The lie: The Lord will send an angel who will bind Satan with a chain, cast him in a bottomless pit, and lock him in with a key (all of these made of special materials) for the thousand years during the reign of Jesus Christ on this earth. Exactly after these thousand years, Satan will be let loose for a short while, during which time he will come and deceive the nations.

The truth: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 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. Rev 20:1-3. The bottomless pit (Paadhalam in Thamizh) is the place where all dead go! The key (power/right/authority) of the bottomless pit was given to a star that fell from Heaven unto the earth – Rev 9:1; Rev 12:9. This star Satan retained his power/right/authority over death and all dead mankind until Jesus descended to this place (after His death on the cross) – Rom 10:7 to lead the captives (to death) captive when ascending up on high – Eph 4:8. The souls of the believing dead went with Him to heaven (on high). This was possible because, through death, He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil – Heb 2:14. That is why He could authoritatively say: “I am He that lives and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death”. – Rev 1:18. This key is the one the angel (one of those servants who run at God’s bidding) that came down from heaven had.

Until the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the believing generation was only Jewish while the nations of the earth were pagans and idol worshippers completely sold out to Satan and his deception. Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth were women and exceptions! Only after the Church was established on earth did God reveal the mystery to Apostle Paul (and also to Peter at the house of Cornelius) that the Gentiles were also an integral part of His church. Thenceforth, Satan could not continue deceiving the non-Jews (the nations). Local churches were established in various cities beginning from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the end of the earth. Nations were saved by the grace of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This preaching of the gospel and the saving of the nations would happen for a long time – a thousand years is a long time – it is not 360,000 (Jewish) / 365,250 (secular) days. The other time mentions viz., half an hour (Rev 8:1), one hour, one day, one month and one year (Rev 9:15), one hour (Rev 17:12; Rev18:10, 17, 19), one day (Rev18:8), ten days (Rev 2:10), three and half days (Rev 11:9) and five months (Rev 9:5, 10) are also not literal – they mention a period. Half an hour might be a very short time, five months might be a lot more than a very short time but a lot less than a thousand years.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. – Rev 20:4. The Lord Jesus has appointed unto the twelve apostles a kingdom, as his Father hath appointed unto Him; that they may … sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. – Luke 22:29, 30; Matt 19:28. The apostles’ doctrines are the boundaries (walls of the City of New Jerusalem) within which judgments will be delivered and they are being delivered now – each one is judged for his faith or unbelief in the Son of God. This is in the time of regeneration (according to Titus 3:5, this is happening now) – when the Son of man would sit in the throne of His glory – and He is seated there now, in the right hand of God – Col 3:1 and will sit on it and will reign as King till God has put down all His enemies under Jesus’ feet including the last enemy, death. Death will be conquered by His saints on the day of rapture – He has already conquered it. When He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power, then, He will deliver the kingdom to His Father. – 1 Cor 15:24, 25. He will reign from his Father’s throne forever.

And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. – Rev 20:4. …they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. Rev 20:6. Souls of those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus are those who have lost their heads (their lives) to receive Jesus as their Head. (if this is not the case, then those who had died as martyrs by being stoned, crucified, thrown to lions, poisoned, burnt at stakes, and tortured to death by other gruesome methods would not be included in this “beheaded” group!). All these believers refused to bow to Satan or receive his mark/seal (the evil spirit of Satan) in their minds (upon their foreheads) and in their everyday livelihood/activities (in their hands) as they have already received a seal of the Holy Spirit and are transformed by the renewing of their mind. Believers have been made kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:6); a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9) who, seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 2:6) are to rule and reign with Him for a long time (the period when Satan is bound by chains and cast into the bottomless pit).

They (beheaded believers) lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. – Rev 20:5, 4. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power. – Rev 20:5, 6. Believers who were dead in trespasses and sins were quickened by Christ and united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom 6:5). This is the first resurrection. The second death is eternal death (separation from God) in the lake of fire and brimstone. Believers are blessed and holy (separated out / sanctified for God) and have been saved from this penalty of sin because they believe in the Son of God for eternal life (John 3:16). This second death has no power over these believers who already have taken part in the first resurrection. The rest of the dead are unbelievers who are still dead in their sins and in their trespasses and who have not been quickened by Christ. (Eph 2:1). These unbelievers will face second death and will be cast into the lake of fire on the last day (Rev 21:8; Matt 10:28).

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. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: Rev 20:7-9. The beast that thou saw was and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. – Rev 17:8. After a long time of imprisonment in the bottomless pit, Satan is loosed out of his prison. It is then he will bring forth the great universal deception (Matt 24:24). The devil will go out to deceive one last time the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth – probably promising them a victory over God’s purpose and plan – a battle which he had lost time and again in His-story. Gog and Magog are the globally deceived masses that will gather together to battle against God’s people (saints) who are spread all over the earth. The deceived will compass their camps (temporary habitation) and God’s Church, the beloved city New Jerusalem made of living stones (believers).

Incidentally, this deception is happening now (Satan was deceiving the world until the Church was established, was not at the time of Revelation of Jesus Christ to John because he was bound by chains and cast into the bottomless pit, and has descended out of the bottomless pit now and will be here for a little season) – the masses out there, in collusion with the Devil, are trying outright to thwart the purpose of God (of bringing many sons to glory) and topple His plan (of redemption of the saints bodily and of the ultimate casting out of Satan and everyone with him into the lake of fire).

And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 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 forever and ever. Rev 20:9, 10. While there is a great threat of a massive attack all around the saints, God steps in and brings an end to everything – He sends down fire to devour the unbelieving lot who took sides with Satan – the fire that will consume everything. The final act will be unveiled – the Devil will ultimately be cast out into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. The beast that thou sawest was and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. – Rev 17:8. God’s people (saints) will be delivered from the threats of the enemy and his ultimate threat – death. Death will be swallowed up in victory. – 1 Cor 15:54. The triumphant lot will shout, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” – 1 Cor 15:55.