Revelation 20:8
and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
and will go out
This phrase indicates a movement or action initiated by Satan after being released from his prison. The Greek word used here is "ἐξελεύσεται" (exeleusetai), which implies a purposeful departure with intent. Historically, this reflects the recurring theme of evil attempting to disrupt God's plan, reminiscent of Satan's earlier deceptions throughout biblical history.

to deceive
The Greek word "πλανῆσαι" (planēsai) is used here, meaning to lead astray or cause to wander. Deception is a central tactic of Satan, as seen throughout Scripture, beginning with the deception of Eve in Genesis. This highlights the ongoing spiritual battle between truth and falsehood, emphasizing the need for discernment and faithfulness among believers.

the nations
The term "nations" (Greek: "τὰ ἔθνη," ta ethnē) refers to the peoples or ethnic groups of the world. In the biblical context, it often denotes those outside the covenant community of Israel, representing the broader world that is susceptible to Satan's influence. This underscores the universal scope of the final conflict and the pervasive reach of Satan's deception.

in the four corners of the earth
This phrase symbolizes the entirety of the earth, drawing from the ancient understanding of the world as having four cardinal points. It signifies the global nature of the deception and the widespread rebellion against God. The imagery suggests completeness and totality, indicating that no part of the world is immune to this final uprising.

Gog and Magog
These names are drawn from Ezekiel 38-39, where Gog is a leader of a great army from the land of Magog. Historically, these terms have been associated with enemies of God's people. In Revelation, they symbolize the ultimate adversaries of God, representing the forces of evil gathered for the final battle. This connection to Ezekiel emphasizes the prophetic fulfillment and the continuity of God's redemptive plan.

to gather them for battle
The Greek word "συναγαγεῖν" (synagagein) means to assemble or bring together. This gathering for battle is a recurring motif in apocalyptic literature, symbolizing the climactic confrontation between good and evil. It reflects the culmination of spiritual warfare, where God's sovereignty will ultimately triumph over all opposition.

Their number is like the sand of the seashore
This simile, rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, often denotes an innumerable multitude (e.g., Genesis 22:17). It emphasizes the vastness of the forces arrayed against God, yet also serves to highlight the futility of their rebellion. Despite their overwhelming numbers, they are ultimately powerless against the omnipotent God, reinforcing the assurance of divine victory and the hope for believers.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Satan
The deceiver who is released to lead the nations astray.

2. Nations in the Four Corners of the Earth
Symbolic of the entirety of the world, indicating a global scope of deception.

3. Gog and Magog
Symbolic names representing the enemies of God, drawing from Old Testament imagery.

4. Battle
The final confrontation between the forces of evil and God.

5. Sand of the Seashore
A metaphor for an innumerable multitude, emphasizing the vast number of those deceived.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Deception
Satan's primary tool is deception, and believers must be vigilant and discerning.

Global Scope of Spiritual Warfare
The battle is not localized but involves the entire world, reminding us of the universal nature of spiritual conflict.

Symbolism of Gog and Magog
These names symbolize the perennial enemies of God, reminding us that opposition to God has historical and spiritual roots.

The Finality of God's Victory
Despite the vast number of those deceived, God's victory is assured, offering hope and assurance to believers.

Call to Faithfulness
In light of the coming deception, believers are called to remain faithful and grounded in Scripture.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of "Gog and Magog" in Revelation 20:8 connect to the prophecy in Ezekiel 38-39, and what does this teach us about the continuity of God's plan?

2. In what ways can believers guard against the deception that is described in Revelation 20:8?

3. How does the metaphor of "sand of the seashore" challenge us to consider the influence and reach of spiritual deception in our world today?

4. What practical steps can we take to ensure we are not among those deceived in the end times, as warned in Matthew 24:24?

5. How does understanding the global nature of the battle in Revelation 20:8 impact our perspective on spiritual warfare and our role as Christians in the world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ezekiel 38-39
The prophecy of Gog and Magog, which provides the Old Testament background for the imagery used in Revelation.

