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Then how do you explain the contents of Revelation 20? It specifically deals with the first resurrection of the dead, the 1,000 year reign of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment. It specifically mentions that Satan will be loosed upon the Earth to tempt the nations into rebellion against God once again. It specifically states that the Beast and the False Prophet are already in the Lake of Fire when God casts Satan into it.

The way I deal with it is to point out the things it says and the things it doesn’t say. For example, it doesn’t say anything in there about a) the Second Coming being prior to the “thousand years”, or b) Jesus reigning on the earth during the “thousand years.” You can search high and low and you won’t find either teaching.

It says that the purpose of the “binding of Satan” is “so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.” It says nothing about Satan being totally powerless during the thousand years. The binding has but one purpose. You might compare this binding with the binding of the strongman and the coming of the kingdom that Jesus teaches about in Matthew 12.

Rev. 20 says, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” The first resurrection is Christ’s resurrection from the dead. All believers have a part in His resurrection, both spiritually and eventually physically.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (Eph. 2)

This is resurrection language. Spiritual resurrection. All those who have a part in the first resurrection – Christ’s – experience spiritual resurrection from the dead.

There is nothing in Rev. 20 that is inconsistent with the teaching that at the Second Coming comes “the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Cor. 15:24)

People presume too much when they read image-filled passages like Rev. 20.

Actually, it does state that Satan would be powerless during his binding during the thousand year reign. Rev 20:1-3 KJV - "[1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [3] 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." I'd say that is pretty strong language indicating that Satan is bound for literally a thousand years. Combined with the following passage, I'd say that it presents a pretty solid picture of Christ reigning both on Earth as well as in Heaven for a literal thousand years. Rev 20:4-8 KJV - "[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. [7] And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, [8] And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth , Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." Now is this the same thing as what is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18? The day of the Lord and the End of Days are two seperate, different events. Otherwise, how would Christ return with His followers to destroy the Anti-Christ as shown in Revelation 19? Rev 19:11-21 KJV - "[11] And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. [13] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. [14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. [17] And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; [18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. [19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. [20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. [21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." There's more here than just "Christ returned, everyone's judged, end of time" and the thousand year literal reign is actually a solid part of that future.