Reference

Revelation 20:9

Timing of JudgmentDestruction / Perishing LanguageAnnihilation / DestructionSymbolic Millennium
“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.”
7

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Timing of Judgment
Keyword Match
90% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Destruction / Perishing Language
Keyword Match
100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Annihilation / Destruction
Keyword Match
80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Timing of Judgment

The verse describes an event that clearly takes place after the "thousand years" mentioned in the preceding verses of Revelation 20, but it doesn't explicitly state that this event *is* the final judgment itself, only a destructive act by God.

Destruction / Perishing Language

There is no argument that this verse does not support the theme, as the text explicitly states "fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them," which directly aligns with the "devour" and "perishing language" aspects of the theme definition.

Annihilation / Destruction

While "devoured" implies destruction, the verse does not explicitly state that the wicked cease to exist in the sense of non-being, leaving open interpretations of continued suffering or a different form of existence after this event.

Symbolic Millennium

This verse describes a specific event occurring at the end of a period, but it contains no mention of the word "thousand" nor does it offer any contextual clues that would suggest the millennium is symbolic rather than a literal duration.

Timing of Judgment
Timing of Judgment

Cross-References

Zephaniah 3:19Thematic

“Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.”

Ezekiel 38:16Thematic

“And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8Thematic

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Ezekiel 38:22Thematic

“And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.”

Ezekiel 38:9Thematic

“Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”

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Thematic Connections

Timing of JudgmentDestruction / Perishing LanguageAnnihilation / DestructionSymbolic Millennium

Private Study Note