Accord­ing to Revelation 20:3, this loosing will be "for a little time." In the historical scheme of things it comes after this present age and just prior to the earth-shaking appearance of Jesus Christ at the consummation of history. It is the climax of the millennium.

Precisely how long this season of Satan will be during which he can once again "deceive the nations" is not stated in Scripture. Other than the reference in Revelation 20:3, all that we read is,

And except those days had been short­ened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.Matthew 24:22

The basic Biblical material which explains the period is found in Revelation 20:7-10 and Matthew 24:14-28. The events which will take place during this time are the Great Apostasy, the Great Tribulation and the Reign of the AntiChrist.

The Great Apostasy⤒🔗

Some brethren who hold to the post-millennial view of Christ's return, and even some Amillenarians believe that this apostasy (the falling away of Matthew 24) has already taken place. Therefore, before we see what Scripture says about this apostasy, we must show that Scripture does teach that it will take place in the future.

Of course, there has been apostasy, or rebellion against God and His Truth all along. This, according to Jesus, would characterize this present age (Matthew 24:10-13). He said, "And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray" (v. 11). There is constant warning of this danger in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:6; 10:29; 2 Peter 2:20; 1 John 2:19; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Already, before the days of the Son of Man on earth, apostasy and rebellion were well-known. There had been one under Antiochus Epiphanes (175 B.C.). This is discussed in the Apocrypha in 1 Maccabees 1 and 2.

In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow ... Then certain of the people ... made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.1:11-15

However, if we say that this apostasy will already be past when Satan is loosed, we are not paying attention to the rest of Scripture. Writing about the Day of the Lord in 2 Thessa­lonians 2, Paul adds "let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed..." (v. 3). Notice that a definite event which shall precede Christ's return is "the," not "a," falling away. Of course, this is related to the events of this present time, because in verse 7 we read, "For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work..." The apostasy that then shall be will be an intensification of what we are warned about right now.

What can be said about the Great Apostasy? It will be a mass departure from the Truth of God. William Hendriksen, writing on 2 Thessalonians 2:3, put it this way: "by and large, the visible Church will forsake the true faith."

Obviously, those who defect from the true faith will not include true believers. Scripture is very clear that the elect cannot fall from God's grace (1 Peter 1:3-9; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:37-39).

Those who do defect in that day will be those who have only done lip service to the Truth. Since this is an apostasy, a falling away, these must have been at least outwardly somehow connected with the church. Those who fall away will be grossly materialistic and apparently secure in themselves. Jesus described these in Luke 17:26-33 as being just like the people who lived in the days of Noah and Lot. How­ever, the point of comparison is not what Jesus said these people were doing. Certainly, marriage is not evil in itself. Nor is eating or drinking. In fact, we are told to eat and drink, and to do everything else, too, to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). The point of comparison, rather, is in the fact that they were so wrapped up in what they were doing that God was not important to them. So it will be in the Great Apostasy.

The Great Tribulation←⤒🔗

During this period at the close of this age it will be increas­ingly difficult to be a Christian. Hendriksen suggests at one point that this experience of tribulation may even begin before the Gospel Age — this present age — is over.

The term "tribulation" comes from a Latin word, tribulum. A tribulum was a threshing sledge, that is, a wooden platform with iron teeth underneath. It was a farm­ing instrument used for separating grain from chaff. Perhaps this helps understand what the tribulation will be like. Usually we think of tribulation as being persecution. Indeed, it will be that for the church. However, what is usually not empha­sized is that it will be a sifting process by which those who are only nominal members of the church will be exposed for what they are. They will "fall away" or apostatize due to the pressures exerted on them because of their connection with the church.

Some, it is true, see this tribulation as an event already past. Not only do Postmillennialists take this position; even some Amillennialists see what Jesus speaks about in Mat­thew 24:15-28 as past.

However, a careful study of Matthew 24 exposes their error.

1. Verses 21, 29 and 30 are very clear: "for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be ... But immed­iately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened ... and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven."
    
2. The tribulation of vv. 15ff follows the preaching of the gospel to the whole world (v. 14).

It is true, of course, the persecution for the Faith has been an established fact of life for the church through the cen­turies. The early church was bathed in blood. The church of the Reformation witnessed death and trouble in many forms. Islam, Communism, Nazism and other movements have brought and continue to bring ungodly pressure on the church of the modern age. And we need not be surprised! Scripture warns the church of this very' thing (1 Peter 4:12-19). Jesus said, "In this world ye shall have tribulation..." (John 16:33). That which will come at the end will be beyond anything we can possibly imagine (Daniel12:1). Dr. A. Hoekema, commenting on Matthew 24, puts it this way:

...Jesus is predicting a tribulation so great that it will surpass any similar tribulation which may have preceded it. In other words, Jesus is here looking beyond the tribulation in store for the Jews at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem to a final tribulation which will occur at the end of the age.The Bible and the Future, p. 150

You see, while it indeed is true that in Matthew 24 Jesus was referring to a tribulation of sorts that came first in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.) and would be seen again in 70 A.D. when the Roman armies desecrated and destroyed the Temple and the Christians fled to Pella and the hills, His words in verse 21 indicate that these times of trouble, both past and future as far as His day was con­cerned, were only faint reflections of what would come at the end.

According to Revelation 20:7-10 this period of tribulation will be characterized by Satan deceiving "the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war..." They will encircle "the camp of the saints" but ultimately they will be destroyed. Since there is much written from time to time about Gog and Magog, perhaps we should look more closely at what they are.

