Revelation 20:7-10 – When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 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. 10 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.
Jon Courson tells this story: A third grader once asked another third grader “Do you really think there is a devil?” His friend responded “No, he’s just like Santa. He is really your dad!”
Many people refuse to believe that the devil exists. But God clearly reveals in His Word that the devil is real, active and out to destroy every one of us. In the book of Revelation the devil is continuously referred to.
“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison.” Many of those who believe that the thousand years are not a literal thousand years, but that the thousand years are representative of God’s perfect will and perfect timing, think that this verse should probably read something like “Whenever it is that God thinks it is the perfect time” is when Satan will released from prison. Most others believe that the thousand years are literal and so after a thousand years of confinement the devil is released.
Satan is released. Who decides when he should be released? Of course it is Lord God who makes the determination. So again, we see that the devil can do nothing unless the Lord allows him to. He cannot free himself. He cannot tempt the earth. He is really always confined by God. The devil hates and never stops persisting…and failing, in his attempts to confound the will of God and to deceive the saints of God to follow him.
“and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.” Once the devil is released he again sets out to deceive the people of the world. Why? Because he hates God and he hates what he considers are God’s filthy creations (us). He stabs through us to hurt God.
This is not the battle of Gog and Magog spoken of in Ezekiel 38. That war has already been “fought” and Russia and her allies have been destroyed (Revelation 19:11-21). Ezekiel 38:15 reveals that Gog and Magog (Russia and her allies) will come from the far north. Notice that this reference to Gog and Magog come from the “four corners of the earth. Here Gog and Magog are a general term that refers to those who rebel against God. Like Coke is often synonymous with soda.
The reason the devil is deceiving people around the world is the same as before, to try to defeat God with His own creation. This time it will be for a final battle. Think about the number of people he will deceive as they are said to be as numerous as the sand on the seashore. It is safe to say that means the amount of people that the devil deceived to fight God is too big for a man to stand and count.
“They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.” This army of the devil comes to do war against God and the devil knows the war will occur at Israel. Family, all events of the nations of the world revolve around Israel. That is because Israel is the camp of God’s people, Jerusalem is the city He loves. Don’t discard Israel thinking that God has done so. The Word that God proclaimed (Numbers 24:9b) to Israel remains true “Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, and whoever curses Israel will be cursed.” Anyone who wants to know where we are in God’s timeline should first look to see what is happening with Israel.
“But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” Like when the beast and his army were destroyed was anticlimactic, just having been destroyed because Jesus wills it so. So will this war be the same. The devil and his army march against God. In an instant they are all destroyed by fire from heaven. No one can battle God. To even consider it is foolishness.
“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.” The devil finally received the eternal punishment that he has been working for since before the creation of the universe and mankind. The beast and the false prophet have already been suffering in the burning Lake of Fire. Now the devil receives his punishment and is tossed into the Lake of Fire like yesterday’s garbage. At this point, words are not wasted on the happening. Here scripture does not even waste words saying who tossed him in. It was God’s will, it was done, case closed.
Again notice that they will be tormented in the Lake of Fire “day and night for ever and ever.” From the Lake of Fire there is no exit. As the last phrase from the Eagles “Hotel California” states of hell when the occupant wanted to leave “’Relax’ said the night man, ‘We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!’” Anyone who is thrown in the Lake of Fire will want to check out and then to leave. But that is never, not ever, an option. Those put in the Lake of Fire never get out. They are without hope.
Family, let’s never end with any sense of hopelessness. While indeed that any should have to end up in the Lake of Fire is the biggest tragedy of the world, whether they are demons or mankind, it is not what God had desired for any of them. It was their choice. What God had wanted was for all was to live in fellowship, and to be provided for and protected by Him, forever and ever. It is not the future for the rebellious. But it is our future! We will live in the love and peace and fellowship of God forever and ever. Praise God! We have a great future! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.