Satan is released after the thousand-year reign to reveal the incorrigible Adamic nature and to give the new generation of believers' children a genuine choice to exercise their free will.
During the Millennium, Christ rules perfectly and no satanic force is present, so the Adamic nature lies dormant. The children born during the kingdom have never had to decide for or against God. Satan's release, described in Revelation 20:3 and 20:7, makes that choice possible — and even under a perfect government, multitudes still choose to follow him.
Revelation 20:7-8 — These verses explicitly state that when the thousand years expire, Satan is loosed out of his prison and goes out to deceive the nations.
Revelation 20:9 — This verse shows the result of Satan's release: the deceived nations are gathered against the beloved city and destroyed by fire from God.
Revelation 20:7 declares, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." The next verse says he "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." The rebellion ends with fire coming down from God out of heaven to devour the rebels (Revelation 20:9). Then Satan is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where he shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Revelation 20:10).
Les Feldick teaches that the entire thousand-year reign is designed to prove once again that the human makeup is incorrigible. During those years, Christ rules with absolute, glorious power, and Satan is bound so he can no longer deceive the nations. Yet the children born to believers during the Millennium still have the same Adamic nature as all humans, and they have never been forced to make a personal choice for or against God. Satan's release after the thousand years is for the sole purpose of activating the free will of these new generations. Without Satan present, the Adamic nature is inoperative; there is no rebellion or sin because no one is there to activate it. With Satan loosed, he presents the same temptation he gave Eve — "You can be like God" — and the multitudes reveal what was always in their hearts. Even after a thousand years of perfect rule, they choose to follow Satan, and fire from heaven consumes them.
Revelation 20:7-9 says, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 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." The scripture states that the rebels surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire from God out of heaven devours them.
Les explains that the children born during the Millennium have never had to choose for or against God. Without Satan active, there is no real temptation, so their Adamic nature remains inoperative. To make a genuine choice, there must be more than one option. Thus Satan is loosed to confront them with the same temptation Eve faced in Eden — the promise "you can be like God."
Les says the thousand years prove the human makeup is incorrigible. Even in a perfect world with Christ ruling in absolute power and no sickness, poverty, or war, the instant Satan is loosed he deceives the nations and multitudes follow him. This demonstrates that humanity's problem is not environment but the Adamic nature within.
No. Les emphasizes that Christ's reign will display His absolute power and authority, and He still must defeat the final enemy, death. The rebellion after Satan's release is not a failure of Christ's government; it is the final revelation of what the Adamic nature produces when it is given the choice. God then destroys the rebels and casts Satan into the lake of fire.
Christ's Millennial Rule Displays His Authority
Les sets the context that after the tribulation, Christ reigns over Israel and the earth, showing His authority and power before the final enemy death is defeated.
New Generation Must Make a Choice
Les teaches that children born during the Millennium have never faced a choice for or against God, so Satan must be released to let them exercise their free will.
Human Nature Is Incorrigible
Les explains that the thousand-year reign proves the human makeup is incorrigible; even in a perfect environment, Satan will deceive the nations and they will rebel.
Satan Must Be Loosed a Little Season
Les highlights that after the thousand years, Satan must be loosed for a little season and will go out to deceive the nations.
Satan Released to Activate Free Will
Les states that Satan's release is to activate the free will of new generations born of believers during the kingdom.
Temptation Like Eve's
Les explains that a genuine choice requires two options, so Satan presents the same temptation as in Eden: "You can be like God."
Adamic Nature Lies Inoperative Without Satan
Les teaches that without Satan to activate it, the Adamic nature produces no rebellion; the Millennium is a glorious utopia, but it is a dispensational period.
Christ's Kingdom Is Absolute and Glorious
Les contrasts Satan's limited power with Christ's absolute and glorious rule, emphasizing the perfection of the kingdom.
Revelation 20:2: And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
This verse explains Satan's binding at the start of the Millennium, making the later release after the thousand years significant.
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.
The verse explicitly says Satan must be loosed for a little season after the thousand years.
Revelation 20:7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Directly states that after the thousand years, Satan is released from prison.
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.
Shows what Satan does after he is released — he deceives the nations and gathers them for 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.
Shows the result of the final rebellion — God destroys the rebels 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.
Reveals Satan's final doom after the release and the rebellion.
Genesis 3:5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Les compares Satan's end-times temptation to the temptation of Eve in the Garden.
Satan is released to test the new generation born during the Millennium. They have Adamic natures but have never faced a real choice, so Satan is loosed to activate their free will and show that even in a perfect environment, human nature is incorrigible.
No. Les teaches Christ's reign displays absolute power and glory. The rebellion actually proves that the problem is the human makeup, not Christ's government.
They gather against the beloved city, and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them (Revelation 20:9).
He is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are tormented day and night forever (Revelation 20:10).
Watch the Teaching: Why Christ Must Reign Until All Enemies Are Under His Feet