Has Satan’s “Little Season” Already Begun?

A Christian Response to This Growing Deception.

Feb 18, 2025

Throughout history, the enemy of our souls has sought to distort biblical truth, leading many astray through deceptive doctrines. One such rising deception is the belief that Christ has already returned, reigned for a thousand years, and that we are now living in the so-called "little season" of Satan’s release as described in Revelation 20:7-8. This teaching, though seemingly obscure, is rapidly gaining traction among some who are disillusioned with mainstream eschatology. However, as we will explore, this doctrine is not only biblically unsound but also bears dangerous similarities to Gnostic and New Age distortions.

Understanding the "Satan’s Little Season" Teaching

The core belief of this false doctrine is that Christ’s second coming was fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Rise Radio (2025), proponents claim that Jesus physically reigned on Earth for a literal thousand years but that historical records of this reign have been erased. They argue that we are now in the period described in Revelation 20 where Satan is released to deceive the nations before the final judgment. Some even assert that major world events, such as the founding of the United States in 1776, mark the beginning of this "little season."

This teaching is often linked to fringe historical revisionism, including theories about lost civilizations and hidden architectures supposedly built during Christ’s millennial reign. These claims, however, lack biblical and historical support and bear dangerous resemblances to esoteric Gnostic narratives that seek to rewrite Christian history.

There are even those who falsely claim that Jesus is already present on Earth in an undisclosed location, waiting to reveal Himself. Others teach that the Millennium is not a literal reign of Christ but a spiritual dominion in the hearts of believers, thereby stripping biblical eschatology of its physical fulfillment. Such views contradict the clear teachings of Scripture that Jesus will return in a visible, bodily manner to establish His Kingdom on Earth (Acts 1:11).

Why This Teaching Is Deceptive and Dangerous

The deceptive belief that Christ has already returned and reigned for a thousand years contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture. When Christ returns, His reign will not be hidden, erased, or obscured—it will be a global, visible, and undeniable event. Scripture declares, "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him" (Revelation 1:7). Jesus Himself warned against claims that He would return in secret or in an obscure manner, saying, "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:27).

Moreover, this deception is similar to Gnosticism, which teaches that secret knowledge (gnosis) is necessary to understand reality (Scholer, 2021; In All Things, 2019; Cooper, 2025). Many proponents of the "Satan’s little season" doctrine suggest that mainstream Christianity has been deceived, and only those who follow their teachings possess the "real" truth. This is strikingly similar to the heresies refuted by the Apostle Paul in his letters, particularly when he warned against false teachers who "promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan" (1 Timothy 1:4).

The Connection to New Age Ideologies

Alice Bailey, a major figure in New Age occultism, taught that Christianity needed to be "reinterpreted" to fit into an esoteric worldview. Her writings promoted the idea that history and biblical teachings had been altered and that secret truths were hidden from most people (Sangwa, 2024; Catholic Culture, 2025; Wikipedia). The "Satan’s little season" doctrine follows a similar trajectory by asserting that history has been manipulated and that only an enlightened few understand the "real" timeline of Christ’s reign. This is a classic strategy of the enemy—introducing doubt, confusion, and distrust in the clear teachings of Scripture.

The Biblical Timeline:

Biblically, the Millennial reign of Christ is preceded by two major prophetic events: the Rapture and the rise of the Antichrist. According to Scripture, the Church will be caught up to meet Christ in the air before the period of Great Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This rapture of believers will be followed by the emergence of the Antichrist, who will deceive the world, demand worship, and unleash unprecedented persecution on those who refuse to follow him (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

It is only after these events that Jesus Christ will return in glory, defeat the Antichrist, and establish His Millennial Kingdom on Earth (Revelation 19:11-16). Since the Rapture has not yet occurred and the Antichrist has not yet been revealed, it is impossible that we are living in the aftermath of Christ’s Millennial reign.

Another concerning trend is the claim that the Antichrist will not be a literal person who sits in a physical temple, but rather a spiritual force that dwells in human bodies since "our bodies are temples." While it is true that Scripture refers to believers' bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), this interpretation dangerously spiritualizes clear prophetic passages. The Apostle John acknowledges that "the spirit of the antichrist" and "many antichrists" are already in the world (1 John 2:18; 4:3), but Scripture also explicitly speaks of a coming individual - "the man of lawlessness" and "son of destruction" - who will oppose God and exalt himself above everything called God, even sitting in God's temple (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). This describes a literal person performing literal actions, not merely a spiritual concept.

Final Exhortations

The belief that Christ's millennial reign has already occurred and that we are in Satan's "little season" is a dangerous deception that contradicts clear biblical teaching. This doctrine not only borrows from Gnostic and New Age distortions but also has the concerning effect of isolating believers from the broader Christian community. Those who adopt this view often reject mainstream Christianity entirely, believing they alone possess special knowledge—a hallmark of cult-like movements. The belief that all recorded history is false creates an unstable mindset, making individuals susceptible to further deceptions.

Furthermore, this teaching robs believers of the biblical hope of Christ's imminent return. Scripture calls us to eagerly await the appearing of our Lord, not to believe we have already missed it (Titus 2:13). As Christians, we must be discerning and firmly rooted in the Word of God. The Bible provides clear guidance about the sequence of end-time events, and any doctrine that undermines the integrity of Scripture must be rejected. Paul's warning remains relevant: "Let no one deceive you in any way" (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3).

May we remain steadfast in the truth, always testing every teaching against the infallible Word of God. Let us not be swept away by cleverly devised myths but instead hold fast to the blessed hope of Christ's glorious return.

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