"He must be loosed a little season"

(Rev. 20: 3. 7-10)
by Dr. Alec Passmore

It has often perplexed believers why, having bound Satan once at the close of the thousand years rendering him ineffective and chained - the LORD should set him loose again for a short while. This is a puzzle to some while others have used this prophesied binding and loosing of Satan as a pretext for denying the literality of the passage, and indeed the entire Apocalypse. However I suggest the Lord has a very wise sovereign purpose here, as indeed He has in all his dealings. We read:

"He (a strong angel) laid hold on the dragon (his identity is clear in verse two “that old serpent who is the Devil and Satan') and bound him a thousand years... and  after that he must be loosed a little season...and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out or 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 as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp or the saints (the City of Jerusalem - the home or the Saints) about and the beloved city and fire came down from heaven and devoured them" (Revelation 20: 7-9). Why does God give permission for Satan to be loosed for a "final fling" of rebellion against Him?

There may be a number of reasons why God in His wisdom and sovereign purpose lets Satan loose again. Here they are ...

(Note: Only part of this article has been reproduced here. To read the whole article you need to purchase the specific edition of Prophetic Witness in which it was printed. If this is not our current edition of Prophetic Witness, then please contact our Head Office (details at the bottom of this page) to see if it is still available).

In this edition of Prophetic Witness

Powerpoint - from Dr Don Hender
"He must be loosed a little season"
Our Statement Of Belief
Credo
Signs Of The Times
The 'Intra-Seal' Rapture Examined
The Millennium: What Might It Be Like?
In Touch
From Our Israel Desk
Thy Kingdom Come
Christ In Prophecy
Blind To The Signs Of The Times?
What In The World Is Happening?
What's On
Book Of The Month