The term "Gog and Magog" is another of the many references to the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation. Gog and Magog we find discussed prophetically in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, ruled over the territory of Magog. According to Genesis 10:2, Magog, Meshech and Tubal were all tribes which descended from Japheth. Before Ezekiel's time Meshech and Tubal were savage peoples who inhabited the mountains north of Assyria. Gradually they migrated north toward the Black Sea. They were tribes that lived, as it were, on the outer fringes of the world's peoples.

These troublesome people who opposed and oppressed all who were around them, are used by Ezekiel as a picture of the oppressive power of the Seleucidae, especially as it was experienced under Antiochus Epiphanes. Thus, Ezekiel refers to Gog and Magog as the last great oppression of God's peo­ple in the old dispensation.

When Gog and Magog are referred to in the Book of Rev­elation, they appear as the source of the last great oppres­sion of the people of God in the new dispensation. Therefore, Gog and Magog do not have their fulfillment in some nation and leader located geographically where Gog and Magog lived in the Old Testament days. Rather, since Revelation 20 tells us that they "are in the four corners of the earth" (v. 8), Gog and Magog are the oppressors of believers throughout the entire earth.

Already their oppression is seen in humanism, the countless other -isms of the day, the cults, etc.

This Great Tribulation will come to a head in the Anti­christ. It will be short (Matthew 24:22; Revelation 20:3) and it will culminate in what the Bible picturesquely calls the Battle of Armageddon.

The Reign of the Antichrist←⤒🔗

Here again we must make a distinction. The Bible speaks of antichrists and the Antichrist. We are warned that in this present age there are antichrists (1 John). Of these we must beware. However, in the last day, just before Christ's appear­ance the Antichrist will make his appearance.

The term anti-christ can mean either "against" or "in­stead of" Christ, either opposed to, or in the place of Christ. Therefore, Herman Hoeksema explains him as being "one that is opposed to Christ in order to take His place" (Reformed Dogmatics, p. 805 f.).

There are three basic places in Scripture where we find information on the Antichrist: Daniel 7, 11, 12, 2 Thessalo­nians 2:1-12 and Revelation 13.

In Daniel 7:25 we read,

And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

While some believe that this passage was fulfilled under Antiochus Epiphanes, E.J. Young in his commentary on Daniel shows that this is not necessarily correct.

Rather, 'Antiochus serves as one illustration of the manner in which the Antichrist will act. This act of Antichrist will affect all men, but specifically the people of God, and this tyranny will endure for a definite period, a time, times and the dividing of these times' (p. 161).

Daniel 7:21 reveals that Antichrist will make war against the saints. Verse 25 shows that it will increase until suddenly it will be brought to an end. This is the significance of "time, times and half a time."

Daniel 11:36, although often thought to refer to Antiochus, does not necessarily have to refer to him, either. In fact, it is referred to by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 as being about the Antichrist.

Both Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 are also said to be fulfilled in Israel's great trouble under Antiochus. However, he was history when Jesus referred to this (Matthew 24:15, 16). Jesus applies them to Titus (70 A.D.) and beyond that, to the Anti­christ of the last day.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 outlines for us the New Testament teaching about the Antichrist. If you study it carefully you will see much imagery from Daniel carried over (cf. Daniel 7:8; 20, 25; 8:4, 9-14, 25, 26). This passage tells us that he will be the leader of the apostasy (v. 3); he will oppose God and His Truth, and even take God's place (v. 4); he is restrained (v. 6); and he will be defeated at the appearance of Jesus Christ (v. 8).

His power is vividly portrayed in Revelation 13 as we see the Beast out of the Sea and the Beast out of the Earth.

The first beast which we see comes from the sea (Revelation 13:1-10). The sea in Scripture is a symbol of the world of nations as they develop historically (Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 17:12). This beast, a combination of the beasts of the book of Daniel, is a wild one, a monster. He symbolizes the secular power of the state (Revelation 17:15; Daniel 7:17, 23; 8:20, 21). The picture we are given is a peaceful one since the wicked ones will follow after this power of the state, and worship it (13:3b, 4). His power is limited as to how long he will rule (v. 5). His way is one of blasphemy against God and all that is connected with Him (v. 6). His power is an antichristian, governmental power.

The Beast out of the Earth (13:11-18) gives another dimen­sion to his power: it also has a spiritual character. He appears like a lamb, meek and peace-loving. Like the false prophets, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing, for he sounds like a beast. His purpose is to tempt and deceive. He brings the people of the earth to worship the Beast out of the Sea (v. 12). Be­ing a true false prophet, he performs signs (v. 13) and deceives his followers by these lying wonders (v. 14).

Only those who are loyal to him are without economic sanctions (vv. 16-18). Believers are made social outcasts. Those who are loyal to him bear the Mark of the Beast: 666. This is his name, that is, it reveals his character. The number 6 is the number of the earthy. It is 7-1. The number "six" is the week without the Sabbath, labor without rest. That it is repeated represents man's repeated attempt to establish his own kingdom of peace and his repeated failure.

Now, what does all this tell us about that person called the Antichrist?

1. He is not Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9). He is not Satan-incarnate.
    
2. He is a real person. 2 Thessalonians 2 uses words which make this clear: "opposes," "exalts himself," "is slain." These are words used of men, not influences.
    
3. He is opposed to God's law and rebellious in every way. He is the "Man of Lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He is an adversary of God (v. 4).
    
4. He is utterly lost (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He is the "Son of per­dition" — designated unto perdition. He is the final Judas (cf. John 17:12).
    
5. He recognizes only one god: himself. Anything Chris­tian he is against (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
    
6. His rule has a religious and political aspect wedded into one (Revelation 13).
    
7. He will bring intense pressure on believers (Revelation 13:16-18).
    
8. He will be defeated at Christ's coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).