The Thousand Years and Final Judgment
Satan is bound for a thousand years, the martyrs reign with Christ, and then comes the final judgment at the great white throne.
Then I saw an angel come down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain.
[1-6] Like the other numerical values in this book, the thousand years are not to be taken literally; they symbolize the long period of time between the chaining up of Satan (a symbol for Christ's resurrection-victory over death and the forces of evil) and the end of the world. During this time God's people share in the glorious reign of God that is present to them by virtue of their baptismal victory over death and sin; cf ⇒ Romans 6:1-8; ⇒ John 5:24-25; ⇒ 16:33; ⇒ 1 John 3:14; ⇒ Eph 2:1. [1] Abyss: see the note on ⇒ Rev 9:1.
He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years
[2] Dragon . . . serpent . . . Satan: see the notes on ⇒ Rev 12:3, 9, ⇒ 10, ⇒ 15.
Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
[4] Beast . . . mark: see Rev 13 and its notes.
Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over these; they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for (the) thousand years.
[6] Blessed: see the note on ⇒ Rev 1:3. Second death: see the note on ⇒ Rev 2:11. Priests: as in ⇒ Rev 1:6; ⇒ 5:10; cf ⇒ 1 Peter 2:9.
Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them.
[11-15] A description of the final judgment. After the intermediate reign of Christ, all the dead are raised and judged, thus inaugurating the new age.
I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls.
[12] The book of life: see the note on ⇒ Rev 3:5. Judged . . . scrolls: see the note on ⇒ Rev 14:12.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire.