After the thousand-year reign, Satan is released from the bottomless pit, deceives the nations one final time, and is cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:7-10 says he is loosed out of his prison when the thousand years are expired. He goes out to deceive Gog and Magog and gathers them against Jerusalem, but fire comes down from God and devours them. Then the devil is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet already are.
Revelation 20:7-10 — This is the core passage that records Satan's release, the final rebellion, and his being cast into the lake of fire.
1 Corinthians 15:25 — Paul explains why Christ must reign until every enemy, including Satan, is under His feet.
Revelation 20:7 says that when the thousand years are expired, "Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." Verse 3 earlier describes the confinement: he was cast into the bottomless pit and shut up, with a seal set on him so he could deceive the nations no more "till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season." Verses 8-9 describe the deception and rebellion. Satan goes out to deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, and gathers them to battle. They compass the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but "fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Verse 10 gives the final outcome: "the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are," and they are tormented day and night forever and ever. Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15:25 also frame this period: "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet."
Les Feldick explains that the thousand years are not Satan's final sentence. God cannot send Satan to the lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium because the lake of fire is a place of eternity, and Satan is not ready for eternity yet. He has one more opportunity at the end of the thousand years, so he is confined in the bottomless pit until that time. Les sees the release as a deliberate test. During the kingdom age, people live in a perfect environment with no sin, sickness, or pain, but new generations of children born during the reign must still exercise the free will of the old Adamic nature. Satan's release after the thousand years is what activates that choice, just as Satan came to Adam and Eve in Eden with the appeal to be like God. When the thousand years are expired, Les says Satan is loosed from his prison and returns to his old domain, the earth. He deceives the nations from the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, and gathers them to battle around Jerusalem, the beloved city. Fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them immediately, and then the devil is cast into the lake of fire. Les also notes that the beast and the false prophet are already there after a thousand years; they have not been annihilated. This final removal of Satan is connected to Paul's statement that Christ must reign until all enemies are under His feet.
Revelation 20:7 simply reports that Satan is loosed out of his prison, but it does not explain the reason. Les Feldick teaches that the thousand-year kingdom proves that the human makeup is incorrigible. In a perfect environment, the generations born during the reign must still make a voluntary choice, and Satan's release activates that choice. Just as Satan came to Adam and Eve with the temptation to be like God, he comes to these new generations when he is released.
Les Feldick teaches that the lake of fire is a place of eternity, and Satan is not ready for eternity yet. Because he has one more opportunity to deceive the nations at the end of the thousand years, God confines him to the bottomless pit and seals him there rather than sending him directly to his final doom.
When the thousand years are expired, Satan is loosed from his prison and goes back to his old domain, the earth. He deceives the nations in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, and gathers a number like the sand of the sea to surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours all the rebels.
After the rebellion is stopped, Revelation 20:10 says the devil who deceived them is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Les Feldick observes that the beast and the false prophet are already there after a thousand years; they have not been annihilated or destroyed. These three personalities who made up the unholy trinity of the tribulation go directly to their eternal doom, the lake of fire that burns forever and ever.
Les Feldick connects the end of the millennium with 1 Corinthians 15:25, where Paul says Christ must reign until all enemies are under His feet. Satan is still alive and not permanently put away during the thousand years, so the final setting away of Satan cannot take place until the thousand years have finished. At that point he is released once more, and he causes the nations to follow him in rebellion against the King and against God.
Release to Exercise Free Will
Les explains that the people born during the kingdom live in a perfect environment but must still show their free-will choice, and Satan's release after the thousand years is what tests that choice.
Final Rebellion and Fire from Heaven
Les explains that after being loosed, Satan deceives the nations and gathers them against Jerusalem, and God destroys the rebels with fire from heaven.
Release Predicted in Revelation 20
Les notes that Revelation 20 twice marks the thousand-year boundary and announces that Satan will be released after it is fulfilled.
Satan Cast into the Lake of Fire
Les highlights that in Revelation 20:10 Satan is cast into the lake of fire and that the beast and false prophet are still there after a thousand years, not annihilated.
The Bottomless Pit Confinement
Les explains why God does not send Satan to the lake of fire at the binding: Satan is not ready for eternity and must be released for one more work of deception.
Final Removal Awaits the End of the Millennium
Les points to Revelation 20:7 to show that the final setting away of Satan cannot happen until the thousand years are finished.
Released to Lead the Nations in Rebellion
Les says Satan is held until the thousand years run their course and then is released to cause the nations to reject the sovereignty of the King.
Loosed from Prison to His Old Domain
Les describes Satan being loosed out of prison after the thousand years and returning to his old domain, the earth, to deceive the nations.
Revelation 20:3: 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.
This verse shows the temporary confinement and the announcement that Satan must be released for a little season.
Revelation 20:7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison;
This verse marks the exact moment after the millennium when Satan is released.
Revelation 20:8: 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.
This explains what Satan does after release: he deceives the nations and gathers them for a final battle.
Revelation 20:9: 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.
God ends the rebellion with fire from heaven.
Revelation 20:10: 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.
Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already are.
1 Corinthians 15:25: For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
Paul shows why Christ's reign must continue until Satan and every enemy are defeated.
Revelation 20:3 describes it as "a little season." The exact length of time is not given in the evidence, but the passage focuses on what happens during that time: Satan deceives the nations, gathers them to battle, and is then cast into the lake of fire.
Les Feldick explains that the people born during the thousand years have not yet had to exercise their free will. In a perfect environment, Satan's release tests them, just as Adam and Eve were tested in the Garden of Eden.
Revelation 20:10 says they are already in the lake of fire. Les Feldick emphasizes that after a thousand years they are still there, not annihilated, and are now joined by Satan.
Revelation 20:10 says the devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Les Feldick describes this as eternal doom.
Watch the Teaching: Revelation 20 Explained: Satan Bound, the Millennium & Final Judgment