For those trying to understand or explain Revelation 20, here are 50+ questions that can be part of the analysis. I'm not expecting people to go and answer all these questions here. This is just to help explore the chapter for those interested.Revelation 20 QuestionsMany people avoid reading Revelation. Others try to read Revelation and figure out what will happen or just try to verify what they heard taught to them. For those trying to figure out what happens, there are many unclear details as well as gaps in understanding of the chapter. I am outlining questions that are useful to consider when analyzing Revelation 20Questions1. What determines the future chronology if John’s words “Then I saw” only represent the sequence in his vision rather than presenting a strict chronology of future events (relative to the time of his vision)2. Satan’s deceit (20:3) 1. What was the content or nature of Satan’s deceit of nations before being bound? 2. What was the problem or result of this deceit? 3. What is the reason Satan is bound? 4. Is Satan released to deceive the nations again? If so, why is he given this action to deceive again? 5. What is the content of that deceit this time? 6. Are these nations local to Israel or across the world? (I say it is across the world since nothing else makes sense)? 7. Why must Satan be released?3. The saints who rule 1. Why is it pointed out about their beheading? (How does this qualify them? Or how is this of interest?) 2. Over what do they rule? 3. Why are they given this joining of rule with Christ? 1. What gain is it to them? 2. Is this reign prophesied? 4. What happens to them after the 1000s years period?4. (20:4) What can we say about Christ’s reign 1. What does Christ reign over? 2. Is this Christ’s kingdom? 3. What relationship do Christians have to Christ’s kingdom? 4. Does Christ stop reigning after this period? 5. What does Revelation say about Christ at the end of this period?5. (20:4) Those seated on the thrones who were given power to judge 1. Who are those on the thrones? [The apostles?] 2. Why are they given power to judge? 3. Over whom do they judge? [the disobedience of the Jews?] 4. Are these the resurrected saints who had been beheaded?6. (20:5-6) If this is the first resurrection, what would be another resurrection? (Is Rev 20:11-15 even a resurrection?) 1. If Dan 12 speaks of this resurrection, how is Daniel’s situation at the end of days (Dan 12:13) different from resurrection? 2. (asked in v4) What happens to them after the 1000s-years period? 3. If this is a future resurrection, why are the priests only starting at a future time instead of the first century, as Peter mentions in 1 Pet 2:5 (Rev 1:6 too)?7. (20:5 ) The rest of the dead 1. The rest of what dead? 1. Are these the people that died before the 1000-year reign? If so, why are they singled out? 2. Are followers of Christ considered as part of the dead or as those who skipped death and got eternal life? 3. Would this be Jews? Roman people? Broader people? 2. What happens to those who are not dead at the end of the 1000s years? Are they not thrown in the lake of fire?8. (20:6) The second death has no power 1. Does this indicate that the rest of the dead are only raised to die again? 2. What is the reason for the second death? 3. Is this found in scripture? [Dan 12 speaks of those raised to condemnation!!]9. Rev 20:7-10 Does Satan escape from his chains, or does God release Satan for a specific purpose? 1. What is God’s purpose in this release? 2. What changes upon this release? New problems in the world or just increased intensity of problems? 3. Why is the final judgment of Satan happening only at this late time? 4. Does Satan have any power or standing when cast into the lake of fire?10. Rev 20:7-10 1. Who are the nations? 2. How are they deceived? 3. Why do these nations attack? (Are these “nations” referring to gentiles, local-to-Judea nations, or to all earthly political nations?) 4. Who are the saints? 5. Who/what is the camp of the saints? 6. Why speak of a camp here? 7. How do the nations attack? 8. Or do the nations even have a chance to attack? 9. What happens to the saints afterward – where do they go or do? 10. Is this a physical threat, a verbal threat, or a threat in the unseen realm?11. Rev 20:11-15 – others come to life 1. Does this happen before the end of the 1000 years? This question is based on the idea that John transitions to different moments in his vision with the words “Then I saw.” This does not require that the sequence in Rev 20 is also the chronology of future events. Other factors could establish the chronology. 2. Is this based on an OT prophecy or is there another reason for including this judgment in Revelation? 3. What happens to those who are still alive at the time of Rev 20:11-15? 4. What is the significance of the Book of Life? What are the OT descriptions of this? 5. Is this considered a resurrection if they are immediately cast into the lake? 6. Why are they coming to life again? What is the purpose of this? 7. Hell and Rev 20:10-15 1. Is this lake of fire actually hell? 2. (20:10) Does Satan have any power or standing when cast into the lake of fire? 3. If this is hell, what is happening before souls are cast into this hell? 4. Why are they delayed from being cast into the lake of fire? 5. Also, how is Hades thrown into the lake of fire? 8. Does the destruction of death refer to the end of all death or of a phase/situation of death coming to an end? (Basically of death and Hades being a holding place until this moment) 9. Why is there a second death instead of just a single one?12. What happens after Rev 20, and what is left after (while looking at Rev 21 mainly for clues about timing relative to Rev 20)? 1. Does Rev 21 describe stuff at the start of the 1000 years or the end of the 1000 years? 2. Does Rev 21:9 mention the angel with the seven bowls again in order to show chronological sequence after Rev 20 or sequence within the vision? 3. What is said of the saints who were resurrected? 4. What is said of the saints/Christians who were still alive through Rev 20? 5. Are new people added to the Book of Life after Rev 20:11-15?Are there any more questions that should be included?
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. I just share these for people to think about when trying to understand Rev 20. It may be fine to either point out questions that seem wrong or to add additional ones to consider.
