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Revelation

About this book
Chapter 20

1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.⁠ 2 He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years.⁠ 3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)⁠ 4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.⁠ 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. 7 Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. 9 They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.⁠ 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.⁠ 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened,⁠ and another book was opened—the book of life.⁠ So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.⁠ 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.⁠ 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.⁠ 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.

Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 87:4 and Revelation 20:12

Hebrew Bible · New Testament

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Summary

Revelation describes names read from a book of life at final judgment, echoing Psalm 87 where God records those born in Zion. Both reflect ancient Near Eastern traditions where the gods keep records of human lives and destinies.

Passages

Psalm 87:4

Hebrew Bible
3 People say wonderful things about you, O city of God. (Selah) 4 I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers. Here are Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia. It is said of them, “This one was born there.” 5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, “Each one of these was born in her, and the Most High makes her secure.” 6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, “This one was born there.” (Selah) 7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers—all of them sing within your walls.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

Revelation 20:12

New Testament
11 Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

"... The second part of the psalm has the sound of a prophetic oracle. One can imagine the pilgrim at the temple festival, as in a vision seeing people from all over the known world pass by. The pilgrim-poet overhears the divine counsel regarding God’s people, as the LORD records: “This one was born there . . . This one and that one . . . This one . . . (verses 4-6). A “book of life” was well-known in Old Testament times (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:28; Isaiah 4:3; Ezekiel 13:9; compare Revelation 20:12). The speaker (verses 4-5) appears to be God, probably through the voice of a prophet ..."
James H. Waltner, Psalms (Scottdale, PA: Herald, 2006), 425.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Psalm 87:4 and Revelation 20:12

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