Rev. David Holwick
Study Notes
September 5, 1988
Revelation 20
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I. Commentary on the Final Rebellion. BM
A. Why disastrous end? [God and Magog] BM
1) Ezekiel taught it. BM
a) Context in Ezekiel. BM
1> Jews return from Exile.
2> Dwell in the peace of the messianic age.
A> Dispensationalists - this is the time of ingathering, but not the Messianic age. LaHaye
B> Ezekiel's Gog is Russia's attack on Israel before the Tribulation, John's is Satan's attack after
Millennium. LaHaye, Walv
3> New King David.
4> Gog and Magog attack from North against Holy Land and Jerusalem.
5> God destroys them with "fire and brimstone."
b) John's adaptation. BM
1> Gog and Magog become a symbol of the evil in the world of nations which resist the rule of God. BM
A> Purely mythical. Caird(M)
1: Enshrines a deep insight into the resilience of evil. Caird
2: The mythical equivalent of the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith alone ["alone" comes
from James]. Caird
B> Not just purely mythical, but historical. M
2> Rather than just from the north, they come from all corners of the world. BM
A> Nations beyond Roman Empire which had been untouched by the rebellion of the Antichrist? Schlatter (BM)
1: Unlikely. BM
B> Entire population of world, which come against city of God, and are all killed, thus ending history.
Charles (BM)
1: Unlikely; it is a mistake to over-press the language here. Cf. Rev 19:17ff. BM
C> The nations in a general sense. BM
1: Jewish apocalyptic writers usually interpreted Ezek 38-39 this way. BM
c) Dispensationalist version. Walv,LaHaye
1> Ezekiel and John are talking about different events.
A> Ezekiel emphasizes north, John emphasizes all over world.
B> Ezekiel has Gog's army buried, John has it burned.
C> Ezekiel places attack before millennium and "great day of God" (parousia?), while John after.
1: Above interp requires Ezekiel's "time of peace" to be ingathering of Jews, not the Messianic age.
a: But note Ezekiel's mention of King David.
2> Ezekiel is talking about a Russian invasion of Israel.
A> John uses Gog and Magog as a universal expression, like "Waterloo." Walv
2) Genesis is also an influence. BM
a) First paradise. BM
b) Satan enters to expose men's hearts. BM
3) John - full potential cannot be attained in this world, even in the most idyllic conditions. BM
a) There is an unceasing possibility for evil. BM,M
1> Even the rule of absolute righteousness is not sufficient to change people's hearts. Tenney
b) God's judgment and condemnation must be shown to be just. L
1> Millennium proves that the ultimate root of sin is not social conditions, but the rebellious human heart. L
2> Every mouth must be stopped before God - Rom. 3:19. L
c) God must ultimately "resurrect," transform the world. BM
B. Mythological background.
1) Ancient motif. BM
a) Tell el-Amarna tablets mention Gog as a name for the nations of the earth. BM
b) Ezekiel makes reference to earlier, unspecified, prophecies. Ezek 38:17 BM
2) Parallels with Babylonian myth of Tiamat, who is released and defeated by Marduk. Glasson (M)
a) Interesting, but sheds little light on Revelation. M
3) Frequent theme in Rabbis. M,Johnson
II. Scheme of Events
A. A-Mill Wi.190
1) After millennium (church age) but before Second Coming.
2) Parallels in Revelation. Wi.189
a) Parallels to Tribulation:
1> Rebellion is same as three and a half days the witnesses lie in Jerusalem. Rev 11:9
2> Healing of "fatal" wound of beast. Rev 13:3
3> Future reign of the ten horns. Rev 17:12
4> Satan loosed for a little time. Rev 20:3,7-8
b) Parallels to Gog and Magog:
1> Armageddon Rev 16:14
2> Clash between the ten horn-kings and the Lamb. Rev 17:14
3> War between beast and kings of earth vs. rider on white horse. Rev 19:19
3) Same scheme as in 2 Thess 2:
a) Rebellion comes first (=tribulation).
b) Antichrist revealed after being restrained.
1> His system is already at work.
c) Glorious Coming puts an end to it.
4) Same scheme as in Ezekiel.
a) Defeat of Edom. (Ezek 35)
b) Resurrection of Israel and prolonged peace. (Ezek 36-37)
c) Rebellion and defeat of Gog. (Ezek 38-39)
1> Birds picking bones of enemy after rebellion is put by John at 19:17-18, just before the Parousia.
d) New Jerusalem. (Ezek 40-48)
B. Pre-Mill
1) Gog follows Millennium, 1000 years after Parousia.
2) Satan released.
3) Deception begins.
4) Gog and Magog appear.
5) Attack on God's people.
6) Satan is defeated.
III. Commentary.
A. Satan released.
1) Not said how done. (Would expect same angel to be mentioned.) LM
2) Time stated as "whenever." Mild support for symbolic interpretation of 1,000 years. LM
B. Deception begins.
1) On larger scale than before. LM
a) "Four corners of earth" - universality, not outmoded cosmology. See Isa 11:12; Ezek 7:2; Rev 7:1. M
b) Ezekiel emphasizes Gog's coming from the north.
1> Means his Gog is different from John's, comes before Tribulation. Walv?
