The reference is found in Revelation 20:8
“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”
In context, this reference is that the tribulation has ended, Armageddon has taken place, the false prophet and the anti christ have been thrown into the Lake of Fire and Satan has been bound a thousand years, now the Millennial reign on Earth with Christ has come to a close, and Satan is released from his prison.
The Nations Satan is going out to deceive in the context of this scripture are Christians, who are located in the four quarters of the Earth, which is another way of saying the north, south, east and west. The entire world.
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13; 10:22; Mark 13:13)
Most Christians believe that the “end” is to simply believe God, accept Christ, and go through this life as best you can. When you die you go to Heaven and that is the end. Christians sing songs that state that Heaven is their home. This concept is nothing more than religious thinking and teaching, ripe with tradition. But it is the furthest thing from the truth, if you are using the scripture as a basis in that truth.
We must certainly get through this life, but this life does not have to be a defeated one, that is another subject. You must also get through Heaven, Armageddon, the thousand year reign of Christ and then, most critically, not be deceived by Satan after his release from imprisonment.
Satan’s Army, is in fact comprised of Christians, or at least those who “once” followed Christ.
“Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle”
Gog was a Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal, these two men were uncircumcised to the Lord and terrors to all that they encountered (Ezekiel 32:26-27). They represent the spirit of the Anti-Christ, God was against them (Ezekiel 38:2-3). Magog is a place in the northern region of Israel.
“The number of whom is as the sand of the sea”
This means that the number of people who will be deceived by Satan, “after” the thousand year reign, is a number like the sands of the ocean, innumerable.
Satan did deceive a third of the Angels in Heaven, which is an extraordinary number itself when you consider how many Angels are left in Heaven (Rev 12:4, 7-9; Rev 5:11). The number of Angels remaining in Heaven numbered 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands, thousands, also meaning an “innumerable” sum. If Satan was able to deceive a being who walked and lived in God’s own presence, man has little hope without some assistance from God Himself.
During our time in this life, man teaches Satan, the best way to tempt us into sin. Satan is extraordinarily patient, he is subtle, and has no memory problems. He is the ultimate at surveillance. He only tempts us with what he knows we are susceptible to. Once he deceives you, he can take you down more compromising paths. But he must first get you.
People who are not interested in drugs or alcohol are never tempted with those things. Those who are curious about them are the ones who are drawn into it. Once a person ventures down the path of drugs and alcohol, or whatever the area of temptation is, even if they try to get out of it, they seem to always end up involved with people or environments that lead them back into the drugs, alcohol or whatever. This is no coincidence.
After the thousand year reign, and Satan is released and goes out to deceive the Nations, man will not have the same nature or needs of the flesh. Satan will have to try a new tactic on us. It will most likely be some version of vanity and pride. It will most likely be a means Satan suggest, that will lift a person up beyond others. It is after all, the sin that got Satan himself in the first place. It is most likely what got the third of the Angels in Heaven to follow him. Pride is one of the things that God hates, because of what it does to a person (Proverbs 6:16-19).