In the book of Revelation it mentions 'a little season' twice.

[Spiritual Israelite]

LOL. Did you deliberately misunderstand what I was saying to him?

He has a bit of a reading comprehension problem. Also, I have no idea how he can not be aware that you're not an Amil.

He said the millennium began 1,000 before the time of Christ's crucifixion, which he dated to 33 AD.

I was telling him that they were beheaded by the beast for their witness to Jesus so therefore the thousand years cannot possibly be before 30 AD. "Post 30 AD" means after 30 AD. I said 30 AD because I believe Christ was crucified in 30 AD.

I did not mean the millennium began in the first century - which you should have realized by the fact that I spoke about the reason those whom John saw as having been beheaded were beheaded - because their testimony to Christ and the commencement of their reigning with Him cannot have come before His crucifixion as he was claiming.

What you were saying was easily understandable to all of us who don't have a reading comprehension problem. Nothing you said gave the impression that you were saying that the millennium began in 30 AD. You were obviously refuting the insane theory that the thousand years began in 968/967 BC.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

What does this have to do with the question about how long you believe Satan's little season is? Do you believe it's a literally long time or a literally short time?

@Zao is life What did you find funny about this post? What you said in response to my post didn't even have anything to do with what I was saying. I guess David in NJ isn't the only one with a reading comprehension problem.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

Clarification on the 5th seal and 5th trumpet in Revelation:

Yes, I believe they are related, but distinct in scope and purpose. Let me explain more clearly:

In the 5th Trumpet of Revelation 9, the “falling star” symbolizes the unfaithful church — the fallen messenger — who opens the bottomless pit because of her rebellion. This ties directly to God's warning in Revelation 2, where He says that if the Church does not remember from where she has fallen, judgment will come.

By opening this “bottomless pit,” the fallen church unleashes spiritual chaos — a symbolic Pandora’s box. The “smoke” that rises from the pit represents false doctrine, which darkens the “sun” (symbolizing Christ) and the “air” (the Holy Spirit). This false teaching clouds spiritual truth and leads to widespread deception. Righteousness becomes unrighteousness. The one ruling this pit is Satan himself, not in angelic form, but as a spirit. He is Apollyon (Greek) or Abaddon (Hebrew), both meaning destruction. He doesn't send Apollyon — he "is" Apollyon and Abaddon. He is the king over this demonic host and brings spiritual death to the unsealed, unfaithful within the congregation as he is going to force them to receive his mark - the mark of the beast.

This spirit (Satan) was cast out of the Old Testament congregation and bound at the Cross so that the Gospel could go out to the nations with the New Testament congregation as a represenative of the kingdom of Heaven. That’s when Satan's house was being plundered — the Elect being saved. But now, at the end of the Church Age, he is loosed for a "short season", starting with the opening of the bottomless pit and continuing until Christ returns to throw him into the Lake of Fire.

So what about the five months mentioned in Revelation 9?​

The "five months" refers to a spiritual period of great tribulation within the Church's ministry at the end, not literal months. This period begins shortly before the end of the 1,260 days (symbolic for the full Church Age when salvation is still possible), and ends when the Two Witnesses are killed — meaning the public testimony of the true Church ceases.

Notice the beast ascends out of the bottomless pit to wage spiritual war with the false doctrines against the Two Witnesses' faithful testimony with God's Word. Unforuentely, he overcomes them becasue there are so many false prophets and christs out there. And they managed to kills the Two Witnesses. This doesn't happen on the final day of the 1,260 days — it happens before that day ends. This means that Satan was loosed before this killing, because it takes time for this tribulation to unfold all over the world. That time of spiritual assault is represented as five months — not literal, but symbolic of a limited period of intense oppression, deception, and persecution, due to rise of false prophets and christ that Christ warned in Matthew 24.

What happens next?​

After the five-month tribulation, the Witnesses lie dead in the streets for 3½ days (again, symbolic time), representing a period of spiritual death and silence within the visible church. No light, no truth, no faithful witness. That is why God has warned people not to come down the house top to get anything out of the church. Or anyone to come back to Church, remember Lot's wife. As hard to believe, the church is done "becasue" all Elect has been secured and when "YOU" see the abomination of desolation so you know when its time to go. Not every Elect in the world will see the abomination of desolation at the same time. Remember it take time for Satan and his army of false prophets and christs to overcome the CHurch after they are being loosed.

