Chapters 6-19 cover a period of seven years. Chapter 20 covers a period of one thousand years. Some interpreters argue that the term "a thousand years" or "the thousand years" should be translated "thousands of years." Consulting 52 English translations, none were found that translated these words differently than what has been stated. The reason for arguing the exact number of one thousand is that certain students of prophecy feel that this chapter is teaching about the time in which we live today - that Christ has no literal millennium of reigning on earth; that Christ is ruling spiritually through us preaching the Gospel to the world. This would mean that Satan is also bound at this time - a fact that would be hard to substantiate from New Testament writings (Mark 4:15; Acts 5:3; 26:18; I Corinthians 5:5; 7:5; II Corinthians 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; I Thessalonians 2:18; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 2:13).

So, if we will take Revelation at face-value, we see that Christ ends the reign of Antichrist and establishes His own Kingdom, which shall never be defeated. During this one-thousand-year period Christ will establish that His way is the only way that works. There will be peace and harmony with God, man and God's creation. When Satan is loosed and a short-lived rebellion arises, it shows us that sin is incurable, aside from the gracious work of God's Spirit and the blood of Christ. A thousand years of suffering in the bottomless pit does not produce repentance. A thousand years of experiencing the Lord's goodness does not change hearts permanently. Only the new birth can cleanse a heart and convert a soul (John 3:3,6-7; Titus 3:5-7; I Peter 1:18-25).

Here is a simple outline of the events in Revelation 20.

• Satan bound - Rewards to tribulation martyrs - Christ reigns a thousand years.Revelation 20:1-6
  cp. Acts 1:6-7; Luke 21:24; 22:29-30; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Zechariah 12:9-10; Isaiah chapters 11-12; 60-66; Ezekiel 36:16 - 48:35 (God's promises to Israel will be fulfilled).
• Satan loosed a little season - A battle with Gog and Magog - Satan cast into the lake of fire.Revelation 20:7-10
  cp. Romans 16:20; Isaiah 14:12-17. Note: "Gog and Magog" is similar, but not identical to the prophecy in Ezekiel 38 (which is fulfilled at the beginning of the 7-year tribulation period).
• Satan's crowd faces the Great White throne judgment and is cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 cp. 21:8
  See Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31. In Revelation 20:10, the Devil is "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…" The Antichrist and his prophet were not consumed by the lake of fire during the thousand years. The torments and sufferings of God's judgment last throughout eternity (Matthew 25:31-46).