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Revelation Study Series 26a - God's Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 20a) Series
Contributed by Clayton Beck on Oct 13, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus came! He died! He resurrected! He is coming back!
Revelation Study Series 26a - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 20a)
06.05.22
Our eyes were on the Groom last week! Jesus, the Rider on the white horse, the Word of God, King of kings, Lord of lords!
We spoke of Jesus’ Second coming and the battle of Armageddon! Jesus with a “sharp two-edged sword” from His mouth will speak, He will proclaim His Word! And, the battle will be over! God’s Word wins! God’s Word reigns! God’s Word is established forever! It does not wither nor fade! It is what you need! And, it is all you need!
The Bible tells us that the antichrist and the false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire, there they will be tormented forever! Immediately following those events…
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand.
2 He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years.
3 The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.
satan is a real, living, created being. He is not just a symbol of evil.
He is evil. Scripture references him thirty-five times as the “devil”, and fifty-two times as “satan” (adversary). he is also referenced as a serpent, and a dragon.
12b “..."You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
13a You were in Eden, the garden of God; …”
14a "You were the anointed cherub who covers; …”
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
16 "By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.
17 "your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. (NKJV)
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. (NKJV)
There will be a period of time, one thousand years, when satan will have no influence on the hearts of mankind. he will not roam about like a lion seeking whom he can destroy. he will not influence nor possess worldly leaders, nor anyone!
he will not play a role in impacting the events that take place on the earth for those 1,000 years.
You and I have not known a time when satan was not at work without his evil influence, deception, lies, or destruction.
“...satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.” (vs. 3b)
You may wonder why he “must be released for a little while”...
Why doesn’t God just end it there!
Let me suggest that by doing so, this removes any excuse for mankind’s sin, or mankind not choosing Jesus Christ!
Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Gen. 3:13
With satan’s evil influence or without it…mankind will either choose to accept Christ or will choose to reject Him. Either way…it will be of their own choosing!
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. he is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)