And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Ver. 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit] That is, into the earth, Revelation 12:9; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 13:11; the earth is the bottomless pit, out of which the beast was raised by the dragon.
Deceive the nations] The Gentiles, by defending Gentilism, and hindering the course of the gospel among them.
And after that he must be loosed] He must, because God hath so decreed it, for the glory of his own name in the defence of his people, but destruction of his enemies. As also that the devil may show his malice, which God can restrain at his pleasure. Roger Holland, martyr, said to Bonner, This I dare be bold in God to speak, which by his Spirit I am moved to say: that God will shorten your hand of cruelty, that for a time you shall not molest his Church. And after this day in this place shall there not any be by him put to the fire and fagot. And it proved so; for none after that suffered in Smithfield for the testimony of the gospel. (Acts and Mon. fol. 1852.)