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

[David in NJ]

Satan and all his devils and the unclean spirits were imprisoned within the walls of the besieged city of Jerusalem in AD 66. Read Isaiah 24:21-23 and Revelation 18:2, which respectively speak of the punishment and imprisonment of the wicked "host of high ones" until they were eliminated, and how Jerusalem became "the habitation of devils" and a "prison (phylake) for every unclean spirit". Christ had predicted this fate for the entire number of unclean spirits who would return in seven-fold numbers more wicked than before to plague that wicked generation in its "last state" (Matt. 12:43-45).

By the time that Jerusalem fell in AD 70 and died its "second death" by flames consuming the city (for a second time since the Babylonian invasion), and turning it into a literal "lake of fire", Satan was slain by God (Isaiah 27:1) and every one of those unclean spirits "passed out of the land", as Zechariah 13:2 had predicted. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel speak of the death of Satan (who would be turned into ashes on the earth), and when and how God would accomplish this. Satan and his devils all shared the same fate in the same location - Old Jerusalem's "Lake of Fire" conditions at the close of the siege. That particular location had been "prepared" for them all. It was the approaching doom that all the unclean spirits feared when Christ was casting them out during His earthly ministry. "Art thou come to torment us before the time?" they asked. They knew what was coming, and Satan did too, which is why he was so enraged at the beginning of his "little season" of release in AD 33. He didn't have very long to wreak havoc on humanity before he was to be slain in Jerusalem by the close of AD 70.

He didn't have very long to wreak havoc on humanity before he was to be slain in Jerusalem by the close of AD 70.

AWESOME = satan was slain in 70AD

So where did/does all the current evil come from since 70AD?

 

[3 Resurrections]

So where did/does all the current evil come from since 70AD?

Christ already told you in Mark 7:21-23. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: ALL these evil things come from within, and defile the man." Do you see Satan mentioned anywhere in this description? I don't.

Satan got the ball of evil rolling back in the Garden of Eden with his deception of Eve, but since then, the hearts of mankind have always been perfectly capable of imagining and performing every sort of evil all on their own, even without Satan or his devils around to instigate it anymore since AD 70. That's the very reason why God got rid of the entire Satanic realm back in AD 70 - to prove to humanity just how messed up they truly are inside without His help, even without Satan or his devils being around to goad them into evil anymore.

 

[David in NJ]

Christ already told you in Mark 7:21-23. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: ALL these evil things come from within, and defile the man." Do you see Satan mentioned anywhere in this description? I don't.

Satan got the ball of evil rolling back in the Garden of Eden with his deception of Eve, but since then, the hearts of mankind have always been perfectly capable of imagining and performing every sort of evil all on their own, even without Satan or his devils around to instigate it anymore since AD 70. That's the very reason why God got rid of the entire Satanic realm back in AD 70 - to prove to humanity just how messed up they truly are inside without His help, even without Satan or his devils being around to goad them into evil anymore.

But satan has been destroyed AND it was satan who is the accuser of the brethren and the one who is the Tempter of mankind.

When God said "from within the heart of man...." HE is exposing the depth of evil that satan/sin has permeated the entire creation all the way down deep inside a man's heart.

In Revelation chapter 20, after the 1,000 years, satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire and there is no more evil.

 

[3 Resurrections]

But satan has been destroyed AND it was satan who is the accuser of the brethren and the one who is the Tempter of mankind.

Yes, Satan was destroyed. It was back in AD 70 when he was turned into ashes on the earth. God predicted this annihilation for Satan in Ezekiel 28:18-19 for that formerly-anointed cherub who had been in Eden, so that "never shalt thou be anymore". There is no more "accuser of the brethren" in heaven anymore - not since Satan was cast out of heaven in Revelation 12:9-11 when the ascended Christ showed up there in AD 33 and became our "Great High Priest" representative that morning after His resurrection. The perfect blood sacrifice presented in heaven that morning was accepted by God, and Satan was thrown out of heaven's courtroom along with his devils. Due to that accepted blood sacrifice, there was no longer any ability for Satan to accuse us of anything before the Father.

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" (that includes Satan). "It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yeah rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:33-34).

And every man is tempted when he is "led away by his own lust and enticed" by that internal means of a fallen nature. Satan's presence isn't required for temptation to occur.

In Revelation chapter 20, after the 1,000 years, satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire and there is no more evil.

That's not what the context says. After Satan's little season of release, when he was thrown into Jerusalem's Lake of Fire, there was still a description of wicked individuals outside the gates of the spiritual New Jerusalem city, as described in Revelation 22:15. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." The practice of evil (even without Satan's presence) has continued outside of the spiritual New Jerusalem city which we believers currently occupy.

The New Heavens and the New Earth still have cursed sinners present, as Isaiah 65: 20 describes. That's because the NHNE existence is NOT the period on the end of human history. It's a semi-colon, with ordinary human history and human wickedness continuing (without Satan since AD 70) after that NHNE was established.

 

[Davidpt]

The New Heavens and the New Earth still have cursed sinners present

Is it going to be like that forever? If no, what event or events is it, that prevents it from continuing forever in that manner?

