Repeat Offender

Recidivism is the tendency of someone convicted of a crime to reoffend, of former prisoners to be rearrested for a similar offense. The Pew Center reports that the national recidivism rate for released prisoners in America is 43 percent.

After being shut up for a thousand years in the desolated prison of the earth with no one to tempt, Satan “must be released for a little while.” The chances of him reoffending, of committing the same crimes against humanity, are 100 percent.

When the devil was cast into the bottomless pit, the angel “set a seal on him.” This reminds us of how Christ, after His death, was placed in a tomb and “they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard” (Matthew 27:66). Unlike Jesus, who broke the fetters of that prison to set many captives free, Satan cannot escape his thousand-year sentence.

The dragon, who led spiritual and political leaders to place a “mark of the beast” on people, now has his own mark. This seal binds him to Earth until the final judgment takes place at the end of the thousand years.

He who wrongly accused the saints and led billions to death will now look forward to his own final death. Why would he be released for a little while? The text says he “must be” released; the Greek here indicates “it is necessary.” According to God’s divine plan to eliminate sin in the universe, Satan will be allowed one last time to show his colors. At that time, the universe will unquestioningly know that the devil and those who follow the beast will never change their minds.

As we learned, Satan’s release is not because he was physically bound but because the earth was empty. When the wicked are raised, he is thereby released to do his evil work, leading the unrepentant in an attempt to capture the city of God. May we be found safely inside the New Jerusalem.

Lord, I choose to repent and turn away from sin, never to go back and break Your law or Your heart.

For Further Study: Isaiah 24:21, 22; Ezekiel 38:8, 9; Luke 8:30, 31

Key Bible Texts

And cast him into the bottomless pit, 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 20:3 KJV)