What is the purpose of the binding of Satan for a thousand years? That�s a long time. But what happens after that?

The complete binding of Satan is necessary in order for man, unhampered by his evil influence, to gain back all that was lost through Adam. Without the fetters that have been binding men to Satan, they will be able to learn righteousness and to love and appreciate the real truth on every subject, thus making them truly free. They will learn that to truly worship and love God, in mind, body and spirit will bring true happiness. (Mark 12:29, 30)

At the end of the thousand years of the binding of Satan there will be a final test (as Adam and Eve were tested in the Garden) to see if they truly love God and righteousness. We don�t know the exact nature of the test, but it will be evident that those who pass it will have proved that they love God supremely. For the purpose of testing mankind, Satan will be loosed from his proverbial �pit,� (Rev. 20:1-3) and he will again be allowed to have an influence over mankind in an effort to persuade them to worship him. We anticipate that he will use trickery and half truths to persuade all, that he is for them, and that God is against him. Those that pass the test will go into the Kingdom. But some will not pass the test because righteousness is not ingrained in their hearts and minds. These go into what is termed the �Second Death.� (Rev.21:8) It is a death without the hope of a resurrection. The second death is not a place, but a condition. They will simply not exist.

Satan, whose character is now so corrupt that he is truly incorrigible and cannot be reformed; when all people have been tested, at the end of the thousand years, he too will suffer the Second Death. He will exist no more. 

Satan has adversely influenced mankind for over 6,000 years. His influence has led to every immorality, iniquity and wicked practice that the world has experienced. All evil can be traced to Satan. Since the fall of Adam and Eve he has taken advantage of mankind�s weaknesses, and through his cunning manipulation he has made good appear as evil and evil appear as good. (Mal. 3:15; Isa. 5:20)

When mankind is awakened from the grave they will come back with a complete, but new body. But they will also have the same mind that they had when they went down in death. To the dead, there is no passage of time in the grave (Eccl. 9:5, 10) The last thought they had at death will be the first when they return. In the resurrection they will be retracing their steps in an effort to undo all the wrong that they have done in this life. With Satan�s influence this would be an impossibility. He would still play on their weaknesses and fallen tendencies, which they will still have when they awaken from the dead, and make it almost impossible for them to make the necessary progress in the Kingdom.

The resurrection will not take place all at once. Those that have died first in time will be the last to come forth from the grave. Thus it will take all of the thousand years to resurrect mankind, and with sufficient time for them to learn righteousness and the rewards that come with obeying God. If successful, mankind may live together in peace and harmony on the earth forever.