Revelation 20 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

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1 Chronicles 16:15 states that YHWH commanded His word "for a thousand generations."
We quickly sense that this is not meant as a literal number, "1,000, but not 1,001," but
means symbolically "to all generations."
In like manner, it is fully in line with such symbolical usage of the number one thousand
to understand that the beastly power of Rome would soon be destroyed completely, and that
the victorious people of God would reign for "a thousand years"--that is, compared to the time
of their suffering, "forever"!
For other examples of the use of the number 1,000 in the Bible where it does not mean
"exactly 1,000, no more, no less," but is symbolical for a large number, see the following additional
passages: Deuteronomy 1:11; 32:30; Joshua 23:10; 2 Samuel 18:3 (ten thousand);
Psalm 84:10; 90:4; 91:7; 105:8; Ecclesiastes 6:6; Isaiah 30:17; 60:22; 1 Corinthians 14:
19 (ten thousand); and 2 Peter 3:8.
Of course, there are other passages in the Bible in which the number 1,000 is used in a
literal sense, almost always in places where people are being counted. The interpreter has to
decide in which way the number is being used--whether in a literal sense, or in a symbolical
way--but the matter is usually not as difficult as it has been found to be here.
Here, in Revelation 20, many chronological conclusions have been drawn from the
literal understanding of the number. However in a book like Revelation, which abounds in
signs and symbolism perhaps more than any other book in the entire Bible, it is only to be
expected, we think, that the number 1,000 would be used symbolically.
Edward H. Horne emphatically denies this, stating that in Revelation 20, "The symbolic
language in which the previous chapters have been written is here dropped, and certain
predictions are made in plain words..." (Pp. 283-84)
We think this is mistaken. We have pointed out already, and must insist again, that
chapter 20 abounds with obviously symbolic language, for example, the binding of a spiritual
being (satan) with a chain, or the throwing of death and the underworld into a lake of fire--and
it is this insistence on a wooden, literalistic understanding, that is the source of so much confusion
concerning this chapter.
Over against Horne, we agree with Harry Buis, who has written as follows: “No other
passage of scripture mentions such a thousand-year period. Obscure passages are to be
interpreted in the light of less obscure passages, and not vice versa...The entire book is one
filled with symbolism; therefore any doctrine based on insisting upon a literal thousand-year
period is building on a weak foundation.” (The Book of Revelation, pp. 107-08.)
Gregg gives a summary of the meaning of the “1,000 Years,” along with different views
as to when the events involved occur:
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