 

[David in NJ]

Yes, Satan was destroyed. It was back in AD 70 when he was turned into ashes on the earth. God predicted this annihilation for Satan in Ezekiel 28:18-19 for that formerly-anointed cherub who had been in Eden, so that "never shalt thou be anymore". There is no more "accuser of the brethren" in heaven anymore - not since Satan was cast out of heaven in Revelation 12:9-11 when the ascended Christ showed up there in AD 33 and became our "Great High Priest" representative that morning after His resurrection. The perfect blood sacrifice presented in heaven that morning was accepted by God, and Satan was thrown out of heaven's courtroom along with his devils. Due to that accepted blood sacrifice, there was no longer any ability for Satan to accuse us of anything before the Father.

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" (that includes Satan). "It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yeah rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:33-34).

And every man is tempted when he is "led away by his own lust and enticed" by that internal means of a fallen nature. Satan's presence isn't required for temptation to occur.


That's not what the context says. After Satan's little season of release, when he was thrown into Jerusalem's Lake of Fire, there was still a description of wicked individuals outside the gates of the spiritual New Jerusalem city, as described in Revelation 22:15. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." The practice of evil (even without Satan's presence) has continued outside of the spiritual New Jerusalem city which we believers currently occupy.

The New Heavens and the New Earth still have cursed sinners present, as Isaiah 65: 20 describes. That's because the NHNE existence is NOT the period on the end of human history. It's a semi-colon, with ordinary human history and human wickedness continuing (without Satan since AD 70) after that NHNE was established.

thank you and i will reply tomorrow

 

[3 Resurrections]

Is it going to be like that forever? If no, what event or events is it, that prevents it from continuing forever in that manner?

No, it won't be like that forever. God has a plan with a final culmination point so that this planet which He "formed to be inhabited" no longer has any elements of evil present whatever. Total purification is the final goal. One stage of that purification process was the entire Satanic realm being flushed for all time back in AD 70. At the close of fallen mankind's history, in a final Great White Throne judgment in our future, all remnants of human evil will also be eradicated. God may be "long-suffering", but He does not intend to tolerate the presence of evil perpetually - not even in an afterlife existence for the wicked dead in some other realm.

Remember the simple parable of the leaven in the bread dough? The growth of the kingdom of heaven in this world is just like that. The steady growth of the leaven hidden within the dough does its work until the whole is leavened (That means there is a stopping point). Just at the exact time for the expansion of the bread dough to rise completely, the action of the leaven within the dough is halted when the loaf is baked to perfection.

 

[David in NJ]

No, it won't be like that forever. God has a plan with a final culmination point so that this planet which He "formed to be inhabited" no longer has any elements of evil present whatever. Total purification is the final goal. One stage of that purification process was the entire Satanic realm being flushed for all time back in AD 70. At the close of fallen mankind's history, in a final Great White Throne judgment in our future, all remnants of human evil will also be eradicated. God may be "long-suffering", but He does not intend to tolerate the presence of evil perpetually - not even in an afterlife existence for the wicked dead in some other realm.

Remember the simple parable of the leaven in the bread dough? The growth of the kingdom of heaven in this world is just like that. The steady growth of the leaven hidden within the dough does its work until the whole is leavened (That means there is a stopping point). Just at the exact time for the expansion of the bread dough to rise completely, the action of the leaven within the dough is halted when the loaf is baked to perfection.

in a final Great White Throne judgment in our future, all remnants of human evil will also be eradicated.

You believe this - correct?

 

[TribulationSigns]

I agree. I'm curious if part of your reasoning for this is that you see the fifth seal as being parallel to the fifth trumpet?

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."

 

[3 Resurrections]

You believe this - correct?

Absolutely. God is utter holiness, and He will not rest until the planet which He originally created is purified of all corrupting fallen human influences that have brought death into His perfect creation.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

The New Heavens and the New Earth still have cursed sinners present

Is it going to be like that forever? If no, what event or events is it, that prevents it from continuing forever in that manner?

Since you have indicated that you don't take 2 Peter 3:10-12 literally, how would you answer your own questions?

 

[3 Resurrections]

Thanks for sharing your view, but I can't take it seriously since Jesus obviously did not begin to reign in 968/967 BC, but rather began reigning at the time when you say that Satan's little season began. While the Word was God before becoming flesh, it's talking about Him reigning as Jesus who is both God and man at the same time and He did not begin reigning as the God man until right after His resurrection.

When scripture speaks of the saints reigning with Christ during those thousand years, this does not necessarily have to be after Christ was consecrated in heaven as our crowned Great High Priest in AD 33. That was only a new phase of His perpetual reign which was launched at that point. At whatever point on the timeline from creation forward, during their normal lifetime on earth, the saints have ALWAYS "reigned in life by one, Jesus Christ". (Romans 5:17). The Word which became flesh as Jesus Christ did not have to be born yet on earth for any OT saint to "reign in life by one, Jesus Christ", by their receiving the gift of abundance of grace and righteousness.

