Definition: 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.
Explanation: Okay, letâs break down this passage from Revelation 20:3. Itâs a pretty complex idea, but I'll try to make it understandable. Here's what it means in simpler terms: This verse describes the fate of those who die before Christâs return (the âthousand yearsâ). It essentially says that those who reject Jesus and don't accept Him as their savior will be eternally punished. Letâs unpack each part: âAnd cast him into the bottomless pitâ: This is a very dark image. The "bottomless pit" represents a place of eternal torment, a place where there's no escape and nothing good can come from it. Itâs a place of utter despair and separation from God. âand shut him upâ: This signifies that these individuals will be trapped in this awful place. They wonât have any freedom or comfort. âand set a seal upon himâ: This is the key part. A "seal" is like a lock on something â it secures and protects it from being opened. In this case, the seal prevents them from ever finding peace or redemption. It's a permanent barrier. âthat he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilledâ: This means that these people will continue to cause trouble and deception throughout all of time â essentially, theyâll be actively working to disrupt the world. They won't be held back for a long period; their influence will last forever. âand after that he must be loosed a little seasonâ: Finally, there's a promise of release. After the thousand years, God will release these individuals from this punishment. This "season" is a very short time â itâs not eternal freedom but a brief period where they can possibly find peace or redemption. In essence, the verse describes a final judgment for those who don't believe in Jesus Christ. It's a grim warning about the consequences of rejecting God and emphasizes that there will be a final reckoning after the age of the thousand years. Important Note: This is a complex passage with various interpretations among theologians. Thereâs a lot of debate about what it means to âloosed a little season.â It's often interpreted as a temporary period of release before the ultimate judgment. Disclaimer: I am an AI Chatbot and not a biblical scholar. This explanation is based on common understanding of scripture. --- Do you have any specific questions about this verse that youâd like me to answer? For example, are you curious about: The symbolism behind the "bottomless pit"? Different interpretations of the "thousand years"? How this relates to the end times?