Revelation 20:7 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

Bible Comments

Before the Great White Throne

Revelation 20:7-15

Gog and Magog take us back to Genesis 10:2; see also Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29. It would seem that this great confederacy of the northern nations against the beloved city, Jerusalem, will be led by Satan, and overwhelmed once and for all by the direct judgment of God.

The final judgment is depicted in Revelation 20:11-15. God's people will not appear at that bar. All the human family will be arraigned, save those whose names are in the book of life, John 5:24. See Exodus 32:32; Daniel 12:1; Philippians 4:3; and Revelation 21:27. Death and Hades will surrender their contents. What a marvelous audience! The throne is great, because of the destinies to be decided; and white, because of the immaculate purity of the Judge, who will be none other than our Lord. See John 5:22; Acts 17:31. The books will surely include conscience; Romans 2:15-16; God's Word, John 12:48; and the tablets of memory, Luke 16:25.

Revelation 20:7-15

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hella delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.