Then, the Spirit of Life from God revives the Two Witnesses, lying dead in the City. The faithful remnant hears the command to “Come up here” — which parallels fleeing to the mountain of God, a spiritual exodus from the dead institution.

Now, when we read about the souls under the altar in Revelation 6 (5th seal) who were slain for the Word of God, we understand they are asking “How long?” — not because they’re unaware, but because they see Satan has now been loosed to attack the Church again. They are concerned about us, their brethren.

God answers: “A little season” — not forever, but just long enough for the Witnesses to be killed, for the Church to be judged, and for the Elect to be separated.

Then Christ returns. The short season is over. :-)

Key Time Markers​

• 1,260 Days – Full Church Age where the Gospel goes out. Days of Salvation.|
• Short Season – From Satan's release to Christ's return.
• 5 Months – Spiritual tribulation for the Elect while the locusts deceive the unsealed before the testimony ends.
• 3½ Days – Time of silence and death in the Church, parallel to the Ten Virgins sleeping, Matthew 25.
• 1,290th Day – Faithful separate after they see the abomination of desolation that stands in the Church.
• One Hour - God's judgment of the unfaithful whore - to assure all and every unsealed people be lost in church.
• 1,335th Day – After the hour of judgment, Christ returns. Blessing to those who "wait and come."

I wasn't really looking for a response with that much detail, but thanks for responding, anyway. I don't agree with everything you said there, but don't feel like pointing those things out. We do agree that the fifth seal and fifth trumpet are basically parallel to each other and I agree that those time periods you referenced are not meant to be taken literally.

 

[grafted branch]

@grafted branch and @3 Resurrections seem to believe in a Preterist notion that the little season was 66-70 A.D and occurred immediately before the two-thousand year "thousand years" that you both believe in, commenced.

Personally I don’t believe in any “thousand years” periods other than what is described in Revelation 20.

Here’s what I’m still trying to figure out though. Currently there are multiple end time views and this is occurring while Premils have Satan deceiving and not being bound. During the Premil millennium everyone will agree and have the correct end time view because nobody is deceived. After the millennium, during Satan’s little season, multiple end time views will once again appear because Satan will deceive once again.

I don’t know how many times I hear people say there wasn’t a coming in 70AD and they give multiple reasons as to why it can’t be. After a Premil millennium, in Satan’s little season, something very similar would happen, there would be people giving multiple reasons as to why Jesus hadn’t already reigned on earth.

Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not?

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

Personally I don’t believe in any “thousand years” periods other than what is described in Revelation 20.

Here’s what I’m still trying to figure out though. Currently there are multiple end time views and this is occurring while Premils have Satan deceiving and not being bound. During the Premil millennium everyone will agree and have the correct end time view because nobody is deceived. After the millennium, during Satan’s little season, multiple end time views will once again appear because Satan will deceive once again.

I don’t know how many times I hear people say there wasn’t a coming in 70AD and they give multiple reasons as to why it can’t be. After a Premil millennium, in Satan’s little season, something very similar would happen, there would be people giving multiple reasons as to why Jesus hadn’t already reigned on earth.

Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not?

I can't figure out what your point is here. How would anyone forget that they had lived on a peaceful earth with Christ in all His glory for a thousand years, as Premils believe will happen? Premils would just say that we can't be in Satan's little season yet because Christ hasn't ruled on the earth for a thousand years yet.

 

[grafted branch]

I can't figure out what your point is here. How would anyone forget that they had lived on a peaceful earth with Christ in all His glory for a thousand years, as Premils believe will happen? Premils would just say that we can't be in Satan's little season yet because Christ hasn't ruled on the earth for a thousand years yet.

If it’s possible that Satan’s little season is now 1,000 years old then nobody who experienced the millennium would still be alive. That would also mean a Premil claiming Christ hasn’t reigned yet would be exactly the type of thing we would hear if we were in Satan’s little season.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

If it’s possible that Satan’s little season is now 1,000 years old then nobody who experienced the millennium would still be alive.

This doesn't apply to what anyone actually believes, so what is the point here?

That would also mean a Premil claiming Christ hasn’t reigned yet would be exactly the type of thing we would hear if we were in Satan’s little season.