2) Nations gathered for final battle. LM
a) Similar to the "unclean spirits like frogs." Rev 16:13-16. LM
3) Nations destroyed in 19:19? Johnson
a) Forces in 19:19 may be demonic, in 20:8 they are physical. Johnson
b) May refer to people in millennium who defect in their hearts. Johnson
C. Gog and Magog
1) Old Testament background. LM
a) Gog:
1> In genealogy. 1 Chron 5:4.
2> In prophecy. Ezek 38,39.
3> Appears to be a leader. L
b) Magog:
1> In genealogies. Gen 10:2, 1 Chron 1:5.
2> In prophecy. Ezek 38,3
3> Appears to be a nation.
2) Later Judaism.
a) Gog and Magog thought of as two leaders. LM
b) Often symbolize forces of evil. LM,Johnson
3) John's usage.
a) Modifications from Ezekiel. L
1> In Ezekiel, Gog is ruler and Magog is nation.
2> In Revelation, both are nations. L
A> In Ezekiel and Rev, Gog is Satan and Magog is his human form. Bloomfield.
B> Gog is still a ruler in Rev. Walv
1: Alternate view: Gog is used much like "Waterloo" in a generic sense. Walv
b) Seems to signify all people. LM,Wi
1> Equal to "all who do not know God and ... who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" 2 Thess 1:8. Wi
c) Combination is another way of referring to the hosts of the wicked. LM
d) "Number as the sand of the sea" - greatest possible number. LM
D. Attack on God's people.
1) Timing.
a) At end of millennium. BM
b) At end of church age (= millennium). Wi
c) Both - at end of church age, and after millennium. Bloomfield.
2) Details.
a) "They went up." Change to past tense, but same sequence. LM
b) "Breadth of the earth." Curious expression. Probably means army was of great extent. LM
c) "Camp of the saints,...beloved city."
1> Language befits Jerusalem. BM,L
A> City is used symbolically. BM,Wi,Johnson
1: Primary focus is on Jerusalem as focal point of the pilgrim people, on the Exodus to the
promised land. BM
2: Also viewed in OT as the city God loves. Ps 78:68, 87:2. BM,Walv
3: But in Revelation, Jerusalem is also Sodom and Egypt, "where their Lord was crucified" Rev 11:8. BM
4: City here is New Jerusalem, which comes out of heaven. Rev 21:10 BM
a: John sees New Jerusalem as descending from God out of heaven in the messianic age. BM
I. It is the center of the kingdom of Christ. BM
II. Brevity of description is due to fuller treatment in vision of Rev 21:9ff. BM
B> Jerusalem is meant literally. L;Charles,Berkhof(J)
1: The millennium will need an earthly center. L
a: However, Temple and sacrifices are not literally restored, in light of progressive
revelation of NT. L
2> Attack on city represents an attack on the manifestation of the divine rule in the world. BM
3> Both appear to mean the people of God. LM
A> Depth of meaning: at once the heavenly city which has foundations, and the camp of those who are
strangers on the earth. Wi
4> "Camp" sees them as soldiers of God. LM
A> Term is proper for military installations. L
B> View is more of the Israelite encampments in the wilderness. M
5> "Beloved city" is in opposition to the great city of Babylon. LM,Johnson
A> Humans willingly under God's dominion vs. humans organized against God. LM
6> Pre-capitulation of New Jerusalem? (Michaels?)
3) Great Battle.
a) None really occurs, exactly as in Rev 19. LM
1> Consistently John thinks of the power of God as so overwhelming that there cannot even be the
appearance of a battle when He wills to destroy evil.
b) Wicked annihilated.
1> Fire from heaven. BM,LM,M
A> Biblical allusions.
1: Ezek 38:22 (Gog)
2: Ezek 39:6 (Magog)
3: 2 Kg 1 (Elijah) M
4: Lk 9:51-54 (James and John) M
5: Gen 19 (Sodom and Gomorrah) Walv
B> A-Mill.- Parallels 2 Thess 1:7, the revelation of Jesus in flaming fire. Wi
2> Emphasis is not on destruction of human armies, but on the destruction of the evil spiritual forces
behind them. L
3> Satan's fate is different - the Lake of Fire. M
c) Christ's victory. Johnson
1> Not complete until every enemy is defeated. 1 Cor 15:25. Johnson
E. Fate of Satan. LM
1) Characterized as him "that deceived."
a) He has accomplished his work of manifesting the hidden rebelliousness of humanity. BM
b) Passage is significant in suggesting that the function of the Devil is not to originate sin, but to: BM
1> Reveal sin.
2> Develop its latent possibilities in humanity.
c) Devil cannot stray from God's permission for his activities. BM
1> Satan is not God, nor a rival to God. BM
2> Satan must contribute to God's purposes. BM
A> These facts should provide comfort for Christians. BM
2) "Them" refers to nations. LM
3) Thrown into Lake of Fire to join beast and false prophet. LM
a) They are already there - proves there are two separate events, divided by 1000 years. Michaels (class notes)
b) Establishes their individuality. BM(J)
1> No, because the non-personal entities Death and Hades are also cast in. Johnson
F. Lake of Fire.
1) Concept of torment.
a) Spoken of by Jesus himself - "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt 24:51) L
b) Depiction:
1> "By day and by night." No intermission. LM
2> "For ever and ever." No end. LM
2) Problems with literalness.
a) The devil and his angels are spirits, but fire is material. L
b) Reveals a real fact in the spiritual world: the final and everlasting destruction of the forces of evil. L
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