Revelation 20:7-10 (RSV), “And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be loosed from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Gog and Magog are the rebellious, deceived enemies of God. Even after the 1,000 year, peaceable reign of Christ, some will not love righteousness. They will attempt to disrupt society. Satan will use Gog and Magog as his earthly physical representatives to once again deceive mankind – as he did in the very beginning with mother Eve. If we knew ahead of time exactly who it will be, it wouldn’t be much of a deception. Since Revelation is a book of symbols, we do not know the specifics of this final conflict.
The attempted deception will be a test determining who will follow Satan, Gog, and Magog into wickedness.
During the 1,000 years, every effort will be made to encourage reformation of heart. “The Spirit and the bride say Come and let him that hears say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.” Trees of life will be “for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse.” (Revelation 22:2,3) All outward evil will be destroyed. “The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity.” (Matthew 13:41)
Though opportunities will be given for physical, mental and moral healing, some will still be rebellious against God in their hearts. Satan’s deceptions using Gog and Magog as his tools will expose those individuals. These people will be ones who choose not to follow love, justice, and obedience to God’s holy will. However, those in harmony with God will not be deceived.
Satan and the unrighteous God and Magog will be destroyed in the symbolic lake of fire. The thought of “torment” is that of a “touchstone”. In ancient times, a metal coin was scrapped (mistranslated as tormented) against the touchstone to determine the quality of the gold content. Similarly, the eternal remembrance of Satan’s ways (a touchstone) will test (torment) every thought and concept as to whether it is righteous or not. See the expanded answer on “You say there is no hell and yet Revelation 20:10 mentions a lake of burning sulfur and those in the lake are tormented day and night forever.”
