​​​I. The first event of the “little time.” 
"Satan will be released from his
prison." Revelation 20:7. This pivotal 
event marks the end of the
Millennium and the beginning of
the "little time."

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A. When will “Satan be released?” 
It was revealed to the apostle John
that Satan would be released
“when the thousand years are
completed” (Revelation 20:7); that is,
at the end of the Millennium. Initially,
before the Millennium, Satan was unleashed, deceiving the nations. Subsequently, he was bound for “a thousand years,” during which time he was prevented from deceiving the nations. After this blessed period of religious freedom, “Satan will be released” again.

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B. What will Satan do upon being released after the “thousand years”?The Sacred Scriptures provide the definitive answer as given to the apostle John: "He will go out to DECEIVE the NATIONS that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for BATTLE," that of "ARMAGEDDON." Revelation 20:8; 16:12-16

 

Clearly, Satan's objective is to regain, to the highest degree possible, the control over secular and political authorities that he lost when the angel with the great chain came down from Heaven, bound him, and cast him into the abyss for a thousand years. According to the prophetic projection, Satan will achieve resounding success in achieving his diabolical goal of DECEIVING WORLD LEADERS, both SECULAR and RELIGIOUS!

 

That "resounding success" is highlighted in another scene of Revelation, which portrays "the beast... the kings (and princes, presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, governors, and all other secular rulers) of the earth and… their armies" as "gathered to wage WAR  against the one riding the horse, and against his army." Revelation 19:19. "WAR." That is, yielding to burning carnal passions, selfish, delusional agendas, and life and cosmic views of a materialistic, dark, even sinister nature, a vast multitude of deceived humans gather in aggressive, mostly VERBAL, JUDICIAL, SOCIAL, AGENDA-DRIVEN, and FILOSOPHICAL VIOLENCE, but also even PHYSICAL, against Christ and his spiritual armies.

 

C. How does Satan manage to deceive the rulers of all the earth? Are not the great majority of those rulers very smart men and women who have come to power by the exercise of outstanding intellectual acuteness, superior organizational abilities, and highly developed social and political instincts?

 

In the vision of Revelation 20:1-9, specific details about the powers, stratagems, and chicaneries employed by Satan on many levels to deceive them are not explicitly revealed. However, in Revelation 16:12-16,
a parallel passage, we find an intriguing
explanation. Here, the apostle John
writes: "And I saw coming out of
the MOUTH of the DRAGON, and
out of the MOUTH of the BEAST,
and out of the MOUTH of the FALSE
PROPHET, THREE UNCLEAN
SPIRITS, as it were FROGS: for they
are SPIRITS of DEMONS, working
SIGNS; which go forth unto the kings
of the WHOLE WORLD, to gather
them together unto the WAR of the
great day of God, the Almighty."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

1. The parallelism, or similarity, between Revelation 16:13-16 and Revelation 20:1-9 is evident when comparing 16:14 with 20:8. We observe that in both verses, malevolent agents assault all the RULERS of the nations of the "WHOLE WORLD" with the explicit purpose of deceiving them and inciting them to fight against God and his followers. Consider the following two texts: 

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Revelation 16:14. The "THREE UNCLEAN SPIRITS, as it were FROGS: for they are SPIRITS of DEMONS, working SIGNS; which go forth unto the KINGS of the WHOLE WORLD, to gather them together unto the WAR of the great day of God, the Almighty."

​

Revelation 20:8. Satan, once released after the thousand years in the abyss, “shall come forth to DECEIVE the NATIONS which are in the FOUR CORNERS of the EARTH, GOG and MAGOG, to gather them together to the WAR: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

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​In the image, the deceptively attired Unclean, Frog-Spirit we name "RENACHOTE." He is a staunch atheist and an astutely persuasive, undercover, deceiving political advisor and influencer.

 

​​2. Since Revelation 16:13-16 explains HOW Satan will deceive the RULERS of the nations  “in the WHOLE WORLD" during the “little time,”  whatever their “IQ” (Intellectual Quotient) may be, let us analyze the text in greater detail.

 

​​​a) The "DRAGON" is Satan. He is “the great dragon... the
old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan.” Revelation 12:9; 20:2

​​​

b) The "BEAST" represents political, secular, and worldly-politicized 
religious powers and authorities in their various manifestations
throughout history, deceived by Satan, allied with him, and acting
out his evil, destructive will. For a comprehensive exposition on
the two great "BEASTS" of Revelation, click here and go to
Section 6.​

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c) The "FALSE PROPHET" symbolizes all religions around the
world founded and developed by self-proclaimed prophets and
prophetesses, as well as prophets and prophetesses, constituted
to be so by humans who elevate them to that position. In Christianity, during the Common Era, the "false prophet" is identified particularly with the Second Beast of Revelation 13 and the "Great Harlot, Babylon the Great" of Revelation 17 and 18. (For the interpretation of the "Great City-Great Babylon-Great Harlot," see Section Eight of this Commentary.)  Across the centuries, many self-proclaimed prophets and prophetesses have arisen within Christianity. Many other major and minor religions around the globe of Earth follow their own prophets, gurus, “wise men,” religious visionaries, etc.

