Revelation 20 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

2315 2316
20.7 And when the thousand years should be completed, the adversary will be
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of their reign, i.e., “after these things,” after the first resurrection. However, even with this
change, there is little difference for the overall meaning of Revelation.
Aune comments that “The idea that believers will reign (basileu,ien), however, is quite
different from the notion that they will constitute a basilei,a, ‘kingdom.’” (P. 1093) This comment
is, we think, mistaken–the fact is, if you reign, then you are a king, and you have a kingdom!
John clearly teaches that believers constitute a kingdom, and that they both reign in the
present, and will reign in the future!
2313
The neuter plural definite article ta, ta, is omitted by Alexandrinus, Uncial Manuscript
051 and the “Majority Text”. It is read by Sinaiticus, Uncial Manuscript 046, Minuscules 1611,
2053, 2062, 2329, a few other Greek manuscripts and the Harclean Syriac. The omission
does not change the meaning of Revelation, but does make it slightly less definite.
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The "thousand years" is a period of time in which the people of God reign and serve
as God's "priestly people." What is the job of "priests"? Many times in biblical theology we are
faced with the obvious answer--they represent humanity to God, bringing the gifts and worship
of humanity to God; at the same time, they represent God to humanity, bringing the divine
teaching from God to humanity, serving as humanity's teachers.
As a matter of biblical fact, this is the role of the church in all times and places, throughout
human history, including the divine intention for the nation of Israel according to the words
of Exodus 19:6. Jesus has called and commissioned His people to go out into all the world of
humanity, to act on His behalf, extending His "reign” or “kingdom" over the entire earth, acting
as the "priestly people" who bring humanity to God, and who teach God's will to the entire
human race. This is not something promised for the future–it is the present task of the people
of God in every time and place! See footnote 2303 for discussion of the “thousand years.”
2315
Aune comments on verses 7-10 that “The assembly of the heathen and their concerted
attack on the people of God constitute an episode or type scene that occurs frequently
in early Jewish eschatological tradition. The presence of the names Gog and Magog suggests
that this textual unit is patterned in part after the Gog and Magog oracle in Ezekiel 38-39 (as is
the textual unit in Revelation 19:17-21).” (P. 1079) See also 16:12-16, and compare from
the Pseudepigrapha:
1 Enoch 56:5-8, In those days, the messengers / angels will assemble and thrust
themselves to the east at the Parthians and Medes. They will shake up the kings (so that) a
spirit of unrest shall come upon them, and stir them up from their thrones; and they will break
forth from their beds like lions and like hungry hyenas among their own flocks. And they will
go up and trample upon the land of My elect ones, and the land of My elect ones will be before
them like a threshing floor or a highway. But the city of my rightly-related ones will become an
obstacle to their horses. And they shall begin to fight among themselves; and (by) their own
right hands they shall prevail against themselves. A man shall not recognize his brother, nor a
son his mother, until there shall be a (significant( number of corpses from among them. Their
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