Revelation 20:8 references “Gog and Magog,” two regional entities that rose to prominence in the Old Testament book of the prophet Ezekiel. In Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, “Gog and Magog” are enemies from the north that attack the nation of Israel. This area is traditionally associated with the lands presently inhabited by the Russian Federation and its surrounding regions. Since this portion of Scripture also references nations that hail from “the four corners of the earth,” this may simply represent all those who are intent on rebelling against God.
So, even in the pristine environment that Jesus will establish during this millennial period, the devil will still manage to instigate a vast rebellion against Him. Revelation 20:9 then continues by saying, “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves” (NIV). This seems to indicate that a relatively small number of God-honoring individuals will retreat to their last stronghold, likely Jerusalem (or, the “beloved city” [ESV]).
But shortly thereafter, “…fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them” (NLT). Thus, we can say that God will personally end this confrontation before it begins. But what of the ringleader behind that insurrection? Well, he will be sentenced in the following verse…
“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10 ESV).
The following commentator addresses the “forever” aspect of that sentence…
“The torment experienced in Hell is eternal, and for some, this still seems inequitable compared to the finite and limited sins that we might commit here on earth. So let’s address the issue of the duration of the punishment. First, it’s important for us to remember the severity of a crime does not always have anything to do with the amount of time it takes to commit it.
If I embezzle five dollars a day from my boss over the course of five years, I might eventually get caught and pay the penalty… But if I become enraged at a coworker and in the blink of an eye I lose my temper and kill him, the crime is now murder… This crime took much less than five years to commit. It only took five seconds. Yet the penalty for this crime is far greater…
The penalties for these two crimes are very different, and they have nothing to do with the duration of the actual criminal act. Instead, the severity of the crime is the key to determining its punishment. It’s the same way with God. The duration of the crime has little to do with the duration of the penalty. It’s all about the severity of the crime.” (1)
(1) Excerpted from J. Warner Wallace, Can The Existence and Nature of Hell Be Defended? (Free Bible Insert), Retrieved 5 June 2020 from https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/can-the-existence-and-nature-of-hell-be-defended-free-bible-insert/