Wikipedia article on the Geneva Bible
| Verse | 1560 Footnote | 1599 Footnote |
|---|---|---|
| 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. | a. (an angel) This Angel representeth the order of the Apostles, whose vocation and office was from heaven or may signify Christ. That should tread down the serpents' head. b. (key of the bottomless pit) Hereby he meaneth the Gospel whereby hell is shut up to the faithful, and Satan is chained that he cannot hurt them, yea and the ministers hereby open it to the infidels, but through their impiety and stubbornness. |
1 (I saw an angel) Now followeth the third place of the prophetical history, which is of the victory whereby Christ overcame the dragon, as I note, Rev. 7:1. This place must necessarily be joined with the end of Chapter 12, and be applied unto the just understanding thereof. This chapter hath two parts, one of the dragon overcome, unto verse 10, the other of the resurrection and the last judgment unto the end of the chapter. The history of the dragon is double: First of the first victory after which he was bound by Christ, unto the verse 6. The second is of the last victory, whereby he was thrown down into everlasting punishment, thence unto the verse 10. This first history happened in the first time of the Christian Church, when the dragon thrown down from heaven by Christ, went about to molest the new birth of the Church in the earth, Rev. 12:17,18. For which cause I gave warning, that this story of the Dragon must be annexed unto that place. 2 (key of the bottomless pit) That is of hell, whither God threw down the Angels which had sinned, and bound them in chains of darkness to be kept unto damnation, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6. |
| 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, | c. (a thousand years) That is, from Christ's nativity unto the time of Pope Sylvester the second (938-1003 AD); so long the pure doctrine should after a sort remaine. | 3 (a thousand years) The first whereof (continuing this history with the end of the chapter 12) is the 36 year from the passion of Christ, when the Church of the Jews being over thrown, Satan assayed to invade the Christian Church gathered of the Gentiles, and to destroy part of her seed, Rev. 12:17. The thousandth year falleth precisely upon the times of that wicked Hildebrand, who was called Gregory the seventh (1073-1085 AD), a most damnable Necromancer & sorcerer, whom Satan used as an instrument when he was loosed of bonds, thenceforth to annoy the Saints of God with most cruel persecutions, and the whole world with dissentions, and most bloody wars; as Benno the Cardinal reporteth at large. And this is the first victory gotten over the Dragon in the earth. |
| 20:3 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. | d. (thousand years fulfilled) After this term Satan had greater power than he had before. | 4 (deceive the people no more) Namely, with that public and violent deceit which he attempted before, Chapter 12, and which after a thousand years (alack for woe) he most mightily procured in the Christian world. 5 (a little season) Which being once expired, this second battle and victory shall be, of which verse 7,8. |
| 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. | e. (thrones) The glory and authority of them that suffer for Christ's sake. f. (reigned with Christ) That is, while they have remained in this life. |
6 A description of the common state of the Church of Christ in earth in that space of a thousand years, for which the devil was in bonds; in which first the authority, life, and common honor of the godly is declared, verse 4. Secondly, newness of life is preached unto others by the Gospel, after that space, verse 5. Finally, he concluded with promises verse 6. 2 (thrones) For judgment was committed to them, as to the members joined to the head, not that Christ's office was given over [to] them. 3 This was a type of the authority of the good and faithful servants of God in the Church, taken from the manner of men. 4 (them that were beheaded) Of the Martyrs, which suffered in those first times. 5 (which did not worship the beast) Of the Martyrs which suffered after that both the beasts were now risen up, Chapter 13, for these three things are expounded. |
| 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. | g. (the rest of the dead) He meaneth they which are spiritually dead; for in whom Satan liveth, he is dead to God. h. (the first resurrection) Which is to receive Jesus Christ in true faith, and to rise from sin in newness of life. |
1 (the rest of the dead) Whoever shall lie dead in sin, and not know the truth of God. 2 (shall not live again) They shall not be renewed with that newness of the life by the enlightening of the Gospel of the glory of Christ. For this is the first resurrection, by which the souls of the godly do rise from their death. In the second resurrection their bodies shall rise again. |
| 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. | i. (second death) The death of the soul, that is eternal damnation. k. (they shall be priests) Shall be true partakers of Christ and of his dignity. l. (a thousand years) That is, forever. |
1 (the second death) That whereby both body and soul, that is, the whole man is addicted and delivered unto eternal death. So Rev. 2:11. 2 (reign with Him) A return unto the intended history, by resuming the words which are in the end of the fourth verse. |
| 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, | m. (thousand years expired) After that the chain is broke and the true preaching of Gods word is corrupt. | 1 The second history, of the latter victory of Christ, as was said verse 1. In which are summarily described the work, overthrow and eternal punishment of Satan. 2 Of which I spake, verse 2. Then therefore shall be given unto him liberty to rage against the Church, and to molest the Saints for the sins of men: unto whom the faithful shall have associated themselves more than was meet, tasting with them of their impurity of doctrine and life. |
| 20:8 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. | n. By them are meant diverse and strange enemies of the Church of God, as the Turk, the Saracens and others, read Ezekiel 38:2, by whom the Church of God should be grievously tormented. | 1 The work or act of Satan (which is the first member as I distinguished in the verse beforegoing) to deceive the whole world, even unto the uttermost nations thereof: to arm them against the people of God, in this verse, and to besiege and oppress the Church, with his whole strength, in the verse following. |
| 20:9 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. | 1 (plain of the earth) As if he said insomuch that the whole face of the earth, how great soever it is was filled. 2 (fire came down) The wrath of God, consuming the adversaries, and overthrowing all their enterprises, Heb. 10:27. And this is the second member mentioned, verse 7, the overthrow of Satan. | |
| 20:10 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. | 1 The third member, eternal destruction against those that are overcome: as I noted in the same place. | |
| 20:11 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. | o. (one that sat on it) Which was Christ, prepared to judgment with glory and majesty. | 1 The second part of this Chapter, in which is described the judge, in this verse, and the last judgment in the verse following. 2 (great white throne) That is, a tribunal seat most Princelike and glorious: for so doth the Greek word also signify. 3 (one that sat on it) That is, Christ, before whom when he cometh unto judgment, heaven and earth shall perish for the greatness of his majesty, 2 Pet. 3:7, 10, etc. |
| 20:12 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. | p. (books were opened) Every man's conscience is as a book wherein his deeds are written, which shall appear when God openeth the book. | 1 (before God) That is, Christ the judge, 2 Cor. 5:10. 2 (books were opened) As it were, our books of reckoning or accompts: that is, the testimony of our conscience, and of our works, which by no means can be avoided. This is spoken after the manner of men. 3 (book of life) The book of the eternal decree of God, in which God the Father hath elected in Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, those that shall be heirs of life. This also is spoken according to the manner of men. |
| 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. | q. (death and hell) Understanding all kinds of death whereby men have been slain. | 1 This is a prevention or an answer to an objection: for happily some man will say, but they are dead, whom the sea, death and the grave hath consumed, how shall they appear before the judge? S. John answereth by resurrection from death, whereunto all things (however repugnant) shall minister and serve at the commandment of God, as Dan. 12. |
| 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. | 1 The last enemy which is death shall be abolished by Christ (that he may no more make any attempt against us), 1 Cor. 15:16, and death shall feed upon the reprobate in hell for evermore, according to the righteous judgment of God, in the next verse. | |
| 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. |