I think Premils have been saying that for a long time, so do you think Satan's little season has been going on for a long time already? If not, I'm just not seeing your point here.

 

[Zao is life]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't believe that the little season of Revelation 20:3 could be thousands of years long. What would that mean about the thousand years then? That it's actually a million years long or something? No, I can't see anyone actually trying to claim that the little season could be thousands of years long.

@grafted branch and @3 Resurrections seem to believe in a Preterist notion that the little season was 66-70 A.D and occurred immediately before the two-thousand year "thousand years" that you both believe in, commenced.

What does this have to do with the question about how long you believe Satan's little season is? Do you believe it's a literally long time or a literally short time?

The topic of how long the little season is had been combined by them with another topic regarding when (which centuries) the thousand years "took place" + when the little season "took place". They weren't only talking about how long the little season is. I assumed you were not aware of that. So because you said the above, I assumed you were being sarcastic. So I laughed:

@Zao is life What did you find funny about this post? What you said in response to my post didn't even have anything to do with what I was saying. I guess David in NJ isn't the only one with a reading comprehension problem.

I guess not. I guess we all suffer from it. Maybe one day some team of medical researches will find a cure for it. Amillennialists certainly need it as much as anyone else does.

 

[grafted branch]

This doesn't apply to what anyone actually believes, so what is the point here?

How do you know no one believes that?

I think Premils have been saying that for a long time, so do you think Satan's little season has been going on for a long time already? If not, I'm just not seeing your point here.

I don’t personally think Satan’s little season is longer than a generation but when someone claims it can be a long period of time then we should examine all the ramifications of that idea and put it to rest if it creates a catch 22 type of paradox. I’m just simply pointing out that paradox from a Premil perspective.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

The topic of how long the little season is had been combined by them with another topic regarding when (which centuries) the thousand years "took place" + when the little season "took place". They weren't only talking about how long the little season is. I assumed you were not aware of that. So because you said the above, I assumed you were being sarcastic. So I laughed:

You responded to my post, not theirs. In the post that you responded to, I was talking about how long Satan's little season is, so I would expect a response to my post to relate to that.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

How do you know no one believes that?

I've never seen anyone claim that, have you? I think it's a safe assumption that very few, if any, people believe that.

I don’t personally think Satan’s little season is longer than a generation but when someone claims it can be a long period of time then we should examine all the ramifications of that idea and put it to rest if it creates a catch 22 type of paradox. I’m just simply pointing out that paradox from a Premil perspective.

It's not worth the time to do that when we're not even seeing anyone claiming that the little season of Revelation 20 lasts for a long time.

 

[grafted branch]

It's not worth the time to do that when we're not even seeing anyone claiming that the little season of Revelation 20 lasts for a long time.

@Zao is life said this in post #26 …

“When the time comes we will know how long Revelation 20:3's little while will be. The text does not tell us.”



I asked this in post #84 …

“Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not? “



If you can’t understand why I’ve asked that question then I don’t know what else to say.

 

[Zao is life]

Personally I don’t believe in any “thousand years” periods other than what is described in Revelation 20.

Here’s what I’m still trying to figure out though. Currently there are multiple end time views and this is occurring while Premils have Satan deceiving and not being bound. During the Premil millennium everyone will agree and have the correct end time view because nobody is deceived. After the millennium, during Satan’s little season, multiple end time views will once again appear because Satan will deceive once again.

After a Premil millennium, in Satan’s little season, something very similar would happen, there would be people giving multiple reasons as to why Jesus hadn’t already reigned on earth.

Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not?

Multiple end times views existed when Christ walked the earth with His apostles, and each of His apostles had enough humility to have acknowledged in himself that he did not have a perfect understanding of how the Messiah was going to fulfill all prophecy.

The problem with your musings is that you do not have the same knowledge about your own human frailty that the apostles did.

After Jesus ascended God gave to them knowledge and understanding so that they were able to prophesy. What we debate about is not our knowledge, but our understanding of the knowledge that God gave them, because they wrote it down, and we can read what they said.

So in my honest opinion a million 'experts' may 'think' they know what the beast of Revelation 13 and 17 is referring to, because they do not know, or refuse to acknowledge what a beast symbolizes in scripture - and others who believe they are 'experts' will assert that there isn't only one end-times beast in the Revelation, but at least two - separating Revelation 13's beast from the beast that Revelation 17 tells us is to ascend from out of the abyss (which is what you do).

