DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2017 January 10
Image 1: The Angel Michael Binding Satan (c. 1805)
William Blake (1757-1827)
Romanticism Style
Harvard Art Museums, Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Image Source: Harvard Art Museums
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Image 2: Triptych: The Last Judgment (c. 1450)
Fra Angelico (c. 1395 - 1455)
Italian Renaissance Style
Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Revelation 20, John saw an angel who had the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. He bound Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit. He shut him up for a thousand years so that he should deceive the nations no more. But afterward he will be loosed for a little season. A number of commentators take this and the following references to a thousand years to be a symbolic number, denoting a full measure of time. They see the whole period from the first coming of Christ and his second coming as millennial in nature, that is, as a period of restraint of Satan (Luke 10:18; John 12:31; John 16:11; Matthew 12:28-29) and the advance of the gospel. Satan is still active, but he is far less effective. This binding has particular reference to Satan's major accomplishment in times past: he was able to deceive all of he nations all of the time, with only a few individuals escaping the deceit. This is no longer possible. The gospel spreads. The church grows. His deceit is greatly hindered (1-3).
John then saw thrones upon which martyrs sat who had not worshipped the beast. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection, and those who have part in it are blessed. On them the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years (4-6).
When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be released from prison. He will deceive the nations and gather them for battle to Gog and Magog. (Ezekiel has an extended prophecy against Gog and Magog in chapters 38-39). These enemies will surround the saints and the beloved city. But fire will come down from God and devour them. And the devil will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are. They will be tormented day and night forever (7-10).
And John saw a great white throne. The earth and the heaven fled away from the face of God who sat upon it. The dead stood before God, the books were opened, including the book of life, and the dead were judged by the things written in the books. All the dead from the sea, and from death and hell were judged, each according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone who was not written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (11-15).
Here in Revelation 20 and in the parallel in Ezekiel 38-39, judgment is followed by restoration for God's people. In Ezekiel, the LORD gives a new Temple, and comes to dwell in it, and restores Jerusalem (40-48). In Revelation 21-22, the Lord gives a new Jerusalem. He dwells in it, but there is no Temple, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are it's Temple (Revelation 21:22). The common idea in both visions is that God is in the midst of his people in great glory and great blessing. The LORD simply symbolized this in different ways in the two prophecies.
[Sermons: Fernando D. Saravi. Eric Alexander. Sinclair B Ferguson. William Still. Various. ]
[Illustration: Today's images depict the two main elements of today's chapter, the Binding of Satan and the Final Judgment. ]
RESOURCES
[THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Revelation 20: Daniel 9:22, 27; Luke 10:18; John 12:31; John 16:11; Matthew 12:28-29; Ezekiel 38-39. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
[ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
[ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]
*** For Additional word studies use one of the Greek Interlinear Bibles below. ***
Book Outline:
Revelation (Consummation of the Covenant: New Heavens and a New Earth in Which Dwells Righteousness)
1. The Approaching End: The Five Sets of Seven - Evil is Defeated (Revelation 1:1 - Revelation 16:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
2. The End: The Fall of Babylon - Evil is Destroyed (Revelation 17:1 - Revelation 18:24) - 95 A.D. Patmos
3. The New Beginning: The Triumph of Jesus - Holiness Replaces Evil (Revelation 19:1 - Revelation 22:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
Revelation 20
3. The New Beginning: The Triumph of Jesus - Holiness Replaces Evil (Revelation 19:1 - Revelation 22:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again [lived again not] until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 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.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever [into the eons of the eons].
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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