GOOD NEWS IN REVELATION
Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10NKJ
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Now, we are coming to a place in Revelation that I am confident about. I am both confident and happy at what will be the end of Satan.
First, Satan will be bound with a great chain and tossed into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. I don’t know if this is a thousand years God time or our time, but I am glad about it. I love the fact that Satan is bound up and tossed, and I hope it’s a long way to the bottom of the bottomless pit. No longer will Satan be able to deceive the nations.
This does give us the way Satan operates; by deception. His main weapon against humanity is to deceive mankind regarding God and regarding the life to come. So many people live as if this life is all there is, but that is deception.
So Satan will be bound and unable to function for a thousand years, and then he will be released for a season. Do not ask me why he will be released. That answer is way above my pay grade. This is one of those questions where we look to the Lord and say, Oh Lord, thou knowest. If it was up to me…
After being released, Satan goes back to deceiving the nations. He evidently does not learn anything while being bound for that many years. What is more amazing to me is that he is still able to deceive and can gather some nations together to fight against God. These deceived nations gather against the people of God and surround Jerusalem. But this time, there is no battle per se. This time, a fire falls from God and burns up the armies that surround the city. Evidently, no one fights, but God takes care of this situation. I hope I can see this happen from far away.
And now one of my favorite verses in the Book of Revelation. Satan is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone with the beast and false prophet. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. I believe we will be there to witness this final judgment of Satan, and I have absolutely no pity for him at all. He will receive from a just God everything he deserves, and I am glad.
There is much in the Book of Revelation that I simply do not understand. I don’t know who the elders are. Who is riding the horses, and exactly who are the nations coming against Israel. But I am okay with that. Because I know how it all turns out, I can handle not knowing many things. Because I know God brings complete victory in the end, I can deal with the parts I don’t understand.
People often speculate about the tribulation and who will have to go through that awful time. I have my opinion, but what I know is this. When I leave this earth, I will be present with the Lord. That being in the presence of God surpasses anything this earth has to offer. And in the end, it all turns out well for those who love God and have received His Son, Jesus, as Lord and Savior. And I know that I am part of a kingdom that will never end or need to be replaced or fade away. It’s a glorious Kingdom with a glorious King, and I am on His side forever and ever, Amen.