of God's will. This particular angel is depicted as having significant authority and power, as indicated by the tasks he is about to perform. The presence of an angel underscores the divine origin and authority of the actions described, reminding readers of the heavenly orchestration behind earthly events.

coming down from heaven
The phrase "coming down from heaven" signifies the divine origin and authority of the angel. Heaven, in biblical terms, is often seen as the dwelling place of God and the source of divine intervention. The descent of the angel from heaven indicates that the events about to unfold are initiated by God and are part of His sovereign plan. This descent also symbolizes the bridging of the heavenly and earthly realms, a common theme in apocalyptic literature.

with the key to the Abyss
The "key" symbolizes authority and control. In the ancient world, keys were a symbol of power, as they granted access and control over locked spaces. The "Abyss" (Greek: "ἄβυσσος," abyssos) is often understood as a deep, bottomless pit or a place of confinement for evil spirits. The angel's possession of the key indicates that he has been granted authority by God to control the Abyss, highlighting the theme of divine sovereignty over evil.

and a great chain in his hand
The "great chain" represents the means by which the angel will bind and restrain Satan, as described in the following verses. Chains in biblical literature often symbolize restriction and imprisonment. The imagery of a "great chain" emphasizes the strength and effectiveness of the restraint, suggesting that the power of evil is limited and subject to God's control. This serves as a powerful reminder of the ultimate victory of good over evil, a central theme in the book of Revelation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Angel
A heavenly messenger or servant of God, often tasked with carrying out divine orders. In this verse, the angel is given authority and power to bind Satan.

2. Heaven
The dwelling place of God and His angels. It signifies divine authority and the origin of the angel's mission.

3. Abyss
A deep, bottomless pit or chasm, often associated with a place of confinement for evil spirits. In the context of Revelation, it is a place of temporary imprisonment for Satan.

4. Key
Symbolizes authority and control. The angel's possession of the key indicates the power to open and close the Abyss.

5. Great Chain
Represents the means by which Satan will be bound, signifying restraint and limitation of his power.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority
The angel's descent from heaven with the key and chain illustrates God's ultimate authority over evil. Believers can trust in God's sovereignty and His plan to ultimately defeat Satan.

The Power of Restraint
The binding of Satan with a great chain signifies that God can and will limit the influence of evil. Christians can find hope in knowing that evil is not beyond God's control.

Hope in God's Justice
The imagery of the Abyss and the binding of Satan assures believers that God's justice will prevail. This encourages perseverance and faithfulness in the face of present evil.

Role of Angels
Angels are active participants in God's plan, serving as His messengers and agents. This reminds believers of the unseen spiritual realm and God's provision through His heavenly hosts.

Preparation for Christ's Reign
The binding of Satan sets the stage for Christ's millennial reign, emphasizing the importance of readiness and anticipation for His return.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the authority given to the angel in Revelation 20:1 reflect God's sovereignty over evil, and how can this understanding impact your daily life?

2. In what ways does the concept of the Abyss as a place of confinement for evil spirits provide comfort or challenge your perspective on spiritual warfare?

3. How can the imagery of the great chain and the binding of Satan encourage you to trust in God's power to restrain evil in the world today?

4. Considering the role of angels in God's plan, how can you become more aware of and responsive to the spiritual realities around you?

5. How does the anticipation of Christ's millennial reign influence your priorities and actions as a believer in the present age?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 3
The fall of man and the introduction of sin into the world through Satan's deception. Revelation 20:1 begins the process of reversing the curse initiated in Genesis.

Luke 8:31
The demons' fear of being sent into the Abyss by Jesus, showing the Abyss as a place of confinement for evil spirits.

Jude 1:6
Describes angels who did not keep their positions of authority and are kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment, paralleling the binding of Satan.

Revelation 9:1-2
The Abyss is opened, releasing demonic forces during the tribulation, contrasting with its closure in Revelation 20:1.
The First Scene in the Moral History of Redeemed HumanityD. Thomas Revelation 20:1, 2
SatanWm. Guild, D. D.Revelation 20:1-3
Satan Bound for a Thousand YearsC. Clemance, D. D.Revelation 20:1-3
The Great Enemy of HumanityHomilistRevelation 20:1-3
The Scene of Mural StruggleD. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 20:1-3
The Restraint Upon EvilR. Green Revelation 20:1-10
People
Gog, John, Magog
Places
Patmos
Topics
Abyss, Angel, Arm, Bottomless, Carried, Chain, Deep, Descending, Heaven, Holding, Key, Messenger, Pit
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 20:1

     5460   prison
     9412   heaven, worship and service
     9520   Abyss, the

Revelation 20:1-2

     5251   chains

Revelation 20:1-3

     1670   symbols
     4113   angels, agents of judgment
     4127   Satan, defeat of
     5364   key
     5483   punishment
     6696   necessity
     9511   hell, place of punishment

Revelation 20:1-6

     9155   millennium

Revelation 20:1-15

     9155   millennium

Library
"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Profanations of Good and Truth
I. Goods and Truths and Their Opposites The Divine good that goes forth from the Lord is united with His Divine truth, as heat from the sun is with light in the time of spring. But angels, who are recipients of the Divine good and Divine truth going forth from the Lord, are distinguished as celestial and spiritual. Those who receive more of the Lord's Divine good than of His Divine truth are called celestial angels; because these constitute the kingdom of the Lord that is called the celestial kingdom.
Emanuel Swedenborg—Spiritual Life and the Word of God

