Bible Questions and Answers

A visitor writes,

"What is the meaning of Revelation 20:3, 7 about " cast him into the bottomless pit and "Satan shall be loosed out of his prison""

The bottomless pit occurs in the following places:

Revelation 9:1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2  And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3  Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

This is a prophecy in symbol of the rise of Islam (Saracens etc.) in the seventh century AD, depicted as great swarm of locusts.

The bottomless pit does not physically exist - it is symbolic language.

Revelation 9:11  And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 

This is not literally an angel. Abaddon and Apollyon mean ‘destroyer’. 

Revelation 11:7  And when they (the two witnesses) shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

The bottomless pit is a state of nonexistence – this is shown in Revelation 17:8.

Revelation 17: 8  "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

The ‘is not’ is equivalent to being ‘in the bottomless pit’.

This beast which is associated with the harlot church of Rome constituted the Holy Roman which existed for 1000 years and was dissolved in 1806. We live in a time when the political power represented by the ‘beast’ does not exist. The ‘beast’ political power will rise again prior to Christ’s return. This is a work in progress in the European Union. The nations of western Europe will surrender their political power to it as described in ch.17:12-14.

Revelation 17:12  "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13  "These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

Revelation 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Revelation 20:3  and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while… 7  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison.

If we understand that ‘Satan’ in this case represents the evil that comes from within man, then we will understand that binding it in the bottomless pit for 1000 years represents the tight restraint placed upon mankind during the reign of Christ. The evils currently rife in society will no longer exist. Crime will be supressed because there will be no hiding place for criminality.

At the end of the 1000 yrs there will be a relaxing of the restraint for a final showdown between Christ and the evil of mankind.

Revelation 20:9  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

The rebellion will be put down and the second resurrection and final judgment will take place.

Following this the purpose of God with man will come to fruition. All who live on will receive the divine nature and God will live in and with his people forever.

Revelation 21:3  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4  "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5  Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." 6  And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7  "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8  "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

The ‘lake of fire’ like ‘Gehenna fire’ is not a literal fire – it represents complete destruction, not eternal torment.

I hope you find this helpful,

God bless,

Glenn