The Bureau of Justice statistic reports that 77 percent of federal inmates are rearrested within five years after being released on parole. That means incarceration doesn’t “rehabilitate” an alarming number. They are simply habitual repeat offenders. Terry Joe Windham is an example who, while out on parole, decided to commit murder to see what it felt like. He chose a 16-year-old victim, Jeremy Flachbart, who was physically and mentally disabled. Windham ambushed Jeremy from behind with a two-foot long 4×4 fence post, killing him with a total of 16 massive blows. As heinous as this was, there is a far worse violent repeat offender.

At the conclusion of the seven years of Tribulation, an angel will be given power to lay “…hold on the dragon…Satan,” bind him with a chain for “a thousand years,” and “cast him into the bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:1-3). For the duration of our Savior’s Millennial reign “with a rod of iron” (19:15), Satan will be unable to tempt, deceive, or influence those on earth. All who enter the Millennial Kingdom will be saved individuals who either survived the Tribulation or will be resurrected from the dead from all human history, except the current Dispensation of Grace. It will begin as a genuine utopia on earth. However, those who survive the Tribulation will be able to procreate, and those born during this time will not have eternal life unless genuinely trusting in Christ. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations” for “a little season” (vss. 7-8,3). Clearly, Satan’s incarceration will not rehabilitate him. God previously governed man under goodness, law, grace, and, finally under glory in Christ’s kingdom.3 The King of kings will permit one final failure of man to prove man’s nature is corrupt, no matter what his circumstances. Satan will persuade an innumerable company of lost souls to join in one final assault on Jerusalem. However, God will intervene with fire coming down from heaven. This fire will devour the human armies, and Satan will be permanently cast into the Lake of Fire to never trouble the world again (vss. 9-10).

Lost souls can put on a veneer of holiness, but only those who trust in Christ can be rehabilitated into genuine righteousness. However, this only comes through a yielded will and time in God’s Word. Choose to be rehabilitated, or transformed, with both today.