Bible Commentaries
Revelation 20

Verse 2

Satan ; though his agents, the beast, the false prophet, and those who cooperated with them, had been destroyed, Satan still lived, and if permitted, would tempt men to persecute the church.

Verse 3

That he should deceive the nations no more ; not be permitted to have influence over men, to seduce them into error, tempt them to sin, or afflict them by persecution.

He must be loosed ; again suffered to tempt men, excite their evil passions, and influence them to array themselves against Christ and his cause. Though Satan is a powerful, malignant, and artful spirit, who has for ages deceived the nations and led vast multitudes to ruin, yet he is under divine control. He can go no further than God shall suffer: when God sees best, He can bind, imprison, and so restrain him, that men shall no longer be under his influence, or annoyed by his wiles.

Verse 4

Thrones , and they sat upon them ; representing the exalted and favored state of the friends of God.

The souls of them ; that were put to death for their attachment to Christ.

They lived ; best understood figuratively as meaning that they lived in the persons of their successors, as Elijah came and lived in the person of John. Malachi 4:5 ; Matthew 11:14 ; Matthew 17:10-13 . The men who lived during the thousand years were men of like spirit with those martyrs who suffered for the cause of Jesus, as John was of like spirit with Elijah.

Verse 5

The rest of the dead lived not again ; those who were put to death for their opposition to Christ being destroyed by him, chap Revelation 19:20-21 , there would be none to persecute the followers of Christ till the close of the thousand years; then such men would again be found, as described in verses Revelation 20:7-9 .