Genesis 22:17
The promise to Abraham about his descendants being as numerous as the sand on the seashore, contrasting the faithful with the deceived multitude.

Revelation 16:14
The gathering of kings for the battle of Armageddon, showing a parallel in the gathering for battle.

Matthew 24:24
The warning about false prophets and deception in the end times, highlighting the theme of deception.

1 Peter 5:8
The description of Satan as a prowling lion, emphasizing his role as a deceiver.
The Restraint Upon EvilR. Green Revelation 20:1-10
The Third Scene in the History of Redeemed HumanityD. Thomas Revelation 20:7-10
Satan LoosedJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
Satan Loosed from His Prison After the Thousand YearsC. Clemance, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
The Age of Moral ReactionD. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
The Saints Compassed by EvilWm. Guild, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
People
Gog, John, Magog
Places
Patmos
Topics
Assemble, Astray, Battle, Corners, Deceive, Error, Forth, Gather, Gog, Lead, Magog, Nations, Quarters, Sand, Sands, Seashore, War
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 20:1-15

     9155   millennium

Revelation 20:7-8

     4360   sand
     5561   suffering, nature of

Revelation 20:7-10

     4369   sulphur
     8776   lies

Revelation 20:7-15

     9210   judgment, God's

Revelation 20:8-9

     5205   alliance
     9220   day of the LORD

Library
"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Profanations of Good and Truth
I. Goods and Truths and Their Opposites The Divine good that goes forth from the Lord is united with His Divine truth, as heat from the sun is with light in the time of spring. But angels, who are recipients of the Divine good and Divine truth going forth from the Lord, are distinguished as celestial and spiritual. Those who receive more of the Lord's Divine good than of His Divine truth are called celestial angels; because these constitute the kingdom of the Lord that is called the celestial kingdom.
Emanuel Swedenborg—Spiritual Life and the Word of God

The Life of the Blessed in Heaven.
Having examined the glorious gifts with which the risen body is clothed, and seen that it perfects the soul in all her operations; understanding, moreover, that the glorified senses are to contribute their share to the happiness of man--we shall now consider the happy life of the blessed in heaven, including the resurrection. But, remember, it is not a new life that is now to occupy our thoughts. It is a continuation of the same life that was begun the moment the vision of God flashed upon the soul.
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

A Few Sighs from Hell;
or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; THEIR CRIES, THEIR DESIRES IN THEIR DISTRESSES, WITH THE DETERMINATION OF GOD UPON THEM. A GOOD WARNING WORD TO SINNERS, BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BETIMES, AND TO SEEK, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TO AVOID, LEST THEY COME INTO THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. Also, a Brief Discourse touching the
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Second
refers to Genesis iii., the promise being "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (ii. 10, 11). The reference is to Genesis iii., where death first enters. But the promise goes beyond this; for it relates not merely to the death which came in with sin, but to the "second death," which is revealed in Rev. xx. 14; xxi. 8.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Lapse of Time.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."--Eccles. ix. 10. Solomon's advice that we should do whatever our hand findeth to do with our might, naturally directs our thoughts to that great work in which all others are included, which will outlive all other works, and for which alone we really are placed here below--the salvation of our souls. And the consideration of this great work,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs.
(Gergesa, Now Called Khersa.) ^A Matt. VIII. 28-34; IX. 1; ^B Mark V. 1-21; ^C Luke VIII. 26-40. ^b 1 And they came to the other side of the sea [They left in the "even," an elastic expression. If they left in the middle of the afternoon and were driven forward by the storm, they would have reached the far shore several hours before dark], ^c 26 And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee. ^a 28 And when he was come into the country of the Gadarenes. ^c 27 And
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The General Resurrection
Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. A n object, great in itself, and which we know to be so, will appear small to us, if we view it from a distance. The stars, for example, in our view, are but as little specks
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Appendix xix. On Eternal Punishment, According to the Rabbis and the New Testament
THE Parables of the Ten Virgins' and of the Unfaithful Servant' close with a Discourse on the Last Things,' the final Judgment, and the fate of those Christ's Righ Hand and at His Left (St. Matt. xxv. 31-46). This final Judgment by our Lord forms a fundamental article in the Creed of the Church. It is the Christ Who comes, accompanied by the Angelic Host, and sits down on the throne of His Glory, when all nations are gathered before Him. Then the final separation is made, and joy or sorrow awarded
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
E^7, xix. 17&151xx. 15. THE FINAL FIVE JUDGMENTS. We must get a complete view of these in order to embrace them all and view them as a whole. The Structure shows their true sequence: E^7., xix. 17-- 15. The Seventh (and Last) Vision "on Earth." E^7 A^1 xix. 17-21. MEN. The Judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet. B^1 xx. 1-3. SATAN. The Judgment of Satan (Before the Millennium). A^2 xx. 4-6. MEN. The Judgment of the overcomers. The "rest of the dead" left for Judgment. B^2 xx. 7-10.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