In the process you do not realize just how weak and without any validity the argument is that you put forward in the form of a protest that "no one" can distinguish whether we are in Satan's little season or not.

We are not yet in Satan's little season while I am typing this.

It might change before you read this, it might not. There are certain things about scripture that you cannot change - such as the fact that once symbolism or a metaphor is used to describe a thing, the scripture remains consistent with that same symbolism and metaphor throughout the Bible.

I don’t know how many times I hear people say there wasn’t a coming in 70AD and they give multiple reasons as to why it can’t be.

If you're talking about the coming of the Kingdom of Christ, that happened on the Day of Pentecost. AD 70 had nothing to do with the giving of the Holy Spirit or the birth of the church.

When He returns He will return bodily.

There seems to be a distinction made between His appearance in the clouds when He comes to gather His elect - which He sends His angels out to do (Matthew 24:30-31), first separating the faithful from the workers of iniquity (Matthew 13:41-43 & 47-50),

and His judging all nations - when He shall sit upon the throne of his glory (Matthew 25:31-46).

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28).

And I really do not think that any Premillennialist, Amillennialist, Preterist or Partial Preterist, or SDA or a thousand other human schools of eschatology knows exactly what will happen and how it will happen when Christ returns. The only thing we know regarding this is that He will appear just as He ascended - bodily - and will send out His angels to gather His elect.

Your insistence in the form of protest that no one can distinguish whether or not we are now in Satan's little season is subtle pride IMO.

 

[Zao is life]

You responded to my post, not theirs. In the post that you responded to, I was talking about how long Satan's little season is, so I would expect a response to my post to relate to that.

LOL. This started because you responded to them about what they said to me about what I said, and I responded to what you said about what they said about what I said. So I'd appreciate it if you'd rather not respond to what they said to me about what I said or to what I had said to them so that you do not become childish about the fact that when you respond to what they said to me about what I said I don't respond to what you said about how long ...

groan.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

@Zao is life said this in post #26 …

“When the time comes we will know how long Revelation 20:3's little while will be. The text does not tell us.”



I asked this in post #84 …

“Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not? “



If you can’t understand why I’ve asked that question then I don’t know what else to say.

How does his comment imply that he thinks Satan's little season could last for a long time? I think you're reading something into what he's saying that isn't there. It seems to me that he's just saying we will eventually find out how long it is, but we can't know that right now.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

LOL. This started because you responded to them about what they said to me about what I said, and I responded to what you said about what they said about what I said. So I'd appreciate it if you'd rather not respond to what they said to me about what I said or to what I had said to them so that you do not become childish about the fact that when you respond to what they said to me about what I said I don't respond to what you said about how long ...

LOL at you for talking about me supposedly being childish after this very childish comment. And LOL at you for your lack of ability to be clear in what you're saying, which has led to grafted branch thinking that you believe Satan's little season lasts for a long time.

groan.

Agree.

 

[TribulationSigns]

I don't agree with everything you said there, but don't feel like pointing those things out.

I know. I know where you come from. My post is here as a public record anyway.

We do agree that the fifth seal and fifth trumpet are basically parallel to each other and I agree that those time periods you referenced are not meant to be taken literally.

Okay.

 

[grafted branch]

Your insistence in the form of protest that no one can distinguish whether or not we are now in Satan's little season is subtle pride IMO.

So asking you to give an explanation for how an individual can discern whether they are in Satan’s little season or not is a protest and shows subtle pride on my part?

Ok, whatever, no pride was intended and at this point I’ve really lost all interest in trying to find out if there is a viable Premil answer to something I see as a paradox.

 

[ewq1938]

Now, is there any way a Premil can distinguish if we are currently in Satan’s little season or not?

The actual second coming with the resurrection of the saved dead from all human history happens before the Mill starts, and none of that has happened. It's impossible to be in satan's little season. Just as impossible that we are living in the eternal age in Rev 21-22.

It's like asking how people know whether the 1 Millionth World series happened already or not. Obviously it hasn't.

 

[Zao is life]

How do you know no one believes that?


I don’t personally think Satan’s little season is longer than a generation but when someone claims it can be a long period of time then we should examine all the ramifications of that idea and put it to rest if it creates a catch 22 type of paradox. I’m just simply pointing out that paradox from a Premil perspective.

