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Rev. 20:1-3: And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
         This angel coming down from heaven shows the whole power of God. He has the key of the bottomless pit. This power was given to Jesus Christ and He has the same right to shut the pit as He had to open heaven. Till now, though this redemption is for all, it has not been extended effectively to all men. The failure is not on the part of the Redeemer, but it is the fault of the wicked will of man opposing the effectiveness of redemption.  Jesus Christ, seeing that it was impossible for the covetous man to enter heaven, and that so long as self-will would stay on earth, it would corrupt some continuously, He first destroyed this covetousness wherever it was established, in every man. Apparently it is only one monster, however it is composed of an infinity of monsters. When He has destroyed it and sent it to the pit from which it came, what else does Jesus Christ do? Since the devil would bring it back, God casts him into the bottomless pit, which he seals and for a thousand years he will not be able to hurt men. (Editor's reference: "Reconciliation" is fulfillment of God and His Christ  taking responsibility for creation: the true Gospel. Several books embracing the "Reconciliation of All Things," are located at "ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD?" End of reference).
         Now the devil has not any power on the souls that are free from covetousness. God, however, at the end of their lives allows them to be tempted outwardly. Then come the hardest knocks, but the temptations remain without any effect, because God Himself protects them, shortening the time of temptation to a little season. God's way, here, is wonderful. To how many evils does He not deliver the soul in order to free her from covetousness? But it is certain that when it is freed, the devil is bound.

Rev. 20:4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
         The judgment was given to those who leave all to follow Jesus Christ. The grace of judging everything is given to those who gave up all these things. They will judge others through the discernment that will be given them. When it is spoken of the souls that were beheaded, those are meant who have been deprived of the natural use of their powers, who allowed themselves to be completely stripped of them, in order to witness for Jesus Christ, letting Him reign in them and being subject to Him. The soul reigns and lives because she lives with the life of Jesus Christ. Till this life comes into the soul, all other lives are deaths. The only life that can bear the name of Life is imparted by a mystic resurrection. (Editor's reference: Our path is to the Cross for salvation and then beyond to resurrection Life in Christ Jesus. We are consumed by His fire as we receive the New Covenant in the Christ Life. Review Whispers of The New Covenant,  "A New Covenant Spirit" by Ray and Doris Prinzing. End of reference).

Rev. 20:5,6: The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
         The other dead are those who during this life have a mystic death; these will enter a new life. How fortunate they are! "This is the first resurrection," the mystic resurrection of which much has been said. These are truly happy for several reasons. First, sin has no more power over them. Then, natural death does not trouble them; it is only a gentle sleep for them and no death. How truly blessed and holy is he who has entered the true resurrection! They are priests of God and of Jesus Christ for they are kept for the greatest sacrifices and to sacrifice themselves constantly. They shall reign with Him a thousand years. The thousand years cannot be understood literally, by the letter of the word; rather it is a time that God alone knows, in which the individual soul and also the whole earth are to be placed in a consistent state to reign with Jesus Christ.
         The reign and blessedness of the creature is depending on that of Jesus Christ. Oh, wonderful reign which is going to extend on earth; you will but be the sample of the reign Jesus Christ must have in eternity.

Rev. 20:7-9: And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, ...
         Whatever will happen in the Church in the end is happening in the soul.
         After the soul has remained a long time in a state of steadfastness, when Jesus Christ is reigning within and the soul rules over the devils that have no power over it, then for a while the devil is released for God's glory and for the finished work in the soul. In no time it seems he stirs everybody and even sets the soul against its own self. Oh God, he leaves no stone unturned. He sets against the soul cities and kingdoms. But all his efforts are useless. God never protected her better though He seems to deliver her to her foes entirely. This attack is different from the first ones, in this way: In the first, the soul defended itself against its foes; then its weakness was such that the soul surrendered. But here it is attacked by all hell and does not defend itself; nor is the soul weak. God is its strength and defense.

Rev. 20:9-10: ...and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
         God destroys this deadly foe of mankind in a moment. He seems to be set free so as to be condemned forever. The torment he will bring on the saints will be short and will serve to establish them forever in eternal rest. (Editor's note: God, the Father of the Universe, and Christ Jesus, for whom creation was made, are centered in LOVE through grace which "super abounds." The translation of Scripture now embraces "everlasting" torment? Christ Jesus came to save the world not condemn (judge) it: the grace of God covers all His servants, those unto honour and those, just as well "unto dishonour." Scripture states that the spirit of the prophet is "subject to the prophet" and where we see God damming a soul unto eternal punishment then the flesh of man has attempted to bring God down to our understanding--  an understanding not centered in the Cross or Grace of God. End of note).

Rev. 20:11: And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
         Here is a wonderful illustration of nothingness. Before God comes in all His majesty, heaven and earth appear. As soon
as He clothes the soul with the state of innocence, He sits "on the great white throne," which He prepared for Himself to rest there eternally. The whole soul, earth, heaven, must be lost in God. Then God remains alone. The soul is not divided any more. She knows nothing, only God; and God remains in all His glory and majesty.

Rev. 20:12,13: And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, everyone of them according to their deeds.
         This is the last judgment. Those who died with a mystic death will no longer be able to fear hell or sin. Those who are truly dead will be received in God. All will be judged according to their works, and works are no good unless they are done in the will of God.

Rev. 20:14,15: And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
         Death and hell are over and there is no more death for the soul. All is life and freedom. But he who did not go through the first death, must suffer the second death. This is for those who are dead in sin. This refers to those who have not a new life in Jesus Christ. He is "the book" in which all the predestined ones are written.
         If we read carefully this book of  "Revelation," we would see that all the possible states of the divine and spiritual life are contained there.  And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
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^{(1) Guyon, Mme. Jeanne, CHRIST OUR REVELATION, Gardiner, Main, Reprinted 1987 Christian Books Publishing House ( Book in now out of print)}

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