"Now the End of the Commandment is Charity Out of a Pure Heart, and a Good Conscience, and Faith Unfeigned. "
[It is extremely probable that this was one of the probationary discourses which the author delivered before the Presbytery of Glasgow, previous to his ordination. The following is an extract from the Record of that Presbytery: "Dec. 5, 1649. The qlk daye Mr. Hew Binnen made his popular sermon 1 Tim. i. ver. 5 'The end of ye commandment is charity.'--Ordaines Mr. Hew Binnen to handle his controversie this day fifteen dayes, De satisfactione Christi."--Ed.] 1 Tim. ii. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope
In 2 Timothy, 3:16, Paul declares: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;" but there are some people who tell us when we take up prophecy that it is all very well to be believed, but that there is no use in one trying to understand it; these future events are things that the church does not agree about, and it is better to let them alone, and deal only with those prophecies which have already been
Dwight L. Moody—That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
In the discussion of this subject, I shall show-- I. What constitute the sanctions of law. 1. The sanctions of law are the motives to obedience, the natural and the governmental consequences or results of obedience and of disobedience. 2. They are remuneratory, that is, they promise reward to obedience. 3. They are vindicatory, that is, they threaten the disobedient with punishment. 4. They are natural, that is, happiness is to some extent naturally connected with, and the necessary consequence of,
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
OR, THE THRONE OF GRACE ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The churches of Christ are very much indebted to the Rev. Charles Doe, for the preservation and publishing of this treatise. It formed one of the ten excellent manuscripts left by Bunyan at his decease, prepared for the press. Having treated on the nature of prayer in his searching work on 'praying with the spirit and with the understanding also,' in which he proves from the sacred scriptures that prayer cannot be merely read or said, but must
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness.
^A Matt. IV. 1-11; ^B Mark I. 12, 13; ^C Luke IV. 1-13. ^c 1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, ^b 12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth ^c and ^a 1 Then [Just after his baptism, with the glow of the descended Spirit still upon him, and the commending voice of the Father still ringing in his ears, Jesus is rushed into the suffering of temptation. Thus abrupt and violent are the changes of life. The spiritually exalted may expect these sharp contrasts. After being
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Resurrection
'Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.' John 5:58, 29. Q-38: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT THE RESURRECTION? A: At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgement, and made perfectly blessed in the
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Word
The third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redemption by Christ, is the diligent use of ordinances, in particular, the word, sacraments, and prayer.' I begin with the best of these ordinances. The word . . . which effectually worketh in you that believe.' 1 Thess 2:13. What is meant by the word's working effectually? The word of God is said to work effectually when it has the good effect upon us for which it was appointed by God; when it works powerful illumination
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

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