​

 

 

 

d) The life force, the driving, obsessive, mental, and spiritual

power of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet is an

UNCLEAN SPIRIT. One in each of the three. “THREE

UNCLEAN SPIRITS” like cold-blooded “FROGS” in a great

swamp of fetid waters and dense poisonous vapors. But those

“Unclean Spirits” survive in those conditions of shadows,

darkness, and evil, and, unlike common frogs, are possessed

with fearful abilities and powers that enable them to take on

disguises that can deceive even the smartest and most astute

rulers of the nations of the world.

​

When the Sixth Bowl of the Wrath of God is poured out on the world, those

“THREE UNCLEAN SPIRITS” come "out of the MOUTH" of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet with the specific purpose to “go forth unto the KINGS (rulers) of the WHOLE WORLD, to gather them together unto the WAR” of “ARMAGEDDON.” How on earth can they persuade the RULERS “of the whole world” to unite in “WAR” against the Creator God himself and his followers?

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I reason that a key to understanding the “HOW” of such a terrifically fearsome and fatal accomplishment is in the phrase “…OUT OF THE MOUTH.” What proceeds, naturally, “…OUT OF THE MOUTH?”  The “Three Unclean Spirits” come “out of the mouths” of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet, and they come out TALKING! Expressing themselves verbally. Through men and women who willingly allow themselves to be the purveyors of all kinds of philosophies, ideologies, life views, ideals, value systems, cultural, political, social, moral, spiritual, and religious agendas, that are patently opposed to the clearly declared will and purpose of the Creator God for the race of human beings. Very persuasive WORDS! Torrents of WORDS! Downpours, rivers, FLOODS of WORDS! That DECEIVE in the most insidious, convincing ways.

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Following this clue, I personally
conceptualize these "Unclean
Spirit-Frogs" as AGENTS highly
skilled in the shrewd and effective
use of all forms of communication.
They promote agendas aligned with
Satan's vision for the nations and
their rulers, while incessantly and
convincingly claiming to seek the
"Common Good." I envision them
as playing the roles of respected
and highly influential ADVISORS in all major areas of human thought, endeavor, and interaction.

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They advise representatives,
senators, judges, ministerial
aides, administrative officials,
presidents, chancellors, prime
ministers, princes, kings, and
even dictators.

​

They advise officials and
employees of educational
institutions, social organizations,
corporations, unions, and more.

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They present themselves as “experts” in the arena of international relations.

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They provide information—crafted according to their specific agenda—to editorialists, renowned commentators, talk show hosts, writers, and other media figures.  

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Through their polished, persuasive, and convincing words (the words that proceed "from the mouth"), they win the trust of those in power. They influence them so deeply that they become, behind the scenes, in the shadows, the true architects of policy, legislation, and socio-moral direction. In effect, they constitute the real "Power behind the throne, the presidency, the ministry, the departments, the committees, the Groups of 7, etc."

​​

The image I have of them is one of professionals who are "corrupt" in mind and spirit; highly intelligent men and women with advanced academic training and elite communication skills, whose vision for humanity has no place for the God of the Bible. Humanists, hedonists, and atheistic libertines who offer a constant stream of advice regarding new paradigms for the behavior and organization of the human race.

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Naturally, God, the Bible, and the Church have no place in their counsel. Gradually or abruptly, they succeed in turning rulers against the true God, His Word, and His People.

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By way of example, even in our own time (the first half of the 21st century), a period still enjoying the precious freedom of worship, many nations have already seen numerous men and women rise to positions of power and influence who openly favor and advocate for: abortion even up to the last day of pregnancy, explicit, graphic sex education for even very young children, even preschoolers, new models for modern families, legal rights for minors that exempt them from the moral supervision of their parents, and the elimination of all religious activity in workplaces, schools, and elsewhere.

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3. The "THREE UNCLEAN SPIRITS" are
"SPIRITS of DEMONS," 

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      (1) Following the lead of their supreme
      commander, Satan, in his roles as “the
      old serpent,”  “the great dragon,” these 
     "three spirits" are "SPIRITS of
      DEMONS."
     ​

That is precisely how the
Supreme Creator God sees them. 
As "DEMONS." The mature Christian who understands this terminology and masters these topics shares his Heavenly Father's perspective. He also perceives them as "spirits of demons" that manifest themselves in false teachers, prophets, apostles, pastors, priests, deceiving advisors, counselors, shamans, influencers, or proclaimers of distorted, destabilizing philosophies bereft even of common sense and practicality.

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(2) The diabolical purpose and exceedingly wicked nature of these "spirits of demons" are defined by the following inspired words: "They go to the kings of the earth in the whole world... to assemble them for the battle of that great day." They go out
"to deceive the nations."