The Life of the Blessed in Heaven.
Having examined the glorious gifts with which the risen body is clothed, and seen that it perfects the soul in all her operations; understanding, moreover, that the glorified senses are to contribute their share to the happiness of man--we shall now consider the happy life of the blessed in heaven, including the resurrection. But, remember, it is not a new life that is now to occupy our thoughts. It is a continuation of the same life that was begun the moment the vision of God flashed upon the soul.
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

A Few Sighs from Hell;
or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; THEIR CRIES, THEIR DESIRES IN THEIR DISTRESSES, WITH THE DETERMINATION OF GOD UPON THEM. A GOOD WARNING WORD TO SINNERS, BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BETIMES, AND TO SEEK, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TO AVOID, LEST THEY COME INTO THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. Also, a Brief Discourse touching the
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Second
refers to Genesis iii., the promise being "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (ii. 10, 11). The reference is to Genesis iii., where death first enters. But the promise goes beyond this; for it relates not merely to the death which came in with sin, but to the "second death," which is revealed in Rev. xx. 14; xxi. 8.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Lapse of Time.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."--Eccles. ix. 10. Solomon's advice that we should do whatever our hand findeth to do with our might, naturally directs our thoughts to that great work in which all others are included, which will outlive all other works, and for which alone we really are placed here below--the salvation of our souls. And the consideration of this great work,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs.
(Gergesa, Now Called Khersa.) ^A Matt. VIII. 28-34; IX. 1; ^B Mark V. 1-21; ^C Luke VIII. 26-40. ^b 1 And they came to the other side of the sea [They left in the "even," an elastic expression. If they left in the middle of the afternoon and were driven forward by the storm, they would have reached the far shore several hours before dark], ^c 26 And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee. ^a 28 And when he was come into the country of the Gadarenes. ^c 27 And
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The General Resurrection
Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. A n object, great in itself, and which we know to be so, will appear small to us, if we view it from a distance. The stars, for example, in our view, are but as little specks
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Appendix xix. On Eternal Punishment, According to the Rabbis and the New Testament
THE Parables of the Ten Virgins' and of the Unfaithful Servant' close with a Discourse on the Last Things,' the final Judgment, and the fate of those Christ's Righ Hand and at His Left (St. Matt. xxv. 31-46). This final Judgment by our Lord forms a fundamental article in the Creed of the Church. It is the Christ Who comes, accompanied by the Angelic Host, and sits down on the throne of His Glory, when all nations are gathered before Him. Then the final separation is made, and joy or sorrow awarded
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
E^7, xix. 17&151xx. 15. THE FINAL FIVE JUDGMENTS. We must get a complete view of these in order to embrace them all and view them as a whole. The Structure shows their true sequence: E^7., xix. 17-- 15. The Seventh (and Last) Vision "on Earth." E^7 A^1 xix. 17-21. MEN. The Judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet. B^1 xx. 1-3. SATAN. The Judgment of Satan (Before the Millennium). A^2 xx. 4-6. MEN. The Judgment of the overcomers. The "rest of the dead" left for Judgment. B^2 xx. 7-10.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

"Now the End of the Commandment is Charity Out of a Pure Heart, and a Good Conscience, and Faith Unfeigned. "
[It is extremely probable that this was one of the probationary discourses which the author delivered before the Presbytery of Glasgow, previous to his ordination. The following is an extract from the Record of that Presbytery: "Dec. 5, 1649. The qlk daye Mr. Hew Binnen made his popular sermon 1 Tim. i. ver. 5 'The end of ye commandment is charity.'--Ordaines Mr. Hew Binnen to handle his controversie this day fifteen dayes, De satisfactione Christi."--Ed.] 1 Tim. ii. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope
In 2 Timothy, 3:16, Paul declares: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;" but there are some people who tell us when we take up prophecy that it is all very well to be believed, but that there is no use in one trying to understand it; these future events are things that the church does not agree about, and it is better to let them alone, and deal only with those prophecies which have already been
Dwight L. Moody—That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
In the discussion of this subject, I shall show-- I. What constitute the sanctions of law. 1. The sanctions of law are the motives to obedience, the natural and the governmental consequences or results of obedience and of disobedience. 2. They are remuneratory, that is, they promise reward to obedience. 3. They are vindicatory, that is, they threaten the disobedient with punishment. 4. They are natural, that is, happiness is to some extent naturally connected with, and the necessary consequence of,
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
OR, THE THRONE OF GRACE ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The churches of Christ are very much indebted to the Rev. Charles Doe, for the preservation and publishing of this treatise. It formed one of the ten excellent manuscripts left by Bunyan at his decease, prepared for the press. Having treated on the nature of prayer in his searching work on 'praying with the spirit and with the understanding also,' in which he proves from the sacred scriptures that prayer cannot be merely read or said, but must
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness.
^A Matt. IV. 1-11; ^B Mark I. 12, 13; ^C Luke IV. 1-13. ^c 1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, ^b 12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth ^c and ^a 1 Then [Just after his baptism, with the glow of the descended Spirit still upon him, and the commending voice of the Father still ringing in his ears, Jesus is rushed into the suffering of temptation. Thus abrupt and violent are the changes of life. The spiritually exalted may expect these sharp contrasts. After being
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Resurrection
'Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the 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; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.' John 5:58, 29. Q-38: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT THE RESURRECTION? A: At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgement, and made perfectly blessed in the
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Word
The third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redemption by Christ, is the diligent use of ordinances, in particular, the word, sacraments, and prayer.' I begin with the best of these ordinances. The word . . . which effectually worketh in you that believe.' 1 Thess 2:13. What is meant by the word's working effectually? The word of God is said to work effectually when it has the good effect upon us for which it was appointed by God; when it works powerful illumination
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

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