Re: Rev 20:4-5

David Miller (zdmille1@trin.edu)
Fri, 17 Oct 1997 13:10:56 -0600

On 17 Oct 97 at 13:16, Paul S. Dixon wrote about Rev 20:4-5:

} Recent readings in Revelation rekindled some thoughts in 20:4-5. Let me
} identify 2 or 3 concerns.

} A second concern, probably not unrelated, is the significance of ACRI in
} verse 5. The natural assumption is that it implies that after the 1000
} years (again, spiritual or literal?) the rest of the dead live. But,
} does this necessarily follow? Certainly not, if the life spoken about in
} these verses is spiritual life. Are we to infer that after the 1000
} years the rest of the spiritually dead come to spiritual life (and
} possibly reign with Christ as the first group did)? Regardless of how we
} take "life" in these verses, the use of ACRI does not seem to imply that
} the rest of the dead come to life. The use of the word in Rom 5:13 ("for
} until the law sin was in the world;" does this imply that after the law
} sin was not in the world?) shows that the use of the word itself does not
} necessitate this conclusion.
}
} What do you think?
}
What about the use of ACRI in Rev 20:3? (Satan is bound 1000 years
in order that he might not deceive the nations ACRI TELESQH TA CILIA
ETH) In this context it seems to mean that after the
thousand years are completed Satan does deceive the nations
again (cf. 20:7-8). Would it not be likely that ACRI is used the
same way in both 20:3 and 20:5 (i.e. Satan deceives the nations
again and the rest of the dead come to life)?

David Miller
MA NT student
TEDS