No one claimed that Satan's little season is a long period of time. Not me or anyone else. The fact that you brought it up when no one claimed it, said it, or implied it, leaves everyone else scratching their heads as to why you would do so. Nothing I said to you or anyone else implies that Satan's little season is a very long time.

Nor does your questioning me about if anyone knows whether or not we are in Satan's little season yet help your position, because neither myself or anyone else said or implied that we think we are in his little season already. The question you asked about that is ridiculous.

With regard to how long his little season may be, Revelation has the following things to say - and the meaning of this word is important to understand what Revelation is saying:-

[G5083 tereo]
from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping.

The people Jesus is talking to below will not be prevented from escaping the hour of trial - they will not be taken out of the world, but Jesus will guard and keep them - for the reason He gives below:

Revelation 3:10
"Because you have kept [teroeo] the word of My patience, I also will keep [tereo] you from the hour of temptation which will come upon all the world, to try those who dwell upon the earth."

Revelation 14:6-8
"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, saying with a great voice,

Fear God and give glory to Him! For the hour of His judgment has come. And worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

And another angel followed, saying, The great city, Babylon, has fallen, has fallen; because of the wine of the anger of her fornication; she has made all nations to drink.

Revelation 18:9-10
"And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived in luxury with her will weep for her, and will wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; standing afar off for fear of her torment, saying, Woe! Woe to the great city, Babylon, that strong city! For in one hour your judgment came.

Revelation 17:12 & 16
And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom yet, but will receive authority as kings one hour with the beast.

These shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Revelation 13:5
And there was given unto the beast a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and authority was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

* Revelation 8:13 and 9:12 and 11:14 links the first woe to the 5th trumpet and the opening of the abyss, the second woe to the 6th trumpet and the period during which the two witnesses will prophesy, and the third woe to the 7th trumpet and God's judgment of the nations.

So IMO the hour of trial is linked to the beast ascending from out of the abyss and to the testimony of the two witnesses, and the destruction of the whore Babylon the Great by the ten kings - who will reign with the beast for one hour, who will be given authority to continue for 42 months.

And IMO this is the "little season" that Revelation 6:11 is referring to:

Revelation 6:9-11
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

BUT AS REGARDS REVELATION 20, Revelation 20:4 says:
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: 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.

In Revelation 20 the binding of Satan for a thousand years and his subsequent loosing mentioned in Revelation 20 are the two "pieces of bread" in the Markan Sandwich surrounding what we are told about those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and their refusal to worship the beast that had ascended from the abyss.

IMO the above fact is telling us that the thousand years and the binding of Satan follows the time the beast ascended from the abyss and made war against the saints and the gospel - and the nations were judged by Christ when He returned.

Therefore Revelation 20:7-10 cannot possibly be referring to the same "little season" mentioned in Revelation 6:11.

The above facts regarding scripture is besides the fact that I see absolutely no indication in scripture that Satan was bound in terms of his permission by God to continue deceiving the nations, or that he was bound from deceiving the nations either "BY" the death and resurrection of Christ (which destroyed Satan's power over death), or "BY" the power of the gospel. God has always been permitting him to deceive the nations.

In fact, the groundwork for the beast's ascension from the abyss and coming war against the saints and the gospel has been laid BY Satan's deception of the nations over the last 2,000 years. "Rome was not built in a day" (except that beast will not come out of Rome or the Western empire but out of where Revelation 13:2 and Daniel 7:4-6 tells us the beast will come out from.)

The only indication of this "binding of Satan" that I ever see Amillennialists offer, is what they have added to scripture, even while they ignore the clear and unambiguous statements in scripture that negate what they say about this, thus taking away from scripture by adding to scripture, because for example Amil theology takes away from scripture the real meaning of verses like Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 6:11-12; Revelation 2:9-10 & Revelation 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; James 4:7 etc, which ALL relate to Satan's deception of the nations mentioned in Revelation 20:1-3.

BUT IT DOES NOT MATTER ANYMORE. Because the time has run out - or has almost run out and is fast running out - for those of us who are post-tribulation "ists" to argue angrily with one or to squabble about whether or not the millennium is literal and follows the return of Christ, or began in the 1st century and is symbolic.

Copy @Spiritual Israelite hope this answers what you complained I never answered.