Why will Satan be bound for 1,000 years and released again?
Careful study of the Scriptures teaches that the Bible millennium is the seventh 1,000-year period from the entrance of sin and death upon the human family through father Adam. Since Adam’s sin, approximately 6,000 years of suffering and dying have passed over his offspring, the entire human race.
When considering creation in Genesis, we notice that God worked for six days (Hebrew: epochs or periods of time) and rested on the seventh. In like manner, the nation of Israel was required to work six days of the week and rest on the seventh. We can use this same pattern—six days of toil followed by the seventh day of rest—to help us locate the Bible millennium.
How long is an epoch day to the Lord? The Apostle Peter supplies us with the answer in 2 Peter 3:8, “…be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
This 1,000-year period will allow all who have ever lived an opportunity to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Applying this knowledge to the divine pattern, we learn that the six 1,000 year long days of mankind toiling under the burden of sin and death are to be followed by the seventh 1,000 year long day for the purpose of resting from sin and death and for removing the curse. This same 1,000-year day is spoken of as the time in which the saints will reign with Christ when Satan is bound (Revelation 20:3-4).
Why after 1,000 years would God then release Satan from his bonds in order to deceive the nations again (Revelation 20:7-9)?
It is God’s way of testing mankind in order to see if each person’s obedience is done not out of fear of punishment, but is done out of his own free will, thereby proving that God’s laws are truly written in his heart. We believe that the vast majority of mankind will accept the kingdom arrangements and go on to live forever on a perfected earth.
However, the disobedient will be destroyed along with Satan. From this death there will be no further resurrection (Revelation 20:9-10).
To learn more about this specific time period, listen to, “Are You a Sheep or a Goat?”
To learn more about who Satan is listen to, “Who Is Satan?”
