What happens at the end of The Thousand year Peaceful - Reign and why is satan released onto the world again?

Revelation 20:7-10: “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Opinions vary depending on what interpretation is given to Revelation, whether it is literal or not. To keep this simple, here is a brief summary from the 1998 book ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ’ by John Metcalfe.

Contemporary (Praeterist) Interpretation: Everything in Revelation was fulfilled in past history during the first century of the church.

Historicist Interpretation: With the exception of the prologue and epilogue, Revelation is a continuing unfolding of the history of the church in the world. Commences with the apostolic age and continues to unfold to the end of time.

Futurist interpretation: Developed as Roman Catholic counter-reformation propaganda which puts everything in the future. In chapter 4 a secret rapture of the church is proposed. The prophetic narrative of events from chapter 4 to 22 has nothing to do with the church but is presumed to do with Israel over a future seven year period of tribulation. A literal thousand years with Israel on earth, and the church suspended in heaven above it; O.T. priesthood, temple, sacrifices reinstituted with the Lord being on earth reigning over Israel and the world.

Resumptive (Spiritual) interpretation: Revelation is applied to all ages of the church and throughout the ages – a vast unfolding of invisible powers and the visible occurrence of events. Both principles and powers being invisible, they are depicted with graphic imagery in which two opposing forces, in conflict the one with the other, range over the heavens and the earth. The book repeats the period from the ascension till the judgment seven times over (hence the term ‘resumptive’). The entire age of the church appears in the spiritual verities which govern it - seven parallel phases of conflict between implacably antagonistic principles. The sevenfold parallel sections conclude with the last judgment - distinctive aspects of the same struggle.

Here are a few extracts from Metcalfe's book presenting the Resumptive (Spiritual) interpretation:

Revelation 20:1-2 is a metaphorical picture of the effect of the cross of Christ upon the dragon. John sees the vision of the descent of the angel. The purpose of the angel’s descent is quite clear from the verse, namely, to bind the dragon, which is an allegorical description of the Devil – that is, Diabolos – or Satan. Whilst Satan is bound he is unable to prevent God’s mercy in the gospel going out to the Gentiles (Mark 16:15).

The purpose is for Satan to ‘go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth” (Revelation 20:7-8). The Jews were cut off because of unbelief. And, just as it was with Israel, so it shall be with the Gentiles. God shall blind their eyes, harden their hearts, confuse their understanding, and give them over to be deceived. Source: The Seventh Opening – Chapters 20 to 22:5 – Part One

Whilst Satan is bound there is still hope for people to come to saving faith in Christ Jesus and what he accomplished 2,000 years ago when he defeated Satan and conquered death itself. But God has decreed that he will be released for ‘a little season’ prior to the final conflict when Satan attempts to destroy God’s people.

Signs of the beginning of the little season when Satan is released:

• A global turning away from the everlasting gospel.

• Living as if there were no God, no judgment, and no eternity – a worse state than the previous wickedness while Satan was bound (after Jesus’ death on the cross and his ascension).

• Apostasy within the whole of Christendom – a falling away of the Church. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 says God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

We are even now living in that ‘little season’. Hence the warning in Revelation chapter 20: it is to alert us to the imminence of the return of Christ Jesus.