What Is “the Little Season” in Revelation 20?

Revelation 20 presents a sequence of events that has generated centuries of discussion among Christians. Different traditions disagree about whether parts of the chapter should be understood literally, symbolically, historically or prophetically.

The basic sequence in the text, however, is straightforward.

Revelation 20 begins with an angel descending from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. The angel seizes “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” and binds him for a thousand years.

Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, which is shut and sealed so that he can no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years are fulfilled.

The passage also states that, after the thousand years, Satan “must be loosed a little season.”

John then sees thrones and those to whom judgment is given. He also sees the souls of people who were beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God.

They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark. Revelation 20:4 says that they live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.

This period is commonly called the Millennium or the millennial reign of Christ. The word “millennium” comes from Latin words meaning “a thousand years.”

Revelation 20 refers to the thousand years six times in verses 2 through 7.

When the thousand years expire, Satan is released from his prison.

The chapter does not tell us how long the “little season” lasts. It describes what Satan does during it: he goes out to deceive the nations in the four quarters (corners?) of the earth.

This release—or loosing of Satan—creates the central question behind the phrase:

What happens during the little season, and why must Satan be released at all?

Revelation 20 gives us the sequence, but it does not provide a simple timetable or explain every detail.

Satan deceives the nations identified as Gog and Magog and gathers them for battle. Their number is described as being “as the sand of the sea.”

They surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire then comes down from God out of heaven and devours them.

The rebellion is enormous, but the confrontation is not presented as a prolonged struggle. God ends it decisively.

After the rebellion, the devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet already are.

Revelation 20:10 describes this as Satan’s final defeat. There is no additional release and no further campaign of deception described after it.

The chapter concludes with the great white throne judgment.

The dead, “small and great,” stand before God. Books are opened, including the book of life, and the dead are judged according to their works.

Death and hell are cast into the lake of fire, which Revelation identifies as the second death. Anyone not found written in the book of life is also cast into the lake of fire.