Scripture tells us that God the Father hath chosen us IN HIM (in Christ Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." (Ephesians 1:3-4). Christ's role as our representative mediator was ordained by God even before the world began.

Scripture also tells us that God made the worlds by His Son Christ Jesus (Hebrews 1:2). And this was long before the incarnation, while the second person of the Trinity was still officially named "the Word", who would not become flesh until much later.

What you see going on in these examples is a figure of speech called an "anachronism". Christ is referred to as reigning during the millennium from ancient times (968/967 BC), even before He was yet born. It would be similar for a man to say, "My wife went to kindergarten at such and such a school", when we know very well that the little five-year-old girl would not become the man's wife until much later down the road. It's the same thing with saying that those particular saints of Revelation 20:4 "lived and reigned with Christ" during the thousand years which began back in 968/967 BC, even before Christ was born, and lasted until AD 33.

 

[Zao is life]

All these views have their share of problems, including Amil, Premil, and what you are proposing.

You can't say that to people who place their faith in human theology concocted in the minds of fallible human beings rather than in scripture (and as a result think that they can teach scripture what scripture is saying rather than allow scripture to teach them what scripture is saying).

They cannot hear it and their minds are not able to tolerate such an idea.

 

[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.

 

[3 Resurrections]

@grafted branch and @3 Resurrections seem to believe in a Preterist notion that the little season was 66-70 A.D ...

You have missed the intent of my statements altogether. Here it is in very plain terms.

•Satan's "little season" aka the "short time" of his release from the millennial restriction put upon him began in AD 33 when he and his devils were cast out of heaven at Christ's resurrection-day ascension (Rev. 12:9-12). John warned the believers in Rev. 12:12 that this "short time" had already started before he was writing Revelation in AD 60..

•Satan's "little season" to deceive the nations lasted from AD 33 until AD 66. This was less time than what scripture calls a "long season" of forty years wilderness wanderings for Israel (Joshua 24:7 cp. Deut. 8:2).

•The entire Satanic realm was imprisoned by God in Jerusalem in AD 66-70. They were all destroyed utterly by the close of that siege in the "lake of fire" conditions for the city of Jerusalem's "second death" (Isaiah 24:21-23, Ezekiel 28:18-19, Zechariah 13:2, Revelation 18:2).

...and occurred immediately before the two-thousand year "thousand years" that you both believe in, commenced.

I do NOT believe in two of the thousand-year periods. There is ONLY ONE PERIOD of a literal thousand years written about in all of Revelation 20.

•The Rev. 20 millennium was finished in AD 33 with the "First resurrection" event of "Christ the First-fruits" and the "remnant" of Matt. 27:52-53 saints rising that same day (Rev. 20:5). The new spiritual temple foundation stone of Christ "the chief cornerstone" was laid down at that point.

•The Rev. 20 millennium began a literal thousand years before AD 33, back in 968 / 967 BC with the foundation stone of Solomon's temple being laid down for that physical temple. There are texts in the OT that indicate this ancient beginning point of the Rev. 20 millennium, written by the aging prophet King David concerning his son Solomon's soon-coming activities (Psalms 102:11-13, Psalms 72:4, 16 -LXX).

 

[Zao is life]

I do NOT believe in two of the thousand-year periods. There is ONLY ONE PERIOD of a literal thousand years written about in all of Revelation 20.

• The Rev. 20 millennium began a literal thousand years before AD 33, back in 968 / 967 BC

LOL. Mllennialism on steroids!

"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."

* The thousand years are connected to post A.D 30 by the fact that those who were beheaded, were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God.

* The thousand years are connected to post A.D 30 by the fact that those who were beheaded had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.

* The thousand years are connected to post A.D 30 by the fact that those who were beheaded, lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6)

The entire passage links the above to what opened the passage:

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the abyss 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 abyss, 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." (Revelation 20:1-3).

Revelation 20:4-6 is written in-between the above and the following:

"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: 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 for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:7-10).

It's what is known in scripture as a "Markan sandwich". Without the parenthetic verses the text would say only this:

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the abyss 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 abyss, 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.
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: 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 for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:1-3 & 7-10).

The parenthetic verses normally include other information unrelated to subject of the passage (in this case, the binding of Satan for a thousand years) in order to shed light on the subject to assist us in coming to a better understanding. Many of the books of the Bible - especially prophetic books such as Isaiah - contain Markan sandwiches for this reason and purpose. It's a typical style of writing in the prophetic books.

In the case of Revelation 20 the parenthetic verses are key to dating the commencement of the thousand years, because the fact that those spoken about in Revelation 20:4 & 6 were beheaded because they had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands makes the date of the commencement of the thousand years post the ascending of the beast from the abyss at the close of this age, and after the return of Christ.

Which is why "back to the future" is Amillennialism in a nutshell, but your version of the millennium is "Back to the future" in a nutshell for Premillenialism! Millennialism on steroids!

copy @grafted branch @Davidpt @Spiritual Israelite @WPM @David in NJ @ewq1938 (copied only because of the interest you've all shown in the subject of the millennium)