Revelation 20:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That is, he removed and restricted his power to deceive and to hold in his hands those who awaited liberation. The thousand years, as it seems to me, may be understood in two ways. Either this is accomplished during the remaining years of the millennium, that is, in the sixth millennium, as on the sixth day. Its last hours are now passing, and afterward will follow the Sabbath without evening, that is, the endless rest of the saints. In this case the Apostle called the final part of the millennium remaining until the end of the age a thousand years, as a part of the day is named by the whole. Or else by the thousand years he named all the remaining years of this age, so that the fullness of time is signified by a perfect number. For the number one thousand is the complete cube of the number ten. Ten taken ten times gives one hundred. A square figure results, but it is flat. In order for it to receive height and become complete, one hundred is multiplied again by ten, and one thousand results. Sometimes even one hundred is used to signify the whole totality of something. This occurs when the Lord gives a promise to the one who has left all and followed Him, saying: "He will receive a hundredfold" (Mt 19:29; Mk 10:30). As though explaining this, the Apostle says: "We have nothing, and yet possess all things" (2 Cor 6:10). For it had already been said before: "For the faithful, the whole world is riches" (Prov 17:6). Much more is one thousand used to signify the totality of all things, since it represents the fullness of the decimal square. No better interpretation can be given to the expression read in the psalm: "He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded for a thousand generations" (Ps 104:8), that is, for all generations.

He will bind the dragon, the ancient serpent, and subject him to the authority of man, who was once defeated, for the crushing of all his power. Adam was defeated and deprived of all life. Therefore, when the enemy was in turn defeated, Adam recovered life. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Cor 15:26), which formerly ruled over man. Therefore, with man's liberation, what is written will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54-55). This could not be just if the man over whom death had formerly prevailed were not set free. For his salvation is the destruction of death. When the Lord gives life to man, that is, to Adam, then death is destroyed.

The fact that an angel serves this condemnation shows that the devil cannot resist God, for he is weaker even than an angel. The rope is the divine action that binds him and deprives him of strength. It is better not to take the thousand years as a definite number of years, namely one thousand. Rather, it should be taken either as many years in general, or as a perfect number. The thousands of which David speaks are also understood in this way: "the word that He commanded for a thousand generations" (Ps 104:8). This number signifies many years in general, so that the Gospel may be preached throughout the whole world and the seeds of piety may take root. It may also signify simply a perfect number. For, having left behind the life under the Law, we were called "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). Thus the thousand years are the time from the Incarnation of Christ until the coming of the antichrist. Whether our understanding is correct, or whether the thousand years are ten times one hundred years, as some think, or even less, is known only to God. He alone knows how long His longsuffering and the continuation of our life are useful for us. At the end of this time the antichrist will throw the whole inhabited world into turmoil. Through the operation of Belial, he will pour his poisonous malice upon men, because he knows the inevitability of his punishment. But may the all-merciful God save us from his works and deliver us from the punishment prepared for him and his servants. May He make us partakers of the eternal good things prepared for those who have accepted death rather than obey the devil. To God belong mercy toward those who hope in Him, thanksgiving from all the angelic powers and those living on earth, and worship of Christ with the Father and the Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The same is written in the Second Epistle of divine Peter: "Let this one thing not be hidden from you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Pet 3:8). And so it is.

The divine prophet Isaiah spoke of the full Incarnation of the Lord as a day and said: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You" (Is 49:8).

Nor are these the only examples. The Psalmist also calls this very day morning. In one place, speaking of the joy of our salvation, he says: "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps 117:24). In another place he sings: "In the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before You, and You shall look upon me" (Ps 5:4).

For our supplications are deemed worthy of the favorable gaze of God the Father through the mediation and reconciliation of the Lord. Again it is said of Jerusalem: "God will help her at early dawn" (Ps 45:6).

The Incarnation of the Lord became day and morning, because the Sun of righteousness shone upon us, as Malachi expressed it (cf. Mal 4:2), and brought us the light of knowledge (Hos 10:12).

Zachariah foretold this divine light when he said: "Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death" (Lk 1:78). In agreement with this, the prophet also says: "God is the Lord, and He has shone upon us; bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar" (Ps 117:27).

Since it is said that a day is reckoned by God as a thousand years, and again the Lord's sojourn on earth is called a day, this day is therefore said to be a thousand years. For to God there is no difference between one day and a thousand years.

During this time of the Lord's becoming man, the devil was bound and could not resist the wondrous manifestation of the Savior. Therefore, sensing these spiritual bonds, the impious demons cried out: "What have You to do with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come here before the time to torment us?" (Mt 8:29).

The Lord also spoke in explanation of their bonds: "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house" (Mt 12:29).

Therefore, as has been said, we understand the Lord's becoming man and His sojourn on earth as one day and as a thousand years, without distinction, following the divine Scripture. Thus this number is mentioned in a hidden meaning.

This is what the book of Revelation says: "And I saw another Angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a chain in His hand." When He had overcome the devil, He bound him and cast him into the abyss.

What the Lord did to the devil in a spiritual manner, the Evangelist saw as an image on a tablet. Since it was impossible for John, as a man, to see the spiritual world, he describes what took place in bodily form.

It is said: "That he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished." For the Lord's sojourn on earth required somewhat greater support and care to prevent the unclean demons from acting against men as they had done in the times before the Incarnation.

In any case, with the coming of this event, the power and reign of Satan over men was reduced and limited, though not completely ended. The apocalyptic expressions about the chaining of the devil, his casting into the abyss, and the placing of a seal upon him indicate only the reduction of the devil's power. This is in comparison with the former time, not its complete destruction. Likewise the freedom given to the devil does not mean his unlimited power. This interpretation of the apocalyptic words about the binding of the devil finds its justification in history. After the fall of paganism, there has never been a time when Christianity endured universal persecution. Nor have such rulers ever again arisen who sought to uproot Christianity where it had already gained firm footing. Likewise the idol cult with its abominations has never again been restored. Yet one cannot say that Satan has been entirely inactive. In places, even within Christian societies, the Christian faith has often been slandered, persecuted, and distorted by heresies. Its peace has been disturbed by wars. Thus, in place of crude idol worship, a refined paganism appeared, one might say. After this follows another question. For what period has satanic power been limited in this way? For an indefinite time. Although Revelation speaks of a thousand years, this is a round number. According to the usage in Revelation, it is taken only to express the length of the period of the devil's binding, which must continue until the very end of the world. As is known, the time of this end will never be known to anyone (Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32; Acts 1:7). Only just before its coming will the devil have his former broad power and freedom returned to him, and even then only for a short time (Rev 20:7). "And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them, and judgment was given to them" (Rev 20:4), and so forth. What does this scene depict? It symbolically portrays the coming kingdom of the Christian faith after the binding of Satan for a thousand years and the overthrow of paganism. Those who received judgment and sat on the thrones are all Christians who have attained salvation. To all of them the promise of the Kingdom and glory of Christ has been given (1 Thess 2:12). Yet in this company the holy Seer especially singles out the holy martyrs, since they gave their very life for Jesus Christ.